by Unknown
"There’s got to be another way, I’m going to go around back to see?"
Serin quickly made her way through the debris and out of the main hall with Jag right behind her. The Minca on the other side of the room, were having a hand war, to see who was going to lift the other up onto a broken ledge, about six feet up.
Shaz jumped and grabbed the small handle and swung high, propelling him to the next step that sat suspended on one pillar. He barely caught the edges and lifted his body, his fingers white and his muscles bulging. With his chin barely above the stone, he bent his knees and dug his toes into the column.
Once on the top he steadied himself and took in a deep breath. He leapt toward the wall, thrust his legs and twisted his body, stretched out his arms and leapt toward the pole. He caught the wood snugly, but the splintered wood pierced his flesh. The momentum carried him around the pole and he flipped up and landed in the center on his belly. Sweat dripped down the sides of his face framing the anguish. He rested on his stomach and elbows. Slivers covered his palms. Bright red blood seeped from the damaged skin. He gritted his teeth and steadied himself.
He estimated the next leap would be easier if he were standing on the pole. Grunting with exertion Shaz pushed against the pole and lifted his body. He wedged a foot between him and the pole. With one leg still hanging, he balanced his three limbs on the pole. He gripped tightly while his thigh and core muscles flexed to create balance and lifted himself up. Holding his arms out straight, he quickly set the other foot on the pole. He tightened his core muscles again and squeezed his buttocks to keep from teetering.
If I can get to that set of stairs, he thought. They were suspended on two columns in the center of where the original stairs had been, about four feet above him. He wiped the blood off his hands but they kept bleeding. He bent his knees, squatted, swung his arms back, and jumped toward the wall. He stuck one leg out he shoved against the wall and twisted at the waist. The rebound off the wall propelled him to the solitary stairs and he came to a skid before he ran off the other side.
Serin returned with a defeated look and searched for Shaz. Her stomach nearly lurched out of her body when she saw how high he was.
"Be care-" Serin silenced herself, she knew how she would feel if it were her.
Serin shoved her hands under her armpits, and bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She had learned that Shaz was more than average. But it didn’t stop her stomach from churning with uneasiness. Her eyes were glued to him.
"You’re almost there." Serin called.
For the first time since he started climbing he looked down. Serin was about half the size she usually was. The Minca, even though they had now made their way onto the ledge, resembled small children crawling on the ground. Adrenaline surged through his body, as his skin heated up and his nerves tingled. The blood flow through his body raced oxygen to his brain giving him a heightened alertness. Just one more gap to cross, he thought. He clenched his fists, but it only made them sting even more. He flung them open and shook them instead, but nothing helped.
Calculating the distance and rise of the final landing, he doubted he would be able to jump that far. There were no more rock shards or broken poles to use. Well, I've come this far why not try, he reasoned. You’re crazy, you’re going to get yourself killed, he argued. Shaz felt a surge of energy rise from his gut and fill his chest. A certain confidence filled his mind that he hadn't felt before. He moved to the edge, bent his back leg as though he were at the starting line of a race and ran toward the wall.
"Is he insane?" Serin covered her face, half peaking.
With his next step he leaned his body back and shifted onto the wall. At first it felt like he was going to fall. Then he felt a suction that drew him to the wall. As he reached the last short distance, he rotated his head and shoulders toward the landing. Sharply, he shoved off with his last step and leapt toward the landing.
The vibrations of running however shook the decrepit stone. It crumbled and he knew he wasn't going to make it. Serin's arms shot out like lightening. Air engulfed him and sent him summersaulting to a halt as he slammed into the wall. His legs straight up on the wall his back on the floor. He gripped his head and tried to keep his brain from rattling around inside his skull.
"Oh, my head." he moaned.
"Are you alright?" Serin shouted.
"If you call getting my brains scrambled, then yes." he crumpled off the wall and pushed himself into a sitting position.
"There is no way I'm doing that to get up there, just so you know." she yelled.
"Me either" Turkill yelled.
"Or me" called Ladtwig.
Shaz waited till the ceiling stopped spinning and stood up shakily. At the edge he looked down.
"I'll look around and see if I can find some rope or something." He said and disappeared through a tall arched entry way. Several minutes later, Shaz returned with some rope. He tied the rope around a remaining rail post. He tugged as best he could with his now poorly wrapped hands, and then kicked the rest over the edge. Serin hurried to the rope, and hopped onto the swinging tendril. Wrapping her leg in the rope, she crawled like a caterpillar. She made it to the top in no time. The adrenaline had had time to recede leaving Shaz’s pain receptors at full capacity. He gritted his teeth and helped her over the edge.
Serin quickly grabbed them and un-wrapped his feeble attempt.
"You could have died."
He felt bad but wished she trusted him more. He wanted to say something but knew that nothing he could say would change anything. Serin took one of the cloths, and dabbed the blood.
His fingers were like raw sausages. His palms were purple and red with pockets of dark pink puffiness.
"I need water" she said, turning to find her water bag. "Blast, I left it with my satchel. No matter.”
She gathered water molecules from the air and set the ball of water on his wound. Blood washed away and she saw just how many slivers there were.
"You’re lucky, there’s only a few big ones, it’s mostly heat burn. This might hurt."
"Can't you use your magic and make the pain go away?"
"I could but I'm mad at you for scaring the crap out of me."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but you need to trust me if we're going to do this together" Shaz said, lifting her chin so her eyes met his, "Alright?"
Serin’s brow softened, “Alright."
Changing the subject Shaz said "You have to admit that was pretty cool."
"I guess."
Serin rested her palms over his. Her skin was cool, her lips parted and she took in a deep breath and whispered the words that came naturally to her mind. She felt a certain power within her that was getting stronger. A soft azure blue glow shimmered as she began her healing magic. Shaz felt its tingle and then heard a pop and then another.
"Thank you." Shaz said
"The room is spinning" she said. She clutched for something to hold onto as she started to sway.
"Here sit," Shaz said, helping her to the ground. "Just rest a minute."
"Thanks."
She rested on her arm that was crossed over her raised knees. Turkill popped up over the edge with a huge grin of achievement. It turned immediately to a scowl when found her sitting against the wall.
"What did you do?"
He lifted himself onto the edge with his arm and with his legs tight against the rope heaved his body. He rolled onto the deck and marched over to Serin. He glared at Shaz the whole way, who only scoffed and went back through the doorway.
"I'm fine, just a little dizzy." Serin said. She was pale but alive with new strength. "Where’s Ladtwig?" she asked.
"Right here" he said.
His head popped up over the ledge. Serin smiled. Serin gasped as a soft violet mark etched under the skin of her palm. It started as a dot and grew into the pedal of a flower. Soft vines wove around each other and wrapped around her hands. They grew longer, swirling and twisting in delicate details
. She shoved them under her knees to hide them. They reminded her of the marks on the woman in the stone statue.
"You ok?" Turkill asked.
"Yes, I'm feeling much better." The realization of her tattoos shoved the hazy mist from her mind. "Let's help Shaz." she said, getting to her feet quickly and catching up to Shaz.
"It's a lot bigger in hear than it looks from the outside." Serin said.
The room opened up to another large room. There was a large fire pit carved into the center of the floor. Remnants of chairs and cushions once used to bask by the fire scattered around. The mid-day sun illuminated a faint brightness. Two long, open hallways stretched the length of the room. Six doors on each side lead to what they presumed were sleeping quarters. Arched pillars held up the vaulted ceiling. Some of which had been destroyed leaving pockets of light.
"Let’s hope the sheath is here.” Serin said.
Shaz peaked around a shattered door. There was nothing but broken furniture. Ladtwig and Turkill made their way into the chamber. Without realizing, Shaz and the Minca both assessed possible escape routes and likely dangers. Serin occupied herself with the details of a half ruined drape still clinging to the rafters.
"What is this place?" Turkill asked.
All the way down the halls, they looked in each room but found nothing interesting.
"Now what?" Serin asked when they met at the other end.
"I don't know, I really thought something would be here."
"Ouch" Serin said, and slapped her neck.
She pulled out a tiny stick that was similar to a dart and held it in between her fingers. She inspected the minuscule thing.
"Is that a-" Shaz started, Turkill and Ladtwig hollered too. They were hopping up and down rubbing their arms and legs. "What is going on?" he asked.
Serin yelped again, this time pulling a dart from her arm and another from her thigh. Shaz stood as the three of them swatted and grappled as though they were being attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. Ladtwig opened his mouth to shout when a tiny dart embedded into his tongue. Turkill spun in circles, warding off the onslaught of tiny projectiles.
Serin rubbed her skin and asked "What... is...this?" pointing to where the first dart hit her.
"You’re not going to like it." Shaz said. Serin’s frantic look surprised Shaz, "It’s ok, its just a huge orange lump on your neck."
He didn't want to tell her about the one in the center of her forehead between her eyes making her look like a three eyed creature. With disbelief she looked down at her arms and legs. Tiny bumps formed into large boils of different colors. She was consumed with disgust and fear until she saw Ladtwig. It was hard not to laugh. He was frantically yanking tiny darts from his lips and face. His tongue slipped out of his mouth and he couldn’t put it back in. Drool slipped from the corner of his lips. Mumblings rang as he tried to explain to Turkill that he couldn't feel his lips.
With distorted motions and gestures he frantically explained that his tongue was numb. Turkill was too busy hopping on one foot rubbing his big toe that stuck out of the hole in his shoe. He tripped on a silver goblet and tumbled into the fire pit, coming to a halt as his head smacked the soot filled bottom. Groaning he lay down and stared into the sky.
"Why weren't you shot with any darts? Where are they coming from?" Serin asked, then remembered the movement outside in the courtyard.
"Yah, whry doth ihehh hanf?" Ladtwig mumbled.
"Dunno" Shaz said.
A tiny movement crossed his vision.
"There." Serin said, scratching her boils, "That’s what I saw outside."
She scratched her forehead, finding that there was one right in the center of her face.
"You saw something outside and you didn't tell me?"
"I wasn't sure I had, but now I am."
Turkill untangled himself from the debris in the pit, while Ladtwig stared blankly, panting and drooling like a dog. Tiny little figures ran along the wood beams and door casings. They scaled the heights running one by one. Like ants the tiny soldiers leapt onto a large wood chandelier that was still hanging from the center vault. They floated through the air and landed silently. Formed in ranks and encircled the rounded beams.
"They're tiny soldiers." Shaz said.
Serin covered the boil. "I barely see anything moving." she said, slightly muffled by her arm covering her words.
A female draped in tiny orange and yellow feathers drifted out of nowhere. She floated down softly and hovered, her feather like dress flowing.
"Welcome master Shaz," the tiny voice sang.
She was barely the size of his thumb. Her head was large for her size and she had bright green eyes. Soft wavy blonde hair and pale rose colored skin.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Don't you remember me? I sang you to sleep when you were a baby and played with you as you grew."
"No, I'm sorry I don't."
"Never mind, you were young and it has been many, many years since then." she sang.
"How many years exactly?"
"Two hundred and seventy."
"Two hundred and seventy?" He leaned back in surprise.
"You are surprised?"
"Yes, I'm only twenty.”
"No, you are not, we have waited many long years for your return, protecting your home from those who would take your inheritance."
"Inheritance?"
"Treasure?" Turkill asked, now alert.
The Wispmother of the Inugami raised her arm to signal an attack.
"They're with me."
The Wispmother lowered her arm and then asked "You have returned, yes?"
"Yes, and no, we can't stay but I hope to return soon.”
"Your father left you something, come I will show you."
"My father?" Shaz asked, looking at Serin hopefully.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
Azrak returns
The night slipped seamlessly into morning as Azrak dipped back into the thick tree coverage. He landed on a branch high in the tree tops. The sky blended into the trees, causing a mirror-like reflection against the trees. He leapt out and landed on the ground. Walking carefully, twisting his ears back and forth. He scanned the distance and then made his way to the barrier. He stepped into the middle of a tree and peeked through just enough to see the other side.
Not far into his homeland, he found that the trees had less color than they once did. Azrak had to walk for a length before he could take to the sky. The earth was dry and crackly under the pads of his paws. He tried to stick to the trees that had bright red and orange leaves to keep himself concealed. His bird instincts encouraged him to get as high up as he could as quickly as he could. When he felt it was safe, he soared into the sky.
The coolness of the autumn sky felt good on his face. It was much dryer here which was a nice change. It had been over a hundred seasons since he had been this far into the land he loved. The further in he flew, the worse it became. The once bright and vibrant colors were now dingy and dreary. Rivers barely trickled and the landscape was void of roaming elk, steer and buffalo.
Dwellings once inhabited by healthy packs no longer existed. The anger he had repressed so many years ago now opened the flood gates into a state of rage. It wasn't just him that had been affected, but his whole world. How could he have been so selfish, and stupid? How could he have thought that things would be fine?
He dipped in and around the falls that were once gushing water. Hardly a trickle dripped off the jagged rocks. His heart plummeted into his stomach when he saw his home. Groargoth had destroyed it. Setting himself down softly on the ledge, he bent onto all fours and crawled into the small opening. The scent of ash wafted heavily throughout the cavern, even after all this time.
"It's not pretty, is it?" Lahonti said.
Azrak hadn't heard him come in and turned sharply.
"When did this happen?" Azrak asked his tone sharp. The muscles in his neck flexed. His feathers ruffled as he breathed short, strong brea
ths.
"There was nothing you could have done. I didn't want you to-" Lahonti said, "I'm sorry. I should have told you."
"No, you’re right. There was nothing I could have done." Azrak said. "Besides, it’s not your fault, its mine" Azrak paused, "What happened?"
"Groargoth destroyed everything and took your whole family prisoner. They are still alive but they are servants in his court." Lahonti said quietly.
"And my men?" Azrak asked through a broken voice.
"Helios is at the Guardian Feather Academy in hiding. Brigdon is in prison for striking Groargoth,"
Azrak snickered and waved Lahonti to continue.
"Ralti and Jaxton are still in the Armada under Kronos, the new general."
Azrak’s eye flinched.
"My armor, did they take that too?"
"No, I was able to sneak that and your weapons out. I have hidden them." Lahonti said.
"Good, I will need them."
"What are you going to do?"
"Kill him."
"Azrak I have to tell you, Groargoth has united with the Kronos and the Ebonhoards." Lahonti said.
Azrak looked at him with his glossy eyes, Lahonti sank low to the ground.
“Here, take this.” Lahonti slipped the gold ring he found off his toe and gave it to Azrak.
“What’s this?”
“It has given me good luck. I figure you’re going to need it more than me.”
"Lahonti, you have been a good friend. Thank you." Azrak said.
"Sire.” Lahonti said bowing.
"I'm not the king."
"But you should be."
Azrak kicked the debris in front of him and pushed his way past Lahonti.
"Send word to Ralti to meet at the falls tomorrow at sunset."
"Where are you going?"
"To get Helios."
A renewed sense of strength, fueled by emotions Azrak hadn't felt in a long time, propelled his long flight. He would have to fly high through the heavy clouds that shield the mountain tops. These clouds were not the usual fluffy clouds that drift across the sky. Legend says the mages used magic to shield the school from the Velsharoon.