Sage Martha led me out from under the Lacquer tree to four fully supplied horses stationed in the crowded street. People watched from every angle; their curious eyes scanned my every move.
On the front horse sat Daarith. His eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks were soggy. I must have made him cry. For all those muscles and the rough and tough persona, Daarith was perhaps more sensitive than myself, a gentle soul with a big heart. He was wearing a white cloak with red hearts appearing much like the paintings of the knights on the church walls.
The second horse held Owen. He sat still staring melencoloy at the distant horizon. As I passed by he neither turned his head nor bid me a fair morning. Owen looked focused and ready and unwilling to make any further mistakes. I guessed with all these people watching him he was on his best behavior or risk the wrath of Martha should he screw up again.
Martha brought me to the third horse. She petted its jet black mane as she motioned to the saddle. The creature emanated beauty and majesty; a dream that any horse loving child would wish for. Clearly Martha had saved the best one for me.
"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" asked Martha.
"I haven't," I said staring at the large beast before me. It was nearly double my height. "They are much bigger in person than they look on TV."
"Well, there is a first time for everything." Martha showed me where to grab and how to mount. I gave it a go only to fall on my first try. My worst fear became realized when a young boy called out from the crowd.
"That's supposed to be our savior? She can't even get on a horse." Some people laughed, but being used to such taunting I tried once more and this time, succeeded in mounting the horse. Whispers started to spread amongst the people. I paid them no heed and sat up straight trying to be as Mirrorbender-like as possible or something close to it.
A beautiful girl with long blond hair ran up to Daarith handing him a bouquet of flowers. She promptly kissed him on his cheek. Straightening his back, Daarith raised his hand into the air and ushered silence over the crowd.
"Dear people of Bristondale," he said, "I, Sir Daarith, your recently appointed mayor, must take my leave and escort the new Mirrorbender to the great city of Vetra for her training and initiation as the new protector of the realm. I may or may not return from this journey, but I know this place will always live in my heart. I was born here and would gladly die here should fate be kind. I can proudly say that you people are the strongest that I have known in all my years of military service. I promise you this terrible deed will not go unpunished. The Half-Lives will pay dearly for the pain they have inflicted on our town and our people. Until my return I appoint Charles Caviston to rule in my stead. May the light of Vetrus guide and protect you all the days of your life." He kissed his fingers and then placed them across his chest. The crowd followed. "We ride to new beginnings!" The townsfolk cheered for Daarith. Their arms rose up praising him, thanking him, and wishing him safe travels. The people's jubilation even brought a smile to my face, but the cheering was not to last forever.
Before I knew it we were off. The sounds of the joyous crowd soon grew dimmer with each clip clop of the horses' strides. I kept looking over my shoulder at the town on the hill until at last it disappeared in the distance.
"Why do you keep looking back?" said Owen finally. He had been silent for hours it seemed.
"I don't want to forget," I responded taking one last look behind. "I want them to cheer for me when I return just like how they cheered for Daarith when he left. I want to be the Mirrorbender they make stories about."
"Oh they will," said Martha smiling. "You have already sparked a change in one place in the world. Their eyes said it all. Hope you gave them hope just like your name says."
"There is nothing in a name," I said. "I have the most plain common name you can imagine."
"Not in Tartarus," said Martha as she maneuvered her horse around a boulder. "I can see it now on the lips of excited people all over the land. Mirrorbender Hope! The girl who ended the generations of famine and disease."
"More like the girl who couldn't get on a horse," said Owen sarcastically.
"Oh, hush your mouth, Mr. DuBois," snapped Martha. She swished her wrist sending a small pebble off the road and at his head.
"Ouch!" he winced. "What did you do that for?"
"For treating Hope with disrespect. You know how important she is."
"No, he is right," I said. "I'm nothing special. Just a girl with a name."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Hope. You will live up to that name, I assure you. Imagine the people cheering your name like the Mirrorbenders of ole!" Martha looked at Owen. "And unlike you ," she said jokingly, "I will hear them cry, Owen the Kid Kicker!"
"I find that mildly offensive," said Daarith from the front, "but also mildly amusing. Owen the Kid Kicker." Daarith laughed. "Ha!"
"Oh, shut up you two," cried Owen from his horse. "I will do something great too. You just wait and see. I found Hope for starters. I found the Mirrorbender."
"More like I found you," I said. "You were just padding for my fall."
"Oh is that how it happened?" cried Martha trying to hold back a laugh. "Owen the Fall Stopper." I let out a little giggle but covered my mouth so as not to let Owen see. "So tell us Hope, I have always wanted to know," said Martha changing the subject, "how did you find your way to Tartarus?"
"I'm not sure exactly," I said shrugging my shoulders. "All my life I've seen weird things in my reflections. Glimpses of this world I guess. Then a few years ago I saw who I believe to be Owen in the mirror of my closet door. I stopped looking at myself after that. I feared something was wrong with me. Then just the other day I was chased by a man into a dark alley where I slipped through a glass window and fell into this dark bottomless pit."
"Ah, the Ether," said Martha. "The In-between Place some call it between our worlds, the void where nothing and everything exists."
"Well there was something there," I said recalling the frightening face with the horns and the many long dark arms that reached for me. "A monster I believe. Something lives in that dark place. It has glowing purple eyes and horns coming off its cheeks. Then there was this great ocean and these black arms surging all around dragging me into this place."
"Interesting and scary," said Martha bringing her horse around. "I have heard many stories of the Ether. None have ever mentioned this monster. Are you sure you saw it or did you imagine it."
"I mean it happened so fast." I paused. "I don't know. I remember seeing this bright light and hearing this loud bang. Maybe I did imagine it."
"So then what happened?" asked Martha eagerly.
"I fell for what felt like forever. Then this hole opened up in the darkness, and I found myself shooting out of a polished suit of armor and on top of Owen."
"Tell Martha how we escaped Desire," said Owen over his shoulder.
"Well this Half-Life, Desire, was chasing Owen. She cornered us and tried to get me to come with her. Owen fought her but she proved too powerful for us both. I found this dusty mirror and thought I'd try the travel thing again. Then boom, zap, we were in the Plains of Penia."
"Hmm," said Martha. "So the Half-lives have begun to gather once more. This can't be good. At least you were able to get away. Desire is notorious for her unyielding will to get what she wants. You got lucky. But what concerns me is why was Desire chasing you in the first place, Mr. Owen. Half-lives have always remained to themselves and their dominions, rarely getting involved in human affairs. It takes much provocation to set them off."
Owen shrugged and smiled. Daarith did not seem amused.
"You'd best explain, boy. Do you have dealings with Half-lives? Cause if you are a Nightstalker I will not hesitate to lock you up."
"No, of course not!" defended Owen. "I'm a thief not a monster. I was just checking out the area for things to steal when I stumbled upon the Vaulted River and got lost."
"Lost! Ha!" cried Daarith nearly jumping off the saddle. "An unlikely excuse. No one gets lost and finds their way to the Vaulted River."
"Only those who wish to hide secrets or die a painful death find themselves there." Martha's face grew sour. "And to drag Hope into all this. You should be ashamed."
"Wait!" I cried. "What is the Vaulted River?"
"I forget you are not from this world," said Martha. "The Vaulted River is a series of underground chambers and locked doors appearing much like a river and its many streams. If you have things you wish to hide, the rooms of the Vaulted River are the secure place to do so. It was once used as a jail for Juprus's most criminally insane. Now it is abandoned and believed to be guarded by Shadows and night-drifting beasts. Only the most foolish dare go there and only for good reason." She jabbed a finger in Owen's direction. "And what is your reasoning?"
"We all have things we wish to keep buried." Owen puffed up his chest. "I rather keep mine to myself, thank you." There was a flash of blue light and rope suddenly coiled around Owen's wrists. "Oh come on! Tied up again."
"Until you tell us what you were doing in that horrible place," said Martha sternly, "I cannot trust you."
"I am glad you are finally seeing things my way," said Daarith. "I was about ready to tie him up myself."
"Wait," I declared, "do I not get a say in this? He did protect me after all. He could have abandoned me. Many times might I add."
"We do this for your safety, Hope," said Martha. "Owen might be your reflection but we can't trust him."
"What do you mean by my reflection?" I asked, looking curiously at Martha.
"Is it not painfully obvious yet, Hope," said Owen twisting in his saddle to look at me. "It is why neither you nor I have a reflection in the mirror and why you have seen me in the mirror before. It is because we are each other's reflection. You are my mirror me."