by Ben Alderson
The fire burst in a line, causing whoever it was below to come to a tumbling stop. It would hold them for only a moment, but it was all we needed to reach the griffins, Emaline and Bell, and get back in the sky. Whoever chased us was persistent.
Once on the back of Jerk, I looked back towards the dwindling flames and saw no sign of the figure in the town below. There was only a bundle of clothing left on the street as if they had simple disappeared.
Townsfolk ran out of their homes, their screams reached us even from this distance.
News of blue fire would reach the Queen, and it would be yet another conversation we’d have with her regarding our delay in this quest. For there was only one being in all Eldnol with blue fire at the tips of his fingers.
As we flew off into the rising sun, I kept looking at Hadrian. There was a strange, pained expression on his face, and his eyes struggled to stay open. I called his name to get his attention, and he shook himself awake once more and mouthed that he was fine. I didn't believe it. I sensed his pain as if it were my own. He was told not to use his power, but he had, and it was taking a toll on him.
*
WE HAD REACHED the outskirts of Thalas by the time the sun had taken its place in the sky. It was a cloudless day, but the chill was still ripe in the air. It seemed Emaline and Jasrov had not slept at all, for their faces were flushed pale and eyes ringed with shadow. The silent flight gave my mind to time to dwell on whoever it was trailing us. Was it a Druid sympathizer? A shadowbeing? Even the idea of it being Nyah crossed my mind. The possibilities were endless.
Emaline led us with Jasrov on her griffin. She guided our convoy to the ground, and we landed on the wet, dewy grass. In the clearing, the ground was covered with tall grasses and yellow flowers Jasrov seemed familiar with. He picked at one and chewed on it.
"It's safe. Butter Mellow helps freshen a mouth. I consider the effects to be better than mint leaf," Jasrov explained.
"I could do with a handful of those," I said, mouth thick like cotton.
"Leave some for the rest of us," Emaline said, raising a hand to shield the bright sun and scan the surroundings.
Hadrian’s and my clothes were in tatters from our shift, and the many hours of flying had driven the cold into my bones. I placed the Butter Mellow in my mouth and began chewing. Instantly the cotton taste was replaced with a buttery mint that freshened my breath.
“What ever happened back there could happen again,” Emaline said. “However they found us is beyond me. It is not like Hadrian was walking around with his blue glow on show, and we haven’t stayed anywhere long enough to be tracked.”
My skin chilled, and I exchanged a knowing look with Hadrian. I scrambled around my sack for a spare set of clothes and began changing into them. I repacked the ripped shirt and trousers in case we needed it for fire.
“Someone did see him,” I said, eyes still pinned to Hadrian. “A boy, he brought us up food and caught us… Hadrian did not hide the glow.”
“I believed it to be safe,” Hadrian admitted.
Emaline’s rolled her eyes. “I should have guessed. Risking our mission again. You would think after everything we have been through you would be more cautious. Did the Druid drive all sense of sensibility from you?”
Hadrian growled, “I can show you what the Druid did to me.”
His voice was deeper than normal, a strange shadow of anger passing over his eyes. Even Emaline caught it and raised her hands in defeat.
“Just think, Hadrian, this entire mission is to help you. Yet you are the only one putting it in jeopardy. If you do not care for the Staff, then we can turn around now and head back. I have more pressing matters in Kandilin than this.”
Hadrian went to reply, but I stilled him.
“This is tiredness speaking. How about we regroup before we go to the temple? Hadrian, get changed into something not ripped. And Emaline, I should have gotten the door. If the boy did rat us out, it is my fault.”
“I do not like mistakes,” Emaline said bluntly.
“I understand,” I replied, keeping my voice calm.
We took up camp out in the open. There was no forest to shield us, no lake to threaten us. Just the wide, rolling hills and cloudless sky. I could see Thalas Temple in the distance, nestled in the middle of the valley surrounding it. From this height, we could see the temple was awake, as smoke billowed from one of the buildings. I had questioned why we did not ask for sanctuary within the stone walls. The warmth of the fire would be better than camping in the open.
“Do you have anything in your sack for this bonecold I have obtained?” My teeth chattered as I asked Jasrov. Even with my new clothes on, I couldn't shake the chill.
“I might have something…” Jasrov dug in his sack, brows pinched in concentration. “Just give me a moment.”
“Do you think they will have spare clothes?” I questioned, checking my cloak to make sure the shift had not ruined that. "Something more suitable for the chill of the north perhaps?"
It was clear the weather was getting colder the further north we traveled. Although the sky was void of clouds, the cold brisk of wind still bit into my exposed skin.
My spare set was a charcoal colored tunic and baggy slacks, mismatched and not thick enough to battle the cold air.
"You could do with a hot bath," Emaline said, fiddling with the saddle of her griffin. "That will burn away a bonecold better than any concoction he has hidden in that bag."
Jasrov pulled a face at the comment, then held out a small vial, “Here, this should help, or at least keep the symptoms at bay before we reach a proper healer... or a proper bath.”
“What is it?” Hadrian asked, strolling forward and pinching the vial from my hands as if he didn’t trust it.
“A mixture of all sorts. I originally came up with the concoction as a way of starting fires, but it turned out that pouring it on dry wood only made it wet and didn’t cause the spark that I first thought it would.”
“So, you decided to drink it instead…” Emaline laughed, munching on a dry slice of bread.
“Yes.” Jasrov clapped his hands, innocent to the sarcasm of the question. “It warmed me up just right, so I’ve been using it during the winter months as a little extra warmth.”
I raised a hand for Hadrian to give it back, but he didn’t.
“How are you sure it won’t set Zacriah’s insides alight?”
Even that made me hesitant to want it back.
“Here.” Jasrov plucked it from Hadrian’s hand and popped the cork. “I’ll prove it.”
He took a small swig and stood there with a smile on his face. “See? I told you it wor—” Jasrov’s faced dropped, and he raised his panicked hands to his throat. He began choking so violently that his face turned red.
Hadrian jumped forward but missed as Jasrov dropped to the floor.
Before I could intervene, Jasrov began laughing where he lay on the ground.
“What in this world are you playing at?” Hadrian shouted, his face still in shock. “I thought you were really hurt.”
“Oh, you should have seen your faces.” His laugh reached new volumes.
I kicked his shin and released my held breath. “Honestly, time and a place, Jasrov. Time and a place!”
“Well, next time, trust me when it comes to my concoctions. Stop questioning them. I am the expert and all.” Jasrov raised a hand, and I pulled him up.
“Expert, of course.” I winked.
Downing the vial of liquid, my body felt better the moment it went down my throat. The aching cold of my legs and arms disappeared. My throat even felt smooth, and my fingertips warmed.
“Now that Jasrov has stopped his little show, should we discuss what happened back there?” Emaline stepped forward, passing us each a slice of dried bread. “Can you ask Bell if she noticed any shadow or strange scent?”
There was a pause, and Jasrov eyes glazed white for a quick moment. I had not seen him fully share the link between his fam
iliar. I even noticed Bell's dark eyes turn white just like Jasrov's. “She didn’t see any shadow and mentioned how pleasant the smell was compared to what she normally puts up with.”
Crumbs sprayed from Hadrian’s mouth as he laughed. “You familiar is very honest.”
Jasrov nodded. “Sometimes too honest.”
“If we are lucky, whoever it was will not be bothering us again. If we keep moving quickly, we should stay ahead,” Emaline said. “But I am less worried about that, and more concerned about who we bump into next. I would take a nice smelling stranger over a Druid sympathizer.”
“Agreed,” we all answered.
Jerk chirped from where he grazed on the grass. I walked to him, hand ready to scratch down his nose. “You’ve worked hard, Jerk. You deserve a long rest. I think we all do.” I turned back to the crowd.
“The temple is not going anywhere, so whilst we have a moment, why don’t we get some sleep? Who knows if we will get much once the Keeper guides us to the Staff?”
Hadrian straightened out the sleeves of his fresh tunic. “I must admit that sounds pleasing. But I would prefer to get this all over with; we will have plenty of time to relax once we find this Staff and deal with…me.” He flashed the back of his glowing hand.
“I would prefer to meet the Goddess with a full belly, so eat up.” Emaline threw us each another piece of bread and chowed down.
“I cannot argue with that,” Hadrian replied.
I looked down the hill, contemplating for a silent moment what we would find in those stone walls. Finding the Staff of Light was the main priority, yet I couldn’t see it through the haze of uncertainty that fogged my mind. Since we had landed, the dark shadows beneath Hadrian’s eyes had only intensified. Cristilia’s story of warning played in my mind as I saw just how drained Hadrian was. I just hoped we had enough time before we lost him to the Heartfire.
The billowing smoke still flowed proudly from the temple in the valley. Our next task was finding out who this Keeper was. Penna and his map did not indicate who it might be. I only hoped it would be an easy find once we entered the temple. As easy as asking one of the holy men or women. They ought to know.
I couldn't take this sitting around a moment longer. Jumping up, I hollered for Emaline and Jasrov while pulling at Hadrian’s arm. “It’s time we get down there.”
It was agreed. The griffins took flight, probably to find food or a lake to bathe in, and we began our descent down the hill towards the stone temple. We stumbled down the slope like new fawns, feet awkwardly finding divots in the ground, so we didn’t slip on the morning wet grass. Bell bounded down the hill, even being distracted enough to chase a small yellow bird that burst from a shrub. We all laughed as Bell made a leap and landed, empty-jawed, in a ball on the ground.
The closer we got, the more intense the smell of fire became. I shared a worried look with Hadrian. The smell brought back visions of the destruction in Nasamel.
Before I could complain, Emaline pointed towards the outer temple walls. “Look…”
We all followed her finger. What I thought from a distance was cracks in old stone were large vines that wrapped hungrily around the temple.
“I’ve never seen vines this big before,” I said, turning to Jasrov for direction.
Jasrov pulled a face. “They were not here last time I visited.”
“And when was that?” Hadrian looked as confused as I was.
“Two weeks ago…”
We all paused our descent and looked back at the temple. It seemed as if the all the pieces of the puzzle came together in that second. Then we began to run.
Hadrian had pulled the Alorian sword from its sheath on his back, and Emaline cocked an arrow in her bow. Jasrov was empty-handed, but Bell stayed close with her teeth bared.
“Stay together,” Hadrian hushed, reaching the outer wall first. We could not see into the heart of the temple and its courtyard, but the last time I saw smoke like that that grew from the other side of the wall was in Nasamel. My heart sank, and my hand gripped tighter on the silvered dagger I had pulled free without realizing.
We huddled, Jasrov between us, as we walked around the corner of the wall.
This was no temple. Not anymore. Buried beneath earth and vines, it was in ruin.
Jasrov’s angered shout lit up the sky, sending burning horror through my body.
GREEDY JADE VINES the size of fully grown snakes looped around crumbled rock and stone. What once was a courtyard was now covered in soil and moss. Slabs of stone had been broken in half as weeds the height of Alorian elves grew through them.
“This is impossible,” Jasrov whispered, his eyes wide as he looked at the damage before us. He stepped forward first, leaving the protection of our circle. “The temple, this… it has been destroyed.”
It seemed like the temple had been in ruins for years. Every sense of mine became overrun with earth. As I stepped closer to the destruction, the strong taste of dirt coated my mouth.
“And you said you came here weeks ago?” Hadrian asked, hands gripped on the handle of his sword.
“Yes, and two weeks before that…” Jasrov said.
Emaline walked up to one of the remaining walls and tapped her bow on what seemed to be a bundle of foliage that bulged from the stone. She caught our attention when she began to pull the vines until they snapped loudly as they came apart. A hand, white in death, sagged from a hole in the cocoon of earth and vine. It hung free, its white skin a stark constant to the jade green around it. Emaline gasped, stepping away as the body tipped forward.
“No,” Jasrov cried. He attempted to run for the body, but Hadrian pulled him back.
“Do not be a fool. It is too late,” Hadrian said.
It was a man, clothed in a robe that was now flecked with dust and destruction. His eyes were wide and mouth open. Yet his chest did not move. The vines still claimed the lower half of his body, but that was not what killed him. An angered red mark looped around his neck. He’d been strangled.
“It’s as if the earth had reclaimed them all,” Emaline said, taking cautious steps back from the wall.
“What magick is capable of this…” I began. Even as I said it, a shiver ran up my spine. There was only one with magick dark enough to create such death.
I could see from Emaline and Hadrian’s face that they knew as well.
“The Druid.”
“This magick is unnatural.” Jasrov stepped forward, arms wrapped around his waist. “We should leave.”
“We are here for the Keeper. If there is even a chance the keeper is alive, we must go looking,” I nodded my head to the central doorway to the temple, a dark hole less welcoming than I imagined.
“Zacriah is right,” Emaline said. She wasn’t about to give up now. “Be ready for anything.”
Hadrian’s blue flame seemed pulsed at the mention of the Druid. My wrist grew stiff.
“You can either stay out here all alone or stay close with us,” Emaline said to Jasrov, moving towards the main entrance. “Your promise to get here is fulfilled; we no longer need you. So, go.”
“You all have wings and weapons; all I have is a fox with pointy teeth. I don’t see how that would help me if the Druid is in there.” Jasrov tried to hide his shaking hands. “Or if he comes for me out here. I am sticking with you, regardless of what my job was.”
Emaline pulled a curved dagger from her belt and handed it to Jasrov. “If the Druid is in there, he will go for us first. It’s our power he needs, not yours. At the first sign of danger, I want you to call for the griffins and get out of here. Return to Queen Kathine in Kandilin town and give her this dagger. She will know what it means.”
“Do you think he knows about the Staff?” I asked. "If he gets it before us..." I couldn't fathom what that could mean.
“Yes, but not for the same reasons we are,” Hadrian said, shrugging the cloak from his shoulders then dropping it to the mossy ground. “I will go in first, follow close behind.” He
held the long sword in both hands, flashing the Alorian steel in the direction of the temple door.
Before the griffins had left, Emaline had taken the trident and strapped it to her back. She pulled it free, swapping the forked weapon instead of her bow and arrow. The points of the four forks winked in the dull light, a warning to anyone watching from the shadows.
I had a sword at my waist and a bow strapped in my back. Even with the presence of my own weapons, I wished I had taken my metal claws with me. They were packed in my sack, which was high in the sky with Jerk.
Hadrian stepped over a pile of stone and into the darkness of the doorway. As he entered the dark temple, his gleam intensified and reflected off the walls. I stepped in first, Emaline following in after with Jasrov and Bell. Hadrian’s Heartfire gave us enough light to see the damage to the temple. Once we entered, the walkway opened to stairs that disappeared down into the ground. With caution, we walked down, trying to keep as quiet as possible. All I could hear was the panting of Bell beside me and the occasional drip of water down the walls beside me.
The stone stairs went on for a while until we reached a level floor. Despite Hadrian’s glow, it was hard to see more than three steps before us. What I could make out was that the vines had reached this far down and had overtaken the walls and floor. I even tripped, stumbling into Hadrian, who quickly stopped me from falling.
“Careful, Petal,” Hadrian whispered.
I nodded, squeezing his upper arms before he turned back to carry on walking.
“Something doesn’t smell right in here,” Jasrov complained, placing a hand on a large vine that had overtaken the wall beside him. “The vines, they’re dead. I can feel them, and they are empty of life. Whatever magick this is, it’s more complicated than even I could understand.”
My palm became cold when I proceeded to place it on a vine nearest to me. I raised my hand and brought it back down with vigor. The vine snapped and dropped to the stone floor where it crumbled into a dark green powder.
“If the Druid caused this, then he must be long gone. The magick is wearing off, killing the unnatural vines.” Emaline said.