Again, alarm bells rang in my mind. Secretly, I thought it convenient for the Great Spirit to answer my challenge in such a way. Curiously, I couldn’t help but to ask, “Do you always do what the Great Spirit asks you to do?”
The creature that looked like my mother, glanced away and then sheepishly grinned at me, stating matter-of-factly, “No, no, no. Honestly, we were quite surprised that the Great One chose us to do it’s bidding.” Another sly look.
“What do you mean?” Suspicion and trepidation swirled through my mind.
“Well, we’re a cowardly sort and tend to steer clear of any sort of confrontation that may cause us harm. Usually, we only use our peculiar gifts to get close enough to gain an advantage.” At my questioning expression, she said, shrugging, “You know, to get food.”
“But, that’s ridiculous,” I exclaimed. At its look of shock, I asked, “ Forgive me, but if you’re a spectral and in essence, others can move through you, how is it possible to harm you?”
Looking slightly uncomfortable at my line of questioning, but fighting with pride, it responded snidely, looking toward Duck. “The dragon knows.”
Duck stepped forward and sniffed the air in great snarfing sounds. Then, he stopped momentarily and said, “I know of your kind.” His stance was menacing. The spectral flinched.
Shrinking away from Duck, the Spectral pleaded, “Please, I won’t harm you. The Great Spirit forbade it. I was sent to help.” Duck growled. Flinching, she cried out, “I swear it!”
Raising my hand to sooth Duck, I met the eyes of the spectral. “Best you don’t test your luck.” Seeing the creature nodding in acceptance, I asked, “If you’re going to be with us, I ask that you please change to your original form.”
“You wouldn’t like my original form.” Waving its arms over its body, it queried, “This form does not please you?”
“No!” Again, it flinched. Seeing that I frightened it, I smirked a little and said, “If you can’t change to your original form, then change to something less threatening so that Duck doesn’t think you’re a problem.” Duck sensed my purpose and lunged forward growling menacingly and baring his great fangs.
With a whirring blur and a screech, the creature swiftly turned into a beautiful white ermine like the one I’d once seen on a camping trip with my parents as a child. As it scampered up onto the nearest tree limb, I said, giving a short bark of laughter, “This form suits you better. A tricky little weasel.”
Looking at the pitiful creature that was peering down at me from the thin perch, I asked, “Do you have a name or am I to give you one like a pet?”
It responded with funny squeaking noises like those of a squirrel or chipmunk. Opening my mind to the possibilities. It was like an echo in my mind and I heard the voice of what sounded like a small child. “I am Elise.”
“Well, then, Elise. We need to find the tablet of power. Did the Great Spirit happen to enlighten you on how to locate it,” I asked as I waved my hand toward the Glenn and the fountain at the far end.
“It’s located behind the veil of tears within the pool of sorrow.” Elise scurried down from her perch and carefully avoided being stepped on by Duck as she made her way to the edge of the fountain.
Mentally, I called after her, “But I can’t see it.”
Removing my hand from Andrea’s and giving her a reassuring smile, I started to walk over to the edge of the fountain.
“Are you able to understand it, Maggie? I only hear squeaking.” Andrea said.
Glancing back at Andrea, “I hear a voice in my head.” Seeing her concerned expression, I smiled reassuringly, “It’ll be okay, ‘Drea.” Turning, I followed Elise to the edge of the pool. Looking down into the swirling fluid, I whispered, “I am not supposed to touch it, though.”
“But you must enter the pool and tread to the place where the tears formed a waterfall across the rocks.” Came the small voice in my head.
My head screamed not to do it, but my heart cried out to go into the pool. Looking back over my shoulder at Duck and Andrea, I realized that because neither one could hear what Elise was saying to me, they couldn’t know what I was being asked to do. Well, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Answering myself, I could end up a raving lunatic or die and not save Kelsey. My shoulders vaguely lifted in a shrug as I thought, “I guess if this is how I die, then at least it will be for the ones I love.”
Duck must have sensed what I was about to do because he stopped mid-conversation with Andrea and started to walk toward me. Too late, with a deep breath, I jumped over the ledge and landed feet first into the goo. Instantly, I felt love. So much love my heart felt like it would burst. Then, sadness. Like nothing I’d ever felt before. The deepest and most desperate sadness, longing, and a sense of loss filled me. Elise yelled in her childlike voice within my head, “Go! Don’t stand still! You must hurry!”
Duck was yelling and he and Andrea had crossed the Glenn to stand near the edge of the pool. My mind was filled with so many visions I had no control over and I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Facing the small fountain, my feet were suddenly heavy, as if large weights were holding them to the floor of the pool. The effort to move my feet was agonizing. Slowly, I drug my feet across the bottom of the pool, moving closer and closer to my goal. Yet, it still seemed as if I was standing in the same spot.
My mind cried out in agony and I felt as if somewhere deep inside me I just needed someone to pull me out of this agonizing pain and hug me. A fog surrounded my thoughts. Suddenly, the clouds in my brain lifted and Andrea was standing in front of me. Holding me up. She started singing. It was a song we had made up as children.
“As long as I have you, you have me too. We are sisters. Our hearts are one. Under moon and sun. We are forever and we are love.”
“Come on, Maggie.” She coaxed. “Sing with me.” She started singing again.
Holding eye contact with her, I couldn’t help but smile. Her beautiful spirit was there with me. Lifting me up when I was lost and I was suddenly transported through space and time to find myself standing next to her, singing our silly little made up sisters’ song. We were just kids again. The innocence of youth surrounded us. It looked like us, but it felt different somehow. We were in a pool of clear water. Glancing to the waterfall in front of me I could see my mother and father sitting under a beautiful tree, laughing at our antics as we frolicked in the pool.
Something caught my eye and grasping Andrea’s hand I waded over to a waterfall. Leaning over, filled with wonder, there was a beautifully carved stone. Beautiful and white, almost like marble, but glowing from within like a moonstone. It was about the size of a 5x7 portrait, and about an inch thick from what I could see.
My hand slowly reached into the water and pulled it out. Looking at the beautiful monolith, at first, I saw only a smooth slab with nothing written on it. Then, as if sensing my thoughts, beautiful carvings that resembled hieroglyphs appeared on the face of the tablet. Raking drew my fingers across them and mumbling under my breath, I spoke the words that appeared on the stone not knowing how I knew what they meant.
What once was gone or lost in time
Is now within this realm’s light
Seek out the soul of one divine
And end the restless lover’s plight
Looking up from the glowing white tablet, I was suddenly jolted from my dreamlike state. Suddenly, I was transported through space and time yet again to find that I was standing in the middle of the dark fluid of the pool of sorrow. Andrea stood in front of me, her eyes, large as saucers, an expression of deep emotional agony dancing across her face. Giant tears flowed freely from her eyes. As I grasped her hand tightly in mine, I started to head towards the edge of the pool. Again, I willed us to move to the edge of the pool, but nothing happened. We were walking in place. At this point, it was a sheer battle of my will against whatever force was held in the pool. Barely standing upright, I leaned with all my strength to try and reach the edge.
> In my mind, I cried out for help. As if sensing our plight and the futility of our movements, Duck took to the air and lunged forward flapping his huge wings. Hovering over us, the wind from his great wings caused our hair to whip around us violently. He grasped Andrea and I both with his massive talons. Lurching into the air with all his might, he was able to swing us out of the turbulently-churning, purplish-black fluid and onto the soft earth next to the edge of the pool. We both tumbled to a stop.
As I lay on the ground, my prize clutched tightly against my chest, my eyes were closed while I caught my breath, trying to overcome the riotous ride I’d just endured. Duck landed gracefully next to me. Leaning his large snout over me, he sniffed loudly in me spraying droplets of mucus on my face. Coughing and sputtering I opened one eye to stare dubiously at the concerned dragon. Spying his contrite expression, “Oh, mistress, I am so sorry about that.” He attempted to remove the droplets of mucus with his extra-large, wet tongue.
Fending off the well-meaning attempt by putting my hand up to ward him off, I laughed. “Enough, Duck!” Sitting up and holding the white marble out in front of me, which was mysteriously devoid of the previous markings, I shouted elatedly, “We did it!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
As I sat there, reveling in my successful retrieval of the tablet, I couldn’t control my excitement. Everything in me wanted to share this success with Daniel. Turning to Andrea, I was suddenly thrown into a deep anger at the evident betrayal that was taking place mere feet from where I landed.
Standing over Andrea with its claws unsheathed and perilously close to her neck was the spectral in what I assumed to be its true form. It reminded me of a combination of a viper and a mole. Its fat body was covered in thick brown fur. It had overly large front paws that looked similar to a hand and curled into large claws that looked like knives poised to slice though Andrea on a whim. The head, though, was shaped like a lizard or snake with a large set of slanted eyes and fangs that dripped with a green oozing gelatinous goo.
Giggling and hissing at me, “You foolish Valorian. Did you think that we would allow you to leave this place with such a perfect gift for our mistress?” Its slithering tongue licked at the dripping saliva as it spoke. The once childlike voice that I’d been able to only hear in my head was now gravelly and hoarse. It was also evident by the reactions of Duck and Andrea that they could hear it as well.
“Elise, how could you do this? You slithering snake,” I spat at the creature. Andrea whimpered under the reflex of the creature’s tightening grip.
“Daughter of Valor, if you wish your sibling to survive this day, you will relinquish the tablet of power to me.”
Behind me, I could hear Duck growling low in his throat. Standing close enough to him to feel the heat from his growing rage that built within his belly, I spoke softly, trying to keep him calm, “Easy, Duck.”
“Yesssss, Duck!” Elise repeated. “Eassssssy, or elsssssse.” She spoke with a slight hiss.
“Why, Elise? I thought you were a friend sent by the Great Spirit to help?” My voice cracked slightly with pent up emotion as I tried to wrap my head around why this creature would go to such great lengths to trick us.
“Sssilly girl! The Great Ssspirit? Ha!” It cackled an evil, twisted sounding laugh that was punctuated by hissing. “You are a fool. I’ve watched many come and go from this land, trying to gain that which is not theirs to take. I was there on that fateful day.” She motioned to the fountain. “I alone, know the truth of what happened.”
Duck, hearing this, lunged forward, snarling, claws slicing the air and fangs bared. “I will kill you, vile creature of Doane.”
Elise started to close her grip on Andrea’s throat causing a small drop of blood to appear under its clawed fingers. “You will call off your dragon or your sister’s memory will die with this spirit sprite under my grasp.” She made a motion as if she were going to slit Andrea’s throat.
My heart leapt out of my chest as I put my hand out, “No, please! Don’t!” Turning to face Duck, “Please, Duck, I can’t lose her again.” A single tear slipped out and glided across my cheek.
Duck placed his head against me and I closed my eyes, feeling his strength course through me. “Mistress, the mind-link is still between us.” My eyes flew open. His great big eye was close to mine. Stunned, I’d totally forgotten about the mind link. Not really sure how it worked, I decided that I would ask questions later. Right now, I needed to focus on saving Andrea.
Elise was speaking again, “I have aligned myself with the Ssssorceress of Doane. Her grandmother gave me great power and immortality so I could guide the chosssen one. Mistresssss Ellandra came and gifted me to him for he has alwayssss been my true massster. I waited long to sssserve him. The ssssorceressss promisssed me great rewards if I would help her ssson gain control of the great power ssssource.” She giggled, “Look at me, much more powersss than my idiot family. And,” Her tongue sliced through the air, moving randomly over Andrea’s face. “I am immortal. I can also travel through space and time to be everywhere at every time.” Its sickening laugh filled the air.
Pushing my thoughts outward to Duck as I turned toward Elise and spoke, “What do you want, Elise?” In my mind, I asked Duck, “How can we get Andrea from Elise?” He had stepped back and was eyeing Elise warily.
“Your sister is only in spirit form. Please do not fall for this ruse. She knows that Andrea is a spirit sprite, a Vardosian, but she does not know that a spirit sprite can only be truly harmed by another spirit sprite. Your sister is truly in no danger.”
The soft gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. Fortunately, Elise hadn’t noticed. Suddenly it all made sense. Andrea wasn’t really in danger. Elise had counted on my fear of harm to my sister, but she didn’t even understand the truth of the situation. It was easy to see that Andrea was frightened, but I suspected that she wasn’t aware of how this worked either. Hell, I had a hard time wrapping my head around it all. It was just too crazy. In this strange place, everything seemed topsy-turvy and nothing really made sense. Speaking softly to Andrea, I said, “Andrea, everything will be okay. You need to trust me and remember where you’ve been prior to this place. What has happened before can happen again.” Waiting to see a sign that she understood and receiving no acknowledgment, I explained further, “Everything is fluid and what is easily poured into a cup can be filled again.” Andrea’s eyes were closed and tears slowly slid down her face. All I could do was pray that she understood my hidden meaning in the riddle.
As I finished speaking her eyes snapped open with a sudden awareness. She kept her expression sullen and shot me a brief nod, “I understand. Do what you have to.”
Elise watched us intently. “What are you up to?” She wondered aloud. “Don’t try anything funny! Jussst give me the tablet and I will releassse her.”
Just then, I gave the mental command for Duck to blast Elise with all his might. “Now!”
Letting loose with a horrible roar, white hot flames flew from Duck’s mouth and lit Elise on fire. The spectral was engulfed in dragon-fire and screeching with the most intensely painful scream. In the process, it released Andrea. Elise was writhing on the ground as Andrea crawled away from the horrific scene. The ugly spectral, spewed an pained scream, “Nooooooooo, I wouldn’t have truly harmed her.”
It was laying on the ground wailing in agony and began changing its form from one thing to another. First my mother, then my father, then Daniel, and Kelsey. Each time it shifted into another form, it cried out to me to help it, to ease it’s pain or take away it’s suffering. Eventually, I couldn’t take it and looking to Duck I pleaded, “Please end it. I can’t listen anymore.”
“As you wish.” Turning to the pitiful creature writhing on the ground.
The spectral cried out, “Master, please. Save me.” Knowing the end was near, it screeched one last prophetic phrase, “The dark Lord will rule this land one day and”- staring at me intently she screamed, -“they all
will die.”
Duck shouted at her. “Enough!” Sending a last burst of deep blue at her with all of his rage and might, the Spectral was turned to ash and smoke within a split second. The only thing that lingered was the smell of diesel fuel and earth.
Knowing it was over, I turned to find Andrea standing next to me, unscathed by the fire or the spectral. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, “Sometimes, I feel so strong, like I’m still...” Her voice trailed off.
Hugging her close, I said, “I wish you were really here. I keep forgetting you aren’t really alive, that this is all just a thought in my mind.”
Duck looked at me quizzically, “But mistress, how do you not know?”
Glancing over at him, now it was my turn to be skeptical. “What is it that I don’t know, Duck?”
“This land is real and you are really here. You are not here in reincarnated form as your sister is. However, she is occupying the form of a spirit sprite called a Vardos. Their power allows them to hold a soul indefinitely in limbo which allows the being to live through them and communicate with their loved ones.”
My laughter was purely from disbelief, “No, that's not possible.” If that was the case, had I just left Daniel all alone in a cave after almost losing him? Had I always been able to teleport myself? “Duck, there have been times when I was able to speak with Kelsey in my head. Were those also times that I was able to transport myself?”
“It works differently on Earth. There, you can only communicate with those you reach out to in your mind. However, when you wish to return to the land of Nohad, you only need to envision it and it will be done.”
As I glanced over at Andrea, I asked, “Do you believe all this?”
Andrea shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t look at me, I don’t know how all this works.” Running her hands over her body, she remarked, “but I feel real.” A quirky little smile that reminded me of all the times when she would tease me as a child, settled on her lips.
The Tree and the Tablet (The St. James Chronicles Book 1) Page 24