of standing guard on Haven waiting for a real mission were over, he hoped. He was ready now, ready to do what he had been trained to do—to serve and protect, to be the Keeper of the Faith. It didn’t get any better than that.
But instead, here he was again, doing what he always did, which was nothing. Being stuck in some dreary cave listening to himself breathe was not his idea of action. It was more like dying a slow death.
The Viper probably wasn’t even there, and if it was, it would be after the Dalcomes, not hanging around underground somewhere.
Gordon looked down at the triangular gem poised on the hilt of his staff, Alek. The gem began to give off a purple glow, signaling that he was receiving an incoming scroll. He held Alek firmly in one hand and quickly tapped the tip of the gem with the other. A purple flame burst from the end of the staff, engulfing the gem in light. At the center of the fire was a floating scroll of parchment. Gordon quickly reached into the fire and snatched the scroll. The fire was cool to the touch, but that mostly depended on Alek’s mood. He shook open the letter and began to read,
Nightfall is upon us, keep a watchful eye.
Be safe.
Xavier
Gordon rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir,” he hissed as he watched the scroll slowly dissolve in his hand. The flame on his staff went out and the only light remaining was the soft green glow of the Kamber Stones.
He began to move down the passageway toward the entrance. He needed some air. Besides, it would be dark soon, which meant he was less likely to be seen now by the average person passing by. But to be on the safe side, Gordon thought, it might be wise to bring the jacket.
He walked toward the entrance and saw the Earth garments still sitting where he had left them. As he approached he heard the faint sound of someone crying.
Gordon froze in his tracks and listened intently. He could hear the soft cries of what sounded like a small child from behind him. But how could that be? No one had come in. If they had, he would have seen them. He was sure of that.
Gordon strained his eyes, looking back into the darkness. There was nothing there but the winding passageway, dimly lit by the glowing green stones.
He turned to face the cave, his boots grinding the gravel beneath him. In the distance, coming from somewhere beyond the end of the passageway, he heard it again. But this time it spoke.
“Help me, please.”
Startled, Gordon raised Alek in front of him. The staff, sensing his fear, began to shine, casting a purple glow on the scene before him.
“Hello, who’s there?” he asked.
Gordon listened for a reply, but there was no answer.
“Hello?” he said again. “Is someone there?”
He heard footsteps running on the gravel ground just beyond his line of sight but it was too dark to see anything clearly.
“Who’s there?” he said. He could not hide the anxiety in his voice.
“Help me!” the voice said. It was the voice of a young girl.
Quickly, Gordon moved his right hand in a circular motion around the gemstone of his staff. Thin strands of light peeled away from the gem, gathering in Gordon’s hand. The strands spun together until they formed a brilliant ball of light the size of his palm.
Gordon pulled his hand back and gently pushed the ball of light down the tunnel. He watched as it travelled the length of the passageway. Off in the distance he could still hear the whimpering child. The light reached the first bend in the passageway and then he saw her. Her back was facing him; she wore a torn, filthy white dress, and no shoes. She had brown shoulder-length hair that was matted in thick strands and her arms and legs were covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises. In her left hand she held a stuffed pink rabbit by the ears.
The sphere of light began to fade as it finally reached the little girl. The passageway grew dim once again, and the small child inched away around the corner. Gordon could hear her little feet
But instead, here he was again, doing what he always did, which was nothing. Being stuck in some dreary cave listening to himself breathe was not his idea of action. It was more like dying a slow death.
The Viper probably wasn’t even there, and if it was, it would be after the Dalcomes, not hanging around underground somewhere.
Gordon looked down at the triangular gem poised on the hilt of his staff, Alek. The gem began to give off a purple glow, signaling that he was receiving an incoming scroll. He held Alek firmly in one hand and quickly tapped the tip of the gem with the other. A purple flame burst from the end of the staff, engulfing the gem in light. At the center of the fire was a floating scroll of parchment. Gordon quickly reached into the fire and snatched the scroll. The fire was cool to the touch, but that mostly depended on Alek’s mood. He shook open the letter and began to read,
Nightfall is upon us, keep a watchful eye.
Be safe.
Xavier
Gordon rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir,” he hissed as he watched the scroll slowly dissolve in his hand. The flame on his staff went out and the only light remaining was the soft green glow of the Kamber Stones.
He began to move down the passageway toward the entrance. He needed some air. Besides, it would be dark soon, which meant he was less likely to be seen now by the average person passing by. But to be on the safe side, Gordon thought, it might be wise to bring the jacket.
He walked toward the entrance and saw the Earth garments still sitting where he had left them. As he approached he heard the faint sound of someone crying.
Gordon froze in his tracks and listened intently. He could hear the soft cries of what sounded like a small child from behind him. But how could that be? No one had come in. If they had, he would have seen them. He was sure of that.
Gordon strained his eyes, looking back into the darkness. There was nothing there but the winding passageway, dimly lit by the glowing green stones.
He turned to face the cave, his boots grinding the gravel beneath him. In the distance, coming from somewhere beyond the end of the passageway, he heard it again. But this time it spoke.
“Help me, please.”
Startled, Gordon raised Alek in front of him. The staff, sensing his fear, began to shine, casting a purple glow on the scene before him.
“Hello, who’s there?” he asked.
Gordon listened for a reply, but there was no answer.
“Hello?” he said again. “Is someone there?”
He heard footsteps running on the gravel ground just beyond his line of sight but it was too dark to see anything clearly.
“Who’s there?” he said. He could not hide the anxiety in his voice.
“Help me!” the voice said. It was the voice of a young girl.
Quickly, Gordon moved his right hand in a circular motion around the gemstone of his staff. Thin strands of light peeled away from the gem, gathering in Gordon’s hand. The strands spun together until they formed a brilliant ball of light the size of his palm.
Gordon pulled his hand back and gently pushed the ball of light down the tunnel. He watched as it travelled the length of the passageway. Off in the distance he could still hear the whimpering child. The light reached the first bend in the passageway and then he saw her. Her back was facing him; she wore a torn, filthy white dress, and no shoes. She had brown shoulder-length hair that was matted in thick strands and her arms and legs were covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises. In her left hand she held a stuffed pink rabbit by the ears.
The sphere of light began to fade as it finally reached the little girl. The passageway grew dim once again, and the small child inched away around the corner. Gordon could hear her little feet
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