“What?” Will huffed.
Anna turned to him and grinned. Her barrier flickered. Then, her stone exploded.
More gasps and screams came from the crowd, making Will chuckle.
“What happened?” Anna shook her head in disappointment. “It was working.”
“You lost concentration. That is how important it is to stay in control. What if that had been a real person?” Rhyder questioned, immediately dampening the moment.
“It was his fault,” she said, pointing to her brother.
“Sure, blame it on me.” Will flexed his fingers. “At least yours held for a few seconds. Mine exploded as soon as it made contact.”
Rhyder stood between them. “Like I said, it takes practice. What typically takes months, and sometimes even years to master, you both are attempting to learn in a day.”
Anna could feel the enormous pressure building inside. She was not fit for this. She was a bookworm, a loner, who didn’t like sports of any sort. “How can we save anyone, let alone an entire world, with a couple days practice? We’re barely able to control our power. You just saw what happened.” Anna’s face fell into her hands.
“I’ll teach you what you need to know . . . enough to get you through. You already know how to call your power and wield it as a weapon. That is a very vital advantage. Once you master putting a protective barrier around yourself and others, you’ll be ready.”
“Are you sure that’ll be enough?” Will asked.
“It will have to be,” Rhyder replied. “Tomorrow night, the alignment will take place and Malzador will be set free. Then during the eclipse, he’ll use the Sorcerers to perform the ceremony to destroy the magical barrier around Misteria. We have to stop him before that happens.”
“Why can’t we all stay here where it’s safe and wait it out?” Will asked. “As long as he doesn’t have you, he won’t be able to perform the ceremony, right?”
“Malzador has captured the others, and all he needs is for one of them to break the protective barrier here. Then he will have free access to everyone inside of these ruins, including me.”
“But the other Sorcerers won’t allow it, right? They can’t,” Anna spoke, her voice trembling.
“I’m afraid they won’t have a choice,” Rhyder said sadly. “Malzador has ways to make them comply.”
“That’s when we fight,” Oriana said stepping forward. Her voice echoed through the entire courtyard.
She stepped into the center and stood next to Rhyder. Zohar followed and stood beside them. Oriana’s turquoise eyes gazed into the eyes of the crowd—to all the survivors who’d made their way to the ruins.
“The day of alignment is upon us, and fate has chosen to deliver us the two from the prophecy. The Seer has confirmed that William and Anna are the ones who will help save Misteria. My question to each of you is . . . who will stand with them? Will you run and cower, letting evil invade our land and murder our kind? Will you allow Malzador to bring down the barrier and watch Misteria fall? The destiny of our land rests not only in their hands, but in each of ours as well. Who will stand with them? Who will fight?”
The crowd cheered, but silence fell once again as Oriana lifted her hand.
“The Sorcerers have kept us safe for centuries. They’ve kept us hidden from the dangers of the outside world. We cannot let what they’ve done slip away. Not without a fight. We must fight for our freedom. Fight for our families, for our lives, and for our great Sorcerers. We will never be safe . . . not until the evil in this land has been defeated. I, for one, will not stand by and allow them to destroy us. I will fight until my last breath. This land is our life, our future, and the future of our offspring.” Oriana raised both arms in the air. “Now, who is with us?”
The crowd roared, and hope reignited. The leader of the Giants stepped forward and raised his large stone club in the air. “We will stand with you.”
“We will stand with you,” Pog said, stepping forward. The Middling around him echoed in agreement, including Henry.
Each leader stepped forward, pledging their allegiance to Misteria, agreeing to fight when the time came.
Anna glanced around, and her heart swelled as she witnessed the emotional event. Oriana was right. As defeated and tired as these survivors had appeared, they were rejuvenated.
In the sky, Gargoyles screamed as a stream of hundreds of arrows struck them.
“Survivors at the gate,” the gatekeeper hollered.
Anna had a feeling she knew who it was, and the look on Will’s face confirmed it. They ran to meet the new arrivals. The crowd became restless, quickly moving toward the gate. As soon as the gate opened, Lady Lavinia entered, followed by hundreds of Elves donning leather armor with brass chest plates and helmets. They were armed with bows, arrows, and swords.
“William, Anna!” Lavinia’s face brightened as soon as she spotted them. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too,” Anna replied, running over and throwing her arms around her aunt. Lavinia hugged her back.
Oriana, Rhyder, and Zohar came from behind and greeted her.
“Children, we will catch up soon,” Lavinia said. “I must speak with them first.”
Rhyder gave a nod to Will and Anna. “Continue. I’ll be back.”
They had to practice. Every hour, every minute, was ticking down to their destiny.
After hours of practicing, attempting to hone their power and put up protective barriers, the entire arena was covered with dust and debris. Will watched Anna come close several times, but ultimately, she couldn’t make her barrier last longer than five seconds. After that, it would explode. Every time.
Will was less successful, never producing a barrier.
“There’s no way we can put a barrier over any living thing,” Anna sighed. “We’ll kill it.”
“At least it will be a quick death,” Will said in an effort to stay positive. But he knew she was right. There was no way he was going to be able to use his gift for protection.
“Will,” Anna scolded, her eyes narrowed.
“What? It’s the truth. If I have to die, I’d want it to be quick and painless.”
“Why don’t you get something to eat and rest for a bit? We’ll practice again tonight,” Rhyder interrupted, returning from his meeting. “Your minds aren’t focused. You’re thinking too much.”
They didn’t argue. Exhaustion had coiled itself tightly around them.
Will dragged his tired feet toward the food, and Anna followed right behind him.
“I feel like I could sleep for days,” Anna admitted.
“Me too,” Will agreed. “But we have to keep trying. Mom is out there and she needs our help. We can’t give up. She would never give up on us.”
“I know.” Anna sighed sadly, a tear trickling down her cheek. “I would never give up on her. We will give everything we’ve got—for mom.”
“For mom.” Will threw his arm around his sister’s shoulders.
As they rested, Rhyder gathered the leaders, while Tobin noticed a few Spriggan lingering in in the shadows—dark and spiteful tree-like creatures who had limbs of branches and leaves. Their eyes were as black as midnight, teeth sharp as spikes, and their skin was rough and scabrous like tree bark.
He made his way toward Oriana and quietly addressed her. “Lady, aren’t da Spriggan in alliance with Malzador?”
“Most of them are. But these few want to keep Misteria intact. They would rather join us than watch the barrier fall.”
One of the Spriggan aimed its wicked gaze at Tobin, its dark eyes glaring, sending a chill down his spine.
“Are ya sure of dere intentions?”
“Yes,” Oriana said. “I have spoken to each of them. Their words and intentions are trustworthy.”
“Good ta know.” He shuddered, glancing back at the Spriggan with a forced smile and nod.
As the leaders gathered, Rhyder came and stood at the front.
“These days have
been dark and dreadful, but I’m glad to see you are all safe.”
“Not all of us,” the leader of the Giants said. “They’ve killed dozens of our kin.”
A tiny Sprite fluttered forward, her face angered. “Yes, they’ve killed many of our kin as well. And have taken many more in cages to their dungeons.”
“I’m sorry,” Rhyder sympathized. “We’ve all suffered losses, some greater than others, but all difficult nonetheless. But our time has come. We, who have survived, must stand together or perish.”
“We have agreed to fight, but it is quite obvious to see that we are greatly outnumbered,” Rupe responded. The rest of the Centaurs agreed. “We’ll all perish before tomorrow ends.”
“If we do, so be it,” Rhyder said. “I’d rather die fighting, than letting them steal everything we’ve worked so hard to build and protect.”
Everyone remained quiet, their eyes darting back and forth.
“Sorcerer, do you think Talia’s children can defeat Malzador?” the leader of the Giants questioned.
Rhyder’s eyes met Will and Anna’s. “I do. I believe with all of our support, they can defeat him.”
“But they are children, and it is apparent their gifts require work.”
“Yes, they are children and new to Misteria, and because of this, they will need our help and strength. They’ve never gone to battle and are afraid. Right now, we need to give them our support, to assure them we will be with them every step of the way.”
Lavinia stepped forward. “I also believe. The Elves and I will fight tomorrow. Half of them will be sent into the woods surrounding the ruins; the other half will stay here.”
“What about their Dragons?” a Sprite asked.
One of the winged Lions roared. “Let us deal with their Dragons.”
“Rhyder, maybe you should leave with the Elves into the woods tomorrow,” Rupe added. “We cannot risk your capture. Doing so, will seal Malzador’s plan.”
“I will leave when it is absolutely necessary,” Rhyder said. “And if anything should happen to me, you must make sure the children get to the castle before the ceremony.”
“They will make it, one way or another,” Lavinia said, assuring him.
Rhyder nodded, his eyes tired with dark circles under them. “Tonight, we are safe and alive. And that is something to celebrate.”
After a few hours of deep sleep, Will and Anna woke, their bones still exhausted as they shuffled their way back to the practice arena.
After some time, Will was finally able to wrap his shield halfway down his stone, but struggled to get it any further. Frustration set in as he watching his sister hold a full shield around her stone for a full five seconds. But as with his, it ended in an explosion.
Rhyder began instructing Anna on how to release her shield—making it disappear instead of obliterating it. “Five seconds could mean the difference between life and death,” he said.
Will was becoming discouraged and it made him unfocused. Why was his sister having an easier time? He had always been the stronger one, so he should have been able to hold it longer than her.
“I can’t do this,” he grumbled, plopping on the ground.
“In the beginning, it takes a lot of concentration and focus. You have to center your thoughts—feel and see it covering the stone even before you send it.”
“I’ve been doing that.” Will’s shoulders drooped forward. He was tired and everything ached.
“You, of all others in Misteria, were sent to Devil’s Ridge . . . for me,” Rhyder said standing in front of him. He then knelt down on one knee. “I believe in you, William. I know when the time comes, you’ll pull through.”
Will offered a sad grin. “Well, that makes one.”
“I believe in you too,” Anna added, sitting next to him.
“So do I,” Henry said, coming up from behind them.
Will twisted back with a smile. “Henry, where have you been?”
“Hanging out, you know, with the Middling. It’s weird. It’s like they think I’m a celebrity or something. They even gave me a sword.” He held up a well-crafted weapon, its hilt bound in gold. They said it was owned by my great-grandfather.” He raised the double-edged sword in the air, the polished steel glinting in the fading sunlight.
“Wow,” Will said, observing the intricate swirled designs etched onto the center of the blade. “That’s really awesome.”
“Yeah, I guess they’re okay after all,” Henry grinned.
“I told you.” Will stood and lightly punched his friend’s shoulder. “It’s not like they’re some random people. They are your family, and it’s undeniable. They look just like your dad.”
“Yeah,” Henry’s smiled dropped. “Do you think we’ll be able to save them?”
“I do,” Will said, mustering up enough hope to cheer Henry up. A gentle breeze carried the sound of music and the wonderful aroma of meat and spices toward them. “Come on. There’s a celebration tonight. Let’s go have some food and fun.”
It was the day of the alignment and Malzador’s return. Everyone scurried about, readying themselves for the impending battle. Lavinia had already sent half of the Elven warriors into the surrounding forest, as the first line of defense.
“I’m surprised there aren’t more evil creatures lurking around out there,” Will said to Lavinia.
They were standing on the rampart, overlooking the forest. Elven warriors were stationed all along the battlement around the ruins.
Near the forest, Will spotted a stray Howler. Two Elven warriors quickly dispatched it and the Goblin atop his back. It was over in seconds; the beast and its rider had no time to even cry out. “You’d think the entire area would be crawling with them.”
“They were likely spies,” Lavinia answered, her eyes staring blankly into the distance. “The others are gathered at the castle in preparation for Malzador’s return.”
Tobin hobbled up the crumbling stone stairway and stood beside them. “What’r ya thinkin’, dear Lady?”
Lavinia turned and gave him a sad smile. “How nice it would be for Misteria to be free once again.”
“Dat it would,” he agreed. “And ya know what else’d be nice?”
“What?” she asked.
“A warm meal on a cold mornin’.” He waved his arm for them to follow as he headed back down the stone stairs. “Da Middling told me ta tell ya . . . breakfast is ready.”
Lavinia nodded. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Where’s Rhyder?” Will asked, scanning the ruins below. He hadn’t seen or heard from his mentor since the last time they were in the arena the night before.
“He’s gone,” Lavinia answered.
Will stiffened, anxiety swam in his gut. “Gone? Where?”
“He left with the Elves before dawn. He’s gone into hiding until the eclipse ends.”
“He’s not coming back?”
“I’m afraid not,” Lavinia sighed. “It’s too high of a risk for him to be here. He’s the only one they want. Who they need to complete the spell.”
“What about our training?”
Oriana joined them. “Don’t fret, William. Rhyder has shown you whatever you need. You just have to keep practicing. The rest of us will be here for you and Anna.”
Will let out a deep sigh. When Rhyder was around, he gave him an inner strength. Now that he was gone he felt a little empty.
“Are you being negative?” Anna’s voice chimed in his head.
Will twisted his head and saw her standing behind him with her arms crossed.
“I’m looking at things realistically. Once Malzador returns, he will bring even more dark creatures into Misteria. How are we going to defeat them with the handful Misterian survivors around us?”
“Don’t doubt,” Zohar replied. His hooves clip-clopped against the cobbled pathway at the bottom of the stone stairway. “These survivors may not look like much, but their hearts are fierce. Many of them are skilled warriors.”
/> “They are?” Will’s eyes narrowed, shifting to the Middling camp down below them.
Pog was whistling a merry tune as he stirred the contents of his pot. He didn’t look fierce. In fact, he looked too soft and kind to be in a battle.
Rhyder followed the Sprite as she led him to a secret hideaway deep in the forest, surprised there were no signs of Howlers or Goblins. The deep forest was empty, and the eerie silence a bit unnerving.
“Evil has abandoned these parts,” the Sprite chimed. She was a pretty little thing with fair skin, short red hair, and reddish, glittery wings. Around her waist was a skirt made of red rose petals. “They’ve all gone to the castle to witness the return of the dark Sorcerer.”
“Yes,” Rhyder answered. “I suppose that works well to our advantage.”
Rhyder didn’t want to leave the ruins. More than anything, he wanted to stay and fight with the survivors—those he and the other Sorcerers swore to protect and had protected all these years.
But the leaders in the ruins demanded him to leave and stay hidden until the eclipse was over. It was too great a risk for him to be captured. The barrier had to stay intact for them to survive.
Rhyder felt that leaving was a cowardly move on his part, because in his Dragon form he could be a great asset. Although, his odds against Malzador’s Dragons were slim.
The Sprite finally stopped at a large tree in the middle of the forest which rested next to a small creek. It looked like all the others, but this particular tree had once been a Sprite dwelling. Now, it was abandoned and its entrance hidden by magic.
After the Sprite spoke a few words, the opening revealed itself.
“After you,” she piped, motioning Rhyder to enter first.
Rhyder stepped into the abandoned tree dwelling and sat on the cold, damp earth. He sighed, gathering some broken branches and piling them on top of each other to make a fire. The Sprite watched, sitting cross-legged on a tiny ledge across him.
“Must you stare?” Rhyder huffed, a little agitated with the entire situation. Because of his quick banishment, he missed breakfast. He was hungry and his stomach growled in protest. He was also tired, barely getting any sleep since Will had come to him on Devil’s Ridge, which made him ill-tempered and annoyed.