CHAPTER 03: LET THERE BE A NEW BEGINNING

After saying each other’s names, Malia and Gorken remained motionless. The silence lingered until Malia took a step forward. “…Is it really you, Gorken?”

Her first impulse had been to reach out to him, and yet a familiar dread halted her; dreams always vanished before she could touch them. Malia’s courage deserted her. She wasn’t prepared to watch this Gorken dissolve beneath her fingertips. She wanted the hopeful instant to stretch endlessly. So when he wrapped his arms around her, solid and warm as no oneiric apparition had ever been, she returned the embrace in fearful bliss.

And once again they didn’t move. Lyra left the room quietly, feeling out of place in the middle of their reunion; she had heard about Gorken enough times over the years to know how much he meant to the princess. She gave them one last longing glance before exiting Malia’s chambers.

After long moments, reluctantly, they let go of each other.

“…I don’t even know where to start...” Malia admitted, “How are you alive?”

“What do you mean? My master helped me escape shortly after you were taken away by the guards...”

Then my uncle lied to me. Maybe the revelation should have astounded her. But it didn’t. It didn’t change anything. She had still been a weak little girl, unable to move, to act, to fight back.

“What about you? How are you alive? Why did that young woman call you her liege?”

Malia tilted her head, puzzled, “I never told you when we were kids? My full name is Malia Daimonlance. I’m the current heir to the immortal throne.”

It took Gorken a prolonged, persistent pause to assimilate the information. He brought a weary hand to his forehead, rubbing his temple. He had thought that nothing could surprise him anymore, but he had clearly been in the wrong. He inhaled deliberately, hoping the fresh air would appease his state of mind, “I suppose you forgot to mention that detail.” And it means my master was mistaken.

“Wait, the human I just purchased was supposed to be the leader of the rebellion! Does that mean you are...?”

“Yes, but I’ve only been leader for a short time.” Gorken explained, “We’re in a complicated situation. You see, the rebellion has been inactive for years, so the Council of Elders isn’t-”

“Wait!” Malia stopped him, “I’m an immortal, remember? Don’t go spreading information so easily.”

“You’re right.” He grasped her hands, “But if my memory doesn’t fail me, you’re also a member of the rebellion.”

Gorken’s words whirled around her, like fresh wind eroding the rust of doubt that had encased her body for years. Then and there she was a child again, fearless as only those new to the world can be. That’s right. That’s who I am. “It’s decided then.” She said at last, “Let's run away from the castle together!”

Gorken sensed his heart rejoicing, but he couldn’t allow it to show. He was trained in stifling his emotions and now was no time to be swayed by them, “Malia, secretly being a member of the rebellion is one thing,” he scolded her, “but escaping from the castle with me would be considered treason by your people. It’s not a choice to be taken lightly. I can’t take responsibility for it. I appreciate your good will but-”

Malia’s glare halted him mid-sentence, “This isn’t a decision taken lightly. Do you think I’ve been twiddling my thumbs for the last eight years? I don’t need you to take responsibility for my choices.”

Gorken thought of a few ways to reply, of a few ways to keep her safe and out of harm’s way. But as her eyes pierced him, he recognized there was no point in arguing. He knew those eyes. He couldn’t undermine them. Instead he replied, “I’m sorry Malia. You’re right.”

Malia softened her posture, “I apologize as well. I didn’t mean to be so harsh.”

Silence was all their hearts needed to reinforce their resolve. Whether the stillness endured for a minute or an hour, they couldn’t tell. As their stares interlaced, they made peace with their decisions. Once their minds were firm, Gorken spoke, “If we’re going to escape I'll need to retrieve my sword.”

“Can’t we just get you one from the guards on our way out?”

Gorken shook his head, “My sword is special. If I can, I would rather take it back.”

“Then follow me. I know where it must be.”

They walked through the broad pale hallways of the castle, avoiding being seen, until they reached a dark corridor that ended in a single large door. The doorframe was covered by golden roots and branches that converged at its center and acted as a lock, keeping the door shut. The lock was enclosed in thin thorns, also made of gold.

“This is the main storage room.” Malia pointed at it, “Here’s where they keep most of the weapons they take from prisoners. Your sword should be inside.”

Gorken glimpsed around rapidly, “Why aren’t there any guards?”

“Because they aren’t necessary. Like most in the palace, this lock can only open by the will and blood of a member of the Daimonlance clan.”

That answer didn’t satisfy Gorken, “Isn’t that too careless? What about traitors?”

“It is too careless.” Malia pressed her finger against the golden thorns, causing a few drops of her blood to fall on the lock. When they reached it, the brilliant roots and branches retracted into the doorframe, allowing the gate to open. “My people have gone unchallenged for so long they’ve become complacent. No one questions anything. Comfort taken for granted isn’t the most fertile soil for treason. Nothing worth stealing was stored here anyway… until now, I suppose.”

The storage room consisted of a long passageway lined by chests of all sizes, books, scrolls and wooden shelves. The smell of dust and timber and rust greeted them as they made their way into the cramped hall. They walked cautiously, step after step, until they reached a depository of blades and spears. It wasn’t hard for Gorken to find his weapon; it was a simple old looking sword with a handle covered by a worn out piece of cloth. Gorken took the sword and hung it across his back; Malia assumed her excitement and the dimly lit room had confused her sight, since Gorken’s sword seemed to have briefly changed size and shape when he touched it. She almost succumbed to the urge to ask about it, but decided against it in favor of a better time.

On their way out, they were both startled by the sound of a book hitting the floor. Normally Malia would have ignored the small leathery object, but there was a detail about it that caught her attention; the inscription on the spine of the book was in a language unknown to her. She picked it up and whispered to herself, “As I thought. I have no clue what these characters are.”

Gorken patted her shoulder, “Malia, I think we should get going.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, hiding the book inside her vest, “soldiers might be here any minute now. Let’s hurry out.”

Just as they rushed out of the storage room and into the corridor, someone blocked their path. The giant humanoid creature was no soldier. His dark body was almost as wide as the hallway; a thick chain pressed its links against his throat. His big yellow eyes seemed lost, and the creature let out a howl that was more moving than menacing. He was clearly in pain, disoriented and enraged.

Gorken instinctively put himself in front of Malia, “Stay back.” It wasn’t his first time dealing with such a creature, but this one looked too human to be a demon. That disturbed him. The beast motioned towards them, but when Gorken prepared to draw his sword, he noticed that Malia had vanished from behind him. In a few moments she had managed to gracefully jump and land on the creature’s head, knocking him out with a heavy kick. She hopped to the ground and called out to Gorken, “Let’s go, before they send more like him!”

Gorken had stayed where he was, standing, watching the girl’s swift movements in amazement. As he followed her he began to ask, “How did you do that? I doubt a simple kick could defeat such a beast.”

“I will explain later. I didn’t expect that kind of… guardian to show up. I was reckless.”

They stopped to catch their breath near the gardens. “How are we going to get past the guards in the main gate?” Gorken inquired, “The great stone wall is too tall to climb in broad daylight. We could fight them, but I don't know how long that would take. If they call for reinforcements we’ll be done for.”

Malia pointed at the great stone wall, “We won't. We will go through it. We just need to find the place where the crack used to be.”

Gorken was confused, “Even though it’s been already sealed?”

Malia gestured with her head, “My master knew a lot about the magic that protects the great stone wall. The place where the crack was is still weak; once such a strong protective spell is broken, fixing it isn’t easy. If we manage to get there without being noticed, escaping will be simple. The guards are probably heading to the storage room, so now’s our chance.”

Gorken agreed to her idea. He knew nothing of magic, but he trusted her words. If Malia hadn’t been so anxious, retracing the path she used to take as a child to meet Gorken, with him now by her side, would have been an experience of nostalgia and joy. Instead, she was overly conscious that his safety depended on her keeping it together. Malia stood in front of the fractured piece of wall from her memories and asked Gorken to step back. She inhaled before punching the massive structure. Gorken saw how Malia’s hand shone faintly the moment she attacked, in this occasion certain he wasn’t seeing things that weren’t there. However, he knew it wasn’t the time to ask. The wall cracked deeply where Malia’s punch had landed, but not enough to create a hole. She was preparing a second hit when Gorken stopped her, “I’ll help.”

He drew his sword and clobbered the wall where Malia had cracked it. His strike was enough to open a hole almost a tall as a person. Malia tried to hide her surprise, hesitant on what was more shocking: Gorken’s strength or the durability of his weapon. No normal blade would have withstood such an impact unscathed, nor dealt that much damage to the stone wall.

They ran as fast as they could until they reached the forest beyond the village. They could hear immortal soldiers following them in the distance, but they knew that their best chance of losing them was to infiltrate the woods.

At the castle, King Amos listened to one of the guard’s account. His demeanor was as calm a usual, even though the throbbing vein on his forehead exposed his anger, “Tell the soldiers to bring her back alive. Anyone who dares return without the two prisoners will answer to me. You may leave now.”

In a matter of instants the only ones left inside the throne hall were Amos and Clarissa. She addressed him scornfully, “Why are you so desperate? Eight years ago you didn't care much about Malia’s contact with the humans.”

Amos scowled at his wife, “Eight years ago I assumed she had nothing to do with that crack on the wall. She had no way of sharing valuable information with the humans. Her contact with them was harmless.”

“And yet you punished her severely.” Clarissa didn’t bother hiding her resentment, “Where was the beauty in that?”

The king's turquoise eyes let out a hint of rage, “She needed to know her place. Apparently all these years were not enough. She has become a real traitor. She's not your daughter anymore.”

Clarissa simply stared at the curtains in response, as if she could see through them at the scenery.

The king recovered his usual composure, “If she escaped using that particular location, it means she may know something about who opened that crack in the great stone wall eight years ago. I need to interrogate her as soon as possible.”

Gorken and Malia took a short break to rest from the long run. “I think we lost them,” Gorken stated, “but we shouldn’t stop until nighttime.” Malia concurred. Before they resumed their course, Malia perceived a presence in the woods. Both their bodies tensed, ready for combat, but when Gorken spotted the two figures he relaxed, “Don’t worry, they’re allies.”

Two young men waved at them from behind the trees. One of them was a redhead with freckled cheeks; the other one had long locks of black hair framing his face. Aldous spoke first, “Boss we were waiting for you! I knew you would be able to escape!”

The one with dark hair talked to his partner in a quiet voice, “Didn’t you ask me to come because you were worried the boss wouldn’t make it?”

Aldous’ ears went red, “Silence, Bayard!”

“Aldous, Bayard, it’s good to see you're alright.” Gorken put his arms around them and patted their backs. Aldous let go of his grievance towards Bayard instantly, a broad smirk adorning his face, “Same to you, boss.”

Malia was discreetly watching their interactions when Bayard noticed her, “Who’s the young lady?”

Gorken walked back to stand by Malia’s side, “She’s a new ally, a member of the rebellion.”

Malia interpreted Gorken’s gesture as her cue to introduce herself, “Nice to meet you, my name is Malia Daimonlance.”

Aldous jumped back. “Wait, what? Daimonlance? You mean you're immortal royalty?”

“Yes.” She confirmed. She expected them to react negatively, it was only natural. It was her duty as the strange element to stay collected. Aldous and Bayard exchanged knowing looks. Gorken had never mentioned her name, and yet as his closest companions they were bound to know about an immortal girl with turquoise eyes, even if only vaguely. Aldous instinctively clasped the silver pendant in his pocket, but decided to give it back at a more discreet time. “Well, if the boss trusts you then so do we, right Bayard? It’s his job to lead the way, and it’s ours to follow.”

“I agree.” Bayard approved.

“Really?” Malia spoke without thinking. She had been prepared to levelheadedly face a hostile attitude, but Aldous’ and Bayard’s easygoing acceptance had shaken her.

 “Sure.” Aldous giggled, “But don’t expect the Council to be as friendly as us!”

Gorken interrupted them, “We will deal with them when the time comes. We should leave introductions for later; let’s get going.”

As the three young men advanced, Malia glanced back. All she could see was the forest, but she knew the palace was there, beyond the trees. “Goodbye.” was all she murmured, before following Gorken, Aldous and Bayard into the woods.