Ruwach raised his arms, and The Book opened. Then he began moving his arms back and forth as if he were conducting an orchestra, a stream of musical notes filling the air as the pages flipped in time to the motion of his arms. When Ruwach stopped conducting, the pages stopped flipping. He raised up one hand, and the words lifted from the page, floating and rearranging in the air as they had done before.
Tear down strongholds. Take. Captives.
Ruwach let the instructions glimmer in the air a long moment before pulling the words down and flinging them into each of the kids’ breastplates. They felt the impact of the words inside themselves, warming their hearts, preparing them.
“What’s a stronghold?” Evan asked, squinting at the word.
“It is the enemy’s fortress built on wickedness and deception,” Ruwach answered. “It must be torn down, demolished.”
“Like the Fortress of Cháos,” Xavier said thoughtfully. “Was that a stronghold? And didn’t we already tear that down?”
“Precisely,” said Ruwach. “Strongholds can be torn down, but they can also be rebuilt. Again and again. And if Ponéros cannot lure you to his stronghold, he’ll try to build one inside of you.”
“What? He can build a fortress inside of people?” Xavier asked.
“Yes. So that you’ll be his captive even if you are not in Skot’os.” Ruwach looked at the faces of his Warriors, each one lined with worry. “Do not be afraid. Your helmet will protect you from the strongholds of Skot’os and the ones he wants to build in you. It will keep you safe. Be prepared to use the shield as well—with that you can protect yourself and your friends. Your breastplate will give you guidance and protection. Your boots will give you a firm foundation. And your belt will hold everything together.”
“But what about me?” said Evan, folding his arms over his chest. “How’s it going to help me? I’m going to be all alone here.”
“You are never alone, Prince Evan,” Ruwach answered. “I am here to guide you. And the Words of the Source are in your heart.” Ruwach reached out and placed one glowing hand on Evan’s head. Instantly Evan felt the peace of those words sink into his brain, spreading through his whole body. He let out a breath and nodded slowly.
“Okay, let’s do this thing,” he said.
* * *
Evan found himself back in the place they’d started, the canyon with the colorful swirling sand walls. Except he was all alone in Ahoratos for the first time. He’d never been completely alone before. It felt strange and scary.
He turned slowly in a circle, trying to get his bearings. In the canyon it was hard to tell which way was up. Bright shafts of light filtered in from patches of sky above, but there didn’t seem to be any obvious path to follow.
Which way?
Evan checked his breastplate and whispered under his breath: “Lead me.”
Evan’s breastplate began to blink. He turned to face one direction, but the breastplate blinked more rapidly. He kept turning until the light became steady. Straight ahead of him, a light shone between two red and orange walls of sand. Evan took a deep breath and put one foot forward, headed toward the light.
Chapter 26
The Birthday Present
Levi stood before Brianna’s front door, two wrapped gifts in his hands. He’d been standing there almost two whole minutes, trying to get up the courage to ring the doorbell. This is it. He took a breath and pushed the button.
In a moment the door opened; Grandpa Tony stood in the doorway.
“Hey, Levi, long time no see,” he said. He looked worn-out and worried. He opened the door wide so Levi could come in.
“How are you, Grandpa Tony?” Levi said. Everyone called Brianna’s grandparents Nana and Grandpa. It was just the way it was.
“Okay, I guess.”
“How’s Nana Lily?”
Grandpa Tony closed the door. “Same. Doc says it’s going to be awhile before we know. I came home for a few hours to see Breeny on her birthday. You here to see her too, I suppose?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s just sitting out on the swings in the backyard. Can’t get her to come in and open her birthday presents.”
“We were waiting for her at the Rec, but she didn’t show.”
“Yeah, I know.” Grandpa Tony shook his head sadly. “She’s so upset about her nana. But I think it’s something more than that.” He paused suddenly as if lost in thought.
“Like what?” said Levi.
“Oh . . . sorry. I was just remembering that I had something to show her in the attic, but we never did get around to that. . . .” He didn’t speak for a while, and Levi began to get worried that Grandpa had forgotten he was still standing there.
“Uh . . . Grandpa Tony?” Levi stepped closer and waved his hand around to get his attention.
Grandpa suddenly looked down at Levi and shook his head. “What? Oh. Never mind about that. I got a call from the principal this morning. She failed a math test. Just doesn’t seem to care anymore. Maybe you can talk to her.”
He led Levi to the back of the house, where Brianna sat on a swing, dragging her toes on the ground as she rocked forward and backward. Fall leaves skittered over her feet, but she didn’t seem to notice. He walked across the lawn toward her, looking around for any Ents that might be watching, or any Syphers, although he wasn’t even sure what a Sypher would look like.
“Hey, Bean,” he said, taking a seat on a swing next to her, his eyes still searching the trees.
“What are you doing here?” Brianna’s voice was dull. She didn’t look at him.
“I came to wish you a happy birthday. And give you a present.”
“Oh?” Brianna glanced at him. “I thought everyone forgot about my birthday.”
“I didn’t. Here.”
Levi handed Brianna the two gifts. She looked at them, shrugged, looked away.
“I don’t want any presents. I just want Nana Lily to come home.”
“Yeah, I know. I do too. But it’s still your birthday. Besides, these aren’t just from me. Open them.”
Brianna shrugged, took the first gift and tore off the paper, revealing a scroll sealed with the Crest of Ahoratos. She broke the seal, rolled it open, and read the contents.
Take. Captives.
“Is this supposed to be a birthday card?” Brianna said sarcastically. “Take what captive?”
“This will help. Open it.” Levi offered her the other box. A thin spray of light peered out from underneath the lid as soon as Brianna took it from Levi’s hands.
“What is this?” said Brianna with a sarcastic laugh. “A disco ball?” She lifted the lid. A shimmering light kept her from seeing what was inside at first. She peered in the box, squinting.
“It’s a gift from Ruwach, Bean. It’s your helmet,” said Levi. Brianna stared while Levi reached in. When he put his hands on the round shape it solidified, becoming tangible and real. He handed it to Brianna. “He told me to bring it to you. You need to put it on.”
Brianna reached out to take the helmet.
Don’t do it. It’s a trick.
Brianna hesitated, her hands still in the air. The back of her neck started to itch terribly. A voice screeched in her mind.
It’s a lie. It’s a trick. Don’t put it on!
Brianna’s hands dropped to her lap, the scroll falling to the ground. The voice stopped screeching. The itching stopped too. She breathed easier.
“Thanks, but I don’t want it.” She handed the box back to Levi and jumped off the swing.
“What do you mean? Bean, this is going to help you. . . .”
“I don’t need help. I’m fine. Just leave me alone.” She ran toward the house, slamming the back door. Levi slumped, shaking his head in despair and looking down at the rejected gift. How was he ever going to get her to put the helmet on?
He reached down to grab the scroll before it blew away. And that’s when something else caught his eye, something pink and sparkly. He bent over to see what it was—Brianna’s lip gloss. Her favorite glitter gloss, which she was never without. She’d dropped it and forgotten it. Levi picked it up, thinking he would go back to the house to return it to her. But then he changed his mind and tucked the tube of lip gloss in his own pocket. For safekeeping, he thought.
He got up, still holding the gift box, and walked slowly back to his own house.
* * *
Brianna stood alone in the living room, watching through the window as Levi walked down the sidewalk, holding the box and the scroll. She felt a deep pit opening in her heart, like the feeling you get when your best friend moves away or your dog dies. Something vital was missing. And she didn’t know how to get it back.
Stella appeared, flitting about before her, twinkling merrily.
You did the right thing. You don’t need him. You don’t need Ruwach or anybody. No one can help you. No one is going to make Nana Lily better. They’re all telling you lies.
“He came to help me,” Brianna whispered. “Maybe he does care about me.”
Ha! What does he know about your troubles? Nothing.
That was true, Brianna thought. Levi’s mom and dad were wonderful people who were both healthy and always there for him. He couldn’t possibly know what it felt like to be abandoned by your own mother and then to have the person you most loved in the world get sick and maybe even die. Levi was an only child; he didn’t know what it was like to have three older sisters who took up all the space in the bedroom and most of the attention. He didn’t know what it felt like to feel . . . forgotten.
Brianna started to cry, softly.
Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you, Stella whispered. Everything will be all right, you’ll see.
Outside the window, a large butterfly landed on a shrub and folded its gray, metal wings. Brianna didn’t see it; she had turned away to wipe her tears. The butterfly’s red eyes beamed through the window to Stella, who nodded her small head and beamed back in a special rhythm, sending a message.
Yes. It’s time.
Chapter 27
Swarm
Rook, in full armor, sword slung at his side, entered the Corridor of Keys just as Ruwach was opening the empty box with the purple satin lining.
“How’s Finn?” Rook asked casually.
“Making progress,” said Ruwach, his voice steady and affirming. “But he is not yet battle ready. The Warriors will be few for the coming invasion.”
Rook came up beside Ruwach and looked down at the box.
“Evan still has it?” Rook said with a sigh. “The key?”
“Yes. He is on a mission, to open a quaritan.”
“Alone?”
“Not alone. I will watch over him. And you will protect him.”
“Is that why I’m here?” Rook asked.
“You, more than anyone, understand the threat Evan faces.”
“Does the enemy know Evan has the key?”
“He will as soon as Evan enters the Quaritan Field. Therefore, you must make sure Evan is not delayed or captured.”
“Where is Evan now?” Rook asked.
“In the Sand Canyon.”
Rook looked thoughtful. “There hasn’t been a Prince Warrior to open a quaritan in many years. Are you sure Evan can do it?”
“He was chosen for the task; therefore he, in fact, is the only one fit to do it.”
Ahoratos—The Quaritan Field
3:57 PM
Evan’s footsteps got slower and slower. He was tired. How long had he been walking? It was hard to know. Time was so strange here in Ahoratos. Along with everything else. He wanted to stop and lean against a wall or sit on one of the weird sand formations to rest, but he didn’t dare for fear it would collapse on top of him. He thought back to his first trip to Ahoratos, when he and Brianna had to walk down a dark city street with all the scary, crooked buildings that looked as though they would topple over any second. Which they did. Evan kept moving, not sure how long these sandy walls would hold up before that happened again.
He kept following the light of his breastplate, turning when it told him to turn. It was strange that even when there didn’t seem to be a way forward, if he took a step in the direction the breastplate pointed, an opening would suddenly appear. It was there all along, he just couldn’t see it until he got close enough.
But the sand-walls with their brilliant colors and outlandish shapes were starting to make him feel dizzy and disoriented. For all he knew he could be walking upside down. Follow the armor, he told himself over and over. He had learned from his previous journeys here that as long as he followed the armor, he would stay on the right track, even if everything around him went wrong.
A sudden fierce wind came up, nearly knocking Evan backward. He bent over, shutting his eyes and dipping his head against the billows of sand assaulting him. He suddenly remembered Levi and Brianna’s first entrance into Ahoratos and the sand grobel that had attacked them—was this wind a sign that the grobel was coming again? Evan hoped not. But at least he had the seed to protect him this time. He dug into his pocket for his seed, just in case he’d need it. It was there.
He felt the key there as well.
He pulled it out and looked at it. The key. He’d almost forgotten he had it. He should have put it back before he left. Now he was headed into strange, new territory with the very key Ponéros had wanted so badly—the one Ruwach had only recently retrieved. This couldn’t be good. It was terrible, in fact. He was in deep, deep trouble. Worse even than when he’d taken a ten-dollar bill off Mom’s dresser that one time. Mom knew it, of course—that whole eyes-in-the-back-of-her-head thing. Did that mean that Ruwach knew about the key as well? Was this mission his way of teaching Evan a lesson he wouldn’t forget?
Evan kept going, dipping his head against the furious wind. With every step, he felt as though he were pushing against some sort of gravitational force that was trying to knock him back. But his boots felt sure and stable, keeping him planted solidly on the hard ground.
Gradually the wind died down, as if realizing it was not going to be able to stop Evan from moving forward. He noticed the Sand Canyon walls were disappearing, like they’d been blown away, revealing odd-shaped rock formations as big as houses scattered over a barren landscape.
Evan gazed at the huge rocks, wondering if one of them was the—what did Ruwach call it? Quarter? Quaritan?—the thing he was supposed to open. It had started to get dark, the golden sky above him warring with the churning red-black horizon.
Skot’os.
Evan felt a rush of fear in his stomach. He must be pretty near the edge of Skot’os, where Forgers and Ents and Ponéros himself could be lurking around any one of these big boulders. In the sky, the huge skypods loomed larger and lower here than they had before. There was not a tree or a blade of grass to be seen. The whole world felt barren and cold and desolate. Like walking on the moon. He wondered again if Ruwach was trying to punish him for his disobedience. Or if his disobedience had led him to this place, a place from which he might never escape.
Evan felt a warmth in the center of his chest and looked down—the orb was spinning, glowing. He stopped walking and waited as it began churning words out into the air before him:
You know the plans I have for you. Plans to help you, not to harm you.
The words seemed like an answer to his own thoughts. His fears. No, Ruwach did not mean him harm. This was a comfort to his churning stomach. He would be okay, somehow.
He didn’t remember Ruwach ever placing that particular instruction in his orb. So where had it come from?
As he studied the words hovering before him, he realized that he had seen them somewhere before. This had been one of the unscrambled messages
he’d received on his phone back on earth. So that meant that those instructions were also embedded in his breastplate.
Evan had often wondered where the instructions that appeared on his phone actually came from. It began to dawn on him that they might come from the same place as the instructions Ruwach gave him in the Cave: The Book. So even when he wasn’t in Ahoratos, he was still able to receive instructions from the Source. And encouragement. And hope. He smiled to himself, thinking of that.
He started to move forward again. Glancing up, he noticed that the two sides of the sky, the dark red and gold, were moving in a circle, like opposite streams of water coming together to form a whirlpool. He stopped and stared, shocked by the churning sky. It continued to twist and turn, color against color, layer against layer, until each one blurred into the other. But it was the center of the circular pattern that concerned Evan the most. It looked very dark, like a hole was forming, widening as it grew. A storm was coming—did it actually rain in Ahoratos too? He had never thought of that.
But as Evan watched, a mass of dark specks burst through the hole, spiraling toward the ground like a tornado touching down, pulsing with thousands of tiny red lights.
Evan realized this was not an ordinary cyclone. And it only took a moment before he knew for sure what it was.
Ents.
Hundreds. Thousands. Gajillions. The biggest swarm he’d ever imagined.
And they were headed straight for him.
Chapter 28
Ent-Nado
Rec Center
3:57 PM
While Evan walked through the Quaritan Field in Ahoratos, Brianna sat outside on the bench against the rec center wall, watching the kids play. She could see Levi at the skate park with his friends. Ivy was skating too. Since when did Ivy know how to skateboard? That really annoyed Brianna. Because, of course, Ivy was pretty good at it. Along with everything else that was so perfect about her.
The Prince Warriors and the Unseen Invasion Page 15
