The Finders Keepers

by R.G. Strike

  Daylight scattered on the sky like a pigment. However, the snowstorm was getting worse: Blitz of snow powders swirled in circles over everywhere like glitters and Styrofoam tidbits inside a snowball. Nolfavrel ambled easily towards the partial clearing as the black manor house blinked momentarily before appearing at sight.

  His heart skipped a beat when he reached the porch because the wooden door had just opened by itself, which was a matter-of-factly an unusual thing to happen. It was after a short while before he realized that it was Kimberly who had done it.

  She was levitating on the doorpost, beaming a stressful smile at Nolfavrel who just went past through her inside. Kimberly retrieved her smile and followed him after closing the door.

  A brilliant fire was cracking on the grate. Its light swept across everyone who were sitting silently and boringly on the sofas facing each other. Alex sat at one end, a thick book propped in front of him meticulously, although he was only darting his eyes repeatedly on the same line of words that was nearly bringing him to epistaxis. Godfrey, on the other hand, was at the opposite end, looking at his most impressive entertainment of rotating a rubber band on his two forefingers alternately. Mr. and Mrs. Luciens were scratching their heads, relaxed, as they looked at the empty glass table.

  Nolfavrel stepped in front of them and it was Godfrey’s stare that caught him first. He eyed him, scrutinizing, and it was unprecedented that Nolfavrel felt fear as he valiantly paid him a return stare.

  “I’m afraid to say,” he began, falling to occupy the vacancy between Alex and Godfrey, “that something has happened truthfully beyond any of my fixed expectations.”

  Godfrey tilted his head, frowned, and gulped because there was literally nothing to say and no reason to interrupt especially that it was Nolfavrel who was talking, so he sat bolt straight up and surrendered the rubber band.

  “Your sister –”

  “– was captured again?” Godfrey interjected as he turned on gnawing his fingernails. “Who did it, the Cyclops?”

  “Sorry to say yes, but she was taken not by Cyclops – but by Alfrendo himself.”

  There was something odd when Nolfavrel said ‘Alfrendo’ because Mr. and Mrs. Luciens jolted up startled, like he had just produced a ringing sound. Now everyone in the drawing room was affixing their eyes upon him; every head was bubbling with questions.

  “You’re kidding. He’s dead already,” snarled Alex, closing the thick book.

  “I shouldn’t have said it if I knew that it was, of course, unrealistic,” said Nolfavrel disappointingly.

  “No, no,” said Mrs. Luciens. “That is highly imperceptible. It cannot happen. Godfrey burned his nest and there was nothing left other than Alfrendo to be scorched.”

  Nolfavrel’s face was unreadable. “You have made the biggest mistake, then. You should be reminded that Allimans have rarer skin than us. Every Alliman skin is equipped for harsh endurance – made for hardiness and hunting. You think you could end him up by burning? You thought so, but you were wrong.”

  There was something invisible in the air that made Godfrey feel his bravery was just being denounced by everyone around. Mr. and Mrs. Luciens gazed at each other, then slowly to Godfrey who swallowed hard at the magnitude of their stares.

  “So he survived,” Alex murmured. “So what now?”

  “This is a very serious matter, Alexander,” said Nolfavrel. “Everybody, look! I met two hunters in the forest who importantly informed me of the news that Alfrendo was sighted at the palace grounds on the day that the Leviota was lost.”

  “I knew it, I knew –”

  “There is more,” he continued. “Rumours say that he was the one who stole the Leviota.”

  “What is the Leviota?” Alex asked, honestly curious.

  Godfrey glanced at him impatiently and said, “Well, the Leviota is a book that dad –”

  “The Leviota,” Nolfavrel snapped, “is not a book.”

  “WHAT?” Godfrey and Mr. and Mrs. Luciens spat at once.

  “That is the truth. The Leviota is not a book. It is a magical tablet. It is utterly astounding how many people confuse it, but it’s not really a book.”

  None of them seemed to absorb it.

  “So, yes, the Leviota is a magical tablet, as I’ve said. Its characteristics were the most powerful. It could give you everything you want . . . everything you need. It rejuvenates anyone, anywhere, and virtually every possible time.”

  Godfrey suddenly realized that the Leviota was slightly giving the same thing as the wand he had, but Nolfavrel’s eager face to embark crucial information was apparently difficult to cross.

  “Aside from that,” he added. “Not all magic are done or compatible with anyone just as not all medicine is suited to cure every illness. To get the thought straight, Leviota is just the perfect expression to defy the law of magic.”

  “So dad is a law violator . . . or delinquent,” Godfrey said softly. Nolfavrel was impassive at this, but he answered Godfrey with a heart-whelming response.

  “Elvandork was not a delinquent,” he said. “He was, by far, the most ideal king the Switzarnel Empire ever had.”

  “So,” Godfrey scathed. “How did he happen to have the Leviota?”

  “Brilliant question,” Nolfavrel beamed magnificently. “I’d say that Robert and Sylvana could still come up with every detail that we’re about to discuss. . . .”

  “Oh, yes, Sir Ridgway, we do,” said Mr. Luciens honestly.

  “Very well, then, let’s get to the point. Your father, Godfrey, did bend the law once in his life. Of course, we have to expect that he won’t repeat that once and for all – well, not on the reason for spreading benefits of greatness.”

  “Yes,” said Mrs. Luciens. “Also bear in mind always that not all bad things are destined for devilry; sometimes, bad things are left for the last straw – just as king Elvandork did.”

  “Okay,” Godfrey sneered heavily. “So how did he do sorts of bad things for the betterment? I mean how did his delinquency become beneficial?”

  “This is the time that you must be aware of your father’s valiance, your father’s bravery, and your father’s greatest contribution to the history of this empire. You know what; your father is more than a king. When your father’s father Alfonso Meadslev was fiddled and dethroned, Erikson was not aware of Elvandork and Razzie’s existence.”

  “Who is Razzie?” Godfrey asked, averting from his uncomfortable position.

  “Razzie is your father’s sister. So, yes, Elvandork together with Razzie was left with the Leviota and the Potion of Life.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Luciens ducked their heads down so that it was only Godfrey and Alex who were attentively listening to every word that Nolfavrel said. For a moment, there seemed to be a transparent constriction in the grate.

  “I thought it was Flynt Scamander who had the Potion of Life?” said Godfrey, and when he looked over at Alex, he was as hard as a statue lost in the discussion.

  He felt sympathy so he started explaining before permitting Nolfavrel to resume with his tale. Alex seemed so doused and assuaged with the details he thought he needed.

  “So Flynt Scamander is this great Chief of the Empire Brigade who had worked under the king Erikson Masefield . . . the evil, fraudulent king,” Alex concluded.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Nolfavrel answered. “During those dark days of Masefield’s ruling, Elvandork and Razzie had carefully planned their tactical plans as to how they would attack the Palace and Erikson. And when the day came, they infiltrated the Palace together with a platoon of revolting villagers. Of course, they exactly won against Masefield having had the legendary Leviota with them. But success is always entailed by loss. Razzie died.

  “She gave the Potion of Life to Flynt Scamander for his contribution in the attack. Elvandork attempted to bring his sister back to life, but he was again reminded that death is a fixed end; no one shall defy that.”

  Godfrey blinked; Alex worried beside him.

>   “The Leviota could bring people back to life?” he questioned shockingly.

  “Yes,” said Nolfavrel quietly but clearly. “But things get so much plaguing and miscarried by a lot of savage crimes these days. And now, I think the time has finally come for me to believe on Alfrendo’s scruffy actions of promoting his lordship.”

  “What – what makes you do that?” said Alex.

  “Well, I suppose we can’t argue on the fact that Alfrendo had the Leviota with him, which means that there is no point denying his increase of power.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Luciens suddenly woke to life, hesitating at Nolfavrel’s stern face. They were now exchanging curious and scary looks that might probably cause terror to fling unabated.

  “That’s what I’ve been telling you!” Mrs. Luciens snarled.

  “Yes, I know,” said Nolfavrel. “And it’s because I never came so close to the fact that he was able to get the Leviota. It was beyond anything!”

  Mrs. Luciens was sure she could not argue back. She looked rather intensely speechless beside her husband, who had just behaved as quiet as she was.

  “How did he steal the Leviota?” Alex mumbled, drawing a soft sigh.

  “He talked to the Cerberus there! He talked to the knights! He talked to a lot of magical creatures who were guarding the Leviota! And they were convinced – that is the truth!”

  “You – you’re sure that they were convinced?”

  “Oho! Bilge thought, Alexander!” wailed Nolfavrel, who was now looking not only at Godfrey or Alex, but hasting his head towards everyone. “Alfrendo is an animal – a beast. He knew how to lure creatures of his kind, that’s why he succeeded. Just see how he happened to trick your three Flooshardine Allimans! Alfrendo transformed to a lady who pretended to be heading to the palace so he could take Eliezer!”

  “He – what – he tricked them?” Mrs. Luciens exclaimed.

  “Yes, they were tricked. They were unsuccessful saving her.” Nolfavrel led the ounce of silence that scattered. “We’re not sure now. Alfrendo might also trick us, that’s why we need to be cautious and protected. Nowhere is safe, as I can see, of course.”

  Godfrey looked at Mr. Luciens to see how he reacted, as though he was about to say or promote Godfrey’s unnatural strength during the time they defeated the griffin and Alfrendo. Mr. Luciens, however, had just momentarily gazed at the situation then into the flaming grate.

  “We need to be protected,” he repeated in barely a whisper. “The Palace do . . . Elvandork is in peril situation now. . . . We need to defeat Alfrendo, or the empire will fall and he will rule at last. . . .”

  “No, I won’t permit that to happen!” said Godfrey bestially. “Dad suffered enough restoring this empire to normality – aunt Razzie died, sacrificed her life to support dad! Alfrendo could not just take them to his figment!”

  Mr. and Mrs. Luciens were smiling on their own chairs as he spoke, looking as though they had triumphed getting Godfrey to the senses he was supposed to be at. Now they nodded and exchanged congratulated looks with Nolfavrel.

  Alex, on the other hand, was surging with excitement, though given the fact that he was completely ignorant of his actual involvement – of why he was able to see and enter the manor house while others couldn’t.

  “That’s so cool, dude!” he sneered over at Godfrey, who was receiving far better comments now.

  “Oh, yeah,” Godfrey replied truthfully. “I just thought that maybe the time has come for me to really get a grip on matters that my father’s dealing.”

  “But,” Nolfavrel suddenly interrupted courteously, “the reality start was bad enough. . . . Once again, we need as much protection as we could get.”

  This time, Alex turned sideways and said, “We’re already protected, aren’t we? I mean this house. Surely it won’t appear to Alfrendo.”

  “It won’t, of course,” swag Nolfavrel hardly. “There is literally no form of bond, even a slight one, between him and the three ladies or Mark Scamander. At any rate, we are at intense need of greater shield because the house is not enough.”

  “Not enough – what do you mean by that, Sir Ridgway?” Mr. Luciens interfered just as Nolfavrel breathed in flawed attempt of continuing.

  Before he answered, he was surprised to see every eye glued on him. “This house is not enough. It was ages ago since it was built, which means that I can roughly sense that the enchantment subjugating its concealment is wearing off every single day. I’m also afraid to tell you that we cannot stay here hiding for so long. Saving Eliezer from the hands of that immoral beast could be an attempt to reclaim the Leviota.”

  “Yes, Sir Ridgway is right,” Mr. Luciens agreed peacefully. “We need to get the Leviota back. Your father needs it safely hidden and secured once more to prevent anyone using it. You just praise how good your father is: He would usurper every possible solution to make rigid security upon the law-breaking tablet. In that case, no one will be able to defy the magical statutes and principles.”

  “Yes, yes, enough talking about that,” Nolfavrel immediately cut out. “We should writhe our minds of a form of protection we would need . . . one that is less fragile; in other words, one that is permanent.”

  “Was the shield of this manor house not permanent?” said Godfrey at once.

  “No, it wasn’t, I’m afraid.”

  There was a cold and chilling damp of air as though the door had just opened to plunge the wintry breeze inside. Kimberly was towering and floating above the glass table, shooting Nolfavrel the face of rage and disgust.

  “Don’t you start devaluing our hardships!” she cried so loud that Godfrey and Alex gasped and flinched back when she spoke. “Be thankful I even allowed you to stay here!”

  “Listen, Kimberly. Let me just say for the record that I’m not devaluing your hardships. I adore it at most, in fact. But nothing lasts forever – even the permanents just endure for a long time and it will end in trash just the same. Magic is nothing impressive that you should dream about . . . nothing. It is bound to limitations, and time is one thing that is greater than magic.”

  Kimberly’s wide eyes subsided and she scrutinized Nolfavrel from head to toe before vanishing into invisibility. Nolfavrel looked at them.

  “If there is something that you ought to dream about, it is love . . . love at its best – because, at one point, love is the root of all evil, not money.” Nolfavrel gulped, gagged as he turned to stare at the rest of them. “Kimberly . . . we usually fight about a lot of nonsensical stuffs, but there you go.”

  “Well . . . well, the truth sounds hopefully nice,” said Godfrey convincingly, as though he was about to tell something important. “Perhaps you want me to try this out so we could have an idea of about the protection we need.”

  Nolfavrel’s face flushed with amazement. “What is it? Come on, show us.”

  From his back, Godfrey pulled out the meter-long stick. Its inscriptions lined along the black shaft was glowing gold once again as he held it high; its beams glinting in their very eyes.

  “Well, it always gives me what I need,” he intoned shyly. Swishing the stick in circles above, he muttered softly and clearly, “We need the best protection there is.”

  The electric-blue blitz sparkled in the space after its tip. Then thin slivers of gray smoke began assembling there with the blitz, gradually forming seven letters shaped legibly.

  E P I S K E Y

  Nolfavrel suddenly gulped for air the moment he saw it, as though he was struggling harshly against asthma. Mr. and Mrs. Luciens did not understand why, so they crept promptly, holding and pressing both of Nolfavrel’s pale hands.

  “Are you okay?” Godfrey asked, startled at peak and was apparently concerned.

  “Yes . . . yes . . .” Nolfavrel whispered, his eyes unblinkingly transfixed on the vaguely evaporating letters overhead. “. . . serious . . . can’t be . . . .” He shook his head.

  “Ahm, Sir Ridgway?” Mr. Luciens uttered beside him, still pressing his left p
alm. “Are you really okay? What is that, anyway? What is Epis–?”

  “Don’t say it!” whimpered Nolfavrel rather warningly. “Don’t! You’re not supposed to say the E-spell! It’s . . . it’s dangerous . . . it’s fatal. . . . No one dreamt for a moment that we’d have to use it – and I certainly didn’t.”

  “Is there anything wrong with the E-spell?” snapped Alex. “I mean other spells could be said easily in public. You’re . . . you’re making it look as though you’re suggesting that we’d die if we said it.”

  “Yes . . .” Nolfavrel hissed softly. “You will die if you speak it, but limitless and unbreakable shield will fall upon . . . upon the one you want to protect. I was under the impression that there was still no single rumor to say that it was no guarantee to use it. It’s actually effective, but, again, it’s a dark magic . . . very dark, indeed.”