"Stop that mouse!"
Alfonso Vivyander Brockovich glanced back to see one of the maids pointing at a white mouse scurrying along a few inches behind him. The little creature looked up. For a moment, they stared at each other in surprise; its tiny, pink nose twitched and round, dark eyes blinked. Then, suddenly, the rodent darted for the side of the road.
"Stop that mouse!" the maid shouted again.
Alf threw out his hand, channeling a shield along the edge of the road. The critter slammed headfirst into the base of the clear blue barrier, flipped end over end, and came to a scuttling halt. As Alf hurled himself towards the ball of fur, the mouse gaped at him, its small body shaking in fear. The creature shrieked and dashed along the rim of the shield, trying to escape into the tall grass.
Alf moved the shield, cutting off its way of escape, and pounced. The mouse tried to scramble up the barrier wall and away to safety, but Alf's giant hands swooped down to engulf him, and a loud, frantic squeal escaped its small mouth as Alf yanked it into the air.
"You caught him!" the wide-eyed, brunette girl exclaimed, running over to Alf.
"Where in the world did it come from?" Olivia asked as Alf went to hand the squirming animal back to the maid, but as Alf loosened his grip, the creature clawed out of his hand, dashed up his arm, and leapt through the air. The mouse landed squarely on Drake's head, and faster than any of them could react, clambered down his neck and into his shirt.
Everyone paused in breathless anticipation, waiting to see the boy's reaction.
With a smooth, collected motion, the prince simply reached into his shirt, grabbed the mammal by the tail, and yanked him out.
Alf's jaw dropped open and Olivia reared back. They had both expected Drake to start jumping around and start screaming, or at least do something.
Instead, he calmly walked over, and with a straight, humorless face, held the rodent at arm's length. "I believe you wanted this," he stated, his single, piercing, blue eye glaring at the red-faced maid.
"Yes," she squeaked and held out her hand.
Drake dropped the rodent back into her care, and carefully cradling the newly recaptured mouse, she scampered back to her companions.
"I thought I told you to leave all your animals behind," the silver haired woman, and leader of the trio, scolded.
"But some of the new residents have a cat, and I didn't want to take the chance of her getting eaten while we're gone."
"Oh yeah, I'm sure thaaat's the reason why," said the last of the sisters as she rolled her green eyes and placed her hands on her hips.
"How did you not even blink? You just had a rat in your shirt," Olivia exclaimed; her eyes fixated on Drake as if he were a weird creature dredged up from the age of the dragons.
"My father taught me how to ignore such trivial distractions," the prince replied.
"How?" Alf muttered, thinking how even Harold, his lifelong butler and close friend, would have at least blinked.
"I'll tell you once you start running again. We are almost there and time is of the essence."
As if on cue, a loud crowing sound erupted from the forest, and a large flock of blackbirds burst from the tree line. They were only birds; yet somehow, the motion made the entire jungle take on an ominous feeling. A shiver ran down Alf's spine. It might be his imagination, but ever since Vackzilian had taken over the Empire, the land had taken on a menacing air, as if an unseen evil lurked deep within its bowels.
He nervously ran his fingers through his tawny brown hair and glanced down at his sword. "You're right, let's go."
Alf turned back in the direction of Glandledale and started to run. Glancing back over his shoulder, he watched Olivia, Drake, and the maids hover scant inches off the ground as they followed him via 'Traverse Wake.' Now certain everyone followed him, he sped up his pace; his feet pounded on the tan smooth stone as he sent his energy towards the road. Seconds later, the warp spells embedded in the ancient pavement responded to his desire to travel faster, and with a sudden boost, their speed increased. All around them, the jungle blurred into a ceaseless river of vibrant greens and bright dashes of flora and fauna.
Olivia strolled up beside Drake, and reaching out, touched the tall grass whipping past them. "So what type of training enables you to have a mouse crawl down your shirt without even batting an eye?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"My father had specially designed caves full of—," the prince started his explanation, but after a few moments of listening to him talk about caves full of insects and snakes, Alf's attention drifted to the eyepatch over the boy's left eye. Drake had assured him they'd healed the wound Alf had inflicted on him earlier, but he still hadn't explained why he was wearing the eyepatch, and Alf couldn't shake the feeling that both Drake and Olivia were hiding something from him.
He listened to the prince prattle on while trying to keep his mind off the embossed piece of black leather, but he couldn't, and at last he blurted, "You still haven't told me why you're wearing that eyepatch."
The forty-year-old man stuck in a ten-year-old's body glared up at him, obviously none too pleased at being interrupted. "Strange, I could've sworn I did. In fact, I believe my exact words were, 'It adds credibility to my back story.' However, if you must know, there are also several enchantments weaved into the material that improve my sight."
"Oh come on. I'm not stupid. I know there's more to it than that," Alf said once again, coming to a halt.
Drake's raised eyebrows turned into a full on scowl of disapproval.
"Tell him the truth," Olivia said.
The prince glanced from her then back to Alf. "Fine," he said reaching up and pulling away the eyepatch.
To Alf's surprise, the wound from his earlier punch was actually healed, but as Drake's eyelid slid open, a giant, golden dragon's eye stared out at him from where the boy's piercing blue eye had once resided.
"Oh," Alf gasped. Feelings of shame over what he had done flooded through him as he stared down at the golden slit-shaped eye.
"The healers were able to mend the wound," Olivia said from off to his right, "but the damage to his eye was too severe. They had to use his DNA to regrow a new one, but because of the dragon blood in his veins, there were complications. . ."
"Drake, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," Drake put his eyepatch back on. "I deserved it."
For the second time that day, Alf couldn't believe his ears. Had he really just said he deserved it?
"Let us keep going," the prince prodded.
Determining in his heart to make amends for his mistake someday, Alf nodded and continued down the road.
It wasn't long before the jungle began to thin out, and every now and then small earthen, dome homes could be seen off to the side of the road.
"We're almost there," Drake said as they passed one of the houses. "It would not be wise to let anyone see us floating along like this. I believe the maids and I should turn invisible while you two walk."
"I guess," Olivia said. "But there's no one in view yet."
"That may be so; however, it is better to be safe than sorry. As such, I will sit here and hide myself while you two make your way towards town."
Alf glanced down at Drake, "You know, something about that statement seems so wrong."
Drake chuckled softly, and in the blink of an eye, disappeared. Alf slowed to a walk as the maids disappeared as well, leaving Olivia the only one still standing. She sighed, then stopped following Alf via 'Traverse Wake' and walked beside him.
As they strolled along, the last of the jungle gave way to rolling plains stretching out as far as the eye could see. The vast emerald fields were divided into oddly shaped runes and circles, each facilitating an amazing assortment of different types of crops.
At first glance, the odd shapes of the fields and waist-high walls around them appeared to be placed at random, but upon closer inspection, one came to realize that all the symbols and shapes put together formed one massive geological symbol that was designed to focus the natural energy of the earth into the crops. As Alf understood it, this, coupled with the perfect environment they lived in, enabled the land to grow any type of food at accelerated rates.
Among the crops, figures could be seen either tending the plants or riding on horses and llamas, while large water buffalo pulled wooden carts along raised stone pathways. People currently loaded the wagons with Kiwano Fruit, a spiky, horned melon not native to the region. The yellowish-green fruit looked like it came from outer space, and Alf crinkled his nose in distaste. It wasn't a favorite of his. Instead, his eyes trailed over to the animal pulling the wagon.
"Do you think water buffalos taste good?" Alf thought out loud as he looked out over the array of diverse creatures.
"Huh," Olivia said with a distracted air, missing his random question. She tilted her head towards the sky and asked, "I wonder why they're so far inland?"
Alf followed Olivia's gaze to see a flock of seagulls lazily floating above the fields.
Drake's voice carried on the wind, "Gulls, or 'seagulls,' as most people refer to them, have no real reason to stay near the sea or ocean. Many of the birds naturally fly inland, and human food sources, such as a thriving city provides, encourage them to do so."
"I see," Olivia's attention drifted down from the birds to the empty air where Drake sat. As she looked at the invisible boy, her eyebrows furled. "You know, I Just realized I've never heard anything about your mother."
"It is not wise to talk to something others cannot see, it will draw undue attention to yourself, and now is not the time to chat," the prince said, his tone curt as he completely sidestepped her question.
Olivia turned her head forward and fell into silence.
As they crested a small knoll, the city of Gladledale came into full view and Alf gasped. Laying at the exact center of the plateau, the circular city sprawled across the land, spilling forth from a central hub. He had seen the Imperial Capital many times before, but it was a city of spires and high-rises and nothing like the exquisite, round buildings of Glandledale that ranged from the tan brown color associated with normal earth magic to exotic shades of blues and purples. Near the center of the city, fountains glistened and houses appearing to be made of pure glass sparkled in the daylight.
An impressive array of metallic glass aqueducts stretched out from the city like a spider web in all directions, soaring high in the sky with roman arches supporting the intricate structure over the gardens. Clean, glistening water sparkled in the clear piping as it sloshed along.
The protective walls once surrounding the city had been mostly demolished to make room for new buildings, which now spread out over the land in a haphazard, slightly fashionable way.
It was a breath taking sight, but despite it all, Alf couldn't help but notice the glum expression on Olivia's face.
His mind drifted back to her earlier question. It had seemed casual enough, but he knew she had no memory of her parents. Sometimes, when Alf and Olivia had been children, they had spent hours fabricating stories of who her parents might've been and what they might've done for a living. His pace slowed. Drake's response had been insensitive.
"So," he asked, "how did your father meet your mother?"
A grunt of agitation sounded from his right. "If you're that interested," Drake said, "you should check your own records. My father met her in your manor after all."
"He did?" Alf asked wide-eyed.
"Yes, she had come to your father with the desire to be a healer."
Olivia's golden eyes sprung to life and her walk took on a lively gait. "Oh! Really? How did it happen?"
"What about the concept of me being invisible do you not understand?" Drake asked.
"I know, I know, but I really want to know about your mother."
"Fine," Drake said in exasperation. "I'll give you the basics. My father met my mother when she was in her forties, convinced Alf's father to open her magic, and she just happened to be a holy user. They married, had me, and she died two years ago at the age of eighty two, more or less from old age."
Olivia gasped and sputtered as she stared at the empty air. "You sure know how to ruin all the romance in something, you and your hard cold facts!"
Alf swore he could hear a small chuckle as the prince said, "Quiet now. There are people on the road ahead."
Olivia glared at the spot where Drake sat, and Alf knew she wasn't going to let him get away with that romanticless, lackluster explanation. A smile spread across his face as he waited for her to insist Drake retell it when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man dressed in leather armor, carrying a large two-handed sword over his shoulder, emerge from the head-high crops on their left.
He stiffened and hid his left hand behind his back. Electricity crackled across his fingers as he prepared himself for battle. "Olivia," he whispered.
She nodded, casually let her hands drop to her sides, and readied herself to use a spell.
However, as they watched the man, he reached the road ahead of them and turned towards Glandledale, paying them no mind whatsoever.
Alf and Olivia looked up towards the city.
A large, flowing mass of people crowded around the southern entrance.
"It looks like something's going on," Olivia said.
She raised her hands and cast a small scrying spell, magnifying where the road ahead joined with two other highways.
Alf stepped back and looked through it with her. Not only was the southern entrance crowded, both of the adjoining thoroughfares swarmed with thousands of people as well, with more pouring in from the plains.
Olivia crinkled her nose. "Strange, everyone seems to be armed."
"Do you think the city is under attack?" Alf asked.
Olivia shook her head and squinted her eyes as she focused the scrying. "No, they do appear to be battle hardened, and quite a few of them are covered in scars, but they're all smiling, and there's a bunch of caravans loaded with goods and merchandise."
"Huh," Alf muttered. "Sounds like some type of festival is going on."
"I wonder what kind it is?" one of the maids mused from over his shoulder.
"SHH!" Drake shushed. "Keep quiet. We don't want to draw undue attention."
Olivia lowered her hands and the scrying dissipated.
"Let's go find out," Alf said jogging down towards the swarming mass.
"Hey! wait up," Olivia shouted, running after him.
Upon reaching the crowd, he lifted his nose and took a deep sniff. The rich smell of animals and exotic street food pervaded the air. Alf's mouth watered and his stomach rumbled; he couldn't wait to try out some of the wild, spicy smelling foods. He had wasted way too much of his life eating porridge, and now he was determined to make up for it.
Finally, Olivia reached his side, and together they dove into the moving tide. However, as the crowd jostled him from side-to-side, Alf's enthusiasm quickly drained away.
A skinny man with a steel crossbow on his back, dressed in denim, elbowed him in the side. "Watch what you're doing you oaf," the man barked as he pushed him.
Alf stepped back only to be shoved again. He had never been surrounded by such a crowd before where people invaded his personal space again and again. Thanks to his nobility and physical illness, everyone had always moved out of his way. These people, on the other hand, seemed to be actively resisting his attempts to get through.
Suddenly, Olivia grabbed his arm and pulled him to the right, preventing a speckled llama from taking a bite out of his hair, but as she jerked him aside, he almost trampled Drake.
"Careful," Drake hissed.
Alf glanced down at the empty air beside him. "Oh, I'm sorry I forg—"
"Hush!" Drake snapped.
Olivia pulled him closer. "Just walk with the crowd. Don't try to get through."
He nodded and let her guide him along.
For several minutes, Alf struggled as people stepped on his toes and shoved past him. Every time he tried to move forward, though, Olivia slowed him down and directed him, until they finally they made their way between a camel and a caravan, where they had enough room to naturally walk with the rest of the crowd.
"See," she said, "much easier."
As they walked along, the flow of people divided into two lines, and the masses came to a halt as they waited their turn to get into the city. Alf glanced around at the people surrounding him. The variety of clothing was amazing. In Brockovich, most people just wore loose, calf-length pants, and long, sleeveless tunics which varied from cotton to silk, depending on the occasion. Here, however, some wore light weight robes and others long strips of cloth sewn together in beautiful patterns; there was even a few that were hardly dressed at all.
The line moved forward, and something brushed against his left leg. He looked down in confusion; there was nothing there. It must be Drake, he thought. At that moment, something occurred to him. "You're—," he cut himself off as he remembered others could hear. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, he raised his hand and cast a privacy spell he'd seen Herald and Olivia use when talking to patients. The air popped, and the sounds of the crowd faded away.
"You're going to have to be invisible the entire time we're here aren't you?" he said without turning his head, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.
"Why would you think that?" the empty space answered back.
"Zechariahs recognized you right away, so others will as well. Some of which may be our enemy."
"I wouldn't worry about that," Drake assured him. "I spent five years weaving a confusion spell around my identity. It's to the point now that even the mages who helped me cast it aren't quite sure who I am. Only those I want to recognize me are able to, and I needed Zechariahs to know who I was."
"You can do that?" Alf asked in bewilderment. All of a sudden, the whole line shifted to the right and he was forced to move as a gigantic elephant with the words 'Access Denied,' stamped in red on its forehead, stomped back down the line. Its handler, a shirtless, bald man dressed in bright green harem pants and gold tassels, walked backwards, waving his right arm and shouting angrily back at the guards.
I wonder what he's saying, Alf thought. He was about to drop his privacy spell when Drake said, "Think about it Alf, before you met me, how much did you know about the royal heir? Everyone knows my father has a son, but they have no clue how old I am, what I look like, or what I do, and none of them know where I am."
"You're right," Alf mumbled. "I'm a noble, and I had no clue about any of those things."
He watched the elephant disappear into the mob, fading into the bedlam of large carts and wagons as he thought about what Drake said. The idea of using spells to confuse people was a new one to him. He knew that low sound frequencies could make someone afraid, and others could agitate people, but using them to hide your identity was... "Hey, wait. If that's true, why are you invisible right now?" Alf demanded.
"I didn't feel like walking the rest of the way to the city," the prince simply answered.
Alf rolled his eyes, and Olivia turned towards them, pretending to admire the flowing reams of silk draped over one of the caravans on the other side of Drake. "What about Harold? He recognized you, remember?"
"True. However, he has so many spells on him, no confusion spell could ever stick."
"What do you mean he has spells on him?" Alf asked.
"Hmm... It would seem that your observational skills are lacking. A flaw we will have to remedy," the prince replied.
The line shifted again and the people around them moved forward, but Alf remained still. "What do you mean Harold is covered in spells?" he pushed the subject.
A barely audible sigh echoed, and Drake replied, "You may not realize it, but your butler is a masterpiece of intricately woven spells. In fact, if I didn't know better, I would say he is a master spy or a professional assassin."
"A professional assassin!? Why would..."
A large, rough man, dressed in a gold and green guard uniform, stepped into their circle and pushed Alf forward. "Get a move on, you're holding up the line."
Alf's sound spell shattered, and he stepped closer to the people in front of them. His mind raged with questions. He had known Harold all of his life, and for the life of him, he couldn't imagine why his butler and close friend would cloak himself in spells. Drake had to be mistaken. He waited until the line moved forward and tried to make some room so he could cast the privacy spell once more, but Olivia reached over and grabbed his hand. He glanced at her and she shook her head.
"But..."
"Now's not the time," she answered with a gentle tone and released his hand.