“I love these tropical islands,” said Wade. I could spend the rest of my life here.”
“I know what you mean. There’s something about a simple life that’s really appealing.”
I used telekinesis to make our mattresses and we turned in early. I had no idea how far we’d have to travel tomorrow.
* * *
We started out about four o’clock in the morning. A couple of hours later, the Sun came up and we could see land that was covered by a huge forest. I noticed that the climate had cooled too.
How far do you think we’ve traveled across water? Wade asked as we slowed down.
At least ten thousand miles. That was a really big ocean.
The crystal was nearby, so I assumed it would be protected by some sort of creature with strong powers. We’d just have to play it by ear until we knew what we were facing.
We saw a settlement with a large castle built close to the shore line. The settlement surrounding the castle was twice the size of Castle Town. This was definitely a thriving settlement, but the town had one serious drawback. The stench of evil was a dead giveaway that Demons lived in this settlement.
We landed on the shoreline and morphed into to our human form. I morphed back to Janis French so I wouldn’t look out of place wearing a toga. Wade added a cloaking spell and we were both turned invisible.
As we got closer to town, the streets were crowded with people who resembled Quills, but their skin was a light green. “I guess we’d better change our skin color to blend in with these people,” I said
“What about swords and shields?”
“Not yet. None of these people are armed and we don’t want to call attention to ourselves.” We turned visible and added a light shade of green to our skin color.
As we walked down the cobblestone street, we noticed there were several pictures of a man called Cayland posted on the walls. “Look at that picture, Wade. This Cayland guy is wearing a necklace with a green crystal.”
“I bet he’s the big shot who rules this town.”
Our conversation was interrupted by the sound of people screaming. We rushed forward and saw a young boy lying on the ground. He had been run over by a wagon and both of his legs had been crushed. I went right into action and employed my rejuvenation beam. The color of the rejuvenation beam had always been red, but now it was a bright green, the same color as the crystals I had drained.
The healing results were instant. The young boy rose to his feet, bending his legs up and down as everyone cheered. I realized instantly that the power of my rejuvenation beam had doubled and maybe even tripled. I was pleased.
“Praise be Cayland,” one of the villagers chanted out loud. The remaining villager joined in. “Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland.”
A Demon riding by on horseback stopped and listened to the chant. “Is good you praise Cayland. He be pleased.”
“What a crock,” Wade whispered to me. “Cayland didn’t have a darn thing to do with healing that young boy.”
I nodded my head and we continued down the street. I couldn’t get over how much this settlement looked like Castle Town. “Does this place look familiar to you?” I asked Wade.
“Yeah, it looks just like Castle Town, but that’s to be expected. The culture on this planet is at least a thousand years behind Earth and there isn’t a lot of diversity.”
We saw several Demons on horseback as we continued down the street. No one paid any attention to them, but I still sensed fear. No one was going to get out of line with these Demons riding up and down the streets. I also noticed a wagon carrying dead bodies. As I would find out later, there were no cemeteries in Cayland Town. All dead bodies were delivered to Cayland’s castle.
We came across a sign that proclaimed, “Cayland heal citizens in Coliseum on birthday.” We stopped at a fruit stand to ask questions. “We are strangers to this settlement,” I said. “What do you call yourselves?”
“We are Cays.”
What is this town called?”
“Cayland Town,” the peddler replied.
Wade leaned closer and whispered. “This Cayland guy must have an ego the size of Mount Everest.”
“When is Cayland’s birthday?”
“That today,” the peddler replied.
“What time does the great Cayland do his healing ceremony?”
“When Sun is directly overhead.”
“How do we get to the Coliseum?” Wade asked.
The peddler pointed down the street. “It not far.”
We picked out some fruit and I gave the peddler a gold ohm. “That most generous,” he said as he bowed to show his appreciation.
We walked for about thirty minutes until we came upon a large circular structure. I was impressed by the design because it looked like a Roman coliseum. “It’s like stepping back in time,” I told Wade as I stood there, admiring the huge structure.
“This entire planet is like stepping back in time.”
“Shall we get in line?”
Wade frowned, indicating a no. “I hate lines. I think we should sneak in.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me,” I said as we stepped off the midway. We turned invisible and flew into the open air arena. We picked out front row seats and waited for the town’s people to arrive. I had no idea what to expect when the show started.
Like a Roman coliseum, this was a round structure with tiers of seats rising clear to the top. The Great Coliseum in ancient Rome was large enough to hold fifty thousand spectators. I estimated this coliseum could hold up to twenty thousand spectators.
The coliseum quickly filled, so we turned visible and blended in with the crowd. When the sun was directly overhead, the entire coliseum was packed to capacity. I heard the sound of trumpets and it became very quiet.
“Look,” said Wade, “the sky is getting dark.”
In less than a minute, it got so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Suddenly, the sky was filled with a barrage of fireworks, lighting the coliseum like the Fourth of July. The Cays were standing on their feet and applauding. I had to admit it was an impressive show.
The fireworks ended and there was a bright light, high in the sky, directly over the arena. I was able to make out the figure of a man as the bright light descended toward the arena floor. This was obviously the great Cayland, making his dramatic entrance. When Cayland reached the floor of the coliseum, he stepped forward and lifted his jewel encrusted scepter above his head. The darkness disappeared and the Sun returned. The people rose to their feet again and cheered.
“This guys a great showman,” said Wade. “I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
“I assume it’ll be the healing ceremony. Most of the people entering the arena look like there’re in pretty bad shape.”
There was a long line of sick and injured Cays being helped into the arena. Some of them could barely walk and others were being carried on homemade stretchers. When they were lined up side my side, I counted a total of twenty-five people waiting to be healed.
Cayland walked from one Cay citizen to the next. He lifted his scepter above his head and firmly grasped the large crystal hanging around his neck. The bright green light engulfed the unfortunate Cay and he would be instantly healed. The overjoyed Cay would then step forward, raising his hands over his head as the crowd cheered. When the last person had been healed, the chant for Cayland filled the coliseum. “Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland.”
For the final act, a Demon was led to the center of the arena. The Demon looked terrified as he was hooked to a long chain anchored to the ground. “What’s going on?” I asked the young woman sitting next to me. “We are strangers in Cayland Town.”
“Demon disobey Cayland. He be punished.”
I watched with interest as the Demon was left alone in the center of the arena. It was extremely quiet until I heard what sounded like a large bass drum. The Demon’s eyes were filled with fear as he
looked upward to the open sky. I heard the flapping of wings and then I saw a giant dragon circling overhead. The dragon floated down into the arena and landed directly in front of the condemned Demon. The Demon was screaming for mercy, trying his best to break the chains holding him in place.
Twenty thousand spectators were holding their breath as the dragon reared his head upward and blew a long flame of fire into the sky. The crowd gasped as the dragon lowered his head and nudged close and closer to the terrified Demon. Then, in one quick motion, the dragon opened his mouth and devoured the Demon.
“Now, that was sickening,” whispered Wade.
Cayland appeared again and walked up to the dragon. The dragon kneeled and lowered his head like a dog bowing down to his master. Cayland lifted his scepter and the dragon rose to its feet and flew away. Cayland prepared to exit the area and the chant began. “Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland, Praise be Cayland.”
“Next show tomorrow morning,” said the man sitting next to me.
“What show?” I asked.
“Cayland execute prisoners that break law.”
“What kind of laws?”
“Some not pay taxes. Some not bow to Cayland when he pass by.”
“Does the execution take place here in the coliseum?” I asked.
“No. Take place on shore of water. Cayland call Graga from sea. Graga eat prisoners.”
I turned to Wade. “I guess we’ll have to attend tomorrow’s execution.”
“I hope we’re not going to stand by and watch people being eaten by a monster?”
“We’ll see. It’s one thing for an evil Demon to be eaten. It’s quite another for a citizen to be eaten simply because he didn’t bow to the mighty Cayland.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
CHAPTER 62
We left the coliseum and went for a long walk. We were on the outskirts of the settlement when we came upon a pub advertising beef. Wade said he was hungry enough to eat two steaks.
“You just had an orange,” I snickered.
“Oh, wow, how could I possibly be hungry?”
The pub wasn’t crowded, so we sat in the corner where we could be by ourselves. The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a loud mouthed Demon sitting by himself at the other end of the pub. “More ale,” he shouted, as he bagged his mug on the table.
“Another Demon jerk,” Wade said, looking disgusted.
I noticed that Beef was the only meat on the menu. “The idea of a big steak sounds really good right now,” I said cheerfully.
“And a mug of ale,” Wade replied.
I smiled. “I’ll probably have to chill it for you.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Twenty minutes later, Wade’s eyes lit up after taking the first bite of his steak. “Excuse my French, Janis, but this is a damn good steak.”
I took a bite of my steak and savored the taste. “You won’t get an argument out of me on that one.”
Everything would have been perfect if it weren’t for the loud mouthed Demon. I thought about doing something to shut him up, but we didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves.
Wade finished his steak and leaned back in his chair, obviously satisfied with his meal. “I was wondering, Janis, what kind of creature do you think Cayland is?”
“Judging from his powers, I think he fits the description of a Sorcerer. He’s a master of illusions and he controls the minds of creatures like the dragon we saw in the arena. Unfortunately, Cayland is evil and his powers have been magnified by the crystal.”
“Cayland will have to be dealt with.”
“In due time, Wade. We need to learn more about these people.”
My senses flared when I saw an angry girl enter the pub, slamming the door behind her. She was about my height and age, quite stocky, and she was armed with a sword and shield. Wade turned to me and whispered, “That girl who just walked through the door is a Witch.”
The girl had an icy cold stare as she approached the Demon. The Demon looked up, and then jumped to his feet. “You are lawbreaker,” he said.” You will come with me.”
The young girl was sporting a devilish smile as she drew her sword and assumed a defensive stance. I knew immediately she was a young warrior who had no fear of Demons.
The owner of the pub was standing behind the bar screaming, “No killing! No killing! Cayland close me down. I have family to feed.”
Wade was wearing a wide grin as the girl displayed her skills with a sword. She had the Demon retreating from her vicious attack, moving like a seasoned warrior as she countered every move the Demon could come up with. There was little doubt that the girl was a master swordsman.
The Demon couldn’t believe what was happening to him. In less than five minutes, he had slash marks on his arms and legs and a large gash across his chest. The Demon ended up on his knees and he could barely lift his sword.
“We can’t let that girl kill the Demon,” said Wade. “He rushed to his feet and hit the Demon in the back of his head, knocking him unconscious with a single blow.
The girl looked stunned. “You knock out Demon with fist. No one that strong.” The girl was suddenly aware of Wade’s scent. “You are Witch,” she said. “I am Yolla, member of Zema Clan.”
“I am Wade. I am a member of the Zandar Clan. This is Janis; she is a Changeling from the Vascadon Clan. We are strangers in your land.”
Yolla grabbed Wade by the arm. “We hurry. More Demons arrive soon.”
The owner of the pub looked like he was about to have a heart attack. How could he explain a Demon being beaten up in his place of business? I had an idea.
We placed the Demon in his chair and rested his head on his arms. This made it look like he had too much to drink and had passed out on the table. The final touch was using my rejuvenation beam to erase the cuts from the Demon’s body.
I approached the owner of pub. “If the Demon asks about the fight, tell him he got drunk and he had a bad dream.”
The owner nodded his head. “I…I do that.”
We had no sooner made it out the front door when I saw several Demons on horseback riding our way. “It’s time to disappear,” I yelled.
Wade placed his arm around Yolla’s waist. We turned invisible and flew up into the sky for a fast getaway. We were miles from the pub when we landed on the ground and turned visible. Yolla was so stunned she had trouble speaking.
“Who…what…what are you? You Wizards?”
“No, I said. “We are warriors from another world. We are here to fight the evil people in Cayland Town.”
“We go to my village,” said Yolla. “You talk to Clan Elders. First, I go back for horse.”
“You wait here, Yolla. I’ll go get your horse.”
I made a quick trip back to the pub. It wasn’t hard to determine which horse was Yolla’s because it carried her scent. I placed my hand gently on the horse’s neck and we turned into a Mist. Yolla was shocked when we materialized next to her. “You have powerful magic,” she said.
We followed Yolla to an area deep in the forest. When we came to a halt, Wade and I floated to the ground. I sensed traces of a powerful cloaking spell to hide the scent of the Witches in the area. Two male Witches with swords stepped out from behind a large tree. One of the men raised his voice in anger.
“Yolla, why you bring strangers? Is forbidden.”
“Strangers are friends, have great powers. I want meeting of Clan Elders.”
“We take you to Borgof. He decide.”
We were escorted into the village. Judging from the number of log cabins scattered throughout the village, I estimated the population to be around three hundred. Everywhere I looked, the children were practicing with swords and shields.
“This is a warrior village,” said Wade. “Warrior skills are taught to the children as soon as they are able to walk.”
The man called Borgof was waiting for us as. He looked mad as he placed his hands on Yolla’s shoulder. “Yolla, y
ou break rules. You leave settlement without permission. Now you bring strangers to village. What you say?”
“I sorry, father. I went to kill Demon, show bravery. I was wrong.”
“What about strangers? You know is forbidden.”
“I know, but they possess great powers. Maybe help destroy Cayland.”
Yolla’s father approached us, looking concerned. “I am Borgof, leader of Zema Clan. Who are you? Where you from?”
“My name is Janis and this is Wade. We are warriors from another world. We are gathering green crystals like the one Cayland wears around his neck. We believe he is using the crystal for evil because he surrounds himself with Demons. We will take the crystal from Cayland, and if we have to, we will destroy him.”
You have that power?” Borgof asked. “You is youngsters.”
We were about to put on a demonstration when I heard a screeching sound in the sky. I looked up to see a swarm of winged creatures bearing down on the village. I thought they looked like overgrown bats with long teeth. I counted fifty of the huge creatures, clustered together as they prepared to attack.
Borgof raised his sword over his head and screamed “Prepare for battle.”
I looked at Wade. “I think it’s time to help our new friends.”
We flew to meet the winged creatures head on. It was like a carnival shooting gallery as we fired a series of energy bolts, blasting the ugly creatures out of the sky. In a span of less than five minutes, the sky was clear of the creatures, leaving nothing but body parts spread over the forest. We landed in front of Borgof, who nodded his head and smiled.
“Yolla right. You have great power. Destroy evil Zards like helpless chickens. Borgof stared at Wade. “I sense you are Witch.”
“That’s true. I am Janis’s companion because she is the strongest.”
“Is odd for woman to be stronger than man. Borgof looked at me. “Janis know how to use sword?”
“Let me borrow a sword and then fetch three of your finest warriors.”
The Changeling Princess Page 33