Taking Rank

by Hana Steven

  The blue stone nestled among my staff’s leaves begins to glow as a large dome of hexagons appears, encasing the three figures. I feel a hand on my shoulder before mana starts to flow into me from it. Trusting Erik to know what he’s doing, I turn my attention back to the barrier and what is happening inside.

  Although muffled, I can still make out what is being said.

  “So, you think that you can take me on while the kids protect the soldiers?” the hooded figure asks. “Unfortunately for you, I was trained by the Order of the Dragon. I won’t fall so easily.”

  Dad and Poseidon share a look before turning back to the man.

  “Who among the Order would train such an evil man as you?” Poseidon asks.

  “Who my master is, is none of your concern,” the figure replies. “And we are not evil, we are liberators. The world is changing; my master wishes to guide the world into a better place.”

  “Big words for a pawn,” Dad says.

  The hooded figure says nothing, but then unleashes a torrent of fire at Dad. “The weak don’t have the luxury of insulting the powerful.”

  “And fools don’t get to talk like sages,” Poseidon counters, throwing spears of water at the figure.

  The hooded man jumps back, dislodging his hood in the process and revealing a snarling face framed by long brown hair. “You will pay for that!”

  “No,” Dad’s voice calls out, “she won’t.”

  The man turns in disbelief to the bonfire that now exists where Dad was standing. “You can’t be alive! That flame is hot enough to melt steel!”

  The fire goes out to reveal a form clad in crimson armor. It holds out a hand and a ball of fire shoots toward the man.

  The man deflects the Fireball, which splashes against our barrier. The mana it takes to absorb that single blast is staggering, literally, as both Gale and I stumble forward half a step before catching ourselves.

  “Careful,” Erik says from just behind and between us.

  I nod and turn my attention to the fight once more.

  Dad’s crimson form darts to the side, hurling Fireball after Fireball at the man. Poseidon has acquired what looks like a watery version of the robes worn by Greek gods and is assaulting the man with her water lances, as well.

  Several spells hit our barrier, but very few connect with the man they are fighting. Several long minutes pass as spells are exchanged before the man comes to a stop and begins to prepare a much larger spell.

  Dad and Poseidon continue to pelt him with spells, but they are deflected by a barrier of his own. Changing methods, Poseidon stops behind Dad, exchanges a few words too low for me to make out, and then kneels down with both hands flat on the ground.

  “Now, you die!” the man calls out. “And this base will become my master’s, one way or another.” With his declaration made, the man flings his hands forward, sending a wave of lightning-infused fire at Dad and Poseidon.

  Dad holds his hands out before him and catches the attack. I don’t mean he blocked it, I mean he literally catches it. Twisting his hands around, he focuses the spell into a much smaller ball between his hands.

  “What!? Impossible!” screams the man.

  Suddenly, four streams of water erupt around the man and engulf his hands and feet.

  “Now, you won’t be able to dodge this attack,” Poseidon announces.

  “No! I was trained by the Order! How can I be losing to a couple of nobodies?”

  “Only a fool assumes they are the strongest ones in a fight,” Traecy mutters from behind us.

  “Brace yourselves, girls!” Dad calls out.

  Surprise at being addressed quickly turns to concern as I do as instructed.

  Muttering something under his breath, it sounds like “Kaw eh hum eh,” Dad moves his hands to one side at waist level before throwing them forward while shouting, “Hah!”

  A beam of bluish-white light launches from his outstretched palms and races toward the man. Impacting the man’s chest, it sends him flying into the far side of our barrier, completely shattering Poseidon’s restraints.

  As soon as the man hits the barrier, I feel like the wind is knocked out of me. Falling to my knees, I see Gale has a pained expression on her face before our spell shatters and I fall to the ground, gasping for air.

  I hear footsteps approaching and Traecy and Derek’s concerned voices.

  “Are you three alright?”

  “Woah! Gale just changed back into a fox!”

  Everything starts to go blurry as a hand rests on my cheek.

  “You two did good,” Dad’s voice says from nearby. “Rest now, we’ll take care of things.”

  As if waiting for his permission, my vision goes dark.

  I shift under the covers, not wanting to get up just yet, but my body telling me otherwise.

  My eyes snap open as I realize that I don’t remember getting into bed. Thinking on it brings the events at the gate back to mind and I sit up. Gale is curled up at my feet but only seems to be sleeping. I quickly check myself over and find that other than someone changing my clothes, nothing is amiss.

  Deciding to answer the call of nature now that I am good and awake, I try to carefully shift myself around so that I don’t wake Gale.

  I get one foot on the ground before I hear her yawn. Mornin’.

  “Morning,” I reply before waiting for her to remember what happened.

  I watch as she stretches then freezes. What happened with the fight?

  “Don’t know,” I reply. “Last thing I remember was Dad doing some cool light attack and then pain and then nothing.”

  She nods before jumping off the bed, transforming mid-air, and landing on her feet. Turning to me she says, “Let’s go find Dad and ask him, then.”

  We make our way downstairs and, after a pit stop at the bathroom, head into the living room. We can hear voices coming from the kitchen and head in after them. Stepping inside, we spot Dad, Poseidon, Erik, Traecy, Scott, Derek, and Liz sitting around the table or working at the counter.

  “Oh, you’re up,” Liz says upon noticing us.

  Looking up, Poseidon asks, “How do you feel?”

  “Confused,” I admit. “What happened? The last thing either of us remembers is that light attack Dad did.”

  “Not much happened after that,” Traecy says. “Your shield shattered, you three fell to the ground, Gale transformed back into a fox, and then you girls passed out. Your Dad told us it was mana exhaustion and that you would be okay after a good night’s sleep.”

  “The intruders, including that idiot Arnold, are in custody,” Scott picks up. “And the wounded are being treated. Nothing too major; the worst was a concussion and a few broken bones.”

  “The three of us were given the day off to make sure you two don’t push yourselves too hard,” Derek adds. “So today we are just going to stay here and play games.”

  “The general wanted to know when you woke up,” Liz says. “So I’m going to head off. Don’t do anything foolish, okay?”

  I nod and she gives both our heads an affectionate ruffle as she walks past.

  Room is made for us at the table and Dad puts plates piled full of food before each of us. “Eat up. Since you missed dinner I imagine you are quite hungry.”

  “When you’re done,” Derek begins, “we can teach you how to play poker.”

  “We even brought some goodies to use for bets,” Traecy says, holding up a bag full of candy.

  Gale and I quickly devour our food and are escorted out to the coffee table where we are shown the basics of a game called Longhorn Hold ’Em. The game is quite fun, especially when I’m winning.

  The rest of the day is spent playing various games until Liz returns late in the afternoon.

  “The general wants to thank you for what you did,” she explains. “Please follow me.”

  We follow Liz to the main square where I had the duel against the guard. Now, however, there are rows upon rows of tables and chairs set up and Liz l
eads us to one row at the far end that is set up facing the other rows.

  “Please, have a seat,” she instructs. “Things will kick off shortly.”

  The eight of us take our seats at the end of the row of tables and wait.

  “This is weird,” Traecy says. “An outdoor banquet is rare to begin with, but for all of us to be at the main table is unexpected.”

  “What does it matter where you sit?” I ask.

  “This row of tables is usually reserved for top ranking military personnel and special guests,” Scott explains. “You five being here isn’t that odd, but Traecy’s the highest ranked of us three and even she wouldn’t normally be sitting up here.”

  “Oh,” is all I can think to say to that information.

  Before I can think about it too hard, people begin filing into the square and taking up positions at the tables. After a few minutes, the general and several other important looking figures, including Liz, take up the remaining positions on our row.

  Stepping up on a platform in the middle of our row, the general announces in his booming voice, “Welcome, everyone! While this may be a military base, I would like tonight to be informal in consideration of our guests,” he motions in our direction.

  “Tonight we celebrate thwarting an incursion into our base,” he continues, “and honor those who stepped up to aid us in time of need despite having no real reason to do so. To begin with, I would like to give my thanks to those who could not be here tonight due to the injuries they sustained in yesterday’s attack.”

  There is a collective, “Hurrah,” from the assembled soldiers.

  “There were also those who stepped up during the conflict and helped keep our casualties to a minimum. When I call your name, please stand.” He continues to call out several names and give them promotions; Traecy, Scott, and Derek are among those named.

  “And now,” the general goes on, “for something a little unorthodox—in honor of your acts yesterday, and in helping to prepare us for future magical conflicts, I would like to grant Kyota and Poseidon the honorary rank of major.”

  Again, there is a collective, “Hurrah,” as Dad and Poseidon stand up.

  The general starts again, saying, “Seeing as they put themselves in harm’s way to protect people older and better prepared than themselves, and spurring on our archers to better their craft, I grant Sylphy, Gale, and Erik the honorary rank of second lieutenant.”

  This time it is no single collective cheer, but a chorus of cheers, hollers, clapping, and whistling.

  “I am glad to see that these kids have earned your respect over the last few days,” the general says as the crowd calms down. “I know that I for one am astounded at what they are capable of and look forward to seeing what they do in the world in the years to come. But for now, let us celebrate!” Raising a glass up above his head, he cheers, “To victory and the future!”

  Everyone raises a glass into the air and echoes the cheer before taking a drink.

  Food is brought out and we eat and talk and party until the sun begins to set.

  “Come on, lieutenants,” Dad says with a grin. “Time to turn in for the night.”

  I nod and follow his lead back to our house.