Greysons of Grimoire

by Tpaul Homdrom

  Now… if only Caleb would wake up.

  Delilah wished she’d studied up on Time Magic, just to understand it. Caleb was able to make anything seem okay and non-threatening with that easy smile of his. But Delilah should have known better. Time Magic was dangerous. Everyone said so.

  And now my ignorance leaves me unable to do anything to help Caleb. I don’t even know if he’ll ever come back to normal. I don’t even know what’s happening to him.

  “Well, I think we should keep moving,” Lorelei said, stepping to the front of the group. She’d ditched her coat, using Conjuring Magic to send it to magical space, a catch-all term for rooms and places that existed outside of physical space, that was reached through Conjuring and Summoning Magic. Delilah knew of Shana’s expansive magical “library” accessed through Conjuring Magic. Storing books when you ran out of space, or storing clothes when you unexpectedly got zapped to a humid tropical island.

  Conjuring Magic was endlessly useful.

  I spent all my time focused on learning and training to fight. I could have spent a little of that time practicing the more practical applications of magic. Now I’m stuck carrying my coat. And my scarf. And my hat. I could have Felix carry them, but that would be rude. My Summons aren’t servants, they’re fighters.

  Guess I’ll just have to bear with it.

  “We’re almost halfway,” Isabelle said. She was smiling, but she didn’t have the exuberant energy she’d displayed before Chelsea blasted the jungle. “As long as we make it to the top before nightfall, we won’t see any Hollows.”

  “What happens if we don’t make it before dark?” Delilah asked.

  Isabelle frowned. “Then worse Hollows will show up,” she said. “They live in caves, but they hide the entrances during the daytime. At night, the whole mountain is crawling with them.”

  “So we’ll just have to reach the top while it’s light out,” Lorelei said. She took Isabelle’s hand, and the girl smiled up at her.

  Delilah liked Lorelei. She’d spent even less time with her than she had with Chelsea, but Lorelei had this confident leadership quality about her. She was like a big sister, or a young mother, looking out for those around her, and especially caring for those younger than her. She had a surprising amount of maturity and emotional stability. Delilah was glad she was along.

  But where do I fit in here?

  Isabelle tells us where to go. Lorelei helps lead and keep everyone grounded. Chelsea was able to clear out the Hollows and give us a safe path to the mountain. Caleb may be out now, but he saved me at the library. And I’m just…

  “I’m proud of you,” Caleb had said. Delilah’s heart had soared at those simple words at the time, but now, she was back to uncertainty.

  What had she actually accomplished? How could she be useful?

  “You okay?” Chelsea asked. She was carrying Caleb, walking alongside Delilah.

  “Huh?” Delilah asked, looking up at her. “What do you mean?”

  “I just… when I exploded back there, you choked on the smoke,” Chelsea said. “I never meant to hurt you. Are you feeling okay now?”

  Delilah nodded. “I’m fine,” she said. “Lorelei fixed me right up.”

  Chelsea smiled briefly. “Yeah, she’s good at that.” Silence passed between them for a while, and the sounds of their footsteps and Isabelle’s humming filled the space. “Hey, do you want to carry him for a bit? He hardly weighs anything. Like a bundle of feathers.”

  Delilah stared at her brother’s form in Chelsea’s arms. “I, um…” she said, uncertain how to reply. She held up her coat and scarf, balled up in her arms. “My hands are full.”

  “I can trade ya,” Chelsea said, smiling. “He’s your brother. You’re probably more worried about him than I am.”

  I can see why you’d think that, but… I don’t think anyone cares for Caleb as much as you do.

  “It’s okay,” Delilah said. “He… you should look after him.”

  Chelsea nodded. “Okay.”

  “By the way… thanks. You really saved us back there. Even if it was scary, and dangerous, I honestly don’t think we would have made it out of that alive if you hadn’t torched everything.”

  A brief look of surprise flashed across Chelsea’s face, and then vanished. “Well… that’s good.”

  Silence again, as the climb continued.

  Shana’s the social butterfly. I don’t know what to say. Do I just leave her alone? I mean, silence is fine with me, but I feel like I should get to know her better than I do. I feel like I should reach out to her somehow.

  Especially now that Caleb’s broken and Chelsea seems emotionally broken because of it.

  But what do I do? Shana and Caleb are the ones that cheer people up.

  I wonder what Shana’s going through right now. People have to know we’re missing. What time is it back home now? We’ve only been here for… seven hours? Eight? Okay, they probably know by now. Unless time is weird between the worlds. I’ve never been in a whole other dimension, which I’m assuming this is. Maybe it’s only been a few minutes back home. Or maybe it’s been days. Weeks. Maybe it’s been years and they think we’re dead!

  …Don’t get carried away, Delilah. Let’s just assume that time is the same in both places. That means that Shana and Shias are already awake and at school. Mom and dad would have found out that Caleb’s missing, because Hunters going missing is a huge deal. They would have told Shana and Shias, because they tell all of us basically everything. And they would have noticed I’m missing because I’m not home like I should be.

  So they know. And they’re probably freaking out. And if they saw Caleb right now, they’d be freaking out even more.

  But what if mom and dad know what to do? They’re the best mages ever. They probably know exactly what’s going on with him and exactly how to fix it.

  So we need to get home. And fast.

  Caleb… don’t die on me.

  And don’t you dare die on Chelsea. She needs you more than anyone. I don’t know much about her or your relationship, but I can see how she feels for you. I don’t really get it, honestly. But you must know, too.

  You wouldn’t leave her behind. You wouldn’t leave any of us behind.

  I’m going to try my hardest to stop worrying about you. Because you’d just smile, and laugh, and say “don’t worry, Delilah! I’ll be fine in no time!”

  I don’t know where you get your insane optimism from…

  But I love it. And I wish I could be like that.

  So I’ll try. And I’ll try to figure out what I can do, that no one else can. I promise I’ll be useful. I promise I won’t let you down.

  “Hey, we’re almost there!” Isabelle called out excitedly.

  Delilah’s internal contemplation was broken off by Isabelle’s surprising announcement.

  It couldn’t have been long enough, and yet Delilah could already see the top of the mountain. They’d risen hundreds, maybe even thousands of feet — the jungle was so far below them, it made Delilah’s head spin.

  “Thank goodness that went smoothly,” Lorelei said, smiling as they turned a corner and started up a steep set of stairs — the final stretch to the top.

  “And from the top, getting down is even easier!” Isabelle said. Despite her stature, she climbed the steps with no problem, often taking them two or three at a time, humming to herself as she did. Meanwhile, Delilah’s legs were burning. She didn’t have any skill in Enhancement Magic like the two Hunters, and even they appeared to be struggling. She pushed, refusing to Summon Felix to carry her.

  I can do this much on my own.

  …as long as I don’t have to use my legs again for a week.

  “The sky hasn’t even changed,” Lorelei noted, staring up at the eerie white expanse above them. “I can’t tell how far we are from night. Is there a sunset?”

  “I don’t know what a sunset is,” Isabelle said, “but it’s night when the sky gets dark.”

  “Is t
here some kind of transition?” Lorelei asked. “Are there signs that let you know night is close, or does it just switch instantly?”

  “It’s an instant switch!” Isabelle said excitedly. “You know, you remind me of my big sister.”

  Lorelei smiled at the girl. “Really? How so?”

  “You ask a lot of questions,” Isabelle said, a goofy grin plastered on her face. “It’s fun. And you’re so caring and nice about it, too. Plus, your hair.” Isabelle pointed at Lorelei’s red braid. “It’s just a little bit darker than hers.”

  “And a little bit darker than yours,” Lorelei noted, ruffling Isabelle’s bright apple red hair. The girl giggled. “Does your sister have the same hair color as yours?”

  “Exactly the same!” Isabelle said. “So do all of my sisters, and Mommy. All of our hair is the same color.”

  “How many sisters do you have?” Delilah asked.

  Isabelle looked back at her. Those big, wide eyes were so full of curiosity and wonderment, and it brought a smile to Delilah’s face. “There used to be seven of us,” she said. “But we lost five. Mommy and Mari and I went looking for the lost ones, but then we got separated, so… I haven’t seen them in a long time.”

  “Kind of like all the children who are going missing back home,” Chelsea said grimly.

  “Maybe, once we find a way to get back home, we can help find your sisters, too,” Lorelei said. “And you still have to find a way back to your home, too. We can help with that.”

  Isabelle rushed up five more steps so she could turn and look back at the group from above them. Her eyes seemed to be sparkling. “Really? You’d do that for me?”

  “Sure we would,” Lorelei said, reaching out her hand. Isabelle took it with a smile. “You can count on us.”

  “Caleb promised he’d help you get home,” Chelsea said. “Even if he can’t… we will.”

  “Thank you!” Isabelle cheered, skipping ahead, and Lorelei picked up the pace to keep up with her. Chelsea followed suit, and Delilah screamed internally as she desperately pushed her exhausted legs to speed up.

  They reached the top just as Delilah thought she was going to collapse and tumble all the way back down the mountain. She stopped with the others on a wide platform, hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. She longed to sit down, but she didn’t risk it just yet.

  If she did sit down, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand back up again. And they weren’t at their destination yet.

  Caleb was the only one who would need to be carried. Of that, Delilah was determined.

  “What’s next?” Lorelei asked, looking to Isabelle for guidance.

  Isabelle spun in a circle, grinning as she spread her arms wide. “We jump!” she announced proudly.

  Delilah stared at the girl in confusion.

  Jump?

  Say what now?

  “Can you provide more details?” Chelsea asked, exuding the same skepticism that Delilah felt.

  Isabelle frowned. She pointed to the edge of the platform, and the vast opening beyond. “We jump in there,” she said.

  Lorelei stepped forward, leaning over the edge to look down. “It’s an awfully long way, Isabelle,” she said.

  “Yeah, but falling is really fast,” Isabelle said, pursing her lips in frustration at her companions’ hesitance. “It’s not dangerous.”

  “Do you use magic to slow or stop yourself?” Lorelei asked.

  “No!” Isabelle said, stamping her foot. “You just jump! Why can’t you just jump?”

  “It’s a scary thought,” Lorelei said. Her voice was the perfect one for that line. She could come across as cold when she wanted to, but her usual demeanor was warm and caring, and her voice and tone got that across far better than any words could. She knelt down and rested a hand on Isabelle’s shoulder. “We’ve never jumped down such a long distance. That’s usually very dangerous where we’re from.”

  Isabelle’s expression softened. “Well… that’s what I do,” she said. “I just jump. I think Mommy said… there’s magic in the chute. It protects you, so you don’t get hurt jumping down.”

  “How many times have you done this?” Chelsea asked.

  “Once,” Isabelle said, sticking her tongue out at Chelsea. “I know it works.”

  Chelsea, rather than shooting back at Isabelle, just sighed. “Okay, okay,” she said, shaking her head. “Who’s going first?”

  “Me!” Isabelle said, holding up a hand. “It’s super fun! I’ll show you!”

  And then the little girl turned around and leapt off the ledge.

  “That is a terrifying sight,” Lorelei said. Delilah had noticed how, as Isabelle moved to jump, Lorelei had started to reach out to stop her.

  “You’re telling me,” Chelsea said, walking towards the edge of the platform. Delilah followed her and looked out over it.

  A wide chute carved through the center of the mountain formed a straight shot down to the bottom, where there was clearly some kind of boat docked on an underground lake. Isabelle was still falling, but in just the few seconds between her jump and Delilah looking, she was already more than halfway down.

  “Do people usually fall that fast?” Chelsea asked.

  “I don’t know,” Lorelei said. “I’ve never been skydiving without a parachute.”

  Chelsea snorted, but other than that, no one laughed. They were all too high-strung watching Isabelle plummet to the dock so far below. Soon enough, Isabelle had reached the bottom. There was no splat, no sudden carpet of red. Just a pinprick below them, the little girl was just visible enough for Delilah to be able to tell when she looked up at them and waved, motioning for them to follow. All three girls yet to jump let out a collective sigh of relief.

  “I still don’t trust this,” Chelsea said, holding Caleb tighter.

  Lorelei sighed, stepping up to the very edge, so that her toes were hanging out over it. “Here goes,” she said. She leaned forward, and Delilah and Chelsea instinctively moved to grab her.

  They were too slow. Lorelei dropped, and Delilah and Chelsea were left to watch breathlessly as she fell.

  Seconds seemed like minutes, and then hours. Finally, as Lorelei reached the bottom, Delilah and Chelsea flinched, leaning back. As Delilah opened her eyes, ever so slowly, she saw that, like Isabelle, Lorelei was just fine. Now both of the redheads were waving up at them to follow.

  “Wanna go together?” Chelsea asked, looking over at Delilah nervously.

  Delilah nodded. “Please,” she said in a small voice.

  And so… they fell.

  “Shouldn’t the wind be harsher?” Delilah asked.

  “Yeah,” Chelsea said. “This is… really weird.”

  “The ground’s still rushing up towards us way too fast.”

  “Yep.”

  “It’s freaking me out.”

  “Yep. Super trippy.”

  How they could carry out a conversation with such relaxed voices while in a freefall was unclear. Why there was barely any wind was a mystery. Even so, as the ground came perilously close, Delilah shut her eyes, grit her teeth, and flinched away.

  And then…

  Her feet were on solid ground.

  There was no impact at all. One second she was falling, the next, she was standing.

  “Magic is so weird,” Lorelei said, giggling at the new arrivals. She seemed off, like the drop had gotten to her nerves in a big way, and she was giggling uncontrollably to compensate.

  Delilah couldn’t blame her.

  Magic was super weird.

  “See?” Isabelle said, puffing up with pride. “I told you it was safe.”

  “You sure did, kid,” Chelsea said. She shifted Caleb to cradle him with just one arm so she could ruffle Isabelle’s hair. “Maybe I’ll be more trusting next time.”

  “Maybe?” Isabelle asked, pouting up at Chelsea, who just laughed.

  “So… this is our way off Hollow Island,” Delilah said, looking around.

  It wasn’t an
underground lake, but rather the endpoint of an underground river stretching through a tunnel beyond them. The dock was made of white stone, and was small — maybe fifty people could stand crowded onto it at once. A simple building with large windows served as a sort of check-in station, the only way to the gangplank up to the boat.

  The vessel was white like the stonework, and streamlined, with sweeping curves and beautiful silver tracery all over its hull. With no sails, it looked like a sleek motorboat, but there was no sound of an engine. Delilah had the sneaking suspicion it was powered by magic. At its bow was a statue of a maiden in a flowing dress, her hands to her chest, her expression one of sad longing.