Chapter Five

Once clear that the pair had to trek back on foot to the forge fire to complete the task, Elyon took some action.

The queen stood, thinking over her brother's words.

"Is it possible that the trials are real?" she asked her former teacher.

Galgheita looked up from the pool, long ears folded down as she answered, "I must apologize, my queen. This is not my field of knowledge. I do not know what magic rules this place operates by other than what is written. I am a scholar, not a mage."

Elyon nodded and, surprising all there, looked at Cedric. "You have spent years at Phobos' heels. I think you hide what you've learned, so you're not a threat to him."

Miranda answered first, standing up, blocking Cedric from the queen's gaze. "We have already honored our deal. Helping you more will cost more." She pointed at the pool's surface. "He will be furious when this all comes to light. We will not become his enemies on a whim."

Cedric stood and placed a hand on the short woman's shoulder. She was right. Phobos would look pass many things, but viewing him being slowly peeled apart by magic, knowing his softer side, something he had hid all his life, would draw his ire like nothing else.

"What do you want?" Taranee stood as well, asking before Elyon could. The queen frowned, not use to someone else taking charge over her.

Over the last few years, she didn't need to work with her friends in a more professional matter. Able to just see each other for more light-hearted gatherings. When Phobos escaped and the five showed up to help track him, Will had taken charge. It was a combination of them falling into old habits, and Elyon understanding Will was used to leading a team, with Elyon used to acting solo with magical task. With Will gone, one of the four guardians had to step up. Cornelia and Taranee were the clear two choices. And, as Cornelia didn't want to step on her best friend's toes, Taranee was taking the reins.

Not that it was needed. This was Elyon's problem to fix. This was happening because of her brother, on her planet, and only she had access to full powers. Whatever the couple wanted, Elyon would have to agree to it.

She didn't like this. Any of it.

"We want a Tonga Tooth," Miranda said, dark eyes firmly holding Elyon's blues.

"What?" Elyon said, appalled. "That is one of the rarest magic items on the planet! And you think I will just give you one? To traverse any realm?"

Miranda smiled. "Did I say 'give'? No, my queen. Trade for Cedric's knowledge… and mine."

Elyon spoke quickly, seeing Taranee open her mouth. "And what do you know that you aren't telling us?" she demanded with suspicion.

"It's more of an idea, based on what you all have said," she answered with a slight hiss at the end.

"And you can't just tell us?" Hay-Lin asked, standing now, and walked forward. "We are just sitting here, watching Will suffer. Please, we have to help her. If you know something."

At this point Cornelia stood to comfort the air master as Galgheita lumbered up, starting to feel tired from being woken from the dead of sleep, to help as well.

Seeing that Miranda had started well enough, Cedric took over before her more abrasive nature could spoil things. Maybe they could leave this night more than servants to another queen. Maybe they could have real freedom.

"We have been pawns in the battle for Meridian's throne for too long. A battle that will never end as long as Phobos lives. As I said before; you all will not kill him. And while we released him this time, there will always be someone who will keep releasing him. Even your Keeper found value in him and offered him a pardon, did she not?" he rhetorically questioned. "You are asking us to free him from the one thing that may hold him for the rest of his life. Free us from him."

Cedric decided a life in service to Phobos was no longer viable, when he saw how easily the young Keeper tricked him. How easily Raythor slipped in as a double agent. Miranda could smell the air guardian as she entered the prison and slipped into Raythor's cell. And Cedric knew enough about tricks to understand the vow the Keeper demanded served multiple purposes.

"But Will's stuck in there too!" Cornelia snapped, eyes glowing with latent magic.

Cedric nodded. "You are asking us to place the life of someone who had thrown ours into chaos above our own. You must see how that is foolish on our parts. I do not say this to be heartless but the Keeper has given us more suffering than the prince ever has."

Cornelia glared, stepping towards them and pointing. "You caused your own shit! Don't act like you don't deserve to rot in jail for what you've both done! Stop talking like only Will and Phobos are to blame here."

Miranda laughed, smile of contempt aimed at all but her lover. "Is that what you all think? That we had a choice? We are old enough that we saw the defeat of Weira. Saw the kingdom, the planet, crumble apart without access to it's magical heart. Yet, in that destruction, it gave us a chance to live beyond the meager lives our parents had as half-breeds. Either we joined his court or were his enemies. Frankly, under that fool, we rose higher than those like us could before or after him."

Elyon bristled. "We welcome all in my kingdom," she argued, insulted at the implication that people in her land were treated differently based on their species. She knew there was a prejudice there, that she couldn't stop old conflicts in just a few years, but she knew her court was different. Her laws, fair and just.

"But all are not equal," Miranda countered and looked at Galgheita. "Tell me, sister, do you feel guilty? Able to walk freely in your skin? All because you are favored by the queen?"

Galgheita looked away. She did not want to take part in this conversation. Elyon was a good queen. Kind and earnest in her drive to right the wrongs of the land. But she was blind, in many ways. In front of her, everyone would bend to her wants, behave the way she wished. Yet, behind her, people were the same. Prejudice between Escators and Galhots and the ones of mixed blood. Oppression by those able to wield magic and the bitterness of those unable to fight back.

The age-old struggle between those in power, with wealth and status, and those under them, the poor and outcast.

"Too afraid to speak the truth? I bet they screamed when they first saw you. I bet they ran in fear, or even attacked you. How many times have you suffered from that? Mocked and laughed at. Beaten and bloodied?" Miranda pressed, growling now at the back of her throat. "At least Phobos did not care what we looked like, only what we could do."

She laughed, bitter and flat as she went on. "And now we must keep playing these games. Over and over. Suffering for the prides of those blessed by magic. So forgive us for not caring that you might have to give up something for once. That the Keeper must give her life up to an endless suffering loop with him as a companion, so we might be done of a conflict that you all let continue because you will not slay the fool. Because your hands are too pure to be bloodied. Oh, no. That is for us. Because our births already bloodied our hands."

Miranda's eyes flashed, emotion raw as she looked at those that deemed her a monster for playing by rules set long before her. "So yes, a Tonga Tooth or we remain quiet until we are sent to Earth. We control our lives now."

"Enough!" Elyon snapped, saddened but needing to stay strong, not able to show weakness. A part of her, buried long ago, cared for both of them. Back, kidnapped by Phobos, tricked into believing it was her choice, Miranda had been her best friend, spending hours every day with her for months. And Cedric had been her caretaker, showing her the basics of her magic and taking a parental role, as Phobos kept his distance, not able to pretend to be kind for very long. But it was a lie, like everything she experienced those months. She couldn't let affection based on false personas color her feelings for the two before her.

Yet, now, seeing them share moments of affection between each other, often speaking through kind touches and looks, Elyon remembered similar experiences with them.

The realization that not everything was a lie was worse than thinking she didn't matter at all.

Because they still chose to let her almost die than help her escape.

And now here they were, asking for her to let them escape lives they didn't choose, to be free in every sense of the word.

Irma, the only one still at the pool, not too bothered by the drama in the room, rose a brow at the sight before her. The conversation between the two had been a mix of the normal back and forth and something new. Prince Phobos reached out to help Will as they climbed over fallen trees, being careful of Will's wounded hands. Will, in return, was showing genuine concern over Phobos' own hand wound, often demanding, with no luck, to be allowed to bandage it.

At least, Irma thought, seeing the two stumble over rocks and steady each other, they care if the other gets hurt. That's good, right?

As the water master caught Phobos' gaze lingering on Will for a while too long, she wasn't sure what was a good turn of events for any of this.

Was Cedric right? Was Phobos able to make normal, healthy ties? Will could trust him without it changing her behavior too much towards him. She would just be less involved with making choices when fighting him. But what would that mean for Phobos? To trust Will? Would he listen to reason from her? Be willing to trust her to show him there was more to life than a quest for a throne not his? Or would he just become bitter? Feel like he was wronged by her? Them? And then make them actual targets to him?

He had fought them in the past, but never came after them. Never used magic on their families. Even after spending months on Earth, going to their school, learning their lives, he never used it against them. Because they just didn't matter to him.

After this, Will would matter to him. In a way no one else had.

Irma felt herself grow worried, spying Phobos' hand lingering on Will's arm after helping her over another tree.

Damn, this was a weird day all around.

"You both have made choices on your own that is beyond just survival. Yet, I've already granted pardons, so this isn't about the past anymore," Elyon stated, head high even as her gut twisted. "I will locate and give you a Tonga Tooth only if your information leads to freeing Will."

Seeing that Miranda was ready to argue at the terms, Cedric interrupted. "Very well. Miranda, what is this idea you have?" he addressed her firmly, and she sighed, seeing defeat.

"Fine," the spider woman pointed to the doors of the forge. "If they are in fact being transported out of that room to perform these tasks, then they are appearing somewhere on the planet. All you have to do is figure out where they are, teleport to them, and tell them how to break the oath."

Taranee frowned. "Phobos was just guessing that the second trial was real. We need to see at least another one to confirm that before we run off across the planet. Right now we can only assume they are just behind the doors."

"Well," Miranda smiled thinly. "That is why you need a Passling."

"What?" a few people called in mild confusion.

"Why? Taranee questioned.

"They are the most well-traveled species on the planet. If the two appear anywhere on the surface, you can bet a Passling has stolen from there."

"Not just them," Cornelia spoke up, begrudgingly liking the idea. "The rebels hid all over the planet for years. Julian and Caleb would have a pretty good chance of knowing where they are."

"Hey, guys," Irma called. "You better decide soon. They are making good time back to the temple. Maybe less than an hour now? Also, I'm not trying to sound like I'm not caring or anything, but I need some food. We all do. We at least need to stay alert and not 'hangry'."

Elyon nodded. "Okay, I'll go get Caleb and Julian to start. And send a tracker to find Blunk. Galgheita I can take you home to change, but I need you here for any future translations that come up. Is that okay?"

Galgheita nodded and added. "It's near dawn by now. I can head to the kitchen to grab some food for everyone if you take me first."

Elyon nodded. "Hopefully, Blunk won't be too hard to find."

"Do we really have to bring more people to watch this?" Hay-Lin asked. "It feels so unfair to Will."

"I know," Elyon agreed. "We just don't have a choice. That's why I hope we can end this soon; at least Caleb and Blunk are her friends. And Julian holds deep respect for the Guardians."

Hay-Lin nodded, still feeling uneasy.

And with that, Elyon and Galgheita teleported away.

The walk back to the temple took an hour. While her phone was useless for sending messages, it still kept time. Normally, she never even pulled it out while off planet from Earth, but she had tried stuffing the dragon scales in the same pocket as it out of reflex.

Will held up the phone, Phobos a few feet behind her, shaking a few pebbles from his slippers, looking grumpy, and snapped a quick selfie with him in the background.

"What are you doing?" Phobos called out, putting his shoe back on.

"Don't worry; I'm not stealing your soul," she joked as she took another as he approached her, looking annoyed. "I'm trying to capture all your beautiful expressions; grumpy, annoyed, and angry."

"Ah, do not forget 'flabbergasted' by your increasingly bizarre behavior," he added, looking at the screen of her phone.

Will looked at him, now peering over her shoulder, and raised a brow. "Was that a joke?"

He looked at her, slight smirk on his face, and shrugged. "I believe the only joke here is you," he said just as Will snapped another selfie, capturing the moment she laughed.

"Okay, buddy. If we're taking shots here, I hope you bring your 'A' game," Will said as she started walking again into the clearing of the temple.

The last hour had been a mix of their normal heated bickering and a more agreeable calm. They stumbled their way through the path back to the temple while helping each other in little ways. Aiding the other over the larger trees and uneven ground. They ventured around into the forest when they could, but agreed not to go too far off the clear path to the temple.

Phobos had told her the very basics of blood necromancy, also called magic-less necromancy. Explaining how the dragon was reanimated with his blood and, as the creature was so large, his blood could only sustain it for so long. He didn't revive it for a return trip, as without a clear, meaningful goal, the dragon might just turn on him.

Will wasn't sure how she felt about being called a 'meaningful goal' by him. Yet, taking a hot bath after this might also be a 'meaningful goal' to him.

Phobos gestured behind them, where they left the fallen dragon and titan. "And when do I not bring my best," he asked pompously.

Will grinned as she readied herself for another picture as she replied, cheekily, "Kandrakar."

Snap!

Perfect!

Will skipped away from the glaring prince.

Back inside the temple, Will was happy to see the flame grow as they stepped up to it. The world faded and they returned to the empty room.

Will went to her side of the room and sank to the floor, back dragging down the wall. The scales in her pocket dug into her thigh so she removed them and tossed them at Phobos' feet, who was still in the center of the room.

"Your scales are still here. Does that mean it was real?" she asked, watching as he bent and picked one up.

"Maybe. There is always the possibility that this room is also fake," he added with a hand on his chin. "I have yet to feel a pang of hunger, but my wound persists."

Will groaned. Her fingers still ached, and he was right. She hadn't felt hungry or tired. But her phone was keeping time, and the battery had yet to lose its charge. "Why is magic so damn complicated?"

"Magic is simple. How we use it is not. You do not understand because you never had to seek it. To you, it has been handed like all things in your life," the prince said, eyes now burrowing down at her.

"Still mad about the 'Kandrakar' comment," she laughed, trying not to fall for his bait. She really was tired from the constant fighting. "And I may have been given the Heart, but I mastered it all on my own. As you had the pleasure of experiencing earlier." Will pointed out with a jab at his defeat from today.

Oddly, he titled his head to the side, eyes a little less heated as he answered, "Why yes, I did."

Confused, Will stood, not liking being lower as he added, "That still does not change you have no sense of value to what you hold. You have never needed to bleed for what you have."

That got to her a little. "Funny. You sure as hell tried to make me."

"You think those brief encounters amount to real strife? Real conflict? Truly, you are sheltered by the Oracle. Coddled by his sight. If you experienced anything on your own, you would be quickly educated with the true depths of your incompetence, Keeper." He dropped the scale back at his feet. "You mock my defeat like it defines me. One failure in near decades of rule? It is a lesson that even those like you, who spout virtue, still have deceit at their core."

Will placed her hands on her hips. "You just can't comprehend that, maybe, you are doing things wrong? That it wasn't 'one' failure, but a shit ton? That everything you do, everything you surround yourself with, just can't last? Because there is nothing real there? All your futures varied not because you take risk, but because there is nothing stable in your life," she ended with real sincerity in her voice.

Will was starting to feel… bad for him.

So much anger and hate. Not able to care for anyone, with no one able to care for him. Just a lonely life. He spent years alone in a cell and it didn't even affect him, as he was already used to isolation.

He took a step toward her, shoulders tense, eyes icy. "Remove that pitying tone, Keeper," he snarled, angry. "You know nothing of my life. Of me."

Will, still trying to keep her calm, nodded. "Just like you don't know me. Now how about we stop trying to analyze each other? We don't know what it's like in each other's-" just as she was talking the forge grew brighter.

And she realized what she had been saying.

"No!" she said so suddenly that Phobos moved back in a panic. "I didn't mean that! Please, anything but that!"

Phobos looked alarmed as she pleaded with the flame.

Only once the light died they were in a thick, dark jungle, the sounds of life around them, fireflies glowing softly as they circled the newcomers. Lighting up her now shorter companion's face.

"No!"

Not this.

Anything but this.

"Noooo!"

Irma gasped, almost dropping her kettle chip in the magic pool. First to process the scene.

"They've been 'freaky Friday'ed!"