by Ben Hale
After years of training with the flesh of Earth, the sound of grinding stone was comforting, so he listened to that as he glided along the exterior of the city. Unless someone happened to look down from Eastpoint at the right moment, he wasn't going to be spotted. Southpoint was another matter. Due to the shape of the city his position was visible from anywhere along the eastern side of Southpoint. In order to avoid being spotted, he directed his magic to carry him lower.
The underbelly of the city curved inward, making him lean out over the drop and lengthen the ledge he was riding on. His heart battered his chest as he looked at the fall, and it took all his focus to maintain his motion forward. If he lost his magic the ledge and his grip would crumble, leaving him to the mercy of gravity.
The seconds crawled by, and he finally reached the junction with Sentre. His spell wouldn't work on the reinforced section, so he extended his ledge past it until he could pull a new ledge from beneath Sentre. From there he continued to Southpoint, and again bypassed the denser rock that joined the two city sections.
Even though he couldn't see them, he knew that four Voidlings patrolled beneath the Tryton's Arch. If they heard him and decided to investigate he would be trapped. He slowed his pace and held his breath. Inch by inch he slid by on the side of Southpoint, his eyes on the wall above.
Nothing looked down.
As Southpoint began to widen he breathed a sigh of relief and pressed on. A few minutes later he felt confident he'd reached far enough to avoid detection. Then he caused the ledge to lift him to the exterior wall that wrapped around Tryton's.
He slowed, and peeked over it. At a glance he recognized the fire school. The multicolored flames caressing its shape were unmistakable. A handful of students were in the field between his position and the structure, so he glided to the side until a tree blocked their view. Then he levered himself up and over.
He dodged behind the tree and waited, hoping no one had spotted him. After several minutes his tension began to ease, so he leaned out in time to watch the students reentering the fire school. He pulled out his teacher's cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders. Then he rose to his feet and stepped into the sunlight.
He strode toward the building with a nonchalance that he did not feel. At any moment he expected Voidlings to converge on him and take him down, but he passed through the fire school unchallenged.
He exited between two Voidlings. Their disturbing jaws turned to look at him, but he didn't spare them a second glance. If they were going to come for him now there was nothing he could do. Sweating from more than the sunlight, he left them behind and headed to the water school.
At first he was afraid the students would recognize him, but most of them looked at the ground as they trudged on their way. Their chattering was eerily absent, leaving an unnatural quiet on the school grounds. Several retreated when a Voidling appeared on a cross trail, and waited until long after it had glided past.
The sight elicited a surge of anger. Helplessness was something neither he nor the students of Tryton's were accustomed to. Reaching the water school, he stepped off the trail and found a seat on one of the many benches in a small garden. Since all but two of her classes were in the water building, he didn't have to wait long until he spotted her.
Rox walked out of the school with her head held high, a mark of pride for Breaker. She descended the steps and turned toward the dorm trees, where Tess intercepted her.
"Have you seen Derek?" Tess asked.
"I think he's in the earth practicum," Rox said with a frown. "But he seemed upset. Is he alright?"
"I'll tell you later," Tess said. "Thanks."
Breaker maneuvered into position while they talked, and when Tess hurried away he reached out and yanked Rox into the trees. She squeaked in surprise, and then she recognized him.
"Dad?" she hissed. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
"I don't have time to explain," Breaker said. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?"
"I came to bring you home."
She jerked away from him. "Why?"
"It's not safe here. Now let's go."
"You think it will be safe at home? Nowhere in this city is safe from them."
"Let's. Go." He ground the words out with such force that she wilted. Every moment they stood talking was a moment they could be spotted.
Rox opened her mouth but faint footfalls spurred her into action. Reluctantly she fell into step beside him. Without hesitation he led her to the rear of the water building.
"You don't understand," she whispered urgently as they wove between the fountains. "We are working on a plan. They need me."
"They will have to manage without you," Breaker replied. He kept his attention on the nearby Voidlings, devising a response if they moved against him.
"Can I at least tell them where I'm going?"
"Not enough time," he said, and threw a glance over his shoulder. Was that Voidling following them? He struggled to keep his pace normal. Then it shifted direction and glided away. His relief was only matched by his remaining tension. A moment later they reached the edge of the grounds and he levered himself to the top of a wall.
"You can't be serious," she said, her expression aghast. "You hate heights."
"It's the only way past the entrance," he said. He cast the charm that pulled out a ledge for them. "Now get on. It's just as sturdy as what you're standing on."
"Dad," she pleaded, "please don't make me go. My friends need me, and Tess—"
"Is Alice's daughter," he said. He dropped back to her side. "I know she's your friend, but it's only a matter of time until Alice comes after her. I don't want you around when she does."
"So what do you expect us to do? Hide at home?" Now she was angry.
"Only until I can get us out of the city."
"And then what? Unless someone does something, the Dark is going to keep expanding. Where on Earth will you take us then?"
"I'll get you to Rivena and then come back. I will not have you in danger."
"But—"
"That's enough, Roxanne." His patience was gone. “We can talk when we get back home. Now get on that ledge."
She bit back her retort and did as he'd ordered. With a final backwards glance, he joined her. Just as he had, she gripped the wall unnecessarily tight until he'd made a modified whip charm to wrap around the two of them. Then he cast the slideways spell and they were on their way.
Rox didn't speak to him the entire time. Even when they were safely at home she went straight to her room. Breaker let her go. She could be mad at him all she wanted as long as she was safe. Turning away from where she'd disappeared, he sank into a seat at the kitchen table with a sigh of relief. In moments his thoughts turned to a far more difficult question.
How to get them out of the city?
Chapter 26: Punished
Tess hurried to the earth school and found Derek in the lowest practice chamber. As the largest of Tryton's schools, the small mountain was well suited for the teaching of earth mages. When she entered the empty room he was standing over a vibrating ball of stone, his expression a mask of determination.
She paused, not wanting to disturb him. She was unfamiliar with the spell he was performing, but if she didn't know any better it seemed like the stone in his hands was shrinking. His lips tightened in a scowl as the ball began to shake even more. Then abruptly it cracked in half and burst apart. Derek released a grunt of disgust and tossed the pieces aside.
"What are you trying to do?"
Derek turned to face her, and smiled. "An impact charm."
Tess strode to join him. "What's an impact charm?"
"The supreme example is coal to diamond," he replied. "Performed with exactness, one can compress an element to its hardest and purest form. It's one of the most difficult and useful spells for an earth mage. A few thousand hold this city together."
"Sounds difficult," she said, and gestured to the pile of broken stones.
"What material are those?" She blinked into her magesight to examine the rocks, but he spoke first.
"These are mudstones—or level eleven. I have to do a level fourteen to pass my finals." He laughed sourly. "Even with what's going on part of me still wants to pass. I guess old habits die hard."
She caught the note of tension in his voice, and knew without asking that it had to do with his mom and Iris. She reached out and touched his arm.
"Care for a distraction?"
He brightened. "What do you have in mind?"
"Would a treasure hunt do?"
His grin was all the answer she needed, and they exited the practicum chambers together. Ten feet down the hall a voice called their names, and they stopped in unison. Her hands clenched, and they turned to see Drake at the opposite end of the corridor. A single Voidling stood at his side.
"What do you want, Drake?" Tess asked.
Drake 's feet were off the floor, and he glided forward with an arrogant smirk. "You should have more respect for the leaders of this school."
"Just because you wear the robes of a professor doesn't mean you are respected."
His lips curled into a sneer. "You have been practicing a lot, lately, haven't you."
"I have a lot of homework," Derek replied. "My YETI's are coming up at the end of next quad."
Drake grunted. "Year End Testing of all Individuals. Even I didn't start practicing for them this early."
"I want to skip a few quads," Derek said. "Graduating seems to be the only way to get out of Tryton's right now."
Drake came to a halt in front of them and folded his arms. His expression made it clear he didn't believe him.
"What are you planning?"
Tess laughed, drawing his attention to her. "Has anyone ever answered that question?"
His eyebrows pulled together. "You should not have spurned me, Oracle. We could have done great things together."
"To be with someone like you would require me to sacrifice my humanity," Tess said coldly.
Drake's glare turned malicious, and he motioned to the Voidling. It glided to a girl that had just exited her practicum chambers.
"What did I do?" she squeaked. "I didn't do anything . . ."
The Voidling's creepy mouth breathed in as it took hold of her. Her skin darkened and she fell to the floor. Her eyes wide and unseeing, she began to sob.
"Please, I never meant to hurt him!" she cried out.
The effort to hold herself in check caused Tess's frame to quiver. "Why are you punishing her?"
"Because I can," Drake replied. He watched her writhe in agony. "And because you seem to have trouble learning. The entire world has changed. When are you going to accept that?"
"I cannot accept a world of such wanton killing," Tess spit the words out. "Now stop doing that to her." The girl on the ground had begun to quiet, and her frame took on an unnatural stillness.
He stepped close to Tess. "I could kill her, you know. Right here in front of you. She would just go limp and never rise."
"Why?" Derek said. The ground under him had begun to tremble. "She's in her first quad."
Drake didn't look at him, and the Voidling darted to Derek’s side. Derek growled as the Voidling sucked the magic from him. He fought back, but in the end he crumpled. A moment later he began to tremble.
"Mom . . . please come back," he said in a harsh whisper. "I can't take care of her without you . . ."
"Stop it," Tess said.
Drake smiled, and turned to the crowd of students that had gathered nearby. "Which of you will help me teach our dear oracle a lesson?"
Most of them tried to flee, but a second Voidling had cut off their escape. Herding them into a knot, it kept any from leaving. Then a figure shoved its way through, and the sight of the diminutive golem caused Drake to laugh.
"Or perhaps I can make your Practicum Tutor teach you," Drake said.
"No you can't," Egg said. He slammed a palm into the wall and the corridor closed like a knot being tied, crushing the second Voidling.
"Go," Egg rasped to the crowd, and the students fled.
Drake's expression had gone furious. "How dare you defy me? I am a professor at this school."
The Voidling eased out of Egg's handiwork and reformed, but Egg turned his back to it. "A right you have not earned."
"You will obey your masters," Drake snarled.
"Practicum Sentinels have no masters," Egg growled back. "Our purpose is to protect the students."
"Not from me," Drake's voice had risen.
Egg folded his small arms. "Sentinels have certain . . . liberties."
Drake's face had contorted with anger, but his gaze returned to Tess. "I know you're up to something. You forget that we were friends too, and I know what you are like. Your defiance bleeds into those around you. Varson didn't believe me when I said students would resist him, but he will.”
He stabbed a finger at the inert girl. "How many will lose their lives because of your insolence? Does their pain mean nothing to you? How do you so easily forget the power we wield?"
"I never forget," Tess said.
"Then maybe you just need a reminder." He motioned to the Voidling. "I'm watching everything you do now, Oracle. Keep that in mind."
She stood her ground as the Voidling swept toward her. Rage at him swept over her, so she imagined Drake's magic being torn from his body. It caused her to flash a dark smile.
"Enjoy it while you can, Drake."
Her vision faded as the Voidling power took hold, and the last image she saw was Drake's arrogant smirk before he walked away. Then the whispers began. Like jagged claws, they forced their way into her mind and latched onto her fears.
She watched Hawk lose his life on Mt. Elbrus, and then witnessed Derek lose his. The images felt real, and the whispers told her that it was her fault. She fought back, but the Dark continued to assail her mind. Dimly she was aware that her body had betrayed her, and that she was huddled on the floor. Then all awareness of self was gone and there were only images of her family and friends dying because she had failed to join the Dark.
She clung to the plan of taking Alice's magic. Several times she thought she'd lost her hope, but each time she fought her way back. Then abruptly the whispers began to fade, and she opened her eyes to find herself on the floor. Her whole frame shook, but she forced herself to sit up. She felt a surge of pride that no tears lined her cheeks. Egg and Derek sat up beside her.
"That was unpleasant," Egg rasped.
Tess fleetingly wondered what Egg's fears were, but then noticed a hand extended to her.
"You alright?" a boy asked, and helped her stand. Then he offered a hand to Derek.
Derek blew out his breath. "Thanks Brody."
Tess forced a smile. "We are."
Brody smiled in turn. "Kim is fine."
"Was that who . . ." Tess motioned to where the girl had been on the floor. "How long were we out?" she asked.
Brody lifted an eyebrow. "Two hours. It's the longest punishment anyone has received."
"That explains why it was so bad," Derek said.
"Drake ordered a bunch of students to be Darkened on the way out," Brody said.
Tess noticed the tinge of shadow in his skin and groaned. "I'm sorry, Brody."
He shrugged. "I'll be fine. It's nothing like what's going on down on the surface. For now we can only take it—until someone stops them, right?"
He threw Tess a look, causing her lips to tighten. "Until someone stops them," she echoed.
Brody grinned. "Then I will see you later."
He strode away, and Derek turned to Tess. "Well, I missed my last class. What do you say we find that treasure of yours?" He flashed his lopsided smile.
Tess felt a wave of gratitude. "Are you sure you're still up for it?"
&n
bsp; His eyes flicked to the spot where the girl had been Darkened. "Even more."
They left the earth school together, and Tess realized she felt the same. Drake may have hurt others because of her, but she was no longer the uncertain teenage girl. He hadn't taken her determination.
He'd fueled it.
Chapter 27: A Library's Secrets
Twenty minutes later they were walking into Tryton's library. The ancient castle had once housed the entire school but had been relegated to the library centuries ago. With the rise of techno magic it had been all but abandoned.
"When you said 'treasure hunt' I wasn't expecting to go to the library," Derek said as the doors swung shut behind them.
Tess burst into laughter, grateful that they had already moved past the punishment. "You don't think a library holds things of value?"
"In the history of mankind, no one has ever said 'let's go find treasure at the library'."
"Be that as it may, I need your help finding Siarra's Refuge."
"Oh," Derek said, a smile creeping into his voice. "Now that's different. You think it's here?"
Tess told him about the Ironguard's suggestion and Iris's clue. When she finished his brow had furrowed.
"That does seem to imply it's here. But what makes you think we can find it?"
She flashed a lopsided grin. "When have we not been able to accomplish something together?"
"When you put it that way . . ." His expression matched hers. "Let's get started."
They began at the top of the castle and worked their way down. Room by room they scanned walls, passages, paintings, and statues. Using both magesight and normal vision, they searched for any clues that would indicate the presence of a secret passage, of which there were many. With Iris's augmented map they were able to find an abundance of the castle's easier secrets, but were left frustrated in regard to the refuge. Long after dinnertime, Tess relented.
Collapsing onto a couch, she said, "I think I'm done for the night."