Realm Keepers 01 - Realm Keepers

power?”
    Greystone shook his head. “I do not know. It is forbidden to enter the circle of the runestones when the new Rune Holders are being summoned. But you will find out very shortly. You will need to use your gifts to reconstruct the wall that guards our kingdoms from Chaos.”
    Suddenly there was a flickering in the air around us. The bubble that stopped the world seemed to fade before springing back to life. Greystone glanced at it and suddenly grew impatient.
    “We are running out of time,” he said. “The Hold will not last much longer. We are going to need to act very quickly to construct the wall.”
    “How do we do it?” I asked, stepping forward.
    “You see those pillars over there?” Greystone asked. His crooked old finger pointed to the six pillars arranged in a row to the north of the platform. “Each of you must choose a pillar. Whichever one you like. Your choice will be guided by the rune that has chosen you.”
    “And then what?”
    “Then you must unleash the powers that you have been given by the Stones. Use it on the pillar, and when all six of them have been activated, their ancient magic will throw up a barrier that the Shadow cannot pass through—for now.”
    “Why did the barrier get turned off?” I asked, confused. “Seems like the kind of thing you’d just leave on.”
    Greystone’s eyes grew grim. “The barrier only remains active as long as at least one Rune Holder is alive to sustain it.”
    “You mean… all of the last Rune Holders died? At once?” I asked in shock.
    “If only that were true,” Greystone said ominously. Just then, the time bubble blinked off. Cara and her men started moving again, and I heard the cry of the birds flying above. And far, far in the distance, in the north where the black smoke still poured up in a column, I heard the clarion call of war horns.

“We need to act quickly!” said Cara, looking at the northern skyline nervously.
    “Quickly now!” Greystone said impatiently. “Choose your pillar! Go!”
    I ran toward them, the others following my lead. The pillars all looked the same to me, but I picked one at random and ran for it. The others broke at the same time and, miraculously, none of us chose the same pillar. Soon we were all standing in front of them, looking at the stones before us expectantly as though waiting for them to spring to life.
    Greystone strode up, and for some reason his gaze fixed on Tess. He looked between her and the pillar she stood by. “Interesting,” he chuckled. Then he strode to the other side of the pillars, facing us. His voice was crystal clear as it cut the afternoon air. “Now, I want you all to concentrate on—”
    “Oh my God, look,” said Raven, pointing past him.
    I looked. To the North, just over the lip of the hill that couldn’t have lay more than two miles away, came a horde of black shapes. They sprinted across the ground like their lives depended on it, howling and calling for blood.
    “Don’t pay attention to it,” Greystone said, looking at each of us sharply in turn. “Right now, our only hope of survival lies with you and your ability to concentrate. I want you each to look at the stone before you. Think about it. Search for something within yourself, calling to you.”
    Blade burped.
    “Blade, can you be serious for one second? ” I snapped at him.
    “I was trying!” Blade said defensively.
    “That was good,” Greystone said, surprising Blade and me both with his encouragement. He moved to stand beside Blade. “Try it again. Now.”
    Blade concentrated, and his chest heaved. Right before he belched, Greystone (sporting a look of extreme satisfaction) lashed out and slapped him on the back as hard as he could. Blade nearly flew forward, and instead just a belch, a stream of fire came out of his mouth, engulfing the pillar before him. It caught light as if it was made of wood, sending forth a wave of heat and light.
    “Holy crap!” cried Calvin, bursting into hysterical laughter. Blade was sporting a look that was half disbelief, and half pure joy. Miles was staring in awe. Raven was trying not to look impressed, but she was failing. Only Tess seemed unmoved. “I want to puke fire, too!” said Calvin.
    “One each, I’m afraid,” said Greystone. “Now, the rest of you, concentrate! Hurry!”
    “Get ready to fight. Again. We defend the Rune Holders to the death,” Cara said, drawing her blade and rotating her shield arm.
    “I assure you, that will not