Twenty-One
At the elders’ offer, Alex’s eyes flickered down to the combatants below and her breath became trapped in her chest again—but this time the shadows weren’t responsible for her choked sensation.
“All you have to do is win a single round,” Radek said, following her gaze. He raised his hands in what would normally account for a conciliatory gesture and finished, “Or you can decline, and we will meet with you again in a month.”
Alex didn’t know what to say.
“We are aware that you are only human and our offer is unprecedented for one of your kind, so there is no shame in refusing,” Saber told her, his melodic voice almost kind. But all Alex heard was the ‘you are only human’ dig, and it was enough to keep her frustration boiling steadily under the surface.
Looking at the blurring Shadow Walkers twirling amidst the purple fire down on the floor, Alex carefully considered the offer. She’d come a long way thanks to her training with Niyx, but this was something else entirely. Without actually being down there in the flaming arena, she had no way of knowing how she’d fare against the shadowy race.
In her favour was that they were also mortal, and it appeared they had neither the enhanced speed nor the fighting grace of the Meyarins that she had at her disposal. But their ability to travel through the shadows was no small advantage, when her feet would be firmly stuck on the ground.
Unsure, she reached out to the one person who knew her skills better than anyone, sending Niyx an image of what she was looking at and telling him of the offer she’d been given.
I say stuff them, Aeylia, came his unwavering response. If they’re not willing to listen without making you bust your ass to earn it, then they’re not worth warning. Just leave them to their fate.
Are you saying that because we don’t need them, or because you’re not sure I can win?
Kitten, even I would have trouble winning against six Shadow Walkers in a closed environment like that, and that’s with the Valispath putting me on more equal footing, Niyx replied.
It’s two against one, not six, Alex pointed out, as if those odds would make much difference.
Only for the earlier rounds, Niyx said. The more trials pass, the more opponents the champions have to face. He paused and added, You might have a chance—a slim chance—if they let you enter this round and you only have to go up against two of them. But I won’t lie, Aeylia, it will be a challenge I’m not sure you’re ready for.
Alex hesitated. Is it a fight to the death?
No, thank the light, Niyx answered. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. So if you do this, proceed with caution. And by the stars, whatever you do, don’t touch that fire.
That much I figured out on my own, thanks, Alex returned dryly, before listening to him wish her good luck and leaving her to her decision.
She turned back to the elders and confirmed, “If I win a single round—one round—you’ll listen?”
All three heads dipped in agreement. Caspar Lennox, however, was shaking his wildly, while Shirez gave nothing away.
“Fine,” Alex said, ignoring her teacher as well as her uneasy stomach. “When do we do this?”
The three elders glanced at each other, their expressions ranging from surprise to speculation and amusement. As they did so, a deafening cheer rose up from the ground as the current match came to an end.
“If you’re certain,” Radek said slowly, as if giving her a chance to rescind her acceptance, “then I suppose there is no time like the present.”
Swallowing back her sudden nausea, Alex gave a curt nod, figuring she might as well get it over with before she threw up all over their shadowed feet.
“Then by all means, let’s do this.”
Alex felt like she was dying.
The heat, the sound, the acrid smell of the purple fire—her eyes watered, her ears rang, her skin burned. And all that while she was standing squarely in the large hexagonal centre of the fiery star, nowhere near the triangular lines of the flames.
She wondered if part of winning required the patience to endure the torturous environment before anything actually began. But her current lack of action was more likely because her combatants—and the rest of the gathered Shadow Walkers—were arguing about her, a human, taking part in their vatali targo.
As the flames rose and fell at irregular intervals, Alex could see through the purple to the crowd assembled on the ground, all of them in an uproar. The same was true for those watching from their balconies affixed to the towering walls of the cathedral.
Clearly, no one was pleased with this development. And Alex didn’t blame them. She certainly didn’t want to be where she was—especially after learning that she would have to remain unarmed, since apparently weapons were only permitted in the final round of combat. But if this was the only way for her to earn the ears of the elders, then so be it. She had trained in unarmed combat with Niyx. It was time to test her skills.
A hush fell over the crowd until all Alex could hear was the whooshing of the flames as they rose and fell in waves of lines. She tensed at the sudden lack of ambient sound, her body alert with skin-tingling awareness as a sense of anticipation saturated the air.
And then came an explosion of purple as the flames rose higher than ever, blazing enough that Alex had to raise a hand to shield her eyes—a mistake, she knew a fraction of a second later, when she recognised the abrupt inferno for the distraction it was.
A flash of inky blackness in her peripheral vision was all the warning she received to tell her the match had begun. She hadn’t expected trumpets, but it would have been nice to have some kind of announcement. A countdown, a bell, a whistle—anything but the flying fist to the face that knocked her back so hard that she fell and skidded along the floor.
Her training kicked in immediately and she pushed past the pain to leap back up to her feet with lightning-fast reflexes. She raised her hands defensively as she looked at the two shadow-covered figures in front of her—one male, one female.
Just as she hadn’t expected trumpets, she also didn’t expect dialogue, so this time at least she was prepared when they rushed towards her again.
The female lunged directly forward while the male disappeared in a swirl of shadows. With Alex’s attention divided, she focused on the threat she could see and deflected the female’s attack with her forearm. Despite still blinking back stars from the initial strike to her cheekbone, it was an easy block on Alex’s part, something that helped boost her confidence.
Knowing her best shot against them was to follow the same method as when she’d sparred with Kyia and Zain—using the element of surprise to take them down quickly—Alex turned on the offensive, attacking the female with a speed that startled the Shadow Walker.
But Alex was only able to land a handful of solid hits before she was blinded by shadows and violently yanked from her position in the centre of the star. She suddenly found herself in one of the outer triangles, the male Shadow Walker having reappeared only to transport her with him.
Unprepared for the instant travel, Alex struggled with the repositioning. She was tweaked, everything about her on high alert, and that was the only reason she was able to recover fast enough to jump over the sweep of his legs and then duck when the female appeared beside them and went for Alex’s face.
Before she could return their attack, shadows surrounded her once more and she was relocated to another triangle. Not allowing her the chance to stabilise from the move, she was instantly transported again… and again… and again.
Head dizzy from being leapfrogged around the purple star, Alex was too slow to react when the female caught her in the chest with a powerful forward kick. Somehow she was able to remain upright, but she still staggered back a few steps, her arms cartwheeling for balance.
It was as she was trying to keep her feet under her that she stumbled over one of the currently dormant fire lines—right as the flames rose up again.
Most of her body had cleared the line in time, but one of her wheeling arms was caught in the blaze of purple, and agony—such blinding agony—seared along the fleshy underside of her forearm.
Aeylia!
She heard Niyx’s alarmed cry when he felt her pain, but she couldn’t respond because both of her opponents reappeared from within shadows and continued their unrelenting assault.
Adrenaline pumping, Alex forced herself to compartmentalise the shooting torture of her wounded arm, keeping her focus on resisting their continued attacks and giving back as best she could. But not even her Meyarin abilities could stand up against their appearing-and-disappearing tricks. Half her hits never landed, since her opponents would simply vanish into empty air. It was like trying to fight a ghost—a merciless ghost who was capable of fighting back.
Only as she began to realise that she had no chance at winning did Alex find an opening. Remembering how she’d fought the cursed Sir Camden as a headless suit of armour, the next time she was yanked through the shadows against her will, Alex pushed past the dizziness and, with a burst of Meyarin speed, spun behind her attacker. It was the male, and she didn’t hesitate to jump straight onto his back, wrapping her legs around his torso and latching onto him for dear life.
Startled, he grunted and tried to throw her off, but she was stuck to him like glue. As she knew he would, he carried them through the shadows, trying to loosen her grip through the disorienting swirls of darkness. But she refused to let go.
Ruthlessly, he scored his nails along the raw flesh of her burned arm and she cried out—as did Niyx, with palpable concern—and the male took the opportunity to reach back, grip her waist, and haul her over his head like a sack of grain.
The air was forced from her lungs as she landed hard on the ground. Even with her immortal reflexes, she barely managed to roll out of the way when he attempted a body slam on top of her.
A sickening crack sounded when his elbow shattered against the floor, right where her stomach had been a fraction of a second earlier.
Leaping up to her feet and wheezing air into her winded lungs, Alex listened to his pained moans while considering her next move, but in doing so, she realised—much too late—that she hadn’t been keeping track of the female.
While the male remained on the ground at her feet, shadows materialised to her left, followed instantly by a swift uppercut to Alex’s temple that, winded and wounded, her reaction speed was too slow to duck.
All she saw as she crumpled to the ground was blurring purple fire followed by blissful darkness.
Alex awoke to a splitting headache and a throbbing body.
She hissed as she pulled herself into a sitting position, drawing her arm protectively to her chest. Someone had bandaged it, but the pain was extreme.
The more she looked at the bandage and wondered just how bad the damage underneath was, the more it seemed to thump in time with her heartbeat, so she turned her attention from her wound and looked around the room she was in.
Alex had no idea where she was. It was small, dark and somewhat musty. Frankly, it reminded her of a crypt—one that she was eager to be away from.
Standing carefully to her feet, Alex’s back cracked with loud popping sounds. And no wonder, since she’d been lying on a slab of solid stone—hardly comfortable sleeping arrangements, let alone after being beaten unconscious.
The room was dimly lit by more sconces of the purple fire, enough that she was easily able to make out the door. Before she could reach it, it opened inward.
“You’re awake.”
Alex nodded at Caspar Lennox’s statement since she was, clearly, awake.
“You lost the trial.”
Again, Alex nodded, succumbing to the weight of her own disappointment.
She had failed. And because of that, she would have to wait a month before speaking to the elders. A month where Aven could wreak all kinds of havoc upon Medora. Hurt all kinds of people.
“It was unlikely you would triumph,” Caspar Lennox went on, rubbing salt in an already open wound. “Regardless of whatever skills you might possess, all the training in the world would struggle to put you on equal footing with one of my race.”
“‘Footing’ being the emphasised term here,” Alex couldn’t keep from saying. “I knew they would travel through the shadows and I knew it would be tough; I didn’t realise they would be allowed to take me along for the ride. And after that first sucker punch, I was already disoriented.”
“If you seek vindication, I offer none,” came Caspar Lennox’s uncaring reply. “I was against you attempting the trial in the first place.”
“I’m not trying to justify my failure,” Alex said, annoyed he thought so. “I told you all that so you’d consider what I’m about to say next.”
He arched an eyebrow in question.
“I want to do it again. I want to fight again.”
Caspar Lennox barked out a startled laugh—a sound she’d never heard from him before.
“I’m serious,” Alex said. “I can’t wait a month to warn them, to find out if they’ll help us. Too much hangs on this.”
His laughter died. “You do not appear to be jesting.”
“That’s because I’m not.” Alex crossed her arms but cringed at the renewed pain from her burn and dropped her uninjured one to her side, keeping the other protectively cradled aloft. “I need you to talk to the elders. I need you to convince them to let me have another go.”
He was shaking his head before she even finished speaking. “I cannot do that.”
“Maybe not, but she probably can.” Alex tipped her head towards the door where Shirez had been lurking in the shadows for almost the entirety of their conversation.
Unapologetic about her eavesdropping, the Shadow Walker, now outed, strode forward.
“And why would I do that?” Shirez asked. “Why would I help a human?”
“Because I’m asking you to,” Alex said openly. “And because I’m hoping you trust Caspar Lennox enough to know he wouldn’t have brought me here unless he strongly believed I needed to be brought.”
Shirez’s dark eyes peered intently at Alex. After a long moment, she said, “This Aven Dalmarta, is he truly the threat you claim?”
Alex’s eyes flicked to Caspar Lennox, figuring he must have shared part of her story while she’d been unconscious.
“He is,” Alex confirmed.
Shirez continued staring at Alex until she finally nodded. “I will speak with my grandfather. See if I can convince them to let you fight again. If you hadn’t done so well for yourself, they would never consider it, but I’m counting on them being intrigued by what else you might do, especially when you recovered so quickly from that initial surprise attack.” She paused, before adding, “That was poor sportsmanship on Trell Roven’s part.”
Alex only just held back a snort and a sarcastic, ‘Gee, you think?’ Instead, she quietly thanked the Shadow Walker.
“Do not thank me yet, human,” Shirez said. “Even if they do agree, you will not win.”
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alex thought, but she couldn’t blame Shirez for her opinion.
“Indeed, you are lucky you’re not more gravely injured from the battle you endured,” the Shadow Walker continued. “You were touched by daarvae—the Shadow Flame. It is an excruciating burn, one that, for most, robs the ability of reasoning and sound thinking. That you were able to continue on after being wounded is unfathomable.”
Was that actual respect in her tone?
“It is an injury that will not heal without treatment,” Shirez went on, tipping her head towards Alex’s bandaged arm. “But we have no remedies to safely offer a human. You will have to endure it until you can seek medical aid at your academy.”
“I’ll be okay,” Alex said, ignoring the throb of objection. “I still have business to see to in Graevale before heading back to Akarnae.”
Shirez’s brows rose.
“She intends to visit the Lumeniia,” Caspar Lennox said.
At that, it was Shirez’s turn to laugh—another surprising sound to Alex’s ears.
“A wasted journey,” the Shadow Walker said, her features transformed by her humour, making her seem like someone much more pleasant to be around. “The Dayriders will assist you no more than we.”
Moving to cross her arms again but pausing just in time to remember her wound, Alex said, “I crashed and burned with your elders, I know that. But I still have to try.”
Shirez cocked her head to the side and pinned Alex again with her bottomless eyes. “You are unnaturally obstinate for a human.”
Alex’s reply was instant. “I’ve been called worse.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Shirez said.
Other than a slight narrowing of her eyes, Alex didn’t respond to the offensive statement. Instead, she said, “While you’re talking to the elders, Caspar Lennox and I can go and meet the Dayriders. When we’re done, we’ll come back and you can tell us how it went.”
“Two things are wrong with what you’ve proposed,” Shirez said, that unexpected humour touching her face again. “The first is that the elders have retired for the afternoon. I cannot seek them out until later, so you will have to wait to hear from me.”
That was frustrating, but waiting a day was better than having to wait a month. Plus, Alex wasn’t physically in a position to fight again—not yet.
“What’s the second?” she asked.
It was Caspar Lennox who replied. “We do not cross into the light.”
Confused, Alex said, “Sorry?”
“Shadow Walkers do not cross into the light, nor do Dayriders pass into the shadows, not without invitation,” he said. “I cannot come with you to the Lumeniia—to the crystal pyramid where the Order meet.”
Thinking back to the vision of the city cleaved in two, Alex understood what he was saying. There was a clear boundary, one that neither race would cross on a whim.
“Okay, so I’ll go it alone,” she said. “But either way, I’m going.” She looked around the crypt-like room and added, “Uh, but I’d be grateful if someone helped get me out of here and pointed me in the right direction. I have no idea where we are right now.”
“We’re in a preparation room underneath the Obscuria,” Caspar Lennox said.
Alex didn’t have the courage to ask exactly what was prepared in the room they inhabited, wondering if perhaps she wasn’t far off the mark in comparing it to a crypt.
“Caspar Lennox can deliver you to the edge of our territory,” Shirez offered on his behalf. “The Lumeniia is a short walk from the boundary where dark meets light. You will find your way with ease.”
“That sounds great, thanks,” she said—to both of them.
Her teacher stepped towards her. “You have been unconscious for a few hours. It is mid-afternoon, so if you wish to speak with the Order, now is the time to do so.”
Alex groaned, realising that a significant portion of her weekend—both days—had been spent with her eyes closed. Time sure flies when you’re knocked out cold, she thought sardonically.
“You’ll get in touch after you’ve spoken with your grandfather?” Alex confirmed with Shirez. “You’ll really try to convince the elders to give me another chance?”
“I think you are neurologically damaged to wish for such a thing,” Shirez said with ruthless candour, “but yes, for what it’s worth, I shall argue strongly on your behalf.”
The tension in Alex’s shoulders eased a fraction. “Thank you, Shirez Ganare,” she said, careful to follow the etiquette of addressing the Shadow Walker by both first and last names. “Truly, I appreciate it.”
A dip of the head followed by a look from Shirez towards Caspar Lennox that made Alex’s heart stutter a little at its intensity, and the female Shadow Walker disappeared in a cloud of black.
“She likes you.”
Alex slammed her mouth shut after those three words popped out unbidden, but it was too late to take them back.
“Things are complicated between the two of us,” came Caspar Lennox’s surprisingly open reply. But he said no more, and Alex had no business prying into the personal life of her teacher, not when she knew so little about him or his race.
“Shall we head to this boundary line place?” she asked instead, a deliberately upbeat note to her voice. “I could use some time in the sun. No offence, but all this darkness is giving me the willies.”
Caspar Lennox’s voice was deadpan when he repeated, “Giving you… the willies.”
It wasn’t a question, it was simply a statement, and coming from him in that tone of voice, it was the most hilarious thing Alex had heard all day. She burst out laughing, unable to stop even when he released a grudging sigh and reached for her uninjured arm, sweeping her from the room.