Chrysos

By Sana Sood

Sana’s chapter is written from the point of view of the world she created during the fantasy fiction workshop for young adults. This world is called Chrysos, which is the Greek name for gold, and something mysterious is afoot.

The world is curiosity contained

In a splash of gold.

This gold there can become

Magical and dangerous when triggered.

Chapter One

I am Chrysos. I do not know why I have that name, and I do not know where it comes from. All I know is that one day, three thousand or so years ago, I awoke. My mind became aware of all that occurs on my surfaces. In the swirling maroon seas, orange soil that gives rise to life, mountains rising above all else, forests where the air shimmers with magic — I could feel what was happening at every moment. I watched as cities grew, civilisations rose and fell, humanity died and was born again. Throughout all that happened, what kept me awake was a simple disc of gold. About the size of a human palm, it remained buried in the ground exactly between my two surfaces. A hundred years ago, humans dug into the ground so far that they discovered this coin. They treasure it — they know not what it was but felt its power through some instinct. The coin was kept on the top surface, but it was also present at the bottom.

I work in mysterious ways. I have two separate flat surfaces, but the humans do not know this. They believe they live together, on a single face of mine. This illusion is created because every blade of grass, every boulder, every building… everything that exists on a single face is mirrored on the other. This includes the people. So in reality, half the population lives above and the other half below. But they see each other and everything else around them as they would if they existed on the same surface together.

I and all that exists around me have lived in harmony for a long time. But I feel something different. I feel the presence of strange magic that does not belong to my world. It is not under my control and is not something I have created. I fear this magic — for if my gold coin is displaced by it, I will not be able to control my powers.

This strange magic was a seed that grew into a tree faster than anything I have seen. I sense that two identical trees have grown on both my halves. Never before has this happened — two exactly identical objects on opposite surfaces. Things are mirrored, but nothing has ever existed twice on both my faces. I worry for my safety, and the security of all the creatures depending on me to live. Soon the humans will discover this tree — and I must warn them. The tree’s roots have grown deep down into my very essence. There is only one way to destroy the tree without destroying myself. The tree on one face must die, while the tree on the other face lives. I will be torn in half — my magic will no longer mirror my faces. Humans, animals, all my living creatures will be separated — their worlds torn in half. But this must be sacrificed if I hope to live and save all that exists within me.

Fiery orange sparks on burning branches

A heart and a home in this tree

Light within leaves, glowing with life,

The swirling spray of the ocean

Hidden behind fire and the magic of the sea.

Sana Sood is 13 years old and a writer based in Bengaluru, India. Read her other stories from the ‘Wordy Tales’ workshop here: https://medium.com/wordy-tales/aerin-and-cindy-31448d423794 and from the ‘Words That Move’ workshop here: https://medium.com/wordy-tales/to-russia-with-love-b69284f77b04