[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 34: The First Lock

A few days had passed since my dad had come home. Naturally, Mama was over the moon to see him. She had come to Artania soon after my birthday.

We were going into Taradita today since the people in the café had given Duke a place to check out. We were trying to not get our hopes up, but it was definitely hard.

Duke told us later that he didn't want to come and would go another time. We weren't ready to invite Lie or Eni along. We still had an urge to protect them. Lie couldn't come anyway as she'd been having migraines and other issues the last couple days. We wouldn't entertain the idea of taking Eni either since he'd just gone through his thing with the spider.

Marshall wanted to come. He even got the pocket knife he used in the battle with Masquerade from Leon just before he went to bed last night. If I had to guess, his love for Lie was the force that drove him to do these things. Recah and I never took the Soulmate thing too seriously, but we always felt stronger together. That was why she came. T came to fight for me. I wasn't dissuading her from coming. And of course, I had to come since this was my fight and I was the only one who could open the gate into Taradita.

We found ourselves in a new area or so I thought anyway. The space was all white. I sent my ripples out as far as I could. I couldn't find any familiar buildings.

I thought about using my ember to scout out the area but hesitated. I hadn't done it since I returned home. Even when I ventured out to Takiran while living in the palace I nearly exclusively depended on my ripples.

Recah grabbed my hand. "What is this place again? Where are we again?"

"Welcome to the Land of the Lost," I said.

Kayleigh! What compelled me to say that? Hearing that probably freaked Recah out.

"This is Taradita." T scanned the horizon. "There is more to this place. I know it might not seem like it right now."

It probably didn't... T and I nearly lost heart when we first came to scout this place out. It was hard to gauge one's progress when traveling a road that didn't change.

"Let's go!" T's eyes pulsated. "I'm ready for anything!"

I stifled a laugh. "Me, too."

We found an area blanketed in pitch darkness ahead. My sister and I clasped hands. Marshall and Recah chose to do the same. We chose not to draw our weapons. I however had to call on my ember to light our path.

"I was waiting for you, Engrads."

This sounded like a woman. Their voice was in the lower register for them. Admittedly, they could've had a girly voice for a guy, but I didn't think this was likely.

They dropped a ball of light in front of them. "Welcome to my domain."

This was a woman. Her brown hair was in a ponytail and likely went to her waist when let down. Her dress a mix of black and purple and likely made from velvet or a similar material went to her ankles. He was also wearing a golden coat.

Marshall had his hand on his pocket knife. "Taradita is generally isolated from other worlds." He struggled to keep his voice steady. "How do you know what an Engrad even is?"

"I knew you'd come." She smirked. "I did my research."

T clenched her fists. "What do you want from us?"

"Stop this foolishness." Smiling made her face wrinklier. "The people of this town are happy. You've seen them for yourselves."

That wasn't true. We'd heard that wasn't true of the displaced population.

"That isn't true of everyone." I met her gaze. "We come in search of family. Once we find them, we'll gladly leave."

She glared. "I can't let you do that."

"You intend to fight us?" Marshall scoffed. "You're outnumbered."

"That doesn't matter." The woman pulled a whip out of her coat pocket. "No power will defeat me."

T sent a blast of wind the woman's way. "We won't lose." She gave the wind more force. "We'll never give up until we have our family back!"

She cracked her whip at Marshall who evaded the attack by sidestepping.

I shot flames at her, but she slid away as though she knew it was coming.

Pink overtook the silver in T's eyes. She attempted to lift the woman with her telekinesis. "Azula, you will lose."

"Nonsense, Tiana of Engrada."

Recah jumped back to avoid Azula's strike.

Marshall drew his pocket knife. In that moment, he charged with hopes of disarming her.

The woman sidestepped then retaliated.

I took another shot, but a wall of wind stopped it in its tracks.

Tiana's irises pulsated more intensely. She squeezed her hands to pull the wind toward her.

With no earth nearby, I was forced to use another flame attack. This one just barely grazed her cheek.

Marshall charged again. His blade was aimed at her neck.

Azula cracked her whip, striking Marshall's wrist. He didn't even flinch.

I pooled my flames in my hands. I shot them toward them the woman to trap her in a barricade of flames.

"Be gone!" T's booming voice deepened. "Kayleigh and the Protectors will decide your fate!"

The woman was coated in a thick layer of pink light. It exploded in the flame barricade.

Recah fell to her knees. "Is it over?"

"It is," T replied.

T wobbled. Her eyes drooped. I ran to catch her before she could hit the ground.

Marshall asked, "What will happen to the people trapped in here?"

"Noelle said that the people who wish to return home will be sent back," I replied.

Recah climbed to her feet and wiped the sweat from her brow. "We should head home ourselves. We did well taking that strange woman out."

I scooped T up and cradled her in my arms. I stroked her limp and dull silver hair and kissed her forehead. She had a thin layer of sweat on her face. "Let's go home, Kaze..."

If I could, I wanted the gate to lead straight into our room. T needed all the rest she could get right now.

***

Uh oh! Poor T! :'( Thoughts on this Lock battle? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!