The Reclaiming: The Keepers Saga: Volume Two

by Dillon McNaight

  As Dathian approached the bar, he said to one of the Innkeepers, “I will have three triple-fermented Reds.”

  The Innkeeper looked suspicious as he asked, “How old are ya boy?”

  Dathian sighed as he replied, “Old enough, besides, my father, the ‘King,’ doesn’t mind.”

  The Innkeeper quickly changed his demeanor as he bowed and said, “Sorry, prince Dathian, for I didn’t know. Anything you like my Lord, three Reds coming up.”

  He then grabbed a long thin bottle of a blood-red wine, and poured the thick alcohol into three small glasses. Dathian nods in thanks as he grabs them carefully and carries them back to the table where the others wait in anticipation.

  As Dathian places the three glasses on the table, Ethan says, “What is that? It doesn’t look like any wine I’ve seen.”

  Biix grabs his without hesitation and throws it back. His face quickly shrivels as he coughs and says, “Oh my god… that is awful!”

  Dathian laughs as he grabs his glass and looks at Ethan. “Well then?”

  Ethan doesn’t want to be shown up, so he reluctantly grabs his glass, taps its rim against Dathian’s and says, “Here goes nothing!” He then tosses the retched liquid into his mouth. He makes the mistake of holding it there as he gags. Although he struggles to keep the liquid in his mouth, he recovers himself, and swallows it. His eyes close tightly as he cringes at the disgusting taste.

  Dathian doesn’t pretend to not be affected by the surprisingly sour wine. After he barely gets it down, he also shakes his head as he says, “That… by far… is the worst thing I’ve ever tasted! I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  The three teens laugh hysterically as Ethan says, “Well, clearly we need another round. You know, to wash that one down.”

  Dathian, a little surprised, replied, “Ok then, three more coming up!”

  It grew late into the night as the three teens quickly learned everything there was to know about each other. Dathian talked about his and Savannah’s journey to Brethiel, and how they made love for the first time. Ethan spoke of a girl that he thought might like him, but didn’t have the same feelings for. He told them that he hasn’t found his love yet, and worries that he never will. Biix spoke of how his parents basically don’t care what he does, as long as it serves the Sabers. Dathian and Ethan thought it a little weird that his parents didn’t even care if he rode to war at such a young age. Three drinks turned into six, which turned into nine. Before they knew it, the three were adequately inebriated. As more and more people left the Inn, the teens were left alone. The Innkeeper only stayed due to Dathian’s title.

  Dathian then ungracefully stood up as he proclaimed, “The night is still young boys, and I declare that a friendly competition is in order!”

  Biix, with words slurred and eyes heavy, replied, “What did you, um… have in mind?”

  Dathian smiled as he clumsily stood up and walked over to the Innkeeper.

  “What can I get you now, sir,” annoyingly asked the Innkeeper.

  “We won’t be much longer, I promise,” drunkenly replied the prince. “I just need three knives for a game. We will leave after that, I swear. You a good man, very good man, and your hosp… spitallity, is duly dated… um, noted. Just… knives please.”

  The Innkeeper rolled his tired eyes as he gave the prince three knives. Dathian smiled as he took them and nodded, before he stumbled back over to the table.

  Biix, though his eyes were heavy, noticed the knives and asked, “What are those for?”

  Dathian placed two of the knives on the table as he turned with the other and faced the wall. He stared at a loose painting of a man’s portrait on the wall across the bar, and attempted to concentrate. After a moment, he threw the knife at the painting. To the other’s surprise, the knife stabbed the bottom left of the portrait. The prince smiled as he looked at the others.

  Biix’s eyes grew wide as he said, “Wow, that… that was pretty good!”

  Dathian handed Biix a knife and said, “Your turn.”

  Biix took the knife with excitement as he said, “Ok, but let’s make this more interesting. I am going to aim for the person’s head. If I make it, you BOTH have to take another drink. If I miss, then I will take two.”

  “Sounds good,” said Dathian as he poured two glasses. Ethan said nothing as he smiled to himself.

  Biix struggled to keep his wobbling body still as he held the knife by the handle. After a few moments in concentration, he threw the blade with surprising accuracy, but it wasn’t good enough. The blade stabbed the painting just below the portrait’s head. Biix stared with disbelief as Dathian and Ethan laughed.

  Dathian then handed the Ela teen two drinks and said, “Hey, it was ‘your’ idea. Drink up.”

  Biix moaned in defeat as he reluctantly took the glasses of the potent triple-fermented wine. It was almost too much for him as he struggled to drink the first glass, and barely kept the second one down.

  Dathian looked at Ethan and said, “What about you? I believe it’s your turn. You don’t have to try and hit the head if you don’t want to, or don’t think you can.”

  Ethan replied, “You don’t think I can do it?”

  Dathian laughed as he said, “Not saying you can’t, just that it’s nearly impossible in our state.”

  Ethan looked at Biix, who was still cringing, and back at Dathian as he said, “You really want to make this interesting, oh great ‘prince’?”

  Dathian’s smile faded at the teen’s jab, as he said with a confident smirk, “Oh great prince? Go on, you have my attention.”

  Ethan smirked back as he replied, “If I can hit the portrait’s face with all three knives, AND do it blindfolded, then you both have to finish the rest of that bottle.”

  Biix felt slightly uncomfortable as he drunkenly stared at the two.

  Dathian looked at Ethan with a stoic gaze, as he said, “That is impossible… but if by some miracle you pull this off, then you have a deal. If you don’t… then the bottle’s all yours.”

  Ethan said nothing as he held out his hand. Dathian shook it hard as Ethan then walked over to the wall and took the two knives out. As he walked back over to the table, he stabbed them into the wooden table, doing the same with the third. He then turned to face the painting as he took a nearby cloth napkin from the table. He stared at the painting for a moment before he tied the napkin around his eyes. Dathian and Biix stood to the side, waiting for him to fail. Ethan took in a steady breath as he settled his drunken nerves. Then, with an expertise the prince has never seen, Ethan grabbed a knife with each hand, throwing first with his right, then with his left immediately after. The knives raced towards the painting with incredible speed. Before the first one hit, Ethan threw the third. The first knife stabbed the portrait’s left eye, the second hit the right, and third hit the mouth. It happened so quickly that Biix’s mouth just dropped as Dathian’s eyes grew wide. Ethan didn’t need to take off the blind fold to know that the knives struck true. He just smiled as he took the napkin off. The look on the other teen’s faces was priceless to Ethan as he just stared at them. Neither one of them could take their eyes off the grouping of knives.

  Finally, Dathian’s stunned face turned to face Ethan as he said, “I… how did you… what the… how?!”

  Ethan broke his prideful gaze and laughed as he said, “It’s nothing, just something that I’m really good…”

  Ethan suddenly stopped talking as his face and body froze.

  “You’re better than good,” said Dathian as he noticed Ethan’s frozen state. “Hey Ethan, are you alright?”

  Ethan didn’t respond, as Dathian waved his hand in front of his face. He then turned to Biix to say, ‘what’s wrong with him,’ but the Ela teen was also frozen in place, with a smile plastered on his face.

  “What is wrong with you two?” asked the prince, assuming it was a joke, but then noticed that the tired and annoyed Innkeeper was also frozen in place. Growing slightly more nervous, the
prince said, “What is happening?” Then, every candlestick in the bar, save the two on the table, blew out.

  Before Dathian could become even more nervous, a woman’s voice came from behind him and said, “Relax young prince, this is of my doing.”

  Dathian quickly whirled around and saw the faint illuminated outline of a tall women. As she walked closer towards the light, she revealed herself to be the White Queen.

  “My Queen,” said Dathian as he blinked his eyes and shook his head, “what… what are you doing here?”

  Kalorah gracefully walked towards the prince, dressed in a simple brown cloak with a hood covering her white hair. “I came to talk to you, and you alone. Your friends won’t know that I was here, for only you must know.”

  Still slightly nervous of the Queen’s range of power, rivaled only by the former Keeper of the Staff, Dathian replied, “What do you want from me?”

  Kalorah smiled as she came to a stop in front of him. “I am in need of your interventions. As I am sure you have heard by now that four Drykans have been taken captive by the Ela, and remain here in the city.”

  Dathian, trying to act sober in front of the White Queen, said, “Yes, I heard from one of the guards that some Drykans were captured, which can only lead me to believe that they were the ones that tried to capture Savannah and I.”

  “Your intuition is correct,” replied Kalorah, “they are indeed the ones who sought your capture, but that is not their full story.”

  Slightly confused, Dathian asked, “What does that mean?”

  Kalorah stared at the prince as if she hesitates in what she was about to do.

  “What is it my Queen?” continued the inebriated prince.

  Finally, the Queen answered, “It would be easier and more impacting if I allow you to see for yourself. Now, this won’t hurt, but it will leave you jarred. Are you ready?”

  Not sure what she was talking about, Dathian replied, “Yes, I guess?”

  Kalorah then gently placed her hands over his cheekbones and closed her eyes. Dathian watched her eyes close just before his first went black, then awoke behind someone else’s, the young Drykan Prin. It seemed like a lifetime as all the Angel’s memories rushed through his consciousness. Then he saw him, his best friend and mentor, the Keeper of the Staff… Kale. He couldn’t stop his emotions from flooding in at the kindness of his old friend Kale, and his new friend, Bill. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt sorry for the Drykans, and wished no harm upon them. The last image to reveal itself was that of the Lord of the City saying that the King, his father, will most likely have them executed. As Kalorah lifted her hands, Dathian’s world came back to him. He has never had memories transferred to him by a Guardian, and the Angel was right, it was rather quite jarring, especially after consuming that much alcohol.

  Kalorah allowed the prince to gather himself before she said, “Now that you have seen what I have, I believe you know in your heart what you must do. You must convince your father to spare these souls, for they are not the ones we fight against. These Drykans and their people are innocent in this matter, and only fight to save their people from prosecution by the Generals. I would do this myself, but I am a visitor in these lands. There is already too much tension between our two people, and I do want the Kain to believe that I am trying to sway their King’s choices. You alone can convince your father to do this, and even if you don’t, save them anyways. It is what Kale would’ve wanted, as I am sure you know now.”

  Dathian, holding back tears, replied, “I… I will try, my Queen… for Kale.”

  Kalorah smiled warmly before she suddenly vanished, causing the several candles to reignite. Ethan and Biix, as well as the Innkeeper, woke from their transfixations.

  Ethan, who is completely unaware of his previous frozen state, and the prince’s unannounced meeting with the White Queen, said, “Well? I believe that you two have a bottle to finish.”

  Dathian just stared in the direction of where the Angel stood only seconds ago, and could barely hear Ethan’s words in the muffled background of his deep contemplation. It wasn’t until Biix shook his shoulder did he respond.

  “Oh, sorry, you’re right,” said Dathian, trying to act normal, “here we go! Cheers boys!”

  Dathian then titled back the bottle and drank half of the toxic wine before handing the remainder to Biix. He wiped his mouth as he struggled to get the Queen and the Drykan prisoners off his mind. Once Biix finished the wine, the three teens stumbled back to Ethan’s room. Ethan and Biix immediately fell into a deep sleep as Biix’s saber Red snuck in and laid down next to his bed. Dathian was the only one not sleeping, and just stared at the ceiling. Just as he was beginning to feel normal again, he was quickly reminded of the situation at hand. He, and the innocent teens sleeping next to him, would inevitably march to war, and now he is responsible for the lives of four Drykans, the very race they march to war against. After a while, just hours before the sun would begin to rise, the troubled prince finally fell deep asleep.

  CHAPTER 10

  AN UNLIKELY UNION

  It has been two days since the Angel Teeca spoke with the shade Dreyvan at the place where the Keeper fell to the demon Archimus. After searching the razor hills in the guise of her sparrows to no avail, she finally came to a place that might give a clue to the location of the Gates. Just ten miles north of the ruined Drykan city of Kuul’Drathor, deep in the Razor Hills, Teeca came across a simple stone path cutting through the mountains. The landscape is like nothing she has seen in Kranos. Instead of the lush and green mountains of the Karn, the Razor Hills are sharp and jagged, baring very little life. There are no trees or flowers, just shrubs and massive thorn bushes as far as the eye can see. The sun was just beginning to rise, though little light would shine upon the steep and sharp ravine the simple road cut through. She landed still in the guise of sparrows, and as all the small birds flocked together, she once again transformed. Once in her Ela form, the Angel began to scan her horizon in search of anything and everything. She took in the new foreign landscape as she used her power to sense any unnatural presence. Her glowing tattoos faded as her eyes became normal again. She bent down to feel the ground beneath her feet. She could feel very little life in the soil, and even less around her. As she stood up, there suddenly appeared a small person in front of her, several yards away. Though startled by the unannounced stranger, Teeca did not reveal her tattoos, and her eyes stayed brown. The person, clearly a child, had darker skin than her kin, but not as dark as the Drykans.

  Teeca spoke first as she said, “Hello there.”

  “Hello,” said the person in a young girl’s voice. “Who are you?”

  The girl has a shaved head, and wears a simple burlap dress, or robe as you will. She has no shoes, and her youthfulness would suggest that she is no more than eight years old.

  Teeca began to slowly walk towards the child as she replied, “I am a friend from a different part of this world. I travel to your lands in search of something, and someone.”

  The little girl stood with a stoic and demanding presence. Her eyes are not dark, but hazel in color. She held her arms to her side, and stood tall and dignified for such a young age.

  “Who could you be looking for in a place like this?” asked the girl in a mature tone.

  Teeca grew cautious of the girl’s surprising candor, but concealed her worries as she replied, “I am searching for the ones who guard the Gates. Do you know of whom I speak?”

  The girl just stared before she answered, “Yes. You speak of the Jailors.”

  Teeca was nerved by the girl’s answer as she replied, “Can you tell me your name?”

  The girl never broke her stoic gaze as she answered, “No… but you may walk with me.”

  “Don’t you want to know my name?” asked the Angel, who grew more and more weary of the girl’s true intentions… or identity.

  The girl broke a slight smile as she replied, “There is no need. You desire to find the Jailors? The
n walk with me.”

  She then turned and began to walk away from the Angel. Teeca was not so easily fooled, but could not yet decipher this mystery. She made sure to hide her rings beneath her silky purple cloak. She felt no power coming from the girl, or anything supernatural. One of the Angel’s greatest skills is her ability to detect the presence of magic in others, yet she feels nothing. Either this young child is nothing more than she appears, or she wields a power greater than hers. The Jailors are mysterious beings that very few understand. They are like the air she breathed, she could not sense or see it, but knew it existed. She made sure to stay a few feet behind the girl as they walked for what seemed like hours through the Razor Hills.

  Growing more impatient by the minute, Teeca asked, “I am sorry, but I must ask where you are leading me, for we have been walking for hours.”

  The girl said nothing as she continued to lead the way.

  “I am afraid that I must insist,” demanded Teeca.

  The girl stopped and turned to face the Angel. She then said, “You ask a question that I am not sure you are prepared for me to answer.”

  Confused by the statement, Teeca replied, “I am prepared for any answer that you give me, for you know little of who I am, as do I you.”

  The girl smiled as she said, “Oh, I think we know each other more than we lead on. You can’t tell me that an Angel of Aya is blind to my identity, regardless of how shrouded it might be.”

  Teeca wasn’t surprised that her power was sensed, and chose not to act so. Instead, she replied, “You are correct in your assumption, for I am indeed an Angel of Aya. I act as a Guardian of the Ela, sent to this world by the Lord Eillea. My name is Teeca the Just, Angel of the Forest, and Keeper of Rings. Now that you have my many names, may I have just one of yours?”

  The smile on the girl’s face faded as she said, “Like I said, there is no need. I am not the one you seek, for I am merely a means to their company. You may continue to walk with me, or turn now and leave. The choice is yours, but no introduction will be made between you and I.”