by Liara Woo
"You don't understand," Katie snapped, frustrated. "I'm definitely helping you. It's just I'm worried about what my family, and my friends, and everyone who cares about me are going to think when I go missing for x-amount of days!"
Joran was quiet for a long time. Then he whispered, "If you're looking for consolation then I have nothing for you. But I will say this: everything good in my world will die without you. The Darkness outnumbers us fifty to one. As of yet, Nashgor hasn't unleashed Its full strength. But It will, someday soon. Then all goodness will end. But with you, we have a fighting chance! You are the only glimmer of hope to us." He sighed. "You say you don't have many powers, but I know that to be wrong. Some of all Allagandrian magic has seeped into you. You just haven't discovered it yet."
Katie knew he was trying his best to encourage her, but it didn't help. She buried her head in her hands and couldn't help wondering about her parents. What would they do when they learned she was missing? Call the police? Go out looking for her? Or…or would they simply forget all about her?
She felt suddenly empty and lonely inside, and she wanted nothing more than to go to her mom and dad and feel their arms around her. A gentle touch rested on her shoulder.
Joran.
The cause of all of this. A dark feeling rose like bile in her throat.
"Are you alright?" Joran asked, genuinely concerned. "You look kind of…"
Anger welled up inside of her, unreasonably fierce. "Get away!" she snapped, jumping to her feet with her hands clenched into fists. Joran backed off, crouching with his back against a tree, his eyes wide with shock. Katie clenched her teeth. "This is all your fault," she growled. "Ever since you came here, my life has been flipped inside out and upside down! So you can just stay away from me from now on! I'm going back to camp, so I can be with my friends and family! I want nothing to do with your precious Allagandria! So you can just stay away from me!"
She ran off into the forest towards the lake, which she could already see through the trees. Her mind was strangely numb, but she could feel her legs burning as she ran faster than she'd ever run before, and she could feel tears streaming from her eyes.
She'd seen the heartbroken, hopeless, confused expression on Joran's face. She knew that she was responsible for hurting him like that and she hated herself for it. What's the use? she thought, furious. He's faster than I am. I know he's chasing me. He'll always run after me—after all, I'm his 'only hope.' So how can I get rid of him?!
She reached the shore of the lake and all at once the solution came to her. There was only one way to be rid of him forever. She would go to see that stag even if she drowned in the process, and she'd figure out exactly how to send him back to where he came from. Then maybe things can get back to normal around here! She pulled off her shoes and socks, leaving them on the shore, and waded into the water. The water was cold, but (although she wasn't aware) it was much colder than she realized because Allagandrian magic insulated her from extreme cold.
Now all she had to worry about was holding her breath long enough. She wasn't yet desperate enough to test her luck and see if she could breathe underwater. She had to find a quick way to get to the bottom.
"I was with my granddad on his fishing boat one time. We were trolling. He got a bite, so he started reeling in, pulling as hard as he could on the line. But the fish was pulling us! It was incredible! Granddad had to cut his line in order to keep us afloat! And then I saw the sun glinting off of something huge! It was a fish; a giant one."
Unbidden, Emma's words came to her mind. Katie grinned. A giant trout would be perfect.
Katie called out across the lake, her voice echoing, and hoped that the fish would be able to hear her. Soon she saw light glinting off of a large traingular dorsal fin breaching the small waves. In seconds it was barely ten feet offshore. Katie waded into the lake, her sweatpants dragging her back. Gradually the water reached her waist, and then her armpits, making her shudder with cold, and then she was right next to a massive rainbow trout just large enough to eat her.
"Please don't eat me," she told it. The fish didn't respond to her request, but in a bubbly voice it asked her to hold on to its dorsal fin. Hesitantly she complied, struggling to get a grip on the slippery fin.
The trout jerked forward before she could hold her breath; she screamed as she rocketed across the surface of the lake seemingly without control. When the fish dived, she barely caught a breath in time and could feel bubbles bursting from her lips. The speed was too intense and the pressure was building. Her ears screamed in protest and her lungs begged her to inhale.
Before she knew it she'd let go of the trout's fin. Desperately she kicked out for the surface, but it was too far and she couldn't tell what direction was up anyway. Darkness that wasn't part of the darkness of the lake filled the corners of her vision; she felt herself slipping into an abyss…
There was a sudden pressure under her arms, a rush of bubbles that seemed to last an age, and all of a sudden there was wind on her face. The sudden cold took hold instantly, before the Allagandrian magic could kick in, and it shocked her back into consciousness. She gasped for breath, lying limp in someone's arms, opening her eyes wide and blinking away the water on her lashes. "Joran?!" she exclaimed.
The prince of the elves was struggling to keep his chin above the water as he swam towards shore. His left arm was tightly wrapped around her, keeping her afloat. The cold affected him, especially since he was clad only in a thick pair of leggings, and as he swam he shivered violently. When they reached the rocks, Katie crawled out of the water and squeezed her soaked sweatshirt and pants until water dripped off of them like miniature rainstorms. Joran collapsed on his stomach in the inch-deep water, his head turned to one side so that he didn't inhale any water. He was breathing quickly and his eyes were closed.
Katie knelt down and helped him into a sitting position, horrified by how cold he was. "You saved me," she murmured, surprised. "Even after everything I said."
"Of-of course," Joran whispered in a shaking voice. "Wh-why didn't y-you at least try b-breathing und-derwater b-before you w-went in?"
Katie blinked. She'd just been afraid… but in reality, it wouldn't have hurt her. At least not a lot. She looked at Joran, slumped against her and trembling like a leaf in the wind. "I wanted to get rid of you. I'm sorry."
"D-don't mention it," he shivered, pulling himself straighter and rubbing his arms. "W-we need to get s-somewhere w-warm. Please. I can tell that the cold d-doesn't affect you, but…" His lips were blue and his cheeks were pink with cold.
Katie shook her head. "The lake's not getting any warmer. Let's go to the cave."
Joran nodded, trying to hide a grimace. "Lead the way." He stumbled to his feet, moonlight reflecting off the tight muscles of his chest and arms. Katie shook her head—don't get distracted—and knelt beside the water. Nervously she pressed her lips to it an inhaled once.
The water was like air. She needed no gills and no scuba tank to breathe underwater. Magic did it all for her. Water was air for her.
She waded once more into the lake, turning once to make sure Joran was following her. They splashed through the lake, into deeper water, until they could no longer reach the bottom with their toes. Katie swam forward with strong, confident strokes as the shore grew farther and farther away. Then she turned back to Joran, who was desperately trying to keep his chin above the surface of the lake despite trembling violently. He nodded once, and the two of them dived headfirst into the dark depths.
Once underneath, Katie couldn't see a thing. But as she inhaled confidently, accepting the water, the magic of the merfolk took over, giving her strength and fluid motion in the water and strengthening her eyesight. She smiled in awe as the strange, alien rock formations were revealed, convoluted and craggy.
Thanks to her newfound abilities, the pressure was null and void, and swimming became as easy as flying. "Yes!" she shouted as a warm, happy bubble of triumph welled inside of her.
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nbsp; Then she remembered Joran. Franticly she scanned the depths of the lake, worried that he'd drowned. She saw him, limp and motionless, slowly sinking. "No!" she exclaimed. She struck out towards him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him faster to the bottom of the lake. She felt like the needle of a compass, as if something inside of her was pulling her down to the stones below. Joran was motionless, his mouth agape, his eyelids fluttering in the current. "Don't let go," Katie urged him. She spotted a dark hole in between two distant boulders and instantly knew that that was what she was looking for. "Not after all we've been through. Don't let go!"
She kicked out with renewed strength, dragging her friend to the bottom of the lake. They entered the crevice and total blackness encased them. But although it was frightening, it didn't feel evil. Katie felt confident that it was not Darkness and that it would not harm Joran. Nevertheless she swam faster, disgusted as she was by slimy tendrils of what she hoped were lake plants brushing against her like the flesh of bullfrogs.
The black tunnel began to slope upwards and widen out; at first she bumped against the sides as they steepened, but as a faint light from above reached her she was able to make out the outlines of the stone walls around her and avoid them. The light increased until her head broke the surface of the water and she realized that she was in a small pool of water within a large underground cavern lit by strange glowing bones. Quickly she swam over to the shore and laid Joran face-up on the ground. He was deathly pale.
"He won't breathe on his own," a stern, solemn voice called out. Katie looked around and saw a tall, white stag emerging from a side tunnel leading away from the cavern. Once he would have been quite beautiful, but now he looked ancient.
"Will you help me?" Katie asked. "I don't really know how to do the mouth-to-mouth stuff…"
"He is an elf, young girl, and that kind of resuscitation will not be necessary. Only magic can wake him…a star from the heavens, a source of pure goodness, or the kiss of a fairy."
Katie blinked. Sudden butterflies entered her stomach and her heart skipped a beat. "Can you tell if I have fairy magic within me?" she asked as casually as she could.
The stag trotted over to her and stared deep into her eyes. "Yes," he said finally. "You do. Enough to awaken him."
Katie tried not to look too eager. "The kiss doesn't have to be on the lips, right?"
The stag blinked. "Of course it does. That is, after all, the most powerful kiss of all."
Katie tried to bite back sudden nerves. This should be awesome, right? Joran wasn't at all lacking in the physical attractiveness department. And he was shirtless. But… what if her breath smelled bad—like fish, perhaps, since she'd just been swimming in a lake. Or even worse—maybe she had morning breath. I should have brought breath mints or something…
Focus! she chided herself. I need to save his life! She bent over Joran's face and pressed her lips to his for a bit longer than was probably necessary, feeling the butterflies in her stomach going wild. Then, blushing furiously, she sat up and moved away.
Suddenly Joran tensed and started coughing violently. Water spilled from his frozen blue lips. He moaned weakly and rolled onto his stomach, his vicious coughs racking his entire body.
"I will get him a blanket," the stag said, trotting away and back into the side tunnel.
Joran kept coughing until it seemed he'd gotten all of the water out of his lungs, and then he went limp, shivering. He didn't open his eyes, but after a few seconds he whispered hoarsely, "I knew y-y-you could d-d-do it, Katie. Th-thank you."
Katie grinned, her cheeks burning self-consciously. "I only wish I'd believed in myself the first time. But you…you knew I could do it all along. Thanks for believing in me."
Joran sneezed. "L-leaps of f-faith are all th-that we elves have l-left."
The stag returned, grasping a fur blanket in his teeth. Katie took it and gently draped it over Joran's trembling body. The stag looked at her. "The cloth is enchanted to keep the wearer warm. But there is better attire for him here. Follow the tunnel; there you will find a deserted shack. Inside there are spare clothes; would you bring them out?"
"Of course," Katie said. She stood and entered the side tunnel, halting when she saw that there was a small house made from ancient wood and straw at the end. She shook her head, befuddled, and made a mental note to ask the stag about how the cottage could have gotten here. Then she walked inside, not really surprised when it seemed almost entirely empty.
More glowing horns lit the inside, and there was a tall wooden cupboard in one corner, with the door hanging open. Katie could see cloth inside of it, so she approached it and opened the door wider, taking out a long, dark green tunic and a pair of brown pants. They had a strange, soft texture and seemed lighter than they should have been for such thick clothes. After further searching, she found a pair of soft leather shoes and added them to the pile in her arms, hoping they were Joran's size. She brought them out of the tunnel and returned to the stag. Joran was sitting up, huddled against the side of the cavern, looking appropriately miserable. The stag had helped him remove his leggings and he was wrapped entirely in the fur blanket, shivering, his damp hair hanging in strands down his face, back and shoulders.
"Thank you," the stag said. "You may want to change clothes yourself. It'll make it easier for you to blend in once you get to Kylaras."
Katie nodded, biting her lip and trying to be patient. She had questions and desperately needed answers, but they would have to wait. She returned to the shack and took black leggings and a light brown tunic from the cupboard. It looked like a t-shirt with a short skirt attached.
She found a second pair of shoes and slid them onto her feet, marveling at how comfortable they were. Then she left the small house and sat with her back against the side of the cavern, waiting for Joran and the stag (who she assumed was Starling) to return. She closed her eyes, realizing she was exhausted and starving. I'm not used to this kind of living: staying out in the wilderness with no real supplies.
But here, at last, at the bottom of the lake, she would get the answers she needed. Starling was so old, and he was from Kylaras…he must know about what her gifts were. He'd at least know enough to satisfy her hunger for knowledge until she reached Halthren…if she reached him. She still didn't know if that was even possible.
Soon the ancient stag entered the side tunnel, followed by a much healthier looking Joran. He wasn't as pale, and dressed in the drier clothes, he looked much more comfortable. He grinned at her. "Your hawk friend was right. This is Starling—and I actually remember him from my childhood. He was much younger then—barely a fawn. And I remember that he was overly curious about the Forest of Mist, and so it was that he vanished."
Starling seemed to smile. "You remember correctly. I was too curious for my own good. And as they say, curiosity killed the cat."
Katie was tempted to grin, but there were serious things that she was impatient to discuss. "Joran hinted that you might know something about my gifts. And he said something about a prophecy."
Starling looked towards her slowly. "Ah, yes. The Earthling foretold to save the elves."
Katie didn't like that he called her an Earthling, but she tried to let it go. "I'm Katie. And I have certain abilities. Can you tell me about them?"
"I feel that such matters should be explained by others. I have been away for sixty years, and my ancient brain has forgotten most of the creatures that dwell in Allagandria. But if you would like to know about the prophecy…"
"Anything you can tell me will help," Katie said eagerly, although she was disappointed by the news that he wouldn't tell her about her abilities.
Starling took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he spoke, and his voice changed. It was deeper, stronger, more powerful and commanding than it had been, and his brown eyes burned amber.
"The Darkness will grow
In power and size.
Light will fall.
The sky will go black with Evil.
> But hope will blow in from an ash-child of Earth
Emerging from the Ocean of Storms,
And the ash of Earth shall be gifted
With all the world's magic.
The End shall come.
Be it Light or be it Dark,
One shall fail and one shall triumph
By the hand of the Child of Earth.
Guided by the heart of the Legends
Chosen by the Heir of the Elves of Kylaras
Light shall shine forth.
And with Legendheart's final breath
The hand of the Shadow Lord shall be stayed."
Starling sighed deeply. The glow in his eyes faded into their regular color. "So spoke Legethain, the father of legends. He had the ability to see the future, and the words I spoke were some of the things he saw. I know it doesn't rhyme, but it isn't a poem; it's a prophecy. Poems rhyme and prophecies foretell." He cleared his throat. "The ashes from Earth, I believe, are you, Katie. That would explain why you are gifted as you are. I advise you to beware of your innermost abilities. For while the magic and wonder of all good beings of Allagandria lies within you, there is terrible evil that resides in you as well."
