Inked (The Ink Keepers Book 1)

by N. I. Rojas

  Out of energy, Incantatrix felt on her knees. Ink started dripping from the massive destruction, as if the world around was melting right before their eyes, turning itself into lava that burned everything in the way.

  Kyra ran to her father, who was lying two or three feet away from Incantatrix. He wasn’t singing anymore but wasn’t awake either. His body accommodated in a bed of burnt debris made the scene to be morbid. Trying to bring him back to reality, Kyra talked to her father, almost forcing him to answer back, but nothing happened.

  “He’s not answering me… Is he okay?” -Kyra asked with uncertainty and anxiety. Incantatrix crawled until reaching the dentist and after checking for pulse or respiration, she made a signal to the Inklings, those who in a matter of seconds were seizing Kyra and taking her away from her father. She yelled and tried to fight against the Inklings, wanting to be released to run to her father’s side, to save him, protect him, to take him home. Rubbing her hands together, Incantatrix touched the dentist’s chest. A light as intense as the one that burned down the forest poured from her to the man’s chest, as well as her tears, until he coughed hard, almost choking with the words that tried to escape his mouth… a rush of words wanting to be said aloud all together.

  “Jadline...”

  When he reacted, the Inklings released Kyra, helping her to find her way through the crowd. Hugging him, knowing he was alive, was more than enough. No words were needed to relieve their hearts. They were together again.

  All of them.

  A broken family reunited after fifteen years.

  Chapter 26: Pain… What a Fear

  Flying high, Mackenzie felt a pain again. Twice he had felt it. He had begun to consider the water Kyra threw on him was without doubt poisoned. It was repugnant as nothing he had tasted or smelled before. With closed eyes he would happily jump into a pond full of Komodo’s slobber to take a deserved bath. The slobber’s repulsive feeling probably would have abandoned him by then. She did it on purpose, he was sure, because there would have been at least another hundred ways to wake them up. Apparently, he was the only one still angry for it. The others seemed to have easily overcome the terrible way she treated them.

  If he had been walking, he would be dragging his feet between the rocks and the dirt. He opened his mouth to complain about the pain, but no word came out. In the absence of words, just another of his white teeth felt. He saw the white pearl gracefully falling between the darkness of the woods and the night. Without thinking it twice, he made a double flip in the air before nose-diving after his teeth. He needed to be fast, to get the teeth before losing it between the lush of the grass and moss. While Mackenzie followed his tooth, he thought about its possible meaning, why his teeth were falling, why he had been so cruel with Kyra, why all this was happening to him. Why… why… why?

  The tooth fell to the floor rapidly. Surprisingly, when it touched the ground, a display of beauty started before his eyes. A show as nothing Mackenzie had seen before. Hundreds of tiny fungi started glowing, lighting up what seemed to be two or three acres around. He had never seen those beautiful fungi in his many years in Alter Land, and he was certain he knew almost every living creature there. He kneeled in the grass, ducking until his face was just centimeters away from the tiny lights.

  “Glowshrooms! I’ll name you ‘Glowshrooms’!” -Mesmerized, he said to the fungi while resting in the ground. - “Wait till Kyra see you! She’ll be really amazed!”

  Oh, how many ideas crossed Mackenzie’s mind! How fast was running his imagination, hyperactive, just as under the effects of a chocolate overdose. With his fingertip, Mackenzie touched the Glowshrooms that twinkled like Christmas lights. On and off, off and on, the Glowshrooms were bright crimson red. He remembered when he and two fellow Lost Boys once went to human’s land and, attracted by twinkling lights like those, they ventured into a building to take a closer look at those special effects. They never managed to get close enough as a huge man was standing in the door, checking every people before granting access.

  “Wrong address!” -The man had told them between laughs. His huge body blocking the entrance, just as a giant elf stood in the way blocking the secret path to the Invisible Void. - “The costume party is in six months, kids.”

  “We just want to see the blinking stars!” -Mackenzie ventured to say.

  “Stars? You mean those colorful lights?” -The man asked opening a tiny gap in the building’s door while his overstuffed index finger pointed at the neon lights twirling in the roof. To peek inside, Mackenzie and the boys needed to bend their heads ninety degrees, and even so, they didn’t manage to see a thing beyond jumping bodies and shaking heads. - “I’m afraid you won’t see them in at least ten more years.”

  “We’re not going anywhere without taking a closer look at those stars. I travel daily between them to get in here, and I’ve never seen them behave that way. This could be dangerous!” -Mackenzie stated with grittiness.

  “Oh, I get it. You are one of those Sci-Fi expo freaks!” -The man assured with a nod. - “The thing is, kids, this place is for grownups. This could get ugly and dangerous if you don’t leave right now. I see myself in the obligation to call the police, or worse, to accuse you with your mommies. So, Orevwa!”

  Offense taken, Mackenzie and the Lost Boys pretended a retreat. Hiding behind some vehicles, they planned a way to get in the building. Outlining strategies that seconds later ended rejected, Mackenzie had the great idea to get inside by flying to the roof and finding a hidden entrance, but the door on the roof was closed with a chain. That would be no problem as Mackenzie always carried some fixing dust with him. He went back to where the boys were waiting for him and sprinkling them with flying dust, they all went to the roof. Mackenzie’s two pals went straight to a long window through which they could see the interior of the building. Stunned by what their eyes saw, the three stood there, unaware that someone had begun to sing, revealing their location with the security of the building. That was the moment when hell broke loose in Mackenzie’s life. Still today, the only thing he remembers is the burning feeling in his eyes after being sprayed with something from a tin, how he was blinded and how they were arrested with his face glued to the wet ground.

  The way in which they returned to Alter Land was uncertain. He only had vague memories. A song, a girl with beautiful hair, eyes white like pearls, and the water close to his feet. That was all he remembered when opening back his eyes after the itchy spray. A few days later he convinced himself he was powerful enough to free himself and his company with the ability of just wishing and dreaming, and that he was capable to travel in time to free himself from any situation.

  Little whimpers echoed through the forest around Mackenzie. After living an infinite life in a place like Alter Land, Mackenzie could certainly bet the noise belonged to a newborn animal. Which one? He wasn’t close to guess, but oh, boy! He loved animals! Animals had been his only company when there was no Lost Boys. And that happened very often. He made a vow to SunFish’s memory and cursed silently the Wizard’s name after the recognition that his pet -his only real friend- would never be alive again. There was no necessity to say that Mackenzie needed to rescue this helpless animal before the giant wolf finds it and devours it. Following the noises, Mackenzie walked led by the trees, the smells and the silence.

  The dust and soil with signs that something had crawled there; the crushed leaves scattered on the ground in a place where the wind whispered softly but didn’t dare to blow fearing the Enchanted Forest’s curse; everything displayed an uncommon pattern that gave away the creature’s hiding place. Tiny shrublets seemed to quiver; no doubt it was the creature’s hiding place. Peeking above the shrublets, Mackenzie found a small animal, much like a puppy. Astonished, Mackenzie took the poor little puppy in his hands, noticing it had a broken leg.

  “Weird.” -Mackenzie thought to himself. Animals in Alter Land never suffer such accidents. Nature and animals get along perfectly well, helping one to anoth
er, without the harmful interaction of men. It was common to see a dying animal resting close to the carnivores, and those waiting to see the last breath of life abandoning the body to then feed from it. Those, in exchange, go to die in the pastures to provide better nourishment, helping to feed the prey, and continue their harmonious cycle of life.

  He didn’t give much thinking as Alter Land was suffering unexplainable changes in the last days, and this could easily be one of those. Trying to heal the poor animal, Mackenzie took some moss and, chewing it to make a paste, began to spread the homemade ointment in the affected area. Certain that his organic cure would work, Mackenzie ended the treatment by wrapping the animal’s leg with some thin vines, molding it to an improvised cast.

  A hot, musty wind blew him in the head, making Mackenzie wish to puke. Turning around, Mackenzie discovered the giant wolf was crouched on top of him, ready to make him a tasty snack as promised. Fortunately, Kyra hadn’t written this wolf like a talking animal, because if it had just whispered on his back, Mackenzie would have stained his thin green stockings or died right away, white and stiff as a frozen Prickly Pear tree. The trap has been set, and he had fallen straight on it. A yell tried to escape from his lips, but just his breath was exhaled, thick as midnight mist. He was voiceless.

  He still didn’t know how he had managed to dodge the giant wolf’s deathly bite; he didn’t even remember how the little puppy was still in his hands… but Mackenzie thought his impulsive reflexes had just saved his life once again. Trying to fly wasn’t going to be easy, as the giant animal kept launching its paws against him, cutting Mackenzie’s space, trying to slice him in half, just as smoked turkey breast. Mackenzie got hit by the animal a few couple of times, and he was getting tired. Pained and massacred. Never occurred to him that his death was going to be that way, the Life Reaper to appear when he wasn’t expecting it; that he was going to be literally ripped apart in hands of a creation of someone he liked so bad.

  Time has proven him contrary. He was going to die just that way. Perhaps he had it well deserved, but he didn’t want to die without telling Kyra his truth. Considering what a donkey jerk he had been with Kyra since the first moment they met, she had been soft and cute with him. She must have been tougher and maybe none of these things would be happening to him. His mind was racing, thinking about a lot of things he should have done differently. Seeing his life like a slideshow was nothing good. But he discovered something. Something he hadn’t considered before. The Wizard had shown up, guided by a light Sirina mocked him with, and had sent him for a girl to break his spell, but Mackenzie was sure he hadn’t told the man about his wish to become a normal boy.

  It’s not like the Wizard was supposed to know everything; after all he was part of the same story. Right?

  An idea came to him, but he received another smack, falling to the ground, momentarily making him forget the thought. Just seconds away to give up his life to the wolf’s hunger, Mackenzie hid the little puppy in a hollow tree -an impulse impossible to fight even when his life was depending on every second. Leaving the pup, he discovered it wasn’t a puppy after all, but a giant wolf’s cub. Despite the cub was another coldblooded killer, Mackenzie didn’t regret having saved the animal. Hopefully, Alter Land would take charge of the cub soon, making it to grow in harmony with the surroundings.

  Eyes closed because he feared to die the way he was going to, Mackenzie remembered Kyra and her smell. It was easier to die that way, deep into emotions and memories. His feelings, nerves, impulses, dormant under the beautiful dream she evoked on him. His soul was tired of an existence like the one he was living. Only the good memories he had created with Kyra mattered for him now. Sluggish, he just wanted to let it all go. Crawling backward as fast as the landscape allowed him, Mackenzie tried to avoid the beast’s attempts to eat him. Having that terrible mouth so close to him was reason enough to fade away, but he would be an easy prey if he allowed his body to act like marshmallow scallops.

  Mackenzie didn’t act quickly enough. Without seeing the upcoming hit, the giant wolf’s claws torn apart Mackenzie’s belly’s skin. He contracted in pain while he tried to plan something to heal himself. Moss. Maybe moss would work for him too, but he wasn’t having the opportunity to take it. Red blood began to fall in spurts while he was sure he was feeling better than earlier that same day.

  Yes, he was raving already.

  Water streamed from his eyes, and despite knowing he wasn’t crying, his eyes couldn’t stop watering diamond tears, just as his belly couldn’t stop bleeding. His back began to burn, right in the place where Kyra had written a sentence to keep Shimmerhorn’s soul safe. The blood that flowed from his belly was slightly stained with oily black. Drops of blood stained with a rainbow hue slid down his ribs to the floor. The ground ended stained with his vital fluid and the dry leaves scattered around and under his aching body began absorbing it like much needed water. Suddenly, those leaves went flying over him, dancing with the soft breeze, glistening with inner light, changing from a wither color to beautiful golden autumn. Many other leaves around did the same, as if the trees were claiming them back, as if time was running but in reverse. Each leaf floated, stationed in space, while the huge beast tried to knock them down one by one. A beast acting by its nature, like a baby chasing butterflies.

  Mackenzie receded, trying to get away from the giant wolf’s legs while the animal jumped, striking the air with his sharp claws, bringing death closer in the fastest way possible. A glint like gold powder rained over Mackenzie’s harmed body, gluing to him like the green particles in the water. Those leaves touched by the wolf fell over his wounds, like pulverized gold dust, covering his body with a goo-like glitter so beautiful he had never imagined it before.

  The enchantment in which the giant wolf was, mesmerized by the moment, faded away as fast as it happened. Ready and accommodated on top of Mackenzie, the giant wolf growled, waiting for the right second. Its putrid smell and the slobber falling on Mackenzie’s face was enough to kill the memories he recalled with such difficulty. Mackenzie just begged to be eaten fast… Just a single bite… That way he could forget it all.

  A powerful growl made his stomach writhe in pain, though he wasn’t sure if the pain was coming from inside the wound or for the goo covering it. The little wolf cub came out of his hiding, standing right in front of Mackenzie, challenging the giant wolf -it’s mother- and risking his life protecting the un-aging boy. The cub growled a few times, trying to show he could be wild too. The overprotective gesture of the animal softened Mackenzie to a level he hadn’t felt before, but the giant wolf just hit the cub hard with closed paw and threw the poor animal like a rocket in the forest.

  Mackenzie feared more. Yes. He wanted to die fast, but he didn’t dare to say it aloud. Not that way.

  “Don’t count on dying yet.” -The Wizard said laughing. - “You have many to suffer yet.”

  Mackenzie was sure words wouldn’t come out this time either, no matter how much he tried, but he didn’t lose the chance to curse inside, as was his habit. The giant wolf snarled at the Wizard, its animal instinct claiming the prey he hunted down. The Wizard was expecting this of course, as animals like that, created from ink by a brokenhearted girl, could only bring more trouble than security, but it had been fun to boss it around like a toy. Whistling a high note, The Wizard imprisoned the huge animal with a muzzle made of black ink while four giant elves came out of nowhere, restraining the beast with black ink fetters. Little gnomes tied Mackenzie while he was still lying on the floor on shock. Leaves stood there, suspended in the air, glistening a special light, a soft tinge of colors and Mackenzie felt grateful his death wasn’t going to be in vain after all. If a few drops of his blood did give life to some leaves, how much life could he give if his veins were fully drained?

  Been carried by gnomes obeying the Wizard was bad. Recognizing their faces… This was worse. Mackenzie was really hoping to be eaten and gone, bye-bye life, but no. Embarrassment was reflected
on the gnome’s faces as they know it all and hold the power of remembering. The un-aging boy never forgets a face, and they knew that too. Especially the faces of those who he had helped, with whom he had eaten, those who he had rescued when pirates had invaded their lands and destroyed everything and imprisoned everyone, the ones he had helped built back their shacks and fortify their defenses.

  Mackenzie never got used to their appearance, their faces weren’t the only thing that mystified him. The green hairs to camouflage with nature, and the women… hairy just like the men. Thankfully he had never considered a gnomish girlfriend.

  “Nothing personel, boy. Kai lle. Nosse rashwe!” -One of the gnomes told him with sadness. Luckily, Mackenzie talked every language in Alter Land. These poor gnomes were working with the Wizard because he had taken their families. Of course Mackenzie understood them, but why no one warned him of all this? He felt so miserable.

  “I have to thank you…, un-aging boy.” -The Wizard interrupted. - “Don’t think I am so ungrateful. I owe you a good friend now. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have known your mermaid friend. Funny how the world works. She was your friend. She’s my friend now. See, we are all connected after all, like the nature you protect with such endeavor. It's a shame everything has to end shortly.”

  Noises echoed everywhere, but none of them could scare Mackenzie more than what he was already. Why was all this happening to him? Why he had to be uncomfortable with the life he was living just weeks ago? He wished to be sitting on his tree trunk, fixing the same window which always used to fall; cleaning the orchard and singing soft songs to his Dulcè garden and stay there watching it grow right before his eyes. Sitting under the trees to fill his belly with fruits, drinking sweet dew until feeling he was going to explode; and just after a satisfying meal, stay there resting and contemplating the nature while he tickled his own nose with honeysuckle’s tiny buds. It was the best experience ever.