Metanoia (3 page)

“
Where are they?” he
whispered. Gina was about to ask who but remembered Leyance’s
warning and kept quiet. Suddenly an arrow crashed through the
window, sending shards of glass flying towards both of them.
Leyance dived to the ground just in time. Swiftly he set an arrow
and fired back through the window. A shriek proved his aim deadly.
Gina stared, not knowing what else to do. A chime suddenly sounded,
drowning out all of the shrieks and calamity happening
outside.

“
Finally!” he exclaimed. He
pulled up Gina gently but strongly and hurried her out the door.
“Run in a straight line to the field, no swaying, and no dodging.
I’ll clear your path. Go!” Gina took off. She never thought; she
only ran. Her feet kept moving even though her mind seemed
completely disconnected. Her mind told her to dodge the thousands
of arrows zooming past her head at deadly speeds and dangerously
close ranges, but she didn’t. Many more people, dressed as her
rescuer was, now joined them as Leyance shot arrow after arrow
killing those Übels in front of Gina and those closing in behind
them. Every shot hit its target. A blond-haired, blue-eyed man now
turned to Leyance.

“
Leyance, we don’t have
much time!” he said.

“
Elenzel, how many?”
Leyance asked.

“
Too many,” he replied.
“Get her out of here, and we’ll take care of it!” Gina continued
towards the field but all that waited for them was a simple haze
resting on the grass stretching about eight feet tall. Gina glanced
back. Hundreds of Übels had finally seen their mad dash through the
chaotic school and were now close on their trail. Leyance now put
away his bow and picked up Gina in one swoop. An Übel came in
closer and closer. A giant claw reached out for her, but with a
giant leap, Leyance entered the haze. The world spun around Gina
and the Übels disappeared – along with the rest of the
world.

Chapter 2

“Nythagié”

Gina woke up and looked around her. She lay
in an attractive four-poster wooden bed, complete with a
transparent canopy, in a shimmering room. She gazed around in awe
at this beautiful heaven she found herself in. The ceiling appeared
to be made of a single glass pane on which rose petals had settled
upon. These were from the many vines hugging the manor. Her room
had windows on two faces, meeting at a round balcony that revealed
acres of forest, complete with a river, against a cliff and
beautiful waterfalls. At a closer look, Gina would have been able
to see a pathway leading through the thick trees. But Gina’s room
distracted her. It seemed that every piece of the room shimmered
like glitter. Walnut furnishings rested in the room, some with live
vines of their own wrapping around them. Gina admired the room and
sunk into the comfortable bed. She glanced down and saw that she
wore beautiful golden silk pajamas.

“
Good morning; I see you’re
awake. How are you feeling?” Gina leapt up to see Leyance, whom had
just entered the room noiselessly.

“
Where am I?” Gina asked
still gazing at the beauty around her.

“
Well, I suppose I am the
first to welcome you to Nythagié, Gina,” he said
smiling.

“
How did I get here though?
I don’t remember. This just seems like a dream…” Leyance smiled and
leaned in closer to sit on the bed, making Gina’s heart race.
Leyance had such a mysterious and yet, comforting way about him.
She felt that this was probably the most interesting and
adventurous person she would ever meet. The thought made her shy
and slightly uncomfortable to have him so close.

“
This is not a dream,
believe me. Remember that haze in the field? That was the gateway
to another world, to this world,” he explained. “Except, when
someone has not been through it in awhile…or not at all, they
become weak and disoriented. That’s why I carried you through it
and why you have slept for a day.”

“
Oh, I’m alright
though?”

“
Of course, good as new.
The bruises on your stomach have healed too, as you can see. You
better get dressed, there are many here who are anxious to see
you,” he said.

“
Why do they want to see
me?”

“
You are very important to
them,” Leyance explained.

“
Leyance, why am I here,
though? Why am I so important to them? I don’t know them, nor they
me.”

“
I’m sorry, but I’m under
orders not to answer any questions you have just yet. You’ll know
shortly. Just enjoy your visit for now.”

“
Oh... Umm, Leyance – where
are my clothes?”

“
Oh, right. There are clean
ones in the closet,” he said motioning towards a beautifully carved
cabinet standing against the wall. “You can wear any in there. They
are all yours.”

“
Thank you.” Gina glanced
down as Leyance stood and headed towards the door. He stopped and
slowly turned to Gina who in return shyly glanced at him. Leyance
wanted to say something, she knew, but he just smiled. Soon, the
thought passed.

“
I hope you like it here; I
think you will,” he said and walked out.

Now once again alone, Gina pulled off her
sheets. Seeing the true beauty of the outfit she was in, she ran
over to the mirror adjacent to the closet and peered in. These
golden silk pajamas consisted of a comfortable wrap on top, which
reminded her of tube tops back home, and cozily baggy pants. Her
bare feet sunk into the heavenly white carpet flooring the room.
She now turned to the closet and, taking a deep breath, flung it
open. Inside hung the most beautiful gowns she had ever seen. They
reflected a delicate, medieval style but with a new magical aspect
to them all. As with everything else in the room, they too
shimmered with the morning’s first light. This room, this land, was
a utopia fit for a queen.

A man, beautiful and elegant, stood gazing
through his grayish-hazel eyes out the window at the landscape
below. He had short, clean-cut, white hair and appeared to be in
his fifties or sixties but the years had only aged him to
perfection. A long robe with gold embroidery wrapped around him,
giving him an even more impressive aura. He was standing in what
seemed to be a council room, as its main focal point was a long
wooden table with carvings of flowers and vines wrapping all around
the legs. A knock at the door was suddenly heard, but the man did
not stir.

“
Come in, Leyance,” he
called. Leyance entered the room. “How is she?”

“
Doing well, I suppose,”
Leyance replied quietly. The man slowly turned to
Leyance.

“
That is good news,
especially for you. So, why is it that you are not acting as if it
is such?” the man asked smiling. This seemed to lighten Leyance’s
mood, for he looked up and returned the smile.

“
Fheyrhil, you are probably
the most brilliant man that ever lived, so it is no use to ask me
that. You already know what’s worrying me,” he pointed
out.

“
Yes,” Fheyrhil responded,
“but I want to hear it from you.”

Leyance sighed and spoke his mind. “She
doesn’t remember…anything. It just wasn’t how I expected it to
be.”

“
Did you really expect her
to remember, Leyance? Did you really expect her to constantly be
receiving clues? This is not going to be easy on her or any of us.
She must become what she was, even if the time is not right. It
must be so. We cannot dismiss the prophecies, for they rule us all.
They are inescapable. All we can do is to help her feel comfortable
here. She already feels comfortable around you, so you must act as
her guide through all of this,” Fheyrhil explained. Another knock
was heard, though this one more timidly. Leyance shot a look at
Fheyrhil who nodded.

“
Come in, Regina,” Fheyrhil
called. Slowly the door opened and Gina, now dressed in one of the
Nythagién gowns, emerged. Leyance’s eyes never left her as she
walked up to them.

“
A woman outside told me
that I was wanted in here,” she explained.

“
And so you are, Regina.
Come in and sit down,” Fheyrhil smiled. He motioned to a chair at
the table. Gina sat and tried to be comfortable but she could feel
herself shake. She did not know where she was or who these people
were, even Leyance, for she had only just met him. Nothing could
make her feel comfortable. She was too lost. Fheyrhil sensed it
right away.

“
It is alright, Regina.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fheyrhil, and I act as what you
know to be a vice-president, an acting chair here. We realize that
you have a long journey ahead of you, but remember that we are here
to help you,” he said.

“
Yes, we are. All the way,”
Leyance quickly added. He smiled warmly at her.

“
It’s nice to meet you,
sir,” Gina said, smiling at Fheyrhil who in return sat down next to
her.

“
I imagine that you feel a
little confused right now,” he assumed.

“
Yes, I don’t understand
any of this,” Gina replied. “I still think I’m
dreaming.”

“
Yet you are taking it very
well for all the confusion and even fear no doubt filling your head
currently. Though, as you pointed out, you think you are dreaming.
Perhaps that is why you are so calm.”

“
Why
am
I
here?” Gina asked curiously, but Fheyrhil’s expression told her she
would not know that critical answer anytime soon.

“
I cannot tell you yet,”
Fheyrhil expectantly replied. “You will understand shortly and yet
be more confused than ever. I want you to become comfortable here,
so have a little time to settle in before we complicate your life
further. Do not worry about it now, my dear.” But something had
been bothering Gina. Everyone was already too comfortable with her
to just be strangers. She had seen it in just the short journey
from her room to this one.

“
Can I just ask one small
thing for now?” she inquired.

“
Go ahead, but I sense that
this will not be the only question asked presently.”

Gina didn’t understand his response but
quickly decided to ask anyway. “Everyone around here seems to know
me or at least know who I am, do they? Is that at all
possible?”

“
Yes, they know you, though
I cannot tell you why or how just yet,” he explained.

“
Oh! What about my friends?
Are any of them hurt? When can I see them?” Gina asked
hurriedly.

“
Do not worry, Regina.
Everyone is safe and they are not worried. They know you are safe.
It will be explained why later. For now, I can help you get
acclimated here. How about a little tour? You can meet some of the
inhabitants of Nythagié.”

“
Sure, I’d like that, umm
thanks,” Gina replied. She felt so entirely out of place here.
Fheyrhil only reminded her of how everyone here spoke with such
eloquence, acted with such elegance. Gina’s rudimentary speech and
actions made her feel like she stuck out painfully.

“
Excellent.” He turned to
Leyance whom had been quietly watching them converse the whole
time. “You may come if you like, Leyance.” Leyance nodded and
followed them as they walked out the door, down the impressive
hall, and out into the brilliance of the nature surrounding
them.

It was the most beautiful paradise Gina had
ever seen. The city was divided by a beautiful river which broke
off into many pools and creeks, mostly concentrated in the front of
the manor where Gina stayed. It resembled a Japanese garden
complete with flowers and lily pads growing in the small pools.
Amazingly, rose petals continually floated down the small waves
wherever there was water. Little lights floated in the rivers, as
well, like they were water droplets themselves. Gina noticed that
there were no true bridges anywhere in the city. Instead, each time
a road or path intersected water, the way to the other side was
through cautiously stepping from one flat rock to another which had
been placed in the water, close together, to provide passage to the
other side. Of course, there were no cars or machines of any kind
that Gina could see where this type of bridge would cause a
problem.

On this side of the river was the manor and,
to the right of Gina’s window, an orchard and farm area for growing
crops extended far in the distance. On the other side of the manor
was a training field next to another forest which hid a cliff
overlooking the river and creating a waterfall in it which little
lights ran down. Across the river rose many green hills with
cottages speckled here and there along the hillside. Gina could see
that the cottages had thatched roofs and resembled houses found in
Elizabethan times in England. The forest that she could see from
her bedroom proved vast, hiding secret paths and providing a
barrier from outside cities. Each tree shimmered as if glitter had
settled on every branch. Occasionally, Gina saw a Nythagién horse
trotting through the trees.

Across the river, down the road, and along to
the east, was a big gate marking what appeared to be the only
entrance and exit to this paradise. This gate was entirely made of
vines and flowers combining to make a beautiful Celtic design
complete with little windows. This was what seemed to be the only
way to see the outside world for the forests, cliffs, and hills
blocked any view from the outside-in as well as the inside-out.
Fheyrhil acted as a guide, explaining the customs of the land, but
Gina did not hear a word. Who could listen to a lecture when such a
wonderful ecstasy lay all around her?