9. Elanif

I found myself next to a double bed.  A chest was just beside it, but it refused to open.

Past this small bedroom was a larger space.  The floor is all brick.  To my left is a basic kitchen and stove.  Several windows tell me this building is in lush rainforest.

There was water on the lit stove.  was starting to get the feeling that someone or something may be inhabiting this age.  I turned to the table on my right.  As I approached the table, I noticed a door that lead outside.  I decided to leave the door till last.

On the table was another of Agmis's journals.  I copied the most important entries into my journal:
 

Journal Entry 1265                     I stood over the book.  Understanding why Noira didn't want me to bring anyone into Amerak.                 That would not only endanger our lives.  But our friends.  She was risking all that she could afford.                 Us.  I could already tell by looking at the image of the linking book that whatever tinkering                K'aastor had done with Amerak was now taking it's full effect.  The island not only seemed to be                more than an unpleasant place to look at.  I could see the integrity of the island's land had been                changed for the worse.  I wondered if they had decided against linking there.  Nevertheless I                placed my palm on the image and linked out of the store room.  My eyes watered from the acrid                fumes, and I could feel the heat of the land almost burning the bottom of my feet.  The temperature                outside was intense despite the fact that it was night.  Amerak was highly unstable.                      Ahead of me I could see a fire.  There was my love with K'aastor's arm around her.                     "Hello Agmis!"  K'aastor roared, his voice had the tone of a champion.                     "K'aastor?"  It was hard for me to play the fool.  Although I played it well not knowing what to                expect.  Taking full faith in my wife.                     As I drew closer I could see that he had a weapon.  Some type of staff.  "I hadn't planned on                your age being in such a bad state.  Looks like this may be quicker for you than I thought."                     I glanced at Noira, she held a linking book. She opened the book. "I wish there was a better way                to do this Agmis."                     K'aastor's weapon opened, "I also wish the same.  Noira and I have been talking for the past                several days.  We understand each other.  Of course you took advantage of her mind when she                was eager to break free from her little world.  She deserves better than you."                     I could see Noira bite her lip.                     I shook my head.  "I don't understand."                     "You're too young to understand anything you've been given.  I know how to take advantage of                my life.  Honestly I don't want you to worry about any of it."  The ground shifted, nearly throwing                all of us to our feet.  I could tell Noira became heavily agitated.  K'aastor leveled his weapon.                 "Noira, this is where we depart."  He nodded to me, "Good bye Agmis.  Your book closes here."                     K'aastor put out his hand for Noira.  He looked at her quizzically as she took a step away from                him and towards me.  "No Kas.  Yours does."  His look of confusion didn't last long.                     The island split itself apart.  The crack began right before K'aastor's feet and he was tossed the                opposite way that we were.  A quarter of the island snapped in half to my right, a red ooze began                to seep from the edges of the torn earth.  Amerak was breathing it's last breath.                     I heard a strange explosion from K'aastors staff as yellow light flew into the sky. "NOIRA!!!                 Don't let him touch the book!"                     The quakes of the island had thrown all of us far apart.  Noira and I ran towards each other.                 She opened the book.  Suddenly a rift opened between us.  Noira fell forward towards the heat of                the volcano I made the small jump over the rift.  Then Noira and I embraced for the first time in                what seemed to be a lifetime.  "The book?"                     She shook her head, "It fell."                     "I didn't bring another," I whispered.                     "I know." And we embraced together again, in what would be our last.                     "AGMIS!!!!"  K'aastor had his weapon aimed at me from across a land split.  "Get your hands                off my wife."  K'aastor slipped a linking book out of his cloak.  "Noira?  Please assure me that you                are clinging to him out of fright?"                     "No Kas."  Noira stepped near the edge of the wide crevice that separated him from us.  "You                know what's happening."                     I could see that our small piece of the island was sinking slowly into the molten earth.  K'aastor                understood our position, "Then you will die together."  He waved the linking book he held.  "I                shouldn't have ever opened your book vault.  Or linked to the age with that sphere.  For once my                curiosity has helped me.  I found this in your store room Agmis.  I don't know where it goes but it'll                get me out of here.  I'm sure I'll find a wife that won't try to kill me there."                     I could see that K'aastor's land strip was also beginning to melt slowly downwards.  Several                fountains of lava began to burst around us.                     Noira shook her head.  "Kas.  Please give us the book."                     K'aastor laughed.  "What?  Agmis annoys me.  You betrayed me.  And you're making the                judgments of who lives and dies?"                     Noira stepped back from the crevice as lava began to spurt near the edge.  "You've been alone for too                long.  You're dangerous.  I'm sorry that I don't love you.  But if you do love me...  I want to live."                     I could barely see K'aastor's face, the lava was spurting too high above the crevice between                us.  But I could tell he was in pain.  Through the light of the fiery earth I could see K'aastor still had                a side of him that wanted to feel complete.                     The linking book landed a few feet in front of me.                     "Thank you Kas."  Noira turned back to me to pick up the book, her face streaming with tears.                     We had little time to link, our island was almost melted down to nothing.  K'aastor's was almost                down to nothing but a red sea.  Noira linked first.  I looked up from the linking image, at I could see                his head looking skyward through the fountains.  Then I could see he had the staff pointing at me.                     "What is it that you really want?"  I asked.                     "Keep her happy."  K'aastor closed his weapon.                     I nodded in agreement.  And linked.                     Later that night Noira would tell me about K'aastor.  His hard childhood, isolated teens, and                those lonely years he had spent on his ice age.  My final images of him would be his face hidden                behind the fire fountains, looking into the sky.  As if there could be an answer he was looking for                hidden within those stars.  I would later cry for the man.                 Journal Entry 1266                     I didn't give it much thought when we first linked to Elanif.  But there is no way out of this age.  I                do have a linking book, but it's not within my grasp.  I took a step too far into security this time                around, always feeling that it wasn't enough to keep strangers out of my ages.  The linking book                back to Gaelin is closed within a large nara capsule.  The only way to gain access to it is by using                a key.  Which I only have one of, and still sits in the store room.                     Noira and I have talked about this, and it seems that we may be stuck here for some time.  I                didn't have time to give the new code to the store room to Noira's parents or anyone else we                know.  Our only chance is that someone finds my journals, and is able to decipher the code to the                store room.  Then hopefully they will take the key with them.  Otherwise we are all trapped here                together.

From the journal, I discovered that after escaping from K'aastor, Noira and Agmis are trapped here, and can't access their linking book to Gaelin without the key in their storeroom.  Good thing I brought it with me!

I close the journal, rather pleased with myself.  I examine the nara door which is just in front of the table.  Just as I'm about to try the key in the lock, I hear footsteps behind me.

I slowly turn around to see...  a young man!  Could it be Agmis?  He walks up to me, outstretching his arm.

"Hello," he says to me, "I'm Agmis.  And you are?"

"A friend," I reply.

"A friend?  You aren't from Gaelin, that I'm sure of.  Never the less you are welcome here.  Now the question is how did you find your way to this age?"

"I just fell down this big fissure..." I try to explain, but givr up.  "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know a guy by the name of Atrus would you?"

"Atrus? No, I'm sorry...  But there is something that needs to be brought to your attention. My wife and I have been trapped in this age for weeks.  The linking book is right over there, but it's sealed in nara. The only way to open it is with the key...  which we don't have." Agmis leans forward eagerly, "Have you brought the key with you?"

"Sure," I reply,"I got it right here!"

"You have the key!" Agmis says excitedly, "Please, give it to me!"

I give the key to Agmis's outstretched arm.

Agmis opens the large nara door.  And retrieves a book from within.

"I've been waiting for this for a long while.  The linking book back home.  Noira will be happy to see her family again.  Thank you, explorer.  I want to leave as soon as possible.  Would you like to join us, or link back alone?"

I think about it for a couple of seconds, and decide I have nothing to lose by joining them.

"I'll join you and Noira back home," I reply.

"I'm glad you've decided to join us," Agmis says excitedly, "Noira will be very pleased to see you. She's down on the beach, let's take her home."

"Good idea," I reply.

I follow Agmis outside.  I take in the beauty of the lush rainforest.  It reminds me of home.  After several minutes, the rainforest opens up to a sandy tropical beach.  I can see a woman on the beach.

When we reach the woman, who is obviously Noira, Agmis introduces me to her.

"Noira dear," he says to her, "This young explorer found his way through all my puzzles...  AND he brought the key!"

Noira looks dumbfounded for a couple of seconds, and then a huge smile appears on her face.  "Well done!" she says excitedly.

Noira quickly takes her towel, and we all make our way back through the rainforest.

After a hot D'ni-style drink, we prepare to leave.  Agmis takes his journal, and heads towards his chest.  When he returns, I find that he's carrying a pile of books.

"These are my latest works in progress," he explains.

Once we're all ready to leave, Agmis takes the all-important linking book to Gaelin, and we follow him to the Nara-enclosed room.  He places it on the table inside, and we all link.

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