were dotted along the vast rolling hills, creating spots of colour against the palest green grass.
But that wasn’t the only sight that dominated the land, as in the middle of this incredible sight of these magnificent creatures was the heart of all beauty. A city unlike any other, and one surrounded by a gleaming white wall that was so polished, it almost looked like a milk white mirror. It was one that reflected the moat of sapphire blue water surrounding it. But then, after a more intense look, I realised that it wasn't just water at all, but in fact, liquid blue flames. An eternal fire that was constantly licking and hissing its dangerous forked ends at the wall, as if guarding the city.
But the real beauty was found in what it protected beyond the wall, as at its core was a castle of the likes I had never seen before! It rose up as though it was one giant sculpted gemstone, making it look as if it had been made from a pale blue glass. It was curved and rose up in a twisted design as if mimicking the flames that surrounded it. Then, with a series of gleaming white staircases wrapped around sections, it ended up making it look like white vines had grown around the structure. Turrets, like twisted branches reached higher at different points of the castle and the two tallest were what framed the incredible entrance.
A giant arch, what must have been at least a hundred feet high, joined in an elaborate carved design of what must have been a Royal Crest, for it was the same one that adorned each of the soldiers’ chest plates.
“Welcome to Calidad,” the captain said before proceeding us, and leaving me to question,
“Calidad… What does that mean?”
“Nay, it cannae be true,” Gryph said nearly stuttering on the words.
“By the Gods, but I fear my sanity lost,” Vern said in his overly posh accent, until finally it came to Trice, who looked utterly rooted to the spot, muttering,
“Bit tis but a legend… tis… tis…”
“Alright, please can someone fill me in here?”
“Had I not, in this moment, been a gentleman then I fear there was chance at an inappropriate jest made at the lady’s expense,” Vern said rolling his own eyes at himself and making me frown at him, before snapping,
“Not that type of filling in, genius!” Gryph laughed and commented,
“Nice try oan getting yer humour back, brother.”
“It wis aye a myth, a land o' Dragons... twas ne'er real,” Trice told me, until the captain corrected,
“Calidad means Land of the Dragon Flame… now follow me, for the King is waiting,” he said making me be the first to follow, and when I realised the three McBain brothers were still rooted to the spot and frozen by the sight, I shouted back,
“Well, if it’s as amazing from up here, then it will be even better the closer we get… right!” When they still didn’t move, I released a sigh and said,
“Yeah, that was your cue to move your asses, boys!” Thankfully, this finally worked, with Trice shaking his head grinning to himself.
The portal had opened up on the top of the hillside looking down at almost the exact same landscape we had just left, for there were mountains in the distance and the forest on our left-hand side. In fact, the main difference was the colour of the grass, as it was most definitely more familiar to my home world. Oh, that and of course the ethereal looking castle that faced us now and one surrounded by fantastical creatures, that would have anyone believing they had just stepped into a fairytale land.
But then every myth, story and fantasy all had to be born from some element of truth... didn’t it? To be born from some small seed planted in someone’s mind that eventually let it bloom into what it was today and told for a thousand years to come. After all, that was even how most Gods gained their power, doing so through the belief of their followers. And looking towards the incredible sight before me, well quoting the awesome Willy Wonka, it was as if I was stepping into a world of a pure imagination. As though I had unknowingly had the ability to step through my TV screen into any one of the amazing fantasy movies made, my mind was going crazy at the endless possibilities.
Because it was exactly what your mind was capable of conjuring up when thinking of