The Academy Defenders

by T. J. Robinson

  “Help me!” yelled Desmond to the other raiders as he awkwardly dodged one of Milo’s blows. “He can’t stab all of us.”

  “No!” Milo shouted. “But I’ll make sure I get the first three.”

  A group of them followed Desmond’s order and pounced on Milo, tackling him as he swiped at them with the blade. True to his word, Milo got the first three before being subdued. Lincoln looked around. His vision was starting to blur as he neared exhaustion. He saw Simon dig himself out of the debris, free Noah, and then drag him farther into Sector 8 until they disappeared. Xander was stirring. One by one, more and more raiders were digging themselves out of the dirt and marching toward the recruits. It was over. Within seconds, the raiders would win the fight.

  Just then, Lincoln thought he saw something in the distance, high in the early-morning sky. Yes, something was definitely there. Whatever it was, it was moving fast. Lincoln’s heart jumped as it, or rather they, got closer. The black dragon had returned, followed closely by both the red dragon and the bregon.

  Lincoln had never seen anything so magnificent. The three creatures roared angrily, and both dragons shot red flames at the raiders, causing them to back away from the recruits. The creatures landed beside Lincoln. Sean and Kennedy sat atop two of them. Sean looked down from atop the bregon and grinned.

  “Good timing?” he asked. Lincoln couldn’t speak. Every ounce of energy left in his body was being used to maintain the rite bubbles. Sean realized something was wrong. “Charge!” he yelled.

  The bregon leaped forward, striking two of the raiders and knocking them to the ground. Both dragons followed. The bregon roared, and ice spewed from its mouth, freezing another pair of raiders. The remaining raiders panicked and fled into the forest, chased by Sean and the bregon.

  Lincoln’s vision grew even fuzzier. Still, he could have sworn he saw Xander shoot into the sky, flying away like a villain straight out of one of Lincoln’s old comic books.

  Lincoln fell to his knees. Just before blacking out, Lincoln saw Otis and the other Keepers appear next to the dragons. Then everything went black.

  CHAPTER 28

  THE ACADEMY DEFENDERS

  LINCOLN LAY IN BED, STARING OUT HIS window. Today marked one week since the Legion invaded the academy, and tomorrow the recruits would be leaving for Winter Holiday. Lincoln had spent the entire week in the Trauma Center, recovering from his injuries and exhaustion. His broken ribs and nose would take several weeks to heal, given his current condition. He turned away from the window and stared at the ceiling, tossing a small ball Skylar had given him up and down.

  According to his friends, Lincoln passed out at the perfect time. All he had really missed was the boring stuff. Otis and the Keepers had chased the raiders, catching one of the leaders and several others before they escaped. Those captured were brought to Roemick Tower and divided into two groups, adults and kids.

  The adults were sent to Ankylose, the top-secret Guardian prison, where they were being held and interrogated. Unfortunately, most of those caught were just like Duncan, poor, desperate Guardians promised wealth and prestige once the Legion was in power. They knew nothing about the Legion’s ultimate plan or the leaders still at large.

  The only significant captures had been Boggs and one masked leader, Lawrence Ruffkin, a famous actor who Sean said once served as Guardian for the chairman of the People’s Republic of China. Boggs was being treated by Healers and would be transported to Ankylose once he recovered from his battle with Lincoln. Lawrence Ruffkin refused to reveal anything he knew, fearing Xander and his Legion far more than the Ankylose interrogators.

  The children were being held at the academy while Mr. Rockwell decided what to do with them. Most of them were children whose parents weren’t Guardians and who had known nothing about the academy. Kennedy guessed the Legion had used a Seer to find them before they got their powers and then recruited them, just like the Keepers recruited kids for the academy.

  Desmond had been on one of these recruiting trips when he approached Skylar at the mall. Luckily, her powers had come at the perfect moment, and she took out the thieves before Desmond and his friends could talk to her.

  The teenagers were taken to a large estate somewhere in Europe nicknamed the Vault. They went through training there just like Lincoln and the other recruits were trained at the academy.

  One day, Xander arrived at the Vault with news that a hidden group of Guardians had found a secret weapon and was planning to attack the Legion. He suggested attacking these Guardians first. Everyone agreed and followed him to the academy.

  As soon as the Council learned about the Vault, they sent a group of Guardians to raid the location. They found it empty and decided to keep watch in case any Legion members ever returned. So far, no one had been spotted.

  Lincoln shook his head. When Skylar had first told him the story, Lincoln told her the teenage raiders were morons for believing Xander and deserved to be sent to Ankylose with the adults. But now, a week later, he wasn’t so sure. Why wouldn’t they have believed Xander? They knew nothing about the academy. For all they knew, Xander was exactly who he told them he was, someone trying to keep the world safe, not who he really was, the one the world needed to be kept safe from.

  Xander had never worn a mask while at the Vault, but for some inexplicable reason, each of the captured teenagers described the man differently. One said he had been short and fat with curly, golden hair. Another said he was tall, skinny, and bald. Yet another described him as a hollow-cheeked man with a thick, red beard. Somehow, Xander had used his powers to make himself look different to each member of his teenage army.

  There had been no sign of the Legion leaders following their escape from the academy. Bernie, who visited Lincoln daily, thought they were holed up somewhere, licking their wounds following their defeat and trying to come up with a new plan. He didn’t think they would try anything for a long, long time.

  Noah and Simon had disappeared, and Lincoln could only assume they were with the rest of the Legion leaders. Lincoln had done all he could, but it hadn’t been enough. The pain from losing his brother for the second time still burned inside him, tearing him apart.

  Milo had spent much of the past week at Lincoln’s bedside. Several times, Lincoln pretended to still be asleep after Milo’s muffled sobs woke him. He sympathized with Milo. They both understood what it felt like to lose a brother.

  Lincoln tossed the ball up again. It hit the ceiling and zoomed back down at him. He reached up to catch it but missed. It bounced off his fingers and fell to the floor. He watched as it rolled to the other side of the room, coming to a stop near the door. He decided he would get it later, looked back up at the ceiling, and released a frustrated sigh.

  He was going on Winter Holiday and would not be returning to the academy. Not because he wasn’t invited. Otis and Bernie had told him a thousand times he would always be welcome here. No, it was because he couldn’t handle being here with everyone else, watching them train but being unable to do so himself.

  The Healers kept telling him to be patient. They said the Tonic’s effects may still wear off over time. Lincoln knew they were wrong. His powers were gone forever. His days as a Guardian were over.

  Lincoln would move back in with his parents, try to forget he ever knew about Guardians and their wonderful world, and go back to his old life. It hurt to think he could do nothing to save his kidnapped brother, but without his powers he was useless. He would have to trust in Mr. Rockwell and the rest of the Guardians.

  Thinking of Mr. Rockwell brought a new pain to Lincoln’s heart. Mr. Rockwell had been there when Lincoln first woke. He stayed for about ten minutes, making sure Lincoln was alright and thanking him once again for his courage and bravery.

  Since then, Lincoln had neither heard nor seen the director. His friends told him Mr. Rockwell questioned them daily regarding Lincoln and his recovery. They swore he was genuinely concerned and was just too busy right now, but Lincoln
saw the doubt in their eyes as they said it. They were just as confused by Mr. Rockwell’s absence as Lincoln was.

  A knock at Lincoln’s door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” said Lincoln, expecting to see Milo or Skylar. The door opened, and in stepped the director, as if he had somehow known Lincoln was thinking about him.

  “Did I come at a bad time?” Mr. Rockwell asked.

  “No, not at all,” Lincoln said quickly, stumbling over his words. He sat up and gestured toward the chair beside his bed. Mr. Rockwell smiled and sat down in the chair, wincing slightly as he did so.

  “Are you alright, sir?” asked Lincoln, his annoyance with Mr. Rockwell overcome by his concern.

  “Quite,” answered Mr. Rockwell. “It will take more than a few bruises to keep me down, but I’m not the one in the Trauma Center, Mr. Thomas. How are you?”

  “I’m fine,” said Lincoln, his voice unconvincing. Mr. Rockwell remained silent, studying Lincoln. Avoiding Mr. Rockwell’s prying eyes, Lincoln’s gaze darted about the room.

  “I see,” said Mr. Rockwell finally. “I was hoping we may have a chat. Of course, if you’re not feeling up to it, we could always wait until after the holiday. At that point, we should have plenty of time.”

  Mr. Rockwell stood to leave the room. Lincoln couldn’t let that happen. This may be his last chance to ever speak with Mr. Rockwell. “Wait,” Lincoln called out. “I’m not coming back after the holiday.”

  As soon as he said it, Lincoln felt a huge weight leave his chest. “I can’t come back here and watch everyone else train while I sit on the sidelines, wishing I were them. On top of that, Noah’s still out there. I had a chance to save him, and I failed.”

  Mr. Rockwell came closer, patting Lincoln tenderly on his shoulder. “Lincoln, why don’t we take a little walk?”

  They left the Trauma Center, Lincoln limping along slowly due to his injuries. They walked in silence, enjoying the fresh air. Lincoln remembered a question he wanted to ask Mr. Rockwell. “Mr. Rockwell, why did Xander’s eyes turn black instead of grey when he used his powers?”

  “Because he has done horrible things,” answered Mr. Rockwell.

  An answer that isn’t really an answer at all, Lincoln thought. “What’s he going to do next?”

  Mr. Rockwell frowned. “That is an excellent question. If I am correct—and I fear that I am—Xander will strike again. He chose his name as a thinly veiled reference to Alexander, as in Alexander the Great, the man who conquered and ruled one of the largest empires the world has ever seen. Xander’s decision to invade the academy was as much about showing us his power as it was about obtaining the Healer’s Crown.”

  Mr. Rockwell stopped walking. Lincoln hadn’t been paying attention to where they were going and was surprised to see they were now almost to the lake. “Lincoln,” Mr. Rockwell smiled, “before we go any farther, I need to thank you again for what you did. You chose your friends over your gift. That couldn’t have been easy.”

  “And now I’m useless.” Lincoln hadn’t meant to sound as bitter as he did.

  Mr. Rockwell shook his head and put his hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. Lincoln was shocked to see the director on the brink of tears. “It’s not your talents, Lincoln, but what you do with them that determines your worth. And by that measure, you are far from worthless. I wish all Guardians were willing to make the same sacrifice you made. There’s something I want to show you.”

  Mr. Rockwell led Lincoln around the final bend to the lake. There along the shore sat everyone Lincoln cared about here at the academy, his friends, the Keepers, Mr. Spencer, Miss Grimes, Samson, the bregon, and both dragons.

  Lincoln turned to Mr. Rockwell. “What’s going on?”

  “We wish to honor those who saved the academy. Both the living,” Mr. Rockwell pointed to Lincoln, his friends, and the creatures, “and the dead.” He pointed to the edge of the lake where more than a dozen small, black boats sat in a row. “Our fallen comrades deserve a proper send-off.”

  Lincoln approached the edge of the water. Each boat was completely enclosed except for a small, circular hole on the top. He peered inside the one closest to him. One of the creatures that had died during the invasion lay at the bottom, its eyes closed.

  He walked down the line and peeked into each boat. Each one held one of those who had given his, her, or its life during the invasion, a combination of creatures, recruits, staff, and Council. Lincoln lingered as he passed the bodies of the two Council members, James Pike and Mary Taft. He hoped that wherever they were now, they were happy.

  He continued down the line until he found himself at the final boat. He looked inside. Suddenly, his sacrifice seemed trivial. He may have lost his powers, but Guga had lost his life.

  “I’m sorry,” Lincoln whispered, tears welling in his eyes. “I wish I could have saved you.”

  He looked up. The others had joined him at the water’s edge. The recruits wiped tears from their eyes. Skylar rushed to him, hugging him tightly. After a moment, they joined the others in making a circle around Mr. Rockwell.

  “Today, we honor those who have passed on. Let them be forever remembered as true defenders of the academy.” Mr. Rockwell pointed to a giant boulder near the lake edge. Slowly, the boulder began changing shape, transforming into a long rectangle as it sank into the ground. At the same time, it also became black and shiny. The words “Academy Defenders” appeared across the top of the rectangle, carved into the stone. Beneath the title, the names of each of the dead appeared. A feeling of pride filled Lincoln’s chest as he saw Guga Jango listed near the top.

  Mr. Rockwell continued, “We thank them for their sacrifice and their loyalty and give them the highest honor we can bestow here at Atlas, the Hero Send-Off.”

  One by one, those standing at the water’s edge pushed the boats into the lake. The boats drifted into the deep water, and Mr. Rockwell used his powers to control their movements and keep them perfectly aligned. The group stood in silence and remembered their fallen friends. A light snow began to fall. Suddenly, the boats stopped moving and sank into the water one by one.

  The last boat disappeared into the water. As it did so, a bright light materialized in the sky overhead, growing bigger and more intense for several seconds before exploding into six pieces, each piece forming the shape of one of the six dormitory symbols. Lincoln recognized the Finn eagle, which flapped its wings and then flew off into the night. The lights slowly faded. It was done.

  Lincoln and his fellow recruits huddled together. Milo had his arm wrapped around Kennedy’s shoulders. Lincoln and Skylar stood side by side, leaning against one another. Sean stood by the second-years. Jack stood by the first-years.

  No words were needed. They had all loved Guga like a brother. He had been the one who never seemed rattled, who always knew just what everyone else needed. He would be missed dearly.

  After a few minutes, Lincoln heard someone approaching and turned around. It was Samson and the bregon. Samson reached out and affectionately rubbed Lincoln’s head.

  “Thanks again for your help,” Lincoln told them. He hadn’t seen either of them since the invasion.

  “We should be thanking you,” Samson growled. “We know what you did, Lincoln. Your sacrifice cannot go unrewarded.” He turned and nodded at the bregon.

  The bregon stepped toward Lincoln, lifted one of its front paws, and slashed through Lincoln’s coat, exposing his bare chest. What was the bregon doing? Lincoln looked over at Samson.

  “Hold still,” Samson ordered. The bregon opened its jaws and breathed onto Lincoln’s exposed skin. A thick layer of ice formed on Lincoln’s chest where the bregon breathed. Lincoln’s friends gasped as the ice transformed into fire. Within seconds, the flames had vanished. Surprisingly, neither the fire nor the ice felt hot or cold against his skin.

  Something was happening to Lincoln. He felt as though he had drunk an entire gallon of Healer’s Tonic. An icy-hot burning sensation engulfed him, originating from each of hi
s injuries. Lincoln looked at a warm spot on his arm and watched in awe as a large bruise vanished.

  The icy-hot sensation slowly disappeared. As it did, a familiar feeling entered Lincoln’s body, one that had been missing for the past seven days. Hope filled Lincoln’s soul, and he took a deep breath and looked upward. For a moment, nothing happened, but then a bright blue light streaked across the sky, and Lincoln beamed. His powers had returned!

  He leaped at the bregon and hugged it tightly around the neck. “Thank you,” he whispered. The bregon bowed its head and roared. The dragons roared back, and Lincoln stepped away as the three of them shot into the sky, headed to their home. Samson patted Lincoln fondly on the head once again and then sprinted off after the creatures.

  CHAPTER 29

  AN ALMOST PERFECT ENDING

  LINCOLN WOKE UP, STRETCHED HIS ARMS, and looked at his clock. He had thirty minutes before his ride was leaving. Today was the start of Winter Holiday. He would be spending the next few weeks with his parents in North Carolina. He would miss his friends and the academy, but now that he was coming back, Lincoln was actually looking forward to some time at home.

  He climbed out of bed, finished stuffing a few last-minute things into his bags, and rushed out of his room. He had just stepped out of the dormitory entrance when a voice from the porch startled him.

  “I heard you were back to normal.”

  Lincoln turned around. There, sitting in a chair on the porch, was Grace. Lincoln hadn’t seen her since the invasion. Several thin, white scars ran across her left cheek. From what Lincoln heard, those scars had each been the size of the Grand Canyon before Alice worked her magic on them. Grace smiled at Lincoln, her blue eyes twinkling in the morning sun.