by M. A. Torres
“We can’t lose anyone else, David!” said Kevin.
David nodded. He looked at Jenny. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “Now you see why I’ve been a nervous wreck. I don’t know who or when. It could be you, could be Megan, could be my friends from the drama club, the girls at school... it’s overwhelming!”
David grabbed his keys. “Let’s go to the mental hospital. Let’s go speak with Quentin and find out what’s going on! We’re not gonna sit here and do nothing!”
NURSE BETTY LED JENNY and Kevin to the behavioral center’s common room. David remained in his car, as only two visitors were allowed per patient.
The room was grandiose and bright—the natural light spilling in from the large windows spanning the room. The residents loitered about with varying purposes. Some sat at tables and played board games, while others assembled puzzles with the help of the center’s orderlies. Others stared at the television, enthralled by the show, or hypnotized by the changing visuals. One female resident danced gracefully to a melody playing only in her head, while others moved aimlessly, slaves to an objective known to them and them alone.
Quentin Mallory smiled upon seeing Jenny enter the lobby. He stood and approached her, his hands reaching for hers.
“Ah, Lady Jenny. You returned!” He took her hands in his and planted a soft kiss on them.
“Mr. Mallory, how have you been?”
Before he could respond, an old man on a walker interrupted. “You don’t wanna talk to him; he’s nuts! Thinks he’s King Arthur or somethin’! You’ve heard the story of King Arthur, right?” He smiled a toothless smile.
“Silence your putrid mouth, you wrinkled worm! Go talk to the people in your shoe!” shouted Quentin.
The old man walked away, chuckling.
Kevin smiled at Jenny.
“That’s one they all call Ser! He’s got nothing but rocks in his head and soils his pants like a newborn babe, but no, they call him Ser! Anyhow, where were we? Ah, yes, I’ve been well since your previous visit. I aspire now, thanks to you. I had been looking forward to your return. I’m glad I didn’t have to wait long!”
“Mr. Mallory, this is Kevin Martinez. He’s been the one traveling to Derathiel. He fought Raven.”
Quentin’s eyes widened. “Come back to my quarters. We can speak there without interruption.”
Minutes later, they were sitting around the table in Quentin’s room.
“You battled Raven, and you stand here before me, alive and well?”
“I had help from many, including your daughter,” said Kevin.
“My daughter?”
“Yes. Princess Hayla’s army...”
“Wait, princess? My daughter is a princess and leads an army?” he interrupted.
“Yes, sir. How do you not know? She rules Derathiel and will be crowned queen when she is of age.”
“How is that possible? My brother, King Xavier, he’s the king, then come his sons...”
“You must have left before...” Kevin mumbled. “Raven’s forces killed King Xavier and his sons.”
Quentin seemed to have ignored Kevin’s last words. “Princess Hayla... Queen Hayla...” he whispered to himself.
“Princess Hayla is safe, for now. The northern lords have turned against her, though. Raven moves to regroup and attack her castle once again, trying to re-take Maviel’s Mirror. The castle stands for now, but it is partially destroyed.”
Quentin lowered his gaze, his eyes filling with determination. “Please, I must return to my daughter. She needs me now! This is how I can make amends... this is how I can redeem myself!”
“You think your people will accept you after betraying your brother and starting a war?” asked Kevin.
“I know I am hated. I know I risk execution if I’m ever seen in Derathiel again, but I must try. If not for myself, but for my daughter.”
“Mr. Mallory, I will talk to Princess Hayla next time I return to Derathiel. I’ll let her know you are here, and I’ll ask her if she wants to see you again,” Kevin told him.
“Yes, please! I’ll be forever in your debt! Please urge her to agree.”
Kevin nodded. “Mr. Mallory... I have a question for you. Have you ever heard of the name Vengara?”
Quentin nodded. “Yes, yes I have. She emerged from the Void inside the Afterlife.”
“The Void? The Afterlife?” asked Kevin.
“The Afterlife is the dominion of the dead and the spirit world in Derathiel. Everything with life—people, wildlife, the trees—their essence enters the Afterworld after they perish. There they wait, existing in harmony until they are reborn into the physical world.
“The Void is the realm within the Afterlife reserved for those most wicked. Those who enter are not allowed a rebirth. They spend eternity trapped in a hellish existence, tormented by the demons within, punishment for their vile and evil deeds.”
“How did she escape... the Void?” asked Kevin.
Quentin sobbed. “I assisted Raven in setting her free...”
Kevin and Jenny traded a glance. Moments later, Quentin wiped the tears from his eyes. He cleared his throat and continued.
“Raven asked me to open Maviel’s tomb. He said the tomb contained a relic of great power that would mark me as the chosen ruler of Derathiel. He said I was picked by the gods to rule in their stead. It would win me the throne without having to shed my brother’s blood. He said it was my destiny to become the greatest leader Derathiel has ever known—the only leader to be chosen by the gods themselves, and this relic would leave no doubt as to who the rightful king should be.”
“Was Maviel’s Mirror that relic?” asked Jenny.
“Yes. But he lied to me. I opened that tomb—a tomb only another Maelstrom could unseal. He reached inside and pulled out the first mirror. It was lying next to Maviel’s remains. Then he spoke some words, and a moment later, Vengara rose, holding the second mirror... the one present in the Afterlife.
“When she appeared, Raven’s intentions seemed to change. He no longer vowed to help me win the throne. Instead, he and Vengara began plotting to find ‘the child.’ They never revealed who this child could be, or their reason for desiring it. Their efforts revolved around creating their army of wooden monsters and finding that child.
“They turned my soldiers, then my officers, into those wood-like creatures. I knew my time was near. But I knew I couldn’t leave on foot or on horseback. They would catch me, no doubt. So one day, I snuck into Raven’s quarters, desperate to escape. I took both mirrors and reflected the candlelight onto myself with one while I held the other. I was teleported through, and I ended up here.”
“I heard your daughter smuggled the remaining mirror away from Raven. It must have happened soon afterward,” said Kevin.
“She must have... my brave Hayla. I left her there alone with those monsters...” his sobbing intensified.
Kevin rubbed his forehead and shook his head.
“Anything else you can tell us about Vengara?” asked Jenny.
Quentin blew his nose with a tissue. “Her body is the Void itself—a form of nothingness. Her face is pale, and she has but one left eye. Raven seemed to answer to her when she appeared.” Quentin leaned in towards Kevin. “I need to make amends, young Kevin. I need to return to Derathiel. Please!”
“Are you not afraid of execution?” asked Jenny.
“I could wear a disguise. I need to redeem myself for my daughter, for my people...”
“I’ll speak with your daughter soon,” said Kevin.
“Please! I’m positive she’ll agree. I can prove to you I can still be useful! As a sign of good faith, I will reveal how Vengara operates.”
Kevin and Jenny nodded.
“Vengara rose with three servants.”
“Three servants?” repeated Kevin.
“Yes—the Deceiver, the Conscript, and the Enforcer. They all serve a precise purpose. The Deceiver is a master manipulator, disguising its
elf to further Vengara’s wishes, planting seeds of chaos through words and actions, pitting friend against friend, brother against brother. The Conscript recruits her allies, promising wealth, power, or the target’s upmost desires to enlarge her support base. The Enforcer travels the earth, eliminating her enemies, ensuring no one stands between her and her ultimate goal.”
“What is... her ultimate goal?” asked Jenny.
“Finding the mirror and finding the child.”
Kevin and Jenny thought for a while.
“Where are these servants now?” asked Kevin.
“They could be here as we speak. She could have sent them when she and Raven had the mirror—before my daughter smuggled it away. When I came to Wakefield Falls, I buried mine behind my home on Crimson Street. Little did I know that would have no effect on the mirror’s power.”
“Did Raven send anyone after you?” asked Kevin.
“I never saw them... but I heard and felt them. They haunted my home, speaking riddles in the night, telling me to unearth and investigate the mirror, but I never did. Still, they did their evil deeds, and the evidence was all around me—my pets, the small rodents around my yard. All were transformed into wooden forms by the power of the mirror. It used my windows and any other reflective surface around my home, something I never knew would happen. Finally I succumbed. I unearthed it and tried to destroy it in my basement, to no avail.”
“Why didn’t you get rid of it? Why didn’t you take it far away and bury it in the ground?” asked Jenny.
“Because it was my way back home. I felt I would return, eventually. That’s why I brought a sapling with me. I never knew where I would end up when I transported. I never knew what would happen to the Maviel’s Mirror I held during the transport. Just in case it was destroyed in the process, I brought a sapling as assurance.”
“So what happens when the mirrors drain the living?” asked Kevin.
“They remove their souls. It takes the power of a soul to transport a being from one dimension to another if you don’t have access to the mirrors themselves. Raven and Vengara held one mirror briefly after I escaped. During that time, they must have transported their sentries, and perhaps Vengara’s servants, to scout this world before they themselves came through. That’s when they realized the child they were searching for was present, here, in Wakefield Falls.”
“What do these servants look like?” asked Jenny.
“They are dark spirits in their true form, but they have the power to possess any living thing or inanimate object, and that’s the form they usually assume. They can appear as you and me, an animal, a thing, whatever form they think is suitable for their objective. Hell, that toothless buffoon you spoke to earlier could be one of them for all we know.”
“They could be anyone here in Wakefield...” realized Kevin.
Quentin nodded. “Since she doesn’t possess Maviel’s Mirror, Raven and Vengara require souls as the fuel to transport her minions. Kevin, please tell me the mirror you possess is away from any other reflective surface...”
“Yes. It’s buried; out in the middle of nowhere.”
“Good.”
“Is there any difference between draining a human and a small mammal, like a mouse?” asked Jenny.
“Yes. Human souls are more powerful than small beings. The purer the soul, the more power in its transport potential. A human soul with great promise and free of negative stain provides the largest amount of fuel than any other.”
“Negative stain?” asked Jenny.
“Yes. A good human, with great spiritual potential, free of evil deeds...”
Kevin studied his words for a moment. “Mr. Mallory, we found a field of young crystalline trees deep within our forest. We’re sure they’re the trees from Derathiel. They don’t exist in our world. Do you know how they got there or what their purpose could be?”
“A field of Derathiel’s crystal trees? Where exactly?”
“North of here. Close to a twisted tree...”
“Oh no...” Quentin placed his hands on his head, stood, and paced the room. “Oh no, oh no, oh no.”
“What, Mr. Mallory? Tell us please,” pleaded Kevin.
“When I first came to this world, I found myself near a tree just like the one you described. I had Maviel’s mirror and my sapling. As I rushed out of the forest, I stumbled a few times. I dropped my sapling, and some of its leaves crumbled to pieces. The leaves are the seeds—able to anchor themselves and sprout roots into the earth. I thought I had retrieved them all, but I must have missed a few. They must have grown, and over time, spread.”
“What does it all mean?” asked Kevin.
Quentin looked up at him. “Those trees can serve as thousands of Maviel’s Mirrors...”
Jenny gasped.
“How?” asked Kevin.
“The original mirrors were created by Zaron himself, from the crystalline leaves of the tree growing from Maviel’s tomb. He gave some of his divine essence to enchant the tree with the portal power, then constructed both mirrors with its leaves.”
“Okay... so only the leaves from that particular tree have the power to transport?” asked Kevin.
“Yes. But the sapling I brought with me came from that tree...”
Kevin buried his face into his hands. “Oh, no.”
“You can take leaves from those trees, crush them, and mix them in fluid. Then, they can be spread onto any reflective surface, and you’ll have a new mirror with the potential to transport. The power used to create them was strong—so strong that they can influence any reflective surface around them, something I didn’t realize until later.”
“Until your pets were drained...” mentioned Kevin.
“Correct.”
Kevin sighed.
Mr. Mallory continued. “Vengara’s home is in the tomb where the enchanted tree resides. That tree is connected to both mirrors and its saplings. She can use them to drain the souls of the living here in Wakefield Falls. She can use those souls to keep transporting her allies, using any reflective surface nearby. If she drains any humans, that will give her enough fuel to transport herself.”
Jenny thought silently. “So that means any reflective surface near that field will exhibit the properties of Maviel’s mirror. They can drain souls and can then use them as fuel to transport beings into this dimension.”
Kevin looked at her. “We do have to burn that field.”
“As soon as possible.”
Quentin nodded. “Yes, and I will help! My life’s purpose has been restored. Name the date and state the time. I will be there to assist in its destruction. Then I can help you and my daughter back in Derathiel.”
Kevin stood. “We must go now, Jenny. We must destroy the field as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
“Wait... I will join you,” said Quentin.
“I thought you couldn’t leave,” inquired Jenny.
“I can; I have been deemed harmless by the medics they refer to as psychologists. I can leave with a chaperone, which means I can leave with you.”
“Mr. Mallory, we don’t need your help to destroy it. We can do that ourselves. Please, let us return to Derathiel and speak with your daughter. Then we’ll come back for you,” said Kevin.
Quentin glanced down, the disappointment showing on his face. “Very well. I will wait here patiently. But if I don’t hear from you soon, I will plan my escape...”
Kevin and Jenny gave him a quick nod and exited the room.
A minute later, they were walking towards the center’s exit.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to return to Derathiel,” mentioned Jenny.
“I don’t think so either,” agreed Kevin. “But I don’t think it’s our call. It’s Princess Hayla’s choice. She must decide.”
“She would be wise not to agree,” said Jenny.
“Why are you so sure?” asked Kevin.
“A father who would abandon his daughter in the face of danger
is not a man I would ever trust...”
SHADE LED HIS MASKED companions into the darkness of the abandoned house, deep within the forested outskirts of Wakefield Falls. He flicked on his flashlight and lit the far end of the dwelling, searching for their leader—the one responsible for gifting them their newfound powers.
“This is Shade of the Whiteface Knights. All of us are here, as you commanded,” he called out.
There was no answer.
“I hate having to sneak around this town like fugitives,” said the intruder with the smiling mask. “If the people of Wakefield knew our purpose, they would drive us around in a limo.”
Shade turned to him. “Be humble, Spade. We have accomplished nothing yet. Respect and adoration will come when it is earned.”
Spade shook his head in disagreement. “I’m trying to be patient, Shade, but it’s wearing thin.”
“Enter, ye chosen,” said a male voice from afar.
Shade aimed the light further into the room. There was a dusty brick fireplace at the far end. A pair of orange rubber gloves lay on the ledge above it, next to an empty plastic water bottle. Shade progressed further, shining the light into the room to the right. It was the kitchen—stripped of all appliances except for a rusted old stove. He noticed a wheelchair leaning against the side of the far end wall, and the wasted remains of medical scrubs lying on the floor next to its wheel.
“Where are you, Leader?” he asked.
“Here.”
The man emerged from the darkness of the kitchen. He was slim and wore dark jeans and a gray hoodie, which he used to conceal his head. A gray scarf was wrapped around his neck and lower part of his face. He wore reflective sunglasses, so his face was completely obscured.
“Come, ye faithful.”
He led Shade and his group into the living room. They entered, and the masked knights dropped to one knee.
The Gray Hoodie nodded. “My chosen warriors... I thank you for your efforts. I’m delighted to see you all again. You may rise.”
“Thank you, Leader,” responded Shade as he and the other stood. “We have been working diligently. Only one Kevin remains. He attends Rocky Valley High School. We will move on him soon. We will go in strong—stronger than we did during the party... for this Kevin must be the one we’re after.”
