~Requested by gamechanger321 and booknerd54321. Hope you enjoy!~
Alex and Sky, the Silent girl, were sitting on the roof of Mr. Today's shack, trying to figure out how in the world they were going to fix the giant mess they were in. Aaron Stowe, Alex's evil twin, had killed Artimé's fearless leader, Mr. Today. Since all things magical had been created by Mr. Today, including the mansion, creatures, statues, and spell components, there was no magic left. Even worse, two of Alex's closest friends, Lani Haluki and Samheed Burkesh, were missing. His other friend Meghan Ranger had also been with them, but escaped Warbler Island with the ugly thornament around her neck, diminishing her ability to speak. Sky and her brother Crow, also Warbler escapees, also had the thorns, and piercing orange eyes, the color of marigolds.
Alex sighed in his one moment of silence and solitude in the crowded remainder of Artimé. The sun was setting, and he used the last bit of sunlight to reread the ominous clue left behind by Artimé's beloved head mage.
Follow the dots as the traveling sun
Magnify, focus, each one
Stand enrobed where you first saw me
Utter in order, repeat times three
(Who else knows that by heart😂)
With the fading light, no one noticed the object in the distance, out on the water. Alex didn't notice either, until he heard a splash....
"Did you hear that splash?" he asked Sky. "I thought everyone was done fishing for today?"
Sky only shrugged her shoulders in response, unable to speak.
Alex peered into the darkness. "Oh my squirrelicorn!" (just made that up 😂)
Immediately, he climbed down Florence the warrior statue's frozen body. He ran to the water's edge, Sky close behind him.
Right in front of him, he saw Samheed Burkesh, stumbling off a raft and wading out of the water, carrying an unconscious Lani Haluki in his arms. Tears were streaming out of his orange eyes, running down his cheeks, and to the collar of thorns on his neck. He looked around, bewildered at the devastation that had hit Artimé.
Alex ran up to him. "Sam! I can't believe you're here!" Alex reached over to hug his friend, Samheed not refusing this time.
"Okay, um, well, there is a lot to explain, oh my goodness is Lani alright?" Alex stuttered, running his hands through his hair, not believing the sight in front of him.
Sky grabbed his arm and put a hand on Sam's back, guiding them towards the water where they could sit privately.
Inside the shack, Henry Haluki, Lani's younger brother, sat with Meghan, still grieving the loss of his mother, father, and sister. His mother had been killed in a magicless battle against Quill, Artimé's enemy. Gunnar Haluki, previous governor of Quill and current High Priest, was missing, and up until
now, his sister Lani was captured on an enemy island.
Alex entered the shack first, walking around sleeping Artimeans. He whispered, trying not to wake his loyal fighters. "Henry, there is someone out here that you should see."
Henry sat up, and wiped the tears off his face. "Who?"
"Come with me"
