The Door of Never
an excerpt

Hal went to sleep that night shivering in fear at the close call that day. He felt like their journey was one close shave after another. He wished that his life had been normal, but that kind of wish, he realized, was one that would never be granted. His life was not normal, and that was that. His last thought before he fell asleep was of his hope that the dragon would give up the key like the last one had.
His dreams that night filled him with greater hope.

He opened his eyes. “Where am I?” He wondered. For this was a strange place. It was filled with light, and with the sweet sound of birdsong. No one else was in sight. He wandered for a time, perhaps a few hours, on the lush green grass and amongst the tall trees, totally at peace. In time, he perceived that he was not alone. She was standing in a beautiful clearing deep in the forest, through which ran a rushing river. She was tall, though not as tall as he, but her strangest feature was her six white feathery wings. She wore clothing of the purest white that he had ever seen, and her wings were the same colour. Her hair was dark, and flowed halfway down her back. She was beautiful, though Hal could tell that she wasn’t human, for what human has wings?
“Who are you?” He asked, though the question seemed to him to be of no moment in this place. He asked merely to begin conversation.
“My name is Kari, though that is of little importance here.”
“Where are we?”
“That, too, is of no importance. Suffice to say that you are exactly where you are.”
This enigmatic reply puzzled Hal, so he decided to take a different tack. “Why am I here?”
“You are here because you were brought here. Not by me, but by He who sent me. Fear not, for I mean you no harm. I am here to tell you some things that must be told.”
Hal said, “such as?”
Kari smiled at him, “ you are impatient, and rightly so, for the things that I must tell you are of great import to your quest. Know then, Halfast, part elf and part man, that tomorrow you shall face a dragon. But beware, for evil there shall rear its ugly head. Beware also, for evil has many faces, some known, and some unknown. And prepare your heart, for two of your number may fall, though not both to the same danger.”
Hal’s heart fell within him. He did not think that he could stand losing one more companion, and losing two might be more than he could bear. “Can you tell me what face evil will show tomorrow? Or which of my dear companions might die?”
“That I may not say, for nothing is certain, and many chances may befall your company. Now I must go, Hal. But despair not, for you are doing well.”
She began to fade. Hal shouted desperately, “wait! I still have so many questions!”
Kari smiled, and as she disappeared completely, Hal heard her say, “until next time, Hal. Know that my thoughts go with you.”