by DM Fike
She had found her path.
Avalon strode forward, the steady whooshing of the twin falls filling her ears, louder than before but pleasant. The casual stroll relaxed her, making this foreign land feel somewhat more familiar. She passed the Wind Tower, squinting up at the many curtains that marked each floor. She wished she could pinpoint her room but couldn’t remember how many stories up it was. She continued on, the path narrowing, the roaring of water crescendoing.
Avalon turned a corner in the road and halted. The tower she had not seen from the road, the one with the yellow flag, overshadowed her. The shortest of all five towers by far, it felt grotesque, even in a castle made with no particular cohesive design. It leaned to one side like a spindly knobby tree, fat and with no windows or any particular symmetry. Moss slimed over the sides, unkempt given how well maintained the rest of the castle appeared. Avalon had no clue what this tower’s purpose could be.
Dread washed over Avalon, almost animal like. Her heart pounded in her chest, urging her to flee. She might have given into her instinct had a voice not rang out from the other side of the tower.
“Honestly,” a lyrical female voice called, obviously annoyed. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to break in like this.”
Thieves? Ignoring the strange dread that mounted in her chest, Avalon slid against the wall of the tower and crept forward.
“You have no sense of adventure, sweet,” a male voice chastised from around the corner. “Lord Emerson will never suspect a thing.”
“Remember, this was your idea, not mine,” the female sighed.
There was a laugh of contempt. “We never get caught.”
Avalon heard the sound of scraping against the wall. She poked her head around the corner to spy on the two thieves.
Huge rainbow wings jutted out from either side of a fairy woman, long black hair with blue highlights spilling down the center. She stood shorter than Avalon, laugh lines around her eyes. She held a soft gray cloak in one arm, while the other hand shaded her face. The fairy squinted almost directly into the midday sun. Avalon craned her head to follow her gaze.
Something slammed into Avalon, knocking her to the ground.
Avalon screamed as rough hands grabbed her body. She kicked out, landing a blow on her attacker that caused him to grunt. They wrestled on the ground, Avalon on her back with the man on top of her.
With the sun glaring behind him, Avalon could only make out the vague outline of a bandanna wrapped around his head. “Stop… squirming…” the man grunted through his teeth. Something shiny flashed out of nowhere. A knife.
“Get off me!” Avalon yelled frantically, but it did her little good. The man had pinned her down, and she couldn’t break his hold.
“So much for not getting caught.” Shoes rustling in the weeds approached.
“We have a guest.” The man leaned in a bit closer to Avalon’s face. “Sadus!” he suddenly cursed.
“What’s wrong?” the female demanded. “You look like you’ve seen a phantom.”
“Check her out.”
Avalon was forced to come face-to-face with the female fairy. Her violet eyes opened wide in shock. “She’s the striking image of her.”
“Of who?” Avalon asked. “Braellia?”
“You know her?” the man asked. His grip lessened slightly.
“Best of friends. Just like this!” Using the advantage of his weakened grip, Avalon brought her knee to his groin, causing him to cry out and release his hold. She scrambled on all fours to get away from them.
The hairs rose on the back of Avalon’s neck before the lightning bolt struck her. Stars flashed in her vision as electricity coursed through her veins, making her fingers flex uncontrollably. Losing her balance, Avalon fell face first to the ground, biting the inside of her cheek as she landed. Blood filled her mouth.
A foot came down onto the small of her back. “Who are you?” the man asked.
Avalon’s heaving breath released as a puff of cold air on a frozen morning. She glanced forward and saw white boots rushing toward them. Something shiny shot overhead and hit her attacker. He yelled and stumbled backward. Avalon rolled onto her back.
Halicia strolled up to her side. “Do you always appear in unexpected places?” she asked a heavily panting Avalon.
Avalon took Halicia’s outstretched hand and stood, goosebumps running up and down her arms as cold fingertips dug into her skin.
“Halicia?” the fairy’s voice rang out. “Is that indeed you?”
Halicia threw her hands out wide in a threatening stance. “State your name."
“C’mon, you know it’s us,” the man replied, still on his back.
“I know it’s Colin from the lightning,” Halicia said. “The fairy needs to show her own proof.”
The fairy took a wide stance, stretching both of her hands in front of her face. A sharp gale released from her palms, blasting Halicia and Avalon with its incredible force. Avalon got knocked back to the ground, and Halicia had to bend at the knees to stabilize herself.
“That will do!” Halicia yelled over the howling wind.
The wind immediately died, leaving an eerie silence and that strange dread behind. Halicia loosened her fist, water dripping as the ice melted. She stepped over Avalon and toward the two thieves.
Avalon watched in amazement as Halicia offered a hand to the man on the ground. Her amazement dissolved into absolute disbelief as the man took the proffered hand and Halicia hauled him to his feet.
“You pack a mean punch, Hal,” the man groaned, rubbing his chest. There was a large wet stain there, and the cloth had a slight tear in it, but he did not seem to carry any wounds.
Halicia shrugged. “I could have killed you if I wanted to.”
“It’s good to see you, Halicia, despite the circumstances.” The fairy encompassed the other woman in a hug. Halicia stiffly patted the fairy in return.
“This is why most people prefer to meet at the front entrance,” Halicia pointed out as the fairy pulled away.
“But where would be the fun in that?” the man asked teasingly.
Avalon could not contain her silence any longer. “You know these people?”
All three of them turned to Avalon. “Aye,” Halicia said. “Colin, Symphony, meet Avalon Benton. She is one of the reasons we summoned you.”
Symphony the fairy nodded politely. Colin, bandana tilted askance on his head, threw her a confident smile.
Wind and lightning, Avalon realized. The final two Guardians.
CHAPTER 33
COLIN SHOVED A forkful of veggies into his mouth. “And that was how we met Avalon raiding the Lightning Tower.”
Shivant leaned forward with utensils poised to grin at Avalon. “That is quite an entrance.”
Avalon fiddled with the protein on her plate while the Guardians laughed in between sips from their crystal glasses. They had just finished lunch at a private space in Shivant’s personal quarters. A few servers shuffled behind them at the long wooden table, refilling wine and collecting the delicate entrée plate ware. Napkins and wine literally flew through the air as the servants wielded wind and water magic to serve the table. Having already eaten, Avalon watched it with wide eyes, although the rest of the diners did not so much as blink at the dazzling display. Above her, in contrast to the magic of the moment, a single teardrop bulb hummed with electrical energy, casting everyone in a pleasant dim glaze. Though crude by Earth standards, Avalon felt comforted by a modern marvel, the sole provider of light in the room.
Sitting to Avalon’s right, J.T. patted her on the arm. “In her defense, she thought you were a thief.”
“I am a thief,” Colin exclaimed.
“I told Colin not to be theatrical,” Symphony interjected. “But he said,” Symphony deepened her voice in mock imitation, “‘It’s tradition, my love. When I visit Shivant, I break in and steal a few things. You wouldn’t want me to break tradition, would you?’”
“And I didn’t.”
Colin withdrew a dark velvet pouch from his pocket and lobbed it across the table at Shivant. As the others tittered about Colin’s stubbornness, Shivant opened the drawstrings. A strange green glow emitted from inside.
Shivant noticed Avalon’s curious gaze and sealed the bag shut. “You should know Colin is quite good at his trade. Unexpected intruders very rarely interrupt his work. Avalon should feel proud.”
Avalon forced a smile as everyone waited for to answer. “Yeah.”
Fortunately for her, dessert arrived, and the conversation shifted away from the morning’s events, moving into territory that Avalon need not participate. As the five discussed everything from the weather to politics to friends, Avalon noted little details about them. Colin and Symphony leaned toward each other, their fingers often brushing together. Shivant tried to draw Halicia into the conversation whenever he wanted her opinion. Otherwise, she silently ate her meal. J.T. had a habit of tapping his fork against his water glass. They seemed like family, although from what she gathered from their conversation, they had not seen each other in over six months.
“I hear you finally located our son,” Colin said as Avalon finished a mushy white pudding that tasted faintly of corn. “Thanks for taking such good care of him.”
“Do not blame me.” Shivant dabbed his lips with a napkin. “Sir Marcus took a leave of absence of his own accord.”
“He was not himself when last we were at Emerged Falls.” Symphony’s voice betrayed a motherly concern.
“You know why, Symph.” J.T. placed his cloth on top of his plate.
“Everyone who cares for Desert Rose has been affected by her actions,” Halicia said, the first time she had voluntarily spoken since the meal began.
Colin pointed his spoon at Avalon. “You saw her, didn’t you?”
Symphony pushed the spoon aside. “Don’t be rude.”
“No, it’s okay,” Avalon said. “She brought me to Bedwyr’s fortress.”
“Because she thought you were the Child of the Statue,” Colin said. “Aye, that’s what we’ve been told. And Sadus, look at you. You are like a living portrait of Braellia.”
Avalon clenched her jaw. She was beginning to resent the constant comparison.
Shivant cleared his throat, a simple gesture but one that caught everyone’s attention. “What we have here is a mystery. A girl who has some connections to the Jaded Sprite Statue.”
“Bedwyr ‘thinks’ she has connections,” Halicia corrected. “She’s pure human with no magic. Desert Rose could not honestly believe this girl to be an actual Child of the Statue.”
Heat rose in Avalon’s cheeks.
“You must admit,” Shivant argued, “it is intriguing that Nobody has also taken an interest in her.”
Colin grunted. “Nobody is crazy.”
“He’s not crazy,” Avalon interjected. She immediately regretted it as everyone focused on her.
“Aye, he’s crazy. Power hungry crazy,” J.T. argued. “He killed Braellia first, then left his own sister to her fate.”
“No,” Avalon said, surprising everyone at the table, including herself. “He couldn’t have intentionally harmed Ladybug. He loved her. He would do anything for her.” She remembered the pain in his expression whenever the topic of the Child came up, the mix of shock and despair when he realized that Avalon was having visions of Ladybug. Nobody hadn’t faked those responses.
Shivant’s lips thinned. “You do not know Nobody like we do.”
“He kidnapped Braellia,” Symphony said softly. “Stole her from our charge and delivered her to Kryvalen. He knew what Kryvalen would do to her.”
“Did you see Nobody kill Ladybug?” Avalon demanded. “In cold blood?”
“It doesn’t matter that we saw.” A flash of fire lit behind J.T.’s eyes. “The results speak for themselves. Ladybug died directly because of Nobody’s involvement with the Child of the Statue. If he hadn’t kidnapped Braellia, his sister would still be alive.”
“And let’s not forget the rumors,” Halicia added. “There are any number of Aossi who were last seen with Nobody and disappeared without a trace. Too many to dismiss as mere coincidence.”
Avalon sighed. She did not trust the Guardians enough to tell them about Earth, which is likely where Nobody made a bunch of Aossi “disappear” to. Even if she told the Guardians the truth, Nobody had betrayed them. They would never forgive him.
But she was positive that he would not have harmed his sister.
“You know I am no fan of the gremlin,” Shivant said. “But more disturbing is how Bedwyr may be involved in all this. Can he truly resurrect the Child of the Statue?”
“Bedwyr?” Colin asked. “Shivant, you flatter him. He is little more than a yipping dog, nipping at the heels of a society moving away from human and Aossi warfare. Our alliance has two decades of momentum, encompassing every Ancient Tribe.”
“Be that as it may,” Shivant said, “One cannot downplay the role Bedwyr plays in Aossi circles, especially those furthest from the Titans. And now he is training soldiers.”
“Soldiers?” Symphony repeated.
J.T. nodded. “For what purpose, we can only guess.”
“He has always been a threat,” Shivant said, glancing pointedly at his generals. “We can no longer ignore him.”
The generals murmured in agreement.
“Sadus.” Colin rubbed the top of his bandana. “This does not look good for Desert Rose.”
J.T. placed a hand on Avalon’s shoulder. “Nay, it doesn’t, which is why Avalon here is so important. Bedwyr obviously wants her. We can use her to find—”
Avalon shook him off. “Oh, no you don’t.” Her pent-up anger spilled over. “You’ve got your own little agendas, just like everyone else I’ve met since this charade began. What makes you think that I’ll do whatever you say?”
The Guardians grew silent as her chest heaved.
Shivant cleared his throat. “We are not trying to take advantage of you, Avalon. We honestly do not know what to do with you. We could send you home to the desert, but you would certainly be vulnerable there.”
“And as Guardians, we cannot ignore any threat posed by the Jaded Sprite Statue,” J.T. decreed. “Even a hypothetical one.”
The other four Guardians nodded in unison.
Avalon shook her head. “I want to believe you, but I can’t. I can’t trust anyone.”
“Who can you trust?” Shivant asked her gently.
Kay.
Her heart answered Shivant’s question without hesitation. In a dawn of insight, Avalon realized that there was no way she had created Kay. If she had, he would have appeared right at that moment, sword in hand, ready to pounce.
For the briefest of moments, she thought she felt a flicker of magic, that familiar stirring in her gut. But then it vanished, leaving nothing but a dull ache all over her body.
There was no way she could bring Kay back.
A knock reverberated through the room. Vernal swung the door open. “Lord Emerson.” He saluted. “Guardians and Avalon.” Several more bows. “Sir Marcus is home.”
The Guardians immediately got to their feet. “’Bout time,” Colin muttered as he grabbed Symphony’s hand. They scurried out the door, J.T. and Halicia close behind.
Shivant paused a moment beside Avalon. “Do not worry. We will discover a way to help you.”
“I’m sorry I’m so suspicious.”
Shivant surprised her with a laugh. “Had I been pursued by Nobody, kidnapped by Lady Desert Rose, and held captive by Bedwyr, I too would be a mite suspicious, even of the most upstanding individual.” He grabbed the back of her chair, tugging it backward so she could stand. “You should come with us to meet Sir Marcus.”
“I don’t want to intrude,” Avalon said politely, not eager to meet yet another stranger.
“There is no intrusion at all, but I will leave that decision to you. Vernal?” The Aossi guard crossed the room. “Would you be so kind as to stay with Miss Ben
ton? If she changes her mind about Sir Marcus, you can escort her to the front gate.”
“Certainly,” Vernal saluted Shivant, who bowed and left the room.
Avalon took a few minutes to mull over the Guardians’ request. They wanted her to help, like everyone else. They obviously had a lot of power and knew a lot more than she did about the whole situation.
She was tiring of not knowing the whole story.
She should have asked to return to her room, but Avalon admitted to herself she was curious about the man who loved Desert Rose. She turned to Vernal. “Let’s go meet Marcus.”
Vernal led her back down the winding stairs of the Earth Tower. As they exited the castle, she saw a crowd gathered past a row of the colorful finished booths near the front gate. The merchants inside peered out timidly as men and women in sky-blue tunics with sea foam green trim swirled about a figure dismounting a horse. Avalon caught a few glimpses of the Five Guardians but not the man they surrounded.
Vernal and Avalon paused at the edge of the mass. A squat Aossi with almost orange skin stood next to her. She spotted a familiar cursive “K” etched onto the guard’s belt buckle. Her heart caught in her throat.
“Who are they?” She pointed at the letter.
“Covert K,” Vernal said. The crowd parted and Avalon could see Symphony hugging someone fiercely to her chest, Colin’s hand on the person’s back. Symphony whispered something into the figure’s pointed ears, then pulled away.
Avalon cried out in shock.
Transparent butterfly wings and crumpled chestnut hair came into view. Marcus had his back to Avalon, still talking to his teary mother, who held his attention as well as his arm. His voice was not audible across the distance, but Avalon could hear enough of the tone and depth to recognize it. She faltered, not believing her senses. But when the fairy’s profile came into view, there was no mistaking it.
Sir Marcus was Kay.
“Ho, Sir Marcus!” a handful of sky-blue uniforms yelled. J.T. let out a rallying yell and the shouts surged, more Covert K knights responding with salutes and cheers.
