The Timeless Tale

     "The artifact you seek now lies in the possession of an Aisha. One wave of her wand, and Neopia will be taken back in time. All you have to do is follow us." The faerie spoke in almost a whisper, yet her words echoed in Keraiem's head. The answer seemed so easy. All along, he'd been trying to travel from one era to the next. But in the end, why should he be the one to travel? If Neopia could go back in time, then he could finally find his family. He took a step towards the three spirits. His head ached, and he couldn't organise his thoughts. His mother's smiling face, however, was more vivid than ever in his memory. He took another step forward. A brief doubt intruded on his thoughts. Wouldn't taking Neopia back into the past nullify the existence of everyone who lived after that date? But this thought faded as the proud, loving look in his father's eyes flashed across his mind. Another step forward.

     A few meters away, Rhea stood still. He could see Keraiem moving forward, but he felt as if he were trapped in a fog. His thoughts wandered from one topic to another, unable to settle. What would he eat tomorrow? It would soon be winter. If he had strong wings, he'd be flying over the peak of Terror Mountain. These incoherent anecdotes followed one another, but never long enough for him to grasp them. Occasionally, a flash of insight crossed his mind. But this spark was immediately swallowed up in the incoherent whirlwind of his thoughts. He was looking at Kera, but he couldn't see him.

      *******

          Heavy footsteps reverberated through the dim corridor, but neither of the two friends took any notice. The thud of boots on the stone of the dungeon echoed in a mournful melody.

     "Well, if it isn't our old friend. How delightful of you to bring the prisoner back to us."

     General Graymin's voice hit Rhea like an icy shower, jolting him awake. Panic swept over him as he scanned the surroundings. Tremors gripped him in the presence of his former boss; he wanted to scream, but fear seized his throat. A clatter made him realize that Kera was now dangerously close to the Three. How to get Kera out of his daze? And how to do it all without being captured by Graymin? He was rushing through his thoughts and couldn't think of a solution. Turning back to Graymin, he took a deep breath. The commander stared at him with a taunting smile.

     "Don't tell me you're still thinking about escaping? You belong here, Rhea. You are nothing without me. Haven't these few years away taught you anything?" Faced with Rhea's silence, he kept on provoking him. "You'll never leave this dungeon. But I'm feeling generous today. I'll give you a chance to rejoin us. Kneel and swear allegiance to me, and you'll be a jailer of the Citadel again. Rebel, and you become a prisoner."

     Rhea reflected on all he had endured at the Citadel. The fear, the humiliation, the pain. The hours working without being recognized, the constant mockery, the insults and punishments. He looked at Graymin and a new feeling arose in him: hatred. A rage so violent that adrenalin overcame his fear. Instead of being overwhelmed by his emotions, his instinct took over. This time, he didn't back away from his enemy, he charged straight at him instead. Graymin raised an enquiring eyebrow at the little Ixi running in his direction, and opened his mouth to launch another dig.

     "What ......"

     He couldn't even begin his sentence when a well-placed kick from a hoof cracked his beak. He screamed in pain, and this outburst suddenly brought Keraiem out of his hypnosis. Graymin was so stunned that he didn't even think of defending himself.

     "I'd rather rot in a dungeon for the rest of my life than obey your orders even once more." Rhea seized the moment of Graymin's stupor to rush towards Kera, who was finally conscious.

     "Sorry, Rhea. I don't know why I even listened to them. Grab my hand; we're getting out of here fast!"

     Graymin roared, Rhea's hooves drummed on the ground, and the Three desperately tried to capture Kera's attention again. A chaotic commotion filled the air. Then, suddenly, silence. Rhea had placed his hand on Kera's arm, and they immediately began teleporting. A flash of blue light illuminated the room, followed by complete darkness.

      *******

     When Rhea opened his eyes, he found himself beneath the depths of the ocean. The wet sand, scattered shells, and the vivid blue expanse of the sea created a tranquil and soothing atmosphere. This was in stark contrast to the two travelers panting from their battle, adorned with wounds, and stained by their journey. A brilliant blue vortex gleamed behind them, with a pearl resting at its base.

     "So, this is a portal?" Rhea marveled at the beauty of the swirling whirlpool. "But isn't it supposed to be guarded by a gatekeeper?"

     "Indeed," Kera affirmed, echoing Rhea's thoughts. "But the guardian seems absent. It's strange..."

     "Are you talking about me?" A voice emanated from the portal, yet no one was in sight.

     Rhea gasped, searching for the source of the voice. "Who... Who are you?"

     "Look down." The friends discerned that the voice originated from the pearl, not the portal. "It's been a long time since anyone has used this portal... Names? Date and place of departure? Reason for the journey?"

     The Maraquan Kiko, initially surprised, now adopted a stern tone, evidently taking his duty seriously.

     "Keraiem. And this is Rhea. We've come from the Darigan Citadel in year 11. And as for the reason... I'm an inhabitant of Geraptiku, and I'm looking for my own kind."

     The guard choked on his words, succumbing to a coughing fit. "What??? So there was one inhabitant left in Geraptiku? It's been so long since I've seen anyone that I was convinced everyone had left!”

     "So, you've known people from Geraptiku?" Kera asked with a tinge of hope.

     "A long time ago, yes. But once they'd passed through here, I don't know where or when the rest of their journey took them... Sorry, but if you want to find them, I won't be much help."

     "I thought so, that's all right," Kera replied with a hint of disappointment. "Thanks nonetheless."

     "Do you want to keep going into the future?" Rhea asked.

     "Honestly, I'm not even sure anymore. I've been thinking a lot since our trip to Lunaria. Maybe my parents are 100 years in the future. Maybe they settled 50 years in the past, and I missed them on my time jumps. Maybe their destination is a few years away. I don't know, and I have no way of knowing. But in the end, wouldn't the best solution be to wait for them at a given time and hope they end up here? If I slip past their time without meaning to, then they'll die of old age before I find them." Kera sounded resigned, but his voice was no longer imbued with sorrow.

     "Shall we settle down today then?"

     Kera nodded. "If that's alright with you. It's time for me to stop chasing pipe dreams. Sorry, it's taken me so long."

     Rhea smiled back. "That's fine with me; I have no ties, no matter the era. I'm enjoying the ride. Now, we just have to decide where we're going."

     "Sorry to interrupt, but if you'd like to come up to the surface, I can rent you a bubble boat." Rhea had almost forgotten the existence of the guardian, who was listening to them with one ear.

     "A bubble boat? What's that?"

     "It's a boat with a bubble." The Kiko replied with a condescending tone, as if the answer was obvious.

     "No kidding..." Keraiem muttered. He always had a little trouble getting along with portal keepers.

     The Kiko guided them toward a cove where some boats were moored. As their name suggested, a huge bubble enveloped the boats, allowing them to maintain a reserve of oxygen throughout the trip.

     "Ooooh, so that's a bubble boat." Rhea was awestruck.

     "It'll cost you 3000 NP, and you can return it to me on your next visit."

     Keraiem accepted the offer and placed a bag of NP next to the guard.

     "Have a safe trip; come back soon! It's a pain in the neck to keep an unused gateway open all year round!"

     "Sure thing... Thanks for the boat!"

      *******

     Kera took control of the helm as the boat gradually ascended to the surface. However, the current quickly grew more erratic.

     "I can't keep on track; I've never experienced such rough seas!" Kera exclaimed, wrestling with the unsteady boat.

     "Can't we take another route?"

     "I'd like to, but the current is completely inconsistent. I don't understand what's going on..." Kera wore a worried expression.

     "CAREFUL KERA, LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!" Rhea screamed, but it was too late. The Krawken had just surfaced behind them, giving chase.

     "I can't go any faster!!!"

     "Turn right!" A tentacle struck the boat's side, violently jolting them against the edge. Rhea almost teetered overboard but managed to catch himself just in time. The sea monster continued its relentless pursuit, damaging the ship's hull with each powerful blow. Eventually, they breached the surface, but the chase only intensified. Enormous waves rocked the ship. The Krawken's assaults had created a few breaches, allowing water to seep in.

     "Hang on, it's going to be turbulent!" Kera initiated a sharp turn that nearly toppled the boat. Yet, the monster persisted. One tentacle finally latched onto the vessel, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The two friends were catapulted into the sea. The frigid slap of water disoriented Rhea, and his mouth quickly filled with water. Struggling to reach the surface, the sea offered no respite. He felt his consciousness slipping away, darkness obscuring his vision, and just as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, Kera's hand closed firmly on his arm.

     To be continued…