Andresa's+Gate


 * Andresa's Gate**
 * (In first person)**

I decided I needed to get as far away from human interaction as possible. I was tired of been looked at like some kind of hero; like I was destined to do something great because I was the Princess who had finally turned 18. Little do the people know, I’ve been 18 before now, and I am not enjoying it the second time around. I wish I could find that strange guy that helped me those years back. The Fox.

Well it’s no use moping! I’ll just go to a place where no one dares to wander in these parts of Belaruda, on the edges of Paputok. No one in our colony has ventured over here to collect turquoise in months. Paputok never erupted this year during The Dying Time like it normally does, and people have been too freaked out to go near the volcano in fear that it could erupt at any moment. Well they can stay away as long as they want! I can finally be in peace for once. I mean, if Paputok hasn’t erupted yet, how likely will it erupt today?

Having Ticho by my side makes me feel safe as I draw closer to the volcano. Ticho has always been my faithful companion, and I would take him wherever I go, even if it I were to runaway. I have thought about it. Running away. But I would feel horrible leaving Iduvina and Paz behind. That would possibly lead to Iduvina needing to be named Princess, and I would never wish that upon anybody.

I find a tall tree just at the edge of the volcano and climb with Ticho in my arms as high as I can. Settling in nicely in the crook between a large branch and the trunk of the tree, I take out my drawing pad and begin sketching the parrot a few branches away from me.

“Ticho, this was the perfect place! So quiet and secluded. I can finally get away from all the stress from home. No one will come here to find me with everyone thinking the volcano will suddenly. . . "

Out of nowhere the ground starts to rumble around me, thrashing me against the stump of the tree with great force. I panic realizing that it's probably the volcano about to erupt. How stupid of me! Did I really think I could get away with perfect solitude?

I turn around to check for Ticho, holding on to the branch as hard as I can so as not to fall off from the sporadic rumbles pulsating the tree violently. Ticho is not perched next to me. In panic, I look for him on the ground and there I see him running off away from the possibly awaited volcanic eruption and me. I think I take back what I said about him being a faithful dog. He sure showed his true colors just then. I chuckle realizing I'll forgive the pup as soon as I lay eyes on him again.

I realize it is probably too late to try and take the route that Ticho took. Damn that dog! Too smart for his own good, I guess. Or maybe just smart. He isn't the one stuck up in a tree near an about to erupt volcano.

The tree feels like it is shaking even more than it had been, and I hold on for dear life believing that this is the moment. Paputok is going to burst into molten hot lava and I am stuck in a tree with no way of escaping! I try to climb higher in the tree in hopes that this might keep me safe, but the shaking of the tree is so fierce that when I try to grab the next highest branch. ..

Stillness. The vigorous rumbling has subsided in a flash as if it never occurred. That's strange. I slowly make my way back to my little nook in the tree and pick up my sketchpad. The starting of my parrot sketch has been ripped in half! But how? Then I notice a piece of paper stuck to the remaining piece in my sketchpad. Thinking it’s the other half of my sketch I grab it, but instead it is a letter written in old-fashioned handwriting with a seal of what looks like a Fox on it. My mind begins to run, but then I shake it off and decide to just read the note:

My friends,

I hope this missive finds you all as well as maybe expected. I know that many of your regions are suffering right now, with plagues and illnesses, famines and disease. This has not gone unnoticed, nor is it confined to only your region. You are not alone.

The time has come for us to meet again, friends. You may not be surprised to know that I have been making contacts in all the regions of Pyrosium for some time now. In fact, my family has been doing this for generation upon generation, back to the beginning of our world.

But now, the time of the Great Prophecy is upon us. It is imperative that we meet together to discuss this and that we set aside regional differences and animosity in order to confront the evil which besets Pyrosium.

You must now find the Lost Gates in your land. Look for them in hidden places or in plain sight. There may be legends of these Gates or rumors of them. They may appear broken and disused or new and clean. They may be guarded by the stuff of nightmares. They may appear to be unguarded. Regardless, you must find them and then find the way to enter them. This you must puzzle out for yourselves, but come soon. We have little time to waste.

I await you at the Forum.

The Fox

I knew it! That cunning man of The Fox was somehow just near me and I completely lost my chance to ask for his help again! What is all this talk about Lost Gates? I have never heard of any. . . Wait! Ramira told me once about a gate. A beautiful Golden Gate I remember. One of the oldest legends of Belaruda claims that someone found a Golden Gate in the. ..

Oh no! There is no way I am doing that. I might be fearless in some situations, but climbing into the Paputok! Are you kidding me? A few minutes ago I thought it was going to smother me in molten hot lava, and now this Fox guy who has been pestering me to write him letters about my colony and not giving me any help since the first time is now asking me to jump into it with open arms! No way!

Is that Gate real? Stop! Stop it Andresa! Of course it's not real! Do not fall trap to The Fox. How on earth would he know about some Gate that is only known in legends?

Well he does seem pretty clever. And he did help me that one time when I needed it. Maybe I'll just go climb the volcano and peek in. What could it hurt?

I slowly make my way up, climbing the steep side of Paputok. It's a good thing I'm skilled at climbing. This is no easy task, and I cringe at almost every few climbs in fear that the volcano will begin to quake again, but it doesn't happen. I get to the top, take a deep breath, and stretch my head over the edge of Paputok's fiery mouth.

It's real! I see it! The Golden Gate! It's beautiful. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I so desperately want to get closer to it, but I do not dare. This is as close to it as I will get. I can't wait to tell Iduvina and Paz. They will be so entranced by my story!

With my growing excitement, I almost don't feel the slight nudge against my back until I am falling into the pit of the volcano. Who did that? No one was around me? Who cares at this point; I'm falling into a lake of lava!

Suddenly I stop moving. I don't feel hot. My body is not burning itself like I was expecting. I slowly open my eyes and look around me. I jump back as I see lava flowing around me as all angles. I look down at where I lay, and realize that I am not in any lava, I am on the largest plank of turquoise I have ever seen! Lava is literally just gliding right over it and nothing is happening! I grasp onto my precious turquoise gem necklace and it finally hits me. Turquoise! It is not affected by lava because of it constant growth within the lava after the volcano erupts. That's why I am safe in here. That's why I am able to stand before the. ..

The Gate! I made it to the Golden Gate. The one that everyone in the colony was only out of legends. I found it and I survived getting to it! Now the question is, how do I open it?

I'm playing round with my necklace when I find a small indent on the gate. Its shape looks familiar and as I'm trying to think over what it is, I look down at my necklace.

It couldn't be! The cut of my turquoise is very rare. No one in the Zuzar colony has one like it beside me. This must be some crazy trick. Nevertheless, I place my gem in the indent and sure enough, it fits! I push the gem in a little further and I hear a latch click. I pull away from the Golden Gate as it swings itself open ever so gracefully.

I could not tell if the pure gold of the Gate was blinding me as I walked in or if it was something inside. I had to squint my eyes as I slowly walked in, unsure of what I would come across. Then suddenly I saw the shape of a man coming toward me, and I knew I had made it.

"Hello Fox. Nice to see you again after the years."