Upon a grassy hill, beside a small rocky outcrop from which gushed a bubbling stream, Alanna surveyed the Welsh countryside below, laid out in summer glory. Flowers bloomed amid the grass and rock formations, while sheep grazed with much satisfaction. In the distance, she glimpsed other hikers, but here on this particular hill they were alone.
Relishing the peace, Alanna turned to her friends and slipped off her rucksack and sunglasses. Crouching over her bag, she pulled free her water bottle and drank in careful sips. Ffion was singing a Welsh song unrecognisable to Alanna as she tucked escaped strands of golden hair back under her hat, the peak shadowing her fine features, while Stefan consulted a map.
“Are we close to your secret picnic location, Stefan?” asked Alanna.
“Um, about that…” Stefan fiddled with his paper map, a blush heating his cheeks. “You know I said that it would be great to take advantage if there was good weather this weekend?”
“I distinctly remember it,” agreed Ffion. “Though considering your fear of heights, I’m impressed you have made it so far up.”
“Well, I’m not looking down,” offered Stefan.
“No, you’re not,” remarked Alanna. “However, you’re deflecting the point. Care to share?”
Stefan wilted slightly at her tone, though he relaxed a little at the smile that followed. “So, going for a picnic wasn’t the sole reason for our little excursion. I’ve been here before….”
“We assumed that, Stefan,” said Ffion. “Though clearly, we should have asked why.”
“Right, you know my hobby is UFOs and following up any sightings or leads?” Both women nodded, waiting in trepidation for their friend to reach the point.
“A friend of mine witnessed glowing lights and a sensation of time disorientation around here. He did a sweep through, but came up with nothing. He dismissed the events, citing a ‘tired mind,’ but I couldn’t stop thinking that maybe he was wrong. So, I decided to spend my annual leave over the past week observing this area for any abnormal activity.”
Stefan leaned closer even though they were all alone, whispering now in sheer delight. “I witnessed the same events as my friend, but also voices speaking an unknown language. I did my best to follow the voices and discovered this stream, taking up position close by. At one instance a low fog seemed to emit from the stream’s opening on this hillside, and I’m nearly certain someone was concealed within the fog.”
Alanna stood abruptly, startling both her companions. Her eyes scrutinised the stream and the small dark opening where it poured forth into the sunlit world. She didn’t doubt Stefan’s assertions, which meant that they were not as alone as she had previously considered.
“You needn’t worry, Alanna,” reassured Stefan, “they only come at night.” Refusing to turn her attention from the formerly non-threatening stream, Alanna gestured for Stefan to continue with his confession.
“Well, um, I wished to investigate further, and it’s always wise to have company. Yet I knew my friend would prevent me from returning, so I turned to you two. We are all interested in what else may be out there, so I decided that once you were here you would be all for the plan – as well as a picnic, naturally,” added Stefan with a nervous laugh.
There was a moment’s hush, just as when a cat pauses in the moments before leaping out on its prey. Alanna was impressed when Ffion exploded first.
“Are you an idiot, Stefan?” The blonde ploughed on before Stefan could protest. “If this is a portal to another world, we’re in danger! You do not mess with the Tylwyth Teg!”
“Oh, we won’t interfere with them,” reassured Stefan hastily. “Just observe and report our findings.”
“To your mysterious friend?” queried Alanna, finally tearing her wandering gaze from the dark opening.
“Yes?”
“You can reveal who your mysterious friend is once I have my say, Stefan. Whether the cause of these peculiar events is supernatural or extra-terrestrial in origin, there are consequences for interfering. It is extremely foolish to seek magical or advanced races without proper preparation or caution. You may believe you are merely observing, but let me tell you: if you, without magic or superior technology has seen them, what makes you think that they haven’t observed you likewise?”
Stefan paled at the implication while Alanna frowned at the glare she received from Ffion. She did not mean to be harsh, but the truth had to be stated. Ffion placed an arm around Stefan, giving him a gentle hug which he returned as she said, “Ever the former scout, Alanna. While you’re correct, it is faithless the friend who abandons their friends when danger is close.”
“Faithless indeed and I shall proceed, for if anything happens, I would never forgive myself for eschewing my friends. I have stated my concerns for now. So Stefan, what is next?”
Stefan scrambled to his feet with Ffion following. His expression was sombre, though there was a glint of excitement in his eyes which told Alanna that his spirits were hardly dashed by her warnings.
“Gather your rucksacks; we need to find the entrance into the hillside, and I promise to tell you all about my ‘mysterious’ friend once we are eating.”
“Lunch!” cheered Ffion.
“I really hope I packed enough food for your appetites,” sighed Alanna as she pulled on her rucksack and adjusted the brim of her hat against the bright sunshine. She did not bother replacing her sunglasses as they would shortly – according to Stefan – be entering some dark underground system. There were cave systems nearby, but Alanna wouldn’t care to venture into them without the proper equipment, experience, and a suitable guide. Hopefully, they would stay close to the entrance, otherwise she would have to be the spoilsport yet again.
Stefan advanced to the stream entrance and peered into the opening. “I’m sure this was wider before,” he muttered before sticking one hand inside, much to Alanna’s alarm.
Even as she opened her mouth to advise caution, the ground shifted under her feet. Looking down, Alanna hissed as she saw the grass and earth split aside.
“Run!”
Unfortunately, her cry was lost as some force seized her and dragged her down into the cracking earth. Soil parted on either side like some mockery of the parting of the Red Sea by Moses, before a yawning blackness opened under Alanna. She caught the frightened expressions of her two dear friends as they, too, were pulled under and tumbled into the yawning abyss.
* * *
Gradually, awareness filtered through as Alanna regained consciousness. The sound of water first penetrated, then a sensation of damp, causing her to shiver. A cold wet surface was under her cheek, and as Alanna stirred, she realised how hard and uncomfortable her position was.
She moved her hands underneath her body and levered herself up, blinking as pain lanced through her right leg. Darkness embraced her with a pinprick of yellow light in the distance. She had been lying on her front, her head twisted awkwardly to the side. Gently rolling her head to loosen her stiff neck muscles, Alanna examined her right leg and exhaled in relief. No broken bones. The wetness seeping through her trousers indicated she was bleeding, though not badly. She would deal with that once she knew what had happened to her friends.
Knowing that light would help, yet having no idea if there was an unfriendly presence nearby, Alanna decided to listen first. A minute dragged by with only the noise of water, the distinct sound of waves lapping against the shore. Where were they? The impression of a vast empty space pressed down upon Alanna, with a body of water of some kind. Could they be in a cave system? If so, where precisely, and who had brought them here?
Yet it appeared that they were alone, so Alanna elected to risk illumination. Quietly as possible, she tried her watch but realised the digital interface no longer worked. Pulling her phone free of its pocket in her hiking waistcoat offered the same result. Carefully working her rucksack off, she used memory alone to locate her torch in the outer zipped side pocket. The zip made an unpleasantly loud noise.
Heart racing, Alanna waited but again heard nothing. Relieved, she pulled her torch out and released a shaky breath when the light came on – it flickered every few seconds as if there was some charge in the atmosphere, causing it to malfunction. She was aware of a static feeling and remembered Stefan regaling them with tales of electronic malfunctions in the presence of not only supernatural events, but alien encounters too. Dread spiked in her belly, and Alanna swung the weak beam around, noticing she was perched on a shelf of rock jutting out over what had to be a huge lake.
High above ascended darkness, and Alanna could find no evidence of their ignominious entrance and fall. The situation grew more worrying at every discovery. She cautiously rolled over, biting her lip as pain crawled up her leg like spiders scuttling over her flesh. As she did, she saw her displaced hat and succeeded in dragging it over and stuffing it between her belt and trousers. Now aiming the beam of her torch towards the back of the shelf, she nearly cried out when she caught sight of the two forms of her friends.
“Stefan! Ffion! Are you okay? Please wake up!”
At her voice, both forms shifted, and groans echoed in the chamber. Fortunately, this elicited the same silence as previously, so Alanna dragged herself over to her friends. Stefan and Ffion had been curled up on their sides unlike her and now raised their heads, their eyes blinking blearily in the weak glare of the torch.
“Alanna?” croaked Stefan, “where are we? Are you alright?”
“We are in a cavern of some type, on a rocky shelf extending out over a lake. There is a dot of light in the distance, but otherwise, we are in darkness.”
Ffion sat up and gripped her arm, face dreadfully pale. “My arm, I think it’s broken.”
“Badly bruised only,” reported Stefan, “apart from my head. Am I bleeding?”
Alanna nodded. “Yes, but I can patch you up. Here.” She shoved her rucksack over. “Find the first aid kit while I examine Ffion’s arm. Then take out your jumpers; it is cold here and we must conserve our body heat.”
The next few minutes were filled with Alanna treating her friends’ injuries. Stefan’s were the easiest, requiring only an antiseptic wash, antibiotic cream, and a large plaster. There was no evidence of concussion, though a close watch would need to be kept until she was entirely sure. Ffion was trickier. Alanna could only ascertain that the break was clean, for no bones – thank heavens – were poking through the skin. Extremely carefully and gently, she used bandages to wrap the arm and put it in a sling to at least minimise jarring.
Her own wounds were next. She uncovered the shallow gash in her right leg and grimly cleansed the site, grimacing at the pain. Her first aid kit had a sewing kit, and grateful for her medical training, Alanna did her best to sew the gash closed. Stefan, to his credit, held the flickering torch over her leg, head averted as he clutched his rosary and whispered a prayer to his God and to the Blessed Virgin. Ffion also prayed in silence, to her gods. Alanna persevered in the stillness, laying iodine patches over the closed site to stem infection before bandaging up her leg.
At this point, Stefan spoke. “How are we still alive? We can’t see the ceiling of this cavern, and the way our voices echo suggests a large spacious chamber.”
“You’re the UFO expert,” said Alanna with a tired smile. Accepting the water bottle from Ffion, Alanna sipped, relieved to soothe the parched feeling in her throat. She watched as Ffion fumbled with her hat and Stefan’s, squeezing them one-handed into her open rucksack.
He shrugged. “At a guess? If it wasn’t magic, then it may have been a type of forcefield that caught us and slowed our descent so that our injuries were minimal. We either triggered it by our presence or, as you proposed, Alanna, we were being monitored and they – whoever they are – activated the collapse of the earth.”
“That indicates a trap,” whispered Ffion.
“Yes,” admitted Stefan reluctantly.
“Then where are our captors?” persisted Ffion. “Are we even in our world anymore?” Alanna moved to diminish Ffion’s fear. If they began panicking now, it would decrease their ability to take advantage of any opportunities that may crop up.
“I think we may still be on Earth, if only because whoever set the trap is not immediately present. Before you awoke, I listened for a while and heard nothing but the waters of the lake. Though where the breeze originates from to cause the waves is a good question. That said, we better move if we are to stand any chance of escaping.”
Alanna stretched a hand to Stefan. “Help me up, please?”
Stefan stood and then helped Alanna and Ffion to rise. He donned his rucksack, aided Alanna’s with hers, then slung Ffion’s over one shoulder. It took a minute to help the ladies off the ledge and onto the rocky shore of the lake. By this point, the torch was flickering more frequently, its yellow beam threatening to cut out entirely.
“Electronic malfunction?” asked Stefan as he examined the torch, then his watch and phone.
“Yes,” confirmed Alanna.
Stefan exhaled in frustration. “Well, where do we go?”
“Follow the lake around,” said Alanna. “We have no other choice for there are no tunnels, which is a little disturbing.” Nodding in silent agreement, they set off three abreast.
Every step caused Alanna’s leg to burn and set her breath on edge, but with Stefan’s support, she could walk. In the gloom, she could just about discern the tall form of Ffion to her left, who was holding her arm carefully but seemed to be in minimal pain after taking some codeine.
After what felt like a long time, though was probably less, they saw a thick bank of fog upon the surface of the lake reaching up in an opaque barrier three metres high. The yellow pinprick resolved to a vibrating glow shimmering within the thick greyness. A sharp metallic smell of copper emanated from this shifting mist, which stung their tongues and filled their lungs and noses, bringing tears that they blinked away. At this point they could walk no farther around the lake, so Stefan left them on the shore as he tested the depth of the lake. It reached his waist, so he assisted them down into the waters.
Ffion was fine, as she was tall like Stefan, but Alanna was up to under her arms. She gritted her teeth against the cold and leant more heavily on Stefan. They stumbled into yellow-greyness, gasping at the even more pungent odour of copper. Ffion gripped Alanna’s shoulder with her good hand so they wouldn’t be separated.
Struggling through, the fog eventually fell away to reveal a shimmering portal. It was a circular window, about ten metres across. The circle was moving, the surface rippling like waves, with a clear breeze radiating through it. Energy circled around the circumference, seemingly self-contained until they noticed the crystal-type structures. They rose from the depths of the lake, forming pillars on either side of the shifting mass.
In contrast to the damp coldness of the cavern, heat now pressed upon them from the energetic reaction. Speechless, they stood entranced, wondering at the strange beauty before them and pondering who had created this portal. As they gazed upon it, the surfaces pulsed, the silver turning an intense white and reaching towards them to engulf the trio.
Space and time contracted about them, and Alanna wanted to cry out as her very spirit felt like it was brushed by the Universe in a surge of pure light. Time had no meaning as she hung onto her friends in this tunnel of Everywhere and Nowhere until…until…
The world exploded into being. Only Stefan’s reflexes saved Ffion and Alanna from hurting themselves further. He staggered as he embraced them both, one arm wrapped around each of them.
The portal vanished in a ripple and the crystal pillars no longer pulsed with light.
Breathing rapidly, Alanna found her footing, as did Ffion. The trio of friends shook the stars from their eyes and minds and focused upon their new surroundings. A cave system met their vision: a massive cavern, full of tall alien humanoids who were now observing them with great interest.
Alanna froze.
Beside her, she heard Stefan’s sharp intake of breath and Ffion’s horrified gasp. Alanna strove to shake off her shock and limped in front of her friends, sharp eyes resting on the weapons carried by some of the tall aliens. Others appeared to be civilians, for their clothing was different from those who had a militaristic bent to their garments.
Crystal-like structures were everywhere, some glowing with a myriad of colours: reds, purples, pinks, and greens, while others throbbed a pure white. All radiated energy, with a few emitting what sounded like a musical score played on a flute.
An extremely tall alien stepped forward. He wore authority like a cloak, and it struck Alanna that he was the kind of person who moved with the calm assurance of knowing who he was and with a profound understanding of his place in society.
He was clad in knee-high burgundy boots, black trousers, a mid-thigh length burgundy overcoat with the edge of a forest green shirt showing at the collar. A dark green sash was tied around his waist, and from a belt was attached a gun and possibly a knife or dagger. A russet-colored peaked hat sat on his head. A pearlescent dragon in flight with blue jewels for eyes adorned his collars.
His appearance was so very alien to Alanna’s eyes, though she must appear equally odd to him. His skin tone was violet, and his irises recalled the golden hue of the daffodils in her grandmother’s garden. Yet those golden eyes lacked their warmth, and Alanna experienced a cold chill at the implacable will in that piercing, assessing gaze. Hair as black as a starless night covered his head and was swept back to reveal…
“Tylwyth Teg?” whispered Ffion in confusion.
The alien raised an eyebrow at that and examined Ffion and then Stefan. He turned back to Alanna, who had been startled to witness the ears without a discernible lobe sweeping to a point. Holding his gaze was difficult, but Alanna persevered, mindful to keep his attention from her friends: dear Stefan who, while courageous, did not always consider the consequences of his actions; and Ffion who laughed gaily and who was too sweet and kind for such adversity as this alien displayed.
He came to stand close to Alanna, towering over her, at what was well over six feet – compared to an old professor, Alanna estimated he was either 6’7” or close to it.
The alien observed her, seemingly intrigued by what he perceived, but Alanna knew that with an alien culture she could be mistaken. When he spoke, it was the most beautiful thing Alanna had heard.
Every word and syllable were musical in nature. The alien language fell and rose in a wonderful lyrical tinkling of notes. Noticing her lack of understanding, the alien tried again in Welsh.
Ffion cried out in surprise. “He welcomed us in an old Northern dialect! Oh –” Her delight and awe vanished. “He said we were his prisoners.”
The alien had shifted his attention to Ffion, much to Alanna’s concern, when a disturbing thought intruded. You have been to our world before, she realised as she watched Stefan squeeze Ffion’s hand and stare back at the alien. The revelation was not unexpected, but worrying. Alanna inclined her head as discreetly as possible to Ffion, who mercifully noticed and fell silent. Stefan also caught her eye and said nothing.
The alien smiled, but it was a cold, smug smile which sent a chill through Alanna. Even so, she was relieved when he returned his attention to her and away from her friends.
“You…converse…in English,” he remarked. His voice was musical as ever, though with an odd edge as he switched to a language foreign to him.
“You are in charge?” he addressed Alanna directly.
Alanna decided to agree, hoping that it would minimise unwanted attention towards her friends. “Yes, I am.”
“Your companion is correct. I welcome you to our world, but as my prisoners. We cannot have you interfering with our operations, after all.” This smile was genuine if not comforting.
“If that is so, then may I know who has captured us and where we are? Indeed, what is our crime?”
The alien actually laughed, and oh, Alanna was fascinated by how rich-bodied his laughter was. His golden eyes were brimming with what she thought was mirth, though he had lost none of his authoritative demeanour.
“Brave little one, for such honest directness I shall be equally honest. My name would be difficult for you to pronounce. However, you may call me Commander Aleksander – that name has served me well among your people before.”
“You have been to Earth multiple times in our history,” breathed Stefan softly. He cringed when Alanna gestured for him to be quiet.
“Naturally. You have been observing us for the past week, Stef-an,” replied Commander Aleksander coldly. “Surely you cannot be shocked by such an admission? Your leader is not, and she was not even aware of your little investigation until you revealed it most unkindly at the very last moment. Oh yes, we heard your conversation.”
Alanna was sick to her stomach, but persevered. “Then why were we alone when we awoke? Why attempt to communicate in Welsh?”
“Your companion sang in the language, so I thought to try it first.”
And ascertain whether we could converse in secret with each other, which you now know we can’t, thought Alanna grimly.
“As for our absence, I must apologise. Our scientists miscalculated how swiftly we were to act and brought you to us sooner than my men were ready to deploy.” His eyes narrowed in displeasure.
“Such an error will be assessed, and the lesson learnt.”
“Our crime?”
Commander Aleksander cocked his head. “Surely you can guess, Alanna?”
“It would be unwise to convict myself or my companions.”
“Ah, you are delightful, Alanna, and of course, correct. In respect of your crime…We would rather not have our presence discovered by anyone else. We have been remiss in permitting Stef-an to observe us, which we are correcting now. I think you can appreciate our position.”
Alanna broke their locked gaze to peer at the other aliens milling about in the cavern. Men and women transported goods with not even a glance in their direction. Sleek weapons upon vehicles were brought to the appropriate areas in an orderly manner reminiscent of bees in a beehive.
“An invasion? What can Earth offer such an advanced race?”
“Invasion? Perhaps, perhaps not. We observe as you plunder your planet and make war, as those who plea for peace and care of your Earth fight against the madness. There is much that can be taken advantage of, and if we must intervene ere you destroy your world, then we may do so.”
Commander Aleksander stepped back while three soldiers stepped forward with glittering golden bracelets.
“The fate of Earth is no longer your concern, however, Alanna, Ffion, and Stef-an. You must excuse the restraints; we cannot risk any escape or a whispered warning to a person who might heed your message. I assure you that your injuries will be treated.”
“And afterwards?”
“Depending on whether we can extract your parole, you will have a certain level of freedom. Once we are assured of your continued obedience, further freedoms can be negotiated and obtained.”
The threat threading through his honeyed promises echoed loud and clear. Alanna had already silently debated their chances, but Commander Aleksander’s reply put an official seal on her conclusion. In their condition, their injuries would slow them to the point of uselessness. She could barely walk, so running was out of the question; Stefan was groggy and open to a potential concussion, and Ffion was vulnerable with her arm.
Worse, little of what Alanna could perceive in the cavern was familiar to her. The scientific equipment was bewildering, based on a crystal-type technology (inferred simply from what she could see) that Alanna could not begin to comprehend. If they somehow escaped, they would be faced with a technological interface superior to any on Earth, in a language they had no experience with, beyond an initial greeting. All recipes for disaster when attempting to travel back through a time-space portal – the underlying physics of which was not known to those outside, other than whatever theories Stefan may be aware of through his research.
Ffion excelled in linguistics and most likely in time could learn the alien language, and Stefan could probably grasp the technology sufficiently to eventually take them home. These requirements necessitated time and opportunity, none of which was open to them currently.
“It is futile to argue against such logic. I concede on behalf of all of us: we will go in peace.”
Commander Aleksander increased in her estimation when he did not try to extract an immediate promise of no escape. Instead, he ordered the men to put the bracelets on the prisoners.
The glittering golden bracelets were slipped over Alanna’s wrists. As she watched in horrified fascination, threads – fine as spider web – extended from the bracelets to wrap over her hands and up her arms. A hum of energy tickled her ears, and Alanna shivered as she felt the course of warm currents run through her bound hands, wrists and arms, to trickle through her body. Stefan was treated similarly while Ffion had only her uninjured hand bound.
To Alanna’s surprise, they were lifted and carried to a vehicle that recalled to mind the floating ‘cars’ of many a sci-fi film. Their rucksacks were placed at their feet. Commander Aleksander joined them, and the vehicle started on a smooth glide, with barely a hum to disturb their ears. The pain from her leg injury reasserted itself now that she wasn’t busy attempting to soothe matters with their captors.
Rocky walls rushed by in a blur until they emerged into a world that was full of stunning splendour.
A golden-amber sky rose above them, with white clouds and flying ships of all descriptions. Alanna’s mind reeled as she tried to absorb all that her senses were receiving. A humid tropical heat pressed upon them, with plants – dark green and royal blue – dotted about the horizon. Oval-shaped discs flashed through the alien skies, while airplane-type aircraft also glided with grace amid the traffic, manoeuvring with ease around flying serpent-shaped beasts. One swooped low, revealing an iridescent blue hide, delicate whiskers, powerful yet silk-like wings, and a long sinuous tail.
“Dragons?” whispered Ffion.
Stefan nodded dumbly and glanced at Alanna, who was unable to speak. Commander Aleksander and his men laughed in amusement at their awe, and again when Stefan squeaked when he saw the crystal pillars with the same silver-white portals. Ships would flash into existence and come to rest on a nearby landing pad. Violet hued aliens, as well as feline-type humanoids would disembark.
The aliens were all clad in bright and colourful clothing. Any dark shades were contrasted with a splash of lighter fabric, whether that be pure white, a verdant green, rose-pink or tulip-red as well as other combinations. Colour was evidently an important aspect of this culture.
There was so much to try and parse that they were shutting their eyes and rubbing their temples. As such, they were mildly relieved to reach a building constructed from an ivory-coloured material. They were helped inside and through corridors lit by crystals and adorned with colourful paintings of scenes that could be from their captors’ history, up through lifts that were sleek and silver, until they reached a medical bay.
The doctor was as brightly dressed as the people they had seen. Tall and slender where the Commander and his guards were bulkier, he had an aura of tranquillity and professionalism that resonated with Alanna’s soul.
The equipment had her in the throes of absolute wonder and desperation to learn and understand. Yet the rigours of the last couple of hours were just too overwhelming. All she could do was cling onto her composure so that Stefan and Ffion wouldn’t panic.
“I will leave you for now,” remarked Commander Aleksander. He smiled at Alanna, and something in his attitude made her ill-at-ease.
“Once you have been tended to, had refreshment and slept, we shall speak again.”
Alanna inclined her head in acknowledgement, standing resolutely even as her right leg screamed in agony. Commander Aleksander touched his hat in a gesture so reminiscent of her world that Alanna was momentarily disorientated. Had they developed this gesture separately from some of Earth’s culture or was this further proof of contact between their worlds?
All she could do was watch as the commander departed, leaving two guards at the entrance to the medical bay. She exhaled a ragged breath and faced her friends. Two pale faces, one full of guilt, stared at her woefully.
“Don’t look like that, Stefan. As I remember, you didn’t force us at knifepoint – we chose of our free will to accompany you. No, don’t speak. Let the doctor do his work. We can chat later.”
Stefan and Ffion received her message loud and clear: heal first, plan an escape later.
Thus, the three permitted the doctor and his staff to seat them on beds for assessment. Alanna insisted on being last, which the doctor honoured. As she waited, Alanna gazed out of the window at the strange alien world they had fallen through space to land upon.
A tree with diamond-shaped leaves of a midnight blue dipped its head elegantly beside the window, and as she watched, a winged creature landed on a branch to nibble at the white flowers blooming there. Alanna was reminded of a Pterosaurs, though smaller in size, and with lavender and navy feathers.
It soared away after a few minutes, and as Alanna watched it go, she hoped they would all be so free one day.