by Keegan Long
Jadyn had tried her best to stay in her room and away from being in contact with the others since their return. She avoided contact with Anubis, and more specifically, June at all costs.
“What are you thinking about, buddy,” Jadyn commented as she looked upon Raj who was laying on her bedroom floor. “A crazy couple of days it’s been huh?”
The tiger roared back at Jadyn.
Just then there was a knock on Jadyn’s door and Grace entered and pat Raj on her way in.
“June wants us to go to the market,” Grace informed her friend. “We got to get some supplies and food for the week.”
Jadyn rolled her eyes, “of course she does. It’s always us.”
“Hey, it gets us out of the house for a little at least,” Grace offered.
“True,” Jadyn smiled. “Anything to not have to see June or be crammed in my room any longer.”
The sun was out in full view that day in Wilbro as there was not a single cloud in the sky. This, however, was what most days in the East were liked. Scorching hot during the day and cool at night.
Jadyn and Grace used a light tan cloth to cover their faces while they traveled about the sandy streets. It was best for them not to be recognized plus it helped keep the blowing sand out of their eyes and getting into their mouths.
“Has Anubis said anything?” Jadyn asked as they continued walking towards the main market located in the center square of the city. “Like do we have any plans yet?”
“He’s sent out word,” Grace informed her. “But that’s all I know of.”
“Let’s see if there really is this so called army,” Jadyn remarked sarcastically.
“I wouldn’t under estimate him,” Grace carefully cautioned. “You saw what type of power he possesses back at the Labyrinth. He is someone we don’t want to recon with.”
“No doubt,” Jadyn agreed. “I just don’t want to be massacred, that’s all, in our effort to reclaim Anuba. If we’re going to take back our homeland I would very much like to be alive to live there.”
“It’s not like Anuba hasn’t fallen before,” Grace commented. “Ever since Anubis left it has been conquered and leadership has changed many times.”
“But can be heavily fortified and is at the base of three of the nine Great Pyramids of the East,” Jadyn continued on. “Which means that there is only one way in and out of the city. Through the front gate.”
“That’s going to be extremely difficult then,” Grace stroked her chin. “In that type of situation only the brute force of numbers can win that battle and will still result in a lot of casualties.”
“We’ve had it nice here,” Jadyn countered. “Why don’t we just stay low here in Wilbro like we always have?”
“But this is something we have always dreamed about,” Grace began. “Going back to a place we actually belong. A place we can call home.”
“A home I’ve never known,” Jadyn shot back. “I don’t even know how I got brought up by the Daughters of Anubis but this is the only life I have ever known.”
“Well, I can’t say anything about that,” Grace starred back at her friend. “But I believe you belong with us and that means with us back home in Anuba.”
“Well, you know I’m not here to be with June,” Jadyn joked as the two girls began laughing together.
“Oh, shut it won’t ya,” Grace protested and slightly shoved Jadyn. “Come one and let’s get the things we need.”
Jadyn and Grace split up once they arrived at the market so they could gather the goods they needed more quickly.
The market of Wilbro brought lots of people from all over the East to come and exchange goods. It was a massive open courtyard spread far and wide with hundreds of different types of vendors trying to sell to whoever walked by.
Jadyn walked over to a nearby vendor and saw an item that caught her attention immediately.
“What are those?” Jadyn politely asked the merchant as she began to look at the object.
As she looked more at the golden colored object, she noticed they were the sharp claws of some type of animal. They were beautiful but scary at the same time to think these used to belong to some creature.
“Griffin Claws,” the old lady answered. “The sharpest things you’ll ever find. Great for making arrow tips out of them.”
“Griffins?”
“Beautiful magical creatures that existed centuries ago,” the lady went on to explain. “They had the head, claws, and wings of a great eagle but the body of a lion. Truly magnificent when you think about it.”
“What happened to them?” Jadyn asked.
“Hunt to extinction I’m afraid,” the merchant went on. “Some say the claws themselves still possess the magic of the griffins in them.”
Jadyn was still struck in amazement as she held the pair of claws in her hand. She could easily forge these into a tip for her spear or even make a sharp dagger out of them.
“How much you want for them?” Jadyn asked as she decided she would do whatever it would take to get them.
“They’re yours,” the old lady smiled. “Keep them.”
Jadyn shook her head in protest, “I can’t. Let me give you something at least.”
The lady reached out across the table and closed Jadyn’s hands around the pair of claws, “they’ve been if my family for generations but have never served any purpose. Please, take them. May them serve you well.”
Jadyn then understood how much this meant for the women. She would rather give these items that have been in her family for hundreds of years for free to someone who would use and treat them respectfully instead of someone who would use them only to better benefit themselves or inflict harm on others.
Jadyn smiled back at the old lady and gave her a customary bow.
“Thank you.”
After leaving the vendor, Jadyn soon later met back up with Grace as they had finished gathering all the supplies they were told to get earlier by June.
“I think we got everything,” Grace commented at the several baskets full of food they now had. “This should last us quite a while.”
“One would hope,” Jadyn added. “We don’t have any more hands to carry anything else.”
Just then the market erupted with a series of screams as people began running in every direction. Jadyn quickly looked up and saw there was a small explosion coming from the other side from where she was at.
“What’s going on?” Jadyn frantically asked as she scanned around the market and held out her hands ready to reach for her bow.
“No idea,” Grace also stood cautiously. “Do you see anything?”
“Nothing,” Jadyn continued looking.
Then it hit her. The old lady.
Without second guessing herself, Jadyn sprinted towards the other side of the market while leaving the basket and Grace standing there alone and confused.
Jadyn carefully dodged and made her way through the panicked crowd of people. Some who were still screaming in fear while others were just in shock. As she got closer to the source Jadyn noticed that several people were hurt as she noticed one nearby man bleeding from the side of his head as he wondered around the market confused.
As she continued on through the mass of people running at her, Jadyn came across children screaming as they had become separated from their parents. Jadyn wanted to stop and help them but was afraid on what she might find later on. She had to keep moving forward.
Finally Jadyn had come to the small stall where the old women had given her the pair of griffin claws but there was no sign of her.
“Are you there?” Jadyn called out but there was no answer.
Jadyn quickly made her way around the stall and her heart fell when she saw the small old women sprawled across the ground. She slowly knelt down to her side and lifted the women up as she fixed her hair out of her face.
She was already gone though and Jadyn found herself crying for the first time in a long while as she held on to the lifeless body.
After wiping away her tears, Jadyn looked up and felt an uneasy presence close by. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. All she felt was darkness.
Then she noticed him.
Jadyn spotted a nearby hooded figure walking towards a nearby alley as they tried to blend in with the frantic crowd.
“Hey!” Jadyn yelled enraged towards the mysterious figure.
The man turned around but Jadyn was still unable to make out his face as the black hood continued to conceal his true identity.
The two continued to stare down at each other for several long moments until the hooded figure decided to make a run towards the alley. Jadyn left the body of the old woman and sprinted after her target.
The man proved to be faster than Jadyn thought he would have been but luckily for her she was just as fast and was right behind him in just a few short moments.
Making her way through the crowded long alley proved to be the most difficult part of the chase for Jadyn until she decided to climb up onto the nearby houses and continued her pursuit from above.
It did not take her much longer until she was within attacking distance with her bow. Jadyn continued running with full force as she took her bow from around her should and quivered a bow from her leather pouch. She now had a clear shot and released her arrow.
Jadyn carefully followed her arrow with her eyes and was in disbelief when she saw her arrow go right threw the hooded man as if it had only struck air.
“What the hell,” Jadyn muttered to herself. “What sorcery is this?”
The figured quickly turned around, and to her surprise, pulled out what looked to be a wand.
Not good.
Before Jadyn could react, a burst of red energy emerged from the tip of the wand and shot directly at Jadyn as it made the roof explode at her side.
Jadyn closed her eyes and prayed this would not be the end of her and the next thing she felt was her body flying through the open sky. Then everything went black.
“Jadyn,” a familiar but distorted voice echoed throughout her ears.
“Jadyn.”
“What,” Jadyn groaned as her vision began to slowly focus itself back to normal.
Jadyn quickly noticed that it was Grace looking down at her with a horrified look upon her face.
“What happened?” Jadyn asked as she struggled to sit herself up.
“It seems that you got blasted off the roof,” Grace answered.
“What was that thing?” Jadyn asked.
“I have no idea,” Grace replied with just as much confusion in her voice as Jadyn was feeling right now.
Before Grace could continue, a large shadow emerged from behind Jadyn as she looked around to see the familiar large Olympian looking down at her. To his side was the unpleasant figure of June who gave her a face of mere disgust and annoyance.
“What were you thinking?” June spat at Jadyn. “You had one job.”
Jadyn rolled her eyes and refused to respond to their leader.
June opened her mouth to speak again but this time Anubis quickly held out his hand to silence her.
“Silence!” his voice echoed as June quickly retreated in response.
Jadyn made her customary bow towards the Olympian but with much pain in the process.
“I’m sorry.”
“There is nothing to apologize for,” Anubis spoke as he held out his hand to caress Jadyn’s chin. “This just proves you are more of a fighter than I gave credit you for.”
“Thank you, My Lord,” Jadyn replied. “What was that thing?”
“An ancient and magical being that hasn’t roamed Terran for centuries,” Anubis explained. “That my daughter was a Necromancer.”
Carter
Andros
War had officially begun and the Kingdom of Andros found itself right in between it all.
Carter and Emma had come to an agreement earlier that he and his group would stay in Andros for the next few days, but it would be best for them to move on to Olympia with Gordon. He protested that it was only right that he stay here with her many times, but she insisted that the best thing he could do was to go to Olympia and find the phoenix egg. Only then he would be able to start rallying people to his cause and make a difference.
“None of this makes sense,” Anna complained as they finished getting their things ready as they were to depart that morning. “We should stay here and fight.”
“This is all my fault,” Carter stated as the guilt inside continued to tear at his insides. “The only reason Andros is at war now is because of me.”
“Nonsense, boy,” Gibson quickly came to dismiss his comment. “There has been tension between the kingdoms long before you. The Terran Civil War has already have people drawn to different sides. Now you give them a reason to act on it.”
“Wow, is that supposed to make me feel better,” Carter grumbled.
Gibson stared at the boy long and hard. “Don’t you blame yourself you hear me? Not now. Not ever.”
Carter let out a deep breath and nodded to show that he understood.
“Good,” Gibson continued. “Not hurry up won’t you all. The road to Olympia is a long one.”
As the group continued to set out for their next adventure, there was a surprising knock to reveal that Emma had come alongside Loris and her friend Bri to bid the travelers farewell.
“I’m sorry your stay was not under better circumstances,” Emma began to apologize. “Hopefully next time it will be on better terms.”
“I should be the one apologizing,” Carter quickly countered. “If I had not come your people would not be at war.”
“Nonsense,” Emma quickly dismissed. “You must understand that Troja and Andros have always had what some would call a delicate relationship. It has been ongoing for generations before I was even born. Luther just used you as a reason to justify his war to others.”
Even though Carter knew what Emma had said was all true he still could not find himself but feeling guilty and ashamed. If he was supposed to be this powerful king with powers to command birds of fire why was he not able to protect those who defended his honor and his name.
He silently promised himself one day that he would have the force strong enough not to defend just himself but all those who deserved it. Especially his friends.
Carter held out his hand to meet the young queen’s own.
“I will return,” he promised and more determined than ever. “Once we find the egg I will return to help you defend your home. This is the promise from your future Phoenix King.”
Emma smiled, “I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield when you come back. Don’t worry about us. We know how to fight. I’ll try to leave you some of their troops for when you come back.”
“With Layla and the other Pegasus, I have no doubt.”
With their final farewells, Carter and the rest of the group flew back down the mountain side and to the farm village where they had first arrived. When they arrived they found Gordon was all prepared and ready to venture out. “Ready to depart on your next journey young travelers?” the Greybeard asked excitedly.
“Young?” Gibson protested.
“You’re still young compared to the many hundreds of years I have under this belt,” he replied.
Gibson shrugged at the thought as Carter could not help but laugh to himself.
Before departing, Emma had been kind enough to lend everyone a horse for their long road ahead. Carter did not have much experience when it came to horse riding but found the experience quite amusing.
The horse he was given was brown with smooth dark hair. It was clear this horse was bred more for farming and not to see battle of any kind, but Carter found himself bonding with the horse almost immediately and knew they would be having a lot of memories in the nearby future.
“What are you going to name him?” Magnus asked as he had clearly noticed Carter continuously petting the horse’s side.
“I have no idea,” Carter answ
ered. “What do people usually name their horses?”
“Anything,” Anna joined in. “Trust me when I tell you that over the years I have heard some pretty ridiculous horse names.”
“Don’t mind her,” Magnus interrupted his sister. “Name him something unique and means something. Choose a name that feels right to you.”
Carter had to take a few long moments to think of names but as he thought most of them just did not feel right to him. Then it came to him.
“Leo,” Carter smiled. “I’ll name him Leo.”
“That’s a perfect name,” Magnus agreed. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
“Thanks.”
The majority of the journey consisted of Carter talking with Magnus and Anna about their home and where they come from. He was more amazed to find that two people, who barely knew him, had left their life back home and were now traveling alongside him to help him find out more about who he really was and to use that to make the world a better place.
Carter continued to pick at Magnus’ brain as he learned how smart and knowledgable a boy around his same age really was.
“I’ve never read or heard anything close the creatures in your nightmares,” Magnus explained as Carter had asked if he had knew anything that could relate to these nightmares that have slowly become more regular. “And I’ve read about lots of different magical creatures.”
“Like what?” Carter asked as he was not familiar with any of them.
“There has been numerous tales of creatures like the Minotaur, the Cyclops, Giants, and so much more,” he began to explain. “There is even tales of mummies of the undead roaming the deserts of the East.”
“Have you encountered any of these?”
“Nope,” Magnus subtly replied. “The dragon was my first.”
“I hope we never run into another one of those things,” Carter commented.
“I second that. And the fact that there might be more of them out there scares me more than ever.”
“You have no idea.”
Gordon continued leading the group until they came to the edge of a nearby forest. He explained that the sun would star setting soon and that it was best for the group to start setting up camp and getting a fire going for the night.