SWNOVELS Chapter 16: In Due Time
“I am okay.” Sahara says trying to sit up some as she pushes Brystol away. “We need to go see who Raglen was talking to.”
“Whoever it was is long gone and you need to rest.” Brystol says annoyed.
“No.” Sahara says standing up. “I said I was alright. Come on.” She says moving towards the door the mysterious ellon had gone through.
“You just killed someone!” Brystol says sounding sad and it causes Sahara to stop and turn toward him. It was the second elf she had killed in the past two days and she didn’t feel good about having to do it.
“What did you expect us to do? Take him as a prisoner?” Sahara asks remorsefully. “I told you I was going to kill him. He killed Slagwart. I watched him kill Slagwart.” The realization of what she saw yesterday starts to set in as she feels wetness break from her eyes. “I couldn’t let him go and kill someone else I care about.”
Brystol’s expression fills with compassion before he moves closer to her and wraps his arms around her. She cries for a moment as she looks at the black ashes scattered all over the floor where only moments ago Raglen had been standing. “I’m not sorry.” She says pushing out of Brystol’s hug and shaking her head. “For Heltus either. He can’t hurt Bularia now. I think I changed the future, Brystol!”
“Maybe.” Brystol says sounding unsure of her analysis.
“And we can figure out who the other elf in here was. He has to be someone at Malorsty. Why else would Raglen had been in here.” She suddenly realizes that Raglen had to get in this room somehow. “How did he get in here?” Sahara asks looking around the room. She notices a third door across the room.
“Maybe he teleported.” Brystol suggests.
“Not through the protective walls, he couldn’t. I was more powerful than him in that area.” Sahara says remembering how Raglen had told her he couldn’t teleport through them.
She moves over to the door and reaches for the knob. “Maybe we should go get some help.” Brystol says sounding concerned.
“If we do that, it might be too late.” Sahara says before pulling open the door.
To her surprise, it only goes to an room that looks like a laboratory with broken windows. She looks back at Brystol for a brief moment and sees him shake his head, before she steps inside. She hears Brystol sigh in frustration before he follows her. She looks around the laboratory for a moment at all the glass jars and weird looking ingredients spread out on a counter top. “What is this?” Brystol asks catching her attention. She turns towards him and sees him looking into a red bubbling cauldron that has a fire underneath it.
“Ewe.” She says as she moves over closer to the cauldron and Brystol to get a better look. She holds her nose at the grotesque smell. “Maybe it is something to fead the beasts.” She suggests.
“That doesn’t seem like enough for all those creatures.” Brystol says waving his hand in front of his nose at the smell.
They hear voices and suddenly see shadows appear just outside a glass door to the laboratory. Sahara feels Brystol grab her hand and yank her with him so that they are now hidden behind a tall cabinet next to the door they had entered a few seconds ago. Sahara feels her heart hit the floor as the door opens and the voices of the two ellons are now in the room with them. “Raglen?” One of the ellons asks as the voices draw closer to their hiding spot. Sahara closes her eyes as she holds her breath wishing she could teleport. She suddenly hears birds chirping and it causes her to open her eyes. She sees the gardens of Holestroy down below her and she realizes she is on the side balcony of Holestroy. It was what she had pictured when she was wishing she could teleport.
“It was a portal!” Sahara says realizing the door they went through to get into the laboratory was a portal to somewhere else. She looks around realizing Brystol is not with her, she had forgotten she could not teleport him because of the stupid bracelet. “Oh no!” She says aloud realizing she left him alone with those two mysterious elves. She breathes hard wondering what to do. She isn’t sure if he was caught or not, but she didn’t want to just teleport back into danger. She tries to think of what all she had seen in the laboratory, something she could hide behind perhaps. “Perfect.” She says aloud remembering the desk that set in the opposite corner of the door they had entered. She gets down on her hands and knees before she teleports, so that she is sure to be hidden when she arrives. She hears the voices still in the room as she cautiously peeks around the side of the desk. She lets out a sigh of relief as she notices Brystol still standing in the exact place she had left him, hidden beside the tall cabinet by the opened door.
“This should be enough.” She hears one elf say as he puts a large spoon back down into the bubbling cauldron.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Raglen?” The other elf asks.
“Why?” The first elf asks looking over toward the open door, where Brystol is just out of sight. “It looks like he is paying a visit to Heltus.”
Sahara gasps in confusion because Raglen said she had killed Heltus. “I thought Heltus was killed?” The second elf asks confused.
“No. You idiot. Can’t you keep up?” The first elf says annoyed. “That was the willing elf that Heltus vessel swapped with.”
“Oh, right.” The second elf says with a laugh. “I forgot.”
Sahara feels herself gasping for air from the shock of what she is hearing. “Come on.” The first elf says to the second as they progress to exit the laboratory through the same glass door they had entered.
Sahara quickly stands to her feet as the door closes and she sees Brystol’s confusion toward her as he asks, “How did you get over there?”
“I teleported.” She says holding her chest from the shock of realizing that Heltus must already be at Malorsty.
“I thought…” Brystol starts to ask something and she stops him.
“It was Heltus!” She says running back through the portal door into the room where Raglen’s ashes were still laying. She quickly moves across the room to the door she had seen the other elf leave through.
“Sahara?” She hears Brystol call after her along with the sound of the door closing to the laboratory. She ignores him as she enters a hallway that is dark. She runs down the hall as fast as she can until she finally arrives to a metal ladder. She looks up the ladder and sees a large round door at the top. Before she can start climbing, she hears Brystol again. “Let me go first.”
She steps to the side so that Brystol has room to move up the ladder. Brystol opens the door after he makes it to the top of the ladder letting in a bright light. Sahara covers her eyes as she realizes it is the sun. She hears Brystol whisper. “Come on.” She moves up the ladder toward Brystol’s outstretched hand. As he helps her out of the hole, she notices they are back at Saitar Hove’s cottage.
“What if it was Hove?” Sahara asks quietly as they close the large round door together.
“It could be anyone. It isn’t like we saw who it was.” Brystol replies.
“I just saw the back of him.” Sahara says remembering what the back of the ellon looked like, but it happened so fast she isn’t sure the back of the elf would be useful.
“At least we know it is someone that is at the Academy.” Brystol says and Sahara wants to cry knowing Heltus is so close to Bularia.
“That is them!” An unfamiliar voice startles them. Sahara and Brystol turn to meet eyes with an unfamiliar elf and Headorean Leavint. “They are who broke into the dungeon and tore off my poor Gillia’s leg.” The unfamiliar elf says with a hint of pain in his words.
“What is the meaning of this?” Headorean Leavint demands.
“There is some kind of portal down there.” Sahara tires to explain, “Raglen was down there talking to another ellon.”
“We managed to kill Raglen, but the other ellon came out this direction.” Brystol adds to her explanation.
“Hove, did you see anyone else?” The Headorean asks hastily.
“Only these two. There is no way anyone else got past Gillia with out my knowing.” Hove says adamantly and sounds unbelieving of their story. “She always roars for me to know.”
“He could have entered this way.” Brystol says pointing to the large round door in the ground they just exited from. Sahara tries to see if Hove is the ellon she had seen leaving but she realizes it could not have possibly been him because he has no hair on his head and she is sure the ellon she saw had light blonde hair. “This is how he escaped.”
“That door has not worked in decades.” Hove says sounding impatient.
“We just came out of it.” Brystol insists and it causes Hove to yank on the door, which does not budge.
“I swear it just was open!” Sahara says.
“Perhaps it can only open from the inside.” Brystol says after failing to open the round door.
“Do the two of you never learn?” Verdiwild’s angry voice causes them to turn toward him and the quickly approaching Headorean Shawdlortur.
“We are trying to help.” Sahara says in defense.
“Help.” Hove scuffs.
Headorean Leavint pulls Headorean Shawdlortur and Verdiwild aside as they attempt to whisper, but Sahara can hear Leavint’s quiet words for a moment, “They say they killed Raglen and found some kind of portal down in the beast dungeon.”
“My Gillia will never be the same.” Hove says sadly toward Brystol and Sahara causing Sahara to not be able to continue listening to Leavint’s conversation. “You will pay for this.” Sahara assess the area wondering if someone else is around and she sees Saitar Regald approaching. She notices Regald seems out of breath.
“I came as soon as I heard.” Saitar Regald says hastily as he joins the Headorean’s and Verdiwild.
After a few moments of whispers and glances toward Sahara and Brystol, Headorean Leavint instructs Hove, “Take the Cundu and Arenal into your cottage until we return.”
“Into my home?” Hove protests.
“They will not touch anything or do anything.” Verdiwild says with a scolding look toward them. “And if they do you have my full permission to zap them.”
Hove smiles at the thought of zapping them as he gives them a haughty look. “I guess I can live with that.” Sahara watches the four elves approach the tree that has the door to the entrance of the beast dungeon. “Come on.” Hove says before she feels a quick sting to her butt.
“Ouch!” Sahara says rubbing her butt from the pain of the zap he cast on it.
“He said if we touched or did anything!” Brystol says in protest to Hove.
“Just get inside.” Hove says laughing as he points to the entrance of his cottage.
As they move inside, Sahara is surprised at how Saitar Hove lives. It reminds her of the small shack she lived in with the Hammond’s. It was just one room that seems cluttered with random items. “What is this?” Brystol asks picking up an odd shaped wooden sculpture.
“Put that down.” Hove says with a zap to Brystol’s butt.
“Ouch!” Brystol says in surprise. “That hurts!”
“Don’t touch my things.” Hove says yanking the wooden sculpture out of Brystol’s hand. They stand by the door as they watch Hove pull two chair away from his kitchen table and sit them next to a large fire place. “Sit.” He says to them as he points toward the chairs. They do as they are told without protest.
They feel as though they have been there for hours as they watch Hove snore in his large comfy looking chair across from them. Sahara was more bored than she had ever been in her life. “This is ridiculous!” Sahara says annoyed.
“Do you suppose we should wake him?” Brystol whispers.
She just shrugs her shoulders in response. Brystol smiles at her as he quietly casts a spell that causes a feather to fly up from the feather pillow that is laying on the floor. The feather moves over toward Hove and gently tickles the tip of his nose. Sahara snickers as Hove grunts and swats toward the feather, missing it as Brystol quickly moves it away. Brystol again causes the feather to tickle Hove’s nose, but this time Sahara feels a quick zap to her knee just as she hears Brystol squeal from pain. She hears Hove start laughing and looks over seeing him wide awake. She rubs her knee as she asks, “Can’t we do something, it has been hours.”
“Headorean Leavint said to wait here.” Hove responds.
“We missed our course and now we are going to miss plorksol practice.” Brystol says with a tired sigh.
“There are more important things, like finding who it was that ran out of the dungeon.” Sahara reminds him. “Heltus is somewhere on campus.” Sahara tries to get Hove to listen but it is obvious that the name Heltus means nothing to him. “He vessel swapped with someone and we need to figure out who. The longer we sit here the longer it is going to take to figure out who it is.”
“How do you know it is not me?” Hove asks leaning up in interest.
“Because I saw the back of him and he has blonde hair. And, well…” She points to his bald head trying to not be rude.
“How do you know he vessel swapped?” Hove asks in concern.
“We overheard two elves.” Brystol says.
“Down in the dungeon.” Sahara adds for clarification.
“They talked about it.” Brystol says.
“Raglen and the mysterious elf you claim ran out here?” Hove asks.
“No. Inside the portal.” Sahara says shaking her head to him.
“Two different elves.” Brystol adds.
“We know it was a portal because I could teleport.” Sahara finishes.
“Oh.” Hove says looking confused before he sighs rubbing his hand on his forehead, “Are you two always so confusing?”
“I don’t think so.” Sahara responds.
“Finally!” Hove says in relief as he rises from his chair when there is a knock on his door.
Headorean Leavint looks normal as he steps inside and greets Hove. “These two have been telling me of the portal they found.” Hove says.
“There was no portal.” Headorean Leavint says shaking his head. “We did find some damage to the back storage room.”
“But there was a portal, through the third door!” Sahara says standing up in surprise.
“There were only two doors in that room. The one we entered in and the one that lead to the large round door we found you beside earlier.” Headorean Leavint says. “You were right, it does only open from the inside.” He nods to Brystol.
“We did not find Raglen.” Headorean Shawdlortor says looking concerned as he enters the room with Verdiwild and they close the door behind them. “Are you sure you killed him?”
“He was the ashes that were spread around the room.” Sahara says feeling somewhat ashamed.
The room is silent for a moment as the four older elves stare cautiously toward Sahara. “If there truly is a portal, we should close the school down for safety reasons.” Hove says.
“I do not think that will be necessary. There is only one week of classes remaining.” Headorean Shawdlortur interjects.
“That is two portals in the last….” Hove seems to be protesting but Headorean Shawdlortur stops him.
“The precautions we have set up will suffice until the student’s are gone. Then we will establish a stronger boundary before the next year begins.” Headorean Leavint insists.
“And what precautions are those?” Hove asks in concern.
“We will be setting up a double protective wall around the dungeon entrance and the exit area since that seems to be where the portals are coming from.” Headorean Leavint explains. “Your cottage will be included in the protective wall since you must care for the beasts.”
“I am to be trapped in with a portal that could possibly leave me susceptible to Patreek?” Hove asks alarmed.
“I see no other way to approach the matter.” Headorean Leavint says. “It is for one week and the Aran has guards on the way to assist with searching the dungeon and protecting the academy.”
“What about Heltus?” Sahara asks directing her question more to Verdiwild. “He has already vessel swapped and we believe him to be in the academy as someone already.”
“Why did you not mention that before?” Verdiwild asks alarmed.
“You just raced off and never let us explain everything earlier.” Sahara says as the Headorean’s and Verdiwild look at each other in concern. “I only saw the back of him, but he had blonde hair.”
“There are hundreds of blonde haired ellons. We cannot just go around and start accusing elves of vessel swapping by the color of their hair.” Verdiwild says.
“Are you sure he did not exit through a portal and just destroy it after he left?” Headorean Shawdlortur asks.
“I, I guess that is possible.” Sahara says realizing she had not thought of that.
“We will just be on high alert for the last week. The guards will be here with in the hour.” Headorean Leavint says. “Now, let’s be off so we can put up the protective walls.”
“We will find them in due time.” Verdiwild whispers to Sahara as they walk back to the academy.
Over the next two hours the students of Malorsty are a buzz with the news of what is happening. Hundreds of royal guards are now on campus and guarding practically every door inside the academy. From her dorm room window, Sahara can see the top of the new protective dome over the wooded area. “Sahara!” Bularia wraps her arms around Sahara as she Marol and Carol enter the dorm room. “We were so worried about you.” Bularia says. “We came to visit you but you were asleep and then this morning you weren’t there.”
“I am alright.” Sahara says feeling worried about Bularia. She feels helpless about protecting her friend. “I can’t believe we just have one week till summer break.”
“What are you doing this summer since you don’t have classes to work on?” Marol asks Sahara.
“Um.” Sahara remembers she is to spend the summer in the Kingdoms of Flordom, Yetya, and Darkuth with Threvoyn learning their ways. She was sworn to secrecy on that fact though. “Actually, I have a couple of courses to take and I have some royal duties to attend to.”
“But you finished the two courses you need to during the year.” Bularia says sitting down confused on her bed.
“I know but as part of my royal duties, I have to take centarology and pixiology.” Sahara says
“I have never heard of those.” Bularia says reaching for a book. “We hoped you would get to spend some time with us.”
“I wish I could.” Sahara lies knowing that she is excited about going to the other kingdoms and seeing how the centars and pixies lived. “What are you all doing?”
“Nothing exciting.” Bularia says sadly.
“We get to go to Rehvoy with our parents!” Carol says excitedly.
“Rehvoy?” Sahara asks in surprise.
“It is where Unter is from.” Marol says sounding disappointed.
“He invited us there for a visit.” Carol beams.
“You two got serious fast.” Sahara says smiling.
“He won’t be here next year and now that he is eighteen, he has to start doing his royal duties as the Cundu.” Carol sounds sad suddenly. “I wish I had met him last year, so we had more time together.”
“I am sure the two of you will get plenty of time together.” Sahara says with a knowing smile. She only wishes she could tell Carol about her future.
“Isn’t the last plorksol game tomorrow with Lokosty Academy?” Marol asks.
“Yes. But I don’t think I will be playing since I missed practice again today.” Sahara says clearing her throat.
“I guess we will come watch you sit on the bench then.” Carol laughs, causing the other elleths to laugh.
Sahara sits on the bench next to Brystol, just as she expected the following day. Neither of them were allowed to play because they missed yesterday’s practice. Sadly, the game is lost but the remainder of the week is calm and uneventful.
“Sahara.” The Aran surprises her as she moves down the stairs of the academy toward her Kinderton Carriage to leave the academy for the summer.
“King Rayterbay.” Sahara says with a curtsy.
“I would be honored if you would allow us to deliver you to your destination.” He holds his hand out toward his carriage that Sahara sees Tari Nathila and Brystol sitting in smiling at her. She looks over at her carriage knowing she was to meet Hexaria at Kinderton.
“Don’t leave us waiting.” Hexaria says buzzing out from the Aran’s carriage. Sahara smiles excitedly as she notices Threvoyn also peeking out at her from the carriage. She wastes no time in running down to jump inside.