Colin Well: The Wizard

Chapter 9―The Trail

        While Colin, Eliza, Marston, and Tod were enjoying their time in the Keep of Magyk, Marcia and Septimus had rushed down to the quay by the water. With the white stone tapping under her purple python shoes, Marcia waved to her husband, Milo, as she hurried out to the dock. He saw her awaiting the Cerys―his ship. Marcia tried to hide her annoyance when she saw the word "Cerys" painted on the side of the ship. Milo Banda was the widower of Queen Cerys―Queen Jenna's mother. Marcia pushed away the annoyance and sighed―Milo was never on time.
        "Hello, Marcia! Hello, Septimus!" called Milo as the ship finally came to a stop. A few of the crew members hurriedly layed down the gangplank so Milo could go to meet Marcia. He steadily walked off the ship onto the dock. Marcia threw her arms around Milo and he kissed her. Septimus stood to the side uncomfortably―his old tutor was kissing his sister's dad.
        Finally, Milo pulled away and turned to Septimus. "It's good to see you," he said, examining Septimus's purple robes.
        "You too, Milo." Septimus said through his teeth. It wasn't really good to seem him. But Septimus had to mind his manners. He was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard now. Milo had left Jenna for her whole childhood and then decided to come back. Septimus didn't think that was a very good way to show that Milo loved Jenna.
        "Milo, we've got something extremely important to discuss. Inside?" Marcia started. Milo nodded and smiled. Marcia escorted Milo up to her Keep. Before Marcia could push open the heavy door, Claudius Drummin had already wrenched it open. He was panting from running up the Hub stairs. Curse these tiny legs, he thought as he readied himself to tell Marcia the bad news.
        Marcia saw Claudius. "Claudius!" she called out.
        "The children―the children!" Claudius puffed. "They've gone!"
        Marcia and Septimus were in the Keep in seconds, forgetting that Milo had just gotten back. Where? Marcia signed using the Drummin's sign language.
        Here, Claudius signed. He showed Marcia down the Hub steps. At the bottom, he pointed to Way XI. "They said they went to stop the bloomin' ambush, whatever that means," said Claudius, forgetting his manners.
        "Oh dear," Marcia said. "That's not good."
        "That's really not good." Septimus walked over to Way XI. "This one's not like the others. You can go through it."
        The other two Drummins came running down the stairs. They cannoned into Milo―who had followed Marcia and Septimus―knocking him forward.
        "Terribly sorry, Mr. Banda." Lucius and Fabius picked themselves up off the ground. "We heard a ruckus."
        "Yes, Tod and the other children had just passed through the Ways, Fabius." Marcia said, not looking at Fabiuz. She walked over to Septimus at Way XI. Marcia watched as Septimus closed his eyes. He put his hands on either side of the Way and Listened. There was nothing.
        "I can't Feel anything, Marcia. It's like it never happened."
        "Claudius," Marcia turned back to the Drummin. "Are you sure that's what they said? Everything?"
        Claudius nodded. He didn't like it when his boss was worried―it was kind of scary.
        Marcia closed her eyes, thinking hard. She smiled. She had thought of something, but she kept her eyes closed. "Septimus? Do you have anything of Tod's?"
        "Uh, yeah. I think." Septimus felt his pockets for anything of his Apprentice's. Finally he found Tod's green ribbon that she would tie at the end of her braid. "Yes, I do."
        "Place it in my hand, now." Septimus did as he was told. He knew Marcia was about to perform a complicated Find. It was dangerous when the Wizard didn't know anything about where the object―in this case, Tod―was. The Find could go wrong, backfiring and leave Marcia weak without any Magyk.
        Keeping her eyes closed, Marcia held the ribbon up to her face. Septimus watched intently as Marcia took a deep breath in. She continued inhaling until Septimus thought she might pop―but he knew she wouldn't. Finally, she breathed out over the ribbon, casting a slow but steady stream of pink air over it. On and on, she breathed out, the pinkish air curling around the ribbon.
        Finally, when Milo thought she could breathe out no more, she opened her eyes as the ribbon picked itself up off her hand. It stayed in the air, hovering. Marcia nodded and the ribbon shot into the air and through Way XI. "It will lead us to Tod. Let us hope that the other children are with her. Quickly, the Trail it leaves behind only lasts for seven hours."
        Septimus smiled. Even though the Castle was in grave danger, he loved watching Magyk. It wasn't always fun to be doing instead of spectating.
        "I'm ready," said Septimus immediately. He was immensely worrued about his Apprentice and the other children. Milo nodded in agreement.
        "Okay. Let's go, then. There isn't a moment to lose," Marcia said confidently. But internally, she was not confident. Even if her Find did work, there was no way of telling where they'd end up. Or how they'd find the children. Marcia shuddered as she pushed that thought out of her mind.
        The trio walked steadily into Way XI. Many miles away from the Keep, they emerged into a humid Hub. Only Marcia could see the Trail. She instructed Septimus to use his FlashLight, as she led them into another Way. Repeatedly, Marcia watched the Trail closely as they traveled through many Hubs.
        After many Hubs, and many miles traveled, the trio emerged into a large, beautifully grand Hub. Huge cracked, but magnificent pillars held up the high ceiling. The stone floor was littered with rubble, but the Hub was still striking.
        "It says that we're in a temple," explained Septimus, looking down at Marcia's much-folded map of the Ancient Ways.
        "Yes, the Trail here is very faint," said Marcia worriedly.
        "What does that―" Septimus began. He was cut off by a loud cry that came from behind a pair of large bronze doors positioned across the room. There was a loud boom and then the doors gave way. A large man with a gray cloak came striding out. Behind him was a large battering ram on wheels. He was followed by an aroused group of bandits. He saw Marcia, Septimus, and Milo.
        "Grab them. . ." the man in gray said carelessly. A few bandits surged towards Marcia, but Milo stepped in front of her. He pulled out his long silver dagger. But at the same time the approaching bandits pulled out curved scimitars. Milo slashed at the closest bandit, but he disarmed Milo. He resorted to guarding Marcia with his body.
        "Milo, I think I can fend for myself, thank you," said Marcia, annoyed. Milo looked embarrassed. His guard was down for only a few seconds, but that was enough time for the bandits to grab his arms. A few others grabbed Septimus and Marcia. The man in gray walked over to Milo. He grabbed his face and looked into his eyes.
        "You'll do nicely. . ." the man in gray trailed off. He turned to Septimus and Marcia. "Throw the magicians in the Pit!"
        Marcia tried to resist the bandits pulling her away from Milo. "Milo! Milo!" she called. Septimus managed to land a punch right on one of the bandit's nose, spewing blood everywhere. The bandit fell to the ground and didn't move. This just made the other bandits angry. The surged toward the door, carrying Septimus and Marcia with them.
        Marcia looked back and caught a glance of the man in gray wave his hand in front of Milo's face, making him sleep. "No!" Marcia whipped around. The bandits cowered away as Marcia loomed over them. Suddenly, she pulled a FlashBang from her belt. She cast it through a break in the crowd of bandits. FlashBangs were not to be used lightly. It hit the man in gray square in the chest, knocking him of his feet. A few of the bandits rushed forward to catch him, but they were caught in the FlashBang too. It sent pieces of the rubble on the floor whizzing around. The rocky rubble collided with the bandits' heads. They screamed in terror and ran out of the Hub.
        "Serves them right," muttered Marcia under her breath. The man in gray stood up, looking overly agitated.
        "Seize her. Kill her if you have to, but just get rid of her!" More bandits surrounded Marcia, grabbing at her arms.
        Suddenly, Septimus's voice was projected over all the shouts and yells. "Stop! We will go calmly! Just take us to the Pit." Marcia looked over at Septimus in bewilderment. He nodded reassuringly at her.
        "Go!" the man in gray shouted. Before Septimus could change his mind, he and Marcia were pushed through the bronze doors. The bandits laughed as they escorted the two Wizards along a wide corridor. Marcia and Septimus were being ignored, but neither was going to test it.
        Septimus made his way unnoticed over to Marcia. "Have you got a plan?" she asked.
        "No, that's why I'm with you. You do, don't you?" Septimus asked worriedly, looking around. The floor was dusted with rubble and the ceiling had cracks as if it was about to cave in.
        Marcia shook her head. Septimus suddenly smiled. In front of him, two bandits were carelessly bouncing down the corridor. The packs on their backs were overfilled. Hanging out of each of their packs were bandit cloaks. Septimus pointed to them and Marcia sighed. Everything always used to be so much easier, she thought. She nodded and watched as her old Apprentice casually moved up to the packs on the bandit's backs.
        As carefully as he could, Septimus unbuttoned one of the packs. Without the notice of the bandit, he extracted the cloak. Next, he moved on to the other bandit. Just as Septimus undid the button, the bandit swung around. Luckily, Septimus had his hands at his sides. Quickly, but suspiciously, he looked away. The bandit eyed Septimus, but turned back around.
        As fast as he could, Septimus pulled out what would be his cloak as he threw the other to Marcia. She swung it around her multicolored cloak and pulled up her hood. Septimus did the same and looked around. No one had noticed. The two Wizards fell back into the crowd, blending in with the bandits. They had to escape before they reached the Pit, or everyone would notice.
        Finally, they migrated to the back of the group. While all the bandits continued walking, Septimus and Marcia turned around and hurried back down the hall, hoping their echoed footsteps would go unnoticed by the buffoon-like bandits.
        Once they reached the bronze doors that led to the Hub, the shouts of "Where are they?" and "Find them!" began.
        The Wizards stepped around the battering ram and pushed open the doors. Marcia gasped at what she saw. The man in gray had a hold of Milo. Milo looked dazed as he staggered in the man in gray's grip. He was being shown to an awful looking man that looked like a pirate. Septimus gasped, too. The pirate fit the description of the man of which was the captain of the Knight. Septimus acted fast. Instead of using Magyk, he charged the Captain. He tackled him to the ground and yelled to Marcia. "Get Milo! Go through the Way, I'll be right behind―" Septimus was thrown to the ground by the Captain. But Marcia understood what she needed to do. All out of FlashBangs, Marcia released a Scare that frightened the man in gray enough that Marcia could wrench Milo from his grasp. She whirred around and Looked for the Trail. On the opposite wall a pink trail that the ribbon had left sat in the air, leading them to Tod, Colin, Eliza, and Marston.
        Quickly, she let Milo lean on her shoulder. Marcia sprinted as fast as she could over to the Way. She told Milo to go and looked back at Septimus. Her eyes widened as she saw blood dripping from his nose onto his purple ExtraOrdinary Wizard robes. Looking back to make sure Milo had gotten through, she did the only sensible thing. She ran over to Septimus just as he was about to get hit in the face and kicked the Captain in the shin.
        "Go!" Marcia shouted. She ran after Septimus into the Way. Putting a Seal on it as they went through, she sighed with relief. They were one step closer to finding the children.