Max Hamby & the Amethyst Guardian

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Max hurried through the tunnel that would take him to Bertha and Wunder’s cabin in Eldham. The crunch-scratch of his feet against the dirt floor bounced off the tunnel walls and filled the darkness. It sent a shiver down his spine. If the Trith were lying in wait, he’d be an easy target. An escape route was limited to backwards or forwards. The Ostium doors set into the tunnel walls were unfamiliar and most certainly opened to places unknown. It was a risk he'd have to take if he suddenly found himself surrounded. He tried to remember if Dunmere had an Ostium, but he didn’t think so. Another shiver ran down his spine at the thought of opening an Ostium and coming face to face with Isolde. He quickened his pace. What about Celadine, Tommy and Mibbitwiss? Could he handle all three of them if they discovered his whereabouts? He could probably take Celadine and Tommy, but Mibbitwiss would be the one to avoid. One bite and he’d turn into a Trith, too. Without the help of the Blood Diamond’s magic, who’s to say the twins and Basil could change him back. When Fuster and Cragge were attacked by Celadine in the cellar of Merrihaven, they were scratched, not bitten. They hadn’t been infected the way Mibbitwiss was. A ball of dread formed in the pit of his stomach. The urgency to get to the Blues’ cabin grew until he was running so fast the Ostiums lining the tunnel walls became a blur. He slowed his pace when the half-giants’ Ostium came into view. It was taller and wider than all the others. He slid to a stop and knocked. It barely made a sound against the thick wood. The door flew open and he was yanked inside. Wunder slammed and locked the door, then whirled on him. The half-giant had never been this angry. He jumped away and slammed into the back of the sofa.

Wunder crossed his arms over his large chest. “You and your friends go off on these quests for the stones without a care for the others that join you.” His voice boomed through the cabin. Max backed up. “It is more dangerous now than it ever was. You do not think. You have no regard for the ones that are recruited to help you. When was the last time you thought of anyone but yourself?”

Max stood stiff. Those were more words than Wunder had ever spoken since they first met. He let them sink in, as the half-giant crossed his arms over his chest and waited for an answer.

Max thought about the night Drusilla Blackwood attacked him in his bedroom in Pleasant Seas and the next morning, when he woke up in Merrihaven. Images rushed through his mind of all the events, all the heartache that came afterward. His anger grew hot and his magic spread down the veins in his arms to his fingertips. “The only thing I do is think about other people.” He tried to keep his voice low and did his best to hold on to the magic building in his hands. “I am trying to stop a witch that is out to kill me, my family and friends, which include you and your parents. Never mind that my parents have probably faded away by now.” Hot tears slid down his cheeks. “Do you think I wanted your mother and Milo to get hurt? I never wanted any of this.” He was yelling, but he didn’t care. He shoved his glowing hands in the half-giant’s face. “I am twelve. I am not supposed to be preparing for battle or running for my life or trying to be an adult when I have no clue on how to do that.” He dropped his satchel on the chair and blew out a breath. His magic faded. He straightened up and faced Wunder once more. “I am sorry Bertha got hurt. She is my friend. I would never want anything to happen to her.” He stared into the half-giant’s face. “I will find a way to make things right.”

There was a flash of something in Wunder’s face. Could it have been respect? It was gone too quickly. “Fair enough,” said the half-giant. “But, you will not be the only one taking action this time. Follow me.”

Wunder led him to the back of the cabin. It was a lot bigger than it looked. Bertha’s room was at the end of a long hallway. “Wait here,” he said. The half-giant stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. The soft murmurs of voices followed.

Max leaned against the wall and waited. He wondered just how big the cabin really was, because he didn’t remember it being this big the last time he and the others were here.

Wunder opened the door and stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. He did and immediately felt dwarfed by the furniture and the sheer size of the room. There was no way this tiny cabin could hold all this without magic. He wondered how it was possible, since the half-giants didn’t have magic. It was all in their guitars. He strained his neck and looked up the length of the bed, but could not see Bertha. Where would you get a mattress that big? He grabbed onto a leg and prepared to climb up.

“Bring him up,” said a soft voice. Wunder grabbed him under the arms and lifted him onto the bed.

Max stared into Bertha’s face. He barely registered Wunder’s retreating footsteps and the click of the bedroom door. Bertha’s face was a rainbow of odd colors; a mixture of green, brown, purple and yellow. Her left eye was bloodshot. Welts and scratches ran down her neck and disappeared under the collar of her shirt. She folded her hands in her lap, revealing red, raw knuckles. “How is the Spriggan?” she asked, softly.

The question caught him off guard. He flinched at the sound of her voice. “H-He’s not well.” Bertha sighed and gazed out the window, though there wasn’t much to see besides a blanket of snow.

“I wouldn’t think so,” said the half-giant, without looking at him.

He leaned over and placed a hand on her arm. She turned back to stare at him through a watery gaze. “Bertha, please tell me what happened in the Downs.”

“We were scouting for Celadine when Milo...” She paused. Her lower lip quivered. Tears ran down her face. “Milo.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Max wiped his own face. He didn’t realize he’d been crying, too. “Things. Creatures. They came out of nowhere. Black as night. I didn’t know.” She choked back a sob. “They were on us before I knew what was happening. The Spriggan did his best to fight them off. Bless his little heart. They didn’t want him and threw him to the ground. I got in a few hits before they grabbed Milo off my back. I attacked and tried to help him, but there were so many.” Her eyebrows came together. “I think there was more than one.” Her lips pursed together and she shook her head. “The girl showed up with the Gooch boy and a Trith.” A steady stream of tears flowed down her cheeks. “They had him by the neck. He kicked, punched and even used his magic. I was knocked down and pinned to the ground.” She hung her head. Her shoulders drooped. “I smelled her coming before I saw her. The same stink that was at the Black Order’s fortress. I screamed for Milo to fight harder and tried to get those things off me, but it was too late. Isolde came out of the shadows. She walked up to Milo without a word and stole the stone right from his chest.” She covered her mouth and sobbed. “I’ll never forget the last sounds he made and the look of surprise on his little face.”

“That is enough,” said Wunder, through clenched teeth. Max jumped at the sound. He hadn’t heard the half giant enter the room. “She must rest now.” Without warning, Wunder grabbed him off the bed and practically threw him out of the room. They walked out into the living room. Wunder pointed to the small kitchen area. There were two plates of food and two steaming mugs on the table. A third plate sat on the counter. The half-giant covered it and moved back to the table.

“I should get back,” said Max. His stomach growled loudly.

“Sit,” said Wunder, pulling out a chair. He didn’t wait and dug into his food.

Max hooked his foot on the rung of the chair and climbed into the seat. His head was the only thing visible above the table. Wunder reached behind him and grabbed two thick books off the shelf. He motioned for Max to stand up, then dropped the books on the chair and went back to eating.

Max reluctantly sat down and stared at his plate. Creatures black as night, he thought. What could they be? If they were that fast how could he get to Isolde? Wunder snapped his fingers, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Ignoring your needs will not help anyone. Eat. You look terrible.”

Max tucked into the food on hisplate, though he didn’t really register what he was putting in his mouth. He only knew that it tasted good.

“Your quest for the stones is done,” said the half-giant. Max paused with his mouth open and his fork lifted in the air. “For now. War is coming. My mother and Milo are proof of that. We must prepare.” He looked up and stared into Max’s eyes. Max swallowed hard. “If anyone disagrees, they will need to back off and stay out of the way. I will have my revenge for what was done to my mother and to Milo. I would think you would feel the same, but I am not so sure.” The half-giant narrowed his eyes and wagged his fork in the air. It was three times the size of a regular fork and could easily be used as a three-pronged dagger. Wunder dropped it on the table. “The witch will die and so will anyone else who gets in my way.”