➹₊•°༉彡˚✧
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE PROCESS SHOCKINGLY proved to pace at a fast speed, success blooming to my victorious relief. For the moment I have arrived again from my conversation with Aslan, the retrieval of another star had graced my presence. Although it was already at least fourteen days after we left that island, the memory was clear as if no haze was present to let me ponder on what has transpired:

I had landed safely from my travel back, the ethereal lion delivering me with no sense of discomfort. My travel on this time around was refreshing, dissimilar from the other ones which held a small churn to my insides. So then I observed, seeing my surroundings shift from the road of Cambridge to the defined greenery of someone's yard. Leaves were shaped into pleasing sheared, round, spiral, sharp, whatever the owner liked.

Even the grassy floor had some sort of pattern, patches of the ground being emphasized into a bizarre cut. Then, front, was a fairly huge mansion. There was a hint of translucency laced before it, every piece of structure billowing magic into the wind. My feet had long started its journey to enter through the large double doors, the glow of the glaring sun dimming to an eerie little glow. The interior served the castle exterior a great impression, everywhere you looked being intricate carvings of shiny, polished designs. Floors weren't tiled, rather they were jade with hints of gold, so clear you could see your reflection from it.

Both muffled sounds and the stringing of my abilities guided my way through the chandelier embellished hallways, leading me to have the noise go audible by every step I took.

“Dark Island. A place where evil lurks. It can take any form. It can make your darkest dreams come true. It seeks to corrupt all goodness . . . to steal the light from this world.” A deep, gruff, mysterious voice went unfamiliar from my hearing.

It was followed by the sweet voice of Lucy, even despite how her words were serious. “How do we stop it?”

“You must break its spell. That sword you carry, there are six others.”

“Have you seen them?” His buttery accent came by next.

“Yes.” For unknown reason, I stopped as I arrived right as I can enter the entrance, moving to the right then leaning there.

“The six lords, they passed through here?” Caspian question, getting a quick answer, “Indeed.”

“Where were they headed?”

“Where I sent them. To break the spell . . . you must follow the Blue Star . . . to Ramandu's Island.” Something inside me trickled with a response that the mentioned Blue Star went somewhat irrelevant from my mission. “There, the seven swords must be laid at Aslan's table. Only then can their true magical power be released. But beware . . ,” Perhaps I was never the only one quite fond of the dramatic flair. “You are all about to be tested.”

“Tested?” And that, you lot, is how you scare people around you.

“Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil has the upper hand. It will do everything . . . in its power . . . to tempt you.” By now, I had transferred my leaning figure to the frames of the opened arch. “Be strong.” He got close to Lucy's face. “Don't fall to temptation.” Goodness, the way he drags his sentences reminds me of how my professor used to prolong his lectures by doing so. “To defeat the darkness out there . . . you must defeat the darkness inside yourself.”

Seeing as seconds after that seemed like they were finished with the discussion, I purposely clacked the heel of my boots to the ground, startling at least half of their frightened selves. My lips ghosted a small smirk, steadily approaching the thing that has been boggling my senses even as I remained covered by the walls.

“Wh—”

“Do not speak yet.” I cut off the man as his gaze appeared to squint at me in recognition, a hazy magic forming from deep inside him. But it wasn't the magic who called my attention, no, it was directing me to the sight of the laid down map.

Quietude consumed the place as they studied my actions, my peripherals catching how even as I crouched down, they stared. The lengthy map was beautiful, as if a window from the views of the skies, letting you gain birds eye and flow realistically. Supposedly, the framed was to catch my focus but it was the borders. It was normal at first glance, just olden parts of the paper that was surprisingly holding strong. Continuing, my observation dragged until it reached downwards, softly watching as the scene of the very first war we had- animatedly moved from it; the side having a centaur blow at the nostalgic horn of Susan.

Tracing it like a spine of a book, my fingers delicately trailed until it reached the middle, where the globe had been located. My eyebrows furrowed as my index tingled at the contact, letting clouds of sapphire explode from me as it went inside that side of the paper. Silence went more deafening by that as we waited for a few seconds, my ultimate concentration never wavering.

And then it burst out with a bright azure blow, one like the star I had gotten from the other world. Thine ears automatically blurred out the outside then adjusted through to hear the words of the object.

‘What was I to do? I had no other choice.’

This time I didn't speak to it, getting stopped by the confusing question.

‘Their screams were torturing. Tearing me with tormenting agony.’

Who was it speaking of? Who was screaming? My own inquiry went unsatisfied as the glowing sphere levitated intensely, forcefully slamming inside me. I had to gasp sharply from it, the deepest breath I've ever taken getting exhaled to ease from the pressure.

“What happened? Did it hurt you?” Edmund was quick to reach my side, his worried face welcoming my slowly recharging body.

“That was Narnia.”

“What?” His expression pinched in curiosity.

“That was the star of Narnia.” With a shake of my head, my own eyebrows furrowed from the lack of comprehension. The presence of the two magical objects was granting me energy, like batteries giving me what felt like a quarter to a hundred. If that was the whole land of our reign, would that mean I've to recover the stars of other lands? But that would be unwell, surely I was wrong with that one.

Not long after that, we only had a brief conversation with the magician. He seemed unknowing to my personal conflict, but had something to gift me which left me thinking until now. Part of our talk was how he spoke of how the Blue Star, whenever we may see it, possibly has knowledge of my problems.

Fast forward to now where another rock of the harsh waves swayed everyone, my seated position stayed intact this time. The people left inside the main room consisted of Edmund and Caspian, the captian leaving just recently. They had an intense meeting regarding of how rations were depleting at an abnormal pace, how the seas were violently messing with the minds of the crew.

“We continue moving, there's no point going back now when we've already gotten so far.” Caspian suddenly declared as he slumped back to the seat next to mine.

Edmund, who was on my other side, sighed heavily. “I don't oppose to your decision, Caspian. It's the people's well-being that worries me.”

“Well then you're not alone on that one.” Caspian dropped his head to the back of the leather cushion.

“But,” His head turned to me. “I've heard only few of them has experienced boggling images. Even I haven't gone through what they're saying.”

“Neither have I.” By now, the other male has risen straightly, travelling his attention to me.

Everyone I needed to tell has been informed of what I had shared with Aslan, keeping my promise of updating them to the happenings on my side. They were– well, like any normal person, very stressed with what I had relayed. It was only acceptable, seeing as knowing that a threat much more stronger than the one we were currently battling appears out of nowhere.

“I have a proposal.” I finally let my voice heard, crossing my arms over my chest.

“No.” Edmund immediately shut me down, having an idea that he may not like it.

“If I could travel back and forth from this world to the other, I can settle out the matter regarding our food source.”

“And what if you are sent astray? You've not yet mastered securing where you land.” The raven-haired boy earned a nod from the Telmarine.

“Do you not trust me?”

“This is not about trust. We're talking about your safety here . . . I mean–  only two days ago you almost pitched yourself off and almost drowned.” His concerns produced a click of my tongue, silencing as I got his point.

“He is right, we should be careful of utilizing your gifts. I know you're already exhausted enough by having to alter the emotions of everyone in this ship, making certain that they do not get affected by the mist.” Caspian seconded the Pevensie's notion, now ganging up on me.

“I can't just stand by and watch the people suffer,” Closing my eyes, my poise faltered slightly. “Even though I may act completely unbothered, I still took the oath to serve my people.”

As someone who was given the role to lead, I've learned the valuable lesson of protecting those who can't. Having been gifted by this magic, I always wondered what I needed it for, but I realize that it was not for selfish causes. Rather it could be much needed to deliver assistance.

“And I can't just stand by and watch my wife become drained as each day pass that you abuse your capabilities.” Edmund fussed, raw emotions raging from his words. My heart fluttered with the heated worry that bubbled from him, discerning the heaviness of his affections.

My reply was to come out but went ceased as the door burst open. An alarmed looking Jack Hewitt stood dripping with water, heavy breaths puffed out like he ran a marathon.

“Is something wrong?” Caspian stood speedily, receiving the rushed nature of the boy.

“I– It's Nausus.” He managed out of his still chattering teeth. “He's not waking.”

Those two last words erupted all of us to follow him back to where he initially was, uncaring of how the rain had once again seeped into our freshly changed clothes. Our feet thundered past the shouting crew tasked to maneuver the ship, reaching the ladder to climb below deck where lay the sleeping quarters.

“I tried everything,” Jack ranted along the way, sometimes stumbling over his sentences. “Shaking him, dropping water, even used my magic, but all were fruitless.”

“Is he perhaps—”

“No, no, he has not passed, there was no traces of him being that. He was breathing, his heart was beating. I'm assuming he's in some sort of trance even in his sleep.” He quickly shook off the obvious hinting of another person, our group finally arriving towards our person.

Edmund was first to stride, followed closely by Caspian, both of them softly attempting to trigger the faun. No matter how they raised their voices, how they shook him, or how the other men around us helped them. All had no effects.

But at the corner of my eyes, I caught the sliver of green mist. It was sure to remain invisible from the crumple of people, roping up the poor unsuspecting Narnian. So I hastily pushed them all aside, not wasting any second to let my own cloud to explode. It successfully brought everyone to step back in shock, giving me enough space to work.

Bringing my palms to his head resulted in a harsh tug to my empathy, various feelings thrust in me that scrunched my face in pain.

I kept giving more force to my actions in pulling him back, easy not to let Nausus face backlash from it, yet it was not enough. And I knew why this was happening. “It's not going to work unless I join him.”

“No, you are not.” Caspian spoke first, giving me a steady look. I shook my head at him in protest, blinking towards where another male stood. We had a mental battle as our stare lasted, myself making sure to convey the critical situation.

It lengthened to a full minute until he sighed. “Are you certain you'll be all right?”

“No way you're—” I interrupted Jack and heightened my volume despite no reply coming out. What I gave Edmund was a mere smile, one that said a thousand words. And it was enough for him to give me an approving nod.

Closing my eyes, I powered through the barrier produced by what was causing this. It felt like wind was roughly shoving me from all sides possible, myself fighting through until I noticed how the noises brought by the storm from the Dawn Treader pitched to a sharp frequency. Gritting my teeth as a form of retaliation, I drove it out until it transformed into a limitless blank. I almost cheered at the victory. If only the noise hadn't started again, instead this time it was a lot of clanking.

My eyes opened. And suddenly I was watching plenty of fauns dropping to the ground. Either they were already silent from death, or that they were hunched and screaming with pain that all tried to cling unto me. This seemed all too familiar, the emotions of facing absolutely nothing but still feel pain bringing a click to me.

An explanation now surfaced upwards as I realized what was happening. The mist didn't get strong, it wasn't the only one distressing Nausus. The abyss was lending a hand. And now the faun was the second one to suffer from its trauma.

Walking towards him had difficulties, with me having to turn a blind eye to the other pained Narnians. Because I knew this was a dream, and that they were figments of an illusion, all but one. Reaching the shouting faun, the pang he was reverberating felt like hot metal being pushed to my skin.

Knowing words wouldn't be enough, I just placed both my hands to his shoulders. My already glowing eyes seemed to intensify in cobalt, surrounding his body with mists of blue like a warm blanket to a cold weather. I willed everything around us to produce a sliver of light, letting some of them seep into the core of the faun. It was strange to see someone who was facing the abyss, very different from experiencing it firsthand.

Multiple varieties of positivity, serenity, and hope went out of my abilities, bestowing it to his mop of curly hair just like a crown. And later after a few more efforts, his wailing had lowered and slowly diminished, leaving only soft sniffles. Like Aslan was there to guide me, I patiently provided him solace even as he unexpectedly clung to my form, accepting his needed embrace of comfort.

“I feel ashamed.” He chuckled, but even that sounded unreal. “I'm seeking comfort from someone younger than me.” Nausus sighed heavily, my empathy still stringing heaps of solace to him. “Especially if that person is a High Queen.”

“You've nothing to be abashed of. As long as we breathe the same air,” He slowly unclasped from the hug, feeling himself undeniably calm. A ring of my own mist was visible to his sight, they were barriers I kept up if ever the abyss would return. “Then all is equal.”

A bright dimpled grin curved up to his lips, bringing the back of his hands to wipe the dried tears on his lashes. Even I wasn't expecting of my own response, but left it be. Especially as the once dark sky had been splashed with colour, thick covers lifting as a bright light replaced everything. And all those around us had suddenly formed into balls of what appeared to be wisps, my glimpses viewing how each of them flew gracefully towards the direction of the faun in front of me.

Nausus was shocked as he observed light outlining his form, billowing into the wind then joined together with the illuminating sphere between us. The ring I had placed then automatically twisted its way to the recognizable star, my ears finding no difficulty as it listened to its message.

‘I find fauns quite adorable.’

‘Their benevolence adding to that certain charm they naturally possess.’

Well, that is an intriguing contrast to the other calls I've heard. However, I did not complain, seeing as it was an inspiring difference. I let the ball of magic enter me like an old friend, familiarizing its given strength as it settled snugly with the other two. The moment had me genuinely restored of my wariness, but that didn't bug out the realization I had made. From what I could get, this was the star of the Fauns. And so enlighten me, Aslan, whatever was the pattern of this lineup?