by Dana Gricken
She hesitated. “My name is Mayliss.”
“Nice to meet you, Mayliss. I’m Bella Morgana. What are you doing out here? It’s not safe for non-humans, you know.”
“My mommy died. I ran away from home.”
“Oh, you poor dear. Let me tell you what – I live not too far from here with some friends of mine. It’s a place called the Darkwoods. Have you ever heard of it?”
Mayliss shook her head.
“Well, why don’t we go back there and I’ll make you something to eat? You seem hungry. Besides, it’s not smart to stay out here. More Knights will be back soon.”
Mayliss nodded, and the two of them passed through the Veil before walking down the path to the Darkwoods.
MASTER KNIGHT ADAM Cormac burst through the chamber doors to the King’s office, not bothering to knock or wait for permission. The news he had was urgent and couldn’t wait. The King stood up quickly from his desk, angry at the outburst.
“You can’t just barge in here, Master Knight!” The King chastised. “I asked to be alone with my thoughts!”
“I’m sorry to disturb you, your Majesty, but we’ve just received word that there’s been an attack on the dragon city of Camena. It was The Fallen, my Lord.”
The King was puzzled. “The Fallen? I thought they only attacked humans. Why would they go after their own kind?”
“Rumor has it they’re searching for the Dragonwitch, my Lord. Apparently, she’d been staying in Camena among the dragons. They only wanted to kill her, but instead killed a few of their own in the process. They seem to regard her as a threat.”
The King thought about this for a few moments, tapping his fingers on his chin. “It seems we have more in common with them than we believed. Here I thought they’d be glad to see the Dragonwitch. Well, they can’t reach her before me. I demand her to be found and brought here. Maybe we’ll start with Camena like The Fallen.”
“I don’t think she’s in Camena anymore, my Lord. It wouldn’t be a smart choice for her to stay.”
The King nodded. “I see. You’re probably right. We must locate the base of The Fallen then. Bring to me any dragon or witch you find. They may be a Fallen One, or could have other valuable information.”
“Of course, your Highness. There’s something else I need to show you,” Adam replied, as he turned towards the door. “Knights, bring him in!”
The Knights dragged Merek into the King’s office and threw him onto the floor with a groan. The King was pleased.
“You found the girl’s father? Perfect,” The King replied, but Adam shook his head.
“It’s more complicated than that, your Majesty. Prince Hadrian has escaped. We found Merek in his bedroom.”
“Oh?”
“It isn’t what you think, my King. There appears to be an underground tunnel within a secret door in the flooring of his room. We think Merek here took a wrong turn,” Adam replied, smirking. “When we investigated, we also found another tunnel outside the castle in the field. Hadrian probably escaped through the passage and is helping the Dragonwitch as we speak.”
The King sighed. “It was only a matter of time until we found them. Destroy them immediately. Explosives should take care of our problem. I want no possibility of dragons and witches coming to our world.”
“You can’t do that!” Merek yelled, slamming his fists down on the floor.
The King knelt down to Merek’s eye-level. “I can do it, and I will. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, you know. You’ll tell me everything about your daughter.”
“I won’t tell you a thing!” Merek yelled, shaking his head furiously.
The King laughed, thinking of all the ways he could torture the man before him. “Oh, I beg to differ.”
Rite of Passage
As Fane and Elara landed in Deniva, tension had already begun rising in the small crimson city. Anyone could tell that the humans and dragons made the Miracari witches nervous. It was the first time in what felt like forever that they’d been in contact with each other. The witches were murmuring amongst themselves as Elara walked into the middle of the city, leaving Fane in solitude to change into new clothes. Hadrian rushed over to her once he realized she’d returned.
“I’m glad you’re all right,” Hadrian said. “I was worried you wouldn’t come back.”
“Fortunately, I’m stronger than I look,” Elara replied. “But we couldn’t save Camena. The Fallen destroyed the city hoping to take me with it. Innocent people died, like Fane’s mother.”
“It’s not your fault, Elle. Don’t blame yourself for their deaths.”
No matter how many people told her that, she still felt guilty. David and Tavia walked over to Elara and Hadrian, overhearing their conversation.
“The Fallen attacked Camena?” Tavia asked, incredulously. “They don’t waste any time, do they?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see it until now, but the Grey Knights and The Fallen aren’t too different. They both think that they’re superior, and they both think they’re acting out of the best interests of their people,” David observed. “And they both hate Elara, of course.”
“Now if only they could realize their similarities and kiss and make-up, the war would be over,” Tavia said.
“I wish things were that simple,” Elara replied, sighing. “That’s why we’ve come up with a plan. We have to unite the dragons and witches together to take down the Knights and The Fallen.”
“Easier said than done, Red,” Tavia remarked. “You’re talking about a feud that goes back centuries.”
“I know. I never said it would be easy. Will you help me? All of you?”
“I’m with you, Red. It’s what friends do for each other – they help them fight their monsters. I’m not sure about the rest of the Miracari, though – but I’ll stick with you.”
“I’m in. I’ll try to use my Knight training as an advantage. That’ll teach them for leaving me to die,” David said, cracking his knuckles.
“I’ll do whatever I can for you, Elle. You know I’m here for you,” Hadrian replied, solemnly.
Elara turned towards the group of witches. “Can I have your attention, please?” She asked, and the crowd listened.
“I have some bad news. The dragon city of Camena was just attacked by The Fallen...and their target was me. Between them and the Knights, nothing will change. The time’s come to show them what we’re made of. We have to unite our people. Who’s with me?”
There was dead silence as the witches stared at each other. Sheba and Aria looked around, waiting to see if anyone dared to join the war. Tavia rolled her eyes, scoffing, before walking over to her friend.
“I’ll join Elara. We have no choice, do we? I’m tired of living in fear of The Fallen and the Knights. I’m tired of wondering who’ll die next. It has to end.”
Still, no one said a word. David and Hadrian nodded, standing behind Elara and Tavia to show their support. Fane walked away from the shrubs to stand beside them as well. Elara shot a pleading look over to Aria, but she was still apprehensive about the war.
Suddenly, Sheba slowly walked over to Elara and her friends, with her cane in hand. “I support you, my child. I knew from the mark on your arm that you would lead us.”
The witches began to murmur amongst themselves again. With the shaman of the tribe dedicating herself to the war, it was enough for them to be persuaded. Suddenly, more witches began to line up behind Elara until the only one left standing was Aria.
Aria sighed, nodding. “Fine. I’ll join you if only to make sure The Fallen don’t kill you. I still fail to see how you’ll accomplish anything. Nothing good ever comes out of war.”
“We have to try, Aria,” Elara replied. “You came to find me in Camena because you thought I could bring peace. I want to, but I can’t do it alone.”
“The witches in the Darkwoods and The Departed won’t join you, you know. The Departed hate dragons and witches, and the others practice un
speakable evils,” Aria replied. “Your allies will be small.”
“Elara doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her,” Sheba interjected. “She is capable enough. Her friends are more formidable than you think, Aria.”
Aria took the hint and shut her mouth. Sheba seemed to think they’d be all right, even if Aria believed they were outnumbered and powerless.
Fane cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but it’s getting pretty late. Tomorrow, Bria and I will head to Mazira to ask the Kohra dragons for help. If we’re lucky, they won’t attack us on sight.”
AS THE MIRACARI WITCHES settled in for the night, Elara couldn’t sleep. She stayed awake near the warm campfire, gazing up wondrously at the stars in the sky.
“Can’t sleep?” A familiar voice asked, and Elara turned around to see Hadrian standing there.
She shook her head before motioning for him to join her, and he sat down on the ground beside her.
“Have you heard anything about my Dad? Or Mayliss?” Elara asked, but Hadrian frowned.
“I haven’t. I’m sorry. I’ve never met Mayliss so I can’t speak for her, but your father is a strong man. I think he’ll find his way to the safe house.”
Hadrian cleared his throat as an awkward silence fell between them before he mustered up the courage to say what he truly felt.
“I just wanted to say how strong you’ve been these past few days, despite all of the problems that have been thrown your way. I think you’re incredible, Elara,” He paused, brushing away a loose strand of hair that had fallen on her face. “You mean a lot to me.”
“You mean a lot to me too, Hadrian. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
They both leaned in slowly, before the sound of footsteps approaching made them pull away from each other, bashfully.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” David said, as he approached the two.
“Of course not,” Hadrian replied sarcastically, sighing to himself.
“I really need to talk to Elara about something – in private,” David added.
Hadrian nodded, standing up reluctantly. “I should probably get back to bed. It’s been a long day.”
Elara smiled up at him. “Goodnight, Hadrian.”
“Goodnight, Elle,” Hadrian replied before he and David shared a nod and he went back inside a nearby home he’d been staying in for the night.
David took Hadrian’s place beside Elara, and she could sense something was wrong.
“Are you all right?” Elara asked, and David shook his head.
“There’s something that’s been bothering me for years, and lately, things have gotten worse. I can’t sleep without having nightmares of it,” He sighed, running his hands through his slicked-back hair. “I need to tell someone.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I have a brother named Aaron. He’s a former Grey Knight. Nowadays, he spends his time getting drunk at The Golden Flask downtown. A long time ago, we trained as Knights side by side together. Have you ever heard about the Rite of Passage?”
Elara shook her head.
“Before a Grey Knight can earn their status, the King makes them go through what he calls a ‘Rite of Passage’. You’re supposed to find either a dragon or a witch and humiliate them. Then, we’re expected to steal something special from them, like a witch’s staff or a dragon’s sword – and give it to the King as a gift.”
“And you did this?”
“Of course. I wanted to be a Knight, after all. I was stupid and pressured by my parents. I didn’t know about the Rite beforehand. It’s not like it’s written in a manual. The Rite of Passage is kept as a secret. Aaron and I were taking our rites on the same day. The King brought us to the Beyondlands, where our victim - a male witch who was found sneaking around downtown – wouldn’t be able to escape. The King wanted to see how we’d treat him. I was up first. It felt wrong, so I didn’t hurt him. Instead, I tried to steal the locket he had around his neck. Unfortunately, the witch attacked me, telling me the locket was special because it belonged to his family.”
“What happened next?”
“I killed him, out of self-defense. The King was pleased. Aaron was traumatized – and so was I. I’d never killed before. It’s not the best feeling. This is why Aaron spends his days drunk. He does it to forget what I’ve done. You should’ve seen the look in his eyes after I killed that witch. He thought I was a monster – and I do too.”
“David, we all make mistakes. What’s important is that we learn from them, and become better because of it. The fact that you’re here with us proves you have. If you didn’t feel guilty, I’d be worried.”
“You don’t understand, Elara. There’s more to it,” David reached into his pocket, retrieving the locket he had stolen from the witch many years ago. “The locket has the names ‘Aria’ and ‘Tavia’ carved into it.”
Elara was shocked. “Tavia told me she’d lost her Dad.”
“As soon as I met them, I knew what I’d done,” David replied. “I killed Tavia’s father! What am I supposed to do now?”
“You have to tell Tavia and Aria about this, David. If you don’t, they could find out on their own and it would make things worse,” She replied, as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s difficult, but we can’t afford secrets. We need to stick together.”
“So you don’t think differently of me now? You don’t see me as a monster?”
Elara shook her head. “No, of course not. We were all different people in our past. You’ve changed – and for the better.”
David nodded. “Thank you, Elara. You’ve really helped me.”
David went back to the home he was staying in and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep. The weight of his mistakes disappeared for the night because of Elara. If she could offer him forgiveness, he was hoping Tavia and Aria could do the same.
A SINGLE CANDLE FLICKERED among the darkness, causing a pasty orange glow to illuminate the small dungeon room in the basement of the castle. Merek was chained to a chair by the King, in hopes that he would tell the Knights more about his daughter.
Despite a long night of electricity, fire, knives, and other forms of torture, Merek didn’t budge. He knew everything about Elara, but that information was never going to leave his lips. Merek sat with two swollen eyes, a bloody nose, and several broken bones – but his willpower remained strong.
After several hours, the Knights assigned to torture him were desperate for anything. Once they realized Merek was a lost cause, they began to panic.
“What are we going to do?” A nearby Knight asked as he paced back and forth.
Another Knight shook his head. “I don’t know. The King will torture us if we don’t get some sort of information out of him!”
As they went back and forth, debating over their next move, loud footsteps began down the staircase and into the basement. It was King Angus, followed by Prince Fergus and Master Knight Adam Cormac. Merek drifted in and out of consciousness, watching them through swollen eyes.
“Gentlemen, I take it you’ve gathered information?” The King asked, and the Knights glanced at each other.
“I’m afraid not, my Lord,” One Knight said. “Merek’s a strong man. He won’t talk!”
The King shook his head before looking at Merek. “Even the strongest of men can be broken. Continue torturing him. Perhaps soon he’ll divulge secrets about the Dragonwitch – and you two Knights won’t have let me down.”
The Knights hung their heads in shame as the King turned to Adam. “Today we’ll destroy the tunnels. Look for any other hidden passages. Make sure to properly cover the tunnel in my son’s room and the one outside in the field. I don’t need the castle being destroyed in the process.”
“Yes, my Lord. Right away,” Adam replied, before scurrying off up the stairs to begin the explosions.
“No...” Merek muttered. “You can’t...people will die...”
“So you can speak?
What a surprise!” The King replied, chuckling.
“Why don’t we just kill him now?” Fergus asked, impatiently. “If he won’t talk, he’s useless.”
The King ignored him. “You’re only making this difficult for yourself, Merek. Tell us the location of the girl, and we’ll allow you to live.”
Merek laughed, and then winced in pain as his damaged ribs ached. “You could torture me until the day I die, and I’d still never betray my daughter. Her safety means more to me than my life.”
“The day you meet your Creator will be soon, Merek,” The King replied, angrily. “I don’t give up easily. Continue the torture now.”
As the King and Prince Fergus exited the basement, Merek’s screams of pain could be heard echoing down the hall.
THE NEXT MORNING CAME quickly, as Elara fell asleep next to the fire. She felt a hand shaking her, which jolted her awake. She opened her eyes to see Fane, who was patiently waiting for her.
“Sorry if I startled you, Bria, but we must get going now,” Fane said, as the rest of Deniva was beginning to wake up. “I’d like to make it to Mazira as early as possible.”
Elara nodded and stood up, brushing off the dirt and soil she had on her clothes from sleeping on the ground. Suddenly, a large rumble came from underneath the earth. It nearly knocked her over, but Fane caught her before she tumbled.
“What in good flames was that? More of The Fallen?” Fane asked as he looked around the city, to see all of the witches just as startled and confused.
Hadrian exited one of the nearby homes and walked over to Elara and Fane. “Was that an earthquake?”
The earth was still rumbling and gurgling, and Elara followed the ripples through the ground, which resembled heart palpitations. It appeared to lead to the underground tunnel, only a few steps away from where the three stood.
“It’s not The Fallen or an earthquake,” Elara said, once she realized what was about to happen. “Run!”