Zahra

Zahra is a seasoned scholar searching for the truth.

“Solisar! Why aren’t those Elves digging?”

A middle-aged Gnome stood above the mountain excavation site, peering down at the progress of the workers. The maroon stitching in her flowing white robe fluttered in the wind, casting strange symbols in the sky. On her back was her trusted satchel, having carried her books and writings all across the world. She turned, her deep black eyes now piercing the gaze of the Elf standing beside her.

“Well? Why aren’t they digging?”

The Elf bowed low, his light brown hair drooping in front of his eyes. “My apologies Zahra. I didn’t realize that we were ready to begin digging.”

“Of course we’re ready. We’ve been ready for a month.” Zahra sighed. “But I suppose this is what I get for disparaging your haughty college.”

“Nonsense,” said Solisar. “The college is more than pleased about the prestige your work brings to us.”

“Oh really?” Zahra laughed. “Is that why they refused to lend me their trained artisans and forced me to bring in unskilled workers from the countryside?”

Solisar frowned. “Zahra…”

“I think we found something!” a voice cried.

Down below was a flurry of activity as the workers raced to see what had been discovered. Near the face of the peak known as Cysgod the crowd gathered, pushing and arguing about who found what.

“You see what I mean?” Zahra grumbled as she raced towards the workers. “Totally unprofessional.”

Solisar ran after her. “I think you are being a bit harsh…”

Zahra shoved through the Elves who towered at almost twice her height. Near the center a thin Elf with strong arms was hoisting what looked like a large ruby over his head. Zahra moved next to him and grabbed the bottom of his shirt.

“You. Elf. Talk to me.”

The Elf looked down at Zahra with a look of bewilderment. “Solisar, who is that?”

Zahra’s eyes went wide with fury. Even after months of digging in the mountains the Elves she was contracting still didn’t seem to remember who was paying their wages.

Solisar flashed Zahra an apologetic smile. “Uh Kyn, you remember Zahra, don’t you?”

“Zahra… you mean that writer?”

“Yes, ‘that writer’. The one funding our project?”

“Oh.” Kyn cleared his throat. “Right. Hello.”

“Hi.” Zahra glared up at Kyn. “So as I was saying. You. Kyn. Talk to me.”

“Of course.” Kyn pointed to the small hole in the ground beside them. It was shallow, with a shovel still stuck halfway in the rocky soil. “We started digging where we had been told. Three good scoops and out pops this… gem thing here.”

Zahra sighed. “It’s called a ruby.”

“Right. This ruby thing.”

Zahra pointed to the hole. “So this is exactly where you found it?”

Kyn nodded. “Yes.”

“No doubt at all?”

“No.”

Zahra swung her satchel on the ground and began sifting through its contents. Her hands flew in a precise series of practiced motions, sorting through her well-organized set of papers. One after another three documents were placed on the ground: first a map, then a drawing of a study, and at last a page from a hundred year old journal.

“Let’s see…” Zahra’s finger traced from their location on the map over to the drawing of the study. There it paused on a strange looking circle that seemed carved in the wall of the study. Zahra turned to the journal entry, reading it aloud.

“There was also in the study a curious collection of crystals situated in a pattern of some sort with a ruby in the center. Anora told me that it was a map of the world. I asked her what she meant. She said that our world is but one of many and there are others like ours. That we all connect through shadows. That was when she showed me the Shadowstaff…”

Zahra felt a mixture of bemusement and pleasure rush through her. She was still furious and confounded by the incompetence of her team, but so excited to at last be close to what she hoped to discover. She threw the papers back in her satchel and pointed at the face of Cysgod.

“There is where we must dig. We are closer now than ever. I can feel it…”

Suddenly the sky went dark, all light disappearing behind a veil of shadow. A loud crack resounded in the air like the bellow of thunder, yet deeper and fiercer than any thunder ever known. The excavation site shook, the ground trembling in the wake of the sound. Then in a burst of light a warm ray flashed over the land before all returned to normal.

As the workers sight returned they began shouting and retreating from where they had stood. There, by the hole in the ground, stood two strangers dressed in curious clothing. One wore a worn maroon robe, her deep brown skin flowing into the earthen colors of her clothes. She seemed very still yet alert, her gaze searching across the crowd. The other wore a bright blue robe, her blonde hair swirling behind her. She seemed full of energy, with a warm smile beaming from her face.

“Who are you?” asked Zahra. “Where did you come from?”

“Well you see…” began the one in maroon.

“Oh do let me tell!” The one in blue stepped forward. “Actually you see it’s quite the story…