Page 88 of The Warlock's Trial

“I heard about this place from the Elementai culture,” Chloe said brightly, like we were on some field trip and not being ferried across hell.

Ahead, the sea of lava met a shore of sand. The Ferryman guided the boat to the shore. Just as I thought we were going to hit solid ground, the sand began shifting beneath us. It flowed like a river, guiding us from the lava lake and through a desert.

Here, the landscape was dry as far as the eye could see, and the dirt cracked at the surface. The blazing sun was too bright. People walked around aimlessly, calling out names with heartbreaking cries. The sound of beastly wails filled the air, and I spotted magical creatures searching the landscape, but whatever they sought seemed to be out of reach.

“What are they looking for?” Lucas asked.

“Each other,” the Ferryman said. “In Elementai culture, the worst thing that can happen is to lose your loved ones. The elementals trapped here cannot see the ones they love. But if they only opened their eyes, they’d find each other again. Your soul is always right there, if you’re willing to look.”

“Can’t we help them?” Talia asked.

“We could try, but it would do no good if they are not willing to listen. Observe. Hey!” The Ferryman shouted so loud it made me jump. “Your Familiar is right there! Look at him!”

He pointed, but the woman he spoke to didn’t acknowledge him. She walked alongside a unicorn, but continued forward like she couldn’t see it, stumbling across the landscape as she sobbed. My stomach twisted into knots listening to her tragic screams.

The Ferryman shrugged. “See? It’s no use.”

“But you said they could get out if they wanted to,” Talia pointed out. “Have you ever actually seen someone who’s left this place and went to a better realm?”

“Yes. Lots of people make it to the Blessed Haven,” the Ferryman said matter-of-factly. “Most, I would say.”

“What’s that?” Grant asked.

“You would know it as Alora,” the Ferryman said. “Alora is one place inside the Blessed Haven, but there are many others—the Great Hunting Grounds of fae lore, and the Ancestral Lands of Elementai culture. The Blessed Haven is a blissful realm, where all people go when they are ready.”

“What about humans?” Chloe asked. “Is this place only for supernaturals, or do people without magic come here, too?”

“That would depend on what religion they follow,” the Ferryman said. “There are multiple realms within this land, magical and not, and where you end up depends on what you believe. Should you follow no religion, you may pass through any one of these realms, depending on where your soul chooses it belongs. It is a great pleasure to see souls ascend from this realm to the Blessed Haven. People are constantly going up and down, in a cycle after they die. Nobody stays in one place for too long, because even after death, you’re always learning, and this is a realm of teaching, not punishment.”

He pointed ahead. “We’re coming upon the Underworld.”

Ahead of us, the desert came to an abrupt halt, where it met up with an oasis surrounding a shining city of gold. Even the river we floated upon changed to a shimmering gold stream. I stared up at the towering structures in awe. Waterfalls cascaded from beautiful towers, and precious gems were embedded into the streets. Lucious trees grew all throughout the city, with the most delicious-looking fruit growing from them. Everywhere we looked, there was abundance and wonder.

“This city looks out of place here,” I remarked. “How can a city so beautiful be regarded as the Underworld?”

A fae with a beaming smile approached one of the trees and plucked the fruit from its branches. He took a bite, but immediately began sputtering. A cloud of ash sprayed from his mouth, and the fruit in his hand crumbled into nothing.

The city’s central square came into view. In the middle stood a tall fountain, overflowing with gold coins. Men and women reached for piles of gold, but their hands went straight through the riches.

Nearby, a man fell to his knees at the foot of a woman. He wailed as he tried to touch her, but every time he did, it was as if his hand ran into an invisible brick wall.

“My mate!” he cried. “Please, notice me!”

She did not seem to see him there, only kept attempting to drink from the gold fountain, which immediately became sand once it touched her tongue.

We continued down the stream, until we passed a palace. At the top of the stairs sat a pedestal with a plush pillow atop it. A golden crown with precious gems embedded all around it shimmered against the sunlight.

A tall fae man with dark hair and hooded eyes approached the pedestal with confidence. The way he threw his shoulders back and looked at the crown as if it was already his made me think this man must be a monarch. He picked up the crown and placed it on his head, but it merely turned to ash that rained down around him. His eyes darted in every direction, as if searching for the culprit of the trick. His gaze fell upon the pedestal again. The crown had reappeared, looking as solid as it did the first time. He picked up the crown again, and it crumbled into ashes.

“This crown is mine!” he roared, before fur exploded across his body. He fell onto all fours in his wolven form—a black wolf with feathery wings. He lunged at the pedestal, tearing the pillow apart with his teeth in rage.

That was all I saw before the palace disappeared behind us, leading to a more glorious mansions. Through the windows, we could see the fae reaching for velvet chairs that disappeared when they sat down. They stood before tables of feasts and tried to fill their plates, but the food vanished before their eyes. A woman reached for a violin to begin playing, but it made no sound. She opened her mouth to sing, but her voice died in her throat.

“I guess that answers your question,” Lucas said. “The fae here have everything they want, but it’s out of their reach.”

“Precisely,” the Ferryman said. “You can have all your heart’s desires, but if you are spiritually bereft, it means nothing. These fae could have what they wish, if only they turned inside themselves, and looked within to see what truly matters.”

Ahead, the gold river flowed into a building, but it was unlike the gold buildings surrounding us in the Underworld. This building was made of trees that intertwined, as if the plants themselves had made the building from their roots and branches. We floated inside the building, and the river transformed into a red carpet. The boat hovered above the carpet, floating along as if the river never changed.

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