Characters:
Ryo
Mai Lenna
Cpt. Thorgan
Master Frank Hickim
Fegal Boan
Luka
Abilities: -Seeing peoples reactions -Blazing thunder -Leaving the body to see what the eyes can't see -Wind, Fire, Ice, Thunder, etc...
Enemies: Shadowden King Angstus The Bereave
Locations: Calvo Lomina Farkis Mt. Land of Sprites Volkland Abhorra
The shadows seemed to move in the forest. Most likely they were. The soft but firm patter of footsteps and the heavy breath of people were all Mai could here. This was strange too because it was night in the Forest. There should be bugs chirping and the wind rustling the trees. There wasn't anything that night, just the small group of stragglers. They were in a hurry. They were being chased.
Mai could still remember that day before. The day everything had changed. She was a simple 17 year old peasant girl with rich red hair and a fair complexion. Her eyes were a faint bluish gray, her lips were lush, and she had the form of a graceful fairy princess who dances upon the stars. Well, so the men who wrote her love letters said. She lived in a middle class society of people who didn't make much trouble. The place she lived in wasn't drab but wasn't great either. It was just like a normal small residential block in the city of Volkland, or more likely put, Kingdom Volkland. It was cozy and the people living there were wonderful, hardworking role models for the young Mai when she grew up. Her father owned a small bakery on the other side of the city. He was an excellent baker and was renowned for his sweet honey nut bread. He would get up early in the mornings and come home late into the night to go make hard earned money to support his small family. He had good morals and lived a happy life.
Mai's mother went to work for a noble named Master Hickim. He was a plump, fun loving man. Very nice. Which was quite odd considering the rest of the nobles. Most nobles thought of themselves as above the rest of the citizens. They were far too exceptional to be placed with common people such as Mai and her family. Master Hickim didn't think that at all. He loved Mai and her mother and provided for their family quite often when they were in need. That was the main reason they weren't living in the slums at the south end of the city. If it wasn't for Master Hickim, Mai would be where she was now.
It was late in the morning when Mai woke up. It was looking to be a beautiful day. She hopped out of bed and slipped on her skirt and laced button up shirt. The morning was quite cold so she put on a jacket.
Everyday she would walk through her back yard, past the grown garden and out into the streets bustling with people walking to get to their jobs or to start a morning shop. She would then turn left and walk for a good ten minutes until she reached the old Apothecary. She would then turn right and head off to her work.
She worked for and old man name Fegal Boan. He was a short little man with wobbly knees and a cane. He was the sourest man Mai had ever seen. He owned a washhouse for that block. He was getting to old to lift most of the laundry and couldn't bend himself very well. So Mai was a washer and she hated it. The little old man Fegal was always poking around and watching her with his beady little eyes, almost like he was expecting her to do something wrong so he could whack her a good one with his cane. He would do that from time to time just in spite of her. She never knew what his problem was and most likely would never find out. All she wanted to do is take that can and whack him real hard.
That day as she walked into work she heard a muffled scream. It sounded odd, like someone getting a knife stuck in them with their face in a pillow. She slowly moved along the wall toward the open door to her left where she heard the scream. The hall was dark with a little dawn light fading through the curtain doorway. It was always musty in the old man's washhouse. Mai hated the smell.
As she slowly made her way toward the door she heard men talking. Their voices were rough and sounded mean to her. "Tell me you old coot, where is that stone!" "I don't know I swear to you!" She recognized that voice a Fegal. "I don't know what you're talking about!" "Don't play stupid with me you sorry crap! I want that stone!" "I don't have anything like that I promise!"
Mai kept moving closer. She could see the shadows flickering in the low candle light from the room. From the shadows the men looked to be very big and very dangerous. She peeked in on the men. She could see there were three of them, all very large with battle axes hooked to their right sides and short swords hooked to their left. They had daggers strapped to their boots and the lower right arm. They looked like the personal soldiers of the King.
Mai didn't know much about King Angstus other that he was an intimidating man. He never tolerated disobedience and punished it with cruelty. Lately there had been rumors he had been seeing ambassadors from other countries, compromising peace. Mai didn't know much about that kind of stuff; she was only a wash girl.
On the table next to the wall sat a very haggard and torn up Fegal. He had been punched in the face and seemed to have been kneed in the gut a few times by the way he held his stomach and wheezed. He looked up at her peeking through the doorway. His eyes went wide. The soldiers looked at where he was looking and saw Mai. The one closest to her grabbed her and heaved her in next to Febal. These men, she could tell, terrified him. They terrified her too. These men wouldn't just let her go. They would most likely do all kinds of indecent things to her. These soldiers were known for that.
The one closest to her smiled, "Well what do we have here!"
Mai's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't breath she was so terrified. The man's fowl breath and yellow teeth gave her shivers and had her entire body rigid. So many thoughts rushed through her mind. What should she do? She knew she couldn't try and run. These men were battle trained and completely capable of catching her before she could even budged an inch.
Fegal stared wide-eyed at her. Mai really wished he would stop looking at her. The big man in front of her appraised her with a scowl that could snap old man Fegal's stick. "Who are you!" It wasn't a question. It was a command wanting an answer. "I-I'm... my name is Mai," she blurted out. "That's nice to know," he grinned.
She knew he was mocking her. He wanted her to strike out. She wasn't stupid nor did she really think that that was a good idea at the moment. "Hmph... fine. I'll get to you when I'm done with this old man," he breathed in her ear. "Now one more time you old geezer, where is that stone." "I told you once already, I don't know!" Fegal seemed past afraid now. He didn't look too frightened. It must have been the shock. The husky soldier in the back backhanded him. "Tell us damn it! We know you're hiding it somewhere."
Mai could slightly see something glint in the side of her eye. Before she could get a grasp on what it was Fegal was up. The soldier seemed a little shocked. He took a step back, reaching for his short sword. He was too slow. Fegal took a step to the soldiers left and lifted the knife to the man's throat, slicing through the tender soft flesh of his neck. There was a squirt of blood, and a gurgling sound followed by a thump as the soldier dropped to the ground.
Mai heard the ring of steel on leather as the second soldier drew his sword. Fegal was already there in front of him. He wasted no time as he plunged the knife hilt deep in the man's chest, ripping it out then right stepping behind him to jab him in the back. The soldier eyes were wide with shock and pain. He breathed out his last then toppled to the ground beside his fallen friend.
Mai was thunderstruck. She couldn't make sense of what she just saw. Fegal leaned against the wall, panting. The knife clattered on the wood floor. He was holding his chest mumbling something she couldn't hear.
"Mr. Fegal. What just happened?" She could feel her eyes start to tear up. She didn't like what was happening. The men were dead. She couldn't stand the blood, the stench of it, and the way it flowed out of their already dead bodies. She wanted out. Her stomach started to churn. Her head swam with nausea. "Hold on there, Mai," Fegal's hoarse voice said. "It's going to be alright. Those men were not good men. I had to do what I had to do."
She couldn't make sense of it. The way Fegal moved.
"H-how d-did you d-do-"
"-that." He finished.
"Yeah."
"I used to be an elite soldier for the Kingdom of Volkland when I was young. Back then we were trained to fight. Nowadays, these kids aren't learning the way we did. There are many more methods of killing who they want without doing anything themselves. They're used to walking all over gullible people." He smiled. It was a kind smile, not a murderous one. " But you seemed so afraid before. I don't understand." Mai said. "It's an old trick. You get them to think you're nothing but a weak little man. It makes them easier to take down. Easier to surprise. But now's not the time to explain. I'm old and tired. I can't do some of the things I used to. I need your help." He held down his hand. "Will you help me Mai?"
Mai didn't know what to think. She sat and stared at Fegal as he held his hand out to her.
"Will you help me Mai?" he asked.
"I-I don't know what to do!" she sobbed.
"Just listen to me and everything will go alright. It's going to be dangerous, but when we're done with all of this I'll explain everything to you."
"I want to know right now! What is the stone? What did those men want? Why am I stuck in this?" she screamed. Fegal took a deep breath. "I, myself, don't know much. You'll have to go to Frank Hickim to find out more, but I'll tell you what I know. You're not a normal child." Not normal? What did he mean? "You're special in ways I can't tell you. Like I said, only Frank knows, and I'm not sure he knows the majority of it."
This still wasn't making any sense. Mai couldn't figure it out. How was she special? She was just the same. She was about to voice that out when Fegal resumed. "Mai, do you know about any other races out there, besides us Volklanders?"
"No, but I always assumed there were. Why?"
"Because you really aren't... how should I put this... human in the conventional sense." What! Mai started shaking her head. She was human she knew it.
"I a-"
"Yes you are human," he cut her off. "But I said not in the conventional sense as we know it. You see a long time ago there were many different types of humans. Some have slight advantages over others. Probably the most powerful of these was the Luminites. They were a winged race of humans. In that time most people had magic. I don't know much about magic so I can't tell you anything about that." He sighed heavily as if trying to think of what to say. "The scars on you're back. You know of those."
How did he know! She'd had those scars forever. Her mother said she got them when falling out of the second floor window when she was small. Mai never told anyone of her scars because she thought they might find it odd. Besides it wasn't that important she thought. But how did Fegal know?
"How do you know that?" she asked. The suspicion in her voice was not hidden.
"Well you see... a long time ago, your father, Frank and I were walking through the Herthon woods. We saw this beautiful young woman with a bundle of cloth in her arms. She was bleeding from the side. We ran up to her to help, you know? She just looked at us for a second then whispered for us to take care of her baby. She died on the spot. While Frank and I were getting that baby, you, out of the bundle, your father noticed the woman sprouted wings out of her back. We were frightened. You must understand what was going through our minds. We had never seen anything like that before.
"We panicked. When we saw you with your wings we could think of nothing else. Your father said that he would take you as his daughter. We all decided this but also decided to help protect you. Your father thought it best that you didn't have wings or you might be ridiculed and eventually killed for your uniqueness, so he took out his knife and cut them off. That is where the scars came from." He gazed down at the floor. "I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you. You only worked for me so I could be close to protect you."
Mai sat still. She felt oddly calm about it. Somewhere deep inside she knew she was different. She just could explain how.
"So everywhere I was, I was being watched. Why? Am I really that important?"
"I can't explain it to you. You must see Frank." His voice was getting a hint of rushing to it. "Hurry we must go, now. Those men were just two out of ten that are here. I can take two by surprise but not eight. I'm not that great a soldier. Also those men have probably surrounded the place by now. You came shortly after those two walked in." He pondered for a moment.
"Then what can we do?" Mai asked.
"Well you see another thing they asked about is a spirit girl. I don't really know what they were talking about, but I think they meant you. So whatever happens you must remain safe."
"And what about the stone?"
"Stone? I don't know anything about that. Now is not the time. We have to go. Follow me. There is a hole that leads water in from the outside. We can crawl through there and make it out the side. There is a wall that can conceal us from the front. As for the back, we'll have to make up something when we get there"
They made their way to the north side of the house, into a room. The walls wavered with the light of the water. There was a little hole in the back where a slow stream of water was coming through. Fegal climbed in and was making his way up when Mai heard a sound. She looked back through the doorway and saw the shadow of a husky man step through the front door.
"Are you slackers not done yet!" He started making his way to the door where the two men lie.
"What the-" he jumped out and yelled out the front door. "They're dead! Something's happened. Find that old man. He's committed a crime and must pay!"
"Hurry Mai!" Fegal hissed. She wasted no time and quickly scrambled up the hole after him. They slowly made their way up the slippery wet water conduit. Until Fegal clambered out the top, Mai close on his heels. The light bathed her in warm grace. She felt a tug on her wrist and dropped to the ground.
"Crouch and walk along the wall to the small house over there," Fegal pointed to the house, "and hide behind those bushes. I'll be right behind you. I have to take out a couple guys to make sure you get there unseen. If I for some reason don't get to you, go to Frank's understand. Do you understand?"
"Yes I do.
"Ok hurry now."
She grabbed his wrist, "Be careful Fegal." He grinned and was off. She looked at the bushes beside the tiny house. She should hurry. As she crept along the wall she heard a cry. With a quick glance she saw Fegal stabbing a smaller man through the right shoulder. He cried out and fell to the ground while Fegal met some more oncoming men. She started running then to the bushes. When she made it there she looked back at Fegal.
He was spinning around another smaller man, stabbing him in the back. Mai saw it. She was going to scream but it was too late. The big burly soldier came hurtling out from beside the house. Fegal saw him come but wasn't fast enough. The soldiers short sword whistled toward the short stout old man. It came in and hit him straight in the chest. Fegal let out a squeaky gasp, then fell to the ground with a grunt. Blood dripped from the tip of the sword protruding from his back. The soldier put his foot to Fegal's face and pushed off, releasing his sword from it's grisly hold. With one last desperate breath, Old Man Fegal fell to his side and lay still.
Mai could feel the tears run down her face. He died for her. He gave his life so she could get away. At that moment Mai Lenna just wanted to die. Why was this so important? How could she be something more than human? She was lost in the dark. What now? The only words she could remember echoed in her head. "Go to Frank!"
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Mai had made her way along the maze of buildings and streets. She passed by vendors on the corner of blocks selling their wares and the masses of people surrounding entertainers. Frank Hickim's house was not far away. Mai had been there many times before so she knew where it was by heart. Actually at that moment, like many others, her feet just unconsciously carried her there. Her mind spun with thoughts she couldn't help but let in. Fegal was protecting her! She could not think of a single reason why she was so special. Even if she was from another race, that didn't mean she could do anything out of the ordinary.
Fegal's death had kept replaying in her mind. How his eyes didn't go wide like the others she saw die that day. How his last gasp of air ended with a boot to the face. Mai felt like an anvil had fallen in her stomach. Poor Fegal. He always was a nice man, just a little strict. That was all.
There was one thing, though, that kept her mind racing. She wasn't human. How could she not be normal? She hated the thought of not being whom she had grown up being. Her father had cut away her wings? It just didn't make sense. Even if she wasn't human, why would she be away from her home? Did her mother lie to her about her scars? Had they all lied to her?
She turned on the street where a man sold bead necklaces on the corner. The haphazard buildings were placed along the side of the road for business. Most people came here to do their commerce and then closed shops to go home in the residential section of the city. Some, though, lived in the upper rooms of their shops. Master Hickim lived on the borderline between the commercial and residential sections. Behind her there was an Inn, where the two streets met. It was probably full of people eating lunch. In the city it was popular to eat at the Inn. Their food was always good, especially their lamb stew.
Just another five minutes walk and she would be at Master Hickim's house. Every person that looked at her made Mai feel uncomfortable. What if they knew something was wrong? By the way she walked, how fast she moved and skirted around people, she was sure people would be suspicious. She decided to slow her pace and appear normal. She was too close to her destination to get caught now.
How could Frank Hickim help her? She had no idea. There must be a way or else Fegal wouldn't have given his life so she could go see Hickim. Still, she mused over how he could help in this situation. Down the street, around the corner, she saw the master's house come into view. Mai could see the early afternoon sun reflecting off the houses two windows. Windows were expensive in Volkland. Glass was hard to make, so not many buildings had it. Master Hickim was a pretty wealthy man so he could afford two windows. Mai loved the windows.
She knew her mother would be working in the back of the house. As she approached the gate into the yard, Master Hickim rushed out the front door. He was a taller man with short cut hair. He was slightly plump and had a merry look. Now he didn't. When he looked up and saw Mai he stopped in his tracks.
"Mai, what're you doing here?" his expression was dark. "What am I saying? Come in... come in. Hurry now."
Mai followed him into the house. She had always loved this house. When she was little she would run about the halls and up and down the staircase. One time when running up the stairs, she lost her footing. She fell, tumbling down the steps. When she hit the bottom her head hit the floor really hard. She never cried even though it was really painful. Her mother was so worried. She was so worried she bought Mai a necklace from the vendor down the street. Those had been great memories.
Mai had clutched the necklace around her neck. It was the same one. Now she grasped it again as she ran through the woods remembering the day before. Her heart sank at the thought.
Hickim led her past the staircase and into a small room he used when meeting people. He opened a small cabinet and took out a glass bottle filled with rum, she thought. He took a swig then turned to her.
"Your mother hasn't come in yet," he smiled uneasily then added, "I've had a bad feeling about today. When I woke up I saw soldiers rushing down the road there. I haven't seen the imperial guards for ages. I wondered why they were here. I figured there must be trouble. I'm not going to have trouble around her, you know?" He paused looking up at her with a fixed expression. He asked "Mai, what's wrong?"
Mai couldn't stop her tears. "It was Master Fegal. He's dead!" she moaned. "Those soldiers were looking for him. For some stone. He figured they were looking for me, too." Mai could hardly say the words through the racking sobs. "They came for him when I got there. We tried to get away. He led them away so I could be safe. He died saving me!"
"I see." Hickim looked at the floor. A tear dropped and spattered on the floor. "Mai, I need to tell you something about your heritage."
"Master Fegal told me. I'm not human."
"What! Not human! Where do you get that nonsense! Of course you're human! What did he tell you?"
"That I was a Luminite and that I had wings. He said I wasn't human in the conventional sense, but that that was all he knew."
"Just like Fegal." He smiled to himself. "Ok, listen carefully. You are human. Don't think you aren't okay. You're just like me or any other person. You just have special qualities that others don't. For example, you have the power to access magic."
"Magic? How? What is it?"
"It's a long explanation which I'll have to tell you later. For now let me tell you the history of the Luminites." He wiped his brow with his handkerchief then continued. "A long time ago when there were many different races of people, there was race called the Abhorra. They practiced the dark arts from what I know of. They made many things that were quite evil, yet many others that helped mankind progress through that stage of life where magic creatures were always on the prowl. There was another race of people called the Luminites, which you know of. They made a kingdom called Lomina. History tells how they were the strongest of the races. That was not so. They were however strongly popular with the rest of the races, thus gaining control. Are you following this?"
"Yes sir." Mai said.
"Good. Well you see the Abhorra didn't like this. They blamed the Lumites that it was their fault that they were all dying out and made weapons to fight and take over the Luminites. They were quite efficient too. But the Luminites weren't easily defeated. They fought back and fought back hard. They barely succeeded in fighting off the Abhorran weapons. The Luminites punished the Abhorra by locking them away somewhere. No one really knows where. Most likely they have all died out. The killed too many of the Luminite people and they started to die away as well. They made a barrier keeping all others away from them so they could live their last days in peace. Over a thousand years later, here we are. The lands left split, and made different kingdoms. War ravaged through and now Volkland has taken over most of the province."
Mai slightly understood. She just nodded her head.
"And about the rest?" She asked.
"Well that's where it gets shady. I don't know anything about the people of Lomina themselves, just what I've read up on in the libraries in the castle. I know next to nothing else about you."
"And the stone?" Mai asked, "what about it?"
"Stone?"
"Yes the stone. The guards were asking about a stone," Mai said. "What about the stone, Master Hickim?"
"Call me Frank okay?" He put his fingers to his temples. "Hmmm... stone? Stone... I do believe I have heard of a stone, but only bits and pieces from old books." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't remember much about it. It's supposed to do something. Oh! I can't think of it. Just give it some time. I'll remember eventually. Now you said those men were after you?"
"Yeah I think so. Oh I don't know Mas-"
"Eh!" He waved his hand in front of his face. "Frank."
"O-ok... Frank." Mai gave a sheepish smile and looked at the floor. "Well Master Feagal thought they might be after me. Could that be true?"
"It very well could be true, Mai." He stood up and walked toward his window. Mai heard a cart roll by out front. "You should go home," he said.
"A-Alright. I guess I should." She stood and started for the door.
"Wait. I'll go with you. I have to talk to you father. Now that I think about it, you shouldn't go home. You need to run away. Far away."
"I can't. This is my home! I can't leave."
"If the king's soldiers are after you then you need to get out of here. You're something special, Mai. Not just because you're different, but also because of whom you have grown to be. I couldn't stand that filthy king getting you."
"No! I don't want to!" she yelled.
"You must." He gripped her shoulders. "Please. You can't stay here! You must leave."
Mai couldn't stop the tears. She didn't want to leave. This was her home. Where her live was. She couldn't leave. She wouldn't leave.
"I can't."
"Listen, Mai. You can't hide here forever. The king has better ways to find you. Now I'm not sure if he is after you; but if he is, then by the gods I'm not going to let him have his prize. Please, Mai, for me."
Mai had thousands of thoughts running through her head at that moment. Frank was right; she couldn't stay if the king was after her. He would find her no matter what. She didn't want to run though, either. What should she do? She had to make a choice.
"Well."
A quote her Father would say echoed in her ear.
"The easy choice usually never is the right choice. What seems right may not be true. The harder path is the path I would take given any situation."
"Ok. I'll leave," she whispered.
"Good. Now let's hurry to you house. Do you have any clue where you mother is?"
"No, I don't."
"That has me worried," he looked out the window again. "Come on. Let's hurry and get out of here."
They made their way through the streets and alleyways where no one would likely see them. Frank wanted to get to the house fast, but didn't want any unwanted attention. He had quickly grabbed a cloak before he had left. The winter was just ending so many people had cloaks on. It wouldn't cause suspicion, and would keep him better hidden, even though that was highly unlikely. He was a big man.
Mai was too busy thinking to see where she was going. She just aimlessly walked behind Frank. What would life be like outside the city? Would she have to leave the Kingdom? The whole of Volkland was vast. It would take weeks to escape to its outskirts. Did Mai have that time?
The sun was starting to go down. Darkness threatened to take over the day. Shadows started to extend their reaches toward the east. Actually it seemed odd to Mai that the shadows seemed to waver in the light. The night was already playing tricks on her. In the distance her house rose up. Something was wrong though. She looked to the left. The garden was trampled.
"Hold on," she said, holding out her hand to stop Frank. "Something's wrong. The garden is ruined."
Frank scanned the house. "Let's hurry now."
They quietly made their way to the back door of the house. Frank held out a hand to make Mai stop.
"The shadows. They're moving."
"What? How can that be possible?" She looked though, the shadows didn't do anything. She looked closer. There was a slight waver in the gloom. Mai's breath caught in her throat. 'Shadows couldn't move' she told herself. They couldn't. They were inanimate. It was impossible for them to move. Even so, here Mai was watching the shadows stir.
Then she saw it. Hanging from the ceiling, inside the doorway, was the silhouette of two bodies. Their necks were bent oddly and there was liquid dripping from the limp hands and feet. Blood. Their shapes wavered a bit as the shadows around them moved. Mai could tell though. They were her parents. The only parents she had ever had. They had loved her and taken care of her for all her life. Now they were gone. In one day everything had gone terribly wrong.
It hit her square in the chest first. Knocking her clear off her feat and flying back through the yard. Then it hit Frank; sending him tumbling end over end. Mai's head swam. Her vision blurred. She forced herself to see straight but only could see darkness. No. It wasn't her sight. It was what was standing in front of her, peering down at her.
It was completely black, blacker than the darkest gloom. Its body shivered with wisps of shadowy flame. Where the eyes should have been was only a dark void. Yet Mai could tell it was staring straight at her.
"The Keeper of the Lightssss!" It hissed. It reached down to grab her. The fiery darkness nicked her arm as she backed away. Pain lanced through her arm. She cried out. The pain was too much. It felt like her entire arm had been crushed and split in two. She couldn't see through her watery vision. But she did see that light was coming from somwhere. It extended itself toward the shadow. Reaching out for it. Grasping at it.
"The light!" the shade screeched. It started to go for her but backed away howling again. It writhed in agony, shrieking into the night, then dissipated. The air hung with the ring left from the wraith's screams. Mai shivered in pain on the ground. She heard footsteps come to her.
"Are you alright, Mai?" It was Frank.
"Hey Frank. Is that you?" a distant voice yelled.
"Yeah. Help me out her, will ya! Hold on, Mai, we're going to get out of here right now."
"I'm fine. Let me get up." Mai forced herself into a sit. Her arm still stung fiercely. "It hurt so bad."
"I could tell. Can you stand?"
"Yes. I can."
A man came running up.
"I heard the noise. What happened?"
"It's not important now. We have to leave. Can you help us out Paul?"
"Yeah. We can. My sons and I were just here for business. We were on our way back to the house anyways. We can help. The boys are at the gate."
"We can't use the gate. We have to use another way."
"I think I know of a way. Follow me."
Frank helped Mai to her feet.
"I can walk. It was my arm that got it."
"I've never seen anything like that before," said Frank.
"Hurry. Come on!" said Paul.
Mai looked back at the house where her parents hung dead. Her memories and cherished youth were forever lost in that house. Never again would Mai be the same. Something had changed her heart.
Mai and Frank followed Paul through the myriad of buildings to the out wall on the north side.
"Keep walking along the wall," he pointed west, "that way and you'll come to a small door leading out. It's used as a commanding officer's exit, in case of emergencies. As you can probably tell, it hasn't been used it a long time. I'm going back to the front gates to my boys. We'll meet you by the mill in front of the Herthon woods. Till then." He slipped away briskly toward the front gates. Mai and Frank made their way through the small side door.
Abilities: -Seeing peoples reactions -Blazing thunder -Leaving the body to see what the eyes can't see -Wind, Fire, Ice, Thunder, etc...
Enemies: Shadowden King Angstus The Bereave
Locations: Calvo Lomina Farkis Mt. Land of Sprites Volkland Abhorra
The shadows seemed to move in the forest. Most likely they were. The soft but firm patter of footsteps and the heavy breath of people were all Mai could here. This was strange too because it was night in the Forest. There should be bugs chirping and the wind rustling the trees. There wasn't anything that night, just the small group of stragglers. They were in a hurry. They were being chased.
Mai could still remember that day before. The day everything had changed. She was a simple 17 year old peasant girl with rich red hair and a fair complexion. Her eyes were a faint bluish gray, her lips were lush, and she had the form of a graceful fairy princess who dances upon the stars. Well, so the men who wrote her love letters said. She lived in a middle class society of people who didn't make much trouble. The place she lived in wasn't drab but wasn't great either. It was just like a normal small residential block in the city of Volkland, or more likely put, Kingdom Volkland. It was cozy and the people living there were wonderful, hardworking role models for the young Mai when she grew up. Her father owned a small bakery on the other side of the city. He was an excellent baker and was renowned for his sweet honey nut bread. He would get up early in the mornings and come home late into the night to go make hard earned money to support his small family. He had good morals and lived a happy life.
Mai's mother went to work for a noble named Master Hickim. He was a plump, fun loving man. Very nice. Which was quite odd considering the rest of the nobles. Most nobles thought of themselves as above the rest of the citizens. They were far too exceptional to be placed with common people such as Mai and her family. Master Hickim didn't think that at all. He loved Mai and her mother and provided for their family quite often when they were in need. That was the main reason they weren't living in the slums at the south end of the city. If it wasn't for Master Hickim, Mai would be where she was now.
It was late in the morning when Mai woke up. It was looking to be a beautiful day. She hopped out of bed and slipped on her skirt and laced button up shirt. The morning was quite cold so she put on a jacket.
Everyday she would walk through her back yard, past the grown garden and out into the streets bustling with people walking to get to their jobs or to start a morning shop. She would then turn left and walk for a good ten minutes until she reached the old Apothecary. She would then turn right and head off to her work.
She worked for and old man name Fegal Boan. He was a short little man with wobbly knees and a cane. He was the sourest man Mai had ever seen. He owned a washhouse for that block. He was getting to old to lift most of the laundry and couldn't bend himself very well. So Mai was a washer and she hated it. The little old man Fegal was always poking around and watching her with his beady little eyes, almost like he was expecting her to do something wrong so he could whack her a good one with his cane. He would do that from time to time just in spite of her. She never knew what his problem was and most likely would never find out. All she wanted to do is take that can and whack him real hard.
That day as she walked into work she heard a muffled scream. It sounded odd, like someone getting a knife stuck in them with their face in a pillow. She slowly moved along the wall toward the open door to her left where she heard the scream. The hall was dark with a little dawn light fading through the curtain doorway. It was always musty in the old man's washhouse. Mai hated the smell.
As she slowly made her way toward the door she heard men talking. Their voices were rough and sounded mean to her. "Tell me you old coot, where is that stone!" "I don't know I swear to you!" She recognized that voice a Fegal. "I don't know what you're talking about!" "Don't play stupid with me you sorry crap! I want that stone!" "I don't have anything like that I promise!"
Mai kept moving closer. She could see the shadows flickering in the low candle light from the room. From the shadows the men looked to be very big and very dangerous. She peeked in on the men. She could see there were three of them, all very large with battle axes hooked to their right sides and short swords hooked to their left. They had daggers strapped to their boots and the lower right arm. They looked like the personal soldiers of the King.
Mai didn't know much about King Angstus other that he was an intimidating man. He never tolerated disobedience and punished it with cruelty. Lately there had been rumors he had been seeing ambassadors from other countries, compromising peace. Mai didn't know much about that kind of stuff; she was only a wash girl.
On the table next to the wall sat a very haggard and torn up Fegal. He had been punched in the face and seemed to have been kneed in the gut a few times by the way he held his stomach and wheezed. He looked up at her peeking through the doorway. His eyes went wide. The soldiers looked at where he was looking and saw Mai. The one closest to her grabbed her and heaved her in next to Febal. These men, she could tell, terrified him. They terrified her too. These men wouldn't just let her go. They would most likely do all kinds of indecent things to her. These soldiers were known for that.
The one closest to her smiled, "Well what do we have here!"
Mai's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't breath she was so terrified. The man's fowl breath and yellow teeth gave her shivers and had her entire body rigid. So many thoughts rushed through her mind. What should she do? She knew she couldn't try and run. These men were battle trained and completely capable of catching her before she could even budged an inch.
Fegal stared wide-eyed at her. Mai really wished he would stop looking at her. The big man in front of her appraised her with a scowl that could snap old man Fegal's stick. "Who are you!" It wasn't a question. It was a command wanting an answer. "I-I'm... my name is Mai," she blurted out. "That's nice to know," he grinned.
She knew he was mocking her. He wanted her to strike out. She wasn't stupid nor did she really think that that was a good idea at the moment. "Hmph... fine. I'll get to you when I'm done with this old man," he breathed in her ear. "Now one more time you old geezer, where is that stone." "I told you once already, I don't know!" Fegal seemed past afraid now. He didn't look too frightened. It must have been the shock. The husky soldier in the back backhanded him. "Tell us damn it! We know you're hiding it somewhere."
Mai could slightly see something glint in the side of her eye. Before she could get a grasp on what it was Fegal was up. The soldier seemed a little shocked. He took a step back, reaching for his short sword. He was too slow. Fegal took a step to the soldiers left and lifted the knife to the man's throat, slicing through the tender soft flesh of his neck. There was a squirt of blood, and a gurgling sound followed by a thump as the soldier dropped to the ground.
Mai heard the ring of steel on leather as the second soldier drew his sword. Fegal was already there in front of him. He wasted no time as he plunged the knife hilt deep in the man's chest, ripping it out then right stepping behind him to jab him in the back. The soldier eyes were wide with shock and pain. He breathed out his last then toppled to the ground beside his fallen friend.
Mai was thunderstruck. She couldn't make sense of what she just saw. Fegal leaned against the wall, panting. The knife clattered on the wood floor. He was holding his chest mumbling something she couldn't hear.
"Mr. Fegal. What just happened?" She could feel her eyes start to tear up. She didn't like what was happening. The men were dead. She couldn't stand the blood, the stench of it, and the way it flowed out of their already dead bodies. She wanted out. Her stomach started to churn. Her head swam with nausea. "Hold on there, Mai," Fegal's hoarse voice said. "It's going to be alright. Those men were not good men. I had to do what I had to do."
She couldn't make sense of it. The way Fegal moved.
"H-how d-did you d-do-"
"-that." He finished.
"Yeah."
"I used to be an elite soldier for the Kingdom of Volkland when I was young. Back then we were trained to fight. Nowadays, these kids aren't learning the way we did. There are many more methods of killing who they want without doing anything themselves. They're used to walking all over gullible people." He smiled. It was a kind smile, not a murderous one. " But you seemed so afraid before. I don't understand." Mai said. "It's an old trick. You get them to think you're nothing but a weak little man. It makes them easier to take down. Easier to surprise. But now's not the time to explain. I'm old and tired. I can't do some of the things I used to. I need your help." He held down his hand. "Will you help me Mai?"
Mai didn't know what to think. She sat and stared at Fegal as he held his hand out to her.
"Will you help me Mai?" he asked.
"I-I don't know what to do!" she sobbed.
"Just listen to me and everything will go alright. It's going to be dangerous, but when we're done with all of this I'll explain everything to you."
"I want to know right now! What is the stone? What did those men want? Why am I stuck in this?" she screamed. Fegal took a deep breath. "I, myself, don't know much. You'll have to go to Frank Hickim to find out more, but I'll tell you what I know. You're not a normal child." Not normal? What did he mean? "You're special in ways I can't tell you. Like I said, only Frank knows, and I'm not sure he knows the majority of it."
This still wasn't making any sense. Mai couldn't figure it out. How was she special? She was just the same. She was about to voice that out when Fegal resumed. "Mai, do you know about any other races out there, besides us Volklanders?"
"No, but I always assumed there were. Why?"
"Because you really aren't... how should I put this... human in the conventional sense." What! Mai started shaking her head. She was human she knew it.
"I a-"
"Yes you are human," he cut her off. "But I said not in the conventional sense as we know it. You see a long time ago there were many different types of humans. Some have slight advantages over others. Probably the most powerful of these was the Luminites. They were a winged race of humans. In that time most people had magic. I don't know much about magic so I can't tell you anything about that." He sighed heavily as if trying to think of what to say. "The scars on you're back. You know of those."
How did he know! She'd had those scars forever. Her mother said she got them when falling out of the second floor window when she was small. Mai never told anyone of her scars because she thought they might find it odd. Besides it wasn't that important she thought. But how did Fegal know?
"How do you know that?" she asked. The suspicion in her voice was not hidden.
"Well you see... a long time ago, your father, Frank and I were walking through the Herthon woods. We saw this beautiful young woman with a bundle of cloth in her arms. She was bleeding from the side. We ran up to her to help, you know? She just looked at us for a second then whispered for us to take care of her baby. She died on the spot. While Frank and I were getting that baby, you, out of the bundle, your father noticed the woman sprouted wings out of her back. We were frightened. You must understand what was going through our minds. We had never seen anything like that before.
"We panicked. When we saw you with your wings we could think of nothing else. Your father said that he would take you as his daughter. We all decided this but also decided to help protect you. Your father thought it best that you didn't have wings or you might be ridiculed and eventually killed for your uniqueness, so he took out his knife and cut them off. That is where the scars came from." He gazed down at the floor. "I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you. You only worked for me so I could be close to protect you."
Mai sat still. She felt oddly calm about it. Somewhere deep inside she knew she was different. She just could explain how.
"So everywhere I was, I was being watched. Why? Am I really that important?"
"I can't explain it to you. You must see Frank." His voice was getting a hint of rushing to it. "Hurry we must go, now. Those men were just two out of ten that are here. I can take two by surprise but not eight. I'm not that great a soldier. Also those men have probably surrounded the place by now. You came shortly after those two walked in." He pondered for a moment.
"Then what can we do?" Mai asked.
"Well you see another thing they asked about is a spirit girl. I don't really know what they were talking about, but I think they meant you. So whatever happens you must remain safe."
"And what about the stone?"
"Stone? I don't know anything about that. Now is not the time. We have to go. Follow me. There is a hole that leads water in from the outside. We can crawl through there and make it out the side. There is a wall that can conceal us from the front. As for the back, we'll have to make up something when we get there"
They made their way to the north side of the house, into a room. The walls wavered with the light of the water. There was a little hole in the back where a slow stream of water was coming through. Fegal climbed in and was making his way up when Mai heard a sound. She looked back through the doorway and saw the shadow of a husky man step through the front door.
"Are you slackers not done yet!" He started making his way to the door where the two men lie.
"What the-" he jumped out and yelled out the front door. "They're dead! Something's happened. Find that old man. He's committed a crime and must pay!"
"Hurry Mai!" Fegal hissed. She wasted no time and quickly scrambled up the hole after him. They slowly made their way up the slippery wet water conduit. Until Fegal clambered out the top, Mai close on his heels. The light bathed her in warm grace. She felt a tug on her wrist and dropped to the ground.
"Crouch and walk along the wall to the small house over there," Fegal pointed to the house, "and hide behind those bushes. I'll be right behind you. I have to take out a couple guys to make sure you get there unseen. If I for some reason don't get to you, go to Frank's understand. Do you understand?"
"Yes I do.
"Ok hurry now."
She grabbed his wrist, "Be careful Fegal." He grinned and was off. She looked at the bushes beside the tiny house. She should hurry. As she crept along the wall she heard a cry. With a quick glance she saw Fegal stabbing a smaller man through the right shoulder. He cried out and fell to the ground while Fegal met some more oncoming men. She started running then to the bushes. When she made it there she looked back at Fegal.
He was spinning around another smaller man, stabbing him in the back. Mai saw it. She was going to scream but it was too late. The big burly soldier came hurtling out from beside the house. Fegal saw him come but wasn't fast enough. The soldiers short sword whistled toward the short stout old man. It came in and hit him straight in the chest. Fegal let out a squeaky gasp, then fell to the ground with a grunt. Blood dripped from the tip of the sword protruding from his back. The soldier put his foot to Fegal's face and pushed off, releasing his sword from it's grisly hold. With one last desperate breath, Old Man Fegal fell to his side and lay still.
Mai could feel the tears run down her face. He died for her. He gave his life so she could get away. At that moment Mai Lenna just wanted to die. Why was this so important? How could she be something more than human? She was lost in the dark. What now? The only words she could remember echoed in her head. "Go to Frank!"
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Mai had made her way along the maze of buildings and streets. She passed by vendors on the corner of blocks selling their wares and the masses of people surrounding entertainers. Frank Hickim's house was not far away. Mai had been there many times before so she knew where it was by heart. Actually at that moment, like many others, her feet just unconsciously carried her there. Her mind spun with thoughts she couldn't help but let in. Fegal was protecting her! She could not think of a single reason why she was so special. Even if she was from another race, that didn't mean she could do anything out of the ordinary.
Fegal's death had kept replaying in her mind. How his eyes didn't go wide like the others she saw die that day. How his last gasp of air ended with a boot to the face. Mai felt like an anvil had fallen in her stomach. Poor Fegal. He always was a nice man, just a little strict. That was all.
There was one thing, though, that kept her mind racing. She wasn't human. How could she not be normal? She hated the thought of not being whom she had grown up being. Her father had cut away her wings? It just didn't make sense. Even if she wasn't human, why would she be away from her home? Did her mother lie to her about her scars? Had they all lied to her?
She turned on the street where a man sold bead necklaces on the corner. The haphazard buildings were placed along the side of the road for business. Most people came here to do their commerce and then closed shops to go home in the residential section of the city. Some, though, lived in the upper rooms of their shops. Master Hickim lived on the borderline between the commercial and residential sections. Behind her there was an Inn, where the two streets met. It was probably full of people eating lunch. In the city it was popular to eat at the Inn. Their food was always good, especially their lamb stew.
Just another five minutes walk and she would be at Master Hickim's house. Every person that looked at her made Mai feel uncomfortable. What if they knew something was wrong? By the way she walked, how fast she moved and skirted around people, she was sure people would be suspicious. She decided to slow her pace and appear normal. She was too close to her destination to get caught now.
How could Frank Hickim help her? She had no idea. There must be a way or else Fegal wouldn't have given his life so she could go see Hickim. Still, she mused over how he could help in this situation. Down the street, around the corner, she saw the master's house come into view. Mai could see the early afternoon sun reflecting off the houses two windows. Windows were expensive in Volkland. Glass was hard to make, so not many buildings had it. Master Hickim was a pretty wealthy man so he could afford two windows. Mai loved the windows.
She knew her mother would be working in the back of the house. As she approached the gate into the yard, Master Hickim rushed out the front door. He was a taller man with short cut hair. He was slightly plump and had a merry look. Now he didn't. When he looked up and saw Mai he stopped in his tracks.
"Mai, what're you doing here?" his expression was dark. "What am I saying? Come in... come in. Hurry now."
Mai followed him into the house. She had always loved this house. When she was little she would run about the halls and up and down the staircase. One time when running up the stairs, she lost her footing. She fell, tumbling down the steps. When she hit the bottom her head hit the floor really hard. She never cried even though it was really painful. Her mother was so worried. She was so worried she bought Mai a necklace from the vendor down the street. Those had been great memories.
Mai had clutched the necklace around her neck. It was the same one. Now she grasped it again as she ran through the woods remembering the day before. Her heart sank at the thought.
Hickim led her past the staircase and into a small room he used when meeting people. He opened a small cabinet and took out a glass bottle filled with rum, she thought. He took a swig then turned to her.
"Your mother hasn't come in yet," he smiled uneasily then added, "I've had a bad feeling about today. When I woke up I saw soldiers rushing down the road there. I haven't seen the imperial guards for ages. I wondered why they were here. I figured there must be trouble. I'm not going to have trouble around her, you know?" He paused looking up at her with a fixed expression. He asked "Mai, what's wrong?"
Mai couldn't stop her tears. "It was Master Fegal. He's dead!" she moaned. "Those soldiers were looking for him. For some stone. He figured they were looking for me, too." Mai could hardly say the words through the racking sobs. "They came for him when I got there. We tried to get away. He led them away so I could be safe. He died saving me!"
"I see." Hickim looked at the floor. A tear dropped and spattered on the floor. "Mai, I need to tell you something about your heritage."
"Master Fegal told me. I'm not human."
"What! Not human! Where do you get that nonsense! Of course you're human! What did he tell you?"
"That I was a Luminite and that I had wings. He said I wasn't human in the conventional sense, but that that was all he knew."
"Just like Fegal." He smiled to himself. "Ok, listen carefully. You are human. Don't think you aren't okay. You're just like me or any other person. You just have special qualities that others don't. For example, you have the power to access magic."
"Magic? How? What is it?"
"It's a long explanation which I'll have to tell you later. For now let me tell you the history of the Luminites." He wiped his brow with his handkerchief then continued. "A long time ago when there were many different races of people, there was race called the Abhorra. They practiced the dark arts from what I know of. They made many things that were quite evil, yet many others that helped mankind progress through that stage of life where magic creatures were always on the prowl. There was another race of people called the Luminites, which you know of. They made a kingdom called Lomina. History tells how they were the strongest of the races. That was not so. They were however strongly popular with the rest of the races, thus gaining control. Are you following this?"
"Yes sir." Mai said.
"Good. Well you see the Abhorra didn't like this. They blamed the Lumites that it was their fault that they were all dying out and made weapons to fight and take over the Luminites. They were quite efficient too. But the Luminites weren't easily defeated. They fought back and fought back hard. They barely succeeded in fighting off the Abhorran weapons. The Luminites punished the Abhorra by locking them away somewhere. No one really knows where. Most likely they have all died out. The killed too many of the Luminite people and they started to die away as well. They made a barrier keeping all others away from them so they could live their last days in peace. Over a thousand years later, here we are. The lands left split, and made different kingdoms. War ravaged through and now Volkland has taken over most of the province."
Mai slightly understood. She just nodded her head.
"And about the rest?" She asked.
"Well that's where it gets shady. I don't know anything about the people of Lomina themselves, just what I've read up on in the libraries in the castle. I know next to nothing else about you."
"And the stone?" Mai asked, "what about it?"
"Stone?"
"Yes the stone. The guards were asking about a stone," Mai said. "What about the stone, Master Hickim?"
"Call me Frank okay?" He put his fingers to his temples. "Hmmm... stone? Stone... I do believe I have heard of a stone, but only bits and pieces from old books." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't remember much about it. It's supposed to do something. Oh! I can't think of it. Just give it some time. I'll remember eventually. Now you said those men were after you?"
"Yeah I think so. Oh I don't know Mas-"
"Eh!" He waved his hand in front of his face. "Frank."
"O-ok... Frank." Mai gave a sheepish smile and looked at the floor. "Well Master Feagal thought they might be after me. Could that be true?"
"It very well could be true, Mai." He stood up and walked toward his window. Mai heard a cart roll by out front. "You should go home," he said.
"A-Alright. I guess I should." She stood and started for the door.
"Wait. I'll go with you. I have to talk to you father. Now that I think about it, you shouldn't go home. You need to run away. Far away."
"I can't. This is my home! I can't leave."
"If the king's soldiers are after you then you need to get out of here. You're something special, Mai. Not just because you're different, but also because of whom you have grown to be. I couldn't stand that filthy king getting you."
"No! I don't want to!" she yelled.
"You must." He gripped her shoulders. "Please. You can't stay here! You must leave."
Mai couldn't stop the tears. She didn't want to leave. This was her home. Where her live was. She couldn't leave. She wouldn't leave.
"I can't."
"Listen, Mai. You can't hide here forever. The king has better ways to find you. Now I'm not sure if he is after you; but if he is, then by the gods I'm not going to let him have his prize. Please, Mai, for me."
Mai had thousands of thoughts running through her head at that moment. Frank was right; she couldn't stay if the king was after her. He would find her no matter what. She didn't want to run though, either. What should she do? She had to make a choice.
"Well."
A quote her Father would say echoed in her ear.
"The easy choice usually never is the right choice. What seems right may not be true. The harder path is the path I would take given any situation."
"Ok. I'll leave," she whispered.
"Good. Now let's hurry to you house. Do you have any clue where you mother is?"
"No, I don't."
"That has me worried," he looked out the window again. "Come on. Let's hurry and get out of here."
They made their way through the streets and alleyways where no one would likely see them. Frank wanted to get to the house fast, but didn't want any unwanted attention. He had quickly grabbed a cloak before he had left. The winter was just ending so many people had cloaks on. It wouldn't cause suspicion, and would keep him better hidden, even though that was highly unlikely. He was a big man.
Mai was too busy thinking to see where she was going. She just aimlessly walked behind Frank. What would life be like outside the city? Would she have to leave the Kingdom? The whole of Volkland was vast. It would take weeks to escape to its outskirts. Did Mai have that time?
The sun was starting to go down. Darkness threatened to take over the day. Shadows started to extend their reaches toward the east. Actually it seemed odd to Mai that the shadows seemed to waver in the light. The night was already playing tricks on her. In the distance her house rose up. Something was wrong though. She looked to the left. The garden was trampled.
"Hold on," she said, holding out her hand to stop Frank. "Something's wrong. The garden is ruined."
Frank scanned the house. "Let's hurry now."
They quietly made their way to the back door of the house. Frank held out a hand to make Mai stop.
"The shadows. They're moving."
"What? How can that be possible?" She looked though, the shadows didn't do anything. She looked closer. There was a slight waver in the gloom. Mai's breath caught in her throat. 'Shadows couldn't move' she told herself. They couldn't. They were inanimate. It was impossible for them to move. Even so, here Mai was watching the shadows stir.
Then she saw it. Hanging from the ceiling, inside the doorway, was the silhouette of two bodies. Their necks were bent oddly and there was liquid dripping from the limp hands and feet. Blood. Their shapes wavered a bit as the shadows around them moved. Mai could tell though. They were her parents. The only parents she had ever had. They had loved her and taken care of her for all her life. Now they were gone. In one day everything had gone terribly wrong.
It hit her square in the chest first. Knocking her clear off her feat and flying back through the yard. Then it hit Frank; sending him tumbling end over end. Mai's head swam. Her vision blurred. She forced herself to see straight but only could see darkness. No. It wasn't her sight. It was what was standing in front of her, peering down at her.
It was completely black, blacker than the darkest gloom. Its body shivered with wisps of shadowy flame. Where the eyes should have been was only a dark void. Yet Mai could tell it was staring straight at her.
"The Keeper of the Lightssss!" It hissed. It reached down to grab her. The fiery darkness nicked her arm as she backed away. Pain lanced through her arm. She cried out. The pain was too much. It felt like her entire arm had been crushed and split in two. She couldn't see through her watery vision. But she did see that light was coming from somwhere. It extended itself toward the shadow. Reaching out for it. Grasping at it.
"The light!" the shade screeched. It started to go for her but backed away howling again. It writhed in agony, shrieking into the night, then dissipated. The air hung with the ring left from the wraith's screams. Mai shivered in pain on the ground. She heard footsteps come to her.
"Are you alright, Mai?" It was Frank.
"Hey Frank. Is that you?" a distant voice yelled.
"Yeah. Help me out her, will ya! Hold on, Mai, we're going to get out of here right now."
"I'm fine. Let me get up." Mai forced herself into a sit. Her arm still stung fiercely. "It hurt so bad."
"I could tell. Can you stand?"
"Yes. I can."
A man came running up.
"I heard the noise. What happened?"
"It's not important now. We have to leave. Can you help us out Paul?"
"Yeah. We can. My sons and I were just here for business. We were on our way back to the house anyways. We can help. The boys are at the gate."
"We can't use the gate. We have to use another way."
"I think I know of a way. Follow me."
Frank helped Mai to her feet.
"I can walk. It was my arm that got it."
"I've never seen anything like that before," said Frank.
"Hurry. Come on!" said Paul.
Mai looked back at the house where her parents hung dead. Her memories and cherished youth were forever lost in that house. Never again would Mai be the same. Something had changed her heart.
Mai and Frank followed Paul through the myriad of buildings to the out wall on the north side.
"Keep walking along the wall," he pointed west, "that way and you'll come to a small door leading out. It's used as a commanding officer's exit, in case of emergencies. As you can probably tell, it hasn't been used it a long time. I'm going back to the front gates to my boys. We'll meet you by the mill in front of the Herthon woods. Till then." He slipped away briskly toward the front gates. Mai and Frank made their way through the small side door.