‘Okay, so what do we do?’ he asked, feigning stupidity.
Ethel huffed impatiently. ‘Don’t you remember anything from your initiation? All guards will be called into position to search for the trespassers.’
‘What should I do?’ he asked.
‘You’re a Healer,’ she snapped. ‘Heal anyone who needs it.’
Without another word, Ethel sprinted towards the Realm Headquarters. Jack watched as she grew smaller, until finally she reached the large doors that led inside the building, but she didn’t do inside. Once there, she spread her arms wide, as if inviting someone for a hug. Jack watched in awe as an electric blue current exploded from her hands, engulfing the entire building in a translucent dome. She had placed a protective shield around the entire circumference. Jack was impressed, but couldn’t help but fear for Avalon’s safety.
The sirens continued, and Jack noticed an immediate increase in activity within the gates of the Headquarters. Guards poured from the living quarters, some even taking up arms. Many Mages in red cloaks emerged from the front doors, passing easily through Ethel’s shield. It would only keep out unwanted guests; all allies were unaffected by its Power.
The cloaked Mages began to form a protective ring around the spherical shield. There were at least one hundred of them. Their presence cast an eerie effect over the grounds. The guards, who were all dressed in the same grey uniform as Jack, lined up in front of Sergeant Jenson, Ethel included. They formed neat rows, each standing with their backs perfectly straight.
Jack, meanwhile, had been standing stationary for several minutes, watching the commotion take place. Realising he was meant to be standing in line with the rest of the guards, he quickly rushed to join them, taking his place two rows behind Ethel. She glanced over her shoulder at him, an incredulous expression on her face, as if to say ‘What’s gotten into you?’
Sergeant Jenson had to yell over the sound of the sirens.
‘We have received intelligence that there is a planned attack on the Realm this very evening. The rebel Fire-Mage has been spotted entering the city with a small army of followers. We believe that these Mages are dangerous, and will stop at nothing to bring the Realm to its knees.’ Jenson paused for the effect of his words to sink in. A few guards turned to one another and began muttering, but quickly snapped their attention back to the front.
‘Thanks to Ethel’s quick thinking, we have a shield around the building, but as we don’t know what these Mages are capable of, it is not a secure form of defence. Our intelligence informs us that the group consists of around twenty Mages, so we should have no trouble in holding them off. To be sure, however, many employees of the Realm have volunteered to protect it.’
Jenson waved a hand over his shoulder, indicating to the numerous cloaked Mages standing around the circumference of the shield. Jack wondered how many of them were projections created by Xara.
‘Now, I need each and every one of you to stand in formation in front of the doors. Those with defensive Powers will take the front line.’
Jack glanced at Ethel and knew that she would be in front. It was strange how a father could order his daughter to stand on the front line. Not that it mattered. Avalon would not walk through the gates, or climb the fence as they imagined. She would fly overhead upon Hawthorne.
Part of Jack wanted to warn them, to let them know that their formation was useless. They needed to spread out across the grounds, not huddle together.
Almost at once, he felt bad for thinking such a thing. This was Avalon, his girlfriend. What kind of person would he be if he allowed her to come to harm?
A small voice in Jack’s head countered that question, though. What kind of person would he be if he allowed innocent Mages to come to harm? True, not everyone who worked at the Realm was innocent. Many sectors of the government were corrupt; Jack knew that. He didn’t want anyone to come to harm, not if he could help it.
Of course, Jack disagreed with the enslavement, registration, and processing of humans, but there had to be a better way to stop the slave-trade than with mindless violence.
Jack knew she was doing it for Helena. Avalon was always one to act first and think later.
Jack realised that he had been lost in thought for several minutes and hadn’t been listening to Sergeant Jenson’s instructions. He only caught the end of what he was saying.
‘At no cost is an enemy going to enter the premises. Medical staff meet at the arranged point. Right, is everyone clear on what they need to do?’
‘Yes, Sergeant!’ everyone said in unison; everyone except Jack.