Panka bowed low to Rejji and excitedly climbed the stairs. Rejji exhaled loudly.
“I hope that I never have to ask someone to do something like that again,” the Astor declared. “It did not feel right to me.”
“Yet you are offering your life to Kaltara in the same vein,” smiled Marak. “Panka will serve you well. Find another with such qualities and train them well.”
“Well,” interjected Lyra, “we have the information that we need. Now we must seal this pit forever.”
“And how will you do that?” asked Axor. “Tremendous force will be needed for such a feat. We are two levels below the ground. I cannot imagine how many mages will be required for this, or how much time it will take them.”
“It is time to return to the surface,” announced the Star of Sakova. “Rejji, have everyone move out of the northern section of the city.”
Axor looked at the Star of Sakova as if she were crazy. Rejji merely nodded, and Marak actually smiled. They climbed the stairs and emerged on the street. Rejji started snapping off orders to the Qubari warriors and the others who had gathered to see what would happen.
“Can I stay and watch?” Marak asked Lyra as everyone began to leave the area.
“Can you create a shield around three of us?” asked Lyra as she looked at Rejji.
“I can,” nodded Marak.
“Good,” nodded Lyra as she started walking away from the shop. “I think you and Rejji should be here. Call him over while I prepare.”
Marak waved Rejji over and explained that they were staying. He erected a shield to surround the three of them where Lyra had chosen to stand, which was almost a block away from the shop.
Lyra closed her eyes and said nothing for a long time. Rejji and Marak did not speak, but the Torak saw Lyra’s skin begin to ripple. He watched with concern. The Star’s arms rose, the fingers of her hands intertwined to make one fist. The skin of her arms no longer rippled. Instead her flesh resembled more of a series of waves crashing upon the beach. Marak could not imagine the magnitude of the power that was building within the young mage.
Unexpectedly, a tremendous burst of power shot from Lyra’s hands. The air thundered as it split apart from the speeding projectile. Marak stared at the distant shop. His mouth opened in awe as the building suddenly disappeared. It did not cave in nor collapse. It simply disappeared, a huge cloud of dust rising skyward. The rest of the buildings on the block rocked and slowly collapsed in on themselves.
Showers of dust began to drift down from the sky. Lyra staggered and leaned on Marak as she grabbed his arm for support. The Torak stepped behind Lyra and wrapped his arms around her. Her body was shaking with exhaustion, and Marak shouted to Rejji to get LunarSigh. Rejji turned and ran as Marak eased Lyra down to the street and sat beside her.
It was several minutes before Lyra opened her eyes. Several more minutes passed before Rejji returned with LunarSigh. The Sakovan mage immediately began casting spells on the Star of Sakova.
“She is just exhausted,” commented LunarSigh. “There is no damage to her. She will be better in a few minutes.”
Marak rose and paced back and forth, his eyes constantly torn between the damaged block of buildings and the Star of Sakova. A few minutes later, Lyra groaned. Marak turned and knelt by her side. He took one of her hands and held it between his. Lyra smiled up at him. After a few minutes, Lyra said that she wanted to get up. Marak rose and pulled her to her feet. She was still a little unsteady, but she pointed to the destroyed block.
“Let me see what is left,” Lyra said. “We must make sure that it is sealed.”
Marak wrapped his arm around Lyra and guided her towards where he thought the shop had been. Most of the block of buildings had been reduced to fine rubble, but the shop area had been turned into a deep depression covered by thick glass. The glass still glowed red and seemed to flow into ever crack and crevice below it. Lyra smiled and nodded in satisfaction.
“How did you do that?” asked Rejji as he and LunarSigh arrived.
“I didn’t,” answered Lyra. “Kaltara did. Cover the block with grass and trees. Let a pleasant park dedicated to Kaltara grow over this site. It is no longer the Pit of Death.”
“Is it safe for the others to return?” Rejji asked. “I am sure that the thunder has them worried. They will want to see what has been done.”
Marak scooped Lyra up into his arms. He started carrying her away and called over his shoulder to Rejji.
“The people may return,” shouted the Torak. “Instruct them to create the park.”
“I can walk you know,” Lyra smiled up at Marak.
“You have done enough for one day,” Marak smiled back. “You are going to relax for the rest of the day, and I going to stay by your side to make sure that you do. Do not try to dismiss me.”
“That thought never even crossed my mind,” grinned Lyra. “Carry me away.”
Chapter 16
Alamanda
A long string of islands, like hopping stones across a pond, appeared off the bow of the ancient elven scout ship. MistyTrail roused Mistake from her nap and pointed to them. Mistake sat up and stared at the islands.
“Those must be the Barrier Islands,” Mistake said as she peered over the bow rail. “It doesn’t look like anyone lives on them. Are we getting close to Elvangar?”
“I don’t know,” shrugged the Sakovan warrior as she nodded towards the stern. “I suspect that we might be. Eltor and Caldal have been arguing for over an hour.”
“What about?” asked Mistake.
“I am not sure,” replied MistyTrail, “but I think it has to do with the trouble they are going to be in when we get to Elvangar. I guess they hadn’t really thought much about it until they were actually on their way home.”
“What do you think it will be like?” asked Mistake. “Elvangar I mean. Eltor and Caldal have talked so little about it that I do not know what to expect.”
“I have no idea,” frowned MistyTrail. “Part of me is curious to discover it, but another part of me is anxious about it. If the elves are forbidden from passing these Barrier Islands, how will we ever get home?”
“Home,” Mistake echoed forlornly. “I never really had a home. I envy the life that you have had. Do you miss it?”
“I do,” MistyTrail admitted after a long pause. “I would not leave your side to return there, but I do think about my friends often. It was a home.”
“I didn’t give the Sakova a fair chance,” frowned Mistake. “I am sorry for the way I acted while I was there. Perhaps we will return there someday. Let’s go see what Eltor and Caldal are arguing about.”
Mistake and MistyTrail moved to the stern. Eltor and Caldal stopped talking when they saw that they had company.
“Don’t stop arguing on our account,” said Mistake. “We want to listen in and see where our future lies.”
“We weren’t arguing,” retorted Caldal.
“Yes, we were,” argued Eltor. “They may not understand what we are discussing, but they have a stake in this decision as well as we do.”
“What were you discussing?” asked MistyTrail.
“Our approach to Elvangar,” answered Eltor. “There are two ways that we can go home. One is safe, but will lead to immediate capture by the elders. The other is more dangerous, but will allow us to see our friends and family before we give ourselves up.”
“Perhaps we can help you talk this through,” suggested Mistake. “Tell us of the two approaches.”
“Elvangar has only one approach from the sea,” replied Caldal. “There is a magical entrance through the jungle to the Gates of Elvangar.”
“The Gates of Elvangar are not really gates,” interrupted Eltor. “There is a narrow channel that passes through a towering cliff. That channel is called the Gates of Elvangar. Sentries are always posted atop the cliffs, and they see every vessel approaching. After we pass through the channel, we will be immediately seized and hauled before the elders.”