by D N Meinster
"What didn't allow them to have wings?" Shine asked.
"We know so little about our own abilities," Olley stated. "We don't know where they come from, nor could the Bellish figure it out. All we know is that we've never had problems with horses having wings. Even so, only a mage is allowed to ride a pegasus, just in case their wings disappear, as Elfmon's did so long ago."
"Where do you think a mage gets their abilities from, Father?" Shine asked the King.
"It's a natural gift that mages are born with," Aergo said. "It doesn't have to come from anywhere."
"What if it does, though?" Leaf posed. "What would that mean?"
"It would mean Kytherans would have to worship something other than themselves," Olley cackled.
Aergo frowned at the old mage. He turned his attention downward, where a wide circular track was set up across the field that these benches were constructed to look out on. There were mixtures of terrain spread out on the track, from dirt to plains. Gathering near the bottom rows of seats were the horses. The velizard stood out amongst the pack, though Aergo could also make out Peanut in the grouping.
"Look at Peanut," Aergo said to his son.
"He's gonna win!" Shine shouted with a huge smile on his face.
The Streamers lined the horses up at a rope that was stretched out across the track. Most of them stayed in place, though a few did wander off.
"Where are the riders?" Shine asked.
"Streamers don't allow the horses to have riders," Aergo said. "They don't use animals as servants, as they'll gladly tell you. Streamers walk with the horses, they don't ride them."
"Utter nonsense," Olley muttered. "A horse is meant to be ridden as much as a post bird. I remember plenty of arguments when some Streamers were delivered letters by post bird. They preferred someone walk it to them."
"Those arguments are ongoing," Aergo solemnly noted.
"I'm surprised they let us use the horses for entertainment," Olley said.
"They don't see it as entertainment. It’s a competition to them. There's nuance."
"Never thought Streamers had any nuance," Olley told the King. "Only ever heard absolutism in their drivel."
Once the horses and the velizard were all lined up, a bright light shot up from the top of the stadium. It hung in the sky for a moment, like a star, until it drifted back toward the ground. The light hit the rope, which disintegrated upon impact.
All the competitors launched down the track, running on their own volition. The horses galloped onward, stirring up dirt to create clouds that hid their hooves. The velizard kept pace with the other horses but was not trotting fast enough to catch up with the few in front.
Before the horses reached the end of the dirt track, it was suddenly transformed into mud by one of the mages. The change almost brought the race to a halt, as the horses struggled to maneuver through the thick ground. Only the velizard seemed unfazed, hopping easily through the mud and taking off into the next portion of the track. It had a wide lead by the time one of the horses made it out of the muck and into the grass.
There was a chorus of "Boos" from the spectators as the velizard maintained first place. Drying mud clung to the horses' legs, keeping them from reaching their highest speeds. The first horse was trying but could not catch up.
"Come on Peanut!" Shine cried. "Get out of that mud!"
Peanut was in last place, still caught in the mage's mud trap. The Prince's horse wasn't used to such unrefined turf.
The velizard left the plains track still in first, making its way into the track that was shallow water. It scampered swiftly through the still waters but ran into a snag at the halfway point. The water rushed in the opposite direction of the velizard's movement, slowing it down immensely. It struggled against the stream, giving the horses time to catch up.
There were outraged screams the longer the velizard stayed in first. Anti-Faun epithets were thrown out, as were several curses directed at the mages. Aergo was concerned that a riot may break out if the velizard won the race.
"Come with me please, Olley," Aergo requested, rising from the bench.
"What's the matter?" the old mage asked, remaining seated.
"We might need crowd control," Aergo said.
"Let the Streamers handle it," Olley uttered.
"Olley!" Aergo shouted.
"Very well." Olley pushed himself up with his staff.
"Stay here, Shine," Aergo said. He sidestepped to the end of the row, meeting Rant on the stairs. "Make sure the Prince is safe."
"Where are you going, sir?" Rant asked. "I should come with you."
"The Prince," Aergo repeated, shuffling down the stairs. Olley stayed close behind.
"Do you want me to get Quentin or Grace?" he shouted after the King.
"Not till this race is over," Aergo answered.
The velizard crawled out of the rushing waters, making it to the last portion of the track. Once more, it was a dirt road, but there was a new obstacle. The ground was shaking only in that area, simulating an earthquake. Pieces of the earth would fall away as the velizard bounced its way through the unsteady ground.
The horses had not even made it out of the water when the velizard crossed the finish line. Fadros rushed over to meet his champion, hugging the animal around its neck. He had a radiant grin on his face, but the onlookers were not so enthralled by the victory.
Objects, from shoes to gems started flying out of the stands and toward the velizard.
"Catch them," Aergo ordered. He and Olley had made it to the ground just as the velizard finished the race.
Olley threw up his staff and displayed the mighty power that had once made him Grand Mage. Each thrown object froze in midair, like it was being caught by an invisible net.
Aergo folded his arms, looking disappointed at his subjects. They should have been more tolerant toward the victor. They were all Kytherans now, but they weren't behaving as such. Those old borders and archaic rules still meant something to this bunch.
One attendee darted down the stairs and rushed toward the velizard. Fearing others would follow, Aergo sped toward him and got in his path. When he didn't seem to be slowing down, the King withdrew his sword and stuck it out in his direction. The man fell down as he stopped slightly short of impaling himself on the sword.
Aergo walked over and placed the tip of his blade to the man's neck. He turned his face to the crowd. "No more!" he shouted.
No one was paying attention to the race any longer as the last few stragglers crossed the finish line. All eyes were on the King, who seemed on the verge of acting out a public execution.
It became eerily silent in Malaise Tracks. The King had replaced their anger with anxiety, as they looked out with concern. There had been kings in the past who would execute entire groups for displeasing them. Aergo was no such king, but that concern was still present in the populace. None had forgotten the massacres or the wars that once were, and no one wanted to be responsible for bringing them back.
Quentin and Grace shifted to the King's side.
"What is the plan?" Quentin whispered in Aergo's ear.
"Carefully bring all that trash to the ground," Aergo spoke. The mage's obliged, and all the goods the audience had tossed drifted to the floor.
"You have all let me down!" the King yelled, his voice echoing off the metal and glass. He waved his sword about with each word. "Your attitude towards your fellow Kytheran is disgusting! Your outbursts are unacceptable! You will not act this way again! Or you will not have a Pegasus Race again!"
Aergo took a few breaths. "Chief Equestray, bring forth the victor."
Equestray led Fadros and Mart to the side of the King. Aergo put away his blade and stuck out his hand to shake. "Congratulations my friend." There were a few claps from the rafters, but most were too deep in their shock to react. Aergo petted the top of Mart's head, whose scales were much tougher than a horse's soft fur. "Now for your reward. Which of you will give him wings?" Aergo asked his ma
ges.
"Allow me," Grace volunteered. She placed her staff on the velizard's head. She held it there, closing her eyes and picturing what she intended to do. Two white tufts sprouted on each side of the velizard. They kept growing and growing until it appeared as if there were two immense white cotton balls on its sides. These white balls started stretching outward, thinning as they lengthened. Once they were almost entirely flat, the white fuzz took on the appearance of feathers. With one flap of the wings, the velizard was suddenly part-pegasus.
"Remember the rules, Lord Fadros," Aergo stated. "These wings will only last three days. Take advantage of them, but do not fly carelessly."
"Thank you, King," Fadros said. He hopped on the velizard's back and gave it a slight kick to its side. It took off running, and with one hop, it was suddenly gliding into the air. It was an odd sight, seeing feathered wings on a reptile.
"You could have given it more fitting wings," Quentin suggested.
Grace glared at him but kept her mouth shut.
Chapter Twelve
Sewers and Spears
Rikki held a map of the kingdom out in front of her. Every street and alley were crammed onto the wide sheet, making the typeface almost impossible to decipher unless it was right up against the eye. Rikki kept drawing the map into her face as she traced where Aros was guiding them. She wanted to become familiar with the streets that she had never had the chance to wander.
Mirabelle pranced along beneath her, content to be outside the fences that had long contained her. She followed Aros and Doren as they traveled to the location Rikki had circled on her map. There was no place better to start looking for Uterak and Ale than where they had last been seen. The three of them were initially reluctant to return to the scene of their utter humiliation, but, lacking any better leads, they didn't have much choice.
An aroma of cakes and fresh breads filled the air, and Rikki took a break from the map to search for its source. She noticed a sign for "Levalian Baked Goods" up ahead and stared at the window as they moved by. There were marvelous cakes, layered high and dressed in a variety of bright colors. Some were topped with cookies, while others were shaped in symbolic designs. Rikki's stomach grumbled as she thought back to the pathetic meal she had eaten before they departed Castle Tornis.
"Can we stop?" she called out to her male companions.
"What's wrong?" Doren turned around to check on her.
"I need some!" Rikki yelled, pointing at the bakery.
"You just ate!" Doren shouted back.
"We don't really have time," Aros inserted.
"All I've ever eaten for my entire life is what's been made in Castle Tornis," Rikki complained. "We have time." She extended her staff, preparing to summon the baked goods right out of the store.
Doren reacted instantly, sprinting toward her and slapping her staff down. "You can't just grab what you want out of there. You have to exchange it for gems."
"I'm not an idiot," Rikki replied. "I was gonna send some right back."
"You still can't have things flying out of there," Aros said as he walked over. "No one here is used to that."
"Keep mages locked up and this is what happens." Rikki slid off of Mirabelle and made her way into the bakery. It smelled even better inside. There were loaves of bread, rolls, and an obscene amount of cookies and pastries lining the walls. There was a small brown counter that was currently empty, but Rikki could see several individuals preparing their confections in the back. "Excuse me!" she said in a raised voice.
A young teenager appeared behind the counter. "Can I help you?"
"I'd like one of everything," Rikki stated with a grin, ignoring Doren and Aros as they entered the shop.
"Everything?" the teen replied. "Are you sure? We have a lot here."
"Just a dozen of your cookies and pastries," Doren spoke up. "We can't carry cakes and bread the entire day."
Rikki was annoyed that Doren had limited her supply, but she forgot about it as soon as they were back outside and she was shoving cookies into her mouth. It was fantastic tasting food that hadn't been cooked in Castle Tornis. The meals at the castle weren't bad, but she had grown accustomed to the same flavors and was excited to be eating something new.
"No more stops," Doren begged as they resumed their quest.
"Ironic that the woman with the horse is slowing us down," Aros observed.
"Shut up!" Rikki responded, spraying pieces of cookie from her mouth.
"Why did you bring Mirabelle?" Doren inquired.
"I wasn't going to leave her behind," she answered. Rikki tried brushing crumbs off her dress, but it proved to be a challenging task when she was holding a map in one hand and her staff in the other. The crumbs were quite noticeable on her simple white dress, which had broad gray stripes down its sides. She placed her staff in her lap and swiped the front of her outfit, removing the particles, but quickly grabbed another pastry from the tiny sack beneath her arm.
"If you would give her wings, she'd be free all the time," Doren said. "No fence could imprison her."
"I'm not going to do that yet," Rikki replied. She wasn't confident that she could affix permanent wings to her beloved steed. What if she gave Mirabelle wings that disappeared midflight? Rikki wasn't ready to face that possibility. It was better not to give her wings at all.
"Horses with wings," Aros said, almost in the form of a question.
"Haven't you read of the pegasus?" Doren asked.
"Maybe, but I've never seen one."
"There aren't any," Rikki said as Mirabelle inserted herself between Aros and Doren. "Hatswick's died long ago, and there hasn't been another since. He's refused to give another wings."
"The Grand Mage has refused to do a lot, hasn't he?" Doren said.
Rikki thought of how Hatswick had refused to teach anyone to shift, and yet had let Doren experience it. She planned on giving Hatswick an earful on that one when she saw him again.
"Does Hatswick have a last name?" Aros inquired, throwing his gaze toward the top of the horse.
"Isn't Hatswick his last name?" Doren replied. He also looked to Rikki for an answer.
"Why are you both looking at me?" Rikki said. "I'm not related to him. I can't answer genealogical questions."
"But you do spend the most time with him," Doren added.
"Milo was closer to him," Rikki sighed, pangs reverberating in her chest as she recalled her lost friend. "If anyone knew his full name, they are long gone."
"He must have an embarrassing name then," Aros concluded. "Mary Hatswick?
"Clarissa Hatswick," Doren suggested.
Rikki could only shake her head as her male companions threw out feminine or ridiculous names as they made their way back to the scene. She still wasn't entirely sure what to make of Aros, having only known him for a little over a day. She hadn't met many citizens from out in the kingdom who weren't residents of the castle, so she didn't have any standards to measure him up against. His intentions to find his friend were noble, though his skills with a blade needed improvement. He had the courage to speak up in front of the King, and he got along well with the Prince. Aros had forged their trust in battle, so they deferred to him to navigate the streets. Deep down, Rikki could feel that this blacksmith's apprentice was meant to be with them. This was the Goddess' will.
Aros came to a standstill as they turned onto the street where they had encountered Uterak. Mirabelle stopped, along with Doren, and the three companions stared out into the vicinity of their defeat. Rikki tensed up, staff in hand, almost expecting the Thalian to reappear and engage them.
There was not a soul before them. The only movement came from sand, kicked up from the streets by the wind. The door Uterak had wrecked was still open, like a gaping wound on the building. Aros withdrew a blade from his back and carefully started toward it. Doren grabbed hold of his shield and followed, while Mirabelle trotted along behind him.
The three of them gathered around Ale's last known location, but all
hesitated to go inside the red-bricked building. Curtains were drawn on every window, and not a sound originated from inside. In fact, there was not a peep coming from anywhere on the street.
"Anyone else think this is weird?" Aros asked.
"You mean because the area is abandoned and it's quieter here than in the castle library?" Doren said. "Nah."
Aros stepped beyond the threshold and quickly vanished from Rikki's sights. "Hello?" she heard him say. "Anyone home?"
"Wait here," Doren told Rikki, and he entered the house, leaving her alone with Mirabelle.
Rikki kept glancing at her sides, but no one wandered down this street. Had the artificial damage caused by yesterday's battle scared off everyone from the block? There were only a few dents in the facade here and there. This broken door was really the only noticeable impairment. Perhaps everyone was still asleep. Or maybe this was a block Kytherans tended to avoid. There was an unpleasant scent every time the breeze picked up.
Rikki stroked the back of Mirabelle's neck with her free hand, having folded up her map and stuffed it in the sack along with the few uneaten desserts. She got antsy the longer her companions stayed confined inside the walls. Should she follow them? She took another look around before sliding off Mirabelle's back. Her flawless white slippers hit the sand, and she headed toward the threshold.
Aros almost knocked his head into her staff as he departed the building. "Whoa there."
"What's inside?" Rikki asked him.
"Some old furniture and a lot of dust. I don't think anyone's been living here for a while."
"Is that a coincidence?"
"Not a chance," Doren said, coming back outside.
"There's one back door," Aros informed her. "And it leads to a small alley that's less than a block from Grimemound."
"Grimemound?" Rikki repeated, not familiar with the term.
"It's the entryway to the sewers, Rikki," Doren said. "It's a good bet that's where Ale went."
"Then let's go," she said.
"Rikki," Doren said her name with more compassion than usual. "You have to send Mirabelle home."
Rikki faced her beloved horse. She didn't want to send her back so soon. This was her first time out and about in the grand city. But the sewers were no place for her, and Rikki knew that. She wrapped her arm around Mirabelle and whispered in her ear. "You have to go back home. I'm so sorry. I'll come get you as soon as we're out of those nasty sewers."