Chapter 34: Magic vs. Magic
Ludus could not believe the sudden change in Mith. It was as if something finally broke that was holding her back. She no longer had any restraints, and was showing it. When she spat on the floor Ludus almost cheered for her. Her strength radiated from her core and even he could feel it. It made him stronger just by standing near her. He looked at her hands, clenched; stance ready in case Oldo came with the sword to attack. It was now or never, he could feel that the final battle for Parli was about to begin.
Sadly he took a quick glance at Mr. Hardel sitting as a statue on the floor nearby. Mith had tried not to notice him sitting there, but her expression and tears said differently, luckily neither the minions nor Gyrd saw. Ludus tried now to pay attention to Oldo and not to the statues of those so familiar to him. Maows had been seen sitting near Mr. Hardel, and Tyurd, the chicken man, stood near both. Ludus had not seen his parents and was relieved that he was spared that.
Suddenly Ludus’s vision became blurred and he felt the now familiar feeling of moving extremely fast. He wished it had come at any other time. The feeling lasted just a little bit longer this time. At once he stopped moving and found himself in a small hut, not unlike the one he lived in with his parents. It was a dingy little place with only a small table as furniture. The floor was made entirely of dirt.
This time his eyes remained at his own level, making him think that he had actually been transported back in time rather than seeing a memory. That all changed when his head moved without his consent. Ludus looked around the hut and could feel a pang of anxiety. He was waiting for someone to come through the small wooden door, someone who should have already been there. The view changed to a sitting position as his legs came into view and two arms wrapped around them. He stared at the door while terrible thoughts entered his head. The head he shared with a young Lwid.
All at once the door opened and a woman stepped in. Ludus tried to see out of the hut but could not control his eyes. The woman who he looked at was probably a lot younger than she looked; at least that is what it seemed to Ludus. She had long black hair and wore a simple brown dress made of animal skin. A sigh came from her as she closed the door. Lwid stood up and ran over to her. He threw his arms around her and buried his head in her dress.
“Oh, I missed you.” The boy Lwid said sadly.
“It’s alright, it’s alright.” The woman said soothingly as she stroked his hair.
Lwid removed his head from the woman’s dress and looked up to her. Wrinkles could be seen on her sweet face. “Mother, are they coming? What did he say?”
Lwid’s mother got to her knees and held her son’s face in her shaking hands. “I believe it is time for you to join the others, to live with Chrine.”
Tears blurred his vision. “What did he say?” Lwid asked sorrowfully.
His mother looked down. “He wants you.”
The crying boy fell to his knees, weeping. “Why? Why does he want me?”
The woman hugged her son close, rocking him back and forth. “It is alright, you will be safe with Chrine.”
“I don’t want to live with Chrine, I want to live with you.”
“I know, I don’t want you to go either, but it is for the best. Chrine can keep you safe better than I can.”
“Then come with me.”
“I can’t, if Hulius finds the house empty then he will attack the sanctuary. Everything our people have been fighting for will be lost.”
Lwid put his head on his mother’s knee and continued to cry. “I won’t go, I won’t leave you.”
“But you have to. You have to follow your father as the lord of these estates.”
“What estates?!” Lwid suddenly screamed. “Look at this place. I promised you I would not leave you alone.”
“Little one, you have to go. You will learn the ways of Chrine and his protectors. Together you will keep the magic from him.”
“It’s not fair.”
His mother put both her hands over his ears and pressed hard with her shaking hands. Ludus thought he could feel a slight rumble but was not sure, the definite sound of a falling rock came shortly after, and then another rumble. Lwid began to shake horribly. Several minutes later the crashing of rocks and rumbles of the ground stopped. Lwid picked his wet face up and looked at his mother. She was distraught, but looked on her son with sorrow and love. A slight smile started to form, but quickly fell away.
“The world needs you more than I do. With you the new set of lords and ladies will be complete.”
Lwid stood up and hugged his mother again. The door opened and a middle aged man came in. He had a short beard and wore an outfit very similar to Lwid’s mother, the only difference being a belt around the waist. His hair was a color that Ludus was unaccustomed to, red. He was looked on by Lwid with hate that Ludus could feel as undeserved.
“Are you ready?” The man asked.
Lwid looked to his mother. Once again she tried to smile but could not. She stood up and held her hands up to her mouth and kissed them. “Good luck” she mouthed. The old man pulled Lwid from the small hut. He looked back and saw his mother waving at him, tears in her eyes. As he was hauled off he could see her fall to the floor out of sadness. Ludus could feel that it would be the last time Lwid would ever see his mother.
Just as suddenly as the memory had come, it vanished. On the trip back Ludus felt worse than he had in a long while. At once he was back in the mess hall full of statues. Oldo stood ten paces away with a sword high in the air.
The steady madness had returned to Oldo. The trepid man who sat in his office was no more with the power of Ijnus’s sword in his hands. He looked out at Mith and Ludus with eyes similar to those of rabid animals. Step by step he slowly came towards them, moving his body side to side as he did this. His mouth formed words without noise. He had the look of a man who was only moments away from what he had been waiting for his entire life.
“Do you even know the power that you have in your bodies right now? Can you even guess at how badly I have always wanted to be how you are now?” Oldo asked, his voice rising and falling with anger.
“I can only imagine what must go on in your mind.” Mith retorted.
“You don’t get it; you have no respect for anything, just like everyone else from the Bay.”
“What I don’t get,” Mith said, ignoring Oldo, “Is why you would choose to turn on your own home.”
“My home? This was never my home, but it soon will be. It will soon be as I always envisioned it could be.”
“Which is?” Ludus asked.
“A unified Parli, a Parli where secrets are not kept by families from families. Basically I want to change the way your entire lives have been. Does that make me so bad?”
Ludus had to think about that, but Mith suddenly shouted. “Yes it means your bad, you’re evil for what you have done. A better Parli can be made through our words and actions put toward a good cause.”
“Evil is subjective, young Mith.”
The scared fourteen year old girl took the hand of the scared fourteen year old boy and whispered a thought to him that he thought nuts. She whispered it again and again until he finally decided to try what she suggested. Slowly and carefully Ludus pulled the stem of the now magic-less rose from his pocket, watching Oldo every second. It still pulled as if a magnet. Mith took the bulb, now in many pieces, from her pocket and held it in her hand, it also pulled away.
“What do you know of this magic?” Mith asked.
Oldo laughed, “I know I will find out as soon as I deal with you. I’ll take the magic and the new Parli will begin soon.”
“Why do you even need the magic?”
“Who would listen to a disgraced palace guard about anything? You two are so naïve thinking that that Parli is some great place, it’s terrible and no words are going to change something that has been stuck one way for four hundred twenty-six years. With the magic I will finally
be taken seriously.”
The crazed man was only three yards away now. He lowered the sword as if in slow motion, ready to strike. Then, at the same time, Mith and Ludus dropped the objects that they held. Once out of their hands they flew together and the rose vanished before it hit the floor. A sword had taken its place, a sword much like the one Oldo had. The only difference was that the new sword had a green stone in its hilt.
Without stopping to wonder about what just happened, Oldo yelled and came down with the sword. Mith had just enough time to pick up the other weapon and defend herself. The two swords clanged loudly as they hit. Mith was sent to the floor. Oldo steadied himself for another shot, this time at Ludus, who instinctively ran out of the way. Oldo ignored Mith for the time being and ran after Ludus. He would rather take on the one who did not have the sword.
Mith got up and watched Ludus run throughout the maze of statues. Oldo gained fast and Mith yelled for Ludus to catch. He turned right as she threw the sword at him. He quickly remembered his miss when facing the Rough Dogs and wanted dearly to make up for that mistake. With his hand held high he barely caught the hilt. Turning fast, he swiped at Oldo who was right behind him. Oldo blocked the attack and kicked Ludus to the ground, now going after Mith.
He ran straight at her, knocking down statues as he went. Ludus blindly threw the sword in her direction. He could not see her for the fact that so many of the statues were taller than them both. The sword hit the ground having never come close to its target. Ludus ran toward where Oldo was heading. He got a clean view right as the man with the sword came down on Mith.
Gai Mitchum Quinn sat idle in his uneven floored cell. Since he was imprisoned he had taken off several garments and now just wore the pants and an undershirt. He gazed drearily at the general’s jacket in the corner where he had thrown it. It seemed to laugh at him cruelly. Mitchum laid his head against the hard wall and closed his eyes. He could feel his stomach growling from hunger.
There seemed to be nothing left for him now. His short stint at being a general had ended in complete disaster. What was worse was that even before he was captured by the strange man with the tattoos, and then given to two other people to be taken away, he had almost fled from his own troops. Mitchum looked on that as the worst thing he had ever done. He had been trusted by the king and queen; he had been selected specifically by them.
A knock came at the door. The small window was thrust open. A face appeared inside that was unfamiliar to Mitchum.
“Food.” The person announced. A bowl of water hit the floor and entirely spilled out. A small piece of bread followed.
“What is this?” Mitchum suddenly exclaimed. “Is this how you feed your captives?”
The face in the window looked confused. “What do you expect?”
Mitchum got up and went over to the door. “I expect food with substance that will keep me alive and healthy, not barely alive and starving.”
“Look that is what we have.”
Behind the face in the window came a voice that he recognized. It was the man with the strange tattoos.
“Does anybody know what Oldo did with the roses? They are not where I saw them last.”
Mitchum was not going to miss a chance this obvious. “I know where they are. I saw the room on my way up—when Oldo brought me.”
Gyrd pushed Hatchet aside and peered into the cell. “Where are they?”
“I can only show you where they are.”
“Never mind I can find them myself.”
“You won’t find them; I was even surprised by where they were hidden.”
“Hidden? Why would they be hidden? You are just trying to escape.”
Before Mitchum could speak another person entered the area. It was a girl, only a child. “Have you found the roses yet? Oldo is probably already done with those two Bay kids.”
“I’ll have the roses as soon as I can.” Gyrd said; annoyed that Vensa was trying to tell him what to do.
A cold wave swept through Mitchum’s body. “I won’t try to escape, I promise. I just want better food. That is all I want, just let me take you there.”
Gyrd knew that Oldo would not like to be kept waiting. After careful deliberation he got Vensa and Hatchet to take out their daggers. Then he opened the doors to the cell and led Mitchum out.
Mitchum led the way; Hatchet was right behind with a dagger drawn. Thinking fast Mitchum walked to the end of the hall. It was a dead end. He really had no idea where the roses were, but was willing to try anything to get away and help Mith and Ludus. He turned around, pretending that he had just taken the wrong way, and led the party to the other end of the stone hallway. There he found the door to the stairs. He opened the door and headed down.
“Do you really have any idea where you are going?” Gyrd asked angrily, his voice echoing.
“Hold on, sir, I am just finding my bearings.”
“Well, hurry up.”
He led the way into the next floor down. It looked the same as the one they were just on. Halfway through Mitchum stopped at an open cell. He entered the cell and turned to face the others.
“It is in here.”
Gyrd looked the cell over. “I don’t see anything.”
Mitchum had to think fast. “When we passed by I saw that there is a secret space in the wall. That is where they were hidden.”
“Hmmm,” Gyrd studied Mitchum’s face closely. “I wonder why you were even on this floor when your cell is one up.”
“Oldo was going to put me on this floor, but it was full of statues already.”
Gyrd made a look that meant he understood. “Alright, but if we don’t find anything you will be sorry.”
“More sorry than being in jail?”
The question was either ignored or not heard at all. Gyrd and Vensa checked the walls while Hatchet stared at Mitchum, dagger only inches away.
His mind worked fast to think of a way out. His eyes shot to the open door, then to the dagger in his face. The intricate patterns on the blade were clearly visible from such a close range. He thought of just running but he would never make it. Luckily they did not bind his hands. In only moments the two searching would realize there was nothing hidden in the wall. Mitchum had no time to think of what to do; he had to just act on instinct.
All of a sudden Mitchum chirped loudly like a bird. Hatchet jumped in shock and was instantly taken down. Mitchum grabbed his hands and kicked Hatchet’s feet from under him. While he fell his attacker kicked the dagger from his hand and took it. Quickly Mitchum jumped over Hatchet’s body and got to the door before Vensa, who was near it. The door was heavy but he managed to shut it before those inside could do anything about it.
“Hey, what do you think you are doing?!”
Mitchum looked through the small window. “I’m saving my friends.”
Ludus shut his eyes as the sword came down on Mith. He waited for a noise, some sort of scream, but it never came. What he did hear was the shallow breathing of Oldo. Slowly Ludus opened his eyes. This time he really did cheer for Mith. She sat on the floor, hands up. Oldo stood over her with his sword stopped in mid-motion. She had finally found her magic.
Oldo raised the sword again and brought it down. Same result. He tried again. Still it did not make contact. Over and over he tried, but it never worked. Ludus noticed that Mith seemed to be getting weak from holding the invisible shield she created. He ran behind her and grabbed the sword that he had tried to throw to her. With the sword he went straight at Oldo. The shield did not affect Ludus as he swung the weapon. The two swords collided. Oldo was sent back. The magical sword shined brightly for a moment when it was hit.
The shield vanished. Mith got up, panting. Ludus grabbed her and headed for safety among the statues.
“Are you alright?” He asked, relieved she was not struck.
“Yeah,” Mith panted, “how was that?”
“Amazing.”
A scream was hear
d close by. They ducked just in time as the ruby encrusted sword came hacking through the frozen people. They really were like statues, the sword just bounced off of them. Ludus took Mith’s hand and together they weaved through the statues and away from Oldo.
They stopped where they thought they would be safe; standing completely still among their fellow Rerumese. Allard was right next to them; he seemed to be looking at them with a frown. Next to him was Clarin. Her kind frozen face also seemed to be looking directly at them.
The familiar faces staring blankly at them gave Mith and Ludus the strength to continue. It gave them anger, something they rarely showed. For years they both kept their anger inside them, but now it burst from them. They finally realized that hiding and hoping was not going to help anymore. Now was the time where they had to take matters into their own hands. They were now the only ones who could.
Walking slow and determined they left the haven of statues and ventured onto the main path. Oldo stood some twenty yards away, his back to them. Mith cleared her throat and he turned around to face them. The expression of intense craving lasted for only a second, until he saw the looks on their faces. Oldo had never seen such anger from anybody, least of all two kids who lived in the Bay Region.
Ludus raised Lwid’s sword vertically in front of him. It was heavy, but he barely noticed. As one they stepped forward toward Oldo. He started to back away, Ijnus’s sword raised in defense.
“Want to play?”
Mith spoke cruelly: “Yes, we’ll play.”