Olivia, Trevor, Bran, and Kirk trained until the night came and a little more. They were completely exhausted at the end but filled with the great sensation one has after finishing a match of a favorite game. They went back to their camp and to the fire Cordella had just lit, longing for a little rest and lots of tasty foods.
“How were our warriors?” asked Alavro, embracing his sweaty son and giving him a broad smile.
“They did a great job. It was impressive, all things considered! I would even say that they didn’t forget everything,” answered Bran.
“I agree. But I think we can train at night too. Fights can start at any time. We must be prepared, and you two must remember much more than what you remembered today … or learned. What do you think about continuing? We can eat and then go back to the clearing.” Kirk stood. Even though Trevor was very excited about everything, he gave Kirk a look full of judgment and disapproval, as someone would look to a frantic madman who wants to lure them into the same madness he was in.
“Don’t even dream about it! If you want to torture me and crush all my bones before even going into battle, please, let me know now! Today, I’ll be staying here, resting. I won’t be training anymore! A-N-Y-M-O-R-E! The only training I’ll have now is on how to sleep soundly,” said Trevor.
“You must get ready for supper. There’s no point in training all day long and draining all your strength away.” As soon as Cordella finished her sentence, everybody went to get ready.
Olivia rushed through everything. She wanted to have a moment alone with Cordella to talk and try to discover more about their quest and Edmund Lars. Cordella had been quiet, and that was bothering Olivia. If at first the lady was energetic and annoyed all the time, now she seemed too contemplative and silent. She was always avoiding starting conversations with Olivia, always trying to be left alone or with Alavro.
Olivia left her tent like a rocket and found Cordella alone, standing with her hands on her waist and admiring the two moons.
“Hello, Cordella!” said Olivia, trying to hide her anxiety. So far, everything was going according to the plan. There was no sign of anyone else.
“Hello, Olivia. Beautiful night, huh?” Cordella was still staring at the sky. It was indeed a beautiful night, and the two moons were always a crowd pleaser. They were sublime in the sky, big, shiny and glorious. And they were, until now, the biggest difference between the two worlds. The two moons were the constant reminders that Olivia and Trevor were not home.
“Cordella, do you have one of those books about the Portals here with you? I’d like to know more.”
With her eyes still fixed on the horizon, Cordella answered, “I have just one, but I think it might be useful for you. But I warn you, it’s not light reading. It’s sad and bloody. You won’t find anything about Lars in there either.”
“You can tell me more about him, can’t you?” Olivia said expectantly, but Cordella’s tone was soft.
“Yes. We knew Edmund Lars since he was a little boy, and no, he had not shown inclinations to evil deeds of any sorts at a young age. He did have a strong interest in the Portals. But then again, a lot of people do. We loved him, and maybe we were all quite blind to his monstrosity. After what happened, all the deaths he was responsible for, some of the Guardians said that they were always suspicious. I loved Edmund as a son. I wasn’t suspicious.”
“Do you blame yourself for that?” As soon as Olivia said it, she thought she might have gone too far.
“Yes. I blame myself every day. And if some days I was suspicious of Edmund, I felt guilty about it too. Until it happened, I wouldn’t believe he could be capable of such atrocities. When I arrived at Strage after the attack, I was expecting and hoping with all my heart to find another explanation that would not involve Edmund. I’m sorry, Olivia, but I’m afraid my emotions regarding this subject are a bit clouded. I don’t know if I was simply trying to ignore my internal voices about what Lars might be planning or if those voices didn’t even exist.”
“And what about Lars’ parents? Did someone suspect them?”
“Alcion and Maleuca isolated themselves. They apologized to the other Guardians and left all that they had behind. We don’t know exactly where they went or where they are now. The last time I heard about them, they were traveling through the Mountains of Lotre, probably seeking peace. They feel responsible for what happened more than anyone else. And they probably go through everything that happened and through all that they lived as a family trying to find a reason or a sign to all of this. Edmund is now someone else. But I still want to look into his eyes once more. Let’s not talk about suspicion, Olivia. It can be as harmful as greed. Trust is better for our hearts.”
“Did you see Lars after what happened?”
“Some of the Guardians saw him. But I didn’t. Lars ran away to perfect everything that he considers necessary to achieve his goals. I had other things to worry about … I needed to train you two, find ways to protect us all and those sorts of things.”
“What about Alegra? What happened to her?” Cordella looked at Olivia and sat on a big rock nearby.
“She is a strong woman. But I don’t dare to say that she is well. She managed to protect her sister from Lars when he first attacked her family, and she was already running away with her when he struck again. This time, Alegra didn’t have time to do anything. Trevor knew Alegra very well … It’s really a pity that you two don’t remember.”
“You said that maybe there was a way to send us back to our world. Isn’t there a way to make us remember?” Noises came from the tents. Any time now, the rest of the group would join them, and the conversation would be over. Olivia was firing questions quickly, barely having time to think.
“There’s no spell that I know of. But we are looking for a way …”
At this moment, Alavro and Bran left their tent, followed by Kirk and lastly by Trevor.
Olivia was still hoping to ask some more questions, but her mind was filled with brand new information, and the rest of the group quickly joined them. The opportunity to have some time alone with Cordella slipped through Olivia’s hands. Cordella took a deep breath and walked toward the group. Her face was full of sorrow, and she wasn’t trying to hide it.
Olivia felt guilty. Her questions were the reason for Cordella’s sad eyes. She had made Cordella revisit some catastrophic events of her life. But what else could Olivia do? And what other means could she use to prepare herself for what was to come?
As Olivia followed Cordella back to the group, she was thinking of everything she learned about Tartae until now and the part she played in all of this. It seemed to her that she was poking an anthill. The more she poked, the more ants would emerge. The more questions she asked, the more questions would arise, the more unsettling things she would discover. But she had to know. As Cordella would say, they had no time to waste anymore. They needed to learn how to fight, and they needed to learn about the Portals. Olivia told them that she would do her best, and that’s what she was doing. It was only sad that sometimes it cost the smile of someone she was growing to love.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tartae’s Magic
They had a relaxing dinner filled with laughter. It was light and almost worriless, going very well with the night, which was fresh and fairly bright. Apparently, Cordella was already feeling better with all the merriment. Kirk and Bran told Cordella and Alavro all about the training session they had earlier that day and also remembered things from their past adventures, quests and journeys full of adrenaline and excitement, which seemed to bring up everyone’s spirits. Alavro took advantage of that and started to tell some of his own adventures. He had a special rhythm when telling stories, which made everything turn into a song. The words he chose carefully, composing enchanting rhymes, and they would fit perfectly in his sentences, making everyone who was listening get deeply involved, as if they were being carried into a dream that wasn’t theirs.
Cordella and Alavro had some inte
resting stories as well. Their adventures began at a very young age, and they had been through a lot trying to learn and cast protection spells on their journeys. One time, Alavro accidentally made a gigantic stone wall appear around them. By that time, they were still apprentices, and it took them no less than a week to make it disappear. “You must admit, it was a powerful protection!” joked Alavro, a big smile lighting up his round face. Apparently, Alavro, Cordella, and Zervio, Cordella’s husband who passed away many moons ago, used to be great friends when they were young.
Kirk and Bran were simulating a vigorous fight to the beat of Alavro’s clapping–who was already a bit drunk with the wine–when Trevor got closer to Olivia while she was getting more soup from the pewter cauldron hanging over the fire.
“It’s been forever since we’ve talked, Olie. How are you doing?” Trevor practically whispered. He didn’t want anyone to hear or interrupt them. They needed some time for themselves, which was difficult these days with all the riding and now the training.
“I’m doing well. You?”
Trevor nodded and continued, “Did you find out anything else? I saw you talking with Cordella earlier. That’s why I took so long to leave my tent. I didn’t want to get in your way.”
“Yes, we talked for a bit. But we didn’t discuss anything very important. She promised to lend me a book about the history of the Portals, the only book she brought with her. I think it’s gonna be enough for now. But as you can imagine, there’s nothing there about Lars …”
“And did you find out anything else about him?” asked Trevor. His face was glowing with expectation.
“They all knew Lars since he was a child, and I don’t think anyone ever suspected him. Cordella seemed to love him very much. I could tell that it wasn’t an easy subject for her. She told me that he was passionate about the Portals since a very young age, but I guess anybody could feel that way. It’s an interesting thing to study. We can blame him for a lot of things, but not for that.”
“Yes, I guess. But in this case, that means that he has been studying the Portals for a long time. He knows a lot about it, so he can do a lot of damage … I believe,” said Trevor with a somber look on his face. Olivia found it interesting that even though she knew Trevor so well, there were some sides of him that she had never seen before. This sad and worried look was a great example. “And has anyone seen Lars after what happened?”
“He disappeared, and almost no one saw him after the attacks. And on a lighter note, you used to be very good friends with Alegra!”
Trevor seemed a little surprised and he chuckled softly, letting a glimpse of sadness show in his eyes, “There’s no use in having friends when you don’t remember a thing … Do you know if there’s a way to …?”
“To remember? They haven’t discovered one yet. But it seems that they’re trying.”
Olivia and Trevor looked at each other and, even though they had never discussed it, they both kept thinking about a solution. Maybe they could find one themselves. But how? Unlike Edmund Lars, they had just found out about this reality. Portals, magic, Tartae … it was all new for them.
“I heard something,” Trevor said, breaking the silence. “We’ll make a stop before Strage. We’ll see a Guardian. I heard Alavro talking to Bran. I think they need to ask this person for help with something.”
“Did you hear a name?”
“No. But I wonder why they didn’t tell us. Enough with the secrets already!”
“They surely have a reason, Trev. It’s not possible that they’re still hiding stuff from us. Don’t you think?” Olivia looked at Trevor, hoping for confirmation. She needed to trust the Guardians at least.
“I hope so.”
Olivia and Trevor sat there watching the rest of the group for a while, but they soon got up and went to sleep. They were feeling more and more tired as a result of that hard training day. Until they all went to their tents, no one had mentioned anything about making a stop, and that was making Olivia and Trevor pretty uneasy.
Before going to bed, Cordella gave the book to Olivia. She started to read it at once, cozying up under the light of the candle next to her bed. She read some pages but couldn’t fight the sleepiness for long and quickly and inevitably fell asleep.
Olivia woke the next day and took some time to finally get up. She kept thinking about all that she had discovered until now. Edmund Lars was around, free, and he had a plan. He had a book–it wasn’t the real one, but still, this was considerably dangerous–and he had determination, eagerness, and some followers. And to make matters worse, he had managed to successfully bring her and Trevor to Tartae.
It was very frustrating not to have any recollection of their past experiences in Tartae. She had no idea how she hurt her wrist or anything that she had gone through before this time. Olivia couldn’t help but think that if she remembered it all, it would be easier to feel calmer about the battles ahead …
Suddenly, the possibility of Lars discovering the Clan’s plan fell over Olivia like a giant rock. Fear rose in the back of her throat. What if he was expecting them? How come no one was counting on that? Why were they so confident?
Olivia got up in a flash and went to find Cordella. The witch was sitting alone outside the tent. Olivia screamed Cordella’s name as soon as she saw her.
“For Ourivio’s Keys! What happened?” Cordella answered, walking in Olivia’s direction.
“I’m sorry, Cordella. Were you meditating?” Olivia never waited for an answer, she just kept talking. “Are you sure Lars doesn’t know we plan on destroying the Portals now? How can you be so sure and so calm?”
“Calm down, Olivia. Take a breath. We are only sure of the part we play in this story. And we are confident about our goals. What exists beyond that is just going to confuse our minds. We are ready, and this must ease you.”
“Ready?” Olivia could only think about how the Clan had missed Lars’ attacks before. But could she bring this up without offending Cordella and all her life’s work?
“We are here, aren’t we? We are getting ready for this the best way we can. There’s nothing to worry about besides that,” said Cordella calmly. And she was so calm that it was hard to see in her that same scared lady they met when they arrived in Tartae. It was possible that she was only trying to make Olivia feel better, because there was probably nothing else to do beyond what they were already doing.
“But … but he managed to bring us. He can open Portals. He might know that we’re here with you and that our plans had changed. He might know that we’re on the move. He must be expecting that!”
“Yes, he did manage to bring you and Trevor. But he doesn’t know what happened after he opened that Portal. He doesn’t know if you two died or got lost or even if you came here stronger than ever. Not even all the Guardians know that you’re here. We’re in hiding. This is all a secret.” Cordella sounded confident, and she looked deeply into Olivia’s eyes. “No good will come from getting anxious. He’s smart, but for all we know, he has no idea if his plan worked.”
At this time, Trevor, Bran, and Kirk left one of the tents. They were talking about some of the movements they had practiced the day before. Alavro came right behind them with a peaceful and quite funny expression on his face.
“Good,” Cordella said, looking at everyone. “We are going to make a stop on our way to Strage. We will be seeing one of the Guardians, Freya Fosterim. Be ready for that.”
Trevor and Olivia exchanged looks.
“And why are we going there, may I ask?” inquired Trevor, trying to sound careless, as if he were asking something trivial.
“Time will tell. There, you will be able to rest more and get ready for Strage,” said Cordella.
The group headed to their training space in the woods. Bran and Kirk attacked Trevor, teaching him how to defend himself when outnumbered. Olivia observed the fight from afar, waiting for her turn when Cordella got closer to her.
“Olivia, come with me, please.”
She got up and followed Cordella to a more distant space, where the trees were thick and numerous and the sunlight scarcer.
“You need to remember Tartae’s magic,” said Cordella. “I know it’s still in there, inside you somewhere. Reconnecting can take a while, but I think today is a good day to start.” She paused, gave Olivia a brief and kind smile, and continued. “First of all, you must know that our magic comes from nature and from our hearts. From all that is around us. Together, nature and our hearts can work as one and do the most wondrous things. You must forget all of your preconceptions and believe that you can do what you imagine. Our preconceptions will weaken the magic, but you will need reason to control your mind and your intentions. You will understand that balance is an important part of magic. Here in Tartae, there is magic in all the things. All nature that surrounds us is magic, and we are part of nature.” Cordella looked around and showed Olivia the trees, the leaves that were subtly moving in the wind. The forest was singing. “In order to work with the elements, you first have to connect with nature. You must show your respect for Her; you must honor Her. You must never manipulate the elements disrespectfully or carelessly. This will make the energy change into something that we can never predict.”
Olivia looked at Cordella with attention, trying to grasp each word the witch said and keep them forever locked inside her mind, her skin, her whole self. She thought that it would be much simpler if it were like a cake recipe: “get a wand, wave it the right way and say abracadabra three times. If you desire, you can add a bat eye.”
“Let’s try something. First, let’s empty our minds with a meditation exercise. It’s very simple; worry not,” Cordella suggested, sitting on the ground. “Now, try to concentrate on your breathing, filling your body with energy and breathing out all the negativity. Connect with the earth and feel its energy spreading through your body.”
The Portals of Tartae- the Land With the Two Moons Page 6