by Peach, Hanna
“There’s a way.” There had to be. For Israel’s sake and her own. If he dies, I die. “We just have to find one.”
Dianne slid back in her chair. “It’s suicide. You can’t expect us to throw our limited resources at this insane mission.”
“If we have any chance of succeeding, we have to rescue Mayrekk and steal the Threads of Dark on the same night,” said Jordan. “If we don’t, then we risk alerting the Elders into increasing their security, making it impossible for us to enter a second city.”
Alyx looked thankfully at Jordan. At least he was on her side.
Dianne threw her arms up in the air. “I can’t believe you are even entertaining this idea, Jordan. He’s a mortal-demon half-breed for God’s sake.”
Israel. She was talking about Israel. But Dianne didn’t know how closely tied to the prophecy Israel was… no one in the FreeThinker camp knew except for Jordan, Tobias and her. Alyx suspected that Vix knew, but if she did, she never let on.
Jordan’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “Mayrekk has been a friend to us FreeThinkers for decades. He has risked his life to get messages to me about new FreeThinkers, about what has been going on in their society, and even to help some FreeThinkers escape before they were captured. A lot of our FreeThinkers may not be alive if it weren’t for him, including myself. I owe him. So I’ll do everything I can to save his life.”
The small room was quiet. Alyx stared at Jordan as he made his impassioned speech. Could it be that Mayrekk had helped her parents escape? She had so much to ask Mayrekk. Once they had rescued him.
Alyx slipped her hand onto his knee in thanks for his support. He placed his hand over hers and their fingers twisted together. A thought struck her as she stared at their entwined fingers.
“Daniel and Constantine’s entwinement,” she said. “They’re getting entwined in Michaelea at midnight on the night of the full moon. That’s in two nights’ time. It’s the entwinement of the year. Most of the Elders from Gabriela and Urielos will be in attendance. If we have any chance, it’d be on that night.”
“But won’t that mean that Michaelea will be harder to breach without being noticed?” said Tobias. “There’ll be so many Seraphim everywhere.”
“No. We can use that to our advantage. We’ll hide in plain sight. There’ll be so many Seraphim around that we won’t even be noticed.”
Dianne shook her head. “But they’ll recognize you.”
“Not at all,” said Alyx, and she grinned. “We’ll all be wearing masks.”
A look of realization came across the faces of everyone else in the room. The entwinement ceremony custom was for everyone to wear masquerade masks except for the entwinement couple.
“And as Michael will be the one entwining the couple, we know that he won’t be in the forest chambers where Mayrekk’s prisoner’s apex is.”
“What about getting into this secret chamber?” asked Tobias.
“It has to be protected by a magical shield.” The last time she broke into Michael’s chambers, she had used Elijah’s pick. But now Michael had that. “Tobias, do you know how to make something that will disrupt a magical shield?”
He frowned. “I’ve never tried.”
Alyx did her best to describe Elijah’s pick to him, the lightness and the coolness of the metal. She told him that Passar had described it as a mix of Alchemist metals.
Tobias nodded. “Magical shields work off a kind of Alchemist current circulated across by Airmagic in a thin sheet. Essentially how it works is that this Alchemist current converts the air into a wall of impenetrable glass. This one is likely to have MirageWeaver magic entwined in it as well. It is very likely that the pick that Elijah created uses a mix of metals that disrupts either the current of Air or the Alchemist or both. I can start working on it right away, but… I fear I may not have enough time to experiment with this.”
“Do what you can,” Alyx said.
“If it doesn’t work, then what?” asked Dianne.
“In Piki’s memory, it looked like Michael was using some kind of localized entry panel instead of a keye,” said Jordan. “We’ll just have to figure out the entry code.”
“Assuming you can.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Alyx muttered.
The room filled with an empty silence, as if everyone had taken a deep breath in collectively.
“So that’s a basic plan for Michaelea,” said Jordan “What about Urielos? We’ll need an Alchemist.”
“If you are happy to donate your blood, Tobias, I can do it myself,” said Alyx.
Everyone turned their eyes to Tobias.
He frowned. “I am not one to turn away from danger. You know that, Alyx.”
“I know. But there is a broken community of Seraphim here who need you more than I do.”
Tobias looked to argue again. But it seemed that Alyx’s words filtered through to him. He nodded and it was settled.
“The only thing left is figuring out how to get into the Archives without anyone noticing,” said Alyx.
“Sometimes the best way to figure out how to do something is to do it,” said Jordan.
“That’s suicide. We can’t just figure out how to get into Urielos by going to Urielos.”
“That’s not what I’m suggesting.”
“What are you suggesting?”
Jordan grinned. “We could workshop it in a DreamScape.”
* * *
Alyx gazed across the Urielos DreamScape from above and grazed her lip with her teeth. The city was lain out like a giant map below her. She could see the possible paths that she would take, the darker paths through the skinny alleys, the areas where overgrown trees and bushes would provide cover.
She spoke to Jordan, who was floating beside her, “I still think that it’d be better to come in from the sea side. The path is more covered this way. We won’t have to worry about anyone coming from the village behind us.”
Jordan shook his head. “But it’s a longer approach from the south than from the north. I say the north side is a better approach. It’s a shorter distance hence it would be quicker.”
“Oh really?”
“Really.”
“Care to race on it?” Alyx glanced sideways at him.
He laughed. “Are you serious?”
Alyx let a slow smile crawl across her face. “Are you scared you’ll lose?”
Jordan snorted. “I’m scared I’ll kick your butt so hard your pride won’t be able to take it.”
Alyx felt the familiar buzz of competition running under her skin like a current. “Then let’s go. You take the north side, I’ll take the south. You activate the DreamShadow guards using Trida’s memories. When we’re in position we’ll start the race. Then we’ll see who gets to the Archives first.”
Trida was one of the Aradale survivors, a lightwarrior who recently defected from Urielos. Trida had allowed Dianne to take a copy of her memories of Urielos’ defense system for Alyx and Jordan to use in this DreamScape training. Alyx had been startled to learn that Jordan could also weave parts of Trida’s memories to create guards in the DreamScape that performed and acted similarly to the guards of Urielos. They would all be mirror images of course, being created from a memory copy and would mostly fight left-handed. Jordan called them “DreamShadows”.
“You could create DreamShadows, too,” Jordan had told her earlier. “Just like you could create a door or a blue smoke globe or anything you want. Doing anything in the DreamScape is about controlling your mind.”
“Even if I had no inherent DreamWalker ability?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s do it then,” said Jordan, snapping Alyx back to the present. “Let’s race. It’ll be good training for us anyway.”
He pointed to the DreamScape sky over Urielos. Alyx gasped when the black night sky faded, then began to glow a brilliant green, burying the pale stars away against its overwhelming color. Alyx noticed the green was bolder nearer the horizon and faded t
o a lighter green straight above her. Staring more intently at the midpoint of the sky above, she noticed the lightness was caused partially by what looked like shimmering golden flecks. It was unearthly. No clouds marked the alien sky above.
“After we send up our signals that we are in position, watch for the sky to turn back to black,” Alyx heard him say. “That’s our signal to begin.”
Alyx nodded, still staring at the sky. “It’s kinda beautiful, isn’t it?” she said. “I could stare at this sky forever. The color is just… stunning. And is that gold in there as well?”
His voice was quiet. “Now you know how I feel.”
“What?”
He cleared his throat. “Your eyes. The sky is the exact color of your eyes.”
Alyx blinked as she processed this. The sky was the color of her eyes.
“I could stare at this sky forever.”
“Now you know how I feel.”
Alyx tore her gaze from the heavens to stare at Jordan. As always, he stood with his chin held high and his assured gaze on her. But there was a shy smile that softened the usual stoic confidence.
Alyx smiled. “That’s really sweet.”
He shrugged. “I supposed I could have just as easily colored the sky red or purple.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t pretend what you did doesn’t mean anything.”
Jordan scowled. For a moment, Alyx thought that she had truly offended him.
She was about to speak again when he spoke, almost to himself. “And she will stand before you reflecting you back onto yourself, like a mirror to your soul.”
Before she could think too hard upon these words, Jordan took off across the sky, calling behind him. “Last one into position is a rotten Dragonberry.”
Alyx laughed as she sped off toward the south side of the village.
* * *
Alyx hung off the side of the cliff under the tip of the spit. Only the very top of the southern watchtower could be seen from where she hung. She held out her hand palm up and closed her eyes. She remembered what Jordan had said to her about manipulating the DreamScape. “If you can create a door, you can create anything in here. You just have to believe you can.”
Alyx sent her full focus to the space above her palm. Believe. She imagined white feathers and small round eyes. She imagined the claws poking lightly into her skin and how the weight of the bird would feel in her hand. Believe.
She heard a cooing.
Alyx couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her when she opened her eyes. Sitting in her palms was a small white dove. Its head tilted as if it were inquiring as to what was so funny. She gave the dove a stroke down its soft body and a light kiss on its forehead before she threw her hand to the sky. The dove flapped his wings and aimed for the heavens.
Alyx watched as the dove grew smaller, aiming to the golden flecks. She smiled when she saw a second dove joining hers. This was Jordan’s signal. The two doves twisted around each other as if they were dancing, before they disappeared out of sight.
The gold and green began to fade. The sky darkened to black and the pale stars appeared again. The race had started.
Alyx shot up and along the rocky cliff until she reached the lip of the spit. She peered over it. A little further up the cliff, she knew from Trida’s memories where the first patrole line ran. Two ‘Shadow warriors, both dressed in warrior blacks, were moving along the edge of the cliff towards her. She tried to ignore an uneasy feeling.
Alyx felt her stomach coil as one of the guards moved into a moonlight patch, showing a strong-jawed, dark-haired warrior. Was that… Lutando? Her old flock mate?
She tried to steady her heart, which had begun to race as she squinted at the figure moving closer. No. It couldn’t be Lutando. Just someone who looked very much like him. Alyx silently let out a breath. Silly girl. Why would Lutando even be here?
Alyx watched the guards as they made their way around the edges of the village and disappeared from sight.
She double-checked that no one was in sight before slipping from the bushes and flying along the ground to the closest building. From there she slipped up along the wall and up onto the top of the roof. She grinned. This was going to be easier than she thought.
Alyx ran along the rooftops, the night air rushing to get out of her way. At first she was cautious when she approached the edges of the buildings, peering down to make sure that the city was still silent. Soon she grew more confident and more eager, leaping from the roof’s edge, landing on the next one with the lightest of touches. She would win this race.
Soon the Archives was before her. Alyx made her way to the edge of the building opposite the Archives over a tiny lane. She scanned the sky beyond and the street below. She couldn’t see Jordan. But she could see a ‘Shadow guarding the front entrance, his face hooded in shadows from the hanging street lanterns above. Alyx dove over the gap between buildings in a silent arc. She tucked into a roll and rose straight up to her feet on the roof of the Archives.
Peering over the edge she could see that the guard hadn’t moved. She unsheathed her dagger and dropped silently behind him, knocking the butt of her handle on his head as she dropped. The guard started to collapse but Alyx had sheathed her dagger and tucked her arms under his armpits before he could fall too far. She dragged his body to the darkened side of the Archives building into an empty alleyway. Once tucked into the dark side of the building, Alyx lay the unconscious guard down. His head lolled back to one side so that his face turned towards her.
She felt like she had been punched in the stomach at the familiar sight of his boyish face and thick lashes. It wasn’t just someone that looked like him, it was Xavier. Another old flock mate. No, it couldn’t be. Alyx staggered back, semi-aware that her heavy feet were making too much noise against the dirt. What was he doing here? She knew there had been something wrong when she saw the first ‘Shadow guards. Prickles of fear spread through her body. What the hell was going on?
“You can do better than that, Alyx.” The familiar voice from behind her made her throat tighten.
Symon. She felt the air move before she heard the sound of his blade. Alyx spun to the side, unsheathing her sword. Her blade struck against his thick broadsword. “Dirty Rogue.” Symon’s face twisted in disgust and hate. It stabbed Alyx in the chest as if he had actually pierced her.
Double-handed, Symon twisted his blade around hers in what she recognized as one of his disarming moves. She countered it and managed to untangle her blade from his. Flicking her legs out to her side, she kicked off the wall of the building to twist in the air above him. She lashed out with her sword tip. But it wasn’t an accurate aim and it was without her usual power. This was Symon, her mentor… her family.
He knocked it aside as if it were nothing and launched off the ground. Alyx’s eyes widened when she realized he was coming for her. She tried to move out of the way, holding her sword across the front of her body as a shield, but he was too fast. His sword clashed with hers as he knocked her back against the other wall with a jarring shudder. Now she was trapped against his powerful body and the rough bricks behind her.
His blade inched closer to her throat. This close she could see the sweat beading across his furrowed brow.
“Did you learn nothing from me, Alyx?” he snarled at her. “You are such a disappointment.”
Alyx felt a final stab of pain from his words before the anger rushed up inside her, overtaking everything else. She shoved her knee up into his crotch. His face contorted as her knee connected with the delicate flesh. His body tensed and his sword stopped pushing against hers. She kicked again and managed to push him off her. Symon moved backwards in the air clutching at himself.
He cursed at her.
Alyx tossed her sword straight up in the air. She drew out both boot daggers and spun them out at Symon. They embedded in his shoulder and in his stomach before he could knock them away. His eyes widened and he froze m
id-air. Then he looked down at his two wounds.
Alyx caught her sword handle and leapt forward, driving the point deep into his heart. “I’d say you were the disappointment, Symon.”
Symon’s blue eyes glistened as they met hers. His sword fell from his limp fingers. He tried to speak but only succeeded in sputtering up blood onto his lips.
Alyx felt her body grow cold. The coldness swept across her like an arctic wind, carrying away all of that blinding hot rage. Symon fell from the air. His body thudded to the dirt below.
What had she done?
Alyx dropped to the ground, her boots clomping heavily. She wanted to move to his side, but her legs wouldn’t go.
Symon’s pale lifeless face and bright blue eyes stared accusingly at her. Oh God. She killed him. What if this wasn’t a ‘Shadow? What if it was really Symon? What if he had found a way into this DreamScape?
Guilt, thick and black like tar began to poison her blood. Alyx felt the scream welling up inside her, starting to choke her. She stumbled back. Into a hard body. She whirled around, sword at the ready. Her mind was racing so much that she didn’t register his pale green eyes.
“Alyx, it’s me.” Jordan’s worried voice cut through her fog.
“Jordan…” Alyx felt her sword drop from her fingers. “I… killed him.”
“Alyx, it’s okay. He’s not real.”
“It doesn’t matter. I killed him.”
Jordan waved his hand over Symon’s body and it faded into nothing. “See? He’s not real. Just a ‘Shadow.”
“But… how did he..?” Alyx choked out. “And Xavier… and… I thought… I thought…”
“We’re in the subconscious world, remember? Whatever you have hidden away can filter out here. You fear seeing them again…”
Alyx remembered the haunted look that Vix had gotten as she saw the female figure that had appeared in the distance when they had been in the Elder’s DreamScape together. Vix’s subconscious had caused her to appear, just as Alyx’s had caused Xavier and Lutando and Symon to appear.