The grand hall buzzed with anticipation as August followed Sophie into the dining hall. The Malgarii had gathered en masse, their translucent skin glowing faintly in the humming light of the crystals that lined the walls.
The room was enormous, with high ceilings that arched overhead like the ribcage of some ancient beast, and tables arranged in long rows, each one covered with a shimmering, silvery cloth. At the far end of the hall, a large dais held an ornate throne carved from a single piece of crystalline stone, its surface polished to a mirror-like sheen.
August couldn’t shake the feeling that all eyes were on him. As they walked, Sophie, still in her flowing white robes, smiled warmly at him. She led him to a seat near the head of one of the tables, and as they approached, the Malgarii around them stood in unison, bowing their heads in silent reverence.
“Welcome, young August,” said Finian, who appeared at his side with a graceful flourish. “Tonight, you are our honored guest.” Then he whisked himself away to mingle with his kind among the tables.
August nodded meekly, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He had never been the center of attention like this before, and the alien faces around him—while welcoming—only added to the surreal nature of the situation. He glanced around, noting the curious glances and soft whispers through squirming tentacles that followed him as he took his seat.
Beside Sophoie sat two more humans that August did not recognize. Once was tall and large with dark hair and the other was slim and blond.
“These are my brothers,” said Sophie. “Gregori and Flavian.”
If Gergori was a bear, then Flavian was a fox. They nodded politely. “They are unfortunately not sleepwakers, and lack an animus. So they lack the ability to travel to the Elsewild.”
“It is good you are here,” grumbled Gregori. Flavian nodded in agreement.
August laid his hand on the table and let the small metallic mantis crawl onto the tablecloth. It stood inquisitive, swaying back and forth, sizing up its reflection in the silver serving dome in front of them.
The feast began almost immediately. Servers moved swiftly between the tables and lifted the silver domes from the serving trays, letting loose a puff of steam. Beneath it appeared to be a gelatinous green substance. The Malgarii began to hum softly, their voices blending into a harmonious melody that filled the hall. Then they began to eat. They ignored the silverware, no doubt only there to mimic human culture and make August feel welcome, and dug into the strange food with their hands, scooping handfuls into their grasping tentacles.
Sophie leaned in close to August, her voice soft. “This is an algae, extinct on Earth, and can be prepared to taste like any food you desire. It’s a delicacy here on the moon, and a reminder of the abundance the Malgarii once knew.”
August looked at the algae skeptically. It shimmered in the light, its surface rippling like liquid glass. “How does it work?”
“Think of your favorite food,” Sophie said with a smile. “The algae will respond to your thoughts.”
August closed his eyes and imagined the smell of freshly baked bread, the kind his grandmother used to make on Sunday mornings. He pictured the golden crust, warm and soft on the inside, and the way the butter melted as soon as it touched the surface.
He lifted a fork, and reached out hesitantly, half expecting the gelatinous lump of food to squirm away as soon as he touched it, but it held firm. He took off a piece and popped it into his mouth with the fork. The taste was exactly as he remembered—rich, buttery, and utterly delicious.
The room filled with the sound of satisfied murmurs as the Malgarii continued their feast. August glanced around, and wondered what special dishes the Malgarii might be conjuring in their minds. Whatever it was, the Malgarii consumed it with evident pleasure.
As he ate, August couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of comfort. The anxiety that had gripped him since arriving on the moon began to fade, replaced by a warm contentment. This place, as strange as it was, felt oddly familiar—like he was meant to be here.
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Sophie watched him with a knowing smile. “I see you’re enjoying the food.”
August nodded, swallowing another mouthful of the strange algae. “It’s incredible. It tastes just like I remember. Maybe better.”
“The algae is special,” Sophie said. “It’s one of the few things they were able to bring here when they were exiled. It sustains them, nourishes them, and reminds them of a world left behind.”
“Why were they exiled? Why are you here?” August asked, the question slipping out before he could stop it.
Sophie’s expression grew somber, and she looked down at her plate. What was it she imagined, he wondered. “It’s a long story,” she said quietly. “One that began long before you were born.”
August waited, sensing that there was more to her answer.
Sophie took a deep breath and looked at him, her eyes filled with a sadness that made her seem much older than she appeared. “I was born long ago, on Earth like you, and when my powers awoke, I fled to the Elsewild with my brothers. My animus was a silver mirror, a gift from my mother. All animus must be gifts from a loved one. Once I reached the Elsewild I found a world in turmoil, where people suffered. We were able to save it. That angered the King of Nightmares. He built an army made of cruel, evil things, and he used them to banish us here.”
August felt a chill run down his spine. “So what is he?”
She looked down at the mirror on her plate, her fingers tracing its ornate frame. “He was a man, once, and is now an ultimate evil. While we draw power from dreams, he draws his dark energy from nightmares. He has my animus, my mirror, locked away in the Stronghold—a fortress suspended by chains above the Terminus, the great scar in the Elsewilds where all rivers flow. Without my animus, I cannot travel to the Elsewilds to stop him. Once it is free, I can call to it from here. As long as it is held captive, I am barred from returning.”
“And the Malgarii?”
“The first to dream, the being that awoke the Gossamir, was not man. It was a creature deep in the ocean we call the Primordial. It made the Malgarii. And the Mlgarii made us. But the first human sleepwakers did not trust that ancient creature and overthrew it, toppling its kingdom on Earth. They punished the Malgarii who were still loyal to it by condemning them here, and then they left to the Elsewild, taking the Primordial with them and locking it away.”
August felt a pang of sympathy. “What can I do to help?”
Sophie looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. “You can go to the Elsewilds. With your animus, you can open a doorway to that world. You must retrieve my animus from the Stronghold and bring it back to me. The King of Nightmares will have it protected, but you need not face him. I will do that. Only then can we stop him from destroying the Elsewild.”
August’s heart pounded in his chest. The enormity of what she was asking him to do weighed heavily on him. He was just a kid—how could he possibly stand up to someone called the King of Nightmares? But as he looked into Sophie’s eyes, he saw the trust she had placed in him, the belief that he could succeed where others had failed. He knew he couldn’t let her down.
“I’ll do it,” he said, his voice firm.
Sophie smiled, relief washing over her features. “Thank you, August. You have no idea how much this means to us.” Gregori let out a bellowing laugh of excitement, while Flavian let a thin smile appear across his face.
Finian appeared beside them, his usual playful demeanor tempered by a rare seriousness. “You won’t be going alone, of course,” he said. “I’ll be accompanying you, to guide you through the Elsewilds and ensure you reach the Stronghold safely.”
August nodded, grateful for the support. He wasn’t sure he could have faced this journey on his own.
Sophie stood, addressing the feasting hall, “Good Malgarii, we have our champion!”
The creatures rose from their seats and cheered. The entire dining wall was awash in excitement. August would be their hero.
Sophie motioned for August and Finian to follow her. “Come with me. It’s time to see the Gossamir.”
August collected Hazel and they followed her out of the grand hall and down a series of winding corridors, the crystals glowing brighter as they descended deeper into the moon. The air grew cooler, the hum of the crystals more intense, vibrating through August’s body like a living pulse. The air began to smell like burning steel. She walked in front of them, flanked by her brothers.
Finally, they reached a large chamber, its walls lined with massive, rotating gears and intricate machinery. At the center of the room was the Gossamir—a colossal, brightly glowing machine that seemed to hover weightlessly in the circular cavern. It spun and whirred with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Its core emitted a bright yellow light that bathed the entire chamber in a warm, golden glow.
Sophie approached the Gossamir, her hands outstretched as if in prayer. “This is a doorway to the heart of the universe,” she said softly. “It connects all things. It is through the Gossamir that you will open a doorway to the Elsewilds.”
August stared in awe at the machine, its intricate design unlike anything he had ever seen. It seemed alive, pulsing with energy, its light almost too bright to look at directly.
Sophie turned to him, her expression serious. “It’s time, August. Use your animus.”
August opened his hand, revealing the small metallic insect. She fluttered her wings and flew to his shoulder.
“What do I do?” he asked, looking to Sophie and Finian for guidance.
“Just ask,” Sophie instructed. “Hazel will know what to do.” She looked to the insect with a knowing expression.
August did as he was told, extending his hand toward the glowing machine. Hazel seemed to sense what was needed and flew from his shoulder to land on the surface of the Gossamir. Her wings shimmered, and a soft hum filled the air, harmonizing with the hum of the machine.
The light from the Gossamir intensified, and a circular doorway began to form in the air before them, its edges rippling like the surface of water. The portal shimmered, revealing glimpses of the Elsewild beyond—a world too bright to decipher.
Sophie stepped back, her eyes shining with hope. “Good luck, August. Remember, the fate of the Elsewild rests in your hands.”
"Time to go!" shouted Finian, grabbing August's hand. And before he knew it, they were leaping through the portal into a blinding unknown.