The Prince Warriors

by Priscilla Shirer

  Rook lowered his gaze, turning away. “Go on,” he said. “Go with your friends. I’ll . . . find another way.” Rook started to move back toward the tunnel and the oncoming Forgers.

  Something about his dejected look tore at Levi’s heart. He knew how Rook felt. He knew what it was like to feel condemned. He never wanted anyone to feel that way again.

  “Wait,” Levi said. He knelt down and pulled off his boots. He knew he was doing something he promised he would never do again, but somehow he knew Ruwach would understand. This wasn’t for his own selfish purpose. It was for the sake of someone else.

  “No, no, you can’t—you’ll be caught!” said Rook.

  “Put them on, hurry!” Levi said.

  The vibrations of the Forgers in the passage made the sludge tremble. They were getting close.

  “I’m not putting them back on. So you better take them or we’ll both be caught,” Levi said. He glanced nervously down the tunnel, where he could make out shadows moving in the darkness.

  Reluctantly, Rook took the boots and put them on. Despite the fact that his feet were much bigger and made of metal, the boots fit. He raised a hand to Levi in farewell.

  “You have to look straight at that light,” Levi said. “Don’t look away, whatever you do.”

  Rook nodded, as if he understood. “Thank you,” he said. “I won’t forget.” He turned and stepped out, stones appearing under his feet as he followed the others to the other side of the chasm.

  Levi watched him go, a well opening in his heart, filling with something like happiness.

  Then he turned to face the Forgers, raising his arms in the air in surrender.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Free Indeed

  When Rook reached the other side of the stone stairway, he realized he was no longer standing on the edge of the chasm. Unbelievably, the stairway had deposited him on the wide, white balcony of the castle, where he never thought he would be allowed again. He was home. He saw Levi’s friends waiting there. They turned to greet him happily, but then their smiles disappeared when they realized Levi was not with him.

  “Where’s Levi?” Brianna said, her large eyes searching behind him, as if he was hiding somewhere.

  “He—he—gave me his boots,” Rook said, his voice coming in short bursts. “I didn’t ask him to, he just did it. He told me to go—but the Forgers were coming.”

  Brianna’s eyes grew big and round. Her lip trembled slightly. Then she spun on her heels and ran into Xavier, burying her face in his shirt. Manuel hung his head. Evan sprinted to the edge of the balcony and looked out, hoping he would see Levi somewhere, hoping he managed to escape. But there was no sign of him.

  “Levi!” he called out. His voice echoed over the landscape. But there was no answer. “Levi!” Silence.

  Evan turned away, folding his arms, his eyes downcast. “I don’t get it. Why would Ruwach send us in there to get someone out but make us leave someone behind?”

  “Is that what I have done?”

  The kids spun around to see Ruwach gliding through the shining gate of the castle. Rook knelt before him, his head low to the ground.

  “Ruwach, I am yours to command. I deserve only to be your slave. I have failed you. I am nothing. I deserve your judgment—”

  “Welcome home, Prince Warrior,” Ruwach said. He reached out one of his long arms. The bright, glowing hand appeared, touching Rook on the top of his head. Slowly the metal helmet began to melt, revealing sandy-

  colored hair, hazel eyes, and a round, ruddy face. A human face. He was older than the kids had supposed, but not much older, perhaps mid-twenties, but he looked as if he’d had a hard life.

  Rook rose slowly as his metal body continued to peel away from his neck and chest, down his arms and legs. He spread his arms in amazement at his own transformation. He wasn’t dressed as a slave anymore. He was wearing his own suit of armor.

  “Thank you,” he said quietly. He dropped to his knees again, bowing low before Ruwach, who drew his hand back into his robe. “Thank you.”

  Levi’s boots, which had been on Rook’s feet, now stood empty. Brianna let go of Xavier and ran to the boots, hugging them against her chest. Ruwach bent over her.

  “Why are you crying, Princess?”

  “Because they took Levi,” she said between hiccups. “He gave Rook his boots and now he’s a prisoner—”

  “Do you not believe the Words I gave to you?”

  “Gave to me?”

  “To all of you.”

  Brianna looked down at her breastplate—the orb was spinning, churning out words that floated into the air above them.

  Once freed, always free.

  “I don’t understand,” Brianna said, shaking her head. “How can that be true?”

  “It is true always. Even for those who seem not to know it.”

  “But Levi knew it, didn’t he?”

  Ruwach’s head nodded once. “Indeed he did.”

  Just then the sound of a terribly out-of-tune trumpet blasted the air, followed by the irregular thump of beating wings. The kids and Rook turned, dumfounded, to see Tannyn the dragon coming in for a landing in the courtyard. They scattered quickly as he crash-landed on his belly, his giant wings flapping crazily, bellowing another trumpet call that made them cover their ears and shut their eyes.

  Tannyn skidded to a stop inches from the castle gate. The kids opened their eyes, staring at the huge creature in confusion. What was Tannyn doing here? Ruwach hadn’t summoned him, although Ruwach seemed unsurprised by his arrival. He moved toward the dragon and nodded his hooded head slowly. Tannyn nodded back, panting like a dog and lowering his head to the ground as if he wanted to be petted.

  Brianna, despite her sorrow, ran up to pat Tannyn’s head. And when she did, she caught a movement and turned her head to see something—someone—sliding down the dragon’s long, scaly neck.

  It was Levi.

  “Levi!” Brianna ran to her best friend, throwing her arms around him in a huge hug as he landed on his bare feet. She couldn’t say anything else for a long time. Just hugged him tight.

  “I can’t breathe,” Levi said, laughing.

  The boys ran up to him, patting his back and cheering. Rook and Ruwach watched their reunion silently.

  “What happened?” Brianna asked finally, letting him go. “How did you get free?”

  “Not really sure,” Levi said, glancing at Ruwach. “I was standing at the edge, and the Forgers were just about to get me. Then I heard this loud noise and saw Tannyn flying into the canyon, zigzagging every which way. So—I jumped.”

  “Onto his back?” Evan asked. “Cool!”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Levi said. “Well, he caught me anyway. And brought me here.”

  “Once freed, always free,” Brianna said, laughing through her tears.

  “That’s what I kept thinking about. I figured, if it were true, then they couldn’t hold me. I didn’t know how it was going to work out, but at least I knew that.”

  “Have you forgotten something, Warrior?” said Ruwach slyly, raising one robed arm to indicate the empty pair of boots. Levi nodded, walked over to the boots, and put them on his own feet again.

  “Hey, Ru,” said Evan, ignoring Xavier’s scowl at the name, “you know, I was thinking, it would be sort of nice if we had a way to . . . to . . . get instructions from The Book back home, like when we need help with stuff.”

  Ruwach’s head nodded once. “You can. You must.”

  “We can?” said Brianna. “How?”

  “It’s at the tip of your finger.”

  “What does that mean?” said Evan. But as usual, Ruwach didn’t explain. Instead, he motioned to the large entry doors.

  “Your feast is waiting—for all of you,” Ruwach said, giving a special nod to Rook, who bowed his head in
gratitude.

  The kids raced each other into the feasting hall—all but Xavier, who hung back, moving to Ruwach. He took the key from his boot and held it up before the guide.

  “This opened the prison doors,” he said. “I was thinking maybe it was the key that was stolen . . . you know, the one that opens our doors in the Cave.”

  Ruwach’s hood twitched when he saw it.

  “It is not that key,” said the guide in a sonorous voice. “But it is a key.”

  “I know it’s a key, but . . .”

  “It is a key to the key, but it is not the key.”

  Xavier blinked, totally confused. “Uh, I’m not sure I—”

  “You will, soon. May I?” Ruwach reached out with his glowing hand to take the key, and it disappeared quickly up his sleeve. “Well done, Prince Xavier.”

  “It was Manuel who found it,” Xavier said.

  Ruwach’s head nodded knowingly. “It is good you went back for him then, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. Guess so.” Xavier turned to go back into the feasting hall, but then paused, looking back at Ruwach. “Will we ever get to see what’s in those rooms?”

  “When that time comes, it will be your choice, not mine,” Ruwach said. With that, the little guide spun around and sped away, and Xavier found himself wrapped in clouds and light.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  The Power of the Shoes

  Levi, look alive!” Mr. J. Ar said, passing the ball to his son. Levi was so startled he let the ball bounce off his shoulder. “You okay, son?”

  “Yeah, fine,” Levi said. He glanced at Xavier, Evan, Brianna, and Manuel. He could tell they were just as confused as he was. They were back on the basketball court, like nothing had ever happened. Just like before.

  Levi shook off his confusion and ran after the ball, throwing it back to his father. Mr. J. Ar tossed it to Xavier, who dribbled around expertly before passing the ball to Manuel. Manuel threw the ball wildly as Evan rushed over to block him. The ball, by some miracle, swished through the net.

  “You made a basket!” Xavier shouted, retrieving the ball.

  “I did?” said Manuel, looking up.

  “Hey, Manuel, how did you break your glasses?” asked Mr. J. Ar, coming over to get the ball.

  Manuel stared at Mr. J. Ar a moment, then took off his glasses and looked at them. He couldn’t see them very well, so he rubbed his finger across the lenses—and felt a big crack. He held up the glasses to show the other kids—it was proof that everything they’d been through had been real. They grinned at each other. Manuel turned back to Mr. J. Ar.

  “Uh––must be the humidity,” he said. “Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure can cause glass to crack.”

  “Sudden changes?” Mr. J. Ar said. He raised an eyebrow, gazing at the other kids knowingly. “Oh, I see.”

  Xavier was about to pass the ball to Levi when Landon shuffled over to the court, his hands deep in his pockets. He glared at them meaningfully before slumping onto the bench, his elbows resting on spread knees. He kept staring.

  Trying to ignore Landon, Xavier threw the ball to Levi, who dribbled it toward the basket. Evan came in to block him. Levi glanced over at Manuel, who stood frozen like a statue, poised to run if necessary.

  Then, for some strange reason, while watching Landon out of the corner of his eye, Levi thought of Rook. Something about them seemed similar.

  The prisoner had been bound helplessly in his cell, chained up behind iron bars. Levi thought of the tears that had made rust stains down his cheek. He felt his stomach do a little twist, just like it did before a big test or a super hard skateboarding trick. Instead of dribbling the ball, he held onto it and walked over to where Landon was sitting.

  Landon looked up at him, and Levi again had the sense of something familiar. Landon’s eyes, despite their insolence, held a hint of weariness, and of hope. Just like Rook’s had. Levi knew then what he needed to do.

  “You wanna play?” he said quietly. He offered the ball.

  Landon’s eyes widened. He straightened, looking from Levi to the ball and back again. None of the other kids made a sound. Levi supposed they were all just staring at him, wondering if he had gone nuts.

  Landon leaned back, and for a moment Levi thought he was going to take him up on his offer. But then Landon shook his head and stood up, waving Levi off. He started to walk away, his hands once more thrust into the pockets of his baggy jeans.

  That’s when Levi noticed his shoes. Landon wore old, heavy work boots, so ratty they were held together with duct tape. He couldn’t play basketball in those shoes.

  “Hold up,” Levi said.

  Landon turned, waiting silently.

  “You can wear my shoes,” Levi said. “I mean, if you want to play.”

  Landon’s face changed, the hard scowl softening a little. He glanced down at his feet, and Levi saw that he was actually embarrassed. Levi made up his mind then. He sat down on the bench and took off his shoes. His brand new Vans. Black with the gold swish. He held them a moment, taking one more good look, before offering them to Landon.

  Landon looked at Levi as if he’d lost his mind. The other kids exchanged surprised looks. Mr. J. Ar smiled to himself.

  Landon shuffled back over to the bench and sat down. “Why you giving me your shoes?”

  “So you can play.”

  “But then you can’t play.”

  Levi shrugged. “That’s okay. I’ll just watch. I’m not that good at basketball anyway. You’re probably better than me.”

  “How you know that?”

  “Saw you playing once, awhile ago.” Levi remembered leaving the Rec one night, when his dad was locking up, and seeing Landon dribbling the ball around the basketball court when he thought no one was watching.

  Landon shifted around, glancing up at the kids staring at him. Then he looked back at Levi. He reached over and took the shoes from Levi’s outstretched hands. “Thanks,” he murmured.

  “No problem,” Levi said.

  Landon laced up the shoes as Levi watched, then picked up the ball and walked out onto the court. Manuel stood in frozen terror near the basket, perhaps imagining that Landon would use the first opportunity he had to pulverize him. Landon bounced the ball once, twice. He started to dribble. Xavier ran in to block him, but Landon evaded him easily—he was quick for a kid his size. He spun, bounced the ball, headed for a layup. But he stopped in midjump and seemed to notice Manuel cowering under the basket. For a long moment it looked as though Landon really would pummel the kid with the glasses. He seemed to think about it. Then, almost gently, he bounced the ball over to Manuel.

  Manuel caught it, shocked. He hesitated, not sure what he was supposed to do. Then in desperation he threw the ball up to the basket and missed. He winced, leaning backward, preparing himself for retaliation. Landon didn’t seem to notice. He retrieved the ball and kept on playing.

  Levi sat on the bench watching, barefoot once again. But this time, he wasn’t sad. His heart was full of something wonderful, something no skateboard trick or basketball score could ever give him. He saw his dad looking at him and smiled broadly. His dad smiled back.

  Brianna came to sit down by Levi. She glanced down at his bare feet.

  “You and shoes,” she said, putting on some lip gloss. “You just can’t keep them on your feet, can you?”

  Levi looked over at her and smiled.

  “Guess not.”

  Brianna’s phone chirped. She pulled it out of her hoodie pocket, surprised it was actually there. She unlocked it, and the app called UNSEEN opened immediately.

  “Hey, look,” she said, showing it to Levi. “The app opened.”

  “Yeah, but it’s the same weird pictures and symbols,” Levi said.

  Brianna thought for a minute. “Remember what Ruwach said? The Book was
at the tip of our fingers. Remember? Maybe this is what he meant—that this app is like a portable Book.”

  “I thought that was one of his weird expressions.”

  “Well, maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s something else.” Brianna placed her index finger on the phone and held it there for several seconds. All at once, the pictures and symbols began moving around the page, reorganizing into something they both recognized: The Crest of Ahoratos. “It’s the Crest!”

  “It’s the cover of The Book,” Levi said. “Open it!”

  Brianna touched the screen, and the image flipped open to reveal a blank page with a blinking cursor. Brianna touched the line, unsure of what do at first. Then she did the only thing she could think to: she typed her name. Instantly more words appeared on the page.

  Well done, good and faithful servant. You have

  shown you can be trusted with a small thing.

  You will be trusted with something bigger.

  Levi pulled his own phone out of his pocket and opened the app. He put his finger on the screen and heard a metallic clink—he remembered then that the tip of his finger was metal. He pulled back his hand and rubbed his thumb over the cold surface. His heart sank.

  Brianna put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you try your other hand?” she said gently.

  Levi shifted the phone to his right hand and tried again with his left index finger. The app responded. The image of The Book appeared, just as it had for Brianna. He breathed a sigh of relief.

  He typed in his name, and the same instruction Brianna had gotten appeared on his phone as well. He stared at it a long moment—after all that had transpired, he never thought he would see those words written to him. He looked at Brianna and grinned.

  “It says we’ll be trusted with something bigger,” he said. “So I guess . . . we’ll be going back.”

  Brianna nodded, the corner of her mouth turning up in a smile.