The Kylo had found them.
Chapter Eight
Attack of the Kylo
Sebastian and Sara rushed to join Capri by the wheel. The elf pulled the ship hard to port. The sails filled, and Telestar moved with a speed that jolted the kids, forcing them to momentarily stumble.
Capri yelled to Sara, "Take the wheel. Sebastian, come with me." He pulled a blue crystal from a hidden pocket within his cloak and handed it to Sebastian. "Touch each one of the torches along the rails of the ship."
"But what about—"
"Child, trust involves not questioning your friends during times of danger."
Sebastian did as he was asked. Once the crystal made contact with the first torch, it ignited in blue flame. The deck of the ship slowly became engulfed in a sapphire aura of light. Just as Sebastian lit the last torch, the attacking Kylo reached the ship, but seemed to bounce off the cerulean shell that now surrounded it. Capri stood at the stern with his bow in hand, launching cobalt arrows at the attacking creatures.
Although the arrows passed out through the shield, the Kylo could not penetrate in. Two of the creatures exploded in flames of blue and red, while the remaining three bounced off the invisible shield. The children heard animal shrieks as the starving creatures struggled to find a way inside the shield.
Telestar groaned like a thick tree swaying in a storm. It dropped each time a Kylo flew into the shield, then regained altitude. The ship lurched to the port side after a violent collision, which extinguished one of the torches. Sunlight streamed through the small opening in the blue shield.
"A torch went out!" Sara yelled.
Capri, busy shooting at the Kylo, didn't seem to hear Sara's warning. Sebastian ran to ignite it. When he got near the side rail, he dropped down and crawled over to the torch. A Kylo flew toward him. Sebastian raised the crystal to the torch.
Suddenly the ship dropped. The unexpected jolt knocked the crystal from his hand, and he could only watch as the glowing gem rolled off the side and disappeared into an ice cloud far below. Sebastian pounded his fist into his thigh.
The Kylo closed in. Its bone-like face twisted into a cruel grin, with dark saliva dripping over sharpened teeth.
As Sebastian tried to scramble away, a sharp jab in his side reminded him of the shield. He searched in his cloak for the disk. The Kylo was almost at the opening. Sebastian's hands grasped something smooth. He turned and pulled out the shield. As he fumbled with the rope straps, he realized with a sick feeling that his clumsiness was going to cost him his life. He could hear Sara screaming from behind to get away. The creature opened its mouth with a triumphant croaking roar as it reached the ship.
Suddenly a blue explosion knocked Sebastian back a few feet. The torch flamed up in front of him, and the Kylo slammed into the reformed energy wall. Sebastian turned and looked across the deck of the ship and saw Capri lower his bow. The elf had reignited the torch with an arrow.
The Kylo came at Sebastian again and again, but could not break through the glowing shield. The creature changed its shape into that of a strange, four-legged animal with a barbed tail and long claws, which it used to crawl up the energy shield and sniff for another opening. The Kylo growled like a rabid animal. Telestar's shield brightened, and the creature screamed in pain before it staggered and fell off into oblivion.
The remaining Kylo gathered together off the stern and seemed to watch as Telestar moved on. They started to howl and fight amongst themselves, gnashing and tearing at each other's limbs, before becoming one big, shadowy mass again. Capri assumed command of the rocking ship but kept his strung bow slung over his back. He adjusted Telestar's course and started scanning the skies.
Sara came over to Sebastian. "I thought you were… were…" Her words trailed off as they embraced.
Capri called from the wheel of the ship. "Are you both safe?"
They both nodded. "I thought you said they weren't that organized or intelligent," Sebastian said, standing back up. "They seemed pretty organized to me."
"They were not like this in the past. I do not understand their change in behavior. It was as if they were a scouting party."
"Could this Ragnarok dragon you mentioned be real?" Sebastian asked. "Could he be directing the Kylo?"
Capri shook his head. "At this point, I do not know. Simple as they are, we must assume the Kylo know our destination. Others will pick up their trail and come after us. The only chance we have is to beat them north and hope my people are there to help us." He pointed to Sebastian. "Take the wheel and head toward that glacier in the distance. I need to go check on Burber and the rest of the ship."
****
That night, Sara dreamed of falling into a deep crack in a glacier. The moment she hit the frozen water, it choked the breath out of her. She saw Sebastian above and pleaded with him to jump in and help her. She knew if he helped then he would die as well, but she was afraid and continued to yell for him. Her limbs were too heavy to paddle, and she dropped below the surface. Just as she inhaled her first gulp of seawater, she woke up.
At breakfast, Sara noticed dark lines under Sebastian's eyes and knew he had not slept well either. Burber swam in strange patterns in his pen, and the meal passed with little or no conversation. The hope of protection Capri had offered Sara and Sebastian was fading. Looming sadness in the elf's face told the tale of someone whose spirit was failing. He remained on the deck of the ship most of the day, his gaze fixed on the sky.
The skies remained clear, but Sara could feel some unknown presence watching them from afar. She had too much free time to think, which fueled her dread. She was at the bow watching the heavens when Sebastian approached and touched her shoulder. Without turning, she said, "I don't want to die."
"You're not going to."
"Sebastian, you're the smartest person I know, but even you can't guarantee we'll be okay, so don't try."
"Why don't you say it?" Sebastian barked. "This is all my fault. My stupid curiosity got us here!" he shouted louder, looking down at his hands. "My stupid brain and my useless body. I can't even tie my own shoe without tripping, and I can't think of a way out of this."
Sara took a deep breath and hugged Sebastian. "It's not your fault. I've always looked out for you, and I always will. Capri will come through somehow."
Sebastian's arms hung limp in the air. When they finally closed around Sara's waist, tears filled his eyes which she could not think away.
****
That night, Sara woke again from the same nightmare of drowning. It quickly faded from her memory, but the lingering fear kept her from going back to sleep. She walked over to Sebastian's door and peered inside. Her friend was wrapped up in a tangled mess with a thin blanket, but he slept soundly. She hoped he, at least, was having good dreams and decided not to wake him up. She put on her cloak and made her way topside. Capri lay on the deck, gazing up at the night sky. His cloak was wrapped in a tight ball under his head.
"Hello, Sara," Capri said without turning to see her.
"How'd you know it was me?" she asked.
"I have learned to tell the difference between your and Sebastian's footsteps and breathing." As if in response to her shock, he continued, "That's why we have such big pointed ears. You should try to go back to sleep."
"I can't sleep. Besides, I was worried."
"About what?"
"About everything. I wanted to come up here and check on you."
Capri continued to gaze up toward the star-filled sky. "I am well."
"I don't believe you."
After a long pause, he started again. "We are heading into certain danger, and I have yet to receive a sign that my people are still alive. If they were nigh, I would be able to sense their presence in my dreams, which have been dark of late. If they are no more, then I will be forced to face the Kylo alone in battle."
"Can't you run away and hide?" Sara exclaimed.
"Nay, child. They will find me, but that is not what saddens me. If my bet
rothed, Fallon, is no longer alive, then I will meet the Kylo on the field of battle." He turned to face Sara. "But if I fall, Sara, then the Kylo will come after you, as they now have Sebastian's scent. If they focus on it long enough, they will eventually discover your plane of existence and the entire human race. I know of no weapon your race has that can win against these creatures."
Sara put her hand to her mouth. "What does that mean? Isn't there any hope for us?"
"I do not know. I wish I could offer you that which you ask, but I am bereft of hope. It saddens my heart that I cannot fix everything for you and Sebastian. I long to see you both with smiles upon your faces. I thought you children had crossed my path for a reason. 'Twas foolish of me to think so."
Sara felt like she was going to be sick. The protection Capri had offered thus far had kept some of her fear at bay. She wanted to go and wake Sebastian and tell him what was happening. She wanted the reassurance his smile seemed to give her. If this strong, intelligent elf warrior was sad, then there was little reason for her to have any hope. Sara missed her family and wished she'd never have been mixed up in this horrific battle between elves and Kylo. This was too big for someone like her.
Capri stood up. "My apologies, child. I have stumbled upon my words as I once did at our first meeting. I should never have shared the morbid reality of our situation with you."
"At least you told me the truth."
"Aye, but sometimes the truth finds us unprepared. Come, I wish to show you something."
Sara followed Capri down into the main cabin, but instead of heading toward her room, they went to a door at the stern. She had assumed this was Capri's room, even though she never saw him go inside. Sebastian had tried to get in, but it had been locked. Capri waved his hand in front of the door, and it creaked open. Inside were several steps going down, which led into an open area with a large, feather-stuffed pad and a small desk in a corner. Above the bed, small white crystals similar to the ones in Sara's room were embedded in the ceiling. The back wall had a boarded blind, which could be opened as a window. In the opposite corner was a narrow, dark wooden spiral staircase.
The elf led her up the stairwell. The second floor loft's ceiling was lower, with exposed beams. A mural of a boy swimming alongside a mermaid covered the far wall. She noticed the boy in the painting had human ears. In another mural a lamb stood over a unicorn. An oversized purple velvet cushion dominated this small area. In the center was a large grey candle. Capri sat down and waved his hand over the candle. It sparked to life. A moment later, he blew out the flame. Sara watched the smoke circle above the candle. It floated in place just above the wick of the candle.
Capri answered Sara's question before she asked it. "'Tis called imaging smoke. It records memories and shows places you have traveled. Would you like to try?"
Sara sat down cross-legged on the purple cushion. The grey-white smoke swirled in front of her like water circling a drain. Sara's hair fluttered from the light breeze.
Slowly, shapes began to appear inside the smoke. Large, green-leafed trees came into view. A forest stretched on endlessly. The world seemed younger, and the light from the sun was brighter, yet softer. Butterflies drifted around bushes. Streams flowed over and under giant tree roots.
The butterflies slowed, and Sara could see they were actually tiny faeries flying in and out of the flowering tree limbs. They were mostly small women with luminescent skin, wearing leaf-like dresses. The few men and boys with the same sparkling skin wore green outfits. Other shapes came into focus. Elves of every sort scurried about the trees playing with children in the streams.
The image changed, and a waterfall appeared. A young male elf emerged from a cave behind the waterfall. Sara knew instantly that it was Capri. He held hands with a beautiful elf maiden with long brown hair. She wore a white dress and a wreath of flowers braided into her hair. They were both barefoot, and the elf maiden's dark brown eyes sparkled. They smiled to each other and embraced in a long hug and kiss.
A moment later a shadow fell upon their embrace, and they both looked skyward… toward Sara.
The shadow overcame them. Something attacked from above. The two elves rushed through the forest as shadowy creatures swirled about the trees almost faster than her eyes could follow. One by one, the small faeries' fluttering lights faded out as the Kylo swallowed them whole.
Trees burst into flame, and the stream started to boil. Capri ran through the woods, helping elf women with their children. He stopped in front of a thatched earthen house that had been crushed by a flaming oak tree. He knelt down and wept over two broken bodies covered in soot. Sara knew they had been trapped in the hut as the tree collapsed upon it. She could tell they were young elves, about Capri's age — one boy and one girl. Both had black streaks of soot through their blond hair.
Capri rose and ran off at inhuman speed. The elf maiden followed him until Capri found his staff leaning against a tree. He spun in a circle and, when he came back around, the staff was set into a bow with a glowing arrow notched on its cobalt string. He released the arrow toward the attacking enemy. The arrow flew straight at Sara. The smoke flashed with a bright blue light and went back to a grey-white palette.
The picture changed dramatically. The sun came into focus and raced across the sky. Night followed seconds later. This pattern repeated itself over and over. Storms came and went and leaves fell from trees. Sara recognized places from her past. She saw her school, her friends playing outside, and her family sitting around the kitchen table. Her mother was crying, and her father had his head in his hands.
The picture moved out the window to a snow-covered yard. The white snow faded into smoke, and the picture was gone. For long moments Sara looked into the cloud of smoke, wondering if anything else would appear. Finally it dissipated, and there was nothing left to see.
"What did you see, child?" Capri asked.
"You didn't see that?" she asked.
"Nay, only the person engaging the smoke can see into it."
Sara hugged Capri. She was sad for the loss and pain that Capri carried. She told the elf about the visions, and he confirmed that it had been he and his betrothed on the day the Kylo had attacked and wounded him. "That was the day I lost my older siblings, and that was the day I was forced to become the leader of my tribe. That day I aged a lifetime."
Sara's thought about Capri and all that he had lost. She finally realized how long he'd wandered alone. "Centuries" was a term she couldn't appreciate. She clasped his hand, and the elf seemed to force a smile.
Capri paused and took a deep breath. "But alas, you saw another vision as well?"
"I also saw my parents," she said, "but it had to be wrong because Halloween was only a few days ago. It couldn't have snowed this early in the season."
"Child," Capri said, "what has seemed like days to you has actually been longer. Time passes differently on this plane of existence. You have been gone over one cycle of the moon."
Sara barely remembered stumbling back to her room or waking Sebastian to tell him the news. Both had difficulty getting back to sleep that night.
Chapter Nine
Arrival
Late the next morning, Sara woke at a light tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Capri standing over her. "What's going on? Is everything okay?" she asked.
"We have arrived," the elf said with a smile. "Telestar will go back to the sea shortly. I would be pleased if you and Sebastian would join me on deck."
Sara woke Sebastian, and they put on their cloaks and went up on deck. The night stars were still out and the air had a chill, yet it now carried a scent neither of them had ever expected to encounter in the cold Arctic air.
"Flowers," Sara said. "Roses, I think. Do you smell them, Sebastian?"
"I do." Sebastian yawned. "But I don't understand how. We're in the middle of nowhere. There isn't a plant or tree around for like a million zillion miles. I wonder where it's coming from?"
"'Tis a message left to guide
us," Capri said excitedly from behind the wheel. "We are nigh our destination. The Kylo can only see and smell certain things. They would never recognize, or accept, a scent this beautiful."
Sara looked toward Sebastian, but spoke to Capri. "Where are we?"
"We are going to see a wise mage I know. He may have word of my people."
"How far have we traveled?" Sebastian asked.
"We have traveled to your world's end. We are as far north as humans are capable of traveling."
"But that would mean we're at the… North Pole," Sebastian said.
"Correct, young one. That is why it is still dark out."
"What do you mean?" Sara asked. "Aren't we up before sunrise?"
"Nay, it is the dark time of year in the north. The sun will not rise hither for many moons."
They reached an enormous glacier, and the ship slowly dropped from the sky. They settled down into the ocean within the protection of a natural harbor on the north side of the glacier. The water was calm and gently moved the ship like a mother rocking a baby in its cradle. Above them, the North Star shone like a faint candle, flickering on the ocean's surface. The children helped Capri roll down and tie off the sails.
"Ere we proceed further on this adventure, we must say goodbye to our friend." Capri said.
Sara stopped. "You mean Burber?"
"You have grown accustomed to seeing him, but you must realize that he is not ours to keep."
Sara was the first one down the entryway to the main cabin. She reached the bottom and rushed toward the opening to Burber's pen. "He feels like part of the crew," she said, petting the whale's forehead.
Capri climbed down the ladder to join her. "His tail will never fully heal, but he is strong enough to rejoin his pod. He longs to be with them."
The Grotto Under the Tree Page 6