by D P Rowell
Everyone silently exchanged glances a moment. How could this old warlock be trusted? The very same warlock who brought the collapse of Earth, Oliver Halder’s home. Ace considered their journey so far. Everywhere he thought they needed to go, they didn't. Grandpa brought them to Earth for a reason. What other options did they have? Who could they turn to?
“If what you’re saying is true . . .” Cameron said, “then we can’t kill you?”
Jakka nodded with a stale look on his face.
“Well,” Borundi said, “let see if he’s lying.” The giant jag stepped forth, flicked the lever on his weapon from anti-magic to plasma, and fired at the old warlock. Jakka stood confident and still as the bullets smacked his body. Pockets of dust left the warlock’s old cloak as the bullets landed. Borundi fired five shots until he realized the jag remained unharmed. Everyone lowered their weapons and stared in shock.
“Sorcery!” Trilo said, “He’s a wicked sorcerer!”
“Was,” Jakka said. “There no such sorcery that can make us immortal, human. Only Light holds key to life and death.”
Hearing the jag say this aloud caused Ace to step backward. The jag spoke so strongly of Emery, it rattled him. He felt a pulling towards the jag.
“Cameron,” Ace said. His older brother turned and faced him. “We’ve been spending forever trying to find my light. Now, someone shows up on a silver platter in front of us and offers it. He says he can help me learn a talent that will lead us to the final war.”
Cameron shook his head. “I don’t like this, Ace.”
“Me neither,” Ace said. “But what else can we do?” Cameron sighed, looked at the old warlock, then back to his brother. Ace patted his older brother’s shoulder. “Trust me, brother.”
“It’s him I don’t trust,” Cameron said.
“Me too,” Ace replied with a stillness in his eyes. “But we both need to trust the Light.”
Cameron tightened his lips and sighed. “You’re right. We don’t have many other options right now.”
“What?” Trilo said, “You can’t be serious right now.”
Borundi patted the scarred fae's shoulder. “They right, fae.”
“You’re going to go alone with a warlock?” Asked Trilo.
“Former warlock,” Jakka said.
Silence crept through the air. Trilo sighed and crossed his arms. “Let’s just hand them the war, why don’t we?” He stomped away in anger.
Borundi turned to them. “Come on, Cameron. Let go back to beach, meet others, and let them know what happening.” Cameron nodded and Borundi turned to Jakka. “There an army of hunters waiting for you if anything happens to Ace,” the large jag said.
Jakka nodded with a half smile. “He will be returned to you better than you left him.”
Borundi snarled at the warlock and took Cameron along the path to the beach.
Ace and Jakka eyed each other for a minute. Ace finally stepped close to the old jag, “So . . . we’re alone. Now will you tell me?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Blaming
Jakka led Ace into a cave burrowed out beneath the rocky hills. A shy fire crackled and lit the rock surface with a deep red. Writings and scribblings covered the cave walls. Some writings mentioned Ace's name, Grandpa Marty, Rio, and the Emerson Stone. Ace stopped as he saw a familiar thing on the walls. It was the poem in Grandpa’s story, the night he disappeared. The prophecy. He read every word to refresh his memory.
“Whosoever frees the stone
Will venture not a realm alone
Seven of which will confess
Emery’s chosen, Emery blessed
Come Emery, who knows Unknown
In search of no Haevyr
There is one, and one alone
Who is called a savior
Eldest, will the keeper be
‘Till shadow clouds all truth
One is chosen, this day’s Eve
One, all hear ye in youth
What’s to come, some will believe
Despite some who deny
Stone in hand, one will deceive
And one will bear the lie
For there, in the Land of Faes
Once returned to its throne
By one, in this tamest place
The Light is set in stone
No race of faes
Nor jags, nor drakes
Nor shadow or tree
Says from Unknown
Should bear, the stone
For this fate of Eve’s
Burdened will the chosen be
But should he seek his soul free
Stone and man shall trade their fate
Then, of him, come Emery”
After reading it, he turned to find Jakka on a torn cushion by the fire. Another cushion sat across from the old warlock.
He gestured in an invitation to sit. “Why don’t I just start from beginning?”
Ace nodded and took a seat.
“Council told me Earth was mine for taking,” Jakka began to say. “They said I be named king of this realm if I could take it. I began collapse of Earth as quickly as I could. Several hundred years after wars had crumbled Earth to one kingdom, Light fled Realm Unknown and hid away on Earth in Emerson Stone. Since Earth was mine, I decided to take it upon myself to find stone and retrieve it. I did find it. It stuck in stone in cave with prophecy inscription above it. I tried take it, but stone burned my hand.” Jakka lifted his right hand to display it. The palm of his hand was black as night. “I was determined to take stone. I gripped it with all might, and even though it burned, I pushed through it, but stone would not pry free. I learned soon from prophecy, only Chosen could take stone and give it. Emery clearly did not choose me. So, I hid away, waiting for someone take stone; I found Oliver, but could not convince him to give me stone.
“Once Oliver fled Earth with Emerson Stone, council escorted remaining humans to Yutara and banished me to Earth. They told me I was king of realm and had to watch over my kingdom. I found out soon after they were only using me to bring collapse of realm. Council betrayed me. Of course, I shouldn’t expect much else from those who mastered art of deception. All sorcerers want power, they drawn to it. It like a drug for witches and warlocks, and if there is chance to obtain it, sorcerer will never turn away from it.
“I was here hundred years before Oliver returned to Earth from Tree Kingdom, when just one tree remained alive on entire planet. He told me one day, Elyrian, last of his bloodline, would return here. I asked him how, seeing as last tree on Earth was soon to pass away and inglings wouldn’t be able to let you pass between realms anymore. Oliver told me you would come from ocean. He said water gives life as much as trees and would allow Elyrian to pass between realms. I been waiting long time for you, Ace. I was told if I instructed you on few things,” Jakka pointed to the scribblings on the cave wall, “Emery would free me from this prison and I could finally pass away into Light.”
“What?” Ace said, standing to his feet, “You mean, after all you’ve done? Just take a look outside! You caused the collapse of an entire realm of free people. My people!”
Jakka nodded sadly. “Emery is just to forgive.”
Ace leaned close to the old warlock. “Well, I’m not so forgiving.”
“Yes,” Jakka said, “I know. That why you here.”
Ace squinted. “What are you talking about?”
“Forgiveness,” Jakka said, “this is something you have struggled with for some time and it why you have lost light.”
Ace felt a rock fall in his chest. His body went hot with rage. “You don’t know me at all!”
“No,” Jakka said, “But Emery knows you better than anyone. Everything comes from my mouth has been given to me by him. Oliver told me everything Emery revealed to him about you. I know lot more than you think. I know you used elyr to attack witch who turned you over to Indies out of rage. I know you did same with witch who had taken young drake you recruited in Neutrals. I know lady fa
e you fond of warned you and you turned your back to her guidance.” As the old jag said this, he pointed to notes he had scribbled on the cave walls which revealed the very same things he spoke. “Emery wanted you to see me, an old warlock, a former member of council, now forgiven. Humbled and fallen. This why he took Light from you.”
Ace scoffed at the jag and turned around, placing his hands on his head.
“Believe me,” Jakka said, “If anyone knows seriousness of things I done, it me.”
Ace’s body flushed with rage. How could a warlock of all people tell Ace he needed to forgive? Where did he get the nerve? Besides . . .
Ace turned to face Jakka. “I’ve already forgiven the Peppercorns. I’ve been spending the last month of my life trying to get them back! Why won’t Emery help me? I want them back, I know I screwed up, alright? I know I treated them like garbage before I found the Light. I don’t know how much more forgiving I can do. I don’t know what else Emery wants from me!” Ace choked on a few of his words. “I’m begging him to help me! I want them back, don’t you understand? I’ve forgiven them! I should be the one in captivity, not them! I should be the one in the hands of the council! It’s my fault! It’s mine and no one else’s! Why would he let the Peppercorns suffer because of my mistakes?”
Jakka slowly stood as Ace went on his rant. The old jag stepped close and placed his right hand on Ace’s shoulder.
“I know, Ace,” Jakka said. “It not them you need forgive.”
“Then what!” Ace flailed his arms in a fit of rage.
“You need to accept that Emery has forgiven you.”
Ace stared silently in the jag’s red eyes. The sincerity overwhelmed the boy and he felt the rage flow out of his body. He went limp and plopped to his knees, buried his face in his hands, and cried bitterly. Jakka slowly kneeled beside him and placed a hand on his back
“I know why it taken you so long to arrive here on Earth,” Jakka said. “Because I needed all that time to process everything and finally accept Light’s forgiveness myself. I spent past, however long it been, soaking in self-hatred and self-pity for what I done. I was monster. I couldn’t be forgiven. It was impossible. I shouldn’t be allowed to be freed from this prison. And only now, just days before you showed up, did I finally accept it. But now I see, the only true prison is one we place ourselves in. Light in you will only grow if you let him. If he can free me, he can free you too.”
They spent a moment together in silence until Ace had wept his pain dry. Soon, they each took their seats on the torn-up cushions by the fire and let the stillness of the cave sink in by the crackling fire.
Ace finally broke the silence. “You mentioned there were three things you needed to tell me.”
Jakka half-smiled at the boy. “Yes, of course. Well, I just told you how get your Light back. But, this something you must do yourself. The second thing, what gift you have which you couldn’t know you have. Of four remaining council members, th—”
“Wait,” Ace said. “You mean, the entire council is only four warlocks?”
Jakka nodded. “They stayed well-hidden over years.”
Ace chuckled and rolled his eyes. “All this time . . .”
“Well,” Jakka said, “they may be few, but they more powerful than you imagine. There reason they haven’t come from shadows yet. As Elyrian, I sure you understand how magic works. Every time magic used, it absorbs a soul. Over years, they been collecting lot of souls and using little magic. They work through witches because their witch slaves use less magic than they do. Like massive sorcerer’s savings, preparing for final war, they prepared an arsenal that could wipe Yutara from existence.”
Ace swallowed a lump in his throat.
“But,” Jakka continued, “this precisely why I need tell you of this gift you have. As Elyrian, you can free members of council from their curse, if they should choose.”
Ace squinted. “What do you mean?”
“Witches.” Jakka’s eyes lit up and the fire cast shadows on his smile so it looked dark and playful all at once. “You can confront witches and parcels and free them of curse. Their souls will be returned to them and no longer an asset to council.”
Ace crossed his arms. “What? How can I do that?”
Jakka shrugged. “With authority! It been given to you, so darkness must obey you! Curse has no power over Elyrian. All you must do is agree to take burden of curse upon yourself, and Light inside you will break it. It may take time to understand how to do this, but Light will guide you.”
Ace smiled and combed his fingers through his hair. “The Peppercorns,” he said softly. “I—I can free them.”
“Yes, you can. But there is catch,” Jakka said. Ace jerked his head back at the old jag. The fire caused his dark eyes to shine in a strange way. “Ace, to take burden of curse upon yourself, you will have to give up immunity stone gives you.”
Ace furrowed his brow. “I already don’t have immunity. Rio has the stone now.”
The jag leaned forward and wagged his hand in the air. “Yes, but you cannot let him keep it, obviously! You must take back stone from drake, lest he use it for his plan. Then, once yours, you must give to whom you choose.”
“Who do I give the stone back to?”
The old jag shrugged. “The Light will guide you, but it has to be your decision. But, Ace, you must willingly give your immunity to take curses upon yourself.”
Three things came to Ace’s mind at once, so he didn’t know which to address, nor in what order to address them. The first thing he thought was, What’s Rio’s plan with the stone? The second thing was, If Jakka knows where the warlocks are, why won’t he just tell me? But the third thing caused him to catch his breath. As these thoughts wisped through his mind, he placed his hands to his temples, attempting to process it; but, when the third thought arrived, he lowered his hands and stared at Jakka wide-eyed. The only way to save a witch, is to die for one. Those were the words the council had spoken to him in the cellar in Gathara. Were they true?
Ace coughed and scratched his chin to dismiss it. Not wanting to know the answer to his third thought, he chose one of the other two. “Wait a second, Jakka. You know who the warlocks are, right? Why don’t you just tell me where they are, and we can take them down?”
“Two reasons,” Jakka said, “one, as I told you, they far too powerful. The only reason they haven’t used magic to take out Israh is because they saving magic for final war. If they start killing Israh, it will take all their magic to do, and you, Elyrian, are powerful enough to wipe them out once their magic is gone. The second reason is because you really only need worry about one warlock right now . . .”
Ace leaned closer and raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
The jag gave Ace a peculiar stare. “Rio Atarion.”
Ace’s skin crawled and his eye twitched. “You mean, he’s not just a parcel?”
Jakka shook his head. “There very few parcels in world. They so hidden and minuscule they nearly impossible to find. Warlocks too, but only reason you discovered Rio is because of stone he been after so long. And now that he has it . . . well, that why he only one you need worry about.”
“What does he plan to do with it, Jakka?”
“What exactly do you know about stone?” Jakka said.
Ace raised his shoulders. “It’s all that’s left of the Light in the world, encased in a red gem.”
Jakka wagged his finger no. “Not exactly. Did you know Emery is actually a person?”
“Well, sorta, yeah.”
“And persons have souls . . .”
Ace caught his breath. “Oh no.”
“Rio has much different plan. He doesn’t want rule with council, he wants rule council himself. He did things to gain trust from us early on. In fact, his attempt to assassinate President Kar was part of council plan to put Gerald Yvonne in power; but all warlocks have hidden agenda for themselves, so help like this always comes back to bite them. Right now, council has their massive col
lection of souls, preparing for final war, right? Well, there exists a soul of unlimited resources. Rio believes he cracked this code. If he can absorb this one soul, he will have unlimited magic and elyrians will be wiped from existence. Then, council will be at his mercy. He will give as much magic as he pleases to whomever he pleases. Everyone will be dependent on him.
“This actually reason why Dodger Girdleg has not attacked Gathara. Rio made deal with council, that if they would allow Gathara to remain in East Heorg, but a secret to rest of Yutara, he could deceive city and steal Marty Halder’s immunity to witchcraft. But Rio tricked them. ‘Cause now, I sure council doesn’t know drake actually has Emerson Stone. Rio will use stone to overpower them. No more council, only Rio.
“Rio whole plan centered around Emerson Stone. He worked inside your family, though I not sure how, to try and get you all to hate each other. Then, he instructed council to appear to you in cellar and tell you your grandfather set you up to die for Peppercorns. He tried spike rage in you, so you would turn away and quit. He believed this would let your guard down, so he could more easily trick you into giving him stone.”
Ace’s body shook with fright. What had he let happen? Where was the state of Yutara going to be because of this? How did Rio work inside his family? Ace placed his hands on his face. “Are you telling me the Emerson Stone is a cage for the soul of Emery? And Rio is trying to break in and absorb it?”
Jakka gave a slight nod. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Ace leapt from his torn-up cushion. “Well, where is he? We have to stop him and get the stone back right now!”
“Calm down a moment, Ace,” Jakka said.
“How can you tell me to calm down?” Ace screamed and began pacing the ground. “We’re—we’re—we’re all gonna die because of me!”