by Ed Masessa
Serena examined the nearest rock. But as she rubbed her hand over the smooth surface it tingled her palm.
“It takes incredible energy to maintain a dome like this.” She carefully lifted one side of the boulder—just enough to reveal another rock beneath it. But this one was dull green with large splotches of red. “I learned about this. It’s a mineral called bloodstone. In ancient times, magicians claimed it gave them the power of invisibility. Seems they might have been right. And see these darker red spots? My guess is it’s human blood, which would explain the DNA part of the puzzle.
“The boulders serve to conceal the bloodstone and probably act as conductors to maximize their power. Absolute genius.”
“So let’s just move the stones and change the pattern,” Luis suggested eagerly. “That should mess up the dome, right?”
“Don’t touch them,” Bryndis commanded. “Malachai is always a step ahead. My guess is he has a fail-safe or two built in. Best we leave them alone for now.”
They worked their way down to the wall. Bryndis cupped her hands and Serena stepped into them, hoisting herself upward. She wedged a foot into a seam between the boulders and pulled herself up to stand on it. “I don’t see any breaks in the wall,” she said. “Looks like we’ll have to climb over.”
She reached for Luis’s hand as Bryndis pushed from below. By lying on their bellies, they were able to pull Bryndis to the top. The three of them scanned the countryside. The opposite side of the wall opened up into a wide expanse of rolling hills. In the near distance, a hamlet consisting of half a dozen homes was surrounded by farms and fences where cattle and goats grazed peacefully. A woman emerged from a home and tossed a bucket of something liquid into a pasture before limping back inside.
The apprentices crouched down. When there were no other signs of activity, they lowered themselves to the ground. With nothing to offer them cover, they advanced in single file, hoping they wouldn’t be spotted. Their luck almost held out … almost.
An old man in threadbare jeans stepped from the corner of the closest home and leveled a rifle at them. Bryndis halted the group and motioned for Serena and Luis to flank her. She wanted the old man to see they were just children.
“Who are you?” he asked in Romanian.
Bryndis turned to her friends, who shrugged. “We are looking for friends of ours,” she said, hoping the man knew some English.
The man cocked his head. He used the gun to motion them to go inside.
“I don’t trust him,” Bryndis whispered.
“We don’t have much choice,” Serena answered.
As they stepped inside, they were met with the mouthwatering aroma of hot food. An even older woman stood next to a rough-hewn table that appeared to be more stable than the walls of their home. Five bowls of hot stew sat on the table.
“So much for sneaking up on them,” Luis said as his stomach growled loudly.
The old woman laughed. “Stai. Manca.” She used her hands to translate. Sit. Eat.
Bryndis pulled up a chair and the others followed. “How do we know it’s not poisoned?” she asked as Luis scooped a spoonful of delicious meat into his mouth.
His eyes widened. He held his hands to his throat as if choking. The old woman chuckled as she ladled more stew into his bowl. “How do you say thank you in Romanian?” he asked.
“You are welcome.” The old woman surprised them by switching to English. “We learn your language from other visitors.”
The old man wiped a finger across Serena’s coat and sniffed it. He squinted, then looked past them into the distance, putting two and two together. “Clever.” He smiled warmly. “You are familiar with our wizard?”
“Shhh!” The old woman glanced worriedly at the door.
“Sorry … our Wand Master.” He rolled his eyes.
“He has killed for less,” she said sternly.
“Our friends have been captured.” Bryndis wiped her lips and set the spoon down. “We’ve come to rescue them.”
The old man laughed. “You waste your time. No one escapes. We have been here over forty years.” His voice trailed off, a man defeated. “But you are here, so you have, well, nothing to lose. Correct?”
Bryndis nodded.
“Perhaps we don’t, either.” He left the table and went into another room. He emerged holding a rolled parchment, which he spread out on the table. An elaborate sketch of a village had been drawn in exquisite detail. “I used to be an artist … before,” he said proudly. “The village is a half-day walk, but you are young so maybe quicker. Here”—he stabbed a finger at the illustration—“is where he lives.”
For the next hour, they pored over the sketch. The old man pointed out the safest route as well as the traps and pitfalls they would encounter. “But you must arrive before dark,” he said ominously. “Many strange flying creatures keep us indoors.”
As they made final preparations to leave, the old woman hobbled over to offer food for their journey. She had wrapped strips of dried beef and a loaf of brown bread into a tight bundle, which Luis offered too willingly to carry.
“If I catch you picking the caraway seeds out of that bread, I will break your fingers,” Bryndis warned.
“It will be worth it.” He laughed.
The old woman fidgeted with her hands as if she were troubled. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything you want.” Serena knew it would be difficult to repay the kindness they’d been shown.
“I have a sister. Natalia. She always loved to hike in the forest. We brought her to these mountains for her birthday and we never left. Bad present. Every year he makes her wear a tiara and eat a cake made from things no human should eat. And every year she spits it back at him.” She smiled briefly, a twinkle of admiration in her eyes. “She is strong-willed and would not surrender to him. To this day, he still tries to break her.
“Not long ago, he took her beautiful eyes. She will never see me again.” Her shoulders began to shudder with a sob but she shook it off. “If you see her, tell her we are well.” She stepped forward and gripped Serena’s wrists firmly. “And if you can, make him pay.”
Serena stared into her eyes and saw the fire that burned within her soul. “You have my word.”
Henry ran through the list in his head. Giant moa, elephant bird, diatryma, phoenix—all giant birds he had read about, both real and fictional. But nothing could have prepared him for what he faced when he entered that room. The resting creature was too big for a cage—or perhaps the room was cage enough, as there was hardly any space for it to move about.
Unlike the other rooms, this one had a sunken floor that doubled its height, and the bird needed every inch of it. The walls were constructed of enormous blocks of marble that had faded from white to beige over time, while the floor appeared to be the bedrock upon which the prison was built.
Henry felt Brianna and Katelyn move in behind him. “Don’t say a word,” he said softly. Not softly enough. The bird slowly opened one eye and gazed down upon them as the rest of its massive body also began to awaken. Long brownish-gray feathers unruffled as it drew up to its full height, nearly touching the ceiling, fifteen meters tall.
“Maybe we should leave now.” Brianna’s voice wavered.
Henry winced as a wave of thought collided with his mind. He clutched his chest as his original wand—the one he had used to summon a flock of blue jays over a year ago—began to emit short bursts of electricity. Either my wand connects me to all birds, or this giant is an ancient ancestor of the blue jay, he thought.
He glanced up and met the bird’s cold, hard stare. “It … she won’t hurt us,” he said. His head bucked as another wave of thought slammed into him.
“Henry, what’s wrong?” Katelyn reached for his arm but he pulled away.
“She’s trying to tell me something. But it’s so loud … she’s in pain!” Henry’s ankle began to throb and his arm got a sudden kink in it. He was feeling what she felt, and he didn’t fight i
t. He allowed his senses to open up and found the sources of the bird’s pain. An invisible chain large enough to secure a battleship held the bird’s leg to the floor, and an invisible wire was binding her wings.
“Is this what I think it is?” Brianna asked.
Henry nodded. “She’s the Roc that Bryndis had located with the help of the dragon. She’s been locked up here for years. The dragon must have told Bryndis about her so we could help her escape.”
Katelyn suddenly laughed, which startled the giant bird. “Sorry, but in your wildest imagination, did you ever think you’d see dragons and Giant Rocs?”
Henry smiled. Your imagination knows no bounds, Coralis had told him once. But he also knew his limitations. He could feel the power of the spell that held the Roc captive. He connected silently with the bird and told her they would be back.
In response, the bird tucked her razor-sharp beak beneath her wing and plucked off a downy feather. Brianna gasped as the Roc extended her neck toward Henry. Her head was easily the size of a full-grown elephant.
The bird gently nudged the feather into Henry’s hand. He felt the life-force of the bird through the feather as he tucked it into his coat and led the others from the room. As he closed the door behind them, the feather was no longer bound by its spell. A surge of power flooded Henry’s senses, and the world exploded in exceptional clarity. He grinned from ear to ear as he continued to absorb the power of the Roc. “Let’s get out of here.”
Henry, Katelyn, and Brianna crept through the alley behind Malachai’s prison. Henry’s newfound “sight” had saved them hours of fumbling about. Whatever he had absorbed from the Roc’s feather enabled him to visualize a path with no obstructions. He literally had them walking through walls, as he was able to see right through all of Malachai’s illusions.
But as they entered the alley, he became very cautious. The trip-wire illusion should have tipped off Malachai that they had escaped, but the evil Wand Master had not confronted them, nor had he sent any kind of minion—smelly human or otherwise. Which meant that Henry could be leading them right into a trap. “Do either of you sense anything?”
“Nay, but I get your meaning,” said Katelyn. “That was too easy. But on the other hand, maybe he’s gone completely mad. Lost touch with reality.”
Henry poked his head around the corner of the building and examined the rear and side facades. There was nothing about the three-story house that would lead anyone to believe the horrors that were held inside. He led them down the alley. The fieldstone walls that lined it were a full meter over Henry’s head. They had been built in long sections, separated by thick blocks of timber that reminded Henry of railroad ties. Every four sections were further divided by stone arches that provided entrance to other alleys. Henry rushed the girls across the alley, but smelled something familiar. He approached one of the timber columns. It glistened with a black sheen that smelled like tar. He quickly identified it as creosote, which he knew was used to weatherproof wood. It was still moist, which meant it had recently been applied.
He examined his surroundings and realized how meticulously everything had been maintained. Cobblestones had been swept clean. Paint evenly brushed, with no stains or chips. Window casements … He pulled Katelyn and Brianna out of sight into an arch as a shadow passed in front of a second-story window. His heart thumped like a rabbit’s foot in his chest; he was afraid that they had been spotted.
Evil resonated through the glass. With his heightened acuity, it felt like needles poking through his skin. He knew without a doubt it was Malachai. The Wand Master stepped into clear view of the apprentices, his eyes trained on the distant skies.
Henry gasped. Either Katelyn had understated the horror or it had gotten much worse. Malachai’s face was an absolute mess. He seemed to be oblivious to their presence. His lips moved as if he was talking to someone. Then he slowly raised his hands, which held a sphere of swirling energy.
He suddenly burst out in laughter that dissolved into a retching cough. Henry grimaced as Malachai wiped blood from his mouth against his sleeve. That’s when he noticed that the Wand Master’s shirt was covered in dark red splotches. He held the sphere close to his face.
“What on Earth?” Brianna whispered.
The sphere swirled faster. At least half a dozen snakelike cords grew from its surface and attached themselves to Malachai’s face. His eyes began to glow with an unearthly green light. His mouth opened as if to scream but nothing came out.
Henry couldn’t watch any longer. He grabbed Katelyn and Brianna by the arm and sprinted down a side alley. They turned left, then right, then left again, picking up speed with every turn. Only when they were safely enclosed in a stone tunnel did they stop to catch their breath.
“What was that thing?” Brianna clutched Henry by the front of his coat. Her white-knuckled fists shook with a mixture of anger and fear. “It was doing something to him. Changing him!”
“I think that was the Pangaea Particle.” As he said the words, he knew instinctively he was right.
Brianna leaned heavily against a wall and buried her face in her hands. Katelyn placed an arm around her and tried to calm her.
Henry’s thoughts drifted back to the chart of the Particle’s elements. “The great unknown.” Again, he knew it was right as he said it. “Coralis told us there was an element in the Particle that could not be identified. I think we just saw why. Maybe it’s some kind of self-defense mechanism.”
“I still think he’s gone mad.” Katelyn began to walk away.
“Insane is more like it.” The voice came from the far end of the tunnel.
Henry ran to Katelyn’s side and pulled his wand from his coat, though he wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Who’s there?” His voice cracked and he cringed. He could not show weakness. “Show yourself,” he said with more authority.
The voice chuckled. “Or what? Do you think you can do worse to me than what that wizard has done?” A figure stepped into the mouth of the tunnel. With the light at its back, only an outline was discernable to the trio of apprentices. “Come. I won’t bite.”
As they approached, they could see it was an old woman hunched over with age and afflictions. A well-worn shawl was draped loosely over her shoulders and her hair was tucked into a floral-patterned babushka.
“And what might three children be doing running like rabbits fleeing a fox?” She lifted her head to reveal empty sockets where her eyes should be. Katelyn unsuccessfully attempted to stifle a cry. “Yes, he did this to me, which should answer some of your questions.” Her body was feeble but her voice was firm, as if she took a measure of pride in her condition. “Now, what about you? Give me a reason I should not report you to him.” She spat onto the cobblestones.
“Something is wrong with him,” Henry said shakily.
She laughed again, then cocked her head. “Have you seen him?” They nodded. “You’re going to have to speak up.” She smiled grimly as she pointed to an eye socket.
“Sorry.” Henry gave her a brief account of how they’d ended up in Malachai’s prison. Katelyn interrupted with some colorful descriptions.
“American and Irish,” the woman noted. “What about the silent one?”
“My sister,” said Henry. He expected Brianna to come back with an I-can-speak-for-myself retort. When she didn’t speak up, he turned toward her. She was rooted in place. Her body leaned slightly forward in a drooping posture. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused and her mouth agape.
“Brianna!” Katelyn said sharply.
Gradually, Brianna straightened and shook her head as if coming out of a trance. “Well, that was different,” she remarked. “Don’t ask me why or how, but I feel like I need to try something.” She took the old woman’s hands in her own and squeezed gently. Brianna dipped her head and closed her eyes in deep concentration.
At first, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, the woman’s body jerked as if hit with an electric shock. Her body stiffened. She gasped—a cro
ss between pain and wonder. Brianna turned her head toward Henry and opened her eyes.
Henry could tell a stranger was looking at him through his sister’s eyes.
“No! How is this possible?” The woman tore her hands away from Brianna. “Witch!” she hissed.
Brianna gently touched the woman’s arm. “Not a witch. An Enabler,” she explained calmly. “My brother and Katelyn have special powers like your wizard. Mine are different and I’m still learning about them. I can amplify their power with my voice. I can understand mice and rats. And now—apparently—I can help a blind woman see.”
The old woman’s forehead creased in deep lines of thought. “You say you have power like him? Can you defeat him?”
Henry paused before answering. He wanted to show strength and confidence, but seeing what the woman had been through, he decided to speak from the heart. “Honestly? We don’t know. We’ve been separated from our group and we were counting on strength in numbers. Our leader, Coralis, has power that is a match for Malachai, but he has also been captured and we don’t know where he is or how to find him. So right now, we’re flying by the seat of our pants. But we’re not giving up. And if we should fail, at least Malachai will know he’s been in one heckuva battle.”
The old woman breathed deeply as she relaxed. “That is good enough for me. By the way, my name is Natalia. I have waited a long time to find another willing to stand up to him. I will do what I can to help.” She reached her hands out.
Brianna took a deep breath to brace herself and reconnected with Natalia, who led them through the maze of alleys until they arrived at the back door of her home. Brianna found a mirror in the tiny bedroom so that Natalia could meet her face-to-face. She had been careful to avoid looking directly at Natalia to save her from seeing what had become of her beautiful face. But she had the wrong angle on the mirror. Natalia squeezed her hand tightly but did not flinch. Instead she asked Katelyn to remove the babushka from her head and tie it like a blindfold around her eyes.