“Thank you, Crystyn,” I said to my aunt in a sincere tone. “This means a lot to me. I-I’ve had my father’s dagger for as long as I can remember, but to have something of my mother’s… ”

  “You still have Relaude’s dagger?” My aunt’s eyes grew wide. “I thought you wielded it when we met atop the volcano, but so much has happened since then, I wasn’t sure you still possessed it.

  “Yeah, my life has definitely been crazy, but I always make sure to look after it,” I said as I pulled the blade out from its sheath and handed it to her. “This was one of the few things I had on me when Maelor found me as a child. He said he tried to take it from me once, just for my safety since I was so young, but I pitched a fit. Wouldn’t let it go. It’s been with me ever since.”

  “Your father thrust this into my hands before I… left with you,” Crystyn murmured, and her eyes were moist and sad as she dragged her finger along the dagger’s edge. “He said it was for more protection, but I think… I think he just wanted you to have something to remember him by. I lost the dagger when I lost you, though. I thought it was gone…”

  “You thought I was lost, too,” I reminded her with a gentle smile. “But you’ve found us both again.”

  “So it seems,” Crystyn said as her eyes met mine, and then she handed me back the blade.

  “And now I have something to remember both my parents by,” I added, and I sheathed the dagger as I glanced back down at my mother’s ring.

  “I have a chain back at the house I can put it on for you,” Crystyn said as I tried to place the ring on my finger but failed miserably. “You can wear it around your neck for safe-keeping.”

  “That’s probably a better idea,” I laughed. “I don’t want to lose it.”

  I wrapped my fingers around the piece of jewelry, and Crystyn rose up from her place on the ground. I stood to join her, and an awkward silence lingered in the air as we searched for the right words to say to one another.

  “Gryff, one day we can talk more about your parents,” Crystyn finally offered. “If you’d like. I don’t want to burden you with the truth at the moment, but if you ever wish to know, I’ll tell you everything.”

  I gave the Guardian a simple nod. “Thank you. I appreciate that, and one day I’ll take you up on the offer.”

  “Now, let’s get you back to your team,” my aunt advised. “I recognize that look in your eyes, and I know you don’t want to delay any further.”

  Without another word, I followed Crystyn back into the house, and with every step we took, the icy tension between us melted away. I’d had my doubts about her, but there was a goodness in her I appreciated, and one day I would find her again and get the rest of the story.

  When we stepped back in, I was surprised to see my teammates were suited up and prepared to leave. They all wore their travel packs and serious gazes as they lounged around Crystyn’s small kitchen.

  “Wow, I’m impressed,” I said as I noticed they’d taken the time to compile my belongings as well. “Thanks for getting my stuff for me.”

  “No problem, man.” Almasy shrugged with a casual air. “It was no big deal. Lucky for us, you travel light.”

  Crystyn stood there for a moment and then disappeared down the hall, and once the caramel-haired Guardian was out of sight, my team huddled closer to me.

  “Everything okay?” Varleth asked in a low whisper, and his dark-brown eyes darted down the hall like he expected Crystyn to overhear him. “Did she say something else to you?”

  “Everything's fine,” I assured the surly banisher. “We just had another talk. But no worries, I promise. I’m totally fine. We just had some family stuff to chat about.”

  “Phew,” the gypsy sighed in relief. “Thank the Maker. I would’ve stepped in if necessary, but I’m not sure I could’ve handled a Guardian on my own.”

  “You guys need to stop acting like I’m an emotional time bomb,” I teased the group, which earned me a few groans from my friends.

  “Well, maybe if you stopped acting like an emotional time bomb, we wouldn’t have to treat you that way,” Braden quipped, and the ox-like summoner offered me an impish grin. That earned him a push from me, but I underestimated the size and bulk of my large friend, so Braden remained planted on the ground.

  A few moments later, Crystyn returned with something wrapped in her fist.

  “Here you go,” my aunt said as she held out a simple silver chain to me. “This should be sturdy enough to do the job.”

  The chain matched the band of the ring perfectly, and I ran the cord through the piece of jewelry and then fastened it securely around my neck. I received a few quizzical glances from the rest of my team, but I shook my head at them. I’d explain the ring to them later. For now, I wanted to keep the possession and the importance of it to myself.

  “Thank you for the food and lodgings,” I thanked the Guardian formally once the ring was tucked safely under my shirt. “We appreciate your hospitality.”

  “I’d say you’re welcome any time, but I don’t anticipate another stay in the Shadowscape is on your immediate to-do list,” Crystyn laughed as she placed her hands on her hips. The gesture was casual, and the way she looked at me made it feel as if she were actually a family member, not a mysterious stranger intent on my potential destruction.

  “Probably not.” I smiled back at my aunt. “It isn’t really my vacation destination of choice. I know things are… complicated, but know the same offer extends to you as well. Our home in Mistral has many rooms, and you could meet your grandnieces and nephews--”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Crystyn interjected, and her thin-lipped smile gave away a hint of discomfort. “Now, how do you plan to get to Carth’s palace? Surely, you aren’t going to travel by foot?”

  “It’s either that, or have Sera teleport us there again.” I shrugged, and the Guardian shook her head in objection.

  “Carth will be able to sense Sera approaching,” Crystyn pointed out. “And besides, summoning her for that task will only tug at your mana, and you need all of the strength you can muster.”

  “Well, walking it is, then,” I muttered, but Crystyn’s smile suggested she had another idea.

  “I’ll get you there,” she declared, and then she looked around at my teammates. “All of you, follow me.”

  With a swish of her jacket, Crystyn stepped through the front door, and though I was confused by her plan, I decided to follow her.

  “Where are we going?” Mur hissed as we filed out into the Shadowscape. My team and I collectively fastened their gas masks back over their faces as we walked, which made the moose shapeshifter’s already hard-to-understand words that much more garbled.

  “I have no idea,” I admitted once my mask was secured. The protective layer was unnecessary for me to wear, but the acrid stench of the Shadowscape threatened to singe off my nose hairs with its pungency, so it was better to be safe than sorry.

  “Do you think she’s going to summon a monster?” Gawain wondered with a curious tilt of his head. “I’m sure the Guardian has a lot more in her cache than she revealed during your sparring match.”

  “That’s also a good guess,” I said, and deep down, I was just as curious to know about the rare monsters my aunt had in her possession. At the beginning of our battle, she’d made the comment about Grade A’s, and I wondered what all she had in that insanely packed harness of hers.

  “I’m sorry to report there will be no monsters today, gentleman,” Crystyn answered without turning around, and my cheeks grew hot.

  “If not monsters, then what?” I asked her.

  The Guardian answered my question with a wave of her hand, and suddenly, a red-ringed, human-sized portal appeared in the air before us.

  “Holy shit,” Mur uttered as the portal’s light danced in his dark irises, and I resisted the urge to laugh at the moose shapeshifter’s simple declaration.

  “This portal will take you back to the Archons’ palace,” my aunt explained to me in a hurried tone. “You’ll need to hurry and step through it, it won’t hold for long.”

  My teammates waited for me to make the official call as the leader, but I simply ushered them forward.

  “You heard her,” I addressed them, and I waved my arm in the direction of the portal. “Everyone walk through. The minute you step over to the other side, have your weapons drawn and ready. I have no idea if Carth is going to be waiting for us or what, but we can’t afford to be blindsided by an ambush.”

  “You’ve got it.” Varleth nodded, and the banisher was the first one to step through the portal.

  I admired the gypsy’s bravery, and I hoped nothing terrible would greet him on the other side.

  Varleth was followed by Orenn, who was never far behind his friend, and then Gawain and Almasy, and finally, Mur. Once all of my friends had cleared through, I took a deep breath and looked at Crystyn.

  “Last chance to change your mind,” I proposed to her. “You could come with us.”

  “We’ll meet again soon,” the Guardian promised after she shook her head. “Our paths will cross at another time.”

  “Thank you again for all of this,” I said to my aunt, and I debated whether or not to give her a hug, but now wasn’t the right time for affection. My aunt and I would get to that place eventually, but for now, I had a waning portal to step through.

  “Gryff, I need you to do me a favor,” Crystyn requested before I stepped through the opening.

  “Yes?” I asked as I hooked my hand around my bandolier.

  “Kick Carth’s ass for me,” she replied, and the portal’s light against her eyes made them glow with a golden fire.

  I gave my aunt a small smile. “You bet I will.”

  Then, with a deep breath, I stepped through the portal, and once I did, I was suddenly back in the dark barren field where we’d started.

  Chapter Eight

  This corner of the Shadowscape seemed even more dull and lifeless than the area surrounding Crystyn’s home, and a shiver ran through me. I resisted the urge to wrap my arms around myself, and instead, I kept my hand on my bandolier. While everything appeared to be clear, looks could be deceiving, and I didn’t want to let my guard down until I knew my team and I were secure.

  The rest of my friends were gathered around, and even from where I stood, I could feel the magic that radiated from them as they prepared for an ambush. Braden’s hands were on the thick essence crystal belt strapped around him, Varleth’s were on his weapon, and Gawain’s flickered with fire magic. Orenn had his large fists clenched, and Mur tried to imitate the metallogue’s battle stance. Even Almasy had his chin raised and his shoulders squared as his eyes carefully looked around.

  We waited in stillness for a few minutes, and my heart beat like a drum inside my chest as I prepared myself for a herd of monsters to manifest in the field. Carth had a tendency to randomly show up with her mega-sized creatures, so I couldn’t let my guard down until I was certain we were secure.

  Finally, I realized everything was tentatively okay, so I relaxed my stance, and my teammates did the same.

  “It doesn’t look like she’s here,” I assessed. “Which I know is the obvious thing to deduce, but if she were going to make herself known, she would have done so by now. So, here’s what we need to do. We need to survey the area and try to find the edges of the cloak. It’s going to be difficult to locate, but it has to end at some point. We need to find the place where the magic ends and then figure out how to lift it.”

  “So, it is like a magic garment?” Mur clarified with a frown. “Am I understanding it?”

  “Exactly,” I said. “Think of it like a blanket of magic covering the area. We need to find where it starts and stops.”

  “Let’s split up,” Almasy suggested, and the earth mage’s eyes studied the empty blackened field. “Maybe a few of us can go on one side of the field, and the others can take the other side and try to determine a start and end. That way we don’t exhaust ourselves walking back and forth.”

  “Good idea, Almasy,” I complimented the pilot, and he flashed me a toothy grin. “I’ll take the far end, and Gawain and Varleth can come with me. Orenn, Almasy, Braden, and Mur, you take the other side?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Braden nodded.

  “Now, all of you keep your ears and eyes peeled,” I advised the team. “Things seem secure, but we don’t know how the cloak works, and the last thing we need is for someone to get hurt before we figure that out.”

  “I guess if someone gets hurt, we’ve figured at least one thing out.” Orenn smirked, and I shook my head as I stifled a laugh. The metallogue always knew how to bring a smile to my face even in the most serious of situations.

  “I volunteer Orenn as the one to get zapped,” Almasy proposed, and we all cracked up as Orenn stuck his tongue out like a child.

  “Okay, everyone focus,” I insisted through my laughter. “No one’s getting zapped on my watch, not even Orenn. Now, if you happen to notice a particular feeling, be it mental or physical, call it out. I don’t know how this magic is going to feel, so your suggestions are just as good as any.”

  “Noted,” Gawain agreed, and the fire mage held up his hand.

  A small fireball suddenly appeared in his palm, and for a moment, I was amazed by the readiness of his flames. I’d gained a new appreciation for the element after wielding it the other day, as well as finding out that my own mother was a fire mage, and the sight of Gawain handling it with ease was awesome.

  “Aaaaaand break!” I declared, and without further ado, my team split up to scour the area. Varleth, Gawain, and I headed down to the opposite side of the field, and I winced with every crunchy footstep I took across the earth.

  As we walked, I decided I didn’t want to take any chances when it came to protection, so I retrieved the essence crystal of my bullet bass and smashed it in my palm. Once the metal-coated fish appeared, I absorbed its abilities within myself and suddenly, my body was covered in silver armor. I admired the gleam of silver and flexed my muscles, and I smirked. Nothing was going to get through this.

  I was tempted to add a speed slug to my person, but I knew it was important to inspect every square inch of this field.

  Then an idea crossed my mind. Why limit the armor to just myself when I could share the wealth and protect my friends as well? So, I stopped in my tracks, closed my eyes, and visualized the rest of my teammates coated in the thick armor. I felt a tug at my mana, and when I opened my eyes, Gawain and Varleth had frozen in place, and the pair sported the same silver armor as me.

  “Maybe give us a heads up next time, Gryff.” Varleth grimaced as he held his arms out in front of him. “That definitely scared the shit out of me.”

  “My bad,” I apologized to the banisher, but Varleth waved me off.

  “It’s fine,” he assured me. “I’m definitely not going to complain about extra protection.”

  “Yes, thank you, Gryff,” Gawain agreed with the gypsy. With his aristocratic features, the armor made Gawain look like a valiant knight, and it definitely suited him.

  I turned my attention to the other side of the field where the rest of my team had also halted their steps. Each of the mages was coated in the bullet bass armor, and none seemed too concerned by it, except for Mur. I could hear the moose shapeshifter cry out in alarm, and he spun around to look at the metal that coated his body like a second skin.

  “Oh, moose boy is not looking too good over there,” Gawain snorted as he observed the kid’s panic attack.

  “Yeaaaaah, I didn’t stop to think he’d be a little freaked out by magical armor suddenly appearing.” I winced, and I rubbed at the back of my neck.

  Luckily, the rest of my team was used to things like this, so I watched them all gather around Mur and reassure him. After a minute or so, Mur seemed to relax, and Almasy offered me a thumbs up from across the field.

  I let out a sigh of relief. Thank the Maker. I would apologize to Mur for it later, but at the same time, I wanted my team to be as safe as possible.

  “I’ll never stop being impressed by that magic,” Varleth noted with a dark raised eyebrow. “The ability to absorb your summons powers is insane. A little freaky, of course, but still pretty damn awesome.”

  “Thanks, Varleth,” I laughed. “Honestly, sometimes I’m still amazed I can do it. It’s certainly saved my ass more than once.”

  “That thing you did with the baroquer was even more impressive,” Gawain said, and I detected a note of jealousy in the golden-haired mage’s voice. “Fire magic can be a bit difficult to control, but you wielded it like a natural.”

  “Don’t praise me too much, I had no clue what I was doing,” I objected with a shake of my head. “But I will admit, something about using that type of magic felt… good. I don’t know how else to say it.”

  “I mean, your aunt mentioned your mother was a fire mage, I’m sure that has something to do with it.” Varleth shrugged.

  “I had the same thought,” I agreed with the banisher. “I don’t really know if that’s how it works, or if I’d just been swept up in the moment. There was a lot of adrenaline coursing through me.”

  “That would also make sense,” the gypsy chuckled.

  “Not to shift the subject, but I have to ask about Mur,” Gawain brought up, and the fire mage winced as he stepped over a particularly crispy patch of blackened earth. “I know he’s a shapeshifter and all, but other than that, what magic does he possess? Or does he even have magic outside of that?”

  “C’mon, Madox, be nice to the kid,” Varleth groaned. “He’s not so bad.”

  “I know this may come as a shock to you, Prost, but I don’t mind the boy,” Gawain insisted, and the fireball in his hands made his emerald green eyes flash. “He seems like a kind lad, I just worry about how he’s going to fare. This was a huge battle to send him into, and while I intend to make sure he’s well protected, I worry about how this may affect him.”

  “Wow, Gawain, I never realized you could be so maternal.” I smirked. “Look, I’m honestly not sure what kind of magic he wields outside of his shifting, but the kid has a big heart, and he wants to be a warrior. I gave him the option to stay behind in Mistral, but he insisted that he wants to fight with the mages and join the Academy, so I figured this would be a good opportunity for him to see how things work.”

 

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