“I think I’ve decked you so many times in my mind that I’m tired of the idea,” she says, breaking the silence. A hand of wind flicks Luke on the side of the head before giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Blaming me for everything going wrong in your life. That really hurt at first until I thought about it and considered what you recently went through. Maybe I’m being naïve, but all the times we’ve saved each other can’t be wiped away so easily. Doesn’t matter how broken and tormented you are, little brother. It isn’t in your nature to turn on friends, especially one you’ve nearly died for several times and who has done the same for you. This isn’t because you’re a Callindor, but because you’re you. With all that being said, you’re an utter moron.”
“Yes I am, Nyx,” Luke replies, forcing himself to smile. Met with an angry glare, he leans away and holds up his hands. “Sorry, big sister. I didn’t know if I should keep calling you that after what I said and did. This doesn’t make it right, but all I wanted was to save you from being hurt. Even now, I don’t know what will happen when I see the Baron again. Like when you were dealing with Stephen, he’s haunting my thoughts and dreams. It’s a different type of violation than what he tried with you, but the mental scars are still bleeding pretty badly. How did you recover?”
Nyx puts an arm around her best friend’s shoulders, causing him to slouch low enough for her to tweak his nose. “I had all of you by my side. It didn’t matter if Stephen was after me because I had friends to protect me. Sure, I freaked out many times, but it would have been worse if I was fighting him alone. Can’t remember if there was any time I attempted to push people away for their own safety. I’ll freely admit that the thought crossed my mind once or twice. We’re living a difficult and chaotic life as it is, little brother. The desire not to place more burdens on each other is strong, but it’s self-destructive. Not only to you, but to the family that you have left. If it helps, always remember that you aren’t the only one mourning Selenia and Haven.”
“Is that all it took to feel better?”
“Well, there was the other thing.”
“What was that?”
“I got angry and killed the evil bastard. Well, Delvin got the last shot, but he’s giving me credit since I destroyed Stephen’s aura.”
“Ignoring the magical attack, I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Like an enemy being stronger has ever stopped you from winning in the past.”
“This is different.”
“Only if you let it be, little brother.”
A piercing whistle from the other side of the island causes the half-elves to hurry back to their friends. They are surprised to find Delvin digging a hole in the beach while Sari keeps the tide away from him. Only his head can be seen as he finishes using a small shovel to excavate whatever Dariana continues pointing at. Holding up his hand for help, the warrior is hoisted out of the pit by Timoran and goes to put his armor back on. A blast of wind from Fizzle’s wings gets the sand off his body, but the gale knocks him into a tree. The drite pouts apologetically before heading into the hole to carry a small, marble statue out of the ground. Holding out her hands for the preserved relic, Dariana drops it as soon as it touches her skin. The crossed hourglasses shatter on a rock and dissolve into silver dust that creates a sparkling trail across the ocean.
“Well, that makes all my hard work feel like wasted effort,” Delvin says, hoping to get Dariana to smile. When the telepath fails to react, he waves his hand in front of her face to see if she is awake. “Looks like she’s in a trance. This whole thing started when Dariana said she sensed something beneath us and had me start digging. She also said this island didn’t exist until we needed it. I’m still not sure what she was talking about, but she hasn’t said anything for the last five minutes. That statue seemed oddly familiar though.”
“The crossed hourglasses are Xan’s holy symbol, which is still a popular design among artists,” Nyx explains while kneeling next to the star-like dust. She touches the edge of the path and yanks her hand back at the sensation of nearly being absorbed. “Beyond that, I have no idea what’s going on. Well, it’s obvious that we have to follow this trail. Can you make a boat or a bridge, little sister?”
“Both are risky considering I don’t know the distance,” Sari replies before attempting to craft a raft of ice. The vessel crumbles when it touches the dust, which glows brighter for an instant. “That definitely puts me out of action. I’d suggest having a bridge go alongside the path, but that could get us lost. We all know how gods can be picky over specifics. I vote that we get some sleep and figure this out in the morning. The bags under my eyes are getting deep enough to hide daggers in.”
“I get the sense that we can’t wait very long,” Luke mutters, remaining on the outskirts of the group. He looks away when everyone, except Dariana, turns in his direction. “From personal experience, immortals don’t always have a great concept of time. Hours can feel like less than a second to them even if they’re torturing a mortal for that whole time. Xan is the God of Time, which means he or she might be more sensitive. I don’t know where I’m going with this. Xan could be incredibly patient, but I can’t shake the feeling that this god is in a big rush for the prophecy to end.”
“Xan wants history to keep moving and the prophecy has prevented that,” Delvin whispers under his breath. Grabbing a stick, he tries to make a diagram, but stops when he cannot put his thoughts to pictures. “The Baron has been removed from time along with everything he did. That can’t sit well with Xan, who might feel like a line was crossed. Imagine what Windemere would be like if mortals never forgot about that era. It wouldn’t be the same place. With the curse about to break for good, Xan might see the opportunity to put time back on the right track. Every second we waste, is one where the world continues in the wrong direction.”
Handing the warrior a piece of chocolate, Sari cracks her knuckles and concentrates on the ocean. “I like that explanation. Okay, I’m giving it another try and fighting whatever is blocking my power. No glittering line is going to stop me from pushing us forward and finding out what a new Windemere will look like. I’m buying the first round of drinks that never existed before our victory.”
“That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“Then my offer doesn’t stand. Now, let me concentrate.”
Sari is about to construct another ice boat when she is shoved into Timoran and frozen in place. Dariana does the same to the others, her eyes dripping with golden ooze that she catches in her hands. Whispers of apologies echo in the champions’ minds, the voice mixing with a distant whistle like one would use to summon a loyal dog. As if responding to the noise, Luke growls and transforms into Stiletto, which allows him to howl even though his body remains locked in place. Moving on stiff legs, Dariana approaches Nyx and presses her hands against the half-elf’s eyes to transfer the magic surging through her psyche. All sound vanishes as a golden flash of light consumes the island and leaves the champions feeling rested. Freed from the telepath’s influence, they are shocked to find that the sun is rising and a new day has started long before it should.
Plunged into her own trance, Nyx steps onto the glittering path of dust that is threatening to fade away in the morning light. She cocks her head to the side and mouths words in response to a question that only she can hear. With a slow nod, the channeler casts a magic sight spell that erupts from her eyes as twin beams of gold. The energy coils and expands to create a long bridge of metal that floats on top of the ocean. Crossed hourglasses are on every support pillar, the statues releasing wisps of dust from two tiny holes in the top. Intricate mosaics are on the walkway, the pictures showing the entire history of Windemere, which starts with a being of light and shadow forging the planet. Instead of stepping onto the bridge, Nyx stands at the edge and whimpers while her body twitches.
“Xan has turned her into our key because of her power and the time she was a living Compass Key,” Dariana explains, her eyes blinking out of synch. The tel
epath walks ahead to test the path and waves for the others to follow. “It’s sturdy and I can see that it has forced most of the pirates to go further north. It is a good sign that Xan is truly on our side. Somebody needs to carry Nyx. All of her energy and focus is on maintaining the bridge. She can sleep at the halfway mark, but we must reach that island before she grows too weak.”
“I’ve got her,” Luke says as he turns back into his true form. Putting Nyx on his back, the forest tracker raises his arms for Delvin to secure her with a thick cord. “This is the least I can do to help. Lucy, Stiletto, and Pike aren’t very willing to take over out there. Not sure about the Sword Dragon since he’s acting strange.”
“How so?” Timoran nervously asks as they follow Dariana.
“I don’t know,” the half-elf replies, sensing the powerful spirit lurking in his mind. He abruptly snorts and sneezes a tiny speck of flaming ore over the curved railing. “It’s almost like he’s sulking. Did anything happen to him while I was with the Baron? I mean, he’s never been very social, but he’s hiding something.”
Delvin runs his fingers through his hair, which exposes his unease. “Some things are better left a secret, Luke. Let’s pretend that monster is only sleepy and pray it isn’t anything worse. I swear there are far too many distractions and obstacles in our way already. Don’t even get me started on surprises like those crests and now we have to figure out what’s going on with these emotional cores. Almost feels like the gods didn’t want us to reach the final battle considering how things keep going wrong.”
Nobody dares to agree or disagree with the warrior, his words making all of them wonder if there is more against them than they realize. Heading across the bridge, the champions look back to see that pieces of the path are dissolving as they progress. The sudden possibility that they can never return to the lives they are leaving behind hangs heavy in their minds. It is a crushing sensation that is made even worse by the feeling of isolation created by being in the middle of the wide, vacant ocean.
*****
The circular island that sits in the middle of the bridge is dotted with abandoned crates that have been branded with a skull and dagger symbol. The containers are partially buried in the soft sand, which is repeatedly disturbed by a relaxing breeze. A trickling fountain of clean drinking water falls from a tall, solitary rock and disappears into a tiny hole in the ground. For anyone who wishes to sleep, a collection of hammocks hang between several of the trees. Each one has a thin center, which makes the champions avoid testing the bizarre accommodations. Looking back, they can see that the bridge has already disappeared and the only sign that it ever existed is a fading line of dust on the gentle waves. Those who stare into the water gradually notice that there is no shore, but an abrupt drop as if the island was picked up from one location and left to float across the ocean.
“She can’t be woken up, so I don’t think resting will mean much,” Dariana says while checking Nyx’s eyes. She steps away when the next piece of the bridge quakes and threatens to vanish. “The best I can do for her is share the mental pressure. This will extend her reserves and let her use some of my energy if necessary. I’m sorry, but it also means I will be in the same paralytic state. Can we function with two champions incapacitated?”
“Technically three,” Luke interjects as he cracks his back. Strapping the last of his leather armor patches onto his shirt, the half-elf takes a final look around the square island. “Somebody has to carry you two. I can’t do it as myself, but I can put you on Lucy’s back. After a chat, she’s willing to let you put ropes on her to make sure you don’t fall off. Promised that we won’t go near any ships since she really doesn’t trust riggings. Still, this means I can fly away if things get really bad.”
“Sure. You guys take care of that,” Delvin states, the warrior only partially listening. He opens the last of the abandoned crates to find boots in Nyx’s size and three torches. “Only problem with that is Nyx leaving the path might plunge all of us into the ocean. We don’t have to worry too much about that with Sari being back to normal, but that would still be another delay that we can’t afford. If there’s no point in resting then I want to get to Xan’s portal as quickly as possible. So, we’ll head out once Luke transforms and we get the two of you set up.”
“They stopped listening to you after you told them to handle things,” Sari mentions from behind a boulder. Her ruined skirt is tossed into an empty crate and she wanders out with her arms full of gear. “Looks like the durability magic on that one got weakened. It shouldn’t take me too long to put things back in place. These supplies should have me restocked with some expertly made daggers too. From the look of the place, I assume this is an artificial island that pirates use for emergency storage. A guard I seduced in Freedom long ago told me about these places. Not the greatest night of free drinks in my life, but at least something came out of it. So, what has you worried, Cunningham?”
“Just fearing that I left unfinished business behind,” the warrior replies as he runs his finger along a rotten log. He yawns and puts on his best smile, the illusion of calm betrayed by a mild twitch of his lips. “Luke’s breakdown has me thinking about myself. Even if I come out of this alive, I don’t know if I’ll be the same man I am now. Will I still be able to run the Hamilton Academy? What if Nyx dies too? I’m the King of Spellstream, so I have a responsibility for all of those citizens.”
“Nyx doesn’t know how to die,” Luke declares, stepping out from behind Delvin. Taking one of the torches, he gently bops his friend on the head and half-heartedly smirks. “All kidding aside, you won’t come out of this broken like me. Sorry to harp on it, but I was tortured by the Baron. He won’t have time to do anything like that to any of you. He’ll have his hands full staying alive or toying with us. If the monster focuses on one of us, the rest will attack. Trust me when I tell you that you’re going to come out of this alive and smiling. Both you and Nyx since one of you dying means the other one isn’t far behind.”
Delvin can only stare at the half-elf, his mouth slightly open as he struggles to think of something to say. He eventually nods his head and takes a seat while Luke goes back to where Dariana is working with Nyx. Grabbing a waterskin, the brown-haired warrior heads for the shore and takes a sip while watching more pirate ships cross the ocean. A storm ahead of them makes him wonder if the gods have decided to help, but he can tell that there is a good chance the dangerous weather will miss their enemies. Looking to where Fizzle and Timoran are checking their food supplies, Delvin cannot stop himself from thinking how easy it would be for him to dive into the water and disappear. He knows his water-breathing chainmail and fount powers would help him return to shore, but the unexpected thought of abandoning his friends makes his stomach twist.
“Just a single step and you might be free,” Sari interrupts with a smirk. Seeing the look of shock on Delvin’s face, the gypsy takes the waterskin and has a drink. “Don’t look so surprised, Cunningham. I’m not telepathic like Dariana, but I can read body language. For a second, your legs bent as if you were going to jump and you took a deep breath like one who is about to go underwater. Besides, I considered the same thing a few minutes ago. Didn’t sit well considering everything we’ve been through together.”
“Betting the others have thought it too,” Delvin says, his attention falling on a shell. He plucks the fan-shaped object out of the sand and turns it in his fingers. “So many doubts and worries in my mind. Yet, I can’t hold onto them long enough to gain some closure. You guys are depending on me to come up with a strategy. I’ll have to plan on the move since I don’t know what the Baron can do. Feeling like I’m out of my depth here.”
“If only you had experience fighting ancient immortals who have been sealed from history and hold the power to make gods tremble,” the gypsy retorts with a playful giggle. Spinning on her toes, she sees that Luke has transformed into Lucy who is stretching her wings. “I feel better than ever now that I know more about my powers.
No sense in getting myself worn down and risk weakening again. Just reveling in the love I feel for all of you and the emotions you give me in return. At least I think that’s how it works. Either way, I feel like I could control the entire ocean now. You should discover your core and see if that helps clear your mind.”
Delvin rubs his stubbled chin while meeting his companion’s curious gaze. “I’ve been wondering about that. Not a clue as to what the rest of us could be, but I don’t think it’s as urgent as the gods made it sound. This alteration happened naturally and works off the personality of each champion. We stay true to ourselves when following our instincts, so I think our full power will appear during the battle. Still, I’ll think more about this and see if I can narrow down my options when we reach Xan’s Island. Couldn’t hurt to have an idea in case I need to focus during an emergency.”
“Nyx is willpower and you’re friendship.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Nyx always finds new reserves of power when she is backed into a corner.”
“That makes sense, but what makes you think I’m friendship?”
“Sounds right in my head.”
“You just want me to think about this and figure it out on my own.”
“That will make the discovery so much sweeter.”
With a roaring screech, the griffin flaps her wings and gestures for the champions to follow her onto the bridge. Sari leaves Delvin so that she can walk next to the beast and run a hand through the warm fur. Waving for Timoran and Fizzle to go on ahead, the brown-haired warrior takes a final look in the direction they came from. Using enough power to enhance his muscles, Delvin skips the shell across the ocean and watches it bounce into a looming fog. Shifting his aura to his legs, he makes a running leap onto the fading bridge and hurries to catch up to his friends. Letting his energy return to normal, he falls into step alongside Sari and gently pats her on the shoulder.
“I think I can work with friendship,” Delvin claims with a warm smile.
Warlord of the Forgotten Age Page 12
