Tales of Alterra Chapter 6

 

Chapter 6

The hammer smashed into a bedframe and threw splinters everywhere. August ducked underneath a flying piece of shrapnel.

“Ahhhh.” Elyse held her hands to her cheeks. “Who’s going to pay for that?”

“Stop resisting!” Ruby swung her hammer at Penny again.

Penny deflected it with her red sword. “I don’t want to fight you!”

“I worked for two hundred years to be the chosen one!” Ruby slammed her hammer into the floor, creating a massive hole. She ripped her hammer out and swiped at Penny again. “And you just had to come and break it all!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Penny deflected another hit. “I didn’t choose to be the chosen one!”

“So you admit that you are!” Ruby smashed a lantern, sending glass everywhere.

Penny finally made an offensive strike. “No!” She aimed a flurry of blows at Ruby. “I don’t know who I am! I just talked to a fairy and they gave me powers!”

“Powers greater than any other majoshin in history!” Ruby pulled an underhanded strike and tripped Penny.

Penny rolled with great skill and stood up against the wall. “Please.”

Ruby brandished her weapon. At that moment, Denyse slapped her.

Ruby looked stunned, as if she couldn’t process what had just happened. “You …”

Denyse grabbed Ruby by the shirt. “You’re making a fool out of yourself.”

Ruby collapsed. “I … I didn’t want to! I’ve been busting my skirt for centuries! Why does she, a newcomer, get to have the chance to be the chosen one?”

Penny approached Ruby. “I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I want to help. I don’t want to fight anyone.”

Ruby gritted her teeth. “I don’t want to accept you. Tell me why you should be the chosen one and not me.”

“I don’t want to be the chosen one, whatever that means.”

“And that’s how it should be.” Denyse put her hands on Ruby’s shoulder. “You, of all people, should know the prophecy. Only one who does not want to become the chosen one can hold the mantle.”

“I read it, I know it, but …” Ruby covered her face with her hands. “But I can’t accept it.”

“Can someone tell me what is happening?” Elyse flicked her hand and the shadow of her fire whip retreated from her palm—she had been ready to pull it out at any moment.

Denyse stood up and turned to face her. “Do you know of the ancient prophecy?”

“There are a lot of those.” Elyse crossed her arms. “Which one are we talking about?”

“The prophecy that has been passed down through the majoshin ever since its foundation. That one day a great evil will approach and it will be the job of the chosen one to stop it.”

“You’re kidding me.” Elyse chuckled. “Chosen one? In this day and age? And what great evil are we talking about? I mean, the vampires’ guild is pretty evil.”

“Something far worse than vampire politicians is coming.” Ruby stood up. “The Centrix. I will say no more, but I request your presence tomorrow at dawn at our headquarters.” She narrowed her eyes at August. “Normally men are not allowed there. But since you are the consort of the chosen one, you shall come as well.”

Justle, the dark haired girl, took a gold watch out of her pocket. “This is your signature as a majoshin. Do not lose it.” She handed it to Penny, who took it reverently.

Penny turned it in her hand. “What does it do?”

A small light popped out of the golden watch. It was a fairy, about the size of a butterfly. “Hello! I’m Reya!” It fluttered its golden wings. Even though it was small, it had a solid presence.

August had seen fairies, but never one so full of magical power.

Elyse’s eyes opened wide. “A domestic Afuretus!”

August shot Elyse a glance.

What? Elyse’s mind was full of energy.

Nothing. August turned to Ruby. “Where is this headquarters you speak of?”

“Ask the watch.”

Reya flitted around August’s head. “Ah, a greenblood!” She did a little twirl. “You’re not going to hunt me, are you?”

“Are you a threat?” August raised an eyebrow.

“Only if you want me to be!” Reya flew over to Elyse. “Oh, I know you! You’re that girl who blew up the grand hall with her experiment!”

Elyse gritted her teeth. “Please, don’t bring that up.”

Ruby turned around with a quick motion. “Denyse. Justle. We’re off.”

“You’re just going to leave like that?” Elyse pointed to the destroyed door and then the multiple holes in the wall.

“Just bill it to the majoshin when they ask for payment.” Ruby left the room, followed by Denyse and Justle.

“Well that was exiting.” August examined the damage to the room. “They came, she tried to kill you, and then they left.”

“I think they were nice though.” Elyse picked up a piece of wood that had splintered off the door. She flicked it away. “They obviously knew what they were doing.”

Reya flew circles around Penny. “You’re so young!” She alit on Penny’s head. “Like, ridiculously young!”

“I’m fifteen. I’m not a baby.” Penny stuck her tongue out.

“To the rest of the majoshin you are.” Reya fluttered her wings. “Dear old Ruby is two hundred and fifty two years old.”

“Hundred and …” Elyse’s eyes widened. “Yikes. She a vampire or something?”

August shook his head. “Don’t be impressed by age. Age does not equate to wisdom.”

“How old are you?” Elyse crossed her arms.

“I’d, ah, rather not …” August sighed. “Over a hundred. I do not know exactly how old I am.”

“Darn immortals.” Elyse patted Penny on the head. “You and I are the only ones here who really understand how mortality makes a person feel.”

“Um, since I became a witch, I think I’m immortal too …” Penny made an awkward face. “Sorry.”

Elyse sighed. “Ah. Maybe I should invent an immortality potion and drink it …” She shrugged. “In any case I have a long way to go. I think I’m actually a quarter elf.”

“What in the bahoozes is going on here?” The innkeeper stood in the doorway with a frown on his face.

“Bill it to the majoshin.” Elyse appeared nonchalant. She waved her hand. “They did this.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re the people who rented this room, so it’s your responsibility.”

Elyse raised both eyebrows. “The majoshin are banked. They have plenty to cover this.”

“How, exactly, do you suppose I submit an invoice to an organization that may or may not exist?”

“Um …” Elyse sighed. “We’re going to their headquarters soon. If you, eh, place your invoice with us …”

The innkeeper grimaced. “Fine. But if I don’t see the money in two days I’ll make sure you pay for all this destruction.” He did an about face and left the hallway.

Elyse smiled, though her eyes didn’t show it. “I think, all things considered, we came out pretty good.”

Koko, the flying rabbit, alit on the window frame. “Ah, Penny. You have done as I asked.”

“I barely did anything.” Penny shook her head.

Reya flew up to face Penny’s eyes. “You did! You fought with grace just like the chosen one should!”

Koko winked and then flew away from the window. “I’ll be betting on you!” His voice disappeared into the night. 

Penny yawned. “I think the bed is still good. I’m going to sleep.”

Elyse sat down on a wooden chair facing a desk. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep.”

August sat on the floor in a meditative position.

“Greenbloods don’t sleep much, do they?” Elyse leaned on the chair’s back.

August felt a lot of emotion in Elyse’s thoughts, through their soul bond. He pursed his lips as he closed his eyes.

“Meditating is so boring.” Elyse shifted her weight. “I … I don’t …” Her eyes drooped and then she fell asleep.

August was left sitting in a quiet, albeit destroyed, room, where he meditated for the rest of the night.

When dawn came, Reya popped out of the golden watch and swirled around the room. “Come on! It’s time to go!”

Penny woke up with a start. “Ah!” She yelled loudly for a couple of seconds before calming down. “I’m sorry. I saw my parents. They were in great pain.”

“More reason to go ask the majoshin what’s going on.” August stood up. “Let’s go.”

The three of them left the room and passed through the common dining area, where the innkeeper stared at them as they passed. However, they left the inn without incident.

Once on the streets, Reya led them through a series of alleyways until they reached a manhole cover in an uninhabited little bay area. Reya flew down and alit on the manhole cover. The cover shimmered, and then a door rose out of the ground. It was ornate, made of beautiful wood and intricate carvings.

Penny pushed the door open and walked through. “Wha!” Her form disappeared.

Reya flew down after her. “Come on in!” her voice echoed and then disappeared.

August took a deep breath and dove into the doorway.

A slide was underneath him. He slid down into the bowels of the earth, twisting and turning as he descended. The slide was illuminated by magic lighting that strobed past as he slid. He finally landed on a cushion in the middle of a fully inhabited arcade.

The arcade resembled that of a major city. It was three stories tall, with walkways on either side that crisscrossed above. Hundreds of young-looking girls in dresses were walking along the pathways. Almost all of them carried deadly weapons. Bows, swords, staffs, crossbows, guns, and everything else under the sun.

A single girl stood in front of the landing spot, arms crossed. It was Ruby.

“You came.” She turned around. “Follow me.”

August was much taller than most of the girls in the arcade. When he passed, they looked up, some of them pointing, or laughing.

“You are the first male to see this hallway in decades.” Ruby waved, and Denyse and Justle came out of a doorway, flanking her as she walked.

They came to a normal-looking door on the second floor of the arcade walkway. Ruby knocked.

A ghostly image was projected from a crystal on the side of the door. “This is the office of Emeralda Stysh, supreme commander of the majoshin. I am not available at the moment. Please come back at another time.”

The image was of a wise-looking young woman with deep purple eyes. It flicked off after a few seconds, leaving only silence.

Ruby pounded on the door. “Emeralda! Commander! Our guest is here!”

The door opened, and the girl whom August assumed was Emeralda peered out.

“Oh, yes. I was expecting you but not at this exact moment.” She opened the door all the way. “Come in.”

She was wearing a rainbow dress that, despite its garish colors, did not appear tacky. In fact, it suited her very well. Her hair was short, well trimmed, and completely shock white. She went into the office and sat in an oak chair. “Sit, sit.” She tapped at the table.

Penny, August, and Elyse sat down on the three chairs in front of Emeralda’s desk. Ruby, Justle, and Denyse stood at attention against the back wall.

“You’re probably wondering why I called you here.” Emeralda flicked her fingers and Koko, the flying rabbit, rose from underneath the desk. Koko stretched, yawning. “Is it time?”

Elyse made a motion with her fingers. “You have something to pay for that you broke.”

Emeralda sighed. “Yes, I know. Ruby will be disciplined. We tried our best to keep her sane but it appears that her drive got the best of her.” She tapped her fingers against the desk. “In any case, we have a lot to talk about. A whole lot. So please, get comfortable.”