by Matthew Fish
“Fuck this is fast,” Emily said as she clung to Mark tightly as Leaf began to erratically dart through the trees. She looked down to the ground as it flashed by in such a quick fashion that it made her feel rather dizzy. She comically thought back to Cain and how she had made fun of him for being excited about the car drive. He’d probably shit himself if he were here now.
“Definitely different than a horse,” Maddie said as she attempted to release her hold upon Justin’s antlers. She reached for her bow, almost dropping it as she attempted to pull it off of her back. Just as she had it in hand, she saw a gravel road off ahead. She lowered her body and placed her free hand upon Justin’s antler as she clung tightly. Sun disappeared in a brilliant rainbow-like shimmer as Justin lowered his head. “Road…”
“See it,” Mark added as he lowered his body down against Leaf. Emily squeezed even more tightly against Mark as she pressed herself down. As leaf lowered his head they felt an odd pulling feeling as the air began to shimmer brilliantly all around them. Mark became fixated with the odd shine, it was beautiful—like the shine of an opal in sunlight. The strange pulling feeling turned into a push as they ripped through as the road disappeared before them turning into more wood.
“We’re through,” Maddie said as she turned back to look at Mark and Emily. She squeezed her thighs tightly against Justin as she readied the bow in her hand and pulled back. She eyed a tree off in the distance and pretended that it was her mark—she released the string as a dull thud resounded.
Mark reached for his standard and grabbed two coins; he allowed them to linger in his palm for a moment as he picked out a tree off in the distance. He attempted to keep his eyes on the target as Leaf darted side to side passing beneath branches and jumping over small brush piles. Mark threw the coins up into the air and a gunshot sound boomed through the woods as the coins struck into the tree filling the swiftly moving air with the faint smell of burnt oak.
“I’d toss a lighter,” Emily said as she continued to tightly grip Mark. “But I’d probably set the forest ablaze.”
“Another road,” Maddie said as she pointed ahead. As they swiftly came upon the road the familiar brilliant shine filled the air. Sun disappeared in a flash as that odd sense of being pulled and pushed came over the group. They emerged just where the road used to be, only this time they were in a beautiful autumn wood. The sun was shining, the leaves were bright reds, yellows, and rusty browns. Beams of light shone down and illuminated the forest in a myriad of different, magnificent colors. Maddie took her attention away from the beauty as she pulled the bow up and practiced pulling back and releasing once more before another road approached. A few small wooden, old looking houses resided beyond in the forest.
Mark gripped Leaf’s antlers tightly and lowered his stance as Sun leaped over the road and vanished in the magical shimmer of time. Maddie and Justin disappeared next. He braced himself as Leaf leaped high into air as they were pulled and pushed through time. They landed in an empty field of tall grass. The day turned to night and the stars were bright and beautiful overhead. “This is…pretty fucking amazing.”
“I feel like throwing up,” Emily added as she felt Leaf slow down to a trot.
“I need a moment,” Maddie said as Justin came to a stop and she dismounted the white stag. “That was…definitely a rush I could get used to.”
“I need to find somewhere to release my fuck angry lunch,” Emily said as she slid off of Leaf and wandered off into the thick, tall grass.
“Don’t go too far, Mark said as he dismounted. “We don’t exactly know when we are…”
“Got it, Dances,” Emily said meekly as she crouched down behind a tall green bush and began vomiting everywhere.
Justin ran off into the thick grass and emerged seconds later in human form. “Well, I would say that for first timers…you’ve all done more than exceptionally well.”
“Thank you,” Maddie said as she smiled. “It’s definitely something that takes a bit to get used to, but I think it’ll be definitely doable when and…if the time comes.”
“I can tell that you have ridden before,” Justin said as he stood beside Maddie. “Lily picked a good second for her duty.”
“It’s been…forever,” Maddie said as she let out an awkward laugh. “Well, not really forever...I mean for my kind it feels like that. It’s…been like five years or so. And I’m honored that Lily chose me to help. My father, he was a great Conductor—he used to tell me all kinds of stories about the Children of Cernunnos.”
“Do we live up to the stories?”
“More than live up, I’d say,” Maddie smiled as she nodded. “When you wander through time, as you put it—do you always do it that fast?”
“Depends,” Justin said as he looked up at the stars. “Sometimes we walk slowly—we take in everything around us, the beauty of the world. Other times…we enjoy the rush and freedom…that feeling of almost being able to fly.”
“I find it all rather wonderful,” Maddie said as she shook her head and laughed. “I feel like I’m twelve again…”
“I don’t think Emily finds it as fun,” Mark said as he noticed that she was remaining hidden behind the bush as the odd retching sound would fill the air every now and then.
“No…I don’t,” Emily said softly as she attempted to get to her feet and stumbled a bit. “Ever heard of running in straight line?”
“Makes us easy targets,” Justin replied loudly.
“I’ll deal,” Emily muttered. She did not like it at all, but if the time came for a chase—she did not want to get left behind. She wanted to stay with Mark in case he needed her.
“Would you like to continue with me?” Justin asked as he gestured toward the open field. “Not far from here there are some beautiful waterfalls—if we travel through time, we can see them at their most wondrous. Sun can lead Leaf and your friends back to the Red Manor.”
“I would,” Maddie said as she shot Mark and Emily a look. “If that’s alright with you…?”
“We’ll head back,” Mark said as he nodded. “I think Emily and I have it figured out. Go have some fun.”
“It’s like…” Emily said as she gestured a great length with her hands. “This big…”
“Thanks for that…Emily,” Maddie said as she shook her head. Justin walked off into the thick grass and reappeared as the White Stag. Maddie pulled herself up and slung her leg gracefully over Justin as she smiled. “I’ll see you both back at the house later.”
“See you later,” Mark said as he nodded once. He turned to Leaf and placed a hand upon Leaf’s head. Leaf nuzzled his palm. He pulled himself atop the stag’s back and gripped an antler as he helped Emily up.
“Well, I now suddenly feel the urge to apologize for making fun of you for throwing up when we projected,” Emily whispered as she wrapped her arms around Mark. “Let’s get home so I can feel even worse.”
Sun and Leaf darted off into the woods as Justin and Maddie continued off in the other way, kicking up swirling wisps of dust in their wake. Mark lowered himself against Leaf’s body as they passed through the first of the shimmering passages. Leaf took going back a little slower than he had the first time. Perhaps he did feel a bit of pity for Emily becoming so motion sick, even if she did knock him squarely in the junk earlier.
They spotted home just as the sun was beginning to set and the sky was a bright orange. Fresh storm clouds lingered on the western horizon, threatening to bring thunder and rain once more. The air still smelled heavily of rain—it lingered and at the same time, threatened to reappear.
“Where are Justin and Maddie?” Lily asked as she grew concerned when Mark and Emily emerged through the woods on Leaf with Sun following alongside them.
“They went to the canyons,” Mark said as he dismounted Leaf and attempted to help a very dizzy Emily down from the stag’s back. “Maddie did really well—was like second nature to her. You’d be pleased.”
“And how did you two fare?”
/>
“I threw up,” Emily said as she fell down to the ground and allowed the world to stop spinning. “I may do so again.”
“I managed to do some Conducting,” Mark said as he attempted to keep things more hopeful. “I think I’ll be able to Conduct just fine between passages.”
“That is good news,” Lily said as she sat down on the ground next to Emily. “Not everyone takes to it very easily. Especially not the first time…”
“Seems like something I’ve said myself, once…” Emily muttered. “I’ll be fine.”
“We have visitors,” Lily said as she got to her feet and reached a hand out to Emily.
“Anything of concern…?” Mark asked as he looked to the house and saw William’s SUV and a bright cherry red Mazda Miata parked in the driveway.
“They arrived with William,” Lily said as she shook her head and pulled Emily up to her feet. “I sensed no hostility or ill intent—they were allowed to enter.”
“Thanks,” Emily said quietly as nodded to Lily and placed her arm around Mark. “Well, let’s go greet our new friends.”
Mark, Emily, and Lily headed back to the Red Manor. Mark pulled open the large metal entryway as he saw William standing beside a woman in a very tight fitting red dress and a man in a somewhat familiar brown suit that were sat at the glass table. Mark entered as Emily stumbled a bit. He placed her to rest upon Caesar’s fainting couch.
“She alright…?” William asked as he headed over to the group as the man and woman quickly got to their feet.
“Yeah—we were riding the stags,” Mark said as he looked to Emily who shot a thumbs-up as she curled up into a ball. “We passed through time…was, yeah…was a rather jarring experience to be honest.”
“And where is Madeline?” William asked.
“Still riding,” Mark said as he looked to the strange blond woman—she flashed him a short smile. “She took to it a lot better than we did.”
“Well then,” William said as he stepped aside and introduced the very curvy woman with the long blonde hair and brown eyes. “This is Jenna Walker, she has decided to join our cause—she was a witness from the meeting hall massacre. She is also an earth Elemental.”
“Don’t exist,” Emily muttered as her ears perked up and she turned to the pretty girl in the tight red dress.
“That’s what I thought as well,” Jenna said as she reached into a big red purse and pulled out a small limestone rock. She held it in her hand and it lifted off of her palm and into the air. She made a gesture and it crushed into particles of sand that danced in the air. She then reformed the rock and tossed it to Emily.
“Well fist me broken,” Emily said as she examined the rock. “So can you like, cause earthquakes?”
“No…” Jenna said as she shrugged. “Just…make barriers or shields with any kind of stone, or use them as projectiles.”
“Still…” Emily said as she eyed the stone and tossed it back to Jenna. “Pretty fucking cool…I can set things on fire, with the help of a source…and also I can project.”
“I’ve not heard of someone having two talents in the Elemental skills,” Jenna said as she looked impressed at Emily. “Nice…”
“Well,” Mark said as he shook Jenna’s hand. “It’s good to have you onboard.”
“You smell of burnt weeds,” Lily said as she eyed the woman in red curiously.
“It’s a medical thing…for anxiety,” Jenna said as she reached a hand out. “You must be Lily—those are amazing eyes. I’ve heard fairy tales as a child of the White Stag…never thought I’d get to actually meet one.”
“Thank you,” Lily said as she nodded. “My father had grey eyes, I inherited them from him.”
“And…this young man,” William said as he introduced the man in the brown suit with the matching beard and messy, spiky hair.
“Hey Mr. Argent,” Christopher said as he squeezed Mark’s hand tightly and bowed. “I’m Christopher—the Conductor that Cain sent…Christopher Littcott.”
“Mark is fine,” Mark said as he looked bewildered for a moment as the man continued to tightly squeeze his hand with an awkward look upon his face. “Littcott…?”
“My father,” Christopher said as he released Mark’s hand and took a step back. He let out a long drawn out sigh. “Awkward…I know. But, yeah…about that guy, we didn’t really see eye to eye on anything. I’m not a typical Conductor—just like I hear you aren’t a typical one. I can’t be bought; I’m not a ‘for hire’ kind of guy. I follow my morals and do what I need to do out of a sense of justice, something that my father deeply lacked. So on behalf of my family name, I am sorry for his transgressions.”
“You don’t get to choose your father,” Emily added as she groaned and twisted on the couch.
“She’s right,” Mark said as he nodded as Christopher reached for Mark’s hand once more. Mark took the man’s hand as they shook once more.
“Honored to be here,” Christopher added. “You have a very…interesting place here.”
“Yes,” Jenna said as she nodded as she looked around. “I like it. Very eccentric—kinda busy, but nice. Thank you for your hospitality and sanctuary.”
“Where is Ms. Willbell?” Christopher asked as he looked around for any sight of anyone else. “I mean…is she cool? I heard those old lady Grand Conductors can be quite the pain in the ass…no offense, I’m sure she’s trained you very well—so I hear.”
“She’s twenty and she’s cute,” Emily spoke from the couch. “Mark’s also a Grand Conductor…and so am I technically. I’m their bodyguard.”
“Since when were you Maddie’s bodyguard as well…?” Mark asked as he turned to Emily.
“Since you weren’t mortal anymore and could take a bullet and sleep it off,” Emily said as she turned on her side and made a sour face. “Jealous much, I said both of you…”
“I apologize, Grand Conductor,” Christopher said as he bowed and took Mark’s hand once more. “I did not mean any offense—my father had a Grand Conductor train me and she was strict as a Catholic nun in one of those religious schools. Always with the ruler on my knuckles when I would make a mistake…”
“No need to apologize, and really….no need for titles, we have no idea what we are doing,” Mark said as he patted the odd man on the shoulder.
“You wear the symbol of my folk,” Lily added as she placed her fingertips upon the patch on Christopher’s jacket.
“And I am more than honored to do so,” Christopher said as he grabbed Lily’s hand and gently pressed his lips against the back of it. “Captain Dickson and Cain have told me of your troubles—and I will give my life to protect you.”
“William?” Emily asked as she cocked her head awkwardly so she could stare at him. “Remember last time you brought two people onboard for a mission?”
“Shhh…” William said as he shook his head. “The sick young lady on the couch is named Emily Stapleton—you can expect the occasional insult, ridicule, or unusual nickname from this one—but she’s a good person…somewhere in there.”
“Know me so well, dick-schlong,” Emily added as she pretended to shoot her finger in William’s direction. “Boom…”
“We have visitors,” Bradley said as he entered the room.
“It’s Bradley-claus.” Emily said in a sing-song tone.
“What’s up with her?” Bradley asked as he looked to Mark and raised an eyebrow.
“Riding through time…it didn’t take to her very well,” Mark said as he gestured to the two new people. “This is Bradley—he’s an experienced Spotter and a great shot with…just about anything that can shoot an extreme amount of bullets.”
“Jenna Walker, ordinary Perpetual until I found out I was an earth Elemental.”
“No such thing,” Bradley said as he shook his head.
“True,” Emily spouted out. “She crushed a rock and everything—you missed it.”
“Sorry,” Bradley said as he shook Jenna’s hand. “Just…I never e
xpected to hear those words in my lifetime….nice to meet you.”
“Likewise…”
“Christopher Littcott,” Christopher eagerly spoke as he tightly squeezed Bradley’s hand. “Not like my father—but a Conductor…with morals.”
“He wouldn’t recognize the name,” Emily spoke as she adjusted herself on the couch. “Wasn’t around for it the first time, had a hole the size of a soda can in his head the second time.”
“Oh,” Christopher said with a relieved sigh. “The man was a right shit. He was my father and he did some really horrible things in an attempt to gain control of the Grand Conductors…”
“Well, nice to meet you,” Bradley said as he removed his hand and massaged it a bit. For a mortal he had quite the grip. “Strength in numbers…”
“I’ll make signs,” Emily added. “I like to do embroidery, deal with it, snatches.”
“Cain is coming to stay as well,” William added. “It’s not safe for him—his council is too afraid with the Ankou on the loose, also he has reported that two of his Conductors have gone missing. He will conduct his business from here until he can return.”
“Not safe for anyone,” Lily said as she nodded. “This is the safest place at this time.”
“Are you staying as well?” Mark asked as he turned to William.
William stood for a moment and folded his arms. He let out a short sigh and shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, I guess so. It doesn’t feel right being a Captain and not being in my office—but I suppose it is a risky place to be. I can be in contact with the media and community leaders here…attempt to keep panic from getting too far out of hand. I’ll stay for a short time, but I’ll need to make an in person statement eventually or Perpetuals will begin to really panic, especially if things get significantly worse.”
“Full house party,” Emily said cheerfully.
“It is not really a time to celebrate,” Lily spoke as she shook her head at Emily. “When the Ankou is destroyed, then we can have your full house party, or whatever you want. Until then, we must remain vigilant and plan for what is to come.”
“I’m still making signs,” Emily muttered as she slid against the couch and placed her feet upon the floor.
