Crisanta Knight: To Death & Back

by Geanna Culbertson

  “Thanks!” he called down. “Hurry up!” He ducked back through the portal and disappeared from sight.

  “Okay, now what?” Jason asked.

  I pressed my boot firmly into the cloud. I felt it wanting to push me back up. It really was like a big, poofy trampoline.

  And if all these clouds are like trampolines …

  “You remember the bunker we slept in when we stayed with the Lost Boys and Girls in Neverland?” I asked.

  A mischievous grin spread across my friend’s face. He knew what I was referring to—the delightful trampoline floor of the kids’ bunker. “Last one to the portal has to clip Rampart’s toe nails,” he challenged.

  I grinned and the two of us bounded off the cloud. I flew through the sky for a dozen feet before my boots landed on the pink cloud I’d been aiming for. I went sailing to another cloud after that, bouncing higher and higher from one level of the sky to the next as I worked my way up to the counterclockwise portal. Jason followed his own cloud trajectory. Showing off, he did a midair flip. He was ahead of me now, and by my calculations, only two clouds away from the portal. Make that one.

  Jason sprung off a pink cloud, aiming for a white, silver-lined one. I expected him to bounce off it and soar up to our destination, but much to my surprise, he disappeared into the white cloud. It was like it’d swallowed him. The silver-lined cloud turned golden.

  “Jason!”

  My heart pounded with panic. I hopped over to the golden cloud as fast as possible, When I landed, I realized this one felt more like a cushioned mattress than a trampoline.

  I got on my hands and knees and studied the cloud. It was slightly translucent. Inside I could see the hazy silhouette of a person. I tried to pull at the cloud or dig into it with my nails, but it was thick and impenetrable.

  A silver raven suddenly landed on the edge of the cloud. Its eyes were like diamonds, and its feathers, feet, and beak were an enchanting shade of silver. Around its neck was a lavender cord necklace with a blinking yellow pendant that had the word InfoRaven. The pendant kept flashing like a button so I gingerly reached out and touched it. When I did, the automated voice of a woman came out.

  “Welcome to Cloud Nine. What is your question?”

  “Um. My friend fell into this cloud. How do I get him out?”

  The InfoRaven tilted its head and the voice projected once more. “Cloud Nine is a place where people can escape to the world of their dreams—a fantasy where they are in their happiest place. White, silver-lined clouds are available cocoons. Golden clouds are cocoons in use. To exit the cocoon, the slumberer must will it to happen. If an outsider wishes to wake them, the outsider may enter the slumberer’s Cloud Nine fantasy and try to convince them to leave.”

  “All right, let me in,” I said.

  The InfoRaven blinked. “Hold please.”

  Ugh. I didn’t have time for this! The portal back to Camelot could close any second.

  A silvery glow enveloped my entire body and in a flash I was standing in a forest. Jason’s dream. It was probably the most picturesque, tranquil forest I’d ever been in. The trees were infinitely tall with lush green leaves. The sun was shining and the weather felt like it was in the perfect low seventies with a light breeze. Birds lent a soft background song to the environment. A deer cantered by in the distance. A family of rabbits scampered across my feet into a nearby hole.

  I had no trouble believing this was Jason’s happiest place. It was easygoing, woodsy, and full of warmth—just like him.

  I heard familiar laughter and followed the sound through the forest to a gorgeous field of dandelions and sunflowers. I smelled pine, freshly watered grass, and … bacon (which was weird, but I wasn’t complaining).

  To the far right I saw a village of elaborate tree houses. On the left was a large lake the color of a blue jay’s brightest feathers, with wild Pegasi drinking at the edge. Directly ahead was some type of small arena. There was cheering coming from inside, so I followed the joyful, enthused sounds.

  The arena had an open roof and was lined with rows of bleachers filled with people applauding. At the center was an elevated combat floor. Jason and Blue were there, battling it out against a dozen black-armored knights.

  Of course Jason’s happiest place includes some type of combat. He’s a hero and loves to fight. And he fights at his best with Blue.

  I got closer to the elevated combat floor until I was standing right next to the floor at eye level.

  My friends fought in perfect synchronicity like I’d seen them do a hundred times. Whenever one of them stabbed an opponent, that knight disappeared in a puff of smoke. One by one, my friends eliminated their rivals until there was only a single enemy left. The pair simultaneously struck the remaining knight, who evaporated in a final puff. The crowd went wild and jumped to their feet in celebration.

  Blue stored her hunting knife as Jason raised his axe to the cheers of the crowd. I smiled. Then Jason put his arm around Blue and kissed her. Like full on kissed her.

  I stumbled back from the shock and knocked over a vendor who was selling turkey legs. The vendor crashed into several more people and the disturbance caused Jason to look over. When he saw me, his face paled like an anemic ghost.

  “Crisa!”

  Abruptly the combat floor, the arena, the crowds, and even Blue vanished. They were like a mirage that had never been there. Only Jason stood on the field in front of me.

  I struggled to find the proper words. I knew Jason was Blue’s one true love. I knew Blue had developed feelings for him. But I didn’t know that he was already into her. Furthermore, I hadn’t been prepared to see that level of an affectionate display right then and there. I felt super awkward to have witnessed such a private moment. My reaction had been a combination of egads, that was fast, and whoa, too close and personal.

  “I didn’t see anything,” I felt the need to say, even though it was clearly a lie.

  Jason blinked and glanced around. His look of embarrassment changed to confusion. “Is this a dream?”

  “Sort of,” I explained. “We’re in Cloud Nine, remember? You fell into a cloud with a silver lining. This is supposed to be a fantasy of your happiest place.”

  “Oh,” Jason said.

  “The portal back to Camelot could close any second,” I said quickly, changing the subject. “We need to get out of here. I think all you have to do is will yourself to wake up. So, um, if you could just—”

  “Crisa,” Jason said.

  “Yeah?”

  “About what you saw …”

  “Jason, you don’t have to explain, I just—”

  “I like Blue,” he said bluntly. “You saw what you saw and I’m not going to pretend that you didn’t. I have feelings for her. I’m not ready to tell her. And now you know. Just promise me you won’t say anything and we’re good.”

  But you …

  But she …

  Argh!!!

  “Fine, I promise,” I said with a grunt. “Now get us out of here, will you?”

  Jason nodded and closed his eyes. We were both enveloped in a silvery glow and a second later we were back in Cloud Nine. We stood on one of the pink clouds. Thank goodness the portal back to Camelot still flashed red in the distance. But it was shrinking.

  “The portal’s closing!” I said. “Come on! Stay on the pink clouds!”

  Jason and I bounced from one pink fluffy formation to the next until we arrived at the portal. We dove through one at a time as it shrunk to the size of a carriage wheel. An instant later we fell on the stone floor of the cavern we’d last been in.

  Daniel had left a blue X on the ground nearby. The marking strategy meant that we could at least see where he’d been in our absence. The question was, where was he now?

  Looking through one of the energy walls, we saw Mauvrey and Arian race along the Avalonian glass pathway and leap into another pocket dimension. However, half a second later, Mauvrey went sailing out again like she’d been powerfully kicke
d.

  “Daniel!” I gasped.

  We bolted out of our cave, rushed past a still-recovering Mauvrey, and sped through the same energy wall she and Arian had just used. When Jason and I entered the pocket dimension, I saw several things that demanded my attention at once.

  Arian was fighting Daniel, who somehow had a sword again. My spear lay on the floor. And Alex was on the right side of the cavern, approaching a glistening onyx stone that held the most beautiful sword I’d ever seen.

  Excalibur!

  This was the sword we’d been looking for. I felt it in my bones like fundamental instinct.

  Alex reached out for the blade. Without thinking, I scooped up my spear and threw it at him with all the force I had. It plunged through my brother’s thigh and he cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

  I sprinted forward. Arian tried to stop me, but it was too late. I reached the sword, gripped the hilt, and with one mighty, unstoppable move, yanked Excalibur from the stone.

  Everything in the universe rippled.

  Excalibur emitted a brilliant, ghostly blue glow like the Lady of Lake but a hundred times brighter. I shielded my eyes. A wave of magical energy spun through the air and I sensed power surge through my body. When I lowered my arm a sparkling, rainbow-colored aura rippled through the environment.

  Everything felt calm and I admired the sword in my hand, which still glowed a mild ghostly blue. Excalibur’s hilt was dark gold. The pommel and guard were carved with an intricate design. The blade, meanwhile, was long, sleek steel. Strange letters began to appear on the flat of the blade.

  The letters shimmered ominously in the blue glow. I turned the sword sideways and the letters morphed. Like a mirage, they changed in correlation with how the light hit them. If I held the sword at just the right angle, the letters altered enough to spell something I could understand:

  I held the blade tightly, transfixed by its beauty. Everything about it was unique. More importantly, for the meantime it was mine. I’d done what we’d set out to do and claimed Excalibur. I’d lived up to Arthur’s expectations, Merlin’s hopes, and my own desires. I’d beat Alex and the antagonists, stopping them from claiming the sword for Rampart, and now … Now, here I stood with the most powerful weapon in all the realms in my hand and the future gleaming ahead.

  I did it! I can’t believe I actually did it!

  It wasn’t until that moment that I noticed the scene had grown quiet. I looked up and discovered that Arian and Daniel had ceased fighting and were standing perfectly still. Jason, Alex, and Mauvrey (who’d just come through the energy wall) were also frozen in place. They all twinkled slightly, like someone had coated them in glitter glue. Arian stood a few feet away. I walked up to him and poked him in the side of the head.

  Nothing.

  A bright flash appeared, and the Lady of the Lake floated before me. Although there was a smile on her lips, her eyes were black as ever. The combination made her look even more sinister.

  “You are the Knight of the prophecy,” she spoke in her creepy voice. “You have claimed Excalibur. The price of this is making a poor choice. One day I will appear to you again, Crisanta Knight, when you make the wrong choice at a crucial point in your journey. Until then, wield the blade with pride and power, and deliver it to the rightful king of Camelot as you have sworn to do.”

  The sword in my hand suddenly felt heavier. I’d known all along about the price I would have to pay for claiming Excalibur. But being reminded of it sucked the glorious feeling of victory from this moment.

  “What happened to my friends?” I asked, gesturing at Daniel and Jason.

  “I have frozen them along with your enemies.”

  “I can see that,” I replied. “I mean, can I have them back now?”

  “Yes, you may have them back,” the Lady of the Lake replied. “They are worthy heroes so I will even reward you by transporting the three of you back across the lake.”

  “No boats?” I asked.

  “No boats.”

  “And my enemies?”

  “They can return to the mainland the old-fashioned way.”

  That was good news. It meant that A) we wouldn’t have to worry about the noodle arms, and B) we’d leave Alex, Arian, and Mauvrey in our dust as we made off with Excalibur.

  I’d had my fill of Avalon and was eager to reunite with my friends across the lake. However, I knew there was one more thing I needed to do before we left. It was now or never.

  “Before you send us back …” I took a deep breath. “Can you take me to the Four Waters of Paradise?”

  The Lady of the Lake said nothing. Instead, she simply spread her hands apart. She and I were immediately wrapped in ribbons of white energy. An instant later, we were in a different area of the isle.

  Wow. With her behavior swinging from helpful to hurtful, part of me didn’t think she would be so hospitable. Was I actually about to find the waters?

  We were high up on Avalon’s mountains. I stood near a ledge and could spot the sand embankment of the lake hundreds of feet below. The Lady of the Lake was hovering above a small crater close by. Within the crater was some sand, dried pieces of vegetation, and a few small fish skeletons. But there was no water.

  “The spring you seek dried up long ago,” the Lady of the Lake stated.

  I felt a tangle of emotions—sadness, disappointment, regret, and maybe a touch of relief. It was all very overwhelming and a bit somber.

  “So that’s it then,” I said bluntly. “If there is no more water here, then I can’t be cured of Pure Magic Disease.”

  “Can’t is a strong word, Crisanta Knight,” the Lady of the Lake replied. “You did not find the Four Waters of Paradise here, but that does not mean you will not find them elsewhere.”

  “What do you mean?”

  The Lady of the Lake spread her hands again and we were consumed in her white ribbons of energy. Then we were back in the cavern with my frozen friends and enemies. Excalibur was still in my hand.

  “The time for questions is over,” said the Lady of the Lake. “Are you ready to leave the isle?”

  “Give me a minute, will you? I just need to collect myself.”

  The Lady of the Lake nodded and vanished, leaving me alone. I turned Excalibur over in my hand as I thought about the Four Waters of Paradise.

  It was true I didn’t know what I would’ve done with them if I’d found them. But I liked having the option of curing myself out there. I knew some of my friends were going to be disappointed that this was no longer on the table—especially SJ, who seemed to be the most worried about me turning dark. However, the universe had spoken and unlike other times when fate could be challenged, there wasn’t anything to be done here. I guess we would all have to deal with this reality. Eva in Oz would also have to accept it. I had promised her that I would bring more of the waters back to Oz to cure her sister Glinda. So much for that.

  Sigh.

  It was time to move on. I had to accept that finding the waters was no longer on my list of things to do and I couldn’t dwell on it. I had bigger fish to fry.

  I looked around the room at the frozen faces of my friends and foes. I saw that Alex was wearing a Hole Tracker so I went over to him, unfastened it, and attached it to my own wrist. Ormé had mine, so I could use this one.

  Then I looked at my brother’s leg. My spear stuck out of it at a hard angle. I was surprised how unapologetic I felt about it. Staring at his wound, I felt absolutely nothing.

  However, as I studied his pained, still face that’s when I realized something. Alex, Arian, and Mauvrey were all frozen. They couldn’t move; they couldn’t fight; they couldn’t defend them-selves. All three stood before me like vulnerable statues and I had a deadly sharp sword in my hand …

  The opportunity hummed at the back of my mind like a song. I approached Arian and stood inches from him. I looked into his vicious black eyes. I remembered the first time he’d gotten the jump on me in Century City and held a sword to my
throat. Steadily, I raised Excalibur and brought it to his neck.

  Blue was right. Villains didn’t stay down. As long as they were allowed to exist they’d keep trying to destroy you. Arian would never stop. He was evil, and so was Mauvrey, and so was Alex. I could permanently stop any one, or all of them right here. Maybe I had a responsibility to. Maybe I’d wanted that for a long time.

  It would be so easy.

  My hand did not shake. I held the blade steadily. I thought I was going to go through with it. I was so sure. But then, at the last second my instincts pulled me back.

  No.

  I took a step away. I was surprised how fast my conscience had jumped into my throat. I swallowed hard and knew the truth.

  I couldn’t do this. My heart was in the wrong place. Killing in self-defense was one thing, but this didn’t feel right. Murdering three people in cold blood was not an honorable course of action. I told myself I would trust my instincts where taking life was concerned, and right now they were telling me that this was not who I wanted to be.

  I gazed at Arian and nodded decidedly. “Fight you another day.”

  With a deep exhale, I walked away. I honestly didn’t know if this was the best decision, but it was what my heart deemed necessary, so I listened. I went over to Alex and yanked my spear from his leg.

  “I’m ready,” I called out.

  The Lady of the Lake reappeared.

  “Take us back,” I said. “We’re good to go.”

  “As you wish.”

  The Lady of the Lake spread her hands, and Daniel, Jason, and I were consumed in her light. I closed my eyes and let her magic wash over me—cleansing and purifying my unease. Maybe someday I would feel differently about what I’d decided here today. But for now, I knew I’d stayed true to my own morality. What that morality might become in the future was changeable, as I was changeable. However, I couldn’t worry about that. I had to live my truth in the here and now. That’s what I’d done. That was all I could do to hold my head high.

  As the magic enveloped us, I looked at Excalibur in my right hand, the spear in my left, and at the cavern vanishing before my eyes.