“Glad I’m not a tree,” Angst said, removing his swords and sitting across from her.
Despite her apparent fury, a hint of a smile crept up one cheek.
“Sorry,” he said. “I know you hate when you’re angry and I make you smile. Wait, you are angry, right?”
He reeled from her glare and held up his hands.
“Angry, right,” he said. “I should send you after Magic. There’s no way he could face that raw fury.”
“Stop it,” she said, now struggling to remain stoic. “I haven’t forgiven you for hurting me.”
“Are you still upset about the ankle?” he asked. “Break mine if it makes you feel better. I’ve been hurt so many times since this started, I feel like a pin cushion ready to give up its fluff.”
“It’s not just that,” she said. “I think you’re lying. I think you’ve been lying this whole time. I’m upset because I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Huh,” he said. “I don’t lie often. They’re too hard to keep track of. What do you think I’m lying about?”
“You’re lying that you sent those monsters to chase us just to keep us safe. You’re lying about saving your family. I think you just want the wish so you can be a hero,” she said. “You’re lying about your foci singing.”
“I see,” he said. “Is that it?”
“That’s a start,” she said, crossing her arms.
“If I can prove that at least one of those is not a lie,” he said, “would you give me a chance?”
“Maybe,” she said.
“That’ll do,” he said. “My life is held together by maybes.”
The clearing wasn’t wide enough. Angst stood, hefted both swords, and drew in power. His mind sifted through the packed dirt and thirsty roots all around until he found a way to make it all fit. With a grunt, he pushed the trees and roots away until they had a clear fifteen feet of space all around them.
“Show off,” she said, unimpressed. “What was that for?”
“Sealtian,” Angst said, positioning himself. “Something Hector taught me. It’s a series of movements, like a slow dance. My foci seem to like it. I bet yours will too.”
“It sounds like a waste of time,” she said.
“You said you’d give me a chance,” he said. “Or would your time be better spent glaring at me?”
“Fine,” Rose said, rolling her eyes more than an entitled teenager. She picked up her daggers and stood beside him. “What do I do?”
“Stand like this.” Moving in front of her, Angst held both swords out horizontally.
“Won’t this take forever?” she asked. “You’re not even sober.”
“I’m not a teacher,” he said, “but your foci is.”
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“When I did the sealtian with Faeoris, I reached out to feel her bones so I would know what movements to make,” he said. “I relaxed and opened myself up to Dulgirgraut, and the foci guided me to complete the dance.”
“I don’t want to feel your bones,” she said, wryly.
“Being a healer, I bet you can sense when someone is well, or ill,” he said. “Concentrate, and you’ll be able to sense my muscles, my breathing, and my movements.”
To his surprise, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried.
“I can sense you,” she said in surprise. “Oh, hey, your shoulders are tight, and your hair is falling out.”
“Not news,” he said with a sigh. “Follow my movements, and let your foci guide.”
“Okay,” she said, nervously.
Angst focused. The red and blue lights surrounding his foci covered his forearms and lit their clearing. Taking deep breaths, he concentrated, moving slowly so she could feel his movements.
“Felk,” she said. “Start over.”
More cursing followed as they restarted their dance several times. Eventually, the cursing stopped and within minutes were followed by a gasp. They moved together, mirror images performing the same beautiful dance. He turned his focus on his own sealtian and listened for his swords. With every movement, their harmony became louder and even purer. Two voices became a quartet, and then a choir eventually followed by a symphony.
Maybe they felt bad about what had happened at Gylorane. Or the foci realized if Angst didn’t win, Magic would. The reason didn’t really matter. When the dance was done, he took a deep and grateful breath of relief that his friends had returned.
He turned to see Rose hugging herself, tears trickling down her cheeks. Hers wasn’t a sad cry, it was the cry of discovery and wonder.
“Jormbrinder’s song,” she said. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I’m proud of you,” he said. “Al’eyrn.”
“I hate you,” she said, wiping her eyes.
“I hate you, too,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of it.”
She didn’t reply, but what else needed to be said?
Angst returned to the campfire with Rose in tow. She found the nearest bottle and proceeded to empty it. After an acknowledging nod to Dallow, he found a seat near Mirim and Nikkola. Alloria sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.
The two women looked at him nervously, like he would suddenly sprout daggers and hug them to death. He nodded at the Aberbrau that Nikkola clutched, and she reluctantly handed it over.
“May I ask a favor?” he said, taking a small sip. “Would you tell me more about the brothers? I would like to know Sean and Simon better.”
They both nodded, and with a deep breath, Mirim began to share stories.
45
When they arrived at the top of a mountain pass several days later, everyone gasped for breath in the thin air. Even those tiny breaths were stolen as the great field from Angst’s dreams came into view.
Snow-capped mountains guarded the long, flat field that was easily ten miles across and five miles wide. From a thousand feet up, it looked like an oblong salad bowl filled with green silk.
Victoria had dismissed the others to let Mirot know they had arrived. They were finally alone, and Angst sat beside Victoria on the cliff’s edge. His hand rested on hers, both out of friendship and concern. When she’d lean forward far enough that her long black hair covered her cheeks, he’d squeeze. Angst didn’t hate heights, he hated others near heights, and she knew it.
“You look a little pale,” she said. “I didn’t think Alloria’s champion got scared. At least, not according to Alloria.”
She wanted to argue? Now? He took a deep breath and avoided the bait. Alloria would be a discussion for another time. Or perhaps she wouldn’t.
“We argued last time we were here,” he said. “Do you remember the dreams we shared?”
“As I recall,” she said. “We were naked.”
“Aren’t dreams weird?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said with a crooked smile. “Weird.”
“In most of my dreams of this place, Fire stood there,” he said, pointing to the left. “He was lobbing balls of lava across the mountains. Air was a large tornado creature on the same side. Across the way were Earth and Water. Magic was a dark beam that reached the sky, about where we are.”
“So, what’s that?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Directly across the field from them was a beam of light so bright it was almost impossible to look at. He couldn't begin to guess its width from this distance, but the light stretched from ground to sky. Even this far away, the low hum of power was easy to hear. He felt drawn to it in a way he couldn’t explain and didn’t want to try to understand. It made his blood warm that his family’s salvation was so close, and then boil that he had to fight his way to get there. Somehow, he also knew all answers were in there, that he would finally learn what this was all about.
“I dunno,” he said with a sigh, attempting to release some of the tension. “I guess Prendere. That’s where I need to go. That’s where I’ll make my wish
and save everyone.”
“And die,” she said.
“That’s what heroes do,” he said with a winning smile. “I’ll win, and everything will start over. Young Angst will be alive, you can still be friends, and he won’t break everything next time.”
“Sure,” she said, not sounding very convinced. “I don’t see the past. I don’t think you can go back and change things. You can’t take back an angry word, or a mistake, or a kiss. It doesn’t work that way. At least, that’s not the future Jaden says will happen.”
“Hey, no worries,” he said, not wanting to know more. “I’ve got this.”
She sighed and shook her head. “Then why are you so worried? I don’t need to read you to know something is bothering you, a lot. Your cheeks and ears are flushed, your jaw is jutting out, and you’re a terrible liar. Are we going to be surrounded by angry elements?”
“No,” he said. Something about her concern, her familiarity was comforting. She was being his friend, and he needed that now more than anything. “I’m worried that I’m going to fail again. That I won’t go back in time and you all get killed in the process. I don’t want to be stuck on an Ehrde mad and alone.”
“Are you going mad?” she asked.
“I will if you’re killed,” he said. “Or anyone else I love.”
“You keep talking about your failures,” she said, pulling him into a side-hug. “You’ve saved countless lives and destroyed four elements. Dallow says that’s never been done before, not by a human. I wouldn’t call any of that failure.”
“It’s just so much more than I’d expected,” he said, looking down. “I just wanted to be a knight.”
“Hey,” she said. “That could still happen.”
“You’re just saying nice things because I’m cute,” he said, pulling back, but only a little.
“You’re just holding on because you like my hugs,” Tori said, pushing him away.
They both turned to look into each other’s eyes. He tried to feign confidence, and her eyes tried to believe him.
“We could still walk away, Angst,” she said. “There would be no war. We would be home. You could be whatever you want back at Unsel. It would be easy.”
It was a tempting offer. He was so tired. The trek here was grueling, his plan was filled with unknowns that ended with his death, and his wish could destroy Ehrde. But giving up wouldn't bring back his family and friends. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His greatest challenge may not be Vex’steppe monsters or living elements, it may be his best friend. The last thing he wanted to dwell on was what-ifs that weren’t his.
“My father once said I make things more complicated than anyone he knew. At this point, I’m not sure I’d even know what to do with easy,” he said, trying to smile. “Not to mention, it looks like everyone showed up to the party. There are armies everywhere.”
“Wh-what?” she asked, scanning the field. “I don’t see—”
“They’re too far away or hidden behind mountains,” he said. “But I sense them. All of them. Tribesmen, Nordruaut, Fulk’han, merpeople, Berfemmian, and I believe a pretty good-sized army from Melkier. They’re on paths, like ours, leading down to the field.” He laughed.
“Don’t go crazy on me yet, old man,” she said, her thin brows furrowing in a worried frown.
“It’s just that, in my dreams, I always thought this looked like a giant bowl,” he said. “It’s not. It’s more like a stadium.”
“What are the armies doing?” she asked.
“Waiting,” he said.
“For what?” she asked.
“For me,” he said. “For us.”
“How will we get through all of them?” she asked.
“No worries,” he said with a broad smile. “I have a plan.”
Her shoulders drooped, and she looked at him with a deadpan gaze. “You’re going to do something stupid, aren’t you?”
“It’s an old habit,” he said, raising his eyebrows. “I’ll try to break it when this is over.”
“Aren’t you dead when this is over?” she asked.
“According to Dallow,” Angst said. “But then my bad habits will be gone.”
“You think you’re clever,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Let’s hope so,” he said.
“That’s not a plan,” Jaden said, slashing the air with his hand. “That’s maniacal.”
“He’s right,” Dallow said. “Going alone is idiotic. Everyone should ride swifen across the field together. We’d be at the beam before the armies were on us.”
“Assuming Angst is right, the Nordruaut and Berfemmian are too close to that light,” Victoria said, staring off in the distance. “Even the swifen aren’t fast enough to beat them there.”
“You lot would get boxed in,” General Mirot said, tugging at his long mustache. “I also don’t like the idea of being split up. Without the zyn’ight, our troops would be slaughtered.”
They all turned to the magic-hating general in surprise, he replied with a harumph but said nothing further.
“What about flying there?” Victoria asked. “My unicorn could take us. We’ve done it before.”
“Is your mount agile enough to dodge an army of Berfemmian?” Mirim asked.
Angst let this go on for several minutes, listening for anything he may have missed. They were dead set against his idea, so he’d have to prove it was the best way. Angst removed his gauntlet and reached out to Victoria.
“No walls or barriers,” he said. “Just me, Your Highness.”
Beads of sweat formed on Victoria’s temples, and she licked her lips. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took Angst’s hand. It was like watching someone read a good book filled with horror and then heroics followed by humor with a little death sprinkled in. Angst held her arm as she wavered. When the stories were done, she let go and gasped for breath.
“Maybe,” she said. “I saw outcomes rather than events, some clearer than others.”
“Can you cover it one more time?” Mirot asked, his ears red. “I’m an old soldier and not familiar with the magics. It doesn’t all make sense.”
“Angst is going to swim underground with four foci—his swords, the horn, and Rose’s daggers,” Victoria said, holding up a hand to keep Mirot from asking questions. “A wielder should only ever have one foci. Jormbrinder can dampen magic and should allow him to carry more.”
“If I don’t explode again,” Angst said with a broad grin. It was supposed to make everyone laugh. It didn’t.
“When Angst arrives, our troops will charge,” Victoria said, her tone strained. “Hopefully our distraction will lead everyone away from Angst, giving him enough time to blow the horn and enter Prendere.”
“It sounds pretty thin,” Rose said.
“First time you’ve ever called me thin,” Angst said with a wink, earning a quick jab to the shoulder. He looked at the others. “Any better ideas?”
“Home sounds nice,” Dallow said with a smile.
“Ha,” Angst laughed. “Right after we do this one little thing.”
“So, you think this will work?” Mirim asked. “You’ve seen it?”
“That beam of light could be interfering, or it’s possible other Al’eyrn are nearby,” Victoria said. “But I believe there’s a chance.”
“Other Al’eyrn?” Mirot asked.
“Niihlu,” Rose grumbled.
“Or Jintorich,” Angst said, more hopefully. “Which could also mean Tarness.”
“If he’s on our side,” Dallow muttered.
“What?” Tori and Rose asked, looking at Angst.
“He wears one of Magic’s rings like Alloria did,” Angst said, holding out a hand to calm them. “I trust Tarness. No matter what he’s facing, he’ll stand by us.”
“You really think Tarness is out there?” Dallow asked.
“I’m counting on it,” Angst said. “We need him now more than ever.”
“I’m hesitant to charge so late in the d
ay,” Mirot said. “Wouldn’t morning be better?”
“If the Berfemmian realize I’m here, the war will come to us,” Angst said. “There’s no waiting.”
“I’ll ready the troops,” Mirot said. He looked at Angst for a minute then saluted before leaving.
His friends exchanged glances in an awkward moment of silence. Without another word, Angst pulled Rose into a hug.
“I told you,” she said, her voice catching. “No more dying.”
“Keep her safe, Champion,” he said, nodding toward Victoria.
Rose took a few steps back and held herself.
Jaden reached out to clasp arms. “If this goes wrong…”
“I know, Ehrde split in half, blah blah blah,” Angst said with a crooked smile. “Let’s make sure it goes right.”
Jaden smiled tersely.
“What about me?” Alloria said softly, hugging the horn and stepping close. “I’ll fight for you.”
“You already did,” he said, placing a hand on her cheek. She leaned into it. “None of this could’ve happened without you. In spite of everything Magic put you through, you made this possible. In my opinion, you redeemed yourself. You’re a hero, Alloria.”
“Really?” she asked, licking her lips.
“Yes,” he said.
As she pulled him in for a kiss, he turned away so it landed on his cheek. Rose barked out a laugh, and Victoria smiled broadly.
“A dozen guards will remain behind to keep you safe,” he said, looking at Alloria sternly. “Let them protect you, and don’t hurt anyone.”
She rolled her eyes and stepped back.
“Uh, Dallow,” Angst said, looking at his feet. “If I don’t make it, would you mind…”
“I know,” he said with a sigh. “Pay your tab at Graloon’s. You shouldn’t have been so generous with your tips to the barmaid.”
“Do you blame me?” he asked with a wink.
Victoria was looking over the field. When she turned to face him, her eyes were keen and her face stoic. The lost teenage princess was long gone, and Angst knelt before his queen. Everyone followed his lead. He kissed her hand, and she set it atop his head.
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