John was sweating profusely, the dream he’d bolted awake from had seemed more real than not. Shaking John got out of bed walking to the kitchen area to get something to drink. Dear god he thought he could still smell the sweat and grime where the woman was. Closing his eyes he still couldn’t see her face, almost everything else he could though.
 
Sitting at the table still trembling, John eyes spied the mirror he’d left next to the chair when he’d shown it to Torran and Triance. Rising he unsteadily walked over and lifted it. Strange he thought the surface was murkier than mirror like. Shaking his head he remembered Mother Nature telling him that it would help him for now. That what needed to be done would be shown. Also that it would be confusing at first.

 Shaking his head again John thought, ‘I just want to know where she is that’s all.’ With a slight warming sensation the mirror hummed and a huge myriad of images started to flash. The images came with ever increasing speed ’til they blurred, then the surface was again murky.

 I see what she meant now John thought, concentrating, he again thought of his question. Again the mirror hummed with a warming sensation then the images started to flash quicker and quicker. Then just as suddenly the images were gone and the surface was murky again. Perhaps I am going about this wrong John thought.

 Laying the mirror flat on the table John again posed a question. Where is the woman Mercy at this moment? The mirror hummed but the image remained murky. ‘What?!’ John thought, and then he remembered he was out of time she as of yet wasn’t. So at this moment where he was she didn’t exist. Then shrugging John thought, where he was really nothing existed at this moment. So I see he thought I have to be very specific with my questions.

 John thought for several minutes, he had to ask for exactly what he wanted. It was that or he’d never get anywhere with it. He’d thought he’d formulated his question several times but had to rethink it after a few questions popped up. Finally a few hours later John turned to the mirror.

 “I wish to see the woman Mercy at the moment she called for help and I heard her. I wish to know what year it is where she is.” John asked. This time the mirror hummed differently as the surfaced cleared. John saw a very dark place then he heard the moans of several people in the background. He saw that Mercy was chained to a wall as were several elfin people. Suddenly a series of words flashed in front of the surface then were gone.

 John’s mouth dropped open, those were elfin words! Why couldn’t he read them? He thought he’d already learned all of Alfheim! He’d have to call Triance since it appeared that Torran was still out. <Triance? I am sorry to intrude, but could you come to my building please? I have seen some words in Alfheim I believe, that I cannot understand.>

 <Yes sir, I will be there soon.> Triance thought back.

 A few moments later Triance appeared at the entrance to his building. “I’m here sir, how can I help?”

 “I was just starting to understand exactly how to use the mirror. I asked my questions and got answers though I am afraid that I can’t read the words that appeared. I was hoping that you could tell me what they were.” John related.

 “Yes sir, whatever I can to do to help.” Triance happily told him.

 John put the mirror on the table and again asked his questions as before the same images appeared. Then the words appeared, and then were gone. “There did you see them?” John asked.

 Triance only shook her head, “I am afraid that the mirror only works for your eyes sir. Can you remember what the words were?” Came her reply.

 John thought of what he’d seen a moment then the words [To Tusen Fem Alfheim før} appeared in the air between them. John’s mouth hung agape as he pointed, “Yes that’s it!”

 “Ah! Good! You have learned to thought write also very good sir! That is year 2005 Alfheim before.” Triance told him.

 “Uh, ok I’m not all that much up on your way of telling time and years.” A now more confused John said.

 Triance smiled and nodded, “I’m sorry sir I had forgotten. I’d say it was roughly 4010 or 11 B.C. in your time and years.

 John was nodding, so it appeared that he had more than just her to save in that time. I am going to have to increase what I can if I am ever going
to try and save her and them. “Thank you Triance. I am going to have to practice more if I am going to even have a chance to do anything. As of now I can thought walk, talk and write not much else if only I could project…” 

 In front of John and Triance a five foot opening appeared. Smiling John walked to it and motioned Triance with him. Stepping through, they were on the other side of the town! Looking back John saw that there was nothing where he’d just walked out of! Hmm so, one way, interesting a possible escape route if they needed it.

 Granle walked up a huge smile on his face. “Very good young one! I haven’t seen a step through for some time. You are the first I have seen use one in a very long time. Your friend was the last to do it long ago when we elders were small children.”

 John nodded that was all well and good but could he do that when he needed to? Plus there were a few others things he needed to be able to do before he could try. Sighing he decided it was going to take more work if he had a chance.

 “Thank you Granle, I am working on everything that I can. I have to get stronger before I can do anything. I just hope that I don’t end up letting anyone down.” John replied.

 “Seriously sir, Santa, I don’t think you could ever let anyone down.” Granle told him with a wide smile. Triance walked to Granle and bowed then whispered in his ear. A look of astonishment made the elder’s eyes go wide. “Is it true you have visited Mother Nature? Already you have gained her favor as she has gifted you with the knowledge mirror!”

 There were several gasps as almost all assembled bowed to John. Slightly embarrassed John told them,
“Please I am no god to bow to. As I said I have much to accomplish before I can properly lead you. I hope to soon as we have your kinsmen to save.”

 Most of those there nodded and volunteered to assist him in any way that they could. “We of the council will also lend our help sir.” Granle told him. 

 John nodded then looked at the spot in front of him. Again a five foot opening appeared and he stepped through. This time he ended up on the opposite side of the town! ‘Well,’ John thought, ‘I can make it now I just have to learn how to direct it.’

 For the next five days John worked on moving, getting the time quicker and quicker. Finally John took a deep breath as Torran and Triance wished him good luck then he thought of his resort home. His vision blurred for a few seconds then he was there! Finally John thought, at least now I know that I am strong enough. Now all I need is a way to direct exactly where I am going.

 John was thinking this as suddenly his vision blurred for a few minutes. Then he was standing outside of a tall tower. Great John thought now where am I? Standing there John was startled a moment as massive strikes of lightning started to strike around the tower. I better get under cover before I get hit John thought and was suddenly inside the front door of the tower.

 “I was wondering when you were going to come in.” A deep voice bellowed from the back of the room. “It’s awful dangerous to remain outside during the storms. Well come on boy! Let’s have a look at you!”

 John nodded then felt foolish as he stepped forward heading toward the voice. Rounding a corner John came face to face with a small impish man not much taller than Torran or Triance. “Hello sir.” John said trying to hide his shock.

 “Ah! I see, not exactly what you were expecting huh? Don’t worry you aren’t what I was either!” Then the impish man let out a deep barrel laugh. “Been waiting for you a long time now. Slow you are! Have everything that you need.” 

 With that the man pulled out a large crystal, a red spandex type of suit, a large empty sack, and finally another large sack of corn. 

 John could only look on with a curious look as the man piled everything at his feet. “What…” John started.

 Sighing the man looked at John. “I’d forgot you are the new man. Alright this,” the man lifted the crystal, “is the Tid stopp krystall. This” the man indicated the suit, “will protect you from almost anything. The empty sack you can link to where ever you want. You just reach in and what you think is there, will be there if you have made it. This last sack of corn, you’ll need to plant a little and grow more. I know you are strong but thought walking everywhere will exhaust you.”

 “You seem to know an awful lot about me,” John said. “Just who are you?”

 “Oh! Where are my manners! I have a number of names though when we meet, I will be going by Olaf. I owe you much my dear fellow. I knew you’d come to me one day, so I have been preparing. These things will help you greatly and remember the effects of the corn only last a day. Now then I have much to do so be gone with you! I will see you for the first time soon my friend ’til then think home in the rift.”

 “Home in the rift?” John said as his vision blurred for perhaps a minute and a half then he was standing in the main room! Looking around John saw that the crystal, the suit, the empty sack, and the sack of corn were there also.

 A wide eyed Torran and Triance walked in a moment later. “By the creator!” He was almost whispering in awe. “The Tid stopp krystall! I thought to never see it!”

 John looked at the large crystal a moment wondering what all the fuss was about. “Obviously this is important but I still have no idea of what it is or it does!” John told a still in shock Torran and Triance.

 “Sir, from what the oldest of our kind have said this is what YOU created the rift with! It stores energy from you, already it has started. The simple fact that you had it with you when you thought walked has started it growing. It is attuned to you sir, the stronger you are the stronger it gets.” Triance explained.

 John could only shake his head this was starting to get more and more complicated! “I think I am going to have a headache! I have to create the rift in the past but the rift is out of time. One of the oldest of your kind was there with me when I did this. I will lead you all to this rift but I have to make the rift with all of you as children?!”

 John sat with a thud as his head started to throb from the possibilities that were flowing through his mind. “Sir, are you alright?” Torran asked a worried look on his face.

 “If being confused about what I am to do next and where I am to go then sure I am.” John said a little sarcastically.

 When Torran nodded his agreement John could only throw his arms up feeling like he was getting nowhere fast. “Sir as we told you, there is all the time you need. You made sure of that when you placed the Tid stopp krystall. It won’t take long sir you’ll see.” Triance told him with a wide smile.

 ‘Why do I feel that she is making fun of me,’ John thought. I swear everything is a paradox here!

 “We will leave you to practice sir. We will be back in a few days to assist you. Triance will make sure you eat in the mean time.” Torran said as he and Triance left the building.
                  ___________________________________________________________________

 For the next 10 days John practiced noticing his thought walking ability growing very strong. Five days into the ten John discovered a new ability quite by mistake. Triance had just come by with a tray of food, and John commented that she looked tired. “No sir, we don’t require as much rest as you think we…”

 John whirled around to find that Triance was asleep on the floor! ‘Oh dear,’ he thought, ‘what have I done now?’ “Triance?” John asked tentatively. Reaching over John gently shook her shoulder. Giving a sigh of relief he was glad to see that she was still breathing! “Triance? Please wake up now!”

 Triance stirred then bolted upright, “Oh dear, I am sorry sir!” She then turned to stare at John. “You did that sir didn’t you?” She asked her eyes wide. “You have learned sleep urging! This is wonderful sir!”

 “I’m glad you think it is so wonderful Triance. I have absolutely no idea how I did it!” A confused John told her.

 “You will sir, you will. Always think back to what you did it will help.” Triance told him with an ever widening smile. 

 Five days later the council appeared outside his door. Granle stepped forward, “it appears that you are finally in command of that which you need. We have awaited for this for a long time. It was a pleasure to meet you, and it will be our honor to work with you Santa. Now then, your Mercy is waiting for you as we all are. Be well and go with the creator sir.”

 John could only stare at all the smiling elfin people as his vision blurred for a few moments. Suddenly he was standing between Mercy and Handral! “By the creator!” Mercy stated. “It’s you! You must leave before they capture you. Wait how did you get in here?”

 John smiled as he touched the manacles on her arms and legs and they were gone. Moving to Handral he did the same. Reaching to the wall John touched the wall, “you are all so tired, all of you guards can’t keep awake.” There were several thuds outside the door of the dungeon room they were in.

 Swiftly John moved around the room Handral following with him as he released all the elves there. “How can I help you friend?” Handral asked.

 “Get everyone ready and together. When we leave we won’t have a lot of time. I can only move all of us so far.” A smiling John told him.

 Nodding Handral started to gather everyone together. Finally John came to the last person chained to the wall. “You have great power,” The person said. “Save the rest I will only slow you.”

 “Olaf, have you always been this stubborn? Hold still now.” John told the shocked Olaf as he was freed in a few seconds. As Olaf sagged forward John was afraid that small man wasn’t going to make it ’til John put his hand on him. Olaf’s eyes shot open as he felt the energy fill him.

 “I thank you sir but this will weaken you, please stop, and save them!” Olaf stated.

 “Olaf shut up and let me finish ok?” John said with a smile as a moment later he let go. “”Alright everyone I am going to make a step through. There are far more here than I thought, so I can’t go as far as I want but it will be enough for now.”

 A large number of elfin eyes stared at John in disbelief. Not only did this human know the old elfin magic, but he spoke Alfheim and he was using the magic to aid them!

 John took a deep breath and made a motion then an opening about six foot wide opened. John watched as the elves started to move through. Almost all of them were through when John started to feel the drain. Crap I used too much opening all the manacles! There were three left now Mercy, Olaf and his self. “Go! Both of you now!” John almost shouted.

 “Sir you are weakening, I will help.” Olaf said.

 “You can help by going through! Mercy now!” John said as he pushed her into the opening. “Go Olaf I am right
behind! I have to be last or it will close before you reach the other side! GO!” John pushed with his foot as Olaf went flailing through the opening. I sure hope they are out of the way!

 “You there! Where are my slaves! I will have your head for this! Open this door NOW!” John heard a gruff authoritative and commanding voice say.

 “I don’t think so!” John said as he jumped into the opening praying that no one was in the way. Almost like before it seemed to only take a few seconds, though John knew they were many miles from where they had started.

 John’s momentum carried him at a rapid speed out the other side almost colliding with Mercy. Standing there he held her in his arms for a few seconds. “Are you alright?” She asked genuinely concerned about him.

 “Yes I believe so; you my dear are you whole?” John asked as he looked her up and down.

 Blushing Mercy said, “Yes kind sir, my savior, our savior! You sir are a true saint! Thank you for rescuing all of us! May I know your name? It is Santa isn’t it? Santa the saint of the Alfheim!”

 John could only blink, Turning he looked out over at least 200 elfin people. No wonder it had taken as much as it had! “I tried to add my magic to yours sir,” Olaf told him. “It appears that you strengthened me but not enough to bring my magic up.”

 “Sorry Olaf I was more concerned about your life than your magic. Want me to put you back and do it again?” A widely smiling John told Olaf.

 “Uh, no that’s ok!” A laughing Olaf was saying.

 John looked out over all assembled as they waited to see what he was going to do. “Alright, I got us out and we are quite a distance from where we were. It will be another day before I can move us again. We need to post guards in case that man can find us. Tomorrow I am hoping I can get us far enough away to so we can actually rest a bit.”

 “Sir?” Came a voice behind John. “I wish to volunteer for being a guard!” John turned to see Handral. 

 “I think that will be fine but you have to be on the lookout the whole time. If you see anything suspicious I want to know.” John told his friend.

 “Yes sir! I will do the best that I can!” Handral stated as he climbed a tree.

 “I really need to rest,” John said more to his self than anyone else.

 “May I rest with you?” Came a female voice.

 John turned and stared into the eyes of gratitude and a lot more, “Yes you can Mercy. I will not force you to.”

 “No sir! I want to, I feel safer with you than I have ever in my life. May I sir?” Mercy asked then smiled as she brushed her red hair from her young
smooth face. John looked at her this time REALLY looked at her. With
everything that had been going on he’d not really had a chance. He had to admit she had a beauty that he hadn’t expected.

 “Yes Mercy, though as I said you do not have to. I do not require you to.” John told her.

 “You don’t like me? I will pledge my life to helping you. Please I didn’t mean to do anything wrong!” Mercy said as a few tears started to fall from her eyes.

 “Please Mercy; I do like you I just wanted you to know I am not going to take advantage of you.” John told her.

 Smiling she sat next to him and laid her head in his lap and was asleep within moments. 

 John felt a throbbing in the bag over his shoulder. Opening it he saw the crystal, it was glowing. It was that moment that he noticed that there was a slight blurriness all around them. Past that everything seemed to be moving extremely slow. John shook his head so this was how the rift started huh?

 John laid next to Mercy and was out within seconds. It seemed only a few minutes later that he felt Handral shaking his shoulder. “Sir? Wake up sir, something strange is going on.”

 John sat upright as he looked past Handral and the blurriness. “How long was I out?” John asked.

 “Almost two days sir! I tried to wake you a few times but you wouldn’t move.”

 Mercy was walking toward him a strange look on her face. “It is so odd,” she started. “No one can leave the area of blurriness. It also appears that the count cannot enter either.”

 John looked at where she was pointing trying not to laugh. On the other side of the area a tall well dressed man was red faced and pounding on it. Strange thing though he was moving comically slow.

 “Alright, I want everyone together! We’re moving again!” John shouted. All together, John nodded and opened the opening again as they started through in mass. John’s last look at the tall man was the man’s face getting redder as John stepped through.

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