TWENTY-ONE: Implicated (This one tells the story of a specific event in the Rebellion's history. It features a ton of familiar faces and some new ones. Garron, Stone, Rhanna, Plurri, Vagris, Trerry, Trinity, Calix, Lia, M'Telda, the Sisterhood, Captain Smith, Kizzie, Lady Eleanor, and Sir Matthew are all featured. The story will also feature Sir Matthew's family, Lara, Jane, and Paul, and Matthew and Eleanor's son, also known as Greg's father, Gregory Matthew Arnold Senior. This one-shot will introduce three new Eltarians, Imogen, Leopold, and Lola, and another new character named Lex who has a shocking tie to an Eltarian we all know and love. Mayor Venris Freyst also plays a very significant role in this story. It's going to be a long and dramatic one, so buckle up.)
Leopold was a respected Senator on Eltar. He came from a wealthy family and was highly intelligent. His analytical mind enabled him to see things others did not. He also possessed a gift for controlling time. Not only could he freeze time, but he could walk through the time line freely. He was born after the fall of the Great Wizard, so no one was especially concerned that he might be targeted for his gifts.
When Leopold was a young man, he met and quickly befriended a Peacekeeper named Paul. Paul was born long before the Great Wizard came along, but the age difference did not keep the two from becoming close. Paul had not been born on Eltar, and neither had his twin sister, Jane, or their older half-brother, Matthew, but their mother, Lara, had fled to Eltar to escape from their abusive father. The monster had been killed by Eltar's first Sorceress long ago, when Paul and Jane were five years old. Matthew's real father had been Eltarian, and their mother had hoped to find him. Matthew had grown up to become Sir Matthew of the Eltarian Guard, and Paul had followed his example and joined the Peacekeepers as soon as he was old enough. He was a kind, funny man who took Leopold under his wing and often helped him with his projects. Leopold was constantly inventing things and looking for ways to improve them.
Inspired by Paul to make a difference on Eltar, Leopold took a position at the Counsel Building. Initially, he was basically there for clerical support, but as time wore on, he got into politics. Leopold would eventually become a popular Senator. His clever mind and talent for inventing things drew the attention of the Mayor. Venris Freyst kept Leopold close to him, hoping to mold him into a powerful ally. What Leopold didn't know when he agreed to help him was that the Mayor was not the man people believed him to be.
Unknown to the people of Eltar, Freyst had been keeping a girl in solitary confinement at the highest security prison for millennia. Her name was Imogen, and she had been arrested at just thirteen years old for High Treason. Instead of sentencing her to death, Freyst had ordered her confined and kept far away from other prisoners and even staff. Only he was allowed to visit the girl. Considering she was suspected of having murdered a beloved member of the community with her magic, no one questioned her punishment. No one knew that Freyst had become infatuated with the girl the moment he met her and decided he wanted to keep her for himself. His desires were dark and horrible, and he couldn't voice them to anyone, but Zell had approached him. He'd made Freyst an offer he could not refuse... In exchange for his loyalty and service, Zell would turn the object of his obsession immortal so she would forever be the girl he desired. Everyone would eventually forget she existed, and the Mayor could have her all to himself for eternity, or until he decided he had grown tired of her. Freyst had eagerly accepted. When he learned just how evil Zell truly was, he didn't regret his decision. He valued Zell as a "business partner," and being his ally was certainly better than being his enemy.
Millennia later, Imogen remained a frightened thirteen-year-old girl locked in a cell, completely at the Mayor's mercy. He made her call him "Mayor" as he used her however he pleased, and only when she behaved for him did he grant her things like food or water. He kept her on a leash like some sort of pet, doing everything for her when he went to see her. He would even bathe her himself. It was a horrible life she'd been condemned to, and the only way for her to survive was to allow him to care for her even though she despised him. The worst part was that Imogen was innocent of the crime she'd been accused of committing. The killer had been her mother, who'd been the man's lover. She'd killed him in self defense when he'd tried to beat her to death. Imogen had used her magic to cover up the crime and had been arrested because it was her energy they discovered at the scene. Even after everything the Mayor had done to her, Imogen did not regret her decision. Protecting her mother was worth any price.
Eventually, Imogen began to grow ill. She couldn't understand what was wrong with her body until a woman came to her. Imogen hadn't seen anyone except Mayor Freyst in millennia, so she was quite startled when the stranger appeared in her cell. "Hello, Imogen," she said soothingly.
"Who are you? Why have you come?" Imogen asked in terror.
"Do not fear me, Imogen. I am here to help you," the stranger replied. "It is vital you keep this to yourself, but my name is M'Telda."
"M'Telda?" Imogen repeated. "The Mad Sorceress?" Her eyes went wide with shock.
"Mad? Perhaps," M'Telda said lightly. "I cannot stay long, Imogen... However, I saw something I could not ignore, even for my own safety, so I have returned for the first time in millennia."
Imogen found the courage to ask, "What was it you saw?"
"You are with child... And we cannot allow this child to fall into the Mayor's hands. She is meant for a great destiny, but he would only use her power for himself."
"With child?" Imogen repeated. She felt like she might cry.
"Fear not, Imogen. The child shall be safe... But I must hide her." She sighed. "I am sorry, sweet girl... You have lived a long time, but your mind is still so young... You are innocent. I wish I could free you, but then Freyst might discover the truth... Your time shall come, Imogen. I promise you this. One day, they shall discover you, and you shall be free."
Imogen was too terrified to respond. M'Telda began working magic to progress her pregnancy and delivered the child in secret. She allowed Imogen to hold the girl, not cruel enough to refuse the young mother a chance to meet the child she hadn't known was coming. M'Telda then healed all evidence that Imogen had ever had a child or even been pregnant. She guarded Imogen's mind so the Mayor would never learn the truth, but she refused to take the memory from her. The girl had a right to know she had a daughter, and she knew that one day, they would meet again. M'Telda took the infant to Earth, where she had been living, and hid her among the humans where she knew she would remain safe until the time came for the truth to come out.
One day, Leopold became suspicious of the way the Mayor would disappear for extended periods frequently when visiting the prison. He decided to follow him, freezing the guards just long enough for him to sneak into the prison without being seen. He hid in the shadows, staying just out of the Mayor's sight. When he saw him enter the cell, he realized there was a young girl inside. He heard things that told him why Freyst was visiting the cell and felt disgusted.
"That girl is a child..." He mumbled. "How can he engage in such acts with one so young?" Horrified, Leopold slipped in and out of time repeatedly to watch the cell. He ended up very far back before he found it empty and realized she'd been there since before Zell had been destroyed. "He's kept her his prisoner all this time... How can I prove it?" Leopold wondered aloud. He fled the prison to give himself time to think.
Paul realized his friend was in distress. "What troubles you, Leo?" He asked.
"I have learned something I was not meant to, Paul..." Leopold admitted. "It is something I fear will endanger anyone I share it with."
"I can take care of myself, Leopold," Paul reminded him. "Come..." He brought Leopold into a room which was protected by a shield of magic. "Tell me what has happened."
"It is the Mayor, Paul. He has someone locked in the prison in isolation. She is quite young, yet he has had her there for millennia... I traveled through time to be certain, and she has been there since the Great Wizard was still alive."
"Why does he isolate her?"
"From what I could gather, she was found guilty of murdering a man with magic... However, I heard things from inside of the cell, Paul... Things which would imply the Mayor has been... intimate with this young girl."
Paul looked as disgusted as Leopold felt. "If he has truly crossed such a line with a child, we cannot allow it to continue," he said.
"My thought exactly. However, no one will easily believe the beloved Mayor of Eltar has done such a thing."
"We should approach the Prime Minister with this information."
"Rey will require proof. I have only my word, and while that may be good enough for him, it shall not be enough to convince all of Eltar."
"I shall help you find what you require," Paul decided. "Get me this girl's record."
Leopold returned the following day with the little bit of information he could find on the case, stolen from the past because the Mayor had either hidden or destroyed it in the present. "Her name is Imogen," he said. "She was thirteen when she was arrested, and I believe she became immortal shortly after."
Paul began looking into the history of Imogen's victim. He learned the girl's mother still lived on Eltar, mostly in seclusion. As soon as he decided to visit her, he knew the truth. Seeing the terrified look in her eyes when he mentioned the victim's name, he was reminded of his mother. Although she had eventually become a very strong woman, when his father was abusing her, she'd shared the haunted look Imogen's mother wore.
When he met up with Leopold, he sighed. "Imogen's mother was abused," he said. "I'm certain of it. My guess is she's the one who killed him, but Imogen took the blame to protect her."
"What a brave young woman," Leopold said in awe.
"Indeed. Which is why we must find a way to free her from this horrible sentence she faces."
"How, though? Even if I slip through time, it's going to be problematic to get her out of there... Unless I bring her outside of the time line with me so we can escape."
"Let me go with you," Paul said. "This is quite risky. You shouldn't do it alone."
"Paul... You're a Peacekeeper."
"And you're a Senator. We'll face Treason charges together if we must." He put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm with you until the end, Leo." He paused. "Just let me see my sister first... In case anything goes wrong."
Leopold agreed to this request. Paul went straight to Jane. "What's troubling you, Paul?" Jane asked knowingly.
"Jane... I found something out which may well get me killed, but I must see this through," Paul said.
"Killed? Paul, what are you talking about?" Jane asked in alarm.
"I cannot tell you, my darling sister... However, if anything happens to me, you must call Matthew. If you and Mother join him and Eleanor on Earth, you shall be safe."
"You're scaring me, Paul. Tell me the truth."
"An immortal girl who is eternally quite young is in danger. Leopold needs my help to get her to safety, but the man who has imprisoned her is very powerful. It is unlikely anyone will believe he is guilty of any wrongdoing."
"Who is it, Paul?" Jane asked urgently.
He shook his head before kissing the top of hers. "No, Janie... Not that," he said softly. "If I tell you, your life will be in danger as well."
"If you tell me, perhaps I can assist," she protested.
"Not this time, Janie... I love you far too much to risk it."
"You are my twin, Paul. If you are in danger, I shall stand by your side."
"I know you want to... And I want nothing more than to have you there... This time, however, the risk is too high." He hugged her tightly. "Have faith in me, Jane. I'll return to you."
"You had better keep your word, Paul... If I have to call Matthew to come rescue you, I'm going to be quite upset with you."
He smiled at her reassuringly. She sighed. "Why must it always be you taking such chances?" She finally asked.
"It is what Kenna and Tylan would have done," he replied.
She nodded. "I understand," she said softly. Kenna and Tylan had saved their family from their father when they were very small, but the twins still remembered what had happened. "If you change your mind and want me to help, call out for me."
"You'll get the telepathic memo," Paul promised.
"Be safe," Jane said.
Leopold and Paul soon stepped through time. They only went back by a couple of hours, knowing the risks of changing too much. The terrified girl looked at them as she seemed to try to shrink away.
"We won't hurt you, Imogen," Paul said quickly. "We're here to help."
To prove this, Leopold removed the leash around her neck. He was horrified to see the bruises and cuts beneath it. She had scars, probably from moving the wrong way while wearing it over the millennia. Imogen slowly rubbed her throat and winced in pain. "We'll bring you to a healer," he promised.
"Y-you're releasing me?" She asked in shock.
"Yes. My name is Leopold," Leopold explained. "I'm a Senator. This is Paul, a Peacekeeper. We're going to take you somewhere safe."
"Safe?" She paused. "Why are you helping me?"
"The things the Mayor has done to you are appalling and we shall not stand for them," Leopold said firmly.
"But... I am a convicted killer," she said softly.
"Imogen... You didn't kill that man," Paul said gently.
"O-of course I did," she protested.
"You have been protecting your mother for all this time," Paul continued. "That is an honorable thing."
"P-Please do not arrest her... He was hurting her. She was only protecting herself."
"Your mother shall face no charges," Leopold promised. "When the time is right and I have proof of all of this, I shall ask the Prime Minister to pardon you. Rey is a good man. He will understand."
"Come with us, Imogen," Paul said. He offered her his hand.
Shyly, Imogen took Paul's hand. He helped her to her feet. Leopold took her other hand before stepping into the time line and bringing them both with him. They went straight to Jane and Lara.
"You're safe!" Jane proclaimed, flinging her arms around her twin. She politely nodded at Leopold. "I'm pleased to see you as well, Leo," she added with her usual kind smile.
"Paul, who is this young woman?" Lara asked. She didn't wait for a response as she set to work healing her injuries.
"Mother, this is Imogen. Imogen, this is my mother, Lara, and my sister, Jane. They are healers," Paul explained.
"Who did this to her?" Jane asked, joining her mother in trying to heal Imogen.
"Mayor Freyst," Leopold said. "But you need to pretend I never told you that. I will not forgive myself if I put you in danger."
"The Mayor did this?" Lara asked in horror.
"He was holding her in the prisons for a crime she did not commit. She was protecting her mother from an abusive man," Paul said.
"Oh, my dear girl..." Lara said softly. She gently stroked Imogen's back as she tried to heal the wounds there. "You are safe now, Imogen. We shall protect you."
"Where will you hide her until the Mayor faces justice?" Jane asked.
"She can stay here," Lara offered. "She would not be the first girl I took in."
"Eleanor's case was different," Paul pointed out.
"Your mother raised Lady Eleanor?" Leopold asked in shock.
"Not entirely. Eleanor was eleven when her parents died, the day we met her. My mother found a family to take her in, but they turned out to be cold, vile people behind closed doors, and because Eleanor was so determined not to be a burden, she didn't ask for help. Mother figured out what was happening when Eleanor was fourteen and turned up... Well, strangely, I can't remember that part, but it was clear she was being abused." Paul paused. "Anyway, my mother went to the Prime Minister at the time and had Eleanor's adopted family arrested for abuse. Mother took her in then. She stayed with us for about a year, but when she was fifteen, she got a place of her own to avoid being a burden. Matthew was already crazy about her by then, but he knew her well enough to understand why she had to stand on her own two feet."
Leopold was a bit blown away by the news that Lady Eleanor had ever been a child at all, let alone an abused orphan. She never spoke of her past before becoming part of the Eltarian Guard.
"You are a kind woman, Lara," Leopold said. "Unfortunately, I do not believe Imogen will be safe anywhere on Eltar, and I cannot risk your safety or Jane's."
"Matthew," Jane said. "Let's send the girl to Earth. Matthew and Eleanor can protect her until she can stand on her own. The Mayor would not think to look there. They are still on their mission."
"Do you speak English, Imogen?" Lara asked gently.
"I'm sorry," Imogen replied. "I only speak Eltarian. I wanted to learn the Earth languages, but I was arrested before I could study them much. I understand a few phrases, but that is all."
"It's not as if Matthew and Eleanor don't speak Eltarian. They can teach her," Jane said.
"If Lady Eleanor and Sir Matthew, the most highly regarded members of the Eltarian Guard cannot protect her, who can?" Paul agreed. "This may be her best chance."
"Won't we be risking your nephew's safety?" Leopold asked in concern.
"Gregory? I pity the imbecile who crosses Eleanor when it comes to that boy!" Paul said with a laugh.
"She'd slaughter them before they even got close to him," Jane agreed.
"This may be for the best," Lara agreed. "You'll be safe, dear," she added to Imogen. "There are no better protectors than my son and his wife."
"Come with me, Imogen," Jane said kindly. "I shall help you wash up and conjure up some fresh clothes for you." She led the girl away.
"We'll take her as soon as she's dressed," Leopold said.
"I'll let Eleanor know we're coming for dinner," Lara said.
"We?" Paul repeated.
"You are not the only one who wants to see them, you know. It's been too long since I have been able to visit my grandson." Lara smiled at them before hurrying off.
About an hour later, they all headed to Earth by way of a portal Jane opened with her powers. Eleanor was in the kitchen cooking when they arrived. Matthew stood by her side, holding her close.
"Gregory, we have visitors," Eleanor called upstairs.
"Mother!" Matthew said with a grin. He hugged her, then Paul. He pulled Jane into his arms and spun her around like she was still a little girl, making her squeal in mild protest. "I missed you, Janie!" He declared.
"I missed you, too," Jane admitted.
"Eleanor, you look lovely as always," Paul said as he hugged her.
"It does my heart good to see you all. Are you well?" Eleanor asked.
"We're wonderful," Jane replied with a smile, moving in for a hug of her own.
"Senator," Eleanor greeted Leopold with her fist over her heart and a bow of her head.
"Lady Eleanor," Leopold replied. "Thank you for welcoming us today."
"Of course."
"Leo, you look great," Matthew said with a friendly grin. Even though Leopold was a Senator, Matthew still regarded him as extended family and dropped formalities in private. He shook his hand and patted him on his back.
Eleanor looked at the girl. "And who is our young guest?" She asked.
"Lady Eleanor, Sir Matthew... This is Imogen of Eltar," Leopold said.
Eleanor paused. "Imogen... The young Sorceress who went to prison for murder millennia ago?" She asked in surprise.
"Yes," Imogen admitted nervously.
"You are still young... Not just by Eltarian standards. You have not aged even slightly."
"She is immortal," Paul explained. "Eleanor, I know as members of the Guard, you must uphold Eltarian law, however... Imogen does not deserve to be in prison. She is innocent."
"Of course she is. She was thirteen when they convicted her. I always suspected there was more to the story." She shook her head. "You have not had a proper meal in millennia, have you? Sit, Imogen. You are safe in our home." She turned to Matthew. "I am going to retrieve our son. I have no doubt he's lost in a book and did not hear me calling." She excused herself.
"I expected her to resist helping Imogen," Leopold admitted.
"Eleanor's tough on criminals, but Imogen was a child when she was arrested... And she still is. My wife's not heartless, Leo, even if she likes to pretend that she is," Matthew said with a laugh.
Eleanor returned with her son by her side. He smiled at their guests, adjusting his glasses. "Grandmother! Aunt Jane, Uncle Paul!" He cried in excitement. The teenager hugged them all before looking at Leopold and Imogen. "Hi... I'm Gregory," he said with a bright smile. He extended his hand to Leopold.
"Senator Leopold, of Eltar," Leopold replied as he shook it.
"Senator? Wow! I want to be a Senator when I'm older, or a scientist... I just want to do good things, on Eltar or Earth. I think politics are fascinating and-"
"Stop talking the Senator's ear off, Gregory," Eleanor said, but Leopold saw the smile on her face as she watched her son grow more excited.
"Sorry, Mother," Gregory said quickly. "And who are you?" He asked Imogen.
Imogen looked nervous, but Gregory's awkward and gentle nature seemed to reassure her. "I am called Imogen," she replied.
"Imogen? That's a pretty name. You're shaking. Would you like to borrow a blanket?" Gregory ran into the living room, returning with a throw blanket before Imogen could answer him. He wrapped it around her shoulders. "Is that better?"
"Yes," Imogen said in surprise, wrapping it tighter around herself. "Thank you."
"That's a fine young man you're raising there, Brother," Jane said with a smile.
They ate together as a family. Before Leopold, Lara, Paul, and Jane left, Eleanor promised Imogen would remain safe in their care.
Meanwhile, in New York, a seemingly young girl with red hair stood in Central Park. She was not expecting the vision which hit her, but it knocked her to the ground.
Eltar was in flames. Everything was quickly being destroyed. The Eltarian Guard was struggling to control the uprising. Innocent men, women, and children were being killed in the crossfire.
"Mayor Freyst! What are we to do?" A man asked frantically.
"We must crush the uprising before it gets any worse," the Mayor replied practically.
"But, Mayor Freyst, the civilians are in danger. Countless lives have already been lost."
"And countless more shall follow unless we kill them all."
"The Prime Minister did not approve an execute on sight order..."
"Rey is fairly new to his position. He is not prepared for such difficult choices. We must think of the planet's survival."
A woman began to scream. The Mayor and the other man ran toward the sound. They found a young woman crying hysterically. "Rey!" She sobbed, clinging to the dead Prime Minister.
"The Prime Minister has been assassinated! Do you still think action is not necessary?" The Mayor demanded. No one noticed the small smile playing at his lips. "Kill them... Every last member of the resistance must be executed!"
"Ma'am, are you in need of assistance?" A voice asked, snapping Lola back into the present. She was horrified by what she'd seen, but got distracted by his face. She knew who he was.
Oh, shit. M'Telda's gonna kill me, Lola thought. "Oh, no, I'm fine," Lola lied.
Captain Smith of the Rebellion of Eltar offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. "Are you feeling ill?" He asked.
Before she could stop it, another vision flashed through her mind. This one was quick. She saw Eltar after Mayor Freyst was finished taking over the planet. Then, she saw something that terrified her. The most powerful being she'd ever felt stood shaking hands with the Mayor. "Well done, my boy!" He declared.
"Great Wizard... I could not have done this without you," the Mayor replied. "Now, let us watch as Eltar pays for abandoning you!"
"Eltar..." Lola whispered in horror as she snapped back into awareness.
Captain Smith tensed. "Who are you?" He asked in a low but authoritative voice. When she didn't answer, he said. "Identify yourself."
Lola sighed. "My name is Lola," she said. "Of Eltar... But, officially, I am Lola Freyst."
"Freyst..." Captain Smith repeated. His hatred for the Mayor was clear in his eyes.
"I never met my father," Lola said quickly. "But I've been preparing my entire life to fight people like him."
"Lola... I am Captain Smith. I believe we should speak in a more secure location. Kindly come with me."
She knew it wasn't a request. With a sigh, Lola followed Captain Smith. They arrived at an impressive building a short time later. He brought her upstairs in the elevator. When the doors opened, she was stunned by the penthouse suite. "Impressive..." She mumbled.
"Kizzie, would you mind bringing our guest some tea for her nerves?" Captain Smith asked the woman who appeared before them.
"Of course, Sir," the British woman replied before hurrying off.
"Have a seat, Lola," the Captain said, motioning toward a couch.
Lola obediently sat down. Kizzie reappeared with the tea a minute later. "Are we alone, Kizzie?" Captain Smith asked.
"Yes, Sir," she replied. "Rupi and Tedius went to the beach at Coney Island, and Draze dragged B'Danna along under protest to go ride the Cyclone."
Captain Smith smiled fondly. "It's good for them to do things like that. Everyone needs an outlet, and it's a lovely day out," he said. "Sit with us, Kizzie. This is Lola... The previously unknown daughter of Venris Freyst."
Kizzie's eyes went wide. "Is she a friend or a foe, Sir?" She asked.
"I'm not quite certain yet, however, I am leaning toward friend." He smiled patiently at Lola. "Tell us what brings you to our city, Lola."
"It's a long story," Lola said. She knew M'Telda would be furious if she told him everything, so she only gave some details. "The short version is that my mother is a prisoner on Eltar. She's immortally thirteen thanks to my father and he has been keeping her as a pet for millennia. That's how I happened. A powerful seer and Sorceress saw all of that and delivered me in secret before my father could find out I'd been conceived. She brought me to earth, taught me to use my powers, and kept me hidden here about a century ago. She raised me to one day fight against great evils like my father and worse. I despise corruption and seek only to set things right. Since I was eighteen, I have moved every ten years or so to keep people from finding out about me, and New York is my latest home."
Captain Smith nodded. "If you stand against corruption, then you stand with us, Lola," he said. "You had a vision in the park, didn't you?"
"Yes... Two, actually. My father's going to try to destroy Eltar. There were so many dead... The planet was on fire. My father was arguing to kill those responsible on sight, an argument the Prime Minister apparently resisted. They found Rey dead... Assassinated. My father used that to try to get people to support his execution order. Then, in the second vision, he stood with the most powerful being I've ever encountered... A man he addressed as the Great Wizard."
Kizzie reacted first. "The Great Wizard is alive?" She asked.
"Not yet... At least, I don't think he is... But he must have traveled through time to work with my father," Lola explained.
Captain Smith's expression was very grave as he said, "I have known for a long time just how evil the Mayor of Eltar is, however, I did not think he was a fool." He shook his head. "Lola, you say you have trained to battle your father and men like him. We must prepare to prevent whatever he is plotting. I will contact Garron, our leader. He may be able to get more details for us. Where are you living?"
"I live in the East Village," Lola replied.
"Allow me to provide some protection to you until we figure this out. B'Danna enjoys the East Village. I can ask her to keep an eye on you."
Lola had a feeling she didn't have a choice, but she had to try anyway. "I can take care of myself, Captain Smith, but thank you for the offer," she said kindly. She couldn't let him send his people to her apartment. She didn't live alone, after all. Her "sisters" both lived with her as well, three quirky women who fit in pretty well in the most unusual part of New York. Witchcraft was an acceptable part of the culture there and they had easy access to ritual supplies and herbs.
"I insist. You are in our city, Lola. Allow me to offer you sanctuary and protection while you live here."
B'Danna is young, she thought. She probably has no idea who M'Telda is, and there's no reason she'd know Grace, either. "Okay... But please, only one guard. My sisters won't be happy with anyone else," she said.
"Sisters?" Kizzie asked.
"Well, adopted sisters, really. We're not related. One of them brought me here and mentored me. The other one became close to her over the years. My mentor even married her son, although he passed away a couple of decades ago."
"I promise, B'Danna will keep a respectful distance. They won't even know she's there unless there is an emergency," Captain Smith said.
Oh, they'll know, Lola thought. Still, she offered him a kind smile. "Thank you, Captain Smith," she replied.
B'Danna turned out to be as good at her job as Captain Smith had claimed. Even still, M'Telda sensed her. "Damnit, Lola, did you really manage to attract the attention of the one person I asked you to avoid?" She demanded.
"He's a great guy, M'Telda. You should get to know him," Lola said.
"He doesn't remember, Lola... And that's the way it must be. He cannot be allowed to recover his past life until the time is right, but if he sees me, it may unlock."
"He'd want to know you were safe, M'Telda. He's your father."
"I'm older than he is now... I must protect him. It isn't safe for him to remember who he was. He'll be in terrible danger." She shook her head. "You have a part to play in this fight. Grace and I do not. We'll go on vacation. Be alive when we return or I'll be quite cross with you."
Lola hugged M'Telda tightly. "I love you, too," she said softly, knowing that was what the older Sorceress meant.
Back on Eltar, Mayor Freyst grew more and more furious as he realized Imogen had escaped. He wanted her back at any cost. He began to reach out for Zell, something he'd learned often drew the Great Wizard out of the past to guide him.
"What troubles you, my dear boy?" Zell asked.
"Someone has taken Imogen from me," Mayor Freyst replied. "If word gets out what I have done, I'll be ruined. Great Zell... I do not know what to do from here." He hated admitting such weakness, but Zell was his only chance now.
Zell closed his eyes before smiling. "There is a boy, Venris... He possesses a great and rare power... And he is vulnerable, abandoned on Earth. His mother perished when he was quite young and his father knows nothing of his existence. I had hoped he would come to exist... You may recruit him to assist you. He knows nothing of Eltar. He has always been considered a freak on Earth and he was horribly abused as a child. Approach him as a savior and he shall remain loyal... Make certain his loyalty is to me as well. When I return, I shall have much use for him."
"Who is this boy, Great Zell?"
Zell smiled then. "He is the son of Lavinia, of Eltar, and much more importantly... He is also the son of Labyrinth."
Mayor Freyst smiled wickedly then. "Having Labyrinth's son on our side will surely make us invincible."
"Indeed. Go to him, Venris. He is sixteen and alone in his world. Show him a better one."
On Earth, Lex watched as two men harassed a teenage girl. They were starting to get physical, and one tossed her to the ground and tried to grab her purse. Lex generally kept his head down and stayed out of things, but he hated assholes, and the two men certainly seemed to hold the title. With a final swig of a can of Coke, Lex decided to make a move.
The first thing he did was fling the empty can at one of their heads. It connected. The man dropped the purse as he looked up in alarm, but he didn't see Lex. The labyrinth surrounding him prevented that.
Lex took a deep breath before shifting into a dog. He emerged from his labyrinth and ran straight at the men, barking and growling in warning. He bit one of their arms hard enough to draw blood. The men ran for their pathetic lives.
The girl sat on the ground sobbing in relief. Lex approached her cautiously with his head down to show he wasn't going to hurt her. The girl hesitated before reaching toward him and petting his fur.
"Good boy..." She said softly. "Thank you," she added, wiping away her tears with the hand that wasn't petting Lex.
He couldn't deny that he appreciated the attention. Lex hadn't received any real affection since his mother died when he was three. The events he remembered made no sense, but he'd witnessed her death. She'd told him to hide himself with his powers before she faced off against some monster who had slaughtered her as he helplessly watched. Lex was sure the trauma had caused him to imagine that part.
After his mother died, Lex had been put in an orphanage. He'd been feared for being different and had been abused in ways he tried and failed to forget. By eleven, he'd had enough. He'd shapeshifted into an adult and walked out of the orphanage to freedom. The authorities never found him. Five years later, he was still surviving on his own and living on the streets. Things weren't easy, but even when trouble found him, he always managed to find a way out of things eventually.
When he finally left the girl, Lex found a secluded area to shift back into his true form. He thought he was alone until a voice said, "Extraordinary..."
Lex spun around to face an older man who watched him with interest. "Who are you?" He asked nervously.
"Relax, Boy. You have no reason to fear me," the man replied. "My name is Venris Freyst. I am the Mayor of a place called Eltar."
"Never heard of it."
"I know... You are different from others here, Lyle."
Lex cringed. "It's Lex," he said.
"I was told your name was Lyle Lexington. I wasn't aware you preferred a nickname."
"Yeah, well, now you know. What do you want, Old Man?"
"That's Mayor Freyst, Lex."
"Whatever. How do you know my name?"
"I know your name because you, my boy, are a lost Son of Eltar."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Your parents were not from Earth, Lex. They were from a planet called Eltar. You have powers because of your bloodline. Your father possesses incredible gifts. Like you, he can shift form at will. He also creates magnificent labyrinths and can cure or cause insanity."
Lex stared at him. I'm not the only one, he thought. It's genetic. I'm not a freak... "There's no way you could have known about my powers unless you're telling the truth," he admitted. "If I have a father, where the hell has he been all this time?"
"He abandoned you and your mother, Lex. He had no interest in being saddled with a child. He is powerful, but exceptionally childish and selfish. He cares for no one but himself."
"Great. Story of my life." Lex shrugged. "Why are you even telling me this?"
"Because, my boy... I wish to bring you home to Eltar."
"What, to be reunited with a dad who doesn't want me? Pass."
"No, my boy... Your father vanished five years ago. Although he was on Earth in an unknown location, our sources say no one can even sense him anymore. No one has seen or heard from him since 1989. He went into hiding. This isn't about him... It is about bringing a lost Son of Eltar back home. No one will hate you or call you a freak on Eltar, Lex. You'll be with others who possess gifts." He paused, looking into Lex's eyes. "You'll never face starvation or life on the streets again. I will provide you with a place to live and everything you could possibly need."
"What's the catch?"
"You will assist me in keeping Eltar safe. I stand against your father and his friends. I'm willing to get the job done no matter how ruthless I must be. Life is full of difficult choices. Be my ally, and when the time comes, work for the Great Wizard."
"The Great Wizard? Is he from Oz or something? Is the Wicked Witch going to drop a house on someone next?"
"I'm sorry... I do not understand your questions."
Lex laughed. "You are from another planet! Okay, Freyst. I'll work with you. It can't be any worse than this, right?"
"That's Mayor Freyst, Boy," he reminded him.
Lex rolled his eyes. "Right, right... Mayor Freyst. So, does this mean we have a deal or what?" He offered the Mayor his hand.
The Mayor shook it firmly. "We do. Come with me, Lex... A far better world awaits you."
TWO YEARS LATER.
Lady Eleanor had trained Imogen for nearly the entire time she'd been living with her, Matthew, and Gregory. The frightened, traumatized young girl had transformed into a surprisingly fierce warrior, and Lady Eleanor could not have been more proud.
"I always wanted a daughter," she admitted. "I believe in training young women to be strong."
"I would not have gotten here without your help, Lady Eleanor," Imogen said. "Thank you for all you and Sir Matthew have done."
"Nonsense, Dear. It has been my pleasure." She hugged the girl. "You know... If you wish to remain a bit longer..." She began.
"If I stay, I shall never leave," Imogen replied. "You taught me to stand on my own... Now, I must see if I can."
"You'll do well, Imogen. I have faith in you." She paused. "Yet, you are only thirteen... Still just a girl."
"I shall always be thirteen... I do not wish to be a burden. I can take care of myself."
A strange sadness nearly overwhelmed Lady Eleanor as she remembered saying something quite similar when her parents died. "That is true," she said, "but you should not have to." She flashed upon the day her life had changed. Kenna had said the same thing to her. She'd been extraordinary, and eleven-year-old Eleanor had wanted to grow up as brave and strong as the Sorceress. It saddened Lady Eleanor deeply that Kenna was known to be long-dead. It seemed likely her beloved Tylan was as well, although the Three had lived in seclusion, so no one knew for certain. They simply stopped helping Eltar one day. Lady Eleanor suspected something horrible had happened to them.
"Leopold has finally brought my case before the Prime Minister. He is willing to pardon me if I appear before him. I must return to Eltar, where I belong," Imogen said. "From there, I shall tell him the truth about what happened to me... However, I promise to visit. I shall never forget your kindness."
"Imogen... You still haven't told us who caused you harm," Lady Eleanor said.
"I cannot until he faces justice. I shall not endanger you, Sir Matthew, or Gregory. Once it is safe, I promise to tell you everything. You are the one who gave me the strength to see this through and fight for justice. I can do what I must because of your training and support. I am no longer afraid."
"I am proud of you, Imogen. I shall see you soon. Good luck."
"Give me a hug, Imogen," Sir Matthew said, opening his arms as he and Gregory came in to see her off.
Imogen allowed him to wrap her in a loving embrace. "Thank you, Sir Matthew," she said softly. "Your endless patience and kind nature healed my heart."
"Do well, my sweet girl," he replied. "You're ready."
"Imogen... I'm going to miss you," Gregory said with tears in his eyes.
"This isn't goodbye, Gregory," she promised. "I'll always be here if you need me. You have become my brother. I love you."
"I love you, too," he said, hugging her tightly.
Imogen saw the portal open. Lara, Paul, Leopold, and Jane stood inside. They waved at Matthew, Eleanor, and Gregory before Imogen stepped through and Jane closed the portal. They had no idea that would be the last time they saw each other.
Imogen bravely faced the Prime Minister alone. Rey reviewed the evidence Leopold had gathered, including a heartbreaking, detailed confession from her mother. He pardoned both mother and daughter of any crime. Before Imogen could be reunited with her mother, however, she was discovered dead from an apparent suicide.
Sobbing over her mother's body, Imogen looked at Leopold. "It wasn't suicide," she said. "She would not have done that."
"I am inclined to agree," Leopold replied. "Someone did this to her."
"It was him..." Imogen whispered. "And when we find proof, I shall destroy him as he tried to destroy me."
They searched together, with help from Lara, Paul, and Jane. They trusted no one else.
Mayor Freyst knew he needed to silence Imogen and anyone who dared to help her. He approached Lex, who he'd been taking care of as he'd promised to do. Lex had been told to hide his more unique powers so no one would figure out who his father was, but the Mayor had helped him master his Sorcery. He was a powerful ally, just as Zell had predicted. The Mayor had no idea, however, that a spy had joined his personal staff.
Lola had made a decision M'Telda hated but understood and had joined the Rebellion. She didn't join a specific Chapter, but she happily took an assignment from Garron, spying on her father and getting close to him without revealing her true identity. She was in a wonderful position to help bring him down, and she'd be the first to know if trouble arose.
The Mayor planned a party with Lex. The boy would create a labyrinth and trap everyone inside. He'd keep them there while some of the corrupt members of the Guard assassinated the people in attendance. They'd blame it all on the Rebellion and ensure Leopold either died or went to jail for the murders. It seemed perfect.
Many respected Eltarians were on the guest list. The Mayor, the Prime Minister, several Senators, many wealthy members of the community, families of excellent standing, and some staff members from the Counsel Building were present. It seemed like any other party until gunfire rang out.
Many of the guests panicked and screamed, helpless to protect themselves against such unheard of violence. The corrupt Guards were dressed in black bodysuits with blue masks, as was typical of the members of the Rebellion of Eltar. Lex hid in the shadows, sealing his labyrinth and trapping everyone inside. "Shift into Senator Leopold's form, and then run me through with this," the Mayor said to Lex, handing him one of Leopold's swords.
"What?" Lex asked in alarm. "You'll die, Mayor!" The thought terrified him. The only person who'd truly taken care of him since he'd lost his mother had been Mayor Freyst. He wasn't the kindest man, but he genuinely seemed to try to be the father Lex had never had. He'd gotten him a job at the Counsel Building as a clerk and he made sure he lived a comfortable, if lonely, life. He had also introduced him to the Prime Minister. Rey was a kind man who treated Lex with respect and tried to help Eltar's "orphaned son" whenever he could. They were the closest thing he had to family.
"Your concern touches my heart, Lex... I have trained you well, my boy. Run me through... Just avoid hitting any vital organs," the Mayor replied. He moved into view of several of the panicked party guests.
Lex took a deep breath and shifted into Leopold's form. Very dramatically, he raised his sword. He shoved it through the Mayor, narrowly missing his heart.
The screams grew louder. "Senator, what have you done?" A man demanded.
The Mayor subtly nodded at him. Lex knew what he was supposed to do, but he didn't like it. "Bizzeh mada alebastes!" He proclaimed before pulling out a machine gun and firing into the crowd. He killed three people, including the man who'd spoken. The Mayor had promised the ones Lex was told to target would be people who were less than moral and upstanding citizens of Eltar, but it still bothered him to murder them.
Well done, my boy, the Mayor sent at him telepathically. That's enough.
The others present fled, leaving the Mayor for dead. That seemed pretty heartless. He's right, Lex thought. Not one of them tried to save his life. They have no honor. They're scum.
"Open the labyrinth to release me," the Mayor said weakly. "Then seal it again and do not let anyone leave until it's done. Those who witnessed your attack on me must be allowed to live, but the Guards already know that."
"What about Rey?" Lex asked. "Shouldn't I get him out of the line of fire?"
"Rey will be fine. He's a resilient man. Besides... He makes an impressive hostage. I need him here. The Guards were instructed to avoid causing him harm as much as possible." Mayor Freyst winced in pain as he shifted slightly. "Lex... The labyrinth?"
"Right, sorry..." Lex opened it just enough to release the Mayor. "Be careful and get to help quickly."
"I intend to." With the sword still in his body slowing the loss of blood, Mayor Freyst stumbled as he fled the labyrinth. Sealing it again, Lex slipped back into the shadows and watched the chaos which followed.
Inside the mansion, the panic continued. Lola began casting spells to try and protect the innocent. She knew one person, above all else, needed to be saved. "Prime Minister!" She called. "This way!" She motioned for Rey to follow her. "Drink this," she said urgently.
"What is it?" Rey asked.
"A potion to keep you safe. No fatal harm will be able to come to you until it wears off in a day or so. You may still be hurt, but you will survive."
"Lola, give it to someone else... Someone who cannot protect themselves," he said stubbornly. "My life is no more important than any other."
"Rey, it must be you. Please. You cannot die today. If you do, the future Eltar faces shall be worse than anything you can imagine."
He hesitated. "You never told us you were a seer," he said after a moment.
"You never asked. Do this. Please. If we lose you, we lose everything."
He sighed. "I cannot, in good conscience, give myself protection when others have none."
"You have a good heart, Rey," Lola said. She proceeded to stick him with a sedative. His eyes widened in surprise before he collapsed. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to be so noble this time," Lola finished with a sigh. She opened his mouth and poured the potion in, knowing he would survive.
Lola spotted Leopold trying to administer first aid to several severely wounded people. She knelt beside him. "Shit," she mumbled. There was too much carnage. She needed backup or a lot of innocent lives would be lost.
Lola sighed and stepped away to a slightly quieter area before pulling out her communication stone. She tapped it twice before saying, "Garron!" Nothing happened. "What the hell?" She wondered. It had never failed before.
Lex watched her curiously. He knew his labyrinth completely blocked all communication with the outside world. He also knew who Garron was. Lola's part of the Rebellion? He thought in shock. He'd liked Lola ever since he'd met her at the Counsel Building. She was funny and sarcastic and unlike so many of the others who worked there. He'd never suspected she might be a spy, and he was certain Mayor Freyst had no idea. In fact, the Mayor was oddly attached to Lola. Even that cold, stoic man was charmed by the quirky redhead. She was the only person the Mayor ever seemed to indulge.
"So much for friendship..." Lex mumbled. Lola had probably been the closest thing to a true friend that he had. This just proves you can't trust people, he thought.
Frustrated, Lola ran back to Leopold. "Let me help, Senator," she said. She joined his efforts, trying to heal the wounded magically as Leopold tended to them medically. This continued until several people with guns marched into the room.
"It's the Rebellion," Leopold said in horror as they began firing upon the already severely wounded people there.
"No," Lola said. "It's not." They might be wearing the uniforms, but she knew these people were not Rebels. She knocked the wind out of Leopold as she pushed him down, pulling him into a corner and shielding him from the gunfire.
"What do you mean? Look at their uniforms," Leopold argued as he tried to catch his breath.
"Leopold, I'm telling you, this isn't the Rebellion. Someone's setting them up."
"That doesn't make sense, Lola. How can you be so certain?"
"Because I'm part of the Rebellion!"
He stared at her, his shock clear on his face. "You?" He repeated.
"It's a long story... But we need to get out of here, Leopold. They're going to blame this entire thing on the Rebels. To pull that off, they'll have to kill any witnesses."
"We can't leave these people-"
"They're already dead, Leopold. I'm sorry... You and I are the only ones they haven't managed to shoot."
Leopold looked at the scene in front of them in horror. He knew she was right. As the gunmen aimed their fire at the two of them, Leopold wrapped his arms tightly around Lola and slipped out of the time line.
"Holy shit! Nice party trick," Lola said in surprise.
"Damnit! I can't move," Leopold said.
"What do you mean? You're moving right now."
"I mean I can't move through the time line. Whatever we're trapped in sealed us here fully. I can slip into the time line but can't move forward or back, or change our location. We're still trapped."
"But there aren't bullets here, so there's that," Lola said cheerfully.
"Yes, but when we re-enter time, they'll still be shooting at us. It will be the exact moment we left."
Lola pulled off one of her necklaces and put it around Leopold's neck. "It's blessed with a shielding spell," she said. "I just activated it... It will keep the bullets from hitting you."
"What about you?"
"I'm immortal. My mentor knew a day would come when I'd need to be. I might get shot, but I'll survive. Come on. Let's go." She linked her arm through his.
Reluctantly, Leopold stepped back into time. The bullets flew at them rapidly. Leopold shielded Lola with his body, praying her shield would work. The bullets were immediately deflected. As the gunmen stood baffled by this, Lola grabbed his arm.
"Run," she said.
They fled into the main hall. Leopold knew the mansion well. He took Lola and slipped into one of the secret passageways. It had a portal inside.
"It's dead..." Leopold said as he realized the portal wouldn't activate.
"Wait... We're sealed in. My communication stone doesn't work. You can't move through time. Portals are down." Lola sighed. "I'm an idiot. We're in a labyrinth."
"A labyrinth?" Leopold nodded. "That makes sense. It's incredibly powerful, though. Who could have made it?"
"Well, the Warlock makes a decent labyrinth from what I've heard, but it's not him. Like I said, the Rebels didn't do this... Laby is supposed to be the best at it, but he's been missing for a few years... And from what they've told me about him, he would never do something like this. There are innocent children here, some of which are dead. He'd never hurt a bunch of kids." Lola shook her head. "A powerful enough Sorcerer can learn to build impressive labyrinths. I guess my father has someone in his back pocket."
"Your father?"
"Oh, yeah... About that... My name isn't Lola Fairbrook... It's Lola Freyst. But he doesn't know that."
Leopold's eyes went wide. "You're his daughter?"
"Unfortunately. My mother had to let my mentor take me away when I was born. She was just a kid."
"Imogen..." Leopold said in horror.
Lola looked at him in surprise. "How did you know that?" She asked.
"Imogen is my dear friend... When I discovered her circumstances, I became determined to save her. My friend Paul and I freed her two years ago."
"She's safe?" Lola asked.
"Safe and officially pardoned of all criminal charges. Rey stepped in."
Lola hugged him. "My mentor promised my mother would be saved one day, and I'd get to meet her... Because of you, that's true."
Leopold held her for a moment before releasing her. "Imogen is remarkable, Lola. You'll like her," he promised.
They could feel the labyrinth falling away a little. "Maybe I can prevent this... If I jump back-" Leopold began.
"No. It's too dangerous. It could end up even worse," Lola said.
Leopold sighed. "You're right," he admitted. "I just hate knowing I can't do anything to help."
Suddenly, Imogen walked into the room. "Leo, I felt you were in danger," she said. "I came as soon as the labyrinth opened a bit."
"Imogen... You shouldn't be here," Leopold said. "It isn't safe."
"You need me... And perhaps I can help the wounded. Also, if we must fight our way out, Lady Eleanor's training has prepared me for that. You are my family. I shall not leave you."
Lola stared at her mother in awe. "Hi..." She said softly.
Imogen paused as she studied her. "Do I... Do I know you?" She asked. It was clear she sensed the truth.
"Sort of... I'm Lola... Your daughter."
Imogen stared at Leopold. "Did you know?" She asked.
"I only just found out," Leopold replied.
Imogen pulled Lola into her arms. Lola was surprised but pleased. "I was afraid I would never find you, my sweet baby," Imogen said softly.
"I sincerely hate to cut this reunion short, but we must escape," Leopold said. "Did you see any survivors?"
"A few," Imogen said. "Far more had already perished. It is horrific."
"Let me try to reach out for help again," Lola said. She tapped the communication stone before declaring, "Garron!" It still didn't work. "Damnit! Still blocked."
They could hear the arrival of several people. Leopold nearly cried with relief when he spotted Paul coming in with several Peacekeepers.
"Paul! Thank goodness," Leopold said.
"We're here on official orders to find and rescue any survivors," Paul said. "The main part of the Guard should be arriving soon to handle the Rebellion. The Peacekeepers are not to engage in battle unless left with no choice. Mother and Jane came as well with a group of powerful healers to try to assist the wounded."
"It's not the Rebellion, Paul," Leopold said. "I think the Mayor is setting them up."
Suddenly, the labyrinth sealed again. "Uh-oh..." Lola mumbled. "Guys, be careful. I don't think this is over."
A fresh assault began. Screams echoed through the mansion. It became clear very quickly that the Mayor had no intention of letting most of them walk away.
News of an intense standoff and hostage situation reached the rest of Eltar. As the Mayor was rushed to healers, he informed everyone that the Rebellion was responsible for the attack.
On Earth, Garron's communication stone received a call. He answered it pleasantly. "Greetings, Stone! To what do I owe the pleasure of hearing from you?" He asked with a smile.
"Garron, what on all of Eltar were you thinking? Why would you order this?" Stone demanded.
"Pardon me?" Garron asked, confused by the rage radiating off of Stone. Even through the communication stone, he could see it like a physical aura around him.
"There were families present, Garron! Innocent women and children! Men who did nothing to warrant such an attack! The Prime Minister is still inside and no one knows if he is alive! And to attack again after the Peacekeepers and healers arrived? None of those souls are corrupt, Garron! They were only trying to help! What would make you give such an order? Vitella would be furious and-"
"Stone!" Garron cut him off. "I have no idea what you are speaking of. What has happened? Start at the beginning."
Stone hesitated, seeming to realize Garron was telling the truth. "Garron... There was an attack on Mayor Freyst's home. He was throwing an elaborate party. He escaped and specifically implicated the Rebellion in the attack, claiming Rebels stormed the party and began shooting. From what we know, many have lost their lives. No one has been able to get inside since the second attack after the Peacekeepers and healers went in."
Garron sighed. "That corrupt bastard was bound to try something like this eventually. Honestly, Stone, if we were behind the attack, do you truly believe we'd have let him escape with his life?"
"Fair point. My apologies, Garron... The situation is horrific and I wasn't thinking."
"I understand, Stone," Garron reassured him. "I need you to take point and lead a small group to infiltrate the mansion and try to help. Take only the best... Trerry, the children, Vagris, Plurri, and Rhanna will do."
"I'll gather everyone together and go in. If they question my presence, I can claim I'm assisting as an elder."
"Thank you, Stone. Contact me immediately if you need more hands."
"It is best those of you on Earth remain there. They are out for our heads right now. We will handle this."
Stone sent a telepathic message to Trerry, knowing he would hear him. Trerry immediately gathered his "kids." The three of them had been adults for quite some time, but he still viewed them as children at times. Trinity, his biological daughter, shared his unique telepathic gifts. Calix and Lia were not his by blood. They'd belonged to his dear friends Alaurys and Zandra, but after Zell killed them both, Trerry had raised them as his own. They tended to function as their own small Chapter of the Rebellion, often working with Vagris, Plurri, and Rhanna in emergencies. If the crisis was serious enough, like this one was, Stone would get involved.
They met in the woods near the mansion. Stone quickly explained the situation. "Trerry, Trinity, I need you both to keep us hidden for as long as possible. No one has been able to get inside since the Peacekeepers and healers arrived. There's been no communication," he said.
"Stone... Lola's in there," Trinity said. "She mentioned to me she'd been invited."
"We'll do everything in our power to get Lola and any survivors out," Stone promised. "Plurri, focus on healing once we're in. Vagris, test the borders with plants and see what happens."
Vagris nodded, summoning vines and growing them straight at the borders. Suddenly, they seemed to hit an invisible wall. They began to grow up into the air.
"Whoa..." Calix mumbled. "That's not normal..."
"It's a labyrinth," Rhanna said.
"Are you sure? Who could create such a powerful one aside from Laby?" Plurri asked.
"Maybe it was Laby," Lia said. "No one's seen him in a few years. He could have gone insane from his trauma and turned evil."
"Such a pessimist," Calix teased his younger sister. "Laby's not evil. Traumatized or not, he wouldn't do something like this."
"He's right," Stone said firmly. "Laby is incapable of this sort of senseless slaughter. He would never harm children or innocent women."
"Stone, trauma can change a person," Lia pointed out.
"Lia, you know what Laby lost when the Government attacked the peaceful protest. He wouldn't do this, no matter how messed up in the head he was," Trerry said gently.
"It's not that I doubt Laby, Uncle Trerry," Lia clarified. "It's just that I have seen trauma change people before. Besides... This feels a bit like Laby's work."
"She's right about that," Rhanna said. "Whoever did this is good... But it's not Laby. I'd know his work anywhere. It's missing his signature flair."
"It doesn't matter who made it," Vagris said. "The important question is how do we breech it?"
Rhanna grinned. "Leave it to me," she said.
"What are you going to do, Rhan?" Plurri asked.
"Laby and I used to spar, in a way. He'd build labyrinths and I'd use my power to get through them. I could breech them all eventually. It just took practice and the ability to focus. Labyrinths are just another plane of existence. Walking all planes is my area of expertise."
"Be careful, Rhanna," Stone said. "We do not know who our enemy is."
Rhanna nodded. "I've got this, Stone," she promised. Then, she closed her eyes and focused on the energy coming from beyond the wall. Carefully, she slipped through to test the waters. Sure enough, she made it past the entrance of the labyrinth. Bodies littered the ground, but no one was waiting to assassinate her. Satisfied that they wouldn't all die the second they tried to cross through, Rhanna slipped back outside of the barrier.
"We're good to go," she said. "Brace yourselves... The carnage is pretty bad."
"Calix... Can you handle this?" Trerry asked.
"No," Calix admitted, "but if there are survivors, they'll need my help. I'm in."
"Plurri..." Stone said, hesitating.
"I'm going," Plurri said firmly.
"It's really bad, Plurri," Rhanna stressed.
Plurri took a deep breath. "I'm not the boy I was when we were on the Elite Counsel, my friends," he said stoically. Softly, he added, "I spent decades in the highest security prison on Eltar paying for Zutan's crimes... I don't need to be protected from the horrors of the world anymore. I've already lived through them."
"He'll be fine," Vagris said firmly. "Plurri is tougher than we ever give him credit for."
Stone nodded. "How many of us can you get inside at once, Rhanna?" He asked.
"Two... Remember, I have to touch you to bring you through," Rhanna said.
"Trerry, stay out here. Trinity and I will go in first. You and Trinity can communicate. Even a labyrinth can't block the two of you from each other. This way, we'll know what's going on inside and outside. There must be no surprises. Trinity, in addition to communicating with your father, you will detect nearby threats and distract them. I'll be prepared to fight our way through. Vagris and Plurri can come in next. Vagris will take point as a warrior and Plurri will heal anyone who is still alive. Calix and Lia will come in last. Calix, you will focus on healing and on trying to soothe anyone who is panicking so we can help them. Try to use your sight to help locate survivors if you can call up any visions. Lia, if trouble appears, send them straight into an abyss," Stone instructed.
Lia smirked. "Sounds like my kind of party," she said.
"Rhanna, once everyone is inside, find us. We'll fight our way through together until the threat is handled. As needed, get people out of there," Stone continued.
"Got it," Rhanna said. "Let's go."
Soon enough, everyone was through except Trerry. Can you hear me, Father? Trinity asked.
Loud and clear, Baby Girl, Trerry replied. Be careful.
They had their assignments. Trinity tried to ignore the carnage as they made their way through the mansion. As Stone, Rhanna, Vagris, and Plurri moved on ahead, Trinity sensed something. She moved toward it. That was when she spotted the first person she saw that she recognized. It was the Prime Minister. Please be breathing, she thought. She knelt beside him and sighed with relief as she realized he was covered in debris but relatively uninjured.
"Calix!" She called.
Calix hurried over with Lia right behind him. "It's the Prime Minister!" Calix said in horror. "Is he...?"
"He's okay, Cal," Trinity promised. "Just unconscious. He needs minimal healing. Can you help him?"
"Of course," Calix replied.
"The energy all over him..." Lia said as she sensed it. "It's Lola's."
"She must have been trying to protect him," Calix replied. "We need to find her. She could be terribly injured."
Or dead, Lia thought.
Trinity looked at Lia and shook her head. Would you try looking on the bright side once in a while? Lola is tough. I'm sure she's fine, she thought at her.
If you want optimism, spend time in my brother's head, Lia thought back. She stuck her tongue out at Trinity. Trinity laughed despite the seriousness of the situation.
Suddenly, a flood of water rushed toward them as though a river had manifested. "Shit!" Lia cried, opening an abyss to catch the water so they wouldn't drown. At first, Trinity thought Rey had woken up and misfired. She quickly realized, however, that he was still unconscious. That meant one thing...
"Stone!" Rhanna called in alarm.
Exchanging quick glances, the three younger Eltarians ran toward the sound of Rhanna's voice. They realized what had been bad enough to shake the normally unshakable Rhanna up.
Stone's head had been cracked open badly. He lay unconscious on the ground as water surged around him. "I can't heal him unless I can get close to him," Plurri said in alarm.
"Rhanna, we found the Prime Minister unconscious," Trinity said. "Can you get him out of here?"
Rhanna sighed. "Yeah, of course... But Stone's in bad shape..." She began.
"Stone will survive. He'd want you to get Rey to safety," Lia said.
"We'll help him," Calix added.
Rhanna nodded. "Take care of him," she said firmly. Then, she left to get Rey somewhere safe.
"What happened to Stone?" Trinity asked Plurri.
"We sensed what we thought was a vulnerable point in the labyrinth. Stone and Vagris tried to break through with their magic, and it exploded and sent their spells back at them twice as strong... Stone jumped in front of Vagris and took the bulk of the attack. I... I don't know where Vagris ended up. The head injury made Stone lose control and suddenly, there was water everywhere." He was trembling.
Calix gently touched Plurri's arm, trying to soothe him. "He'll be okay. We'll find him," he said gently.
Or he's d- Lia began to think.
Lia, don't even start with that! Trinity thought. Vagris is fine. He's Vagris. He survived Zell. He'll survive this, too.
Lia looked at Trinity apologetically. "I'll search for him," she offered.
"No, we need your powers here," Trinity said. "You can make an abyss to drain the water away from Stone so Plurri can heal him. You're the only one who can do that. I can search for Vagris."
"Good point," Lia agreed. She knelt down and created an abyss close to Stone. The water naturally began flowing toward it. Soon, the raging river around Stone was only on one side of him. Plurri raced to his other side and set to work.
Trinity searched for Vagris, hoping he might be conscious and she could hear his thoughts.
On the other side of the mansion, Lara and Jane were trying to heal a severely wounded child when fresh gunfire rang out. Lara covered both Jane and the child with her body. Bullets tore through her flesh. She was dead in seconds.
"Mother!" Jane screamed. She began sobbing while still trying to protect the child. That was when her mother was ripped off of her. A masked man fired a shot straight into Jane's head. He shot the child the same way, then moved on.
Paul had been holding his own well, but when Jane was shot, he stopped in his tracks. He knew his twin was dead and he suddenly couldn't breathe. One of the men shoved a sword through his chest and pulled it back out quickly.
Leopold witnessed this. He screamed his best friend's name and fell to his knees in grief. To his surprise, Imogen picked up a sword and stood protectively in front of him. On her own, she took down three of the nearby assassins, including the one who'd killed Paul.
The bodies of the dead assassins vanished as Lex removed them from the labyrinth. He knew no one could learn their true identities. He tried not to think about the dead children. The Mayor couldn't have wanted that... They just got caught in the crossfire, he told himself to ease the pain in his chest as he realized how out of control things had gotten.
"Leopold... We must leave this place," Imogen said urgently.
"Paul... He's..." Leopold tried to reply. He was at a loss for words.
"I know. I grieve him as deeply as my own kin. Sir Matthew and Lady Eleanor did much to help me, and you and Paul risked so much to save me... You are all my family. However, we must continue to fight, Leo."
"This way," Lola said, motioning to them from a doorway. They met her there. "Come on. Help is close." She led them down a long hallway to a partially flooded room.
"Stone!" Leopold cried in alarm, seeing one of Eltar's most revered Elders beside an abyss that was filling with water.
"Lola! Oh, thank God!" Calix said. He ran to her and flung his arms around her. "Stone was caught up in an explosion. He lost control of his powers when it knocked him out. My sister's keeping the mansion from completely flooding, but she keeps having to make the abyss deeper. It's filling too quickly. Plurri's trying to heal him."
"Plurri? The one who fled Treason charges connected to the Great Wizard?" Leopold asked.
"He's a friend, Leo," Lola promised. "He's an extremely powerful healer."
"Cal! I found Vagris!" Trinity shouted from the next room.
Calix rushed toward her. Vagris lay motionless and soaking wet on a table. Water still flowed around the table, but it wasn't as deep as it could be anymore. The blast had gravely injured Vagris, but the water had lowered his body temperature and heart rate and seemingly slowed the loss of blood. He was still entirely too pale. He looked dead. "Oh my God..." Calix whispered in horror.
"He's not breathing," Trinity said. "I moved him out of the water, but he'd already stopped."
Calix began by healing the worst of the injuries, ignoring the fact that Vagris wasn't breathing. When he was positive Vagris wouldn't immediately die upon being revived, he began to perform CPR. It didn't work.
"He's too cold..." Calix mumbled. He started using his powers of light to try to warm Vagris up. Imogen saw this and stood beside Vagris, manifesting a small circle of fire around him.
"You created a fire on water," Calix said in awe as he realized the flames were based in the pool of water around them.
"Imogen is quite strong," Leopold said. "Keep going," he added to Calix. He began to perform CPR with a determined expression on his face.
Soon, Vagris began coughing up water. "Easy, Friend," Leopold said, helping him sit up slowly.
"Vagris..." Trinity said in relief. "Are you alright?"
Vagris nodded slowly. "Nothing I can't recover from," he said before coughing again.
Rhanna returned then. "Oh, thank the Gods," she mumbled as she saw Vagris. "I thought we'd lost you."
"I'm hard to kill, remember?" Vagris replied with a small smile.
The Guard is coming. I distracted a bunch of them, but a few got through. The labyrinth is opening up for them. You need to get out of there! Trerry sent to Trinity.
"Shit... Rhanna, we need to get out of here fast," Trinity said. She headed to the other room. The water was nearly gone. Lia looked like she was going to collapse. Plurri was still healing Stone, but it was clear he was out of mortal danger.
"Plurri, you need to leave. Calix can finish healing Stone. The Guard is coming. If they catch you, they'll execute you on sight," Trinity said.
"I can't leave him like this... Or leave you guys here," Plurri objected.
"Plurri... We must leave," Vagris said from the door. "I am too weak to fight. Stone can claim he came here to assist and no one will question him, but I am supposed to be dead, and you have a high price on your head."
"Vagris! You're okay!" Plurri cried. He looked like he might sob in relief.
"Go on," Calix said. "You did well with Stone. I can do the rest."
Plurri nodded. Rhanna took his arm. "Come on, let's go," she said. "Be careful, Kids," she added to the others. She vanished with Plurri and Vagris.
Calix set to work on helping Stone. "You okay, Sis?" He asked Lia.
"A little dizzy, but I'll be fine," Lia replied. She leaned on Trinity to keep herself standing.
The labyrinth fell away suddenly. The Guard found them immediately. "Senator Leopold, you are under arrest!" One declared.
"What? On what charge?" Lola demanded.
"Several witnesses saw the Senator run the Mayor through with a sword! And you, his accomplices, are also under arrest."
"Accomplices? We have done nothing but try to help the wounded!" Imogen protested.
"We caught you red-handed with a severely injured Elder of Eltar!"
Lia began trying to create another abyss despite her weakened state. Trinity shook her head. You aren't strong enough right now, she thought. Containing Stone's power took too much out of you. Besides, trapping them will only make the charges worse.
With a sigh, Lia let her abyss vanish before anyone else noticed. A guard grabbed Calix, pulling him away from Stone and handcuffing him.
"Get Stone to our finest healers," another said. Two Guards carefully lifted Stone onto a stretcher and wheeled him away. The other Guards surrounded the rest of them. With a powerful spell, they were all immediately knocked unconscious. The Guards used a spell to transport them to Eltar's highest security prison.
Back on Earth, a member of the Guard knocked on the door of the "Arnold" household. Gregory opened it. He looked at the guard with both curiosity and nervousness. "Mother... I think it's for you," he called after a moment.
Lady Eleanor walked to the door. "Go up to your room, Gregory," she said. He did. She looked at the guard. "Zateldo... What brings you?" She asked, bracing herself for the worst.
"Pardon the intrusion on your mission, Lady Eleanor," Zateldo said respectfully. He removed his hat and assumed a stance that told Lady Eleanor it was worse than she'd feared. "I come bearing tragic news."
"Out with it."
"There was an attack on the Mayor's mansion. It was the Rebellion of Eltar... Many innocent lives were lost, including children."
Lady Eleanor was horrified. "Are they calling on us to return?" She asked.
"No. The culprits have been apprehended and await execution, pending the outcome of their hearings. One was already executed for her role, but the Prime Minister insisted all others must face a fair trial. He is lobbying for the release of one in particular, a girl who works at the Counsel Building who he says helped him survive. He believes she is innocent, although she was seen assisting the Senator who we know is behind the attack. The Prime Minister insists Lola must not have known that the Senator was a traitor."
"Senator? Which Senator would dare to betray Eltar?"
"Leopold, Ma'am."
She stared at him. "That's not possible. Leopold is a good man with strong morals. He would never do such a horrific thing."
"He was seen trying to assassinate the Mayor, Lady Eleanor. Mayor Freyst barely escaped with his life." He paused. "There is more, Ma'am."
"What else?"
"Several Peacekeepers and healers came to assist. They were also killed in a second attack."
Lady Eleanor suddenly had a horrible feeling. "Go on," she said, forcing herself to detach and go fully into warrior mode.
"Sir Matthew's family was present, Lady Eleanor. I'm terribly sorry, but his mother and siblings perished."
She took a deep breath. "Tell me who is responsible," she said.
"As I said, the Prime Minister is trying to pardon Lola and swears she is innocent... As for the rest, the Senator had several accomplices. Trinity, Daughter of Trerry, and her adopted siblings, Calix and Lia, all await trial along with Leopold. A previously arrested criminal who the Prime Minister recently pardoned was also involved. She was immediately executed, as I said. Her name was Imogen."
Lady Eleanor felt like the air was knocked out of her. "Imogen..." She repeated.
"She was a deadly criminal. Rey never should have pardoned her to begin with. The people demanded her head."
Lady Eleanor wasn't sure what to believe. Leopold was a family friend and Imogen had become their kin. Still, as the guard presented her with compelling evidence in a file, she could not deny the horrible truth. Staring at photos of her beloved family dead on the floor of the mansion, Lady Eleanor was filled with guilt.
I trusted them... I taught Imogen to become a warrior. I told her to fight back... She said she had to seek justice... And this is what she left us to do, she thought in horror.
After thanking Zateldo for coming to her, she headed inside. "Matthew, my love... Something has happened," she said softly. "Your family... They were betrayed."
Matthew looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"Leopold and Imogen are part of the Rebellion..."
"Eleanor, that's madness. Of course they aren't."
"Matthew... I have evidence here. I don't want to believe it either, but..." She sighed, handing him the pages that did not contain photos he should never have to see.
"My God..." He whispered. "There were children present..."
"My love..." She sighed. "Your mother and sister arrived as healers, and your brother as a Peacekeeper... There was a second attack..."
He looked at her. "Eleanor..." He said, shaking his head. "No. Please, no..."
"I am so sorry, my beloved Matthew... They... They perished."
Matthew's legs gave out. He held onto a kitchen chair with trembling hands. He shook his head again. "No... No, it cannot be..." He whispered.
As Eleanor wrapped her arms around him, he began to sob as he never had before. "Justice shall be done, my love," she promised him. Then, silently, she wept with him, grieving all they had lost and silently vowing to never make the mistake of trusting a convicted criminal again.
TWO DAYS LATER.
Trerry was furious as Garron arrived on Eltar. "We have to go after them!" He said for the hundredth time since Trinity and the others had been arrested. He'd have done it already himself if Vagris hadn't left him trapped in a maze of vines he could not escape from.
"We must be cautious, Trerry," Garron replied.
"Screw caution! That's my family in there!" Trerry argued.
"I promise we'll do everything we can to free them. The trials haven't started yet. We have time."
"Lia and Trinity are tough and might be alright, but Calix won't last a week in that place! You saw what it did to Plurri. It breaks people that are full of light! And horrible, corrupt guards do work there. Who knows what they'll do?" Trerry struggled against the vines, hurting himself once again in the process.
"Trerry..." Garron sighed. "Vagris, release him. He has a right to his anger, and he won't run off right now." Vagris nodded and withdrew the vines. "Trerry, I know what it is to worry for your loved ones. I lost mine as well, at the hands of the very people we face now. I promise we will do whatever we must to assist our people, but we need a plan."
Rhanna joined them as he said that. "Stone's conscious," she said. "He tried to vouch for everyone, but Freyst declared him bewitched or some other nonsense. He says the head trauma makes his testimony unreliable, and since a number of people claim they witnessed Senator Leopold attacking the Mayor, everyone believes he is guilty and that the others are working with him. Imogen got screwed. Her past record looks bad, even though Rey cleared her. The people insisted this proved she was a killer all along. They want her head for this. Details are sketchy on whether or not she's already been executed."
"Is Stone alright?" Plurri asked.
"He's fine now that he's awake... Worried about everyone, mostly."
"We should call the Sisterhood. They may be our best bet," Vagris said.
"Stone sent me a message to do exactly that. We've got a plan, Garron. We'll let the girls handle this," Rhanna said.
"I believe in the Sisters, but can they handle something this dangerous?" Garron asked.
"Stone trusts them with this," Rhanna said. "That's good enough for me."
The following day, Leela, Aylane, Jessa, and Annabrooke set to work. Leela summoned powerful gusts of wind to draw several of the prison guards outside. Once they'd come out, she blew them to separate areas of the grounds. Jessa had already had a vision telling her where they would land, and she set traps appropriately. She triggered the traps with a device that connected them all, ensuring those guards would not escape quickly.
Annabrooke walked right up to the main doors of the prison. A guard stood in her path. She smiled at him sweetly as she said, "Hello, Good Sir! I am here to perform a safety check."
"Safety check?" The guard repeated.
"Yes... It seems your smoke alarms may not be up to code."
"Why would you think that?"
"Well, look," she said, still smiling innocently as she pointed behind him. She'd summoned flames from the ground without him noticing and they licked at the walls and ceiling.
The guard's eyes widened. He panicked and ran to find the nearest fire hose. Annabrooke grinned as she called, "It's all clear!"
Leela, Aylane, and Jessa met her at the door. "Nice," Jessa said as she looked at the fire. Annabrooke bowed grandly before opening a path through the flames to allow them inside the prison.
"Let's go," Aylane said. "There are three guards still inside... I'll handle them."
They moved through the prison to where the remaining guards stood. Aylane immediately slipped into two of their minds. Sleep, she thought. They fell unconscious.
You will tell me where the Rebel prisoners are, she thought at the third.
He shook his head stubbornly. Aylane stared into his eyes. "Where are you keeping Senator Leopold and the others?" She asked aloud, forcing her way deeper into his mind.
He still tried to resist. Finally, Aylane thought, Answer me!
The guard's eyes became unfocused. "They are in Cell Block G. It has the strongest shields against magic," he said tonelessly.
"Are they hurt?" Aylane asked.
"Some of them," he replied.
Forget we were here and sleep, Aylane thought. He collapsed.
Jessa grabbed the ring of keys from his belt loop. The four members of the Sisterhood moved forward together until they found Cell Block G.
The first one they spotted was Lola. Her wrist was visibly broken but she looked otherwise uninjured. It was the haunted look in her eyes that worried the Sisterhood.
"Lola... Are you okay?" Annabrooke asked cautiously.
Aylane already knew the answer. "We'll make them pay," she promised.
"They killed her," Lola said softly. "The Mayor refused to grant her a trial, and his vote plus the nearly unanimous vote of the Senate was enough to overrule the Prime Minister's objection."
"Are you talking about Imogen?" Annabrooke asked in horror.
"Yes... She was immortal, but he... He knew how to kill her. I think he was the only one with the ability." Lola shook her head. "She was my mother," she whispered. "And I just found her."
Leela immediately went into maternal mode, pulling Lola into her arms to comfort her. "I'm so sorry, sweetie," she said soothingly.
Jessa was hit with an overwhelming vision. Imogen stood before the Mayor. He'd ordered that the execution be private so Imogen couldn't harm anyone with her "dangerous" magic. Then, he had painfully stripped away her immortality, leaving her vulnerable.
"Any last words before I kill you, you worthless girl?" Mayor Freyst demanded.
"I would much rather die than be your slave," Imogen replied bravely. "There is nothing you can do to me that is worse than what I have already faced." She spit on him.
Mayor Freyst slapped Imogen across the face. Completely enraged, he turned his back to her to heat up his monogrammed cufflink with a lighter. In that time, he did not see Imogen slip out of the cell, leaving a very impressive tulpa behind. He faced the tulpa and branded it right over its chest with his initials. The tulpa did not cry out in pain, instead staring at the Mayor defiantly. He took a sword and swiftly decapitated it, never realizing he'd "killed" a tulpa.
Jessa returned to the present with a smile on her face. "Imogen is alive, Lola," she said.
"What? That's impossible... He showed her head to me and Senator Leopold," Lola said.
"It was a tulpa. I don't know where Imogen went, but she got away from him. She might still be hiding here. He hurt her pretty badly by stripping away her immortality... But she's still alive, Lola. I saw it."
Lola slowly began to smile. "Then let's go find her."
"You and I can go search for Imogen," Aylane said. "If she's conscious, I'll hear her. Girls, go find Trinity, Calix, Lia, and the Senator."
Leela nodded. "We're on it," she promised. She led Jessa and Annabrooke down the hall. They found Trinity first. She looked relatively uninjured but was unconscious.
"They injected her with a sedative from a distance, before she could sense them coming," Jessa said as the information came to her. "They realized very quickly that they couldn't keep her out of the heads of the guards and she kept making them start to release her or trapping them in her mind."
"Will she be okay?" Annabrooke asked.
"She'll be fine, but it will take a little time for her to sleep it off. It was an extremely high dose. I think they did the same to the Senator. He time travels... They kept him injured for a while before realizing they had to sedate him when the head injury stopped being enough to block his powers... After he saw what he thought was Imogen's severed head, he fought back harder and his powers got stronger."
"Lia's over here," Leela called. She was two cells over.
Lia was conscious but restrained to a bed. She'd been beaten severely. Her eyes were swollen shut and her jaw was bruised. She still managed a small smile as she heard Leela's voice.
"About time," she mumbled. "I was getting pretty bored in here."
"Oh, sweetie!" Leela said in horror as she freed her. "What did they do to you?"
"I talked back too much, so they tried to shut me up. It didn't work," Lia said as she slowly sat up.
"We'll get you healed... But first, we must find your brother."
"Where's Trinity?" Lia asked.
"Unconscious, but unharmed. We have her. I'm going to carry her. Jessa, come help Lia walk," Leela called.
Jessa hurried to Lia's side. "Those bastards..." She said softly as she saw Lia's injuries.
"I'm okay," Lia promised. "Some of them are in worse shape," she added with a dark smirk.
It was Annabrooke who found Calix. He was lying on the floor of his cell curled up in a ball. His cheeks were stained with tears and he was shaking as he held himself. There was a bit of dried blood on the bed but he had no obvious injuries. Annabrooke might seem naive at times, but she understood what must have happened to him.
"Calix..." Annabrooke said softly. He didn't respond. "Cal, it's me. It's Annabrooke." She gently reached toward him.
Calix let out a soft whimper that broke Annabrooke's heart. She used a parlor trick Serafine had taught her as a child and manifested a warm, fluffy blanket with magic. She covered Calix, who seemed to take comfort in it. Gently, she moved the hair out of his eyes. He finally looked at her.
"Annie..." He whimpered softly.
She nearly started to cry. Instead, she curled up on the floor beside him and held him. "Shhh... You're safe now," she promised him. "No one else is going to hurt you."
Jessa arrived with Lia, who seemed to sense something was wrong even with her eyes swollen shut. "Cal..." She said softly.
"Li..." He replied. Then, he seemed to realize how injured she was. He immediately began to heal his younger sister, forcing himself to appear calm.
When she could see, Lia cursed as she looked into his eyes. "Who was it?" She demanded as she noticed the blood on his bed.
"It doesn't matter," Calix said softly.
"Who was it, Cal? They're dead!" She declared.
"Lia... Please..." He replied with fresh tears in his eyes.
Lia let it go, pulling him into a tight hug, but everyone knew she'd find out who'd hurt him eventually and make the monster pay for it.
They met up with Aylane, Lola, and Imogen. "You're okay!" Annabrooke said with relief.
Imogen nodded weakly. "I've regained some of my power," she said. She walked toward Trinity. "I can remove the sedative." She began casting a spell. Moments later, Trinity opened her eyes. Leela set her down on her feet gently.
"Ugh... Talk about a hangover..." Trinity mumbled. "Thanks, Imogen."
Imogen nodded. "We must find Leopold. They'll kill him if we leave him here," she said.
Annabrooke cheerfully skipped ahead of them like the little girl she still seemed to be at times. Moments later, she called, "He's here!"
The others hurried down the hall. They found the Senator unconscious and severely beaten. "Oh, Leo..." Imogen said sadly. As she set to work on removing the sedative, Calix focused on healing him. It seemed to help him to have a purpose, so no one tried to stop him even though he was clearly growing weak.
Leopold awoke a short time later. "Imogen?" He asked in shock. He began sobbing in relief. "How?" He asked.
"I made a tulpa," she replied as she hugged him. "The bastard was too stupid to realize what I'd done."
Leopold actually laughed. "Brilliant!" He proclaimed.
"The guards are starting to stir," Trinity said.
"I hear them, too. We need to run," Aylane added.
"Portal spell, here we come..." Leela said. She cast a powerful one, opening a portal just large enough for them to escape.
They were met on the other side of the portal by Garron, Trerry, Rhanna, Plurri, Vagris, and Stone.
"Oh God..." Trerry whispered in relief. He immediately flung his arms around all three of his kids. Calix flinched slightly. It didn't take telepathy for Trerry to know what had happened to him.
Plurri seemed to know, too. He gently guided Calix away from the others and Trerry hoped he would be able to help Calix recover emotionally.
"Well done, Girls," Stone said with a nod of approval.
"Do we get cookies?" Annabrooke asked hopefully.
"Like you need anymore sugar," Aylane said, rolling her eyes.
"Are you okay, Stone?" Leela asked. "We were really worried."
"I'm fine," Stone assured her. "I just haven't had an injury that severe in millennia."
"It's actually lucky you lost control," Vagris said. "Ironically, drowning saved my life."
"That may be, but please don't make a habit out of it," Rhanna said with a laugh.
"It does my heart good to see you all safe," Garron said. "You girls never cease to amaze me with the things you can do together."
"What will we do now, Leo? Where shall we go?" Imogen asked.
"I don't know," Leopold admitted. "There is a price on my head, and if they discover you're alive, they'll kill you, too."
"We could hide, I suppose..."
"I don't want you to disappear on me," Lola said, pulling Imogen into her arms. "I didn't think I needed a mother... I had my mentor... But then I thought you were dead and..." She shook her head. Imogen automatically held her to comfort her.
"Hello, my friends. I am Garron, Founding Member of the Rebellion of Eltar. Imogen... Senator Leopold... You are currently fugitives," Garron said. "However, it is clear you were both unjustly charged with these crimes. Senator, I am a fan of your work. You do not have a corrupt bone in your body, and you do good things for the people of Eltar. You also took a stand against Mayor Freyst to save an innocent girl. If you're willing, we would be honored to have you join the Rebellion... Both of you."
Imogen's eyes went wide. Leopold frowned. "Until recently, I believed the Rebels to be anarchists and monsters... Yet, in our hour of need, you were the ones trying to save innocent lives. I was wrong about you." He paused. "Imogen?"
"I have nowhere else to go, Leopold," she replied. "They killed Sir Matthew's family... He and Lady Eleanor probably believe we are to blame... I do not blame them, but I certainly cannot ask them to take me in again. I trust you, Leo. I shall follow your lead."
He nodded. "Very well... Garron of Eltar... We accept your invitation to join the Rebellion," he said.
Garron smiled. "Then welcome, Friends. I promise you shall see justice for all of the horrors which have occurred," he replied. He looked at the others and declared, "Bizzeh mada alebastes!"
