A Doorway Back to Forever: REMEMBER

By Nanette O'Neal

The Skyborn people are under siege, their town is in ruins, and there's only one way to save it all: time travel.

For Robyn, it's a no-brainer. Go back to the Before-Time, discover the secret to defeating Sylvare, and bring it home. But some mysteries from the past are best left forgotten, and that's not an option here-remembering

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author Academy Elite
• Release date: Oct 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781640857759

Book preview

What People are Saying

About A Doorway Back to Forever

BELIEVE is a standout story that is fantastical, beautifully written, and visionary. Author Nanette O'Neal explores the friendship of two girls, Robyn and Kit, who possess a magic sense that is seen as dangerous and forbidden. They can't help but dive deeper into the secrets that stir their souls, and once they confide in each other, a doorway back to a magical realm called Forever opens up and they are transported into a world of chaos, discovery and hidden truths that will challenge their every belief. They learn that they are Skyborn warriors, meant to save the world, both on earth and beyond, if only they are courageous enough to leap. Nanette expertly weaves this spectacular tale that asks if perhaps there is a little magic sense in all of us. ~Cecilia Tement, author of If I Could, I Would - A Child's Journey from Abuse to Hope.

I was blessed to hear Nanette speak recently, and I wasted no time grabbing myself a copy of A Doorway Back to Forever: TRUST! This series became our family read and I'm grateful for the faith-based insights I had the privilege of discussing with my children. We loved it! ~ Theresa Alesch, author of From Broken to Brave.

From the first page of DEFEND, you get a strong sense of character. If you haven't read the first two books, you still want to continue reading. ~ Carma Spence

Like most readers, I read to be entertained, and HONOR certainly fulfilled that purpose. However, I also read to understand myself and my world better as I commiserate with the characters. Some people think that fantasy fiction misses that mark, but they would be profoundly wrong. Nanette's story and characters create an enthralling world where the human spirit strives, struggles, and thrives. Just as C.S. Lewis created an analogy of Christianity in his fantastical Narnia world, so does HONOR. Well done. I will be reading the first two books in the series. ~ Kindle customer

The Legend Continues

A traveler with a mighty sword went on a quest to ascend the highest mountain. He came to a pass where two shields lay in wait. Which should he pick?

The one shield said, Take me on your journey, for I will be your protection.

What will happen if I take you?

Your journey will be rough. You will gain joy and sorrow, wisdom and grief, and best of all, you shall keep your sword.

The other shield said, Take me instead. Your journey will be smooth. I offer joy and wisdom without sorrow or grief, and best of all, I will fight your battles—if you give me your sword.

The traveler made his decision when he remembered the name of the sword.

1

Hold your head high. You’re an Eeberheem, and that has to be enough .

It was all Robyn had left. Every time she blinked, bright images of Prince Calemir flashed in her mind—laughing with her, hugging the little ones, and healing her wounds. She blinked again and saw him suffering, choking, and dying at the hands of the madman. Magic-sense had brought joyful answers to questions she never knew she’d had. It also took from her the person who made it all happen. If this is what it feels like to have my heart ripped in two . . .

The last to leave the safe-haven, she stepped through a doorway that led to Kit’s family attic. They were met with hugs from Kit’s parents and the Axel family. Robyn’s body melted in Julie’s arms. She hadn’t realized how much she needed a mother’s hug.

Mr. Fischer told them of the mission—the highs and lows. After a moment of silence over the loss of the prince, Max spoke his mind. Things have been dicey around here while you’ve been gone. The police have turned on the Skyborn—

Blaring sirens from the street cut Max off. McCoy and Cam raced to the window and peeled back the curtain. The cops are on patrol, Cam said.

Everyone crowded behind them, peeking over shoulders to see. Not only were the police out in full force with riot gear and weapons, but townspeople also followed them. Robyn recognized many of the people—they weren’t Skyborn. She caught her breath as she imagined what they might be doing.

Stay away from the window, Mr. Fischer said. That tapestry is like an invisibility cloak. He paced the perimeter of the attic, checking the remaining tapestries along the walls, door, and window. All secure still, thanks to Max. We should be safe here.

McCoy’s head disappeared under the tapestry by the window. Yup. They’re walking past our house—like it disappeared.

Cam grabbed the back of McCoy’s shirt and dragged him away from the window. Let’s keep it that way!

Max leaned close to Mr. Fischer, and Robyn overheard his faint whisper. But, Jordan, for how long? The tapestries are old. They’ve got some damage—holes here and there. It’s only a matter of time.

Attention people of Tallisete, the loudspeaker from on top of the squad car blared. Skyborn people are to turn themselves in for questioning. They have been proven to be the cause of our recent disasters. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Max and Julie Eeberheem, their children, and anyone related to them are advised to inform the police immediately.

They’re calling us out by name. Max shook his head in desperation. He lowered his voice and looked Mr. Fischer squarely in the eye. How did they find out? He took a step toward the old man. And the prince is dead. How are we supposed to replenish our orbs? How long do we have before our magic-sense runs out?

Runs out? Robyn felt her heart bang against her chest. No doorway travel? No contact with the kingdom?

It won’t run out, Mr. Fischer said with a shaky voice. We have time to see this thing through. Sylvare has no power to infiltrate Tallisete—we still have the upper hand.

For how long? Max said, his voice rising. We can’t stay in this attic forever. He peered through the window and saw Mr. Davidson and his wife being taken away in handcuffs. These are my friends being rounded up. I can’t let this happen.

You can’t turn yourself in, Mr. Fischer said. That’ll only bolster their hand. Besides, they’re not looking for you.

Julie’s face turned to ash. No. Not my babies.

Mr. Fischer’s gaze dropped as he fell silent.

No! Julie cried out. I won’t let them take them!

Max held his wife close, his gaze practically burning a hole through Mr. Fischer. "We won’t let anything happen to our kids—or Cam, Robyn, and Grace either. We’ll turn you in before that ever happens!" He lunged at Mr. Fischer.

Mr. Axel dashed between them. Stop it! He pried Max off the old man. No one is going to take the children! We’re safe here, even without Price Calemir. He knew what he was doing. The Bloodborn were bound to discover the name, but he didn’t leave us without a plan. He never has.

Max stepped back, holding his hands up in surrender. All right. How much time before I lose my mind?

Three days. Mr. Fischer breathed heavily. I’m sure of this, Max. We can hold on until then.

Well, in that amount of time, I can find a way for us to escape. His eyes darted as if thinking this through. I’ve been running from them for years—we can take Cam, Robyn, and Grace with us and run again.

It’s no use, now that they know the name, Mr. Axel said.

Max punched the attic door. How in blazes did he find the name?

Robyn’s magic-sense flashed, taking her back in time to when Calemir saved her and Kit. Calemir had prepared to lead them to Border’s Edge, but Sylvare cut him off. The two of them squared off—Sylvare bent on keeping the girls, and Calemir determined to stop him. Her gaze locked with Sylvare as he said, Ah, yes. I recognize the eyes . . .

Robyn shook off the vision. He remembers our eyes! I’m sure that’s how he discovered our name!

But why does Sylvare hate us so much—and why the six of us specifically? Cam asked.

Silence.

Robyn and Cam had asked this question for months, yet no one had been willing to give them a straight answer. Robyn felt her gaze latch onto Mr. Fischer as a hush overtook the room. The sirens outside had ceased. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his reply.

Unbridled hatred can drive a man insane, Mr. Fischer said, his words cautious and measured. Something dangerous and wonderful happened in the Before-Time to cause such rampant hatred. Something involving six Eeberheem children. He heaved a great sigh. It’s time you learned about the next part of the Legend.

2

Mr. Fischer summoned a doorway to his living room. He dashed through and returned in a flash with the old dusty book he kept on the shelf—the one that had the entire Legend. The moment he stepped back through, something strange happened to his door—it turned to steel. A lock formed over the knob. Mr. Fischer threw his hands toward the doorway. It morphed into a statue—it wouldn’t open nor would it disappear. Mr. Axel and Omi examined it. They turned to Mr. Fischer and shook their heads solemnly, like time shutting down.

It’s begun, Omi announced. Doorway travel is in trouble. The king has put a lock on our doors. She wrung her hands while Robyn and Grace ran to her side to comfort her.

Mr. Fischer gathered everyone around a stack of boxes. He took a deep breath. If I may recite the next part of the Legend. It’s not a poem this time—it’s a riddle. He spoke with the voice of a father reading to his children:

A traveler with a mighty sword went on a quest to ascend the highest mountain. He came to a pass where two shields lay in wait. Which should he pick?

The one shield said, Take me on your journey, for I will be your protection.

What will happen if I take you?

Your journey will be rough. You will gain joy and sorrow, wisdom and grief, and best of all, you shall keep your sword.

The other shield said, Take me instead. Your journey will be smooth. I offer joy and wisdom without sorrow or grief, and best of all, I will fight your battles—if you give me your sword.

The traveler made his decision when he remembered the name of the sword.

---

Remember the name of the sword? What kind of an ending to the story was this? Mr. Fischer, what does it mean?

I said it was a riddle. Remember the name of the sword. We knew it well in the Before-Time. And that’s where our memory of it lies even now.

I don’t get it, Shirley said. How can that story help us now if we aren’t living in the Before-Time?

Yeah, what’s so important about a time we weren’t a part of? McCoy asked.

Mr. Fischer knelt down next to McCoy and pulled him close. Oh, no, little man. You were indeed part of it—a big part. It’s tucked so far away in your brain, you can’t remember it anymore. But the events of the Before-Time hold the answers to how we get out of this mess.

I don’t get it, Grace said.

Mr. Fischer let out a sigh. "Eeberheem is a legendary name due to events in the Before-Time. While Sylvare hates all the Skyborn people for turning against him back then, he especially hates six warriors who made his exile unbearable. Six Skyborn, specifically from the Eeberheem line, did more to stop Sylvare from advancing for thousands of years than any other Skyborn warrior.

Times like this I wish I could bring back your memories, but that’s impossible. I can recap it, but that wouldn’t be the same. It would be like hearing someone else’s story, but it wouldn’t change your heart. His eyes fluttered as if a plan began to unfold in his mind. But the king’s time isn’t linear. It’s spiral . . . yes . . . yes, that might even work.

What might work? Max asked.

Time runs linearly here, but not on the other side of the doorway. It runs all together.

Kind of like how in the Kingdom of Forever, time doesn’t move the same, Cam said. "That’s why we sometimes need to set the doorway clocks back, right?

Exactly, champ. Mr. Fischer sauntered over to one of the tapestries draping the wall and stretched it taut. For the first time, Robyn made out the image in the threads—it was a map of Tallisete with the Kingdom of Forever merged on top of it.

We always read the Legend as if it happened a long time ago. He took out his pink orb and opened the top latch. Specks of starshine floated upward and onto the tapestry, connecting each building, past and present, into one endless spiral. Because we see things linearly. But my magic-sense has opened my eyes to something new: the Legend is past, present, and future.

Go on. Max wandered closer to the old man.

The answer to our future is in the past—if we’re not afraid to go back and find it. He turned to the group. And I figured out how.

Robyn shivered as if a deep freeze hit her entire body. She shook it off along with the fear it tried to leave behind.

"The six of you must relive the events in the Before-Time. It’s the only way you’ll remember who you once were. It’s the only way to remember the name of the sword. And it’s the only way you’ll be able to bring back the answers to help us in the here and now."

Relive? Kit shook her head. How can we relive something we don’t even remember?

But, Mr. Fischer, Shirley said with her hand held high, couldn’t we visit the Room of Remembrance instead?

Well, the name of the sword is a riddle, and it was only meant to be revealed at a certain time—I’m guessing now. And remembering who you once were . . . well, yes, under normal circumstances, we could watch the events on the Great Wall play out. That would normally be enough. But doorway travel to the kingdom is blocked. The Bloodborn have gained too much ground—I’m sure the king had to take precautionary measures to protect the kingdom.

Well, how are we going to experience the Before-Time? Cam asked.

I know a way. It involves a special kind of doorway travel, different from what you’ve experienced so far. Rather than traveling back and forth between the kingdom and here, or other worlds, it involves time travel.

Time travel? Kit thrust her arms in the air. Now I’ve heard everything!

Yes. I can put you in a state of suspended thought. It will be like being in a coma. Your body will be here, but your mind will travel through a time doorway. You’ll be able to experience the Before-Time as if it were the present.

What are we supposed to learn there? Shirley asked.

The answer to the riddle. And what you did that caused Sylvare to hate you.

Why is that important? Robyn asked.

"Knowing what you did is only the beginning—realizing the power it