The Frozen Wasteland

by Candy Crum

  After Elon put his hands together and pulled them apart, several little balls of light hovered in the air. He tossed them over his head to illuminate the area. "Waylon placed magitech lights down here long ago, and I even replaced them once, but they've long since burned out. We'll have to go through using magic."

  "This is really gross," Marie said as they walked through the water that soon came up almost to their knees.

  "This is where the wastewater goes," Elon informed them. "It hasn't rained in a long time, but it's been a cold winter. Most of this was more than likely ice, but now it's melted. Come summer, this will be much lower. Unless it rains, of course."

  It seemed to take forever to wade through the water and the tunnels, but they finally approached a vertical grate at the top of the wall, but even with the street.

  It had been locked shut from the inside, but Elon had his tools ready to pick the magitech lock. They soon heard the familiar click, and he pulled the lock free before throwing it into the water.

  Elon grunted as he pulled hard several times to free the grate from the position it had been in for so long. They had nearly been sealed in by Father Time, but the engineer finally managed to open it.

  After pulling himself out, Elon looked around before sticking a hand back down and helping both women out. "We don't have far to go. My mentor's house is just down the street."

  They ran behind him, following Elon as closely as possible as he led them through backyards and kept as close to the shadows as possible. It was strange for Amelia to be working with him after all he'd done, but right now he was also doing all he could to save the city.

  In just a few minutes they came to a large backyard behind a massive two-story noble home. Even without Elon’s announcement, Amelia would have known this was an engineer's house. The backyard was full of trinkets and sculptures and other interesting things she'd never seen before.

  "I used to collect portraits and paintings from before the Age of Madness. I was introduced to things from that era because of him. Some of these sculptures are replicas of things he's seen in recovered books or other such pictures," Elon told them as they made their way to the back door.

  Amelia grabbed Marie's hand and held it, giving her a reassuring smile before letting it go. They both stood back and waited for the once-Master Engineer to knock and announce their presence. Within moments, a man with shoulder-length snow-white hair and a long beard to match answered the door.

  Though he looked incredibly old—and Amelia imagined he was—he appeared to be quite fit and healthy. His back was straight, his shoulders broad and pulled back. He stood with a noble’s confidence.

  The old man beamed as he looked Elon over before greeting Amelia and Marie. "Boy, I never thought I'd see you again. I heard what you did. If you're here with the Chancellor—at my back door, no less—I suspect that the city is in danger and you've joined the winning side. Well, the good side, at the very least."

  Elon nodded. "You'd be guessing correctly. Tell me, do you have a stash of amphoralds handy?"

  The old man's smile grew. "Do you even have to ask? Of course, I do. Now, get your asses inside before someone sees you. We have a lot to talk about."

  ***

  Maddie carefully made her way through the city, being as quiet as possible and as invisible as possible, just as Amelia had instructed in her letter. The Chancellor had been arrested and thrown into the Capitol dungeon for a crime she never would have committed. She and Elon had escaped and were coming to the defense of the city.

  Amelia had known it was a risk when she'd allowed Cella’s Governor to bring his people in, but so had he. They'd made the arrangement knowing the worst could happen. As far as both were concerned, it was less dangerous than a remnant attack.

  Now, Amelia needed Maddie to call on the governor for his aid and to secure the services of his Guard. Not only that, but to warn him that he needed to get his people out of the city before morning. Amelia had instructed Maddie to take the governor and his Guard and whatever other people he could manage to the entrance behind the Capitol building and through the tunnels. She'd read the letter twice to make sure she got it right.

  M,

  This is the last letter I can send for now. The worst has happened—I've been arrested for a murder I didn't commit, which was Scarlett’s doing.

  The city now believes I'm just as guilty as Arryn, and they'll turn to Talia. You must warn the governor of Cella. He and his son need to get his Guard and as many of his people he can round up out of the city before the sun rises.

  Have them take the tunnels behind the Capitol building. It's wet down there, but it's a straight shot outside the walls according to Elon. I'd forgotten, but Parker once said he used those tunnels to sneak in and out of Arcadia. Get them to safety. Get yourself to safety.

  I'm heading to the Dark Forest. Meet us there. I've heard it's a dangerous place, so make sure they're ready. The druids will welcome us, and I have faith Cathillian will see us to safety.

  Please take care of yourself.

  - A

  Maddie was small, and capable of sticking to the shadows. It took quite a while, but she reached the home where the governor was staying without any fuss. She knocked on the door, looking over her shoulders and nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. As soon as the governor opened the door, Maddie ran inside.

  The governor closed the door and Maddie held out her hand, the letter between her fingers.

  "What is this?" the governor asked.

  "It's from Amelia. The city has fallen. You need to get your people out of here and head to the Dark Forest."

  The governor's eyes went wide. "The Dark Forest? Did I hear you correctly? I've never seen one myself, but the druids—"

  Maddie waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head as she interrupted him. "Forget all that. The Dark Forest is dangerous, but not nearly as dangerous as Arcadia is right now. Amelia and I have friends there. Well, Amelia has friends there. My druid friend has been kidnapped and taken out of the city. She was born here but raised in the Dark Forest from the age of ten, so I know they aren't entirely bad. Besides, it's the safest place we could go right now. Talia has control of the Arcadian Guard, and if she believes for an instant you aren’t on her side, she will have all of you arrested—or worse. Right now, your Guard are the only hope we have."

  The governor sighed, then took the letter and read it. After several moments, he looked up and nodded. "I'll get my son. We’ll ride out tonight."

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Talia had been awakened in the middle of the night by the Guard, who informed her what had happened with Amelia. Scarlett had promised she’d take care of her, but she didn’t specify how. The guard seemed to have no idea, having been convinced it truly had been Amelia that killed the guard, Mattias, but the Dean knew better…

  It had been Scarlett.

  Her mood had begun to improve when she’d heard that Amelia was out of the way and locked away in the dungeon. She hadn't been able to sleep for the rest of the night, but was smart enough to stay home so she didn't appear too eager. Just after dawn broke, Talia got up, took a shower, made herself presentable, and went straight to the Capitol building.

  The Chancellor was no longer housed in Adrien's office. Her office was in the Capitol building in the heart of the city. As Talia made her way into the building, she saw the blood spatter on the walls and floor. Her brows creased as she wondered exactly what had happened.

  Annoyance began to overtake her triumphant mood as she slowly began making her way to the building. Talia walked through the receiving area to a door that led downstairs, and she shook her head as she briskly descended the stairs toward the dungeon. The magitech lighting clicked on as she stepped into the large room.

  As she looked into the first cell, she realized Elon was no longer in residence. Her nostrils flared as anger threatened to overwhelm her. She stomped through the rest of the room, looking in each cell but comin
g up empty. Even Jackson and Caydon were gone.

  "Fuck!" she shouted. “Where the fuck is everyone?”

  "Trouble in paradise?" Scarlett inquired from the entryway.

  Talia turned. If looks could kill, Scarlett would have died a thousand deaths. Talia stomped over to Scarlett with her fists clenched at her sides and her face full of anger.

  Without warning, Talia lashed out, slapping Scarlett right across the face. Scarlett's face turned with the blow, but her expression revealed nothing. No shock. No anger. Not even pain. Talia didn't care to dissect her reaction… or lack thereof.

  "I have no patience for your stupid shit right now. She's gone. Where the fuck is she? The boys, too." Talia demanded.

  Scarlett moved her jaw gingerly, causing a loud pop to echo through the dungeon. Her eyes blinked slowly, lingering shut for just a moment before she fully turned her face back to Talia. Though the Dean couldn't see any anger in her expression, she could certainly see the rage in her eyes.

  "Jackson and Caydon are dead. As per your orders. As for the fucking Chancellor, how the hell would I know, my Queen?" Scarlett asked, her voice full of scorn.

  Talia took a step closer, ignoring her smart comment. Her nose was almost close enough to touch Scarlett's. "Find out. Because if you don't—"

  Scarlett's eyes flashed white, causing Talia to jump back. The Dean continued to retreat as Scarlett moved forward. "What? What will you do?"

  When Talia didn't answer, Scarlett continued, "Let me tell you what's going to happen. You will never strike me again. If you do, you and I will be right back here in this dungeon. I will bring a dull, serrated blade, and I will give it to you. When I do, you'll smile at your gracious host. You will sit down in that corner right over there, and I will sit in that chair just to your right. I will watch as you cut away parts of yourself, piece by tiny piece.

  “I won't let you scream—it would only give me a headache. But I will gladly watch you cry. Believe me when I say that whatever convoluted torture you could imagine in your own mind, is nothing compared to what I can force you to do. It would be nothing compared to what I can come up with, mostly because I have already envisioned it. Do you understand me?"

  Talia swallowed hard, nodding as she did. She'd never seen Scarlett quite so angry, and it wasn't until that moment she realized just how strong and how demented the mystic was.

  Scarlett smiled, her eyes still white. "Good. Because I've put up with a lot of your shit. Let's not forget… You may be able to set me on fire, but I promise you it won't be fast enough. I can overwhelm you before you even finish arcing your hands over your chest. You're only in your current position because I allowed you to be. Fuck with me again, and I'll make sure to rectify that problem. Now, if you're quite finished with this pissing contest, your adoring fans await."

  Talia blinked a few times, doing her best to shake away the chill moving through her body. "My adoring fans await?"

  Scarlett nodded. "Quite a few people saw the Chancellor arrested last night. Word spread fast. They know you're here, and they're turning to you for answers. It's time for you to seal the deal. Get out there and claim your throne. No one set up a proper line of succession after Adrien died. No governor was elected. The next most powerful person in the city is the Dean—you. They're expecting you to speak to them, since you’re their new Chancellor."

  Talia nodded, nervously plucking at her shirt. "Well, let's go address them."

  As Talia passed her, Scarlett put her hand out, placing it on Talia's chest and stopping her in her tracks. "There's one more thing."

  Talia looked down at the hand on her chest before glancing at Scarlett. She didn't look angry, and her eyes were no longer white, but she didn't look happy either. "Yes?"

  "I'm leaving the city tonight. I wasn't planning to tell you, but now I don't really care," Scarlett said.

  Talia had no idea what to think at the moment. Something in the back of her head told her this was the beginning of the end. All her paranoia had pointed to this very moment. Or had it?

  Talia tried to convince herself that Scarlett was loyal, that she was only acting this way because Talia had wrongfully struck her. It made sense, and Talia would've reacted in the same way had the roles been reversed.

  But that nagging feeling in the back of her mind—be it paranoia, intuition, or some kind of genetic mental disorder she'd inherited from her father, Adrien—told her to watch her back. The end was coming.

  ***

  Scarlett stood silently to the side and watched as Talia made the announcement that she was taking over as Chancellor. The city was mixed in its reaction. Some screamed for joy, crying out for justice for the lost guards Amelia had been accused of murdering. Others wanted peace. They were angry, and didn't seem convinced Amelia was capable of such a thing without good reason.

  Scarlett alone didn't have the power to force these people to believe what she needed them to swallow, but she soon would. Four of her friends would be arriving, and with their help she would be able to convince the city of anything she wanted.

  Once Talia's usefulness had run its course, Scarlett planned to get rid of her. Although she was now strongly considering fulfilling the promise she’d made after Talia had slapped her, she would more than likely just kill her in some normal fashion when the time is right.

  Her brows furrowed as her expression turned angry. Talia and her underestimating things had screwed with some of Scarlett’s plans, but she knew she’d get them back on the right path.

  The most recent of which was the Cellans coming to Arcadia. Somehow, Amelia had not only escaped, but she'd taken the potential allies from Cella as well.

  The governor had snuck in somehow and spoken to Amelia without their knowledge. Scarlett still hadn't figured out how, since all guards in charge of the gate had been instructed to deliver the governor to Talia immediately. That hadn't happened, and the governor and the Chancellor must've struck a deal between them, allowing him and his people to come into the city without putting Talia in a position of power over them.

  That made Amelia the one they would be loyal to.

  They must have escaped with her, or at least shortly after. She would have them on her side now, and they were much better fighters, though their numbers where only a tiny fraction of Arcadia’s Guard.

  Cella had about twice as many people in their population as Arcadia did in the Guard—at a population of about two thousand, their army was only a few hundred. That number had been cut drastically after their fight with the remnant.

  Still, they would be quite an enemy to go against if they were Amelia’s allies. At the moment, it wasn't Scarlett's concern. She had appointments to keep.

  Scarlett had struck a deal with the dark Chieftain's closest ally, Aeris, who also happened to be the brother of Jenna, the girl who had so easily taken Cathillian down in front of the city gates.

  It never hurt to have friends, no matter where those friends came from. Scarlett had learned that lesson long ago, which was why she had reached out to the remnant in the first place before she’d ever made her presence in Arcadia known.

  The mystic was nothing if not resourceful, especially when it came to planning for her future.

  Making friends with the dark druids would definitely come in handy, especially with that life-sucking thing they did. Scarlett had no idea how it worked, but she loved the entire idea of it.

  From what Aeris had told her, the druids of the Dark Forest also had that ability, but they rarely used it—only for hunting or if an animal was suffering in the woods and couldn’t be healed enough to live.

  Boring.

  Scarlett much preferred the company of the dark druids, and they’d requested that she help them retrieve Jenna. She'd convinced them to hold off, explaining that a direct attack so soon after Jenna had been taken would've been expected. They would be ready, and would rip them apart.

  But now was the time. It was a great opportunity for many reasons. One, it built a str
onger foundation of friendship between Scarlett and the dark druids. Two, it forced Talia to deal with things on her own.

  At this point, she was so paranoid that the slightest hiccup would drive her insane. Striking Scarlett had been a terrible mistake on her part, but it had forced the mystic to show her dark side. She hadn't wanted to do that so soon, but now she realized it would fester in Talia’s mind like an infection, growing out of control and making her even crazier as she worried about the possibilities.

  Talia's time was coming; of that Scarlett was certain. It was just a matter of when. And how, of course. She hadn't quite decided how she wanted Talia to go yet, but she wanted it to be poetic. After all, Scarlett had shown her friendship, however false it may have been, and Talia had never once been appreciative. That was a mistake she would pay for.

  Scarlett made her way into the Academy, searching for Bernice, one of the other teachers in their group who was capable of teleportation. She found her sitting alone in her classroom, reading.

  "Bernice, I need you to take me to the southern edge of the Dark Forest," Scarlett said.

  Bernice smiled confidently. "And does Talia know about this?"

  Scarlett had hit her quota of snooty bitches for the day. Her eyes flashed white, and fear covered Bernice's face as she looked down, frantically kicking and clawing at herself.

  "What's happening? They're everywhere!" the woman screamed.

  Smiling, Scarlett advised, "Don't move too quickly, now. Snakes respond violently to quick movements."

  The woman was visibly shaken. Her entire body trembled as her phobia came to life. "Please help me! They're everywhere, and I can't move."

  Scarlett allowed her eyes to return to normal and the illusion to fade. The woman across the room sighed heavily as she frantically looked around the area, searching for any snakes that might still be lying around, but coming up empty.

  "Why? Why would you do that?" Bernice asked.