I awake with my hands chained to the ceiling so I'm spread like a starfish. It makes me feel defenseless. I could be kicked, stabbed, drugged-almost anything right now, and I wouldn't be able to do a thing.
I look to my left and I can see James and Rosaline through the bars of their own cells. They lay unconscious still, but their hands are tied behind their backs with ropes. It's obvious that I'm the only threat.
At my right I see another cell-empty. Chains hang from the ceiling just like in my cage but it's against the wall with additional chains on the ground and a steel lock that looks like it hooks around the waist.
I don't know who it could be for, but definitely not Annett, who was hopefully being cared for like the man promised. What if he had her locked up somewhere else, though? What if he was torturing her? She was a citizen of my future kingdom and I had let this happen.
James groans and sits up. "I feel like I've been trampled by a horse. What happened?"
I shake my head. "I don't know where we are, but Annett's missing, and she might be in danger. She's probably being held captive by that man that knocked us out, undoubtedly a sorcerer."
James shuffles to the bars between us to get closer. As he leans against them they shock his arm. Sparks fly everywhere.
"Ow!" He scrambles against the back wall of the cell which is rock. Rosaline wakes up and is immediately infuriated that someone would even think of imprisoning her but before she can say anything, the man who knocked us out walks in with Annett behind him. She's tied up, but the ropes glow gold, like they've been enchanted.
"Welcome son and daughter of King Launce, I am Apheus. Why don't we get you out of those dirty cells and negotiate matters?"
Alpheus smiles and some of the mages come out of the doors and unchain us. They keep a firm grip on us so we don't slip away and march us down a stone corridor. We come out into a massive cave. Holes in the walls, like windows, let in light. Ivy with blue flowers here and there seep in through the holes, all along the ceiling, and down the walls.
"Beautiful." Rosaline says staring out the windows. They look over an even bigger cave with a gaping hole in the ceiling. It's almost as big as the kingdom of Auchendale, possibly larger. Upside down willow trees line the dome ceiling, their branches flutter in the wind gracefully. Along the walls of the cave looks to be hollowed out buildings, like a city.
Alpheus motions to the cave. "That's our city. It is called Krodel, named from the legend."
"What legend?" James asks.
"Like from the one mom told us when we were little, right Nicholas?" Rosaline asks, turning to me with a sparkle in her eyes.
"It's an old story, nothing more." I say.
"My dad told it to me, too." Annett says gazing at one of the blue flowers. She'd been so quiet I almost forgot she was there. "It's about a band of sorcerers who used their magic to strengthen the army of their home, Krodel. They made all the soldiers invincible to almost anything. They won, and defeated many of their foes, but the sorcerers were still unhappy.
"The soldiers' invincibility only made them unable to be hurt, but they still aged. The men grew older and retired, leaving the greedy sorcerers upset with the mage who they thought had deceived them. They confronted the mage, who worked for the great king, and placed a curse on Auchendale. It was said about two of their future descendants."
Alpheus steps forward, holding a dusty book. "Their curse is was difficult to decipher, but all the pieces are starting to fit into place. Here, read this aloud." He hands the book to me, and I set it on the table because it's so heavy.
"The graced and the corrupt shall stand at their thrones, ready to strike with his army of bones. At the first dawn's light they'll attack on the hill, being wary of confidence and newfound skill. If the graced stops the fight, however, they will make unexpected amends, and all will be well until somebody bends." I look to Annett, who's still bound by her glowing chains, and I sit on the edge of the table.
"Why is she still tied up? She's not dangerous." I ask Alpheus and he smiles at me.
"Oh, but she is. Did you know Annett means 'grace,' Nicholas?" Everyone turns and stares at her.
"She has to be the one mentioned in the curse." Rosaline says quietly.
"That' what it seems." He sits at the table in a stone chair. "One of my assistants did some research on her family though, and it turns out that she's a direct descendent to the head mage. She's got magic just as powerful as her ancestor flowing through her veins."
"Wait," Annett says stepping forward, "I've never experienced any sign of magic. Why would I now?"
"Signs only started to appear when I had to use my magic on you to heal the wound. You put three of the men helping me in our hospital." He says and she leans against the window staring off into the cave. Her grey eyes full of concern.
"What am I capable of?" She asks Alpheus with her head down.
"Well, each of the sorcerers in the group mastered one of the branches of magic. Your ancestor was the leader of the group because he was the most powerful. He was one of the only mages ever to master both the water and Earth branches. With a little training I think you'll be able to follow in his footsteps."
"Wait a minute," Rosaline says holding up her hands. "So the story is true? The army, the kingdom, the curse-"
"Yes," Alpheus says calmly. "It is very much real. And we are all in danger. Annett's relative, whoever he may be, is preparing to fight against Auchendale."
"Why are you concerned? Auchendale and the mages have been enemies for centuries. You wouldn't help us fight our battles then, so why now?" I say crossing my arms.
"Once he destroys your city, he will come for us. And it also helps that you now have one of us on your side." Alpheus says gesturing to Annett.
When I look at Annett I notice that she's staring at the hole in the cave ceiling with her eyebrows creased. The cave is growing darker, but the sun should be high in the sky right now. We all step toward the windows to get a better view, and a fifty-foot long dragon lands on the edge of the hole. A man sits on the dragon's back in full armor. He raises his hand as if commanding the dragon, and it crawls into the cave, crumbling the ceiling. The dragon crawls toward us but we're all too stunned to move. Mages run around the courtyard at the bottom of the cave trying to shoot at the invaders but the dragon doesn't seem to notice.
"We have to get out of here!" I yell over all the chaos, and everyone snaps out of their daze. We sprint out the door and down the hallways, tripping over fallen rocks from the ceiling. Just as we're about to reach the exit, the dragon's tail smashes the wall and leaves a gaping hole into the cave. The man on the dragons back stands so we can see him grin.
"I'm just going to discuss some things with my cousin." He points to Annett and the dragon grabs her from the hallway, and puts her on the dragon's scaly back.
"Annett!" I yell for her and try to grab her hand but I almost fall to the bottom of the cave. She struggles to get away, but the man ties her to one of the dragon's horns and knocks her out. The man points to the sky and the dragon turns around and stretches its wings. They take off and fly into the distance, leaving the mages in a panic, and me unable to do anything to rescue her.
What did you think? Leave me a comment!
