Band of Blackbirds (Book 2 in the Blackbird Trilogy) Page 4
Chapter Four
All of the tribe had packed everything up leaving only Aria and Quil along with Ian, Caleb and me in one small, dome tent. Aria spoke to her tribe, but I didn’t pay attention to her words, only the rhythm of her voice.It was a mixture of strength and compassion that echoed in a tempo aged beyond her years.I listened to her until she stopped and came into the tent.
“When,” Quil asked Aria in a low voice that I could still hear.
I looked up at him as I sat by Ian’s side and caught just a flicker of his golden eyes before he turned them away.
“Soon,” Aria replied sitting across from me.
I looked at her, and she at me and for the first time, she smiled.Caught in the unexpected gesture I only stared.
“Emily, I am going to ask something of you that I know you can do, but can be done without you.”She paused as I looked at her with confusion and for the first time meeting Aria, she was tripping over her own words.“What I mean is that we have made arrangements, but with your assistance would make things much easier.”
“And save lives.”Quil added as Aria glanced quickly at him with slightly scolding eyes.
Aria looked back at me ignoring what Quil had said.
“The Wall expanded last night.The Searhess’s home in the Forest of the Dunes is gone.It is part of the Crystal City.”She paused as I looked away imagining the small home with the blue dragon’s fire gone.
“But it really isn’t gone.”I tried to make sense of what she said.
“It is gone for us.What do you think will happen when we run out of land?” she asked rhetorically. “We will have nowhere to go, nowhere to live.Those that are not children of the Crystal City are destroyed if caught in the expansion and one day we will have no more hiding spaces.”
“But you are Rangers who protect the Wall, don’t you have protection?”I asked shaking my head.
Quil let out a sigh in aggravation.“She doesn’t get it and time is running short.”
Aria shot him a glance and then nodded her head.
“There are other creatures, other beings that seek protection.Why are they not as important as those in the Crystal City?”She looked at me as I glanced at Ian who slept peacefully.“We are granted protection as guardians of the Wall, but…that time is running short.The Crystal City calls it our duty and thinks nothing more of it.We call it an opportunity and its destruction rests in our hands.
We all have so much to give to this world, but the Crystal City sees us as a plague, a menace and lesser beings to them.They want a perfect world free of our diseases and weaknesses.But what they don’t know is that they have their own diseases and weaknesses that one day they will succumb to.”Aria with her long fingers gently nudged them against my chin until I met her golden eyes.“We need each other in this world, together with all of our weaknesses and strengths.Your mother had that vision and it didn’t die with her.You have the key,” she said motioning with her eyes to the amulet that was hidden under my shirt.“That is the hopes, dreams, blood, tears and joys of Eutopia in there.It is a master key to the portals and it must be destroyed.”
“Destroyed, why?”I asked feeling she had just told me we had to a beloved family pet to sleep due to old age or illness.I rubbed the amulet gently with my fingers.
“Because it only brings greed, hatred and evil that could destroy the most peaceful worlds.Ian’s father had no idea that his creation would bring such hardships on the home he loved.He meant to bring worlds together to share ideas, cure illnesses and other plagues that crippled societies for thousands of years.It was a way to communicate through the vast distances that separate us.What Morwen never thought of was that he owed a ruthless investor, one that saw the possibilities the amulet had and that was for profit and power.”
The amulet sat cool against my skin, like it never changed temperature.I thought of what Aria had said and the responsibility that my mother left as her inheritance overwhelmed me.How could she do that?I only knew her through the single picture that I had stuck on my dresser mirror.I often fantasized how her voice sounded, what she smelled like and what her favorite color was.I never would have guessed that she was an assassin from another world and one day I would be completing what she’d started.
“Listen to her.”Ian’s voice croaked.
All eyes turned to Ian as he propped himself up onto his elbows.“Aria is right.What my father made can only bring destruction, even though he thought otherwise, he was naïve about a lot of things.”
“You’re wrong.” Aria corrected him with a stern voice and a flicker of her eyes. “He was a visionary living before his time.The amulet isn’t a bad thing, this world is just not ready for it and that’s why it must be sent back to the Black Abyss.”
“That is what the voice told me to do with it before I came here.”I looked at Aria.
“You should have listened to it and sailed with David in his ship there.That was the plan.I was to wait and destroy the amulet.”Aria’s eyes flickered in an array of gold like she was a hungry beast waiting to devour her dinner.“At least it’s here now.”
I looked at her remembering the voice that told me to take it to the Black Abyss and the same voice that said the amulet was a key to a portal before it turned from a sparkling topaz to silver.I slowly felt for the amulet as I stared at Aria.
“It was your voice I heard.”I kept looking into her eyes.
“More likely one of many voices.I could only hear some things, but knew the amulet was in danger of the Dragon clan.They’ve made their presence here and their intentions are just like all the others. I’ve been listening to a few things and pieced most of them together, but it wasn’t until you, Emily, came in contact with the amulet.It was designed for you to find.”
Silence surrounded us just as a distant rumbled echoed through the trees causing the ground to vibrate.
“The Wall--” Quil looked anxiously at Aria.
“We need to move.Ian, can you walk?”Aria ran her hand over the side of his cheek that flushed with color.
“Or more like run, because the Wall isn’t going to wait,” Caleb said lifting Ian up and supporting him.
“I’m fine. Emily is the one who needs protection. I can walk on my own,” Ian said with the color leaving his face followed by his body falling limp.
“Ian.”I went over and helped Caleb hold him up.He slung Ian’s over his shoulder that hung like a wet rag.
“We have to move now Searhess.”Quil’s eyes darted from Caleb to Aria.
“Then let’s go, leave the boda.We must get to the rest of the tribe.”Aria looked at Caleb.“You can’t carry him, Quil will carry him and I will travel with you and Emily.”
Quil glanced at me and nodded his head as if to give me a sense of comfort.I looked into his topaz eyes that seemed to shift with different colors.The ground shook again and the foreboding sense of something evil lurked in the wind that blew just like before a summer storm.
I watched Quil change into his wolf-like form as Ian was secured to his back.The ground quivered warning us of the quickly approaching Wall.Quil jolted into the forest like he was never here.A hole began to open inside of me and it was filled with worry for Ian.I stood as long as I could and peered at the spot Quil had entered the forest wanting to follow and worrying if I would see Ian again.
“Come on Emily, let’s go.”Caleb whispered behind me as the ground trembled and trees snapped in the distance.
We ran in the opposite direction of the boiling, grey clouds that loomed over us, biting at our heels and slowly closing in.I didn’t think we could possibly make it as Aria led the way followed by Caleb who kept looking back at me.The cumbersome underbrush was thick and made running impossible.The ground was in a steady tremble that caused some of the leaning and decaying limbs to fall and crumble like cookies to the ground.
Suddenly, something began to hit the leaves of the trees like ash from a volcano.Gracefully falling around us were tiny silver plumes of what looked like a cross
between feathers and spider’s silk rolled into perfect balls.They fell in front of me, beside me and on my head exploding in a blast of silver glitter.Even in the danger, I couldn’t help but to wonder what it was.
“We’re not going to make it!”Caleb yelled out as I tried to run faster from the danger behind.
“Keep going!”Aria’s voice remained calm.
I could see her dark, fluid hair move like a black lightning bolt through the thickening silver clouds of glitter.She reached for Caleb’s hand and peered back at me with her golden eyes that burned through the silver ash as if the two colors were at war.
I had stopped because I forget what I was running from.I reached into my pocket not knowing why and pulled the life-like picture of my mother.She smiled back at me and let her hair blow wildly in the wind as her voice whispered in my ears.
“Let me go Emily.Let me go.”My fingers relaxed and suddenly her picture was snatched by the strong hand of the wind.
I watched it go until it was lost in the building sky of silver plumes.I let go the last remaining picture of my mother.I wasn’t sad of the loss, but felt it was something she wanted me to do—she was protecting us.
Mesmerized by the whole serene landscape, Caleb jerked on my hand and grabbed it tightly.He pulled me forward from this dreamscape that instead of fear began to fill me with calmness.My mind began to slip trying to hang onto my memories that were being washed away and all that mattered was the silver glitter that fell around me like snow.
“Emily, don’t look at it!”Caleb’s voice was quickly drowned out by the rumble of thunder and the ground cracking into thousands of fissures beneath my feet.
I didn’t care anymore, my mind for a moment surrendered to the peacefulness of ignorant bliss of my surroundings.I could feel Caleb push me to the ground covering my body with his as the intense wind caressed over us until all was still.
“You had to look at the glitter didn’t you?”Caleb said in a weary voice.
He lifted himself up relieving his weight off of me.I gasped in the warm air and opened my eyes to a barren landscape filled with the skeletons of trees coated in the silver substance that glowed in a greenish white light.If fact, everything glowed in the same light as if it was still alive, but only in a different form.
“Where are we?”I asked dumbfounded.
“Well princess, in the same place, but behind the Wall.This isn’t how I expected the Crystal City.”Caleb looked around in wonder.
“It is waiting for construction.It has been frozen and anything not desirable will be destroyed and anything desirable will be maintained.”
“Do you think they will maintain or destroy us?’Caleb never seemed to lose his sense of humor.
Aria only stared at him with her topaz eyes.“We’re not staying here to find out, we are going into the Crystal City.”
The ground was clear of the forest clutter and even though we were still in the same place, it was not the same place.Just like the pictures I’ve seen of towns destroyed by storms and other disasters, it had taken on a different persona.This world was still beautiful with light and possibility, but all at the expense of those who were forced to give it up.
I walked in silence between Aria and Caleb.I didn’t speak my thoughts and wondered if Ian had made it to safety or was he behind the Wall as well.I kept looking around in the forest’s ghostly beauty trying to catch a glimpse of Ian and Quil.I wrapped my arms around myself tightly and looked off to my right through the glowing trees.I nearly ran into Aria who had stopped in front of me.
“The Wall didn’t expand that much.Ian…and Quil, are safe.They are outside the Wall, so stop thinking about him and concentrate on the here and now.”Aria was the same height as I, and I looked directly into her eyes.
“How…”My voice faded.“Why are you reading my thoughts?”I asked defensively.
Aria shook her head.“It is a gift just like you are a Receptor, but not important now.You need to control how desperate your thoughts are and I won’t accidentally pick up on them.”
“Well, I’m sorry that I’m worried about my brother, whom I just found and I would like to keep him alive as much as you do Quil.”
“Worrying about them isn’t going to save them, getting into the Crystal City will.We have one chance and it lies over there.”Aria pointed with her finger behind her as she moved to the side.
Like a transparent shadow, the city with its tall spires looked like intricately cut spindles that reached for the misty lavender sky hovering over it.The buildings sparkled through the veil of fog that covered it, encasing it like a protective film.
“How are we going to get through the shield?”Caleb asked gazing in the distance with his eyes that looked neon green compared to the pastel colored city.
“Emily will make an opening.” Aria simply stated.
“How am I supposed to do that?Go knock on the door with a secret knock?’I asked out of frustration.
Aria only glared at me with steady eyes.I knew my remark was idiotic, but she was leaving things out, she wasn’t telling the whole truth; I could feel it run through me like a cold wind.
“The city is in a protective shield, you are a child of the Crystal City not to mention a distant royal, and you have privileges.When the amulet is destroyed so will the power of the Wall.They come from the same magical element and when one is in the same presence of the other, they will follow each other.Your mother had the Portal Maker break down the magic in it so she could keep it safe, but now it is in true form and vulnerable.If the amulet goes into the Abyss so will the power of the Wall. ” Aria looked at me in the stillness.
I stared at the shadowed city that was foreign to me as well as where I came from.
“Your mother tried to destroy the Wall with this.”Aria pointed to the amulet around my neck.“It was the last piece of magic left and she knew it was the only thing that could destroy it.She hid it for protection and hoped to one day destroy it herself.”Aria gazed at me studying me with her now gentle eyes.“Now, it is up to you Emily to save your home.”
I drew in a deep breath and looked over at Caleb who only reassured me with a smile.
“Tell me what I need to do.”
The Wall was like looking through a snow globe filled with silver glitter.Aria and Caleb stood behind me and with my amulet in hand; I held it up to the Wall.It vibrated wildly in my palm, humming filled my ears like angry bees buzzing all around my head as I traced a crooked, silver line on the outside of the shield.The amulet pulled hard against the surface and I had to use all my strength to barely make an opening for us to pass.
I stepped back, dropped my arm that felt like I had held it up for hours, and looked at the jagged arched opening.
“You could have made it a little larger.”Caleb critiqued my work as he bent down and looked through.“It will be a tight squeeze for me.”
“Not for Emily.”Aria looked at me.“Once in, seal the opening by tracing your lines.”
I looked at her confused.“Wait, aren’t you coming?”
Aria continued to look at me with her topaz eyes.“No, we are Outlanders.”
“But, how do I know what to do?I’ve never been in there.I don’t even know what this Black Abyss is.” I couldn’t believe what Aria was saying.
“We can’t let her go alone.”Caleb stood up.“She might be a princess, but she can’t go alone.”
“And what will happen if we go in there?We are like black stones among diamonds.The only thing we will help her do is draw attention to us.”Caleb looked away from her and then at me with an empathetic look.
I didn’t want to go in by myself, but Aria was right, if the Crystal City was filled with people with blonde hair and fair complexions, then they would stand out.
“I’ll be fine.”I tried to reassure Caleb.
He turned from Aria and drew in a deep breath.I didn’t have to have any ability to sense the worry Caleb had for my safety.He then smiled and let the child-like twinkle return to his eyes
.
“Of course, you’re the princess.”He managed to tease.“I don’t have a doubt.”
Caleb’s smile faded.His eyes were as green as the stoplight that hung at the intersection in St. F.That life existed a few weeks ago, but now has been swept away, forever.Now, managing to pay the water bill that once plagued me in my little trailer seems easy.
“The Black Abyss is believed to be in the center of the city, at least that’s where we have seen the most activity when we are behind the Wall.I wish I could give you a better location, but I never was able to get that out of your mother.All I can say is follow your instinct, use your head, and be safe and don’t try sending any messages…no matter how badly you do, don’t, you may be found.”Aria’s words trailed off as she stepped back leaving me alone beside the shield.
I peered through the small opening that had green grass, almost neon in color in contrast to the greyish ground on the frozen side of the shield.Aria and Caleb stood a distance away.Caleb gazed intently at me, almost like a dog being held on a leash watching his owner leave.I smiled trying to reassure him trying to contain the growing knot of the unknown tightened inside of me.
Instructed to retrace my line I did until I could only see a small portion of Caleb in the distance.He looked like he was going to say something so I stopped, started to ask him what he wanted, when, suddenly the opening snapped shut causing me to drop the amulet.I was now alone.
I picked the amulet up letting the chain dangle from my hand like a broken appendage.The Wall glittered in front of me and blocked Caleb and Aria from my view.I knew they were there and I knew I couldn’t just stay here worrying about them.If I wanted to help, I had to find the Black Abyss.
The city before me looked like it had been cut from a sparkling geode that often littered the creeks and streams that ran through St. F.They were various sizes of round rocks with rough, and often grey or brown exteriors.The geode’s outer cover was a deception to their inner beauty of jagged, sparkling, crystalized hollow core that always mesmerized me.
I can see how the Crystal City was called the Crystal City.I drew in a deep breath and with the plush green grass under me; I stepped towards the city.
Rolling hills that arched in perfectly shaped domes looked almost sculpted rather than nature made.Trees with upright branches reached for the cobalt blue sky like arms rejoicing the magnificently even toned sky.Everything here to me appeared planned without flaw, even down to the weed free grass.It seemed to me that everything had to meet a certain criteria or it simply didn’t exist here.There was no uniqueness to the carbon copy design.
The landscape, the trees and even the city were beautiful in a way one would look into a snow globe and examine its perfection of undisturbed beauty.I felt I shouldn’t be here.Its beauty had an unwelcoming edge to it that made me feel uncomfortable to the point that I wanted to run back to the shield and let myself out.
I stopped at the crest of the last hill and was greeted by an evenly spaced forest of the same trees.There was no diversity in their form like they were selected with great thought.
I couldn’t believe I haven’t seen anyone yet, but, what was I expecting?I’ve never been around anything like this.Someone should at least be patrolling the area I thought.
The city before me looked too delicate to be a city.A gust of wind could’ve blown it apart.As frightened as I was to be here, I was equally amazed by its beauty.I knew I shouldn’t linger and began to take a step towards the Crystal City when the pendant began to pulse through me like a warning.
I stopped and automatically clutched onto it as my ears filled with a familiar humming.The sound faded as I stood in the same spot looking down at the silver pendant in my palm.
“Don’t take me to the Black Abyss.Don’t take me to the Crystal City.I don’t belong there!”A woman’s voice pleaded.“Do you hear me?Emily, do you hear me?”
I looked wide eyed at the pendant and held my breath.The pendent, or whatever it was, knew my name.
“What--” My voice was barely above a whisper.
“Don’t--” Her voice cut off as if someone had put their hand over her mouth.
I looked in awe at my pendant just as the humming filled my ears so strong that I fell to my knees and covered them.I knew the irritating sound was from within me, but I covered them anyhow to keep my head from exploding.The sound intensified to the point I bent over in pain.
I had to get up and keep moving.I tried to move my legs forcing them to lift me up.With my hands to my head, I took a step forward and looked down the hill before me as it distorted in shape.I lost my balance on my wobbly legs and rolled down the hill until I stopped at the base of a tree.
My body was paralyzed and all I could do was look up at the perfectly painted sky.My eyelids grew heavy and my thoughts became muffled.Each blink of my eyelids was forced as I feared passing out in a strange and more likely dangerous area.I tried to move again when a shadow covered the blue sky.I looked up to meet a curious pair of the lightest blue eyes I had ever seen.
I could see his lips move in questioning who I was, but my ears couldn’t hear his voice.I feared what was happening to me.I had to help Caleb and Aria, save Ian and get back to Gabe.Everything had become my responsibility and everyone was depending on me.
I tried to push myself up.It was no use as I used all my strength until everything faded to blackness.
“Where did you say you found her?”A woman’s voice said in a hushed tone.
“Between the shield and the forest… actually, at a base of a tree.It appeared she rolled down the hill.I thought we had the whole area evacuated.”
“Evidentially not,” the woman sighed.“Look, I don’t want any more guards coming here.So you deal with her.”I could hear her feet shuffle across the floor.“Oh, and have her gone by tonight, there will be festivities for the expansion and every guard will be on duty.”
The room grew quiet and I could hear whoever this guy was pace the floor.He did this for a long time as I wondered who he was and why he was hiding me.Unsure of my safety, I would wait him out and escape when he left the room.
“I know you can hear me,” he finally said.“I know you are not from the Crystal City, but I do know you have a connection.”He paused and waited for a response I wasn’t going to give him.“I’m not going to hurt you, by the way.I am asking for your help…so please, wake up.”
I held my sleeping beauty act and hoped he bought it.After several minutes of silence, I could hear him scoot the chair he was sitting in squeak against the floor followed by footsteps and then the door closing.He was gone and I popped up.I threw back the blankets and swung my legs over the side of the bed.I held my head for a moment trying to control my dizziness.
“You know if you didn’t get up so fast, you wouldn’t be dizzy,” he said as I held my breath in surprise.“You can’t be too smart either, because you just fell for the oldest trick in the book.”
I just sat there like a blinded animal staring into oncoming vehicle headlights.My mouth dropped open, but no words came to them.He tilted his head to the side and studied me with a confused expression.
“Are you alright?Can you speak?” he asked.
I shook my head and swallowed hard.“Yes.”I finally managed.
“Good, because you had me worried there.”He stepped closer as I stood up and swayed slightly.
He quickly stepped over and steadied me.I tried to move to the side as he stood in front of me.
“Hey,” he chuckled.“I said I wasn’t going to hurt you.I just want to know where you come from and why you were in the forbidden zone.”
“I, uh, I…got lost.”I cringed inside at my lame excuse.
He looked at me with his light blue eyes.His hair was a dull shade of blonde or could have been a light brown.I looked at him wondering who he was.
“Well, I think you got the lost part right, but I think there is more to you than just being lost.”He stepped back and folded his arms over his narrow chest.
“Can you tell me where you live, where you come from?”He looked at me evaluating me from head to toe.
“I come from the city and I was headed back there when the Wall expanded.”I tried to sound convincing as he shook his head and smiled with disbelief.
He rubbed his chin with his fingers.“No, I don’t think you come from the Crystal City, but you do have a connection here--”
Suddenly, a giant boom exploded outside.Startled, I landed back on the bed glad it didn’t shatter the window.The boy stood in front of me and turned towards the window that had bright lights flickering behind it.It reminded me of fireworks with explosions of bright colors and the colored embers sizzling through the air.
I stood up and crept towards the open bedroom door.Sensing my movement, the boy turned and met my gaze and lunged for the door to block me from leaving.
“Oh, my gosh!”I yelled pointing to the window behind him.“What in the world is that?”He turned following my pointed finger as I rushed out the door, down a stairwell with his voice cursing at me and his footsteps trying to keep up.
I burst through the door and into a crowded street of people going in every direction.I was quickly swallowed in by them as they danced in glittering clothes of white encrusted beads and sparkling with diamond-like stones.
I looked for the boy and could see him standing on the steps of the tall, grey building. The sea of dancing people pushed me further down the street.I hunched down as the people waved their arms in the air and had flags of sheer material that floated in the air.I grabbed onto one, wrapped it over my head and went with the flow of the crowd.His eyes scanned carefully over and over the crowd, but with my blonde hair blending in with everyone else’s, I watched him lose sight of me hardly believing that I could move that fast.
The crowd pushed me further down the street that was sandwiched between tall, grey buildings of stone.Intricately carved swirling designs covered the buildings and what looked like gargoyles perched at the very top.Tall, slender windows were open and more blonde haired people dressed in glittering white clothes hung out the window cheering and drinking from silver cups.The crowd reminded me of untouched, newly fallen snow glistening in the bright sunlight.
A cry broke the spell my surroundings had on me.I could tell immediately that it was a child.I pushed my way through the dancing people to a small courtyard.There, the river of people passed by and a small circle formed around a young girl in torn clothing and matted, dark hair hanging like strings.She sat on the ground holding her shoulder that looked bruised and crusted with dried blood.She was maybe just a couple of years younger than me.She looked like a black pearl among a strand of white.
I pushed my way to the edge and looked at her.Her black eyes were filled with fear as the people encircling her chanted until one of them yelled out.“Purify her and Eutopia!”For one quick moment her eyes met mine as if she had been searching for me and a soft voice filled my ears.“Save us.”
The crowd pounced on her and carried her away, screaming.I stood in awe as they took her into a building with intricately carved stones and double arched doors that were pointed like arrows at the top.It slammed with a thud cutting off the girl’s cries.I stood for only a moment not knowing what to do and as if instinct took over, I ran into the street and was swallowed again by the dancing, oblivious people.They danced in circles, some with musical instruments and others with scarves.They all smiled, laughed and sang.All of them had the same oblivious joy casted across their faces as if their happiness was drug induced.I had to help the girl, I wanted to help her, but who would or could even do that?
I pushed my way over to the side of the street when someone grabbed me by the shoulder and then latched onto my arm.The tall man was dressed in a long white cape that glittered and flowed around him like a ghost as he pulled me through the crowd.I tried to loosen his grip which was no use and he quickly had me in the small alley.
He pushed me against the wall with his face still covered by a long hood.I tried to hit him, but he grabbed both of my arms and pinned me against the cool stone like a scarecrow.I wanted to scream for help, but any help would question me being here, I was on my own and no match for him. He then pressed his lips to mine in a hard, quick, desperate kiss.Frozen in fear, I thought my heart had stopped and could only wonder what he was going to do next.He then let go of my wrists and flipped back his hood.
“I thought I would never see you again Em,” he said. “We’ve been looking for you.”
I looked at him in awe.“Gabe.”I questioned my vision and thought I was hallucinating.
I touched his cheek just to make sure he was really in front of me.Taking my hand in his, he gently kissed it.
“We can’t stay here long.”Gabe looked from side to side.
“But…how…when…Gabe, how did you get here?”Everything seemed to melt around me and the only thing that mattered was him.
“You and Ian weren’t the only ones to make it through the portal.I jumped in just as it closed.Only I landed here in the Crystal City along with Alicia.”
“Alicia is here-- where?”I asked.
“She’s in prison.She got caught and they are holding her.”His voice had an anxious edge to it.“We have to get her out soon.”He then put his hood back on and grabbed from clothesline that hung overhead, a white cape that he wrapped around me.“Come on, there’s a safe place just around the corner.”