Part 17 (1/2)

Max's shoulders sagged. ”Once again, I don't really have a choice, do I?”

”Afraid not, Max.”

Max sighed, resigned to his fate. ”Fine.”

Together they headed for Moenia's west gate. Unlike the east gate, at least a dozen Protectors stood guard around it. Between the open gate doors paced the largest man Max had ever seen. He stood over six feet tall and his bulky frame easily supported the heavy plate armor he wore. The man spotted their approach, stopping to glare at them.

”A mangy cat, an acolyte and a kid. You three must be the ones Lord Avram sent me to babysit.”

Max bristled. ”Eve is not a mangy cat.”

”All lacarnians are kid. You'll learn.”

”She's been my closest friend since childhood, that isn't going to change.”

Eve leaned against Max. ”It's okay, Maxy. Muscles here has his own opinion.” She smiled sweetly at the large man. ”You know how little I care about those.”

The man turned to Melody. ”What's your story? It's already bad enough having the fur ball along, now I have to deal with one of the Children as well.”

Melody crossed her arms, but smiled similarly to Eve. ”The name's Melody. Max here helped me out of a bind a few days back. I have business in Calix, so I thought I would go along and return the favor.”

The man shook his head. ”I don't know why I agreed to this. You guys didn't even get here on time. Now we'll have to move faster today to make up for it.”

Max offered a handshake. ”Maxwell Laskaris. I can a.s.sure you we'll be able to keep up.”

The man glanced down at Max's hand then back at Max. ”Lysander Harris. Now move out.”

Lysander turned and started down the road that would lead them to Calix. The others followed after him.

Melody let out a sigh. ”Well, this going be fun.”

Over the next couple of days they followed the road through the plains and villages. Max and Eve entertained Melody with stories of their adventures in Swift.w.a.ter as kids. She, in turn, told them more about the Children of the Immortals. Lysander separated himself from them, but always remained within close hearing distance. On the third night, while sitting around a small campfire, Melody talked about the garden in front of the church. Max thought back to the morning they had left.

”Hey, Melody, what did you mean when you said the garden liked Eve'?”

”To explain that, Max, I need to explain about our power. Every living thing is made of a spirit energy that you can't see: the trees, the flowers and even the tiniest of things that float in the air. It is the control of these spirits that gives the Children of Immortals their power. A power the Immortals themselves taught us. Hence, our order's name.”

Max thought hard. ”So, that barrier back in the cave, you formed that by controlling the spirits in the stuff that floats in the air?”

Melody nodded. ”That's right. Different people have an affinity towards different living things. I work with the tiny insects and plant life found in the air. Others can control larger plants of different varieties.”

”What can they do?”

”Some can strengthen the healing abilities found in plants used for salves. Others can increase a plant's growth rate, making it possible to harvest fruit and nuts sooner.”

Max stared in amazement. ”I've never even heard of this before. Mr. Penna never mentioned it, or the healer in our village.”

Eve shook her head, just as fascinated as Max. ”This is new to me too.”

”It may be new to you, but as a lacarnian, you have the natural ability to control all plant life. That is why the flowers grew around you the way they did back in the garden. We've heard of a few Children of the Immortals having such ability, but not for ages.”

Max studied his sheathed sword. ”Can the spirits be used in a harmful way? I mean, I've trained to defend myself against people, not plants.”

Melody nodded. ”Yes they can, like anything else. For example, Eve wears the worst application of the spirits.”

Both Max and Eve sat confused. ”Huh?”

Lysander grunted from his seat several feet away. ”The collars are only harmful for those that are in disobedience of the law.”

A fire sparked in Melody's eyes. ”What about the humans that use them to abuse the lacarna. You don't call that harmful?”

”Those that misuse the collars are dealt with appropriately.”

Max looked back and forth between the two. ”What are you talking about?”

Melody huffed. ”The Controller Stones in the collars.”

”Stones? I thought the spirits only inhabited living things.”

”The stones aren't alive, Max, but something inside them is. Haven't you ever wondered how they shocked the wearer? Or did you even care?”

Max's brow furrowed. ”Shock? What shock?”

Melody got to her feet, turning away from Max. ”Here I thought when you rushed in to help me that you were different, Maxwell.”

Eve jumped up. ”Melody, he doesn't know about the collars!”

Melody faced Eve. ”How could he not...”

”Because I'm the only lacarnian Max has ever known since he was little, and I've never worn my collar while at Swift.w.a.ter. The day we left was the first time Max even knew I had it.” Eve shuffled her feet. ”I told him it was the fas.h.i.+on in Moenia.”

Melody eyes widened. ”How could you go all those years without wearing your collar? Why didn't you tell Max the truth?”

Eve grabbed her tail. ”I didn't know how to explain things to Max. Until Tyco arrived two years ago, the only Protector to ever bother to come to Swift.w.a.ter was Max's father.” Eve shrugged her shoulders. ”n.o.body cares about the rules out there, especially my parents.”

The flame died out in Melody. ”Then, who has your Controller Stone?”

”Mr. Penna had it for the trip over.” Eve smiled. ”Then, last night when he hugged Max, he slipped it into Max's pants pocket.”

Max felt around in his pockets until his hand came across a small, smooth object. He pulled it out. The half-stone matched the color of the one in Eve's collar.

”What does it do?”

Lysander spoke again. ”a.s.surance. It keeps a human alive in case the lacarnian he has taken in turns wild.”

Melody stepped past Eve, taking the stone from Max's hand. ”Half of the stone goes into the collar, the other half is held by the lacarnian's master. At the time of owners.h.i.+p, the lacarnian's master is taught to use the spirits in the stone to send a shock to the other half. The collar itself is designed to focus the shock into the neck of the lacarnian and prevent them from sending a shock back to their owner.” Melody slammed the stone back into Max's hand. ”I wish I knew who first showed the Protectors how to use the stone that way. I have a few choice words to give them.”