The Realm Protectors - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Gateway dust still hovers in the air three days later, catching the light of the morning. Lyra's curled up in the window seat, watching the earth elementals in the distance lifting large bricks of mountain stone and looking for survivors of the senator's family.
Nile's pacing in front of his board of pictures and string, discussing with Avani everything we know about all the gateway attacks. Nikolina storms into the room, slamming the door behind her. She flops onto the other sofa next to Ciana, throwing her arm over her eyes.
"What do we know?" She asks dryly.
"Not very much." Nile huffs in response. "The magic signature is the same from the other gateways, but we still have no other leads beyond that. They have yet to find the signature in the system, which means it's likely someone who's never committed any other offenses. The death toll from all these attacks continues to grow. Before it was only guards, but now we've lost a senator and his family."
"Any luck in the search for the new senator, Nik?" I ask.
Nikolina shakes her head. "Tucker is interviewing the two candidates who actually showed up. Everyone thinks the position is cursed. When Darcio was alive, everyone made comments about replacing him. Everyone thought they'd be a better senator. But now that they actually have the chance, they're afraid."
Silence settles on all of us like a heavy blanket.
"The reaction to the actual collapse is getting worse, too." I point out, chewing on my lip.
"That is because the stability of the realm is lessening." Lyra chimes in. Her focus remains out the window.
"What do you mean?" Ciana asks. She turns to look at us.
"The Realm and the Otherworld exist together like the two sides of a coin. The gateways act like the pillars between them." She waves her hand and stars appear, forming the shape of her story. "The Otherworld is the base of the Realm – it existed first, and it supports our existence. The Elemental Realm is still tied to the Otherworld through gateways. They act as pillars between the two worlds. If a gateway is destroyed, that pillar is stolen from the base." The starry model changes, one of the pillars disappearing. "As more and more gateways disappear, the bonds between our worlds become unstable." More and more starry pillars disappear until the two sides quiver.
"What happens if all the gateways are destroyed?" Ciana asks.
"No one truly knows." Lyra sighs. "Space scholars and time elementals have worked together for years to try and figure it out so we may prevent it, but the answers are unclear. Either the two worlds will be torn from each other, forever separating us from the Others and possibly tearing our worlds apart, or..." She trails off.
"Or what?" Carter asks.
"Or our worlds will collapse into each other, destroying everything we've ever known." Lyra finishes.
My stomach drops, nausea flooding my gut. I collapse onto a chair and reach for Nile. His hands are warm and comforting, but clammy from nerves.
"So what I'm hearing is, either everything we know is torn apart or everything we know goes supernova?" Ciana breathes.
"That is correct." Lyra replies.
"So the gateway explosions are getting more powerful because the pillars are breaking?" Avani asks.
"They are becoming more powerful because the black holes are straining to hang on to the link between our worlds." Lyra explains.
"Black holes?" Avani scrunches her eyebrows.
"Gateways are just stabilized black holes. It is very intense magic, and even the slightest adjustment can set the balance off." Lyra explains. "The gateway collapses will continue to get more powerful until they could have the ability to suck an entire city into it's mouth."
"Only the major gateways are being destroyed." Ciana points out. "Wouldn't the smaller gateways be able to hold the link?"
Lyra shakes my head. "Smaller gateways are not powerful enough to hold the link in place and prevent our demise. In fact, if all the major gateways are destroyed, all of the smaller gateways would self destruct from the force of the collapse."
"Is that their goal?" Avani asks. "Whatever lunatic is behind this is trying to kill us all?"
Nile shakes his head. "It's possible, but I think it's unlikely. There's probably some unforeseen reason behind this that we don't know about yet."
"Whatever their motives are, we need to stop them." I say.
"Once the culprit has been caught, I may be able to gather a group of space elementals to help transfer the weight of the link to other powerful gateways of the realm." Lyra points out.
"Good." I reply. "Now let's finish up here. I need a relaxing week in Fajro."
Someone knocks on the door. Ciana scurries over and opens it. Waiting outside is a frantic looking woman with a lab coat. Her hair is wind-tossed and she pants, as if she had run all the way here.
"Your... Highnesses," She pants. "I have... the results."
"Results?" Nile asks, stepping towards her.
The woman stands up straighter, catching her breath.
"The results of the magic signature tests, sir." She says.
The musicians podium from Vakker Kveld has been transformed into our temporary press conference stage. The people of Den Svarte Byen stand in front of us, waiting to hear the news of what we've found in the wake of the collapse of the Morkian gateway. Tucker stands in front of the stage, guarding us from the crowd. Ciana is standing on my right side again, Nile on my left, with the others spread out behind me. Off to the side are Nikolina's picks for the new senator of Mork – the only two people to express any interest in the position. The woman is surprisingly sprightly, nearly bouncing on her toes, long dark hair waving down her back. The man is colder, standing stiffly with dark hair tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.
The crowd begins to quiet when I hold up my hands.
"Thank you all for meeting here." I start. My voice echos back across the Torget. "Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment of silence for those we lost in the wake of the collapse."
The crowd bows their heads and even the silence settling over us seems to breathe. Faintly, you can hear the wind whistling through the cracks in the mountain, and the low thuds of the Steinslott being rebuilt.
"Thank you." I start again after a few minutes. "First order of business: High Arch Voronkova has been searching for candidates for the new senator of Mork. After intense interviewing, we have found two candidates that seem good for the job." I motion to the side of the stage, where the two candidates step up. The crowd surveys them as Nikolina steps forward and begins to speak.
"Anders Larsen and Linnea Ihle have both shown to be interested in the position of senator of Mork." Nikolina begins. "Both seem very capable for the job. Keeping true to tradition, debates will be held between these two candidates for the public to form opinions before we have a vote. The goal is to have the vote in a few weeks. More information will be coming out about that soon."
"Thank you, Arch Voronkova." I nod and she steps back into line. Anders and Linnea step back off the stage and stand off to the side again. "Now to more important business."
Faris lifts his arms and two large stacks of papers begin to blow around the crowd, dispersing papers with pictures on them.
"This is Griffin Gray." My voice is firm as the people of Mork begin to look at the picture of the man on the paper. "Tests on magic signatures have been found at every gateway that has collapsed, and this is the person connected to that signature. Griffin Gray is twenty years old, with dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. There haven't been any reports about seeing him, but he had to have been here Wednesday evening to collapse the gateway." The crowd begins to murmur quietly. "If anyone sees or has seen this man anywhere, please alert your local police department. It is essential to the safety of the Realm and everyone in it that this man is caught as soon as possible."
I can see in the eyes of the crowd that they understand the dangers of the situation, and are ready to help fight for the Realm.
I take a deep breathe when we finally step through the tunnel and into my home country: Fajro. The rest of my friends step through the gateway behind me as I stare up at the gates of Varma Urbo, the capital of Fajro. Besides the sandstone wall in front of us and the paved road of bricks beneath us, nothing but sand dunes fills the horizon. Waiting in front of us is a man on a horse, with eight other horses around him.
"Senator Fintan," I call out to the man.
"Grand Arch Fuego," Fintan grins from atop his horse. "It's a pleasure to have you back in your home country."
"It's a pleasure to be back." I smile.
"I've had some of Varma Urbo's finest horses brought out her for your ease." The senator says.
I walk over to a beautiful chestnut mustang and give her a pat on the nose. She huffs gently and I run my hands over the saddle, admiring the fineness of it. I grab the horn and step into the stirrup, pulling myself up onto the horse. I watch and laugh as my friends attempt to get up onto the horses by themselves. Nile had visited my family enough with me in previous years that he's able to get up into the saddle easily, but Ciana, Nik, Avani, and Faris struggle a lot with it. Lyra tilts her head at the creature before slicing through the air and just tunneling herself up onto the saddle, settling in side-saddle style. Carter is surprisingly good at pulling himself up onto the horse. Tucker climbs up onto his midnight Arabian very easily.
Avani finally manages to get herself up onto the horse semi-gracefully. Ciana wiggles her way up there, Nikolina manages to climb up, and Faris gave up with a huff and floats himself onto the horse instead.
"Everyone settled in?" Senator Fintan asks, bringing his horse up beside mine. "Let's go."
I give my horse a little nudge and she begins to canter towards the open gates of Varma Urbo. Directly through the gate is the Kameno, with vendor stalls and carts of everything you can imagine lined up in semi-neat rows. Men, women, and children call for your attention from the booths, selling everything from chocolate and fruit to grilled meats and jewelry. Some booths sell clothing or superstitious trinkets, but everything is beautiful. Even Tucker looks impressed.
"Rooms have been prepared for you at the Gemela-suno, my residence." Senator Fintan says as we make our way out of the Kameno. "Please feel free to do as you wish while you're here. My home is your home."
"Is it wise to stay so close to the gateway?" Carter asks.
"Oh, the Gemela-suno is on the opposite side of the city." Fintan explains. "The Inferno Pordego is far enough away from most residences to cause little harm."
We all share a look as we approach a large building with a golden domed roof. Sandstone walls carved with windows rise around us as Fintan leads us to the stables. We all dismount and follow him into the building, where two servants are waiting. Their clothing is thin and loose, the typical fashion of Fajro, and their hair is like fire in the sun. They bow their heads as we approach.
"Sofia and Carmen will show you to your rooms." Senator Fintan says. "Feel free to get comfortable. I'm hosting a dinner with my family tonight, and I'd be honored if you all attended."
"Of course, Senator." I reply with a smile. Senator Fintan nods and walks off. The maids lead us in the other direction, down a few stairs until the air begins to cool off slightly. They lead us into a large circular room filled with couches and pillows, with multiple doors branching off into separate bedrooms.
"The High Arch Suite, your Highnesses." One of the maids – Sofia –says with a bow.
"Thank you," I smile at them. They scurry back out the door.
Tucker collapses onto one of the couches, closing his eyes and looking as if he's fallen asleep. The rest of us gather around the pile of pillows.
"Does anyone else think it's weird that Gray is targeting the gateways of the cities we're in?" Avani asks when we're all settled. "I mean, he could easily just go around and knock out every gateway in the Realm in the span of a day, but he's only doing one a week."
"He's probably just trying to scare us back to Capital." Nile grumbles. "Make us look weak in the eyes of the people."
"Well, if he wants to make us look like we're scrambling for control, he's probably winning." Ciana huffs.
"You guys are doing great." Tucker pipes in. "You have to remember that you're a bunch of teenagers doing the jobs of people who are normally trained for twenty or thirty years. I'd say you guys are killing it."
"Killing it doesn't save the Realm." Avani sighs.
I look around at all my friends.
"Okay, I think we all need a little pick-me-up." I state.
Nile chuckles. "What do you have in mind?"
"I'm ordering us hot cocoa and marshmallows." I smirk and ring the bell they left on the table. Sofia comes running in a few minutes later, and I let her know our order. She smiles and nods before running off.
"You drink hot cocoa in a fire country?" Ciana asks. "Isn't it a bit warm for that?"
I laugh. "It's quite good. You'll see."
Sofia and Carmen return a few minutes later with cart full of mugs, a steaming pitcher, and a large bowl full of marshmallows. Little metal sticks are there as well, and I pick one up to skewer a marshmallow. Ciana sees and gets excited, picking one up and skewering a marshmallow for herself. I snap my fingers and a fire appears in my hand.
Ten minutes later, we're all lounging on the couches with roasted marshmallows of all different levels of toasted. Most of my friends have chocolate mustaches from the hot cocoa, and some have even fallen asleep on the couch. Tucker and Nile help me get everyone back to their rooms so they don't spend the whole night on the couches. Tucker bids us goodnight before choosing one of the two empty rooms left.
"I guess they didn't account for the fact that our Grandshield would want a bed." Nile smirks.
"I suppose not." I hum. We make our way into the last room and look around. It's pretty small: just a bed and a bathroom, but it's enough for us.
We both strip down to our undergarments before climbing into bed and curling up together. I wrap my leg around one of Nile's and lay my head on his chest.
"Are you excited to see your family tomorrow?" He asks me, his voice reverberating in his chest in a dark and seductive way that lights up my veins.
"It'll be nice to see them again." I nod. "Especially my siblings. Most of them weren't around when we were here last time."
Nile hums in response and we settle into a comfortable silence again. My fingers trace circles on his abdomen, and his muscles tighten in response.
"Darling," He rumbles, voice low. My core turns hot and molten. "Careful now, or you'll get me excited."
I lean up onto my elbows and swing my leg over his hips. He looks at me as I straddle his waist, eyes roaming and making me feel like a goddess.
"Well, we wouldn't want that." I smirk. His face breaks into that look I love as he flips me over and we tangle in the sheets.