Chapter 4 The Bolthole's Training Room

Descending the spiral staircase, I see Drys and Dru waiting at the landing with huge grins on their faces. This room was so much bigger than the garden. The same twisty pillars lining the walls, but instead of botanical wonders there were wonders of war and academics.

"This shall be your classroom, where you will get a crash course in strategy and tactics." Dru said waving a hand towards a beautiful library on the right hand side of this gigantic room.

Books and scrolls filled the many shelves that were tucked between the twisty pillars. The same beautiful flowers acting again as torches. A large wooden desk with several chairs sat in the middle of the room, and there was a cart with empty pages of paper, pencils, wood carving tools, paints, brushes, anything you could possibly need to complete a project of any kind.

"And this shall be your training hall," Drys said waving towards the left hand side. There was some sort of contraption that looked like it had several moving parts Several dummy targets lined the wall, and there were several weapon racks containing every weapon you could possibly think of having in an arsenal. From harmless wooden training swords and daggers, to razor sharp broadswords and battle axes, Remington's, 1911's, Glock's, Mossberg's, dynamite, Bazookas, rocket launchers, tan bricks that were labeled C-4....it was all overwhelming to be honest, I've never seen anything like this.

'Holy Goddess, they've got every weapon you could possibly think of plus some!!' I whispered to Selene concerned, I couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.'

" You will not only learn to defend yourself, but put the knowledge you acquire in the classroom to the test by doing some training exercises!!" Dru spoke with a sense of purpose.

"What kind of exercises?" I asked, cautiously walking towards the weapon racks. I past a metal staff with beautiful designs, a mace with long ragged spikes and large war hammers that were almost as long as I am tall.

I passed a few more racks looking at all of these amazing and intimidating tools of destruction. I turned around to walk back when something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I walked over to a barrel sitting at the end of one of the weapon racks. There was something brass sticking out from underneath some leather scraps that were sitting on top of the barrel. I moved the scraps aside to reveal a pair of crudely made Sais.

'I always thought they looked like mini handheld tridents!' giggled Selene through our link, 'but I'm pretty sure its a small sword.' I replied back to her. I picked them up and studied the pair. The center blade was sharpened and more so resembled a thin dagger, the small sharp barbs that acted as the handguard looked deadly. Holding these I felt a sense of calm, a knowing like Selene and I both have never felt before. I twirled the handle in my hand, testing the weight, it felt natural.

A firefly suddenly flew towards me from somewhere in Druanthia's hair, then a second, a third, a ..fourth...? Growing larger as they approached me, I could barely make out the first shape that came into my field of vision.

A Stout, young, dwarf like man appeared in a sudden flash of orange light, almost a full two feet short of my own five foot six.

"Oo iz dis den? A snot nosed mouff breeva??" Said the stout little man creature in a thick British accent. His skin was an almost gooey consistency, it looked as if it was made from some sort of solid , yet somehow flowing, bright orange material. His silky fire engine red hair stood straight up, with a matching bushy beard. and he wore a similar armor to Drys.

A flash of blue and the second firefly wisped towards my head, her tiny frame no bigger than an ear of corn, she sat ever so gently on my left shoulder. Her long bright white hair a stark contrast to her dark blue skin.

" Oh, be nice Sherman!" giggled the female sprite.

Another flew past me so quickly I barely saw the glimmer of purple as it whizzed around my legs, just to rest on the top of my feet and start playing with my shoelaces. This little blob of a thing was kind of adorable , a small bright purple tuft of hair sat on its head, and it was now purring...

The Fourth firefly twirled around my waist, circling towards my hands and the Sais I was holding. A slender shiny green creature came into view, he seemed older than the other three, was much bigger length wise and his abdomen spiraled like a slinky. He pointed at the simply made weapon with a smile.

"Sai, It is a h-h-hand weapon with a central 'b-b-blade' between 15 and 20 inches in length and two f-f-forward-curved q-quillons. The butt end of the handgrip t-t-t-terminates in a pronounced pommel. The whole w-w-weapon is made in one piece of solid iron weighing up to 3 p-p-pounds." Said the green creature in a shy stutter. "Difficult to define p-p-properly, the Sai is somewhat known as a short sword, but it is, in fact, closely related to a t-t-trident."

"Ella I'd like for you to meet my old friend Sherman and his mate Kata, this curly green bean is Eugene, smartest tree sprite in the known realms!", My mother said with excitement.

Three of the creatures looked around in unison. their eyes landing on my mother.

"Queenie!!!!" Screeched Kata as she hurriedly flew off my shoulder, with a flash of blue light she was the same size as my mother and had flung her arms around her.

"Your m-m-majesty ! Oh how g-g-good it is to see y-y-you!!" stutters Eugene as he too joins Kata making it a group hug. His long lanky body sticking out awkwardly.

"Queen Pinny!!" Sherman quipped as he ran to join them as well.

The little purple guy sitting on my shoe started whimpering and slowly flies over to the group and nudges Sherman.

"Oyo son, come meet Queen Pinny!!!! Madame Queen, meet my legacy, Bobert!!" Sherman said proudly, holding his son in the palms of his hands and showing my mom the little purple blob.

Separating from the embrace my mother smiles and says " Hello Bobert! It's very nice to meet you!"

"My pride and joy Queenie! Perfect just like his father!" Kata sang out, as she picked up her son, who morphed suddenly into a small kitten like shape.

It was a sight to see, my mother and I, standing in this magnificent training hall, surrounded by such extraordinary beings.

They carried on with their small talk but I couldn't help but get distracted by the impending sense of dread when I stopped to think about why we were here in the first place. How is this going to help in the trials?

"I'm sorry I don't mean to cut this reunion short, but what does any of this have to do with anything? We don't even know what the three trials are going to be, so how can we prepare for that? This collection of weapons is impressive but what good is practicing any of this if we don't know for sure what to practice for?" I said growing more agitated with every word.

"I understand your confusion Ella, but I promise you this is the best chance you have to survive what's coming, the understanding will come with time, I promise." My mother said as she approached me, she slowly reached for the Sai I was still holding in my hands and gently removed them from the death grip I didn't realize I had.

I took a few steps back, looking at my hands. A tingling sensation started at the base of my skull and started down my spine reverberating painfully back towards my skull.

'Somethings wrong Ella, somethings happening to us!' Selene whimpered in a pained panic as she spoke.

"Mom!" I screamed holding my head as I fell to my knees.

"Isabella!!" I heard faintly heard my mother yell.

The last thing I saw was the look of concern on my mothers face as the room went dark and the pain intensified.

******

Penelope's POV

"Isabella!!" I screamed as I saw my daughter begin to cradle her head, her sudden scream had me at her side in an instance, catching her before her head could hit the ground, and just in time to watch her eyes roll into the back of her head and feel her body going limp.

Druanthia was at my side soon after.

"It seems her power is awakening Penny." Dru says, seeing the look of concern on my face.

" I need Caroline." I told her, not taking my eyes from Ella.

"Would you like for me to bring her here? " she asked me, to which I nodded yes.

Druanthia stood up, raising her hands. Her eyes glowing brighter and brighter she crashes her hands together, an explosion of gold stars the result. In an instant Caroline was standing in front of us with a confused look on her face.

"What in the world..." Caroline said looking around the large training room in awe. Her eyes finally falling on Ella and I, she she kneels before us with sincere concern and says," I can feel her power awakening. What's going on Penny? What is this place?"

"I call it the Bolthole!!" Dru said less enthusiastically than before considering the circumstance, but still her bubbly self nonetheless.

"Clever, but why would you need a secret hiding spot? Are we inside a tree?" Caroline asked, standing up to get a better look.

"Drys would you mind making Ella a bit more comfortable, as I fill Caroline in, please?" I asked Drys.

"Of course Penny!" Drys said, and a fluffy pallet emerged from underneath Ella.

I grabbed Caroline by the hand and led her up the spiral staircase and into the garden. I couldn't help but smile as I watched the same emotions flow across her face as she looked around at the beauty surrounding them.

"There are some things I was never at liberty to share with you Caroline. Your need to know was non existent considering you are not Fae and we never had a reason until know to use the Surrogate Key. This place is like an emergency exit for my people, each fairy leader has one. Drys and Druanthia are the god and goddess that came to our aid when the disappearances were at their peak. I brought Ella here to prepare as much as we can before she leaves." I tried to summarize the best I could.

"And what pray tell do you hope to accomplish in 10 hours?" Caroline asked with genuine curiosity, her eyes widened, " Are you going to tell her? Are you finally going to tell her that you are the long lost Fairy Queen?"

"No, she doesn't need to know." I said as I bowed my head in shame.

"Why? It's been fifteen years Penelope, she deserves to know." Caroline spoke gently as she held my hand, trying to comfort me.

"She doesn't need to know her mother is a failure, that couldn't protect her people. I'm a coward Caroline, what kind of Monarch goes into hiding when her people are being snatched from their beds while they sleep? I couldn't save them. How do you tell your child that their parent is an embarrassment to the crown? My kingdom has long since fallen. I have no right to call myself Queen, let alone Luna." I tried to justify, tears started rolling down my cheeks, as I remembered my family. My mother, father , siblings and all the friends I'd grown up with. I couldn't help but remember the mornings I had awakened to find them gone. Each time being harder than the last, as we sent search parties, just for them to go missing as well. "I failed them, I am only Queen because I am the only one left."

"That maybe so Penny but you are more capable than you realize, was it not your decree that sent the rest of the fairies into hiding in an effort to save your people? From the looks of the friends you keep.." Caroline said waving a hand towards the garden,".. you're plenty capable sweetheart, You have to put away this unnecessary guilt you carry for every disappearance. They were not your fault my darling. You can't let the guilt of the past stop your daughter from knowing who she truly is. I've supported you this long because I understood the importance of hiding your secret. I am no stranger to it myself. You are aware that only my close family know I have the Gift. There are plenty of bad people out there that would love nothing more than to take advantage of such a situation."

"Yes but.." I started.

"Yes but she is your daughter and by birth has the right to know who she is Penny! The time to hide from Ella is over! If you don't tell her then I will, we still are not sure what that will mean for her now that she's getting her power. She has the potential to be the most powerful being we've ever seen. She is the descendant of two legendary bloodlines, and that in itself should be cause enough to warn her for what might be." Caroline pleaded.

"Queenie!!! yelled Kata from the staircase, worry etched all over her face, " You have to come quickly!!"

Kata turned and rushed down the stairs, Caroline and I quickly following behind.

There was a bright blue light illuminating the bottom steps as I reached the landing, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Ella was floating upright several feet off the ground. When she opened her eyes they were changing colors back and forth between Ella's Green, and Selene's Gold. Her beautiful long brown hair was turning white as her eyes continued fighting over who was taking over. As the last strand on her head faded Ella closed her eyes and fell back onto the pallet Drys had created for her, motionless.

Caroline and I flew to Ella's side.

"Ella darling, can you hear me!?! Ella Look at me sweetheart!" I called to my daughter, but she remained silent, her methodical breathing the only sign of life.