The Magi

Wait. That’s all Elijah could do. He had absolutely no idea what was happening beyond the four walls surrounding him. The chancellor wasn’t kidding when he said this was a solitary detention. Elijah felt completely alone, and there was nothing to do but wait. Wait to hear about Paul and Becca. Wait to find out why Samuel was here at the academy and not in the prison. Wait for his own fate, whatever that might be. Sitting alone for hours, being forced to live with his inner conversation, drove Elijah crazy.

He put his head down on the hard, stone floor and looked at the darkness, knowing there was a wall in front of him even though he couldn’t see it. He was exhausted physically, but his mind raced, making it hard to fall asleep. There were too many things he wanted to think about and too many questions he needed answered. He tried to blank his mind and think about peaceful things. He thought about the water from the lake Olivia had shown him the first day of elemental training. He thought about spending time with Hannah in the library when they had to do some research for their discussion class. He thought about his friends. He remembered how Isaac could always make him laugh, even during a serious situation. He thought of Adam, and how he always knew the right thing to say at the right time, despite rarely opening his mouth. He thought of Becca’s wit and Paul’s courage, and how they worked together to get where they were. It really was quite amazing how far they had come without any help. He was proud of his friends, and he hoped they were okay. He had to believe they were.

Before he knew it, Elijah was being awakened by a light at the door. It was opening, and Elijah shielded his sensitive eyes with his hands. He sat up and noticed a figure walking into the room.

“Ten minutes,” said an adult male voice on the outside. Through many blinks and double takes, Elijah saw Samuel had entered the dark room. The door stayed open a crack and let the daylight in from the outside. Elijah felt like hugging Samuel, but his concern and questions overpowered his urge to show affection.

“Hi, Elijah,” Samuel whispered. His tone suggested he was trying to be secretive. “Or should I say Isaac?” He smiled at Elijah. “I’ve been given permission to see you just for a few minutes, so I need to be fast. What are you doing here?” It wasn’t much, but Elijah noticed a slight change in Samuel. There was a confidence about him that wasn’t there before. He seemed to be more sure of himself and less jumpy.

“What are you doing here Samuel?” Elijah asked defensively. “I came looking for you at the prison to rescue you. When I heard the Maliphists took you, I was sure you would be taken there. What happened?” Samuel shifted his position to get more comfortable as he recollected the past few weeks.

“I wasn’t taken to the prison. I was taken here,” he explained. Sensing Elijah’s discontent, Samuel shifted the conversation. “Elijah, the Maliphists aren’t who you think they are. They’re not bad.”

“What do you mean they’re not bad?”

“I thought when I came here they were going to just throw me into the prison and keep me there. But they didn’t. They brought me here. Elijah, in just a few weeks they have taught me more about the world than I have ever known! They gave me a family that really cares about me, and they’ll never leave me. They love me here.” Samuel was so sincere Elijah couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. All Samuel wanted was a family to accept him, and now he had it, or at least he thought he had it, in the most unlikely place.

“Samuel, we care for you in Savenridge,” Elijah argued. “You have friends there who want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I know,” admitted Samuel. “But it’s not the same as here. I have friends here who care about me too.”

Elijah rubbed his head in frustration. Samuel was not understanding. He was blinded by being accepted, and there wasn’t enough time to convince him otherwise.

“How is this place so different than Savenridge? What does it have that Savenridge doesn’t?” Elijah asked, feeling himself start to become irritated.

“You should see what the Maliphists are able to do,” Samuel said dreamily. “Do you remember what Roddick did when he saved me from that guy at Saint Phillip’s Academy?” Elijah nodded wanting to tell Samuel the guy he was saved from was probably a Maliphist. “Well, the Maliphists do that here every day. They can make the world do whatever they want it to do. It’s amazing! Whoever can do that can’t be bad, right?” Elijah gaped at Samuel in disbelief. Samuel didn’t understand the point Roddick and the council tried to tell him about using the elements. He was drawn to the power of the Maliphists more than the appreciation of the world. Elijah finally understood why the council was so apprehensive about Samuel when they first questioned him. He was easily manipulated.

Elijah didn’t give up. “What about your promise? You swore never to leave Savenridge.”

Samuel shook his head. “I didn’t know what I was promising, Elijah. And neither did you. I wish I could make you understand what it’s like here.”

“They killed my parents!!!” Elijah said, beginning to lose his temper.

After remaining silent for a moment, Samuel talked in a calmer, quieter voice. “I know you don’t see the same things I see, but some things happen that we can’t explain.” Samuel was grinding on Elijah’s nerves. It seemed as though he had bought into the teachings of the Maliphists without thinking for himself.

“Well, I came here to save you, and I don’t want to stay here. I came here to take you back with me, but it looks like I risked my life for nothing!” Elijah said angrily.

“I know you meant well,” said Samuel. “I’m sorry I can’t go with you, but I will do what I can to help you leave.” Elijah raised his head in shock. “I wish you would stay and learn from the Maliphists, but you need to go where you feel you belong.”

“Won’t you get in trouble?”

“Maybe a little; if I get caught,” said Samuel with a smirk. Elijah caught a brief glimpse of the old Samuel. “I have a friend here who gets thrown into the detention room quite often, and I’ve learned how to get him out during the night pretty easily. The guard likes to get up and take a stroll every now and then, and the door can be opened from the outside. Besides, I’ve been caught before, and it’s not so bad.” Elijah wondered if Samuel knew he was taken by the Maliphists to get to Elijah. So comparing his friend’s escape to Elijah’s escape was probably not a good gauge how they would react when the Maliphists found out. But he kept that to himself. He no longer trusted Samuel.

“Okay,” Elijah said. “How do you plan on helping me?”

“I can get you out of here tonight,” Samuel said in an even quieter voice, “but as soon as I do, you’ll have to hurry. It won’t be long before they notice you’re missing. They’ll probably send Master Scott after you since he’s in town, so you won’t have much time to escape.”

“I really wish you’d come back,” Elijah said, making every effort not to make a disgusted face at Samuel calling Detective Scott a Master.

Samuel smiled. “Thanks, Elijah. But I’m happy here. When you get back, tell everyone that.” They both stood up and Samuel gave Elijah an awkward hug. “I’ll see you tonight. As soon as I let you out, run. We won’t be able to waste time with goodbyes then, so I’ll say it now. I will always be grateful for the friendship you showed me since we met six months ago. I would never be where I am today without you.”

“We’re all going to miss you, Samuel,” Elijah said. “I hope to see you soon.” Samuel gave him a little wave goodbye and walked out the door, closing it behind him. Elijah heard the giant iron lock seal him inside his temporary tomb, and he was once again alone with his thoughts.

Samuel delivered on his promise. Elijah woke up to the metallic creaking noise of the lock being opened from the outside. He cautiously crept out of the door and saw Samuel jogging away quickly. Elijah immediately bolted for the front door of the academy and sprinted his way through the fields, toward the city center of Malpetra.

The atmosphere of the city was much different at night than the last time Elijah traveled through. It was still pulsing with activity, but Elijah was much more leery of the Maliphists out now in the middle of the night. They were loud and foul. Many of them were drunk, and on one occasion, Elijah ran into a staggering Maliphist.

“WATCH WHERE YER GOING!” the drunken man yelled as he plowed into Elijah, practically knocking him over. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Elijah ignored the man and continued on his way. He drew a few glances and stares from many people as he tried to find his way through the maze of streets. A few of them tried to taunt him by throwing fire, obviously their element of choice, as close to him as they could without touching him. Elijah was terrified as he fled through the winding, narrow streets.

It wasn’t long before he suddenly began to feel warm. He threw his head around just in time to see Detective Scott and a couple other Maliphists from the school, not fifty yards behind him, questioning a local man. Samuel wasn’t kidding! He had no time at all to get a head start, and now Detective Scott was right on his trail! Elijah wanted to run, but his instincts told him hiding would be better right now. He turned a corner into a small alley and ducked behind a long wooden flower box. It was hidden well in the shadows, but if Detective Scott or any of his men decided to investigate the area, Elijah would be spotted. He waited, crouching as low as he could beneath the darkness of the shadows.

Soon, he saw the flame of Detective Scott’s torch outlining his figure as he came into view. He paused for a moment, looking right in Elijah’s direction, holding the torch out in front of him. Elijah froze in fear. Detective Scott seemed to linger in the area as though he sensed something. Just then, to his horror, he sent one of the men down the alley where Elijah hid, to take a more detailed look. Elijah’s heart began to race, and he knew soon he would be caught. He thought about running for it as the man approached, but that decision would inevitably result in his capture. He wished he was able to use the elements more than moving a single drop of water. At least then, he would have a fighting chance.

The man held his torch out in front of him, walking slowly down the alley, coming closer and closer toward Elijah. He looked left and right, shining the light of the fire in every nook and cranny. He continued to creep closer still, and Elijah slowly laid flat on the cobblestone street, cramming his body as close as he could to the flower box next to him. In moments, the light would shine on him. Suddenly, without warning, the man gave up. He turned around on his heels and jogged back toward the main streets. Elijah let out a massive sigh, and gave himself a minute to catch his breath before he moved from the spot. His body ached from the tension, and he shook from his unsettled nerves.

When he was able to control his nerves again, Elijah walked to the end of the alley and peered around the corner, making sure he wasn’t going to run into Detective Scott again. As soon as he thought it was clear, Elijah calmly walked out into the bustling streets of Malpetra once more.

Keeping a close eye in front of him, he returned to his pace as he attempted to flee the city center. He found getting out of the city was much harder than he thought, frequently running into a dead end or an uninviting-looking street, which would force him to turn back and retrace his steps. He felt like a mouse in a giant maze.

On one particular street, Elijah began to recognize some of the buildings he passed from his trip into the city. The familiar area encouraged him, and he picked up his pace, sensing the end. He turned a corner, seeing more familiar sights, and knew he was headed in the right direction.

Elijah knew he made it to the edge of the city when he recognized the large statues and buildings he saw before, and he was able to view the thick forests up ahead, next to the river. He threw back his head and ran as fast as his tired body could go.

When he made it into the trees and was surrounded by darkness, he let his body fall to the ground to catch his breath. Deep, choking breaths fought their way into Elijah’s lungs as he lay on the ground panting. He wanted to lie there all night and let sleep take over, but he knew he didn’t have much time to rest, and there was a long journey still ahead of him. He must get out of Malpetra as fast as he could if he wanted to avoid capture. When he felt like he could walk again, Elijah slowly got up, feeling rather wobbly, and forced his legs to continue moving. For a while, his mind didn’t register he was moving at all, but after a minute or two, he found a rhythm and continued his journey toward the prison.

A while later, he took a break and quenched his parched throat with water from the river. The liquid felt wonderful as it filled in the cracks on his lips and ran down the sides of his face. After splashing his face with water and taking a few deep breaths, he took off his Maliphist robes for the rest of his escape and continued on his way, running through the thick forests. He made sure to keep close to the water because he knew the river could be seen from the place Becca had climbed down, and he didn’t want to lose his way.

It was a funny time to think about his friends as he fled for his life, but as Elijah continued his exodus, he thought about Paul and Becca. He again wondered if they made it out of the prisons. He thought of Hannah, Adam, and Isaac as they attempted to return to Savenridge. Elijah hoped they made it back safely to their families. He thought of the Maybury family and how excited they would be to see their daughter rescued from the Maliphists. Tears of joy would certainly be shed by more than one family as their children came home. Elijah knew he would have to believe his friends were okay if he was caught and thrown into the prison. It would be all he would have to go on.

He continued these uplifting thoughts until a noise to his right—about where the river was—interrupted him. The noise sounded like splashing water followed by fireworks, and as soon as he heard it, he halted abruptly, clinging to a nearby tree.

His pursuers were continuing their search, this time on the river. A distance upstream—far behind him—he saw them combing the area. Every few seconds, they would raise their arms and a streak of fire would shoot out over the land on both sides of the river, eventually crashing against the sides of the two canyon walls. They searched slowly and mechanically, carefully inspecting as much land as they could at a time. Elijah looked for a tree with a thick base, knowing he needed to completely hide himself from their sight. He was close enough to the water they could spot him if he wasn’t hidden properly, but he didn’t dare move into the thicker part of the trees now because they were close enough to notice. A hot streak violently shot out behind him and over the trees above him, ending as it hit the side of the canyon, far away from where he stood. Elijah remained completely motionless, but as the light of the fire passed over him, he saw the unmistakable form of his shadow appear for a brief moment. If the Maliphists were looking, they would have seen. Sure enough, the boat slowed down.

“Hold up,” said the voice of one of the Maliphists from the river. “Put her down here. I think I saw something.” Elijah held his breath. He saw the light of a torch behind him move back and forth. He pressed his body flat up against the tree. The light became brighter, and he heard the footsteps of one of the Maliphists creeping closer to the tree he hid behind. Elijah listened as the footsteps grew louder. He was definitely close, and Elijah began to shake with fear. Even though he didn’t see him, Elijah knew the Maliphist was right behind him, just on the other side of the tree. He heard the Maliphist’s breathing and the waving of the flame as he searched, swinging the torch back and forth.

Elijah’s chest and lungs burned as he held his breath, waiting for his pursuer to move again so he could exhale. Afraid of making a sound, he carefully covered his mouth with his hand. Still, the Maliphist stayed, no doubt scanning the area, unaware Elijah was just feet away on the other side of the tree. Elijah’s vision began to blur as he deprived his body of oxygen to remain quiet. A blanket of white began to cloud his brain, and he knew if the Maliphist didn’t move soon, he would pass out. To his relief, the Maliphist soon ventured up the river bank to search, and when Elijah thought he was out of range, he exhaled slowly and silently, regaining his focus. He remained dizzy, but he forced himself to keep still.

After another minute or so, the searching Maliphist gave up and returned to the boat. They continued down the river and Elijah hooked his head around the side of the tree to see the Maliphist hunters. Detective Scott was not in the boat. Elijah feared he was on foot searching the forests, so he quickly continued his marathon run toward the exit Becca showed him. He reluctantly decided to leave the sight of the river so he would be hidden more by the trees in the thicker part of the forest.

By the time the sky began to lighten up, indicating the approaching dawn, Elijah felt like he was pulling a train behind him. Every inch of his body hurt. It wasn’t just sore; it painfully throbbed with each beat of his heart. So many times he was tempted to give up and just lie down and rest, but each time, something encouraged him to continue. His breathing was heavy, coming in labored gasps with each painful stride. He could taste the burning in his lungs as he inhaled, but he kept going.

Elijah thought he would never reach his destination. He was practically crawling as the sun peeked its way into the canyon and shined daylight, like a squint inside Malpetra. He passed a small cluster of houses, carefully remaining hidden behind the trees, and not too long after that, he found himself standing in a clearing he recognized. Elijah looked to his right and saw the river. He looked to his left, and far up the clearing, by the base of the canyon wall, stood a rock that looked like a sinking ship. It was his land marker! He had finally arrived, but he still had a steep climb ahead of him. Elijah felt a surge of motivation inside him—a second wind.

When he reached the base of the canyon cliffs, Elijah took one big breath, glanced around him once more, and started his ascent. At first, the climb was easy. His energy was renewed, and the cliff wasn’t too steep. However, he hadn’t gotten far when his fatigue returned, and he strained his body with every move. Elijah began speaking to himself to encourage his body to continue doing what it was desperately trying not to do.

“Keep going, Elijah,” he said out loud as he climbed up a large rock. “If you stop, they’ll find you. Just make it a little farther.”

He had to repeat his self-encouragement several times to keep moving. The air became much colder the higher he climbed, and by the time he finally reached the top, his joints were stiff from the cold temperature. He stopped at the spot where Becca had jumped down and raised his arms above his head, grasping the top of the canyon to lift himself out. It took him six attempts, each time draining his energy, but he eventually made it. He rolled over and laid on his back, looking up at sky above him. Elijah wanted more than anything to stop. His body demanded it, but his mind warned him to continue on. He obeyed his instincts. He rolled over, got up on his hands and knees, slowly lifted himself up and ran on, stumbling with each step.

Along the way back to Becca’s waterfall, Elijah picked up some snow and ate it hoping it would make his body feel better. Unfortunately, it didn’t. At the touch of nourishment, his body began to heave, and he collapsed back to his hands and knees, choking and retching from exhaustion. As he heaved, he turned his head and saw something that made him immediately get back up again—the unmistakable outline of horses and the flapping of Maliphist robes, still a good distance behind him, but quickly approaching.

Elijah plunged through the patchy snow in the cold morning weather, stumbling and tripping over himself time and time again, but he never gave up. He looked over his shoulder, watching the small Maliphist cavalry rapidly gaining. Still, he fought the urge to give up. Ahead of him, Elijah only saw wilderness. He knew he stood no chance at outrunning their horses to Savenridge.

Suddenly, from somewhere within the forests ahead, he saw three figures emerge, urging him on, beckoning him to them. They were faint, but the closer he came to them, the clearer they became. They were three adults. One was kneeling, but the other two stood upright, encouraging Elijah as he stumbled along. He reached for the last bit of energy he had left and ran toward them. He took a quick look back and saw the Maliphists were almost upon him. At this distance, he was able to recognize them. It was Detective Scott and his two sidekicks. Elijah would not make it to the edge of the forest where the three adults were calling him. He would be caught before he made it.

Without warning, the adult in the middle, the shortest of the three, raised their arms calmly. Then, as if driving a very large pick axe into the dirt, the arms slammed down in a swift, aggressive motion. As they did, a massive shockwave pounded the ground like a giant fist hitting a wooden table. The vibrations jolted the earth, and the snow separated itself from the dirt, flying up into the air. Elijah too was thrown slightly from the ground and landed on his stomach with a thud. The jolt spooked the Maliphist’s horses just enough to give Elijah time to distance himself from them. If he ran hard enough, he just might be able to make it to the edge of the forest before the Maliphists would be able to catch up to him again.

Sprinting toward the three figures, Elijah finally recognized his rescuers. The figure to Elijah’s left was Master Roddick, who looked quite intense as he focused on the task at hand. The figure in the middle, the one who jolted the Maliphists and gave Elijah time to run away, was his mentor, Olivia Rose. Finally, the third figure, the one bending over in exhaustion, was Uncle Stan—dirty, unshaven, and doing his best to stand his ground.

As he edged nearer to his safety, Elijah heard a crack and saw a bright flash right next to him hit the snow and burn a hole into the ground. He was being attacked! Elijah turned sharply, trying to give the Maliphists a harder target to hit as they continued their assault by sending bolts of fire toward him. Elijah looked ahead and saw his uncle, looking dreadful and in pain, stand up and spread his arms apart. Then, as if taking in a very large breath and at the same time, gathering in something very heavy and resistant, Uncle Stan slowly pulled his arms toward him. Elijah felt a weird sensation all around, as if part of the earth had been sucked away. Something told Elijah to duck out of the way, so he collapsed his body onto the snow, and when he did, Uncle Stan shot his hands forward, screaming a sound of intimidation as he did, and a massive gust of wind shot over Elijah’s head toward the Maliphists, knocking them clean off their horses.

Elijah quickly got up and made it safely to the three adults he trusted most. Master Roddick and Uncle Stan grabbed Elijah, who was panting and gasping for air, and instructed him to get out of the way behind them. Elijah staggered into the trees and found a giant rock to take cover behind. He crawled around it and looked back at Roddick, Olivia, and Uncle Stan. The Maliphists had gotten up and were looking angrily at the three Magi who had just saved Elijah.

The Maliphists were the first to attack. The man on the right flung his arm like he was throwing a baseball and a line of fire flew out from his hand like a hose, growing in size as it snaked its way toward Olivia. Master Roddick acted quickly and raised his hands, lifting the snow under the streaming fire. The flames sizzled and faded. The other Maliphist shot two bolts of lightning, which Uncle Stan, still looking horrible, blocked with two swift gusts of wind. The path of the electric bolts was deflected and shot out in different directions. Suddenly, the three Maliphists—Detective Scott included—unleashed a fury of fire and lightning, sending flame after flame and bolt after bolt barreling toward them. The three Magi worked together, blocking and extinguishing the flames and bolts that sailed their way. Finally, after the fury was finished, and they were all out of breath, there was another pause as both sides sized up the other.

“You can’t have him!” Olivia shouted in a commanding, aggressive voice—a voice Elijah had not heard from her. “I warn you now to leave!” The Maliphists looked angry, but they didn’t move, nor did they speak. Olivia turned her back on them with a quiet confidence and walked into the forest. Uncle Stan and Master Roddick also followed, turning their backs to the Maliphists. Olivia signaled to Elijah to get up and continue walking into the thick trees. As soon as he did, the Maliphists charged toward them all, heading straight into the forests. Olivia wheeled back around and faced them defiantly. She very calmly rose up her hands as she faced the charging riders. The ground under them all began to shake, just like it had when the earth swallowed the Maliphists who attacked Elijah and his friends. As soon as the Maliphists entered the tree line, Olivia shot her arms forward like throwing a massive rock off her shoulders. Immediately, great waves of earth formed, crashing into the Maliphists, and driving them back as they struggled to stand. Even their furious onslaught of fire throwing didn’t help them as they tried to fight off the massive mounds of the ground continuing to spill toward them. As if that wasn’t enough, Olivia threw her arms to the side and the trees seemed to come alive around Detective Scott and his two men. The trees slammed down, one after another in perfect order and timing, like the teeth of a zipper being zipped up, and joined in on the elemental chaos Olivia unleashed. The forest seemed to unite itself—dirt, trees, rocks, and anything else in the way—against the Maliphists, ultimately purging them from the forest. Elijah caught a glimpse of Detective Scott, who was badly injured, being dragged out of the forest by his men.

It was over. Elijah had made it. He was now safe in the protection of the Magi. He didn’t know why he thought of it then, but he wished Samuel could have witnessed the events that just took place. There was power in the Magi—great power—but it was only used when necessary. This moment hit Elijah with great sadness, realizing he had lost a friend to the deception of evil. Samuel had been lured into a life that taught anger and hatred because he was blind to the reality of the world. The reality that good can be powerful, but needs to be understood before its power can be accessed.

As soon as the Maliphists fled, Olivia turned around and faced Elijah. Master Roddick and Uncle Stan did the same. For a sustained moment, Uncle Stan, still cringing in pain, looked at Elijah. It had been six months since Elijah last saw family, and that had been long enough. He ran over to his uncle, hobbling as every muscle continued to burn, and threw his arms around him. Uncle Stan did the same, and they both did their best to fight back tears in front of Olivia and Master Roddick. After they let go, Olivia walked toward Elijah motioning the rest to continue walking into the forest.

“Well, Elijah. I’m not sure how you did it, but I’m shocked you’re still alive!” Olivia said as they walked.

“How did you find me?” Elijah asked.

“When your three friends came back to Savenridge they told Master Roddick, who then told me,” she said sounding slightly snippy. “I hope you know what you did was probably the most reckless and irresponsible thing I’ve ever heard of,” she lectured. Suddenly, she stopped and looked closely at Elijah. Her tone changed and her voice became soft. “But—that being said—I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Great tears began to well up in her deep-blue eyes as she spoke. Just then, he noticed where they were. The waterfall and the cave where Becca showed Elijah and Paul how to get into Malpetra, was right behind them. Right on cue, from behind the falls, out walked Paul, Becca, and a very dirty, worn, and old-looking man with extremely long, white hair and a long white beard. Elijah’s eyes widened at the sight of his friends. He didn’t care how much his legs hurt as he ran over to them. Becca and Paul greeted Elijah with the same enthusiasm, and the three of them embraced each other, happy just to be alive.

The old man, limping severely and holding a walking stick, approached Olivia, and Roddick rushed over to give him support.

“This is Phinneas,” Olivia explained to Elijah. “I can’t thank you enough for what you did for him. All of you,” she said looking at Paul and Becca too. “It took a great amount of courage for you to act so selflessly.” There was a gentle pause as all of them took in what just happened. “Well,” Olivia said, breaking the silence, “I suggest we get a move on.”

Elijah was thankful for the ended conversation. He felt dizzy and needed to sit down, even if it was on the uncomfortable back of a horse. Master Roddick, seeing Elijah’s weary face, offered to ride with him so he could rest along the way, and they all kicked off and rode swiftly back to Savenridge.