It was cold; the night had been almost unbearable. Alexandra had not been able to sleep, her mind filled with regret of leaving Patrik behind, worry and anticipation stealing the much-needed sleep from her. They were now at the base of the Rotsen Mountains now, the rocky slopes before them. They had been forced to spend the night out there, seeking shelter under a small outcropping of stone that shot out from the ground.
The entire area looked the same, like claws of rock were ripping the ground, stony fingers extending upwards. They had gotten ready to move again without saying anything, their teeth were chattering too much to speak. With their backpacks pulled tight, they began to the hike up the ever-increasing incline of the land.
Finding what seemed like a small path hidden among boulders and collapsed stone archways, they had begun to ascend even higher. Looking back, Alloa was now just a dot in the distance to the south. Alexandra longed to be back there with its warmth, friendly people, and safety. She was not even sure why she was up there at the moment; she had to remind herself that she was looking for something to tell her about her pendant and there was no one in the Mountains.
The peaks were impassable and inhospitable, nothing lived there and no one ventured there. All expeditions ever sent into the Mountains to attempt to probe their depths never returned. This had given rise to fantastic stories of monsters, but it was a scientific fact in the modern age that no significant living thing existed in the Rotsen Mountains. Around the base, in the space between Alloa and the Mountains was grass and flowers of course, even the occasional mammal, but nothing once one started trying to climb the actual Mountains.
Checking her footing, Alexandra hauled herself up a rather large boulder and stood up for a moment, trying to see what lie on the path ahead. The wind whipped snow all around, obscuring the view, making it difficult to see more than a few hundred feet ahead. The path they were on, sandwiched between boulders and the remnants of rock slides, appeared to continue to wind slowly upwards.
Clutching her pendant, she took the next step forward. She could hear the footsteps of her friends behind her, continuing on without a word. It was too cold to waste energy on talking; even with their cloaks pulled tight it was freezing up there. Their breaths were easily visible in the air and Alexandra hoped they could descend back down the path quickly. It had grown quite steep, made up of mostly loose gravel, the angle becoming a little dangerous.
Alexandra's hope began to run out as the temperature ran down. She kept telling herself that there was nothing up here and what could she ever hope to find? Had she been fooling herself this whole time?
The sound of rocks falling and a shriek knocked Alexandra out of her reverie.
Sophia had misplaced her foot and the rock beneath it had cracked and come free from the steep path. She tried to wheel her arms to regain balance but she was already tipping backwards. Alexandra tried to turn and catch one of Sophia's arms but she was too late. She could only watch and feel like she was moving in slow motion as Sophia fell backwards away from her out of reach.
"Sophia!"
She couldn't hear anything, she felt like she could not move, the world stood still.
Luca had seen the rock fall and had braced himself, easily catching Sophia as she stumbled backwards. Zooey put her hand on his back for extra support. They stopped her fall and helped her stand again.
"Thanks!" she hugged Luca.
Alexandra was relieved that she was okay, but with the relief came a wave of guilt anew.
Words uninvited forced themselves into her thoughts: you're going to get them killed.
It was dangerous up there, what was she doing? Why had she allowed them to come? Why had she allowed herself to come up here on a wild-goose chase? There was nothing here, there never was.
"Are you okay?!" Alexandra yelled over the whipping wind, swallowing down the bile in her throat.
"I'm good," Sophia smiled, giving her the thumbs-up sign and began climbing again.
Alexandra turned back ahead and had to force herself to begin walking again, her heart beating hard in her chest. Her eyes darted around, there was nothing to see except for snow and unforgiving rock.
They continued for an hour or so more, but the terrain grew even more steep and inhospitable. The path seemed to continue, but Alexandra had decided that enough was enough. They would die if they tried to brave the Mountains, everyone else who ever tried had. Nothing was worth this, not even the knowledge of her pendant. How could there be anything up here to help her? There could not be, that was the decision she came to. It was time to head back to Alloa.
Alexandra was a little bit ahead of the group and waited for them to catch up with her.
"What's wrong?" Luca was wondering why they had stopped, "does the path end?"
"We're going to head back," she announced.
"Why?" Zooey was trying to hide her shivering.
Alexandra tried to share her thoughts at least at a surface level. "There's nothing up here, it's crazy to try to stay up here. We need to head back to the city."
"But what about your pendant? Your father?" Sophia almost sounded heartbroken at the prospect of giving up the search. "You were told what you were looking for in the north. We're here after so long and there's just a little more north to go..."
"There's nothing here," Alexandra could not see how anything useful was up here, "this whole trip's been based on nothing, just what a stranger told us."
Sophia did not feel it was right to give up. "I believe her. We can't give up, you can't give up."
"We're going back." Alexandra took a step back down the path.
"I don't believe it," Zooey was angry to be turning around.
Luca did not think they should head back quite yet. "Come on,there's a path..."
"No, it's not worth anyone getting hurt!" Alexandra was resolute.
"Alex..." Sophia's voice was barely audible above the wind.
"I said no," she shook her head, "we're going back."
For a moment no one moved, then Sophia suddenly pointed at the sky above the trail a little further up.
"There's something coming."
Alexandra had to pause and think about those words.
They could not be true, nothing was up here. No men or animals, nothing could be coming. There should not be anything, it was impossible.
Slowly turning, Alexandra followed the line to where Sophia was pointing. There definitely was something in the snowy haze, a dark silhouette in the sky drawing closer.
A huge tri-point lance hit the ground next to Luca!
It sent cracks into the solid stone, sinking in several feet.
Luca jumped back, startled at the appearance of the weapon; it had missed him by mere inches!
Zooey instantly had drawn her sword and was poised ready to fight, her eyes scanning the foggy sky. The shape ahead suddenly burst through the clouds: it was a flying machine!
"Impossible," Alexandra whispered as she realized what she was seeing.
Alexandra stood, stunned by what she saw as the flying machine swooped past them and began turning with the wind. The machine looked like a seat bolted onto a golden metal frame. A man was piloting from what Alexandra could make out, turning knobs and pulling levers, manipulating two huge wings extending out from the golden frame. They had many joints in the wings and they flapped just like the wings of a bird, a cloth attached to the metal 'bones' in order to make up the wings.
On the front of the frame ahead of the seat were three metal tubes that Alexandra figured to be what had launched the spears. Several exhaust pipes extended up behind the pilots seat, puffs of steam shooting out of them in turn.
"It's coming around again!" Zooey had noted his turn.
It was true, the flying machine was quickly coming around to bear once more.
"How is it flying?!" Luca could not believe it.
"It's unfriendly whatever it is," Sophia was desperately looking around for anything that might provide them a little cover.
Another lance came hurtling out of the clouds!
Alexandra jumped to the side as it sailed by her. It lodged in the rocks behind them, nearly splitting a boulder the size of a house! Zooey raised her sword in front of her, angry, she wanted to take it on but it was well out of her reach.
"Maybe we can get back down the path!" Luca glanced at the winding path behind them.
"Let's see if we can without turning our back," Alexandra began stepping backwards as fast as she could on the crunchy snow.
Another lance shot down on the path right where they were about to go. Zooey had to jump out of the way as it lodged into the ground behind them.
"I wonder how many spears that thing has," Alexandra wondered aloud as she watched the flapping wings start turning the flying machine once more.
It was a wonderful thing to see, a real flying machine!
The Avindr College had just last year invented a clumsy flying machine, it flew for only a few seconds, but it was going to be the beginning of a whole new age. Now here before them was a small, compact, and efficient one-man flying machine, an impossible sight! Where did it come from? How did no one know about it? Is this what happened to everyone else who tried to probe the Mountains' depth? Were they set upon like this?
Alexandra watched the machine bank into the wind and begin to come around again. Zooey tightened her grip on her sword, she waited for it to come.
It had already fired three and she had not seen any spare weapons on the small machine as it had flown past low the first time. It looked like it was limited to what was already loaded in its tubes, and they could not fit much more.
Maybe they would be safe if they could just survive until it ran out of spears. The flying machine leveled out ahead of them and was now flying right at them.
Zooey tensed the muscles in her leg, she knew it was preparing to attack. She was ready to act, she was tired of just dodging the assault.
The lance pierced the clouds, the mist swirling around the flying bolt as it soared towards them. Zooey saw the glint of its tri-point spearhead, she already had her sword lifted and ready. As the spear came in for the kill on Alexandra, Zooey jumped ahead of the group and swung her sword with all her might. Her blade caught the spear mid-shaft. The flying spear when tumbling to the side before lodging itself between two rocks!
Zooey collapsed, the reverberation from the hit traveling up her sword and shaking her arm badly. She could barely lift her sword now, her hand was trembling.
"Zooey!" Alexandra dropped to her knees next to her friend, "you saved me."
"Yeah, whatever," Zooey tried to play it off, trying to regain her aloof attitude.
"Don't give me that," Alexandra could see through it easily, "thanks."
"I can't fight," Zooey confided her weakness to Alexandra, "that hit, it wrenched up my arm, I can barely hold my sword."
Alexandra put out her hand. "Then let me, let me do the fighting for once. Let me protect you."
"But you're lousy with a sword compared to me."
Zooey flashed her a grin.
"I know," Alexandra took hold of the hilt of Zooey's sword, "I'll try not to embarrass you too much."
"That'd better be a promise."
"It is."
Alexandra gripped the weapon tightly as Zooey released it from her own hand the rest of the way.
She stood up and waited for the next attack.
Nothing yet. No more cloud-piercing spears, an unsettling silence had settled. Alexandra glanced around, trying to see the adversary, but all she could see above them was thickening cloud cover.
"It can't have many more bolts," Alexandra was ready to dodge again if needed.
"What makes you think that?" Zooey hoped it was true, they had survived so far mostly through luck.
"I didn't see any extras on it," Alexandra squinted to see through the fog, "I think it only had what's it's already got loaded."
"Hope you're right." Luca had his sword drawn, but knew he most likely could not pull off what Zooey had done.
"Why are they attacking us?" Sophia could not fathom what they had done to make someone so angry at them, "do you think they're from House Cornelius?"
Zooey spit at the mention of their name. "Have to be. they've dogged us everywhere else!"
The clouds swirled.
"Do you see it?" Luca could not spot the attacker in the mist anymore.
"Listen," Alexandra was standing perfectly still, "I can hear it, it's still flapping around."
"Come on!" raged Zooey, the mention of Cornelius firing her up, "come down here and face me!"
She would get revenge on them for making their lives miserable. She would make them pay for what they had done to Alexandra.
"Sshh, you can't even lift a sword right now. How about they come down and face you when you're better, okay?"
Zooey's first reaction was to get mad, but then she thought better and realized she had nothing to get mad about. Alexandra was trying to help her, protect her, calm her.
She sighed and nodded her head in affirmation, "okay, sounds like a plan Alex."
Sophia looked around anxiously. "Why have they stopped? Why's it just hovering around?"
Alexandra thought fast. "Probably out of bolts now. I don't know why it's not leaving though. You would think it would want to go an reload and come back to try to finish us off."
"Maybe it's worried we'll escape back down the mountainside while it's off getting ready again."
"It's keeping guard until more of its friend's show up," Zooey was not very optimistic as Sophia, "just waiting, making sure we don't get away."
"Flying machine?" Alexandra could not believe what was attacking them, she was actually a little excited after seeing the mechanical marvel, "did you see it? It actually flew!"
Sophia had to smile, "it's always the strangest things with us isn't it?"
Luca was laughing a little now too, "of course! They can't send any old ordinary people after us, only the best!"
Zooey's arm was still killing her as she sat on the ground, her whole body shaken from the last hit she had delivered. She was suddenly a lot colder than she was before when they were just hiking, her body was going into shock. Shaking her head was able to clear some of the mental fog away at least. Not wanting to let on her immediate suffering, she tried to look resolute and okay, besides hugging her arm close.
She had taken powerful hits before, and given them out just as much, but she had swung hard and hit the flying spear awkwardly, twisting her body and pulling at her arms. Perhaps it was just the cumulative strain of traveling and the fight they had gotten into in Alloa, but she had overdone it and was now barely able to stand.
"I wish they'd hurry up at least," she tried to keep the strain out of her voice, "it's freezing out here."
"Oh, here," Alexandra swapped hands holding the sword quickly and had slipped out of her overcoat.
Before Zooey could protest, Alexandra bent over and with her free hand draped the cloak over Zooey.
"Thanks," Zooey wrapped the coat around her.
Alexandra stood up and turned her attention again to the sky.
She could still hear the slow rhythmic flapping of the flying machine's wings, somewhere in the swirling fog above them. The fog was growing thicker, snow was starting to fall. It was picked up by the wind and almost seemed to be falling sideways off of the Mountains at them.
Alexandra held the sword out in front of her, not exactly sure how good it would do, but still, it was something to do and it did make her feel a little better. She stood in front, Zooey on the ground behind her, then Luca with his own sword ready, and Sophia safely in the back. Listening, Alexandra tried to make out the sound of the flying machine over the wind; the sound of it was a little louder now, it sounded like the wings were beating faster.
"No, not faster," Alexandra realized, "just more wings!"
"Look!" Luca was pointing at the sky ahead of them.
With trepidation, Alexandra's eyes followed where he was pointing.
The clouds had broken ahead of them a little, the solid blanket of dark gray clouds giving way just a little into a gap. Through the gap, Alexandra saw confirmed her fear: multiple flying machines. There must be a dozen or so now above their heads, circling like vultures over dying creatures.
"There's so many," Sophia's voice trembled.
"Like I said, friends," Zooey being right did not give her the usual smugness that being so brought, she wished so much she had been wrong.
"There's so many!" Luca was meanwhile amazed at seeing a flying machine, and then seeing even more of the impossible device!
"Where did these come from?" wondered Alexandra aloud, "no one's heard about anything like this being made. How can there be a fleet of these things and no one knows about it?!"
She was worried, there was definitely no escape with so many enemies above their very heads. With Zooey hurt, it would be difficult to get back down the mountainside even if they were not in a hurry. They would be sitting ducks for spear attacks and there would be no way out.
This was her fault. She had gotten too excited again and had led them once again straight into danger.
Not for the first time.
Why did she keep doing this? Did she think the trip would be any better?
Alexandra felt a weight on her shoulders again, she had trouble breathing like fingers were constricting across her neck. She tried to fight off the feeling but the harder she tried to sicker she felt. Every time she dared to hope things would be okay, every time she started thinking that things were not so bad...they would get bad again.
"If one of those things shot me through the heart it's exactly what I should get," her thoughts condemned her.
She had always tried to do the right thing and to help people whoever they may be, it was a virtue her mother had tried to raise her with. She knew was looked down upon, being an Oonskat, being poor, but always had pride because she knew she was not poor in her heart. She had friends and morals that she did not compromise, that fact had always held her spirit up even through the worst of times.
Now her head told her she was being selfish, and her friends were constantly paying for it. It was almost too much to take. She gritted her teeth, angry that these thoughts were bubbling up places she didn't know. Alexandra knew she wasn't that kind of person but these feelings were being forced upon her. She struggled for a breath.
A new sound! A footstep!
Alexandra flung her gaze forward to the path, gripping the sword tightly.
Something was coming.
"What is it?" Sophia had noticed Alexandra's sudden change in stance.
"Someone's coming," she would not break her gaze from the path.
"Another hiker maybe?" Luca hoped, doing his best to hold his sword still.
Alexandra did not see how any could get farther into the Mountains, not alive at least.
A figure appeared in the swirling snow ahead of them, a dark silhouette framed against the expanse of white. It was walking towards them at a slow deliberate pace. Alexandra shielded her eyes, trying to get a better view.
As the figure drew closer, its features drew clearer. It was a man walking towards them, albeit a tall one. He was wearing a flowing dark cloak that whipped around him in the gale. It looked like had metal straps wrapping around him under the cloak, tubes of some kind, but Alexandra could not make out the details.
The man stopped fifteen paces or so before them and stood there, sizing up Alexandra for a moment before speaking in a deep booming voice. "Unusual that someone has come so far up the winding path to the sky. How fortuitous, I was wanting some practice."
"Excuse me," Alexandra swallowed, "we mean you no offense and if we have caused one then I sincerely apologize."
"Manners," the voice echoed back, a deep bass that seemed to resonate in the rocks themselves, "unexpected. In response then let me introduce myself, I am Brom and I am hoping you can provide me with some sport."
She did her best to ignore the last part of that statement and keep the dialogue going.
"My name is Alexandra and these are my friends. If it would then please you, we would like to remove ourselves safely from here back down to the city. We do not mean to trespass if that is what has occurred."
A pause.
"You cannot leave here, it is the punishment for those who pry at things not meant for them."
"Please, we mean you no harm..." she tried.
"Can never leave," was the cold and unchanging response.
"But, we only..." Alexandra was becoming more desperate.
"Your lies fall on ears turned deaf."
He would not listen.
"Why are you chasing us?" Alexandra's temper rose and she lashed out suddenly, "why is House Cornelius after us! Please! We haven't done anything! We're miserable, please stop hurting my friends...please... just leave us alone!"
She quickly sniffed back some unexpected tears that had escaped and wiped them away.
Luca was surprised, he had never seen Alexandra like this before. She was sad at times, melancholy at most, but she never broke down like this, especially in front of an adversary. Sophia wanted nothing more than to run up and hold her close, but she could not, the situation was tense and Alexandra may have to fight in a moment's notice. Zooey gritted her teeth, she wanted to pummel the man now standing before them, but as it was she was a helpless observer to this exchange. Alexandra was always a rock under pressure, no matter how scared she was she hid it because the others looked up to her, depended on her, needed her.
Another pause, longer this time. Alexandra tried to steady her breathing.
"We are not House Cornelius, though their name is well known to us."
Alexandra stood somewhat at a loss. If these strangers with their flying machines were not Cornelius, then who were they and why were they attacking them?
The strange man continued, "whatever lies you may try to tell, you have ventured too far and too close into the great Mountains and for that you may never leave alive."
Alexandra brought the sword up higher, indicating she would not go quietly. It was to be a fight. She was keenly aware of the three souls behind her, watching what was going on. They were counting on her, they needed her...and she would not let them down!
"Give me my sword back," Zooey tried to get back up but did not make it very far, falling back to the ground gripping her arm in pain.
"You're in no condition," Alexandra told her flatly then softened her tone, "please, just get better, let me take care of this. Protect the others."
"What are you going to do?"
"Something stupid again," Alexandra winked at her.
Zooey realized what she was going to do. "You'd better not... Alex!"
"Fight me!" Alexandra called out to Brom. "Leave the others alone and fight me!"
"No, let me fight!" Luca tried to step in.
Alexandra heard him but ignored his calls, "please, fight me alone!"
"Interesting," Brom mused, "self-sacrifice and loyalty, uncommon virtues for those who come trying to pry at our privacy and secrets. Very well."
The man reached under his cloak and pulled out what looked to be a sword handle with no blade. He flicked it in his hand and the air was suddenly charged, the hairs on the back of Alexandra's neck stood up. A burst of blinding light and where before there was no blade, Brom was now holding an imposing-looking weapon. His blade was curved and came into four points at the end; it shone bright white reflecting the snow.
He took a step forward.
Alexandra wasted no time and charged forward herself, her gaze never blinking, her steps never faltering as she ran straight at the stranger in the path.
She raised the sword in her hands, ready to strike when she arrived at her intended target. She did not know who this man was, but he was threatening her friends and she had to make sure they got back to Alloa in one piece. Alexandra never struck first, but she could see no way out of this and she was tired of being pushed around.
She was tired of her friends being hurt.
"No!" Sophia watched helplessly as Alexandra went forward towards Brom
Luca raised his own sword and took a few steps forward before a spear suddenly shot out from the clouds! It lodged into the ground right in front of him! He understood the message and halted his advance. Alexandra had challenged Brom and the terms had been agreed upon, the circling men above would not allow Luca to join the fight. All the others could do now was watch and hope.
Brom smiled, it was foolish for this girl to fight him, it would only prolong the inevitable. Better she die quickly, punishment for penetrating too far into the Rotsen Mountains. He had to admit, her attack was brave and stood out from all the other cowards and men with false bravado that had attempted to climb the peaks. Brave or not, Brom knew she would not survive, no one ever had.
He had been looking for some sport, it had been ages since he'd had the opportunity to fight person to person, it looked like this foolish youngster would provide him with some entertainment at least. He stamped his right foot back in the snow and heaved his body forward, his arms outstretched.
Alexandra saw a light in front of her, it started off just a pinpoint, like a spark, but suddenly it was blinding!
A fireball!
It looked like it had come straight out of the man's arms!
"What, how?!" her mind rebelled at the concept. "that's just not possible!"
Just like the flying machines, what she was seeing this man do was unbelievable!
She would not be deterred though, he was so close, she would not give up on her friends. She saw the attack coming and leaned left as quickly as possible. The fireball flew past her and dissipated into the air, singeing her arm and tunic slightly as it passed close by her. Alexandra was not the best fighter, she always tried to use words to avoid a struggle but if her friends were in danger then she would not be stopped. Adrenaline surging through her veins, she pressed the attack undeterred.
Brom was surprised she had actually dodged his attack, most people stood in disbelief and terror at the sight of the fireball. He raised an eyebrow, this was getting interesting now. He readied another attack as Alexandra drew in dangerously close.
"Alexandra!" Luca wanted to run after her but Sophia kept a firm grip on him.
"Don't try," she warned, wanting to run after their friend just as much herself, "we can't see them but they're still watching us from up there."
"But Alexandra's needs help!"
"I know," Sophia had to be strong, "and she'll be fine... I just know she'll be fine. She has to be."
"Stupid," Zooey was angry that it was not her attacking the stranger Brom. "For once can you let someone else do it? You don't deserve all this."
Alexandra had reached Brom. She brought her sword above her head and Brom extended his arms to meet her. There was a spark between his hands. Alexandra saw it growing, she hit the snow and started sliding. Surprised by her move, Brom quickly back-stepped, the spark disappearing from the air. She tried to push up and catch him between the ribs with her blade, but he brought his own sword down and blocked the attack. He sidestepped and pushed Alexandra past him, sending her falling face-first into the snow Spinning around she was up in an instant, bringing her sword to bear once more.
"You fight with a fire uncommon for the greedy, usually their souls are vacuous and weak," Brom nodded, "try this."
He shot his hands out forward and before Alexandra could move her feet, a spark had appeared and then flew at her increasing in size. Alexandra thought fast and grabbed two large handfuls of snow and threw it up into the air in front of her. The fireball hit and lost most of its heat, barely burning the front of Alexandra's arms she had up protecting her face.
Brom smiled, this girl was resourceful and unafraid, he was not expecting that. The usual rabble sent up to try to find Brom and his people were mercenaries, greedy treasure hunters, and the power-mad. Alexandra jabbed forward, trying once more to stab him. He sidestepped and caught the back of her neck with his hand, using the leverage to push her past him.
As he connected his hand, Brom frowned, "what's this I feel?"
He finished his motion and pushed her to the ground once more, to which she got back to her feet in a mad scramble.
"You're quite out of the ordinary my dear," he really looked at her for the first time. "I can feel a great passion for those you care about."
"It's the ones I love that you're trying to kill!" she yelled and lunged again, trying a slicing maneuver this time.
Brom easily stepped aside, grabbed her wrist, and flung her to the snow yet again. She gritted her teeth and stood yet again. Brom was getting some strange feelings off of her, he wanted to know more about her.
"I can also feel courage. I feel a fire, but a fire nearly extinguished under a dark rain cloud that's been growing for years. I felt your heart when I touched you, it's a power I have. I can see you."
"A power?" Luca did not understand what we meant by that.
Alexandra brought her sword down upon his head, but he dodged it without much effort again, his economy of motion was incredible. Reaching over he grabbed her ankle and flipped her over. Alexandra rolled away from him and faced him once more, her breathing becoming ragged.
"I also feel your strength, it flows out from your heart."
She tried to cut at his side but with one fluid move he ducked under the blade!
Using his own sword to push hers away, he grabbed her wrist and swung her around off of her feet. Wiping her face clean, Alexandra shakily picked up the sword again, her hands going numb from the cold.
"I also feel a great spirit of guilt inside you," Brom seemed lost in thought for a moment, looking at her shoulder before refocusing his eyes directly onto hers, "did you know you have a rider?"
"Stop toying with me!" Alexandra was out of breath and her hands were shaking but she had not lost her determination, "I can't let them down!"
She brought her sword up as she glanced at her friends who were helplessly watching the struggle.
"Are you really going to try again?" laughed Brom, "I admit you're unusual, and they must have sent you because of that, but you should know trying to find us or learn our secrets is not something you can achieve."
"I don't even know who you are!" Alexandra shouted desperately.
"More lies," he blew her off. "If you have come here, it is for one purpose, you have been sent to seek our power for your masters' greedy ambitions. Best give up and we promise to put you and the others down as humanely as possible. You should have known it was pointless to try to fight a Tovanaar."
"Tovanaar?" Alexandra's did not believe what she had just heard.
A magic user. They were a myth. They could not actually exist.
"Did he just really say that?" Luca whispered.
"Oh no," Sophia's heart sank, "Alexandra..."
The Lederan had said there might be magic users and maybe they could help her understand her pendant. She had not really believed there were truly Tovanaar in the Mountains but without a better plan, she had ventured up the path.
"Magic's not real!" Zooey challenged, propping herself up, "it's just a fairy story. We don't believe in it! No one does anymore!"
"So those in power keep saying yet they continue to send the likes of you to try to cow us," Brom spared her a glance for the first time, "they like to pretend and forget that we exist. They say it's all a story, the foolish spiritual beliefs of a by-gone age. But, there is always a fear deep down of us, a fear we'll re-emerge some day, a day that may have to come soon it seems."
"I was actually looking for you," Alexandra tried to explain fully as fast as she could, "you see, this pendant..."
"Many have told lies and stories to try to escape, yet the agents of the greedy never survive."
"You said you can see me," Alexandra lowered her sword and took a step forward, "then look at me! I'm not a spy, I'm not someone here for your treasure or whatever, I just want to find my father. Please, if you can see me, then look and see I'm telling you the truth!"
He laughed, this girl was full of surprises.
It did not matter, she and her fellow trespassers would be dead in a few moments anyway. But, Brom was interested and he thought he would oblige a last request. He looked at her, looked into her eyes, past them. The world around darkened and faded away until there was only him and Alexandra standing facing each other. He looked harder and for a moment he swore he saw wings of fire unfolding from behind her back.
He saw the pendant, it shone brightly. His eyes widened: the red hair, the burning green eyes.
It was impossible.
Brom smiled. He did not know how he had missed it before, maybe he was just getting old after all. He flicked his wrist and the sword vanished again just as quickly as it appeared. The rest of the world came rushing back to normal.
Wait, he had attacked her! The realization fully hit him and he stepped back and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry," his tone was very different from just moments before, "I am so sorry."
She wasn't sure what kind of trick this was, but she kept her legs ready liked coiled spring in case he attacked her as soon as she let her guard down.
"Can my friends go?"
"Of course," he nodded vigorously, "please forgive us for the attack on your party."
Luca rushed forward to help Zooey up while Sophia came over to Alexandra's side.
"Why are you apologizing suddenly?" Alexandra was still not sure what was going on.
"We assumed you were treasure hunters, adventure seekers, or spies sent by that despicable monster Radulfus Cornelius, none of which we have very much time for. Sometimes even our arrogance gets the best of us though we try to have that not be the case. We attacked before we truly ascertained who you were, we assumed and that was a mistake, we are humbled."
"Cornelius," Alexandra mouthed, that name was everywhere.
"Every so often the nobles get greedy and send expeditions up here to try to learn our secrets, none more despicable or persistent as the head of House Cornelius," Brom went on, "he burns with ambition and will burn down the nation to achieve his dreams of power."
"We're not thieves or spies," she was still a little confused, "why does House Cornelius spy on you? Do they want taxes or something?"
Brom had let out a guffaw from the bottom of his belly at that. "Ha! No my lady, they seek our abilities, they seek our magic. With it they can further close their grip on Prydain."
"Magic's not real," it was a quick gut reaction.
However, the evidence before their own eyes in just the past few minutes would beg to differ.
"Perhaps that is the truth or perhaps it is not, or maybe it is a half-truth," he dipped his head slightly, "but I claim to be a Tovanaar nonetheless. Whether you choose to believe me or not, you are very welcome here in this place, Alexandra Benham."
The mention of her full name stopped her cold.
She never told anyone, only her friends knew and of course the people that did the exiling way back when. How did this man know? How did he see that? Did he truly possess some kind of power unlike regular men? Maybe he had seen her tattoo during the fight and that was the rational explanation.
"What? How do you know who I am?" she relaxed her fists.
Had word spread that much about her unfortunate exploits in Avindr? Now was there any hope of er being able to travel incognito? How did he know?
"As I said before," Brom was very friendly now, his voice normal, "I could see you. Please, accept my apologies and my invitation for you and your friends."
"Invitation to where?" Zooey piped up, still wary of this Brom character who was indeed unique and quite dangerous despite his sudden turnaround in attitude.
"My home," he announced, "the village of Braeden."