(just so you know to prevent confusion I changed Alex's name. The one that's missing, not the real one. Her name's going to be Alexis from now on.)
Kari
I walked into the castle glancing at the Strays and guards that followed me with an annoyed look on my face. After reaching a certain corridor, they halted. So did I.
"Right this way, miss." One of the guards said, and I retaliated. "I know where it is!" I hissed, and the guard narrowed his eyes but said nothing. I knew they were following me, not because I would get lost, but because Waru ordered them too. The fact that one their best hunters has been taking this long should be suspicious enough, and if there REALLY was a spell that Waru had put on me, as Alex said, then I knew Waru would know that the spell is half-broken. Or that Alex could be controlling me, right now, and I'm not knowing it. Maybe that's why Waru's keeping an eye on me.... I thought worriedly. As I turned through an archway, I glanced at all the fancy paintings that I grew up seeing everyday, it definitely screamed rich. You see, here's another thing that needs explaining. Right now, we are on Earth, but not the Human's Earth. The Sorcerer's Earth. Back in the day when they could roam freely and the humans knew about magic and allied with it. King Waru of course, was magical himself. Alex had told me of the future, about this New York that Lee loved so much, and how he hung out in different time periods when he'd escape inside his mind at night. Now, you may be thinking, how have we kept ourselves well hidden? Are we there all along? Alex told me that around 5-6 centuries from now, the Sorcerers would come together from all of the world to create a thin veil of magic between them and the sorcerers, where the magical world exists on a different dimensional plain with no humans, but still Earth. Snapping out of my thoughts, I realized I had made my way to my father. He was in a room not as grand as the throne room, but this was designed for the summoning and training of Strays.
He stood at the far end of the room, looking directly at me with stormy grey eyes matched mine. Long black hair, as like mine as well, except his was streaked with grey from age. He looked at me with no emotion. Not cruelty or coldness, but just... blank. He was usually like this, my father, who spent more time around my brother. I wasn't jealous, because this meant more time to sneak out and guard Alex. My younger brother Roi reminded the Royal Tracker of his late wife, whom I cared nothing about. And vice versa. That sorceress was horrible, even for my mother. She was cold-hearted. Now I see where I got that from.
"Kari." My father's voice echoed around the room, and bowed down my head in respect. "Father. I have come back to report to you on my search for the Sorcerer Alex. We believe he is in the city as we speak, for we have tracked him there. Time is all it takes to check the sorcerers of the city." I said formally. The Stray Trainer nodded in understanding.
"I see. Have you sensed any magical barriers?" He asked, and I shook my head. "We are keeping an eye out, though. Trying to search for cloaks that would fool the townsfolk." he said.
"What about the forest?" He asked. "The magical tracks from Alex are stale." I lied, knowing that Alex visits the forest daily, and I always tell the Strays to go look in the city while I check on the forest to cover up for the wanted sorcerer. My Father narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything along the lines of finding me out. Waru would, but on occasion the Royal Tracker would turn a blind eye to his only daughter in these circumstances. "Alright. Continue your hunt." he waved me off, and the guards escorted me to the side door of the palace
Walking out, I made sure to walk slowly at first. As soon as I got up the first hill and out of sight of the palace, I gasped.
The sun was lower than I expected. I'm never going to reach Alex in time before he gets to the dark room!
The reason it takes so long is because I go on foot, instead of using magic. Strays would surely follow me if I used a big amount. But I needed to risk it. I sprung up and soared through the air, reaching the temple in an hour, just as the dying rays of the sun were vanishing. I crashed into the building, walking up to where I had left Alex. To my horror, he was already out in the dark room. And it wouldn't have mattered for me for the fact that I had sensed a presence. Then followed by two more. And they were steadily headed toward where we were.
I risked it, and this is what I get... I grumbled in my head. "Alex, wake up!" I hissed at him, but he wouldn't budge. So it was up to me. I just didn't feel like getting messy today, but whatever. I charged out into the open and met the three looming shadows head-on, not being able to look at them.
The air around my hands darkened as I pulled the shadows from the air into a concentrated area. I shot them at the Strays, again and again. I could only take on two at one time, barely, so I couldn't do anything as the third stray was attacking me, filling my head with dark images and cuts running down my back. I charged on, and somehow ceased my attack, and ran past them. I looked down at my hands, as they charged up to meet me, I was ready. I held up my hands as it blasted pitch darkness at them, and I seemed to scream.
"GO!" I yelled, and the Strays, looking half faded, fled, most likely to return. And even more likely, with more.
It's a good thing they can't speak and tell my father or King Waru about this, or he'd have my head. I thought, dashing inside the temple.
.I have to get Alex's body out of here, since the Strays will be back. I said, and ran over to his body, grabbing him out of the chair and dragging him across the floor, with him floating a few inches above it with the help whatever magic I had left. What a bother. I thought, and ran across the fields and into the forest, dragging his body behind me.
Lee
Before anyone could tell me how impossible that was, I was able to think of more reasons behind it. "Hear me out, guys. A Stray is more of a spiritual creature than a physical creature, right?" I said. "Well, we're not physical at all. If we could capture the consciousness of one, then we could link into it's memories and see what's happened to Alexis." I said, and then grinned at myself for the turn-around. The others seemed to be thinking it over, even Sandra.
"Sounds good to me." Al said, and the others nodded. "There's more the father back we go... so how about the 14th century since they'll be more abundant." he said. It was a snap decision. We all knew what the other was planning, so it took us only a few seconds to figure out a plan. We went through to time, surprisingly no Strays were waiting for us in the in-between. We landed on the outskirts of a random village, and my eyes widened in surprise.There were Strays EVERYWHERE. Walking among the people like guards. Some seemed to be cornering a few people, but other then that it was like no one noticed them. From what I experienced, Strays normally hung around unpopulated areas.
"Grab the nearest one without it causing a commotion." I whispered to myself, even though there was no need to whisper, it seemed like a habit. It's not like anyone saw us, anyways. It's like we were Strays as well. But the Strays seemed to see us. A few were already heading towards us, and we ran the opposite to draw them out from the village and in to the nearby forest. They seemed to take the bait as Sandra, Ecks, and Adrian all went after the three other Strays to fight them away. Al and I circled the last one and concentrated on it's spiritual energy and was that it was crumbling to dust, but a glowing orb remained, which flew directly into Al as if he were flesh and blood.
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