Magic Prophecy: A YA Portal Fantasy (Legends of Llenwald Book 3)

by DM Fike

  “Jentry was well taken care of, and you know it. Vernal had arrived with more knights not far away. Sadus, you were there too. Maybe not in top form but available.”

  “‘Not in top form?’” A half-sigh, half-growl rumbled in Desert Rose’s throat. “Let’s call this what it is. This is about trust. I told you to stay with the refugees. Instead, you abandon your duty the first time that… that useless girl wanders off without you.”

  Avalon swallowed a mouthful of saliva to keep herself from talking. It rang in her ears, but fortunately, did not break up the conversation.

  Kay’s voice hardened. “I’d be careful bringing up trust, Desert Rose. Trusting you has become a monumental task.”

  “Fine. Don’t trust me,” Desert Rose snapped. “I was only doing what my lord asked me to do but feel free to let that cloud your judgment.”

  “I’m not happy with Lord Emerson either. Keeping the other Guardians in the dark cuts right through the heart of Emerged Falls principles.”

  “Principles won’t protect us from dragons ripping us to shreds. All your ideals will crumble to dust if Scawale has her way.”

  “We weren’t on a joyride out there. We were looking for a way to defeat Scawale.”

  “Oh? And what did you find?”

  Kay said nothing.

  “That’s what I thought,” Desert Rose sneered. “And here you are, still defending your actions as if it matters.”

  “It matters! We are Avalon’s Guardians. It is our duty to protect her.”

  “It is our duty to protect Emerged Falls,” Desert Rose corrected. “Not follow a girl like a lovesick siren.”

  Kay paused. “It’s not like that.”

  Desert Rose pressed forward. “But you do care about her, don’t you?”

  “Aye. Of course, I do.”

  Avalon quit breathing.

  Kay continued. “But I also care about Emerged Falls. About you. I’m juggling all those responsibilities and doing what I think is right.”

  “Then maybe it’s time for a little perspective.” Desert Rose’s voice lowered to the point where Avalon had to strain to hear her words. “You didn’t take an oath to protect some human. You took a vow to protect this place that you claim to love so much. One of these days, you will be forced to make a choice: everything you’ve known since you were born or some wench from another world.”

  “Desert Rose,” Kay pleaded.

  “I hope when you have to make that choice, you remember who you are.”

  Footsteps stalked away farther into the castle. The conversation had clearly ended. Avalon fled back down the hall, conflicting emotions at war within her. Not paying attention, she nearly ran into Vernal and Isolde exiting the dining hall.

  Vernal jerked out of the way before they collided. “Miss Benton!”

  Isolde stopped in mid-ramble to examine Avalon more closely. “Is everything all right? You look a bit ill.”

  “Just exhausted,” Avalon said.

  “We’re heading up to the library,” Isolde said. “I would invite you along, but perhaps you should rest.”

  “No,” Avalon said quickly. The last thing she wanted was to dwell on her feelings. “I would love to join you. Please lead the way.”

  Avalon fell in step behind Vernal as they headed right back to where Kay had finished his conversation with Desert Rose. She hoped Kay had left, but he still stood there and noticed her straight away.

  “Avalon,” he said, then also nodded to Isolde and Vernal. “Where are you headed?”

  “The library,” Isolde replied. “Vernal promised to escort us there.”

  “But not stay,” Vernal added quickly.

  Kay attempted to peer into Avalon’s eyes. “I’ll be in training for the rest of the afternoon. I fare you well for now. We shall meet up soon.”

  Avalon refused to meet his gaze as she trailed Vernal. She glanced only once behind her shoulder and found Kay with confusion and doubt etched on his normally confident face. She whipped back around, hoping she hadn’t betrayed her similar mood.

  CHAPTER 25

  NOT LARGE BY Earth standards, the Emerged Falls library still held a decent assortment of knowledge handwritten down the ages. Vernal gave them the quick rules: put books back in their proper place, keep quiet if anyone else showed up, and, of course, avoid the shelf of forbidden books. He focused most of his scrutiny on Avalon, clearly worried whether leaving her here without an escort was the right call. But when Isolde settled into an innocuous book and launched into a droning discussion about mushroom agriculture, Vernal scurried off, happy not to spend the rest of the day in the cramped, windowless room.

  Upon his exit, Isolde immediately sought the forbidden books at the back of the room. She divvied up the contents between them: Isolde tackling the books on the left with Avalon on the right. Avalon wondered aloud why no one ever noticed all the broken seals as they perused the books, but Isolde pointed out many had never been re-sealed. Isolde also warned her that their search would be a slog. They had no idea what to search for. Isolde suggested focusing on books of ancient magic, tomes of legendary artifacts, or anything that might link to the Child of the Statue.

  During their search, Avalon discovered all manner of horrifying things: a book on curses that promised some terrible results, a guide on how best to slaughter different types of Aossi based on their weaknesses, and a recipe book for humans. She also found what appeared to be a very old copy of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and someone’s retelling of Greek legends but with dwarves. Isolde would occasionally get distracted by tales of old treasure or animal mythology, but she would refocus and grab another volume.

  The hours ticked by. Avalon had gone through an entire stack with nothing to show for it when she finally said, “Maybe we should give up for the night. Try again tomorrow.”

  Isolde slammed a book shut in frustration. “I truly believed the Temple of the Heavens would provide us the answers we needed. How could my instincts be so wrong?”

  Avalon shivered, even though she did not feel a physical chill. “You are not to blame for that.”

  “And I won’t be to blame for giving up. I’ll look through every book in this library, twice if I have to. There has to be an answer here, but if not, then in some other library or another temple. Scawale cannot be invincible. There is always balance in magic.”

  Balance, Avalon thought wearily, like an eye for an eye. A Child for a Child.

  A life for a life.

  Avalon excused herself from the forbidden book section. Isolde barely noticed her leaving. Avalon wandered back toward the general reading area of the library, plopping herself down into a cushioned chair, deceptively hard and uncomfortable. She folded herself into a tight ball, meaning only to give herself a mental break. Once comfortable, though, she fell into a dreamless, restless sleep.

  * * *

  “That’s it!”

  Isolde’s booming declaration jolted Avalon awake. Chin covered in drool and disoriented, she realized she was still in the library. Creeping back over to the forbidden book section, she found Isolde sitting on her haunches, tilting to one side with sleep deprivation but also an excited grin spread from ear to ear. Reading a book called The Properties of Elemental Magic and their Uses, her eyes bounced in their sockets as she soaked in the details.

  “What did you find?”

  Isolde lifted her head, as if coming up for air. “I read something last night, but my mind didn’t fully comprehend it. But now, I see clearly.” She dropped the book to the floor, causing Avalon to wince as it flopped to one side. Isolde paid it no mind as she ran frantic hands over the bookshelf. “Where is it?”

  “Isolde,” Avalon sighed in exasperation. “What’s going on?”

  Isolde pulled a book of dark magic off the shelf. Avalon flinched at grotesque pictures of Aossi being sucked into tar-like pits of magic, acid burning flesh, and other tortures. “I don’t like the look of what you’re researching.”.

  “Nay,
it’s not the spells.” Isolde skipped to the front of the book. “It’s the very nature of dark magic. It’s not based on the elements, like the Indulia.”

  “Even I know the Indulia is the manipulation of the five elements. Light and dark magic is different, using a person’s own life force.”

  “Correct. The elemental magics have always been elevated because they’re considered gifts from Gaea. Only those without elemental magic stoop to using light or dark magic because you are essentially draining yourself to cast it.”

  Avalon chewed her lip. “But I thought elemental power had limitations too. Kay tires easily using lightning. It’s like trying to lift a heavy object with your muscles. You can’t simply lift whatever you want.”

  “That is true for the average Aossi, but that’s where the Indulia differs. The Indulia is tapping straight into the goddess herself, who created the elements. She can, theoretically, lift the whole world, which means she has much looser limitations. The more cleanly you can access her magic, the more powerful you are.”

  “I still don’t understand how dark magic has anything to do with this.”

  Isolde stopped at a page, nodding in satisfaction. “This is what I’m referring to.” She read the text. “‘Although seen as a lesser magic because it does not harness the elements, dark magic has an advantage precisely because it does not need the elements. Given the right talent, a dark magic caster could best the strongest elemental wielder.’”

  “I’ve watched Kay and Nobody duke it out. One didn’t seem stronger than the other, although it really felt like Nobody just avoided Kay’s attacks and used trickery to gain the upper hand.”

  Isolde nodded. “Most dark casters use their magic with evasion, subtlety, and agility. But that’s not what this book is saying. It claims strong dark magic can outright beat elemental magic.”

  A disapproving third voice cut through their conversation. “I would laugh at such a claim if I wasn’t staring at both of you reading forbidden books.”

  Avalon and Isolde flipped around to find Kay at the library’s entrance, arms folded. “What exactly are you doing back there?”

  Isolde reddened but stood her ground. “Research.”

  “Sadus,” he cursed as he saw all the books scattered on the floor. “How many of these have you been through?”

  “Enough to find a way to beat Scawale and the Statue,” Isolde proclaimed.

  “Dark magic?” Kay repeated skeptically.

  Isolde huffed. “It’s logical since the two types of magic have completely different sources.”

  Avalon remembered back to the first time when Braellia had attacked her inside her own mind. “You may be onto something,” she said slowly. “Ladybug once held Braellia back with dark magic while Bedwyr tried to extract the Indulia. Braellia shrank from it.”

  Kay folded his arms. “While there may be some truth to that statement, what dark magic source can defeat a Child of the Statue?”

  “I don’t know. It’s a working theory. But it’s at least more than what we got back at the Temple of the Heavens.”

  Avalon bit her lip at this, saying nothing.

  Kay frowned. “I hope it was worth breaking the seals on all these forbidden books.”

  Isolde picked a few off the floor, sniffing. “Books are meant to be read. Besides, I doubt anyone will notice.”

  “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of that.” Kay shook his head. “I didn’t come up here to catch you breaking rules. Would you two like to accompany me on some errands?”

  “What kind of errands?”

  “A patrol down to the refugee camp to check on conditions and report back to Lord Emerson.”

  Isolde bristled at the mention of Lord Emerson. “I must decline. I’ll gladly pick up this mess while you two run along.” She shooed them out of the library.

  Avalon sighed once outside with Kay. “Poor Isolde has no idea what to do about Lord Emerson.”

  “She will figure it out. Before we leave, would you like breakfast?”

  Avalon decided she did. Kay knew his way around the twisting halls of the Emerged Falls ground floor. He directed them back to the Earth Tower and the dining hall with no trouble. A quarter of the tables were filled with guards clustered into groups around the benches. A group of Covert K knights regarded them as they entered the room.

  “What’s with all the uniforms?” Avalon asked.

  “It’s first breakfast shift. Generally, the guards and knights take this one.”

  Avalon noted the early morning sun streaking through the windows. It must have been earlier than she thought. She and Kay walked over to the buffet area. She chose a modest bowl of porridge-like soup and a small side of purple berries, while he stuck with some dry pastry. Coupled with wooden cups of water, Kay led her to a quiet spot away from the others to eat. Avalon couldn’t help but notice a few of the Covert K knights still glancing in their direction.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked Kay, throwing a shoulder in the knights’ direction. “I feel like they keep staring at us.”

  Kay kept his expression nonchalant as he answered, “They are. They recognize you as the person Scawale attacked.”

  Avalon froze. Bedwyr’s army had invaded Emerged Falls the last time she was here. Not only had Scawale been bent on snatching Avalon, Emerged Falls’s greatest enemy, Nobody, had shown up out of nowhere to help fight.

  “What do they know about me?”

  “Very little. Lord Emerson simply told them you were a person of interest to Bedwyr. All other information regarding you has been classified.”

  That made no sense to Avalon. “Shivant hasn’t told anyone I’m the Child of the Statue?”

  “The Guardians went on covert missions to relay this information only to the Titans. They were sworn to secrecy so only a select few know. They do not want your identity to be common knowledge any more than we do, for what kind of trouble would happen if everyone thought a Child was here?”

  “Seems like more deception on Shivant’s part.”

  “Discretion,” Kay corrected.

  “Is that what the other Guardians would call it if they knew about Desert Rose’s little secret spying mission?”

  “You don’t approve?”

  “Of course not, and neither should you. Lord Emerson may have the best intentions in the world, but he needs to come clean at some point. When it comes out how he has circumvented his peers, it will tear this place apart.”

  Avalon expected Kay to argue, but the fairy instead gave a curt nod. “You are right. I do agree. But for whatever reason, Lord Emerson has stayed mum on the subject. It is not my place to challenge his decision.”

  “Not even to your own parents?” Avalon exclaimed. This caused a few more eyes to glance in their direction. Avalon fell quiet, pretending to be absorbed in her food.

  Once everyone glanced away, Kay muttered low under his breath. “Whether I like it or not, Lord Emerson is my liege. As a Covert K knight, I obey his command.” His tone suggested he would not budge on this position.

  Avalon didn’t press it. Instead, she swallowed the rest of her breakfast in a rush, then pushed off the table. They exited the dining hall, pretending not to feel the questioning stares of the other knights.

  Out in the courtyard in the early morning hours, things appeared as normal: guards running through exercises, horses ridden to stables, and knights on patrol around the gate. Avalon realized something was missing from her last visit.

  “Where’s the chasm Shivant created to stop Scawale? Or the ruined walls where Bedwyr’s army stormed the castle?”

  “All restored by earth wielders,” Kay said. “It was Lord Emerson’s first priority.”

  Avalon whistled. “That’s pretty fast.”

  “There’s plenty more work to be done, as you will see soon.”

  The main thoroughfare cut first through the affluent neighborhoods before cresting a hill where Avalon could spy the bulk of the city below. It stretched
out in a grid pattern, streets running at perfect north-south and east-west directions. The houses remained ornate on the slope nearest them, but slowly shrank into more modest homes and eventually cottages in the distance, with markets and shops interspersed in between.

  Almost immediately, Avalon spotted the work Kay had alluded to. Emerged Falls had rings of walls running in a concentric pattern with the castle as its hub. Each wall had a huge gash cut through it, creating a straight line where Bedwyr’s army had forced its way toward the castle. All the buildings along that path had significant structural damage with torn walls, sagging roofs, or just heaps of stone where homes once stood. Construction centered on the walls themselves. Robed Aossi moved stones with their magic to help fix them, occasionally tossing one up to a fairy to patch a hole up high. Ladders contained humans repairing structural damage with trowels.

  “And that’s not the worst of it,” Kay said as she assessed the damage. He pointed far out past the last wall and at the edge of the forest. Squinting, Avalon could discern small triangular shapes dotting the grass. “Those are the latest refugee camps. Until recently, we’ve been able to convert a few larger public buildings into temporary shelters, but we’ve run out of space. Jentryfolk and the gremlins have been forced to stay outside the city proper. And I hear we have more people coming within the week.”

  “A dragon attack would obliterate them before they had a chance to protect themselves,” Avalon pointed out.

  “We have a few Covert K knights there with scouts all over the region, but aye, they are only marginally better off than they were before. We’re hoping to build a few more temporary structures inside soon, but we must patch the broken walls first.” He moved forward down the hill.

  Avalon followed. “Will the dragons attack here?”

  Kay’s shoulders tensed. “The official answer is maybe. They seem bent on killing humans, and we do house many humans here. But we’re also a nation of Aossi and everything else in between.”

  “No one knows how far Scawale’s prejudice lies.”

  Kay stopped in his tracks. “There’s something else that’s bothering me. Something I have been unable to tell anyone else.”