Justin lets his hood fall back to his shoulders as the wind rushing by him knocks it back. The sun was shining down on them all and the elfin horses ran over the land with speed as if they had wings. Oleander was in the lead with his best man at his side leading the group of men across the land. AJ was beside Justin trying to keep pace with the elves in front of them. AJ was too pale now even for a vampire. He needed blood and soon. Hopefully they would give him something when they arrived at Lothlorien.
Justin looks across the land at the rolling hills before him and then looks up at the sun quickly. It was a little past noon judging by the suns placement. They had been riding for two days straight now only stopping once and awhile for Justin and AJ to rest. He didn’t want it any other way though. He could smell the dew now, he could hear the wind whisper to him, he could fell the sun on his face, and he could feel the earth breath around him. Oleander said they would be in Lothlorien in half a day’s time now at the pace they were going. That’s all Justin wanted now…a nice soft bed and sleep.
“Stop,” Oleander yells out and brings his horse to stop beside the edge of a small wooded area, “We must rest for a while,” he says as Justin gladly gets off his horse and AJ does the same, “The horses need a rest,” Oleander adds dismounting his horse.
“Of course the horses need a rest,” AJ says to Justin as the two of them walk over to a tree and sit down under its shade, “I think I’m gonna die…again,” AJ says as he lays back on the grass and closes his eyes.
“We’re almost there,” Justin says still sitting up right and gazing across the land, “Something doesn’t smell right in the air.”
“What do you mean?” AJ asks still laying on the grass.
“I don’t know,” Justin says, “It smells like…like burning almost,” he says sniffing the air.
“Could it be, I dunno say…burning leaves,” AJ says not moving from his spot, “Call it a hunch.”
Justin looks down at AJ and shakes his head, “No,” he says reaching down and pulling a small jug of water from his belt, “I don’t know what it is,” he says more to himself as he takes a drink of the water, “The water here is wonderful you know that.”
“Wouldn’t know…vampire remember,” AJ says.
“Everything here is wonderful,” Justin says looking around again, “I would love to live here.”
AJ opens his left eye and looks at him slightly before shaking his head and closing it again.
Justin stares at the grass as a small butterfly floats up to him and hovers in front of him for a second. He stares at it and turns his head to the side slightly as it floats up and lands on his nose softly, “What?” Justin asks softly.
AJ opens his left eye again and stares at him, “Have you finally lost it kid?”
Justin stares at the butterfly intently for a few seconds before it flutters off into the woods.
“What?” AJ asks.
“We need to leave,” Justin says standing up, “Now,” he says walking over to his horse as the elves watch him.
“Oh no c’mon Justin I ache all over,” AJ says sitting up, “Aw c’mon,” he sighs standing up then walking over his horse and mounting it like the others, “I never get a break,” AJ says to himself as his horse starts off running across the land again, “I’m gonna kill you werewolf.”
“What do we do now?” Nick asks turning to his right and asking Josh as the two of them looked down at the land below the mountain they stood on.
Josh shakes his head, “I dunno. We need a plan before we go in there though,” he says as he looks down on to the darkness below, “We can’t just rush in there and expect them to tolerate us.”
“Maybe it should only be two of us to go in there then,” Nick says as Josh nods.
“That may be the best idea,” Josh sighs, “Chris and Lance should wait here. You and I will go into the city.”
“Ok,” Nick says.
“I don’t know what to do with you though,” Josh says.
“What do you mean?”
“I can change…I can look like one of them,” Josh says, “You…I don’t know. We need a disguise. We need to take some of their chainmail and dress you up in it.”
Nick nods, “…how do we get that?”
Josh shakes his head, “I dunno.”
“What are we doing?” Lance asks walking up and standing beside them.
“Nick and I are going in,” Josh says, “You and Chris stay here and watch for us to come back.
Lance stares at them and nods, “How exactly are you going to get in?”
Josh stares at them both before closing his eyes slowly and taking a deep breath in. Slowly, very slowly, a dark blackness begins to cover him. It begins at the tips of his tows and makes its way upwards as his clothing transforms into dark black leather and chainmail. Shapeshifting. Josh’s skin turned a tanner color as the shifting made its way to his bare skin and finally it reached his head, which slowly transformed. Two large yellow eyes stare at Nick where blue eyes once were and slightly pointed teeth slowly slightly as he exhales his breath through his mouth. The Pendragon looks at Nick then at Lance, “I need to go alone…”
“What?” Nick asks, “Josh you can’t risk it…”
“I need to,” Josh’s voice says coming from the Pendragons mouth, “You’ll never make it in there. I can. You risk getting yourself caught as well as Brian and Quest.”
“I don’t like it,” Nick says folding his arms across his chest.
“Nick I have been alive for centuries,” Josh says, “I have seen the rise and fall of empires, kingdoms. I have fought in wars and lived to tell about them. I can make it through there. You have to trust me.”
Nick looks at Lance as Lance looks at him, “Ok,” Nick sighs, “How will we know its you though when you come back. If we watch from here how will we know not to counter attack?”
“You’ll know,” Josh says walking over to the brown elfin horse, “I’ll be back soon enough,” he says jumping up and mounting the horse quickly, “Wish me luck,” he says grabbing the reins and spinning the horse around to face the trail down the mountain before taking off towards Mono.
“He’s going to need a hell of a lot more then luck,” Chris says walking up to them and gazing down the side with them as the three watch Josh.
Oleander walks quickly down the halls of the Lothlorien palace with AJ, Justin and the rest of the elves close behind. Justin could hardly keep up by now. The elves walked without making any sound and took long even strides effortlessly while AJ seemed to walk almost above the floor itself, but as a werewolf he knew his limitations and he had reached one of them now. He needed to sleep, eat and drink. His strides were now short and heavy as the weight of his body seemed to increase with each step.
“Oleander…” a voice says as Lord Westclox appears before them meeting them halfway down the long hall. He looks at him then at AJ and Justin, “What’s wrong?”
“We must prepare for war my lord,” Oleander says as his group reaches Westclox and stops before him, “The fellowship has been broken. The vampire and the werewolf are with us. The others…we do not know where the others are.”
“My niece?” Westclox asks looking at Justin and AJ.
Justin looks over at AJ who bows his head looking at the crowd.
“We do not know my Lord,” AJ says still looking at the ground, “We were attacked by the Pendragons and Riders some nights ago. Justin and I were taken away from the rest of the group and we eventually got back to Victoria for help.”
Westclox stares at them then at Oleander, “Who brought news of the war?”
Oleander looks at AJ, “A vision my lord. Your niece came to him and showed him what was coming. They are preparing for war in Mono we must be ready.”
“Very well,” Westclox says, “I will ready the troops,” he sighs, “I have long since feared the day when we would go to war once again. Tell me now what news do you bring of Victoria?”
“It has already fallen my lord,” Oleander sighs, “The city is in ruins. Our people scattered. Our leader killed. We are forced into the city underground now.”
“Victoria has fallen?”
“Yes.”
Westclox looks at AJ and Justin and sighs, “Rest now. We will discuss this further at a later time.”
Oleander nods.
“I must go talk to my generals now,” Westclox says before turning around quickly.
“They’re alive,” AJ, says as Westclox stops suddenly, “I saw her. She’s fine…just scared. She only wants to help her people.”
“And so it shall be,” Westclox says with his back still towards them before walking down the rest of the hallway quickly and vanishing around a corner.
“What do we do now?” Justin asks Oleander.
“We rest…and then we wait.”
“For what?” Justin asks.
“For them to meet us halfway,” Oleander says, “Or for them to make the first move.”
Josh peers around a corner and lets his eyes race over the surroundings…no one in sight. He quickly walks the whole way around the corner and begins to walk down the dark hallway. Walls made of a dark stone with dark heavy wooden doors were on either side of him. No light came into the hallway except for the faint glow of torch lamps along the walls. He had made it into the building easy enough. Pendragons were not known for their knowledge and it was to his advantage. No one had stopped him or asked him any questions. He had left his horse by the outskirts of the city and had walked the rest of the way in. The only problem was climbing the many stairs that lead up to the building located on the side of the mountain and the fact that he didn’t know where to begin looking.
“I tell you he is not an elf,” a voice floats from around the corner. It was horse and airy as if the speaker was speaking through spaces in his teeth.
“Then tell me what he is,” another deeper voice says.
“I do not know,” the first voice says, “He bares no marks of the elves though like the girl. He bares no magic at all not like the girl. We can’t even get close to her now that she is strong again. She’s a witch I tell you.”
“We figure this out later,” the second voice says, “We need to fins the master first and tell him that we are ready to set out now.”
“Very well,” the first voice says as Josh hears footsteps and two Pendragons pass him in the hallway gazing at him quickly as they pass.
Josh watches them leave and turn a corner before continuing to walk down the hall where they had come from. Something had to come to him…anything…anything to help him.
“Come on,” he mutters to himself, “I need some help here. I need some help. Anything,” he says to himself ad his continues to walk down the hall as he hears a soft sneeze as he stops in front of once of the heavy doors. He reaches up a hand and removes a small wooden slot that he gazes through into the cell. Nothing. His eyes race over the cell before stopping on a small dark corner. He wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or if something small was curled up in that corner. He reaches down and looks at the heavy pad lock on the door. He reaches out his right hand and hovers it above the lock as the lock begins to glow a bright blue color before shattering into hundreds of small pieces. Quickly he throws open the door and walks into the cell. Then he saw the white of two eyes look up at him from the corner.
“Get out,” a voice hisses, “How many times have I told you to get out!” the voice yells as the figure stands and Quest appears out of the darkness walking towards him. Her eyes were glowing with anger now and her hands were clenched in fists, “Get out!” she yells as Josh feels a pull on his body and he is thrown against one of the cell walls as he is pulled up the wall towards the ceiling.
He couldn’t breathe. Something was holding the air from his body. He needed to change. He needed to show her or tell her, “Quest,” he chokes out softly above a whisper, “Quest stop,” he says softly again, but she couldn’t hear him. There was nothing, but rage in her eyes now and he could feel the magic radiating off her body. He closes his eyes and pushes with his mind instead. He threw every ounce of strength he had left together and pushed his way into her mind, “STOP!” he yelled inside her head, “QUEST STOP IT’S ME…JOSH!” he yells inside her head as her eyes widen and realization sets in.
“Josh,” she says softly as her eyes soften and Josh falls to the ground in a heap, “Josh,” she says again as Josh takes a deep breath and stands up looking at her.
“Quest,” he says staring at her.
“Josh,” she says staring at him, “Josh get me out of here,” she says walking up to him, “Josh get me home.”
“Ok, ok,” Josh says looking at her, “Do you know where Brian is?”
“Down…down the hall I think,” she makes out.
“Ok ok we need to get him now,” Josh says grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the cell and down the hall, “Which cell?” he asks as they pass the doors quickly.
“I…I…I don’t know,” she says.
Too many questions. He was asking too much of her. She wasn’t thinking straight and he wasn’t helping the situation. There was only one chance, “Call him,” he says to her, “Call him in his mind.”
Quest stares at him before nodding. She closes her eyes slowly and takes in a deep breath. Then the force hit him it was as if a ripple effect was spreading off her. It hit his mind hard and shook his thoughts in his head, “Here…here…here!” she yells walking quickly down the hall and stopping in front of a cell door, “Open it,” she says to Josh who was still trying to get his thoughts together again, “OPEN IT!” she yells at him as he walks over to the door and breaks the lock in a similar fashion as he broke hers.
“Brian,” he says as Quest opens the door and they both head into the cell.
“Brian,” Quest’s voice says as they both look around the darkened cell.
“What?” a voice asks in reply.
“Brian,” Josh says looking over at the corner behind him, “Brian we need to leave now.”
“Josh?” Brian asks staring at him from the floor.
“Yes, now we need to go,” Josh says.
“You left us,” Brian says looking up at him coldly.
“I…we had no choice,” Josh says, “Please we need to leave.”
Brian looks at him hard and then over at Quest standing behind him before standing up and walking over to them. He was a beaten man physically and mentally that much Josh could tell. His face and clothes were dirty while small cuts and bruises littered his skin, “Let’s go,” Brian says.
“Hurry,” Josh says grabbing one of each their hands and pulling them out of the cell and back down the hall. Now how was he going to get them out? He couldn’t just walk through leading their prisoners. It was such a long walk out too even to the horse. He would deal with that when the time came though. He would deal with the Pendragons then. Quest’s hand was cold, unnaturally cold in his own while Brian’s was callous with various scabs. He needed to get them both out and now.
“What’s that?” Chris asks looking in the distance.
“What?” Nick asks standing up and looking down the mountain side as a lone horse came racing up the path, “LANCE!” he yells, “He’s back!” he yells as he sees the horse come racing faster then ever towards them. Josh was back to normal by now changed back into his human form cloak blowing in the wind. Nick could see a smaller person curled up on his lap holding onto him while another was holding onto his waist from behind him.
“He’s saying something,” Chris says.
“What?” Nick asks walking to where Chris is standing and looking at Josh as Josh yelled something up to them all.
“What is he saying?” Lance asks.
“I can’t tell,” Nick says as Josh continues to yell.
“Shit,” Lance hisses as he sees what Josh is yelling about, “Get on the horses,” Lance yells as the three of them race over to their horses and climb onto them. A group of five Riders were racing close behind Josh trying to catch up to him black cloaks rippling in the wind.
“I need to help him he has too much weight,” Nick yells as he gets onto his horse.
“Ok,” Lance says as Chris gets onto his horse.
Nick turns his horse around and races down the mountainside towards Josh pushing his horse to go as fast as it could. The wind beat against his face and as Josh got closer he sensed the Riders gaining on him.
“What are you doing?” Josh yells at him as he passes by him quickly and Nick turns his horse around to race up beside him.
“You have to much weight give me her,” Nick says to him as they continue to race across the land.
“No I’ll drop her,” Josh says.
“Just give me her,” Nick yells.
“No,” Josh yells back as they race over a small hill and back into the dry land of Magik beside Lance and Chris.
“Just get over the hill,” Quest says softly from Josh’s lap as Josh looks down at her.
“They’re gaining,” Lance yells looking over his shoulder as the Riders close in and a hill approaches them faster, “They’re gaining!” he yells again as they race over the hill and arrows fly by their heads towards the Riders.
“What the hell!” Nick yells dodging one.
“Elves!” Lance yells.
Nick looks up and stares at the Nexflex elves lined up before them bows drawn and aiming at the Riders sending arrow after arrow at them. The three horses race towards the safety of the elves as the Riders draw back. They reach the line of elves and stop behind them staring up at the hill as the Riders gaze down at them.
“They know not to venture into this land,” an elf says and Nick sees Rohand, the captain of the knights, looking at him, “They are greatly out numbered,” he says as the Riders stare down at them from the hill before turning around and walking back down the hill towards Mono again.
Nick looks over at Josh then and looks at Quest and Brian, “Are you guys ok?” he asks quickly.
Brian nods solemnly.
“They started after me when I reached the outskirts,” Josh says sighing and picking up Quest slightly in his arms, “She used to much of her strength. She made the horse go faster and is drained after a lot so far,” he sighs as Nick takes Quest from him.
Rohand looks at them, “The lady Questapatania?”
Nick nods.
“What problems stir in our lands now?” Rohand asks.
Nick looks at him, “We need your help before we can explain.”
“What do you need?” Rohand asks.
“We need you to take us to Lothlorien,” Nick says, “We must get there and we are unprotected alone.”
Rohand stares at Nick then at Quest, “Very well,” he says taking out a small container of water from his pouch on his horse and handing it to Brian, “Drink young sir. You will need your energy,” he says as Brian gladly takes it and begins to drink it down quickly.
“We must leave now then,” Josh says.
“Very well,” Rohand says, “We will stay at a steady pace then.”
Nick nods.
“Then we will have enough time for you to inform me about what this is all about.”
Nick nods again, “It’s a long story.”
“We have time,” Rohand says.
“Ok,” Nick sighs as they begin to walk across the land on their horses, “It all started when I was sent to the human realm by my elder Octavious…”
