Stacy Pendragon

Dreams and Dead Princes

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

      We were up and away before the sun rose. As we traveled, Asterix sang another ballad and Ivy complained about his voice not being in harmony with the words. I let them yell at each other. I lagged behind, reading the spell book and trying out the occasional spell. After a few hours, I was sure I had mastered the levitation techniques because the next chapter had appeared. This one was about standard defense. It was about using levitation and telekinesis to create shields against physical offenses.

        I asked Ivy to help me out by throwing random things at me which I would then try to shield myself from by creating a barrier of red smoke before me. If it were solid enough, it would be more transparent, rippling when it came in contact with Ivy’s offense.  Sometimes I would get caught in the moment and make the shield powerful enough to make a stick rebound on it and hit Ivy in the nose. This made Asterix laugh in delight.

          We made a stop so we could take a lunch break which I really needed. When I had got my energy levels up again, I opened to the next page which had a new chapter and a title labeled offensive moves and others. I saw lots of spells here. A fire spell which I accidentally muttered and set Asterix’s beard on fire (Ivy is still laughing about that), a really complicated freezing spell which I had to skip for later, a demolition spell which could blow things up really well, another spell that could stun my opponents, others that could put them in a full body lock keeping them immobile, a spell that could make people momentarily mute (I was glad I found this one. I could finally shut these two up), keeping them from speaking spells or saying anything at all. This one had a spoiler which said it could not keep some mages from using spells because powerful ones did not need to utter a word before they cast a spell. I finally got exhausted and fell asleep on my horse.                   

          I was woken when it was sunset. I had fallen asleep in the early hours of the noon. I can’t believe I had slept this long and these two never woke me. They said we had passed through another village where they had gathered more portable water and wine. Ivy was making a vegetable dinner for tonight. I practiced more spells in the hopes of quickly expanding my magical reserves. I didn’t get far. I was very exhausted after going through two chapters of magical practice. The next chapter wouldn’t appear since I hadn’t fully mastered all the offensive techniques. I could do a few without having to say their incantations. I closed the book and looked forward to dinner.

      Dinner tonight was really tasty and for once, I had time to savor it. Asterix refused to have any of it, eating some of his rock sirloin. I had eaten my fill and barely had time to thank Ivy for the meal when I heard a whoosh and a knife planted itself in the tree bark inches from my head. Ivy moved with lightning speed shooting an arrow off into the direction where the knife came from. There was a metallic clang as her arrow hit something metal. I was up immediately alerted. Asterix lunged forward moving his axe with blinding speed and knocking a knife that was going to hit Ivy right in her neck. He threw one of his hammers into the bush which hit our attacker with a thud. There was a grunt from the bushes as another knife flew at me. I never saw it coming. It grazed my thigh and I cried out in pain. Ivy fired her arrows with more fury now and Asterix ran to my side. I reached my senses into the bush, trying to locate the attacker.

      I saw a knife fly toward Ivy who ducked to avoid it. I immediately held out my open palm which was encased in glowing red mist, used telekinesis and yanked out the attacker from the bush who fell out into the open and skipped like a stone in a pond. I only had time to make out Serah’s face before she lunged past Asterix’s swinging axe and wrapped one arm around my neck and with the other, held a knife to my carotid artery.                                                                         

            We all stood, staring at each other. Asterix with his double bladed axe in hand, Ivy training her arrow on Serah, Serah holding a knife to my throat, daring any of them to make a move.

         “Are you okay princess?” Ivy asked me.

          “what do you think? I got a wound on my thigh. But it’s okay guys.” I said. “This is Serah. She is a friend of Zeke's too.”

         “She should have mentioned that before she tried to bury her knives in our throats.” Asterix complained, not daring to lower his weapon.

          “Actually, it was my neck.” Ivy told Asterix. “And I did not need your help with it.”

         “Where is Zeke?” Serah asked calmly. “What did you guys do to him?”

          “Can you please let go of me?” I asked. “I promise they won’t attack you if you don’t attack them.”                                              

          I nodded at Asterix and Ivy who lowered their weapons. Serah’s hand relaxed and she let me go. But she didn’t let go of her knife. I sat down and signaled the others to do same. We all sat down, but Ivy and Asterix stared at Serah, waiting for her to show any sign that she might attack, but Serah surprised them and sheathed her knife. She retrieved the one that was on the tree which I was leaning on earlier. She moved with a limp and I could tell it was where Asterix’s hammer had hit her.

      “Zeke left us.” I started. “We are being hunted and so he went back to slow our hunters down.”

       “A very Zeke-ish thing.” Serah said. “How did you two just abandon me like that? I was going to kill him right after we were done with the Screechers.”

      “It was not my fault.” I said. “Neither was it Zeke’s fault either. We just found ourselves in the same place but without you.”

       Serah scowled in my direction.

      “Not that I had known.” I said quickly. “I was unconscious for two days after the jump was made.”

      “I couldn’t help but notice the She-Elf called you princess. Zeke said something about escorting a princess once before to me. That wouldn't happen to be you, would it?” she asked.                                             

        At the word She-Elf, Ivy’s ears perked up like a prey that just picked noise from a stalking predator.

        “The She-Elf has a name!” she said.

        “Her name’s Ivy.” I said. “He is Asterix, and I am Stacy, princess of Nirvana.”

         Serah nodded and looked to the ground, then at my companions.

        “I am sorry I attacked you. I thought maybe you had hurt Zeke and maybe turned him in. and to you princess for hurting your thigh.”      

         When she said the apology, Ivy and Asterix’s expressions softened and they lowered their weapons. I turned to Serah.

        “It’s okay. But turn him in to who?” I asked.

        “He didn’t tell you?” she asked. “I thought maybe that guy would show more trust to his girlfriend.”

         “I'm not his girlfriend. Why does everyone keep saying that?”

         “You are not?” she asked taking one of my blankets. “Well it wouldn’t have been a surprise if you were. Wont be the first time he dated a princess.”                                                                    

          “Oh.” I said. Zeke dated a princess before huh? “I thought maybe you two are together.” I said.

         “Pfft ha!” she laughed. “Zeke and I? No way. He may be attractive and all that, but no thanks. He is too young for me.”

        “Here,” Ivy said applying some goo on the wound on my thigh. “it will help the wound heal faster.”

       “Thanks.” I said. “But don’t mages have some self-healing powers or something?”

       “Not exactly.” she said. “It also depends on how fatal the wound is. Your magic is kind of selective on the kind of wounds it heals. But it is a different story for us Elves. I would have healed your wound myself. But Elves lost their ability to perform magic centuries ago.”            

          Her face had a hint of wishful longing in it and I could tell she was trying all she could not to look in Asterix's direction.

“You should go to sleep. It works better when you sleep. I'm keeping watch tonight.”                                                                                    

           She got up and left. I turned to Serah to ask her why Zeke was wanted for, but she was already asleep and snoring like Missouri truck driver. I put my spell book into the mahogany chest and shut it, hugging the chest to my chest as I lay down. I couldn’t help but fall asleep too.                                      

          I had another dream. This time, Zeke was in it. I saw him sitting on a tree, looking down at a clearing. I recognized this one as the one I woke up in few days ago after the Jump. He was perched on it as if expecting an easy prey to come by so he can jump on it and take it unawares. He held a bow in his hand. The scene seemed to darken a few shades and then a group walked out into the clearing led by Vitrax and his giant wolf. He looked around as an Alpha Screecher I recognized as the one that had tried to kill me in school before, walked around on all fours, occasionally tasting the air with its tongue. Two other strange creatures followed that looked like women wearing black feathery dresses and fingers that looked like bird talons and sharp facial expressions, and then a huge robust guy with a heavily scarred face and arms carrying an executioners axe and with him, another guy carrying a large black bow and a dangerous looking quiver full of really dangerous arrows.

        Zeke pulled out a bow and two arrows from his shadow cloak, notched one and took aim. I was hoping he would shoot Vitrax and end all this quick, but he aimed at something else. The hunters below were talking about one thing or the other about scouting the sky or picking a stronger trail. Zeke muttered something under his breath and a blue flame came to life on his arrow head. The wolf snarled and pricked up its ears. Vitrax looked up at the tree Zeke was sitting on at the same time an arrow flew past his face and hit the dry leaves.

          Bright blue flames erupted where the arrow hit and spread round the clearing in a circle. Confusion spread among the hunters who looked frantically around for the source of the flames. Zeke notched his second arrow and took aim at the wolf this time. He let go and the arrow hit the wolf square on its wet nose and exploded in a puff of colorful smoke. The wolf yelped and shook its head as if to clear off a bad scent. 

        “IN THE TREESSSSSS!” hissed the Screecher. Zeke muttered another spell and the flames grew brighter. Vitrax realized he was trapped, and he growled in anger as looking up at Zeke with pure venom. His white face was now smoking, black smoke rising off his facial features and clothes. The ladies looked up and screeched like birds of prey. Their clothes seemed to be moving apart. I noticed they weren't clothes, but they were wings folded over their bodies. They spread their wings and took flight and at that moment Zeke muttered the final spell.

         The blue flames turned as bright as the sun stopping the bird women in mid flight. Vitrax exploded in a cloud of thick black smoke, which dissipated at the very moment as if scattered by wind. The archer pulled an arrow out of his quiver and was preparing to take aim now that he knew where Zeke was. Zeke dropped the bow and fell backwards from the tree as if he were sky diving. I was beginning to think he had fallen out of exhaustion when he did a flip in the air and landed on his feet, pulling a knife out of his cloak and throwing it at the archer. It cut off his bowstring which snapped loudly and stung him in his right eye. The archer dropped his bow along with the arrow he had previously notched and clutched at his right eye screaming in agony. The Screecher lunged in mid air, claws out ready to tear Zeke into pieces. Zeke beat him to it, slicing him at the waist into two halves. Backstabber seemed to glow as he delivered the blow. It passed through the Screecher as if it were wet paper. The executioner guy threw his axe.

           Even in my sleep, I knew the force behind that axe could stop a moving car at top speed in its tracks. It was superhuman. Zeke put his sword back into its sheathing on his back and reached out to the axe with both hands. I expected the blade to chop off his hands but Zeke was moving his hands along the blades, moving in harmony with its spin. He didn’t look like he was trying to stop the blade, or even slow it down. It was almost like he was helping it spin, like he was confusing the blade into changing paths. He twirled the blade round and round and he slowly changed its direction and finally impaled it on the ground at his feet.    

         If I were awake and watching this live, my mouth would have been hanging out so widely my tongue would have hit the ground. It was really amazing. The executioner was having the same expression on his face. Zeke thrust out his hand at him which was covered in blue mist and the force in his telekinetic move shot his enemy a couple of feet into the air and some yards backward.

         Zeke stood up and pulled out a piece of wire from his shadow cloak. He had a garrote? He walked toward the wolf which was now pawing at its nose and shaking its head and making that whimpering noise dogs make at times. He jumped on its back and fastened the garrote on the wolf’s large neck and before he could strangle it, one of those bird women flew at him knocking him off the wolf’s back. Zeke hit the ground and rolled into a crouch, waiting for the bird woman to return. When she flew back at him, he sidestepped and hooked his garrote around her neck with blinding speed. She squawked and screeched as she was forced to take a straight flight upward disappearing with Zeke into the sky who was riding on her and strangling the life out of her at the same time, with her sister flying hot on their tails.

          Serah shook me awake. I woke with a start to a cool beautiful sunrise.

          “You talk in your sleep.” She said.

         “Oh sorry.” I said. “Did it bother you?”

         “No.” she said with a smile. “I think it was really cute.”

         “Me talking in my sleep is cute?” I asked.

        “That’s not cute at all.” She said. “The cute part is where you mention Zeke’s name.”                                           I blushed. That was really embarrassing. I was given my breakfast and was asked to eat up as we will be leaving soon. We had packed (Ivy did the parking) and we were good to go. I noticed my thigh was healed and as good as new. Though I had to worry now about the rip in my pants. The only problem was Serah had no horse to ride on. Ivy offered to ride with her which she accepted delightfully.

         As we rode, I practiced the freezing spell which I was sure was what was keeping the next chapter from revealing itself. It was tiring and so I had to stop practicing and try the other ones which I already knew. We took our lunch break and Serah switched horses and now rode with Asterix. They talked on about something and laughed as if they were old time friends. I rode next to Ivy and stared a conversation.

       “What is my family, I mean the royal family, what are they like?” I asked.

         “Oh they are best natured people you would ever see. Your mother, Queen Moryna is full of compassion and love for her subjects. Your father, King Hugo is kind hearted, valiant, and a great ruler. Just like his son.”

        “Wait, I have a brother?” I asked in awe. “What’s he like?”

         Ivy’s face fell as if she were about to say something that was really sad.

         “Prince Arion was a just like his father. He was also like you and your mother. He had the qualities of a great ruler.” She said.              

         I smiled. I always wanted to know what it felt like to have a sibling. Being an only child was a total bore. I was so excited I didn’t

notice she had spoken in the past tense.

     “I can’t wait to meet him.”

     “He’s dead.” She said.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I never knew I could feel sad on hearing the news of someone’s death whom I never even knew. But this was about a brother I never knew I had. I could feel the sadness emanating from Ivy. I fell silent,

my heart grieving for the brother I will never know.

        “He was killed in a fight.” She continued. “I'm sorry Stacy.”

        “No, no, no. It’s okay.” I said my voice breaking. I knew if I don’t pull myself together, I would start crying. I sniffed and looked up ahead, trying to show Ivy that I was ok, but I really needed time to myself. Asterix and Serah were chatting merrily. Ivy must have sensed my need to be alone for the moment as she urged her horse forward and rode by Asterix though clearly, she wasn’t there for him because she was only speaking to Serah. I tried to distract myself by practicing that freezing spell.                                                                   I was thankful my ride was not disturbed by anyone; well I don’t include Asterix and Ivy calling each other names as we rode, but I was glad none of them rode by me. They would occasionally turn around and look just to make sure I was still there. We stopped by a cliff and sat down to rest and take a break while our horses grazed. I wasn’t hungry so Serah happily took my share of lunch. I was thinking about my dream last night. I wondered what became of Zeke after he attacked the hunters. I wish he were here. I really needed someone to talk to. Someone I knew in this world more than any other. Besides, Zarina had asked him to teach me magic and he seemed really good at it.

        I was thinking about how he could teach me that freezing spell easily when I heard a horse galloping. I looked at the road and saw a black horse with a rider dressed in dark clothes, his cloak billowing in the wind as he rode toward me. I knew at once who it was.

     “Zeke!” I cried as he pulled on Storm’s reins pulling to a halt beside me and drawing off his hood. He was grinning at me. It was a nice thing to have him back. Asterix, Ivy and Serah all walked toward us. Zeke’s smile wavered when he saw her.

     “Hi Serah.” He said. “What’s up?”

     “Oh the usual.” She said. “Getting ditched by the guy who travels with me, and then tracking him down to kill him. It’s nothing new.”

       “How did you find us?” he asked.

       “Wrong question.” She said. “How did I find them is the right one.”

       “How did you find them then?” he asked shaking Asterix’s hand and nodding to Ivy who smiled back.

       “Well t’was pretty easy.” She said. “The Dark General’s soldiers have been hot your trail. I had to beat them to you. Not so hard by the way.”                                                                                      

         Zeke frowned and turned to Serah, who was inspecting her fingernails like yeah, ingenious right? And then he said.

        “He’s looking for me?”

         “Of course he does.” She said. “Anyone in his place and in his right senses would-“ She didn’t complete it. She looked at me and then back at Zeke and said.

          “I'm sorry. Almost forgot.”

          “Who is this Dark General?” I asked.

         “The Shadow doesn’t have a mortal body in the Netherworld.” Ivy explained. “For him to manifest his power on Eidenvellir, he needs a host. In this case, a human one.”

        “So this Dark General guy is like The Shadow’s avatar?” I asked.

        “Not yet.” Zeke said. “He will be when The Shadow shall rise though, right now he is preparing for its coming, and he is still his most lethal, most loyal servant, and right now, he wants you dead. He is also the reigning King if Nhumbrea, so he has his army out for you. We should hurry. I’ve bought us about three days of time before they regroup and come back for us.”                                                           

          And with that, lunch break was over. We were on the way when I asked Zeke how he had gotten here so fast.

        “Storm is the son of the immortal lord of horses.” He said. “It makes him the second fastest horse in all of Eidenvellir.”                

       I eyed storm in awe. He looked quite ordinary to me. With Zeke back, we rode faster not taking any breaks through the towns and villages we passed. Nightfall seemed to come faster than usual. We made a fire and with yesterday’s supplies, Ivy made dinner, this time, with Serah helping out. I sat next to Zeke who was doing nothing but staring at the sky.

       “What you doing?” I asked.

       “It is full moons.” He said.

       “Yeah.” I said noticing the rays of the moon for the first time. “Wait, full moons?”                                                                          

         I looked up and saw what he meant. The night sky was empty of stars tonight. Three silver orbs hung in the sky in a triangle, none bigger than the other. All lit the night sky with a radiance equivalent to Earths moonlight. It was a beautiful sight. That was what Zeke was staring at.

           “It is beautiful.” I said.

           “I know right?” he asked.

           “I managed to open my mahogany chest.” I told him.

          “You mean your inheritance box?”

          “Is that what it is called?”

          “Yes. What did you find in it?”

          “A spell book.” I said. “I think it once belonged to Agadastro.” As I expected, he turned to me with surprise in his face.

          “You got Agadastro’s very own spell book? Really?” he asked.

         “Yeah.” I nodded. “It’s got these pages which are empty. Each time I master a chapter, a new one appears.”

           “What chapter are you on now?”

         “I got stuck at Offensive Techniques.” I said with a sigh. “I couldn’t master that freezing charm.”                                           

         Zeke laughed. He shook his head and stood up. He looked down at me and said.

        “You want to master the freezing charm? Can you even do a proper levitation spell?”                                                                    

          I opened my mouth to answer and he went on without even giving me a chance to say I.

         “I thought as much.” He said smiling evilly. “When you master that, I will teach you something cool.”                                            

          He turned around to leave. What the hell? I thought. Who does he think he is anyway? I haven’t even answered him and he was smiling at me like . . . GAH! I reached out my hand toward his back and yanked him off the ground, suspending him in the air while he flailed. He started laughing.

         “How do you like that, huh?” I asked.

         “Not bad Princess.” He said clumsily squirming around to face me. “But I can easily counter that.”                                                

           He looked at me like here comes the part where I show you who’s boss princess and instantly, I felt like something had grabbed hold of my feet and I was pulled off the ground and was hanging by my feet like an animal caught in a trap. I lost my concentration on Zeke and he dropped to the ground landing on both feet. I realized he had used telekinesis on me as his blue aura was swirling around me. I reached out my hand to rip him off the ground as well when he tilted his head sideways and my arms folded over my chest against my own will. I was stunned at what he just did. He just used his telekinetic abilities without moving his limbs. Just his will (and yes, maybe a tilt of his head).

       “See what I mean?” he said, that mischievous smile stretched across his face.

        “Nice to know you are using your heritage again Zeke.” Serah commented. They were quiet and had sat watching us like we were some really amusing entertainment.

       “How did you do that?” I asked as he set me down.

       “Practice.” He said and turned off to a corner out of reach of the firelight. I followed him.

       “Teach me.” I said. “Please!”

        “You already know Stacy.” He said. “What more can I teach you?”

       “Zarina said you should teach me. Look at me? I can barely beat you in a levitation charm. My energy reserves are almost empty and you don’t even look fazed. Please Zeke, please.” I pleaded with him. He waited a second before he said.

        “You want me to teach you because you can't beat me at a levitation spell? You want me to teach you so you can beat me?”

       “Uhm, I never meant it that way.” I said. “You said the red aura is the most powerful. But I don’t feel it. I can't beat one with a blue aura. Don’t get me wrong, but you should see my point here.”              

        Zeke nodded and then he got up and said.

“Alright, I will teach you.”                                                                         

          He walked toward me and stood in front of me.

         “Freeze me.” He said. I sighed and murmured the rune for ice.

        “Sehwar.” I said doing the appropriate hand gesture. Nothing happened to Zeke.

        “You are a whisp mage.” He said. “If you speak the magic word in any language, it will work.”

        “What’s really a whisp mage?” I asked him.

        “In Eidenvellir, we have many categories of mages. The only mages who don’t have use magical objects to make spells, you know objects like wands and staffs, and weapons like swords or spears. For such mages, they can only make spells if they have their objects in hand. For mages like you and I, we have whisps. Even without them, you will be able to perform magic. That makes us the most powerful category of mages in Eidenvellir.” He said.

        “And me being a whisp mage with a red aura makes me the most powerful of all mages.” I said. Zeke shot me a hey! look. “I'm sorry, carry on.”

       “I may speak magic words in Runespeak, which is the old language of magic language because it will make my spells more powerful. You should speak spells in the language you grew up with for a start, then the more you learn Runespeak, you can transition.”

        “Okay let me try again.” I said. “Freeze!”                                     

         I waved my hand at Zeke but the spell still didn’t work. I grunted in frustration.

        “I thought you said it would work if I used English.” I said.

         “No, I said it will be more powerful.” He said. I wanted to kick him. He moved toward me but he passed behind me, standing at my back so close I was leaning on his chest. I have never been in such close proximity with a guy before. My parents never let me. I never let me. Standing so close to Zeke, even though I wasn’t facing him, made me really uncomfortable. I could feel the steady thrum of his heart as he stood behind me. I wanted to yell, but I kept calm. He put his hands on my shoulders and then slowly ran them down the length of my arms. If I wanted to yell before, I'm sure I wanted to scream now. His hands reached mine and he took them in his.

        “I'm going to teach you a technique my father taught me.” He said in my ear. My heart was beating faster now. “He had studied magical energy and nature magic in his youth and did extensive research. He then invented a technique he called The Currents of Energy Technique.”                                                                                    

         He took the back of my hands in his and then he raised them, moving and waving them in the air.

        “This technique aided me in my magical and weapons training.” He said. “It enhanced my reflexes, sharpened my skills and expanded my magical reserves. I'm sure you will need it so next time Serah’s knife won’t hit you.”

         “How did you know-“ I started to ask.

         “Focus!” he said sharply. “Took him years to perfect this technique. When it was complete, it made him famous. He wouldn’t teach anyone. He will kill me when he finds out I'm teaching you.”

        “Your father must be a great guy.”

        “He's gone.” Zeke said. “I lost him.”

       “I'm so sorry.”

       “Don’t be. Just focus on my movement, feel the energy in the air. You should be feeling that now.”                                                                  

        He was right. I did feel something, warmth in the air around my hands like I had placed them above a heat radiator.

       “is this like tai-chi?”  I asked.

       “No.” He said. “It’s much more complicated than that. It can only be mastered by a whisp mage, and the patterns are much more complicated than anything in the world. You can’t see me doing it and just master it. I have to do this, willingly show you.”

       “Wow.” I said.                                                                         

        Zeke went on, changing the patterns, making them even more complicated and moving faster. This went on for about ten minutes and I could definitely feel the heat.

       “Right now,” he said, “your hand should be moving in the exact same pattern as mine.”                                                                          

        He took his hand away from mine but kept moving his. Surprisingly, mine moved along the same pattern, moving exactly like Zeke’s as if we had practiced it before. What was more, I wasn’t even in control of its movement. I laughed in awe.

          “At this point, you have been introduced to the natural stream of energy. You practice this move each day and I assure you, you will get better.”                                                                                           

          He stopped moving and slowly, so was I. I didn’t want to stop. The experience was amazing. Zeke slowly moved away from me. I wasn’t really paying much attention to him. Then I heard a first whish and a thud. I should have turned then, but I wasn’t interested in Serah throwing knives at Zeke. How did I know that? Wait, Serah throwing knives? I turned around momentarily in time to see Zeke throw the knife straight at my heart.                                  

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A lot of things happened in a short time. My body reacted in a really strange way even I never understood. Ivy’s face was filled with shock. Asterix sang his ballad like he never saw what Zeke just did (which of course, he never saw). Serah just sat there, smiling like wow, I like this guy. Strangely, I was ok. I looked at my heart where the knife should be but it was fine. I saw no blade embedded in my chest. I looked at Zeke’s expressionless face. I felt my chest well up with fury.

      “Are you crazy?” I shouted. “You wanted to kill me!”  

      “No.” He said. “It’s fine.”

     “Fine?” I shrieked. “I could have died! What is this to you? A

cartoon? You could have gotten me killed!”

     “But you are not dead.” He said, folding his hands and smiling.

     “No thanks to you! If you never had lousy throwing skills I would be dead by now!”

     “Lousy skills?” he asked offended. “Now I'm hurt. You should be thanking me.”     

     I laughed a very humorless laugh.

     “Thank you?”

     “You’re welcome.” He said.

     “No, I wasn’t thanking you. Thank you for what? Trying to kill me?”

      “Hey Stacy,” Serah called out, then pointed to my hands.

       I took a look at my clenched fists. I hadn’t noticed earlier. My grip was so tight I never even felt it. I was clutching the knife in my hand. 

     “Did I just. . . “ I started.

      “You caught the knife Stacy.” Zeke said flicking another. Almost involuntarily, I caught it without even flinching.

      “Enhanced reflexes, increased reaction period. You caught this technique faster than I did. Congratulations.”                                           

       He sidestepped as if avoiding something and a knife flew over his shoulder and rushed toward me. I plucked it out of the air, with a faint smile forming on my face. Serah threw more knives and one by one, I caught them. When she was all out, I threw them back to her which she caught expertly and replaced them on her belt and torso straps.

      “How do you teach someone to catch knives like this?” I asked him.

     “I didn’t. The currents showed you. You have connected to its flow patterns. Your senses are sharper. Now you have to sharpen wits. You can catch knives in motion. Let’s try it with my sword.” 

          I immediately felt nervous training with Backstabber. Granted it could heal wounds it inflicted on all creatures but Dwarves, but I didn’t want to risk having a wound by it.

        “As the sword will rush toward you, you will feel the distortions it creates in the currents, you will connect yourself with the currents and you will either evade it or catch it.”

       “What if you throw it with too much force?” I asked remembering what he did with the axe.

      “Don’t worry. Just have quick wits and reflexes and trust the currents.”

      “Wait is it by mastering this technique that I will be able to manipulate moving weapons like you did with that executioner’s axe?” I asked.                                                                                                

          Zeke lowered Skifnilvida. He looked at me in puzzlement.

         “How did you know about that?” he asked.

         “Well, while you were away, I had this dream about you facing the hunters in the woods I first woke up in. It was amazing how you took them out. What were those bird ladies?”

         “They were harpies.” He said. “You saw all that in one dream?”

          “Yes I did. Harpies? What do they do? Play harps?”

          “Not funny. They can kill you in the most gruesome ways possible.”

           “What happened to the other one? You know, the one you strangled with a garrote.” I asked.

            “Alive and very mad. She will have my throat for breakfast if she gets the chance.”

           “And Vitrax? Is he dead?”

           “No.” He said. “I weakened him with that solar fire spell. He was vaporized but not dead. He will reform at the Dark General’s castle anytime now and then come back after me. I doubt this time he will honor his promise to his master about bringing me alive.”

          “Why does the Dark General want you alive anyway?”

         “None of your business.”

         “Wow, that stung. Why did Vitrax vaporize in the sun fire?”

         “Shadeons fear light more than anything else. It drains them of their magical abilities. They are born from darkness and draw their power from it. Even so, they can only be killed with a strike to their hearts.”

         “Oh.” I said.

        “Enough training and questions.” He said. “Try the freezing spell now. Your emotions matter too. The more powerful the emotion you are feeling is, the more energy you channel without risk of dying.”       

         I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, concentrated on this feeling of happiness that just bloomed in me and murmured.

         “Freeze.” I heard sounds like something was being crushed and compressed. I opened my eyes to find Zeke standing before me, frozen in his pose and encased in a block of clear ice.  I couldn’t believe it! I had successfully performed a freezing spell and I didn’t feel drained at all. Usually just trying this spell will weaken me to near death but I did not feel any exhaustion now. I was so excited about my new achievement I forgot there was a living person frozen before me. I turned to Zeke and was still trying to figure out how to defreeze him when a strange sound came from within the ice and it shattered.

          “Did you see that? Did you see that? Wow I was like wah and you were argh and you got all frozen and did I crack the ice?” I was speaking too fast.

         “No you didn’t. I did.”

         “You spoke in frozen state? How is that possible?” I asked.

        “You forgot I can make certain spells without saying a word.” He said. “But this time I used ventriloquism.”

        “You can do that with spells too? Where did you even learn that?” I asked. The sound that came from the ice must have been his.

        “Well yes I can, and my father taught me. As long as the words come out clearly, the spell will work. You don’t have to move your lips.”

        “Why didn’t you just melt the ice?” I asked him.

        “And become ice cold? No. I like to sleep warm thank you. I did tell you about using your wits. Know the right spell at the right moment.”

          “Earlier today, right after you returned, Ivy told me I had a brother.”    

           Zeke’s face paled, only slightly. This seemed like a topic he everyone got emotional about.

          “Yes princess, you did.” He said. “He was killed defending a boy and a town from the Dark General’s army.”                                           

          He went away, making it clear he did not want to continue this discussion. I let him go. But I will pester him about it tomorrow. He grabbed blanket, wrapped himself up and fell asleep. Or maybe he was just faking it.

         “Uhm Zeke?” I called to him.

         “Mmhmm?” he answered sleepily.

         “Thank you.” I said. “Really, for teaching me the technique. I'm very grateful.”                     

          I don’t know if he heard me or not. He remained silent and then I heard him snore softly. I went over to Ivy and asked.

         “I will like to see my brother’s grave when I reach the castle. He was buried there right?”                                                                              

         Ivy took a moment to answer me.

        “Uhm, Stacy, Prince Arion’s funeral was announced to the entire kingdom. He was never buried.”

        “Why not?” I asked. “Was he cremated?”

        “No, the royal family never showed us his mortal remains. They mourn him even to this day. Some say until his killer is apprehended, he will not be buried.”                                                                             

        I nodded and left Ivy alone. I went to my chosen sleeping spot and sat down by my leather bag. I took my leather bag with my belongings and fetched out the mahogany chest. I opened the inheritance box and took out the spell book and discovered a new chapter had finally appeared. Magical Defences Against Magical Offenses. I was going to study that tomorrow.  I held the chest and once again fell asleep with it in my arms.                                                     

         Once again, I had a dream. This time, I was back at the great hall. Blue flames lit up the hall and I saw a figure lying in a heap on the stone floor. The smoke from the fire seemed to be sucked into the body on the floor. Man-in-chair, whom I guessed was the Dark General was still sitting, facing the fire. The body on the floor groaned and I saw an arm extend toward the wall, using it as support to stand.

           “I told you the boy won't be easy game, Vitrax.” He said in that familiar voice I couldn’t put a name to.

           “He caught us by surprise my lord.” Vitrax said clearly in pain.

“He trapped me in his sun fire trap.”

            Sun fire! That’s what I called it too. Not that I'm excited that that’s what Vitrax calls it too.

          “Nevertheless, the girl approaches Nirvana, and she is getting better at using her powers.”

          “I will kill her if it is the last thing I do, master.” Vitrax swore. “And I will not forgive the boy for doing this to me. In all my years no one ever dared. He was the first. He will be the last. I will make sure of that.”                                                                                                  

           His threat to Zeke seemed to stir something in his master. The Dark General stood up and turned around to face Vitrax. I saw his face. It was handsome, with a well trimmed beard and his eyes, they kept reminding me of someone I know. He looked like royalty alright, a very charismatic man at that. He didn’t strike me at all as evil. Yet. A nagging thought kept telling me I knew this man from somewhere. I couldn’t quite put a finger on it.

        “I have given you clear orders Vitrax. I will not let my emotions stand in your way if you have to do what is necessary.”

      “Thank you master.” Vitrax said with a sinister smile. I felt sorry for Zeke. “When I have some strength, I will regroup with my followers and hunt down the girl.”

     “That’s what I wanted to hear.” Said the Dark general turning back to the flames. “You can leave once you are in full shape.”   

       My dream faded. I woke up with a start. No one was up yet. I looked around and noticed Zeke was not here. I got up and waited for him to return from whatever trip he had taken before I told him about my dream. I woke Ivy who was up instantly. Asterix almost decapitated me when I shook him awake. The guy sleeps with his axe. I woke Serah too.

      They all sat up groggily and rubbed the sleep off their eyes. I sat down next to Serah. We were just about to start a discussion when Serah suddenly reached for one of her knives, drew one out. No sooner had she held the knife in her hand, I heard a gunshot echo through the forest, a clang and Serah’s knife flying out of her hand. I saw the birds hurtle out of the trees in a flurry of colors. My first thought was they’ve got guns on Eidenvellir? And then I saw the shooter jump down from one of the trees. He was dressed like Zeke, only he wore a sleeveless top. He held two revolvers in each hand, their barrels were about seven inches long each. One of them had smoke curling out of its barrel. I guess that was the one he fired.

         “Good morning, ladies, Elf and Dwarf.” He said in a cheerful and mischievous voice. “Put your hands up away from your axe, knife and bow. Put your hands on the ground mage.” He gestured at me.           

        I lay my hands on the ground and ventured to ask.

        “Why don’t I get to put my hands up as well?”

       “I don’t know, you could magic your way out of this situation maybe?”                                                                      He edged his way to the pot of blueberry sauce that was made last night. Ivy didn’t wake up in time to reheat it. He looked eagerly into the pot and put down one gun, then dipped his hand into the sauce and dug out a handful. He shoved it into his mouth and swallowed, licking his hand when he was done.

       “You guys should have added pheasant to this sauce.” He said. “I assure you, you would have loved it.”

       “You are so disgusting Gale.” Serah said putting down her hands.        

        ”If you wanted a spoon, all you had to do was ask. Was it that hard?”

         “Hello Serah.” Replied Gale, pointing the other gun in her direction, still focused on the pot of cold sauce. “Miss me? Pay no attention to my table manners. I'm quite famished.”

      “You two know each other?” Asterix asked and had a gun trained on him now.

      “Of course we do.” Gale said picking up his other gun. “We used to date.”

       “I still cannot believe that ever happened.” Said Serah.

        “Right? It was too good to be true, those days.” He said. "We really were the sharpshooter power couple in the Academy back in the days."

       “We may have been, but still . . .”

       “How could we break up like that? You never even discussed that with me! You just shut me out no reason. And then one day you just turned on me? For a girl you sure know how to pull off a d**k move!”

       Serah slapped her forehead. “See? That right there! I could not keep up with all that nonsense.”

       “Uhm, excuse me?” I cut in. "As much as I would love to see where this is going, or where it originated from, i still cant help but wonder whether or not you are here to rob us. I mean, highway robber vibes and all."         

          “I am not a highway robber.” He said. "I'm a partially highly skilled Assassin."

          "I never got your point!" Serah said. "You want to be a skilled assassin and you pick the most conspicuous weapons to specialize in. Guns."

         "What? They are great for long ranged combat!" 

         "Coward." she said.

         "I mean look at us now, I am totally keeping you at bay with these now!"

         "Those things are too loud for you to qualify as an assassin. Besides, what happens when i get in too close?"

         “A highway mugger, perhaps?” I cut in again.

         “What, you think I'm robbing you?”

        “Well you just dunked your filthy hand into my breakfast!.” Said Asterix like that was the most unbelievable thing. “Who knows where that hand has been? That has to count for something.”

       “Yeah it does.” Ivy agreed with him. It surprised me, but only for a second. "I cant believe i have to witness this drama. Someone give the word and I take this loser out."

       “No offense, I'm just a hungry guy.” He said.

       “So you are not robbing us?” I asked.

        “No, why would I rob you guys? You don't look like you're packing much. Besides, it's a waste of my skills.”

        “You are not making much of an impression with two revolvers trained on us.” I said.

        “Exactly!” Ivy backed me up.

        “Oh these, my apologies.” He put one away.

        “What about the other one?” I said. “Won't you put that away too?”

        “No.” He said flatly. “The whole point of these was protection.”

        "From who? We weren't gonna gang up on some hungry guy."

        Gale laughed. "Not you, just Serah. You've seen how good her skills are with the throwing knives! If i let my guard down she will carve me up like a ceremonial statue of Lady Luna on the Festival of the Four Moons."

         “What an understatement, Gale.” Serah folded her arms this time.

        “If you are not here to rob us, ” Ivy said, “then what did you come for?”

         “Where is Zeke?”

         “Oh no.” Said Serah in exasperation. “What do you want with Zeke?”

         “I'm not going to kill him.” He said. He nodded his head in my direction. “Are you his new flame?”

         “NO!” I yelled. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”   

         Zeke chose that moment to show up. He saw me with my hands on the ground, then the others with their hands up and for a second his hand reached for his sword before he recognized Gale and let out a sigh of exasperation and said.

         “Oh you have got to be kidding me.”                                   

          Gale pointed his revolver on Zeke, but hastily put it away.

          The two stared at each other awkwardly, Zeke staring so hard Gale turned his gaze to the ground.

         “Hi Zeke. Don’t worry. I just got here, you didn’t keep me waiting. They are unharmed, I only wanted to talk to you.”

        “What is it Gale?”

         “I am not looking for any trouble.” He said.

         “See how well it went last time.” Zeke said.

          “I don’t want it to go the same way this time.” Gale said lowering his gun. “I'm here to apologize.”

         “That’s a first.” Serah chuckled.

         “Apologize for what?”

        “For getting us kicked out of the Academy.” He said. Zeke raised an eyebrow in an expression like we? And Gale corrected himself.

         “I'm sorry I got you kicked out of Shenai Academy.”

          “I did tell you not to tell anyone about my magical heritage Gale.” Zeke said. “I trusted you could keep my secret. My mistake.”

         “I know, I know. I couldn’t help it. I mean you were the best student that has ever stepped foot in the school. I was your best friend. You did your best to train me to be like you, but I was selfish, I was ambitious, and I was jealous of you. My emotions got the better of me.”

       “And because of that, you told the masters that he was a mage and got him expelled. Some friend huh?” Serah said in a voice that even I could tell sounded like Gale wasn't kidding about her carving him up like some . . . festival statue.

         “So what if Zeke had magical powers?” I asked. “Why would he be kicked out?”

        “Shenai assassins are never.” Zeke explained staring daggers at Gale. “It's principles are built on taking the ordinary man and shaping him into a weapon capable of going up against even mages and emerging victorious. I wanted to be different. My dreams were crushed all because Gale gave me away.”

         Oh, so not only did they dress like assassins, there was even a school for assassins.

         “Zeke look!” Gale begged. “I'm really sorry! I felt so bad about it I quit the training.”

         “That is your problem Gale.” Zeke said. He was quite calm. No anger in his voice.

        “I have changed. I have been looking for you for a year now. Just so I could apologize.” He said.

        “What a waste of time. You could have found me anytime but you decide to show up now? This is a bad time. Your big mouth will once again put me in trouble.”

       “Wow, this is romantic and all of that, but I want to be somewhere else.” Serah said standing up and moving away.

       “Just a heads up,” He said, “the king just increased the bounty on your head by another one hundred.”

       “I know. You here to turn me in?” Zeke asked.

       “No Zeke, I came to warn you.” Gale said. “I passed a group of marauders in the village nearby, who are currently tracking you.”

         “My problem isn’t the bounty hunters.”

         “Bounty?” I said. “Why does the king want you so badly?”

        “It doesn’t matter.” Zeke said turning around and walking away.   

         I turned to Gale who had a look of disappointment and stubborn determination on his face. Quietly, out of Zeke’s hearing, I asked him.

          “What does the king want Zeke for?”

          Gale looked at me in confusion. He then looked at Zeke who was walking away. Then sadness and pity washed over his face. Gale turned to me and said a full sentence that will shock me for a long time me possibly for life.

       “He’s wanted, you know, for the murder of Prince Arion Pendragon. You knew that right?”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. Gale’s words had hit me harder than I ever expected. I always imagined it was something like theft from the royal household, or maybe something like unmanageable mischief or something like that. I thought maybe he was wanted for endangering magical creatures of Eidenvellir. But I never expected murder, much less the murder of the brother I never knew I had. Slowly, I regained my sense of awareness and managed to look in his direction.

         He had stopped in his tracks as if somehow, he knew I now knew about what he did. Slowly, he turned to face me. His face was calm and hard to read, which unnerved me even more. I was shaking. Not out of fear. I walked up to him, slowly but surely. I stopped right before him and looked him in his clear blue eyes.

       “Why?” I asked him. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”             

        He looked me right back in my eyes, shook his head and said.

       “It never struck me as necessary to tell you yet.”

       “How can you say something like that?” I yelled, drawing the attention of my other companions. “How can this not be a necessary detail to have told me?”

        “I... I just...” he stuttered, then took a deep breath.

        “You just what, Zeke? You forgot?” I asked. “You forgot to tell me you killed my brother, Zeke?”

       “Wait.” Said Gale, his face turning pale as if he realized he just did something wrong. “Arion was your brother? You are the princess?”

       “I did not forget.” Zeke said, ignoring Gale. “I didn’t want to tell you.”

        “You did not want to tell me? How could you keep this from me?”

       “I was protecting you.”

       “You sound just like my pixie parents Zeke, you were just trying to protect me from what?” I had lost it at this point.

       “I was trying to protect you from me.”

       “Oh and so you tell me all I need to know except the fact that you killed my brother and you are travelling with me Zeke. How exactly does that protect me from you?”

       “You see what you've done now Gale?” he shot these words past me over to Gale who had stood rooted to his position. He looked at Zeke with a frown of more confusion, then held his hands up in a clueless gesture.

        “I didn’t know.” He said. “I thought she already knew, and had just forgotten and needed to be reminded, that's all.”

        “You leave Gale out of this!” I pointed a threatening finger at Zeke. “You lied to me.”

         “I did not lie, I just avoided telling you the truth.”

         “Does it matter? You never even told me I had a brother. If it weren’t for them,” I flung my fingers at my companions and Gale, “I wouldn’t have known anything about you. Were you ever going to tell me? Were you ever going to tell any of us?” 

         “No. I was never going to tell you.” He said.

         “I feel betrayed Zeke!” I said pulling at my hair.

         “Stacy please, you have to calm down.” Ivy begged. “He had his reasons for not telling you.”                                                                    

         I looked at ivy whose eyes were pleading with me along with her voice. I looked at Serah and Asterix expecting to see them in some kind of shock, or surprise as well. But they all looked at me like they already knew this. Then it occurred to me that they already did.

          “You knew about this?” I asked looking at each of them. Their eyes told me all I wanted to know.

          “You guys knew and you never told me? I feel even more betrayed!”

          “You have to understand, It was never our place to tell you.” Asterix said looking at me with those calm, gentle eyes. “It was always his.” He nudged his head in Zeke’s direction. I turned back to Zeke.

         “Even so, he chose not to disclose to me this important piece of information.”

         “Trust me Stacy, it was better that way.” He said.

        “I did trust you Zeke.” I said. “That’s why I'm hurting. I trusted you with my life. And you couldn’t tell me this?”

       “What difference would it have made from this outcome?” he asked flinging his arms apart.

       “The difference, Zeke, would have been that you told me the truth. That you trusted me as equally.”

       “Why does it pain you so bad?” he asked. “I really need to know. You never even knew him.”                                                                              

        He was right. I never knew him. But yesterday, when Ivy had told me about his death I had grieved for the brother I never knew, but one I will miss. That was not the main reason I was really mad at him for right now.

          “I never knew him, alright.” I said. “But I thought we were friends, you and I Zeke. You were one of the only friends I ever truly had.” 

          Zeke scoffed humorlessly. He ran his fingers through his dark hair. Then he turned to me, with a look of frustration on his face.

        “Friends, Stacy?” he asked. “I don’t have any friends.”                    

         looked around the faces of the people who have been travelling with me at Zeke’s request, and the one who once betrayed him, gave up his dream and sought out Zeke for a year just so he could apologize to him. Their faces showed they were hurt.

           “You should be ashamed of yourself.” I told him.

           “I don’t have any friends!” he yelled this time. “Look around you, Stacy. These people you see here, they are not really my friends.”

          “I thought otherwise Zeke.” Serah said in her usual tone.

           “No, I hope you didn’t.” He said. “No one in their right mind will be friends with someone like me. A murderer and the son of a murderer!”

           “You killed Prince Arion out of self defense Zeke.” Ivy told him. “It was not really your fault. It was an accident.”

          “Don't defend me Ivy, you don’t know that.” He pointed to her. "I may have lied about that for all you know."

          “I do know, Zeke. Your parentage had nothing to do with it.”

          “It was my parentage that killed him in the first place!” Zeke yelled at a now calm Ivy. Honestly, do they sell calmness here in Eidenvellir?

            “You tried to help him afterward but. . .”

           “NO I DID NOT TRY TO HELP HIM!” he yelled in rage. “STOP DEFENDING ME!”

           “She is only doing what a true friend should.” Asterix joined in.

           “We are NOT friends!” he emphasized on the not.

           “Zeke you are being a jerk.” Serah said in a bored voice.

           “I am not being a jerk, I'm being honest.” Zeke said. “We are not friends. We never truly were. Let's face it! You are only here either because I saved your life, you owe me a favor, or you want to kill me.” He shot a look at Serah and Gale as he said that last part. Gale lowered his head. Serah only blinked at Zeke like she wasn’t getting his point.

        “That’s just it.” He continued. “Under normal circumstances you hear my name, you either cower or try your luck with apprehending me. You two,” he pointed at Ivy and Asterix, “you two really hate each other. You must hate me for stopping you two from being at each other’s throats all the time.”

         “Zeke stop that!” I screamed, once again, involuntarily doing the Screaming Calm. Zeke froze in his tracks as a wave of my aura washed over him. The others could move freely and I didn’t have time to figure out why.

          “I didn’t ask you to have a go at them.” I said, knowing he can hear me. “All I was mad about is you not trusting me enough to have told me the truth.”                                                                                       

          When I finished speaking, Zeke started moving. He faced me and said.

          “The truth, Stacy, is that we aren’t friends.”

          “Then why did you go through all the trouble?” I asked him. “Why did you save my life over and over? Why did you risk your life for me? Why didn’t you let Vitrax get to me?”                                      

          He waited a few moments sighed and then he replied.

         “I did all that because Zarina told me you would be the path to my redemption.” He said. “I thought returning you to your parents would free me from all this running. All this loathing people have toward me. I wanted to be different from my father.”

        “For a moment, I thought you were gonna say you did that for a friend.” I said. “We will journey on to Nirvana and. . .”                                

        He was shaking his head and backing away from me. He whistled the note I recognized as that he uses for summoning Storm.

        “My journey ends here.” He said, picking up his cloak and travelling sack. “I will travel with you no more.”

       “Where are you going?” Serah asked him.

       “Zarina told me I would find out if this journey would bring me redemption or not. I just realized it won't. There is no point travelling any further.”                                                                                             

          Storm galloped out of the woods and Zeke swiftly mounted him. Zeke looked at me then at the others.

         “You will see to it that Stacy reaches the King and Queen safely.” He said. “When that is done, your debts to me shall be paid.. If you owe me your life, then you will be free again. That is my last request to you.”                                                                                                 

          I looked at Zeke and used every ounce of strength I had not to tell him anything. Whatever decision he was making now, it will be out of his own free will. But I had to say one more thing.

         “I only wish you never kept that piece of the truth from me Zeke.”

         “Then what Stacy? How would you have felt about it?” he asked me as I turned away from him. “Would you have felt safer if I told you that the person who was ensuring your safety, the person who had promised to take you home, the person whom you trusted with your life, was your brother’s killer and also the son of the man who wants your head on his mantelpiece?”                

          My mouth dropped open as the full weight of the words Zeke had just spoken hit me. No, I thought to myself. No please don’t be right Stacy, don’t be right! Slowly, I turned around and looked into his sad face wondering if he actually said what I thought he meant. And then I began to understand. His loneliness, his desperation.

         “Yes Stacy.” He said. “The Dark general is my father.”