The Water’s Flow

"That's impossible!" Aurora walked to where the waterfall should have landed.

She leaned into the icy dew. Maybe the flow was just hidden. The Empress's disappeared into the fog.

"Your Majesty!" Zan exclaimed. He and Gandr rushed after her, afraid of losing her to the white void. They groped their way through as the cold crystals of ice and snow tickled their exposed skin. It felt like walking through frozen spiders' webs.

At last Zan and Gandr burst forth from the gossamer dew and into the open space underneath the Mystic Spires. The area was even greener than either of them remembered. It was still strange to think that the 'mountain' was actually hollow.

In front of them, Aurora stared upward at the waterfall. Even from inside, she could see that it ended halfway to the ground in the mist. "How did I not see this before?" she asked in despair.

"I guess we just assumed that the falls were hidden from view by the mist. I mean, what kind of waterfall has no end?" Zan asked with a squint.

"A magical one," Gander answered, not realizing that the question was meant to be rhetorical. "What else would you expect from the Fates? I suspect they hope to prevent creatures from doing exactly what you are trying to accomplish."

Aurora yawned and stretched. "You are probably right. That leaves us with just one option I guess. We must make a trip up to the Fates."

Zan nodded. "Surely Hanna will help us even if none of the others will. I look forward to seeing her." The Guardian rubbed his eyes with his fists. Looking up into the white of the mountain had made his eyes ache. Now his eyelids were becoming heavy to relieve the pain.

Gandr lifted the magic mirror. "Let me send my mother a message before we leave. I would hate for her to worry if I don't respond for a while." His face became confused. The mirror would not light up to take his words. "That is odd. It is not working."

Aurora peered around his shoulder. "Maybe the mountain is blocking the mirrors' connection."

"You may be right. I will go out and send my message. It will only take a moment and then we can head to the platform." Gandr hoped the others would understand.

Aurora sat down in a patch of green, bell-shaped flowers. Their scent was very pleasant and the Empress plucked one from the ground and inhaled deeply. "Take all the time you need, Gandr. We will rest and await your return."

Zan had already stretched out nearby in the blossoms. They made a nice bed. "Go on," the Guardian urged as he placed his palms lazily behind his head. "Do not keep Bukuri waiting."

The halfling needed not further encouragement. He left the other two lounging in the greenery and pushed his way back through the icy veil.

Aurora was correct. For as soon as he had made it out the other side, the mirror functioned as normal. "Magic is very strange," he said to no one in particular.

He inhaled deeply as he composed his message. The sweet aroma of the bell flowers filled his lungs. Gandr looked down with confusion. Bell flowers? What were they doing out here too?

"Very strange indeed." Gandr shook off the thought and focused on the mirror. He held firmly to the glass. "The Empress, Zan and I were not able to get the water from ground level. We will have to visit the Fates. I do not think I can send messages from up there, but I will let you know as soon as we get back down."

He paused for a few moments, hoping to receive a quick reply. Sure enough, the glass glowed with a response. "I care for you, my son. Be careful," Bukuri replied with motherly tenderness.

Gandr flushed. He was the luckiest son! He headed back to the others with a spring in his step.

Even before he was back through the mist, he couldn't help but share his news. "Mother says to be careful. Wait until I tell her that I have met the Fates before. She will hardly be able to believe it! I…oh!"

Aurora and Zan were asleep.

"How long was I gone?" the halfling joked. "Wake up, you sleepy heads."

Neither of them moved. Walking over to the Guardian, Gandr grabbed his shoulder and shook him. Zan groaned but did not respond. The man hardly ever seemed to sleep as long as Gandr had known him, and a deep sleep during the day was unheard of. Something was wrong.

Next he tried the Empress. He took some liberties in shaking her shoulder, hoping she would understand in the end. "Wake up, Your Majesty. I think something is wrong."

Aurora's eyes opened a slit. "Hm?"

"We need to go. You wanted to get to the Fates, remember?" Gandr cooed gently.

The Empress seemed to recognize his words. "The water," she mumbled groggily. "I need water…"

Around them the green bell flowers shook like they were being tossed by the breeze, yet there was no wind. Golden pollen filled the air and covered the Empress in yellow dust. She breathed in the sweet scent and went back to slumbering once more.

"The flowers are enchanted!" Gandr exclaimed.

He looked around to see that the patch of beautiful blooms made a half circle around the base of where the waterfall should land. He realized that he had seen a similar semi circle on the other side of the dew. The full ring of flowers must be protecting the waterfall.

Gandr scooped up the Empress. "Sorry, Your Majesty."

He carried her from the flowers and through a different part of the mountain. He searched for a river. As all the water in the land of magic came from Dew Mountain, it did not take him long to be successful. From the mist a river materialized, seeming to have no beginning and traveling down toward places unknown.

Gandr laid down the Empress on the bank and scooped some water into her mouth. She choked, but managed to swallow a tiny bit. Her eyes came open.

"Gandr! The waterfall, I think…" Aurora was unable to finish her thought. The pollen that covered her lifted from her skin and wafted into her nostrils. She was asleep again.

'Until I get rid of all the pollen. I am fighting a losing battle,' Gandr realized. "Please do not hate me, Your Majesty."

The halfling lifted the woman and waded into the river. Sitting down with Aurora in his arms, he allowed the pollen to wash from her gown and skin. Gandr lowered her head, letting her hair return to the lustrous dark color. Only one part of her remained to be cleansed

"Hold your breath!" Gandr placed his hand over the Empress's nose and mouth and dunked her below the water's flow.

She popped up from the surface unassisted and gasped for air. Aurora was soaking and choking, but at least she was awake.

"Thank you," she said when she was finally able to speak.

Gandr helped her out of the water and laid her on the shore. "I have to get Zan."

Repeating the process, Gandr likewise cleansed the Guardian of the sleeping spell that had overcome him. "Thank you," Zan told him as he held out his hand. The two shook forearms before leaving the river's steady flow.

"You know," Gandr mused. "I doubt anyone has been thanked so much for nearly drowning two people."

Aurora was waiting for them on the shoreline. She was shivering slightly as she had no way to dry off. Her arms were crossed as she rubbed her shoulders for warmth.

"I don't get it," the dark haired woman tried to reason out what happened, "Why were we affected but not you?"

The halfling glanced back toward the base of the magical waterfall. The flowers could still be seen from this distance.

"If I had to guess, the green blooms are enchanted to protect the magical waterfall. The more you thought about the waterfall and how to get to it, the more the flowers attacked." Gandr used his wind magic to blow most of the water from all of their clothing.

"Let me guess. You were not thinking about the waterfall…" Zan guessed.

"Not really, no. My mind was elsewhere," the halfling admitted.

"So you are saying that your mother saved us?" Aurora could not help but grin. "She will be very pleased to hear that."

After a short rest and a soggy snack, the three went back inside Dew Mountain and to the 'palace white' entrance.

"Go home," Aurora called gently over the humming tune of her Fate's chain.

The stone castle broke free of the platform and began to rise.

"So that's how it works," Zan said with a smile. Before the three males had stumbled on the key on accident.

The ride upwards was spent in silent anticipation. They were not sure what to expect, but anything was better than the unknown. Or so they thought.

The platform filled the hole in the base of the Mystic Spires, allowing the trio to step into the intake chamber.

Asha, as usual, was waiting for them. The Empress advanced to embrace the fairy, but she held up her hands.

"You must turn back," Asha told them with a solemn expression. There was a deep sadness in her eyes. "You are not welcome here."

"But surely Hanna will see us…" Aurora began to argue.

Asha shook her head. "Hanna has been banished."