“There’s only one place nearby where we can lose them. We have to get to the Blackroot Grotto!” Aelyph shouted as they ran from the tunnel’s entrance and toward the surrounding trees. “If we go through the streams, they won’t be able to track us by scent!”
“So we go west?” Sapphire asked.
“That’s not the direction to the Midnight Tower!” Otto shouted.
Well, obviously.
“It’s a detour. If you want my help, we need to make sure they can’t track us. Otherwise, they’ll just find where we are and take us back before we can even get to the Tower.”
“Either that or you just want a place to hide our bodies!” Otto yelled back.
Sapphire shook her head. “Don’t be such a coward. He just saved us from a Glimmerwing! Do you really think he would betray us now?”
“That Glimmerwing was in the way of him getting to freedom; he could have just defeated it so he could flee faster!” Otto called back.
“Are you really questioning him on this now?”
Emerald stopped, causing everyone else to halt in their tracks. “Hey, does anyone else smell that?”
Sapphire frowned. “Smell what?”
“It smells like something’s burni—”
There was a loud explosion from behind them. A blast of hot air engulfed them. They turned to see that a massive, flaming hole had been blown in the wall of dead trees around the Flicker Fire Grove, its edges scorched and ashes scattered over the forest floor. What shocked them the most wasn’t the flame itself, but its color. It was a dark purple . . . and it had come from above.
The four of them froze in fright, shocked from the impact. They stared as a form emerged from the flaming wreckage of the village barrier. The Midnight Queen strode between the fiery debris in her dark robes, smiling under her dark hood, her scythe pointed toward them.
“It seems my other minions are too busy dealing with your elven friends to assist me in taking care of you . . .” Behind her, the undead dragon—Nightsong—landed and let out a piercing roar. “Fortunately, I still have my dear Nightsong to take up the task!”
Otto and Sapphire both drew their swords, but it wasn’t until Aelyph turned to the Midnight Queen wielding his Dragon Lance that Nightsong’s roar ended with a sudden squeak. Even for a dragon, it looked afraid.
Well, it’s smarter than the Glimmerwing, that’s for sure.
The Midnight Queen stopped and faced the undead dragon in confusion. She gestured to the four of them, outraged that it wasn’t obeying her command, but the dragon snorted purple fire and shook its head. Still bewildered that a dragon would act in such a way, she whirled back to glare at Aelyph, leaning forward to take a closer look at his lance.
“That lance . . . that’s my lance!” she hissed at Nightsong, scrunching up her face when it wouldn’t go any closer. “When? When did you steal it? I had that kept in the Nether, there’s no way you could . . .” She trailed off and pointed at Aelyph. “You . . . I know you! You’re the one who was imprisoned in the Oubliette. How did you get free?”
“With much difficulty,” Aelyph said, repeating what he had said to Sapphire when she had asked. “If you only have the dragon with you as you claim, then with this lance you are clearly outmatched. I suggest you surrender.”
The Midnight Queen bared her teeth in fury.
“You’ll regret stealing from me!” she growled, grabbing the dragon by one of its ragged wings and swinging a leg up onto its back.
Nightsong’s wings rose and flapped down, lifting both itself and the Midnight Queen up between the trees and into the night sky. They vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving the rest of them speechless.
“Now we have even more reason to run,” Aelyph said.
Emerald’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? You just made a dragon flee for its life! What could we possibly have to fear?”
Aelyph started walking and they followed right behind him. “This lance may be able to scare away a dragon, but it can’t do anything against an army of Nether monsters if she decides to create another rift.”
Otto nodded. “He’s right. As much as I hate to admit it, the Blackroot Grotto shouldn’t be too far away, and we can lose both the elves and the Midnight Queen if she decides to send any monsters after us.”
Sapphire grinned. “That’s a quick change of heart.”
“I weighed my odds. We have more of a chance of surviving if the elves catch us than those from the Nether Realms.” He shrugged. “Remember, Princess, my goal on this journey is to reach the Midnight Tower and protect you while doing it. If an idea improves my odds of achieving either of those things, I approve of it.”
“If that’s our destination then . . .” Emerald raised a brow at Sapphire. “Shall we run?”
Sapphire beamed. “Race you, Sis!”
Before Emerald could even start running, Sapphire had taken off. Her boots carried her quickly between the trees as Emerald chased after her, with Otto and Aelyph following after them.
***
Since Sapphire was wearing armor and a cape, and her sister was lugging around her cumbersome rifle, the winner of the race could’ve ended up being any one of the contestants. However, because Emerald was more familiar with the layout of the Fae Wood, the race was already decided in her favor.
Otto and Aelyph caught up with the princesses when they arrived under a thick canopy of trees that hung over a stream leading into limestone caves. Sapphire could tell how the Blackroot Grotto got its name: the black roots from the trees wove in and around the rocks of the cave. If the stream was what had created the system of caves, it was the roots of the trees that held it together.
“We should be able to lose whoever’s following us in here.” Emerald stepped toward the stream and peered into the large opening. A thin pathway ran next to the stream. Water dripped ominously from the stalactites. “Just warning you, only the upper and outer regions of this place have been reliably mapped . . .”
Otto shrugged. “I don’t think that matters. We weren’t planning on coming here, so I don’t think any of us have a map of the place anyway.”
Sapphire shoved him. “Pointing out the obvious really is your strong suit, Shiny.”
Otto rolled his eyes. “You’re calling me that now, too?”
“You have to admit, it’s a pretty memorable name.” Aelyph shook his head. “As for the map, it wouldn’t be wise to enter this place without one. I’ve heard a lot about this place as well. Explorers come here before moving on to the more established and dangerous areas of the Wood. Other explorers have reported encountering creatures and phenomena that, while not outright hostile, have brought out strange delusions. We wouldn’t want to get lost in such a place.”
Sapphire shrugged. “Well, the Midnight Tower is north and the stream goes south, so as long as we’re going against the flow of the water, we should be fine.”
Otto put his hands on his hips and inclined his head. “Are we all sure we want to go in there?”
“Come on, guys!” Emerald waved and entered the cave. “What are you waiting for?”
Sapphire followed her in, looking back to see Otto giving Aelyph a suspicious glare. Aelyph took up the rear. Sapphire peered around the cavern. There was a group of monsters up ahead that looked like living mushrooms.
Although they appeared to be different from the smother mushrooms in the Flicker Fire Grove, it seemed Otto had learned his lesson to avoid any strange mushrooms from the way he stayed away from them. Aside from the savage-looking, sentient Kinoshroom, the other monsters looked like turtles—ones Sapphire recognized.
“Slowpokes? They’re usually pretty vicious, so why aren’t these ones . . . ?”
As they approached, the monsters neither looked up nor charged forward to attack them, as though caught in a bizarre trance. Not only were they not attacking, but they appeared to be twisted versions of ones found elsewhere in the forest.
“It’s the Deeproot Tree.” Emerald spoke up, her voice echoing off the cave walls. “These monsters are the same as those infesting the Fae Wood. The only difference is that the farther they get from the influence of the Deeproot Tree, the more twisted and demented they become.”
“Well, even if they don’t attack us, it’s still unnerving with them just hanging around like that.”
“Netherly,” Emerald agreed.
Sapphire nodded. “It’s getting late. We should find a place to set up camp.”
“Preferably away from these things,” Emerald said.
They continued on through the Grotto. The caves were rich with rare and strange life, and despite the serene nature of the flowing water, Sapphire’s warrior instincts sensed something heavy with an ill-defined menace. It had been twilight when they left the Flicker Fire Grove and evening by the time they entered the Grotto. Now Sapphire was looking for a place without monsters where they could sleep.
Eventually, they found an opening in the cave leading to a ruined stone wall connected to a series of abandoned buildings and pathways.
Otto frowned as he looked around at mortared walls. “I say, where are we?”
“The outskirts of the Acathia ruins,” Emerald said.
When they had walked for a few minutes without seeing any lurking monsters, they found an opening in the wall that led to a wide terrace at the base of steps going into the ruin.
Sapphire stopped in the darkness. “It’s here or nowhere. Let’s make camp for the night.”
Emerald shook her head. “Of all the places to lie down for the night, you had to choose outside the Acathia ruins.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Sapphire asked.
Emerald sighed and sat down. “Whatever. I’m tired anyway. All we can do is hope for the best.”
Otto sat down. “Now you’re speaking my language.”
“I’ll go get some firewood,” Aelyph said, striding into the darkness.
Sapphire watched him go and looked around, unpacking for the night. What’s wrong with this place? It doesn’t look so bad.
Chapter 14: Grim News
The fire crackled on the terrace leading into the Acathia ruins. The four of them sat across the flames from each other, staring at the ruins over the fire.
“Does anyone know about this place?” Otto asked, expecting Princess Emerald to know about it like she did everything else about the Fae Wood.
Princess Emerald looked up the stairs toward the archway leading into the dead city. “I know it’s called Acathia, but other than that . . .” She shrugged.
“It corresponds to no known civilization,” Aelyph said. “All that’s known is that it covers seven square miles and the remains appear to be that of an ancient city. In other words, people once lived here, and now they don’t.”
Princess Sapphire cupped her chin. “I wonder what happened. I mean, if it is this old but still remains standing, what would have caused the people to flee?”
Aelyph looked down. “A curse . . .” They all looked at him, but he grinned, his red eyes gleaming in the firelight. “It’s just a theory.”
“Forsaken by the Goddess . . .” Otto added. The princesses looked at him and he raised his palms. “What? If we’re giving our theories for why the place was abandoned, that’s mine.”
“Okay then.” Princess Sapphire poked at the fire with a branch. “How about this? It was invaded by a foreign people, but they were conquerors and not rulers. So after they had plundered the whole place and everyone had fled, they just packed up their loot and left.”
Princess Emerald’s eyes narrowed. “But wouldn’t people have just moved back in when they were gone? I think I agree with Aelyph; no other reason would explain why it wasn’t reinhabited.”
“Maybe it was reinhabited,” Otto continued. “Maybe people did try to re-civilize this place, but without the Goddess’s blessing, they did not have the right values to continue a lasting civilization.”
“Other realms have survived without those values,” Princess Sapphire said.
“But not without the blessing of the Goddess.” Otto sat forward and locked eyes with her. “All of Crystalia is blessed by the Goddess.”
“But for this place?”
Aelyph grinned. “And maybe that was the curse.”
“Huh.” Otto sat back. “I guess that makes sense.”
Princess Sapphire crossed her arms. “Hmph. I still think my idea was cooler, though.”
Princess Emerald patted her on the back. “Don’t worry, Sis. I’m sure this place was conquered too. Why else would everyone leave?”
“Plague,” Otto and Aelyph said at the same time, causing Princess Sapphire to scowl at them.
“A plague of what, though, I couldn’t guess,” Otto finished.
Aelyph looked at him more closely and cupped his chin. “I already took from your armor that you’re a Paladin, but I never got your name.”
“It’s Shiny!” Princess Emerald said loudly.
“That’s not my name!” Otto shook his head. “It’s actually Otto.”
“Really? That’s your name?!” Princess Emerald asked, baffled.
“Otto . . .” Aelyph seemed to roll the name around in his mouth. “Second of that name?”
Otto’s brows knitted together. “How did you know that?”
Aelyph waved a finger at him. “Ottovius! I think I recall that being your great-grandfather’s name.”
Otto’s eyes lit up. “You knew him?”
Aelyph shook his head. “Not personally, but when I fought for the Dark Consul, everyone knew about Paladin Ottovius. He led many a charge against my army. Needless to say, it was a very long time ago.”
“How old are you?” Princess Sapphire asked.
Aelyph raised an eyebrow at her. “Would you be asking that if I were female?”
“Wait, you’re a girl?” Princess Emerald burst out. They looked at her and she covered her mouth, as though just realizing how silly her question was. “Sorry.”
“No, I am not a girl.” Aelyph turned back to Otto. “And yes, I knew of your great-grandfather, but I stopped fighting for the Dark Consul during the time of your grandfather . . . and I’m sorry to hear about your father.”
Otto’s smile faded. “I say, what about my father?”
He suddenly remembered what the elves had said: And what are the odds that that would happen after what just happened to their leader?
Aelyph frowned and looked at the princesses, as though looking for any recognition. “None of you know? The elves didn’t tell you?”
Otto’s heartbeat sped up and he swallowed. “What happened to him?”
Aelyph looked down. “He passed recently.”
Otto’s heart skipped a beat and he looked around desperately.
“How did he die?” Princess Sapphire asked.
“I only know what I heard from the Rangers. Apparently, the Midnight Queen cast a paralyzing spell on—”
“We know that,” Princess Emerald cut in. “We were there. How did that kill him?”
Aelyph kept his eyes down. “The spell—according to the Sisters of Light—tears up the mind the more the victim struggles against it. Your father had been struggling since the spell was cast.”
Tears filled Otto’s eyes. The foundation of his entire world had dropped out from beneath him. “He would . . . he would’ve done anything to protect the kingdom. That’s why he could barely speak when we came across him. By the Goddess, he must have been struggling even then . . . all the while he was tearing himself apart and we could do nothing about it . . .”
Aelyph nodded. “I’m sorry. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.”
Otto ground his teeth and looked up at Aelyph, trying to find somewhere to take out his emotions. “Why would you care?�
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Princess Sapphire grabbed his shoulder. “It’s not his fault, Otto.”
Otto turned away.
She’s right. He delivered the news as kindly as anyone could.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to think.”
“I think I understand,” Aelyph said. “You humans don’t live as long as us. I can only imagine the bitterness built up toward my kind after years of conflict. It’s one of the reasons why I left. I couldn’t stand blindly following the Dark Consul’s will as our hatred became more and more extreme.”
“Hatred . . . It’s just like the Riftlings to let such an emotion consume them,” Otto muttered.
Princess Sapphire shook her head. “How are you any different? You’ve been judging him for being a Riftling since you met him!”
Otto shook his head, trying to block the anger that was filling him. He was too tired to deal with this tonight. He felt weak from hearing the news of his father, almost like he had been pulled from the world he knew into a newer one filled with harsh truths.
Maybe it’s not so black and white.
“I’m tired. We’ll talk about this in the morning,” Otto said.
He rolled over and tried to go to sleep.
As he did, a voice in his head whispered, “Your father is dead, and you will be the last of your kind.”
Chapter 15: Escape
Sapphire walked around the outside of the ruins with the others in her party the next day. The news of the old Paladin’s passing had hit Otto hard, but he appeared to be trying to keep the subject off his mind by continually expressing his change of heart toward their new Riftling companion. She assumed this was a result of the first stage of grieving: denial.
“Now that I’ve thought on it, Aelyph, now that I really think about it, you’re all right . . . for a Riftling I mean,” Otto said.
Aelyph gave him a confused smile. “What the princesses said last night really affected you, didn’t it?”
“No, I’m serious.” Otto jogged past Sapphire to catch up with him. “I’ve realized that I have been very rude to you where you have been nothing but helpful to me on this journey, and for that, I would like to thank you.”
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