by Sam Rook
What is it? What’s holding you back?
"I’m afraid of heights."
Chapter 8
A short while later, Kathryn lay in bed and wondered if she had imagined everything. She surrendered herself to Jakob and besides a slight headache, she felt no different. Still balanced on the edge of an abyss, she felt no desire to get up and face another boring day in the library or to play endless games of cards with Hal. Without someone to share anything with, life was pointless.
You’re not a damn Hallmark card. Get your ass out of bed and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Jakob’s voice whispered.
"I think I have the right to some self-pity, thank you very much. Let me mope for a few more minutes and leave me alone." Kathryn snorted in disgust.
You know, if you talk aloud to me, people will think you’re crazy.
She sighed and slid her legs over the edge of the bed. I thought you were supposed to be silent now.
We won’t be able to talk much longer. I wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. You kept those memories hidden earlier, so I had no idea. Things will get better.
Kathryn wiped her eyes. They have to get better since they can’t get any worse. I’m going to take a bath now. Get lost.
With quick hops, she made it over to the bathtub and promised herself she would keep her shoes next to the bed from now on. A rug or something on the ice-cold stone floor would do wonders to improve her mood in the morning. The sound of light scratching at the door made her groan with annoyance.
"Just a few minutes!" Eerily, it reminded her of life before the accident. Always interrupted when she was in the bathroom. With someone standing right outside the door, it made it hard not to feel rushed. Giving up on a bath, she pulled on some clothes, unlocked the door and revealed Hal leaning against the doorjamb.
"Morning Kate. I’m sorry, but I was worried when you didn’t get up at your usual early hour. Is everything okay?"
Her stomach took its cue and growled in protest. "Everything’s fine." She just had a guy in her head and they had to join the knighthood to save the children. "I’m starving, so let’s go eat and I’ll tell you about the two Sights I had."
"So, you saw us as knights?" Hal’s low voice didn’t carry beyond their table.
"Yeah. The first Sight showed Daemons on Earth and the second showed us as knights." Kathryn fiddled with her empty fruit bowl, unsure if she’d convinced him or not. She couldn’t tell him about Jakob. Claiming to see the future was one thing, hearing voices was something else entirely.
"I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s the way to go. What if we did find a way back to Earth? We can’t exactly go back with wings attached to our backs. Sure, we’d never have to buy a plane ticket again, but they’d lock us up in a lab somewhere." Hal stacked his dishes with hers and brought their tray to the return cart.
They headed back to her room in silence. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t care if she made it home. Av’lor wasn’t exactly her home, but neither was Earth anymore. Her father and brother were there, but they were only shells of their former selves. "Maybe it’s reversible?"
"We need to talk to someone who’s familiar with the war." Hal ran his hand through is overgrown hair. "Why the Daemons and the knights are at war and what’s at stake. We’re basing all of our ideas around a situation we know nothing about. I’m not going to alter myself unless that’s the only option."
Kathryn’s door stood ajar and she smiled at Elena’s hunched form over the tub. "Hi Elena, we were hoping you could answer a few questions for us about Av’lor." She closed the door behind them.
"Good morning, Lady Kathryn, Hal. Ask away."
"Why are the Daemons and knights at war? Why are they fighting, besides the knights not wanting to be eaten by the Daemons?" Kathryn stood beside Hal in front of the door.
Elena sat upon the bed. "Well, I only know as much as my father knew, since my mother never bothered to learn the history of Av'lor. According to my father, the Daemons had stripped their home world of food. In the ancient wars, they allied with our enemy and wanted the world of Kelah’Sik as a reward for their help. After only the Daemons remained and the world of Kelah’Sik seemed out of reach, the Daemons somehow found out about the Portal back to Earth. The knights believe this is what motivates them, a link to a world with plentiful food. They don’t seem to care for the native creatures here on Av'lor. Maybe the magic gives them a bad flavor?"
They stared at her in shock.
"Portal back to Earth? You mean there’s a known way back home and nobody ever thought to mention it to us?" Hal's angry voice echoed into the room.
Kathryn stood with a puzzled look. It didn’t make any sense for them to keep it a secret. Why hadn’t Jakob mentioned it? Come to think of it, it seemed obvious that there had to be some type of portal if the Daemons were supposed to get to Earth.
"It’s a known way, but it hasn't been used for a long time. I think they used to use it every fifty cycles to replenish our horse bloodlines and get more domestic animals, but everyone believed plagues and war had contaminated Earth. Even after people from Earth still appeared here and contested this theory, nobody could open the portal. The knowledge to open it was lost. You could say we have the door to Earth, but we lost the key," Elena said, frowning.
"This war doesn’t make any sense then. The knights can’t open the portal, so even if they lose and the Daemons take over, they can’t open it to Earth anyway." Hal snorted in disgust.
"That’s the answer, Hal. Go ahead and take a stroll, grab a Daemon and explain that to him." Kathryn walked over to the bed and set next to Elena.
"Maybe we can find the key in the library." Hal paced in front of the bed, his shoes slapping against the stone floor. "We find the key, return to Earth, and then we don’t have to worry about the war."
"That kind of defeats the purpose. They’d suddenly be able to open the portal, and then if the Daemons did win, they’d make it to Earth."
"Then we can have them destroy the key after we’re through."
"What about Av’lor?" Elena’s question stopped Hal’s pacing. "You both are so focused on yourselves that you dismiss the people of this world. We’ve been fighting this war to protect Earth for centuries and all you want to do is return home and pretend we don’t exist."
As Hal shook his head, Kathryn squared her shoulders and turned toward him. "It's decided then. That's what we have to do."
"What? What are you talking about?" Hal gave her a blank look.
"The last Sight. The only way to protect Earth is to become knights. It seems so obvious."
"Obvious? There has to be another way."
Kathryn sighed and gave him a patient look. "The final Sight showed us as knights. That has to be the way to protect Earth. Why would I have Sights about Earth and the destruction and have a Sight about us peacefully watching a sunset here on Av'lor as knights? I don't know what the Sights are, divine guidance or what, but it seems like we have to become knights. Maybe that's the only way we can discover how to unlock the Portal and return home, saving Av’lor in the process."
Hal still seemed unconvinced. "We should become knights, grow some wings, wear some armor, and kill a few Daemons? Why would the knights protect a portal that doesn’t work? How can two extra knights make a difference in a war that’s been going on for this long?" He sighed and started rubbing his temples. "I have to admit I understand your reasoning. I can imagine what would happen to Earth if the Daemons made it through the portal. My son...I’d kill every Daemon on this world to protect him."
"I’d do the same for my family. So, you agree that I should ask Lord Alextor for permission for us to join the Knighthood?" Kathryn asked.
"Doesn’t seem like we have a better choice." Hal crossed his arms and left the room.
Elena sat quietly as she listened to the exchange.
Chapter 9
The jingle of the tack and the breathing of tired horses filled the moonlit night. Lanclor,
Royal Guardsman Mikael and his men rode for a couple of hours to reach the isolated village. So far, there were no survivors.
"Sir Mikael, we found signs of a struggle a short way into the woods near some caves. There’s a dead Daemon with black quills in its chest," Guardsman Niser reported.
Lanclor looked around. Another unexplained instance of black quills killing Daemons. He was pretty sure porcupigs didn’t get big enough to cause that much damage. No people yet, so he hoped he didn’t have to add another enemy to their list.
"Lead the way. We only have a few hours of darkness left and I want plenty of time to return to the castle before the threat of sunlight," Mikael said with a glance toward Lanclor. The Daemons had poor night vision, so the darkness was the only time they could move safely between villages.
"Yes, Sir." Guardsman Niser steered his horse toward the pathway into the forest and led the way to the caves. They had to dismount a short distance from the caves since the narrow path cramped the horses.
There was blood everywhere, along with claw marks and what looked like grooves where human hands had tried to grab onto the ground, in an attempt to escape most likely.
"Poor bastard." Lanclor shook his head all too familiar with this type of death. The Daemon lay on its side a short distance from the torn ground. Two black barbs protruded from its chest. There was no sign of its recent victim.
"There's nothing we can do here. Let's head back to the castle while we safely can." Mikael gestured back the way they had come.
Lanclor would have to add this to his report. Changed men. Daemons with black quills. He had a feeling the two were related, but just didn't know how.
A whine from the caves caught his attention. Mikael drew his sword and motioned for a torch.
"Keep your guard up." Mikael led the way into the cave with the flickering torch illuminating little beyond the cave’s stalagmites. Glowing eyes regarded them a short distance into the cave, disappearing with the creature's blinking.
"Niser, get an arrow ready." Mikael said without looking away from the eyes. "Come on out here. We won’t hurt you." The creature made no move to obey and backed farther into the cave with a whine. Sighing, Mikael sheathed his sword and knelt, extending his hand toward the creature. "Come on boy, I won’t hurt you." The creature relented and walked into the light.
"By the Goddess, is that what I think it is? I thought they were extinct." Lanclor’s quiet voice echoed in the cave.
The large dog cowered before Mikael, shaking in fear with its tail between its legs. The torchlight reflected off its shiny black coat.
"What’s it doing way out here?" Niser asked after lowering his bow.
As Mikael laid his hand upon the dog’s head, the poor animal shuddered and shoved its body into Mikael, knocking him off balance. It lunged at his face, drowning him with its slobbery tongue.
"Help, get him off me!" Mikael laughed, trying to push the dog away.
"Looks like you have a new pet." Lanclor said in a jealous tone.
"Mikael, I don't want to go to school tomorrow," Jenna said, looking down and trying not to giggle as the black dog from the cave licked her toes.
Lanclor smiled beneath his helmet.
"Jenna, why don't you want to go to school? Did something happen?" Mikael frowned and clenched his jaw.
"No...I mean...yes...the other kids. They laugh at me and call me names."
"Why do they laugh at you? What do they call you?"
Lanclor saw the fear in Mikael’s eyes masked with a questioning smile.
"They call me 'Gimpy' and they laugh when I say I'm going to be in the Royal Guard when I grow up. Why do they have to say that? I know I'm different, but that doesn't mean I can't do the things I want to do when I grow up. My teachers told me so." Her little lip quivered and she was close to tears.
Lanclor’s heart clenched at the only fear Mikael had ever voiced. Children could be so cruel. When they saw another kid with a physical problem, they pounced like dire wolves on a newborn calf. Jenna's missing hand wasn't her fault and the others shouldn't hold it against her.
The other kids not picking on her sooner surprised him. Their parents probably warned them not to; knowing the attack that had cost Jenna her hand had also cost Mikael’s wife her life. Marilynn had been a brave woman and held off the Daemons as long as possible. Mikael arrived before the Daemons took more than Jenna's hand.
"You can do anything you want, Jenna," Mikael said with confidence. "Don’t let anyone ever tell you different. The other kids are only picking on you because they’re not smart enough to realize that people can overcome anything if they’re strong and stubborn enough."
"You're right, Mikael, I'm sorry I let them get to me. This isn’t enough to stop me from doing what I want." She waved her left stump in front of her face. "I'm going to go to bed now." Jenna gave Mikael a quick peck on the cheek, smiled at Lanclor, and then ran to her room.
A sad smile came to Mikael’s face as she raced to her room. Marrilynn, Lanclor’s youngest sister, had been gone for several cycles, but Lanclor’s heart still ached every time he thought of her. Nobody could ever take her place in their lives. Lanclor saw so much of her in Jenna, even though they weren’t related, that at times he thought she was looking out of Jenna’s eyes. He hoped she liked what she saw.
Chapter 10
To say Kathryn was nervous would be a gross understatement. Hal and she were about to enter a selection process against numerous candidates from another world that spoke a completely different language. Rielle and Nikton remained by their sides to offer as interpreters.
They had to endure three months of magic class and weapons drills. The knight leading the magic class was a tall, lean man with gray wings and dull gray armor. Like most of the knights, he never took off his helmet. They even wore their helmets during meals using a small flap to gain access to their mouths. It was like talking to a pot with eyes.
"My name is Jakara. I’ll be your Assessor in the realm of magic. Did I give you permission to speak?" he demanded of their translators in a stern voice.
"We’re the translators for these two candidates. They’re from Earth and don’t speak the common tongue," Rielle declared with some annoyance.
Kathryn knew Lord Alextor had told everyone of their presence, but Assessor Jakara chose to single them out anyway. The bug up his ass must have crawled in there and died.
"Oh, yes, I forgot the Earthlings would be in my class," he said the word Earthlings with undisguised malice. "As I was saying, I’ll be your Assessor in the realm of magic. You’ll be required to perform ten simple spells by the end of the training. If you’re unable to perform these spells, you won’t make it into the Knighthood. The spells are as follows: fire, ice, water, levitation of objects, fire shield, ice shield, water shield, deflection, teleportation of objects, and holding. All of these spells are simple, and honestly, not very effective. They’re simply a test to see if you’re capable of working with the spells and pronouncing the syllables of the magic language.
"If the Goddess recognizes your skill, then you should have no problem performing these spells. The speaking of the incantation is a plea to the Goddess to allow you to cast the spell. This is why you need to make sure you pronounce it correctly. You’ll find the books under your cots. After today, you’ll need to have them with you for this assessment every day. If you fail to bring them, then there’s no assessment for you that day and no opportunity to make up the time."
He spent the next hour going through some of the spells and explaining the proper pronunciation. Kathryn’s mind wandered back to Jakob and whether or not his gift would allow her to remember the spells. She had tried to take French in high school, but could never seem memorize the list of words each week. Failing French didn’t have the same impact as failing this would. The magic should be the easy part; it was the sword that worried her.
Their weapons assessment took place in a small courtyard. They lined up and waited until the Assessor
arrived.
"If our Assessor is Sir Lanclor, I’m going to hurt you," Hal said to her under his breath with almost humor.
"Oh, yeah, I remember now. Something about turning tail and running if he came at you with a sword," she said with a smile.
He scowled. "Maybe you aren’t afraid of having some seven-foot guy in armor come at you with a sword, but we sane people tend to want to avoid that situation."
Sir Lanclor wasn’t really seven feet, maybe 6’5", but his wings added almost another foot. "Good morning, candidates. My name is Sir Lanclor and I’ll be your Assessor in the realm of battle. We don’t expect you to be able to go out and fight Daemons after this assessment, but simply to have a basic knowledge of swordsmanship and be able to identify various foes.
"We’ll meet four times per week. Half of our meetings will deal with drilling, while the other half will involve the discussion of specific foes—what they look like, what their weaknesses and strengths are, and in which area of Av’lor you’ll find them. You’ll pass this assessment if you’re physically able to complete the drills and answer various questions about specific foes.
"Knowing your enemy is the key to defeating him. As for the drill, it will not only be swordplay, but also weapon maintenance and formation marching. This is critical in your future role as a knight. Until you show me you’re incapable of learning this information, I’ll assume all of you will make it into the Knighthood. I hope my assumption will not be proven incorrect."
Sir Lanclor surprised Kathryn with his encouragement. He always seemed on the verge of losing his temper. Something in the way he held his wings made her think he would leap into the sky at any moment or attack anyone who annoyed him. She hoped she could stay on his good side or the next few months would be difficult.
