Gateway

Gateway

Everyone has a home. Whether it is in the safety of a building, or the pleasant wilderness of a forest. I live in my pack as the beta while my brother, Hunter, and his mate, Akira, lead as alphas. Where we live, there are different beings that have spurred the legends of numerous places. Unlike the wolves in the human world, we are larger and more intelligent. Long ago, the world I live in, and the world humans lived in were connected with numerous gates. We lived in peace together, and we were at war with each other. Over time for unknown reasons, the gates began to close. Some humans were already living in our mythical world, while numerous were locked out. Humans were never good at keeping track of history, and soon forgot of the lands they once knew. However there are a few gates that still connect the world. The anecdote is told by me, Luke, beta of the wolf pack, and written down by Zoë head sorceress historical faction.
Akira is what you'd call my sister-in-law. She's a good wolf in general, and a bit of the motherly type and a strategist. She's quite the catch too; she had bright white fur that was simply dazzling with bright blue eyes. She is the opposite of Hunter, who's fur was as black as sin with eyes as red as the sun. He was a born leader and kept the pack together. Anyhow, Akira was running a solo patrol through the forest. Our world has numerous woods and forests of varying sizes and each have their individual packs. However, the pack I reside in is different. We are the head pack, meaning my brother is the one who represents all of the wolf packs in the meetings where leaders of all beings gather. That is beside the point though, on this specific patrol Akira came across a new, foreign scent. She followed the trail and found a girl, a human girl wandering around looking disorientated. She had raven-black hair and eyes that almost matched. When the girl saw Akira she seemed shocked, but then knelt down and cautiously held out a hand. "Who are you? And where do you come from?" Akira asked staying a couple of feet away from the extended hand. The girl was surprised at the question, but recovered within a moment. "Lin, I come from the US. This is still the US, isn't it?" The girl, or I guess I should now call her Lin at this point, still seemed calm, but unsure. "Stay here, I have to look for my mate, he's the alpha. I have to report this to him and you'll be too slow. Just sit down over there, I'll be right back." Akira gave the girl a quick lick and nuzzle before running off.
The forest was quiet around Lin, but it was too quiet. Akira returned moments later with a large black wolf was right behind her, my brother. "Is this the human girl, Lin?" Hunter asked blinking his red eyes. Akira nodded her white head. Hunter stepped forward, "It has been many years since we've had an outsider enter this realm. To clear up any confusion that may occur, this is not you world. This is the sister of the world you know. If I'm correct, there are some stories of this place that are still told, although they are not as accurate. This has been called Wonderland and the Land of Oz." Hunter lifted his head and sniffed the air, "We must move now, a troop of fey are going to pass through here. By the smell of it, Veilince, the king of the summer fey is with them. We should bring Lin to head sorceress Zoë's base. It's close to where the pack is resting tonight. You can ride on my back Lin."
Although it was close to midnight, Zoë was busy treating new blank books with potions so they'd last for centuries to come without fading or wearing out. She had her black curly hair tied back with strands hanging down the sides. As usual she wore a black cloak with faint silver patterns. The inside of her hood had horizontal red stripes running through it, a sign of her ranking. A knock came at the door. When she opened the door she saw a tired looking Lin with the two alphas from the local pack. "This is unusual. I've never seen both alphas on my doorstep. And who is this?" Zoë turned to look at Lin, "Ah well, explanations can wait, she seems quite tired. We have a spare bed."
The next day Lin woke up she got into quite a panic. Of course, she didn't know where she was for a few minutes. Not to mention a strange warlock was standing next to her bed. The room around her was filled only with a bed, a small nightstand, and a decent sized wardrobe. The warlock in question wore a black cloak with red lining. He was a tall blonde boy with a smiling face. "Hello, the name's Gabriel. I'm here to escort you down to my lovely superior when you're ready."
When Lin got down to the main room of the base she saw Zoë sipping on a cup of tea. The main room was large and fit several rectangular tables with even more chairs along with bookshelves that lined the walls and bursting with books. "'Morning." Zoë said and pushed a chair out with her foot. Lin sat down and Zoë passed her a cup of hot tea. Initially it smelled odd and strange, but upon taking a sip Lin realized it tasted quite good. Zoë turned to Gabriel who was still standing there. "I left the treated books on my desk, you can start filling them out." She turned back to Lin, "The wolves came earlier this morning. They told me that you are an outsider and that they were going to come later to give you an official guide." Zoë set down her teacup.
"Excuse me, but who are? What is this place?" Lin asked and then took a sip of her tea. Zoë stood up and grabbed a thick book off of a bookshelf and set it down on the table. "My name is Zoë I run this place, I'm the head sorceress of the historical faction of the warlocks and wizards. This is the lost world that humans like you have lost access to. Nowadays, it seems that you humans cross over here during our most inconvenient of times. Our world's population is composed of us sorceresses and warlocks, the wolves, fey, vampires, dragons, and of course the humans who are descendents of the humans who lived here centuries ago. Usually we have a council composed of the tops from each species, but recently things have been going weirdly." Zoë closed the book and placed her hands on it, "If you'd have come at any other time, you'd have been pretty safe, but now a new organization has cropped up. Their intentions are unclear right now, but it seems that the order of things is changing. Currently the queen of the light fey and the fey council member is missing. Naturally all of the other faerie monarchs are staying calm, but there is inner turmoil brewing." Zoë's eyes met Lin's in a serious stare. "This all occurred the night you appeared." Lin gave a surprised Zoë expression. "We don't think it's you, but this may cause others to suspect you." Zoë amended. Gabriel silently appeared in again the room again. "What is it Gabriel?" She asked turning back to look at him. "It's Luke, he's on the back patio." He said, "It looks like he's going to be Lin's guide. Also, unless I smelled too much of the preserving potions, he's brought along the whole pack." Zoë abruptly stood up and knocked over the chair she was sitting in. "I pray that this is just some over-the-top welcome party." She said through gritted teeth.
The patio in question is large spacious, almost like a small courtyard made of wood. Despite the size, there were only a few round wooden tables with wooden stools. The base itself was built on the side of a hill in the forest and stood on a network wooden stilts that made the base level. A large group of wolves were outside standing, sitting, or lying down. I sat closest to the door waiting patiently; if it weren't for my green eyes, I'd probably have blended right into the wooden patio. "What is the meaning of this?" Zoë demanded stepping outside. I bowed down respectfully for the request I was about to make was of great importance. "My brother has gone missing. Akira has told me that a girl called Lin is here. She also told me to ask you, head sorceress Zoë, if our pack may stay here near the base. She currently is looking for Hunter on her own." Zoë scowled, the warlocks and the sorceresses were always a neutral people. They had no interest in taking part in others' political affairs. Instead they recorded these events down in books, and did other things that fitted their own purpose.
"Fine. But our laws state that my faction won't get involved any further even if you are attacked right in front of us. You already know we will retaliate if something happens to one of our own." She said grudgingly and then turned to Lin, "You still have a bed here. I won't allow the wolf in nor will I get involved in any of his affairs. I can only offer you shelter." With that she went inside. Gabriel stepped forward barring Zoë from proceeding. "May I make an inquiry?" He asked smiling. Zoë looked like she was about to rip his head off, "I would like to accompany Lin and Luke on their little meeting. Recording history down is best when one is there right?" Zoë made an irritated sound, but waved him on. Gabriel removed himself from her path and closed the sliding door behind him.
Lin looked at me with curiosity. I had to give her credit for getting used to us talking wolves pretty fast. "My name is Luke, beta of this pack. You've met my older brother, Hunter, and his mate Akira. Well, come along then, the pack can settle down here without out needing any supervision." I looked at Gabriel, I wasn't familiar with a lot of sorceresses or warlocks, "May I inquire as to who you are?" Gabriel gave a mocking gasp as if he had forgotten something important before smirking in a casual manner. "I am Gabriel, and I am second in command of the historical faction." I nodded respectfully and took Lin and the young warlock down a ways to a clearing. It was a way from the base and quite private for our uses. "I doubt you'd know anything about it, but do you know if there was anyone who might have been around when my brother was brought to you?" I asked skeptically. I knew it was a pointless question, but I needed to make sure for myself. Lin shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing here." Gabriel snorted at that comment. "Hardly any of the visitors knew what they were supposed to do. It's no surprise that you don't," Gabriel said in a slightly arrogant manner, "however there is one thing for sure; all the outsiders who have come have made a change in this world." Almost too quietly for my ears to pick up, I thought I heard him mumble in a darker tone, "No one from this world ever can leave to the human world."
For the next few days, I showed Lin around the forest. Zoë and Gabriel taught her about our society and how everything worked. Lin in return told us about what was happening in the other world and how they progressed. One of the large differences that I picked up from one of their conversations was that the world Lin came from was in a totally different direction of progress than the way our world was going. It also seemed that the people of Lin's world were far more violent than the humans here. I also inquired to Zoë out of curiosity about any of our own leaving our world into the human's. The reply I received was troubling. The only time it happened ended in the start of the human's "Salem witch trials." The intent of the beings from our world was to take over those lands that we were cut off from.
But, one day Lin went off into the forest by herself. I was busy hunting with the pack and thought that Gabriel was looking after her. Some urge lured Lin to leave the safety of the base to a clearing where a tall man with coppery hair stood. It was the same clearing I had first brought her to when we first met. "Welcome, I didn't think you'd actually appear. I am Veilince, the king of the summer fey." Lin vaguely remembered hearing about him when she first met Akira and Hunter. She stayed calm as usual, but she didn't know what this faerie in front of her was capable of nor of what his intentions were. He seemed to know what she was thinking. "Don't worry, I don't mean you any harm. After all, the loss of a second council member is not news easily concealed. There is one theory that is available and is probable is that Hunter was kidnapped by the organization that has popped up recently. Here," the faerie king handed her a smaller faerie, "this faerie will guide you to an important person who has found the whereabouts of the missing wolf. Be warned, traitors lie hidden everywhere."
Lin looked at him quizzically which seemed to amuse the faerie. Being a logical person, she couldn't know for sure if he was telling the truth. "Why are you "helping" me?" She asked not looking away. Veilince simply smiled as if the answer were a secret he couldn't reveal. However his eyes hinted that he was pondering whether or not he was to say anything. "We faeries cannot lie nor can we give information up so easily. All I can tell you is that although the wolf packs and us fey have had disagreements, they are useful. Plus I must admonish Hunter for not letting me meet you sooner." Up till this day, I never understood the relationship Hunter held with the king of the summer fey.
Lin looked down in her hand and saw a small faerie with a tail. The faerie king had all but disappeared. Suddenly the faerie sprung up and grabbed her hand and started pulling her. She followed it hoping nothing bad would happen. It led her back to the Zoë's base. Lin walked up the steps and entered through the door. All the warlocks and sorceresses were busy working and didn't take notice of her. Lin found another side door that led outside to another area of the forest. There was the white figure of Akira. The faerie flew off and Lin knelt down. "Where's the black wolf? Where's Hunter?" Akira walked down the side of the hill. "This way, hurry!" Lin was just a little ways down the hill when she heard a voice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. If you interfere, they will just have to kill you." Lin turned and saw Gabriel holding a gun pointed at her. A human made gun. "Why would they want to kill me?" She asked.
I had seen Gabriel come out with the weapon and leapt on top of him and pinned him down growling. Gabriel tried to chant a spell, but then Zoë appeared and cast a paralyzing spell. "Who would have thought there was a traitor amongst us. How did he even get a human weapon?" Zoë mumbled as some other warlocks dragged him away. "Luke! Akira knows where Hunter is!" Lin cried and started running where Akira was. I followed wondering where my brother had been. We found the two of them yards away from the base. Hunter was wounded heavily, but he was alive.
"We must call together a council meeting. The organization is after all of the council members. They must know that the gates are being reconnected again. They will be searching for humans with keys to each gate. Lin is one of the key-holders." With that he collapsed. Zoë appeared, "This is grave news. However, just for this time, the warlocks and sorceresses shall take a side. The balance of the worlds is threatened."

- Wu Wei
Most of my story ideas come from my dreams. With this story, I used elements from a few dreams I had. I also am inspired by other's ideas on RPGs (role-playing games) and use those elements. I find a general interest in fantasy stories so I like to stay in that genre because I can change and add things to my liking. Some of my characters are also based on people I know in real life.