by Anna Webb
Jamie waited. They could’ve just sent him on his way. The very fact that the Golden Mask was here spoke volumes. They wanted him.
“My interrogator furnishes me with information. But the decision is ultimately mine. I believe intense loyalty isn’t always a bad thing. If you’re able to redirect it, you could become a powerful asset. If you can’t—well then, moving forward with you would be tantamount to signing your death warrant.
“We guard our secrets fiercely. There are only two outcomes to Cleaner training—you either leave as a Cleaner or in a body bag. More importantly, if you fail, your whole team fails, and you will all die.
“So, I only have one question for you: do you want to be part of the Cleaners?”
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Not too eager. But perhaps before he bled to death.
“Yes,” Jamie gasped.
Chapter 3 – Allyra
The Cleaners led her through the main building of the Elemental College and out through the formal gardens toward the wooden doors set into the rocky face of the mountain. Her heartbeat quickened again, adrenaline raging through her veins like molten lava. This wasn’t just the way to the Great Hall but also to the dungeons. The dungeons where they locked up the Gifted who violated the Gifted Charter. The dungeons built from stone and iron and lead, far below ground, from which no Gifted had ever escaped. It was a fate far worse than death.
The Cleaners opened the wooden doors, and Allyra blinked as her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change in light after the glare of the African sunshine in the gardens. Her breathing eased a little when she saw the Combat Master of the Elemental College waiting for her in the foyer.
Master Mabaso greeted her with a brief nod and characteristically short, staccato speech. “Allyra. Follow me.”
Allyra turned to retrieve her backpack, which was still with one of the Cleaners, who was holding it at arm’s length as if it was something unclean.
Master Mabaso stopped her. “You won’t need that. Everything will be provided at the Training Grounds. Let’s go.”
Instead of the grand wooden doors to the Great Hall, Master Mabaso led the way through the side door that led into the dungeons of the Elemental College. But, despite Allyra’s fears, the dungeons weren’t their destination. They walked deeper into the mountain, toward the Tunnels that had been the location of the Second Trial.
“Where are we going?” Allyra asked.
“The Training Grounds,” Master Mabaso answered shortly.
Allyra sighed. She’d forgotten Master Mabaso’s aversion toward any kind of conversation. She tried again. “Where are the Training Grounds?”
Master Mabaso shot her a quick, slightly exasperated look but answered nonetheless. “The Training Grounds are through the Shadow Causeway.”
They’d arrived at a doorway made of twisted roots much like the one she’d walked through that took her into the Tunnels of the Second Trial.
Allyra hesitated. “Am I going to remember this?” she asked.
“The Shadow Causeway is made for travel. It links together all the Great Colleges. It shares little resemblance with the Tunnels, which are made to test the Gifted,” Master Mabaso answered shortly though not unkindly.
As Master Mabaso moved to walk through the doorway, a Sentinel appeared, transforming slowly from transparency into pale, opaque white. The Sentinels were magical sentries, guarding spaces where only the Gifted could go—the Great Halls of the Colleges, the Tunnels, and apparently this Shadow Causeway. The Sentinels appeared intangible, but they were deadly nonetheless, their weapons made of mist and fog, just as deadly as any created from steel.
The Sentinel reached out a hand, and Master Mabaso offered hers in reply. This ritual was something Allyra knew well enough—the Sentinels tested the blood of anyone who wished to pass through their protection, allowing through only those who had Gifted blood pumping through their veins.
The Sentinel bowed to Master Mabaso and allowed her to walk through. In turn, Allyra offered her hand and watched as the Sentinel twisted a small knife against her palm until two tiny drops of blood welled through the thin cut. It ran two fingers across her hand spreading the blood in a thin layer across her palm. For a moment, the Sentinel pulsed with light, recognizing the Gift that lived in Allyra’s blood, before it gestured for her to pass.
The walkway opened up once she passed through the doorway, and the light improved, bouncing off the pale gray limestone walls. Allyra was momentarily dazzled by the light, her vision exploding in bursts of white light. Suddenly dizzy, she reached out a hand against the wall to steady herself.
With her vision clearing, Allyra found Master Mabaso watching her. “The Shadow Causeway links the Great Colleges. For those who have not mastered the art of Evanescence, it is the fastest way to travel. But an immense amount of power is required for the Shadow Causeway to manipulate the distance that separates the Great Colleges—you will always feel the Source on entry and exit of the Shadow Causeway. It can be disorientating if you’re not expecting it.”
Allyra nodded, hurried to catch up with Master Mabaso’s long, swinging strides, and then resumed her questioning. “So, the Training Grounds are part of the Elemental College?”
“Of course not. The Five Finals have representatives from all five of the Great Colleges. It would be unfair to hold it at any one college.”
From her lessons with Laureline, Allyra had learned that each of the Great Colleges was located on different continents. The Elemental College was nestled in the Hex River Mountains within the Cape region of South Africa. The Terra College hidden in the great redwood forest of California, the Atmospheric College lay in the lofty heights of the Atacama Desert in Bolivia, and the Inferno College floated on a tiny island formed in the Pacific Ring of Fire in Asia. Finally, the Oceanic College was placed deep in the frozen depths of Antarctica.
The distance between the Great Colleges was immense, separated literally by oceans. It was clear that the magic of the Shadow Causeway was as old and powerful as the Source itself.
“How?” Allyra asked in wonder.
Master Mabaso shook her head briefly. “I can’t answer that. If you want answers, ask High Master Zhuang of the Terra College. He’s made a study of the old magic.”
Master Mabaso led the way confidently through the twisting passageways, choosing specific paths where one split into many. She glanced at Allyra. “You’ll soon learn the way. You will need to commit the paths to memory. The Shadow Causeway is valuable, but lose your way in here and you can lose your life.”
Allyra nodded. As with everything in the Gifted world, the Shadow Causeway was magnificent and deadly, in equal measure.
* * *
It took less than fifteen minutes for them to walk from the Elemental College to the Training Grounds. They arrived at another doorway formed from roots, and Master Mabaso nodded for her to walk through. “I’ll leave you here. Someone will be waiting for you on the other side.”
“Thank you,” Allyra replied.
Master Mabaso turned to walk the way they’d come, but before she did, she gave Allyra a rare smile. “Good luck,” she said curtly and then strode away.
Allyra walked through the doorway and found herself in a cavernous entryway. The ceilings towered above her, and the walls stretched away, deep and rounded. The room was empty, clear except for the eternal Wellsprings all clustered together in the center. Four Wellsprings, one for each element, powered by the boundless energy of Source. As an Elemental, Allyra could feel and see the power in each one—the yellow threads of the Air Element, the flickering red of the Fire Element, the flowing blue of Water, and finally the sturdy green of Earth.
Behind the Wellsprings stood four more Cleaners, silently waiting for her. As she approached, they dipped their heads in a synchronized bow before turning away wordlessly. She followed the four cloaked figures through a warren of corridors. The Cleaners paused briefly to show her a dining area filled with long trestles and be
nches, a common area with comfortable couches and walls filled with shelves of books, and finally a massive room that appeared to be the actual Training Ground.
It was a yawning space, at least the area of two football fields and perhaps three stories tall. At the far end, it was filled with equipment that looked like scaffolding or an adult version of a jungle gym. And on one wall, every possible type of weapon was hung—from crossbows to swords and scythes to axes.
The Cleaners didn’t allow her much time to linger, leading her through a central corridor into a smaller side one. At the last door in the corridor, the Cleaners handed her an ornate and heavy key and gestured for her to walk though.
The key fitted perfectly in the lock, but the door was already unlocked, and it swung open silently. Allyra walked through to find herself in a large airy room. Like every other room she’d been shown, it was without windows, leading Allyra to conclude that the Training Grounds were located completely below ground.
A screen divided the room into two halves with a large bed in each. A separate doorway led to a shared bathroom. The room was luxuriously appointed with furniture that was a curious mix of both modern and old. It was also filled with every amenity, making it clear that Allyra would want for little during her stay. However, the person lounging on one of the beds gave her pause.
Jason reclined elegantly on the bed, reading a book with his long legs stretched in front of him, not bothering to look up as Allyra came to an abrupt stop in the doorway. She backtracked quickly, almost tripping over the Cleaners still standing behind her. The lump in her throat felt akin to panic though she was loath to admit to it.
The Gifted competed in The Five Finals in pairs, and since Jason had come second to her in the Elemental Trials, he would form the other half of her pair. This wasn’t news to her—she had known it and prepared for it, fully expecting to watch her back during The Five Finals. She just hadn’t anticipated having to watch her back while she slept.
“I know what you are.”
Those were the last words Jason had said to her after she’d beaten him in the Final Trial. Five words that had a multitude of meanings. None of them good.
Did he know she was an Elemental? Perhaps, but unlikely. That kind of information was worth something, and if Jason knew it, then his mentor, Marcus, the Elemental High Master, would also know it. And if that was the case, then—
Well, then she would’ve been in the dungeons already.
No, Allyra didn’t think that particular secret was out the bag. It was probably something much more prosaic—like she was a liar. At least that was what Allyra liked to tell herself.
Allyra turned to the Cleaners urgently. “There’s got to be some mistake. I’m not sharing a room with him.”
The Cleaners didn’t reply, their blank masks making a farce of her emotions. A mocking laugh floated across the room to her.
“You’re wasting your time trying to get them to talk,” Jason said sarcastically. “You’re wasting even more time trying to get new lodgings. You’ll be seeing a lot of me in the next few months, Allyra, you might as well make peace with it now.”
Allyra scowled at him, filling her look with as much poison as she could muster. However, inwardly, she acknowledged the truth in his words. She didn’t bother trying to argue, turning her back deliberately on him, which only earned her another mocking laugh.
The Cleaners hadn’t reacted to Jason’s words, but one walked past her, and with the barest touch on Allyra’s arm, the Cleaner led her to a wardrobe. It was filled with rows and rows of identical black trousers and black shirts, all lined with silver to indicate her origin from the Elemental College. On each shirt were embroidered four horizontal wavy lines in yellow, identifying her as an Atmospheric.
Next, the Cleaner pointed out a single sheet of paper on the nightstand next to the bed. Allyra picked it up and saw that it was a simple note of welcome. Typed and impersonal, it simply stated that dinner would be served in their room tonight, while training for The Five Finals was scheduled to start the next morning at seven in the Training Room. The wording was polite, but it was easy enough to read between the lines—her prompt attendance was not being requested but demanded. The note ended with Marcus’s scrawled signature.
Allyra nodded her understanding, and having completed their task, the Cleaners retreated quickly through the door, closing it silently behind them, leaving Allyra alone with Jason.
Chapter 4 – Jamie
“Mr. Thiessen.”
Jamie blinked, his vision bleary and unreliable. Memory started to return—Pete, his uncle Sebastian, the Golden Mask. He was in, recruited by the Cleaners. He was also slowly dying of blood loss…
“Mr. Thiessen,” the voice said again.
This time, when Jamie opened his eyes, he could bring the owner of the voice into focus. Slowly the picture swam into focus. The Golden Mask stood over him. Along with four other Cleaners. Which meant Jamie was lying on something soft, staring up at the ceiling.
The Golden Mask nodded to the other Cleaners, and they took up positions around Jamie. One at his head, another on his right, one on his left and finally one at his feet. They stood quietly and then light flared to his left, just on the periphery of his vision. Then, another light, also on his left, but closer to his feet. In short succession, two more lights flared, both on his right. Jamie started to turn his head, trying to get a closer look at the source of the light, but the Cleaner at his head took hold of his head and held it in place.
“Hold still,” she murmured.
A gentle warmth swept over him, and the pain from the spikes retreated, carried away by the smoothing wave of energy. His breathing steadied and lengthened, and he relaxed, almost lulled into slumber.
The four bright lights dimmed, and the Cleaner at his head slumped, held up as the other three Cleaners came and led her away.
“How do you feel?” The Golden Mask asked.
How do I feel?
Jamie rotated his neck and stretched, testing his body. He lifted his arm and looked at the back of his forearm, where he expected to see a gaping wound from the spike driven into him. Instead, all he saw was smooth skin with only a small round scar, only visible if he turned his arm to the light.
“How?” Jamie asked in wonder.
“The Cleaners are more than a fighting army. We are also healers, administrators, teachers, and protectors,” the Golden Mask replied. “Healing requires access to all four Elements. The Elementals were once prized amongst the Gifted, for what they could accomplish. We lost so much in the Betrayal; without the Elementals, the Gifted became weaker. But the Cleaners have always believed in the concept of teamwork, bringing together the four Elements.
“The Earth Element has always been closest to the healing arts, but a Terra without access to the other three Elements cannot bring about true healing. But, join all four Elements together, and the Terra is able to guide the energy into the body and direct it where it needs to go. That’s how your wounds have disappeared.”
Jamie brushed his fingers along the shadow of his wound. He lifted his eyes to the Golden Mask. “Incredible,” he said softly.
The Golden Mask nodded. “Follow me.”
He followed the Golden Mask through a maze of empty corridors before arriving in a large room. A library, based on the endless shelves, filled to bursting with books. They walked through the entire length of it and into another smaller room. This room was similarly lined with shelves, but a quick glance around showed that every book was identical—bound in black leather and stitched with silver thread, each one bearing the numbers indicating a specific year. There were thousands of books, going back centuries, millennia.
At the center of the room was a desk, and at the desk sat a very old man. His hair grew to his shoulders and was the color of newly fallen snow. As they drew closer, Jamie saw the man’s skin was almost translucent with age, so thin that the veins in his hands were clearly visible beneath it. When the man looked up, hi
s eyes were colorless as if time had bleached their color away.
“The Archivist,” the Golden Mask said. “The blood of every Gifted ever born is written into the Archive.”
“James Thiessen,” the Archivist said, his voice as thin and wispy as smoke rising from a smoldering fire. “Please place your hand on the table. Palm up.”
Jamie followed the instructions and sat before the Archivist, placing his hand on the table. Two Sentinels appeared beside the Archivist, insubstantial in appearance, but their grips were firm and solid as they held his hand. They twisted a dagger against his hand, making a small but deep cut. Blood started to drip from his hand, collected carefully by the Sentinels in a small metal inkwell.
One of the Sentinels dipped its finger into the inkwell and spread Jamie’s blood between its fingertips before briefly glowing. The Archivist gave a shallow nod and then dipped a pen into the inkwell, his hands trembling with age. With painful slowness, he started to flip through the pages of the book before him, running his finger down the list of names until he found Jamie’s name. With his pen filled with Jamie’s blood, he made a mark next to Jamie’s name and slammed the book closed.
“Welcome to Cleaner training, Mr. Thiessen,” the Golden Mask said.
* * *
Jamie was handed off to a group of normal, silver-masked Cleaners who led him through more corridors before finally arriving at a door. Opening the door, the Cleaners waved Jamie through. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the door was closed behind him, and the sound of a key turning the lock floated through the air.
Three people were already in the room. At his arrival, they got to their feet. He knew them all.
Pete, still wearing the same dark gray suit and blue shirt he’d been wearing at his family’s New Year’s Day party.
Gemma, who he hadn’t seen since the end of the Elemental Trials. Her hair was now dyed purple rather than its previous shocking pink, but otherwise, she looked the same—tall, friendly, and just a little awkward.
