Stacy Pendragon

One Journey's End Begins Another

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Life within the castle walls was almost no different from the way the people of Nihmia lived. Busy, lively, developed and pretty. The ground here was paved with cobblestone and there were many houses around. The stalls here were richer, the shops bigger and better. It was like a city in here. The spaces between the houses were pretty tight though. Just like in the cities. There were tailoring spots here as well. I didn’t have time for a full tour. I saw all this as our carriage rode over to the castle. The castle was well separated from the dwellings. It had an inner wall which we had to pass through yet again. Nirvana's capital city must have been built in one paranoid era to have been protected by all these walls.

        The palace area was astonishing. Its gardens were evergreen with trees trimmed to resemble animals and sometimes people. Guards stood guarding at some posts, others moved about freely, patrolling the districts. Moira pointed to a far off wall of grass that grew in the distance. She said it was a maze made of hedges. I was fascinated by it sheer being. Fountains dotted the city, spewing water through a statue of a man holding a trident or through the mouth of some beast. There was also a meadow to one side. People worked in the maze, worked on the trees and some harvested fresh flowers for the castle decorations.         

          We rode along a paved way, riding off to the side and not directly to the castle’s main entrance. Moira said there was an entrance that led directly to the kitchens. As we approached the entrance, some maids who were already waiting for Moira rushed forward and received her, bowing in greeting. They took some of the stuff we had brought and Serah and I took the rest. We got into the castle and descended a flight of stairs into the kitchen where all the maids working there were busy doing something; cleaning around, gathering various ingredients, checking out the pots they were to cook in, some cutting meat into strips and others doing other things (I hate having to go too deep into details.) When they saw Moira, they all stopped whatever they were doing and greeted Moira with a curtsy. She greeted them back and immediately went on to issuing orders on what they are to cook for the guests, like she had been here from the start.

       She went on to divide the cooks into groups, giving each group a specific dish to prepare. I admired her for the way she took on her responsibility and her display of authority. She went on inspecting ingredients and telling a maid to get the dishes done. She turned over to the maids she had assigned to making pastries and gave them some orders. She then told us to help out since the guests won't be arriving for another two hours. I agreed immediately. Serah was feeling uneasy working with a lot of people, especially when the work in question didn’t involve combat, but she agreed.

       I have never been to a big kitchen before but I had helped my pixie mother at home almost all the time. I helped out with the pastries while Serah helped the cooks handling the meat as she was pretty handy with knives and blades. Moira wasn't pleased seeing me work, but she couldn't ask me not to. Not with everyone else down here thinking I was one of them. So she could only look away.

        I was given instructions by the maid I was working with on how much quantity of flour I should knead at a time or how much water I should add. As I kneaded the dough, she would cut out some quantities, put in a bowl and add eggs, sugar, salt and some other flavors then will mix them with her hands. I don’t know how they baked their stuff here but we definitely didn’t bake stuff like this back on Earth. I was happy to know how they did it here though. She put the mixture in a large tray lined with cup shaped spaces. So they even had muffin trays huh? She then gave the trays to other maids who carried them off to the ovens. When she was certain we had enough muffins, we switched to making pies; peach pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, gwandolin pie, strange fruit pie (that's not what they call it though. I just don’t remember the name of the fruit). All I did was prepare the crust, and it was also very similar to the way we make pie crusts back on Earth. Other maids prepared the pies. Soon after I was done, I was told that would be all I had to do and that I should await orders from Lady Moira. I looked over to Serah to check out how she was doing.     

         The way she handled the meat was so dazzling other maids would stop what they were doing to watch her. She seemed to be enjoying it too. One would have thought she was a butcher’s daughter. As I watched her, one of the maids ran into me with a tray of vegetables she seemed to have just washed.

        “What are you doing standing around?” she asked me.

       “I am done with my work.” I replied.

       “You say you are done with your work and yet everyone else still has a lot of work in their hands.”

        “I await orders from Lady Moira.”

        “Make yourself useful.” She handed me the tray. “The kitchen is no place to be lazy. Now take it over there to the cooks making stew.”

          With that she left me and went off somewhere. I took the tray over to the stoves with steaming pots. The maids making the stew took the tray from me. Hmm. Maids making stew. Maybe the word ‘steward’ was misplaced in its true sense.

       As I turned to make my way back to where I worked, the maid who had handed me the tray returned and apparently had some more orders to give me. Moira came just in time, dressed in elegant clothes and asked us (Serah and I) to come assist her. I knew she said this only because she didn’t want to raise suspicions with the other maids, otherwise she would have just said ‘hey guys, it’s time go and break the fugitive through security to meet the king and deliver the princess to her father’. I looked at Serah to get her attention. She was busy venting some make believe anger on a large piece of beef, acutely stripping the flesh off the bones in the process. She was having too much fun to notice me till I went over and touched her shoulder. She turned around and faced me as I pointed over to Moira who waited for us at the staircase. She put down the meat cleavers and we walked over to Moira. She turned and led us up the stairs. We ascended several flights and she opened a door into a corridor lined with rooms and maids passing to and fro cleaning around and replacing torches.

         Moira led us through the corridor to another flight of stairs. We emerged into a huge reception hall and crossed into another corridor and this time, Moira pulled out a key from her sleeve. She stopped before one of the rooms lining this corridor and inserted the key into a keyhole in the door, turned the key once and pushed the door open.

        “My chambers.” She said as she let us in.                              

         It was large with a lot of space, large wardrobe stood to one end and a bed big enough for two on the opposite side. The room had glass windows which looked out to one side of the castle out into the town below. It had a drawer where I guess she kept her stuff and an oval mirror hanging on the wall over it. It was quite a nice place to live in.

        “You will stay here and wait for me.” She said. “Security is pretty tight upstairs. The guests will arrive in about an hour. The King is still to return from his afternoon hunting trip. To be honest, he's been gone a long time today, otherwise, we would have done this earlier. I have to go up and prepare the dining room and the meeting room. Make yourself comfortable. No one enters my chambers. Just for extra security, I will lock you in.”

        “Thank you Moira.” I said.

         “It’s my pleasure princess.” She went out closing the door and I heard her lock the door and went away.                                                 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

We waited till her footsteps died before we spoke.

         “You think it’s safe to bring out Zeke and the others now?” I asked Serah.

        “Yeah I guess it’s okay.” She said grabbing her dress and began ripping it apart.

         “What are you doing?” I asked. “You can't rip off your clothes now. What if we need them again later in future? It’s not over yet!” She let go of her clothes and sighed. I lay out Zeke’s shadow cloak on the bed and reached in and first pulled Zeke out.

        “What were you waiting for?” he whispered furiously as I reached in for Asterix. “We were in there for an eternity. I was beginning to think you were dead!”

       “Sorry,” I apologized as I hefted Asterix out of the cloak.  “Moira had given us some work in the kitchens since the meeting would not have started for another three hours.” I pulled out Ivy who began complaining as well. Gale came out with a shiver and said he does not want to get into the shadow cloak ever again.

           The orange glow of the sun's final rays for the day lit up the room. Ivy collapsed on Moira’s bed and Serah followed suit. Gale began looking around. He opened a door that led to Moira’s bathroom. I wondered what kind of loo they would have in the palace. I went inside to get a look and saw that theirs were almost like the water closet system, but it had a chamber pot made of clay, with a water reservoir above it. You would open a tap in the reservoir which would flush out whatever lay in the pot into pipes which drained out . . . somewhere. They also had  pipes that delivered gas for lighting. Did they make gas now? Pretty advanced, no? I made my way back to the others who sat around. 

        "They have a gas lighting system!" I said as I walked out, gesturing into the bathroom.

         Asterix perked up, shot a look into the dark bathroom and then said "Oh that? You mean the pipes on the wall?"

         "Yes!" I said.

         "Those pipes transmit light rays from outside to charge up photoluminescent crystals. It's  actually nice to see that they weren't completely removed. That is of Dwarven design, and it's probably from back when the Dwarves still used to come around Nirvana." he explained.

         I looked back into the bathroom and was quite impressed. Tubes that transmitted light rays. Like optical fibre technology I'm guessing. I didn't say it out loud.

        “So what’s our strategy?” I asked.

         “Wait for Moira, let her lead us to the king and let whatever happens next happen.” Zeke said.

         “What if we need to terminate resistance?” Serah said brandishing one of her combat knives.

         “No,” Zeke said. “We agreed to this, no weapons. We encounter any security, we knock them out through unarmed combat, or magic. No weapons.”                                                                                                                Serah grunted and concealed the knives in a sheathe belt in her combat outfit beneath the maids dress. I sat down by Zeke and took his hand in mine.

         “Don't worry Zeke.” I said. “If my father does not recognize the effort you put in to bring me here, I will tell him all about it. I will try and talk him into granting you your freedom.”                             

          He squeezed my hand lightly. His hand was warm around mine. He took my other hand and looked me in the eyes.

         “Promise me Stacy,” he said. “Promise me you won't say or do anything if he decides to punish me. Promise me you won't interfere with his decision.”                                                                           

          I didn’t know what he was talking about. I wasn't even sure he knew what he was talking about. It was hard to make a promise like this. I didn't want to make this promise.

       “I don't wanna make this promise Zeke.” I told him.

       “You have to Stacy.” He said. “I know it’s hard to ask but you have to trust me.”

        “Its not hard at all.” I said. “I promise, Zeke. But I won't stand by and just let him give orders for your execution. I’ll magic him if I have to.”

          Zeke smiled. “He’s your father.” He said. “You may have second thoughts doing that.”                                                                                     

          Of course I might magic him. But I made the promise anyway. We sat in silence, doing one thing or the other in utter silence. The sun finally set and it got dark. I found some lamps and candles beneath her drawer and lit them with a simple fire spell, though the flames burnt with a ruby red colour till Zeke adjusted it. I checked the crystal in the bathroom and it was lit (not lit as in legit, or whatever it is Mallory meant when she used the word), and I deduced it did that when it got dark enough. We waited, tensing each time we heard footsteps echo through the corridor. Finally, we heard a set of footsteps which stopped before our door and we heard a key being inserted into the lock. One turn and the door was pushed open. Moira opened the door carefully and slid in.

         “Alright.” She said. “The meeting just started. The king and his queen are already present. Only one duke never came.”

        “We are ready to move Moira.” Zeke said. “Lead us to the meeting hall.”        

          It was easier said than done. I had not thought of how Moira would sneak six of us unnoticed to a heavily armed part of the castle. Zeke had apparently thought ahead of us. He cast a glamour spell on us to make us, excluding Moira, temporarily invisible. Even when he drew strength from the Currents of Energy, I didn't think he could maintain that spell for long so he asked Moira to hurry. Moira was leading us across the hall we had passed earlier when a man saw her and called to her. Apparently, this man was her superior in the castle. He called her and basically said nothing of importance. Just an old man's sorry attempt at flirting. Time was wasting and Zeke’s invisibility spell might lose effect at any moment. He whispered at Moira to hurry.

           “What was that?” the man asked. “You heard something?”

          “No.” She answered. “I have to hurry. You know, get to the kitchens and finish things up.”

          “Oh but the kitchen is that way.” He pointed her in the right direction.

           “I know that. But I have to get upstairs to the dining hall and oversee some  things.”

          “Okay I’ll see you later then?” Moira was already rushing away. She mumbled something like “I hope we don't.”                                      

           We passed maids and guards and people carrying scrolls and books or doing something else in the castle. We finally stopped before a wooden door, and in time too, for that was when Zeke’s glamour faded completely and left him gasping for a few moments.

          “I'm fine.” He said within gasps, answering the questioning looks on our faces.

         “Beyond this point,” Moira said. “You will meet some tight security. As Zeke said, I’ll have to leave you here. You’re on your own now. Good luck.”                                                                                   

           She hugged Zeke first then bowed to me. You know, I was a little offended. She then turned around and rushed through the corridor. We opened the door only a crack and peered through. Two guards flanked the corridor and the passage branched off to either side. She had said we should take the left corridor. Zeke fished out a smooth black bead from his cloak. The others seemed to recognize what it was and clamped pieces of cloth over their mouths.

          "You know," I said, "why don't we just walk up to them and surrender? They'll take us to the king then, right?"

          "The King or his guests would not be disturbed." Zeke said. "They will lock you up at once. And probably kill me on the spot." 

          Zeke threw the  bead into the corridor and shut the door behind him. There was a tiny pop sound and the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Zeke opened the door and I noticed the corridor was filled with white fumes.

       “Diru.” He said. Dispell. The corridor was immediately clear of fumes and we approached. I was later told the black bead was a seed to a darkspore tree from the Outland Territories. The tree was sensitive to movement within a certain range, and incapacitated its victims by dropping its seeds around them, and while the victim fell asleep, the tree’s roots grew around them and dragged them into the soil, releasing enzymes to break them down and absorb its victim. A predator tree. I decided I never wanted to visit the Outland Territories. There was some other alternative called scarna beetle shells, which exploded as well.                                                               

             We made our way through the corridors, incapacitating the guards we met. We finally reached a large set of double doors. I knew at once that it was the entrance to the meeting hall because it had a dozen guards before them. We all charged without weapons. They were no match for us. But as I feared, the guards we had knocked out were discovered and the guards patrolling around were rushing toward the disturbance at the doors.

         “If those guards get here,” Asterix grumbled not used to fighting without his axe or hammers. “We will have no chance of getting in.”  He was right. I looked back and saw a wave of soldiers flooding the corridors. Zeke stood back, held out open palms toward the doors and spoke a magic word and the doors unlatched themselves and flung open. The six of us rushed into the meeting hall and were greeted with surprised faces staring at us. The guards swarmed in from all directions and surrounded us, pointing their spear tips at us. I held my hands up in the general sign for surrender.

          “What is all this about?” said a gentle voice from behind me, so calm despite the circumstances that made me feel like I was in big trouble.

          I turned around and got a first look at my father. He sat on a throne on the far end of the meeting hall. His face was Like Arion’s; calm, gentle and kind, and his eyes bore a certain fierceness. He had a well trimmed beard and he was dressed in regal clothes and a golden bejeweled crown sat upon his head. Zeke stood up straight and my father’s expression hardened.

        “Your Majesty,” one of the guards said. “We discovered them. We believe they were staging an assassination attempt as three of them are dressed like Shenai Academy assassins.”

         “Isn’t that the wanted Dark General’s boy?” one of them High Class people at the table said, and then caused a much bigger commotion at the table.

        “Throw them all in the dungeon!” yelled a man standing by my father’s throne.

        “Wait!” Ivy yelled. “We have something to tell you.”

       “Is that an Elf?” came a high pitched voice from woman in a pink ball gown who looked like she was hit by a make-up truck! She had enough face powder to occupy several vacuum cleaners, and a large wig over her head that would probably make Peabody and Sherman's version of Marie Antoinette send her to the guillotine in order to kill off the competition.

         “We have brought home the Princess.” Ivy continued.              

          The fidgeting among the ministers and aristocrats was hushed and they looked at us amusingly. One of them even raised a monocle to his eye. The guards lightly jabbed at us with spears, ushering us to get on our knees. They weren't so gentle with Zeke. He was seized fiercely, both his arms in vice grasps and he was kicked to his knees. The king however, looked at us seriously and at Zeke, well, I couldn't tell what expression he had on his face.

       “That’s ridiculous.” The man who had ordered our imprisonment said. “The princess was not an Elf, Elf. You most certainly are not the princess.”                                                                                                  

        I had been told of my true Identity sometime this past few days. I had always refused to accept it for one reason or the other. Right now, I had decided one thing. I needed a family. I needed my true parents. I needed a shot at a normal life before I turned to that which I was always wanted by my enemies. I didn't know how much I wanted this until I looked into the eyes of my father, and saw my eyes reflected back at me. His eyes were like mine.  I stepped up for it.

         “I am the Princess.” I said stepping forward.                                 

         King Hugo Pendragon looked at me with his calm eyes, sizing me up and for a moment, I saw in his eyes that he wanted to believe I was his daughter. But my looks were not enough to convince him. He closed his eyes and sighed.

            “Where is Ronan?” he asked.

           “Uhm, well, I dont know who that is.” I said.

            “Ronan is dead.” Zeke spoke up. “Killed by Screechers as he attempted to rescue the Princess.”

            “Perhaps, my lord, you can see that this is a conspiracy of some kind.” The guy I was starting to dislike said. “The fugitive boy returns and claims to have brought the princess with him, saying the Shenai sellsword you hired to be the Princess’s guide back to you was killed by Screechers. Surely he had done that himself to get to you. Surely you see that.”

        “What I say is true.” I said. “He risked his life to get me back to you.”

         “She has been led to believe that by the boy’s sorcery.”

         “Get them out of my sight.” King Hugo decided. “Keep the boy here.”

         “No, father,” I said, addressing him as my dad and not a king. “You must hear us out. I am your daughter, like for real!”

         “No you are not.” Said one of the guards prodding us toward the doors. “The princess was not a mage. You are.”                   

          As he said this, I looked to my father and saw something light up in his eyes. I looked around for my mother, but she was not here. Not that I would have recognized her anyway. I wondered where she was. If I really was this princess my friends made me believe I am, then she should recognize me. A mother never forgets, a mother always knows.

         “Wait.” King Hugo called out. he stood from his throne and walked toward us ever so carefully. “You, girl.” He pointed to me. “You are a mage?”

         “Yes father,” I said. “I am a mage.” The guards made way as the king inspected me. His hand went to my whisp and he gasped. His eyes were full of compassion. Full of hope. I was getting through.

        “The Princess was born and a few days later, a pendant like this was found in her grasp.” he said. “My child was taken from me only to return to me after sixteen years of exile. Do you believe you really are my blood?”                                           

          I did not know what to say. Thankfully, that was when Queen Moryna decided to arrive. I knew her after I had seen her once in my dream. She looked at the guards surrounding us in surprise, then she saw her susband standing before me. Her mouth was open in disbelief. She gathered up her dress and hurried toward us as if in a trance. She looked first to her husband who was looking at her then at me. I looked at her with as much sincerity I could muster. Her hand rested on my cheek and I felt familiar warmth surge through my cheek, bringing back memories of my dream about the night she had given me away for my safety. For all of Eidenvellir’s safety.

          “Hugo,” she whispered as tears of joy rushed down her face. “She has your eyes.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

         The three of us stood, watching each other; me, watching my parents, who were still having an I-cannot-believe-my-daughter-just-came-back-to-me moment. I had finally met my real parents. I didn’t know how to react or behave or even what to say. I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

          “Hey mom and dad.” I said.                                                            

           Queen Moryna burst into tears and took me in a hug.  It felt real. That hug was genuine. I hugged her back, finally happy to know I was holding my real mother in my arms right now. King Hugo put his hands around us in a family group hug. I shot a look at the people gathered for this meeting. They were all getting off their seats. When my parents pulled away from me, my father turned to them and said.

          “Behold, my daughter, my blood, your Princess is returned.” He gestured to me. All at once, they pushed their seats back noisily, stood up and bowed to me. I bowed back when they stood straight. My father turned to my friends who were still kneeling at spear point. They got up slowly. Except Zeke of course.

         “They brought you back from Earth?” he asked me.

         “Yes father.” I answered. “But I owe my life to Zeke. If it wasn’t for him, on countless occasions, I would have been killed.”                 

         I waited, hoping my father would somehow pardon Zeke. He turned around to my friends. The guards lowered their spears.

        “I thank you all for your collective and individual efforts in bringing my daughter back.” He said. “I don’t know how I can repay all.”          

        My shoulders slumped. I could breathe easily now. Everything was going to be okay.

       “You will be honorary guests of the castle. You will stay for the night and attend the celebratory feast in three days to honor the return of my daughter. All of you,” he said. “Except you.” He said to Zeke sadly. The old man at the back of the room tapped his staff on the ground loudly. The guards holding Zeke down stepped back as then rods of stone materialized in a cage around Zeke. The rods began to zap Zeke with electricity. I wanted to yell at my father to stop, to let Zeke go. But Zeke wasn’t even resisting, he didn’t use his magic to break free.

        He may have sensed my unease because he looked at me and shook his head. Or maybe he was convulsing from the electric shock, I don't know. I remembered my promise to him. I wish I hadn’t promised him that. I honored that promise and stayed put, not saying anything.

       “You will understand,” my father said to me, “but don't be so harsh on the boy, Gandel.” He said to the old man at the back.                   

        Out of nowhere, more tendrils of electricity arced toward Zeke’s cage, making contact. He screamed momentarily and hit the ground, seemingly unconscious. If I wanted to say something before, I wanted to scream now. But once again, I composed myself and followed my father’s gaze to where the electricity had come from.

       The mage I had seen in one of my earlier dreams, Marcus, stood facing us. His magical staff was pointed at Zeke, and the stone on it now glowed an electric blue color then began swirling with different colors. He was older and taller. His master was the older guy who had caged Zeke. Standing beside him was an older version of Cadoc. Cadoc’s hair fell to his shoulders and he had started to grow a beard. He was looking at Zeke’s limp form with loathing. My father shot him a look that clearly said "really?"

        "Forgive me my liege." Marcus apologized with a bow. "My emotions got the better of me."

        “Take him away.” My father told the pair. “We will discuss how to go about it tomorrow.”

        “I will watch over him personally your majesty.” Cadoc said with a bow. Marcus waved his staff and cage disintegrated. He moved over to the guards who stood over Zeke and motioned to take Zeke and follow him. I had a horrible feeling my father was going to discuss the best method to go about killing Zeke tomorrow. If I had to do anything about it, it would only be tomorrow. My friends watched in silence as Zeke was taken away. I was sure he had asked them not to do anything if the king decided to get hostile with him. As the guards exited the hall, Moira walked in.

         She stopped momentarily to watch as Zeke was dragged out of the hall before she snapped back to reality and approached the king.

       “Lady Moira,” my father said. “You are just in time. Allow me to personally introduce you to my daughter.”

       “The lost princess returns.” Moira said. “It’s an honor to finally meet you safe and sound, your majesty.” She said bowing to me.          

        I realized that according to what Zeke had told her, she is not supposed to act like we had already met. I bowed back at her.

        “I'm pleased to meet you Lady Moira.” I said. “Please call me Stacy.”

        “Courtesy does not permit me to do such, Princess Stacy.” She said with a smile.

        “Lady Moira, I would like you to make preparations for a banquet to take place three nights from now to celebrate my daughter’s return, but there will be a feast for all residents of the castle tomorrow first.” My father said with a pleasing smile.

         “I will do just that My King,” Moira said.

         “I would have had you do it tomorrow, but I have matters to settle.” King Hugo said. I had a sinking feeling his matters had something to do with Zeke’s punishment.

        “You will go with your mother to your chambers.” He told me. “Your friends must be very tired too. Show them the guest rooms will you, Moira?”                   

         “Of course my lord.” She said then to my friends, she gestured with her hand. “This way, if you don’t mind.”                                    

         I exchanged looks with my friends. I nodded to them in acceptance. It was safe here. They could count on Moira. They all followed her.

        “Come my dear.” My mother said taking my hand. “You have come a long way. You must be really tired.”                            

          I let her take me to my room. She kept turning around and looking at me, like she was expecting me to just disappear and then she wakes up from her dream. Each time, she would laugh and sob. I put my hand on her shoulder and told her it was okay and that I was really there. She nodded.

         We reached my room and my mom pushed it open. A maid was already inside cleaning and arranging stuff. She spotted both of us and curtsied. She looked barely older than I was.

       My room was enormous. It had two sections, the first was a sitting chamber, with couches, a fireside and a large carpet. My sleeping chamber had a large bed decorated with scarlet sheets, a large window looking out to the opposite side of the castle from Moira’s chambers and it looked over the inner castle wall. It had a little chandelier hanging from the ceiling. My wardrobe stood to one side, larger than the one I had back on Earth or any I had seen in Eidenvellir. My personal drawer stood below a mirror hanging on a wall. Two doors stood side by side off to the left.

       “Where do those doors lead?” I asked.  

       “The door on the left leads off to your private chambers, the other one goes off to your bath.” The maid answered.

        “This is Flores.” My mom told me. “She is the personal attendant to the Royal Princess. She will be your personal maid attending only to you.”                                                                                                                               Flores looked up at me in poorly concealed surprise. I'm sure she had not yet heard of my return. She bowed hurriedly addressing me.

         “My Princess,” she said. “I had not heard of your return.”

         “It’s okay Flores.” I said. “I should have tagged you live on i********: to notify you of my arrival.” i joked. She didn't get it. I will never get used to the confused looks on the faces of Eidenvellirns when I pull an Earth reference. She slightly c****d her head to one side and squinted, not sure how to respond. 

          "I mean I just got here." I said quickly.

          "Oh!" she said, realization dawning on her face. Kinda like I do when my French teacher translates his phrases directed at me into good old English.

          "I don't even know how to use Instagram." I murmured. She nodded and stood straight. 

         “I should leave you now my dear.” My mother said. “I am needed down at the meeting hall. You will rest and I will see you tomorrow.”

        “OK mom.” I said. She looked at me for a moment and then she burst into a sobbing fit. Wow. How women could get over emotional after hearing long lost daughters call them “mom”. I gave her a hug to calm her down. I couldn't exactly blame her. She once had two children and lost them both at some point. Now, in terms of offspring, I'm all she's got. She stopped crying and then she pulled back, wiping the tears off her beautiful queenly face and stepped back. I knew she wanted to stay longer as she kept hesitating each time she touched the door handle. She wanted to spend more time with me. But right now, she couldn’t.

         “Don't worry mom.” I said. “I will see you tomorrow.”                 

          She nodded then she pulled the door open and walked out. I sighed. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to give away your child for such a long time I couldn’t imagine the unease one would feel being so far away from her child. I couldn’t also imagine her joy after finally seeing her long lost daughter. I decided when I had kids, I'm not giving any of them up. Wait, when did I start thinking of having a family of my own? I never even think about boys. I never even once had a crush on any. Having a family of my own? It never even crossed my mind.                                                                                                       

          I walked over to my private chamber. It was a bathroom complete with a loo (that word is so British, but I don’t mind.) It had a tap head jutting out of a wall for washing my hands and face. I saw a piece of wood with bristles on it.

        “Is that a toothbrush?” I asked.

        “Yes princess.” Flores answered.                                                       

          When was the last time I had a proper brush? I felt guilty at once. I picked it up and started brushing. Flores gave me a paste made of ground mint and eucalyptus leaves and some other strange scent. I brushed up real good and rinsed my mouth. Then I moved on to my bath. When I pushed open the door, my mouth dropped open.

        “My bath, you say? You got me an indoor pool?” I said. I got a confused look in reply.

        “Uhm, it’s where you bathe your highness.” She said meekly.       

        I took another look at the pool. Its surface was calm with lilies floating on it. The bathroom was illuminated by candle lit with blue flames. I couldn’t wait to try that out . . . in the morning. I shut the door and turned around, walking to my bed. I crashed over on my bed and heaved a sigh. I waited for a few seconds before I turned around and saw Flores still standing where I last saw her.

          “Err, what are you doing?” I asked.

          “I am awaiting further orders, Princess.” she said.                         

          I laughed. Not in a way to mock her, I admired her dedication to her work.

          “It’s okay Flores.” I said. “You should go get some sleep too. I will be fine.”

          “Are you sure?” she asked. “There could be an emergency and I may not be here on time.”

          “I can last the night.” I said. “Go get some sleep.”                        

          She bowed and said “Call me if you need help. My chambers are next door." She pointed to a string on the wall and followed it all the way to a decorated end hanging within arm's reach over my bed. "You pull on that, and I will be here as fast as I can."

          I stared suspiciously at it. "It won't be attached to your toe would it? Or your neck? I don't wanna yank on a rope attached to your neck. I might snap it!"

          She stifled a little laugh. "There's a bell at the other end. You pull on it, it will be rung and I will be here. If I don't hear the bell ring tonight, I will be here first thing in the morning.” She retreated toward the door and went out, locking the door behind her. Did she have the right to lock me in my room? I did not like that. But I will talk to her about it in the morning. I placed Zeke’s carved amulet under my pillow then I drew the thick red blanket over me and shut my eyes. This was a pleasant way to fall asleep. The warmth made me remember that I am forgetting something.

           It took me several minutes to remember that my aspercat was in the shadow cloak. I jumped out of bed and retrieved the cloak in panic. It’s been in there ever since before we entered Nihmia. Could it have died? I spoke the command word to activate it then I reached into it mentioning the aspercat’s name. My hand closed over something furry and I pulled out the cat by its long ears. I immediately dropped it unto my bed when I realized I was holding its ears. It looked like it had been asleep. It landed on my bed and hissed and then it saw me. It then it mewled and then approached me, purring softly.

          I carried it in my arms, relieved that it hadn’t starved or something. I put away Zeke’s cloak and placed Cat on my bed. As I lay down to sleep, I put out the fires and lights with a wave of my hand. Cat crawled in the dark over to my pillow and lay above my head, purring as he slept. I fell asleep soon after.

 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

          I didn’t even realize it was morning till Flores came by. I had slept so well I wasn’t expecting morning. Flores drew open the curtains and the morning light flooded my room. It woke me up. I turned around and saw Flores standing by my bedside.

        “Good morning, Princess.” she greeted. “Sleep well?”

         “You woke me too early, Flores.” I said, pulling my other pillow over my head. Cat seemed to agree with me too, for he growled and dove beneath my blanket.

       “I'm sorry, Princess, but your family wants you up and in time for breakfast. I will prepare your bath.”                                                   

        She walked off to the other side of my room and I heard her push open the door to my pool and her footfalls faded. She shut the door behind her. I closed my eyes and slept some more. I had barely shut my eyes when Flores gently nudged me awake.

         “Aw, Flores!” I complained.

         “Your Highness, please,” she begged. “You should really get ready. Your parents are actually looking forward to having breakfast with you.”  I sighed. Reluctantly, I pulled the blanket off me and got off the bed. I pulled off my clothes and walked to my bath. She had filled its surface with suds and scented it. It was warm, not enough to make me fall asleep in it, but enough to make me fully alert. I stepped into the pool and took my time. 

         Flores had already put out the dress I was going to wear to the dining room. It was too formal for me. I asked her to get me simple clothes, like the one I had been travelling with the past few days. I got dressed and tied my hair in a ponytail. I usually don’t do that. First time for everything I guess. Guards had been posted at my door the night before, and they escorted us to the dining hall. She led me up so many halls corridors and stairs I lost count. She finally stood before the hall’s entrance and waited for me to keep up. She pushed open the doors and I walked in. There were guards on the other side of the door, standing on each side. A long table stretched out in the middle of the room. My parents were already seated; my father on an ornate throne that showed his status, and my mother on an ornate chair, but not as big as my father’s and not as manly. A chair was set on the opposite side, facing my mother and I knew that is where I was to sit. They smiled lovingly at me. I went over to my mother and gave her a hug, and another for my father.

         “Good Morning.” I told them taking my seat.

         “How did you sleep my dear?” my father asked me.

         “I slept just nicely father.” I said. He smiled.

         “What happened to the dress I asked you to prepare for her Flores?” my mother asked Flores.

         “I had it laid out on her bed, Majesty.” Flores said with a bow.

         “Oh no, I didn’t want to wear that yet.” I said. “I didn’t think breakfast would be this formal.”

         “It’s okay my dear.”

         “Tell me,” my dad said. “How are your pixie guardians?”    

          It took me a while to decide what to tell them. I wasn’t sure what happened to them myself. But I had to tell my parents what I had been told about them.

         “They are dead.” I said. “Probably.”                                                  

          A pitiful look crossed my mother’s face. My father was trying not to show any emotion.

          “How did they die?” he asked me.

         “I don’t know for sure.” I said and went on to tell them how I had gone over to the school dance that night and returned to find different people living at my place, I told them about my outburst of power and how I got arrested, to when Zeke broke me out and got me to Zarina. I know, I know, I went too far. They only asked for how my pixie parents died.

       “Zarina sends her greetings.” I concluded.                                      

       My parents took all I said in silence. Each time I mentioned Zeke’s name and what he did, I looked to my father. He was very good at hiding his feelings. My mother would gasp and crease her eyebrows each time I said something horrible that had happened to me. Finally, my dad nodded and said.

        “You are a truly a mage then?”

        “Yes father.” I sighed. “I'm still learning how to use my powers.”

         “Well, I think studying with the court mage will help you then.” My mother said.

         “Yeah.” I said thinking of Zeke and his easy teaching methods. “I think so.”

          “Your return puts you in grave danger.” He continued. “You need to be under surveillance at all times. I don’t want to risk losing you again.”

          “Father!” I said. “I can totally handle myself while I am here, I don’t really need to be watched all the time.”

         “We can't really risk anything happening to you child.” My mother said.

        “Isn’t being within the castle walls already safe enough?” I asked.

         “It is.” She answered. “But we don’t want you going off like your brother once did.”                                                                                  

         Mentioning Arion brought a certain silence that was even more awkward than anything I had ever experienced. I should thank Moira later for breaking it. She pushed open the doors I came through and led in my friends. I was so relieved I could have fallen out of my chair. My parents were showing the same signs of hidden gratitude.

         Moira was dressed in her formal dress, leading Ivy first, who dressed in simple white linen clothes with simple slippers. Her face was cleaned and beautiful and she had let her gold blonde hair fall to her waist. She looked like she was glowing. Serah followed, dressed in dark linen, and properly cleaned. She looked innocent (to someone who never once saw her in action) but her eyes flitted around, taking in the place, probably figuring out the fastest way to escape if she killed the King right here. She looked on full alert and her hands twitched like she missed holding lethal knives in them. Her ex boyfriend and Asterix came last, both looking under slept. Asterix had tied back his wild hair and braided his beard (was that normal?)

          They all looked okay to me. I'm glad they were joining us for breakfast. Moira led them up to the table, where they all bowed in greeting to my parents and took their seats; Asterix sitting beside Ivy and Gale beside Serah. My father looked at the Dwarf and Elf like the prospect of them sitting so close to each other amused him. It was also hard to believe that few days ago these two had been enemies.

          “Hey guys.” I said. They all looked at me and smiled and nodded as if they were scared to address me before my parents.

          “I hope my guests had a pleasant night?” My father asked them.

          “Yes we did, my lord.” Ivy spoke bowing her head. “We suspect your majesty did too?”                          

          "After your efforts to bring my daughter back to me? I haven't slept better in years." He replied. "How is King Allerian these days?"

          "Thanks to Myrwha's graces, he lives on in good health." she said with a smile.                                                    "And you, my Dwarf friend?" my father spoke to Asterix who was in the middle of stuffing a whole drumstick into his mouth, getting stew dripping on his beard. We hadn't started eating yet, where did he get that? "How is Thurasevia?"

          Asterix pulled out the thigh bone from his mouth which was completely stripped of all it's flesh, and he spoke a second later. He swallowed! Did he even chew?

          "Get's deeper each year." He replied. My father nodded. Were the rest of us supposed to understand? I realized what he meant much later. Thurasevia is the Dwarf kingdom capital, and it is a city carved inside and under a massive caldera. They expand their city by carving out more space deeper downwards.

           Doors leading down to the kitchen opened and maids poured in with trays and bowls laden with food. They set them down on the table and laid out plates and spoons before us. Two maids brought in roast pig on a spit and set it on the table then chucked a fat red apple into its mouth. One of them brought a flower vase filled with bright purple flowers which released a strong smell like roses and honeysuckle.

           We were served a delicious looking vegetable dish with huge slices of pork (Ivy didn’t want any), then some mashed potatoes to go with (I'm telling you what I picked to eat. They were way more dishes than just these.) The food served at the breakfast table could have served my family back on Earth for several days. The poured out fresh milk into fine goblets beside our plates. I thought of Zeke as I ate. What could be happening to him now? Has he eaten anything yet? I try to picture the state of where he was now. Tortured, sleeping in a cold dungeon on stone cold stone floor (okay I have overdone it with the “stone cold stone” thing. Just ignore it.) I decided I would see him after this. Or at least when I had free time. When they were all done, a few of them exited the dining room and the rest retreated, standing a few paces away.

         “Well then,” My father said, "shall we?" and started eating.   

           We ate, occasionally exchanging words on our adventures. Maids would refill Asterix’s cup with mead (he did not take a fancy to milk) or cut up fresh slices of pork for Gale (that guy had a heck of an appetite). The ladies ate their fill and said their thanks to the king. I joined them soon after. They boys kept eating.

        “So tell me, dear Elf.” My father said. “How is King Allerian?” does he know he already asked her this?

         “He is well, oh king, and lives on in good health thanks to Myrwha's graces.” Ivy answered, not even bothered to repeat herself. 

         “He sent you on this quest to bring back my daughter?”

         “No.” Ivy said. “I was helping out a friend.”                                       

          There was silence. Serah had picked up one of the table knives and was looking at it like “how does anyone fight with this thing?” I wish I could distract myself as easily as she always does. I did not feel comfortable discussing Zeke with my parents.

        “You mean Azikilar.” My father said.

        “Yes.” Ivy went on. “He was friends with Stacy back when he lived on Earth. He had asked for my help watching her where she schooled while he traveled. He needed me to help bring her back.”

        “Stacy?” Queen Moryna asked, looking to Ivy then to me.

         “Yes, mother.” I answered. “That’s what I was named, at least by my guardians.”                                                                                            

         My father smiled and made a hand gesture to the maids who immediately cleared the table.

        “We had named you Arya before Zarina had taken you away.” He said. “Don't mind if we call you that.”                                               

          I didn’t strike as an Arya to anyone. Especially not to me.

         “I will answer if you call me by any of these two names.”

         “I thank you, Elf, “ my father continued. “Dwarf and. . . “

          “Shenai sellsword. Or sellknife. And student.” Serah said with a smile, which faded when she realized she had cut the king short and said. “Apologies, Highness. Please carry on.”

         “Shenai warrior and student,” my father continued. “For aiding in the successful return of my daughter. You have my gratitude. I don’t know how I can repay you.”

           “Please, my lord.” Ivy spoke for them. “What we did, was not for any form of reward. But if you insist, I, we, have only one request to ask you of.”

          “Speak it.” My father said.

          “We want you to let our friend go.” Ivy said. “It was by his efforts that we are here with your daughter today. This mission would have been a failure, it would never have come through if it weren’t for him.”                                                                                        

        There was silence more awkward than the last. I looked to the faces of my friends. Their expressions were hopeful and expectant. My father did not like Ivy’s request. I could see it in his eyes.

        “I appreciate the kindness and loyalty you have for your friend.” He said. “But I'm afraid I can't grant you your request. I am sorry.”        

          Ivy nodded in acceptance. She did not even argue or look rebellious.

         “I will travel back to Errinel later in the day.” She said. “My friends leave with me to their own separate destinations. We would like to see him before we leave.”                                                                        

         My father seemed to consider this for a moment.

        “Very well, then.” He said. “You will see him before you leave.”

         “Thank you.” She said. “It was nice dining with you my Lord and Lady. I will retreat to my quarters now, if you don’t mind.”                 

          She stood up, bowed and walked away. The others followed suit. I looked over to my father.

         “What are you going to do with him?” I asked him.

         “You will find out tonight.” He said.

         “Please, Father, you should consider the fact that he helped bring me back. He is my friend.”

         “Arya, it’s okay.” My mom assured me. “I know last night looked bad, but everyone was in a rush of emotions. Your father will explain things tonight.”

         “I already know.” I said. “I know he killed Arion but it was an accident and he kind of made up for that by risking his life for mine. He is not like his father.”                                                                       

           My mom exchanged looks with my dad. She then turned to me and asked.

          “Did he tell you that?”                                                                   

           I was thinking about how to tell them I usually have visions about stuff. With my loudmouth and ability to say too much (added with my luck) I was bound to tell them how General Vortigan had almost killed me through one of those. Then what? They try to stop it by snapping a pturi necklace over my neck and swallowing the key for my safety. I wasn’t going to risk that.

         I was saved by the man who had accused me last night for being an impostor. He walked in with a bunch of scrolls under his arm. He greeted the king and queen and then gave me a grudging bow.

         “Arya dear.” My mother addressed me. “You should go to your chambers now. I will send Flores to come over and give you a tour of the castle. Is that okay?”

          “Sure,” I said. “Its okay mom.” I got up and walked away, searching my mind to remember the way to my room.    

 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

         I waited in my room till Flores came and got me. I didn’t wait long. She took me out taking me first to see the many places within the castle. I told her I could easily discover the castle’s inside on my own since I would be spending a lot of time in there. She took me outside and showed me the many wonders of the castle grounds. We visited the meadow which she explained was created in my memory. She said my mother would spend most of her time here wondering what could have happened to me. I tried to picture it. We moved on to see the orchard. It was big with lots of trees. They were planted in straight lines and a path between them stretched onward. The trees had no fruit on them. It was still early spring. The leaves had just appeared with tiny flowers on them.

        Behind the trees were vines grapevines and gwandolin vines. We moved on to a patch of soil where maids were tending little sprouts. I was very much not familiar with most types of fruit they grew here. She took me over to the training court. I met Cadoc here sparring with fellow guards of the castle. He saw me and bowed in greeting. His sparring opponent did same along with the rest of the other guards who saw me. They seemed to have been informed about my return and physical appearance too (I was definitely not dressed like a royal).                 

          Flores led me to the sports arena. It was no Roman coliseum, mind you, but it was of a respectable size. Several hundred people could sit around it and there was the section reserved for the king, his family and honored guests. From where I stood, I saw the opening from which contestants would come through. I asked Flores what kind of games they play here and she told me usual sparring, wrestling, beast fighting(now banned), challenges to settle scores, tournaments, and sometimes fights to the deaths. I looked at her in horror. She told me that was only when enemies decide to square matters off in the arena. I was relieved a little.

       We then moved on to the maze. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined. It had vines growing on the tall hedges with booming flowers with amazing colors growing on the vines. She knew the way the maze’s center all by herself. She says she always accompanied my mother to the maze’s center each time. When we reached the center, I gasped in awe. There was a fountain flowing with crystal clear water and the giant statue of a woman standing beside an owl stood in the middle of it. They were carved from white rock and the owl’s gaze was fixed on me as if it could actually see me. The woman was beautiful with a serene smile. She was so life like she could have passed for living, except she was huge and made of white stone. A circular pavilion stood behind it, with columns carved out of the same stone as the owl statue. The roof was covered with vines which grew round its conical top. I walked in and stood inside. The floor was made with stone with a pinkish hue and it was carved with familiar shapes and symbols. It took me a while to recognize what I was looking at.

        “It’s the magic circle you draw before opening a portal!” I said.

        “I hear it is.” Flores answered. “It is a dormant portal. Something memorable happened here and this maze was built around it in its significance.”

        “What happened?” I asked.

        “I don’t know.” She answered. “It happened long before I started working here. Even before you were born.”                               

        I heard footsteps coming from the direction we came through. A palace guard emerged and bowed before me, kneeling on one knee.

       “Rise.” I said.

       “Your highness, your friends are about to leave.” he reported. “They would like to see you before they departed.”

        “Alright, I'm on my way.” I replied. The guard nodded once and he took off. I remembered their weapons were still in Zeke’s shadow cloak. I turned to Flores and said.

        “Once I meet my friends you will go up to my chambers and retrieve my travel cloak, okay?”

       “Alright Princess,” she said. “Are you going somewhere?”

       “No I'm not.” I thought of how bizarre it would be telling her how we smuggled weapons into the castle using a magical artefact. I did not like the outcome. We exited the maze.                                        

        My friends waited by the gates of the inner walls. Their horses were packed with food and water supplies with their sleeping bags and blankets. I walked over to them and Flores hurried over to get the cloak.

       “Leaving so soon?” I asked.

       “We can't stay any longer.” Ivy said. “I need to get back to my kingdom as soon as I can.”

       “Me too.” Asterix said.

       “I got to get back to Shenai Academy.” Gale said. “I still have a year of training to complete.”                   

        I looked over to Serah who looked at me then said.

       “I don’t know where I'm going. I'm still not hired.”

        “You are in no rush.” I said. “You can stay a while.”

        “I don’t know Stacy.” She said. “I don’t know if I can.”                   

         I thought about what my father had said about me being under surveillance. I'm sure he was going to get me my personal bodyguard. But I had a better idea.

        “My father wanted me to have a guard of my own.” I said. “I was thinking maybe I could talk him into hiring you for me. After all, you are a freelance Shenai sellsword now!”   

        "Sellknife." she corrected.

        "Not a thing, but okay." I said.                                                                       

         She seemed to like the idea. She smiled. But some other thought wiped it off her face. She sighed and then said.

        “I'm sorry Stacy. I wish I could. But I have other plans in mind for now.”                       

         I nodded I was hoping she could have accepted the offer. Flores ran toward us with the cloak.

        “Here you are Princess.” she said.

        “Thank you Flores.” I took the cloak from her hands. “You may leave. I require some personal time with my friends.”                          

          She bowed and retreated.

         “I thought you had forgotten.” Serah said eagerly. I turned my back to block any view from the guards watching from the walls above and those patrolling below. I spoke the magic word and pulled out my friends weapons. They each received them as if welcoming an old friend.

        “Thank you all for your help.” I said. “I hope we do meet again someday.”

        “Oh we will.” Serah said slyly.

       “It was an honor escorting you home, Princess Stacy Pendragon.” Ivy said with a bow.

       “And an honor to call you my friend, Ivirna Eurelian.” I said. “And same to all of you. Someday, I hope to repay you all for your kindness.”                   

         The guards drew the gates open.

        “We will take our leave now.” Ivy said. “Goodbye.”                        

         They took their horses by the reins and pulled them through the gates. I got teary eyed for a moment but I decided I wouldn’t cry in front of my subjects. Besides, I had to stay strong. There was the Zeke issue that had to go down this evening. I had made my decision. I will be there during his trial, and if my father decided to execute Zeke (I wouldn’t blame him. Few days back, I may have gladly done that myself), I would use the magic skills I had for now and break him free. Then what? We run away together and keep running for the rest of our lives? If that's what it came to, then yes.

       I rushed to my room and made sure my belongings were still packed in my leather drawstring bag. I left them on my bed and went on to take my spell book to study the next chapter of spells. I studied and practiced for the rest of the afternoon. Once I had learnt a couple of handy spells, I decided to go to my father and ask his permission to go and see Zeke. As I exited my room, I met Flores who was coming over to check on me.

        “Where is my father?” I asked her.

        “He is having a meeting in the...”

        “Take me there now.” I said.

        “I don’t think it is a good idea to interrupt his meeting, Princess.”

        “Do as you are told, Flores.” I walked onward and she rushed past me, taking the lead. She led me into a different hall. She hesitated before the doors and I walked past her and threw them open. My father and several other people in the room turned their attention to me.

        “Good day father.” I said walking up to him. “Are you I the middle of something?” I asked as if I never knew he was in the middle of a meeting. “I should return later perhaps...”

        “Its okay, my dear.” He said. “What is it you want to ask of me?”

         “Father,” I said approaching him. “I would uhm . . .” I stuttered. The confidence I had, all gone. I looked around at the faces of the people assembled at the meeting hall. They looked like they were people of the high caste. What I'm I even doing here?

          “I thought maybe. . .” what was I thinking? I could probably get my father angry. I now wish I had listened to Flores. I looked around. She stood at the doors waiting for me.

          “I just wanted to. . .” I faltered again.

          “Arya,” my father said. “Speak up dear. I'm having a meeting now.”

          “I wanted to ask for your permission to...” I took a deep breath. “To go and see Zeke.”                                                                                        

         He was silent. I counted the seconds till he reacted. He got up from his seat and moved slowly to me. I was trying all I could not to cower before him. He looked me in the eyes.

        “Arya, you can always ask me anything you want. But you should never,” he laid much emphasis on the “never”. At this point, I clearly cowered. I looked down. “Never be afraid to ask me, okay?”                

        I looked up. He was smiling down at me. I couldn’t believe it. For a moment, I thought he was gonna scold me. I flung my arms around him in a hug. He chuckled.

         “Thank you father.” I said. I was having second thoughts about jinxing him tonight.

         “Cadoc is in charge of his security.” He said. “He will lead you to him.”                         

          Cadoc, who was already in the hall approached me and stood, waiting for me.

         “Thanks again father.” I said.        

         “This way, Princess.” Cadoc said once I pulled away from my father.

          I followed Cadoc out of the meeting room. I told Flores to go back and put my chambers in order, which she already did, though I didn’t mind. I didn’t want her following me down to the dungeons to go meet Zeke. We wove through numbers of corridors and ascended a flight of stairs. Aren’t dungeons supposed to be at the bottom of the stairs? We emerged into another corridor. Marcus stood at the far end as if he were waiting for something or someone; maybe Cadoc. I was thinking maybe Cadoc came up to see Marcus before we descended into the dungeons.

        “Hello Marcus.” Cadoc greeted. “Sleeping on watch?”                    

          Marcus bowed in greeting to me.

         “Good day princess.” he said.

         “How are you Marcus?” I asked.

          “Fine thank you, Princess.” he said, then he turned to Cadoc. “I don’t sleep on watch, Cadoc.”

          “Princess Arya would like to see the boy.” Cadoc said to him.

          “Ah.” Marcus said. “Of course.”

          “Where is he?” I asked.

          “In a moment, Princess.” Marcus turned to the wall behind him and tapped on it with his wand/staff. The wall seemed to dissolve from where his staff had touched it, spreading outward, till what stood before me was a door. I was thinking about how high security this was and how they were overdoing it when I remembered who the prisoner was and what he could do. Marcus gestured to the door and I approached, pushing it open. I was ready to meet the sight of my friend, chained to the wall and striped with red welts from the whipping and torturing, rats scampering away from gnawing on his feet as I pushed open the door. I was ready to meet the sight of a dark room without any lights. What I wasn’t ready for, was the reality of the situation I found Zeke in.                                                     

       I wasn’t ready at all. The room was lit up by the evening sunlight streaming in from the high glass windows, the drapes drawn over. A well made and comfortable bed lay in my sight, and a door I could guess led into the private chambers was in view and a table stood to one end with pages littered on it, a pot of ink and several quill pens lay beside it. Zeke sat on a chair by the table, writing on one of the parchments. He looked up from his work and smiled at me. I noticed he was wearing glasses. I didn’t make sense of any of this.

       “Stacy!” he said as I walked in. He got up from the table, apparently coming over to welcome me. Cadoc stepped in defensively.

       “No, it’s okay.” I told him. “Zeke won't hurt me. You can please wait outside.”             

        Cadoc gave me a hesitant look then he reluctantly stepped out and I shut the door.

        “’Zeke won’t hurt me’” he said in a horrible mimic of my voice.        

         “What if I decide to chew your head off?”

         “You can't do that.” I said. “You wear glasses?”

         “Oh these.” He said taking them off. “They are revealing glasses. For magic reading. I can't exactly use third eye vision without my magic.”

         “What is going on?” I asked. I wasn’t making sense of anything.

         “What are you talking about?” he said.

        “I was worried sick about what they could be doing to you down in the dungeons and you were over here living like a guest.”

        “I don’t get it myself, Stacy.” He said. “I got dragged off and came to in here, lying on a soft comfy bed. This morning, I took a bath, got a change of clothes, and a meal. I just ate for the second time today. I got bored and asked for some parchment and ink to keep me occupied. I'm still a prisoner, mind you. I just don’t know why the special treatment.”                                                                       

        I looked at him. He was wearing a white sleeved shirt, with his usual pants and boots. He was cleaner and he looked less like an assassin with his glasses on. I also noticed the pturi necklace on his neck.

         “Your trial is tonight.” I said. “I thought . . . why are you so happy? You could easily die tonight.”

        “Just happy to see you, that's all.” He said and sat on his bed. “Ivy and the others came over earlier and said their goodbyes.”

         “This is insane.” I said. “Are all prisoners treated like this?”

“I don’t think so. There is a dungeon deeper downstairs. I'm still trying to figure out why I'm here.”                                                                                

         I decided not to give too much of a thought about it. I changed the subject.

         “What were you writing?” I asked.

         “Spells.” He said. “Was trying to find a way to mix certain spells and try to create new ones.”                                                                             

         I looked at him. “You can do that?” I asked.

         “Well, it should be easy. Once you are connected with the currents, almost anything you say in Runespeak  can be translated as a spell.”

        “And how do you know that?” I asked.

        “Well, my father was a great teacher.” He said. “He invented a few himself.”

        “Wow.” I said. He spoke like he didn’t know his father was going to be hosting the ultimate bad guy, bad spirit. Call it whatever. “Like which spells?”

         “Only those most people will consider as dark magic.” He said.

         “Like turning yourself into a cloud of smoke and floating away?” I asked subconsciously. Zeke’s head turned to my direction faster than thought possible.

          “How did you know that?” he asked.

          “I saw it in a dream.” I said. He smiled.

         “You should stop spying on me Princess.” he said. “But yes. Originally, that was the dark arts, turning other people into storm clouds or smoke as a ‘cleaner’ way of killing them. My father took this and he found a way to make it useful. He realized that in doing that to oneself, it was a lot safer because you could easily will yourself back into solid form. Saved his life in so many battles. But it takes a lot of concentration and cool-headedness to manipulate matter on that level.”

         “Saved yours too.” I said sitting by him. “Your father was very talented.” I said. Zeke nodded.

         “I was having trouble with the third eye spell.” I told him. “You think you can help me with that?”

         “I can give you a better spell.” He got up and walked over to his table and fished around for a parchment. He then returned and sat by my side.

         “The third eye spell is meant for viewing invisible foes, right?” he asked me.

        “Yeah, according to what Agadastro wrote.”

        “Well, my parents, together modified the spell so that not only could you see invisible foes, read energy signatures, and you could also see all creatures in disguise as they really are.”

       “I don’t quite get you.”

       “There are shapeshifter creatures on Eidenvellir,” he explained. “They can look like anyone and anything they want. Even some spirits do that, so do the wraiths, ghouls and vampires.”

        “You guys got vampires?” I asked.

        “Not the kind that thirst for human blood. That is mostly Earth trash. This spell enables you to see them through their disguise as well. Here.”                                                                                          

        Zeke taught me how to cast the spell. It took him a few hours to get me to do it right, but we came through. The sun had completely set when we were done with the spell. Marcus opened the door to check on us then he lit the candles and laps with a spell and shut the door again. Zeke and I combined ideas on certain spells that we thought could go well together. We weren’t as good as his parents. We invented no spell, mostly because he couldn’t use magic now. But it was fun. He taught me a few other spells he thought I should know.

      Occasionally, he would perk up and ask me if I felt or heard something but that was just him. He was clearly bothered by something but he didn’t know what. He would shrug each time and we would continue. Our joy and fun was cut shut when the door opened again and Cadoc stood at its entrance with Flores and a dozen or so guards behind him.

        “Its time Princess.” he said to me, then to Zeke. “You are demanded before the king for your trial.”  

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

        Cadoc had Zeke shackled and taken away. I stood there without a word. Some friend, huh? I walked out after the guards, Marcus walking by my side. I turned to Flores and ordered her to go to my room and get my cloak. Marcus gave me a confused look, probably wondering why I needed my cloak now. I did not think putting Zeke in shackles was necessary. I pushed my way through the guards in front and stood by Zeke.

         “What are you doing?” he whispered.

         “Well, father did say I could attend your trial.” I whispered back. Cadoc turned around and saw me. He sighed in exasperation and looked away.

       “You aren’t planning on breaking me out, are you?”

       “Do you read minds?” I whispered hoping the guards beside us didn’t hear what he just said.

      “You are!” he stopped momentarily and the guards in front pulling him yanked the chain forward. He jerked into motion and looked at me making me feel guilty.

      “Don't look at me like that.” I said.

      “Don't do anything stupid princess.” he said.

       “I don't have to try.” I shot at him. It came out wrong. It sounded cooler in my head. 

       "I know, that's why I am telling you!" he said.

        The guards pulled Zeke through the doors that stood before us. Flores ran up to me just in time and gave me the cloak. I threw it around me before I followed them in. Flores was coming in after me but I told her to wait for me in my room and prepare my bath. There were few people in the room including the guards. Moira was there too along with some people I didn’t recognize. I looked up to where my father was to sit. He wasn’t here yet. There were two chairs, one to each side of his. A smaller one for my mom, apparently, and I was guessing the other one was for me.                                                           

        Marcus left the group and walked away, standing by a much older man in robes like his, only with a long pointy hat and an longer staff with a larger jewel in it. His white beard was so long it lay on his chest. I knew at once that this was the court mage  Gandel, who had caged Zeke before. A set of different doors opened and my father walked through. His adviser walking by his side whispering something urgent to him but clearly my father was not in the mood for what he was being told. My mother followed, flanked by her maids in waiting. My father had an excited look on his face. I shuddered. He looked like he was actually looking forward to this.

         I looked at my palms and noticed they were swirling with glowing red mist. I calmed myself with several deep breaths. My father walked to his seat and gathered his red cape around him then he sat down. It was not until my mother had seated herself by his side and gasped at the sight of Zeke that he realized Zeke was really here.

           “Goodness, Cadoc,” he said. “Why is he in chains?”                     

            Cadoc looked at Zeke then to the guards holding his chains.

          “Unhand him.” he said. The guard nodded then he took a set of keys on a ring and unlocked Zeke’s bonds. Zeke stood up straight rubbing his wrists. My father gave his adviser a look like “well? What are you waiting for?” and he cleared his throat and said.

          “Let the trial begin.” He began. “Accused is Zeke Vortigan, son of the Dark General, Leonidas Vortigan, supreme enemy number two of Nirvana, wanted for the murder of Prince Arion Pendragon, escaped justice for almost four years now, caught while claiming to be returning the princess.”             

            I hated this guy with each word he spoke. I was never gonna get along with him. If only I had asked Zeke how to turn people into rats and put them in full view of your aspercat. My father took a deep breath. He was starting to say something when I cut him short.

            “Father, please,” I said. “Before you pass the order for his execution, I wish you could. . . “                                                     

            My father cut me short now with a laugh. He was apparently amused by my obstinacy. Or was it something I said?

           “Execute him?” he asked once he was done laughing. “I had no intentions of killing Zeke.”                                                                           

         His words startled everyone in the courtroom. Especially Zeke, Cadoc and I.

         “Uh, What?” I spoke for all three of us. Maybe all of us in the room.

          “Come on up here.” He continued. “Come sit by me.”                 

          I walked up to my seat very slowly and in even more confusion. Once I took my seat, Cadoc spoke up.

          “Sire,” he said. “This is the murderer, this is the boy that murdered your son!”

         “I know, Cadoc.” My father replied.

         “My lord, I still don’t understand why after all these years of hunting him, you refuse to pass justice when you finally caught him.”

        “From what Marcus told me, it was an act of self defense.”

        “With all due respect, sire, he killed your son.”

        “And that would not have happened if you had performed the duty I had assigned you and not let him out of the castle.” He turned a stern gaze in Cadoc’s direction. “If anything, you should have been punished for your actions.

       “My sincere apologies, my lord.” Cadoc apologized and bowed. My father turned his attention back to Zeke. I did too. He just stood there, like the others watching the exchange between my father and Cadoc. He took a bow and said.

         "Look, about yesterday," my father said to Zeke, "I let what happened to you happen because I wanted to put on a show before members of my council and my ruling subjects. They all know you killed my son, just showing mercy right there would have come off a lot too suspicious. And I apologize for the treatment then, but it had to look convincing."

         “I am grateful for your merciful decision my lord” he said. “But I am puzzled. Why show me such mercy after my crime?”

         “Your mother,” My father began. Zeke looked at him. So did I. “Your mother and I were friends since we were children.” He continued. “She was the most talented mage I had ever met. She was always welcomed to come visit me in my palace.

        One day, she came to me in great urgency telling me about the Shadow’s coming. She said something about a tree and a gateway in this very palace. She said the Dark Forces were coming, and she came to help protect the world. When they came, there was nothing we could do. The sky went dark, filled with the Shadow’s forces; spirits, witches, shadeons and other fearsome creatures of the darkness. She faced them off with wizard Gandel. But then their leader came along, the most powerful of them all, and he opened the portal. At the time, we believed he was the Dark General. He wasn't. It was just another powerful Shadeon who opened the portal.          

          I never saw anything like it. What lay at the other side of that portal, I still can't make sense of it. I don’t understand what I saw. I know I felt a great evil on the other side, and it was reaching out.”  He looked at Zeke who was listening intently, fists clenched.

         “Your mother knew. She had come to protect us from what lay on the other side. A gateway to the Netherworld was right here in my palace, yet I never knew, the very gateway to the Shadow’s prison. She did battle with the Shadeon while Gandel kept the Dark forces at bay. He was old, and soon depleted his magic reserves. The Dark forces approached the portal to keep it open in time for their master to come through.

        She used her own life force to destroy and seal the portal for eternity. She sacrificed herself without hesitation, to buy us time. My kingdom is eternally grateful for her sacrifice. I will not honor that by killing her only living child.”       

          There was total silence for quite possibly a few minutes. I remembered the tour I was given earlier today. The statue of the woman standing beside a giant owl, and the pavilion built around the dormant portal. The woman was actually Zeke’s mother. I admired her even more. Her courage and sacrifice reminded me of her son, Zeke. She gave up her life in this fight against my adversary, The Shadow without hesitation. I wish I was like her, fearless. I took another look at Zeke. His fists were clenched and he had tears in his eyes. One of them ran down his cheek. I never saw him cry before. He nodded.

          “I never heard the real story behind my mother’s death.” He said. “Father always said you were responsible for her death. Made it look like you killed her.”

         “In a sense, it was my fault.” My father said. “I thought you had killed my son in retaliation. You are very much like your mother, Azikilar. She could not be corrupted by power, or evil. It’s the one thing I admired about her.”

         “Why?” Zeke asked. “Why did you want me so badly?”

         “Because I needed to apologize for her death and make sure there is no bad blood between us. I hope your father will come to see this someday as well.” He said. “I am sorry.”

         “Why didn’t you just ask me? I did not enjoy being put on wanted posters.”

         “I did not know if you would come if I had asked.” My father explained. “I had you locked up because I was afraid you would escape. And also, word got out. You killed a King's son. The people at least expected me to act.”

          "What if they actually got me? What if they killed me?" Zeke asked.

          "The bounty on your head was only valid if you were captured alive." he said. "Besides, I trusted in your skills to keep you alive till we met again. Although it took you this long. I tried reaching out too you know!"

           Zeke looked the king in the eyes and shook his head. I knew he was trying to hide his tears. But he couldn’t help grieving his mother before the entire court. He drew his hand across his face, wiping the tears off his face. 

        “And I did all that,” my father continued.  “Also because I need your help.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

         King Hugo got off his seat and gestured to Marcus who approached the wall behind his seat. I already knew what would happen now. He made a pathway materialize from the wall. A stairwell spiraled downward into the gloom. He raised his wand and a fire blazed on it. He stood waiting as the King gestured to Zeke and a few others to follow him, then to the rest of the people to retire. Marcus led the way, his fire lighting the way.

          The air in here was damp and smelled of rats. We descended in silence. I walked with Zeke. I looked into his face which was full of sadness. I slipped my hand into his as a means to comfort him. I wondered what my father needed Zeke’s help with. I hoped it wasn’t to close another Dark portal in danger of spewing out evil. I really hoped not. We descended for another couple of minutes and we reached a dead end. Or at least it seemed at first like a dead end. Marcus made it crumble to dust and walked over into a dark room. Immediately, torches lit up and fires caught in braziers hanging on the walls. The room was large and empty. My father stepped forward then he turned and faced us.

         “This room was secretly built as a hideout for the royal family if the palace was to fall under siege or be taken by an enemy.” He said.

         “For the past three years, I hid a priceless treasure here.” He continued.  “Can I have your sword?”                                                                                     

          Zeke turned and shared a look with me. What did he want Zeke’s sword for? Zeke apparently decided to humor my father.

        “Give it to him.” he told me.

        “I should pull it out in front of them?” I asked, wondering what my father would think about his shadow cloak and its capabilities.

        “You have my permission to touch it.”                                        

        I sighed and put my hand into the folds of the cloak which was still on me.

      “Open.” I said in plain English. My hand went through and I spoke the swords name. My hand closed around its hilt and I pulled it out. I was immediately jolted with memories of battle, Elves and Dwarves in a bloody confrontation, individual wielders of the weapon, and even Zeke stabbing Arion. I was shaken by the voice in my head, faint but slowly it was getting to me, tempting me. My head throbbed, hurt. Ached. Metallic screams began to resonate in my head.                                     

         In that moment, I realized something firsthand about Backstabber. It had a will of its own. It was alive. Zeke put a hand on my shoulder and brought me back to reality. I looked into his face, said a quick apology and pulled out the sword from its sheathe. I was shocked when I saw its blade. Normally, Backstabber had a glowing blue blade, but in my grip, it was flickering like the embers of a dying fire. I was staring at it in surprise when Zeke took it from my hands. He was not surprised that his blade had changed color. It had barely touched his fingers when it started glowing brightly with icy blue light. He held it out to my father.

        My father looked at Zeke, then at the sword. Gently, he took up the sword. Its light died in his hands. He hesitated for a split second and then he shook his head and stood up straight.

       “Marcus told me you had stabbed the prince with this weapon, true?” he asked.

        “I did.” Zeke replied.                                                                             

         My father nodded. “Backstabber.” He said. “Said to be capable of killing all manner of creatures, damage inflicted can only be reversed by the wishes of the owner.”

         “Not really.” Zeke said. “Only he that gave the wound can heal it. What exactly do you need my help with, sire?”

          My father nodded to Marcus who banged the end of his staff against the floor. The dust on the floor shifted to the center of the room, swirling around like a vortex. A hole formed in the floor where the dust swirled and a grinding noise came from inside the hole. Something was slowly rising from the hole. Whatever it was, it was made of stone having the same color as the dirty yellow dust that swirled around the hole. As it rose, I had to concentrate and look past the dust to make out what it was.                           

           It was a statue. It rose to its full height and the dust settled. Zeke walked toward the statue as if in a trance. I didn’t understand what the statue’s significance was, but it had Zeke’s full attention he stopped before it.

         “What’s wrong Zeke?” I asked him and then I got a better look at it.

          It was the statue of a man lying on his back, with one hand holding his abdomen and the other on the ground. I looked at it more closely. That pose was too familiar. I knew what I was looking at. No, I knew who I was looking at.

         “Is that -?” I whispered.

          “Marcus saw and recognized the blade he was stabbed with.” My father continued. “He knew there was still hope for him. He used his elemental earth magic . . .”

        “And turned Arion into stone to buy him time.” Zeke said with a nod. “Clever.” He said to Marcus.

        “Arion is still alive?” I said.

        “Yes. But we don't know for sure. He's been like this for three years, and we never risked undoing the enchantment to make sure. We may only have one chance at this. We could only wait until we had the necessary tools to reverse his condition, and three years was stretching his chances too thin. If we are lucky, once Marcus removes the enchantment, he will have a few seconds before the wound kills him.”                 

       "If we aren't?" Zeke asked.

       "Then living as a statue might have already killed him." my father said with a sigh.                                 

       Zeke had not killed him? I could not believe this. I did not know this was even possible, trapping someone as a statue to save him (I don’t know a lot of things in Eidenvellir). My father turned around and held the sword out to Zeke.

        “I was also told you had tried to heal him before you were shot. You should finish what you started.”               Zeke hesitated before he took the sword and pulled out Frigur.

        “When I give the signal,” Marcus told him. “You should heal him. He won't have much time.”                                                                                

          Zeke nodded and knelt down to be level with my statue of a brother. He looked up as if to say “hey, what’s the signal?” He didn’t get the chance to ask. Marcus spoke a quick spell and banged his staff against the floor once again. Gandel mimicked his motion and together, the two mages began undoing the enchantment. Cracks spider webbed from the floor where their staffs hit and a single crack moved toward my brother’s stone form and moved up his body. The stone seemed to have been encasing him, because they cracked and fell off his body like a shell. Once the abdomen wound was visible, Zeke placed the stone on it and it glowed a bright blue color like its blade.

        The light seeped into the wound and it glowed like a crack on a door as someone shone a flash light from the other side of it. The wound narrowed as the stone encasing him fell off, the cracks moving to his face. As the wound was completely healed, the last pieces of stone fell off my brother’s face, I noticed he hadn’t aged not one bit since I, well, I shouldn’t say since I last saw him. What was even more odd, he was still trying to complete a sentence he had started three years ago.

          “-that I am sorry, my friends.” He gasped. “Tell my father-“         

           He looked up at Zeke and apparently realized that it wasn’t Cadoc. He stopped speaking. He looked down at his abdomen wound and into Zeke’s face. He looked around the room and his eyes rested on our father, then our mother who was so relieved that she burst into a fresh new wave of tears.                                                               

         “Father,” he began. “I am so-“                                                         

          Our father took him in an embrace. Things were getting so emotional right now. I didn’t know if to join them or not. I just let them have their moment together. I will introduce myself later. Zeke stood up and walked a few steps back. A few years trapped as a stone figure would catch up to him soon. He must be hungry, or needs to relieve his bowels or just plain exhausted or whatever. There's bound to be side effects, right?

        "Gaeaic temporal manipulation." Zeke said.

        "What?" I asked.

         "This Marcus guy is something." He said. "He used an ancient art of elemental earth magic to trap your brother in a frozen time field using the earth as a cocoon to define the confines of the field. I mean, he had to regularly infuse power into the statue for these past three years to keep the magic going. He preserved the prince in the same state of time for three years. Zarina would be proud."

        "I can't begin to imagine." I said.

        “This is bad timing, but something is terribly wrong.” He whispered. “I just can't put my finger to it.”

         “Yeah welcome to my club.” I said.

        “Not helping Princess!” he said.

        “Dude,” I said. “You should be happy. Zarina hinted this. You suspected it. You were never even a fugitive. You are free now!”

         “I know, this is great,” he said. “We are missing something.”

         “You said that before you turned yourself in.”

         “That was before I started feeling like we are being-“                     

          He was cut short. So was the little reunion we were having in here. Several guards dropped dead after a series of whooshes, Zeke flew away from me, thrown off possibly by a telekinetic push and crashed on the wall off to my left and his unconscious form hit the floor. My father immediately shoved unconscious Arion into the Queen's hands and Marcus, Gandel and the remaining guards fell back to protect them. My father pushed  away from the guards trying to pull him out of harm’s way.

        “Go!” my father shouted to them in urgency. “Get them to safety.”  

         As the group retreated, my father made his way to me and picked up Zeke’s sword which had fallen as he got hit.

        “You should go after them Arya.” He said as two guards approached us.

         “Not without Zeke!” I yelled. Marcus guarded the exit as they retreated with his earth magic, waiting for the rest of us to retreat  I was making way to Zeke’s body when I was knocked back into my father’s hands by a gust of wind. The harpy who has been chasing me for days now materialized into view. Shadows cast themselves upon the wall where she hovered by. The giant wolf walked out from the shadows, followed by the executioner. They stood side by side, making way for the lead hunter. The shadows seemed to darken as he made his way through. 

        Vitrax stepped out at last. He looked better than I had ever seen him. You already know how he wears his hair. His clothes seemed to be sucking in the shadows. He took in a deep breath and I turned to the guards who had come to my aid. I didn’t notice at first, but when I lowered my vision to the third eye level, I literally saw their life forces leave their bodies and got vacuumed into his mouth.  I stopped the third eye spell in horror. The husky bodies of the guards fell to the floor with sickening crunches. He sighed in satisfaction, smacked his lips and he looked over to Zeke’s limp form then to me and said.

          “This has to end tonight. We really should stop meeting like this.”  

 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

        My father pulled me toward the exit. Vitrax flicked a finger and the empty space at the entrance became stone. My father pushed me protectively to stand behind him. He held his sword defensively in front of him.

         “I told you I needed the boy alive, Death Claw.” Vitrax addressed the harpy.

         “You never said you wanted him awake.” She said.         

          Vitrax sighed. “Oh well.” He said. “We will just have to wait for him to wake up. I wouldn’t want to kill a boy in such a state.” He looked around as if he were missing something.

       “Where are your friends?” he asked me. “I especially want the She-Elf.” His hand went over to his head and touched the point where Ivy’s arrow had hit him. He looked at me and waited for an answer.

        “They’re gone.” I said.

        “Must have passed them on our way here.” He said. “We were in such a rush. However, there is always time for another hunt. In the meantime, let us complete this one.”                                                   

         He pulled out his sword which seemed to be leaking thick black smoke. As he came toward me, my father raised his sword up to Vitrax’s chest level.

       “Not another step.” He warned.                                              

         Vitrax threw back his head and laughed. His laugh sent chills down my spine. I started to have that feeling of despair in me again. I was afraid if it came to him and I, my magic would stop working. I hoped it didn’t come to that. I reached to my wisp necklace and sent thoughts of help to Zeke, hoping it will wake him up. I should stop, really, I should stop hoping for things to go my way. It never works.

         “Hugo Pendragon.” he spat in mockery. “I have heard of tales of your unmatched sword skills among the Kings of men, but in the end, you are no match for me.”                

          He did what my father asked him not to do. He stepped forward and engaged the king in a sword fight. I took a few steps backward, scared of what Vitrax could do to my father. His shadow sword looked lethal, cutting through the air with a mesmerizing trail of smoke and clanging on Backstabber in my father’s hands. Usually, the sword would ripple with blue light each time it caught a blow from Vitrax’s sword, but in my father’s hands, the light was dead, gone. Vitrax laughed as he fought, his laughter getting louder with each strike. My father fought with strain and looked like someone was whispering things in his head. I knew the sword’s voice was in his head, confusing him. But he held out against it. Vitrax seemed to sense it. He slowed his attacks and took delight in watching my father strain against the visions and voices coming from the sword. Vitrax stepped back.

          “You grabbed the sword with both hands, but the sword is resisting you.” He said. “I’ve been having a lot surprises lately. You wielding it for this long with it resisting you just became one of them. Usually, it ought to make you stronger.”                                            

         My father stooped as if under a great weight and he dropped his sword and fell on all fours, dropping the sword and gasping for air. I ran to his side and knelt by him.                                       

         “Are you alright father?” I asked. He passed out and his body hit the floor.

         “He is. For now.” Vitrax said. “A little more and he would have lost his mind to the desires of the weapon he wields.”

        “Get away from us!” I yelled and swept my hand before me. A wave of red energy knocked Vitrax a few steps backward. It only made him laugh some more. There was banging on the walls behind where the entrance had once been. Vitrax extended his hand toward it and it seemed to crunch and compact itself. Whoever was trying to get to our rescue was not going to be here for a few more hours. By which we would be nothing but empty, husky, desiccated shells that once had souls. And life. And blood. Wait, how does he drain bodies of blood if he only feeds on the souls?

        “You can't beat me in a magic duel, Princess.” he said.                  

         My eyes rested on Zeke’s sword that lay on the ground. I remembered what had happened when I took it earlier. I thought of picking it up and facing Vitrax. I did not have my father’s skills, neither did I have Zeke’s.

          “Are you really thinking of picking it up?” he asked. Death Claw and the executioner laughed out loud. The giant wolf growled.

          “Well, by all means princess,” he said. “Pick it up. I love prey that fight back. It’s the beauty of this art. But know this,” he leaned in my direction. “You have a better chance at beating me in a magic duel.”                                                                                          

            I made up my mind to pick up the sword nonetheless. I reached out and was just about to pick it up when it quivered and Flew away from my fingers. I traced its path and it finally stopped in its owner’s outstretched hand.

           “Attacking me with my back turned? Really?” Zeke said.

           In that same moment, the wall that was once an exit cracked and crumbled to rubble and in came Asterix, wielding a hammer in each hand. Ivy followed, moving with unearthly agility (perhaps I should say un-Eidenvellir-ly agility?) and immediately notched an arrow and took aim at Death-Claw. Gale followed, his guns searching for targets and Serah with belts in an x shape on her torso lined with kunai knives.

        “No rock is too hard for this Dwarf to break through.” Asterix said. I was so happy to see them I never even bothered to wonder where they came from. Vitrax yelled in frustration and lunged at me. Zeke tackled him in midair and the rest of the hunters engaged us. Zeke sparred with Vitrax more furiously than I had ever seen him. Shots rang through the room and I spotted gale and Serah who had taken on the giant wolf. Asterix battled with his usual adversary and Ivy and Death Claw exchanged feathers and arrows. Serah jumped unto the wolf’s back and lashed a garrote around its neck and pulled on it.

       “Get it to open its mouth!” Gale shouted to her. She fumbled on the wolf and managed to hook the garrote beneath its upper mandible. The wolf yelped loudly and tried to scratch Serah off with its hind leg. It grazed her thigh but she held on with gritted teeth. She screamed in fury as she yanked on it one last time, making it to open its mouth just a fraction. It was enough for Gale. He fired two shots from each gun. As if in slow motion, I watched the bullets rush through the air and into the tiny space between the wolves bared teeth. They connected with its flesh with sickening thuds and the giant wolf fell to its side and died immediately.

        It turned into smoke and floated off. An ear piercing scream from Vitrax drew my attention back to Zeke. The death of his loyal animal companion gave him a new found fury. He attacked Zeke with blinding speed and before I knew it, faster than the eye could follow, he had already stabbed  and was already drawing his sword from the wound he inflicted on Zeke’s side.

        I never heard a boy scream with such agony in my life before. I never knew Zeke could scream like this. To be honest, I think Zeke had dodged the worst of it, and the sword wound on his side was a flesh wound. He didn't react to it like your everyday flesh wound.

        Zeke dropped Skifnilvida and clutched at his side wound which was smoking with the same thick black smoke that coated Vitrax’s sword. He turned to Gale and Serah’s direction. He moved toward them, his long dress seemingly leaking shadows. I used my telekinesis and successfully pulled him off track. He focused on me now. I reached down and drew out my father’s sword. It was heavy, but with my telekinetic abilities, I was able to wield it with ease. As Vitrax approached me, I successfully cast a fluid viscosity spell around me. A red circle spread from my feet until it was a hundred centimetres in diameter and then it erupted into a column and I was lit up in red light. Vitrax lunged into the circle before he realized what I was doing. It was already too late for him.        

          The fluid viscosity spell encases you in a boundary and the fluids within that boundary become so thick movement is up to ten times slower. It was an archaic form of temporal manipulation. I don’t know why its called a viscosity spell when it works for gases as well, but if it works, I got no problems. You move as if you were underwater, or if powerful enough, you would move like you were under a large sea of jelly.

           Vitrax struck with his sword. We may have both been slowed down, but I was still able to parry the blow and attempt a slow strike of my own. I was going to keep this up till Zeke recovered and helped me out, but Vitrax had other plans. He dispelled the charm and cast one of his own. I raised my sword channeling defensive magic through its metal to ward off the attack. His black aura hit my sword and vanished, but he was already in midair coming in at me for a strike. I rolled out of the way and thrust my hand at him hoping to throw him into the wall. He only jerked backward for a split second and then he thrust out at me. Black smoke swirled around me and I rose up, off the ground.

          My telekinesis did not work on him, so I tried out something else. I moved a large piece of rock toward him. It slid across the floor and swept his feet off the ground, tripping him backward. He released me and fell back, no, he executed a picture perfect back flip and landed on his feet, then he came back at me.

     “Lecnithea!” I cried and shot a single bolt of electricity from my hands. The attack was so powerful it made the hairs on my head stand up straight. It hit Vitrax in the chest and he was thrown into the wall which spider webbed with cracks on impact and he hit the ground. A hole was ripped in his shadow clothing around his chest, a whole that was quickly mended by the shadows around. He looked fine as he got up. He raised his arms and shadows seemed to gather around it, then he fired the attack at me. I dropped the sword and raised a shield just in time. If I had waited one more second, who knows what would have happened? But I know what happened when I did block.

        The force of his attack threw me and my shield to the other wall with bone jarring impact. I landed badly and felt a sharp pain on my ankle as I hit the ground. I grunted in pain and took a look at it. It was bent at an odd angle. I peeled my eyes away from the sight and pushed myself up and stood on one leg. Vitrax walked slowly toward me like a predator stalking a prey just before it went for the kill.

        Arrows, knives and bullets flew at him but hit an invisible barrier and dropped to the ground. He wasn't bothered by petty distractions. He was laser focused on his target. Me. I raised a barrier to keep him away from me, but he walked through as if my shield was a mere soap bubble. His cold hands clamped around my neck and he raised me off the ground with only one hand. I raked his hand with my nails in a desperate attempt to make him let me go.

       “You have bothered me long enough.” He said and punched me in my gut with his other hand which was covered in black smoke. I gasped in pain and he let me drop to the ground. I landed on my bad ankle and tried to scream in pain, but I couldn’t breathe. My vision was getting blurry, my head was spinning. I might pass out from the pain.

       His magical punch had induced intense pain in my stomach. I gasped for air and tried to crawl away from him. He laughed and walked over me reaching down and grabbing my hair. He yanked on it and I felt like he had set my hair on fire. I heard a grunt and a metallic clang. My father had gained consciousness again, and was trying to rescue me. Vitrax dropped me and cast a spell on my father whose legs sank into the ground as if it were mud and solidified when he was waist deep in it.

          “You are not mine to kill, Hugo.” He said. “My master’s host will take care of you at the right time. But killing your daughter is my job. And you just earned a front row seat in this theater.”                                                         

           He turned around and grabbed me in the back of my neck and threw me across the room like I was a rag doll. I hit the wall at the far end close to their shadow portal. I heard several muffled cracks and knew I had broken a couple of ribs. Sharp pain stabbed my side each time I tried to move. My father yelled at Vitrax helplessly to stop. Vitrax fed off his frustration. My friends tried to get to my rescue. I hoped they would. I needed a break from this manhandling. My eyes practically begged them to intervene. But they were actively kept busy by the other hunters. I was alone.

        My hand instinctively touched my side which felt wet and warm. My first thought was I had peed myself. That would have been icing on Vitrax's cake of torment. My hand came in contact with warm, sticky liquid and a bone. One of my own ribs had cracked and pierced its way out of my body and I was bleeding. I had also hit my knee real bad and once again landed on my bad ankle. My throat was raw from yelling and screaming already. My friends forgot about their respective opponents and charged Vitrax. He exploded in a cloud of black smoke, knocking my friends away and the smoke reformed his shape. My friends tried to rise but he either trapped them in stone cocoons, or in clouds of shadows. He approached me, walking slowly with an angry look on his face. He was going to kill me, and he was going to make it slow and painful. He knelt down by me. The grin on his face, the wild look in his eyes, all obvious signs that he was enjoying this. 

        “I am enjoying this.” He said and grabbed the rib which was jutting out of my body with his chalk white thumb and index finger. He pulled on it and twisted it with pleasure. He was delighted with my screams of agony.

       “NO!” my father cried trying to pull himself out. “LEAVE HER ALONE!”

      “Too bad I had to end you this fast.” He said not paying the least bit of attention to my father. He grabbed my neck and tilted my head so I was face to face with him. He opened his mouth and sucked in a sharp breath. I knew what was to follow. He was going to sap out my essence. I felt the light of my aura leave through my face. My vision blurred further and I was starting to lose my hearing. I was fading. My essence had barely reached his lips when he let me go, walked away from me and screamed in pain, clutching at his mouth. My vision returned a little and my hearing back to the recent normal. He turned backed to me and I saw that his lips were burnt and charred. He was looking at me like what happened was entirely my fault. He took out his sword and charged me yelling out strange words.                                                       Zeke came to my rescue as if out of nowhere, soaring through the air and kicked Vitrax on the head and away from me. He landed  on his feet. Vitrax’s head crashed on the opposite wall. The poor wall got dented inwards. He quickly got to his feet and they faced each other. Zeke’s wound was still leaking black fumes, but was not healed. He fought once again with Vitrax like the wound was never there in the first place. There was something about Zeke this time. His outline seemed to be highlighted by a faint bluish glow, like he was feeding off some new power source. Whatever it was, I was glad he was here now.

          “I see you are still resisting the sword.” Vitrax told him.

          “I am not like you.” Zeke gasped. Vitrax raised his hand and smoke seeped intensely out of Zeke’s wound, making him scream in pain. He dropped to one knee but got up in time to counter Vitrax’s sword. As they fought, Vitrax would control the pain Zeke felt from his wound, momentarily distracting him, but Zeke would overcome the pain again and spar on. He didn’t look like he was going to win this one.

        “You will not win.” Vitrax said. “Even if you agreed and let the sword take over, you can never beat me. You will die just like your mother had when she tried to stop me from freeing my master.”         

         Zeke paused at the mention of his mother. He looked at Vitrax, the man who had caused his mother’s death (in a way) and gripped his sword even tighter.

        “What will it take to make you a challenge for me, Zeke? Grab your sword with both hands. Show me the power you hide.”

          Zeke charged, fighting him like a caged animal that has been let loose. This time, it was Vitrax who was trying to keep up with him. The smile and confidence was swept clean off his face in the next few minutes of their fight. Classic villain move to taunt his opponent emotionally by bringing up a dead family member they had killed. I tried to think of all the movies where this never somehow made the hero stronger. Or led to his downfall. Right. Of all times, I wanna think about movies now. No time like the present, right?

          Vitrax was taken aback. Zeke seemed to have gotten stronger though he only held the sword with one hand. The bluish glow outlining Zeke's form was starting to become distinct. Vitrax stumbled and Zeke lashed out with his leg and caught him in his chest. Vitrax hit the ground hard.

        “You are wrong.” Zeke said with a grin. “I don’t need the power of the sword to beat you. Allow me to prove it.”                                 

         Vitrax yelled in fury and charged. Zeke held his ground and at the last possible second, he shot tendrils of electricity from all over his body which caught Vitrax and knocked him back. I could not believe it. I saw the pturi necklace still on his neck. How could he possibly perform magic? Vitrax was having the same expression of shock on his face.

        Zeke released more of his power and was now encased in a cocoon of blue light which lit up the room. Tendrils of electricity zapped all over Zeke's body and within the cocoon. The waves of energy he released made the room vibrate. Vitrax stood up and gathered his own dark aura around him for protection and fired spells at Zeke, but they bounced harmlessly off his cocoon. Vitrax charged Zeke one more time, his sword aiming for Zeke’s heart. As he came closer, Zeke raised his own sword and parried the attack, once twice, then he twirled his sword above his head and slashed at Vitrax. Each new strike was empowered by a bolt of magical electricity flowing from Zeke's body. The Shadeon blocked with his sword but the force knocked him back. He fell and skipped like a stone on a pond’s surface.

      When he stopped falling, he got to his feet and yelled in frustration. Zeke crouched like he wanted to sprint, sword held high. Vitrax took off, coming at Zeke. Then in a flash, Zeke was gone. In his place nothing but blue mist. He reappeared on the opposite side of the room at about the same time he vanished, the weapon he held before, no longer in his grasp, and he was standing his back turned to his opponent. It all happened in a flash. Too fast for my eyes to have followed.

       The opponent in question had stopped running. There was a look of unbelief on his face, and Zeke’s sword somehow driven to the hilt through the Shadeon's heart.  I expected him to burst into a cloud of smoke and disappear, but he stayed intact. Both of them stood like someone had hit the pause button in a movie. Everyone was silent, holding their breath. Even Death Claw and the executioner. Vitrax took a few weak steps backward, staring at the sword in his chest. The Frigur stone had not been returned to its place on the pommel. Though I doubt it would reverse the damage done now. He dropped his shadow sword with a clang and dropped to his knees.

       “You have been mistaken from the very beginning.” Zeke said. “My father hosts your master. My father controls you. My father taught me all about you.” He turned to Vitrax who was gasping. Death Claw and the executioner retreated with shrieks and groans into the portal which closed with a whoosh. Zeke turned around and looked at the Shadeon.

        “You. . .” Vitrax whispered in absolute shock.

        “You could never defeat me.” He said. “I was holding back before. It was probably wise of you to have taken my warning the first time in the woods. Facing the Whisp Mage of War was a terrible idea.” He continued.

         “That ability . . . was that . . .? “ Vitrax said between short breaths.

         "The Battle Mage's Final Armor." Zeke said. "Wasn't sure I could even pull it off."

         "You couldn't . . . Before, you . . . Impossible!" Vitrax said. "You possibly couldn't."

         “Not before you pushed me to the edge.” Zeke replied. “Maybe you should have worked out our power differences before coming after me, Vitrax. You just got hunted.”

          Vitrax’s heart wound seemed to be glowing with fiery orange light. “I don’t envy what will happen to you next.”           

         “No!” Vitrax said, his hands shaking in fury and fear. It was too late for him.                

          The light in Vitrax’s heart spread and he burst into flames. He screamed as the flames consumed him, leaving nothing behind but just smoke and ashes. Backstabber hit the stone floor with a loud clang.  Zeke’s cocoon flickered out and he limped toward me, but passed out on the way and fell like a a cut down tree. It wasn’t much later that I went into shock as well.      

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

         I didn’t have any of my usual blackout dreams of floating in a black realm or white expanse. All that I experienced was the battle with Vitrax over and over and over again. It was painful watching him hurt me and my friends on and on and on. I was puzzled each time the scene of him trying to suck out my essence and getting his lips burnt. I couldn’t close my eyes (I know I was unconscious and my eyes were closed, but what I mean is, I couldn’t stop watching in the dreams). I couldn’t even turn away. I was being forced to watch the painful replay.

           I watched it so many times I knew every detail, everything that went on, everything that was said. Seeing Vitrax die each time gave me a sense of relief. He was gone. For some reason, I thought of all the pain he had inflicted on me and the others, the c*****e he had brought upon the Nuka people, his hand in the death of my best friend’s mother, and I knew he deserved a worse fate than death. 

          The dream started to become hazy, then it finally faded away. I knew I had come to.  My eyes fluttered  open and looked to the ceiling. I recognized where I was at once. I was in my room. My breath came easily now, and not as pained as before. But something warm lay on my chest. I looked on at it and noticed that Cat was curled up asleep on my chest. I smiled. I reached my hand and stroked his fur. I heard laughter off to my right. I looked over and saw Zeke, Serah, Asterix and Arion, seated on a table in the other chamber separated by a see through curtain,  and they were playing a strange board game while laughing and chatting happily.

         That was really strange. Three years ago, Zeke had killed Arion, or so we all were led to believe, and he just came back after spending the past three years as a statue and now they sat around a table and played board games like old friends. The sight was truly fascinating and I decided not to ruin it.

          I just lay there and watched. They look like they were sitting around and waiting for me to wake up. Zeke had a bandage around his abdomen. Apparently he was still healing from Vitrax’s sword wound. I watched them play for a while and then Cat jumped on my nightstand and knocked something off. I made the mistake of turning around and looking. The boys and girl at the table noted my movement, and knew I was awake. Ivy walked in with a bowl and a little wooden pestle, possibly crushing some healing herbs for me. Following her was Marion, who was holding a herb bag in her hands. They spotted me and Ivy dropped the bowl and hurried to my side.

        “Stacy!” she cried as she swatted aside the curtains and knelt by my bed. The others from the table lined up on the other side.

       “Hi Ivy.” I said, relieved to know she wasn’t crushed by the rocks Vitrax had encased her in. Marion sat on my bed and looked really excited. I turned around to the others who were coming through the curtains now.

      “Hey guys.” They all returned my greetings with sighs of relief and or laughter.  I laughed back. I looked up at my brother who was looking at me with our mother’s eyes.

       “Hey Arion.” I said.

       “Hello sister.” He said with a smile. “About time you woke up. We’ve waited for four days.”

        “I have been out for four days?” I said.

         “Yes, Stacy.” Zeke said sitting by my bed as well. “You suffered lots of injuries, major concussions, and you had collapsed a lung. Plus you had a crushed knee cap, five broken ribs and a broken ankle. I don’t know how you are still alive. You are lucky Marion and Ivy attended to you when they did.”                                                             

        I listened as he counted my injuries. I never was as badly damaged as I was four days ago. I was grateful for their help.

        “Where is Gale?” I asked.

        “Oh.” Zeke said. “He had to leave.”

         “How are our parents?” I asked Arion.

         “They have been so worried about you.” He said. “Mother was so worried she got ill.”

         “Poor mother.” I said. “I hope to meet her when I fully recover.”  

         I still felt sore. My ankle throbbed, but the pain was gone. I was going to be bedridden for a few more days.

        “How are you doing in a world three years ahead of you brother? I asked. It felt good to call him that.

        “It is strange.” He said. “Many things have changed. I will have to keep up with the times sooner or later.”                                                  

          I waited in silence for someone to speak.

          “Way to go how you handled the executioner Asterix.” I said finally.

         “It was nothing.” He said modestly. “I was hyped.”

          “And you,” I turned to Serah. “How did you know that you could take down the giant wolf through its mouth?”

          “Well,” she answered. “We study beasts and magical creatures in Shenai courses. It is part of our training.”

         “I thought you guys said you were leaving.” I asked Ivy.

         “Our plan was to come back and break Zeke out.” she said. “You didn’t think we would leave him here did you?”

         “Wow.” I said. “So then you knew Vitrax was coming?”

         “No.” She said. “We had seen the Queen fleeing from the secret chamber and she had told us what was happening.”

          “I thank you for your timely intervention.” I said. “You guys are more than just friends to me.” Ivy nodded and leaned down to give me a light hug.

        “So does that mean now that your offer to me as your personal bodyguard still stands?” Serah asked.

       “Of course it does Serah.” I said. “That is if you accept.”

       “Are you kidding? I couldn’t before because it could have ruined our plan, but now, yes, Stacy, I will be your body guard. Now that Zeke leaves soon you will need someone else to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”                                                                                       

          It made me smile, but only for a moment.

         “You’re leaving?” I asked Zeke.

         “Yes.” He answered. “I'm leaving tomorrow with Ivy and Asterix.”

         “Why so soon?” I asked.

        “Stacy, Vitrax is gone now. You are safe for the moment. I am accepting my role as a mage of the Whisp Order and I need to find out what my father is up to now that Vitrax is gone.”                  

          I nodded. “How is your wound?”

        “You should worry about yourself, Stacy.” He said. “The shadow magic in it died with its master. It will take days to heal but I will live.”

         “How did you do magic with a fully functional pturi necklace around your neck? You shocked me!” I said.

        “Blood of The Fallen..” He said. “I unite two bloodlines of the orginial Fallen Kings. I am naturally that powerful.”  I had absolutely no idea what he meant by that, but he said it like i did, and so I nodded.

         “You should get back to sleep Stacy.” Marion said. “You need rest so you can heal faster. Zeke?”

          “Sleep tight Stacy.” Zeke said and waved a hand over my face. I was too exhausted to resist his magic. I fell asleep immediately.         

       Once again, I had a dream. Not the dream where I watched the battle of four days ago over and over, but a new dream. I was floating in the middle of the great hall again. I started to panic when I saw General Vortigan, who sat facing Death Claw and the executioner who knelt before him. I heard the whispers of the Shadow around the hall and in my sleep, I cast the third eye spell. I saw the Dark general alright, but looming over him was a dark humanoid shape that seemed to be made of the shadows of its writhing victims, staring down at the pair with ominous red eyes. I was looking at the Shadow. The only thing that I could distinguish in its form was its red eyes. The rest of it was just shadows. A door opened and a new person walked through it. He fell before his master.

          “My lord,” he said in tears, as if he already knew what awaited him. “I failed you. The Hyruvian Keep was well too protected. It could not be breached. I have lost all my men to the infiltration.”                                                             

          The Shadow hissed and sank into Vortigan’s body, taking total control over him. Vortigan yelled in fury with a voice that was not his own. He rose from the chair and did nothing but stare at them. Death Claw flapped her wings in an attempt to flee, but not even her wings could have saved her from the master’s wrath. She screamed in agonizing pain, and her screams were soon joined by those of the executioner and the new guy. I felt pity for them, but only for a second. They literally exploded, and little pieces of them rained down in the room, everywhere but none of the gristle came within six feet of The Shadow possessing his Dark General. I would have vomited, but I was dreaming. I couldn’t feel my stomach.

         “Failures!” Vortigan cried.  “I told you this job was meant for you and you alone, Vortigan. No one else could have done it but you. It’s why I gave you this assignment in the first place.” Hissed the Shadow as it rose out of Vortigan’s body. General Vortigan stepped forward walking to the center of the room where a stone pedestal rose slowly from the ground. Resting on it, was a black with strange little symbols etched around it, but it was missing its ornamental piece, its jewel. Vortigan slipped it through the index finger of his right hand and looked at it.

         “Fine,” he said flexing the fingers on his right hand, then balling them into a fist. “I’ll do it myself.”

                                              To be continued. . . .