The Final Link_The Gateway Saga Read online

  Chapter 2

  The man with white hair stepped forward, he wore a serene look, and his lips were quirked up at the corners. “You must be Agatha Wasley, Blythe has told us so much about you. I am Liel and this is Mathius,” Liel gestured toward the dark-haired brute of a man whose scowl was set firmly in place, as though with glue.

  “Aggie, please don’t call me Agatha, I hate that name. My mother, must have been envisioning me as a decrepit old woman when she named me. Wait, why would my grandmother tell you about me? How do you know my grandmother?”

  “We both knew your grandmother very well. Her job kept us very well acquainted. We knew your mother for a time as well, but more by reputation than anything. Though we did meet from time to time in passing.” Liel spoke again, leaving Mathius to represent the role of ‘strong silent type’.

  “That doesn’t actually answer all my questions. You still haven’t told me what you’re doing in my house. Not to mention, what happened to the wall over there when you came in?” Aggie just kept sweeping the room with her eyes, to make sure nothing else strange happened.

  “While this might look like it is inside your house. You couldn’t be more wrong.” Mathius’s rough voice startled her. He had chosen that moment to speak and had startled Aggie with his tone and was spouting insanity.

  “You’re crazy, if you think this isn’t my house. My grandmother just passed away, and with no other living relatives, that makes the house mine. Although, I’m sure she left a will that I haven’t received yet, stating the same. I might have never been inside this room before today, but that doesn’t make it any less a part of my house.” Aggie was ranting and she knew it, but she wasn’t going to be told something so ridiculous, and actually believe it.

  “What Mathius means is, you are in the Gateway. The other side of that door, is your house, but this room is actually between the dimensions. You have likely only been granted to this space because Blythe has passed on. Her responsibilities now pass to you.” Liel clarified, but really just made Aggie’s brain hurt worse.

  “Another dimension, seriously? You expect me to believe that?” Aggie didn’t believe it, but she did find it peculiar that the room just opened, on its own, the day they laid her grandmother to rest.

  “I’m not one for telling lies, Agatha.” Liel refrained from using her nickname as she requested, but it didn’t grate on her nerves, as with everyone else. Actually, with his voice, the way it rolled off his tongue it was the best she’d ever heard her full name sound. So, she opted to not say anything, this time.

  “Everyone lies one time or another, but let’s say I were to believe you. What responsibility am I now blessed with, besides upkeep on an old house that I can’t possibly afford without a real job?” Aggie hadn’t voiced these concerns to anyone since her grandmother’s death, but it had been niggling at the back of her brain for days, and just sort of slipped out along with her rant.

  “You are now the Gate Keeper. That was your grandmother’s role for years. When the next in the family comes of age, the responsibilities pass on through the generations. Unfortunately, your mother passed before that time and your grandmother has been forced to hold the job longer than any other in your family. It finally took its toll on her. It is not an easy task at times.” Liel’s voice carried a tone of remorse but it was only slight as it seemed he didn’t share emotions easily.

  “What are you?” Aggie blurted without thinking. That was a bad habit of hers, but rather than take it back, she squared her shoulders and waited expectantly for his answer.

  Liel hesitated but it was as though he was trying to figure out how to explain it. Just when she thought he wasn’t going to answer, he reached out his hand to her. With his hand suspended in mid-air, palm facing up, Liel froze.

  Without saying a word his eyes brightened and it was as if they were glowing. His green eyes took on a hue she had never imagined before, but that wasn’t all. His hand revealed an image as though a tattoo was being applied without anyone or thing touching him. A moment later, the picture became clear. It was a cross between a flattened lily and butterfly wings. The flower was pressed together in a teardrop and wrapped in a circle. As quickly as the image appeared as soon as his eyes dimmed, so did the mysterious tattoo.

  “What was that? Why do I feel like in lieu of answering my questions, you are just creating more?” Aggie was flustered and becoming more confused by the second. Was she dreaming or was she losing her mind?

  “My apologies, Agatha.” Liel seemed to be stuck on her full name, unable to be swayed. “I decided given your lack of previous knowledge, it would be easier to prove it to you, rather than just tell you. My name, as I said is Liel. What I didn’t tell you, is that I’m head of the Elven army and the strongest warrior to live in thousands of years. My powers are quite vast and that is why I have been placed as the guardian of the Elven gateway. That is what you saw happen to the wall - as you so eloquently described it - when I entered this space.” Liel had lowered his hand and crossed them behind his back when the image had disappeared.

  “Right, you’re an elf.” Aggie turned to Mathius, “I supposed that makes you an ogre than?” Her tone boasted her disbelief and she began to pace the room looking for hidden cameras or something to show she was being tricked for someone else’s amusement.

  “Absolutely not!” Mathius’s chest puffed out and Aggie knew she had offended him unintentionally. He didn’t offer up any further explanation. Aggie knew he would be a tough nut to crack.

  “Then what are you supposed to be, since you are both standing in my house.” She wasn’t ready to give up on the possession issue and the idea of another dimension was still foreign and hard to believe.

  “What I am is of no consequence to you. What matters is I’m here because things have gotten out of hand in my realm and I required some assistance. While I waited as long as I possibly could, I can’t hold out any longer. I need the brotherhood to assemble again. So, what I am is of little importance when an entire race is under attack. I’m not here for you and therefore I don’t owe you an explanation.” Mathius’s nostrils flared showing his anger, not that Aggie needed a visual cue in order to decipher that.

  “Well, if you say I’m the Gatekeeper, then I’d say you need me to some extent. While I’m not sure how much of this I believe, that magic show that Liel just put on was persuasive enough. So, unless he is the world’s greatest illusionist, turned cat burglar, I’d say he has me leaning in his favor.” Aggie was never one who needed to be told what she was supposed to do, this was no different.

  With a heavy sigh, Mathius began his explanation. “My home is under attack. It started out tame, but now it has reached a point beyond our control. We aren’t completely sure who the source is, but their powers are unmatched by my people. It began with terrible storms, and we thought it was just a bad rainy season, but then they became more destructive and children started turning up missing. One of whom is the Prince of Darkness, himself. The king is furious that someone was able to breach the castle walls to take his son, as he slept. The child is young and untrained. We must return him to his mother and father before anything unspeakable happens to him.” That was the most Mathius had said since she met him and Aggie’s heart was breaking for this child who was now missing.

  “Children? They are taking children? Oh, the mothers must be beside themselves.” Aggie crooned her concern even though she didn’t understand all the details. Instead, she picked up on what she believed to be the worst part.

  “The timing is most peculiar.” Liel spoke up looking deep in thought. “How soon before Walpurgisnacht Roodmas Day did this start?”

  “I’d say about a month ago was the first storm. What are you thinking?” Mathius questioned Liel’s train of thought.

  “If the culprit is taking children this close to the festival, I’d say they are siphoning the powers from the children but keeping them alive until the festival. So that means we have just a couple weeks left before
they are sacrificed and the power transfer becomes permanent.” Liel’s tone never faltered as though he was reading a textbook on ‘Life’s Most Disinteresting Facts’.

  “If someone is going to kill these children in just a couple weeks, how can you be so calm about it?” Aggie practically screeched her response to Liel.

  “That is why I’m here, Aggie.” This is the first time Mathius had used her name and his tone was a bit softer. She didn’t know what caused the change, but she found herself drawn into his eyes. They were a clear blue almost translucent and the rarity of them drew her in more. “The Brotherhood is needed to bring down this force and rescue the children. If anyone is going to be able to handle this it will take us all.”

  “Who is this Brotherhood and how do we reach them?” Aggie was desperate to do whatever was needed to help. She didn’t understand anything that was going on, but at the mention of helpless children being in trouble, all other thoughts were gone. She felt a pull to help these children that she didn’t know as though it was what she was meant to do. Nothing else mattered, only the children.

  The two men shared a smile between them and Aggie noticed their shoulders squared off a little more. “You’re looking at two of the eight of us. The Brotherhood is made up Guardians who protect the seven realms. The reason it’s only Liel and myself here now is that the other six of us are off on missions. We will have to send a message to their kingdoms and request a meeting of the minds.” Mathius sounded very proud of his role and his team.

  “Where will this meeting be held and when? I want to make sure I’m available under any circumstances.” Aggie still didn’t know what Mathius was but for some reason she was leaning more in the direction of believing them after the story he told and Liel’s display of power.

  “You aren’t doing anything. We don’t need you and there isn’t anything you can do.” Mathius was back to his gruff tone, sounding final.

  Liel placed a hand on Mathius’s shoulder and spoke softly, “Mathius, you know that she needs to be there even in her current state. We can’t expect her to rise to her potential if she isn’t with us.”

  “You don’t know for sure. Not all the gatekeepers embrace their destiny. They stay on this plane and manage the gateway, but most don’t join the Brotherhood. Her grandmother didn’t.” Mathius sounded torn and scowled in Aggie’s general direction, as though she had done something personally.

  “You know that Blythe was married by the time the torch was passed to her. They all have the choice and no one is told about the gateway until it is time to pass it on to the next generation. Unfortunately, the women of this family have been forced to hold the title longer and longer, as the years go on.” Liel turned his attention back to Aggie. “My apologies for Mathius here, we have been without a complete team for many years. While most of us live for quite some time, it makes the Brotherhood a harder job at times without our ninth member. You are more than welcome to accompany us to the meeting. It will actually be held here in the gateway. You will see what magic this space holds the more you come here. I will send the messages right away and you will get your own invitation when the time has been set.”

  “This day has been beyond strange.” Aggie sighed as the men spoke to each other to work out the details.

  “The messages are on their way and I look forward to our next meeting.” Liel bowed low to Aggie in farewell. Then he turned and headed towards the wall. Without stopping or giving Aggie a chance to speak again, Liel reached for the doorknob. Feeling the magic swell in the space, it was hard to believe she didn’t notice this the first time when he arrived. Perhaps, the magic was one directional feeling. She felt it because it was emanating from this room and not his realm. Looking through the door, she hoped to catch a glimpse of what his Elven country looked like, but was disappointed to find that all she saw was a bright light shining between the dimensions.

  As the door closed behind Liel, Aggie turned to find Mathius was still standing in the center of the room. Not saying anything, he just stood there staring at her.

  “Was there something else?” Aggie questioned as she fought the need to go to him. He was undoubtedly one of the most attractive men she had ever seen, another had just left the room. They each had different reasons her body pulled in their directions. Mathius looked like the kind of man who would protect her under any circumstance. His build was of one that would intimidate even the scariest of men. He wore a leather jacket, that added to the motorcycle club look he was emitting. She always had a thing for bad boys and Mathius seemed to be the worst of them all. Though, he also seemed to care genuinely about the problem happening amongst his people. The children were a soft spot for him as well.

  Without another word, Mathius turned and headed for another spot on the opposite wall. He reached for a doorknob but she couldn’t tell which one, there were just too many on the wall. How was she ever supposed to know how to operate a room she couldn’t even identify the points of entry? The magic filled the room again as he turned the handle. Yet, she couldn’t see into the realm he entered, as it was blocked by another blinding light. Stepping in, he disappeared as did the light ball that was lighting the room.

  Chapter 3

  Aggie woke the next morning a bit groggy and overly tired. “Man, I really need to get more sleep. I have the craziest dreams when I don’t sleep enough.” Aggie rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wake herself up a bit more. Looking around the room, everything looked normal. She shook her head to dislodge the dream she had. “Elves and gateways? Magical powers and untold dangers? I’m not eating that late, ever again.” Chuckling under her breath at the insanity of it all she crawled out of bed. Aggie didn’t bother changing out of her pajamas. Not that she wasn’t clothed wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The only thing she was missing was her bra.

  Standing outside the strange room of doorknobs, Aggie remembered her dream. The two men had towered over her and the memory of them left her breathless. She couldn’t understand what it was about them that had drawn her to them. Now she realized that she was dreaming and it made more sense. “All men in dreams are ten times hotter than real life. It made sense that I would be caught up in them given the fact that they aren’t real.”

  Making her way to the kitchen, she needed to get a cup of coffee in her to wake up the rest of the way. Without it, she would be walking around in a daze all day. Hesitating in the doorway, reality hit her like a ton of bricks. Never again would her grandmother be there waiting for her in the kitchen. Coffee waiting and breakfast sizzling in the skillet. Inhaling deeply, she could almost smell the bacon that her grandmother always had frying to greet her and start her day. A single tear escaped before she broke from her thoughts.

  Running her hand across the old Formica table that had been in the house her entire life. The spindly legs were gold and had hidden a few scuffs from Aggie’s teenage anger. She had a lot of memories at this old table. Her grandmother always insisted she be home for breakfast and dinner so they could eat together. Talking about her day as a teenager wasn’t her favorite pastime. Wishing she could go hang out with her boyfriend and friends was her only priority. That didn’t change her grandmother’s rules. “One day you can make your own rules, but until then you will live by mine.” Her grandmother preached this every single day of her life. Another tear trickled down her cheek and she swiped it away and walked over to the coffee pot. She needed to wake up and get her emotions in check.

  The first thing on her agenda was to figure out what came next. She had received a packet from her grandmother’s attorney a week before but refused to open it, given the fact that she didn’t want to accept reality. Pouring some coffee into her favorite mug, she missed the lip slightly and some of the liquid hit the floor. Setting down her cup to grab a towel, Aggie turned to wipe up her mess. Confusion crossed her face, “Where did it go?” Looking everywhere and even got down on her knees, it was as if the mess had magically disappeared.

  Laughing at herself she grabbed
her coffee and made her way to the old kitchen table. Taking a sip, she gasps, nearly spilling her entire cup. On the table that mere moments ago was completely clear, now held an envelope perfectly centered on the table. It was a simple thing, but with no one else in the house it was a bit unnerving.

  The envelope wasn’t exceptional, just white and basic. Looking very much like an invitation, she chalked it up to being lost in her emotions and not seeing it, because the alternative would have been to freak out and potentially drop her coffee to the floor. Setting into her chair, Aggie lowered her coffee to the table. Slowly reaching for the envelope she didn’t recall seeing it before now. “Maybe grandma left it here before she passed.” Rationalizing was all Aggie had left now. Picking it up she flipped it over and noticed a very faint golden line running around the perimeter almost undetectable. The sunlight pouring in from the window above the sink, caught the color on the envelope. Twisting it back and forth in her fingers, Aggie watched the line shimmer with amazement. When the light shadowed, the line disappeared completely. After playing with the elusive line, Aggie flipped it over one final time and slid her finger under the flap, breaking the seal.

  Slowly, she pulled the cardstock like paper out. The paper had the same shimmer as the envelope as though it was part of a stationary set. “Who still uses stationary?” Aggie assumed it was as outdated as her grandmother’s taste in furniture.

  Agatha Wasley your presence is requested at the meeting of the Brotherhood. Please be in the Gateway at eight o’clock tonight.

  Aggie dropped the invitation, as if it were on fire. It might as well have been, given what she was feeling. “Real? It couldn’t have been real. Magic isn’t real.” Again, she found herself searching the room for evidence that someone was pranking her. Not that she had anyone in her personal life that would do that. Her grandmother never let her have friends over to the house.