“Niam...Niam?” a voice called in the distance. It was his grandmother. The graceful, noble and still beautiful Laegaire, Queen of Athlethan. They had taken Niam and his friend out of the city and into the hills overlooking the city. He had deliberately wandered off after his so-called friend had hit him hard with a stick, because he was cruel and knew Niam would not retaliate. He was not yet friend, but it was his grandparents attempt to help him find new ones. They did not understand why he was shunned by his peers. They themselves had always been loved by everyone. It was his quiet and reserved nature that made people think he was broody and unlikable.

  He did not really hear Laegaire’s calls because his tears and his pain in his heart drowned it out with the sound of the agitation of his heart. The thumping of his angry heart, the whooshing of blood through his ears and the wind in his hair as he ran away as fast as he could.

  Before long he was too far away to hear any more calls. Niam explored the tall rocks that he was now amongst. The pain had faded, and he began to relax in his solitude. This is where he was most comfortable. Away from people and their demands.

  The rocks were interesting to him. It was like a forest of silent people, watching him without judgment and not demanding anything of him. He had visited Rochad once a few years ago and the city has a similar rock formation that protected the city walls. He had liked it there too.

  He reached the top of the hill and briefly he could see down into the city of Athlethan far below. The wind was strong here and almost blew him over. On the horizon the Solas were beginning to set and lit up the sky as if it was burning. The cycle would end soon.

  Then Niam was on the other side of the hill, protected and out of the wind. The rocky cairns were larger as he travelled onwards, looking around each rock sentinel that seemed to watch over him, giving him comfort, hoping to find something interesting.

  Niam cared not that he was now lost and did not know where he was. He knew every rock nearer his home, but here he had not learned the rocky maze.

  He found some small shiny stones and picked them up. They were slightly shiny, and he rubbed them on his clothes, he looked again. As he moved them from side to side, shapes moved within them. He kept walking, hoping to find more.

  Niam had been trained to survive alone, out in the elements. The night was coming, and he knew he would not find his way home easily. He also knew his grandparents would not worry about him. He felt a chill and began to look for wood to make a fire. There were several old and dead trees lying nearby and he soon found enough wood to keep it burning through the night.

  As he made a pile in a small alcove a shadow in the sky caught his eye. The black shape of a leviathan. Naim was not afraid, he knew Dray Goen well and saw him whenever the leviathan visited his grandfather.

  He watched as the leviathan dropped from the sky, growing larger and larger. He could now see it was Dray Goen, and the leviathan landed not far off. Niam ran in the direction he had last seen him. Eager to see him again.

  When he arrived where he thought he had seen him land he was disappointed. He kept going and it took longer than he thought and before long he had become lost. It was not an area he was familiar with. He would never make it back to his wood pile before dark and the air was becoming chill.

  He heard a deep growl in the distance and some loud thumps. He followed the sound and just on dark he came upon Dray Goen standing in a clearing in the middle of the rocky cairns.

  “Hello young Niam,” said Dray Goen when he arrived breathlessly at his foot. “Your grandparents have been looking for you. They gave up and went back to the city. I told them I would find you.”

  “I don’t feel like going back right now,” said Niam.

  “They guessed that would be the case.”

  I have bought you here for a purpose. Do you recognise this place?” asked Dray Goen.

  Niam looked around.

  “Not really, I am actually lost and there is no wood for a fire.”

  “Don’t worry about that, said Dray Goen, I’ll stay with you. Dray Goen leaned over him and blew fire for a few seconds onto a pile of rocks till they glowed.

  “They will be warm all night, you can lie on that heather in between the rocks,” he said.

  He pulled some of the soft plants into a pile and put it nearby, ready for use.

  Niam explored the clearing and noticed there was one particularly large boulder that was flat on one side. Before it the grass was rich and green, flowers bloomed, flowers like Niam had never seen before. It looked strange because around the cairns the grass was sparse and rough. Not lush like this patch. He looked up to the rock face and noticed there was a pattern, circular and spiralling outwards.

  Dray Goen settled down resting his huge body between the rocks. He laid his head down in front of Niam and grinned. Niam hugged one of the Leviathans giant paws. Then he sat down and sighed, resting his head against Dray Goens thick scaly skin.

  “You look sad my boy; do you want to tell me what worries you so?”

  Niam’s heart felt lighter now he was with his friend.

  “I don’t fit in anywhere,” he said, “No one in Athlethan likes me.”

  “It is very unusual for this to be so,” said Dray Goen, his brow furrowing. “This is not like the people of Athlethan to be so, it was not like this in the past. Not with family anyway. There is one who was like you though.”

  Niam looked up.

  “Who?” he inquired.

  “Ruad, and you do remind me of him, he is a quiet man and had a difficult childhood, he died not long after the last great battle.”

  “Tell me about him,” Niam demanded.

  Dray Goen recounted to him the story of Ruad, adding the detail of his loneliness and being so misunderstood. When he had finished Niam did not feel so alone.

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  “I need to tell you something,” said Dray Goen. “Things are going to change for you. Childhood is over for you, but I know you are ready. You will fast become older in cycles, without any cycles passing. It is the will of Riangbra.”

  Niam listened wide eyed and unafraid of what the Leviathan was telling him. Anything was better than going back to Athlethan.

  “Are you afraid?” asked Dray Goen.

  Niam shook his head.

  “In the morning you will travel to another place, through that spiral you can see on that rock, and there you will be trained. Here, time will not pass, and you will return an older boy, without fear and confident in yourself. Time will pass for you but not for the people here.”

  Niam looked at the rock in wonder.

  “What is it?”

  Then dray Goen began to tell him the story of the arrival of the first peoples of Emain and the rise of the darkness of Sennol.

  Niam fell asleep to the sound of his deep rumbling voice, Dray Goen carefully placed him into the warm heather bed he had prepared earlier.

  The Leviathan watched over him that night and looked up at a star. It was early in the morning that the star began to grow brighter and brighter until a beam of bright white light fell on the rock with the spiral pattern. The ground rumbled and what looked like sparks began to travel around the spiral exploding outwards and growing more and more numerous. The rumbling awoke Niam, and he rubbed his eyes because of the brightness.

  “It is time,” Dray Goen led Niam to the bright spinning disc of light.

  Niam hesitated, standing before the portal. Looking at it with some trepidation.

  “It is quite safe,” said Dray Goen. “You will not be harmed.”

  “Are you coming?” asked Niam, doubt creeping into his eyes then realisation that there was no way the Leviathan was going to fit through a man size doorway.

  The Leviathan shook his head. “This is your path, do not be afraid, I will see you again.”

  “I am afraid,” said Niam shakily.

  The spinning disc shimmered, and a figure stepped out from the portal. It was bright to look at and it took a while for Niam’s eyes to adjust. It was a woman, dressed in white. She was carrying a sword, held across her palms as if it was an offering.

  Niam stepped back, wide eyed, tripping on one of Dray Goens claws and falling onto his back.

  The being waited till he had composed himself and smiled at him. “Hello Niam, I am Celeste, daughter of Riangbra. I have come to welcome you, as your worlds envoy.”

  Niam got up and looked at Celeste, with wonder. “Are you a being of light?”

  The woman laughed lightly, “That is your worlds description of us? We are more than that. We have been watching your world for many cycles. We are its caretakers. Now take this sword, it is Emain’s sword, it is called Klau Solas.”

  Niam’s nerves suddenly relaxed and he stepped forward carefully picking up the sword. It was the lightest sword he had ever felt. He looked with amazement at its beauty.

  “Now follow me,” she commanded.

  Celeste turned and Niam followed her. Just before he stepped into the vortex, he turned and looked at Dray Goen, smiling, excitement flashing in his eyes, the sword clasped in his hand.

  Niam felt as though he was falling, light passed him as if he was moving at enormous speed. The light was all the colours of the rainbow, and it danced around him. He forgot that he thought he was falling when he saw Celeste moving with him in a standing position. Her legs slightly behind her as if she was flying. Niam tried to get into a more dignified position but ended up flailing about as if he was suspended on a rope in the air.

  He ended up in a lying down position and relaxed, enjoying the beautiful play of light. The journey took some time and just as Niam was getting used to the idea that this was the best way to travel, he was flung out unceremoniously from the vortex onto a patch of grass. He saw Celeste gracefully step out and walk forward. Niam realised lying down was probably not the best position to travel in a vortex.

  Niam stood, brushing himself down from the dried pieces of grass that clung to his clothes, he picked up the sword and began to take in his surroundings.

  This was not like his world. There was a Solas in the sky, more yellow than his and it was on its own, not being followed by another. There was a small grey planet visible on the horizon. The place he now stood was atop a hill that overlooked a valley with more hills in the distance. A strange looking animal bellowed at him and a tiny yellow and black animal hovered in the air in front of him, making a humming sound. The trees and plants growing nearby were unlike any he had seen before. The sky was bluer than home, and with all these differences it gave the world a whole different feeling.

  Celeste was already quite a way off, and she had stopped and turned, watching him. He set off after her and she patiently waited for him to catch up. There was a patience and calmness about her that seemed otherworldly. As if she had all the time she needed.

  They set off together this time, walking down the hill toward a small village in the distance. Celeste stopped, smiling, each time Naim stopped, distracted by something new and strange to his eyes. She waited till his curiosity was appeased and they travelled on.

  Niam looked up at the Solas and gasped, it was moving so fast across the sky, at the rate it would be going it would set within less than a quarter of a cycle at home. The small grey planet had already dipped below the horizon.

  A group of people passed them and smiled at Niam. They looked so happy and content.

  They travelled on and as Niam had predicted the Solas dipped below the horizon in a blaze of oranges and reds just as they reached the outskirts of the village. But it did not get dark, instead, a light seemed to come from the stars that kept the light almost at the level it had been. But it was a different light, more white and somehow more pervasive, not creating shadows and having no discernible source.

  “Is it going to get dark?” he asked Celeste.

  “This is Riangbra’s world, we call it earth. He is here, so it never gets dark. This is his light that shines around us.”

  There was no cold chill of evening either, the air stayed warm and balmy.

  Entering one of the houses, was an experience Niam would never forget. The house was one big room. There was no furniture, but it was quite crowded. The people were talking in low but cheerful voices. It was not noisy like back at home, where everyone would have got louder and louder, shouting over the top of each other.

  The room became quieter as they entered. Those near the door respectfully stood back, facing him. Celeste stood by him her hands outstretched slightly in greeting.

  All eyes were on him, yet he did not feel vulnerable. Their faces were warm and inviting, slight smiles on their lips.

  The people in the room were beautiful in a natural way, varying in their skin and hair colour. Their faces clear and open clear of worry or stress, their gentle expressions, exuding a warmth and comforting feeling that washed over Niam, making him feel more relaxed than he ever had before in public situations. There was no expressions of judgment or scorn as he had been used to back at home. Their clothes were simple and looked comfortable. There were no soldiers or weapons of any kind on their persons.

  The people he passed reached out and he put out his hand in response, they simply touched him on his palm and nodded respectfully. He nodded back at them, copying their movement.

  This was unlike Niam had ever experienced. He saw people doing the same to his father and grandfather, but they were looking at him the same way. He puzzled it in his mind. How is it this seemingly perfect community were looking at him in this way? The fact they did not seem to have a king or queen and to him they were all acting the way royalty would act.

  Celeste gestured to Niam to stand alongside her amid the now large group filling the room. She whispered to him.

  “Listen carefully, I am going to explain why you are here in the presence of my family.”

  Niam nodded.

  Celeste spoke aloud.

  “My Family, greetings to you all. I have returned from Riangbra and bring with me Niam, son of Ciaran and Celthair. Grandson of Tuatha and Laegaire, descendants of Emain, whom we sent as a test of resolve within his descendants to fight the rise of darkness that resides in the heart of men and women. Niam was born and has been chosen to bring about the white eternity for Riangbra. It is his destiny.”

  Celeste paused as the room filled with an excited murmuring. The people made exclamations toward each other. Gradually it died down and Celeste continued.

  “Niam will live among us and learn of our ways; he will be trained to fight against the evil that is arising. Time will not pass in his world. He will return a man, ready to lead his people. Soon our worlds will be united.”

  Niam was suddenly tired; his head fell forward, and his eyes closed. The adrenaline of all that had happened to him finally wore off and supported by Celeste, he was taken to a warm and dark place.