by Fletcher, MJ
“Who are you?” His big buggy eyes darted back and forth between us and his hand reached into his coat.
I reacted quickly with a high kick, my foot catching him right on the chin and sending him sailing backwards to crash to the floor unconscious.
“Nice kick,” Nightshade said with a chuckle.
“Shut up.”
“No, seriously that was quick thinking. Remind me not to get on your bad side.” He chuckled again as he closed the door. Then he walked over to the guard and searched his coat, pulling out a set of keys and shaking them in the air.
“Only one way to go from here.” I pointed down the corridor.
James used his Skeleton Key to create bonds around the guard. Once he finished we moved swiftly down the length of the hallway and turned into another corridor that ended at a large metal doorway. I approached it letting my hand hover over the doorknob trying to determine if there were any tricks or traps attached to it.
“Another trap?” Nightshade asked.
“No.” I grabbed it and turning the knob pushed the door open slowly not sure if another guard waited on the other side. A barely lit, dank and dirty stone room greeted us and we entered a bit cautiously.
Sitting on a wooden stool in the middle of the room was a lone man hunched over as if weighted by a tremendous burden. Thick metal shackles circled his wrists and ankles and chains ran from them to a link in the floor. The man fought to raise his head but was only able to give it a tilt. It was enough for him to meet my eyes.
“Dad.” I rushed toward my father wanting to grab him and run from this place as fast as we could.
“Stop, it’s a trap!”
Chapter 31
Status: I find my dad and everything goes to hell... again.
Nightshade grabbed my jacket yanking me back into his arms. We didn’t move; he held me close, to comfort or protect I wasn’t sure but I needed both from him at the moment. Just when I thought we’d caught a break, another obstacle pops up. I worried that this nightmare would never end.
Nightshade didn’t say a word, his arms fell away from me though not before he gave me a reassuring squeeze and turned me around to face my dad.
“They captured you too?”
The look on my father’s face was one I had never seen before... fear was written all over it
“No, Dad, we came to rescue you.”
“What?” His eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, we’re here to get you out.”
“Who’s the Guilder?” He nodded at James who remained unusually quiet.
“James Nightshade. He’s been helping me along with Edgar and cousin Jess.”
“You’ve been with your cousin, what about your grandmother?”
“She got hurt, Dad, trying to protect me from Caleb Darker.”
“They sent Caleb after you?”
That obviously made him angry and it also got him thinking. I could almost see his thoughts grinding like gears as they adjusted and turned trying to figure out some new angle. Dad may be a magician but he didn’t always rely on illusion.
“They thought I had the Legend.”
He nodded and grinned proudly just as he had always done whenever I brought home a good report card. “You figured out the clues.”
“Some and I made it to the library but after that,” —I shook my head— “I couldn’t figure out where you hid it.”
He looked around the room anxiously, as if he assumed we were being watched. “We can worry about that when we get out of here. Right now we need to deal with this.” He lifted the shackles as high as they would go.
Nightshade finally spoke. “That’s going to be a problem.” He gave Dad’s chains a quick once over.
“You look like a bright kid. You know what these are?”
“Armageddon chains if I’m not mistaken. But they haven’t been used since World War II.”
“Either has this castle, but it seems our friends are reviving all specters.”
“What’s so special about them?” I asked not familiar with them.
“Armageddon chains are used to lock abilities in and never let them out. The chains use your own power against you to feed the locks, which prohibits any chance of escape. And if someone other than the key holder opens them that person gets sucked in by the chains as well. It’s not just shackles; it’s a booby trap.
“That’s just great, so any ideas on how we set him free?” I waited hoping one of them had an answer. Neither of them responded or looked very confident.
“Wait a sec.” James dug into his coat pocket and pulled out the set of keys he had taken from the guard.
“Great, let’s get him out.” I was feeling anxious over how long this was taking and whether or not anyone had noticed that the guard had gone missing.
“I need to figure out which one is the right key,” James said a faint glow of energy flowing from each one as he flipped through them.
I stepped closer to Dad and kneeled down near him making sure not to touch his shackles. “Dad, who are these people?”
He closed his eyes, though I knew it would be only for a moment. He was deciding on how to tell me and where to start. It was this way when he had told me that Mom had left.
“I doubt we have much time so I’ll give you the short version and later when we’re home, we’ll talk more.”
I nodded pleased and relieved that he believed that we’d make it out of here alive.
“This all goes back to when your mother and I were searching for the artifacts of the First Kind. We were in school and a bunch of us from the various societies formed a group and worked altogether to find the artifacts. What we discovered was the bridge device. There was an old theory that the First Kind had used the bridge to hide some of their most powerful artifacts and that only by all the societies working together would any of us be able to possess them once again.
“We were young and inexperienced, so that device didn’t work properly. But years later when your mother and I got the assignment to hunt down a rumor of an artifact of the First Kind, we once again looked in to using a bridge device and that’s when we learned others were searching as well.
“It wasn’t long before we feared for our safety and especially for your welfare. We started working independently so that one of us would always be with you and in case something should happen to either of us, at least the other would survive. We went to the council with our concerns but were dismissed as being paranoid.
“It was after that disappointing meeting that I was approached by Caleb Darker. He was a former DS member who had been expelled from the group years ago for misuse of his powers. He offered me a chance to join a new organization, one that didn’t recognize the authority of the council or any of the groups and one that claimed to be the true heirs of the First Kind. When I declined, Caleb attacked me. I was successful in repelling him but only for a short time, I got away and raced to a rendezvous with your mother. When I got there she wasn’t anywhere to be found and Darker caught up with me. Luckily, the HVO arrived and I was able to survive. I had no proof against Darker and with no word from your mother they assumed I was responsible for her disappearance. Jordan had been my handler and assigned me the mission. He knew what we were after but once everything went bad he turned on me and accused me of lying and fabricating the entire story. He had me brought up on charges and kicked out of DS.
“Every day since then I’ve been searching for any clues to the artifact, knowing that if I found it I no doubt would find out what happened to your mom since she’d be searching for it too.”
“Once your powers developed and I brought you to the academy to be trained I started hearing rumors of a rogue group searching for our old bridge device plans. I rebuilt our bridge device and finally figured out what we had been doing wrong. We’d been using updated maps when we needed an old, outdated map that detailed the universe during the time of the First Kind. Once I got that I was able to hunt down the L
egend. I found it but they were right on my tail and I hid it and got a message to you as fast as I could.
“I didn’t want you getting caught up in this like your mother and I did. I’m so sorry, kiddo. This is my entire fault.” Dad bowed his head and sighed deeply.
“No, Dad, it’s not your fault; I’m my parent’s daughter. You should know I would never leave you on your own that is not how you raised me. We’re going to get you out of here, get the Legend and clear everyone’s name at the council.”
Dad grinned “That’s my girl, your mother would be proud.”
Mom. What had happened to her? Had Darker gotten to her like he had Lauren Harkness? At the moment I knew nothing was going to stop me from taking these people down. They had taken my mother from me and tried to take my father and I would not let that stand.
A buzzing sound echoed through the castle shaking it to its core. I stumbled to stand and to keep myself from falling over into my dad. James rushed to my side, his arm going around me to keep me steady. I stayed braced against him and we waited for the shaking to end. The noise stopped as quickly as it had started and then like someone switching on a light a feeling of warmth washed over me.
“They activated the lockdown,” James said and returned to examining the keys, moving through them faster.
“You two need to run for it,” Dad urged.
“We’ve got it covered, Dad, just give us a minute.” I turned away from him to watch as James moved so quickly through the keys I could barely see what he was doing. Finally he stopped, holding two keys that glowed faint crimson.
“Got them.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s our best bet.”
“Do it.”
Nightshade activated the keys as he walked toward my dad and the shackles suddenly sprung up and hovered in midair waiting to be unlocked.
We heard a crash from outside the corridor followed by raised voices.
“Sounds like they found the guard, hurry,” I said.
Nightshade didn’t hesitate, he grabbed the shackles and stuck the keys in turning them simultaneously and with a snap the bonds unlocked and fell to the floor.
Dad stood up rubbing his wrists and I rushed forward and hugged him tightly afraid if I let go of him, he’d vanish. He patted my back, but we jumped apart as the sound of raised voices grew louder.
“Okay, kiddo, what’s your exit plan?” Dad asked.
“We opened a portal and locked it so we could escape the lockdown, but it’s back that way.” I pointed to the door where the sounds of approaching footsteps grew ever louder.
“Right, then we go this way.” Dad spun and rushed to the far side of the room grabbing his doorknob that had been discarded to the floor and activated it, shoving it into the wall and quickly forming a door. He swung it open and pushed James and I through it.
We stepped out into another room of the castle and could still hear the guards yelling as Dad slammed the portal closed behind us.
“I thought you couldn’t open portals in a lockdown?” I looked at James confused.
“You can’t open one to the outside world,” —Dad explained— “all I did was move around inside the lockdown. Think of it like a big game of hide and seek.” He gave a quick perusal of the room. “Does this look familiar to either of you?”
James and I shook our heads, the room unfamiliar to us.
Another alarm ripped through the castle. They had discovered our escape.
“We need to move now.” James urged and gripped his key, crimson energy flowing off it as he stepped in front of the closed door prepared to fight, prepared to defend my dad and I.
Dad grabbed my shoulder. “Chloe, you need to open the next door. Try and put us somewhere in the castle you recognize and we can backtrack to the portal from there.”
I knew my dad well. He was nervous and trying not to show it, and I appreciated the effort. I took my knob, activated it and placed it against the wall concentrating on the castle. Where was a good spot? Where was a safe place to take us and close to the portal? The rush of energy wobbled my knees as it flowed from me into the doorknob. A portal popped opened and my hand hurried to open the door, then we stepped through into darkness.
I smacked right into another door bumping my head. I quickly reached for the handle and opened that door. It was then I realized that I had opened a portal into the broom closet where James and I nearly had a close encounter
Dad and James stepped out of the closet behind me and I allowed the portal to close. Dad glanced around while James looked at me and sent me a stupid, disarming grin. He didn’t have to say a word I knew what he was thinking. My first thought had been of the time spent with him in the closet and so there was where we landed.
“Do you recognize this place?”
“Yeah, Dad, we should be able to backtrack to the portal from here.” I shifted uncomfortably as I looked back at the closet and bit my lip.
“Let’s go then,” Dad said.
I raced passed Dad and Nightshade intent on getting to the exact spot where we had left the open portal. We turned a corner and headed toward the open foyer. I kept a few feet in front of my dad and Nightshade and as I stepped into the foyer, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Standing a few feet in front of me was Caleb Darker and two other men and behind them was someone I would never have expected to see... Ms. True.
She stood there, regal and beautiful as ever but her lovely smile turned sinister and she screamed “Get her!”
Darker came right at me so fast that I didn’t have time to react. His arm shot up and a blue streak of pure energy hurtled toward me. It was about to pummel my chest and all I could think was... damn I’m dead meat.
A blast of crimson and blue exploded directly in front of me, the brilliant colors startling my eyes. When my vision finally cleared I saw that James stood a short distance in front of me blocking Caleb’s attack. He raced forward lashing out at Darker like a madman and throwing Darker off balance.
The other two guards made their moves then, but this time I was ready and threw up two portals deflecting their assaults.
“Get that little bitch!”
I wasn’t sure what shocked me more that Ms. True wanted me dead or that she called me a bitch. Either way she was going to pay for it. Dad entered from my other side and locked eyes with my former instructor. Her eyes turned huge with rage and she didn’t hesitate. She lifted her key and aimed it at my dad, tendrils of energy crept from the key and then shot forward like attacking snakes. They snapped around Dad’s arm like a slithering python.
His arm shook violently and then suddenly a blue mist surrounded his entire arm and the bands of red energy snapped off and back toward Ms. True like a rubber band that had been wound too tight, the force hurtling her backwards. She let out an angry screech as she scrambled to her feet and charged at my dad once again.
I couldn’t worry about my dad, besides I knew he could take care of himself just like he knew I could take care of myself. And I proved it going to work on the two guards who stupidly underestimated not only my courage, but my skill.
The energy rushed into me, the power all-consuming just as it had been when I helped Jess fight the gremlin at the Academy. I concentrated on my opponents, my hands working the energy pouring out of them. Instead of focusing a blast of energy I focused on opening portals one after another beneath each guard. Both men closed the first ones easily but as I repeatedly kept opening portals their reaction time began to slow. Until finally the guard to the right fell through one of my portals and I slammed the door closed. I smiled at the other guard and his expression suddenly changed. It was the first time I ever saw someone fear me. He wasted time on fear when he should have paid closer attention. A moment later the fool fell through another one of my portals.
“We need to get out now!” I yelled at my dad still locked in battle with Ms. True. He nodded and I rushed to the opposite corridor. He followed close behind throwing up sh
ields as he went so Ms. True couldn’t finish us off. Surprisingly, she stopped attacking and ran in the opposite direction.
“She’s not running away, reinforcements are probably close at hand,” Dad said and turned to help James.
Darker had gained the upper hand, shattering James’s defenses. Dad and I focused, slamming Darker against the wall though it didn’t take him long to break through the bonds.
“Nightshade we’re going,” I yelled.
James turned to me with a look of rage. I could see that he wanted to stay and finish his fight, have his revenge against Darker, but at what cost... his life?
“Now!” I screamed ready to drag him out of there if necessary.
Maybe it was the fierce look in my eyes or maybe he realized now was not the time, whatever the reason he ran toward me. Relief rushed my already raging adrenaline; I turned and ran down the corridor my father and Nightshade close behind.
One turn, just one turn and we’d be there. I took the turn into the last corridor that held our escape fast and came to an abrupt halt. Ms. True and more of her goons waited at the other end.
“Kill them all!” She yelled and they raced toward us.
“Keep going,” James urged with a shove to my back.
I did as James said... I kept going.
Waves of energy surged passed me as Nightshade and my father threw shields up in front of me. I didn’t stop; I focused on the portal ahead. Explosions of light and power burst around me but I kept my focus on the portal. It began to glow as I got closer.
I stretched my hand out. Almost there, almost there, my hand closed around the doorknob, power raced through me activating the portal and I swung the door open. A booming sound rocked the building and I tumbled forward into the portal, into darkness, to the screams of battle raging around me.
Chapter 32
Status: Sometimes it helps to be a little crazy
I crashed to the floor and scrambled to move not sure what would follow me in. Nightshade came barreling in backwards with one of Ms. True’s goons on top of him. Dad was next, landing on his feet.