The Elyrian

by D P Rowell

  Rio took the boy through an alley leading to the courtyard but stopped before they entered. The drake leaned out, peering around the corner of the building. He turned to Ace behind him.

  “Two on the right,” he whispered. “One on the left.”

  Ace nodded, back against the wall, now face to face with the drake. “I’ll get the one on the left.”

  “Not ready to take on two just yet?” Rio said, half smirking.

  Ace snickered. He trusted Rio’s trigger speed above his own. Without a sound, the drake mouthed the countdown.

  One, two, three.

  They nodded.

  Each of them rolled from the wall into the courtyard. The boy took his aim and fired right away. Mistakably, for the witch was not where he had anticipated. He looked around frantically. No witch. A shrill cry sounded just above him as the witch leaped into sight from the roof beside him. The shriek iced his bones. He had been tricked.

  Her arms spread in a pounce above him as she sought to land on him, but he rolled on the ground away from her in the nick of time. She landed on the ground light as a feather. Her head jerked to face him, but by now he had nervously brought his weapon to aim again. His sweaty palms stole from his confidence, as well as his racing heart. Her dark eyes and pale skin gave him goosebumps. She leaped forth once more, and Ace took his best aim, but shut his eyes, anticipating his miss, and pulled the trigger. His eyes were soon opened at the sound of a thud from his anti-magic sun popping her in the shoulder. The witch fell beside him. Her limp body rolling on the brick ground as she shrieked from the anti-magic wrapping her up. Ace’s heart slowed as he gathered himself for a moment.

  Got her.

  “Quick! C’mon!” Rio said. The boy looked at the drake, on the other side of the courtyard tree, two witches captured in their anti-magic cages behind him. Ace caught up as he and the drake ran to Marg’s home, then burst down the front door.

  “Ace!” Said a voice which made the boy’s heart fuller than he knew possible. His brother had been kneeling next to Keele, both with AMRs pointed at the door. But at the first sight of Ace, Cameron rushed to his little brother and hugged him tight. Ace squeezed back.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Ace said.

  “Same here!” Cameron said, now pulling from the embrace. “Witches came here and captured us. What did they have you do?”

  “It’s a long story,” Ace said. “I’ll have to tell you later.”

  Ace heard his name called again just as he saw Julie and Tamara stepping from the kitchen, behind where Cameron and Keele had barricaded themselves.

  “Ace?” Julie and Tamara had said in unison. Their lips quivered, and their eyes were darkened. They were rattled.

  Once the girls saw him clearly, they ran to him. Julie hugged him once more. This time, Ace had seemed a little less bothered by it. Though, still slightly surprised. But what really caught him surprised is when Tamara joined in. All of them clustered together in a family embrace. Something, Ace was sure, none of them would have ever imagined possible. He couldn’t remember how he used to hate them. In fact, he kind of liked them. So much so, he returned the favor in an embrace of his own.

  “I guess we, like, owe our lives to you or something,” Tamara said as her voice shook. Still a hint of sarcasm in her words. Even her serious words.

  “Yeah, Ace,” Julie said, her jaw chattering. “I was really scared.” the girl looked up at him, eyes sparkling with a strange mix of joy and sadness, “thank you for coming back for us.”

  The corner of Ace’s mouth curled up in a half grin. He patted Julie on the shoulder and said, “Hey, we’re family.” He looked at Cameron with a wide smile, then to each of the Peppercorns. “We stick together.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  The Halder Returns

  Ace flinched at the sound of Rio shutting the door behind him and running to Keele. “Do you know where the other elite are?” he said.

  Keele nodded. “Headquarters.”

  “Any ideas about which one the parcel is?” Rio said.

  Keele shook her head. “No. My guess is, the other elite don’t know either. They’re all working together to stop this battle over Gathara. I’m sure the other elite still don’t suspect a thing. But we know he’s losing control. All we need to do is get there and call him out. If we can get him to resort to magic himself, all the elite will be there to fight him.”

  Cameron stepped forward, his arm around Ace’s shoulder. “And a few hunters!”

  Keele turned to face him and shook her head. “Absolutely not. This is far too dangerous for you. You need to get your cousins to safety right away.”

  “That might not be such a good idea,” Rio said.

  “Why not?” Keele replied.

  “Splitting Ace from his family is what began all this mess in the first place. They want. . .” Rio turned to face the boy, then back to Keele, “something from him. They can’t attack his immunity, but they can attack his family. Right now, the witches will be hunting for them. No offense Cameron, but you’re not ready to get you and your cousins through this maze of witches on your own right now.”

  Keele spoke next, “So, what do you propose? It’s far too dangerous to take them to Headquarters. You’re more likely to run into witches there than if you left the city. And the elite will need all the help they can get to fight this parcel.”

  After a shaking quiet, Rio walked to Ace and pulled him aside.

  “When you vanished at the inn in Hillrun, where did you go?” Rio said in a hushed tone.

  “What?” Ace said. “Is this really the time to be discussing this?”

  Rio’s webbed ears flapped a couple times. “What I mean is, did you bring back something of value? Something knowledge or skill that can help you fight this parcel?”

  Ace stared at him blankly and eerily. Did Rio know where Ace went to? Did Rio know he was an elyrian? “Yes. How did you kn—”

  “Then, I’m trusting you with this. You, your brother and Keele can offer your assistance at Headquarters. I will take the Peppercorns to safety. Once you two start making your way for Headquarters, it will be a good distraction. I know the roads of this city like the back of my hand. I could sneak us out of here without the glimpse of a single witch. And even if one did catch us, I’m sure you trust I could take them down.” Rio said.

  Ace felt the urge to resist. He wanted Rio by his side for this battle. The drake was too valuable. But both his pride from Rio’s faith in him, and the desire to see the Peppercorns safe forced him to agree.

  “Are you sure I can do this?” Ace said.

  Rio snarled and tipped his head. “I know you can. And so did your grandfather.”

  “Okay, Rio. And I’m trusting you to bring them to safety. Don’t let me down.”

  “One more thing,” Rio said softly. “Give me the stone to take with me.”

  Ace’s eyes widened, and he stepped back. “What? Why?”

  “The council is after it. That’s what this whole thing is about. Dragging it through this mess of witches and going after this powerful parcel is dangerous. I’m sure you know better than I what’s at stake if that stone falls into the hands of the council,” Rio said.

  Ace stared at the drake for a moment, pondering this decision.

  “When you defeat this parcel, and restore Gathara, the stone will be waiting for you right by my side. Safe, and out of harm’s way.”

  Ace saw the drake’s point. It seemed the safest thing to do. What other options were there? The boy was aware of the stone’s importance in the war and feared what may happen if it fell into the wrong hands.

  “Where are you going to take them?” Ace said.

  “I have some friends in the north. Deployed in Naraka, Neutrals,” Rio replied, “they will offer a temporary home for us.”

  Ace glanced at the Peppercorns.

  “Okay,” he said. He and the drake shook hands. He turned to let his brother and let Keele know of the plan.


  “Ace,” Rio said. The boy turned to face him, “you were chosen for this for a reason. Tonight, you have a chance to prove it. Let the council know the Halder has returned.”

  * * *

  By now, nightfall had come in pitch darkness. The witches in the city emitted black smoke, swallowing whatever light the moon and stars had to offer. Keele, Cameron, and Ace had begun their march to Headquarters to find the elite. Luckily for the boys, Keele knew her way through alleys and shrubs, so as to offer a better disguise. Every so often there would be battle still. No one could entirely evade the blanket of witches covering the city. Whoever this parcel was, he must be very powerful, for he had thousands of witches covering the city. Occasionally, they would pass by a hunter guiding civilians to safely exit the city. The city had nearly reached total vacancy.

  Every moment, Ace eagerly searched for Kareena to no avail. He didn’t even know where she lived. He worried she might have fled the city, or been caught using the elyr to defend herself. Difficult as it was, he shook aside his worry, knowing the priority was finding this parcel and taking him down. He reassured himself Kareena would be just fine, and when all this was over, he could find her, as the new Halder, and restore the freedom to practice the elyr in Gathara.

  Squished by the narrow path between the buildings and city’s outer wall, Keele led them further up the foothills. They were getting close.

  “How do you know the elite are in Headquarters?” Ace asked quietly. “Wouldn’t they be out fighting in this?”

  Keele turned her head back. “Right now, they’re sending hunters out to evacuate the city. Those who are too far between their homes and the gate are being escorted to Headquarters. That’s what the elite are doing right now. Their priority is safety.”

  “What?” Cameron said as he stopped. The others stopped as well. “So, you’re saying we’re going to the castle to fight this dangerously powerful parcel, and there will be hundreds of innocent civilians camping out?”

  Keele looked at Cameron with sadness and nodded. “Possibly part of his plan.”

  “So, what do we do?” Ace said.

  “We have no choice,” Keele said. “By doing nothing we’re also putting them at risk.”

  Cameron smacked his teeth. “There has to be some other way.”

  “There isn’t,” Keele said.

  Ace glanced at his older brother, then back at Keele. “The cellar!”

  Cameron said, “What?”

  “The cellar is covered in magic proof material, and it’s empty now. If we can get the people in there, they will be much safer.” Ace said.

  “How are we going to do that?” Keele said, “if we randomly just start escorting the people to the cellar, the parcel will become suspicious right away.”

  “Even better,” Ace said. “He’ll reveal himself.” Keele and Cameron looked at one another silently, pondering his plan. “Chances are,” Ace continued, “he’s going to get pretty suspicious once we arrive there if he knows we’re onto him. I mean, look at what he’s done to the city. He’s in full on panic right now. Once we get to Headquarters, we’ll need to get the citizens to safety right away.”

  Keele looked at Cameron. “Can you handle that?”

  “What?” Cameron said, “why me?”

  “This fight is Ace’s,” Keele said. “This is his opportunity to prove his worth as The Halder. Me and the other elite will be a necessary asset for him.”

  Cameron’s frustration faded with a moment of silence. “Okay,” he said with a soft exhale, “I’ll do it.”

  A deep scream came from the other side of the buildings they hid behind. Not the scream of a witch, but a person. Ace moved closer to the alley where he could see the street. In a flash he saw a young hunter running away, followed by several witches.

  “We have to help him!” Ace said.

  “He’s not the mission,” Keele said. “He’s a hunter, he knows what he signed up for.”

  Ace disregarded Keele with distaste and ran along the alley.

  “Ace!” Keele yelled, “Come back, what are you doing?”

  The footsteps of Cameron and Keele trailed behind him has he set his back against the stone building. He rolled slightly, peering out into the wide street. The endangered hunter fired at the witches as he ran for his life, but they were beginning to overwhelm him.

  There were three.

  Four.

  Five.

  They flooded in from every corner of the street. The dark smoke began to engulf him.

  Keele and Cameron caught up to Ace.

  “Ace,” Keele said, “there’s no hope for him.”

  “Not if we don’t help there isn’t,” Ace said. The boy glared at Keele with determined eyes, and rolled out of the alley, rapidly firing at the witches.

  “Ace!” Keele yelled.

  The witches shrieked and screamed at Ace’s firing. Each one of his anti-magic bullets landing perfectly as he desired. He even caught the witches swarming in from the alleys surrounding the road. With every shot he felt the power of the Light surge through his veins. Ace and the young hunter were outnumbered, but the witches were outmatched.

  “Let the council know the Halder’s returned,” Ace remembered the drake’s parting words to him. Each word deepened in meaning with every landing shot.

  The witches shrieked and fled Ace’s firing. But they didn’t run away. The young hunter had become a vessel for them. All the witches Ace hadn’t already shot fell on the hunter’s body and began to take control of him. The hunter fell to the ground, rolling and grunting as the witches casted a spell to control his body. Ace stopped shooting. What could he do? He couldn’t harm the hunter.

  The hunter’s body calmed, he rolled over, and slowly stood to his feet. Ace’s chest caved with fear. He recognized the hunter then. The fae with no tattoos. The very one he’d sat next to at the recall. The fae looked at him with dark eyes. It looked like black spider webs crawled from his eyes and wrapped around his face. His wicked smile turned black.

  “Harm us, Halder,” the witches spoke in unison through the fae’s mouth, “and harm your friend.”

  The fae lunged at him, running at an unnatural speed. Ace’s instincts took him, and time seemed to slow. Keele and Cameron had begun to run from the alley to help. But Ace knew there was nothing they could do. Only one thing could help the fae then. The Light.

  The fae lunged. Ace exhaled calmly, and all the power he’d felt from the elyr flowed from his heart to the tips of his fingers. He held the pale flame before him. The white fire shot from his fingers in such a quantity, it wrapped the fae in a jacket of pale light. The shrieks of the witches were evil and wretched as had never been before.

  He pinned the fae to the cobblestone ground. Smoke rose from the fae’s body, and the witches shrieked more as they Light burned them. Ace leaped on the fae, holding him down with the white flames. He stared fiercely into his dark eyes, full of panic,

  “You know this Light. You know this power.” Ace said. The witches gave him a shrill cry. “Leave the fae at once or it will continue to torment you.”

  The darkness drained from the fae’s face. The witches fled his body like a swarm of flies and scattered about the air above them. Ace took his weapon and shot them down without breaking a sweat. Perfect aim.

  Cameron and Keele stood in the street, staring at Ace with their jaws on the ground. Ace looked at the fae, who’s face had been relieved of darkness and replaced with astonishment, and helped him to his feet.

  “What was that?” The male fae said, “who are you?”

  “I’m the Elyrian,” Ace said, “and I’m here to save Yutara.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  The City Watch Room

  Keele, Ace, and Cameron brought the fae along with him. Another hunter could always be helpful. They decided the fae would help Cameron escort the civilians to the cellar. Keele and Ace led the way, rifles in hand, now approaching the castle.

  “You want to explain wha
t that was?” Keele said quietly.

  “Not really,” Ace answered.

  “Listen, kid. I’m letting it slide for now, seeing as there are much more important things to worry about, but don’t think you’re getting off the hook. You just used magic to save that fae, and when this is all over, you’re number one on my suspect list.”

  “Think about it, Keele,” Ace said, “Do you think I would use magic like that in front of you?”

  “What’s going on?” Cameron said from behind them.

  Ace pointed at Keele. “She thinks I’m a parcel because of what I did to help the fae. This is why there’s a parcel in the elite right now, because the Indies have been deceived.”

  The scarred fae stepped forward quietly. “Lady Keele,” he said, “I’m not sure what it was he used to save me, but I do not believe it was witchcraft. Having just been controlled by magic, and then saved by him . . .” the fae paused as he gave Ace a look of joy, “he’s on our side. I can promise you.”

  Keele didn’t look convinced. “Let’s just find out who this parcel is and save Gathara. We’ll talk about this later.” She stomped away along the road.

  The others fell in behind her, but Ace slowly caught up to lead with her again. The walk only lasted a few more minutes before the castle was in sight. The few witches by the castle were fended off by a line of hunters at the end of the bridge, helping escort civilians to safety. Ace and his crew slipped into the small crowd being led to the castle.

  Once they reached the Great Hall, they stopped and gathered themselves together. The crowds were luckily minimal in Headquarters, but slowly growing. The priority was bringing the panic to a halt and getting the civilians to safety.

  “Cameron,” Ace said, “you and the fae start telling the hunters to get these people to the cellar. Tell them a parcel is in the castle, and it’s the only safe place they have.”

  Cameron and the fae nodded. “Got it.” Ace and Keele continued along the Great Hall.

  “Any idea where the elite are?” Ace said.