The Academy Volume One

by Maxine Mansfield

  Audrey looked at Ally, then back toward Lark. “So, I guess I’m the one who’s gonna ask the question everyone is wondering about but is afraid to ask. What happens if we do read every page of every book on humans and still don’t find a way around the rule?”

  Lark’s breath caught in her chest.

  Aryanna stood and answered for her. “If we don’t find a way around the rule, then I’ll do what is expected of me and do my duty to my people. I’ll have no choice. Above all else, the prophecy must be fulfilled.” Her voice broke. “We’ve discussed it, and neither Lark nor myself can fathom being responsible for a war or the loss of a life. I pray it doesn’t come to that.”

  Aryanna shuddered then continued. “I want to thank everyone for coming. Before today, I thought I was alone in this. I was wrong. I’ve learned so much this day. I’ve learned to trust, I’ve learned to listen, and I’ve learned to accept. But most importantly of all, I’ve learned I don’t have to do this alone. You are my sisters, some of my blood and all of my heart. Together, we’ll succeed.”

  Lark crossed the distance between them and enclosed Aryanna in a warm embrace. Ally and Audrey joined in as arms wrapped about arms. A heartbeat later, Laycee and Briar made their way across the room. Hands were clasped together in solidarity and promises forged.

  The meeting was adjourned.

  ****

  “What the green slimy snot running down the fat lip of a red-eyed ogre with a nasty head cold are ya thinking, lad? Take those oversized paws of ya off my doll and step away from Miss Bunny, or ya’ll be feeling the depth of my blade in ya backside.”

  Sarco quickly jumped between his little friend and the barbarian. He held one hand on the top of Leeky’s head while his other rested on Adan’s broad chest. He might be able to keep them physically apart, but he couldn’t prevent the barbarian from escalating the argument.

  “What’s wrong with you, gnome? The doll stays here with the horses. I’m more than willing to help outfit us in proper gear to climb mountains, but I’ll not be seen traveling with a blow-up doll, of all things. Being in the company of a halfling, an elf, a human, and a gnome is bad enough. I draw the line at dollies. I have my pride. I’m the prince of this kingdom. These are my people and they look up to me. It isn’t seemly, and I won’t do it.”

  Though Leeky barely came to the level of Adan’s knee, it was all Sarco could do to keep his small friend from getting past him and attacking the giant barbarian.

  “Miss Bunny won’t be staying here all alone in the cold. Go ahead, Sarco, ya tell him. There’s no more valuable piece of equipment ya can take with ya on any journey than a good blow-up doll. She goes.”

  Adan’s face turned a deep red. “She stays.”

  Leeky slipped between Sarco’s feet and kicked at the barbarian. “She goes, I tell ya.”

  Sarco picked Leeky up and struggled to hand the squirming gnome unceremoniously to Uthiel. Then he once more faced Adan. “I appreciate all the help you’re giving us, especially with these thick, warm coats, leggings, gloves, and snowshoes, but I’ve been through some mighty tough situations with Leeky, and I trust his judgment.”

  He smiled at the gnome who was still trying to squirm his way out of Uthiel’s grip. “More than once his ingenuity has saved my life. If he wishes to cart his doll, along with all his gear, up that mountain, then that’s his business, not yours. As for going along and being seen with us, that’s up to you.”

  Uthiel set Leeky down. Adan scowled but didn’t say another word as he strapped on his backpack and took his place at the front of the line to guide the group up the mountain.

  Leeky picked up Miss Bunny, draped a coat about her shoulders, and strapped her onto his back with the rest of his gear. Her feet bounced along the ice, her arms flailed back and forth, and her blond curls bobbed above the back of Leeky’s head. The movement made it appear as if she were shivering right along with the rest of them.

  Sarco grimaced at the disturbing sight and looked to his brother. “What exactly did you find out about the quest, Cyrrick, other than the fact it begins here? Oh, and in case I forgot to tell you, thanks for spending your last hours at the Academy doing research for me.”

  Cyrrick didn’t look at Sarco, or anyone else, as he drew a small notebook from a pocket. His voice was flat and almost lifeless as he addressed the group. “The quest was originally called To Appease a King. Catchy title, huh? From what I’ve read, this first part consists of gathering a single flower. Sounds easy, I must admit, until you take into consideration what flower they’re talking about.

  “The definition of A Maiden’s Desire, straight from the reference books, states, ‘Found only in one spot in all of Albrath: a small, secluded valley high in the Alarian Mountains.’ The description given of the flower is quite poetic really. ‘A flower as strong as its elements, as delicate as a breath. The touch of a finger can bring its untimely death.’

  “The section I read on the Maiden’s Desire states they bloom but once a year and that is the week after Yulemass. They can only be picked successfully while in bloom. This, my friends, is the week after Yulemass, so it looks like we’ve lucked out.” Cyrrick flipped his notebook closed.

  Once again, the strange feeling Sarco had been getting all day when he looked his brother’s way seeped into his soul. Something was wrong and he needed to find out what. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Cyrrick for a few moments of private discussion when Sherman distracted him.

  The halfling held up his hand as high as he could get it and hopped up and down.

  Sarco grinned. “This isn’t class, Sherman. If you have something to say, just say it.”

  The halfling blushed. “So will you be using elemental magic then to gather the flower, Mr. Sunwalker, sir? I’d sure like to see that. I took a class once on flowers.”

  Sarco sighed. “I have a better than average understanding of the use of the element fire, but I get the feeling it may take all four elements—soil, air, water, and fire—to accomplish this quest. Only Uncle Arizon still practices all four. It takes an amazing amount of energy and concentration to do truly elemental magic. Father is a fire wizard like myself, and Mother is water. Over the years she has shown me a few tricks, and I did practice some air and soil one semester, but I’m really not proficient with anything other than fire. I hope I’m up to the task, but only time will tell. It’s been years since I dabbled in anything other than fire.”

  Uthiel patted Sarco on the back. “If anyone can do it, I know you can.”

  Not another word was spoken as the group headed out single file up the narrow mountain trail with Adan in the lead. Sarco rubbed his forehead. He tried his best to convince the pounding in his head that hadn’t ceased all day to finally stop and go away. He failed utterly. He missed home. He missed Lark.

  The sky darkened and became laden with heavy, unfallen snow. The air turned crisp and grew thinner the higher they climbed. A chill wind blew so sharply it whipped through the thick coats and the group shivered. Time slowed and lost all meaning. All that mattered was following the footsteps of the man directly in front and adding your own footprints to his. Onward and upward they trudged.

  ****

  They were about halfway up to the mountain plateau surrounding the valley they sought when Cyrrick first noticed Leeky looking back over his shoulder at him.

  “What the mangy patches on the underbelly of a green-eyed billy goat is wrong with ya, lad? I realize I don’t know ya half as well as I do ya brother, but even I can tell something isn’t sitting right with ya.”

  Cyrrick scowled at the gnome. He’d decided to be last in line for a reason. He didn’t want to be bothered with anyone right now, especially not a nosey gnome with a doll strapped on his back. All he wanted was to be left alone so he could best decide how to tell Sarco what a traitorous, no-good piece of dragon dung he had become.

  Knowing he had no choice but answer Leeky or be subjected to further questioning, he chose his words carefully.
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just not much of a cold-weather person. I prefer sand and sunshine to mountains and ice.”

  Leeky didn’t even look back over his shoulder when next he spoke. “And here I was thinking your conscience was probably bothering ya a bit because ya’ve been monkey-twiddling the woman ya brother’s suppose ta marry. Guess I was mistaken.”

  Cyrrick stumbled over his own feet and almost choked. “You know?”

  Leeky cackled. “Not much goes on at the Academy I don’t know about, lad. I may well be a janitor by day, but I’m a rogue all the time. I get around, ya know. And unless ya’re kinkier than me, which I seriously doubt, I wouldn’t call what ya were doing last night as research for ya brother. Which meansya’ve known about the quest all along.”

  Leeky chuckled, “So, Mr. I’m-Good-With-Words, what ya going ta do about getting ya brother out of this mess? Ya did do that too, didn’t ya, get him inta this mess of a quest in the first place, I mean?”

  Cyrrick hung his head. “It’s not that simple, Leeky. I admit, I was trying to find a way for Aryanna and myself to be together. I love her and she loves me. But I also love my brother and I want him to be happy. I thought if he could just do this stupid quest he’d be able to choose which princess he wished to marry. He loves Lark, you know he does, and he would’ve chosen her.”

  Cyrrick shrugged his shoulder. “It’s my fault, all of it. I didn’t do my homework thoroughly. I didn’t find out about the human rule until it was too late. I’ve put my own brother in danger for nothing, hurt three other people, and probably lost the only woman I’ll ever love. I can’t bring myself to even look Sarco in the eye right now, I’m so ashamed of myself. Let alone know how to ask his forgiveness. I know I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what I’ve done.”

  The climb became steeper, but the gnome didn’t sound the least bit winded when he asked his next question. “Are ya a man of worth or no, Cyrrick Sunwalker?”

  Cyrrick nodded slowly even though he knew Leeky couldn’t see it. It was habit. “I try to be. I always thought I was before this. Now, I’m not so sure, I guess.”

  Leeky turned toward Cyrrick and winked. “What the bleeding bunions on the bare feet of a tap-dancing, onion-farming ogre are ya talking about? Who ya are ain’t determined by the mistakes ya make, lad. It’s how ya go about setting them ta right that defines ya. A man’s worth’s measured by only three things in this world—his thoughts, his words, and his deeds. The sum of these is honor. Ya are an honorable man, Cyrrick Sunwalker. Everybody knows that. I’ve no doubt when the time comes, ya’ll know exactly what ta do and ya’ll be doing the right thing. Until then, quit lagging behind. Ya’re slowing us down, waiting for ya. I want ta be getting ta that valley and inta a warm tent while I can still feel my feet. Why, my poor balls are so cold right now and they’ve shrunken so far up inside me looking for a warm spot, that there’re near ta poking out my arse.”

  Cyrrick smiled for the first time all day, his heart feeling lighter. He quickened his step as he spoke to Leeky’s back. “From what I’ve heard about gnome balls, old man, they’re too little and inconsequential to worry about poking out of anywhere.”

  Leeky Shortz cackled, “You’d be surprised, diplomat. Why, if it weren’t for my snug undies, I’d have bruised knees from all that heavy skin flapping back and forth.”

  Cyrrick laughed for the first time in days.

  Chapter Twenty

  If ever a man appeared to be more flustered than the tall, white-haired, indigo-blue-skinned dark-elf pacing back and forth behind the counter, Lark would hate to see that man.

  The librarian stopped suddenly, as if he’d just noticed them. “I certainly hope you didn’t intend to use the facilities today. Just look at this mess.”

  He spread his arms to encompass the room, and even though she didn’t really wish to, Lark glanced around. It was chaos and then some. Windows were broken, shelves overturned, books strewn, and puddles of water stood everywhere. Her face warmed with embarrassment as she made contact with the intense, purple eyes of the librarian.

  “Yes, that was a rather nasty storm we had yesterday, wasn’t it?” Lark’s voice rose an octave higher than normal and squeaked.

  The dark-elf, whose bright-red name badge read, Mr. Authorn Hawthorn, Head Librarian, appeared almost beside himself.

  “Nasty? This…this…catastrophe is what you call simply a nasty storm? Oh, no, a nasty storm is when I have to wear my waders to work the next morning. This is a disaster of epic proportions. It’ll take weeks to put to rights, if it can be accomplished at all. I scarcely dare to hope none of the truly valuable works of literature have been damaged beyond redemption. I simply don’t understand how this could’ve happened.” The librarian placed a hand over his heart. “It’s almost more than I can take. A lifetime of work in total disarray. Wherever shall I begin?”

  He shook his head and looked like he might cry. “This has been the strangest season for weather I’ve seen in my entire life. I wonder if it has anything to do with the three moons coming into full phase soon? One of them is already full and the second is two-thirds of the way to becoming complete, you know. Less than a phase now and they’ll all be fully round, glowing orbs in the night sky. I hope it’s not lunar interference causing this havoc. If it is, I fear what the next weeks may bring.”

  Lark plastered a smile to rival Miss Bunny’s on her face, trying her best not to allow the dark-elf to see her guilt. The trip to the library had been one reminder after another of yesterday’s lack of control. “I doubt there’ll be another storm like that one again anytime soon, Mr. Hawthorn. I’m sure it was simply a freak of nature and has little or nothing to do with moon phases.”

  Mr. Authorn Hawthorn blinked rapidly, sniffed loudly, straightened his shoulders, and addressed the group of ladies yet again. “Please, call me Authorn. Mr. Hawthorn sounds so pretentious and old, don’t you think? Now, is there something I can help you with? I really need to get back to cleaning this mess.” He bent and retrieved a soggy book. It dripped fat drops of water on the marble tiled floor, making a disturbing plopping sound.

  Lark cringed. “We need to take a quick peek in the section on human history if it isn’t too much trouble, Authorn. If we find it in disorder like the rest of the library, we’ll be glad to put it to rights. It’s the least we can do.”

  Authorn didn’t even look at the women, his entire attention still focused on the waterlogged book. He pointed toward the right side of the huge room. “Human history is in the non-fiction H row over there, but due to storm damage, we’re closed. I’m very sorry, ladies, you’ll simply have to wait until tomorrow. No matter how much we do or don’t get accomplished today, we’ll reopen then.”

  Lark sputtered. “But—but—but, you don’t understand. This is a very important matter. It’s imperative we see the section on human history today. You won’t even notice us, I promise. Oh, and if it makes any difference, we’re princesses.”

  The dark-elf librarian glanced at the group of women with a look of exasperation on his deep-blue face. “Human history is just that, dear lady. It’s history, and as such, can certainly wait one more day. You seem to be nice girls even if you are princesses, but if Headmistress Seychelle herself were to walk through these doors today and demand to use the facilities, I simply wouldn’t be able to comply. These books are precious, some even irreplaceable, and must be handled by specially trained individuals only. Surely you understand the importance of my task? Now, off with you, I have much work to do.”

  Defeated for the moment, Lark turned to the waiting group of women. The pressure of Aryanna’s warm hand coming to rest on her arm offered comfort, and the sound of her voice brought with it a sense of camaraderie. “Well, what are we to do now?”

  Laycee plucked something shiny from deep inside a pocket. “We could go and take a quick look-see at where I’m going ta be living when Leeky gets back. He gave me the key ta his apartment and told me ta fix it up as I saw fit.”<
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  The rest of the group nodded and embraced the idea enthusiastically. Lark wasn’t so sure. All she could do was shudder at the memory of sex swings, farting contests, whipped cream, Ride ‘Em Cowboy, and bare-arsed gnomes on the beach. The thought of what she might find lurking in the depths of Leeky Shortz’s apartment was more than a little frightening.

  ****

  At least they had sunshine, unlike the previous days’ weather during their quest. That was the only pleasant thing Sarco could think of, because the quest certainly wasn’t going well.

  Six fully blooming Maiden’s Desire flowers, with ice-white stems, and as delicate as single snowflake leaves, had been growing fairly close together in a patch upon a wide, layer of ice. Now, only three remained.

  His first three attempts to pick a flower had failed. Three times the combination of timing and magic had been incorrect. And with each failure had come the breaking away of a section of the ice. Not just any section, however, but a thick section spanning the frozen shelf hugging a huge snowbank. If Sarco didn’t succeed soon, the remainder of the ice would give way and the packed snow would inevitably become an avalanche barreling down upon their heads.

  Sarco paced back and forth before the last three flowers and contemplated his next move. “Anyone have a suggestion as how to proceed before I get us all killed? We’ve searched this valley twice and this is the only patch of Maiden’s Desires we’ve found, and we don’t have many left. I’m fresh out of ideas. I mean, what else can I try that I haven’t already?

  Uthiel sighed. “I really thought this part of the quest was going to be easy when you picked that first bloom. But it melted as soon as your hand touched it, even though you took Leeky’s advice and wore gloves. I’m sorry my friend, I don’t know what else you can try.”

  Sherman jumped up and down with his hand held high.