Scarlet and the Keepers of Light

by Brandon Charles West

  “Sure,” said Scarlet, trying her best to take it all in; she could feel that something big and dangerous was coming, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. She couldn’t help feeling a strong sense of foreboding. “It’s like a prediction of the future.”

  “Very good,” Xavier said, sounding so wise and grandfatherly that it made Scarlet smile, despite her apprehension. “That is exactly what it is. Although I’m afraid that when it comes to prophecies, it’s not always so simple. Many things can affect how a prophecy comes to be, and it is always difficult to try and figure them out. Most times we don’t even bother. There have been many prophecies spoken over the course of even my long life, and usually they are ignored. After all, there’s not much anyone can do about something that is supposed to happen anyway.

  “The prophecy I want to tell you about is quite different, though. Unlike most, this one tells of two possible futures. One is full of hope—the other, of despair. You see, the prophecy says that from the Dorans will rise a great and evil force that will threaten all goodness in the two worlds. It says that this force will enslave those without the gift of magic, and rule over the rest of us with tyranny and hate.

  “That force has been identified. He is the prince of the Dorans, and his name is Thanerbos. He will have powers beyond what any living being possesses. He has an unlimited capacity for evil and a mastery over dark magic that I can barely match with light. The only reason he hasn’t made his move to take over, Scarlet, is because his father, the king, knowing what he was, had him locked in a prison, where he is guarded by all the magical power the king possesses. But the king grows weak as the prince grows strong. The attack on your family is proof of that. He can’t yet leave the prison, but he commands the Mortada, and he is able to use part of his power from the confines of his tower. No one knows exactly how long we have before he is free, and when that day comes, a mighty war will begin. This war, those of us who wish for peace and good in the two worlds will have no hope of winning.”

  Scarlet’s head was spinning. A large part of her brain wanted not to believe a word of it. And yet here she was, in a village hidden beneath a tree, where no one was over seven inches tall and they made toys out of light.

  “So what can you do to stop him? I don’t understand,” she said, strain in her voice.

  “That is only one of the possible outcomes. You remember, I said there were two,” Xavier’s smile returned. “The prophecy also speaks of a hero. A great sorceress who will wield her magic from within, and will match his power. The For Tol Don. A woman from the nonmagical world. This sorceress will stand against the dark one and save us.”

  Xavier let these words hang in the air as if they needed time to breathe and grow. His smile didn’t fail as he looked tenderly into Scarlet’s eyes.

  “That woman, my dear, is you.”

  10

  The Inner Light

  Scarlet had decided not to ask any questions of Xavier the night of the feast; she had too many to even decide where to begin. Exhausted from a day and evening filled with sights and sounds that tested her concept of reality, she had gone to bed with a cramped brain and a heavy heart. Xavier had thrust a tremendous weight upon her shoulders, and she didn’t even really understand what it was, or whether she had a choice in carrying it out.

  Several days passed in relative calm, resting and regaining some sense of equilibrium. She played with Melody and Cricket and explored areas of the castle and village that they had missed on their first outing. The castle in particular was much more expansive than it had first appeared, full of hidden rooms and winding passageways. Scarlet found particularly fascinating a suite of rooms with one dedicated to each season. The winter room was bitterly cold, its floor dusted with snow, the resinous tang of fir needles in the air; the summer room, blazing hot, with a floor of sand; the fall room, sparkling and cool, carpeted with richly colored leaves that rustled underfoot and smelling of distant woodsmoke; and, her favorite by far, the spring chamber, mild and fragrant with the scent of cut grass, violets and wild narcissus scattered across the floor. Scarlet learned all she could about the Tounder and Illuminora, asking anyone who seemed willing to talk about them, as well as about the two worlds, the Dorans, and the places outside Illuminora. She didn’t find out much, but what she did learn—for one thing, that the oak tree above Illuminora, with its sheltering roots, gave the castle many magical properties that were not inherent to the Tounder—was fascinating.

  For reasons she didn’t herself understand, however, she avoided asking the one person who might be able to answer all of her questions. Perhaps it was a fear of the real answers, or perhaps she wanted to be better prepared before those answers came. Xavier, for his part, didn’t attempt to force the issue, and Scarlet assumed that he sensed she wasn’t ready. At least for the moment, he seemed patient to wait her out, and let her come to him.

  Three days after the feast, Scarlet found herself wandering through the castle, enjoying for the moment not having her sister, her parents, Cricket, or a throng of well-wishers tailing around. It was a relief just to be alone and think.

  Climbing up a spiral staircase through one of the castle’s front towers, she reached a terrace at the top of the castle that looked out over all of Illuminora. From this height, it almost looked like an ordinary village. The translucent wings of the Tounder below were barely visible; she couldn’t distinguish between those who flew just above the ground and those who simply walked. It could have been any small village in Europe, the inhabitants going about their ordinary routines of shopping and working.

  “It’s nice up here,” a voice remarked quietly, just behind her. Startled, she turned around. A Tounder about her age, with curly chestnut hair and mischievous elven features, was regarding her through cheerful baby-blue eyes. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Delfi.”

  Scarlet smiled and extended her hand, and Delfi took it awkwardly, obviously having no idea what the gesture meant. For some reason she felt as if she had heard his name before. “I didn’t know anyone else was here,” she said. “I’m____”

  “Scarlet. Scarlet Hope.”

  “Hopewell, actually,” Scarlet corrected. “It’s nice to meet you, Delfi.”

  “I come up here a lot. It’s a peaceful spot.” Delfi looked embarrassed. “I should go. You probably wanted to be alone, what with your training starting tomorrow.”

  “No— I mean— Stay, please. I haven’t really met anyone except Xavier. Certainly no one my age— Well, Lindi, but she—”

  “Is a pain and a bully,” Delfi said, giving a mischievous smile. “Don’t worry about Lindi, I don’t think she really likes anybody.” Scarlet was giving Delfi a suspicious look. “Sorry. It’s a horrible habit of mine, but I tend to notice things about people, and I overhear a lot. I saw the way she treated you at the feast. Best to just ignore her—we all do.”

  Scarlet suddenly remembered why Delfi’s name sounded so familiar. “Aren’t you one of the Tounder Xavier said was trying to get into the armory?” she said abruptly.

  Delfi’s face turned a bright crimson. “Uh . . . yeah. That was me,” he answered.

  “Oh,” Scarlet said, regretting having asked now. She hadn’t wanted to embarrass Delfi. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I almost got in, and my punishment wasn’t so bad. I’ll get in next time, though. I’ve got all the bugs worked out.” Delfi’s voice held more than a trace of excitement.

  “What do you want to get in there for, if it’s not allowed?” Scarlet asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe because it’s not allowed.” Delfi chuckled. “I have a knack for finding those sort of things. Keeps life exciting. At least until you’re restricted to the castle. I’m not allowed into the village for a week,” Delfi complained.

  “That’s terrible,” Scarlet sympathized.

  “No
, I got off easy, to tell you the truth.”

  “Why do you want to get in the armory so badly—really?”

  “It’s supposed to be incredible.” Delfi said this in such a matter-of-fact tone that Scarlet giggled. She’d been expecting a much more complicated answer. What she hadn’t expected was for Delfi to talk like any regular boy.

  “Incredible, huh,” she said.

  “Well . . . that’s what they say, at least. I’ve never actually been in there. Funny thing is, Raden’s been in there, when he was young. And now he acts like it’s the worst thing in the world that others try. Kinda full of himself, now that he’s in charge of the castle grounds.” Delfi tried to sound stern, even angry, when he spoke of Raden, but his eyes held a mischievous twinkle. “He also happens to be my big brother.”

  Scarlet laughed again. Delfi was instantly likable, and she found herself drawn to him. It didn’t hurt that he was very cute. Suddenly she remembered something from earlier in the conversation. “You said I was going to begin training tomorrow—what did you mean?”

  “I overheard my brother and Xavier talking. Xavier told Raden to keep everyone away from the library so that you and he could have your first lesson without a bunch of curious Tounder milling about. You’re the most exciting thing to happen around here in a long time,” said Delfi, moving to the stone seats at the center of the terrace. He sat down and took a piece of what resembled chocolate from his pocket, broke it in two, and offered half to Scarlet.

  Scarlet sat down beside him, took the candy, and tentatively took a bite. Expecting some unusual flavor, she was quite surprised to find that although it was very good, it tasted . . . well, like chocolate.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “You’re welcome.” Delfi paused, obviously weighing his next words. “Don’t tell Xavier that I told you. I wasn’t supposed to be where I was when I overheard them, strictly speaking.” Scarlet nodded vigorously, her mouth full of chocolate. “You’re lucky, you know?”

  “How’s that?” Scarlet asked, holding her hand delicately over her mouth while she chewed.

  “Xavier hasn’t taught anyone in a very long time. It’s quite an honor, even for the For Tol Don, I expect.” Rather than appear misty-eyed or reverent when he said the Tounder’s name for her, Delfi acted as if he had merely called her by any regular name.

  “I don’t really even know what that means, truly. I know to the Tounder it makes sense, but to me it sounds like a fanciful story.”

  “I can understand that,” Delfi admitted. “I’m sure there are a lot of things about where you’re from that would seem the same way to me. You’re going to learn our magic—how to keep and manipulate the light. The first non-Tounder to ever do it, as far as I know. And Xavier is going to teach you. He can do things that many of us have never dreamed of, and he’s been around for longer, as well.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know. There aren’t any Tounder around who were alive before he was born. Once heard him talk about meeting a dragon. Haven’t been dragons in Satorium in . . . well, I don’t know how long, to tell the truth. A long time.”

  Scarlet couldn’t believe her ears. Dragons? Every time she thought that she couldn’t be surprised anymore, there was something new. “Were there really dragons?”

  “Of course there were. Loads of ’em from what I understand. I think there is even supposed to be one left up in the Northern Mountains, but that’s probably just flickering light, if you know what I mean. Can’t imagine something that big staying out of sight for this long.” Delfi plopped his last piece of chocolate into his mouth.

  “How big are—were they?” Scarlet asked.

  “Don’t know. My brother used to tell me that they were as big as a house. Xavier would be the only one who’d actually know for sure, though.”

  Delfi looked out over the village. “It’s getting late. I better go. Raden’ll be all over me if I’m not in my room when he comes to check on me. Worse than our parents, that one is.” Delfi stood up and put his hand out, awkwardly imitating Scarlet’s gesture when they first met. Scarlet stood and took his hand. “I’d get some sleep, if I were you,” he added. “The first lesson can take a lot out of you.”

  ***

  Scarlet woke up feeling fresh and eager; she’d taken Delfi’s advice and gone to bed early, sleeping as deeply as she did every night in her room at the top of the spire. At breakfast, her dad told her that they’d be going to see Xavier to begin learning magic. She could tell by his face that he felt as silly saying the words as she did hearing them.

  The library where Scarlet would be taking her lessons encompassed the entire second floor of the east wing of the castle. Unlike almost every other building and room in the castle and the village of Illuminora, the library didn’t glow with light playing in and on every surface. Here the light was subdued, background to the splendid, ornate woodwork.

  The library was nearly a full three stories high, with shelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Halfway up, a dark wood balcony ran around the room, giving access to the higher shelves. Glittering mosaics were set into the domed ceiling, illustrating—as Xavier explained—the saga of Hulpric the Great and the eventual dividing of the two worlds. Their rich, deep colors made the cavernous space feel smaller, more intimate. At the far end was a stone fireplace easily large enough to hold Scarlet’s whole family; inside, flames danced gently, warm and inviting.

  Xavier, who was sitting in a high-backed chair underneath the dome, motioned for Scarlet and her dad to join him. As they did, he opened a large leather-bound book and set it on the table between them.

  “How are you, dear?” he began, his voice calm. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to talk to you again. There were many things that needed to be worked out.”

  “That’s okay,” Scarlet said without hesitation. She too had needed the time.

  “If you remember, I told you that we don’t know how long it will be before Prince Thanerbos will be free and his strength at its fullest. We must act as though time is short, in case it is. You need to begin learning to deal with him.”

  Xavier glanced down at the book. Scarlet could see the pages, full of hand-painted illustrations and what looked like handwritten text. It was a beautiful object, and just the look of it piqued her curiosity.

  “Aha!” Xavier exclaimed suddenly. “These pages are always changing. Never the same place twice. I’ve found it, though.”

  Scarlet looked again at the book. Although Xavier had not turned any of the pages, she saw that the text and illustrations were different. She looked up at Xavier, thoroughly confused.

  “In my younger days,” Xavier said wistfully, “I would chase what I was looking for all through the book. Old age has given me the patience to just open and wait. The right page always comes. . . . Look here.” Xavier turned the book so that Scarlet and her dad could see properly. The illustration was of two indistinct figures, one little more than a shadow, the other a white shape that might be a woman, varicolored beams, flashes, and sparks colliding between them. On the ground a tangle of roots encircled the two figures, while over their heads a wave of water collided with a ball of fire. “You, obviously, are the woman in white.”

  Scarlet stared at the picture. She knew that she had never seen the illustration before, but something about it felt ominously familiar, like a name on the tip of her tongue she couldn’t quite remember, a name linked to something bad.

  “I’m sorry if this scares you, Scarlet. I wish it didn’t have to be while you are still so young,” Xavier said. “You can see from the picture that the woman of the prophesy appeared to be full grown, although I must admit that the vagueness of the drawing leaves a great deal to the imagination. At least we got the woman part right.”

  “I’m not scared,” Scarlet responded immediately. “I’m just confused—by all of it. How can I be this person
?” She started to point at the illustration, but found that somehow a new one—what looked distinctly like a dragon—had taken its place.

  “You will have to trust me. I have waited and searched for you my whole life.”

  Suddenly her father, looking as if he couldn’t sit still and listen another minute, grabbed her hand and leaned forward. “I can never thank you enough for saving my family, but this has got to stop. It’s all too ridiculous. I can’t let my little girl go off to fight some evil magician.” His voice quavered with his frustration and fear for his family. “It’s— I just can’t.”

  Xavier leaned in and placed a comforting hand on both of theirs. “I understand. I do. I wish there was some other way than to involve your family, and most especially your children. But Thanerbos is coming, and the only way you can protect Scarlet now is to let me help prepare her. Whether you agree to let me teach her or not, I assure you that it will make no difference to Thanerbos. Killing her will be one of the first things on his mind after he’s freed.”

  Scarlet’s dad frowned, visibly struggling with what Xavier had told him. “I’m sorry . . . I just can’t accept that,” he said finally, but his voice was heavy with resignation.

  “Let me show you,” Xavier said, sitting back and giving him his most reassuring smile. “Would that be okay with you, Scarlet? Just give it a try.” Scarlet nodded. “Thank you—you’re a brave girl.

  “This doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.” Xavier leaned in even closer to Scarlet. “Not yet. Right now is the time for something quite extraordinary. With one exception, never has someone outside the Tounder learned our magic. I have taught many over the years, but I have to say that I’m a little excited about teaching you.”

  “What do I do?” Scarlet asked.

  “Well, at the beginning, it’s not so much do as it is feel. The light begins inside you. If you can imagine a place where your soul resides, that is where the light must begin. Close your eyes.” Xavier’s voice dropped nearly to a whisper, as calm and quiet as if he were a hypnotist. Scarlet obeyed, closing her eyes and feeling a sense of relaxation come over her. “What do you see?”