by M. A. Torres
He stood and changed his clothes. He dressed in jeans but left his warm-ups underneath. He donned his thickest hoodie and coat, preparing for the harsh Derathiel winter.
Kevin strolled down the hallway, careful not to wake his mom. He found Tara sitting at the kitchen table, eating cereal.
“Hi, Kevin... where are you going?”
“Shhhh, I don’t want to wake Mom.” He opened the cupboard and grabbed some cereal bars. Then he sat next to his sister. “Tara, I’ll be back in a few hours. Tell Mom I need to go to school to help the custodian clean. I’ll be back in the afternoon.”
Tara nodded and continued to eat.
Kevin stood and started towards the door.
“Kevin...” she called out.
He paused and looked back.
“We don’t need a dad. Mom loves us.”
Kevin nodded. “You’re right, she does. Love you.”
Tara smiled.
KEVIN’S FACE WAS RED, stiff, and almost frozen by the time he reached Robbie’s. Jake, Matthew, and Olivia were inside the treehouse, packing gear and supplies.
“Okay, we’ll ride out into the forest, set up camp, then we’ll send you through the mirror. You all have your jewels?”
“Jewel of Time, check,” said Matthew.
“Got it,” informed Jake.
“In my bag,” said Kevin.
“Good. Olivia, got your gear?”
“Packed and ready!”
They set out towards the forest, riding their bikes up the winding roads of north Wakefield Falls. Kevin rode on the foot-stands of Matthew’s bike. His hoodie was up over his head, the drawstrings pulled tight around his face, trying to shield it from the stinging cold.
Minutes later, they were off-roading up the edge of the field and dismounted their bikes. Kevin walked behind Jake and noticed Tombstone’s handle jutting from his bag while the plates of armor clattered with each step.
They reached the dancing tree and Robbie dug for the mirror as Olivia unpacked a tent. The others assisted, and a few minutes later, the tent was erected.
“Large tent,” observed Kevin.
“Biggest I’ve seen,” said Olivia. “By the way, I got rid of the plant.”
“Great! How did you do it?” asked Kevin.
“Crushed it, then flushed the pieces down the toilet.”
Kevin nodded. “Thank you.”
“It was kind of sad letting it go after taking care of it for so many days.”
“I’m so sorry,” said Kevin.
“Don’t be. It was for the best.” Olivia zipped and folded the tent bag. “You know, when you crush the leaves, they become the seeds.”
“They do? How do you know?” he asked.
“If you look closely, they have small clear dots embedded within them. They look like smaller versions of the one found at the base of the sapling you gave me.”
“Oh, wow...”
Robbie walked up, inspecting Maviel’s Mirror. “Looks in order.” He looked at the others. “You all ready?
“Let’s do it,” said Kevin.
Everyone followed Robbie into the tent. He zipped up the openings, making it dark within. Robbie gave Olivia a nod, and she pulled out a gas lighter. She lit a small, crudely made torch with it, and Robbie held the mirror close to the flame. A faint beam was reflected off its surface.
“Stay safe,” said Olivia.
Robbie lit Kevin, transporting him away. Then, he followed with Matthew, and finally, with Jake.
THE BOYS OPENED THEIR eyes to a vaulted ceiling and narrow arched windows. They were inside one of Castle Randall’s spires. A pair of armed guards were posted at the spire’s exit just beyond a set of glass doors. The room was inconspicuous, with light furnishings and décor—not a place you’d expect to find an all-important magic mirror.
They approached the exit doors, where the guards had already taken notice. They both wore traditional Castle Randall armor—silver helms, silver plates, and underlying chain-mail. The crescent moon and leaf were imprinted on their left breastplates. One of them fumbled with a full keyring, before selecting an iron key and inserting it into the door lock.
“The Knights of Crimson!” he said as he opened the door.
“Ahem... the Crimson Knights,” mumbled Matthew.
Jake and Kevin scowled at him.
“Really, Matt?” asked Kevin.
“It’s the same thing!” said Jake.
“It just sounds better if...”
“Shut up!”
The guard led them down multiple flights of winding stairs until they reached the base of the castle. The grounds seemed more populated, with common folk and soldiers going about their business. Repairs had begun on the damaged walls and battlements.
Minutes later, they were walking through a training courtyard and spied Sven dressed in padded armor, sparring Captain Cris. He had grown taller and his sparring seemed more skillful, but the captain was still the better fighter. After a few minutes, Captain Cris knocked Sven’s sword from his hand.
“I yield!”
“Well fought,” said Captain Cris. “Your grip endurance is improving, Sven. Continue holding those stones, and eventually, you’ll develop the strength to duel for longer periods.”
Sven picked up his sword and spotted Kevin and the others. “Ser Kevin! Ser Jake, Ser Matthew!” he shouted with a smile.
“Sven! Captain Cris!” Kevin saluted them both with a grasp of the forearm. Then Jake and Matthew followed.
“How is that monster war hammer of yours, Ser Jake?” asked Sven.
“It’s ready to knock some heads!”
“Ser Matthew, good to see you again!”
Matthew saluted him with a grasp of the forearm. “Good to see you too, Sven.”
“Follow me, Sers. I will take you to the Princess.”
The Crimson Knights followed Sven across the training yard and towards the main castle keep.
“I see more people around,” observed Kevin.
“Word spread after we defeated Raven’s army, and much of the population came out of hiding. Many had taken shelter within the alps, caves, and underground caverns. Word from the south is that many of the deserted towns have begun to re-populate.”
“That’s good news,” said Kevin.
“Might be, but many don’t realize Raven still lives. We’re afraid of what power he still possesses, and whether he’s capable of raising an army again. We’ve been training daily and recruiting to rebuild our forces. Princess Hayla has been preparing to depart north and plead for aid from the Northern Lords.”
They entered the castle library. Kevin and his friends took seats around the large center table.
“Wait here, friends. I will inform Princess Hayla of your return.” He walked off.
Minutes later, the library door opened, and Princess Hayla entered, with Sven and Ana following behind. The friends stood. When she glimpsed her guests, her eyes widened with excitement.
“Ser Kevin! Ser Jake and Matthew! It warms my heart to see you all once more!”
They bowed before her.
Her light brown hair was braided, and she wore a thick, long-sleeved brown tunic, with brown leather pants and brown boots.
“Thank you, my lady. We’re happy to be back,” said Kevin as the others nodded beside him.
“Hello, Ana,” said Jake.
Ana smiled. “Ser Jake. Not a day goes by when I don’t yearn for another dance.”
She wore a brown, buttoned blouse and dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her hair was up in a crown braid.
Jake returned a shy smile. “Oh, Ana...”
Kevin noticed him blush for the first time. Oh jeez.
“Please, have a seat, my friends,” said Princess Hayla.
They took their seats around the library table, which had a large map of Derathiel spread before them.
Princess Hayla pointed to the top of the map. “I will travel north to request aid from the Northern Lords. We need a
s many men as possible when we journey south to defeat Raven for good. I know you might have other matters here. What were your plans?”
Kevin cleared his throat. “We’re going to continue Jey’s quest. He left us specific instructions to travel to Whitestaff and speak with Viktor Embers.”
Princess Hayla nodded. “Jey. A heroic soul. My heart aches when thoughts of him behold my mind. Wherever he is now, I hope he is joyous and at peace.”
The others nodded.
“My friends, Whitestaff, was my first destination. Viktor Embers is the head of the Performing Magicians. I met him once, years ago. He traveled here and performed for my family. It was an amazing show.”
“According to Jey, he can help us find Brealin,” said Kevin.
“If Jey told you this, then I’m sure it is true.”
“My Lady, Jey also believed someone else was behind Raven... controlling him. I think he was right, and whoever it is has now taken lives in Wakefield Falls,” added Kevin. “We believe her name to be Vengara. She has a white face and one black eye. Have you ever heard of her?”
“Vengara. Never have I heard that name.” She glanced at the countless books within the library shelves. “But perhaps maybe it’s mentioned within one of these books. I will have my people search through these tomes, and hopefully, they can shed some light on that name.”
Princess Hayla walked to the door. “You have free use of the castle, my friends. Take anything you might need for your journey—food, clothing, supplies, horses. Whitestaff will be a three-day ride. Sven knows the way; he can lead you there.”
Sven nodded.
“Thank you, My Lady,” said Kevin as the others bowed.
“May Amos guide your journey, Sers. If you leave now, I will be but a few hours behind. My party will be larger, so our progress will be slower, but perhaps we will meet again in Whitestaff.”
Ana smiled before walking away with Princess Hayla and Captain Cris.
Sven turned to the boys. “Let’s go to the stables. Ser Jake and Ser Matthew need to meet their horses.”
The two boys traded a nervous glance.
“Have you ever ridden a horse?” asked Jake.
“No, have you?”
“Just the ones on the Merry-Go-Round at Wonderfun Park.”
“That’s a no.”
“Merry-Go-Round?” asked Sven.
“Yeah, it’s a mechanical horse ride back home. You’d have to see it,” explained Matthew.
They entered the stables and Kevin rushed to Lady’s stall. “Hi, girl, remember me?” The horse placed the side of her face against his. Kevin laughed and rubbed her neck.
“This way, Sers.” Sven led Matthew and Jake past Lady to another stall. In it was a light brown muscular mare, with a long white streak down its golden mane.
“Ser Matthew, this is Comet. He was named for his bright mane. It looks like a comet’s tail when he gallops, especially against the setting sun,” he informed.
Matthew tried to emulate Kevin by placing his head against Comet’s, but all he got was a rude headbutt.
“Ouch!”
“Yes, forgot to tell you. Comet’s very particular on who he allows to come close. Just scratch his muzzle and he’ll get to like you.” Sven scratched Comet on the area above the nose. “Come, Matthew. Right here.”
Matthew reached out and did as instructed. Sven retracted his hand slowly, leaving Matthew alone, scratching.
“Okay, now get closer and caress his mane.”
Matthew inched closer and caressed his mane. “Yes, I think he’s starting to like me!”
Just then, Comet bared his teeth and flapped his lips, splattering Matthew with globs of slobber.
“Ah!” The boy stumbled back, shielding his face.
Kevin and Jake burst out laughing.
“Why did he do that?” wondered Matthew.
“Apologies, Ser. That’s his signal of acceptance!”
Matthew wiped his face with his forearm. “Great. Hope he doesn’t do that every day!”
Sven led Jake over to Blitz, the muscular brown horse. “Ser Jake, this is Blitz. He’s a bit tough sometimes, but I think you’ll have the strength to handle him.”
Jake approached cautiously. “Blitz! I love that name. Is there something I can do so he’ll like me?”
“Scratch the back of his ears like a dog.”
Jake stepped close and reached up to do just that. Blitz eyed him suspiciously at first, then dipped his head to allow Jake a better angle.
“He likes you already!” said Sven with a smile. Then he walked to the furthest stall and returned with another horse. This one was larger than the others—brown and muscular. Kevin recognized him.
“Rebel,” he mouthed to himself. Kevin approached him and caressed it the way Jey would.
“He’s the strongest and fastest of all, Ser Kevin. Would you like to ride him?”
Kevin thought for a moment and glanced at Lady. He shook his head. “I can’t. I’m connected to Lady, and wouldn’t feel right taking Jey’s horse.”
“That’s fine, Ser. Lady is a fast horse too. I will ride Rebel then.”
They followed their introductions with a quick lesson in horse handling. Sven instructed on correct mounting, dismounting, and maneuvering. Matthew learned quickly and was soon handling Comet like a natural, getting him to turn right, left, and having him trot and slow to a walk with ease. Jake was having a tougher time with Blitz, though. The horse was not responding to the reins, and Jake looked unsteady on the saddle.
Sven trotted Rebel towards Jake and Blitz. “Ser Jake, wrap the reins tight around your forearms. You need to be firm with him. If he doesn’t respond to your tug, you need to do it again more forcefully.”
Jake did as told, and after a bit more of practice, was trotting on Blitz’s back, nervously, but adequately.
THEY LOADED THE HORSES and set out north, with Sven leading and the boys following in single file. Jake begun ahead of Kevin and Matthew, but was struggling to keep pace and had fallen behind. Sven never lost sight of his position, though, and adjusted his pace accordingly.
The morning sky was overcast with a light snowfall, but the wind was absent The Derathiel Alps loomed ahead like white stalactites reaching towards the gray sky. They stretched across the horizon with only a small opening between the jutting peaks.
“They call it Randall’s gap,” informed Sven. “It’s the only passage linking north and south Derathiel. That’s why Castle Randall is so important. Whoever holds this passage controls many aspects of Derathiel life—from trade, to travel, to military outposts. It’s been the Maelstrom family home for centuries and is a major reason the Castle Randall throne is considered the royal seat to which every lord and lady pays homage. But everything changed ten years ago when our civil war erupted. Now, the gap’s importance has dwindled. When King Xavier fell to Raven, our tight-knit kingdom collapsed, each lord going their separate ways to protect their own, abandoning Princess Hayla to deal with Raven and his army alone.”
“Couldn’t they see her fate was tied to their own? Why would they abandon her?” inquired Kevin.
“Different reasons. Many of the lords lost countless men in the civil war and refused to sacrifice any more. Others felt the Maelstroms deserved to bear the consequences of their actions—they blamed Raven’s rise and the resultant war on the Maelstrom family squabbles. Either way, I believe many wanted to see the royal family crumble, even if it meant relinquishing power to a monster like Raven, which is unfathomable to me.”
The wind picked up as they approached Randall’s Gap. The pathway was a flat, barren field of snow, which zigzagged through the mountainous terrain. It was about a mile wide at the entrance but narrowed to a few hundred yards at its narrowest. Abandoned towers stood every few miles, guarding the choke points along the way. According to Sven, the entire pathway spanned about twelve miles and would take hours to cross.
Hours later, they had progressed merely halfway. The l
ayer of snow thickened as they advanced, due to the ever-present shade from the surrounding peaks. This had allowed the snow to accumulate, and now the boys’ party struggled to advance. The wind intensified, and the horses began to act up.
“Sven, I think Blitz wants to stop. He’s not responding to my tugs,” hollered Jake with a worried look.
Kevin glanced back. Blitz was neighing and whipping his head.
“Keep the horses on my path! There’s a fort about a mile ahead! We can rest when we reach it. Just keep pace!” shouted Sven over the howl of the wind.
The boys pushed through, and over an hour later, they reached an embankment to their left. Sven dismounted and walked Rebel up the mountainside to the base of a three-sided stone tower. The boys followed suit. Sven led Rebel into a small flat building next to the tower. When they entered, they realized they were inside a stable. The horses seemed relieved to find themselves underneath a roof, away from the cumbersome snow and biting cold.
“We’re going to stay here for the night,” informed Sven. “The wind is picking up, and the next fort is about two miles ahead. I don’t think the horses can make it without some rest.” He pulled his baggage off Rebel’s back and led him to a stall. The others did the same with their mounts. Afterwards, they followed Sven to the three-sided tower.
He grasped the iron door handle. “If we’re lucky, there’ll be some leftover firewood inside.” He leaned against the door and barged it open.
The first floor was furnished with a dusty bed and a square, wooden table. A cooking pit was built into the right corner of the tower, complete with an iron cooking pot. There was a stack of lumber resting underneath the table. A wooden staircase ascended from the far end corner, and a large Derathiel map hung on the right wall.
They dropped their bags next to the bed, before ascending the staircase. There were four stories to the tower, each with a small bed, a storage trunk, and a small table. The fourth story was the roof of the tower, complete with surrounding battlements and a rack of old weapons. Matthew spied a spear with a rusty iron tip and grabbed it. The wood was still strong and smooth. He twirled it around clumsily, then struck it forward at an imaginary foe.