Alathora felt the snow shift beneath her bare feet as she ran through the blinding blizzard; it fell like an omen of death around her, blinding and masking the sounds around her. The snow made crunching sounds as she made her way to the closing portal; she knew it resided in the mountain before her, her toes long since having lost feeling, struggling to find traction, and her breath misting before her with the cold. Her earlier vision of her world in chaos plagued her every breath.
She had long since known that something bad was coming but could not see through the fog surrounding the event. She knew there was no way to stop what was coming, and the truth behind that sense of helpless foreboding had kept her up at night this past week. The fact that the vision had now become clear in her earlier dream, on the first decent night's sleep she had had in days, told her she had run out of time and all she could do was run.
Alothora reached her destination as the first sounds of screams began to echo off the looming cliff face in front of her. The thick woods behind her shielded her from visually witnessing the brutality of her loved ones' slaughter, but her vision had already shown her everything. Alathora wished the trees would dampen the heart-wrenching sounds so she would not hear the pain-filled cries for mercy. Her family, her friends, everyone she loved would die in this attack; she knew this, just as she knew there was nothing she could have done to save them.
She looked down at the baby in her arms, a tear sliding down her cheek, Aislyn's innocent face cradled tightly against her chest, fast asleep without a care in the world; she would be the last of her tribe. Alathora felt relieved knowing her baby was warm with her blankets wrapped around her.
The knowledge crystal strung around her neck glinted in the rays of the first sunlight of the morning as the snowstorm began to dissipate. She realized the cries she previously heard had also grown still and silent; time was slipping by, and she had to move faster.
Alathora searched the cliff face frantically for the secret entrance to the cave with the portal; she had only been here once prior, and it would be her only chance at an escape and at life for Aislyn.
She knew one day her daughter would understand and forgive her; she would know that the power her people had developed could save lives instead of destroy them the way the elder had done today. Greed had crept into the elder's heart, and her helplessness in eradicating and bringing it to light still hung heavy around her. Alathora had warned the rest of the council, but it was no use. The lead council member had passed her concerns off as those of an overcautious mother-to-be; they didn't believe her, and their accusations had cost her credibility within her own tribesmen to fracture and splinter away. That was why she had to get away and protect Aislyn.
Her numb fingers found the latch as she fumbled to release it and rushed into the cave. The portal now before her was still far larger than she would have liked; her vision had shown it smaller. Its mirror-like surface reflected the woods beyond it with a single moon providing light.
Turning towards the entrance once more, she focused her energy on moving some of the looser boulders in the cavern in front of it, her free arm outstretched while she used all her concentration, being as silent as possible, gently lowering them in front of and on top of one another. It wouldn't hold long when the door was found, but any time bought would help.
Alathora now stood in front of the portal with a sense of crushing sorrow. It was law that only the chosen could travel through unscathed. She knew traveling through would be a death sentence she would not be able to escape; still, she had to save Aislyn.
She smiled, knowing that Aislyn would not suffer the ill effects of the portal. When she had first seen the birthmark behind her ear, marking her as chosen, she had been furious, worried that this would be what took her daughter away from her. She concealed the mark so no one would see it. Now she rejoiced, knowing this would be her salvation. She had kept the mark secret knowing the elders would want to take Aislyn the minute they saw it. This decision had kept Aisly safe; she would survive and grow. She could not hold on to that anger anymore; it had now turned to hope. The other chosen had slowly begun to vanish, no doubt a direct result of the council. No one noticed at first, but Alathora saw it happening; she tried reporting it, but no one listened.
The ground began to rumble as a pounding sound began on the front of the mountain. The lamps inside the cave began to flicker; they were trying to find their way to the entrance from outside, thinking this was merely a safe haven, but it was too late for them. The portal was a closely guarded secret of our tribe, and very few knew about it, not even the elders. Alathora knew she would wait until the last moment to bring the entire room down before moving them both through the portal. It was the only way to stop the Elders from pursuing if the portal had not closed in time.
We had kept the portal secret when it appeared at the beginning of the month. We knew it would only open again in 25 years, but the elders had never been told about this portal, and this was the only one that led to a place called Earth.
The pounding became more aggressive as dust, disturbed by the vibration, shifted in the air around her. Aislyn's tiny sneeze let her know it was time. Alathora drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She began to focus on her surroundings and the particles they were made up of and she began to agitate them. The first chunk of ceiling fell close to the entrance, further barricading the room from the outside. Aislyn had already begun to stir, and the loud banging of the collapsing stones had tears running down her chubby cheeks. The next large piece fell a few steps away from them Aislyn's eyes were closed tight as she began to cry in earnest. Alothora curled her body protectively around Aislyn, and the debris began to rain down around her.
Alathora knew the time had come; she smiled down at her greatest joy. Quieting Aislyn and patting her back, I was finally through. The structure previously around her was crumbling in on itself, and the scream of rage was heard through the sliver of open portal as a few rocks and boulders fell through as it sealed shut.
Alathora took a staggering step forward and fell to her knees as blood began to pool beneath her; the jagged rocks had done their damage, slicing her body as she had used it as a shield to protect Aislyn from falling debris. Her healing ability had been the sacrifice taken from the portal, and in her condition, she knew her end was now near and there was nothing that could be done to save her.
The campground was empty except for the young caretakers cleaning up the area. On hearing Aislyn's cries, they ran toward the young baby and mother, not understanding where they had come from. The state of the two in front of them was completely out of place for the peaceful surroundings.
Alathora looked at the woman before her; she smiled despite the pain she felt. She could see into her life and saw her struggles and pains of not being able to have a child of her own. She carefully stretched her arms towards the lady, hand extended, which the woman gently took in her own. "Love her as your own," she simply said as she placed the only thing that had ever held meaning in her life into the arms of a stranger that she prayed would love and cherish her the way she would. "I love you, Aislyn." Alothora looked at the little defenseless baby.
The couple stared at the baby in their arms in complete shock as Alathora collapsed and her chest no longer rose with breath.