(William)

Moonlight illuminated the winding trail leading to the house. William pulled up the collar of his coat, covered the lower part of his face, and jammed his hands into his pockets. He trailed behind his brother, hidden and quiet.

Ivan walked up the risers that led to the front porch and wiped his boots on the mat. He reached for the handle when the door flew open. Aunt Lisa stood in the doorframe, next to the sunstone lantern. Her eyes were narrowed, hands on her hips.

“Hi, Aunt Lisa.” William poked his head from behind Ivan and smiled broadly. “It’s a lovely night, isn’t it?”

Scraps, that was stupid. Why didn’t I stick to the plan? I had to open my big mouth.

He caught the look in his aunt’s eyes and promptly ducked back behind Ivan.

“Where have you been?” she demanded. “I’ve been worried sick! I checked all of your nearby hunting spots after I saw the storm in the distance. Thank Cea’Nia you’re safe.” She opened the door wider and stepped back.

“Well, don’t just stand there, come on inside.” She ushered them through the narrow door. The boys shrugged out of their jackets and hung them on the coatrack. They took off their boots and placed them in the side cabinet.

Ivan and William padded over the thread-worn rug and huddled next to the hearth. The old, enchanted loony-clock signaled the hour. William cringed and glared at the wooden box as it screeched and rattled.

Their aunt hustled into the kitchen to get them some potage. It was a carrot and leek soup, made from the vegetables grown in their underground sunstone garden. William wished that they could grow meat in that garden. He would never have to hunt again.

Why chase after food when you can pluck it from the ground, he mused. I come up with the best ideas!

William accepted the soup gratefully and started to slurp it down. Hot soup always tasted best after a long cold day outside. The only thing better was cake. His aunt made delicious cakes and he remembered that she had planned to make one today.

“Sooo…” Lisa crossed her arms and glared at them.

William squirmed in his seat and forced a smile. He racked his brain for something to say.

“We caught a rabbit,” he blurted out. He reached inside his bag and pulled it out. “Look at that!” He bobbed his head.

Lisa waived her hand dismissively. “Never mind the rabbit. What happened out there? I can see it all over your face that something bad happened.”

William gulped and started spilling the salt about everything.

The boys spent the next hour answering a barrage of questions. Aunt Lisa wanted to know every little detail about the storm, the old man, and their hunt in the Black Forest. She was especially interested in the powerful Lightning Strike and the magic that the old man had used.

After hearing their story, she sat silently for some time. William watched her, nervously fiddling with a pebble in his pocket. His aunt’s eyes darted around the room. William glanced over at his brother. Ivan’s lips were pressed together, and he tapped a finger on his knee. The silence seemed to go on forever. It was a somber silence and William did not like those. He fidgeted in his chair and cleared his throat. He turned toward his aunt, getting ready to tell her a dung beetle joke, but as soon as he saw her expression, he snapped his mouth shut.

His aunt stood up and took a deep breath. “Boys, I don’t think we’re safe here anymore.” She paused. “We need to pack up and leave tonight.”

“What! Why?” William blurted. “No one ever comes here. We live in the middle of nowhere, right?”

Ivan leaned forward and clasped his hands, looking intently at their aunt. “What’s going on?”

She picked up the poker and prodded the fire. “Where should I begin?” She stared into the flames. Sadness clouding her features. “You know some of the events that brought us to your grandparents’ farm. But you don’t know everything.”

William scooted forward in his chair.

“Ivan, you know most of this, but I’ll repeat it for William. It started with the attack on Calot. Ten years ago, after the Spirit Competition, the Shadow Lands invaded the Nature Kingdom. Queen Esmeralda Sapphire, aided by a flotilla of pirates from the Stone Islands, besieged our capital.”

Aunt Lisa looked at them. “Your mom and dad were part of the Magic Council’s inner circle that served King Storm Gabriel at the capital. All its members died during the fall of Calot.” Her expression was bleak.

“The Shadow Lands' victory appeared imminent. In a desperate effort, your parents led dozens of Nature casters in a surprise attack against the enemy.”

Lisa stared into the fire with a distant expression.

“That was the last time that I saw your mom and dad. They died protecting Calot. They sacrificed themselves by creating a diversion that allowed thousands to escape the falling city.”

She looked at the boys. “Earlier that day, your mom and dad met with me and entrusted me as your guardian. I wanted to take you to Scar, but your mother insisted that I bring you here, to your grandparents’ farm, and raise you in seclusion. Over the years, I’d learned to trust in Jassie’s intuition. I don’t know how she did it, but sometimes… sometimes, she knew things before they happened.”

“I remember that day,” Ivan said. “Mom held me for a long time. She had a reassuring smile, but I could tell that she had been crying. Dad hugged me and told me to take care of William. He told me to be strong and that he loved me.”

Ivan looked at his aunt. “At the time, I didn’t realize that they were telling me goodbye. Later that day we rode out of the city along with thousands of others. You held William in your arms, and I sat behind you on the saddle. People were screaming and shouting. The Shadowlanders tried to stop us, but flying boulders cleared our way. I remember asking you about Mom and Dad over and over, but we just kept on riding and riding.”

“I’ll never forget that day,” Lisa replied. Her words were laced with anguish. “So many died during the invasion. Your mom, my little sister, was one of them…”

For a while, only the crackling sounds of burning wood whispered in the quiet room, like the voices of people long gone. Lisa looked at the boys and leaned forward.

“As you know, for the last ten years, I’ve abstained from casting spells. Your mom, Jassie, was adamant about that. You see, magic can be traced, and I had to make sure that our hiding place remained undetected.”

“Why was mom worried about magic being traced out here, in the middle of nowhere?” asked William.

“Because, she knew something,” replied Lisa. “It had to do with her premonitions. She didn’t have them often, but when she did, they always came true. She told me three things before we fled the capital. The first one was to bring you here to the farm and stay away from the big cities. The second thing was not to use any magic until we were ready to leave the farm. She knew that she was asking a lot of me and how much more difficult things would be for us without magic. Still, she was adamant. The last thing that she told me was that there would be a sign in the sky and then we would need to flee the farm.”

Lisa took a breath. “The storm and the Lightning Strike that you saw were caused by powerful magic. It would’ve taken many Shadow casters or the use of a relic to conjure it. The pillar of light cast by the old man is magic that I’ve never heard of. Honestly, I don’t know what the old man did to you. Still, Ivan was right. The Body Glow spell is from the Light school of magic.”

She looked at William. “You shouldn’t be able to cast that spell. Nature magic is inherent to the Nature Kingdom, and as far as we know, it’s passed down through the bloodlines. The same is true for Shadow magic in the Shadow Lands, and Light magic in the Evergreen Realm. There is no such thing as a caster using magic from more than one school. That is a myth from fairytales.” His aunt shifted in her seat.

“From your description, the old man was using Nature and Light magic at the same time.” Lisa looked baffled. She moved her chair closer to William. “Think hard, can you remember anything else?”

William squirmed. “No, everything else is a blur.”

“Show her the spell,” Ivan urged him.

William closed his eyes and concentrated. It was much easier this time. It did not take him long before he began to glow.

“Yes, that’s the Body Glow!” Lisa gripped the arms of her chair. “How in Cea’Nia’s name is that possible?” His aunt stared at him, mouth agape.

Lisa stiffened and cocked her head to the side. Her expression darkened and she sprang up from the chair, knocking it over. William heard the drawers in the kitchen fly open with a bang. Knives rushed in and froze in midair around her.

Aunt Lisa put her index finger over her lips. The message was clear.

“Someone is outside,” she hissed. “Ivan, get to the basement! You know what to do.”

William knew that there was a hidden underground passage in the basement, past the sunstone garden, that led to a thicket at the edge of the forest. He had found it by accident shortly after moving to the farm.

Sticking my nose in places where it doesn’t belong pays off sometimes, he thought.

“Come with us,” Ivan implored his aunt as he snatched the sword hanging on the wall.

“Go! I’ll be right behind you,” Lisa urged. “Go on, go! You need to get your brother to safety.”

Ivan hesitated, but before he could object, Lisa levitated the hatch to the basement and commanded. “Ivan, hurry! Get going.”

The boys scrambled down the basement staircase. The hatch slammed shut behind them. A loud crashing sound came from above and the whole house shook. They were showered with dust, streaming down from the floorboards above them.

William, still glowing, looked at his brother in alarm. “What now?” he asked in a small voice.

“Take the passage and go to the cave,” Ivan ordered him. “Wait there for us. I’m going to help Aunt Lisa.” Ivan shoved open the floor hatch with his shoulder and clambered out of the basement.

Ignoring his brother’s command, William climbed out of the basement and followed him to the kitchen. He grabbed his slingshot and fumbled around his pocket for a stone. He had no intention of running off to the cave.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

William almost crashed into his brother, who had stopped dead in his tracks, his sword drooping. He leaned around Ivan and his eyes widened in surprise.

He was stunned speechless. Two massive bears stood in the middle of the room, staring at each other. The front door had been obliterated. Fragments of wood were strewn all over the place. William did not see his aunt anywhere.

Where is she?

Astonished, he watched the bears slowly approach one another until their noses were almost touching. They seemed to know each other, and to William, it looked like they were smiling. The black bear stuck its tongue out and licked the brown bear across the face, leaving a trail of slobber. The brown bear lifted its paw, wiped its face, and transformed into his aunt.

“Blech!” Aunt Lisa said, while dramatically wiping her face. “That was uncalled for.”

The other bear changed into a slender, fair-skinned woman with long curly black hair and a delicate face. Her eyes were weird. One of her irises was silver and the other light blue.

“Well, I can confirm that this was equally distasteful for me,” she bantered back playfully. “Well met, dear old friend.” The stranger threw her arms around Lisa in a big bear hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” replied Lisa. “It has been too long.” She turned toward the boys. “Ivan, William, I’d like to introduce my old and dear friend, Rose Summerbreeze.”

Rose looked at Ivan and pointed at Lisa. “Did she just call me old?” She put her hands on her hips, tapped her dagger, and glared. “No one calls me old and gets away with it.” Lisa laughed.

“Ivan, look at you,” Rose exclaimed. “You’re all grown up. You were just a little boy the last time I saw you.” She proffered her hand for Ivan to shake.

“Hello,” Ivan replied stiffly and shook her hand. He surveyed the damage in the room and winced. “Umm, it’s nice to meet you,” he added as an afterthought.

Rose thrust her hand toward William. “Hi there, I’ve never met you before.”

William grabbed her hand. The moment they touched, her eyebrows rose, and she pursed her lips.

“Ooo,” she cooed. She looked intently at William. He felt like she was sizing him up. She leaned forward. Her face was mere inches from his. “How interesting,” she mused aloud. A small, delighted smile lit up her face and she softened her voice. “Oh, there is more to you than meets the eye, I think.”

William hesitated a moment and then smiled broadly.

She winked at him and turned toward his aunt.

She’s weird. William noticed that Rose was wearing a silk dress. His eyes widened when he saw her feet. Scraps, no shoes… Sure, spring is coming, but it’s freezing outside.

Her wild, wavy hair was disheveled. Even though she seemed mischievous and a bit odd, she had an intelligent and thoughtful expression that reminded him of Ivan.

Rose looked around and saw the knives all over the floor. She rolled her eyes. “Gah, those will only work against a stinking Shadow caster,” she scoffed.

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” His aunt gave her a knowing look.

Rose shrugged. “Let me clean up this place. It looks like something happened to your door.” She grinned.

Rose approached the entrance of the house, where the only thing left of the door was its hinges. She pulled a jar of clear goo out of nowhere and tossed it in the air. She extended her hand and pieces of the broken door and goo floated in the air. Like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces rearranged themselves back into their original shape. They knitted together and the goo fused them. Soon, there were no traces that the door had ever been broken.

“That’s amazing,” William exclaimed and ran to the door. He gently pulled it open and shut it again. He wondered what would happen if he slammed the door, as he so often did. Would it fall apart? And, more importantly, if it did, could he then pass the blame onto Rose? He grinned.

“Rose, you didn’t have to obliterate the door.” Lisa gestured toward the entrance. “You could’ve just knocked. For Cea’Nia’s sake, you scared me half-to-death.”

“Of course, I had to do what I did, or I wouldn’t have done it,” Rose countered. “After all, creating chaos is the best way to expose what cards my opponent is holding, so I embrace bedlam.”

Lisa scoffed. “You’re still just as thickheaded as you always were.”

“Well, thank you.” Rose beamed. “You always say the nicest things to me.”

“Oh Rose, I’ve really missed you.” His aunt hugged Rose again.

Lisa cleared her throat. “So, what brings you out here to the farm? I wasn’t expecting to see you again until our next trip to Pike. I must admit that your timing is uncanny. We were going to have a quick bite and start packing. Something happened today. I don’t think the farm is safe anymore.”

“Oh, things are definitely happening,” Rose replied. “There is a lot of that going around,” she added cryptically.

“Rose, seriously, what brings you all the way out here?” asked Lisa.

Rose smiled mischievously. “The leaf floats wherever the wind blows.”

Lisa gave her a flat look and crossed her arms. “Come on, out with it.”

Rose’s stomach growled noisily. “I’ll spill the salt but first things first. My stomach is roaring, and I need something to eat. I’ve been flying since morning and I’m starving.”

“If we need to leave right away, we could just snack on some booster bars,” Lisa suggested.

“Blech, I’m sick of booster bars.” Rose grimaced. “I’ve been eating those for the last few days. I need real food! Besides, I’ve scouted the whole area around your farm. There is no one around for leagues. For now, just know that you’re all safe. For later… well, I’m not answering any questions on an empty stomach. You can loosen my lips with some home cooked food.”

Lisa sighed. “Alright, alright, sit down.” She gestured toward a chair in the kitchen. “William, can you wipe the table. It’s dusty again. I swear, I spend more time dusting now than I did when we first moved in here. I just wiped that table this morning.”

“Heh, funny you should mention that.” Rose scrunched up her nose. “I hear folks complaining about that everywhere. Some people have started blaming the dirt on the Shadow Lands. They’ve started calling Queen Esmeralda Sapphire, the Queen of Dirt.”

William snickered as he wiped the table.

“Thanks William, you’re a dear,” said Lisa. “Rose, your timing was perfect. We were just about to have a meal. We’ve got soup, eggs, cheese, bread, and plenty of fresh vegetables.”

Rose nodded enthusiastically. “Now you’re talking.”

William mumbled to himself about eggs when he would rather have rabbit meat while he passed plates around the table. Ivan cut the cheese. Lisa plopped some bread and dried meat down. Rose rolled up the sleeves of her dress, tore off a large chunk of bread, and shoved it into her mouth.

William gawked at her leather vambraces. He had never seen anything like them. A golden dragon with ruby eyes was perched atop a silver crescent moon. Its scaly tail was coiled around the moon. The black leather was dotted with shiny gems, resembling a starry sky.

“Hey, that looks like a Shadowlander’s vambrace.” William looked at Rose.

“It is.”

“Why are you wearing it?” William gave her an accusing look.

Rose shrugged. “Spoils of war.”

What does that even mean? William crossed his arms and thought about it.

As she ate, Rose eyed him. “If I’m not mistaken, there was a bright magical radiance about you when you first came into the room. What do you have to say about that?” she asked around a mouthful of food.

William shrugged. “Well, what can I say, I’m a bright kid.”

Rose laughed and crammed more food into her mouth. Lisa shook her head and groaned. William watched his aunt as she put the kettle under the tap and pumped some water in. She plunked the kettle down onto the stove and tossed more wood into the fire. She picked up the poker and stirred the embers.

As the water heated up, Lisa recapped the events of the day and finished her story with William casting the Body Glow spell.

“Aha, I thought I was seeing things,” Rose proclaimed. “The Body Glow spell… I can’t believe it.” She leaned forward. “Well, William, can you cast it again?”

William was happy to oblige. His aunt extinguished a nearby candle and his magic illuminated the room.

“Well, would you look at that.” Rose gaped. “It has been years since I’ve seen the Body Glow. The Evergreen Realm casters love to show it off at the Spirit Competition. Victor Restic kept it on for hours after he defeated your dad in the finals match twenty years ago.” She paused, looking thoughtful. “Though he wasn’t nearly as bright as you are right now.”

Rose grabbed William’s hand and closed her eyes.

Baffled, William looked at his aunt. “What is she doing?” he mouthed.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m holding your hand.”

“Uh, yeah, I am…”

“I can detect magical signatures. Each school of magic has a unique aspect. When I shook your hand earlier, I felt traces of Nature, Light, and Shadow magic. After seeing that you can cast a Light spell, I have no doubt that you’ll be able to conjure spells from the other two schools. So, I just wanted to verify my earlier examination. It’s always good to double check.”

“Rose are you sure that he has aspects of Nature and Shadow magic, in addition to Light?” asked Lisa.

“I’m positive.”

“Shadow magic?” Lisa muttered, staring at William.

“Definitely!” Rose nodded.

“I didn’t think that was possible.” Lisa scrutinized William. The room grew quiet.

Rose wiped her mouth and looked at Lisa. “We need to talk.”

“Right,” Lisa replied. “Boys, it’s time to get moving. We need to settle things here, pack up, and leave. Go upstairs and take only what you need. We’re going to Scar.”

“We’re going to Scar?” William zeroed in on his aunt. “The Hidden City Scar… that Scar?” William’s jaw dropped.

“Yes, we’re going to Scar, the Hidden City.”

“Scraps, I’ve always wanted to go there. I’ve heard so many stories about it.” William whooped with excitement.

“Maps don’t show the exact entrance to the city, but Rose and I know how to get there. Now, go on upstairs and remember, take only what you need. That absolutely does not include your rock collection.” His aunt shot him a knowing look. “We’re leaving tonight.”

William thumped out of the room, wondering if all the stories he had heard about the Hidden City were true. Surely, the existence of the vast underground forest must be exaggerated. The mountain under the mountain sounded farfetched as well. The enchanted cavern sky could not possibly look like the real sky in midsummer. And what about the endless waterways, tunnels, and the Garden of Dreams.

(Lisa)

As the footsteps of the boys receded, Lisa looked at Rose. “So, tell me, what really brings you here?”

Rose leaned forward. “A few days ago, we received news from one of our spies,” she whispered. “The spy used a mirror of communication to send us a message of grave importance. That’s the reason I’m here. I was dispatched by Lord Tinbury.” Rose reached into her bag, pulled out a small scroll, and handed it to Lisa.

Lisa unrolled the parchment and read the message:

The Shadow Queen has been searching for a specific magical signature for over a decade.

The signature was located west of Pike near the Lonely River. Preparations for a magical

ritual to destroy the source are underway. The ritual will be completed in less than a week.

“As far as I can tell, the spy’s information was accurate,” said Lisa. “The boys were there. They witnessed that lightning attack against the tree that shifted into the old man. He must have been the magical source that they were looking for.” Lisa frowned before continuing, “So, according to the report, they’ve been searching for him for over a decade. Why would they even target him? Who is he?”

“Yeah, we’re missing essential information,” Rose agreed. “Still, we know more now than we did before the attack.” Rose put a hand on Lisa’s arm. “That old man was able to wield magic from different schools. He was able to pass some of his magical powers to William. That’s an extraordinary ability. It’s something out of lore. It reminds me of the old man from the Guardian Fairytales.”

“You’re right,” Lisa exclaimed. “Even the pillar of light was no ordinary magic.”

“Well, let’s consider the possibilities, even the farfetched ones,” Rose suggested. “That old man might have been one of the Ancients. We know so little about them. Their very existence is shrouded in mystery. Have you ever heard of anyone being able to transfer magical abilities?”

“Never.” Lisa shook her head. “Until today, I thought it was impossible. None of the grimoires that I’ve read over the years mention anything about it.”

“Well, you’re one of the most knowledgeable casters that I know. You’ve read most of the spell books in the kingdom and written a few. If you haven’t heard of it, we’ll have to scour the old archives in the library. We’ll get Drake working on that once we get to Scar.”

The sounds of clamoring on the stairs announced that the boys had finished packing.

“Boys, go outside and open all of the animal enclosures,” said Lisa. “Unlatch and tip the barrels with the feedstock. Also, leave the backdoor to the sunstone garden ajar. The chickens are going to love the cabbage. I’m going to run down to the creek and adjust the water flow to the garden.”

“What about Swifty?” William’s eyes widened. “We can’t leave him here!”

“He’ll slow us down, William.” Lisa placed an arm on his shoulder. “We can’t take him with us.”

“What if something attacks him?” He pulled away from his aunt. “He’s been with us for years. He can’t survive in the wild anymore. He needs us.”

“Now William, you know that Swifty has the tendency to disappear for weeks at a time when a wandering cow catches his fancy. He’ll be just fine on his own. He never lost his wild side,” Ivan reassured him.

“Well.” William scrunched up his face and nodded. “Yeah… Maybe you’re right. I’ll go fetch some extra carrots for him. He loves those.” William dashed out of the house, not waiting for a reply.

A few hours later, they were ready to leave. Lisa reviewed her mental list of things to do and then checked the house again. She had the gnawing feeling that she was forgetting something. She knew that she would probably remember it as soon as they were too far away to do anything about it.

It was much colder now, and the wind snapped at them like an angry dog.

Rose looked at Lisa. “Horses?”

“Yes, that’ll be the fastest way to get to Scar, since we all can’t fly.”

“I’ll take the heavier load,” Rose said. She shifted into a Scaran Fjord horse and began neighing and prancing around.

Lisa snorted. “Ivan, you’re with Rose and William you are coming with me.”

It had been hours since the lavender light of the setting sun had disappeared. Night, with her hidden secrets, had enveloped the countryside.

It was going to be a long night.