by Oxford, Rain
After about five minutes, he looked up at me, wide eyed.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“How? How can you learn a spell in a few minutes that took me years?”
“One, I had a great teacher; two, I have a good imagination; three, I have to learn fast to do my job; and four, Edward says I’m good at learning magic. I don’t know why I am, and it’s not my fault. I’m careful. I may not be all that refined, but I don’t need to use so much power that I lose control.”
“That is something my father has never learned. That is a lesson that takes a wise man to learn. I am not sure who you are, Dylan, but you are powerful enough that I believe you are a demon. You also smell off, not like anyone I know, with a hint of ink.”
The religions of Duran are different than on Earth, and so the definition of a demon may be different. “What exactly is a demon, according to Duran?” I asked.
He looked startled. “You do not know the demons? The immortals? They go by many names and there are many stories about them. Some say they are the children of the gods, some say they were once gods, but they came down to the worlds to give us the power to travel the worlds.”
I didn’t know for sure if he was talking about the Guardians, but I started to get that impression. “Guardians.”
“That is one of their names. You are one, right? I have never heard of a baby demon before. You are like a newbie demon, learning to use your power and do your job. What is your job? Do you talk to the gods?”
“I’m really not able to talk about this. I’m gonna get skinned alive. I wouldn’t put it past Divina to be listening right now.”
He took a small sniff. “She is not close. Is she a demon, too?”
“No. She’s much more terrifying.”
He nodded and focused on his potion. “I understand that you cannot tell me this stuff. Still, it is great to actually know a demon. It is fascinating to see the power of a newbie demon, and it is even cooler to actually teach him something.”
“Demons are something different to humans, so I prefer to be called a Guardian.”
There was a loud whacking sound in the greeting room and, out of reflex, I got up to go and check it out. My right foot found a slippery rock and I was suddenly falling backwards, into the cold water of the pond. The rock floor hurt and my left knee scraped on the coarse siding, ripping through my pants and skin. Mordon grabbed my arm and helped me out. I climbed out of the water, shaking and bleeding.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, worried.
“I’m used to it,” I groaned. I took off my shirt and started ringing it out into the water. The water was so cold that my fingers went numb.
“That was unlucky,” he said.
He started laughing, so I growled and threw my shirt at him. It was supposed to hit him, but I was shaking so badly that I missed by a good three feet, so I flopped down next to him. After a second, I realize he was staring at my Guardian mark. Earth’s symbol was still inked permanently over my heart.
“Figures, I ended up with a tattoo even though I promised Vivian I would never get one.”
“Now will you tell me about your world?”
He asked for it, so I told him about my home with one moon, about cars and pizza and electric lights. I told him about highways and restaurants and computers and garage sales and television sets, about credit cards and airplanes and high rise apartments.
Obviously I said too much, because by the time I shut up, my friend’s eyes were round and glazed with shock. “How about I go on another day and give you some time for this to sink in?” I asked.
Mordon nodded and continued stirring his sleeping potion.
Although I stopped willing my book to translate for me, I still felt it intensely, and I couldn’t understand why. Then I realized it wasn’t the book but the danger it was in that I felt. That meant either I was getting better at sensing it, or…
“I’ve got to go,” I said quickly. I tried to stand, but I was too late. The ground came speeding to my face even as everything went dark. The last thing I heard Mordon was calling my name in panic.
Chapter 14
This vision differed from the others because I was in a large, dim cave. All around me were columns of stone with glowing cracks and chips. Everything looked slimy.
A heavy hand came down on my shoulder and before I could inhale to shout, the other one closed over my mouth to silence me. With great relief, I recognized his scent as he pulled me back a few steps into the shadows. Edward let me go and pointed off to the side.
I was amazed we could actually move in this vision.
Thirty or so feet from us was a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties. His long black hair was tied back and blended into his baggy, dark brown clothes. He was pale and thin, so much so that if he added a cape and some hair gel, he would look like a young Dracula. To complete his ensemble was a belt around his tunic with a sword attached. The man kneeled on a cushion, writing something in a thick black book.
There was a slight flashing of light about ten feet in front of us and I instantly felt the pain that came when leaving the dream. I closed my eyes and the pain suddenly vanished.
Instead of the cold night air and suffocation that I expected to feel, the air was still warm and humid. When I opened my eyes, we were still in the cave, but in a different area. Edward had moved us out of the exposure zone. I quickly located the man, who was now smiling at the person who had just entered.
“You fool!” she yelled. It was the little girl with red hair and eyes.
The man stood. “Is that anyway to talk to your older brother?” He didn’t sound irate for having been yelled at.
“What were you thinking?!”
As soon as she was in reach of the man, she raised her fists to hit him, but the man grabbed her forearms to hold her still. After a few seconds of struggling, the fight left her and she nearly collapsed with her apparent misery.
“Why?” she cried.
Her brother let her go. “Because I could. Because you were being watched and Shio was wasting everyone’s time on Earth. I had the opportunity to hunt, I did, and it paid off.”
“Then you really did find them?” the girl asked with astonishment.
I glanced back at Edward behind me, but he was giving them his undivided attention.
“I would never lie to you. Vretial is sending for Shio now. And you were right; they are on Duran.”
She smiled brightly. “I told Shio. He must feel so foolish. Maybe we can---”
“No. Leave it to Shio. Whatever they did to make it look like the book was on Earth, it was a decoy. Obviously, they know we are looking for it. It is better to give Shio a few hours to work.”
“Why?”
“I have tracked them to Anoshii and you may have been too young to remember, but magic is not allowed on Anoshii. They cannot live there; no Noquodi would live in a place where he cannot practice magic.”
“So Vretial’s just going to wait?”
“Don’t count on it. Even though it would be best to avoid such a public place, Vretial is not that patient. We will give Shio a chance to get the book himself. Either he will get the book, get himself arrested for magic, or flush them out. At the very least, he can be a distraction.”
“But I want to get the book for Vretial.”
“If you fail, Vretial will have no mercy. I want you to watch Shio, but stay out of trouble,” the man commanded. “Stay far enough away that you are not detected and refrain from using magic on Anoshii.”
Edward put his hand, which was shockingly cold, on my shoulder. I felt no pain or suffocation; I just woke up.
* * *
I could smell the sweet perfume of Divina even before I opened my eyes. I was still in the courtyard at the inn, Divina was on one side of me, and Mordon was a few feet off to the other side. He looked terrified.
“Are you okay?” Divina asked.
“Yeah. Edward’s probably coming. Are you okay?” I asked Mordon.
“Daikala sai?” Divina translated.
Mordon nodded.
“They know we’re on Anoshii,” I said. Divina was unsurprised. “They’re not going to wait until we leave. What do we do?”
“Wait till Edward gets here, and then prepare to fight. Let’s go back to the room.” She took my upper arm and easily pulled me up.
“What about him?” I asked, indicating Mordon.
“I already spoke with him. He’s fine; just spooked. He used magic to keep you warm until I got here.” As Divina pulled me through the door, I waved to Mordon. He waved back, though I wasn’t sure if he understood what it meant.
When Divina and I got back to the room, Divina was suspiciously calm. “They know we’re on Anoshii. Do you know how they found us?” I asked.
“No. I need a moment to think.”
She pulled a white towel out from under the table and handed it to me, then went over to the bed and sat cross-legged on it with her hands in her lap. It was a very attractive position with her little skirt on, but the drive to protect my book was so desperate it superseded everything else.
“When will Edward get here?” I asked, drying my hair absentmindedly. She shushed me slowly, her eyes closed.
It was then that I realized what the dream meant, what Edward being there with me meant. Edward’s book hadn’t been in danger before.
“Divina?” She didn’t answer or even move a muscle. “Divina!”
The door slid open and Edward entered. I jumped up and was hallway across the room before I gained control over my relief.
“Are you good?” he asked. I nodded and he regarded Divina. “Where’s his book?”
Snapping out of her meditation thing, she stood and pulled my book out of her backpack. “It’s safe,” she said, handing my book to me. There was a static shock when I touched it, but I took it anyway.
Edward reached out his hand for it. “Let me protect it,” he said.
If he had both books, there would be nothing to stop Vretial’s servants from converging on him. If all of Vretial’s followers attack him, he may not be able to fight them off. If there’s only Shio, he may hesitate and not know who to come after first if the books are separated. I also really didn’t want to let the book go.
“I… I want to protect it,” I said. Edward slowly retracted his hand and his expression was unreadable.
“What do you suggest we do now?” Divina asked.
I noticed how she worded that with “suggest,” and, by the frown Edward gave her, he did too.
“We’ll go back to Shomodii,” he said. Divina made a sound, but not quite an interruption. “They expect us to be here and if we leave before they get here, they may not realize we’re gone for a few days. Besides, I like our chances better in my territory, magic would draw in troubles with the law, and there are innocent people here that could be injured or killed.”
“But they don’t know who we are. If we could stay surrounded by people so they can’t single us out…” Divina argued gently.
“What? They’ll go home?”
“They wouldn’t attack everyone, would they?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t they? These people don’t matter to them. They’ll kill their way to us, just like their creatures did to get to you on Earth. If there are no more objections, let’s leave.” He picked up all of the bags as easy as if they were empty and headed for the door. I grabbed my music player, which had been left unnoticed on the bed, as Divina blocked his path.
“You’re making a decision that cannot be undone; think hard about it. Take just a second to think.”
“I thought on the way.”
“You don’t have only one book on the line; you have yours, his, and our lives.”
“I thought on the way,” Edward repeated. “We can’t wait for their attack. All my weapons and tools are on Shomodii; if there’s anywhere we’re safe, it’s there.” He pushed passed her.
“There’s Earth,” she suggested, closing her eyes as if the thought was painful.
Edward stopped. “That would strip away all my defenses and leave us relying on you. And I still would have no weapons.”
“You would have a little power, Dylan is powerful for his experience, and I am not too bad myself. Earth is not the first place they’ll look for us, so we’ll have more time to prepare.” She turned to me. “You have the instincts of a Guardian as much as he does, whatever that amounts to.”
I realized what she meant. Their decisions were biased by fears and desires, so she wanted to know what I thought. My first instinct was the chance to go home, where I wasn’t heavy and I knew the world. I shot that down, as Duran was now my home and I had to get used to it. My second instinct was, surprisingly, to side with my mentor, but I shot that down because I had to stand on my own feet under pressure. My third was to side with Divina, because her low-necked shirt was awfully persuasive. While I understood how Edward could be at a disadvantage on Earth, I was at a disadvantage wherever I was.
“Where do you think we should go?” she asked me.
“Aren’t there more options than Earth or Duran? I mean, there are eight other worlds, right? I signed Nano’s book. Maybe we can go to Dios.”
“Nano warned me about Zer. I don’t want to be on another world if its god is angry,” Edward said. “It would be better than Earth, but I would still rather be at home.”
“I don’t like the thought of facing an enemy underground,” Divina argued. “Going to Earth will give us more time.”
“That doesn’t matter if we can’t do anything with it and it leaves me with little power. Shomodii will give us more options,” Edward countered.
“Shomodii will do us no good if we are attacked before we can prepare for anything.”
“Split up,” I said. They stopped arguing and looked at me. “Divina, you take both books to Earth while Edward and I get ready here. Then the books may not be separated, but they’re far away.”
They both rolled it around in their heads.
“It’s a good idea. However, splitting up, especially over worlds, always turns out wrong. And putting two books in the hands of someone other than a Guardian is just suicidal,” Edward said.
More importantly, leaving them with Divina was dangerous to her.
“Any other ideas?” Divina asked.
Edward continued. “Splitting up may not be a bad idea. Divina, you take his book and I keep mine. We’ll go back to Shomodii and I’ll prepare for the attack at my place. Meanwhile, you gather protection supplies at your place. Then you take him to Earth, put up protection for him and his book, come back, and we’ll fight,” he said. Divina nodded her agreement.
“Him,” in this case meant me, which meant that their plans once again left me huddling in a hole. “Why can’t you just put protection over the books and all three of us can fight. If anything, I make a good decoy, bait, or diversion.”
“No.”
“Sorry, sweetie, but you are sitting this one out. I know it makes you feel low, but imagine how we would feel if you were killed,” Divina said.
I did.
“Now imagine how you would feel if one of us died trying to protect you.”
I did, and it must have showed on my face.
“The best you can do right now is relieving us of having to worry and keep track of you and your book while we fight, which is a lot more than it sounds.”
I nodded, even as my mind raced. I had to think of another way; thinking was my thing, and the only thing I was good for.
Run away and guarantee my book’s safety until the enemy found me, or try my best to help Edward and Divina. I knew that, in my situation, Ronez would try everything he could to switch places with either Edward or Divina, and his only conflict would be who to fool into safety. Unfortunately, I wasn’t powerful enough, and I couldn’t risk the books like that. I knew what the smart decision was, but I just couldn’t convince myself that running away was the right thing to do.
&nbs
p; By the time it dawned on me what was happening, we were already down the stairs. “Divina? Will you use your mind talking thing to say bye to Mordon for me?”
She put her arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. “Sure,” she said. “And what would you like me to do about your little stalker?” she asked me in my mind.
I looked back down the hall and didn’t see anything at first. Then, after closer inspection, I saw her through the glass walls. Shinobu was in the courtyard garden with her two front paws pressed against the glass. I reflexively tried to go to her, but Divina’s arm was unwaveringly secured around my shoulder.
“She’ll follow us. Kiro will either be too distracted to notice her, or so paranoid that he’ll notice the sound of her breathing. If she follows us too far, I’ll try to sneak her into my bag to take her with us, but she’s not to be alone with you until we talk to Kiro. She’s doing a bad job at hiding.”
“You two keep up and keep quiet,” Edward snapped softly. “And hold off on the magic, Divina; it’s very irritating when I’m expecting a magic attack.”
The silence was eerie as we left the hotel and started down the road. There were still plenty of people on the street, but most of them were young adults and none of them seemed in a hurry. I got the feeling that I shouldn’t talk. I watched for Shinobu and only glanced ahead to keep on the path. Edward growled but didn’t elaborate, so I figured it was because of me. I faced forward and hoped that if Shinobu was following, Divina would do something.
It wasn’t long before we arrived at the gates at the edge of town; however, these were different. Instead of entering the homely neighborhood, we entered the grounds of a beach, which was empty save for a large sphere, a small pedestal in front of it, and a small wooden cabin. The bottom half of the sphere was white and the top half was glass.
