Chapter 3.

In the dream brownie felt as if she were leaving, where am I going to she thought to herself, she couldn’t but sense that something was preventing her was it regret or just a question that alluded answers, it was something in the way.

she heard A bell ring far away, like the knell that sounds the end of class or an alarm that signals another day, time to leave your comfortable bed.

Awakening to realize she was indeed drowning in the thermae. She clawed her way to the bank and pulled herself out of the cold, wet bath. The water was heavy it pulled her jet-black hair down over her face, as she ascended from the side of the pool. It must have appeared like something out of an old Japanese horror movie rising like a pale specter in an ivory coloured gown. She Spat out the liquid; it didn’t taste like any water she’d tasted before and was almost like slime.

Initially, it was slippery to stand, after a few attempts she managed to make it to her feet, like an animal that was finding its legs for the first time unsure of herself and unsteady.

The bell that was ringing, of course, was signaling the time she had to get back for her curfew.

It was now too late! She would be discovered and be in trouble again; she’d have to bite her tongue, promise not to do it again, be sincere, and go on probation for a month or two, urgh !!! she grunted at least she was consistent in trouble. Tutting to herself brownie Took comfort from the fact that she’d found treasure and a riddle that needed solving, which is the mantra of all good archaeologists.

Looking back One last time she left the labyrinth and begun ascending the 12 steps up toward the light.

It hadn’t occurred to her that the thermae was full of sand before, but it was another oddity that could not be rationalized or sensibly dismissed.

As she reached the doorway of the underpass something was different their seemed to be more sounds, amorphous voices chattering far off and signs of life, walking over to the auditorium it seemed somehow unusual as if someone had cleaned and polished it. There were silhouettes of figures in the distance, could it be no, surely not?

Crowds of people had gathered, was it a search party? Had she been gone long enough surely, she hadn’t, as her alarm, had only been triggered moments ago.

Needing to evade the crowds she headed towards a building that looked like a temple it had many marble Collums they were half pink, and half yellow with blue diamond and oval shapes cut into them. She hid amongst the long shadows cast by the columns; it felt like waiting in limbo.

The buildings were now whole no cracks in the stones; the roofs Were complete and straight, it was almost as if she had traveled backward in time.

Yes, that was it! There was no other explanation; she must have traveled in time. It sounded far-fetched and almost impossible, but what other explanation could there be?

Then something came into her head, she thought again about the keeper, and she wondered who or what they might be, where are they? Are they some type of watcher? No time for analogies now she thought to herself.

Brownie saw a way if she could get there, if she could hide, perhaps thinking to herself? But where would she go? There were too many ifs. Brownie had concluded it was just a case of suck it and see; Just a matter of going for it and trying to make a beeline for the Exit, there were no elaborate plans she could make now.

Seeing her chance, at last; she ran, with all the stamina that could be mustered , the wind whistled through her damp hair Brownie was close to the exit, but not close enough. The coast looked clear as she paused for a moment to catch her breath panting loudly, like a dog taking a cooling breath. Brownie was not as fit as she imagined, making herself small she must have appeared like a little bird on an airport runway, kneeling hugging her knees, it was no fun sweating and being still damp.
She turned her head to see two legs approaching her. Something was following her and was closer than she had expected.

Brownie heard a voice it spoke sternly but softly in a foreign tongue,

“Oh boy!” She mumbled barely able to speak
It was difficult being still damp.
Brownie blurted out ” please!! I meant no harm; I only wanted to see it, and go on an adventure!”

She raised up to look at the stranger it was a humanoid almost like, well human with a few differences, it appeared to be mature with silver hair.

He spoke, but the words still sounded foreign.

Brownie replied, ” I don’t understand?!?”

The creature commented, ” that’s because you’re not listening!” And pointed to his ear
“You speak English!” Brownie exclaimed the silver-haired alien replied” I most certainly do not! You are speaking Meese!” He added ” and quite well I might add!”

He then asked, “so what manner of thing are you Sprite,” Sprite it appeared was the term or the name this strange creature had now applied to Brownie he continued ” If not a walker in the spirit dimension perhaps a throwback of nature?” He implied while gesticulating with his hands, as if Brownie was a thing that was not quite right, and had casually been tossed aside by whatever force of order and normality existed in this reality.

Brownie asked him “what do you mean?” Totally lost.

He Elaborated “are you some kind of weapon? Or dysfunctional changeling. Or perhaps your one of those ….”

“those??? .”

She repeated with more feistiness “Those!??” Stamping her foot in contempt, she took a deep breath and proceeded more calmly “I’m Bronwyn, but some call me Brownie, I don’t mind which one you call me, but I prefer Brownie, I need help!!” Brownie thought she’d done an excellent job of being diplomatic under the situation, and felt that appealing to the strangers better nature was the best course of Action, smiling, as she was often told that she had a beautiful smile.

The Mysterious man answered” A Brownie Yeeeessssss, Sprite I imagine you are …lost I can see that !!
he said Looking over her with curious eyes.

” I’m from Earth !” she exclaimed.
It Was at this point that the alien cringed, and it was as if what was once believable now had turned into the tallest of stories, the stranger was rolling his yellow eyes as he looked up in disbelief.
He tutted “tut-tut. You’re not from around these parts” and added “Nether am I~Earth !!! You say!” he then changed his speech pattern and the cadent to what seemed to be a more analytical voice and pompous “Don’t be absurd theirs Too much water on earth. ” he spluttered “And science says that the air is too thick to support life …”
He then turned pensive, she could see his mind turning like cogs as if by that logic he struggled to find a fitting rational answer,
His expression changed once again, it looked like he’d seen something in brownies face and his austere visage fell away, and there was lightbulb moment, and he sighed as he continued
“Anyway, whatever you are you better come inside My fellow Kalithians will not be as friendly as I …
And it’s tempest retreats .. We have to shelter ”
And he indicated the door to enter by panning his eyes in the general direction, it seemed like it was someone’s garden.

Brownie stayed for a moment, she realized, she didn’t have many options under the circumstances, being a time traveler. With that brownie followed the stranger with great reluctance into his garden which was covered with what appears to be sheets stretched out, so they seemed to be like an awning

Brownie picked up
A Martian stone and put it behind her back just in case …

Following the Martian stranger into the garden reluctantly. She was met by a lawn of red moss and trees that stood princely. They resembled bamboo with a singular leaf that appeared to look like the red kelp from earth.
Above the garden, there was a canopy of cloth that made a shelter turning the garden into a giant marquee.

The Martians were odd looking. Not what you or I would class as average, slightly smaller than ordinary humans with eyes of luminous yellow or gold but where the whites of the eyes were Opaque theirs were brown or black like the eyeball of a dog.
Their skin was a pale, pasty colour, some sort of scarification, perhaps cultural was adorned across the bridge of the nose and some blue crystals whereas worn above the eyes as if this were fashion. They had pointed ears and slightly longer spindly arms and legs, and finally, Brownie noticed that the eyes seemed somewhat triangular.

This Martian himself was distinguished looking had hair of silver and amber eyes that seemed to sing of tragedy. From standing ahead, he spoke into the open air “So that’s what you truly are sprite an assassin!”
(referring to the rock brownie clutched behind her back) she wondered how he knew it was there.
” Noooo!” Replied Brownie Mortified, and unsure of her words.
“Is that how you treat host’s in the Overworld?” He asked with playful contempt,
” you’re a stranger!” she replied naively as she could “I’m just protecting myself .”
The mood changed suddenly, and brownie remembered a line from an old Lauriet his name she had forgotten from class for no reason whatsoever it seemed to speak to her, she recalled do not go silently into that goodnight, rage, rage against the dying of the light. Would she go quietly if the worst came to the worst, she wondered?

The Martian ranted on “You should know, taking someone’s life isn’t easy, it’s the worst thing you’ll ever have to do” his voice seemed to pause and drift off and he continued with a tone of regret “and the only thing worse is getting acclaim for doing it!”

With that Martian spun around effortlessly, to see brownie paralyzed in fear damp and shaking in her boots almost ready to ball her eyes out.

Seeing again the child she was he froze and offered a hand, in friendship and bowed low ” I am sorry sprite I am sorry, put away those sad eyes”

” I’ve seen those eyes before, no! I will not have any more blood on my hands!”

You are safe here sprite
He said reassuringly, but Brownie wasn’t entirely sold on his level of sincerity, but she felt a little better that she’d seen a darker side of him that didn’t seem so bad.

Looking closer he was wearing some sort of garment that was powder blue, and he seemed to have a very elegant sash that had some sort of significance. A jeweled broach that looked official was adorned at the top of the sash; it was amethyst. A scarf type belt was worn around the waist, it was navy blue and golden yellow and a pair of red trousers ran down to a pair of red boots that had many clasps and buckles.
Around his arms, he wore a piece of cloth that was predominantly slate with a purple stripe on either end and had a seam of coral red running down each end, tucked into the shawl Brownie noticed a wooden fan which was painted red.

By coincidence, they both said at the exact time ” so what’s your name ??!” The Martian said, ” haven’t I already told you my name, don’t you know who I am.” He remarked as if most people knew his identity as if he had some sort of celebrity or infamy attached to his name

“Brownie replied “I told you my name, I’m Brownie! I don’t hide it!” He replied, “ah yes Sprite I remember now!”

“Are you frightened of me??” Asked the Martian in the most unpredictable way

Brownie, not entirely sure if there was a correct answer, she decided to hedge her bets she looked the Martian in his eyes and looked away sharply and softly said: “Yes, I’m a little on edge!”
“Good answer!” He replied” don’t worry, you’ve no reason to be! It’s refreshing!” He remarked ” to find someone to not know who I am ….I think I like it” and he smiled a wry half-smile.
“There is a certain advantage to being on edge, senses more alert, increased adrenaline, so you can move faster than is possible, fight for longer than is possible, makes you stronger, makes you a weapon of unknown predictability!”
“Oh!” Exclaimed Brownie I don’t want to hurt anybody!” The Martian answered quickly “but what if they want to hurt you!”

“Why would they?” Enquired Brownie

“Kalithians are a simple lot they mean well but they’re very superstitious, they’d probably think you were some sort of manifestation, try and purge you as if you were a mental illness!” “Kalithians?” Asked Brownie.

“Yes! This is kalithia province, very nice but rather obscure, stuck in the middle of nowhere!”

He put out his hand in a gesture of friendship, and he announced, ” my name ?! my name is Li Kay, you may call me Kay.”