Chapter 2-1

Liara had changed and looked around the room. What was she actually looking for? She didn't know until she saw it. She went to Kyla's glass case and opened the doors. It was there that Kyla kept her greatest sanctum. A long dagger inherited from her grandmother and of unimaginable value. She knew how attached Kyla was to this folded steel thing. But she didn't know its use. Kyla had only told her about him once and forbidden her to ever touch it. Liara took the dagger in her hand and it was as if the handle adjusted to her hand. Slowly, almost reverently, she unsheathed the blade and studied it. Strange symbols were engraved on the center course. What they meant, Liara didn't know. She studied the clear blade for a moment, then sheathed it. She tucked the dagger into her waistband. And now? What should she do now?

Liara closed the glass doors and stared at her reflection for a while. Was it just her imagination, or was the wall behind her distorting? Startled, she turned around. It seemed as if small waves were chasing through the wall. She was fascinated by the spectacle. Eventually something like eyes, nose and mouth formed. Liara could see the face clearly, staring at her intently.

"What are you?" Liara asked confused, while also wondering how many people in her life talked to a wall.

"They call me Warden." The voice was melodious and sounded like a singsong.

Liara felt a warmth that she liked. There was something peaceful, fulfilling about it.

She hesitantly sat down at the end of the bed. "What do you want from me?"

"Something terrible has happened. Something that really shouldn't have happened. I'm here to help you stop it.” Liara felt like she was in a bad comic for a moment. She didn't have super powers, nor did she possess superhuman strength, and yet she should now be a superheroine? She shook her head. "What do you want to know? If you wanna help me, then tell me who the guy was and what he's up to with Kyla."

"It was Devon who kidnapped your friend. You have to stop him. He wants to bring Raia back into the world and that mustn't happen under any circumstances."

"And what does he need Kyla for?"

The guard hesitated for a moment. "If you want to save your friend, you must destroy Raia. I will create a portal for you that will take you to their world." "Why are you helping me? I would never get there without your help, but why? I didn't ask for your help.”

The large, calm eyes rested on Liara and the voice took on a warm tone. "It's not just your world that gets mixed up when Raia awakens."

Liara thought for a moment. This -guardian- did not answer any of her questions directly, but mostly only gave vague information. But Liara decided to settle for that. It was better than nothing. "Okay, where's the portal then?" she asked.

"I am tired. My strength is fading. I will create it at the next glowing moon. When the luminous moon reaches its zenith, the portal will open before you. If you go through it, you're on your own, then I can't help you anymore.” As soon as the guardian had finished speaking, her face disappeared and the wall was what it had been before. A wall overlaid with umpteen layers of wallpaper and paint.

"Great." Liara let herself fall back onto the bed with a sigh. Luminous moon? Did that mean the full moon? When was that exactly? Liara got up and went to the window to take a look at the sky. Clouds still covered the sky. Though the rain had long since stopped, they were still there, blocking the view of the moon and its companions. Liara sighed. Her eyes fell on Kyla's timer. Wasn't something like that always written when there was a full moon? She quickly turned page after page until she found what she was looking for. The full moon was in a fortnight. There would be a lot of preparations to be made by then. She closed the timer, put the dagger on the bedside table and crawled back into bed. She fell asleep with a small glimmer of hope in her heart. Maybe tomorrow everything would be like it was before and Kyla would be lying next to her when she woke up.

When Kyla opened her eyes, she felt the weakness in her body. She felt drained, drained of all strength, and heavy as lead. Still... she tried to sit up. With pain that flashed through her body like lightning with every movement, she succeeded. She pulled back the blanket that had been spread over her and sat on the edge of the bed. "A bed in hell. How – demonic-,” she said to herself, smiling slightly.

She got up carefully and tested if her legs would carry her at all. After finding her balance, she took a few steps along the bed, but stopped at the foot of it. She looked around. Large floor-to-ceiling windows to her right were covered with crimson curtains. The floor consisted of dark tiles and otherwise the room was empty apart from the bed. On the left she saw the big door.

"Great. A door that would take Hercules to open.” Kyla thought for a moment. Finally she sat down on the end of the bed and stared straight ahead. What was she doing here? And why had the guy called her Raia? She had no idea.

Kyla turned her gaze to the door as it opened a crack. A small figure, barely a meter tall, peeked out. Seeing that Kyla was awake, she opened the door all the way, slipped through and closed it again. Kyla studied it closely. A large nose and a protruding mouth reminded the little one of a pterodactyl. Great, now I'm really going crazy, she thought to herself.

"It's not nice to compare me to primitive animals long gone from your world," the thing croaked, limping closer. Kyla looked at it with wide eyes. Can it... "Read my mind? Yes, can.”, he finished her sentence and finally stopped in front of her. Black eyes looked at her.

"Who are you?" Kyla demanded. "Me Azamir," the little one replied and tilted his head slightly.

“Well Azamir, what do you want? Hardly asking me to dance, right?” Azamir rummaged in the pouch attached to his belt-like strap. Kyla looked at his hand, which resembled a claw.

"I be healer. Send Lord Devon to see you."

"Lord Devon?"

"Yes, my lord. He come later himself when you better are.” He seemed to have found what he was looking for and handed Kyla what looked like a small ball. She looked at them.

"What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Then you feel better and the pain go away will.” Azamir shifted from one leg to the other. He was nervous it seemed. Her guess was confirmed when he looked around.

"And you certainly don't want to kill me?"

His black eyes widened in shock. "No! No! Azamir would do that never!” Again he looked around in apparent panic.

"What happens if I refuse?"

"Then punish Azamir." He looked sadly at the slippery ground at his feet.

"Why are you being punished if I don't follow your orders and just refuse?" Kyla didn't understand.

"Azamir have orders to take care of Master. If Azamir refuses, it is Azamir's failure. Won't be tolerated that.” Kyla eyed the little one in front of her.

She was about to reply when the large door swung open again. Both wings of the door hit the wall with a crash. Kyla recognized the figure standing there in the doorway. But now she could see him a lot better. With his black robe reaching to the floor, he was almost indistinguishable from his hair. You could only see individual strands that reached to the knees. His attitude demonstraited that he was accustomed to rule. His skin had a light complexion that made his eyes stand out. They're not glowing red like they were last night, Kyla noted.

"Did you take care of her?" he gruffly addressed Azamir, who backed away, startled. He shook his head slightly. A growl drifted from the larger one to Kyla and Azamir.

“You must be his master, this ... Devon?! And also the bastard who kidnapped me.” Kyla forced his attention from Azamir to her.

"Bastard. The last one to call me that went down in the swamps of Yaq-Monnith."

"Well, I won't end up there."

"How do you know?"

"If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it long ago. Instead, you sent me your healer.” Kyla nodded towards Azamir.

“Who will soon learn what it is like to disobey. Devon raised his hand and a kind of ball of energy gathered in his palm. Groaning, Kyla stood up and faced Devon.

"Dare to kill him and I'll kill you with my own hands. He didn't oppose you, but me. So if you want to punish someone, it's me. Or get lost, you bastard!” Devon's lips twitched slightly. He didn't know whether to be amused or angry at her stubbornness. Finally he lowered his hand again. The energy ball dissolved into nothing.

“I will come back another time. Until then, you should rest.” He turned on his heel and disappeared. The door closed by itself behind him.