Dreamland

Had my day started out per usual, I don't think any of it would've ever happened. Who knew that when you drove south on Old Vail Road, that there really was literally a veil which crossed the road.

I didn't see the veil on my way home. I was too busy making sure I actually had my backpack. I didn't even realize I had gone through it until my body started tingling and I couldn't feel my legs.

I happened to glance up at my surroundings - only to find them missing. The trees, the colours, the cacti. Everything. All that was left was a never ending road, and me. The world had gone white, no outlines or anything. I tried to quit walking but my legs either wouldn't, or couldn't, obey me.

"Ana."

I jumped at the sound of a loud, booming voice calling my name. I looked around but didn't see anyone.

I did, however, see a strange looking bird. No. Dragon. Wait, dragon? It's scales were a dark but lustrous green that shimmered in the un-sourced light. It's muzzle was wet-looking, and several antennae-looking whiskers that swept down, were seemingly 5 feet long. The dragon had a crown-like head. The horns melded into its' forehead, then up 2 feet off the large diamond head and curved slightly over its back.

The tail had to be at least 20 feet long, beautiful armour-like scales extended all the way to the end. My gaze drifted toward its claws. One of its claws could fit at least four of me. The tips looked razor sharp and like they had seen many wars.

I shook my bangs out of my face, and cleared my throat. I felt silly. I mean, it wasn't like the dragon could respond.

"Hello?" I hated that my voice sounded weak.

"Hello," the beautiful dragon spoke. It never opened its mouth, but i knew the speaker was the dragon.

"I'm Ana?" Again with the pathetic, uncertain voice. Ugh.

"I know."

"How?"

"Because I am you other half, your Callate."

"My what?"

"Callate."

"And that means..what?"

"Your other half."

"My other half?"

"Yes."

"And is your name the same as mine?"

"No. As your counterpart, I am your opposite in every way. I am the Yin to your Yang."

"Then what's your name?"

"Jalim. And as you are no longer in your world, you are now called Jallana."

"Why do I have to change my name?" I asked. I wanted my name; it was something I knew, Something familiar.

"Because there are certain people in Kairna who wish to destroy all connections with Earth. Kainra, however (Kairna's twin world), encourages contact with the Earth people.

During the silence, I thought about my options. 1) I could go back to Earth (if I had ever actually left it), 2) Defeat the "certain people" Jalim was talking about, or 3) I could adopt my new name and live as a normal person on Kairna.

"Can I go home?"

"No. You must adopt your name and defeat the high powers before you can do anything with the life you've recently been living in."

"Defeat higher powers? I can't do that. I'm not a fighting kind of person, I mean, I kinda just run away from confrontations," I half-yelled.

"And this is why you must defeat them. You will learn how to fight and you will destroy them."

"I don't even know who 'them' is! I'm not even sure that you're real!" I was yelling at full volume, now.

"Trust me."

"Why?"

"Because I am your Callate. If you meditate for a moment you will see it’s true.” Jalim’s voice was deep, scary, and understanding. I hated that last one – it meant that he knew I would come around to his way of thinking.

For a moment, all I did was stay rooted in place and glare at my supposed counterpart. Then, I conceded and flopped down on where I imaged the ground would be. Surprisingly, I did not fall into a never-ending white abyss.

“Cross your legs, sit up straight, close your eyes, and empty your mind.”

“How the –“

“Just keep your mind empty of emotions and thoughts. Think only about the truth. . .”

I closed my eyes, just as he said. At first, I was frustrated because nothing was happening. But in the next moment, I felt like I was literally plunging down the labyrinth that made up my mind.