12.5 YEARS AGO...
Belvedere lived his life backwards. As a child he took on adult-like responsibilities while training to take over as Head Guardian, and in doing so, had never participated in anything one would call risky. In fact, he did practically whatever he could do to live an uneventful life. But lately, he felt the urge to be silly as his centuries began to catch up with him.
He lived at the Crossroads: a Grand Central Station for the Four Worlds of Life. Here he kept track of the comings and goings of the residents of the Four Worlds, who liked to leap from one world to the next. Nothing remarkable or out of the ordinary ever happened.
The same regulars passed by day after day: a young Borean archer, named Emery, who had adventure in his eyes; the dragon-keeper, Tress, who took her beasts out to stretch their wings on the eve of a blue moon; and, of course, Belvedere's twin sister, Tulia.
Tulia liked to bend the rules her way. Belvedere knew that when he wasn't looking, his sister would sneak off to Earth. He warned her to stay away from that world, but she swore to him she only visited the Court, a special place where their kind could exist. But Belvedere knew better; he knew his sister slipped over to the forbidden side because she came home smelling like the humans who resided there.
There was an odor to the new world that didn't follow the old. Belvedere was familiar with it as he corresponded for a number of decades with Mae, a descendant of the Crystals of Life, which were housed on each world.
Sadly, Mae had passed away last year. Belvedere mourned the loss of his friend but also took the time to get to know her son, Marcus. As an only child, Marcus became the next descendant.
Maybe it was Mae's death that made Belvedere think of his mortality. He wasn't like the Board Members who ruled each world. They were immortal. He was a Guardian; mind you the head of them all, but simply a guardian, nonetheless. He was lucky if he made it three or four more centuries.
Things with Marcus were different than they were with Mae. Marcus and his wife, Kathleen, had two young children and were surprisingly expecting their third. Descendants rarely had more than one child; it kept the family line strong, and undivided.
Marcus was worried; he'd seen something cross over from the Four Worlds into Earth and thought it was watching him. Belvedere was worried this might have something to do with Tulia.
As if the thought of her could summon Tulia back to the Crossroads, the holograms above his desk began to spin. Someone was attempting to return from Earth. Tulia came into focus, landing in the middle of the cave before him.
"I told you to stop running back and forth between worlds," Belvedere said.
"Don't tell me what to do," she said with her usual dismissive-grace. "A proper brother would be happy to see his sister."
"I don't think we're a proper anything," he grumbled.
"You'll be glad I did go to Earth. A problem has developed."
"What sort of problem?"
"I'm not sure that I'll tell you now," Tulia said, turning away. "You need to work on being more brotherly."
"Tulia!" he spattered. "What's happening back on Earth?"
She tilted her head to the side as he grew more impatient. "There seems to be a problem with the woman."
"Which one?"
"The wifey one. Why can I never remember her name? The Kat lady."
"Kathleen! Is she alright? What about the baby?"
"I really couldn't tell," she said, flicking her long blue hair behind her. "They wouldn't let me in the delivery room; but it sounded as though things aren't progressing as they should. The husband's been trying to contact you. That's why I came back."
"What on earth can I do?"
"He was talking so quickly I could barely understand him,. Something about dark things in the corners."
"Dark things? Did you see them?"
"I didn't have my glasses with me, but I suppose the corners did seem a little darker than usual now that I think about it."
"I'm going to contact him. Stay here and watch the Crossroads."
Belvedere put his hands on the orb of Earth, focusing intently at its surface. The blues and greens began to mix together, and soon he felt the familiar tugging sensation at the top of his head. Before he knew it, he shot up into the sky, leaping away from the Crossroads.
******
It wasn't long before Belvedere returned, collapsing into his chair. He was exhausted. Maybe he was wrong? He didn't need excitement in his life. He was too old to get tangled up in thrilling situations.
Marcus had been right. There was something there; and it tried to take the baby. What could it have been? Belvedere shuddered. Dark things.
He took a deep breath and then sat up in his chair, looking around his desk. Something was wrong. Something was missing. Tulia!
Belvedere stormed down the stairs from the perch where his desk sat, and looked around his cave. He knew Tulia was here because he could still smell her. He followed his nose into the Board Room.
Inside the hidden room, Tulia was bent over the large wooden table, staring into the crystal chandelier. Holograms of each Crystal of Life, hung above the table, illuminating the Board Room in a shade of every colour.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked.
Tulia jumped and turned towards him. "I thought I saw something come in."
"What? That's crazy."
"Maybe it was trying to get out and then I scared it back in?"
"There's nothing in here but us."
"Whatever it was, I think it's gone into the crystals," she said, stepping back from the chandelier.
"What on earth are you—" he started, but before he could end his sentence he saw a smudge inside the chandelier. He pushed Tulia out of the way and leaned over the table. There was something in the middle of the chandelier touching each crystal—a dark blemish— tar-like, and oozing.
He slowly turned toward Tulia, who was staring back at him, wide-eyed. "What have you done?" he asked.
"I did nothing," she said shaking her head, taking a step away from him.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY CRYSTALS?" he shouted.
Tulia jumped.
Belvedere had never let his feelings get the better of him before. It was liberating.
"Don't you yell at me." Tulia narrowed her eyes at her brother. "I didn't touch them. I would never do such a thing."
"Get out!" Belvedere yelled. "I know you've been lying to me and sneaking off to the other side of earth. I've let you get away with your sneaky behavior, but this has gone too far. Go to the Court; I will deal with you later."
Belvedere barely heard Tulia shuffle out of the Board Room, as he turned his attention back to the chandelier. Now he would need to visit each guardian to see if their crystals were truly affected.
Suddenly, the sound of the four orbs shifting positions came through the entrance of the Board Room. He ran back to the cave, only to see Tulia standing at his desk.
"I thought I told you to go to the Court?" he said.
"If I'm going to be blamed for something I didn't do then I'm going to go where I please," she said standing with her hands on her hips.
Earth popped up into view at his desk.
"If you return to Earth, I will never let you back in the Four Worlds again."
"Goodbye then," Tulia said, placing her hands on the orb. Belvedere couldn't believe his eyes, as he watched his sister shoot up into thin air, disappearing from the Crossroads.
***END OF PROLOGUE***************************************************************************
1. What do you think about Belvedere and Tulia's relationship?
2. Did you notice that this part of the story happened 12.5 years ago? What do you think will happen in the next Chapter? When will we get to see Belvedere again?
3. Will we ever see Tulia again?
4. What do you think is wrong with the crystals?
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING!! I APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK!! I'D LIKE TO GET THIS OUT ON AMAZON IN PRINT AGAIN (IT'S OUT OF PRINT WHILE BEING EDITED HERE).