To the World of the Mortals

"I will find a way. I heard a story from my mother a long time ago."

Lord Mokabe was flustered at what she said. "What do you mean?" he suspiciously looked at the woman in front of him. 'What did she know about the story?' Mokabe panicked at the thought that the queen knew the story of her mother going to the human world and going back to Akijam.

Macrena saw the panicked at the older man's eyes. She never doubted her instinct. She knew that the older man knew something about the portal coming back from the mortal world. "So, it's true?" she prodded more, "There is a way to come back." She tried her best to be confident in her voice to convince the older man to speak. She just overheard her mother once mentioning about a portal to get through from the mortal world. Seeing the older man's reaction, she knew that he knew something.

"It was only a hearsay. I never heard anyone get through it." He avoided her eyes. He was aware of how witty Macrena is.

She sighed; the man was giving him a hard time. "Do you really believe that I committed murder?" she must try another strategy.

"I believe you, Macrena, however, I can not do anything if there is no proof." The man looked exhausted now. He must be going through a hard time knowing that he will have to send her away, whom he treated as his daughter, and pledged his loyalty to.

"That's the reason why I am eager to find any possible way to come back here. I will find proof from that world and come back here. I will prove my innocence and take back the throne. I am certain that this is the doing of uncle Matius." Though Matius was the only relative left, she also knew how cunning he is and how obsessive he is to sit on the throne as a ruler.

She looked at the man desperately. "My lord, you must know that uncle Matius never cared about this land. What he only wanted is the power. You know very well that I am the only one who can defeat him when he uses his powers. Without me, he can do everything he wants to do."

The old man exhaled. "I know that very well, Macrena." He closed his eyes and opened them again. He caught Macrena's eyes and leaned over her. "If you ever find a way to come back, please come back and save this land."

Mokabe was not sure why he was saying those words to her. He knew how greedy Matius is and dreading to look forward to the future state of their kingdom in his hands. He was hoping that Macrena could find a way for her to come back to the throne.

"Then tell me what you know, my lord." Macrena pleaded, hoping he would tell everything he knows.

Mokabe released a deep sigh and avoided her eyes. He slowly pulled back from leaning and stood up. "You better rest, for now, I will hand you something important when the portal is open." He tapped her shoulder. "You must know that this land rests on you. Wherever you may go, find a way to come back." The old man left, leaving Macrena in desperation.

On Lord Mokabe's his way out from Macrena's place, he met Matius. The new king must be on his way to Macrena's place. Mokabe made a vow to Matius, "Your highness."

"How is our Macrena doing?" Matius haughtily asked the old man when they crossed paths.

"She is preparing for her journey out, your highness." Mokabe politely answered and bid his goodbye to the king.

"Very well, I will see her myself." Matius proudly walked away and went to Macrena's palace.

Macrena was left in the inner chamber of her receiving, spaced out. She can not still believe what was happening to her. Her life has been peaceful, even when her parents died, she had a peaceful reign in the kingdom as well. Although his uncle Matius always questions her way of ruling the kingdom or sometimes annoys her, there were no major misunderstanding between them. That's what she thought. However, her uncle has a different opinion, she guessed.

She creased her brows when she heard a noise from the outer chamber of her receiving. She listened to the arrogant voice of her uncle Matius announcing his presence.

"I see the king of Akijam is visiting her murderer niece." She sarcastically greeted when she saw her uncle in the receiving area of her palace.

"Oh, there you are, my dear niece!" He exaggeratedly spread his arms into an embrace.

She ignored him and looked at him with disgust.

"Ow, my niece is bold to glare at the king!" Matius's voice is loud and boisterous.

"I am going to be banished anyways. Thanks to you." She glared and sat down on one of the divans in the room.

He tilted his head and pretended to be innocent. "Oh, believe me, my niece, it is never my will for you to be punished. If there is anything that I can do to spare you, I would gladly do it."

She smirked sarcastically. She never tried to hide her disgust with her uncle. She knew very well that her uncle has always been ambitious of the throne for himself. "You know uncle Matius, I could kill you right now, but I decided not to. You might as well enjoy where you are now and hope I would not find a way to come back."

Matius looked at her in an instant. A slight of fear flashed through his eyes for a moment on her threat. Macrena did not miss those.

"Ho ho…" Matius nervously laughed. "You know that there is no way back, right?" his lips trembled a little.

Macrena read the nervousness in his uncle's expression. "And what if I found one?" She challenged. "I might find out too, who killed the mortal man?" Seeing her uncle reacts to her challenge, encouraged her to provoke him more.

Matius seeing the seriousness in her eyes, trembled for a moment. He cleared his throat and held up his chin. "You are proven guilty and were already ordered to be banished! How come you still have the boldness to challenge me!" his voice loud and booming in the room. He is starting to get agitated.

She stood up and sighed, telling her visitor that she was tired and wanted to dismiss the conversation now. "Uncle, no need to be spent up. Save your energy in ruling your kingdom. I will leave you alone as you wish."

"Remember this, Macrena, you can never come back in this land, ever!" Matius' body trembled in anger. How come every time they argue, he was always the one left shaking in rage?

"Yes, uncle, whatever you say." She waved her hands, not even bothering to glance at him. She walked inside her chamber and locked herself in her room.

One hour before her departure to the mortal world.

"Your highness…" the soft voice of the maid made her open her eyes as she rested her head on a chair beside her bed. "This came for you from Lord Mokabe." She handed her a small wooden box.

"And also…" the maid started to sob. "I know I have done wrong, please forgive me, your highness!" the servant suddenly knelt on her feet and sobbed uncontrollably.

She felt a pang of pain in her chest when she saw her loyal maid crying and kneeling at her feet. The maid has been looking after her since she was born, and her loyalty is unquestionable. She also knew the reason why she was asking for her forgiveness.

"There is no need to ask forgiveness, and you did nothing wrong." She tried to calm herself. She might appear strong on the outside, she was taught not to show her tears to someone, much more to a servant, so they will not look down on her. She swallowed hard, seeing her maid cried so sad, made her heart cry too.

She helped the maid stood up on her feet and looked at her in the eyes. "Listen, Mylo; you are a loyal servant of the palace, I will talk to Lord Mokabe to take you in his palace. You are good and have done nothing wrong; if you have, you are forgiven." She said, in a calm and sincere tone.

The maid looked at her in the eyes; her eyes were moist of tears but nodded and made a deep bow to her. "Farewell Queen Macrena, may you have a safe travel."

She released a deep sigh and accepted the blessing of the maid with a slight bow. "I will, and thank you."

She only opened the wooden box when the maid went out of her room. Inside the box was a leather strapped necklace with a glass pendant filled with tiny crystals. And a small paper folded with it.

[Use the crystals to communicate with me. However, you must need a medium to drink a concoction of these crystals and water.]

"Your highness…" after some time, she heard the voice of the maid outside her room, calling her. She looked outside her room window, "It's time." She tied the necklace around her neck and tucked it underneath her dress.

The Counsel of Ednir was already assembled with their full ceremonial clothes at the entrance of her palace. The elder head meaningfully nodded at her when he saw the leather strap around her neck.

Macrena and the seven elders walked towards the north gate of the kingdom, passing some onlookers on their way. Most of the creatures bowed down to the entourage as they were a loyal subject of her. Some were looking at her with judgemental eyes and with disgust.

The entourage passed by the palace of her uncle Matius. She saw her uncle waving his hands at her with a mocking laugh on his face. She ignored the man and kept her head straight. Her expression shows no emotion at all. After all, she was a queen revered and respected by her subject. She must face the punishment with dignity.

The entourage reached the north gate, and they continued walking following the river of the Ashnow until they reached the entrance of the Hayanti forest, the boundary of the Akijam kingdom to the human world in the northern part of the kingdom. The gate between the two worlds was not visible to both creatures' eyes and can only be open with a ceremonial incantation done by the elders of the land.

Seven men in purple robes made a bow to her as their last respect as the queen of the land and formed a semi-circle around her.

"I wish you a good fortune Queen Macrena," Mokabe spoke in a low voice, and after a few seconds, he started reciting the first words on the elder's incantation.

"Sika nga mangbanbatay iti nabileg nga ruangan

Agturong ti pagarian dagiti tattao,

Dinggem dagititi araraw mi ket ipangag mo dagiti ikkismi!" the old man held his hands up then the others did as well.

"Lukatam, lukatam ngarud ala!!" They recited in unison.

A circle of light started to form in front of her, as the men in purple robes continued to recite the incomprehensible incantation with their hands lifted high—a hollow passage formed in the middle of the light.

Mokabe signaled her to walked through the passage.

Seeing Mokabe's signal, she slowly walked inside the circle of light. As she walked along, a blinding light made her eyes shut. She began to feel light-headed, and her body starts to float in the air. A buzzing sound made her head wants to burst into pieces, and her body felt like being attacked with millions of pins and needles. She tried to scream, but no voice came out from her throat.

'How long do I have to endure this?' Macrena thought. Her body was starting to feel numb, and her head felt like it is being shredded into pieces, her gut turning upside down. 'Ah, I can't take this anymore!' With her eyes tightly shut, she blacked out.

-----

Noraya heavily breathes as she heaves the grocery bags to her chest. Her cheeks felt like it was peeling from her face. Her toes were starting to feel numb inside her snow boots. It was sixteen degrees below freezing, and she has no choice but to go to the grocery; otherwise, she starves to death. She regretted her decision to walk from the grocery store to her apartment. She could have taken the bus, but because she thought she could spare the change, she decided to walk. Now, she felt like dying.

She released another deep breath. She was in her last few meters to the entrance of her apartment building when she noticed a woman in a white dress lying on the pavement near the garbage bins on the side of the building.

She squinted her eyes and tried to look closely at the human figure. "Is that a mannequin?" She whispered and left her grocery bags on the bench in front of the entrance to the building. She slowly approached the figure and poke it with her feet, maintaining a safe distance in case it was a madwoman.

"That's not a mannequin!"