The Magi

“Are you crazy!?!” shouted Paul as he ran after Elijah. Adam and Isaac followed closely behind. Elijah ignored the remark, so Paul grabbed Elijah’s arm and yanked him around. “Elijah, wait! What are you doing?”

“I told you. I’m going after them.”

“And what? You’re just going to walk up to them and they’ll hand Hannah right over?” Elijah huffed and turned back around, heading for the stairs. The boys continued to follow, pleading with him to slow down. They caught up with him again by the oval fire pit downstairs. “Elijah, stop!” Paul yelled.

“Look,” Elijah said, wheeling around, “I might not be able to do anything, but I have to try!”

“Why?” asked Paul. “Why do you have to try?”

“Because no one else is!!!” Elijah said angrily. “Who is trying to get Samuel back? Who is trying to get my uncle back? What’s being done to get Phinneas back, who apparently has been gone for YEARS!!! I’m not going to stand around and watch more people I care about get kidnapped because I’m waiting for someone else to do something!”

Paul sighed and looked back at Isaac and Adam as if he was at a loss for words.

Isaac spoke up. “Elijah, it’s not that we don’t want to help Hannah. But what do you think you’re going to do? There’s at least three of them. It’s suicide! Besides, you don’t even know where they’re going.”

“Then help me,” Elijah said. “Help her! Look, I understand if you don’t want to risk your lives. Really, I do. But I’m going. And the longer I stand here trying to convince you why I’m going, the harder it’s going to be to help. So either join me or let me go.”

The three boys glanced at each other realizing how serious Elijah was. The idea was crazy and dangerous. None of them were eager to battle three Maliphists, but they all wanted to help their friend.

“I’ll do it. I’ll help you, Elijah,” the small voice of Adam spoke, trying to sound courageous.

Paul looked at Adam, shocked. “Am I seriously hearing this?!?”

“I guess I’ll go too,” Isaac said. Paul put his hand over his own face and shook his head. “It’s our friend,” Isaac said to Paul. “And if someone doesn’t do anything, we might be next anyway. Better to face them together than by ourselves. I know it’s crazy, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Elijah looked back at Paul who was the last one left.

“Fine,” Paul agreed. “Count me in.”

Just then, Elijah noticed someone out of the corner of his eye rushing toward them. It was Becca. The room was still flooded with students and trainers all running in different directions like a congested nightmare, but Becca was clearly coming straight for them. She had a look of worry mixed with irritation. She grabbed Elijah’s arm and pulled him toward the staircases that led down into the arena.

“What are you doing?” Elijah asked as she dragged him down the stairs.

“Get in here!” Becca said in a hushed voice. She had let go of his arm, but led the group of boys into one of the empty classrooms, closing the door.

“What’s going on?” Paul asked, looking around for an explanation.

“You four are standing around completely clueless, aren’t you?” Becca said.

“Clueless?” Paul asked. “Yeah, we know about the Maliphist break in. Thanks for the news alert, genius. But they’re gone now.”

Becca shook her head. “Do you all have a brain among you?” The boys were speechless. “Look, you know I used to be a Maliphist. I know what they’re capable of. But breaking into a facility like this when it’s crawling with soldiers and the entire city is on alert is practically impossible.”

“Well gee, Becca,” Paul said sarcastically, “if it’s so impossible, how did they do it?”

“Exactly!” Becca said. She looked at Elijah as she spoke. “Don’t you think it’s odd that despite all the security around you they broke in through your own window?” Elijah suddenly realized how strange that was. He thought about how he didn’t see a guard under his window when the Maliphists were dragging Hannah away.

“What are you saying?” he asked.

“I’m saying they had help! And if they had help from someone inside the barracks, then you’re still in danger.” The boys again looked at each other in alarm.

Feeling the urgency return, Elijah broke the silence. “Well, it doesn’t matter now anyhow. We were just leaving. Are you guys still helping?” Paul, Isaac, and Adam looked a little more tentatively than before.

“What are you talking about?” asked Becca, sharply.

“It doesn’t mat—” Paul started.

“We’re helping Hannah!” Elijah interrupted. “So, we appreciate the concern, but we have to get going.”

“Help? How are you planning on helping?” Becca asked.

“Oh, let’s not go through this all again,” Paul huffed. “We don’t expect you to understand—heck, I’m not sure I understand—but we’re going to follow the Maliphists, since no one else will, and bring Hannah back—or at least we’re going to die trying to help her,” he said half joking, half serious. To Elijah’s surprise, Becca didn’t look surprised. Nor did she look judgmental. She only stood still, with a curious look on her face.

“What are you planning on doing when you catch up to them?” Becca asked. The boys looked at one another.

“We haven’t worked that out yet,” answered Elijah.

“How are you going to catch up to them?” she asked.

“We haven’t exactly worked that out yet either,” answered Elijah.

“How are you planning on leaving Savenridge without anyone noticing?” she asked. Silence. “Do any of you even know where the Maliphists are headed?”

“Okay!” Elijah blurted. “So we don’t really know what we’re doing!”

“I’ll say!” Becca said with authority. There was another awkward silence among the four boys who were still ready to help Hannah, but were beginning to understand their own helplessness.

“Well,” Elijah said, “we’re just going to have to work this out quickly. All we need is a plan. How do we get out of the barracks unnoticed?” They all thought for a moment.

“Elijah’s window!” Isaac suddenly said to the rest of the group. “You said yourself there wasn’t a guard there, right? We can go through your broken window and then hide in the woods behind the barracks.”

“Okay, that might work,” said Elijah. “Then how do we get out of the city? Someone’s bound to see us!”

“Not if we’re careful,” Paul said. “Word can’t have reached the entire city yet, so if we stay hidden and don’t attract attention to ourselves, we can slip out—at least long enough to get to the less populated areas of Savenridge.”

“No,” Elijah corrected, “I mean out. Out of the city. There’s practically a fortress around the city. I’m assuming it’s just as hard to get out as it is to get in.”

“If the Maliphists can do it, why can’t we?” Paul asked.

Becca shook her head. “They had help. You won’t.” There was another moment of thinking as they hit another snag in their plan.

“Wait a minute!” Isaac said, looking encouraged. “The northern entrance!”

“Are you kidding?!?” Paul asked practically shouting. The others shushed him, so he talked quieter. “That’s the closest entrance to Malpetra. It’ll be crawling with soldiers!”

“I’m not talking about the main entrance,” Isaac continued. “About a mile or so east of the entrance, there’s a hidden marshal’s stable with a small opening for the horses to enter and exit Savenridge. Most people don’t know about it, but when Pappy used to work there, he would like to take the horses out of the gates and let them run—away from the city.”

“Hey—” Elijah said pondering Isaac’s idea, “horses would be perfect! We need to catch up to the Maliphists anyway. Do you think we could get some?”

“Maybe,” Isaac said. “We would have to be really careful, and I’d get in so much trouble if we got caught. But I think we might be able to.”

“Okay,” Elijah said, starting to piece the plan together. “So assuming everything goes perfectly, we now have a way out of the city. Now what? We need to follow them.”

“But how do we do that? Do any of you know where Malpetra is?” Isaac asked.

“Becca does,” Paul said.

Becca looked at Paul with a smirk. “You’re crazy if you think I’m going with you guys! I’m the one person here who realizes just how stupid this idea is. I know what you’re up against.”

“All the more reason to come with us,” said Elijah. “With you, we’re stronger. You can tell us what we need to know and what we need to do. Without you, we’re going out there blind.”

“I might be able to tell you what you need to know, but you won’t be able to do anything about it. You have no defense against them! None of you can even move an element, let alone use them in combat.”

Elijah briefly wondered if he should reveal his ability to move the snow with Olivia earlier that day. He decided against it because Becca was still right. He may have been able to move the snow, but he couldn’t use it effectively.

“So we need weapons,” Isaac said, continuing to answer Becca’s concerns. “Something to fight with.”

“I can get a hold of a sword and shield,” Elijah said, remembering the antique weapons hanging on the wall at the Roddick’s house. He knew it was for display mostly, but they could be used if necessary. “Can anyone else think of anything?”

Becca looked amused. “Swords and spears and shields? They’re going to attack you with elements! You need something to fight that. A shield might be fine to protect yourself now and then, but you’re going to need something that can be used at longer ranges.”

“What about a crossbow?” Paul asked. “My dad bought me one to have fun with before he left us. I’ve only got a few arrows, but I think it works.”

“Well, it’s better than nothing,” said Elijah. Becca shook her head, clearly disagreeing with their plan. “Now here’s what we’ll do,” he continued. “After we find a way out of the barracks, we’ll have to split up. Isaac, you go to the northern entrance and get the horses ready. Paul, you go get your crossbow. Adam, you and I will go to Master Roddick’s house and get the sword and shield off the wall.” He looked at Becca who still appeared agitated. “Are you coming?”

“Why would I come?” she replied bitterly.

“Because you care about Hannah,” said the meek voice of Adam. Everyone turned around at his comment and looked at him—even Becca. “I see it in your eyes. You’re scared for her, and deep down, you want to help. You know it’s the right thing to do. You’re a good person, Becca, and you’re not about to let the only friends you may have sacrifice themselves without helping them.” Becca looked down at the ground with a tormented look on her face. They all stood silently, waiting for Becca to make up her mind.

“Okay,” she said with a very unconvincing look and tone. “I’ll come. But only to feed you information. I’m not stupid enough to fight them.” Isaac ran over and hugged Becca, which made her stiffen. She made a polite gesture back as Isaac let go.

“Alright,” said Elijah. “Let’s split up now and meet in my room to go out the window.” The five ran out of the arena room, through the training arena, up the flight of stairs, and to the main floor. The area was still very busy, but the chaos had died down. Soldiers and trainers were still searching the grounds while students were grouped up, comparing experiences of the night’s events. Just as Elijah was about to make it to the staircase leading up to the rooms, Mr. Button spotted him and flagged him down.

“Elijah!” Mr. Button called. “Over here!” Paul shot Elijah a look of concern as Elijah stopped.

“Go,” Elijah whispered to Paul. “Get everyone out. Do what you all need to do. I’ll make it out.” Paul and the others casually walked up to their rooms undetected while Elijah walked toward Mr. Button.

“Elijah! Thank goodness you’re okay,” said Mr. Button, looking like the stress of the night was going to make him keel over. “I thought for sure they had taken you too. How did you escape?”

“Luck,” he said. “I was in the wash room at the time.”

“Did you see them?” Mr. Button asked.

“No,” Elijah said, which was sort of the truth. He hadn’t seen them until they were carrying Hannah away.

“Well,” said Mr. Button looking even more frazzled, “we’ll still need to keep you safe. Let me flag down a soldier to keep watch over your safety tonight.” Muttering something to himself, Mr. Button started to walk over to the nearest guard, who looked the other way. Elijah’s heart skipped a beat. There would be no way for him to escape tonight if he was being watched by a soldier. He had to think fast.

“Wait!” said Elijah. Mr. Button turned around. “There’s a guard downstairs I feel more comfortable with. He’s been watching over me when I do my elemental training. Can you go get him?” Mr. Button looked at Elijah curiously. “I’ll go walk over to this guard and wait by him until you get back.” It was the worst excuse Elijah thought he had ever heard, but it was the fastest thing he could come up with. Amazingly, it seemed to work. Mr. Button nodded his head, and without alerting the nearby guard, he walked toward the staircase. Elijah slowly walked toward the guard to appease Mr. Button’s worry, but as soon as Mr. Button started to walk down the stairs, Elijah turned sharply and ran as fast as he could up the stairs to his room, taking two or three stairs at a time.

When he walked into his room, it was empty. Apparently, the rest of his friends had already left. Approaching the window, he saw how they escaped. They had used the rope at the bottom of Elijah’s wooden chest all term and tied it to one of the wooden legs of the chest for support. Elijah immediately grabbed the rope, climbed out of the window, and slowly scaled down the side of the barracks. When he thought it was safe to drop, he let go, landing harder than he had anticipated. He then darted around the side of the barracks, heading for the safety of the trees. It was a longer run than he remembered it looking. Elijah was sure he would be spotted, but he safely made it to the cover of the woods, and Adam and Becca were waiting for him.

“Paul and Isaac left already to get their stuff,” said Becca. “I’m afraid I won’t be much help until after we get out of Savenridge, so I’ll follow you.”

“Okay,” said Elijah. “The Roddicks live across the river this way,” he said pointing southeast, back towards the center of the city. “I only know one way to get there, but I think it’ll be too easy to be seen.” Elijah thought about the large open land frequently traveled. Even though it was the middle of the night, he didn’t want to risk being caught. “Do either of you know another way over the river?”

“Well,” said Adam, “if you follow the tree line here for a while, it eventually comes close to the river. But we’ll still be in the open when we cross, and I’m not even sure there’s a way to cross.”

“Then let’s do that,” Elijah instructed. The three of them dashed along the tree line, weaving around the low-hanging branches and small bushes.

They eventually arrived at the clearing where they needed to cross the river. To their delight, they found an old bridge where the river narrowed. It was dilapidated, looking like it hadn’t been used in years, but they crossed it easily and continued their way toward the Roddick’s house.

When they reached the edge of the woods, Elijah, Adam, and Becca lingered to scope out the area. It was a deathly quiet night, which concerned Elijah because their movements would stand out to anyone paying attention. Just beyond the trees, where they were hiding, were the backs of the shops and quaint buildings of the city center. Elijah, Adam, and Becca slowly crept to the darkest-looking building, making sure they kept in the shadows. They hugged the back of the building, which happened to be a small flower shop, edged their way to the side, and carefully looked across the path dividing the city center. Elijah waved Becca and Adam closer to him.

“We’re going to have to cross the path,” he whispered, pointing in the direction of the stone tower. “Master Roddick lives behind those shops on the other side.”

“Does it make sense for all of us to go?” asked Becca. “If we’re trying not to be seen, three of us will be more noticeable than one.”

Elijah agreed. “Okay,” he whispered even quieter. “I’ll go alone. Go back to the woods and wait.” They did what they were told, and when Elijah saw they were safely positioned in the thick trees, he darted out into the city center and crouched beneath the shadows of the stone tower. He knew being in the shadows made him hard to see, especially with his dark brown gear, but he felt completely exposed looking at the wide open path, surrounded by the homes and shops of the city center.

Finally, when he thought it was safe, he ran across the other half of the path and found another shop—Walter Henderson’s Clocks and Repairs—to hide behind. The hanging wooden sign with the initials W.H. for Walter Henderson written overhead swung in the wind and made creaking sounds in the death of the night. Elijah quickly snuck around the back of the shop and worked his way toward the Roddick house, jumping from shadow to shadow.

When he reached the house, Elijah was very careful. He knew the shops in town were most likely deserted in the middle of the night, but the homes were not. They were all full of sleeping families. It wouldn’t be long before the houses around would stir from word of the Maliphist break-in, so he had to hurry. As he made it to the front door of the house, a horrible wave of guilt flooded Elijah. He planned on breaking into the house he had been welcomed into. He was going to take something belonging to a family that loved him. More than that, he knew the Roddicks would be most upset and devastated at his seemingly careless and dangerous attempt to go after the Maliphists. He only hoped he would have the chance to later explain and apologize.

Elijah wasn’t surprised to find the house unlocked. Lots of the Savenridge residents kept their doors unlocked, but he was surprised to find the fire going at this time of night. That meant someone was up, and if someone was up, his chances of getting in and out of the small house undetected were slim. He kept the door shut and walked around to the front window, peering inside. Even with the fire going, it was difficult to see. He looked around the room and saw the silhouette of Mrs. Roddick walking into the kitchen. This was his chance! He quietly opened the door and crept inside, hiding behind one of the chairs facing the fire. Mrs. Roddick soon returned from the kitchen with a steaming cup, sat down on another chair by the dying fire, and wrapped herself up in a blanket.

The sword and shield were hung just behind Mrs. Roddick, who was now reading a book. It would be impossible for him to sneak past her without being noticed. So he waited. It seemed like hours before she finally put her book down and walked into the back room. Elijah wondered if she would soon return, so he waited a bit longer. The coast was still clear.

He took off his boots so he wouldn’t make noise. Gathering his courage, he held his breath and emerged from behind the chair. Creeping silently across the room was a tedious task, but eventually, Elijah was positioned under the mounted weapons. He slowly stood up face to face with the large saber, and under it, the shield. He looked over at the doorway, hoping Mrs. Roddick wouldn’t appear again. His heart pounded as he turned back and carefully lifted the sword from the wall and smoothly slid it under his belt. It was so long the tip of the sword hit the floor, making the slightest tapping sound. Elijah froze. He listened for any rustling in the back bedrooms. When he didn’t hear anything, he turned and went for the shield.

The shield was round and wooden, forged with brass tacks. It was much lighter than Elijah anticipated. He carefully lifted it off the wall, just like the sword, and carried it by the leather straps, as he would in battle. He actually liked the feel of the shield as he carried it, much more than the weight of the sword hanging from his hip. When he thought the time was right, he tip-toed toward the door, grabbing his boots, and left the house, quietly closing the door behind him.

He met back up with Becca and Adam, who were leaning up against one of the trees. After taking a breath of relief, he handed Adam the sword and offered Becca the shield, but she put her hands up, rejecting it.

“What took you so long?” Becca asked.

“I can explain later. We need to hurry and meet up with Isaac at the north entrance. Do either of you know where that is?”

“Honestly, Elijah,” said Becca, “you’re lucky we all agreed to come along. You’d be useless without us.” He didn’t know why, but her comment made him smile.

Becca pointed them in the right direction, and they headed toward the northern entrance, keeping hidden in the dense forests. When they reached the entrance, Elijah understood what Paul meant. Soldiers were crawling around the area, so Elijah, Becca, and Adam were careful not to be seen. No sooner had they made it to the edge of the northern woods, than Paul signaled behind them.

“Pssst. Hey,” he whispered to get their attention. He carried a lit torch, trying to hide it behind him so the light didn’t attract attention. “What took you guys so long? Did Button hold you up?” he asked Elijah. Elijah had all but forgotten the confrontation with Mr. Button. It seemed so long ago.

“No,” Elijah said. “It took a while to get these.” He held up the shield and pointed to the sword Adam held.

“Well then, let’s get going. We’re running out of darkness, and we’ll never be able to catch up with them if we don’t get out of here soon. The stables are this way.” Paul pointed back behind them, through the thick trees. He took off toward the stables, and Elijah, Becca, and Adam followed.

They finally reached the stable—a long, wooden building surrounded by trees and brush. Beyond the building, also hidden in the trees, was a small cottage with smoke billowing from the chimney. Elijah figured the stable hands lived in the cottage when they were on duty. It was obvious these stables were purposefully kept hidden, and Elijah saw then why Isaac’s grandfather wanted to take the horses outside Savenridge to stretch their legs. The surrounding trees were so thick, there wasn’t any running room around!

“C’mon,” said Paul as he led everyone into the stables. “Isaac’s waiting for us on the other side.”

They walked into the stables and jogged to the end of the walkway, passing dozens of sleeping horses. At the end of the hall was a large wooden gate, big enough for a horse, that had already been opened. Paul ran through the gate, so the others followed without hesitation. As soon as they crossed it, Paul turned around, closing it behind them.

The gateway led underground into a sort of secret passageway. There were wooden slats and boards placed securely overhead and on the sides to keep it from caving in. It reminded Elijah of an old mining tunnel. It was long and dark as they headed down under the earth, and only the light from Paul’s torch guided them. A cold draft eerily blew through the passage. They could only see a few feet in front of them, so they were apprehensive about each step they took as the darkness of the long tunnel stretched on before them.

After a few minutes of careful walking, Elijah could sense the passage led uphill, and before he knew it, snow started to appear under his feet. Soon, the dark gray of the arriving morning appeared ahead of him, and they climbed from the tunnel—out of Savenridge. It wasn’t long before they saw the outline of a small boy and three tall horses gently stirring among the thick trees.

“I was only able to get three,” said Isaac as he worked on securing the saddle on the last horse. “But as soon as I finish this they’re all saddled up and ready to go. Two of us are going to have to ride double.” Elijah had ridden horses before, but he was no expert. They glanced at each other before Paul finally took charge.

“Alright. Isaac, you should ride since you know these horses more than the rest of us. Why don’t you take Elijah with you?” Elijah was thankful he was with the most experienced, and a little relieved he didn’t have to take the reins himself. “Becca or Adam,” Paul continued, directing the others. “Either of you know how to ride?”

Becca nodded. “Let me go alone,” she said stiffly. “I can handle a horse, but I’m not sure how good I’ll be with someone hanging onto me.”

“Okay,” said Paul. “Adam, do you mind carrying the crossbow?” Adam was already carrying Elijah’s sword, but he agreed. He picked up the heavy weapon and slung it over his shoulder.

“Is it loaded?” Adam asked with a little worry.

“No,” said Paul, “I’m carrying the arrows if we need them.” Paul wore a pouch on his back where there were only a handful of arrows. “Let’s go, everyone. Becca, I guess we’re following you. Where are we going?”

“Well, there’s a hideout about halfway between here and Malpetra. I assume they’re going there, since it’s almost a two-day journey to the city. They’ll want to rest before they head off again,” she said. “That’s probably our best chance at catching them off guard anyway.”

“Then let’s go there,” said Elijah.

Without skipping a beat, Becca flung herself up onto the back of her great chestnut horse, sat up in the stirrups, gripped the reins tightly, and blasted through the trees, taking the lead. Isaac did the same, but it took Elijah three attempts to work up enough momentum to swing his leg over to the other side of the black horse he tried to mount. As soon as Elijah was up and clinging to Isaac, they kicked off and followed Becca. Paul and Adam swiftly followed on their dark gray horse.

Elijah had to duck under numerous branches as Isaac, clearly skilled at riding, swiftly guided the horse through the thick forest. After a few pretty good whacks from a branch, Elijah lowered his head behind Isaac’s back and waited for the ride to ease up.

Before long, Becca led them out of the forest and into an open clearing. The darkness of the woods hid the morning well, but when Elijah looked up into the open sky, he saw the sun was already peaking its way over the eastern mountains, and it lit up the sky with its golden hues. Since so much time had passed between the break-in and now, Elijah wondered if they were already too far behind to catch Hannah. He hoped Becca was right in assuming the Maliphists would rest once they reached their hideout.

For hours, the five rode, stopping only to feed the horses. They headed in the general direction of a range of snow-capped mountains to the north. They rode through a massive area without any trees, which was breathtaking. There was a very large lake they had to find a way around, which took them over hills and through untouched land. Elijah loved the wildlife he was able to spot as they whirred by. Rams and elk and even bison were roaming the wilderness, discovering the world again as the grip of winter’s hand began to release and give way to spring.

Finally, around midday, all of them feeling rather tired and grumpy, Becca slowed her horse to a trot and attempted to gather herself, trying to gauge the location of the hideout. Isaac and Paul urged their horses closer to her.

“We’re close,” she said quietly, still looking around. “I’m not sure if they’re here, but if they are, we’ll need to tie up the horses and go by foot soon. They’ll be deep inside the forest somewhere in that direction,” she said pointing northeast. Elijah shifted in the saddle, trying to get the blood flowing again in his legs and rear.

They found an area to secure the horses next to a patch of newly sprouting grass. Becca led them deep into the forest, and they all prepared themselves for a potential fight. Adam gripped the sword tightly, Paul carried his crossbow, and Elijah strapped on the round, wooden shield. Along the way, Elijah and Isaac picked up large sticks they found on the ground that could be used as clubs. It wasn’t much, but it made them feel more secure. They all knew their weapons stood no chance against three Maliphists, but they were armed anyway, hoping the element of surprise would be enough to save Hannah.

Soon, they came upon a clearing about fifty yards away from where they were. In the very center of the clearing was a magnificent cave! The mouth opened to about fifteen feet and all around it was the most brilliant blue ice Elijah had ever seen. To make matters more incredible, directly above the cave grew three enormous trees with dozens and dozens of thick branches hanging over the mouth and along the side of the cave. Completely covering the trees was the same brilliant blue ice. The ice hung down from the branches like long, perfect icicles. It looked like an oil painting where the artist’s hand smeared the edges of the icy branches down toward the ground, creating a weeping effect of ice that stood like a frozen palace around the cave. In the silence of the clearing, Elijah could hear cracking and popping as it melted from the increasing temperatures of March.

They started toward the cave, but Becca reached out and grabbed Elijah.

“Wait,” she said in a hushed voice. “There’s someone standing guard.”

“I don’t see anyone,” said Paul as he and the others looked around.

“You never do,” Becca replied, “until you’re standing face to face with them. But trust me, if they’re here, there’s a guard. Let’s go around to the other side and then sneak our way back to the entrance.” They followed Becca, and they soon found themselves surrounded by the hanging ice, walking toward the mouth of the cave. It was almost hypnotizing how blue it was.

When they reached the front of the cave, they carefully peered inside, worried any movement might alert someone inside. At first it didn’t appear anyone was there, which disappointed Elijah. He began to fear they had missed the Maliphists. However, as Becca investigated the cave, she suddenly shot her head back and flattened her body against the side of the cave. The others did the same just as one of the Maliphists walked right out of the mouth, oblivious to the five adolescents he had just walked by.

The lone Maliphist stood about ten feet from the entrance of the cave peering out into the wilderness around him. His back faced them now, but as soon as he turned around, he would see them! Elijah sensed this was the time to do something, but he didn’t know what to do. They all had weapons that would kill, and even though he knew the Maliphists wouldn’t hesitate to kill him, Elijah wouldn’t to destroy a life if he could avoid it.

Before he could act, however, Paul grabbed the thick stick Isaac had picked up, ran up behind the Maliphist and swung as hard as he could at his head. His aim was a little off, missing the center of his head, but he caught him on the neck and the blow sent the Maliphist to the ground, unconscious. It all happened so fast that none of them had a chance to react. They all sat as still as a photograph, mouths open and eyes wide, watching Paul drag the unconscious Maliphist away from the cave’s opening. He looked at them so casually, as if he did this sort of thing every day, that even in the midst of a life or death moment, it was almost humorous. He laid the body of the Maliphist down next to them, wiped off his hands, and returned to his place next to the others, who were still flush against the icy cave.

“Well,” Paul said panting, “at least we know they’re here.” Becca again peered into the cave. After a few moments, she turned to the rest.

“It goes pretty far in there. I can’t see a thing! I think only one of us should go in. That way, if something goes wrong, it’s just one of us. There’s really not a whole lot more we can do inside there with all five of us,” Becca claimed.

“I’ll go,” Elijah said immediately. “The reason we’re here is because of me, so it’s my responsibility. If I’m not back after a while, or you hear a struggle, leave me.”

“You can go ahead and believe we’re going to leave you,” said Paul defiantly, “but we’re not.” Elijah shook his head, but he knew it was useless to argue. He turned, took a deep breath, and nervously stepped into the opening of the icy blue cave with nothing but his wooden shield.

Inside, the cave looked different. The blue color was still noticeable because it was reflected inside, making it seem like he was underwater, but there was no ice—just rocks and dirt. Elijah’s heart crashed into his chest with every step he took. The tunnel that led into the cave echoed loudly, and he did all he could to keep quiet.

Through twists and turns, and even a few dead ends, Elijah continued on, peering this way and that. He hoped he wouldn’t get lost and trapped before he had the chance to help Hannah. Soon, however, down one particularly long tunnel, Elijah saw the flickering of fire and began to feel the cave warm up the closer he got. He came to the edge of a massive room inside the cave and scanned it for any sign of Hannah.

Elijah immediately saw the two other Maliphists. They were both lying down, with their backs to him. The Maliphists were facing the wall of the cave, and on the wall were large shadows made by the light from the fire. Elijah found it difficult to keep from casting shadows as he slowly moved toward the Maliphists.

Elijah finally spotted Hannah behind the fire. He assumed she would be right next to the Maliphists, but to his delight, she sat alone, looking awake some twenty feet away from them. Elijah wondered if the Maliphists inside weren’t concerned with her leaving because the other stood guard outside. At least, that’s what they thought. He waved vigorously, trying to get her attention, but she didn’t see him. He inched closer, trying as hard as he could to get her attention, all the while trying not to make a sound.

When he was only a few feet from Hannah, one of the Maliphists rolled over, still asleep. Elijah immediately recognized him. It was the rider who killed his parents! Had he been carrying his sword, he wondered if he would be tempted to walk over and end the Maliphist right then and there. He forced himself to remain focused and suppressed his anger. Elijah looked over at Hannah, who was actually sleeping while sitting up. From a distance she looked healthy and alert, but as Elijah saw Hannah up close, her appearance told a different story. Her face was dirty, her hair tangled, and she looked utterly exhausted! Only a few more steps and he would be next to her.

Just as he was about to reach out, her eyes popped open. Thankfully, she didn’t make a sound. Her eyes widened in eagerness when she saw Elijah, but she seemed to understand her silence was important. She held out her arms, showing Elijah they were tied together. Her wrists were red and raw with pieces of her skin dangling from her flesh where the ropes dug in. She had apparently been putting up a fight. Her feet were also bound and fastened snugly to a nearby root protruding from the ground.

Elijah went to work. He carefully placed his shield on the ground and began untying her feet. He decided to leave her arms alone. If he could get her out of the cave safely, he could untie them later.

To his surprise, the rope came off the root easily. Untying Hannah’s feet, however, was much harder. The rope was thin, so it was tied extremely tight. Just moving the rope was difficult, and he wished he had the sword with him. He knew he had limited time before the two Maliphists would wake up, and the rope was very difficult to untie. For several minutes, Elijah worked as Hannah continued to look up to make sure the Maliphists stayed asleep.

Finally, after his fingers were beginning to cramp and his heart was about to explode with panic, the last of the knots came undone. Hannah immediately stood up, but being tied in one position for so long caused her legs to buckle, and she slipped suddenly. The sound of crunching dirt and rock seemed to fire off like a cannon. Both froze in fear, but amazingly, the Maliphists continue sleeping. When Hannah was sure she had feeling back in her legs, and she wouldn’t slip again, Elijah picked up the wooden shield, and they both continued back through the labyrinth of the cave.

How Elijah was able to find his way back to the opening without trouble, he didn’t know. They bolted through the cave’s entrance and were immediately greeted by Paul, Adam, and Isaac. Becca stepped back and watched as the boys helped untie Hannah’s arms. As soon as she was free, everyone but Becca embraced each other. Becca, however, wasn’t given the opportunity to stay away for long. As soon as Hannah finished hugging the other three boys, she walked over to Becca and threw her arms around her as well. Becca froze uncomfortably.

“Yes, well—er—let’s go!” she said letting go of Hannah. “We need to get out of here as soon as possible!” They all ran as fast as their adrenaline would take them into the forest and leapt onto their horses. What a story they would have for everyone in Savenridge! They had triumphed over the Maliphists without using any elements or weapons. They just used their courage.

Hannah jumped onto the horse with Becca and they were on their way back through the forest and into the clearing. Suddenly, Becca pulled back on her reins and brought her horse to a stop. Everyone looked around wondering what happened, but Becca’s eyes were focused on the tree line up ahead and to the left. She began to tremble and her breathing quickened.

“Becca, what’s wrong?” Elijah asked, alarmed.

She didn’t have to answer. Appearing from the trees in front of them came three horses being ridden by the three Maliphists from the cave. The Maliphists brought their horses to a halt, directly in front of them, blocking the way back to Savenridge.