World's Unknown- Mundi Ignoti

All it took was a glance, and I could see I was a goner. I must have lost it. Did my head hit something or was I mysteriously drugged? Because as I gazed through this keyhole, I knew logically I must be mistaken. But even as the light streamed through the little hole I had jumped away from, I knew it must be reality. The keyhole was adorned with golden flower designs etched into the door around it. An echo of the beauty behind it.

I forced myself into another glance as I bent down and peered through once more. My eye adjusted and truly, I could see, a world matching only my visions from these past months.

How could I know this? Well, you hardly forget the trees you see from the “Mundi Ignoti” meaning worlds unknown. They whisper amongst themselves when you are quiet enough and their leaves are as beautiful as a translucent rainbow but they are soft as silk. The beings call them “wilfertufts”. Some creatures like the godess-like fae that I see most in my dreams wear their leaves woven into clothing. The Mundi Ignoti-Somehow, have I, as a 25 year old man, have gone so mad that my visions are now within reality’s reach? For years, I have drawn or painted this world and even made a children’s story book or two. But now, since this morning, with the fae’s key actually in my hand and a door appearing in the forest I have recently moved near to, I am beholding the trees, the creatures flying by and more!

As I take out the ornate golden key, it almost seems to hum within my hand. I hold my breath, and insert the key into the lock with a click. The lock seems to click louder than my heartbeat in my ears and shakily turn the handle. Every painting, painted, every ancient story I have studied and all I began to also call a myth… my life’s work, would this be all I had imagined?

One month earlier…

I stood to the clapping as I shut my book, having finished reading my newly published, “Tales of Mundi Ignoti”, a tale of an explorer of world’s unknown. A bookstore worker, Cameron, thanked me and everyone else for coming and explained I would be here for a book signing. I smiled and sat at a table by my Mother’s small shop’s front door near the cafe counter. She had made me promise to come to her shop for a signing for every new novel I published. She was proud of me, although her and my Father had hoped I would choose a “better” profession.

Much has happened since I dropped out of law school and started pursuing history, languages, and writing in my spare time. Mainly, the change was success itself. Success seemed to patch up much of their disapproval at my job choice, at my single, unmarried, non-lawyer life choices. The thing that had never changed, however, was that my main interests that were now a study of language and cultures included the “legends” of Mundu Ignoti. What began as a fascination, transferred into dreams, and what became dreams, became my life’s work and the only way one can study such things in peace and make a living, is to intertwine the two. My Mother came in making the door bell ring and put her hand on my shoulder so as to not interrupt the excited reader I was signing for.

“Got time for a hug?” My Mom said with a squinted smile reaching her eyes.

“Always.” I said hugging her tight, and as she stood back up, she put her hand on my shoulder and stood next to me as a child interrupted.

“Hey Mister!” The boy exclaimed excitedly running up to the table next making me smile.

“Young man, did you enjoy the novel? Seems like a pretty long book for your age.” I said and the boy seemed to stand taller.

“Not for me! I’ve read books way longer! But… this series is my favorite!” He said practically shoving his copy over the table and into me.

“Nathaniel! Calm down!” His mom said embarrassed but I laughed, signing the book.

“Nathaniel, huh? So that’s who I make it out, huh?” The boy nodded vigorously.

“Mr. Vita, are magical worlds like this truly real?” The boy asked and his Mother shook her head and I couldn’t help but see my mother and I, standing before us instead. I bent down closer as if to tell the boy a secret.

“Only if you believe it. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, but not yet seen.” I said winking, and decided to write just that in his book before I closed it and handed it to the boy. The rest of the guests came, and by my third coffee cup, I finally signed my last book cover and waved as the last few left. I decided to help my Mother clean up the coffee station and began washing cups when my Mother walked over to hand me the last few mugs after sending the last workers home. She stood quietly, looking at me now, arms folded.

“What?” I said with a sigh and waited.

“I just… I heard what you said to the boy and- Marcellus… please tell me these are only stories now…?”

I set the mugs down, thinking of iridescent eyes and creatures impossibly made of gold, or of stone but all alive with systems and hearts unknown to this world, to wings made of fire and even some made of ash. Lastly, I thought of the female creature's eyes he could not escape… golden eyes and a voice that pleaded. “Key keeper, come, Vita Nova. As a New wine, is placed into a new wineskin, key-keeper, be our bringer of faith.”

“And if I didn’t tell you that?”I ask, making her sigh.

“Marcellus. Please, illusions or not. Get out of the woods! Literally! Stop living in a cabin in who-knows-where country! Find a real career, or simply focus on your writing as a career! Goodness sakes, go on a date! Maybe meet someone! Anything but made-up languages and places filling your head that don’t-”

“Mother, please. Let’s address this another time. Thank you for having me today. It was fun.”I say, going to grab my coat and bag, I could feel her shaking her head when I kissed her cheek goodbye.

“Don’t forget about dinner on Friday!” She yelled as I waved, shutting the door with a nod.

I drove home, the radio playing my favorite classical music. I always knew I was an old soul, but it was unpopular amongst my family, which consisted of half-brothers and sisters, my Father, and my Mother.

I saw most of them now and then since mom and Dad were co-parenting, but divorced since I was 12. In a way, I was an only child and Mother’s only kid, so I couldn’t entirely blame her for how much she hovered and disapproved. She wanted me to believe in love in what she called reality and wanted me to long for her version of success, but success to me was to find two words: the“Mundi Ignoti”. I don’t entirely know why, but after a few stories from grandpa on Mom’s side, it ignited something. Now that grandpa has passed away from Leukemia, a journal full of the Mundi Ignoti was all I had left of him. I could never let that go, not for all the begging or frowns in the world. Plus, with visions starting two months after grandfather’s death, it only added to my determination to keep this one passion for myself.

At 14 it started as flashes, pieces of the world when he was asleep, and now… I saw flashes of things even while awake. I saw trees, animals, beasts and creatures, and more only found in grandpa’s journal.

Now, just a month ago I could see and hear her in my dreams. Sometimes, even when I am awake, a female creature of ethereal beauty with golden eyes would flash in front of me, pleading with me for something I didn’t understand. Understand or not, it shook me. Finally, I couldn’t ignore the pleas and moved to an old cabin of grandpa's in the woods that sat far into the Colorado mountains. My parents assumed it was another wave of grief, even though grandpa’s death was so many years ago, but I let them believe what they wanted; it was easier that way.

I pulled up to the cabin I have been in for a month now, tired from his book tours and signings. I went inside and lit a fire in the living room fireplace, then looked around at all the boxes of pictures and papers of grandpa's. Was I pulled here to simply look at memories? I wasn’t so sure, I just knew I… had to be here? I put some papers back in a box and grabbed a new one from the office to sort through tomorrow, too tired to keep going tonight. Then, I found a comfy rocking chair and fell asleep for a moment.

Suddenly, almost as if someone had whispered loudly next to my ear, I jolted awake and looked around, but the voice stopped. But, in it’s place, a glow came from the office. Did I leave a light on? Was a candle still aflame? But I walked in the room and saw neither one. A small but bright light was coming from a beautifully carved oak desk drawer and I opened it slowly, revealing a seemingly glowing… key?