Children of the Sun: Ranger Black
J.J. Polson
(Five Parts. 7000 words.)
One | Two | Three | Four | Five
One
Blake watched the crimson sun sink below the tree line. With a sigh, he rose from his chair and checked the meal sheltered beneath a crinkled sheet of foil. Cold, as expected. He wondered where Alex could have gotten to. It was unlike his brother to be out past dark.
What had started as a necessity had quickly become tradition. Since the disappearance of their parents, Blake had taken it upon himself to prepare dinner each night. A dinner that was always shared between the two brothers. A place for Alex to detail his latest, and surprisingly complex, adventures in an imaginary world known as Mithia. A ritual that allowed Alex to remain a boy just a while longer.
After ensuring Alex’s bicycle was nowhere to be found, Blake called his brother. No answer. Strangely, there had been only one ring. Perplexed, Blake tried again. The result was the same. He unleashed a series of texts. None were delivered.
Blake took a deep breath, working to calm his suddenly racing heart. His brother was far from responsible – his phone was likely dead.
Some journeys in Mithia took longer than others. Once, Alex had spoken of the same quest for nearly two weeks. Likely, his gaming group hadn’t been able to reach an appropriate stopping point in their allotted time. Thirty minutes late was hardly an eternity.
Yet, Blake struggled to find solace in such logic. A disruption of their routine was rare – the oddity had summoned unwanted feelings from the depths of his troubled mind. He had not believed anything amiss the night their parents vanished. He had not even thought to raise an alarm until he woke the next morning to find their room empty.
It’s not worth taking the chance, he reasoned, snatching his car keys and making his way outside. If nothing else, I’ll be there to give him a ride home. He’s always been irrationally afraid of the dark.
A piercing cry brought Blake to an abrupt halt. In horror, he watched as a feathered monstrosity dove from the sky and landed upon the roof of his car. Glass shattered from the impact.
Blake found himself frozen in place. Petrified, he met the dark eyes of the strange beast before him. What had at first seemed a bird, now appeared to be something else entirely. Great wings with feathers as black as night melded into a muscular, feline body supported by golden talons.
“Be at ease, Ranger,” the monster said in greeting. Its voice was deep and melodic … and shockingly human in nature. “I am a griffin known as Kane, servant of the Conjurer Timo.”
Finally, Blake managed to move, shuttering his eyes and shaking his head sharply from side to side. He reasoned that he was in a dream, and a terrible one at that. After a long moment, he opened his eyes to find the creature staring at him with a stern expression.
“I … don’t understand,” Blake managed. “You can’t be real.”
The griffin cocked his head to one side. “Your eyes do not deceive you, Ranger. I hail from the realm of Mithia, one which exists side by side with your own. At a young age I swore an oath of service to the Conjurer Timo after he saved my nest from a wyvern.”
“Did you say Mithia?” Blake eyes grew wide with revelation. “Timo … that’s Alex’s friend. Has something happened to my brother?”
“Aye, Ranger. He has been captured while on a most daring quest. I have been sent by Timo to request your aid in freeing him from the clutches of the Queen of Night.”
Mithia? The Queen of Night? Alex’s adventures … were they actually real?
Entranced, Blake stepped toward the griffin and extended his hand, fighting the urge to recoil from the creature’s stench. Kane tensed as Blake ran fingers through his thick fur and along his midnight feathers. The creature pulled away when Blake’s touch neared his razor beak.
“Are you convinced, Ranger? Time is of the essence. We must shelter before darkness arrives for it is–”
“For it is the domain of the Queen,” Blake finished instinctively. “You said Alex was on a quest. What sort of quest?”
“A quest my master and his party have sought to complete for many years. It involves the disappearance of your parents.”
“Alex never spoke of such a quest. He tells me everything that happens to him in Mithia.”
“I have revealed to you all that I know.” The griffin turned his head, gauged the position of the sun. “If you are to join the others, you must act now. I will serve as your transportation.”
“And just how do you plan to do that?”
“Exactly as you would expect, Ranger.” The creature stepped from the ruined car and lowered his neck to the ground. “Now, climb aboard and let us be off…”
TWO
In fear of his life, Blake did not note the exact point he passed into Mithia.
One moment, the griffin soared over a familiar wood toward the setting sun; the next, the sun had reversed its position, and the leaves of the countless trees below had shifted from green and gold to an eerie mixture of violet and blue. The sun itself had become smaller, less certain. Its light dwindled at a noticeable rate.
The griffin made an abrupt descent from the sky, slicing between thick branches and beneath the glowing foliage to alight on the forest floor. Blake slid from the creature’s back and emptied his stomach.
“Make haste, Ranger,” Kane commanded. “Night falls.”
On wobbly feet, Blake followed the beast deeper into the forest. A hundred paces from the landing site, their destination became clear. As if from nowhere, a small cabin appeared in a clearing ahead. Light streamed from a lonely window. Smoke drifted upward from a chimney. A sour smell filled the air.
“They await you within,” the griffin remarked.
Blake turned to the majestic creature. “And you?”
“A spell to summon. Another to dismiss. Farewell, Ranger.” On his last word, the griffin disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving naught a feather behind.
A terrifying screech broke Blake’s latest trance. Winded, he trekked to the stoop of the quaint cabin, covering his ears as the distant screech sounded again. Before he could knock, the door opened and a hand pulled him inside.
Blake found himself on his back, staring at the night sky. An alien face appeared above. A sudden flood of water threatened to drown him. Coughing, he sat up and discovered that he was in the center of a large, open space. Four eyes stared at him expectantly.
The first pair, which seemed to glow, belonged to the man who had hovered above him a moment before. Smooth, stone-colored skin covered a youthful face framed by flowing white hair. The strange man held a knobby staff in one hand and a gleaming dagger in the other.
The second pair, blessedly normal, belonged to a dark-haired, muscular woman garbed in a rather-revealing set of steel armor. Her pleasing face flushed with red when she noticed Blake’s stare.
“I apologize for your discomfort, Ranger Black,” the man said in a smooth voice, breaking the awkward silence. “Kane was only following my orders.”
Blake raised his brow. “Did you say … Ranger Black?”
“Aye. Although we have never met, Alexander has told us all about you.”
Alexander?
“And who are you?”
“Timo,” the man replied evenly. He paused as a series of now-familiar horrifying shrieks pierced the wooden walls of the cabin. “I am a conjurer from the elven tribes that live beneath the Southern Mountains. I did not mean to startle you.”
It’s far too late for that. “The Southern Mountains where my brother faced the Vampire King?”
“Precisely. However, to be clear, it was only one of theVampire Kings.” Timo paused. “I see you did not have time to retrieve your weapons and gear. We will work to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, we can’t risk returning to your home.”
The elf whirled as the woman behind him cleared her throat. “Oh. This is Myrla of course. She is a warrior of the Sun Goddess. Exceptional with the blade. Quite formidable against the creatures of night. I’m sure Alexander has told you of her as well.”
Myrla? She doesn’t look anything like how Alex described her…
At another bloodcurdling cry, Timo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The tip of his staff brightened as the not-ceiling of the cabin transformed, zooming like the lens of a camera to spotlight a group of winged creatures. As the elf grumbled under his breath, the woman helped Blake to his feet and observed him with an unsettling grin.
“Did you get enough water?” Myrla asked, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. “No. Probably not. Timo is just as considerate as his many companions.” The warrior picked up the flask from where Timo had dropped it. As she extended it toward Blake, it slipped from her hand and spilled onto the cabin floor. “Sorry! I’ll get another from our–”
“It’s fine,” Blake interrupted. He bent down to retrieve the container. Discovering it half-full, he washed the taste of vomit from his mouth. “Perhaps you can explain exactly what happened to my brother. The griffin told me he had been captured.”
Myrla nodded. A grim expression overtook her face. “I’m sorry, Black. I should have done more. We’re supposed to be a team after all. I let him down.”
“You did nothing of the sort,” Timo snapped from the center of the room. “The fault is entirely mine, Ranger. I made a miscalculation. While Myrla and Payten held the Prince’s pack at bay, I allowed myself to be distracted. Alexander placed his faith in me, and I failed him.”
Payten the druid. Alex never seemed to completely trust her. Blake turned his gaze to the creatures circling in the abnormally dark sky above. “That doesn’t really clear anything up. Who took Alex? Where is Payten now?”
Timo cursed. “Apparently leading those harpies right to us!” The elf pointed to Myrla. “Give Black your secondary sword. Call upon the Goddess as the creatures descend. I will expand the cabin to contain the light and deny the other scouts our location.”
Blake frowned as the muscular woman extended him a blade. The grip felt foreign in his hand, and the weapon was deceptively heavy. “I’m not sure how to actually use–“
“Not your first choice, I know,” Myrla interjected. The sun-shaped pendant hanging from her neck began to glow with white light. “Don’t worry. I won’t let them harm you. Besides, you’re a Child of the Sun.”
A what?
“They come!” Timo shouted. The elf thumped his staff against the ground, and the cabin disappeared.
Eyes wide, Blake watched a pack of nightmarish creatures streak toward the clearing where he now stood. He gripped his borrowed blade with both hands, heart racing, all but certain that his time had come.
A stray thought emerged from his panicked mind. I can’t die here. Alex is in trouble!
Yet, his feet would not move. He could not raise his blade. He was defenseless.
Then, there was light. An explosion of white accompanied by the screech of the descending beasts.
Blake’s vision cleared in time to see Myrla standing before him. A winged creature emerged from the fading light, teeth exposed and claws extended. The warrior’s blade cut through it in a single blow. Fire raced across the harpy’s body, turning it to ash.
“Behind you, Ranger!” the elf shouted in warning.
Blake turned to find one of the winged beasts a pace away. A screech from its inhuman mouth sent his body in to shock. The blade fell from his hand.
I can’t move…
As the harpy attacked, a root erupted from the ground and impaled it through the neck. The creature continued to stare at him in death, mouth ajar.
A woman covered in the shimmering leaves of the forest appeared before the harpy and tapped its all-too-human chin, laughing in delight.
Stupefied, Blake discovered the walls of the cabin had reappeared around the group. The elf marched toward the new arrival and thrust his staff in her direction. “What were you thinking, Payten? You nearly killed us all!”
“I wasn’t the one who sent a griffin streaking through the night sky toward the cabin,” the woman replied without turning around. From nowhere, a knife appeared in her hand. She raised it to the creature’s horrific face as she spoke. “As for what I was thinking and why I was out hunting these monsters – you told me that we need the tongue of a harpy to save Alexander…”
Turning, the woman raised a black tongue into the air and tossed it to the seething elf. “You’re welcome.”
Payten grinned when she noticed Blake. “Ranger Black. Welcome home.”
THREE
Welcome home? Blake stared at the trio before him, befuddled. His mind began to whirl once again, sweeping aside memories of the chaotic battle as it spiraled into an internal tempest, reminding him of his arrival in Mithia, that his brother had been captured.
The green-haired druid pursed her violet lips, then sighed loudly. “Damnit, Timo! Look at him. He’s worse than the other one. I refuse to go through this again!” Snake-like vines enclosed her slender figure and pulled the druid into the dirt that made up the cabin floor.
“Apologies, Ranger Black. Payten is rather dramatic at time,” Timo lamented, sweat dripping from his ageless face. He leaned against his glowing staff in apparent exhaustion. “I advise taking a seat. Your next skirmish will be a mental one.”
Shaking, Blake found a wooden chair beneath his uncertain legs. His storming mind regurgitated images of the attacking harpies, of his near death … of how defenseless he had been. Then, quite suddenly, he found himself in the eye of his mental storm.
The druid was speaking of Alex, he realized. He must have found himself in this position as well!
Fueled by a sudden surge of emotion, Blake sprang back to his feet. “Which one of you brought Alex here?” He levelled a quivering finger at the dead monster the druid had left behind. “Harpies? Wyvern? Vampire Kings? He is far too young for any of this!”
The white-haired elf turned to Myrla. “Would you mind getting rid of that?”
“Gladly,” the warrior replied, approaching the statuesque creature. At a touch from her blade, flames incinerated both monster and root.
“Answer me!” Blake demanded. His thoughts had returned to the disappearance of his parents. How close had he been to losing his brother as well? “Mithia is no place for a child!”
Both the elf and woman hung their heads.
“It wasn’t like that at all,” the warrior managed presently. “Alexander … well … he…”
Timo finished her thought, “Alexander found us. You speak of your brother as an infant, but he is more than capable of defending himself. He does not fear death. He faces it.”
Blake bared his teeth. “And just how did he find you?”
“Searching for your parents of course,” the elf replied in his eerily-calm voice. “I first discovered him caught in the web of one of my spiders. I banished him from Mithia, but he returned the next day and the day after that. Eventually, I decided to hear his story and discovered who he truly was.”
“What Timo is trying to say is that Alexander wouldn’t allow us to send him home after learning the truth,” Myrla elaborated. “We’ve both dedicated our lives to defending him. We never meant for this happen. We never meant to…”
Well, that certainly sounds like Alex. Blake sought the truth in their faces and found it. Like a summer rain shower, his anger dissipated. He sunk back into his seat and turned his heavy eyes to the warrior who shied away from his gaze, clearly abashed.
“Myrla, you said I was a Child of the Sun, is that the truth of which you speak?”
The woman nodded, gripped the pendant hanging from her neck.
Blake redirected his focus to the elf. “What does it mean?”
“Long ago, two deities ruled Mithia – one of the Sun and one of the Moon. Your family’s blood can be traced back to the Sun Goddess herself. Thus, you are a Child of the Sun.”
“Meaning Alex can actually control fire…” Blake shook his head, fighting his sense of logic and internal reasoning. If that was true, then Alex certainly could defend himself. His brother’s strength and abilities had increased exponentially during the course of his adventures. He had slain dozens of monsters, sometimes scores of them in a single blow.
“No. This is all too much. I can’t … can’t accept this,” he finally said.
Blake’s heart skipped a beat as a vibrant stalk sprung from the ground beside him. The plant unfurled to reveal the druid lounging upon a chair of her own.
“Get over it, Ranger. You’re a Child of the Sun. You possess magical abilities. Your parents fled Mithia to escape the Queen of Night but didn’t run far enough. Yes, we were searching for them at the time of your brother’s capture. No, we don’t know if your parents are actually alive. Simply put, if we’re going to save Alexander, we need your help.”
I possess magical abilities…
“I thought you weren’t getting involved with this,” Timo growled, uncharacteristically agitated. “It’s clear you were listening the entire time! Furthermore, I had yet to tell him about his parents or his inherent magical abilities. You cannot rush an indoctrination, druid!”
My parents fled Mithia…
Payten dismissed the elf’s comments with a wave of her leaf-covered hand. “I was only listening because you clearly didn’t want me to go outside and potentially lure more monsters to your precious mobile cabin. Oh, wait! That was your fault! We could’ve easily retrieved the Ranger during the day.”
But were captured and possibly killed by the Queen of Night…
“Not if the Queen attacked his home,” Timo countered. “Without Alex there, he was defenseless! We cannot afford to lose him as well!”
They really do need my help to save Alex…
Myrla cut off the druid before she could respond. “Are you ok, Black?”
Blake buried his head in his hands. What is happening?
“Look what you’ve done. You’ve broken him, Payten!” Timo moaned.
“Silence, elf!” Payten snapped.
Blake flinched at the druid’s touch. “You want to save your brother, right?” She didn’t wait for a response. “Of course you do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have flown bareback on the conjurer’s pet. If you’re going to help Alexander, you’re going to need to accept everything that I have told you. Preferably, you will accept it quickly and ask no further questions.”
“What do I have to do to help?” Blake managed after a long moment.
Payten groaned.
“We must travel to the nearest Sun Temple,” Timo answered, once again calm. “There you will receive the blessing of the Goddess and awaken your powers. We will set out at first light. I recommend you get some sleep, Ranger.”
Blake looked up. “First, you will tell me exactly what happened to my brother…”
*
Prince Roki observed his prisoner with glee, golden eyes alight in the darkness. The news was grand! No. Grander than grand! The child’s companions had summoned his kin! Another invaluable offering. Another chance at redemption.
Mother, I will prove to you my worth! Two wretched Children of the Sun! You will have no choice but to allow me back into your loving arms! Oh, how Mori will hate being displaced as the favorite!
His musings drew the gaze of the prisoner. The boy continued to test the bars of his cell, thinking his feeble attempts would escape notice. He had yet to realize that his efforts were futile. That without the sun, he was powerless! That he would never escape!
The prince howled with laughter, imagining the look on the boy’s face as his mother robbed him of his internal light. Oh! The screams of the Children! How they echoed in the halls of darkness! How much he had missed them!
“Prince!” the boy called in a raspy voice.
Only then did Roki realize the boy had sought his attention for some time. But the boy was a prisoner. What right did he have to demand attention?
“I will perish if I do not receive something to eat and drink.”
Still so calm … he doesn’t understand the horrors to come! Chuckling, Roki pawed forward to stand before the cage. “Food and water, you say?” He clawed at the unruly hair on his face. “What will you ask for next? Dessert? A bath? The fur from my back?”
“Don’t you want me alive, Roki?” the child asked. “I thought you were taking me to your mother.”
The prince narrowed his brilliant eyes. A growl escaped his lips. “Not yet. Your friends plot a daring rescue. Soon, they will present me with another prize!”
“Another prize? Am I not good enough for you, Prince?”
“Two Children of Light are better than one! Any fool knows that!”
“But you will only have one if I die before my friends return.”
Turning toward the door to his lair, Roki called to his servants in the wood beyond. This boy believes me to be the fool! Oh, how he will suffer…
The prince turned back to the Child with a vicious smile. “Dinner will soon be served!”
FOUR
Leaves crunching underfoot, Blake studied the unfamiliar weapon in his hand. A lightweight bow made of gray wood crafted overnight by the druid. The strange woman walked beside him, garbed in a gown of white flowers, staring at him keenly.
“You insult me, Ranger Black,” Payten finally said. “My craftsmanship is unmatched.”
“It’s not that…” Blake bit his lower lip. Tall trees bordered the game trail to either side. The color of their leaves had shifted to a familiar shade of green with the advent of daylight. Birds perched high overhead filled their march with song. “Tell me, why a bow?”
The druid’s pink lips turned downward. “Regardless of how I try to ignore your blabbering brother, I’ve had no choice but to overhear a few things about you. I know you have served as his provider since the abduction of your parents, hunting game and preparing food every night. More importantly, I learned that you were trained as a marksman at your Academy and display your weapon on the wall. Therefore, I surmised your talent with a bow.”
So, Alex gave me far more than just a name…
Blake returned to his study of the bow. His brother had crafted an identity for him in Mithia using elements of the truth. Their nightly meals. The semester he had taken archery. His skill with the bow had been average at best, enough to score passing marks in the class but not enough to sustain a commitment. Still, it felt far more comfortable than a blade. The battle with the harpies had haunted his dreams.
“You have my thanks,” Blake smiled. “I’m sure once I become accustomed to it, it will serve me well.”
Payten rolled her green eyes. “Flattery is not your strong suit, Black. Make sure you don’t freeze up again when the time comes to rescue your brother.”
Speechless, Blake watched the druid saunter into the wood and disappear from sight, bringing a sudden halt to the chorus of birds. As the group continued toward the Sun Temple, he attempted to recall the archery lessons he had learned years before.
It’s going to take time to be able to pull my weight, he realized. Time I may not have…
Presently, Myrla fell back from her place by Timo to walk at his side. The warrior seemed far less imposing than before, her head rising only to his shoulder, her previously-revealing armor far more proportionate, and the light of day accentuating her youth. She had seemed larger than life inside the conjurer’s cabin. He wondered if it was part of the powers granted to her by the Sun Goddess.
“Are you afraid of me?” Blake asked after an uncomfortable period of silence.
The woman’s face filled with red.
“I don’t understand. The way Alex talks about you, I expected you to be some sort of fearless barbarian. Is it true that you rushed into a city swarming with wolves to save him?”
“Well,” she began hesitantly, “I didn’t … uh … know it was him at the time. I just heard screams and found myself running toward the source. That was actually the first time I met your brother. He was standing guard over an unconscious Timo, keeping the pack at bay with a ring of fire.”
Blake smiled. It was Alex’s favorite tale, one of the rare stories he revisited. “So, you saved him, then joined him afterward.”
“Yeah … something like that.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because…” Myrla trailed off, brushing the hair back from her eyes. “Because I recognized your brother for what he was. When I swore my sword to the Sun Goddess, I never thought that one day I would actually meet one of her descendants. I realized it was fate that brought me to Alexander’s defense that day, that I was meant to fight at his side.”
Could it be more than that? Blake decided to put his theory to the test. “Alex thinks the world of you.” From the warrior’s reaction, he confirmed his suspicion. “Although, he never told me that you two were together. I should have figured it out earlier.”
The warrior stopped in her tracks, clutching the pendant hanging from her neck. “Forgive me, Ranger. I requested that he conceal our relationship. I thought … thought that you would disapprove.”
Blake shook his head. “Why would I do that? You make him happy.”
Myrla smiled. “Thank you, Black.”
*
The Sun Temple appeared abandoned. A towering structure of stone covered in cracks and vines, it rose from the middle of the forest like a monument to a long-forgotten god. A rusted, metallic sun that barely eclipsed the surrounding trees perched atop its summit.
Not a forgotten god, Blake mused. According to Alex, a dying one.
Bow in hand, he approached the white-haired elf. Myrla had already begun to kindle a fire, and Payten was nowhere to be found. Upon closer inspection, Blake discovered a mouse standing on the Conjurer’s shoulder. The rodent had parted the elf’s hair with its paws and seemed to be whispering into his pointed ear.
“So, what now?” Blake asked.
“You must enter the temple alone,” the elf replied in his calm voice. “We will wait for you.”
“Alone?”
“The Temple Guardian has sensed your presence and undoubtedly your purpose. Ensure that you pay the creature proper respect. Inside the temple, its powers are unmatched,” Timo explained. “To unlock your abilities, you’ll need to receive the ritual blessing of the Sun Goddess.”
“What can I expect in this … ritual?”
“The indoctrination process of a Child of the Sun is a closely guarded secret. Alex stayed inside the temple in the Southern Mountains for nearly two days before emerging. He achieved some level of mastery as he was prepared to face the Vampire King the next day.”
Blake nodded. Alex had never spoken of how he had gained his powers. His adventures in Mithia had started with helping the conjurer defend his home.
“And your mouse?” he asked. “What is telling you?”
Timo whispered something in an archaic language, and the mouse vanished in a puff of smoke. “As expected, the prince has his eyes upon us. However, he will not attack. He waits to draw you into his clutches, just as he did to your brother. He will soon have his chance.”
Blake examined his surroundings; however, he could discern nothing of note. There was only the smell of the ancient wood and the smoke from Myrla’s fire. Without a further word, he gripped his bow tightly and marched toward the temple’s entrance.
I have no reason to be afraid. I must do everything in my power to save Alex.
The ground quaked as he neared. Blake halted and watched as the stone door of the temple slid smoothly into the ground, revealing a lightless interior. He took a last look back to see the warrior and elf seated at the fire, then crossed the threshold.
An explosion of light nearly blinded him.
Beneath a vibrant orb hanging high above, the interior of them temple came into sharp focus – a vast, tiered chamber centered by a raised dais and a glimmering altar shaped like a sun. Atop the platform, a tusked beast resembling a small elephant observed Blake with glowing eyes. A golden sun had been inked across the beast’s forehead.
“Blood of the Goddess,” the Temple Guardian rumbled. “Approach.”
Blake obeyed, walking swiftly toward the room’s center. A moment later, he ascended the raised dais and stood before the massive creature. Remembering the elf’s advice, he bowed low.
“State your purpose.”
“My brother has been captured by the forces of the Queen of Night,” Blake replied. “I was brought here to receive the blessing of the Goddess and unlock my innate powers in hopes of saving him. He is the only family that I have left.”
The creature lifted its head to stare at the light above. A moment later, it returned its gaze to Blake. “The Goddess has acknowledged you as her own. Here, you must fashion the nature of your gift. If you survive, you will be granted your freedom and, soon after, be forced to make a most difficult choice.”
“If I survive?”
At a deafening cry from the creature’s trunk, Blake found himself frozen in place. He watched in horror as the pulsing sphere above consolidated and a sudden torrent of fiery light encased his body in flame…
FIVE
Prince Roki bounded into his lair, yellowed teeth bared in a wicked grin. Delightful word had just reached his ears. Survived! Yes. The second Child had emerged from the Sun Temple, had received his gift! The Child and his friends would soon return to the sacred site. They schemed and plotted to defeat Roki, but the result would be the same!
Soon, I will return to you, mother! Roki could see the tall iron gates, the glistening eyes of the skulls that topped its skyscraping battlements. Soon he would walk through them a hero! Yes. It was only a matter of time before his exile reached its end. He had earned his way back. Earned it! As promised!
“What is it you’re whispering about now?” the starving boy in the cage asked.
It had grown hard to tell if it was truly the same boy. His appearance and scent had changed. Lack of sunlight had made him weak, powerless. Oh, how simple it was to defeat a Child of the Sun! There was no doubting it was the original boy of course. Roki had captured no other and none could escape. The caves belonged to Roki!
The prince observed his prize with glittering eyes. Whispering? His mother had always told him to guard his tongue. No. Such discretion mattered not in his lair. Soon the boy would be dead! No. Not dead. Worse than dead. The boy could listen to his heart’s desire! Knowledge of what was to come would make the loss of his gift all the sweeter!
“Your friends will soon return,” Roki cackled in the darkness. “They bring another Child!” He couldn’t help but sway as he relayed the glorious news. “Your kin! A boy who entered a Sun Temple and emerged with a gift … just as you once did!”
The boy tapped the bars of his cage. “Ah, so you plan to bring us both to your mother.”
“Yes!” the prince exclaimed. “Only then will I be allowed to return home!”
“Allowed to return home?”
Roki licked his lips. “Even princes must earn their keep. My mother detests dead weight! Those who cannot contribute are barred entry!”
“Do you not possess a key?”
Roki growled. “Key? Only the chosen have keys. All others must earn, must wait their turn! But. But. But! You and your kin are in luck. Yes. Good luck! Your wait will be short. Home is nearby! Yes. Very close indeed. Soon, your gift will be gone, and I will once again stand at my mother’s side!”
*
Blake had spent three days in the Sun Temple. In the two since, he had walked further than he ever imagined possible. The strange wood was endless, and the party’s progress was slowed by the short days of Mithia. Each night, he ventured outside the cabin and, under the tutelage of the druid, worked to master his bow.
No one had asked the details of his ritual; that he had survived was enough. The fledgling power within him, however, was far from stable.
Truthfully, Blake had been surprised the Temple Guardian let him go. The skill he had chosen had seemed easy in theory, but his every attempt had resulted in flares exploding from his fingers and embers burning his skin and clothes. Strangely, the creature had proclaimed him ready to leave after the first successful attempt.
Outside the temple, the changes in his body were noticeable. Strands of color woven into his dark hair. A rapid influx of strength and agility during the day, followed by an equal descent in the darkness. Strangest of all, he now seemed to be impervious to flame.
“Pay attention,” Payten snapped in the darkness.
Blake shook his head in disgust, discovering his latest attempt had failed to graze the luminous tree before them. A dozen arrows protruded from its trunk, but just as many lay scattered about its base and throughout the forest beyond. The glowing eyes of the druid amplified his feeling of failure.
“I thought you wanted to rescue your brother,” the woman growled. “Tomorrow is the moment of the truth. You best learn to hit a damned target!”
Blake’s next arrow missed. He collapsed onto the ground, fingers blistered and arms numb. “I need a break, or I’m not going to be able to make the attempt.”
“You’re weak. Your brother is far stronger.”
“You’re right,” Blake sighed, not bothering to stand. “When is one of you going to tell me the plan? What is the purpose of trying to complete this quest for a second time?”
The druid released a judgmental sigh. “The ritual is part of a larger quest. The reward of which we will take to the Cartographer in exchange for a map of the Queen of Night’s castle. The risk of failure is low. The Prince will try some sort of variation on his original strategy, but we will be a step ahead.”
“And what guarantee do you have that this is worthwhile?”
“For one, the Cartographer used to serve the Queen. Second, and perhaps most importantly, there is a Prince of Night guarding this particular objective. In all my travels with Alexander and the others, never before has one of the Princes crossed our path. It stands to reason that he is guarding something of importance.”
“And what must I do to help?”
“Has Timo not explained this to you a thousand times already? That elf is such a control freak. Sometimes, I wonder why I bother putting up with him.”
“He claimed to not want me to overanalyze my role.”
Payten laughed. “Not to worry, Ranger. As long as you can shoot straight, you’ll be fine.” A series of vines emerged from the cool ground and forced Blake upright. “Just remember that a Child of the Night can only be killed be a Child of the Sun.”
*
The exterior of the grotto was adorned with faded runic markings, most of which were further obscured by leaves. The stone shrine within was crude, somewhat resembling a man standing atop an ill-shaped sphere. The forest enclosing the ritual site was eerily silent. Thick leaves choked the light of the sun overhead, casting the party in deep shadow.
A Child of the Night can only be killed by a Child of the Sun…
The conjurer had been right. Blake hadn’t been able to find sleep after the druid revealed to him his role in the battle to come. The gift of the Goddess simmered within his weary body. Sweat coated his hands and dripped from his brow. His stomach had long since been twisted in knots. Once again, he found that he couldn’t move.
I can do this, Blake coached himself. Alex is counting on me!
And yet … as the conjurer began to chant at the altar, Blake found himself shaking. The first howl sent chills streaking down his spine. He watched as Myrla and Payten stepped from the grotto to meet the countless pairs of glowing eyes that twinkled among the thick underbrush.
Their plan was sound. A clever deception to draw the Prince into a trap.
The magic of a Child of the Sun was required to complete the ancient ritual. To all outward appearances, that would seem to be their goal. The party had been unaware of the Prince in their initial attempt. Alexander had sacrificed himself to ensure their escape, diverting the focus of the Prince and his pack. This time would be different.
It has to be!
Blake forced himself to take deep breaths in an effort to clear his head. As the pack of wolves lunged at the warrior and the druid, his heart thumped in his chest. He skirmished against the feeling of helplessness that threatened to lock his limbs into place, that had nearly gotten him killed once before.
Then, improbably, his heartbeat leveled. Focus came. He would not allow Alex to be taken from him. Not when I can do something to stop it!
The battlefield darkened as the Prince entered the fray. More wolf than man, he wove through his pack, beneath the blade of the warrior and around the sharpened roots of the druid, streaking like a blur toward the altar where Blake and Timo stood.
The conjurer bellowed a final word and raised his hand.
The canopy above was parted by the wings of a massive black griffin. Light flooded the space before the grotto. Howls of surprise came from the pack. The Prince slowed, glancing up at the disturbance, analyzing the unanticipated threat.
The time had come.
Blake directed the blazing power of the Goddess through his fingers and drew back the string of his bow as the Prince leaped forward. Flames coated the nocked arrow as he released.
The Prince crashed to the ground and skidded to a stop inches before the altar.
Relieved, Blake marveled as the unholy figure before him devolved into flames and turned to ashes that were scattered by the wind.
*
Guided by the conjurer’s rodent, the party discovered the lair of the Prince shortly thereafter. Blake chose not follow them within, allowing his brother an opportunity to reunite with his friends … and allowing himself a moment to process all that had occurred. The words of the Temple Guardian echoed in his pounding head. He had a choice to make.
Blake stood as his brother approached. Alex looked older than he remembered. Only his smile remained unstained by dirt and grime. They embraced.
“Brother, I knew you would come for me.”
“Always,” Blake replied. “I would never let anything happen to you.”
“I’m sorry that I did not tell you sooner. I wanted to be certain our parents were alive before I revealed the truth. Stupid … I know. I was afraid you wouldn’t let me return to Mithia.”
Blake grinned. “I’ve gathered that you’re more than capable of defending yourself.”
“Most of the time anyway.” Alex paused, considering his next words. “I learned from the Prince that the Queen’s castle is in constant motion and that a key is required to gain entry. We’re going to need more than a map to find it … but it’s a good start nevertheless.” Again, he hesitated. “I want us to find our parents, Blake – together. I don’t want you to leave. As the Prince was fond of saying, two Children of the Sun are far more valuable than one.”
Bearing a nervous smile, Alex extended a hand. “What do you say?”
Blake’s eyes moved past his brother to where the others looked on. The elf leaning upon his staff, the imposing figure of the griffin at his side. The warrior who no longer turned from his gaze, clutching her pendant. The druid atop her throne of roots, refusing to relinquish her veil of indifference.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Ranger Black said, grasping the hand of his brother. “We will find our parents together.”
THE END