“But we can use this to our advantage,” Maveryck said. “The queen will use the sword to call Theht to our world, and then use it to control the goddess, but she is exposing herself to a great weakness. The sword is also the only weapon that can kill the goddess. We have to wait for Theht to return, and then we will use the sword to destroy the goddess once and for all.”
“You make it sound simple,” Kull remarked.
“It won’t be simple, or easy, but it may be the only opportunity we’ll ever get to stop the goddess from taking control of our world.”
“And of stopping an asteroid from destroying us,” I added.
“But how will we get there in time?” Kull asked. “We’re days away from the northlands.”
“We’ll create a portal,” he said, nodding toward the staff he held. “Using this.”
“You know how to control it?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered. “It took a bit of re-learning on my part. As you know, this was once my brother Zaladin’s staff, long ago. My elder brother and I were friends. He taught me to use it, but I had forgotten everything about it—until now. When we crossed through the portal from the dark world back into Faythander, this staff crossed with us, jarring some of my memories. I used its power to locate the both of you, and I was even able to create a portal to get us here.”
“And you think you can create another portal to get us to the northlands?”
“I’m confident I can.”
“Then we can’t wait,” I said. “We need to get there as soon as possible.”
“Don’t be so hasty,” Heidel answered. “We’ll need weapons, supplies, and warm clothing if we wish to traverse through the northlands. Although it is no longer crawling with goblins, we’ll still have the elves to contend with. This will not be an easy journey.”
“But where will we get supplies?” I asked.
“The elves will have the supplies we need here in Celestara,” Maveryck answered.
“How do you know that?” Kull asked.
“Because I’ve spent some time here, although it has been many years. The elves will aid us in our quest. I’ve no doubt of that.”
“Very well,” Kull said. “Then what? We travel to the northlands?”
“Yes,” Maveryck answered. “We travel to the northlands. And pray we survive.”
Several hours later, Heidel, Maveryck, Kull, and I stood outside the elven village. The afternoon breeze stirred the tall grass surrounding us, the sound similar to waves on an ocean, bringing with it the faint scent of lavender. Beyond us lay the shimmering dome surrounding Celestara. My heart pricked as I stared at the village where I’d been married. Would I ever return here again?
As I studied the sky overhead, the pale blue seemed dimmer, as if a shadow had fallen over the world. Maybe it was just my imagination, but was the approaching asteroid draining the light from the world? Conflicting emotions warred within me. Would I be able to stop the asteroid? Or would I do the exact opposite? I knew all too well what the prophecy said—but I also had a little knowledge now on how to manipulate it. Clutching at the necklace around my neck, I felt the smooth warmth of the bone fragment. Its presence gave me strength—that and the ring I wore. If time really could be manipulated, I knew the key to doing it lay in the pure magic of my ring.
“You seem lost in thought,” Kull said, approaching me.
I turned to him. “I was just wondering how we’re going to win this one.”
His face turned dark, but then he took my hand, and the look disappeared. “We’ll find a way.”
“You know, sometimes you’re optimistic to a fault.”
“That may be true, but that’s the natural result of always being right.”
“You’re also arrogant to a fault.”
A sly grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. He pulled me to him and kissed my head. “We’ll get through this, Olive. There’s no need to worry.” But as he said it, I heard the doubt in his voice. We knew what the prophecies said. One of us would die, killed by the other’s hand. Even so, Lucretian believed that wasn’t the worst part. Mending the rift, to him, had seemed more dire. But what could that possibly mean? And why had it caused him so much alarm?
From the city, two elves approached us. As they drew nearer, I recognized the two men as Wendolun and Eyrin. They wore dark green robes with golden stitching, and their high cheekbones and pointed ears gave them an air of mysticism.
They stopped as they reached us, and each man fisted their hands over the hearts. I wasn’t sure why they’d come. The elves had already been overly generous, donating an array of supplies for our journey, including food and heavy, fur-lined cloaks.
“We have come to wish you good luck,” Eyrin said. “May our gods smile upon your journey into the harshest of places in our world. We do not envy you in this quest. We also wish you to know that if you ever need a place of refuge, our home is open to you.”
“Thank you,” I answered.
The two elven men nodded.
“Olive, Kull, may I speak with you in private?” Wendolun asked.
“Of course,” I answered, although I wondered what he could possibly have to say. Kull and I followed him down a short path that led through the tall grass and away from the others. When we reached a shallow pond, we stopped. Wendolun pulled something out of his pocket, though he kept his hand fisted.
“I realize we have not known one another for long, but I feel a connection to the both of you. What I said at your wedding ceremony was not something I say to everyone—or to anyone—ever. I believe you to be the future king and queen of our world.”
Kull and I traded glances, and then Kull cleared his throat.
“That’s very kind of you to say.” Kull spoke in a polite tone, but I thought he knew, as well as I did, that what Wendolun said was impossible.
“I know my words must sound strange to your ears, but I feel that if you make the correct choices, you will both be rewarded beyond what you can imagine.”
He opened his hand to reveal two rings. The afternoon sun made the silver bands sparkle, and it was then that I realized they were no ordinary rings. The silver gleamed with its own light—a shimmer that was almost indiscernible—but I felt the magic in the bands causing them to shine with a dim silvery luster.
“These bands are made of celestarite,” Wendolun said. “It’s a rare mineral our forefathers found in these very ponds surrounding us. The metal has been tempered and worked with magic. They will be a protection to you. I hope you will accept my gift—and if it is not too presumptuous—perhaps they can also be a symbol of your marriage here in our village—to always remind you of the vows you made here.”
“They’re beautiful,” I said, taking one of the bands. It was so light it felt as though it was made of air, but as I slipped it on, its magic combined with mine, weighing gently on my hand.
Kull took his ring, but I gently pulled it from him to slide the band onto his ring finger myself. He smiled, then pressed a kiss to my lips.
“Now we’ve got rings to prove we’re married,” I said. “Hiding this from your sister might not be so easy anymore.”
“You’re right. Hopefully, we’ll be too busy reclaiming lost swords for her to notice.”
We turned back to Wendolun. “Thank you,” I said.
“Yes,” Kull added. “Your gift to us on this day will not be forgotten.”
The elven man smiled. “It is my pleasure.”
The three of us left the secluded area by the pond and made it back to where the others stood. Grace shifted as we approached. With the way she pranced at her master’s side, I could tell she was antsy.
The elves stood aside as Maveryck walked to the center of our group. Holding the staff, he motioned for us to gather around him.
“I will attempt to create a portal to the northlands. I will warn you, however, that controlling the staff’s magic has not been easy. Olive, I could use the aid of your magic to balance the spell. If y
ou could place your hand on the staff.”
I did as he said. Apprehension knotted my stomach as I glanced back at the elven village, the two elven men, and then at Kull.
I didn’t know what the future held, but soon, the fight would end, and whether we still had our lives by the end of it, I couldn’t be sure.
I only hoped we all had something left to live for.
Chapter 21
My stomach flipped as lights appeared in my vision. I gripped the staff, willing my magic to keep the four of us steady as we crossed the continent. Crossing from one world to another was my expertise, but traveling over the Faythander countryside without creating a portal to another world was something wholly unfamiliar.
I felt Maveryck’s magic combine with the staff’s, but even so, we seemed to move at breakneck speed.
A white blur surrounded us before the magic popped out of existence and we landed in the snow.
Icy wind bit at my exposed skin. Glancing around, I found Kull, Maveryck, Heidel, and Grace all strewn haphazardly atop the snowbank. Our gear had landed with us, and some of it had fallen free from the packs and into the snow.
Before our hands and faces went numb, we found our cloaks and put them on. I also pulled on a pair of leather gloves. After securing our supplies, we stood on the hilltop and scanned the horizon.
The snowstorm gave us poor visibility, but as the wind died down for a moment, a mountain range appeared through the blowing snow.
“There,” Heidel said, pointing to the horizon. “I recognize those mountains. We’ll find shelter in the caves that run through the mountains, then follow them through to the other side where the elves are holding Olive’s parents.”
“I hope you’re right,” Kull said. “We’ll not last long in this cold, not when night falls.”
We set off. As we walked, my mind was absorbed by the cold. The only thing I could seem to focus on was putting one foot in front of the other. Blanketed by thick gray clouds, the sun was barely visible. It only appeared as a faint white orb hovering in the sky.
It seemed such a drastic change to the magical elven village that my mind had trouble accepting this was my reality now. If I could’ve stayed back there forever, I would have in a heartbeat. I’d never felt happier in my entire life. Now that we were here, back on the path to saving the world from endless doom and with the threat of death hanging over our heads, I couldn’t help but think I’d taken a step backward. I never knew if I would get back to that place where I wanted to be—where I could be happy—ever again.
If we failed in this quest, I knew the answer.
The sun dipped lower toward the horizon, draining the light from the world as we finally approached the foothills and ascended the rocky terrain toward the mountains. As we climbed, I glanced up at the imposing wall of gray rock peppered with patches of snow. Beyond these mountains, I would either find salvation or death.
With night approaching, the cloak and gloves weren’t enough to combat the icy sting in the air. My nose and ears had grown numb. If we didn’t get out of the wind soon, we wouldn’t last much longer. Snowflakes froze to my eyelashes, making it difficult to see anything.
After cresting a small mountain, we faced the base of a much larger mountain. A dark spot stood out against the sheer granite slab.
“There,” Heidel said, pointing to the dark area. “That’s the tunnel that will lead us through the mountain. On the other side, across a lake, is where we’ll find The Hollows.”
Crossing the distance to the tunnel felt like the longest walk yet, as all my energy had been drained by the cold. I wanted nothing more than to collapse in the snow and be done with this journey forever, but I forced myself to move forward, feeling the breath turn to ice in my lungs.
The tunnel rose before us, taller than it had appeared in the distance. I followed the others inside. Our footsteps, once muffled by the snow, now echoed as we stepped into the entrance.
The temperature rose, humidity making my clothes cling to my skin. We pulled off our cloaks and gloves. The warm air slowly thawed my face and fingers, making them tingle, although I couldn’t be more grateful to be out of the cold.
“This way,” Heidel called. Leaving the blowing snowstorm behind, we followed Heidel deeper into the tunnel. As we treaded through the cavern, our way was lit by magic sparking through the crystal formations growing along the ground and in the ceiling above us.
“How far does this tunnel go?” Kull asked.
“All the way through the mountain, although it should not take us long to pass through,” Heidel answered. “Once we’re on the other side and across the lake, that’s when we should worry.”
Water dripped somewhere in the distance. In a few places, we found evidence of goblins—a broken weapon here and a discarded cauldron there. In some places, we found bones or dead animals.
We entered a larger chamber with several paths branching away from us, but Heidel led us without hesitation down the path to the left.
“How much time did you spend in these lands?” Maveryck asked Heidel.
“More time than I should have,” she said, then stopped and unsheathed her blade.
Grace raised the hackles along her back and stood perfectly still, her ears pricked forward. Kull also unsheathed Gnat Biter and held it at the ready. Listening, I used my elven hearing to pick up the sound of breathing coming from up ahead.
“There’s something up there,” I whispered.
But as I listened, the sound soon disappeared, leaving us in silence.
“What was that?” I asked after a pause.
“Could be anything,” Kull answered. “Burbonski, grimwelt…”
“Jagamoor,” Heidel interrupted.
“You’re sure about that?” I asked. “I didn’t know they wandered this far north.”
“They don’t,” Kull said. “Not that I’ve heard of.”
Heidel only shrugged, then replaced her knife. “I’ve heard rumors.”
“Rumors of what?” I asked.
“The queen has been using certain breeds of animals in experiments,” Maveryck answered. “Jagamoors among them, including some she was creating to be larger, more vicious, and some that are more tolerant to the cold.”
“Well then,” Kull said. “If that’s the case, it’s a good thing we’ve brought along the only person who has beaten the largest one on record—and happened to do it while tied up.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is that really true?”
“Of course!”
“But these are no ordinary jagamoors,” Heidel interjected. “They’ve been transformed with the queen’s magic.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Sister. We don’t yet know what we’re dealing with—could’ve been an uncommonly large field mouse we heard.”
“That was no field mouse,” Heidel said.
“Let’s keep going,” I said. “I have an uneasy feeling about this, and the more time we wait, the less chance my parents have of surviving.”
We hiked through the cave until the tunnel narrowed, but as it did, I caught a whiff of fresh air. Soon, we walked out onto an open tundra. A frozen lake spread out before us. Snow whipped across the frozen surface, and tiny icy crystals sparkled in the moonlight.
Far across the lake, past the other shore, orange pinpricks of light flickered on a hillside.
“Are those campfires?” I asked.
“Yes, most likely,” Kull answered.
“It’s the elves,” Maveryck said. “That is where we will find your parents.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“On the other side of that hill is the entrance to The Hollows,” Heidel said. “Be warned—it is a place of dark powers and of death. There is no other place more evil in Faythander. There is a reason why Geth chose to hide the sword there, because its dark powers occlude even the purest forms of magic. There is no other place like it. Not even the queen can enter the inner chamber. That is why she needs Olive.”
I swallowed my fear as I studied the dark form of the hillside. A cold chill crept up my spine.
We pulled on our cloaks before setting out across the lake with only the moonlight to illuminate our path. Carried on the wind, sparkling ice crystals danced past us as the haunting howl of the wind resonated in our ears. The thin layer of snow covering the ice kept us from slipping. As we approached the lake’s center, something moved ahead of us. I could only make out several large figures moving fast toward us.
Kull and Heidel unsheathed swords. I readied my magic, letting it pool into my fists until they glowed blue and amber, like fire.
Two monsters appeared under the moonlight. I’d never seen anything like them. They resembled large predatory cats, but their bodies were skeletal, with heads resembling the skulls of a jaguar. Each creature wore a pelt of black-and-gray-striped fur, resembling a tiger’s stripes.
Their eye sockets glowed the way a cat’s eyes would reflect the moonlight.
“Are those jagamoors?” Kull asked.
“Not anymore,” Maveryck answered.
Magic glistened around the animals. The power felt wrong, as if it had been tainted with blood magic. Growling, the monsters approached us. Their magic pressed against mine, challenging me. Unsated violence emanated from their magic. It had the characteristics of Queen Euralysia’s powers—although they felt darker than I’d ever sensed before. There was only one thing that could make someone’s magic get that tainted—murder. She had the blood of innocents on her hands.
She’d killed the babies with gray magic, and now her magic had warped into something dark and evil as the result.
The creature closest to us leaped forward. With massive claws, it swiped for Heidel’s vital organs. She jumped back, but the beast’s claw snagged her leg, ripping her calf muscle open. She fell back, screaming. I reacted with magic as the second creature attacked Kull. He stabbed at the beast, but his blade had no effect on it, so I released my magic, punching it with a wave of blue and amber in the chest.
The beast roared and fell back as the second monster attacked. Maveryck released the staff’s magic and hit it in the face. The monster screamed, but continued forward, swiping its massive claws and catching the thief across the middle, the same way it had tried to do to Heidel.
Fairy World M.D., Boxed Set Two (4-6.5) Page 65