by Logan Byrne
“Arma Maximus,” I incanted, swiping my wand from left to right. The bubble formed instantly, no longer taking its time. I looked at the wand in my hand and saw it glow faintly for a second before returning to normal.
“That was quick,” Britta said, as the duskhowlers’ spells hit the shield like insects zapping into a light.
“Yeah,” I muttered.
“Leave now, and protect the wand at all costs. It must never fall into the wrong hands!” the golem yelled as the duskhowlers started to gain the upper hand on them.
“Ready?” Britta asked, her wand up, ready to commence the teleportation back to the camp.
“I don’t want to leave them,” I said, feeling conflicted on whether we should stay and fight or retreat, leaving the golems to die.
“They said before they were eternal,” Charlie said.
“And they did just tell us to leave,” Faus quipped.
“Fine,” I said, raising my wand. Rays of blue light pulsed around us before we teleported back into the camp, a crowd of people starting to form around as as we landed.
“They have it,” one whispered.
“I can’t believe it’s the crystal wand. It’s real,” a woman said.
“You’re back,” Pote said, rushing to the scene a minute later.
“We were attacked on our way out,” I said, standing up from the mud where we’d landed.
“Is that?” Pote asked, her eyes wide.
“Lexa did it,” Britta said.
“We all did it. I never would’ve gotten anywhere near this thing if it weren’t for them,” I said.
“She’s the one who defeated the golems. They bowed before her and everything and told her that she was worthy. It was spectacular,” Britta said, smiling and patting me on the shoulder.
“Is this true?” Pote asked, looking me in the eyes.
“Yeah, it is,” I said, “but I’m not some hero or anything. It was the mark, not me.”
“The mark is a part of you, Lexa,” Mirian said, walking up, as the crowd parted for him. “The mark isn’t some other thing that lives inside you, it is a part of your very essence and soul. It picked you for a reason, and that reason has become quite apparent. Come with me.”
“Mirian, I think we should—” Pote said.
“Heta, this is my area of expertise. Please, it will only be a short while,” Mirian said, and the two of us walked towards his tent.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, after we walked inside.
Mirian’s tent was huge, though it was completely unassuming from the outside; he’d probably used a charm to give himself extra space for the massive library of books he’d collected over the years.
“Not at all, Lexa. How are you?” he asked.
“Fine?” I said, confused.
“What you did out there isn’t a small feat, Lexa. Nobody has ever done it before, but you did it. You aren’t even a fully trained witch, yet you did the impossible,” he said, congratulating me.
“Like I said out there, I couldn’t have done it without my friends. I never would’ve made it on my own,” I said.
“Tell me more about who attacked you in there, other than the golems. What did they look like or say?” Mirian asked, sitting down in a purple velvet chair.
“They were duskhowlers, and they definitely worked for Kiren. They said as much. They didn’t even bother wearing masks, and instead just came with their faces exposed. I think they expected to kill us in there, so they didn’t care if we saw them,” I said.
“What did they look like?” Mirian asked.
“The man who did the talking was white, probably about your height, with black hair in a ponytail. He had a wand, but he didn’t speak any spells he used,” I said.
“Wilmeth Killiam,” Mirian said, stroking his chin.
“Wait, you know him?” I asked, in shock.
“I’ve been keeping tabs on him for quite a while, outside my duties at M.A.G.I.C. I didn’t tell anybody, not even Heta, but now I must, as my fears are confirmed,” he said.
“What fears? Who is he?” I asked.
“He’s a rune mage, just like Kiren. He’s Kiren’s right-hand man, the person he has doing all the important dirty work so Kiren can keep his hands clean, at least theoretically. He’s a very advanced wizard, probably more so than I, and the fact you escaped his grasp is a miracle,” Mirian said.
“He wanted the wand for Kiren. The golems gave him a fight, but I’m not sure they made it in the end. They forced us to leave and save the wand,” I said.
“That’s their sole duty and purpose in life, to protect that wand. I just don’t know how they found you,” Mirian said.
“They said they’d been tracking us. Maybe somebody in Ilulissat gave us up. We were pretty much sore thumbs there,” I said.
“Maybe, I don’t know. He isn’t going to rest until he gets that wand, Lexa. No matter how powerful that wand is, or how much your powers have grown, Kiren knows you possess both the mark and the crystal wand. He will stop at nothing now,” Mirian said.
“Then I’ll strike first before he can reach me. I won’t back down,” I said confidently.
“Whatever you do, never lose that wand. The rest of the world is counting on you,” he said.
“Mirian, we must speak at once,” Pote said as she came into his tent while the two of us sat there talking.
“What is it, Heta?” he asked, standing up.
“Lexa, will you please leave us for now?” Pote asked.
“No,” Mirian said as I stood up, ready to leave. “Whatever needs to be said can also be said to Lexa. Given what she has, and what she’s capable of, she should be included.”
“Fine,” Pote snapped.
I looked at both of them, feeling a bit awkward, as I knew that my presence was causing problems. “We have received word that Killiam has begun attacks on those creatures who will not join him and Kiren.”
“Who have they attacked so far?” Mirian asked.
“So far, he has attacked pixies and Minotaurs, and we believe he is in the process of attacking merpeople,” Pote said, with a sense of urgency in her tone.
“So he’s going to commit genocide on those creatures who either won’t join him, or want to remain neutral? Despicable. I knew they were trying to gather forces, but to do this? This is a crime against all magical beings!” Mirian shouted, obviously distressed.
“Who do you think he’s going to attack next?” I asked.
“That depends on what kind of message he wants to send. The pixies and merpeople would be fairly easy for him, but I’m surprised he got the upper hand on the Minotaurs. They are a strong race, as you’ve seen with Faus, but their numbers aren’t huge like some others. That’s probably why he targeted them,” Pote said.
“Maybe we should contact Rafael,” Mirian said, but Pote started shaking her head.
“Mirian, you know he explicitly said he and his people would not join either side. They don’t want any part of this,” Pote said.
“Heta, what are our options? If they know about Lexa—” Mirian said.
“Who are we talking about here? Who is Rafael?” I asked.
“Rafael is the king of the high elves. They are a strong species, but they made it known they will not have any part of this. They want to live in peace, within their kingdom, and have no outsiders taint their walls,” Pote said.
“Rafael said that before, but he might change his mind. If he knew what Kiren was planning, he would see that the fate of the realms is at stake. If he knew about Lexa, he might change his mind,” Mirian said.
“One message. We will send him one message, but that’s it. If he agrees to meet with us, we will go there, but I’m not expecting much. Get it sent out immediately,” Pote said, before leaving the tent in a huff.
“I haven’t heard much about them, the high elves. I don’t think I’ve ever even encountered one,” I said.
“They’re a secretive and self-sufficient race, that’s
for sure. They’re rarely seen in the realm outside their own little kingdom,” Mirian said.
“Wait, the woman in Ilulissat, she said she was part elf, but it wasn’t a large part. One of her parents was a mortal, and so were some grandparents or something,” I said.
“That sounds about right. There have been defectors, nothing serious, just those elves who wanted more for their lives. They aren’t too keen on letting anyone out or in, so those elves risked a lot to do that,” Mirian said.
“Why would they do that?” I asked.
“Love is powerful, Lexa, that much has always been known,” Mirian said, before pulling out some parchment and a quill.
He wrote furiously, as if his life were on the line, before blowing on the parchment, the ink quickly drying. Mirian folded the letter into thirds, dripping some wax from a purple candle and embossing it with his seal. He pulled out his wand, mumbling a little, though I couldn’t make out the spell, and the letter vanished, disappearing into thin air.
He nodded. “There, the letter is sent. I know this is a lot, but I want you to accompany me if they accept our request,” Mirian said.
“Me?” I asked. “I thought they hated outsiders.”
“They will want to meet you, given the crystal wand. I believe if you go with me and speak with them, showing them your powers and what you’re capable of, they will ally with us to defeat Kiren. We need them, Lexa. It’s imperative for our survival,” Mirian said. I could feel the conviction in his gaze. He truly believed this war might not be won without the help of the high elves, and I instantly knew it was my duty to do whatever I had to so that Kiren would fall.
“I’ll go. Let me know,” I said, before getting up and walking out of the tent.
I knew of two people who would have a clue about the high elves, and their names were Faus and Britta. I scoured the camp, looking for my friends, before walking past the mess tent and seeing them all sitting around a table. “Lexa,” Blake said, standing up, before giving me a kiss.
“What’s wrong?” Britta asked.
“What do you know about the high elves?” I asked, getting straight to the point.
“What makes you ask about them?” Faus asked, as Rosie held onto his arm.
“I’m not sure I should say anything, but we might be going to meet with them, Mirian and me,” I whispered. “Keep it to yourselves.”
“That would be quite the feat. I wasn’t even aware they would let outsiders inside their kingdom’s walls. It’s been, man, probably at least twenty years since anybody has entered,” Faus said.
“How come I’ve never heard much about them?” I asked.
“They don’t want you to,” Britta said. “They don’t worry about the problems of the realm. They only focus on themselves.”
“They’re a very advanced race, likely more so than the rest of us. Their kingdom, Alornia, is set deep within the mountains. They used to be a fairly bloodthirsty race, even more so than orcs or giants, but they’ve calmed down over the last few centuries. I’m guessing if we’re trying to get them on board, then things must be dire,” Faus said.
“So what happens if they say no?” Blake asked.
“Hard to say, really. If Mirian and Pote, as well as the other council members think we need them, then we must be in a really bad situation. It’s possible they might help, or at least send some forces, if they believe that Kiren will threaten their kingdom and people. They usually only do things for their betterment,” Faus said.
“It would be an honor to go there, Lexa. Maybe you can sway them,” Britta said.
“It’s just pressure after pressure, that’s for damn sure. I don’t quite understand them or their ways, given that we’re all in this together. You’d think they would help just because others will be slaughtered and a crazy man is trying to take over both realms. That should be enough,” I said passionately.
“I know one thing for certain,” Faus said. “If you get them on board, Kiren’s forces won’t stand a chance. Do us proud.”
16
“You called me?” I asked the next morning, as I walked into Pote’s tent. Mirian, Pote, and four council members were all standing around her center table.
“Rafael has accepted the invitation for talks,” Pote said bluntly.
“That’s amazing,” I said, smiling. But Pote didn’t smile back.
“The first step is done, but now there is something much greater on the line. While he has agreed to talk with us, that doesn’t mean he’s going to help in any way. We need to convince him of the threat at hand,” Mirian said.
“More than that, we need to convince him why it affects him and his people greatly. As you likely know, high elves only care about themselves and their people, Lexa. Talking solely about other creatures or people who are in peril won’t do much to sway him. If you talk about the threat to his culture and people, though, things will go more smoothly,” Pote said.
“Okay, yeah, I can do that. I know some threat will come to them,” I said.
“When we go inside their kingdom, you might have to do things you don’t want to,” Pote warned.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You might have to lie,” Mirian said, looking at me with a serious expression.
“Why?” I asked, surprised.
“If we tell him the truth and it isn’t enough, more needs to be said. He might not see the truth as enough reason to meddle with this affair. He might believe that Kiren’s threat won’t affect him or his kingdom. We need to do whatever it takes to get him on board,” Pote said.
“Lexa, we’re not sure at this point that we can defeat Kiren without them. They’ve recruited more creatures than we knew of, and things aren’t looking good for us,” Mirian said.
“I—I don’t know what to say,” I said, in shock. I knew things were tough, and that the fight wouldn’t be easy, but they’d never given any real indication that things were this bad. I guess I always just assumed that I would do my part, get the wand, train, and things would sort themselves out. Sure, I knew the fight would be difficult, and it wasn’t going to be me just busting into his office and defeating him, but this never seemed in the cards as a possibility.
“The three of us will be going today,” Pote said, pointing to herself, Mirian, and me. “We leave in thirty minutes.”
“What do I need to bring?” I asked.
“The crystal wand. They will need to see it to believe it,” Pote said.
“Duly noted. I’ll be ready,” I said, before leaving their tent.
“How’d it go?” Blake asked, waiting outside, as we walked towards my tent.
“We’re leaving in half an hour, I guess. I’m terrified,” I said, starting to feel the nerves set in.
“Mirian and Pote have some kind of relationship with these people, so I wouldn’t be worried. They won’t attack you or anything,” Blake said.
“I never even worried about that as a possibility. I’m more worried about what happens to all of us if they say no,” I said, shaking my head.
I didn’t want to tell Blake or anybody else what Pote and Mirian had said to me. I highly doubted they would want me to tell anybody, in any case. I was guessing they told me that fact about our demise in private. I knew that if word got around to the camp about us placing all our hope in the high elves allying with us, mass panic would break out.
I looked around at the people smiling and working, not one of them aware that it could all be over soon. Kiren wouldn’t let these people live—they’d defied him—unless he made some of them into slaves. I had a responsibility to them, to all of them, to keep them safe and fulfill the promise I made to them when I accepted my responsibilities.
I swore to keep them safe, and to make sure Kiren paid the price for his egregious actions against us all. If I didn’t fulfill that, then they would all perish. I was never going to let that happen. Rafael was going to agree, and we were going to save the realms. There was no other option.
; “Going to be okay?” Blake asked, rubbing my back.
“Yeah. I should only be gone for the day. I’ll see you later tonight,” I said, standing on my tippy toes and giving him a kiss.
It was time to kick some elvish butt.
17
“Are we ready?” Mirian asked, pulling out his wand, as the three of us stood together.
“As ready as we can be. This is going to be quite the journey,” Pote said.
Light began to pulse around us in a cone before the three of us were sucked up into Mirian’s portal. We were spun around, traveling far across the realm, further than I’d been in quite some time, before landing outside the gates of the high elves’ kingdom.
I stared up at the massive door, possibly a hundred feet tall, that stood in front of me. The gate was golden, covered with inscriptions and carvings, and the entire wall of the kingdom shimmered gold in the sunlight. We stood on a gargantuan white stone walkway carved between the mountains as rolling plains of green canvassed the landscape behind us.
I could tell why they hadn’t been invaded and also why nobody had ever tried to do so. The walls were daunting just at first glance, let alone if you had to try to come up with the logistics of getting inside. The jagged mountains provided a natural barrier, an extra line of defense, for the citizens inside. The walls were pristine, not a single speck of dirt on them, as if the elves took a stringent approach to cleanliness. This was a far cry from their forest elf relatives, who were disgusting and usually stewed in their own filth. This was very different indeed.
“Who dares try to enter the Kingdom of Alornia?” a guard asked, as ten of them walked out. They wore metallic helmets, pointed at the top, with their long ears pointing out the sides, and red and gold armor, with brightly shining pikes in their hands.
“We are here to see King Rafael. My name is Mirian, he is expecting us,” Mirian said firmly.
Guards came up to us, their pikes around us, as the guard who asked our names now went back towards the door, speaking quietly with another elf as they looked at us. There was a part of me, albeit small, that wondered if I could take all of them right now as I looked at them gripping the wooden poles of their pikes and staring at us intently. Some of them didn’t look older than eighteen.
