Dinner was wonderful. I hadn’t eaten anything since the night before, so I was certainly hungry.
Teresa took our plates when we were done and then sat down to talk. “I’ve broken into that dungeon before,” she began. “It isn't easy, but it is possible.”
“Good,” I said. “How do we go about this?”
“Obviously, it's portal-blocked, so portals aren't an option,” Teresa stated. “The only other option I know of would be going through the guard barracks. They're connected to the outside, but they are full of guards.”
“I'm not seeing the possibility in this idea,” Adam said.
Adam has a point, Silva put in. Isn't coming across guards what we are trying not to do?
Teresa smiled. “Well, that wouldn't be a problem if you were guards as well.”
“And how do we accomplish that?” Katie questioned. “I doubt they would have teenage guards.”
“You'd be surprised,” Teresa responded. “They recruit teenagers all the time, based on abilities. Take Kelsey Balker, for example. She is an impressive archer, to say the least. They recruited her a few months ago, and she is working her way to the top in rank.”
“She was the one who shot Makeki's crown,” I said aloud.
“I haven't heard anything about that,” Teresa admitted, “but point being, you three can blend in. Silva, on the other hand, would stand out.”
May I remain here? she asked.
“That works.” Teresa walked over to a chest and pulled out five Attacker cloaks. “I don't know if any of these will fit you, but if you can make them work, use them.”
Adam's fit him like a glove, but mine and Katie's were a little bit too big. We tried all of them, but they were all either a little too big or way too big.
Katie rolled up her sleeves until her hands showed and said, “I think we can make them work.”
I did the same. “Okay. Anything else we need to know?”
“Don't pull out weapons unless you absolutely need to,” she advised. “Keep your cover for as long as possible. The longer you keep your cover, the more likely you will succeed.”
“Thanks,” I thanked her. I turned to Katie and Adam. “Are you guys ready?”
“As ready as I'll ever be,” Adam moaned. “We're so dead.”
“Cheer up, Adam,” Katie chided. “Let's do this!”
“That's the spirit!” I added in helpfully.
“If you need anything, just come back,” Teresa said. “Take a portal if you need to and you're past the portal-blocked dungeons, but try to avoid it.”
“Will do,” I responded. I put my cloak hood up. “Let's go save my parents.”
Chapter 25
Infiltrating was easy. Dress up like the enemy, walk with confidence but not defiance, and nod respectfully to those who walk past—it was easy to blend in. We walked right through the barracks without any problems.
It was too easy.
“Something isn’t right,” I muttered to Katie and Adam. “Does this seem too easy to you?”
Adam nodded. “Definitely. Last time infiltration was this easy, the whole thing was a setup. We lost the rest of our group. Katie and I barely made it out alive and unvampired.”
Katie shuddered. “That night...that was terrifying. I don’t think there is any way I could get rid of those memories.”
I adjusted the black mask that covered my mouth and nose. I was getting more and more nervous by the second. It didn’t help that the mask was itchy. How could the Attackers stand wearing such uncomfortable masks over their mouths and noses all day, every day?
“How are we going to find your parents?” Adam questioned.
“That is a good question,” I replied. “I doubt we could ask for directions without looking suspicious…” I trailed off, the last part muttered more to myself than to my comrades. I had not thought this out very well.
“We are so dead,” Katie groaned. “How in the Dimensions are we supposed to rescue your parents if we can’t even find them!”
“Keep your voice down!” Adam hissed. “You’re going to get us—”
“Caught?” a voice interrupted. The speaker sounded like he was faking a deep voice. He was dressed like us, and I had no idea who he was. The only color visible on him was the dull blue of his eyes.
“Well, that was unfortunate timing,” Adam commented.
“Actually,” the Attacker said, “I thought I timed that pretty well. You can call me the Classified Comrade. I’m on your side.”
“That sounds like a superhero name,” I remarked.
“That’s why I picked it.”
“Okay,” I said, unsure of how else to respond.
“The guards are changing shifts in two minutes,” the Classified Comrade told us, checking his watch. “If we beat the second set of guards to the first set, we can let your parents out before the other Attackers know what hit them.”
“Why would you help us?” Katie asked. “You don’t even know us!”
He turned his gaze—and a finger—to me. “But I know her. More importantly, I know what she needs to do to save the Dimensions. I don’t want the Dimensions destroyed any more than you three do.”
“How do we know you won’t turn us over?” Adam demanded.
“You don’t.” He crossed his arms. “However, you need my help, so I think you’ll be willing to risk it. We have one minute. If we’re doing this, we’re doing this now.”
“Fine, we’re doing this,” I agreed, hoping I wouldn’t regret it.
He led us down the corridor, taking a few turns, then down some stairs to the door at the bottom. Two guards were posted there. They were both in uniform as well, with the bottom halves of their faces concealed.
“Shift change,” the Classified Comrade said gruffly.
“Your voice sounds funny, mate,” one of them said.
“Sore throat,” the Classified Comrade explained. “Probably from repeating orders too many times.”
The guards took the hint and stepped aside. “My apologies, sir,” one muttered as they both scampered away.
The Classified Comrade withdrew his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He took one of the keys off the ring and handed it to me. He held a finger to his lips. “You didn’t get it from me.”
I nodded to show that I understood.
“This is as far as I dare to go,” he told us. “Any further and I might blow my cover. I will assist you to the best of my ability in the future, but no promises.”
“Thank you,” I thanked him.
“You’re welcome,” he replied as he left us on our own.
I slowly creaked open the door and peered into the darkness within. Cells lined both sides of the corridor. Prisoners chatted with their cellmates, some solemn and others optimistic. I listened carefully as I slowly walked through the corridor with Katie and Adam. I stopped near one cell when I heard two familiar voices talking.
“What if they have her?” Mom was asking. “Roy, she doesn’t remember a thing! What if—”
“I know, Cynthia,” Dad interrupted, “but what ifs aren’t going to help Valida. We have to get out of here—”
“That can be arranged,” I said, sliding the key into the keyhole. It fit perfectly. I twisted it and pulled the cell door open.
My parents looked like they hadn’t slept in days. Both of them had bags under their eyes. Mom’s hair was a tangled mess and Dad’s stuck up in every direction.
I pulled off my mask and hood. “Mom! Dad! I found you! It’s so good to see you again!”
“Valida!” Mom exclaimed. She sprang to her feet and crushed me in a hug, which I gladly returned. “I was so worried! I’m so sorry we weren’t able to get back home for you; the dungeon is portal-blocked. How did you even get here? I thought you didn’t have any memories of the Dimensions!”
“I didn’t,” I told her. “It’s a long story. We should get out of here before the guards realize we aren’t actual Attackers.” I put my mask and hood in their respectiv
e places and motioned for everyone to follow me.
“I’m glad you found us, but you have some explaining to do,” Dad told me.
“You guys didn’t tell me anything about the Dimensions,” I said coolly. All the frustration from the events of the past few weeks resurfaced. I did my best to keep as much of it out of my voice as possible. “You didn’t tell me that I was the Magenta, or that everyone seems to know me, or that we’re in the middle of an interdimensional war that everyone expects me to fight in. I think you have quite a bit of explaining to do yourself.”
“Don’t take that tone—” Dad started.
“Dad, I have to save the Dimensions, and you and Mom didn’t even tell me about it,” I interrupted. “I’m upset, okay? It would have been nice to know that I could end up fighting Mallum Frond to the death in a challenge!”
I didn’t have the self-control to keep the frustration out of my voice. I was tired of secrets and possibly lethal surprises.
“How about we discuss this later?” Katie suggested. “You know, like when we get out of enemy headquarters?”
I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, then said, “Okay, but I’m not letting this drop forever.”
The second we stepped through the door that brought us to the dungeon, we were surrounded by Attackers. Kelsey, armed with her bow and arrows as always, stood in our direct line of view.
“We meet again, Magenta Valida,” she said with a sinister smile. Although her troops wore their masks, she did not.
I pulled off my mask and hood, figuring the disguise was useless at this point. I crossed my arms. “Indeed we do, Kelsey.”
“I suppose the real question,” she told me, “is whether or not you’ll stay and fight. It’s a shame you ran last time.”
“Hypocrite,” an Attacker scoffed from behind her.
She whipped around, searching for the speaker. “Who dares—”
“Just sayin’,” the Attacker continued.
She turned to face him, eyes narrowed. “I am in control of this unit. Do you really want to call me a hypocrite?”
He shrugged. “I don’t care what rank you are, Kelsey. I'm not in your unit. Besides, I have a point. You're over here taunting Magenta Valida about running away from you, when you literally just ran from me.”
“Agent Lambda,” she sneered. “I thought I got rid of you.”
He winked at her. “It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me.”
“Lambda, are you seriously hitting on enemy girls right now?” another Attacker, this one female, demanded.
“What?” he said defensively. “She’s my type.”
“Enemy girls are your type?” a different Attacker scoffed.
I smiled. I knew exactly who they were. Lambda, Kappa, and Delta had returned. “Come to save the day again, Eikosi Tessera agents?” I asked.
Lambda bowed theatrically. “Indeed we have, young Magenta.”
“You’re an idiot, Lambda,” Delta remarked.
“You’re both idiots,” Kappa commented. She took her fighting stance. “Let’s finish this.”
“You are outnumbered three to one,” Kelsey announced. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”
“It sounds like you’re nervous, Kelsey,” Kappa taunted.
“And it sounds like you have a death wish,” Kelsey said as she nocked an arrow and let it fly right at Kappa. She ducked just in time, and the corridor turned chaotic.
It all happened in a blur. I tried to avoid the swords slashing and stabbing around me. My dad snatched an Attacker’s sword right out of its sheath without the owner being able to react in time and fought with that. The Eikosi Tessera agents fought with prowess and talent.
Somehow, during the fighting, Kappa managed to make her way over to me and handing me a small, hastily-made scroll. “This needs to get to Queen Krystalla of Equestralan as soon as possible. We can hold the Attackers; this message is of the utmost importance. It is a matter of life and death; I can only hope it makes it to her in time.”
I put the scroll in my jeans pocket and nodded. “I won’t let you down.”
“Take a portal out of here with your friends and parents. Don’t go to Equestralan right away, or the Attackers might follow you,” she instructed. “Now go! We can handle this!”
She gave some sort of signal to Lambda, and their distraction plan went into action.
Multi-colored lights shot all around the room in a stunning light show. It was mesmerizing. My mind went blank. All I could do was stare at the lights.
Kappa put a pair of sunglasses of some sort in my nose. My head cleared. She wore a pair just like it. She handed me enough for my parents, Adam, and Katie, then mouthed, Go!
I sprang into action, slapping the glasses onto their faces. I noticed Lambda sweating like he'd spent an hour outside in a typical Arizona summer.
“Opatay clekavra Teresa's house in Emparadroy!” I chanted, opening a portal that would (hopefully) take us right where we needed to be.
I stepped through last and caught one last glimpse of Lambda, who shook with the effort of keeping the spell up.
◆◆◆
When we arrived at Teresa’s house, my parents greeted her warmly.
“Teresa!” Mom exclaimed, embracing her. “It’s been so long!”
“Yes, it has,” Teresa responded, returning the embrace. “I’m glad to see that Valida, Adam, and Katie have brought you back safely.”
“Speaking of which…” Mom said, turning to me.
“Right,” I said. “Explanation.”
I told them the story from the beginning, from meeting Felix in the Darkness to now. Every so often, my parents would exchange looks.
“Okay, your turn,” I said when I finished.
“The Attackers broke into our apartment and kidnapped us,” Dad explained. “We were taken to the dungeon and then you rescued us.”
“That isn’t what I meant,” I told him. “How did you guys find out about the Dimensions? Why didn’t you tell me about it? Why are you two Dimensional legends? How could you have fought in another interdimensional war and not told me?”
“That is a story for later,” Mom decided. “A challenge from Mallum is almost certainly going to come soon. You need to find the Legendary Keepers and prepare. Your dad and I will go back to Earth and try to smooth over as much of the mess the Attackers have caused as possible. You need to get going as soon as possible.”
“Okay, but first,” I said, patting my jeans pocket, “I have a message for Queen Krystalla of Equestralan. Kappa said it was urgent.”
Then we must not waste another moment! Silva declared.
“I guess we’re taking another detour,” Katie commented. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Opatay clekavra Queen Krystalla’s place in Equestralan!” I chanted.
◆◆◆
There is something about sparkly pink castles that makes a person feel welcome.
Everything inside the castle was sparkly as well, from the curtains that hung over the glittering windows to the jewel-like floor. The throne room, where Queen Krystalla sat, was decorated with brightly-colored, sparkly everything.
Queen Krystalla herself was stunning. Her coat was a beautiful bright pink, her horn and hooves were golden, and her mane and wings were a majestic purple.
Greetings, sister, Silva greeted.
Greetings, Krystalla returned.
I bowed and took the note out of my pocket. “Queen Krystalla of Equestralan, I have a message for you.”
I held it up, and it rose out of my hand and flew toward her. Once it arrived in front of her, it unfolded so she could read it.
When she finished, she looked at me and said, Surget tempesta.
I felt like I had stuck my finger in a power outlet again, like I had done a couple years ago. But this time, the feeling was prolonged and intensified. I was dead. I had to be. There was no way I was surviving this. I was too shocked to scream.
As suddenly as it had c
ome, it was gone. I dropped to the ground, my strength gone.
“What did you do to her?” Katie demanded.
I have awakened her ability, Krystalla answered. With practice, she will be able to manipulate the weather at will.
“Cool,” I said weakly. Silva used her wings to help me to my feet.
Katie shuddered. “Speaking of weather, does anyone else feel a chill?”
Everyone looked at me. “What?” I asked. “It isn't me! Is it?”
Silva whinnied, pacing back in forth. I don’t think it’s you. There is something off about this whole thing. I don’t like it. It feels dark, like…
An all-too-familiar voice boomed, casting dark clouds over Equestralan. A chill ran down my spine as he spoke in a haunting, sing-song voice.
I’m back.
Chapter 26
“How did you get out of my head?” I demanded. Both Adam and Katie shot me weird looks.
I was never confined to your head, Magenta Valida, the Darkness answered. The clouds above us grew noticeably darker. I shuddered. I am everywhere and nowhere.
Leave Equestralan! Silva ordered. You have no business here!
I have business everywhere in the Dimensions, the Darkness responded. This was just my next stop.
“And why is that?” I inquired.
You are here, alone and unable to defend yourself. Your friends are nowhere near here. Your parents are gone. Rekala can’t stop me while she is still imprisoned and without a host. The other creatures around us can’t do anything about this. I have the advantage.
A single flame ignited in my palm. “It is said that light is stronger than darkness, Darkness Guy. Wanna test it?”
Fire cannot defeat me.
“Why not?”
I am much too powerful. It would take more than a little hand flame to expel true darkness.
Adam and Katie just stared at my flame. “You can manipulate fire?” Adam asked.
“It’s a Magenta thing.” I turned my attention back to the Darkness. “What do you want, Darkness Guy?”
Your downfall.
I sighed, extinguishing the flame in my palm. “What is it with creatures and wanting my downfall?”
The Magenta (The Legendary Keepers Book 1) Page 11
