The Middle Realm

by Charmaine Theron

  “I got this one,” Rania shouted as she slammed a warrior against a broken Hamadryad tree. The warrior’s shattered body combusted instantaneously.

  Zack spun in circles, his sword whooshing impressively above his head. As he swung his sword downward it sliced into a warrior. “That’s for the Hamadryads.”

  “Revenge is sweet,” Rania said, as she edged closer to fight alongside Zack.

  Chance fought further back near Armaan. Armaan had long since ditched his sword and was enjoying his new skill of flinging warriors in all directions. Bodies crashed to the ground and the sound of breaking bones cracked through the air.

  Ash launched fire orbs and all around him warriors combusted. A thought flashed through his mind – if only an orb could hit Raven. Slowly he edged closer to Drakon who remained rigid, rooted to the spot. After a few minutes Ash broke through the frontline.

  Unexpectedly, a warrior charged but Ash casually twirled his hand in the air. The man collapsed, grabbing his neck as his face contorted and turned icy blue. The next warrior launched himself at Ash, but a rock soared overhead, hitting the warrior right between the eyes. The man dropped quicker than a sinking stone in water.

  When Ash was twenty feet from Drakon, he stopped. Drakon had turned slightly to the side. His eyes were fixed on the outskirts of the woods where Hajaran soldiers had circled. Numerous tornadoes spun wildly, sucking the soldiers into their maelstroms and spitting them out on the other side. The smaller tornadoes combined and a massive one rotated down the centre of the Hajaran Army’s formation, heading directly toward Maksimos and Kyros.

  Ash extended his hands and the ground shook. A crack appeared between Drakon’s feet. Drakon lost control of the tornado which veered off course and headed into the oak woodlands. As it ploughed through the trees it left a jagged scar in its wake.

  Raising his hands heavenward, Ash chanted in the ancient dialect, crafting a spell that he’d never heard before. He didn’t know where the incantation stemmed from, but the words tumbled out of his mouth and the faster he chanted, the more panicky Drakon’s eyes became.

  Drakon clutched his locket. Next, he flicked the small clasp open and retrieved the Onyx from inside it. Holding the stone in his right hand he raised it above his head. Drakon chanted, his voice rising in a crescendo above Ash’s voice.

  Soldiers and warriors dashed for cover as the black cloud above Mount Hieros rumbled. The chanting grew louder and faster until it reached a frenzied tempo. The wind increased and the noise intensified, ripping leaves and branches from the already damaged oak trees. Flurries of black and white ash mixed into grey as gusts of wind churned the ash particles together.

  Above them Pandora floundered in the wind as the mare attempted to turn toward the temple. Elektra clung to Pandora’s mane. They circled above, scanning the landscape below for a safe place to land.

  Through the gap in the trees, Ash could see the dark cloud expanding across the breadth of the City until it passed overhead and grazed the distant horizon.

  Flicking his hand, Ash commanded the earth to open beneath Drakon’s feet. The narrow crack groaned, aching to swallow the Dark Guardian into its depths. But Ash’s magic faltered, and the intense heat inside him subsided. Shaking his hands, he thrust his palms forward, investing his entire being into shifting the ground, but the burning sensation from his inner core fizzled out.

  Out of the blue, the white alpha wolf, Lykou, appeared in front of him. The wolf’s steel-blue eyes stared at Drakon.

  Drakon hesitated, yelling at the wolf. “Out of the way.”

  The wolf growled, baring its fangs at Drakon, warning him.

  Instead of backing away, Drakon stepped forward challenging the wolf.

  The cloud grew darker, blocking the sunlight completely. Black mist swirled around Ash’s feet, creeping up his legs. He leaped out of the way, but the mist followed him, clinging to his body. It slithered up his back and under his leather armour, snaking around his neck. Ash clawed at his face but his limbs weakened and dizziness devoured him. As his vision dimmed, he collapsed. The silhouette of Lykou loomed above him.

  Drakon still held the Onyx above his head. “Back,” he commanded his warriors. “The spell will reverse their powers.”

  Around them, the Hajaran soldiers swatted their faces. They dropped to the ground as if a swarm of bees was attacking them. The black mist crawled over every inch of their exposed skin. The Dark Legion warriors stopped fighting and watched in amusement. The Hajaran Army writhed on the ground, incapacitated, as the mist stripped them of their ability to control the elements.

  Ash closed his eyes as a shadow passed over his head. Lykou crouched next to him, whimpering submissively. The wolf had surrendered to Drakon.

  Chapter 33

  The City of Darkness

  Midnight had passed hours earlier and the sounds of the awakening City drifted lazily on the early morning sun’s rays. Rachel, Dom and Elethea waited around the kitchen table. Over the hearth, a pot of bubbling porridge hung and the coals beneath were red-hot. Elethea eased herself away from the table. The chair legs scraped eerily, breaking the monotonous silence in the house. Bending over the hearth, Elethea scooped two large porridge portions into terracotta bowls.

  “Something’s wrong,” Rachel said bleakly.

  “Are you sure you’ve got the right day?” Dom questioned Rachel, as he brushed his copper hair off his forehead.

  “She said in two days’ time at midnight – I’m not mistaken.” She threw Dom an offended look.

  “Well we’ll have to—”

  Rachel interrupted, “Maybe there’s another way. We could climb the Wall and go find her instead.”

  Elethea twirled around, tipping the bowl in her hand, causing porridge to slosh onto the floor. “Rachel, you’re staying put! It’s best to wait for them to make contact.”

  “But their weapons… we need them…” Rachel trailed off when her mother narrowed her eyes at her.

  Dom grinned lopsidedly. “Sorry Rach, but I agree with your mother this time. If something’s gone wrong we could be walking right into the middle of it.”

  The wind picked up, swirling dust and leaves on the cobbled street outside. The noise carried through the slatted shutters.

  Elethea placed the bowls on the table with a clunk.

  “Okay, but I can’t sit around here and do nothing. I’m going to find Fergus. There’s still planning to be done.”

  Elethea glanced at Dom who took a few seconds to register her look.

  “Thank you Ma’am.” Dom grabbed a bowl and hungrily shovelled porridge into his mouth. After a minute, he wiped his chin with the back of his hand and shunted the empty bowl aside.

  The sun’s rays filtered through the partially closed shutters and dust motes danced in the light. Rachel stood up and ambled over to the window. She opened the shutter slightly, peering out. A frown creased her forehead. “We’re going to have a storm.”

  “That’s strange for this time of the year.” Elethea joined her at the window.

  In the distance on the hill, the windmills rotated rapidly in the increasing wind speed.

  Rachel shrugged perplexedly and returned to the table.

  A smile twitched at the corner of Elethea’s mouth. Dom eyed Rachel’s bowl. “There’s more in the pot,” Elethea offered.

  Suddenly, as if a candle’s flame had been instantly extinguished, the sunlight vanished and darkness descended.

  Rachel lurched in fright, knocking over her chair with a clatter. Grabbing her mother’s arm, she said in a low voice, “Something’s wrong…”

  In the blackness she could barely see Dom’s face in the fire’s lambent light, but she directed her statement to him. “We have to find Elektra before it’s too late.”

  Elethea’s arm grew warmer beneath her touch but, when the heat surged into her hand, Rachel jerked away. Stumbling over the upturned chair, Rachel pitched sideways, hitting her head against the corner of the blackened hearth. St
ars peppered her vision and an icy blanket cloaked her.

  Dom’s deep voice droned in the background, “Rachel! Rachel! Are you okay?” He shook her shoulder but this didn’t rouse her from the semi-conscious state that she had drifted into.

  A warm hand smoothed the curls from her forehead. Rachel stirred at her mother’s gentle voice, “Baby girl, you’ve hurt yourself. Dom will take you upstairs. You’re going to be all right… mama’s going to see to that.” Elethea dabbed Rachel’s forehead, wiping away a trickle of blood.

  Strong arms encircled her and Dom lifted her up effortlessly. The sensation of floating engulfed her as he carried her up the stairs. Elethea flitted around the living room lighting candles.

  Next, Elethea hastily tipped water from a canister into a pot and placed it over the coals, bringing it rapidly to the boil. She tossed St John’s Wort leaves and flowers into the boiling water while continuously stirring the concoction. After letting it steep for a short while, she squeezed the excess water out through a cloth, leaving the healing paste behind. Once she had gathered all her remedies she hurried to Rachel’s room.

  Dom sat at the end of Rachel’s bed. Elethea strode forward to tend to Rachel’s wound. Kneeling beside her, she worked methodically applying the poultice to the gash. Afterwards she wrapped a clean bandage around Rachel’s head and gently stroked her daughter’s hair.

  “We should leave her to rest,” Elethea advised.

  Dom nodded and they exited the room silently.

  Five hours later, Rachel awoke. Tugging at the bandage on her head, she wasn’t surprised that the pounding had ceased – her mother’s magic poultices always worked wonders. After remembering what had happened, she stretched out her hand and studied her fingers. She wriggled them and rubbed them together but there wasn’t a burn mark on any of her fingers. Frowning, she recalled snippets of past conversations when Ash had been the talk of the town before he’d became a Guardian.

  Her eyes darted around the dark room. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep. A day could have passed, or perhaps even two. Sitting up, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Swaying a bit, she wobbled over to the window and flung the shutters open. Rachel gasped aloud.

  The dark cloud over Mount Hieros had expanded. A static tornado descended from the bottom of the cloud and entered the skylight into Aether. Between the houses, a black mist slithered, snaking its way along the eerily empty streets. Rachel reached her hand out through the open shutters, spreading her fingers wide. She tried to catch the mist but it darted around her hand and reformed on the other side.

  What is it? Rachel thought, shuddering.

  Sniffing the air, Rachel noticed a change in the odour. Normally the sweet aroma of Elysium flowers wafted through the City, but now a stench permeated the air.

  Rachel’s mind raced, spinning through different scenarios of what might have happened to the others. “Chance…” she whispered breathlessly.

  Rachel jumped as the door creaked open. Whipping around, she came face to face with Dom. His alabaster skin was luminous in the dark.

  “I wanted to check on you – I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  Speechless, Rachel pointed at the swirling mist outside.

  “You’ve seen it?” he responded.

  “What is it?”

  “The Nyx…”

  “The Nyx?” Rachel attempted to grab the mist again, but it darted away from her hand.

  “You should read more.” Dom frowned.

  “And where did you read about it?” Rachel asked inquisitively.

  “Books, Rachel – I’ve been reading the archived books in the library.”

  “Reading was banned by Drakon.”

  “There are ways around his rules.”

  “I know,” she replied brusquely.

  “In simple language the Nyx is the Night Mist. There’s a legend about it.”

  “How so?”

  “It feeds off our souls and sends us to hell.” Dom raised his hand, inspecting it nonchalantly. “But we’re all good for now… we’re still here in flesh and bone.”

  Rachel scrunched her nose. “It has a weird smell – can you smell it?”

  “The smell of death.”

  Rachel shivered.

  “We were visited by the guards earlier,” Dom informed her.

  “What for?” Rachel said aghast.

  “They’ve issued the citizens with a warning to remain indoors. Anyone found on the streets will be arrested and detained.”

  “But we have to contact Fergus and Alexis.”

  “I’ll go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Dom laughed. “We’ve been sneaking around the dungeons for months dodging the guards... they won’t catch me on the streets.”

  Rachel swallowed a lump in her throat. “I don’t, don’t want to lose another—”

  “You won’t. I promise.” Dom edged closer and placed his arm around her shoulder. “Chance is out there, somewhere. We’ll find him.”

  “Somewhere could be anywhere.”

  Dom turned away.

  “Be careful of the Nyx,” Rachel whispered.

  He glanced fleetingly over his shoulder, as he opened the door. “I will.”

  A few minutes later after Dom had left, Rachel headed downstairs. Her mother would have felt the heat surge too. There was no way Rachel could ignore it and pretend that it had not happened. The time had come for her to speak to Elethea before it was too late. Before Drakon discovered that Aether had chosen a new Guardian.

  Chapter 34

  Elektra’s Capture

  Beneath the darkened skies, the mist rendered the Hajaran Army and the Guardians powerless. The Dark Legion surrounded them, herding the disorientated soldiers onto the pathway where they headed back to the Wall.

  Elektra nudged Pandora and the mare jolted forward, flying toward Mount Hieros. Pandora’s enormous wings beat the air as Elektra encouraged her to increase her speed. The black mist parted in rolling waves from the sheer force of her wings.

  They approached the mountain cautiously, but here the cloud cover was the thickest and Elektra could barely make out the shadowy outline of the mountaintop. Pandora snorted and strained her head to the side – she sensed the evil and didn’t want to fly that way.

  But Elektra had other plans. “We have to go there Pan… to see if we can help.” She spoke coaxingly to the mare.

  She straightened Pandora’s head by gently tugging her mane. The mare adjusted her direction and they headed toward Mount Hieros.

  As they soared overhead, the mist around them sprung to life. It altered its gentle swirling and instead hundreds of whirlpools formed around them. Elektra instinctively touched the bow and quiver on her back, thankful for her weapons.

  Pandora beat her wings harder.

  But the mist churned unpredictably and sharp spears stabbed out of it at Elektra, narrowly missing her face. The snake Amulet’s emerald eyes blazed. Elektra leaned forward pressing her ruddy cheek against Pandora’s silky neck, as the wind whipped her cropped hair. More black javelins spiked out, jabbing Elektra in the ribs. One spiked Pandora in her flank and the mare plunged in an uncontrolled downward spiral. Elektra’s legs became airborne, but she managed to seat herself steadily on Pandora’s back after a few frightening seconds.

  At that moment, the green haze smoked from the snakes’ eyes, spiralling around Elektra and Pandora, forming a protective shield. The haze shimmered in contrast to the black mist. Elektra’s eyes sparked and determination set in.

  “We can do this Pan,” she shouted above the mare’s thrumming wings.

  But at that moment the mist condensed in front of them forming a solid wall.

  “Watch out!” Elektra screamed, but it was too late.

  Veering to the left, Pandora nosedived. Black tendrils darted out of the wall and fastened around Pandora’s right wing. With only one usable wing, Pandora couldn’t remain upright and instead pitched sideways, ejecting Elektr
a from her back. Hundreds of tendrils snaked around Elektra grabbing her mid-air as she plummeted. The mist embalmed her body with only her face peeping out. A tendril snatched her Amulet from her upper arm, where it disappeared through the mist wall. The mist reformed around her, controlling the direction that it carried her. Further up ahead, the mist had also ensconced Pandora and the mare floated along. When they reached the top of Mount Hieros, the mist dispersed revealing the static tornado that descended into the skylight.

  The mist tendrils unravelled both Elektra and Pandora, releasing them into the funnel where they tumbled through the skylight and landed unceremoniously on the Unity Symbol. The guards in the amphitheatre rushed into action at their unexpected appearance.

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” sneered Gruff. “A Pegasus.”

  “And a pretty bracelet too,” squeaked Scrawny, as he held up Elektra’s Amulet and dangled it on the tip of his calloused finger.

  Elektra vaulted up from the floor. “Get your filthy paws off my bracelet you… you misfit.” She reached over her shoulder but her bow and quiver were gone. She cast a sideways glance to where it lay. It had come off her back during her fall through the skylight.

  Scrawny sniggered and pocketed the bracelet.

  Gruff barked an order, “Arrest her.”

  Elektra raised her hands in surrender as two guards seized her and secured her arms behind her back.

  Pandora reared and Elektra ducked, just as the mare’s front hooves thrust out, knocking a guard to the ground. He hit the centre of the emblem with a thud and blood oozed from his mouth.

  At least a dozen guards rushed toward Pandora, carrying ropes. The mare pounded the floor and the clattering of her hooves reverberated around the amphitheatre. Flicking her head wildly, she spread her wings. The guards lassoed the rope around her neck, tightening the loops as she desperately fought for her freedom. For a few seconds, Pandora stopped resisting.

  “Leave her,” Elektra screamed.

  But Pandora reared again. The guards heaved on the ropes, forcing her to collapse to her knees. After a short while they released the tension slightly, allowing Pandora to stand, but restraining her sufficiently so that she couldn’t harm another guard.