Liquid Diamond (2 page)

Looking up, all Natalia could see was a swirl of black, red and silver with Catalyst laughing as he went flying through the air. He landed on his rump with a thump and came to a stop.

“
Mom, hi,” shouted Catalyst with a huge smile on his face as the swirl came to a stop and showed herself to be a woman.

Walking over to her son, Natalia watched as her skin turned from the blackest black to a soft shade of pink no different from her own skin colour.

She gave Catalyst a huge hug and seeing Natalia out of the corner of her eye, the woman walked over to her.

“
Why, you are a small one, aren’t you? And you’re Human too,” said the woman softly.

“
Hello,” replied Natalia with her voice, hands and knees shaking as she looked up at this woman who was a perfect six feet tall with such long silver hair and eyes so deep and red.

“
So what’s your name, little one?” asked the woman.

“
My name is Natalia…Mrs?...Mrs?” replied Natalia as she waited for a name to call this woman by.

“
Krusniks don’t have last names like you Humans do, so you can just call me Anastasia. Yes, I like that name best of all. But enough talking for now – let’s get you two out of here before the Cockatrice sees you as the next meal.” Anastasia swept them both up into her arms and started gliding across the forest.

Catalyst pointed to the Cockatrice circling overhead. It had the head of a rooster, a body of a small dragon and two eagle-like clawed feet.
After a few minutes they arrived at the home of Anastasia and Catalyst.

“
Well, children, here we are
–
home safe home,” said Anastasia as she put them back on their feet.

Natalia was still in awe of what had just happened and started asking questions.

“
Anastasia, who are you? What are you? I mean your hair, your eyes, you can fly and your skin changed colours. I just don’t understand,” said Natalia, not giving Anastasia time to reply to one question never mind anything else.

“
You mean Catalyst didn’t tell you?” asked Anastasia, looking at Natalia and then Catalyst.

“
Well I’m a Krusnik and Catalyst is half-Krusnik and half-Human
–
Russian Human to be precise. Well, your father is Russian,” replied Anastasia, looking at Catalyst and making Natalia smile.

“
What’s a Krusnik?” asked Natalia, hoping for some glorious answer.

“
A Krusnik is a dark angel. You see, Natalia, a long time ago on Earth there was a race of demonically mutated Humans called Vampires. They fed on Humans to survive. When it was apparent that the Humans were being eaten to extinction by these creatures, a group of my kind was sent to feed upon them. That stopped them from turning mankind into a slave race and in some cases even more Vampires,” replied Anastasia as though Natalia never heard of the Vampire.

“
Really?” asked Natalia, not sure whether to believe her or not.

“
Yes, really. Do you have Vampires? Ever heard of the Vampire?” asked Anastasia, leaving Natalia unsure of what to say.

“
Show her, Mom...show her,” said Catalyst as he watched his mom and Natalia.

“
Want to see something that will prove it, Natalia?” asked Anastasia as she stood up.

“
Okay,” replied Natalia, not really sure if she wanted to. Natalia braced herself as she watched Anastasia standing there. In the blink of an eye, Anastasia vanished from sight, only to walk in through her front door.

“
Wow! Anastasia, that was so great. How did you do that?” asked Natalia so fast it sounded more like panic in her voice than wonder.

“
Show her the other one, Mom. That will really make her wonder,” interrupted Catalyst before Anastasia could even answer.

“
Hmmm, okay just one more then,” replied Anastasia as she watched Natalia looking at her in suspense.

Taking the hood of her cloak and slowly pulling it down over her face, Anastasia ripped it back as fast as she could and scared Natalia into belief as she stood there with her skin as black as the darkest shadow, her eyes glowing a blood red. Her eye teeth stuck an inch below her bottom lip and her finger nails were an inch longer than they had been a second ago. Seeing how afraid Natalia had become, with just a quick spin, Anastasia was back to the woman she had been just a moment ago.

Still as white as a sheet, Natalia stared at Anastasia in fear.

“
It’s okay, Natalia. I only hunt Vampires,” said Anastasia, reassuring Natalia she was safe. Natalia took a deep breath and the look of fear faded from her face to be replaced by relief.

“
Do you mind if I ask another question or two, Anastasia?” asked Natalia after thinking for a moment.

“
Only if you’re sure you want the answer,” replied Anastasia with a smile.

“
If you were sent to Earth, how did you get here? Are there Vampires here?” Natalia blurted out.

“
Careful Mom, she’s good at that. She talks so fast you never get to answer one question, never mind two,” laughed Catalyst.

“
Well, Natalia, I suppose I got here the same way you did, through the portal. As for Vampires, they say there was one here long ago, but I have never seen it and by your calendar I have been here a very long time. So don’t worry, you’re safe,” replied Anastasia.

“
So all you did was step through the portal diamond thing?” asked Natalia.

“
Well I was out one night hunting the Vampire and happened upon your cave that holds the other end of the portal, but I didn’t know that at the time. When I saw the glitter I wanted to know what it was. I touched it and I imagine like yourself I was pulled through to this world. Then I noticed right away my thirst to feed disappeared just like that,” replied Anastasia with a snap of her fingers.

“
You know, it seems to me that this place is like a world with in a world. It shares the same space as Earth but not the same time and even then it doesn’t share the same time with itself,” continued Anastasia.

“
Doesn’t share time with itself?” questioned Natalia.

“
Well, there are four Kingdoms here, Natalia, and due to warring and grief from a very long time ago, an agreement was reached. This was so long ago that no one remembers when it happened. I don’t know the whole story, but only one Kingdom would rule over the lands at any one time. This lasts for one full year and during that year, three of the four are out of phase by 0.2 seconds, so everyone has to trust the others. It stopped the wars,” replied Anastasia as she set the dinner table, gesturing for Natalia and Catalyst to sit.

“
Well, I can tell by the look on your face, Natalia, that there are more questions you want to ask,” said Anastasia, handing them their plates.

“
Those creatures flying over the forest where you found us – what were they?” asked Natalia.

“
Those, dear child, are the Cockatrice. They’re vile little things. They carry a poison sack in their mouths, and should they spit in your eye, the poison causes paralysis and then they eat you alive. Their claws are as sharp as any razor, so be very careful around them,” replied Anastasia, as she handed Natalia a pair of spectacles.

“
What are these for?” asked Natalia.

“
They’ll protect your eyes around the Cockatrice,” replied Anastasia smiling, as she knew it was too much for anyone to take in all at once.

“
Now I have one question for you, Natalia. What are you doing here? The portals have been sealed for a very long time,” asked Anastasia.

“
I was out for a walk, I found myself on a path that I never seen before, I tried and tried to find my way back but I ended up in a cave. I did what my Father has always told me not to do: if you don’t know what it is don’t touch it. But I did, then your son forced me to go and see your King. The next thing I knew I had to find some crystals. I don’t know how many there are or where to look and until they’re found I can’t go home, or so it would seem. Isn’t that right, Catalyst?” said Natalia so fast that not even she herself could be sure if she took a breath. She had forgotten that Catalyst had their only clue, the key.

“
There are three crystals and a diamond ring used to seal the portal, Natalia. Don’t worry, my son will be joining you in your search,” said Anastasia calmly while frowning at Catalyst for turning in an innocent girl.

“
Yes he will be and the King says so too,” replied Natalia.

“
Anastasia…speaking of here, where is here?” asked Natalia, still trying to put it all together and just as confused as ever.

“
As I said before, Natalia, this is a world inside a world. It’s another dimension to be precise. This land is called Ky
op
elivuori, which means Ghost Mountain, as the ghosts of long-dead women seem to gather here in this land. They stay mostly in and around the mountain of Kyopelivuori, but from time to time you will find one or two wandering about the countryside. Don’t worry, for the most part they’re harmless and only now and again will you ever run into one that’s bad, but that is very rare. Even those ones will stay where they’ve been placed. They’re used to protect people or things,” replied Anastasia.

“
Don’t worry, Natalia. You’ll learn as you go,” said Catalyst.

“
You mean as
we
go!” replied Natalia.

“
Well it would seem that the two of you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, so enough chat for tonight. Finish your meal and off to bed with you both,” said Anastasia, looking at Natalia with pity for the mess her son had gotten her into.

Rising from his bed the next morning with a yawn and a stretch, Catalyst could smell his mother’s cooking and as quick as that he was at the table, shovelling food into his mouth.

“
Mom, have you seen a key like this before?” asked Catalyst in-between bites as he held it up to her.

Taking the key, Anastasia looked closely at it and the barely visible markings carved into the squared knob on one end.

“
Catalyst, where did you get this?” asked Anastasia.

“
I didn’t, not really anyway. The King gave it to Natalia the day before yesterday and I got it from her a while later.”

“
Good morning everyone,” said Natalia with a smile on her face as she sat down at the table.

“
Good morning, Natalia,” replied Anastasia.

“
Morning.” Catalyst’s speech was muffled with a mouthful of food.

“
Well, Catalyst, the markings on this are definitely from the hand of a Basajaunak. They’re too detailed for any lesser craftsman and it could be made into a key I guess,” replied Anastasia as she handed the piece of metal back to its rightful owner, Natalia.

“
Wait a minute! The key, Catalyst – it has changed shape and it’s crusty. Look,” said Natalia handing it over to him.

“
That’s weird,” replied Catalyst, handing it back and wiping his hand.

“
Anastasia, what do the markings mean?” asked, Natalia seeing how little help she got from Catalyst.

“
One of the markings is that of a Dark Elf, but it’s not of their Kingdom. Beside it is the mark of Chatice as far as I can tell, then the mark of what would appear to be Annan and of course a marking so close to that of Kyopelivuori it couldn’t be anything else. But as much as those markings are of those Kingdoms, they’re simply not right. Take the Dark Elf, for example – it’s supposed to be of Svartalfheim and clearly it is in their style, but it’s not correct,” replied Anastasia, just as confused as Natalia.

“
It looks as though the two of you will need to go see the Basajaunak and find out who made the key and try and find out who owns the marking on its top. That, I’ve never seen before,” continued Anastasia.

“
Anastasia, we’re only kids – how are we supposed to do this?” asked Natalia.

“
Little one, Catalyst may look and act like a kid and I suppose he is really, but he’s been alive for two hundred and fourteen years, and he’s been running around this world for more than half that time. I am sure he knows this land better than anyone else,” replied Anastasia.

“
Two hundred and fourteen years old?” questioned Natalia with a look of disbelief in her eyes.

“
Yes, that’s right. You see, Natalia, the people of this world have days that pass just like those on Earth, but time works differently here. When it comes to someone’s aging, it seems that for every twenty years that pass here, the people of this world only age one year, so on one hand Catalyst is just a boy, but on the other hand he’s an old boy,” replied Anastasia.

“
Don’t worry, after all what kind of a mother would I be if I let two kids go running around on their own? You’re in good hands with my son, and don’t forget Catalyst has some of my strengths. He’s fast, he’s stronger than average and he’s got great eyesight. He can jump pretty well too, buuut…he’s got his Father’s mind, his only drawback really...everything has to be done the hard way,” continued Anastasia, smiling awkwardly at her son.