Fated Fantasy Adventure

by Humphrey Quinn

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Meghan Jacoby, Ma’am,” announced Pantin Hollee. Meghan sauntered in, raising an eyebrow in a cold hello to Ivan, but smiling widely at Juliska.

  “Perfect. We can get down to business now,” said Juliska, motioning for the two to sit.

  As she did, Meghan cast her gaze out across the valley and let out a rushed exhale. It was so big. So much bigger than she’d pictured in her mind. She cleared her throat and turned her attention back to Juliska, only to let out another slip of air. Pajak... the Banon’s pet spider was clasped in her hair and the creepy bugger was sleeping with one eye open. Meghan attempted, poorly, to ignore it, and listen to what Juliska was saying.

  “The task I put before you, Ivan, will be the most difficult I have ever asked someone to do. I do not ask it lightly, and I will even give you a chance to say no. It will take great skill, but I feel you are ready or I would not ask. I will also say that your choice of Learner Companion is rather ideal.” She cast a quick gaze at Meghan and winked.

  Meghan smiled nervously in reply, instantly anxious. Did Juliska truly believe she was up to this task, too? She did not feel ready in the least. And was certain Ivan had only chosen her, to teach her some kind of lesson, and put her through hell while he ordered her around. She was not looking forward to it at all. Not even to spend additional time with Juliska.

  Ivan nodded, in thanks for the Banon’s approval, but ignored Meghan. He sat near the edge of his seat, eager to understand his mission.

  “I will also add that no matter the outcome of your task, Ivan, that I already consider you an Initiated member of the Svoda. Because I already know that you will not say no, and I know that failure is not a word you are fond of.”

  How well she knows Ivan, thought Meghan. Failure is so not his style!

  “So now, I lay it bluntly before you. A man from the previous Svoda group that visited here, wandered into Eidolon’s Valley. He never returned. And although Eidolon denies any knowledge of this man, I believe he is being held prisoner, or that he may be dead.”

  Meghan could not believe what she was hearing. She took a hard swallow. What exactly was she and Ivan supposed to do about something so serious?

  Ivan didn’t give away how he was feeling about this revelation, he just listened patiently, waiting for the Banon to continue. Juliska stood and paced three times around the room before she did.

  “What I need from you, Ivan, is to venture into Eidolon’s Valley and seek out this man. If he is alive, I want you to break him out and bring him to me. If he is dead, well in that unfortunate case, there is something on his person that I need you to recover. Something that cannot be left in the hands of Eidolon.”

  Ivan sat back and soaked this information in, still not revealing his feelings in the matter.

  Meghan went a little pale. Sneak into the valley and find a prisoner? How? And won’t that upset Eidolon even more? And wasn’t this a job for more practiced Svoda, like the Balaton or even Viancourt members?

  Juliska guessed her questions.

  “I chose you, Ivan, for this most delicate mission because first, you are qualified. And second, people will not be suspect if you disappear for a few days during your Initiation task. If I were to send the Viancourt or Balaton, questions, concerns and rumors would spread like wildfire. I would like to avoid this. Plus, well, let’s just say my personal Balaton, they are the muscle, but not so much the brains,” she jested in amusement. “And the rest of the Balaton are needed for security, especially now that we have Scratchers to ward off.”

  Ivan nodded that he understood.

  “I also fully realize,” she continued, “that our actions in this matter could upset the delicate nature of our relationship with Eidolon. Nevertheless, I simply cannot leave behind an innocent man if he is yet alive, no matter what foolish mistake he made by wandering into the valley. And Eidolon cannot get his hands on what this man possesses, if he is dead. I have prepared a backup plan should things... go badly.”

  Ivan read her implication well. “By badly, you mean if Eidolon is guilty of holding this man prisoner or killing him, then discovers us and wages battle...”

  “See what I mean, Meghan. I hardly need to explain myself at all with this young man,” delighted Juliska.

  Meghan didn’t much care about it. She was much more concerned with the task. What exactly was this thing they were supposed to retrieve if this guy was dead? What kind of thing would Juliska risk so much for that she’d let two people go into the valley to search after it?

  But Ivan did not question this.

  He was too focused on the task itself. After a few minutes of hard concentration, his face turned from calculating to acceptance.

  “I agree that we cannot leave a fellow Svoda behind, Banon Blackwell, and I accept your task. When does the journey begin?”

  “In three weeks’ time we celebrate the Feast of the Blest Arcane. This will keep the people pleasantly occupied while you two enter the valley.”

  Meghan wanted to ask a hundred questions, none of which Ivan was asking. So like him. Just oblige. And do. And don’t bother asking important questions like will we even survive this? Or will be become prisoners, or dead, too?

  Meghan must have been exporting panic out of her pores, her breaths, her skipping heartbeat and any other thing on her person that could give it away. She jumped when bony fingers gently touched her hand.

  “Sorry,” she whispered breathlessly.

  “It’s okay to be nervous, Meghan. But please, know that I would never put you in a situation I didn’t think you could handle.”

  Meghan wanted to believe Juliska, and part of her did. And part of her wanted to prove Juliska correct. But this was downright scary. Sure, she’d spied on people before. And could sneak around and tell a fib, but this was potentially much more dangerous. Life-threatening even. And what exactly could she do to assist Ivan on this task?

  I suck at magic. He remembers that, right?

  She cast him a glare, every icy pixel begging to know if he regretted his choice now. Was revenge as sweet as he hoped?

  “I still stand by my choice, Meghan.”

  She wanted to scream but held her tongue. Her blood boiled in her veins and she thought for a minute she might burst into a mass of angry flames.

  “I think I know how to fix this,” said Juliska, her tone calming and presumptuous.

  Meghan waited.

  “I realize how nervous you are, Meghan. And there’s still a lot left for you to learn. Being a Firemancer is a lifetime of learning. However, Ivan will need your talents on this journey. I request that you move in with me for the remainder of our time here in the valley. This will make it much easier for me to train you.”

  Instant lightness filled Meghan and her face lit up brightly. She need not speak her answer aloud. She had already begun packing in her mind. Focused, one on one training with Juliska was exactly what she needed to prepare for this.

  What about Colin though?

  It’s just for a few weeks. He’ll live.

  On his own, without you?

  There’s no choice! Her addled brain argued with itself.

  “Good. It’s settled then,” said Juliska knowingly.

  Meghan bit her lip and nodded. Colin would be fine without her for a few weeks. They’d never spent that much time apart before, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Well, sooner now.

  “I will expect you later tonight, Meghan. We need to get started right away. Now, Ivan. You do not need to be here for all of Meghan’s training. However, I will ask that you be here sometimes. It is vital you are able to work together, and understand her limitations.”

  Ivan smiled upon the Banon’s last word.

  Meghan scowled. He would have no problem pointing out her limitations.

  Why did this great event, of being able to spend extra time training with Juliska, have to be mired with spending extra time with Ivan? The one guy she’d love to
never spend another minute with again. The reality of the task sank in. Not only was it potentially dangerous, but she’d be spending far more time with Ivan than anyone should have to. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slow. She had no choice. It was a done deal.

  Ivan agreed on times to come and train with Meghan, and then bid his goodbye. Meghan remained behind, looking overwhelmed. Juliska sat down across from her.

  “I have one other request for you,” she said.

  Meghan gave Juliska her complete attention, although unsure she had anything more to give.

  “I realize this situation is not one you ever thought you’d find yourself in, but I trust Ivan explicitly. I would not allow you to follow him on this journey if I felt it was too dangerous for you. In addition, I fully realize your dislike for him. I cannot change your mind on this, you either like someone, or you don’t. I am sorry to have to make you spend so much time with someone you absolutely loathe.”

  “Is it that obvious?” mumbled Meghan.

  “Honestly, it’s quite apparent to see that when the two of you are in a room together, the tension is thicker than a knife, and not in an ‘Oh they’re so cute and will grow to love each other some day’ kind of way.”

  “Sorry. I do find him infuriating. But I’ll manage,” Meghan answered weakly.

  “Good. Because I think, like it or not, Ivan is bound for great things, and I would like to see you in this direction, too.”

  Meghan grinned at the Banon’s adulation. She wouldn’t deny any request Juliska made, and her praise almost made having to work with Ivan, worth it.

  “I will leave you to go home and pack now,” said Juliska.

  As Meghan arose to depart, Juliska stopped her.

  “Oh, one other thing, in regards to your brother. I understand this may be difficult, but I need this task to remain a secret. You can tell him you are moving in with me for additional training for Ivan’s Initiation.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  Juliska nodded and left the room.

  Meghan followed just a minute later, after gazing out across the valley she’d be sneaking into, in the near future. What would Colin say when he discovered she was moving out? He would probably have a fit. But he would have to get over it, because she was moving in with Juliska Blackwell whether he liked it or not.

  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” asked Colin, walking in on Meghan packing a suitcase. She sighed, unsure of how to break this news to him.

  “It’s only for a few weeks, Colin.”

  “What is?”

  “Jul... Banon Blackwell feels I need some full-time training, in order to assist Ivan,” she puckered her nose, “on his Initiation.”

  “Okay. Still don’t understand why you’re packing.”

  “I’m moving in with the Banon upon her request, so we can train more often.”

  Instantly Colin disliked this idea, and then almost as instantly, he accepted it. I can spend more time searching for Catrina this way. It also meant his sister spending more time with Juliska Blackwell, but he supposed it couldn’t be avoided. Meghan had to do this task with Ivan, whatever that was.

  Meghan saw his face change from anger to acceptance and wondered why. She tried, but could not nudge past the seemingly permanent block surrounding his thoughts.

  “I guess that makes sense,” said Colin after a minute. “It’s just for a few weeks. I’ll be fine here.” He wanted to warn her about his suspicions regarding Juliska, but his sister would be the last person to believe him on this. The Banon could do no wrong in Meghan’s opinion. And he still had no proof, only suspicions.

  Meghan was about to question her brother about his odd behavior when Jae walked in. She gasped, stunned by his appearance. Colin followed with a gasp of his own.

  “What happened to you?” she asked him.

  “Yeah, I guess I should go to the doctor, huh. I fell, slid down a rock,” he explained. “Stupid really. Clumsy. It looks worse than it is. If we were allowed to do magic, I’d just heal it, although my energy feels so drained lately I probably couldn’t even do that.”

  Meghan ran out to the kitchen and came back with a damp cloth.

  “Bad day?” she questioned.

  “You could say that,” he replied with a wince as she dabbed at a large bump on his head. Jae used another cloth to wipe off bloody bits of dirt, which had ground its way into the side of his scraped up arm.

  Meghan’s nightmare sat at the edge of her thoughts. When would she figure out what was going on with Jae? She felt Colin’s mind trying to link with hers and she let the block down enough to communicate with him.

  “Maybe he did just fall?” suggested Colin.

  Meghan frowned, pondering Jae’s injuries. They did seem plausibly caused by a fall down a rocky surface.

  “I dunno, Col. Maybe.”

  Colin grabbed the bloodied cloth used to clean Jae’s wounds to dispose of them. Meghan’s thoughts entered his mind again.

  “I only know I can’t worry about it right now, Col. I have too much on my plate, already.”

  Colin secretly agreed with her there. Once again, Jae’s problems would have to wait.

  Their mind-blocks went back up securing their thoughts, leaving them unable to speak to each other until they lowered them again.

  Jae popped out from behind the dressing area with a stack of torn and bloodied clothes.

  “Here, add these to the trash too, Colin. They’re ruined at this point.” Just as he tossed them to Colin, both boys jumped in surprise.

  “Nona! Nona!” Meghan was shouting fearfully.

  Nona had just entered the room, clearly not her usual, well-balanced self. Her head bent to one side and she stumbled while attempting to jump onto Meghan’s bed.

  “What’s wrong with her?” asked both Colin and Jae.

  Meghan did not answer. She tried to get closer to Nona but found it impossible as her faithful Catawitch’s body began twitching strangely. It began with frantic stretching, and then evolved into hitting her head with her own feet, and then even more strangely, into a full on fight with herself. She scratched and meowed raucously, running in tight circles, climbing walls and in general, appearing to have suddenly gone quite crazy.

  Colin, in attempts to help Meghan catch Nona, tried to grab the Catawitch, only for Nona to scratch him with her sharp claws.

  “Nona!” yelled Meghan. “Please stop this!” She could sense that her loyal pet was in torment, but could not see or sense what was causing the problem.

  Then, to the shock of the flummoxed trio, Nona’s meow turned into a clear, cat-like, girly voice. They looked on, stunned, as she shook herself and began licking one of her feet acting like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred at all. After a moment, Nona looked up at the stunned three.

  “Sorry,” she purred. “I’ve been trying to get that out of me for days now.”

  “Nona... you are... talking,” muttered Meghan in relieved disbelief.

  “Of course,” she said so only Meghan could hear. The voice was clear in her mind, just like her brother’s when they spoke to each other through their thoughts.

  Nona added, aloud, “Sorry, Colin, about scratching you. I did not mean to do that,” her cattish voice explained. She hopped onto his lap and began licking his wound. He busted out a relieved laugh as Nona healed his arm.

  Once finished, Nona turned to Jae.

  “Would you allow me to heal you as well?”

  Jae, not excited about a trip to the doctor, nodded yes, heartily. “Thank you,” he told her as she set in.

  “I guess I should’ve expected you to be able to talk,” breathed Meghan, shaking her head, “after all, the first Catawitch I encountered could.”

  “Ugh. Let’s not talk about that Catawitch,” purred Nona, miffed that she had not done more damage in their previous fight back in Grimble. She let out a cutting meow and continued healing Jae’s wounds.

  Meghan laughed at her loyal companion. Their minds thought
a lot alike. She supposed it’s why they’d been paired together.

  After healing Jae’s wounds, Nona went immediately back to business and reminded Meghan they needed to get moving. She was due at Juliska’s and Nona was equally anxious for Meghan to begin her training before the upcoming venture into the valley.

  “I still can’t believe you’re talking,” Meghan whispered as Nona bounded out of the cave dwelling and waited for her. Meghan picked up her suitcase, at the same time explaining to Jae what she was doing, asking him to pass the news along to his parents since they were not home.

  It was a strange goodbye, and although temporary in the twins’ minds, they both felt an unexpected appeasement at being out of each other’s lives for a time. With both of them better able to block each other in their minds, this would be the first time they’d truly spent any length of time apart.

  Meghan heard Nona call for her and she departed, leaving her brother and Jae in the kitchen. Both were deep in thought and neither paid any attention to the other, when they heard a door creak open, startling them both.

  An old, withered hand shot out of the door holding a piece of paper.

  “Corny,” whispered Colin, eagerly going over and grabbing the sheet. The hand slipped back inside and the door abruptly slammed shut. “Thank you,” Colin called through the door, unsure Corny could even hear him.

  He examined the page. It made no sense, like the previous one, but Colin could not help but smile in anticipation. He hoped whatever Corny was trying to tell him, the answer would come soon. This time, he was listening.

  AMELIA COBB BENT DOWN to the ground, hovering over a puddle of newly fallen water.

  “Speculo.” She whispered the incantation, and there in the puddle, appeared a murky and distorted face. She had to pass along the frightening news of the Projector to her informant.

  “I am sorry to contact you so abruptly, but there is news. News that cannot wait!”

  The informant, a male voice, spoke back.

  “Has something gone wrong with the plan?”

  “Not exactly. But the plans may have to change.”

  The informant waited, breathlessly, checking his surroundings to be sure he was truly alone.