Embrace (3 page)

Juliska strode into the canyon bowl, wearing an elegant blood-red jacket. Missing from her outfit was her pet spider, Pajak, along with his wandering glass-like eyes and skinny long legs that rattled as he crawled.

The Banon greeted her Viancourt members first, before turning to face the envious non-initiated, and Ivan.

“It is with great honor,” she began, “that we are gathered here tonight, to begin the Initiation of Ivan Crane, so that he may become a fully fledged member of the Svoda Gypsies; an honor you all should be striving for every moment of your lives.” The crowd cheered and then she continued.

“Ivan Crane, do you accept this Initiation, and swear to finish the task set before you, thus achieving your Initiated status?”

“I swear to finish whatever task you would ask of me, even if it meant my life to do so.” Juliska smiled, with an odd twinkle in her eye.

10

“Very well. Your task, Ivan, is something … a little different. Nevertheless, I have no doubts you can accomplish this task. It will be one of a personal nature.” The crowd oohed and aahed, having never heard the Banon stray from the normal Initiation type tasks before.

From what Jae had explained to the twins, typically, Initiations were scavenger hunts of sorts, projects that tested the Initiates’ knowledge of history, law and magic. If their knowledge proved worthy, they won their place among the Initiated.

“It is a matter which I will discuss with you further and in private,” continued the Banon.

The group buzzed with anticipation. Never had an Initiation been so secretive.

“Now, on to your choice, Ivan Crane,” Juliska stated, stealing back the groups attention. “As is the tradition, you shall announce your choice for Learner Companion. One amongst us that is not yet initiated, who will assist you in this task, in the hopes of forwarding their own knowledge and gaining their own initiation in due time.”

Ivan turned to the mainly younger, non-initiated group. Zealous eyes waited anxiously, hoping Ivan would pick them.

Meghan laughed.

Who would want to spend time with that boy? Following his instructions and doing what he says…”

Colin heard her thought and opened his mind to hers for a brief moment.

“I do pity whoever he picks,” he agreed.

“I’m not sure pity is a strong enough word!” she shot back. She bit her lip trying not to laugh out loud.

Ivan Crane searched the crowd, ignoring the eager eyes gazing back, waiting for some sign that he was about to pick them.

Then, his unflinching face stopped on Meghan Jacoby and his eyes grinned smugly.

“Oh no,” she whispered under her breath, horrified. “He wouldn’t dare!” But Ivan did dare.

“I choose the Firemancer, Meghan Jacoby as my Learner Companion, so that she may learn from me and perhaps, someday, follow in my footsteps.”

Some in the crowd clapped and cheered. The rest stood in disbelieving silence.

Why would he pick this untested newcomer over one of them?

Even the scowl that followed from three D’s, including Darcy Scraggs, Dulcy Hadrian and Daveena Troast, did not make Ivan’s choice any better.

Meghan stalked to Ivan’s side, huffing the entire way.

“Very smart choice, Ivan Crane! My visions of your auspicious future are coming true already. A Firemancer at your side could prove a very wise move for this particular task.” Juliska beamed in delight. Even this could not brighten Meghan’s mood.

Ivan bowed and thanked the Banon for her praise. Juliska came forward and congratulated Ivan personally. As she drew closer, Meghan could not help but smile. Though inside, her fury toward Ivan Crane intensified so much, that she felt sure she might burst into flames.

Juliska leaned into them.

11

“I will call upon you both soon and explain your task further.” She then whisked away in full Juliska Blackwell fashion. A line began to form, with Svoda ready to congratulate the Initiate and his chosen companion.

Just as the Banon reached the entrance of the amphitheater, she froze. The gathered crowd instantly did the same. Silence did not follow until the echoes of their voices had finished reverberating against the walls.

The unwanted, and now familiar, feeling of eyes surrounding them stripped away the ceremonious atmosphere.

“How?” yelled a man. “How did they follow us here?” There was no time for an answer.

The Scratchers’ ear piercing screeches filled the rocky bowl, reverberating harrowing echoes back and forth between the Svoda, paralyzing them with fear.

Then, someone shouted.

“Run for your lives!”

The crowd barged through the one exit, jamming it.

Juliska Blackwell’s body began to rise above the group.

“Stop!” she ordered.

The crowd did as she commanded, watching shadows swarming overhead, prepared to attack.

“Go safely to your homes! I alone will fight this enemy and accept the consequences of using magic.”

The crowd more calmly worked their way through the exit.

“Mochrie family,” shouted Irving, “All hold hands and follow me!” Jae grabbed Meghan and in turn, she grasped onto Colin as they fought to stay together and get outside of the amphitheater.

The hurried organization did not last. Panic ensued again as three attacking Scratchers came into view, diving perilously close to the fleeing Svoda. Parents grabbed their younger children and raced toward their cave dwellings, disappearing into the closest open door they could find.

“Emissio,” yelled Juliska, continually.

Fighting three at one time was proving difficult, even for the leader of the Svoda Gypsies.

One of the Scratchers made it through Juliska’s spell, knocking over four people as it collided into the ground, including Balloch Flummer and his son, Noah.

Nearby Svoda scurried in all directions, attempting to take cover from the flailing beasts’

deadly wings; wings that if wrapped around you, caused instant death!

Noah helped his father off the dusty ground, along with the two others who had fallen.

Noah’s own young daughter stood by an open door urging them forward.

“Father,” said Noah, with certainty, “I would say that this warrants the use of magic, wouldn’t you?”

Balloch agreed, seeing as their lives were in imminent danger. Before he could tell his son to let him do it, and take the subsequent consequence, Noah took the lead.

12

“Emissio,” Noah yelled, sending the beast flying backwards into the air. The two Svoda he had helped up raced away to safety. As Noah followed, he realized that his father was not at his side. He turned and saw Balloch racing toward an unprotected child. Noah saw the child’s own father approaching, but knew he would never get there in time. Balloch was closer.

The Mochries, along with the twins, reached the refuge of their cave home and turned as they heard Noah’s panicked cry. The horror in his voice was unbearable, but the twins could not turn away their eyes.

What happened next took place so quickly that no one could have stopped it.

The Scratcher, which Noah had blown away from his father only moments before, hovered over Balloch, its wings outstretched as its body descended, its wolf-like face howling eerily over its imminent victory.

Fearing for the life of the child in his arms, with all his old strength, Balloch tossed the child to safety. The boy’s father caught him and fell to the ground, as the wings of the Scratcher enclosed around the body of Balloch Flummer.

A painful cry rang out for a fleeting moment… then ended.

Time seemed to halt.

Noah then shook himself back into reality and ran toward the Scratcher, now holding the limp body of his dead father in its clutches.

Juliska Blackwell saw Balloch’s lifeless body and fell to the ground, stunned at the loss of one of her own.

Noah cried out for his father from underneath the flying beast, but was helpless in retrieving his father’s body.

The twins’ minds came together for the first time in months. They sank to the ground as well. This very same thing may have happened to their Uncle Arnon. Their minds raced back to the fallen pine tree in the woods behind Camp Agunkpot, and to the moment that had changed their lives forever.

The Mochries tried to drag the twins inside and Colin permitted it, however Meghan was unable to take her eyes off the dead body of Balloch Flummer.

Juliska’s fury was glorious!

She bounded to her feet and strode toward the beast, advising her personal Balaton, Jelen and Jenner, to use magic and block the other two.

“How dare you?” she roared. As she strode closer, flames burst forth from her body, starting with her hands, then spreading to her head and feet. The flames changed colors from orange to red and finally to a red so deep it was almost black. Her face contorted as she appeared to age suddenly amidst the flames. She raised her arm to the beast, who appeared startled by her actions.

The Scratcher dropped Balloch’s dead body. Noah caught it, but could not hold the dead weight of his father’s lifeless body. Two people standing nearby ran to assist him.

Juliska continued her rampage. The beast thrashed viciously, apparently caught in a spell, which would not allow it to fly away. It snarled maddeningly at its unseen cage.

13

“What gives you the right?” Juliska then spoke, in a voice much deeper than usual.

The beast writhed in agony. The other two Scratchers, seeing Juliska’s true force, ended their attack and flew away.

Juliska then spoke a spell none could understand and the imprisoned Scratcher went silent.

It was not dead, just frozen, suspended like a statue floating in the air.

A circle of light started to surround them both, forming a barrier. Juliska began to rise to the level of the beast.

“You will return to where you came from and you will deliver this message. We will never stop fighting! We may not yet know how to kill you, but heed this warning: we will find a way! And when that day comes you had better start running.” She sank back down to the ground, the barrier that had surrounded her and the Scratcher dissolved, and the beast fled into the evening sky.

Juliska’s Balaton came to her side at once.

Noah Flummer tried to comfort his mother, Sidra, but could barely comfort himself.

Realizing the Scratchers had retreated, the Svoda hesitantly emerged from their hiding places, witnessing the lifeless body of Balloch Flummer. Tears streamed down many faces.

Svoda young and old alike knew Balloch well.

Meghan and Colin joined the Mochries as they exited their home, but they did not see Balloch’s body lying on the ground; instead, the dead stare of their Uncle Arnon gazed up at them.

After a few moments, Banon Blackwell walked to the center of the gathered circle and stood next to the grieving family.

“This is a sad reminder of what we all must strive for,” she began, somewhat shakily. “Yes, Initiations are a vital part of our livelihood and a tradition long standing. Nevertheless, whether you are chosen this month, or next year, you must each do your part! Our rules and traditions must always keep us moving toward our goal, of living in safety, and someday, returning home. We must find a way to fight this evil!” She paused, listening to the sniveling crowd.

“Balloch Flummer was a good man,” she sighed. “A devoted member to his final breath. He gave his life so that the young could live. Our future.”

Sidra Flummer then looked up from her husband’s dead body.

“It is what he always wanted,” she mustered the strength to say. “To be sure we had a future.”

Nothing more was said.

Juliska Blackwell looked unusually defeated. The crowd helped the Flummers’ into their home and assisted them in carrying Balloch’s body.

Irving Mochrie turned to his family and the twins.

“Night is coming. We had better get home. It is bad enough that Banon Blackwell had to use magic. We must not break any other rules of this place, or we will face permanent expulsion.” He swallowed hard and then led the way.

14

Once inside, no one spoke. The silence was deafening. Then, Ivan Crane sauntered in. He did not live with the Mochries but did often come by to check in. He did not speak but sat down. After a while, Irving broke the silence.

“I believe that even though this night was fatally marked, there is a lesson here for us all.

We were not prepared. Yes, we did not know the Scratchers were here, hiding in wait for us.

But we must always be prepared.”

“You are right, of course,” answered Ivan. “If we do not find a way to defeat this enemy, we may never be able to go home.”

With that, he stood up to leave.

Sheila grabbed his hand.

“We realize it’s crowded, Ivan, but you’re welcome to stay.”

“No. Thank you,” he replied gently. “There’s something I need to do,” he added. He then nodded to Irving and Sheila and took his leave.

His departure triggered a mass movement in the Mochrie house. It was not late, but no one could muster the strength to put into words what they had witnessed.

As everyone dispersed to their rooms, the door on Corny Tibbett’s room opened, just enough for his dingy sleeved arm to reach out; it held a piece of paper.

Colin’s heart raced. Was it for him? Some new message he needed. He grabbed the paper and Corny’s door instantly slammed shut.

The Mochrie parents just nodded their heads in tired confusion, and went into their room, but not until after Sheila had thoroughly hugged her children.

Colin took a sweeping glance at the paper. It seemed as though he would have to wait for more pages. He only hoped there were more, especially since it spelled nothing coherent, even when read backwards.

Once Meghan, Colin, Jae and Mireya were alone in their room, no one knew what to say about the evening’s events. Jae comforted Mireya. She cried softly while lying on her bed.

Balloch often spent hours reading and reciting stories to the young children.

Once Jae had calmed her down, he closed her curtain to let her sleep. The three slipped into Jae’s cubby and sat on his bed. It was a tight fit.