The Moonlight Boy | Ferry's Tale # 1

The Fountain of Truth

Seen through the Moon's Tear, the world around looked different. The Blind Alley vanished, and an endless citadel took its place. Bright, tall beings wearing togas and laurels on their heads were walking, smiling and greeting each other. They were the inhabitants of the Ghost City of Darrah. But Ferry could see other strangely beautiful beings walking among them; they seemed from foreign, far-off lands. They looked just as majestic as the Darrahnians, a surreal aura around their bodies, and walking as if flying. He remembered Baldie talked about them ─ the Great Fairies that used to walk the Earth once.

He now watched, jaw dropped, the high towers that pierced the clouds and the mighty walls adorned with scenes from the life of that lost civilization. The lost city was dominated by the Fountain of Truth. Pure water poured from the center, reaching the blue skies above. Vibrating water, breathing and pulsating. It was alive.

At the Fountain's base, encrusted with jewels, there was a slot, deeply cut into the hard rock. And in that slot, the Moon's Tear shone brightly. So this what it was used for; this was how the water of the Fountain of Truth could be summoned. He could actually feel the call of that long lost world. 

A snatch woke him up from that sweet surrender. Oona was shaking him by the shoulder. "What do you see? What do you see?" she asked, panting.

Ferry blinked a few times, trying to readjust to the darkness of the Blind Alley.

"I think I know how to summon the water of the Fountain," he said.

Oona almost dropped the lantern, that's how excited she was.

"What are you waiting for? Do it!"

Ferry headed towards the Fountain and placed May's comb in the slot at the base. It matched perfectly. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, they heard a clogged bubbling coming from beneath. The noise got stronger, and from the middle of the stone, the water gushed, with a shake of the ground. The water arrow dashed towards the sky, ever higher. In its race towards the sky, the water pierced the darkness. The darkness of the Blind Alley scattered in thousands of pieces, allowing the moonlight to conquer the place little by little. That moment, Ferry knew that all the fairies from that place would be aware something was happening.

"Hurry up, Oona," he urged her. "Drink the water from the Fountain to find the answer to your question!"

But Oona was hesitating, "I don't know, fairy-boy ─ I've waited for this moment for so long..."

Ferry watched as the shadows of the darkness scattered all around.

"Come on, Oona, you can't miss this chance! Soon, everyone is going to know what we did. Just drink the water!"

"All right," she said, "but only if you promise you're going to drink, too. You know you have a question tormenting you, too."

Ferry knew it all too well. Just like Oona, he didn't know who he really was. Besides, they didn't have much time, so he agreed. "All right, Oona, I promise..."

Oona smiled, then she slowly headed towards the Fountain and filled the hollow of her hand with the pure water. Then she drank it. For a few moments, she just stood there, water dripping from her fingers. But only for a few moments. She woke up with a strong jolt of her body. She mumbled something Ferry couldn't understand. When he reached her, he could read the pain and confusion in her eyes.

"It can't be... It can't be..." she kept saying.

Ferry shook her by the shoulder, "Oona, what happened? What did you see?"

But she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. Then, she shook like waking up from a bad dream. "We need to go," she said, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the exit of the Blind Alley.