Other Worlds Than These

[Aikanáro]

The ground was shaking. Unsteady beneath her feet, as if the darkening of the sky had caused the earth itself to shudder. Rivailen of Dunland stood clutching the reins of her horse, who balked at the thought of travelling any further across the plains of Anórien. Perhaps he had more sense than she, thought Rivailen, and for a moment she stood transfixed, not knowing whether to turn back or press on.

It had been one of those bright afternoons, and she had gone out from the village inn where she was staying in search of new plants that she might have dried and brought home. All of a sudden, as before a summer storm, the light had faded. This was no storm, however, Rivailen knew it just as well as her horse did. Yet something compelled her forward.

Tugging her worn brown cloak tightly around her, she left her horse behind and continued on foot, head down against the wind. The plains stretched out ahead, and all about was a silence too total to seem natural.

Ahead of her then there was an immense flash of light. Immediately Rivailen stopped, and thrusting her hands deep into her pockets, raised her eyes to the horizon. A great pulsing circle there was in the distance, ringed by what seemed to her to be blue lightning. It crackled and danced. Within the circle itself was another light, though this one was shrouded, misted, so that one could not see what lay beyond.

A tendril of the blue lightning arced out, striking the ground at some distance from her. Rivailen took a single step forward, her eyes still fixed on the apparition before her. It is a dream, she told herself. A dream that I shall wake from. Ai, that I should dream such things while I travel, like an unsettled child.

Again she felt the ground tremble beneath her. Again she looked to the sky, and knew in her heart that it was no dream, that she was witnessing something - she knew not what - that was quite out of the ordinary.

Rivailen smiled.

Across the plain, the light from the circle intensified. A small, green, winged lizard came tumbling out from its very centre. It fell to the ground heavily, and then picked itself up, spread its wings and flew high into the sky. Gasping, all Rivailen could do was point up at it, as if she had witnessed a miracle.