About

Beyond the Gate

Chapter one: The Journey Begins  

This is it. Waiting for years, talking of little but this. Preparations and training filling most of waking his moments. He was almost off.

In the mysteries world that we humans had yet to purposefully enter, he sat near The Gate, waiting.

That gate. He had never seen it close up like this before. It looked like gold and onyx at the same time. It towered above everything else within seven square miles. It would seem utterly pointless to those who didn’t know what it was. The Gate sat in the center of a flat field of grass and ground hugging wiled flowers. There was nothing beyond it, and nothing in front of it. It didn’t even sot in a frame or on hinges.

But he knew the stories.

When the right person entered it, it would take one to the Other World. To the Young Ones and the Monsters, and where they dwelt on their dying little world.

He waited, his Mother of Pearl like eyes impatiently scourging the open field of The Gate. He had to wait until the Gate Keeper came to assist him. Like all the male members of his family, he wore his straight black hair short.

He marveled at the Gate Keepers. Not only where they responsible for the gate here, they where also in charge of the gates that boarded life, death, and beyond. A large job for anyone. 

He did not have to wait long.

A woman came striding up to him. She had waist length wavy red hair, pail skin; full sensual lips balanced out by a prominent nose, over witch her orange eyes watched him. She was very beautiful, but he wasn’t fooled. This woman was a Witch, and to him no certification of The Gate Keepers could redeem her in his eyes.

When he had first been assigned a Gate Keeper as a teacher, He had been disappointed; he had hoped to get one of the more respectful types of Gate Keepers.

“Good day to you, master Quel!” she called cheerfully.

“An’ good day t’you, ma’em Rosemary. Where’s Oliver?” responded the teen.

“Oh, you know how lazy he can be. He’s in my bag.” She said, patting the large canvass bag that hung at her side. A small black cat wriggled his head out of an opining that made just for him. Oliver’s eyes matched his masters.

Stephen Quel waited until Rosemary was just in front of him to turn again towards The Gate.

Rosemary helped Oliver to the ground, and then patted the cat’s head. “So young master, this is it. The moment you have been waiting most of your life for.” She put her hands on her hips and gazed up at The Gate. She smiled and said, “You are at your climax of your life here, you are no longer a Student. You are now a Journeyer.”

“Aye.” He said. Stephen knew that her words where loosely guided by tradition, but he may say whatever he pleased. Oliver trotted over to Stephen and looked up at him. The teen smiled and bent to pick the cat up. As he stroked the cat’s head Stephen watched his Teacher set her bag down and begin to search through it.

Stephen remembered the first time he had met Madam Rosemary well.

~~~~~~~~

When his magic abilities began to bud, he had been nine; his parents quickly began a search for a tutor for their child. After an extensive examination of Stephen on the part of a Gate Keeper called an Assessor, it was deemed he needed a witch as a teacher. His parents had been shocked, to say the least. A Witch to teach an Elf child, especially a Gold Elf? But it was explained to them that a Witch was exactly what Stephen needed, as his magic had taken a turn for Midnight, dark magic. His parents had argued that Gold Elf’s had never had the ability to perform dark magic. What upset them most, though they would never say it, was that they (as was the case with most Elf’s) feared dark magic. They where told that he at least must begin to learn from a witch, and If his powers matured to be something else, then a new appropriate teacher would be found.

So, after he was told that he would begin to prepare to go to the Other World. He knew what that meant. Moving out of the house into a small hut on his new teachers property. So that’s what he did. Stephen was set up in a hut behind his new teacher’s house two days after his teacher was selected.

When he was all moved in he was to go to his teacher’s home and meet her. At ten on the third day, he went to the front door of his teacher’s home.

The house was much smaller than his home. It was one level only, its walls a reddish wood he could not identify. It was wrapped in a wide covered porch; witch was surrounded by a large garden. The plants in the front of the house where short, and they grew progressively taller as they grew around to the back of the house. There was one tree in the front yard, some sort of pine, and a flowering red leafed tree in the back.  The front pillars of the house where wrapped in a vine, one called a Midnight Glory.

On the porch, a small black cat with orange eyes watched him from under a swing chair. A large pot, probably a cauldron, which looked very old, sat in the far rich corner by the door. The whole of the ceiling part of the porch was hung with drying herbs, small wind chimes that danced about musically, and a manner of instruments Stephen could not name.

He walked up the stone path, through a gate made of that same mysterious wood, and up to the front door. All the time the cat watched him closely. Stephen reached up and knocked on the door, witch had been painted black. This marked that the occupant practiced Witchcraft for a living.

A voice rang out from within “One minute!”

Stephen wrinkled his nose. It was rude to keep a guest waiting at the door, especially when you where expecting them. He glanced down at the cat. The feline continued to stare at him with its orange eyes. Stephan felt himself shiver, it wasn’t natural. He waited a few moments more then knocked again.

The voice sounded again “I said a minute, kindly wait until I have my hands free!”

He took a step back and ran a hand through his close-cropped hair and over his pointed ears. He had only to wait another moment. A woman opened the door, but the light was at her back and he couldn’t see her face. All he could tell was that she was slightly short and she had red hair.

“What?” the woman snapped.

“I uh-” stammered Stephan.

“If you have nothing to say you shouldn’t bother a person with knocking on their door, boy.” She said.

He cleared his throat. “I’m Stephan Quel. I’m here t’ meet my teacher.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed on “But I was thought tha’ a Teacher an’ Student should have a decent amount o’ respect for one another. Where may I find the woman who’s t’ teach me?”

The woman stepped forward, and he saw she was smiling. He also saw that her eyes matched that of the cat on the porch. She wore a knee length dress like tunic over men’s trousers and leather boots. Her hair was drawn into a messy braid. “Well well, so you are young Master Quel.” She crusted deep. “I am Zola Rosemary. You may call me Madam Rosemary.”

The cat trotted over to Madam Rosemary. She picked him up as Stephan bowed. “I apologize for my rudeness.” He said, though he didn’t mean it.

She chuckled “Nonsense, The young should speak their minds.” She said, rubbing behind the cat’s ears.

“Th- they should?” Stephan asked. That wasn’t how he was raised.

She nodded, and said “This,” she handed him the cat “is Oliver.” She was holding him around the chest, and it didn’t look comfortable for the cat. So even though Stephan didn’t like cats, he took Oliver from his new teacher. “Right now, he knows more about magic and the Other Realm than you do.” She said. That offended Stephan, especially the matter of fact way that she said it. He didn’t say anything.

“Come young Master, bring Oliver with you. Lets go inside and eat.” She said, stepping through the door back into the house.

The inside of the house was crowded, but comfortable. All of the furniture was made of that same wood that Stephan could not name. There was a large main room, with low stools and a large table that could be used for a lot (right then it was covered in many books), and large windows Stephan hadn’t seen from the out side. It was separated from the kitchen by a long waist height counter, with the same low stools set along ether side. In the kitchen the back wall was one big window and cuberds with glass fronts (something he had never seen before) where packed to full with glass bottles, tiny sacks, plates, bowls, cups, and many other things ordinary and extraordinary. In one corner a huge hearth crackled merely, and in the opposite corner was an odd metal box the height of an average person.

Madam Rosemary went straight through the main room into the kitchen. By the time Stephan was done looking around and had picked his way through the main room to the counter his new teacher was stirring a pot over the fire in the hearth.

“Please, sit.” Madam Rosemary said as she stirred, indicating the counter and stools.

Preferring to be as far away from this odd person who treated him so gruffly as possible, he made his way toward a stool on the main room side of the counter.

As Stephen walked to the counter Oliver began to wriggle. Without looking up from what she was doing Madam Rosemary said “Even though he’ll land on his feet, its still not polite to drop him.”

Stephan looked at the cat and wondered what to go with him.

As she added some dry leafs to her pot the witch said “Just hold him out, he’ll jump.”

Stephen did as he was told. He was standing a few steps away from the counter when Oliver leapt from his arms and landed silently and gracefully on the counter. Stephan’s jaw dropped. “How did he-?”

“What?” Madam Rosemary asked. “Never seen a cat jump before?” she put the lid on the pot she had been fussing with.

“No, ma’m. I never had a pet… over tha’ a few birds. But they aren’t much fun, see.” The young Elf sat as he watched as Oliver made himself comfortable on the counter.

Madam Rosemary chuckled. “Cats make great pets.” She held her arms out and Oliver turned his attention to her. “Here Oliver.” She said sweetly. Later Stephan would learn that Madam Rosemary treated most people in the same gruff fashion she treated him, and that most of her love was reserved for animals. “Come on, show this kid what you can do.”

Oliver turned and locked eyes with her, resettling on his bottom. Stephan watched as the cat switched his weight from hip to hip. In one great leap of some four feet, Oliver flew through the air and landed in his owner’s arms. Stephan was struck silent.

“Good kitty.” Madam Rosemary said, stroking Oliver, as if her cat had not just preformed an Olympian feat.

Oliver tuned and leaped back onto the counter, then dropped to the ground by Stephan’s feet. The cat sat and looked up at Stephan.

“So, young Master Quel.” Said Madam Rosemary as she came to the opposite side of the counter from him and sat down a teapot and mugs. She poured each of them a mug full as she continued. “What is it you have come to learn?”

That’s a dumb question, thought Stephan. “To learn t’ prop’rly harness me magic. So I can go to th’ Other Realm.”

“Correct.” She sipped her tea. “What do you know of the Other Realm?”

“Well, its no’ a place jus’ anyone can get to, righ’? An’ it has no one like us living there…its populated with monsters…My Father, th’ only one in my house that’s gone there, says they call them self’s ‘Humans’ and tha’ there dangerous. An’… well, I guess that’s abou’ it. Father wont talk ‘bout it much.”

“That’s the rule. Besides the fact that most people who go to the Other Realm would rather forget the horrible events that happened there, only those who are certified Gate Keepers may speak freely of their experiences.” She handed him a saucer full of tea. “Oliver would like some.” She said, as if she could communicate with the cat.

Stefan put the saucer on the ground in front of Oliver. The cat scooted up and settled down for a drink. He lapped happily as Stephan sat back up.

“Have you any questions?” she asked him then.

He smiled, and added sugar to his tea. “When do we start?”

Madam Rosemary began to laugh and hadn’t been able to stop her self until tears came to her eyes.

~~~~~~~

He smiled to himself at the memory. But the thing that stood out most about the visit, and about Madam Rosemary herself, was an odd smell.  As a Gold Elf Stephan prided himself on his Elf attributes, excellent eyesight, strong magic, great strength, agility, stamina…and an extremely acute sense of smell.

Madam Rosemary smelled of many different things, as most people did. She smelled of the plants in her garden, the last couple of meals she ate, the perfume she wore, the soap she used, like a Witch (a spicy tangy smell that was halfway between lightning and fire, the smell of magic), and this other smell. The odd smell was something Stephan had never smelled before. What was worse, so one else seemed able to smell it. When his parents had met his teacher, Stephan later asked them about the smell. His father said she smelled oddly, but nothing out of the ordinary. His Mother had suggested that it was because she was a Witch, and all the various things she worked with. None of these answers had satisfied him. Stephan had paid it closer and closer attention over the years. The smell was especially strong in the mornings and wore off as the day went on. It stuck to things she touched, and it nearly overpowered all other smells around it.

Madam Rosemary straitened, she had found whatever she had been looking for in her bag. “Come here, Master Quel.”

Stephan stood as he set Oliver down, and did as he was told.

His teacher was holding a key that seemed to be made of glass. He looked at it curiously as she held it out to him. “Careful.” She said. “Drop it and your never coming back.”

He frowned at her.

“Stephan, pay close attention.” In all the years he had known her, Madam Rosemary had never said his first name, he listened closely. “As I said before, you are no longer my official student. But I have two final lessons. You think you know much, and you do know more than most people heading of on this journey. But, these things you may chose to ignore…or forget. One: when in the Other Realm, show no one your ears. The creatures you know to be called humans do not have tapered ears. You must never let them who or what you really are, or where you came from.” He opened his mouth, but she raised her hand and silenced him. “If you should, three things will happen; you will lose your Magic, you will turn into one of them, and you will never return to our Realm. You must forever dwell among the humans… haunted by your memories of your true home. Two: do not lose this key.  Do what ever you must, but keep it with you at all times. No matter what. As silly as it sounds, you need this key to unlock the Astral Gate.” She swept her arm at the gate they stood before. Madam Rosemary smiled. “To think, such a great and mighty thing, unlooked by such a tiny insignificant tool.” She bent her slander frame and picked up Oliver. She settled him on her shoulder as she spoke again “Remember what you are there to do. This is a two-pronged mission. You are there to learn, and you are there to help someone in need.”

Madam Rosemary put out her hand. Despite his dislike for her; he had great respect for the Witch. He shook her hand.

Oliver leaned forward. “Meroooooooow!” the feline announced.

Stephan released his teacher’s hand and patted Oliver on the head. The cat hand never before done anything but purr, and considering how incredibly smart the feline was, Stephan would think of that as an ‘Good bye and good luck.’

“Should you need help, Oliver will do his best. I know that he doesn’t seem like much, but he can travel freely back and forth between the realms and I cannot.” She seemed far away for a moment then grinned at him. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh boy, ‘ere we go.” Mumbled Stephan.

“Hush, come here and close your eyes boy.” The Witch said. Stephan did as he was told.

He heard her muttering and felt something gently tap the crown of his head. For a split second he had the horrible feeling he was nude, but it passed.

“My my sir, you do look handsome.” His teacher said.

He opened his eyes and looked down. He was shocked to see that he was wearing strange new clothes.

He wore a forest green jacket over a strange black top that said something on the front he couldn’t read. He also wore trousers, which seemed much to tight to be practical, made of some odd dark blue material. Stephan’s feet where clad in peculiar lace up gray shoes he had never before seen the likes of. He though he looked quite nice, though a little peculiar. He looked up at Madam Rosemary.

She pointed at each article of clothing as she spoke. “The coat is called a ‘jacket’, the top is called a ‘T shirt’, the trousers are called ‘jeans’, and the shoes are ‘tennis’.” He continued to stare at her. “Shut your yap boy, you will draw fly’s. You are at the height of fashion in the Other Realm.”

Oliver purred.

“See? You look nice. Here.” She handed him a black knitted hat. “It’s called a ‘beanie’. Wear it over your ears, and no one will ever know.”

He did as he was told.

She smiled at him, in a way she never had before. “Well here you go. Please remember all I have taught you.”

Oliver nodded his head.

Stephan looked at the gate. He stepped forward and took out his Key.

“Good luck, Young Mater. May all the paths you chose be easy trails to fallow.”

Stephan turned his head at the familiar voice that spoke in Elfish. His parents stood a few steps behind his teacher. His fathers green eyes where filled with pride, he had one muscular arm around his mother’s slim waist. Her eyes, so like Stephan’s own, where filled with tears. She spoke next.

“Even though we part,” one of her long fingered hands went to her chest “part of you shall always dwell in the house of my heart. Good luck my son.”

He smiled broadly as he put his key into the Astral Gate. “I hope I may come t’be as noble as you some day father, and to be as wise as you mother. Farewell… for now.” He turned his key and the Gate opened.

In a flash of brilliant light, Stephan Quel faded from the Realm of the Old Ones.

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Chapter Two: A Helping Hand (In a Moment of Need)

Pressure. Unbearable pressure. No escape. He felt flat- two-dimensional. Zooming forward. A vast wash of colors swirl before his eyes. Can’t make sense of anything. Panic. There is no way out- cant move.

He closes his eyes. ‘Breath…’ he thinks to him self.  ‘I could really use some help…’

He opens his eyes. Still non-sensibleness everywhere. He was in pain. All the pressure made it hard to breath to.

As he was about to cry out in distress and pain, he saw something up ahead. He was moving towards it. A glimmer of hope.

As he got closer he saw it was blackness, and the closer he got the bigger it seemed to become. He wished he could move his body away from it – whatever it was - but he no control over his movements.

Before he realized it he was in the blackness. All the pressure diapered. So did the pain. He felt as though he was under water, weightless, floating slowly down.

This was the part of the journey he knew the least about. He didn’t know what to do. He tried to move, or make noise. But nothing was working the way it should.

When he was again beginning to panic, he remembered something. Oliver was supposed to help him when it was necessary.

He called out and this time it worked “Oliver!” he rasped.

Nothing. Stephan felt like crying. Then he felt ashamed. He must stay strong.

Stephan floated along for a while, considering his options. His mages could not work where there was no light. He could not summon Oliver, or his master. He could not keep track of time.

He must have drifted off to sleep at some point because the next thing he knew he was being woken. He stared into a pair of orange eyes.

Stephan was startled. He only caught a Glimpse, and what he saw made no sense to him. A man with orange eyes, and he was smiling. He was gone before Stephan could even tell what the man looked like.

Stephan Realized he was somewhere he had yet been. He was on a long track. It had wooden boards and then gravel at regular intervals in the center, and skinny ankle height bars on ether side.

He looked into the sky. Only one moon in the sky, and it seemed low. The stars seemed far away, dead. Only one or two was as bright as he was used to.

Suddenly, it hit him. He had made it. The mysterious man had saved him from the living Hell of the Astral Gate, and delivered him safely in the Other Realm.

Stephan had accomplished the first part of his task. And survived

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