A Tale of Voyagers

Willow: The Jinx

       The trees were too close and too threatening and there were too many places to hide. My eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, having become too accustomed to the brilliant red light of Realm 5. The only light I could see was that of the jinx's glowing yellow eyes. The light bounced off his fangs and revealed his snake-like tongue. My thoughts were frozen as if in slow motion as he bounded toward me and I shot behind a tree. Knife in my hand, heart pounding in my chest, I peeked carefully around the trunk. How could I even kill this thing? Adresin was the one who knew the best counter spells for dark magic. He was the one who had defended us all from the swarm of jinxes heading toward us. And now he was lying unconscious in the mud ten feet away and I wouldn't be able to protect him.

I guess a knife will have to work.

I stepped into the small clearing, looking all around. I didn't see those horrible yellow eyes.

CRASH!


       "Willow," Adresin slowly sat next to me on the bench. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I answered. "Just thinking. How's your shoulder?"
"Back to normal," he nodded. The crisp morning air blew gently through my curls. The sun was rising, and it was beautiful. There wasn't a single cloud in the lavender sky as the colors erased the stars. Out on the torch-lit balcony, I had all the time in the world to think about whatever I wanted. Not today, though. Not even sitting on the balcony of the Elvish castle could clear my mind.
"How did Helena know?" I asked, watching the sleepy people coming out of their houses and into the streets below.
"What do you mean?" Adresin answered, turning to face me.
"When she came to me in my last dream, she said her forces would be moving in two weeks, and that I should join them. It's been two weeks to the day, and we're preparing for battle. Damian said you and I planned this for a long time, right? Months, I think. How did she know we planned a battle? And how did she know her forces would even get here in time? I thought her powers wore off when she became an Average."
"I thought so, too. I guess someone as powerful as her will have allies in all sorts of places."
"You think people on Earth tell her what's going on in the realms?" I asked, finally taking my eyes off the glittery magenta sky.
"I think if she can communicate with you through dreams, she must somehow communicate with others. She must be getting information from people who have been loyal to her for a long time."

My thoughts slipped out of my control, back to my first night in Realm One.



       I looked up just in time to see the jinx diving down from the branches of the trees above, his enormous teeth colliding with my knife. What sounded like nails on a chalkboard exploded into my ear, and I thrust my arm around me into the beasts' side. My knife whizzed through it. All it was doing was slicing air. I bitterly realized my efforts were in vain.

The creature could not be hit.

       A low, laugh-like rumble burst from the throat of the creature as it examined me. And then it changed shape. It towered over me, growing taller and wider as its skin rippled like waves in the ocean. The Jinx's face melted, and for a second I was staring into a pit of yellow lava. And suddenly those yellow eyes were the same, the face came into view, and the creature roared, charging toward me.

Clawing the ground.

Mud splashing everywhere.

I couldn't outrun it.



       "What?" I flinched, the memories vanishing into the brilliant pink light of day.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Adresin asked cautiously.
"I'm sorry. Um. Helena... communicating in dreams."
"That was a while ago." He watched me with eyes that were darker than death. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Mhm." I fiddled with the Mind Seeker around my neck. "I keep thinking--" The roar of the creature interrupted my thought, filling my soul with dread. "--about how I wish I could remember why we planned this battle, I guess. I'm still a little bit confused."
It was clear from his narrow gaze that he knew I was lying. Instead of prying, he said, "Tormod used to have over a dozen bunkers across the realm, scattered among the tribes. There were three main bases for Exterminators. The first base you invaded under Damian's leadership. The second base you invaded with Damian as his helper, and I was under your leadership. You and I were planning the third attack together. This is the last of Tormod's significant strongholds in all of Realm 1; when we destroy it, the realm will be free of his rule."
"Wait. Time out. How free?" I asked doubtfully.
"There will be no more Exterminators. There will be no more of Tormod's spies. There will be nobles and a handful of middle-class families who remain loyal to him, but most elves will choose to elect Deja our temporary queen. You will be the official general of the united Elvish army. The next step was possibly leading a squadron into another realm, but we didn't have what we needed to travel safely and unnoticed by Tormod."
"Why hasn't Tormod sent more Exterminators into our realm?"
"He thinks you're lost in another realm. Without you, this mission is hard but not impossible. I think he underestimates the passion and talent our armies possess, though he'll probably send reinforcements any day." He leaned back in his chair, sipped his coffee. "The hard part is just beginning."




       I tumbled backward just as its teeth clamped down on what would have been my face. I screamed out a spell of light, a flare spitting out of my mouth and into the sky, lighting up the eyes of the beast. It was a dragon and a serpent, with the slimy scales of a snake as a body and the claws and wings of a dragon. It hissed and roared, as if it had two throats and two voices spitting out of its chicken-like face. On an ordinary day, its face would have made me laugh. But this was no ordinary day. With the last of my strength, I dragged my knife across its neck. The monster whined and retreated, wings beating fiercely against the trembling trees. I sprang to Adresin's side. It burst into smoke.
"If you don't wake up, I might kill you before it does!" I yelled into his ear, shaking his arm and whispering spells of healing. I glanced up just in time. The creature was healing itself. Its blood was seeping back into its neck, and as it slowly turned to face me, solidified, the entire wound closed back up, covered by feathers and scales. I could see ringlets of smoke coming out of its nostrils. The beast was seething with rage.

And it was barreling straight toward me.

I could have sworn an angel stepped in front of me.

"Creature of darkness, creature of hate," boomed the voice of the man in front of me, "you are hereby banished from this place."

The monster roared and tore forward.

       The man was undeterred. He rose a mighty fist and began to chant in an ancient Elvish language, words that hadn't been uttered in the open air for thousands of years. With a piercing shriek, the monster recoiled, shivering into a shadowy ball. The man's entire body began to glow like the sun, light radiating from his fist and shooting at the creature. The shadows spilled into a thousand droplets. The shriek of the beast rang in my ears as it was embraced by the light.

       "The--the army," I tried to rub the images out of my eyes. "What happened to them?"
"What do you mean?" He answered.
"We were training... a squad. Weren't we?" Foggy memories filled my vision—pictures of people I guessed I'd known and loved. "We were recruiting to leave the realm. I think I'm starting to remember."
"We had chosen a team a while back..." Adresin shifted uncomfortably. "There were twelve members, one representing each Elvish tribe. Most of them will not leave now."
"Why did we choose them if they don't want to go?"
"At the time, they did." He went silent.
"What're you not telling me?" I chuckled nervously.
"What matters right now is getting ready for battle." He got up and slowly turned to leave.
"So, you're just going to leave me hanging?" I glared.
"Yes." He smiled.
"Good morning," the man who had saved us stepped into view. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Adresin?"
Smile gone, and an unreadable expression in its place, Adresin mumbled some kind of response and slipped back into the castle.
       "Good morning, Darian," I smiled as he took Adresin's seat. He was a lot taller than I remembered, and covered in more warts, bumps, and scars than I could count. It hurt me a little bit to look at him, because the Seeker went berserk. Memories flooded back, overwhelming my senses. He was a father to me, I knew that. He was the one who gave me band-aids when I cut myself and who taught me to use a sword. He risked his life for me and still had time to comfort me when I cried. There were too many memories, all at one time, shooting through my brain. It hurt to look at him.
"How are you doing this morning, Darling?" He asked kindly, the old, faded eyes illuminating with joy.
"Just fine. The sunrise was beautiful. How are you?"
"Glad to have you back." His tone grew serious. "Are you sure you're ready to lead us in battle tonight?"
"As long as you and Adresin are there, then, yes, I'm ready." I smiled.
"We will be."
       We sat for a while in silence, watching the bustling streets below. Everyone who wasn't fighting tonight was preparing the way for those who were, getting the streets ready for a celebration. They were expecting us to win. We needed to win. I wish Queen and the others were here. I had to shove that thought out of my mind before I dwelled on it. I couldn't get sad. Not today. We still had no idea where they all ended up. I hoped that since the jinx had followed me into Realm One, the others wouldn't be affected by its magic. All I could do was hope. That made me furious.
"You mentioned slaying a dragon," Darian spoke after a few minutes. "Tell me, what was that like?"