Balance Keepers #1: The Fires of Calderon (23 page)

“I
still can’t believe you battled the Hendeca,” Leroy said to Albert as they flew on Jadar’s back toward the exit of Calderon. “You’ve got mad Balance Keeper skills!”

“It was crazy, no doubt,” Albert said. “When that last hole was healed, the Hendeca started taking us away, like it was going to pull us into its lair. It was chilling.”

“That’s when Albert used the paralyzing knife.” Birdie beamed as she guided Jadar toward home. “And when that didn’t work, he used his Master Tile to scare it away.”

She’d told that part five or six times already, but Albert didn’t mind. It
was
pretty cool, what he’d done.

“I’m glad you scared him off, Albert. I’d miss you guys if you hadn’t made it,” Leroy said.

“What makes you think the Hendeca is a he?” Birdie argued with Leroy, and Albert couldn’t help but laugh. Farnsworth yipped from Albert’s backpack, clearly enjoying the ride.

Everything was back to normal again.

Albert waved at his dad, who was flying on a King Firefly not far from Jadar. His dad waved back. Albert didn’t want this moment to be over—he had grown to love Calderon with all its mysteries and dangers—but they were nearly at the far edge of the Realm. He didn’t know for sure when he and his friends would be back.

When they were close to the tunnel that would lead them back to the Core, Jadar touched down and then hopped and bobbed, taking a breather from all the flying he’d done.

Albert, Leroy, and Birdie slid from his back. Professor Flynn, Grey, and Aria landed beside them. Their King Fireflies buzzed and took flight again, heading back toward their hive.

Professor Flynn looked at Birdie. “You are forever linked to this beast now,” Professor Flynn said, seeing the concern on her face as she watched the Guildacker. Albert knew she didn’t want to leave him. “He will long for you while you are away, and he will never betray you. That is the way of companion beasts from the Realms.”

“Wait, are you saying Jadar can come with me?” Birdie asked, her voice revealing how much she wished it were true. “Back into the Core?”

Professor Flynn nodded encouragingly. “You can’t take him home, but you can keep him in Treefare.”

Birdie beamed. “But the Core
is
my home.”

“You are all residents of two homes now,” Professor Flynn said. “The Core, and the one you left behind. We’re approaching a time when you must return to the surface, to your old life.”

“When?” Leroy asked.

“We’ll see,” Professor Flynn answered. “Only the Libryam knows—unless you’ve been keeping track, Mr. Jones?”

“Nope,” Leroy replied, “I’ve tried, but that’s one thing my Tile won’t let me do.”

“Well, it won’t be long now,” Professor Flynn said. “You’ve been down here awhile.”

They were at the entrance to the tunnel now.

Albert turned around and looked one last time at Calderon.

“Thank you,” he whispered, though he wasn’t quite sure who he was thanking. Then he turned and ran down the tunnel to catch up with the others.

When they reached the door to the Core twenty minutes later, Professor Flynn positioned Albert, Leroy, and Birdie in front, followed by the First Unit and himself behind. But before Albert could reach out to open the door, it opened unexpectedly.

“Let’s clean up Hydra’s mess!”

Albert looked at the timepiece on his wrist.

“Five hours, fifty-six minutes, and twelve seconds, Hoyt,” Albert said. “You’re leaving a little early, aren’t you? We still have four minutes.”

“Chickened out, huh?” Hoyt said. “I expected as much. Step out of the way and let a
real
team through.”

“Gladly,” Albert said, moving forward into the Core. “But you’ll have to make some room for my friends.”

Everyone from the Core was there, and they went silent as Albert, Leroy, and Birdie entered. Albert felt the crowd take in the state of the three of them—battle worn and weary, and in Albert’s case, missing boots. Albert grabbed his Tile and made sure it was visible. He didn’t want to hide it now.

“What a bunch of losers,” Hoyt said, turning to Slink and Mo, who didn’t look nearly as gung-ho as he was. “Come on, guys, let’s do it right!”

Hoyt turned for the door to Calderon and found Professor Flynn standing there. Every man and beast in the Core gasped with excitement. Grey and Aria came out next. The cheers intensified.

Hoyt turned on Birdie.

“Bet you didn’t restore Balance, though, did you? You and your Hydra lame-os aren’t that good. No way.”

“Uh, Hoyt?” Slink asked.

“Shut up, Slink! I’m busy here.”

Albert watched as Jadar tapped Hoyt on the shoulder. Albert’s grin widened as Hoyt turned around and let out a high-pitched whimper. “Better be nice to my friend’s bird,” Leroy said. “He’s very protective.”

But it was too late. Jadar leaped into the air and picked up Hoyt with his claws, grabbing Hoyt by the back of his shirt like a mouse that had been caught. Hoyt screamed as Jadar carried him around the Main Chamber and dropped him into one of the silvery streams.

The Core erupted with laughter.

“Balance has been restored to Calderon!” Trey yelled, beside Professor Flynn. “Hydra has done it!”

Farnsworth barked.

“And Farnsworth!”

Albert, Leroy, and Birdie never endured so many backslaps and high fives as they did that afternoon. It was the best day of Albert’s life. They told the stories over and over again, ate until they were bursting, laughed endlessly. They’d saved the world and lived to tell about it.

Did it get any better than that?

A couple of days later, Albert and Leroy met Birdie and Jadar at the door to Cedarfell. Birdie turned to Jadar and stroked the feathers on his black head. She ran her hand along his black beak and the Guildacker closed his eyes.

“I will miss you, too,” she said. “Every single day, until I return.”

They all watched Jadar fly off, high over the cedars, already howling Birdie’s name to the wind.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“I knew deep down you were a softy,” Leroy said.

Birdie couldn’t help herself. She burst into laughter, and soon all three of them were laughing as they headed toward the Main Chamber, just like old times.

It was true what Professor Flynn had said: time was short. That morning, just two days after they restored Balance to Calderon, Albert, Birdie, and Leroy had stepped on the Libryam scale. It had said the same thing for each of them: they were down to only a few hours before they’d have to return home. If they stayed any longer, they could never leave the Core again.

“Maybe one day we’ll decide to stay,” Leroy had said when he stepped off the Libryam. “And then we can live in the Core forever.”

“But not today,” Professor Flynn said. “Today you’re going home, and so are we.”

He had put an arm around Albert and they both smiled.

Now the three friends were standing on the same bridge they had crossed on their first day in the Core.

“When do we get to come back again?” Birdie asked.

“Trey said next summer,” Leroy replied, tossing a pebble into the river below.

“And you’ll be taking our spots,” Grey said, coming up beside them at the railing, with Aria in tow.

All of their cuts and bruises were gone. Albert noticed, too, that they were holding hands. They both smiled at Hydra like they had never been prouder.

“It’s time we left this place and didn’t come back,” Aria said. “That trip into Calderon was our last mission. At least we ended on a high note.”

“I’ll say,” Albert agreed. “But won’t you miss it?”

“Won’t you miss
us
?” Birdie chimed in.

Grey looked at Aria and smiled. “We’ve had our time and done our part. If we come back again, it will have to be for good, as Professors or Core workers. That’s how it is when you get a bit older. You’ll see. In a couple of years, you’ll have to decide, too.”

“We’re deciding it’s time to be together,” Aria said. “Up there.”

Albert felt a small pang in his heart. Was it because he had started to like Aria, and Grey, too? Or was it because he knew that somewhere in the not-so-distant future, he, too, would have to decide where to spend the rest of his life?

“You three are going to make a great Calderon First Unit,” Grey said. “To be honest, I don’t think we’re needed like we used to be. You’ve given us the confidence to leave.”

“Wait,” Albert piped up. “I thought we were going to train for another Realm next term.”

“Yeah,” Leroy said, adjusting his cap. “Second Terms can’t be First Units. That’s not how it works.”

“Leroy . . . ,” Birdie whined, “has
anything
been normal since we got here?” She turned to Aria. “We’ll train for another Realm
and
be First Unit for Calderon?”

Aria nodded. “It will be double the work, double the action. But you can do it. You guys are going to be great.”

“Obviously,” Birdie said. She was so pumped she was bouncing up and down.

“Thanks, guys,” Leroy said, and offered Grey and Aria low fives. Albert gave them quick hugs. He couldn’t believe they were going to be First Unit.

Grey and Aria lingered a little longer, and then they had a nice send-off from everyone in the Main Chamber, including Professor Flynn and Trey. Eventually, they exited through the same double doors through which Albert, Birdie, and Leroy had arrived seventy-four days earlier.

Professor Flynn turned toward Team Hydra. “You three are next.”

“What about you?” Albert asked his dad.

“I’ll follow along in another day or two,” Professor Flynn said, looking at Albert. “Then we’ll grab your Pap and have a barbecue. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about your Tile, kiddo. I’ve got lots of questions. Oh, and Albert? Farnsworth will be lonely here. He can go with you to the surface, as long as he promises to keep his eyes turned off.”

“Really?” Albert beamed. He was going to have a real live piece of the Core with him, until he returned again. Farnsworth thumped his tail across Albert’s ankles. He let out a yip, and his eyes faded to a normal-dog blue.

“Dad?” Albert asked. “How much time do we have left before we absolutely have to go?”

“About forty-five minutes. Why?”

“I have something I want to show Birdie and Leroy,” Albert replied, hoping his dad was catching on.

“Go on, then, Albert.” His dad winked. “Just make sure you’re out of the Path Hider’s tree in forty-five minutes—I don’t want to have to explain to the post office why all the undeliverable mail has piled up if you get stuck down here.”

Then Professor Flynn and Trey left. Trey turned back and smiled encouragingly. This was one Apprentice who was very impressed with his team.

“Come on, you guys,” Albert said, grabbing Leroy and Birdie by the hands. “You have to see this before we go.”

In the Cave of Souls, Albert, Leroy, and Birdie were silent for several minutes. Albert eventually spoke up.

“There are three flames up there, one for each of us,” Albert explained. “I bet you they’re always floating around up there, together, causing trouble and stuff.”

“It’s nice to have real friends, for the first time ever.” Birdie laughed. “I don’t know if I’ve told you guys this, but I’ve always had trouble making friends. Apparently I intimidate some people.”

“Not really,” Leroy said with a smirk, nudging Birdie’s shoulder. “You’ve softened up a bit in here, I think.”

Birdie nodded. “I’m glad I have you guys.”

Albert thought he saw another tear in her eye. He nodded. “Me too. I’ve never had friends like you guys. Heck, I’ve never
been
a friend like I’ve been to you two. I don’t think I knew how.”

“You’re an amazing friend, Albert,” Leroy said. He wrapped his fingers around his Tile, and held it tight. “I don’t want to leave this place. I feel different here, braver than in the real world, you know? What if all that goes away up there?”

Birdie turned to face Leroy. “I don’t think that’s gonna happen, Leroy.”

She looked at Albert and winked. Albert caught on at once.

“Birdie’s right. I think it’s
you
who’s made yourself braver. Not your Tile.”

“Thanks, guys.” Leroy sighed.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, watching the flames dance overhead, proof that there was an entire world full of people down here, and in turn, people on the earth above, whose lives had all been affected by the Core. “You guys going to be okay without me?” Birdie said. “Up there, on the surface?”

“I’ll text you if I need a bodyguard,” Leroy said with a smile. Albert nodded in agreement. They’d stay in touch aboveground. And soon enough, they’d be back for bigger, better adventures.

“Uh, guys,” Albert suddenly said, “we have to be out of the Path Hider’s tree in ten minutes!”

The three set off, leaving Balance Keeper souls blinking behind them.

Once back at the double doors, they pushed through and jumped in the gondola, Farnsworth hopping in behind them.

“Something tells me this is going to be the wildest ride of our lives,” Leroy said as the gondola jerked forward.

Seven minutes (and one upchucked Core meal) later, they passed through the secret Realm of the Path Hider and found themselves standing in the woods.

“Well, I guess this is it,” Birdie said. “See you goofballs next year.”

Then she ran forward and gave both boys a quick kiss on their cheeks.

“Okay, now you’re a little
too
soft,” Leroy joked, but he smiled anyway as Birdie headed into the trees.

“Albert,” Leroy said, holding a hand out. “You’re one righteous Balance Keeper. I’ll see you soon.” He, too, headed off into the woods.

Albert was surprised to feel a lump in his throat.

He began walking, looking back every few seconds and seeing his friends waving as they walked in different directions. The third time he looked back, they were gone, and it was just Albert and Farnsworth alone in the deep of the woods.

Just like old times.

“Well, now, haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Pap said. Albert stood on the steps and watched the old guys play Tiles. “It’s about time for you to get on home to New York, ain’t it?”