Chapter 2

Beyond the Looking Glass

Light enveloped April and as she looked, the reality she left behind gradually faded away, like a distant dream. The tunnel of light then sloped upwards into a welcoming glare and April was propelled towards it. Strangely she felt blood rushing to her head and as she passed the barrier of light, there was a thud and a burst of pain.

'Ah!' yelled April, she fell headfirst but something cushioned her fall, albeit not all of it. Rubbing her head, she squinted at the surroundings. She was in a large empty hallway, supported by massive pillars. The scent of ancient wood permeates the very air and the steady flickering of candlelight illuminated elaborate paintings on the walls.


'Cortez?' whispered April.
'Cortez!' she called out again, desperate for an answer.

The echoes faded away. There was no answer. Nothing.

Clearly, Cortez is nowhere to be found.
She took a deep, calculated breath and tried as hard as she can to contain the panic swelling inside her, struggling to break free. 'I have a bad feeling about this...' she continued softly.

'Wait... What was that name Cortez told me to remember? Westhouse? Brian Westhouse? I think that was it. Cortez said to look him up when I wanted to go home. Well, I want to go home now...'

'E tu? E milye tu va? Said a low voice behind her. She startled and turned. An elderly man in gray robes greeted her. He was holding a staff in one hand and a tome in another. Apparently he was reading before April's unceremonious arrival. Clueless, she shook her head.


'Ne? Tu van'sath ken? Tu vu ken a-allar, e tue Stark milye? E Thiera? Ton, Maris. Ton!'
She blinked and continued staring at him, like an illiterate nincompoop.

'A ku, kande'e. Good. Niran'ton al'voce. Sank'al koda magic, toranc'e shaal'e. Na'ven, Alltongue.'
Alltongue? What's that? Despite her curiosity, she held her questions.

'Al'orta'e beginning prasam'tin'y y you. You have thiesa y magic'e'sara, y the knowledge aertiu'a y tue by generations e umani, knowledge of Alltongue.' he continued. This is odd but he is starting to make a bit more sense now, she thought.

'Now you have allowed the magic to enter your heart, and the knowledge of Alltongue, ever present but dormant, to guide your ears and your tongue.' He smiled.

'I-I understand you! You speak English? Why didn't you just tell me straight away?' April blurted out, somewhat annoyed.

The man laughed and said 'No child. I do not speak “English”. I speak Na'ven, Alltongue, the common language of Arcadia.'

'Arcadia? Wait a second... how did I get here? What is this place? And who the hell are you?'
'Ah. My manners have abandoned me yet again. I'm afraid my preoccupation with ancient texts and the company of my fellow Fathers have left me unequipped with the grace of social intercourse.' he replied.

'Meaning... what?' said April, staring blankly at him.
'That I have been rude. My name, dear child, is Tobias Grensret, and I am the Vestrum of the Sentinel, the Order of the Balance. We are the Fathers.' His tone rang of authority and confidence.

'Uh...Okay.' April, at a lost for words, continued 'I'm April. April Ryan.'
'I take it this is your first Shift, your first passage through the Divide?' he inquired.
'I have no idea what you are talking about, but I guess this is my... first Shift. I just-'
'Then I will explain... everything. Someone must. You are without guidance? Without a mentor?'
'Mentor? There's this guy, Cortez, he... assisted me. Told me about magic and truth and dreams and portals. Crazy stuff...' she took a deep breath and continued, 'Well, it seemed crazy at the time, although now, I... don't...'
'Cortez?' he considered the name for a moment before he recalled something, 'Ah yes, Cortez. Very good, very good. Then come, let us proceed. Let me show you Marcuria, the grandest city of all ages!' He waved his hands at the massive wooden door behind him and beckoned for her to follow.

As the doors opened, the glare of daylight sifted through the dense air and Marcuria, the jewel of the North greeted her. The city stretched for as far as the naked eye can see, into the horizon. Impossibly huge and amazingly beautiful, it was a wondrous sight to behold. The sky was speckless and the vast ocean beyond the city walls to the north was breathtaking. It was the epitome of nature's beauty. April stood in awe and was oblivious to what Tobias was saying until he patted her on the shoulder, startling her.


'Explore Marcuria April. See the sights, meet the people, and then when you are ready, return to the temple. I will answer whatever questions you may have then.' April nodded, the prospect of exploring an entirely alien city was both intimidating and exciting.
I wonder what day it is in Arcadia. Do they even have Saturdays here? And why am I not screaming and frothing and tearing my hair out when I obviously should be? When confronted with the impossible, isn't your mind supposed to just... snap? Perhaps because I've had so many vivid dreams about... okay, now I don't even know if 'dreams' is the right word anymore. Visions, perhaps. Or even better; premonitions. That's in keeping with the theme of this place. Magic.

She started walking towards a busy intersection of the city, apparently it was a marketplace of sorts with people and strange looking creatures bustling through the streets.
Oh yeah, magic. Apparently I'm simply supposed to accept, without question, that magic does exist. Which is impossible. But clearly not impossible enough, because here there IS magic. Wherever 'here' is.

Someone was selling strange wares that look vaguely like musical instruments, and another store, blue pincers the size of a miniature bull.

Still, she thought in the face of all this strangeness, I feel... normal. For some weird, inexplicable reason – and even though I've still to wrap my head around the concept – I accept this place. It feels comfortingly familiar, in a distant, hazy way. And even though I want to go home, like right now! I'm not panicky. Not a all. Just a little bit.

She passed by a shopkeeper yelling at the top his voice 'Care for a game of cups? Lots of prizes to be won!' and another yelling 'Maps! Top quality, life-saving maps for sale! Get 2 for the price of one!'.


The maps merchant, a stout fellow with remarkably nimble fingers shot a disapproving look at the cups-handler. The latter did the same, followed by a 'Shut up you useless bag of wind!'. Despite the apparent rivalry between the two, they look fairly comical. Beside the cups-handler was a black bird which resembles a crow, in a cage. Its eyes have a mischievous glint to it. Curious, April approached the bird.

'What a sorry-looking bird.' said April.
Surprisingly the bird snapped back, 'Hey, you don't look too polished yourself, lady.'
Taken aback by the sudden reply she said hastily, 'Oops. I didn't know you could... talk.'
'Didn't look as if you could talk either.'

'Maps! I got maps! Can I interest you in map, miss?' someone yelled over the din. Apparently, it was the maps merchant, his neck barely visible. 'Top notch, hand drawn in quality ink by skilled Sunriders. Ain't no better in all of the Northlands!'

Curious, April asked 'How much are your maps?'

'That depends, miss. Got a very nice one here of the Border Mountains for only six arens.' Arens? That must be local currency. 'Fresh from the quill of a Sunride-'

Distracted by another prospective buyer, he starts yelling again, 'Maps! Get your maps here!'
April feigned a cough, catching his attention again. 'Yes?' he replied, as though he never saw her before.

'Do you sell maps of the city?'
'Wha- Oh. Can't help you there, miss. The Guild of Tourism has monopoly on city maps. I can tell you're not from around here, or you'd know that.' he replied, his voice a monotonous drawl. 'Got tons of maps of all the Northlands though, from the city of Tyren to the Bay of Fir-'

Disgruntled by the lack of customers, he starts yelling again. 'Maps!'
'So... where can I find the Guild of Tourism?'
'They are closed for the holidays.'
'Sure. That makes sense.' April said.
Obviously, he missed the sarcasm and continued yelling at the top of his voice. 'Maps!'

There was a conversation nearby and she caught the word 'Sentinel'. Somehow, that brought back memories of the elderly man she met earlier in the temple, Vestrum Tobias.
'Do you know Vestrum Tobias?'
'Eh?' His eyes darted back to April. 'Everyone knows Vestrum Tobias, girl. He's been an important part of this city for as long as I can remember.'
'What can you tell me about him?'
'The Vestrum is an honorable man, but a conservative one, and I don't know if he still has the best interests of the people at heart. Sometimes, I think he worries too much about custom. The Sentinel have been our so-called protectors and keepers of the Balance for so long, we don't even think of it anymore.'

He continued, 'But now the Vanguard are introducing a new way of thinking, new philosophies... I'm afraid the Sentinel will find their power diminished before too long. Their resistance to change will be their downfall, mark my words. Their downfall for certain.'

He paused for a moment to catch his breath. 'And Tobias – honorable man that he is – will be remembered as the captain who went down with his ship.'

Interesting. So Vestrum Tobias is a respectable and well-known figure here.

'So how do you get along with your neighbour?' She hinted at the cups-handler.
'The cups-handler?' A look of contempt spread across his face. 'Stay away from him, miss. He takes great joy in robbing people's purses. You can't beat his game, not without magic, and he doesn't allow magic at his table.'
'How would he know if I did use magic?'
'Oh, he's got one of those blasted talismans. They're always digging up magical artefacts in Ch'angagriel, and they sell them to dogs like him for a silver coin or two.'

At this point, he starts throwing insults at the cups-handler, yelling over the cacophony of the marketplace. 'Get a proper job, you son of a mole!'

'So. A map for you, miss?' he asked sharply.
'Uh. No thanks. Not today.' She backed away hastily, blending into the crowd.

-to be continued-
Still working on the rest of chapter 2. Stay tuned for more! ^_^

Prologue and Chapter 1

Prologue

Somewhere in a snowy, windswept landscape, a welcoming blaze flickered amidst the wooden boards – a hut so aged it was a wonder it stood upright while the storm raged mercilessly around it.

Despite the raging tumult, a solitary old lady can be seen inside, oblivious to the surroundings...

A young man and a woman sat on the rugged carpeting beside the fireplace.



'You have lived so long, seen so much. Please do tell us a story.' began the woman, her voice almost pleading.

'So kind of you to remind me of my age child,' chuckled the elderly lady. 'A story? Why of course, the tale of the Balance perhaps?' She smiled meekly. 'But that tale would be too long to venture at this hour of the night...'

'Please tell us a true story, a short one will do,' the woman said.

'All my stories are true young one, there are enough fairy tales in the worlds already. Let's see... the story of a warrior princess who single-handedly restored peace to the worlds? Who later reunited both Stark and Arcadia?'

'Yes! That sounds like the story we want to hear.' said the man. 'Please do go on.'

'Very well. Like all good stories, it all begins where it ends, a tower in a realm that is no more...'

There was a flash of brightest blue and the mechanical whirring of countless unseen machines. A figure of a dragon's head slid into view, spouting a fiery tongue. Its body is affixed to a giant dial, rotating steadily around a stone disc. Directly opposite the dial was a pedestal and on it a slumbering humanoid figure, it's back arched so that its chest faced the penetrating beam of light from above. One cannot be sure whether the light originated from the unknown being or from the heavens, but the beam is fading, its intensity dissipating into the air.


The figure, with an unnatural blueish hue stirred. It struggled to break free of something and finally its eyes flew open, staring into space. Slowly, it regained its focus and despite being weary, it strode down the pedestal. The flickering light casted one last desperate shadow on the dial before the figure vanished into the background, never looking back. The dial glowed, the stone dragons shifted erratically, the disc shattered and a series of inevitable events were set in motion.

After years of abuse by her father, April Ryan left her foster parents at the tender age of 18 to pursue her dreams in the Academy of Visual Arts in Newport, Venice or VAVA for short. She left her past and with it, embraced a brighter future, but the brightest of days have the longest shadows...

The clock was ticking incessantly and sweat trickled down April's cheek as she tossed and turned in her bed. It was 3am. The ticks slowed down, and time seem to trickle one painful second at a time until everything was motionless, except for a lone figure on the bed – April.

Then things happened in quick succession, the walls vanished and the bed crumpled into nothingness. The world was a swirling vortex, then it ended almost as suddenly as it started.


April gave a yelp of surprise and stared at the impossible scene around her – jagged mountains and distant rivers flowing with black muck. The sky was jet black and sinister, its clouds like tendrils, stretching into the lifeless land like some hungry monster. Lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a low rumble and the ground shook with an unseen force.



'Where... where am I?' she stuttered, 'Don't tell me I'm dreaming again...' She shook her head, desperate for the 'nightmare' to end. 'It'll be great to have just one decent night's sleep instead of waking up screaming at 4am!'

But it feels so real. Dreams can't be this vivid, can they? She thought.

Confused and scared she inspected her surroundings, taking every detail into consideration. Behind her stood a massive tree, or rather what's left of it.

So I'm now stuck on a cliff in the middle of nowhere with a dead tree for company. Oh joy!

Suddenly, she felt a presence. A dark foreboding chill crept up her spine. She stiffened and turned around slowly, fearing for something she could not conceive.

She gasped. Her pupils dilate and her mouth fell agape, for what stood before her was a beast so majestic, so beautiful yet so terrible. A … a dragon … it can't be.

'It is you. You have come.' The voice was strangely feminine, and motherly.

'You know me?' April said rather bluntly.

'April, daughter. I have been waiting for you.'

'Waiting. Why?'

'Because it begins here, with you, as it always has.'

'What do you mean?'

'The breach and the mending, the pain and the joy, the end of the old and the dawn of the new. A different world. I am the Mother of what is, but you April, you are the Mother of a future that may yet be.'

'How will I know what to do? I'm scared...'

'You always were April, my daughter. Do not be afraid, I will guide you and I will protect you, as much as I can.. but in the end you are on your own.'

Having said that, the white dragon or rather the apparition faded away. It's silvery outline glimmered feebly for one last lingering moment before a hideous roar shook the mountain.

'Uh oh. That is probably not a good thin-'

Her words were cut short when a monstrous lob of black substance rose from the depths of the chasm, lined with protruding fangs and in the centre, a horrendous hole. It pulsated with an unearthly evil. April started backing away, she slipped and fell into the darkness behind her...

-------Chapter One------
Penumbra

'Ah!' she woke up, her shirt drenched in sweat and the familiar scent of her room pervaded her senses. 'What a nightmare...' she said to herself, 'I'm completely exhausted. I must have been tossing and turning all night.' April sighed. 'It's so hot in here, no wonder I keep having these weird dreams. I'm basically simmering in my own sweat for this past few weeks. Well, it's a good thing the studio has some proper air-conditioning, I promised to spend most of the day working, and I don't intend to break that promise – not this time.'

Slamming the rickety windows shut, she grabbed a book and headed for the door. She looked at the cover: 'How to seduce the man of your dreams!, now if I can find a man to dream about, I'm all set!' giggled April. She tossed the book back where it belongs – on her bed sheet, before heading out and shutting her door.

'Babe, you're looking real sexy today' drawled a somewhat familiar voice.
'Hi Zack' replied April.
'Let's hang out tonight, there's something big happening at the Pavilion, we can pop some Raptures and do some close dancing. What do you think?'
'Um. No.' said April without a second thought. Going out with Zack? You must be kidding me.
'What. Do I offend you in some way babe? You have something against me?'
'No... I'm just... not interested.'
'Hey whatever. You will come crawling back to my door when you realize your mistake.' Zack slammed his door shut. (April's living in a boarding house, Zack lives right opposite her)

April stared at his door in disbelief for a few seconds then shook her head and walked down the stairs.

April sighed. She waved goodbye to her landlady, Fiona and started walking towards VAVA.
She noticed a tall, eccentric looking fellow with long braids sitting on a bench just in front of the Border House (April's boarding house).
Cortez? I wonder what he does for a living, he sits there every single day, reading the same book over and over again.What a peculiar character.

'How are you this morning, senorita bonita?' The man, Cortez suddenly calls out to April.

April thinks for a few seconds and replied 'Hot.' Why is this weirdo talking to me?

'Ay, si. The summers in Newport are never pleasant. But this heat is not why you are unhappy, no?'
Cortez looked at April as though he is reading her mind.
'You are troubled by nightmares.'

April is taken aback and for a fleeting moment she thought Emma might have told him about her nightmares. 'What?!' exclaimed April.

Cortez calmly replied, 'You are afraid of them, you even fear that your dreams may be real.'
'Who told you about my nightmares?'
'No one. I can tell from looking into your eyes, I see the ghosts that haunt you.'
'I don't know who you have been talking to but from now on, stay the hell away from me and my personal life!'
'No peudo, senorita Ryan. You have a destiny.'
'Destiny...? What are you talking about. Leave me alone!'

April starts walking away determinedly but Cortez continues and she stopped momentarily.

'If you don't face them, I'm afraid your nightmares will continue. Soon they will appear to you even if you are awake...'
'That's it. I don't have to listen to this.'
'Perdoname, I've upset you. We didn't think you'd react this way, I hope we can talk again soon?'
'I don't think so, no.'

April turns around and starts to walk away when Cortez calls out to her.
'Senorita...'
April turned around, her visage emotionless.
'Cuidado, be careful.'

----At the art gallery----

Great. April thought to herself. The exhibition starts in 2 weeks and my 'painting' – and I mean that in the broadest sense of the word – is not even close to being presentable. Hell! Even that's an overstatement, all I have is a blank canvas. While that may fool some people into saying Whoa! What an expressive statement of Nothingness! It's not going to fool my teachers...

She pondered on her predicament for a bit and prayed for some inspiration. With a brush and a palette, April started working on her painting. Several hours later ...

'April?' someone said behind her.
She spun around. 'Oh it's you Emma! You nearly gave me a shock. Duh.'


'You have a message!' Emma continued, a mischievous grin on her face, 'Cortez wants to meet you.'
April rolled her eyes in disbelief.
'Why does he want to meet you? Oh, don't tell me. You guys are having a secret love affair!'

'Wha-' exclaimed April 'Oh. Oh yeah. We're eloping and flying to Africa tonight, it's all been happening so fast... my heart's a flutter!'

'Oh how romantic... I couldn't imagine a better catch than Senor Cortez, the Latin lover.' said Emma.

They laughed, then there's a few seconds of awkward silence. Emma walked to the shelves and looks for something.

'Seriously now April. What did he want?'
'He said he knew something about my dreams... I had one last night and it's really starting to bother me...'
'There you go again with dreams.' said Emma 'You're obsessing April. They're just dreams! Sometimes a banana is just a banana.'
'Do you want to hear about my dreams or not?' April said, somewhat annoyed.
'Sure go on, like anything I say could possibly discourage you...'
'Well... there was a dragon. A talking dragon.'
'OK. What did he say?'
'It's a she. It's a female talking dragon. She said something about me being the Mo-'
'What? You can tell from the skirt, high heels and lipstick?'

April was washing away in the sink. 'Don't mock me Emma, she said something to me, something about being the Mother of the future.'
'She probably said, It's time to get up and go to school April.' Look, are you working at the Fringe tonight? If so, we'll meet there. There are some cute guys coming.'
'Yeah I'm-'
'Great! See ya!' Emma walked away, leaving April lost for words. She felt angry and confused, but somehow there is a feeling that something is not quite right. How did Cortez know about my dreams? Why is he so interested in them? April continued washing her brush and palette in the sink.
Suddenly, she sensed someone or something behind her.

'Who's there?!' She turned around quickly, fear gripping her heart. For a split second she thought she saw Emma's sculpture leaning towards her and then immediately springing back to its original shape. April stood there, staring at the sculpture, confused and afraid. She then remembers what Cortez told her this morning, if you don't face them, your dreams will appear to you even if you are awake. She shuddered and hoped that was merely a hallucination.

----------------

The Fringe Cafe, a humble coffeehouse in Newport, cramped with tables and supposedly stocked to the brim with Newport's finest delicacies. Some say it's the best place to be at night, some say it's a haven for the drunk. Either way, it is the only place for a decent paying job in the slums, and April happen to serve as the waitress there.

Later that night, as April entered the bar, she overheard a conversation between Charlie and Emma, Charlie being one of her closest friends since she arrived at Newport months ago.

'...don't know that much about him, but he's been around for as long as I can remember. I never really talked to that man. Why do you wanna know?' asked Charlie.

'Because he's showing some serious interest in April lately... Do you think he is as crazy as most people think he is?' said Emma.

'No, he's not crazy. Just eccentric. He doesn't give a donkey's ass as to what people think or say about him and that's cool.' replied Charlie.

April decided to join in the conversation at that point.
'Talking about Cortez?' she asked.
'Yeah.' said Charlie 'Emma here's telling me of his interest in you...'
'Yar right. My Latin lover...' April said sarcastically.
'I don't know. I have a feeling that Cortez knows more than he wants us to believe, he must have led an eventful life, I'm sure.'

Emma suddenly remembers something and blurted out, 'Have you spoken to Zack today April?'
'Why?' said April.
'He was upset, called you a stuck-up bitch.'
'Oh yeah... we had a little misunderstanding...'

'Hey you!' someone yelled over the counter. It was Stanley, April's boss. 'You are getting paid. Get to work!'
'Sorry guys, got to go.' April hurried off to serve more drinks.

Yet another uneventful day at work. Thought April. She was adjusting her apron when something jumped out of the jukebox. There was a gasp and the bar fell silent. Everyone had their eyes trained on the mystifying creature. It was playing a flute but then it stopped. Startled, it leaped back into the jukebox and vanished. There was silence and a lot of muttering, people are bamboozled by the inexplicable event.

Stanley was rubbing his eyes, apparently he thought he was dreaming, then he noticed the sudden inactivity of the bar and yelled 'Chop chop. Back to work!'. There was a scurrying of feet and everything was back to full blast, but that moment lingered in April's mind and she knew that somehow, Cortez is the answer, the missing link.

'I need to find Cortez' said April the next day in the wee hours of the morning. She had a restless night.
'You want to see Cortez?' asked Charlie, he looks worried. 'It seems like I don't know you anymore April, I thought you were afraid of that guy.'
'Well, I'm not anymore... right now, I kinda need his help, he's the only one who can explain all these things that have been happening...'

Charlie kept quiet and drank some of his coffee. 'So you are a “true believer” of the crowd, then?'
'What do you mean?'
'What I mean is, a lot of people who were at the Fringe last night refuse to admit they saw what they saw. They blame it on hidden holographic projectors, drugs in coffee or mass hallucination...'
'That's as good as any explanation, don't you think?' replied April.
'Is it? Amongst all the alternatives, you'd prefer to believe in conspiracy?'
'What? And face the fact that we might all be going mad or something really bad is happening?'
'Who knows April, sometimes it's better to embrace the mystery than trying to explain it...'

She thinks it over for a few seconds and said, 'If there is someone who might have an explanation for it, I want to know... do you know where I could find him?'

Charlie sighed. 'He mentioned earlier today that he was going to watch one of those old movies... at the Mercury Theater... but it's a dangerous neighbourhood, you'd do better if you just forget about it...'

'I can't Charlie... ' April stood up and packed her stuff. 'I have to find him, thanks for the help.'
'Be careful, okay?'
'I will...'

Moments later, April stepped out of the taxi. The streets are filthy and it gives an impression of a dangerous and sleazy neighbourhood, even the Mercury Theater itself appears to be derelict, and on top, a lopsided neon sign blinking lazily. As she entered the theater, she barely noticed the inactivity on the streets, and the pitter-pattering of wild rats.

Inside the theater, every single row was empty except the one occupied by Cortez. He was watching an ancient black and white movie, the sound barely audible.

'Hello, senorita. What made you come looking for me?'
April sat down beside him. She begins slowly, 'I think you know that...' She paused, unsure whether to continue or not.

'So tell me, I'm listening...'
She inhaled and continued, 'Well, something strange is going on and...' Suddenly it dawned onto her. 'Wait. You knew I was going to come back to talk to you again, didn't you?'

'I hoped... and I must apologize for making myself unavailable but I had to lie low for a while.'
'Why? Are you in some kind of trouble with the police?'
'No, senorita, not the police. There are bigger players than the police.'
'Well, I don't want to know. I'm not getting mixed up with mobs or gangs or anything like that.'
'There's not much you want to be mixed up at all, is there?'
'My life's complicated enough as it is Mr Cortez, I...I don't even know what I'm doing here.'
'Answers. You want – you need answers.'
'You keep telling me that, but you never gave me any real answers, only more questions. Like what's going on with me? And how do you so much about me?'

'I plan to answer all your questions today, April. But by the time you go to sleep tonight, your world will have changed. And nothing will ever be the same.' Cortez said. He looks sad, as though trying to relieve a heavy burden off April's shoulders yet he can do nothing about it.

'Now you are just being cryptic again, it's like opera sex. Lots of boring dialogue and finally when they go to bed, everything's dark and covered by blankets.'

'You want the full monty, then?' He gets up and continued. 'Come with me, come outside. No more talk, I will show you the truth.' Cortez turned around and started walking slowly outside, April remained rooted. Not only until Cortez's back vanished from sight did she finally decided to go after him. Somehow, she knew the answers lie ahead.

Outside, in the dark alley, Cortez waved his hands on the wall splattered with graffiti behind him.
'So?' said Cortez.
'I'm not sure...' April replied.
'You will be.'

Cortez starts moving towards the wall and making long, deliberate motions with his hands as though he is trying to manipulate it with his mind. 'Step back senorita'

'What for? What are you doing?' Her heart raced. What is Cortez doing?
'Why, Alice, I'm sending you through the looking glass!' He beamed.

Unbelievably, amazingly, the wall dissolved and in its place, a large magical portal appeared. Light seem to radiate from the inside, so strongly it blinded her for a while.

'What...what is that? Please tell me it's a hologram.'
'It's a mirror, to reflect your dreams.'
'But I don't see anything... just light.'
'Oh, you have to step through it.'
'Step through that? Oh no, I don't think so...' she whispered.

'This is the moment of decision April. All time, past and present, revolves around this moment. The destiny of the worlds is in your hands. But you must make the choice on your own...'
'Destiny of worlds...? How do I know it's not going to... kill me if I step through that?'
'I understand, it is difficult for you to believe, but you came here looking for answers... you wanted the truth and here it is, right before your eyes. It is up to you April.'

April eyed Cortez suspiciously, but he betrayed no emotion.
'All right...'
'One thing April, when you are ready to come back, talk to an old friend of mine, Brian Westhouse.'
April nodded silently.

As April stepped forth towards the portal, it hummed with energy and it grew louder every passing moment. She was afraid but more than that, she was curious.

'Good luck April.' said Cortez, but April did not hear him. As the light from the portal consumed her whole. Cortez smiled sincerely and added, 'Vamos, into the light.'

And so April Ryan took the first step on what would soon to be, the longest journey of her life.

-End of Chapter One-

-credits to Ragnar Tornquist (original writer for TLJ) and Thomas Nedved for compiling moments in TLJ in his work - TLJ Screenplay.