Elysian Dream

Fast-paced high fantasy / portal fantasy KIM is a kelpie agent from the realm of Elysia tasked to locate a human-fae hybrid with enough latent fae magic in their blood to restore the kelpies to their natural form – an ability snatched away by a vengeful dark fae witch. Her current project, BENJI, may be the unsuspecting donor she’s been looking for. Hapless Edinburgh University student, Benji, has no idea why he keeps having blackouts and weird dreams until he discovers his girlfriend, Kim, has been drugging him, so he flees the flat they have been sharing, and holes up with his psychology teacher, Professor LONG – a wizard incognito. Kim finds Benji and takes him to Elysia where they undertake a perilous journey, pursued by dangerous beings out of myth. Later, when Benji is whisked away by a mysterious winged being, Kim sets out to track him down, but war is coming to Elysia and they are both caught up in the middle of it.

CHAPTER 1 – VISIT Benji only half heard Professor Long droning on – the previous night’s blackout, and subsequent recurring nightmare, still fresh in his thoughts. A trickle of sweat worked its way down the side of his face, as the pounding of hooves and the raging battlefield, replayed in glorious technicolour in his mind. He could almost smell the blood-soaked soil. He sat next to the aisle at the back of the lecture theatre ready to make a quick getaway when the bell rang. As Benji wiped his face with his sleeve, the Prof’s voice filtered through again. “There are three possible reasons why you’re doing this module. In order of probability these are: one – your parents decided for you; two – you have ‘issues’ of your own and you’re looking for answers; and three – you’re actually interested in psychology. Well, there may be a fourth, but we don’t need to go into that right now. Most of you think you’re a three, but ones and twos are far more probable. Have a think about where you really sit on this. Analyse your reasons for being here…” The Prof’s voice faded into the distance once more. Benji’s phone was in his lap and he was ordering a pizza when everything went quiet. The only sound a little snigger somewhere nearby. Benji snapped to and glanced up, all eyes were turned on him, except his girlfriend, Kim’s, of course. She had her elbow on the writing tablet and her head in her hand, her long ebony hair obscuring the side of her perfect face. Benji cringed; he was in for some grief. “Well Mr Jarrett?” came the voice from the podium. Benji gazed at Long. “Um er four sir. I’m a four.” The Prof looked long and hard at his quarry. “Mmm. See me after class Mr Jarrett.” Benji ran his fingers through his mop of golden hair and looked behind him at the door. Could he make a run for it? Probably not. The rest of the lesson passed by in a blur. The bell sounded. He glanced at the nearby door again as everyone began to move in his direction. “Mr Jarrett.” Long wasn’t about to miss his opportunity to give him some stick. He headed down the wide steps. As he passed Kim she raised her eyebrows at him but said nothing. She’d be waiting outside for him. “So Mr Jarrett, what exactly is your number four?” “Er well sir, um, I’m kind of interested in the mythology and folklore.” Benji became more animated. “It’s in the module brief.” “I see. You realise that section is covered in only two lectures? The two sessions focus on how mysticism has played a role in developing the human psyche, and how that has extended into the arts. You plan to do a whole module just for this? I ask, because you clearly have very little interest in the rest of what I have to say.” Benji studied the portly teacher more closely. He wasn’t actually smiling, but there was a sly twinkle in the old man’s eye. It encouraged Benji to engage him a little further. “Sir, you’ve written five books on the subject. I’ve read them all, cover to cover. It’s fascinating. If there had been a module just on this topic, I’d have done that instead.” Long was quiet for a few moments as he studied Benji’s face. “So what – are you expecting me to produce a fae or a kelpie or something on the podium here for those lectures?” Benji’s heart skipped a beat. Kim was going to go mad at him. He frowned at his own random thought. Why would she go mad at him? He shrugged. Now he could look anywhere except at Long. He knew he had to say something – anything. “Can I go Sir? I need to get ready for my next class.” Long’s eyes bored into him, but the old man just nodded his assent and Benji bolted for the door, his long, skinny legs carrying him quickly up the steps and away. The doors banged open and Benji burst through, a little breathless. Kim had been talking to a couple of other girls, but they left when they saw him coming. He melted at the sight of her as she turned her full attention on him. Even now, after all this time, he could hardly believe this amazing girl chose to be with him. Flicking her hair over her shoulder Kim said, “I saved the seat next to me for you. I thought perhaps, for once, I could keep you from embarrassing yourself. A forlorn hope it seems. What did Long say to you anyway?” Benji’s breathing slowed to normal. “He wanted to know why I’m doing this module. He asked if I was expecting him to bring a fae or a kelpie to class.” Kim’s eyes widened. “What? What did you say?” “I panicked. Don’t know why.” He shrugged. “I just had to get away so I told him I needed to get to my next class.” She pulled him to one side, out of earshot of the passing students. “Tell me the whole conversation. Word for word.” ***** Slowly the room came into focus. Damn, another blackout. The first thing Benji noticed was the empty space on the wall where Kim had taken down the ‘girly’ calendar – again, a pity, he particularly liked Miss October. The throbbing in his head became more pronounced as he swung his legs round and tried to sit. He gave up, curled back up in a ball, pulling the pillow across his face. It didn’t help, and in a momentary flash of irritation the pillow went flying across the room knocking Kim’s cittern over with a distinct sigh of the strings. “Oh shit!” He looked around as if she might suddenly manifest in the tiny bedroom. Almost as if thinking of her had conjured her up, her voice came through from the next room. Staggering over to the window as the fog slowly cleared from his mind, Benji picked up the cittern and stood it back into its normal position against the wall, grateful for its thick case. Kim’s words filtered through to him as he walked over to the door. “We can’t leave this too much longer mother. I can’t keep doing this to him.” A pause. She must be on the phone – to her mother? She’s never mentioned her before. It then occurred to Benji that maybe he should have asked Kim about her family. Why hadn’t he? And what was she doing to him – if she was talking about him that is? “When?” Another pause. “Someone needs to make the assessment soon. If Dom can’t make it himself, and no surprises there, then perhaps you could come.” Her voice softened. “It would be good to see you mother, and anyway, Dom values your opinions.” Benji waited to hear what else she might say, but Kim said no more. Curiosity burned inside of him as he opened the door. “Who were you talking to?” Kim swivelled, quickly hiding something behind her back. “My cittern better not be damaged. Are you feeling better?” Benji remembered the headache as the pounding reasserted itself. “What happened? I don’t remember getting drunk.” “Well, it really doesn’t take much does it? Don’t you recall? It was your idea to go to The Corn Exchange.” He didn’t remember going there, not at all, and this wasn’t the first time he’d completely blanked out a session at the club. “You seem to be ok,” he accused. Kim ignored his comment and went to get her cittern. She started to play a soothing melody as she once more changed the subject. “By the way, my mother’s coming for a visit next week.” All the urgency had left her voice now. He kept his own voice on an even keel too, but tested the water none the less. “Oh, that’ll be nice for you. Do you want me to make myself scarce?” Kim stopped playing, a flash of shock showed momentarily in her eyes, and then it was gone. “No. No of course not. She’d love to meet you. We should go to lunch, how about the Bridge Café?”