The Herald's Realm

"Like I said my lady. She is safe."

"So, am I supposed to follow you now just because I saw my grandmother's silhouette move around? How sure am I that it was her and not your 'magic'?" Red persisted.

Arikyer exhaled deeply. Partly annoyed and amazed at how difficult it was to make Red trust him.

"Call her out my lady and see for yourself." He resigned.

Just as Red was really about to yell, her grandmother opened the window and looked out towards the clearing sky. The moon had become visible now that the storm had waned. She blew a kiss towards the silver sphere.

And that's when she knew.

Grandmama always sent kisses on a full moon. It was how she remembered grandpapa.

"Ok I suppose not even your magic would know she would do that right?" Red asked Arikyer.

"Not that I know of any spell of that sort my queen, no." he motioned for her to follow the timepiece's direction.

Red glanced one last time at the window where grandmama was. And then she caught sight of the empty flower stall. She wondered…

"Ok fine let's go!" she finally decided. "And could you stop calling me 'my queen' and 'my lady'?"

"As you wish Ms. Springfield." Arikyer replied.

That still didn't sound comfy to her but she'll save her issues with names later.

Following the direction her pocket watch pointed at, they found themselves navigating their way in the night streets of Floruchna.

The smell of wet cement wafted in the night air. The city nightlife wasn't the same when it rains.

"What are these trials you speak of by the way?" she asked the Faey who had been on guard ever since they merged with the crowds.

"We will know once we get there Ms. Springfield. A herald will be there to explain." He answered.

"Alright just call me Red from now on ok? And I'll call you Ari." His name was too weird for her.

"If that is what you wish Red." He replied.

"Anyways, what's the crazy weather about earlier?" she asked.

They passed an old man who was soaking wet. He probably forgot to bring his umbrella.

"Weather works different for the Faey." He pointed towards a glass skyscraper just as the pocket watch's hands had started to revolve non-stop.

"What happened earlier was your awakening had caused the imbalance of natural magic in the weather. Tiny drops were actually pelting rain for the normal person. Soft winds were truthfully raging."

They stopped at the entrance of the building and Red noticed the company logo. Floruchna Control Tower?

The pair moved closer and the watch stopped spinning crazy. It turned one last time however, after that it didn't move any further.

She was about to enter when she noticed Arikyer remained still.

"Aren't you supposed to stay with me always?" she asked him.

"Let's not use the main entrance." He made his way to the back side of the building and Red followed.

Entering, she noticed that the area was unusually quiet which was weird since time immemorial work at the tower had always been 24/7.

"Where are all the people?" she mused. "Hold up, are those blue fireflies?" she pointed out to the lights that started to dance in the area they walked on.

"We have entered the herald's realm. Inside this realm is like a parallel dimension devoid of humans. Some humans who got trapped and survived sometimes would describe it as limbo." Ari explained.

Everything looked blue and lacked life. She noticed that the hallway they were at had little caerulean lights that seemed to be floating towards one direction like a sign. They followed the light and went on towards a convention hall used mostly for large company events.

Red was in awe at everything she saw. A whole new world full of magic.

The hall was dimly lit aside from the center stage. Rows and rows of seats were empty. Except, Red knew they weren't alone. She can feel the magic of the place. Like a tiny buzzing bee inside her ear.

Red was behind Arikyer and she just noticed his sleeves had holes burnt. Was that her doing?

"What is a herald?" she asked.

Arikyer motioned for her to stay silent as figures have emerged slowly at the front. They crouched behind some empty seats at the far-right side and the center stage was suddenly lit by a spotlight. Who or what ever turned it on, Red didn't see.

Then a pale androgenous looking person emerged at the stage. It looked otherworldly with long white robes and blonde hair. Braids were tied at both sides that looked like curtain vines on an old forest tree. Its ears were oddly pointed sidewards and tiny pieces of crystalline ornaments adorned them.

Its face was blank and devoid of emotion. Lips were uptight and she anticipated whatever it would do next. One slight movement of its hands and Red did not expect what came next.

'Queen candidates welcome! The time has come for the first of seven trials be held.'

It spoke without opening its mouth! Ventriloquism? Definitely not, they were meters away from the center stage, its voice couldn't have reached them, right? Red thought.

'Entering our realm, you have decided to take on the path to become our new queen. Leaving it while the trial is uncompleted will doom you to banishment from the kingdom of Faey eternally.'

She looked at Arikyer and he whispered in her ear.

"A herald is a telepathic Faey. As the Queen's official messenger everything that it says, are words from the Queen herself."

'Listen carefully our dear future queens:

'Celestial sphere of the fourth,

Trapped and consecrated,

Broken into pieces,

Given tonight this is your task,

Gather them in a flask.

Time will be of the essence,

Simplest and uncomplicated,

Be the first and perchance join the Court.'

Her warrior immediately knew what the herald's task is but Red on the other hand was puzzled.

The fuck does all of those mean?