Chapter 8: Split Decision

Song: "You'll Always Have Me"

Things in the Mystic Isles had been relatively calm for the last few months. Sure, there were some small events here and there, but nothing big to report on. So, when Vega received an urgent notice from the Conjuror's Board regarding one of their former sentries, she reacted as quickly as possible. Using her Enchantlet, she projected the visual of Malango the Magnanimous before her, while Orion stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and watching.

"Good morning, sir," Vega greeted respectfully. "I've read the report on your former sentry Isolde. I understand that she's connected with Master Qiqiang now and currently on assignment in Venburg in the Ever Realm. Is that correct?"

Malango nodded. "Yes, Vega, that is correct. Isolde was one of my best sentries to ever serve the board, but I can understand her reasoning for leaving. However, I had Master Qiqiang promise to keep me in the loop regarding her status and if he is aware of any distress, because I do care about her wellbeing. When Isolde didn't conduct a regular check-in yesterday evening, he became worried. When he tried to reach her through the magical gem on her hat she often wears, she didn't respond. She also didn't respond this morning, and he's concerned that something has happened to her."

"All of our Protectors are on assignment now, Vega," Orion muttered softly to her, a look of apprehension etched into his features. "Chrysta won't return until next month. And…"

"I have an idea," she mumbled back to him, smiling calmly at the Conjuror's Board leader. She straightened her posture, exuding quiet confidence. "Don't worry, Malango. We're on it, and I'll check in with you later so that you can update Master Qiqiang. Give me a few hours, all right?"

The man nodded. "All right. I'll let him know the immediate update anyway, so he can have at least some assurance. Thank you." With that, he disappeared from the projection.

Vega lowered her arm and turned to Orion, who kissed her briefly. She smiled lightly, appreciating his reassuring warmth. "I think a trip to Enchancia is in order."

He chuckled. "I had a feeling you were going to say that…"

"…And no one else is available?" Cedric asked as he and Sofia sat in their apartment, chatting with the two Protectors before them. Each person had a steaming cup of tea, but even that didn't relax the sorcerer. He looked behind Vega and noticed Serena and Charlie peeping down the hallway, but he shook his head and waved toward them, watching as they scurried back to their rooms.

"No," Vega lamented softly, shaking her head. "Chrysta won't be back till next month. The girls, as you know, have other focuses now…"

Sofia nodded, sighing. Both Nana and Tanya had opted to do some traveling together now that they were older, and as a result, they'd given up their roles as "Junior Protectors" a while ago. She couldn't blame them. Having been in the role at a young age herself, she knew what all went into it. It was for her, but it wasn't for her daughters, and that was fine. She had thrived in the role, but her daughters had found their own paths. "What about Galial?"

"On a mission in the Vidalari Realm," Orion responded. "Turon accompanied her."

"Garish?" Cedric inquired.

"Top Secret Mission," Vega answered. "I can't disclose his whereabouts, but he's unavailable."

"And Nerissa," Sofia added, "I'm sure is busy undersea…" She sighed, shaking her head, then smiling. "Okay. Count me in."

"Wha—now, wait a minute, Sofia," Cedric requested, clasping a hand over hers. "You're not very good at following through with the whole 'retired' thing, my love. Retired means you don't return to a role you've left."

She smiled cheekily at him. "I've seen you stand in for your niece a few times…"

"Wh—Well, yes, but that's different." He held a hand to her lips before she could argue. "And before you ask how, the distinction is clear: being the Royal Sorcerer here isn't nearly as dangerous or adventurous as being a Protector, and you know that."

Sofia kissed his gloved palm before reaching up, clasping his hand in both of hers. Her voice softened, yet her conviction remained firm. "Come on, Cedric… It's only for a little while. Besides, I can't just let someone be in harm's way when I can help. It's what I do. I'm Sofia—I help people." Seeing the soft smile growing on her husband's face, she turned to the other couple. "All right, quick, before he changes his mind."

"Oh, Sofia."

Vega chuckled. "There's a lot to unpack, so hear us out." She inhaled slowly, preparing to lay out the details. Seeing their friends settling in for the long haul, she explained, "King Eirik of Venburg, who happens to be former Queen Lorelei's cousin, was facing some hardship."

"I didn't know Lorelei had a cousin," Cedric pondered, humming, his brow furrowing in thought. "But she rarely spoke of her family anyway."

Vega shrugged. "Well, King Eirik is said to be a nice guy but a bad ruler. His decision making skills leave a lot to be desired, from what we've understood."

Orion added, "Due to concerns for his safety, since he is disabled, former sentry Isolde was hired to look after him. Things were going well at first until they were both abducted one evening. Although the kingdom officials aren't sure what happened to them, we did some digging." He paused for a moment before sighing heavily. "According to our research, and a lot of magical intervention, they've been taken to a place called Darktide Isle. This island is in the direct path of an incoming storm, which has been nicknamed 'Inferno' due to its massive size and strength. It will obliterate the isle and nothing will remain, including the king and his guard."

"Okay, that sounds like an inside job," Sofia admitted, folding her arms. "What kind of kingdom just allows its rulers to be abducted and then not do anything about it? Sounds like some of the king's aides or advisors might have some explaining to do." She glanced at Cedric. "That also means we'll need some help."

"What is this 'we' all of a sudden?" he asked, crossing one leg over the other. "One of us has to stay with the children."

The princess reached out to her husband's neck, gently brushing her fingers along his nape, a soft giggle nearly escaping her lips when she felt him tremble ever so slightly. She still knew his weaknesses… "Cordelia said 'any time,' Cedric. Now seems like a good time. Besides, if you go with me, then you won't worry about me." She grinned as he rolled his eyes, and she lowered her hands to her lap. "And not just that…" She looked back at Orion and Vega. "Cedric and I can investigate Venburg and see if we can figure out who is responsible for this mess, but someone else should come with us to help King Eirik and Isolde."

"Who?" Vega wondered. "Like we said before, all of our Protectors are preoccupied."

"James, perhaps?" Cedric suggested, finally giving in to the general idea. Truth be told, regardless of his own feelings on the situation, James would be a good addition to this sort of mission, especially with his experience.

Sofia nodded. "Maybe. He's a trained knight, and he mentioned meeting Isolde during that trip with Ember and Jaime. So, she'll recognize him and trust him. But…" She frowned, recalling nearly losing her brother to Ember's wrath. Hearing from him that Ember was much better now, not to mention happy and peaceful, was so strange. However, she could tell how positively that news had impacted him. He'd had a hand in making someone's life better, and to James, that was all worth it. "I think someone should go with him though," she concluded.

"Amber will go with him," Cedric told her. "You know she will. After that fiasco with her lookalike, she probably won't let James out of her sight. In fact, after he got back from that last trip, I've seen her with him more often than not."

"I think she's still processing a lot of what happened… She's scared of losing him again, and I was too. But that's her twin…"

"It's different," Orion assured her. "I should know." Noticing the stunned looks on the others' faces (minus Vega), he nodded solemnly. "I had a twin—Aries. He died when we were teenagers. Attacked by warriors from another tribe similar to our own. So, I can empathize with your sister, Sofia…"

The princess bit her lip, her hands playing with the ribbon at the end of her braid. "I'm…sorry, Orion. I didn't know."

"It's okay. Very few people do." He cleared his throat, lessening the soft tension amongst the group. "Anyway, speak with your siblings, Sofia, and find out if they can come. We're going to head back to the Mystic Isles and will await your return, regardless. If they are unable to come, we'll figure it out somehow."

After the wind walkers left, Cedric and Sofia located the twins and explained the situation to them. Understandably, both were a bit concerned, but for different reasons.

"You want James to go on a potentially dangerous quest to save a cousin we haven't met?" Amber's question was laced with uncertainty and concern (and maybe a little derision), as would be expected from the ruler of Enchancia and someone close to James, whom she'd lost before.

"I hope Isolde is okay." This was James's main concern, not even worried about his own potential role or safety. "She may have been a grouch sometimes, but she was actually kind of cool by the end of that adventure with Ember and Jaime. Plus, I could meet our cousin? Sweet!" He lolled his head toward Amber, who sighed. "It's not like we've got a lot of cousins coming to visit, Amber."

Amber folded her arms, frowning softly. "I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable with you going off on another dangerous trip like that. Not after what happened that one time, even if the second trip ended up being better."

"That's why we thought you might want to go with him," Sofia suggested. "Desmond, Mom, and Dad can rule for you, and Alamea and Dominic are away at camp anyway. So, you've got some time."

"What about your kids?" James teased the couple. "Seems like you're always off on another adventure, and Serena and Charlie have to stick with their aunt and uncle or cousins half the time. When do they get to go on an adventure with us?"

"Maybe when they're older," Cedric reasoned. "Serena would probably rather enjoy something like this, actually…" He shook his head, hardly believing that he was entertaining the notion. "But not any time soon… Anyway, with the current situation, it's really up to you both."

Amber exchanged glances with James, who smiled sweetly at her. Sighing heavily, she nodded. "Fine… I guess it does make sense, because you and that Isolde girl do kind of know each other. And after all that happened with Ember, regardless of how things turned out, I feel kind of responsible for his safety in some way."

James blinked. "Amber…"

"I don't want you getting hurt again, James. I'll make sure things go smoothly." She looked at Sofia. "And we're doing what exactly?"

"While Cedric and I figure out who the evildoer is in Venburg, you guys will go to Darktide Isle and rescue Eirik and Isolde." She explained a bit more about the isle and the danger surrounding it, and she was (unsurprisingly) met with a couple of deadpanned faces.

"Uh, Sof," James began with a lopsided grin, "I know you and Ced have the magical powers in the family, but Amber and me? Yeah, that's not really our thing… So, what happens if we get caught up in the storm on that island, and we get stuck?"

Sofia winced, realizing the issue. "Well… I could always talk to Jas and see if he can accompany you. He's got powerful magic, and he can keep you both safe in case anything happens. And if things become dangerous, he's used to that. He can get you guys to safety easily. I trust him with my life." She closed her eyes as soon as she said those words. "Not that…I want a repeat of any proof, but…"

"If Jas is all right with it, we are too," Amber assured her. She looked at James, and she noted the slightest flicker of doubt cross his features. That was unusual for her brother, and she acted on pure instinct. "Um, Cedric, Sofia, why don't you go get us a flying coach? I just need to square things away with Desmond, and James and I will be along afterward, okay?" Seeing the couple agree and depart to attend to her request, the queen turned to her twin and took his hand. "What's wrong?"

He blinked at her, frowning curiously. "What do you mean?"

"James, I can read you like a book by now. I saw that look on your face. You're worried about something, aren't you?"

He sighed while she held both his hands now, that look of empathy only another twin could possess lingering in her features. "Yeah… I mean, everything that happened a while back… It was a lot. And now finding out about this cousin of ours, and how he's related to our mom, and…" He squeezed her hands for comfort, which was rare, since he was usually the one offering it. "It's impossible to know how things will go, you know? I know I was all for this trip a minute ago, and I am, but it's just… Dying really put things into perspective, and I did find out I'm not invincible, and…"

Amber released his hands and gave him a warm hug, smiling as she felt his arms envelop her, pulling her close. "No one will understand all we've been through, James… We share a bond that's deeper than any normal siblings. You're sad, I'm sad. You're happy, I'm happy. That's just the way it is…" She looked up at him, her smile growing softer. "But what I also know is that I'm always here for you, just like you've always been here for me. The world could come crashing down on us tonight, but no matter what, I'll be by your side. If we go, we go together."

"That's comforting." James chuckled as she swatted at his shoulder, and he playfully knocked her tiara askew as she sputtered and tried to fix it. He ended up doing it for her, his hands resting over hers, threading his fingers through hers and lowering their hands between them as he smiled at her. "Thanks, Amber. You do have it in you to give a good pep talk from time to time."

She giggled. "I try. Let's make sure we have everything taken care of so we can catch up with Cedric and Sofia. I'll talk to Desmond, and you handle Mom and Dad. Meet you at the coach in ten minutes."

He nodded, watching her hurry off. James frowned, folding his arms as he walked the familiar trek to his parents' bedroom, preparing to once again inform them that their adult children were heading into a potentially dangerous and deadly situation, but they'd be back soon. Dying really had opened his eyes to reality: the world was unpredictable, and downright cold sometimes. For someone naturally upbeat and sunny, it had certainly cast a cloud of doubt over him after all was said and done. Sure, he relied on others to be his voice of reason and his grounding force since he always had his head in the clouds, but this had definitely changed him. But maybe it was for the better.

He would just be heading into this new adventure with both eyes open this time.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Defender