by M. A. Torres
“Expect them to be well guarded. Expect your lives to be at significant risk in the attempt to retrieve them. Make sure you, Kevin, are an expert with Flameclaw in your hand.” Brealin looked at Jake. “Jake, make sure you can wield that hammer like Indrid wields his paintbrush.”
Jake looked at him, confused. “Uh, I don’t know who Indrid is. Do you guys?”
“Indrid is the greatest artist in the history of Derathiel,” said Sven. “His paintings are priceless. He’s the one who painted the gods’ portraits that grace the walls of Castle Randall.”
“Oh. Yes, sir. I’ll try to be as skilled with it as... Indrid is with a paintbrush. I practice with it every day.”
Kevin held out the map for Brealin to see. “We were planning to retrieve Diamondpeak first. The map shows its location at a place named The Edge.”
“The Edge...” repeated Brealin. “The Edge of the World. I am sure Diamondpeak is hidden inside the Castle on the Clouds.”
“The Castle on the Clouds? Like literally?” asked Matthew.
“The Edge is a cliff overlooking the Endless Ocean to the west. Legends say the entrance to the castle lies somewhere on that cliff. No one before has found it... perhaps it is time you all did.”
The boys exchanged an anxious glance.
Brealin smiled again. His teeth were yellow flames, his mouth glowed red. “Mother Amos and Emory made sure the weapons were well hidden.”
Kevin turned to Sven. “How far is The Edge?”
“Weeks of travel on horseback,” he answered.
Kevin sighed. He turned to the others. “We can’t be away for that long. The Jewel of Time can give us a week, maximum, if we say we’re staying at Robbie’s all weekend.”
The boys thought for a moment, trying to think up possible solutions.
“We can wait for Christmas vacation, and then we can take turns traveling. I’ll start one weekend, then one of you relieves me on Monday. Then that person can travel for two days, then another will relieve him,” suggested Jake.
“That could work,” agreed Matthew.
“I’ll do it,” interrupted Sven.
“What?” asked the boys.
“I’ll go. I’ll travel there. I’ll take some men and set up camp at the foot of The Edge.”
“Sven, are you sure you want to do this?” asked Kevin.
“I am very sure. I’m carrying the mirror as it is.”
The boys exchanged an excited glance.
“Very well, then!” said Jake. “When should we return?”
“Give us a fortnight. We’ll ride hard to make sure we’re there when you arrive.”
“A fortnight?” Jake turned to his friends. “Like the game?”
“I don’t know... Sven, how long is a fortnight?” asked Kevin.
“Oh, apologies. A fortnight is fourteen days.”
“Great!” said Kevin. “Two weeks it is!”
Then the boys turned to Brealin.
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Brealin,” said Matthew with a bow.
“Yes, thank you,” said Jake.
Sven and Kevin both bowed to the fiery being.
Brealin nodded and bowed back. “You know where to find me if you need further assistance.”
The boys walked away when Kevin paused and hung his head. Slowly, he returned to the edge of the lava pool. He glanced back to make sure the others weren’t in earshot range.
“Brealin... I don’t know if I can do this,” he whispered.
“You have come this far, young Kevin. Why do you now hesitate?”
“I killed a man. I don’t know if I can do it again.”
“Your fight is just, Kevin. Heroes must often make difficult choices and take just actions against those who oppose their cause.”
“Heroes? I don’t feel like a hero.” He paused and lowered his gaze in shame. “I’m just a kid with a powerful sword, trying to do the right thing. I’m afraid... like, all the time.”
Brealin looked on with silence.
“I don’t know how much of a hero I actually am. I’m more lucky than I am anything else,” confessed Kevin.
“Heroes are not aware of their creed. True heroes are not self-proclaimed, but proclaimed by others. Despite your fear, you, Kevin of House Martinez, have braved the danger to find yourself before me here today, wielding a sword meant for a god—a sword that burns bright and fierce for you as it once did for me—a sword you have used to fend off a force thousands of years your elder. Embrace your calling, Ser Kevin, for the sooner you come to terms with your creed and purpose, the sooner you will flourish into the warrior spoken of in the ancient texts.”
With that, Brealin sunk back into the pool of molten rock, leaving Kevin to ponder his final words.
Chapter Seventeen:
A Pleasant Return
“Take good care of yourself, Sven,” ordered Princess Hayla. “I will notify your sister on your whereabouts when we return.”
“Thank you,” said Sven as he bowed.
They gathered in the outskirts of Whitestaff to say their farewells. Princess Hayla mounted her horse and turned to the boys.
“Sers, I pray to Mother Amos you are successful in retrieving Diamondpeak. The fate of our worlds depends on our continued efforts. I will await the Northern Lords at Castle Randall. They will play the ally, and I will play the ignorant girl. That should buy us more time. Hopefully, our efforts with Robert White prove fruitful.”
She bowed and rode off with Captain Cris and the other men. They took the horses with them as the boys prepared to return home.
Bruce, son of James of Seville, and another of Princess Hayla’s soldiers remained behind. His name was Erik Bonecrusher—a short and husky man with a black mustache and the thickest of arms. A formidable pair—they would travel with Sven on his journey west to The Edge, to keep him safe.
“You all come back ready to swing those weapons, little knights!” commanded Bruce, son of James.
“You got it!” said Jake. He raised a fist to give Bruce a fist bump, but Bruce did not comprehend the gesture. He grabbed his fist and shook it.
“No, Bruce, you need to bump my fist with your fist,” corrected Jake.
“Why?”
“It’s like shaking hands in our world, but quicker.” Jake offered his fist again.
“Very well,” Bruce met Jake’s fist with his, crushing the boy’s knuckles with the impact.
“Oooough!” Jake shut his eyes, bit his lip, and tried to shake the pain from his hand. He did his best not to cry.
“Like that?” asked Bruce, his thick lips barely visible through his shaggy black beard.
“Yes... but let’s go back to the handshake next time.”
“Ah! I like this!” Bruce extended his fist towards Matthew. Matthew and Jake exchanged a concerned side glance. Then Matthew offered his fist, hesitantly.
KLOP!
Matthew pulled back and rubbed at the pain.
“Your turn, little Kevin the Knight!” said Bruce.
Kevin gave up his fist and braced himself. Bruce plopped him with a ferocious fist bump like he did the others.
Kevin shut his eyes and forced out a smile. “Thank you, Bruce. You make sure Sven makes it to The Edge in one piece.”
“You little knights just show up, and we’ll be there!” he assured.
They approached Sven, who held Maviel’s Mirror into position. “In a fortnight,” he reminded them.
“Yes, two weeks,” said Kevin.
Moments later, they were gone through the mirror.
MATTHEW FOUND HIMSELF upside down and hanging from a branch. “Okay, this is getting old!” he hollered. He freed his pants and fell to the ground.
Kevin and Jake were nearby.
“Are you okay, Matt Bratt?” asked Jake.
“I’m probably the only kid ever to get wedgied by a tree,” he said while adjusting his pants.
“Guys!” Olivia rushed over from Robbie’s tent and hugged Kevin.
“Olivia... hi!” he said, blushing. “It’s good to be back.”
“Honey, we’re home,” hollered Jake.
Olivia hugged them too.
“So how did it go?” she asked.
“We have a lot to tell. We’ll fill you in on the way home,” said Kevin.
Just then, Robbie ran up from around his tent. “Guys, you’ll never guess what Olivia and I found!”
“What? What did you find?” asked Jake.
“Come!”
Robbie was about to lead them into the forest when he paused and sniffed the air.
“What is that smell?” He returned to the boys and sniffed the surrounding area. “Why do I smell pee?”
Jake and Kevin joined him in sniffing the air.
“I noticed it too,” said Jake.
“Okay, Okay!” hollered Matthew. “So I peed my pants a little! I thought I was gonna get slashed with a flame whip!”
Robbie looked at the others. “What is he talking about?”
“Long story,” explained Kevin. “It was not fun.”
“Oh.”
“Olivia, don’t tell anybody at school,” said Matthew, his head hung in shame.
“Don’t you worry! We all have accidents sometimes,” she said, trying to diffuse his embarrassment.
“No, we don’t! When’s the last time any of you peed your pants? Olivia, you’re just trying to make me feel better!”
“I had a minor accident before the play!” she revealed.
“What? You did?”
“Sure did. I was a nervous wreck! I peeked into the theater and saw it full of people. Luckily, I had a change of clothes in my bag.”
Jake placed a reassuring hand around Matthew’s back. “You see? Don’t feel bad, Matt Bratt; I think I lost some bodily fluids back there too.”
“You did?”
“No. I’m just trying to make you feel better.”
“Arrg! Just show us what you found so I can get home and shower!”
Robbie and Olivia rushed into the forest with the others not far behind. Minutes later, they reached the edge of the crystalline field. Kevin, Jake, and Matthew ambled in, wide-eyed. Kevin reached down and took some leaves into his hand. There was nothing but silence as they attempted to make sense of the alarming sight.
“This is worse than I thought,” said Kevin. “Anyone could be coming here and using them to activate any mirror.”
“What do you think we should do?” asked Jake.
Kevin stared at the field. “I think we should destroy it.”
“I do too,” agreed Robbie. “We could burn it.”
“Burn the field?” asked Matthew.
“Yeah! How else are we going to destroy it? There’s too many to pluck out by hand!”
“Wait, wait, wait,” interjected Olivia. “We need to figure out how they got here first! Any ideas?”
No one answered. Jake shrugged.
“What if we stake this place out? I bet whoever comes here is one of Raven’s lieutenants!” she theorized.
The boys looked at each other.
“She’s got a point,” acknowledged Robbie as Kevin nodded.
“Okay, how are we gonna do it? The only way would be for us to camp here and monitor the field throughout the night,” said Matthew.
“That’s good for one day, what about the rest?” said Jake.
“It’s just not feasible,” admitted Kevin.
They all thought for another moment.
“Cameras,” blurted Robbie.
“What?” asked Jake.
Robbie pulled out a small, square camera from his bag.
“I’ll set this GoPro to overlook the field. It will record for four hours. I‘ll come back just before nightfall and change the battery. Then tomorrow, I’ll switch out the memory card and view the footage,” said Robbie.
“Wow, Robbie, is there any situation you aren’t ready for?” asked Jake.
“Well, let me think...”
“It was a hypothetical question, Robbie. You don’t actually have to answer it.”
“Oh! I was gonna say no, I’m ready for everything!”
“Robbie, your idea would sure beat the alternative. I say, do it,” said Matthew.
“Robbie, but are you okay coming out here every day?” asked Jake.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“I’ll come with you,” offered Olivia. “It will be safer that way
“Okay.”
“Great!” said Jake.”
“What’s this doing here?” Matthew asked from the far end of the field. He was holding a life-sized Santa Claus display model. The white fluff from its hat and coat was stained with brown dirt, and its face was scratched and faded.
“That Santa has seen better days,” observed Jake. “It’s trash. Just leave it there.”
Matthew let it drop back onto the ground.
After setting up the camera and packing the tent, they started back towards Robbie’s. The crew rode side by side through the afternoon snow, down the seldom-used road. Kevin rode with Matthew once again, standing on the rear crossbar.
“Guys, just think—three months ago, we were playing Fortnite and D&D. We didn’t know Robbie and weren’t even friends with Olivia,” reminisced Jake.
“Seems like so long ago,” said Matthew.
They reached Robbie’s house minutes later. As they dismounted, a dark SUV drove up Olivia’s driveway.
The boys looked on curiously as the SUV’s engine shut off. Seconds later, the driver’s side door opened, and Sage stepped out. He saw Olivia and smiled. He approached the group.
“Hi, sis,” he said as they embraced.
“Hi, Sage, what are you doing here?”
“I need to borrow some of dad’s gear.” He looked at the boys. “What’s up, guys? How are you?”
“We’re good,” said Jake.
“Good,” responded Matthew and Kevin.
The boys placed their bags on the floor. The armor and weapons clanked noisily within.
“Sounds heavy. What do you guys have in there?” asked Sage.
“Oh, just some camping stuff,” responded Jake.
“You guys were camping?” Confusion flashed on Sage’s face.
“All morning,” Robbie chuckled.
“Olivia, I didn’t take you as the outdoorsy type,” he said. “You must really like one of these guys.”
“No, I like all of them,” she said, matter-of-factly.
Sage smiled. “Oh, I’ve got something that might come in handy next time you go camping!” He rushed to his SUV and opened the trunk. A minute later, he returned, holding a box. “Here,” he said while handing it to Olivia.
Olivia took the box and opened it. Inside was a pair of flashlights and a medium sized spotlight.
“They’re solar powered, so you won’t need batteries. Just put them out in the sun for a day and they’ll brighten up the night. They’ll come in handy on overnight trips.”
“Thanks Sage! You sure you don’t need them?” she asked.
“Nah. I won’t be doing much camping in college. They will serve you guys better.”
“Thanks!” they boys said.
Sage sniffed the air. “Hm, how long were you guys out there?”
“Uh, since this morning,” said Jake.
“Were you dudes roughing it? Like completely roughing it?”
The boys traded a confused glance.
“What do you mean?” asked Jake.
“Someone reeks! Like piss!”
“Sage!” Olivia smacked his arm.
“Oh, man! I’ll just go home now!” hollered Matthew.
Sage laughed. “Oh, it’s cool, buddy. It takes a real man to rough it like that. I’ll just step back from you a bit!”
The others tried their best to hold in their laughter.
“Okay, sis, I better head inside. All right, I’ll see you all later.”
The boys waved goodbye as Sage walked off to Olivia’s house.
“I wish my brother was as cool as him,” said Matthew.
“Yeah, he’s pretty awesome,” added Kevin.
“Okay... I’ll get you guys a date with him next weekend,” kidded Olivia.
“Really? Yes, please,” joked Jake.
“MATT BRATT, YOU DON’T smell that bad!” consoled Jake.
They sat around the table inside Robbie’s treehouse—all except for Matthew, who kept his distance by the treehouse door.
“You heard Sage, I reek.”
“Matthew, we’re about to plan our strategy, you need to hear what we’re saying!” said Robbie.
“Don’t worry; I can hear you guys from over here!”
Robbie sighed and turned to the others. “So, guys, what’s the plan? What happened in Derathiel?”
“Okay, so we met with Brealin. He said Raven is Zaron—the fallen god of the earth,” explained Kevin.
“What?” asked Robbie incredulously.
“You heard him,” said Jake. “Zaron thinks he’s such a stud he changed his name to Raven!”
“Brealin thinks Raven’s allies are searching for something here in Wakefield—something that can make him a god once again,” informed Kevin. “He thinks the other fallen gods are helping him.”
“Really?” Olivia asked with a look of deep concern.
“So what must we do?” asked Robbie.
“He wants us to find the rest of the magical weapons. They’re the only way we can defend ourselves against the fallen gods.”
Robbie scratched his head. “Defend ourselves against gods...”
Jake and Matthew looked on with self-pity.
Matthew smiled. “Well, we always wanted to live a real-life D&D campaign. We got what we wished for!”
Robbie thought for a moment. “Can you guys do it?”
Kevin nodded. “We have no choice. We’re heading back in a fortnight.”
“What?”
“Two weeks, sorry. Sven is traveling to Diamondpeak’s location as we speak.”
Olivia and Robbie smiled at Matthew.
Matthew chuckled nervously. “We’ll see if I’m able to wield it...”
“Of course you will, Matt!” assured Robbie.
“Yeah, I have no doubt!” added Olivia.