Chapter 5

 

 

One Week Later: Atlanta

 

            “I know it sounds strange, Derak,” Allan began. “This key has some sort of power.”

            Derak rolled his eyes back: “You placed your key in the hole at the door and opened it...”

            “Derak!”

            “Then, you saw a completely different world,” he shook his head. “You saw plains of grass and forest of trees.  You didn’t see the desert landscape in front of the museum.”

            Allan knew that the logical Derak was making fun of him. Derak leaned back on his heals, engorging himself in the twisting face of the boy beside him.

            “You want proof?” asked Allan harshly at his teasing friend. “I’ll give you proof of this!  See that door?”

He pointed to the entrance of his room.  The door, painted in an off white, now became the object of attention.  Derak looked at the door with scrutinizing curiosity.  An eyebrow rose on his dark skinned face.  Then, the silence was broken by his deep chuckle.

“All right, Allan,” he began with a smirk. “Let’s see your trick.”

Allan cleared his throat and straightened his back shoulders.  Derak’s head did not move, but his eyes slowly followed Allan’s cool strides to the door.

“Watch!” Allan called.  He turned to the door.  Allan saw that there was no keyhole for the key to fit it in.  He sighed and closed his eyes, trusting in the key.  He felt the key begin to heat up with energy of life.  Allan banished all feelings of distrust, feeling the force within the key telling him to trust more.  Derak was silent, his mouth in a gape of unspoken words.  Allan’s eyes remained closed, the key guiding him to the door.  Allan felt the key slowly slide to the wooden, painted face of the door.  Derak blinked, suddenly blinded by a bright flash of light.  When his vision cleared, Derak saw the golden key protruding noticeably out of the face of the door.  Its intricate designed face had a soft pulsating glow and a faint, low hum.

“Is this a trick?” asked Derak. “You drilled a hole in your door!”

“No,” said Allan. “Watch.”

Allan turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door.  Derak’s face drained of color as his mouth drooped in astonishment.  Allan pointed to the outside of his room.  The halls of his house had vanished completely, replaced by a lush forest and a still glade.  Derak shook his head in disbelief.  He poke his head out into the forest, trying to find a logical explanation for it.

“Where’s your house?” he asked.

“It’s gone,” replied Allan, shrugging his shoulders.

Derak stuck his hand through the door and knelt down to the grassy lawn.  He slowly ran his fingers above the blades of grass, feeling them tickle his palms.  Then, he gazed back at Allan in utter silence.  Allan’s smile broadened to his cheeks.

“This defies all logic and science!” Derak exclaimed. “Do you realize what you have here?”

“Not really,” said Allan, coolly.

“That key--somehow, has opened a portal to another place,” he said.

“To another world, Derak.”

Derak looked up and saw twin suns shining in a grayish blue sky.  Derak shook his head again, still trying to make sense of it all.

“Now, do you believe me?” asked Allan.

“I have no choice,” sighed Derak, feeling defeated. “I saw it, I touched it.  What we have here is something that defies the laws of science.”

“That’s not the only thing,” inputted Allan. “The key has a security system.”

“A what?”

“Watch,” he pointed to the door. “I close the door and the key pops out.”

Allan did what he said.  He closed the door and the key sprung out from the door face.

“And then, it won’t go back in,” he tried to use the key with the door, feeling a force pushing him away.

“So, once a door has been used,” began Derak. “It can’t be used again.  Let me try.”

Allan handed Derak the key when an electrical spark shot from the tip.  Derak reared back in pain, stunned from the incident.

“The key won’t let you touch it,” said Allan.

“Why didn’t you tell me that?” demanded Derak.

“I didn’t know it either,” he replied. “I think it has some magical powers.”

“Impossible, Allan,” cried Derak. “There is no such thing as magic.”

“Then, explain this!” Allan opened the door and his hallway of his home replaced the forest.

“The forest, the sun, they’re gone,” Derak breathed.

“Can science explain that?”

“Sure, a special rift though space...” Derak explained. “Uh--a tear--a quantum singularity portal...”

“Created by a key?” asked Allan.

“You’re right,” sighed Derak. “A key can’t do all those things.  But magic?  I dunno...”

Allan sat back down at his desk and looked at the key.  Derak still stared at the door with astonishment and disbelief.  Allan had a feeling deep down in his soul that magic was the cause.  Who knows what lies beyond that door?  Allan was willing to venture out and see.

Maybe there are different creatures on that planet, he thought.  Then, Allan said aloud: “Derak, I’ve got to see what’s beyond that door.”

“Don’t,” warned Derak. “Who knows what is out there.  You could get yourself in trouble.  Also, think of the diseases on that planet.  We have no immunity to them.  You could die.”

Allan shook his head with dismay.  He felt the urge grown on him like weeds in a garden.  Allan felt the itch of travel in his toes, shifting upward and tingling his fingers.  He fingered the key, feeling the dragon’s coils around the handle.

“Derak, I can’t leave it be,” Allan pressed on.

Derak placed his hand on Allan’s shoulder and said calmly: “You want to go out to a strange world, without anything to survive on?  You want to live without shelter?”

“I want to explore.”

“We don’t even know of the key will bring you back,” Derak cried. “You could try it out on a door and it might take you some place else.  You may never come back.  Like those guys on that show--that ‘sliding show’, you’ll never return and you’ll be searching for a way back.”

“I hate this place,” Allan grimaced. “I’m an outcast.  And so are you.  I want to go.”

“Allan, you are my friend,” sighed Derak. “I don’t want to out and get hurt.  What would your parents say?”

Allan moaned in defiance.

“What you Karen say?” asked Derak, hoping to strike a chord with Allan.

“I could show her the key!” Allan yelped.

“Allan!” groaned Derak.

Allan did not answer as he tugged on Derak’s sleeve.

 

Karen’s House

 

Karen heard the chiming of her doorbell.  She was studying for a test over the trip the class took a week ago.  Karen tried not pay any attention to the chime, hoping that Mark, her brother, would answer it.  The bell kept chiming, annoying her even more.

I hope that’s not Eddie, she thought.

The bell continued to ring.  Karen sighed in frustration, more annoyed from it now.  She got up from her studies, her green eyes flashed in anger, lighting up like fire.  When she opened the door, her face cheered up as her eyes met the blue eyes of Allan.  Allan’s smile was bright and cheerful; yet, it seemed almost mischievous.  He knew something, or had something.  Derak, on the other hand, looked at Allan with a concerned face.

“Allan,” said Karen. “This is a surprise.  What’s up?"

“May we come in?” asked Allan.

“Of course,” she said moving fluently away from the door.  Allan smile broadened.

Allan stared around her house; his face was alive and gleamed.  Idly glancing around in hushed silence, Allan sucked in the air that was Karen’s home.  He smelled the air, finding it sweet to his nostrils.  Derak rolled his eyes.  He shifted around, shuffling his feet on the polished, wooden floor.

“Is there something you two want?” Karen asked.

“Karen, would you...” began Allan.

Derak interrupted: “Tell us the answer to number 10 on the practice quiz?”

“I do,” she said, walking back over to her studying.

“Derak!” snorted Allan.

“Can we trust her with this secret device?” asked Derak.

“I can,” said Allan.

“I don’t,” growled Derak.  He ran his hand though his dreadlocks.

 

 

Castle o Drach

 

Tüll still watched the boy.  His patience were growing thin as he watched the boy, named Allan, argued with dark skinned friend.  He eyed the globe with eyes widen.  Tüll looked back, his thoughts were disturbed by the snore of a sleeping Agaarr on the floor.  The dragon’s yellow scales twitched as he snored.

“Agaarr!” bellowed Tüll. “Be silent, beast!”

“The boy isn’t coming?” grumbled Agaarr.

“I can make him come,” hissed Tüll. “Some of my spells can pass though the Eye of Dürgth and the boy will be mine.  All I have to do is wait until he opens a portal with the Dragon Key.”

“Then, use the Eye of Dürgth,” grumbled the dragon. “And quit complaining.”

“Silence, beast,” commanded Tüll. “The Eye of Dürgth is the spyglass for my powers!”

Agaarr sniffed in disgust at the sorcerer.  Tüll felt the mutual agreement wearing thinner than ever before.  Then, his globe--the Eye of Dürgth--flashed frantically.  Tüll’s eyes shifted wildly at the magical orb.  Then, the forms inside the orb wavered and twisted to reveal another being.  This being was a green dragon, counter casting his invisibility shield.  Tüll’s eyes flashed wildly in alarm.  A spy was found on the premises of the castle.

“Agaarr,” he whispered. “There is a spy looking at us.  The Eye has told me so.”

“What spy?” asked Agaarr? “Where, Master Tüll?”

“In this room,” he replied hastily. “Come and behold the wyrm!”

“A dragon?” Agaarr turned to gaze into the magical orb. “Shal-ram!  It’s the human rationalist.  The traitor!”

Agaarr bellowed his warning, alerting the castle guards.

“A dragon that helps humans?” asked Tüll, now befuddled. “Who is this dragon?”

“Shal-ram of the Green Flame,” hissed Agaarr animalistic ally. “He has been sneaking the human slaves out of your realm!  He is the leader of the H.F.S., the Human Freedom Saviors.  I have been looking for him for a decade.”

“Then, don’t stand there, fool!” ordered the sorcerer. “Capture this slave thief--this human-lover and bring him to me!”  Then, he turned back to the Eye of Dürgth: “While I bring the Dragon Key beerier and his friends here.”

 

Shal-ram heard the guards calling to him.  The Eye of Dürgth has revealed him.  Tüll truly knew how to use the seeing device.  For 100 years, the sorcerer became apt on its powers, not allowing the orb to bend him to its will.  Shal-ram also knew from his spies that the eye was the source of Tüll’s powers.  He lifted his head up, spying the guards hunting for him.  They carried magical wands that held special crystals for detecting invisible beings and beings with stealth abilities.  Shal-ram knew that it would be futile to ream invisible.  He reveled himself to his hunters.  He saw Agaarr hovering over him like a hungry vulture.

“At last, I have found you!” roared Agaarr.

“But not for long, destroyer of our species!” Shal-ram called.

Agaarr dove down upon Shal-ram depending on his speed to apprehend the intruder.  He opened his jaws, ready to spray his plague on to the young, green dragon.  Shal-ram reacted too quickly for the plague dragon, teleporting away from the deadly spray.  Agaarr banked, barely avoiding the rushing ground.

“No, not again!” wailed Agaarr. “Damn you to the Pits of Grimglah, Shal-ram!”

 

 

Earth--a moment later

 

Karen’s head felt light as if she was becoming tired.  Then, Derak’s head felt light.  Allan tapped on Karen’s shoulder, and then, pointed to the door.  It was open, showing the glade and the twin suns.  She looked back at Allan and Derak.

“That key is amazing!” she cried. “Look at the twin suns!  They’re so pretty.”

“I want to go through and find what’s out there,” Allan said, wholeheartedly. “But Derak said not to.”

“What?” Derak asked. “Allan, I never said that.”

Allan’s eyes froze.  He held his breath, confused.  He turned to Derak, who was smiling warmly.  Allan sensed something false about Derak.  Then, he turned to Karen; she had the same expression on her face.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Karen beamed.

“So do I,” said Derak. “In fact, we’ll go with you.”

“Of course,” said Karen. “And this could give me time to think about how much of a bastard Eddie is.”

“Huh?” Allan squeaked, even more confused. “Derak, you told me that I wouldn’t survive out there.”

“Hey, how do you think Man ever came to inventing something?” asked Derak. “Man did land on the Moon when some say it wasn’t safe.  You have to be able to venture out now and then.  Besides, we will be the first Earthlings to explore another planet.”

“Come on, Allan,” Karen said, pulling him by the sleeve. “But don’t forget the key.”

Allan took the key out of the door and followed Karen.  Derak followed after him.  Their adventures have begun...

 

 

“At last, the Key will come to me!” bellowed Tüll. “Agaarr, go and bring the Earthlings to me.”

“Aye, my Master,” bowed Agaarr.