They did not leave there or seek shelter. Unlike him, his grandmother’s replica did not seem to be affected by the elements. Instead, this one asked him to sit across from her on the ground. Cool to the touch and somewhat comforting to his surprise, the height’s calmness and the silence there ceased to make him nervous. It proved to be a place where his mind was more awake and bright than ever, even when they were alone.

“You spoke of seven gates. Are they real?” Finnian said.

“Even if you can’t feel them with your hands, would that make them less real? “

“Are we really going to start with the riddles?” Finnian said.

“What do you remember about the primal forces of this world?”

And from the way his face twisted, he didn’t seem to have the same patience as his grandmother. The primal forces were the elements, though also a kind of zodiac sign, for every elthean was born with one of them. Fire, wind, water, earth, and stars had their affinities and weaknesses and a predisposition to employ a particular type of magic.

“Witchcraft encompasses more aspects than those you have named. The protections go beyond them and will determine whether you have what you need or not.”

“What?” Finnian said.

However, his guide was not going to reveal everything so soon. So he kept silent, waiting for him to continue, not wanting to waste any more time.

“First is the Earth Gate. It focuses on survival and is blocked by fear,” said the old woman. “Tell me, Finnian, what do you fear most?”

Where to start? Since he had been there, they tried to devour him, attack him or kidnap him, though not in that particular order. It was nothing compared to if he had appeared in Neverland and fought pirates with Peter Pan. Elthea was thousand times more dangerous! It wasn’t just that, though.

“Breathe. Clarify your fears.”

Not fitting in. He was afraid of not finding his place. In his world, he didn’t have many friends. People at his school picked on him for being different, for enjoying reading more than kicking a ball. Even his parents were at work a lot, and he wasn’t part of their world. But not everything was so simple.

In Elthea, it was not an ordinary Signer. It had been repeated so much for reasons he knew and others he ignored, but it awakened so many bad things that he didn’t even understand why it was like that. Besides, who would help him against the Eroder? That demon sometimes harassed him in his nightmares, although he was not the only one. Ariel was also there, trying to get his claws on him with that wild smile that characterized him so much. Both were stalking him, but a great hand managed to catch him. The same darkness never left him and now tried to dunk him.

“Finnian? Your vision is not real. You are focused on your survival, what could be, but isn’t. Stay in the present. Stay in the present. It would be best if you let go of these fears. Let them go with the air. They can’t hurt you.”

He could not win a battle when it had not yet begun. He promised himself to worry about what could change, what was in front of him, and not try to get so far ahead of himself. Challenging? Of course, though he’d been facing it since he’d arrived in Elthea. He took another deep breath and opened his eyes, feeling as if some of his weight was disappearing. Nothing had changed around him, but it was inside where that struggle was.

“What...? How...?” Finnian muttered, unable to finish a sentence when he had the urgent need to ask too many questions and knew he wasn’t there for it.

“I warned you before that it would be an intense experience. And this has only been the Earth Gate.”

“It’s still strange,” Finnian said, flexing his hands, “and yet not.”

“You know how to do more than go by your senses. You’re not in a world where you have to rely only on what you see.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Finnian stammered between embarrassment and satisfaction.

“It’s been your first steps, actually....”

It almost seemed as if she was going to say something. She kept silent without looking away, a gesture she had made from the beginning. No matter who it was, she should not be there if she was an enemy or wanted to harm him. Then, recovering her countenance and the same peace as before, she added:

“Shall we continue?”

Without waiting for his answer, she snapped his fingers, and they changed scenery. They were no longer outside but in a cave with a waterfall. Such an abrupt change upset his stomach, making him dizzy for a few seconds, though he was grateful to have something to calm his nerves. The rock platform was similar to where they sat outside, smooth and with nothing to make them uncomfortable. The sound of the air was accompanied by water that was angry and upset, exposing him to a wetter place than he would have liked. The liquid element seemed to be building up inside, which could not be a good thing.

“The next one is...”

“The Water Gate?” Finnian said.

“Splendid,” she smiled. “Perhaps in the future, you can lead others.”

“I don’t think that’s impossible, though...” Finnian looked around, pointing to the obvious. “It’s not like we’re in the sea, either, but it made the most sense with all this water.”

Better to be there than to be in the deepest part of the ocean. He was not a good swimmer, and he doubted that doggy style he would make it to the surface.

“This door focuses on pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Now tell me, Finnian,” she continued, widening her smile, “What do you feel guilty about? Think of all the weight you carry on you. What do you blame yourself for?”

Disappear. He had dreamed of magic for a long time and wished that worlds like that existed. The very idea of encountering something like that made his days less difficult. Why should he have to worry about parents who didn’t understand him?

In front of him, he found a vision of his home, of his kitchen. It was the morning it all began. He saw himself with his parents, talking to each other as they ate breakfast, annoyed at going to the beach only to find themselves frozen. He saw from the outside the fear he felt when he realized that the world had stopped, the despair when the darkness swallowed him and left him alone.

“I wished to find a place like this with all my might, and my world was consumed.”

Had he hurt them? And although he knew they were fine, that burden had not gone away. Would they be worried? Aer and the others assured him not to be distressed that he would find them the same as always. He wasn’t the first Signer to arrive at Elthea, and while they didn’t know how the others appeared there in their time, thinking the worst wouldn’t help him.

“Accept reality. You don’t have control over everything that happens, and although you are aware of your actions, don’t let it poison your inner self.”

“How can I come to that? Aren’t we Signers supposed to maintain balance? How do I accept that reality when I have that responsibility?” Finnian said.

“Because you won’t reach that goal if you’re not the one who has that balance. And you wouldn’t have been called if you didn’t have that capacity.”

“So I have to accept that? Be pleased with what I can do? What about all those who have suffered because of me?”

Hearing his voice amplified by the echo made him look around, more uncomfortable than ever.

“The actions of one affect many or none, Finnian. But letting that paralyze you won’t help you or those around you. If you want to be a positive influence, no matter if it’s in this world or yours, you must forgive yourself, learn to accept that guilt, and do what’s in your power. “

He breathed in eagerly, feeling the chill of the cave enter his lungs. Then he remembered Braunah, the pack and everything they had been through with them. Their journey, their attempts to get him to “help them”, and how they ended up parting ways. Nero decided to go his way, even though it meant letting his family go. He was responsible for his actions and decisions, just like the others. When they were reunited with the pack, both parties made an effort to make amends for their mistakes.

Just by living, one can make mistakes at every passing moment, but that should not stop them from moving forward. Then, the water level stopped rising; a great sound of something opening allowed it to continue its course and return to its calm. Maybe it was because of it, the feeling of drowning or whatever was happening, but his heart didn’t want to calm down.

“You are a very particular Signer, and your friends are not short either.”

“How many have you seen?” Finnian asked.

“A few,” she merely replied.

“You’re not even going to tell me how you know my name? Or why we’re doing this instead of something more active?”

“A fight? Did you think you had to show your strength to be brave? You’ve already shown what you’re capable of by coming all this way. It’s what’s inside you that will determine whether the last door will open.”

“And yet you don’t reveal whether you’ve met any others of my people,” Finnian said.

“You never give up, do you?”

“I was taught to ask questions and listen to the answers,” Finnian said with a shrug. “Many may ignore you, or you may not like what you find out from them, but it’s the only way to learn.”

His grandmother, or whatever the hell that person’s name was, looked at him for a few seconds without saying a word. The time he would spend there would eventually reveal more of his immediate future, but if she had made it clear, she would not get ahead of herself, not if she could help it.