Light & Dark: The Awakening of the Mageknight (53 page)

"Where's Sabrina?" Danny asked, noticing that
she wasn't among them.

"She was required to attend a final meeting
with Dragon Army," said Briza, adding, "since the duel between
Dragon Army and Lion Army was canceled. She said that she would
meet us at the docks."

"I see." On one hand, Danny felt relieved
that he didn't have to face her here and now. However, on the
other, he felt disappointed that she wasn't here to greet him.

"Hungry?" Matt asked, presenting him with one
of two chocolate muffins he'd just procured from the table.

Seeing the usual assortment of breakfast
food, Danny suddenly realized just how famished he was, as a rather
large gurgle emanated from his stomach. "One thing I'm really going
to miss about this place is the food," said Danny, taking the
muffin from Matt.

"I know exactly what you mean," agreed Matt,
his words muffled by the whole muffin he'd forced into his
mouth.

"We should probably go," said Briza, once
Danny had eaten his fill of breakfast.

A series of nineteen chimes marked the time,
confirming Briza's statement. The
Radiance
would be casting
off soon.

Danny looked up and noticed that the hall was
nearly empty. After his three-day confinement to the infirmary,
this had been his first real meal. So focused on eating, he'd
failed to notice the majority of the other squires depart. Taking
one last swig of milk, he stood up, hefted his bag over his
shoulder and scooped up Magear. "Okay, I'm ready."

Together, they all took one final look at the
hall that had been their home over the past few months, before
passing through the double doors of the first-year barracks for the
last time.

Army Avenue appeared almost abandoned as the
last trickle of squires made their way toward the docks. The flags
marking each Army were half-mast to indicate the end of the
training year. Danny's gaze lingered upon one in particular, the
deep red flag with a fire-breathing dragon sewed onto the fabric.
He hoped that, upon his return next year, he would find himself
inducted into the ranks of the army it represented.

Descending the first of many steps to the
harbor below, Danny noticed a second ship docked next to the
Radiance
.

"Why are there two ships?"

"That is the
Lightbringer
," said
Briza. "That is the ship that will take the Elvin squires home to
Elsmelda."

"Speaking of which, I have something to tell
all of you," said Doug, stopping mid-step.

Caught off-guard, Danny and the others
descended a few more steps before stopping to look up at the
brown-haired squire.

Doug waited until he had everyone's attention
before he began. "Briza and her family have offered to take me in
for the school year, a kind of exchange program."

"...Exchange program?" Matt questioned, his
voice thick with curiosity as he adjusted his glasses.

Doug smiled and nodded. "I'm afraid I won't
be joining you aboard the
Radiance
. I will be traveling on
the
Lightbringer
and staying with the Elves until our second
year begins."

"What're we supposed to tell your parents
when you don't return with us?" Chris asked.

"That has all been taken care of," said Doug.
"I wrote them a letter explaining the situation and they've already
agreed."

"You told them that you were going to be
staying with Elves?" Danny questioned.

Doug shook his head, followed by a slight
chuckle. "No, they think I'll be studying abroad, participating in
a Japanese exchange program."

"Why would you want to stay with the Elves?"
Alonso asked.

Doug took a step down and stood next to
Briza. "Ever since I arrived here and met Briza, as well as Calador
and the other Elvin squires, I have been fascinated with their
culture. Spending the school year with them just seemed like the
logical next step for me."

Alonso shrugged. "Alright, have fun," he
said. He turned away from the group and began the long descent to
the docks.

"That's his way of saying that you'll be
missed, man," added Chris.

Danny took a single step upward and extended
his right hand. "We've all gone through so much together. It won't
be the same without you."

"Thanks," said Doug, taking Danny's hand in a
final farewell.

"Ready that rigging!" a rough voice yelled
from the bow of the
Radiance
.

Briza moved to the edge of the steps and
leaned against the railing to get a better look at the docks. "We
should probably go. Nearly all of the other squires are already on
board."

Danny began the steep trek downward, everyone
else followed close behind.

"You are becoming a fine warrior," said
Anthony, falling back, meeting Doug step for step. For emphasis, he
gave Doug a heavy slap on the back, almost causing the smaller boy
to trip. "It's an honor to call you my friend."

"Thanks," said Doug, after regaining his
balance.

Anthony nodded before increasing his
pace.

Matt maneuvered into Anthony's place. "Are
you really going to stay with the Elves?"

Doug cocked his head to the side in a display
of confusion. "Yes… That's what I said. Why do you ask?"

"Are you sure you can trust them? I mean,
after Syndil's betrayal, I just don't know if it will be safe."

"What're you saying?"

"I'm just saying that I don't trust the
Elves," said Matt. "No offense to you," he added, targeting his
statement at Briza.

"None taken… yet," said Briza. "Just be
careful that you choose the words that follow very carefully."

"You can't judge the actions of every other
Elf based on Syndil's betrayal," intervened Doug.

"I don't," said Matt in his own defense.
"Briza and Calador have already proven themselves trustworthy. It
is the rest of their race that I don't trust."

"…But why?" Briza asked, her voice calm and
unthreatening, this time.

"Because your kind has chosen to shut itself
off from the rest of the world and I don't trust anyone that would
choose to do that."

"You must realize that Humanity's past, the
history of your race, is littered with numerous acts of violence
against others, those who are different or misunderstood. Our two
races parted paths many generations ago, almost before the recorded
history of the Human race, due to a prolonged war between both of
our peoples. Many lives were lost on both sides. The Elves faked
their extinction to live in solitude because Human kind was thought
to be incapable of a lasting peace."

Matt adjusted his glasses, intrigued by where
the conversation was going. "So why join the Order to the Light and
risk war again?"

"My race did not join at first. However, the
Shadows proved to be a threat to the world as a whole. You see, if
the Human race fell to their darkness, then we would most assuredly
follow. The Human race is the lesser of the two evils in the eyes
of my elders."

"Then . . . what happens when the war between
the Shadows and the Dark ends?"

Briza sighed, "That chapter has yet to be
written."

"So, in other words, you don't know?"

Briza conceded with a nod of her head, a
Human expression she'd picked up over the last few months. "I do
not know, correct."

At the bottom of the stone stairs, Danny
spotted Sabrina and Rogen, both waived him over.

"It is an honor, Mageknight," said Rogen,
extending his arm in formal greeting, once Danny was close enough
to him.

Danny hesitated briefly before taking the
blond-haired boy's arm at the wrist. "Rogen, I'm still just me.
Being the Mageknight hasn't changed who I am."

Rogen paled as he chuckled nervously to
himself and said, "I know. It's just that… well… who would have
ever thought that you would turn out to be the Mageknight? Your
defeat of Rigil makes perfect sense now."

"Thanks, Rogen, I think," Danny said, unsure
if he should take the remark as a compliment or an insult.

"You have become quite the celebrity,"
Sabrina said.

Danny became self-conscious in response to
Sabrina's statement. Looking around, he found a collection of
curious eyes upon him. One, in particular, sent a chill down his
spine as he locked gazes with Squire Vyce Ven Lasko, Captain of
Dragon Army. The young captain seemed to be sizing him up as he
looked over the railing of the
Radiance
. "I don't know if
celebrity would be the word I'd choose."

Sabrina followed Danny's stare. "I think
Squire Lasko feels threatened by you. It would be an interesting
twist if the Light saw fit to place you in Dragon Army next
year."

"I'm not sure interesting would be the word
either," refusing to back down from the staring contest he was
having with the Captain of Dragon Army. Squire Lasko broke the
contact first when another squire whispered something into his ear,
causing him to turn and retreat into the hull of the
Radiance
.

"He still doesn't look that tough," said
Alonso.

"Well, you'll have to wait until next year to
find out, man," said Chris, placing a steady hand on Alonso's
shoulder.

"Last call ta board!" a burly deckhand yelled
as he stood at the end of the gangplank to the
Radiance
.

"We better get aboard," said Sabrina.

Briza took Doug's arm. "We should be boarding
the
Lightbringer
as well."

"We?" Sabrina questioned, looking from Doug
to Briza.

"Doug has decided to spend the year with the
Elves," Danny explained.

"Oh, I see," said Sabrina, turning back
toward Doug. "Well, it should be a pleasant stay for you then.
Elsmelda is a place of great beauty."

"It is always an honor to have the Dragonic
grace us with a visit," said Briza.

Danny looked surprised as he glanced at
Sabrina. "You've been to the Elvin capital?"

Sabrina nodded. "I have traveled there many
times with Father, one of the benefits of being a Dragonic."

"Yes," said Briza. "I am sure he will enjoy
his stay," she added, smiling in Doug's direction.

With that, Danny, Sabrina, Anthony, Chris,
Matt and Alonso said their final goodbyes as Briza led Doug up the
gangplank of the
Lightbringer
, both disappearing deep into
the hull of the ship.

"We should go as well," insisted Chris,
leading the way
.

"Can you wait a moment?" Danny asked,
reaching out and gripping Sabrina's arm at the wrist. "There's
something I want to tell you."

Alonso, Matt, Anthony, and Chris turned in
response to Danny's words, curious about the situation.

"…Alone," added Danny.

"Come on then," urged Chris, herding Alonso,
Matt, and Anthony toward the
Radiance
. "We will go on ahead
and reserve a room on the lower deck."

Danny waited until they were both alone
before speaking. "I want to apologize for…"

"You look like you healed up rather nicely,"
interrupted Sabrina. A silent second passed before she continued.
"You need not apologize for anything. Friends?" she asked,
extending her arm.

"For now," said Danny, as he took her arm at
the wrist.

Releasing her grip, Sabrina turned away from
him and boarded the
Radiance
, allowing Danny's comment to go
unanswered.

Danny allowed himself a slight smirk as he
turned and took one last look at the Island of White Rock before
boarding the
Radiance
for the journey home.

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Print
publications of subsequent installments of the
Light
&
Dark Series
are available
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and
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editions of subsequent installments of the
Light
&
Dark Series
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About the Author

I began writing Light & Dark during my years as a
graduate student at Ball State University while I majored in
Counseling Psychology. What began as a simple hobby quickly turned
into something more as I found that I had a passion for writing.
While carrying the schedule of a full-time student, as well as
working a part-time job, I devoted myself to writing at least one
page a day. After graduating, I was given the opportunity to begin
practicing psychology as a counselor at a local private practice.
My devotion to my writing did not waver. Working a full time
schedule and maintaining a full complement of clients, I maintained
my dedication. A year or so later, I completed the rough draft of
Light & Dark and began the editing process, and what a process
it was. Writing this novel has proven to be a dramatic learning
experience and I am sure that I still have much more to learn. I
look forward to this opportunity as I continue to grow as a writer
and hope that you, the reader, will continue to join me on this
journey.