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This chapter was originally twice as long, but I wanted to post something. So, instead of publishing one super-long chapter, I broke it in half. And it's still pretty long. Enjoy it, and PLEASE COMMENT!!! I love getting feedback and constructive criticism, and I need to hear from my readers if I ever plan on becoming a professional writer. Voting is also appreciated. I don't want to sound like a beggar, but all you have to do is click the little orange button off to the left. That's not too hard, right? Thank you for your time, and enjoy the story. :)
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~CHAPTER 3~
While Ravyn was just succumbing to sleep, the Aegyls were waking at the first hint of sunrise.
Mizu Sapphrina's eyes fluttered open. The watery world around her teemed with life. She stretched out in the murky sand and yawned, spewing a trail of bubbles from her mouth. Blinking a few times, she sat up. She thought she saw a tiny fish swim by, but she quickly dismissed it as a remnant of a dream.
Sapphrina shook herself, stirring the dome of weeds she had constructed around herself before paddling out of her hut. The abstract glints of sunlight reflected off her translucent dragonfly wings. Only the higher ranked Aegyls had spirit wings, and they were nearly invisible and only allowed for brief flights. The higher the rank, the more visible and useful the wings became.
Sapphrina glanced around. So far, she was the only Water Aegyl awake. She fanned out her wings and floated up to the surface, scanning the banks of the creek. The Air Aegyls were hopping around in the treetops. Because they were the most powerful of the four elemental divisions, even the lowest ranked among them had fully functional wings. Earth Aegyls were tending to the human farmers' fields. Because they were the lowest class and often treated as servants, they were stuck with the most burdensome chores. Fire Aegyls were scouting for fire pits to amuse themselves with. They always thought they were the highest and caused trouble on a regular basis, but they were actually only one class above the Earth Aegyls. Still, the everyday hustle and bustle had not yet fully taken hold.
A glimpse of bright orange caught Sapphrina's eye. Gingerly, she swam over to investigate. It was a huge monarch butterfly wing, exclusive to royalty and breathtakingly beautiful. And there, sitting on a rock with her feet in the water, was Jazlyn; Queen of the Air Aegyls, High Queen of all the Aegyls in Mapleton.
Jazlyn didn't even look up. "Good morning, Miss Mizu," she said.
Sapphrina knew a response was imperative. She stumbled onto land, bowing awkwardly. "Greetings, High Queen." She paused. "Please, just call me Sapphrina."
Jazlyn nodded absently. "A beautiful name, fit for one of the upper class."
"Praise is unnecessary, High Queen," Sapphrina replied in a hushed voice. "You are distressed. What is the matter?" One did not usually engage in idle conversation with the Queen of a separate division; but Sapphrina was one of the more thoughtful Aegyls, regardless of her high status.
The Queen shook her head. "I sense a disturbance in the peace, as if our race is about to come unraveled. Eryck feels it too." She sighed, deeply troubled. "I fear the prophecy is about to come true."
Sapphrina blinked. "How so?" she asked, hastily adding, "High Queen."
"I feel I can trust you. A proper title is not required."
"Thank you," Sapphrina breathed. Addressing the Queen as anything less than her title was a rare and intimate honor. "Anyhow, why would that particular prophecy fulfill itself now? Vampyres hardly stop by here anymore." She thought that she shouldn't speak so casually about such matters, but Jazlyn was surprisingly easy to talk to.
"Ah, my people kept the secret well," Jazlyn remarked with a faraway look in her eye. "150 years ago, one of our own gave birth to a Daemon."
Sapphrina drew in a sharp breath. "How?"
"Alas, it was I who conceived a vampyre."
Sapphrina took a small step back. "Why would you confide such a dishonor in me?" she stammered. "I'm hardly worthy of secret such as that."
"Everyone plays a role in our world." Jazlyn cast her gaze to the sky. "It is not me but fate that decides such things. You, my dear, were predetermined to be different. And I sadly, was bound to be the bane of our existence."
"The prophecy never said that we would be destroyed!" Sapphrina exclaimed.
"Hush, child," Jazlyn chastised.
Sapphrina shrank back as if she had suffered a physical blow.
"My apologies. Your disbelief is not without good reason. You place much faith in your Water Queen, yes?"
"Yes. Aquamarine is an excellent ruler, as are you."
"Your trust in me brings me great joy; but I don't know if you have placed your trust in the right person. Although our species will not be extinguished, many will die violently. Even the women and children are at risk." Jazlyn sighed. "We're all such fatalists, aren't we? I will be unable to save us."
"What do you mean?"
"After the war, I will no longer be the High Queen."
"Why? Where will you go?" Sapphrina choked.
Jazlyn just looked up at the sky again and closed her eyes.
Tears stung at the edges of Sapphrina's eyes. "You mean... you're going to die?!"
Jazlyn said nothing.
"Please, my Queen!" Sapphrina sobbed, unable to keep herself from hugging Jazlyn tightly, as if that alone could prevent her from leaving.
The High Queen stroked Sapphrina's bright teal hair. "Don't fret, child. My time isn't up yet."
Sapphrina realized the faux pas she had committed and quickly pulled away, wiping tears from her face. "Sorry, Your Highness. I meant no disrespect. I-I... I just... I've grown quite fond of you, apparently." But the fact remained that she had laid hands on the High Queen. She could be executed for such an offense.
"It's all right. You're just a child. I've seen worse in my 350 years."
Sapphrina looked down at her feet. "Why do you call me a child?" she asked timidly, refusing to meet Jazlyn's eyes. "With all due respects, I am 140 years old, a teenager. And I am in no relation to you aside from being in the upper class. I don't deserve special treatment from a Queen, let alone the Highest."
Jazlyn laughed. Her voice tinkled like wind chimes. "All Aegyls are my family. And your innocent curiosity reminds me of my own daughter."
"How could a vampyre be innocent?" Sapphrina asked, not sure whether to feel honored or insulted. She only hoped that challenging the Queen's judgment wasn't taking things too far.
Jazlyn, overcome with nostalgia, began to elaborate. "The prophecy foretold that my little Ravyn would be destined for evil. But as I held her in my arms, she looked at me with a face of genuine innocence and a desire to understand. I loved her instantly, and casting her away was heartrending. I have no doubt that she survived, and I can only hope that she won't harbor a thirst for vengeance."
Little did Jazlyn know how wrong she was.
Sapphrina pursed her lips, anxiety eating away at her gut. "If that is the case, shouldn't we strengthen our defenses?"
"I can't base an important military movement on a whim. Throwing our civilization into chaos would be unjust, especially if the hunch turned out to be meaningless."
"Then just send out a few extra sentries as a precaution. They can scout more intently for suspicious activity, and with luck, the public won't take much notice."
Jazlyn gently kissed Sapphrina's forehead. "You have been blessed with great gifts. Your wisdom will get you far, Mizu Sapphrina. I will take your advice."
Sapphrina bowed quickly. "Th-thank you," she stammered, "but-"
Jazlyn held up her hand, signaling silence. "You are humble. Modesty in the upper class is rare and admirable. But you shouldn't thank me. I suggest praying at Ana's Patch."
A Queen's suggestion is not to be taken lightly. Sapphrina bowed again. "I will keep that in mind, my Queen," she said, trying not to rush.
Jazlyn nodded, releasing Sapphrina from her presence.
Sapphrina spread her dragonfly wings and flew across the creek to Ana's patch. Her wings became more colorful and defined, carrying her all the way there.
Sunlight filtered in through the window, illuminating the room with the glow of morning. Birds sang out as squirrels played in the trees.
Meaghan rolled over in bed, groaning. Her iPod's battery had died long ago. "What time is it?" she grumbled.
The time was 11:49 AM.
Meaghan leaped out of bed. She'd slept half the day away! Throwing on a T-shirt and shorts, she raced out into the living room. "I'm going to Avryl's house!" she announced.
Meaghan's mother emerged from the kitchen. "Don't you want something to eat?" she inquired.
"Meh... I guess a Pop-Tart would be good," Meaghan replied. She bounded over to the cupboard and pulled out the last toaster pastry in the box. She tore off the wrapper and took a bite, simultaneously kicking open the back door. She scarfed down the rest of the snack within a few seconds once she was outside.
Meaghan wheeled her bike out of the garage and hopped on, pedaling madly until she reached the stop sign at the corner. Glancing both ways, she turned onto the main road. Familiar scenery flashed by. The mean old lady's house, the dilapidated empty driveway, the overpriced gas station, the tiny corner store, the corrupt daycare, Grandpa Ott's house... Every place held its memories. The old woman, dubbed by Meaghan as "Chicken Legs", was in cahoots with Ginny and her plan to make Meaghan's family miserable. They called the cops on Meaghan for everything, from the very day she moved to Mapleton. The driveway doubled as a junk yard for old cars, a perfect hideout. The gas station sold gas at ridiculous prices, but the tires and discarded items out back were fun to mess with. The corner store, run by a Chinese man named Mr. Moon, mostly stocked expired items (some of which had insects in them). Plus, the Marauders built bike ramps in the parking lot. The teachers at the daycare, Growing Minds, were mean and had a bias against Meaghan. Miss Dee, an obscenely overweight individual nicknamed "Obese Beast", especially hated Meaghan and everyone associated with her. Grandpa Ott wasn't really Meaghan's grandpa, but he gave her family giant candy bars on Halloween, and behind his house was a secret fort.
Speaking of forts, Meaghan reminded herself to visit Camp Ottoman with Avryl. (Camp Ottoman was the codename for the secret fort.) It had been a while.
As Meaghan was thinking this, she pulled in to Avryl's driveway. She dismounted and leaned her bike against a tree in the front yard. Then she dashed up the front steps and knocked on the door.
"WHO IS IT?" yelled a voice from inside.
"IT'S MEAGHAN! WHO DO YOU THINK IT IS?" Meaghan yelled back, knowing the voice was Avryl.
Avryl rushed over and flung the screen door open. She was twelve, two years younger than Meaghan. Even so, she was stronger and taller by a few inches, and had an unbelievable aim with a slingshot. "'Sup!" she exclaimed.
"Hey, Av!" Meaghan responded. "Come bike riding?" She gestured to her parked mountain bike.
"Just a sec," Avryl answered. She turned around and sucked in a breath. "MOM! CAN I GO BIKE RIDING?" Her voice boomed through the house with a ring of authority. She was loud for her age, but Meaghan didn't mind.
"BE BACK IN TIME FOR DINNER!" her mother replied from somewhere in the house.
Avryl marched outside with Meaghan and got her own bike from the shed. As she was setting it up, she asked Meaghan where they should go. "We doing the usual trip to PTG?" she asked, using the code name for Pine Tree Grove.
"The park? Nah, we go there too often. How 'bout Camp Ottoman?" Meaghan said, proposing her idea.
"Hm." Avryl thought for a moment. "I feel like spying today."
"How about we take the secret route to CO?" Meaghan answered, laying the foundation for a compromise. "We can leave our bikes there, check on CO, and then spy on Miss Dee from the Brick Piles."
"Ooh, you mean the Brick Fort?" Avryl exclaimed, growing increasingly excited. "We haven't been there since the Destruction!"
The girls' lives were split into three parts: Before Destruction (BD), Destruction (D), and After Destruction (AD). During BD, their lives were mostly peaceful and prosperous. They made forts often and colonized most of Mapleton. Some of their most glorious hideouts included the Brick Fort, PTG, Messenger Tree, and Sandhill.
Sandhill was one of their first forts, and by far their favorite. It was basically a huge hill of dirt in the corner store parking lot, but not simple in the least. Tall weeds grew out of the Hill itself, and could be bent into rooms and corridors. Before long, it was a maze of nooks and crannies, a manor of sorts. There were weapon storages, hiding places, meeting rooms, kitchens, emergency exits, lookout posts, and even bedrooms. Later on, bricks lined the walkways and stairs, and a large board acted as a drawbridge across a little moat. The best part was, in all its glory, it didn't look suspicious in the least. From the outside, you couldn't tell it was inhabited until you stood next to it.
Perhaps that was its downfall. The Maple Marauders, better known as just the neighborhood boys, decided that the Hill would be a perfect bike ramp. They propped up the drawbridge and used it to ramp up and over, nearly breaking their necks in the process. The crash's results were devastating. It was total carnage. Restoring the Sandhill to its former self was a futile effort, however noble. Meaghan and Avryl each held a vigil and sacrificed a personal item in honor of the Hill. Meaghan laid bricks around the site and built pathways for future generations to explore the Sandhill Cemetery. Avryl's beloved crowbar, which had been first discovered in one of the Hill's many rooms, stood by the entry gate like a flag.
Unfortunately, the city decided that the Sandhill was a liability, a danger, and an eyesore to society. Before anyone could even experience the cemetery's brick road of memories and dreams, what was left of the dead Hill was bulldozed and taken far away in the back of a truck. This was late into the BD era, and served as an omen for the hardships to come.
Although the loss of the Sandhill was heartrending, all was not lost. Yet. A secret path was revealed between the tractor barn and a fence. The flattened weeds beckoned to a new adventure.
Walking through the path, it was clear that it had never been explored before. The green vegetation was overwhelming. The two pioneers emerged at the back of the barn. There were brick piles everywhere. They were in the lot behind the daycare! Another path was discovered in the tall weeds that led behind the tallest stack of bricks. It was the perfect hiding place! And so the colonization of the Brick Fort began.
Luckily, it was Unlimited Pick-Up day, where residents left things they didn't want out by the road. It was like a giant garage sale where everything was free! They looked like trash-pickers, but the girls set out and sacrificed their dignity for free furniture.
After a long, hot, restless afternoon, the Brick Fort was completed. There were two rooms: the sitting area and the kitchen.
The kitchen was like a lab. There was an old Christmas welcome mat on the ground dividing the two rooms. A bucket of water sat on a raised platform, complete with a brush and other cleaning supplies. Off to the side was the loading dock, closed with a baby gate. Materials would be shipped in on a little red wagon through the gate before being shelved.
The sitting room was grand. An American flag hung on a big tree. The ground was covered with a blue carpet. In the center of the rug was a little wooden table with a gorgeous glass centerpiece. Seating was no problem. Tire seats were off to the left near the kitchen. On the right was what used to be a weight-lifting bench, but with a tie-dye blanket over top became a groovy sitting bench. Beside it were two lawn chairs near the entrance. Directly under the American flag was a large car seat, padded and soft and fit for the club president. Artificial flowers grew beside it.
Meaghan and Avryl had even thought ahead to bad weather. A series of tarps and heavy-duty garbage bags could easily be deployed in case of rain. Every base had been covered.
Yet, in its prime of being the best fort ever, the Brick Fort was attacked by the Maple Marauders. How they found it would never be known. The havoc they wrought was ten times more devastating than the Sandhill. They knocked everything over, shattered things with a bowling ball, and left no survivors. Among the deceased were CDs, chairs, decorations, and even the glass centerpiece that had been one of a kind. All the girls' hard work was in ruins, and with it went all hopes of a fun summer.
It is believed that the Destruction began there. War was declared on the Marauders.
Before there could be any further damage, Meaghan and Avryl ran back to the Brick Fort. They scavenged for what they could find, but the salvo had been thorough. Out of everything that had once been, they could only salvage the bench, the car seat, the carpet, and part of the table. Finding ANYTHING intact was a miracle in itself. Under the cover of evening, they heaved their supplies to Camp Ottoman. They set up the furniture under the tree, but realizing that they couldn't ever truly enjoy it again, bunched it together and wrapped it up in a grey tarp. They never touched it ever again, and so it became forgotten along with Camp Ottoman after the first killing frost of autumn.
Throughout the fall, battles were waged against the boys. It mostly consisted of ding-dong ditching and merciless water gun fights. Eventually, as winter set in, the war diminished, but the grudge would never fade. Thus became AD - After Destruction.
Now, Meaghan nodded. "I'd be a good opportunity to check on our stuff."
Avryl thought it over. "Sounds good. Let's go." They mounted their bikes and sped down the Main Road.
Once they reached the Tractor Lot, which didn't take very long, they turned right into it. They hopped off their bikes and walked them up to the fence. There was a big hole in the wood that could be used as a stealthy shortcut to Grandpa Ott's yard.
Once they had entered the yard, the two girls scurried to Camp Ottoman and leaned their bikes against the tree.
"I'll keep watch!" Meaghan piped up. Being the smallest and quickest, she easily scaled the tree, all the way to the upper branches.
"Careful," Avryl warned.
Meaghan rolled her eyes.
Avryl shrugged and walked over to the tarp. Amazingly, it appeared untouched. Frost still bound everything together. Avryl ripped off the tarp. "My bench!" she exclaimed, sitting on it. "Cold and a bit musty, but still my bench!" She kicked the table and the car seat aside.
"Hey, no fair!" Meaghan yelled down. She tried to descend quickly, but lost her footing. With a crack and a crash she fell, landing in a straddle on the bottom limb. "Ow," she squeaked.
Avryl cringed. Landing with a branch between your legs was never fun. Ever.
Meaghan gritted her teeth and jumped out of the tree. She was shaken and scratched up, but otherwise okay. She examined her car seat and pinched her nose in disgust. "P.U." The furniture would have to be disposed of, but she didn't say anything of it. She didn't want to dampen Avryl's spirits.
"What's this?"
"What?" Meaghan asked, confused.
"You know the four bricks we used to secure the tarp? Someone scribbled on them."
Meaghan walked over to take a look. Sure enough, tiny numbers were in the upper left-hand corner of each brick. In the center were lines and dots that looked like a blend of Braille and Viking runes. "Damn," she whispered.
Avryl touched a brick with her finger. "I get the feeling we should put the bricks in order," she said softly.
Breathlessly, they lined up the bricks under the tree.
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I actually have an entire written language for this book. I call it Aeolyk. I drew the bricks in order and jotted down what the runes are supposed to look like. I'll try to scan and upload it at some point.
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"That's not any language I've seen," Meaghan speculated. "But it looks like it's meant for us."
Avryl kneeled and squinted at the writing, trying to decipher it. She reached for the first brick.
Meaghan paid no attention. She was busy analyzing the situation. "It could be a hoax, a trap laid by the boys. But the writing looks ancient, and besides, the Marauders don't know this place."
"Meaghan," Avryl croaked. Her hand was quivering over the brick. "I feel like... like... I don't know how to describe it. My body feels all fuzzy, and I get the sense that I need to touch the brick. Like, my life depends on it. Don't you feel it?"
Meaghan blinked. "Feel what?"
"I get this overwhelming feeling of familiarity, like I know this language."
Meaghan was taken aback. She'd always wanted something exciting to happen to her, but she didn't want to be taken advantage of. Then again, Avryl was reacting as if the brick was a magnet. "Are you sure?"
"I think." Avryl put her hand on the writing. As she came into contact with the brick, her breathing caught and she had a burst of hyperawareness. She fell silent.
"Avryl?"
"'TEST.'"
"What?"
"The first brick says 'TEST.'"
Meaghan was awestruck. "What about the second one?"
Avryl's hand mechanically moved to the next brick. "'CLUE.'"
"'TEST,' 'CLUE'... Sounds fun. Next?"
Avryl touched the third one. "'BRICK.'"
"And...?"
"'FORT.'"
Meaghan was stumped. "'TEST,' 'CLUE,' 'BRICK,' and 'FORT.' What does it mean?"
Avryl's vision blurred. The bricks seemed to become one long slab of rock. "It's all one sentence. They're... instructions." She pulled back with a jolt, and her breathing went back to normal. "What just happened?" she asked, standing up.
"You mean... you don't remember?"
"Oh, I remember it clear as day. But what the hell came over me? I blurted out the words without thinking at all." She scratched her head. "One sentence, huh? So... Test clue brick fort. What the eff?"
Meaghan picked up a brick. The answer came to her at once. "These words are a test. The next clue is at a fort of bricks."
The girls locked eyes at the exact same moment. "Brick Fort," they said together.
They ran breathlessly across the yard to the Brick Piles. Bricks were stacked and piled everywhere, like a junkyard. Quietly, so as not to be noticed, they snuck back into the old Brick Fort. The rubble was a sad sight; enough to make Meaghan feel sick to her stomach. Not much was recognizable, and more bricks had been stacked atop the wreckage as if it had never existed.
"How'd you get the idea to check here?" Avryl asked.
"It just came to me," Meaghan said with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure the clue is here somewhere." She scanned the fort. "A-ha!"
"What?"
"I don't know."
"C'mon!" Avryl slugged Meaghan's arm. "Don't kid around!"
"Sorry! Ow, my arm..." She looked around. "Hey! The picket fence is alive!"
"Oh, my God!" Avryl pulled the broken white fence from between the brick piles. "It's safe!" She leaned the fence against the tree. "Hey, isn't that-"
"Another clue!" The scribbles were carved into the fence. "Touch it, Av."
Avryl traced the indents with her finger. "'PARK,' 'CAFÉ,' 'CLUE,' 'BARREL.'" She lifted her finger. "Park café clue barrel. Interpretation?"
Meaghan nodded and touched the fence cautiously. "There's a clue on the barrel at the park cafeteria." She turned away. "I get the feeling we need to hurry."
"You mean we need to go to the thing with all the picnic tables under a big roof?" Avryl confirmed, making gestures with her hands to demonstrate her question.
"Yeah, there's a rusty burn-barrel there."
"What about the trash barrels?"
"Do you think they'd make us dig through rotten food?"
"Good point. Who's 'they'?"
"The people leaving clues."
"Who says it's not just one person?"
"Does it matter?"
"...Another good point. Let's go."
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I also drew a detailed map of Mapleton. I'm going to upload that at some point too, but I'll see if I can get our scanner to work.
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"The only way to get there in time is to jump the Big Fence," Meaghan said. "Can you climb, Av?"
The Big Fence wasn't necessarily a tall fence, although parts of it were impossible to climb. It was more of a collection of different fences in a straight line. The fence at the back of Avryl's yard was part of the Big Fence. At the back of the Brick Fort was a tall fence.
"I don't know 'bout this particular fence, but I'll try," Avryl replied, unsure. "Do we have to climb it?"
"We could take the Main Road and enter the park like normal people," Meaghan started, "but that would take longer, and traffic is a variable we can't control."
"Traffic isn't really a problem out in the country," Avryl reasoned, "and we have bikes."
"You can go," Meaghan said, "but I'm climbing the Fence."
Avryl was indecisive. "Er... I'll try the Fence, I guess."
"Follow my lead," Meaghan said. Within a few seconds, she was straddling the top of the Fence. "Hurry up!" she called down.
Avryl tried to scrabble up the Fence, but it was no use.
"C'mon!" Meaghan urged.
"How?" Avryl questioned, growing frantic.
"Um..." Meaghan glanced down. "Stack some bricks."
"Do we have time?"
"If you hurry up!"
Avryl quickly stacked a few bricks against the Fence and used them as a stepladder. She tried to swing her foot up.
"You're almost ther-"
"SHIT!" The bricks fell out from under her, and Avryl was left with one foot on and the rest of her hanging precariously over the edge. If she let go, she would scrape her hip, most likely tearing her shorts, and tumble down into the bricks. "Why were we hurrying again?"
Meaghan felt guilty. It was her fault Avryl was in a potentially dangerous situation and spewing profanities. "Sorry! It's just... I got this sense of urgency... Can you get up?"
"And I almost got myself killed over a hunch," Avryl grunted. "But maybe I can pull myself up... Hang on..." Avryl gritted her teeth and tried to get up.
"You're the one who needs to hang on!" Meaghan helped pull Avryl up, and soon they had gotten over the Fence.
Avryl flashed Meaghan a dirty look.
Meaghan looked apologetic. "What's done is done. Let's go!"
The girls took off across the field without another word.