Good versus Evil!

by Katrina Kahler

  Merlin laughed. “Silly child, what good would a door be if you could only use it once.”

  “So, Lance can return if needed, with others of us,” I said.

  “Yes, of course!”

  I knew what do to. I had actually never done this type of thing before. But I thought I could do it, as long as I remained confident. Doing magic is like attempting anything else; the more you do it, the better you get. Plus, having confidence in yourself gives you even more power.

  I took a breath to clear my mind, then I spoke, “Lat e choma eppaer thet woll cell Lenca hara!”

  I opened my hand. A beautiful silver chime appeared on my palm. I handed the chime to Sandi. “If you need Lance, ring this chime and he will come immediately!”

  Wise Woman Sandi smiled at me. “You are wise for one so young!”

  “Thanks!” I told her.

  Turning to Lance I said, “Now, let's go back to our world. You have a few things to learn.”

  “Oh, joy! I like learning!” Lance smiled.

  We walked back towards the door. It felt good to have Lance by my side again.

  “The world we’re going to has changed, but mostly for the better!” I told him.

  “Correct,” Merlin said. “They have this food now called hot dogs! They are amazing!”

  “Plus, humans can fly without magic,” Fern added.

  “Oh, and there is running water and also lights in the houses!” Merlin said.

  “And you don’t have poop outdoors!” Fern cried.

  “Guys, we’ll give him the entire tutorial when we get home!” I told them.

  We heard a chime ringing. We stopped moving.

  “Looks like Wise Woman Sandi is testing the chime!” Merlin said.

  “Well, I guess that would be wise!” Lance said.

  We heard a commotion coming from the small folks’ village.

  Lance started running towards the village. “This isn’t a test! Bobbo is back!” he shouted.

  I took off after Lance.

  Sure enough, when the village was within sight, we saw what must have been a 20-foot-tall green giant, holding a couple of the villagers in his hands. The others were hitting him with their tiny spears, but the giant barely flinched.

  “Ha!” he shouted. “I’ve spent the last year building up my resistance to belladonna! Just because I’m big that doesn’t mean I’m stupid! Plus, I knew sooner or later your darn protector would leave.”

  Lance picked up a rock and flung it at Bobbo. The rock smacked Bobbo in the nose. He screamed and dropped the villagers he had been holding. Bobbo stomped towards Lance. He shook his fists at Lance and shouted, “I thought you’d left!”

  Lance somersaulted through the air and punched the giant in his stomach. The giant went staggering backward.

  “I returned!” Lance said.

  “With friends!” I said, pulling out my staff.

  “Flying friends!” Fern added, flying up to the giant’s face. I noticed that Fern carried Merlin in his claws.

  “I’m I supposed to be impressed?” the giant asked.

  “Let him have it guys!” I ordered.

  Fern exhaled fire on the giant. The giant staggered back again. Then Fern spun around so Merlin’s butt was now facing the giant’s face. Merlin let a fart rip!

  The sound FRRRTTTTTTTTTTT echoed all around us.

  The giant gasped and covered his eyes with one hand and his mouth with the other.

  I rushed forward and used my staff to sweep the unsteady giant off his feet. He crashed into the crowd with a thud.

  Bobbo, the giant raised a hand. “Actually, I am impressed.”

  I jumped up onto Bobbo’s stomach. I walked up to his face. I waved my staff at his nose. “Nobody likes a bully!” I told him.

  “Yeah, I got that…but when you are big and not overly bright, you don’t have a lot of life options…” Bobbo said.

  Sandi walked over to him. “You know…we could use some muscle in the village. You could help us plant and move things. We could provide you with some food as well as some company.”

  “Remember, we can get back here at any time! And bring even more friends!” I warned Bobbo, waving my staff under his chin.

  I jumped off his belly. I turned to Sandi. “I think you people will be okay now.”

  She smiled. “I do believe we will.”

  “And if not, just chime!” I smiled.

  My Notes:

  It’s great to have Lance by my, side again. Actually, it’s great to have him by our side! Surely, his muscle and his fighting skills will come in handy. He was so noble (as always) not wanting to leave those small people unprotected. Lance may be younger now, just like the rest of us, but he is still the same Lance. He hasn’t changed. Together, we taught that Bobbo a lesson he won't soon forget. Now, he’ll work with the little people instead of against them. Not only does that make sense but it keeps us from going back and kicking his big butt.

  ☺

  Now, to get Lance used to the modern world. Not sure how he’s going to take to the change. Lance is as bold and strong as they come. But he’s never been great at adapting to change. He gets there eventually, but it does take time.

  Chapter 14

  We walked through the magic door and popped back into my living room. Mom and Dad were waiting for us.

  “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Lancelot,” I said proudly. “One of the greatest knights of all time!”

  Dad held out a hand. Lance grabbed the hand and flipped Dad over his shoulder.

  “Lance, what are you doing?” I shouted.

  “My younger queen, these fiends are not your parents!” Lance said from his position on top of Dad.

  “Nice move son,” Dad said from the floor.

  I rushed over and grabbed Lance’s arm. Yep, it was solid muscle. I yanked him off Dad. Lance gave me a look of surprise. “You are quite strong. But these are not your parents!”

  “Look around, Lance!” I said. “We are in a different time. Our world has changed a great deal.”

  Lance stood up and looked around for the first time. “Everything looks so soft and smooth.”

  Mom walked slowly towards him. “Yes, Lance, you have a lot to learn about this world.”

  Lance stumbled over to the couch. He sat down. “My behind has never felt so comfortable.”

  “Yeah, it is a nice couch,” Dad said, walking over to him.

  Lance gazed around the room. He looked at me. “What of your birth parents?”

  I shrugged. “I do not know. I assume they are fine and still living back in our original time. As you know, we were never that close. They thought of me as more of a means to an end than as a daughter.”

  Lance nodded. “True…”

  I looked at Maude and Claude. “Times have changed. Claude and Maude are not my parents by birth, but they are truly my parents. They love me and I love them.”

  “How quaint,” Lance said. “And so, Morgana is here and in full power?” He was always one to get to the point.

  Merlin walked up to him. “Yes, she is more powerful than ever. Her magic has grown. She has many, many followers. She has great influence in the world.”

  Dad turned on the TV and Morgana’s show popped onto to the screen. She sat talking to her audience who seemed mesmerized by her words. I believe she was selling a new fragrance for men and women.

  Lance leaped back. He took a fighting stance. “Morgana? I will not let you harm my queen!” He leaped at the TV. I lunged forward, tackling him to the ground.

  “Gwen, my queen, why do you stop me?” he cried.

  “One…I’m not your queen in this world. Two…she’s not really here. That’s just her image from hundreds of miles away.”

  “What are miles?” Lance asked.

  “They are like leagues, a new distance of measurement,” Merlin said.

  Lance leaped to a standing position. He leaned slowly into the TV. He touched it. “She does not react.”


  I stood up. “Nope. Like we said, she’s not really here…”

  “Is this black magic?” Lance asked, his mouth dropping open.

  “It’s called television,” Fern said. “It’s more like a mix of science, and some white magic, and a touch of black. It’s pretty neat. I love the national geographic channel and the cooking channel,” he smiled.

  Lance stood up and touched the screen again. “So, she is in the room but not really in the room?”

  Merlin turned to me. “He’s never been the sharpest blade.” He walked over to Lance. “Think of these things as paintings that move.”

  “Or plays that everybody can see!” Fern offered.

  We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

  “I smell friends!” Fern said.

  “Come in!” I called.

  Art, Bart, Brett, and Gail walked into the house. “Your dad texted us,” Art explained.

  Lance leaped up into the air when he saw Art and the knights walk in. “My fellow knights and my king, you are truly here also!”

  Art shook Lance’s hand. “Glad you are here, my friend. But in this time, I am not your king. I’m a knight just as you are.”

  Gail walked up to Lance and gave him a bear hug, lifting him off the ground.

  “Ah, Gail, you have changed,” Lance said.

  Gail let Lance drop gently to the ground. “Perhaps my gender, but I am still as strong and dedicated as ever!”

  “Yes, I can see that,” Lance nodded in agreement.

  Bart and Brett went over and slapped Lance on the back. The three of them instantly began to playfully wrestle.

  Dad walked over to Merlin and I. “What are we going to do with him?” Dad asked. “He can stay in the guest room for now. But we need to have some sort of long-term plan.”

  “He’s a great warrior,” I said.

  “True, but he knows nothing of this world. He just attacked our television,” Dad noted.

  “I will teach him about this world and bring him up to date. Lance has always been a little slow in a way that’s a strong point for him. He’s not stupid, he can be taught.”

  Dad crossed his arms and tapped his foot. “Like I said, he can stay here for now, but we need to find a long-term solution. I don’t want this handsome lad, who used to have a thing for my daughter, spending too much time in my house. Plus, he almost attacked my 4K TV!”

  I moved to dad and gave him a hug. “Dad, that was literally a different world, a different me.”

  I saw Mika and Sebastian enter the house. Gail immediately began introducing the new knights.

  I turned back to Dad. “Things are different here. You can certainly trust me with Lance.”

  “Oh, I trust you, it’s him I don’t trust!” Dad said.

  “Lance is a loyal knight. He will respect Gwen’s commands,” Merlin said. “For now, he will be fine in the guest room.”

  Before Dad could say anything else, Mom came over and shut down the conversation. She put a hand on Dad’s shoulder, “Honey, this will be fine,” she promised, her reassuring voice instantly calming him.

  Dad grinned and nodded.

  Another subtle knock sounded on the door.

  “My, this place is hopping today!” Merlin said.

  Gail walked over and opened the door. The cheerleader fairies, Kat and Celia strutted in, wearing matching pink shorts and halter neck tops. They both had their pompoms which I found weird. “Well, it’s good the team is finally all together!” Kat smiled.

  “Rah! Rah!” Celia said.

  They both sauntered up to Lance and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Yep, just as handsome as ever,” Kat smiled.

  “Wait, nothing for us?” Brett moaned. “What am I, chopped liver?”

  “No, but you are a silly salmon!!” Kat ordered.

  Brett began to glow and shrink and transform all at the same time. He became skinnier and covered in scales. In a flash, he was a salmon flopping on the floor.

  I drew my staff and shot forward at the cheerleader fairies. “You had no right to do that?”

  “It was fun!” Kat said.

  “He kind of asked for it!” Celia said. “The boy is a first class twit,” she added, bending down to pick up the fish. “Trust me, he’s more useful like this. Let us take him and toss him into the water. We don’t want him to die!”

  Bart made a fist and stormed towards Kat. “Turn my bro back now!” he ordered.

  “Or what?” she asked. “Bart or Kay, whatever you are named now, face it. You and your bro, as you call him, are insignificant to the fight. You are pawns on a game board that is loaded with queens.”

  “A pawn can capture a queen!” Bart said.

  “Wow, buddy! I’m surprised you know that! ” Art said.

  “I know some stuff!” Bart replied.

  Kay grinned. “Yes, but for a pawn to capture a queen, that queen must make a terrible mistake and the pawn must be protected.” She looked down at Bart. “Trust me, Morgana doesn’t make mistakes.”

  Kay looked past Bart to me. “Gwen, you seem like a nice girl, a capable leader. Let us get rid of these two lesser knights.”

  “Gwen, you can’t let them do that!” Sebastian said, “They are a part of our team.”

  “Yes, the weak part,” Celia maintained.

  Before I had a chance to respond, Paulie and his mother, Michelle walked into the house.

  “Man, we’re going to need a bigger house,” Dad told Mom.

  Kat grinned. “Ah good, the muse and her young noble son are here!”

  “Wait you’re a muse?” I said to Ms. Nickles.

  “Yes, honey, I thought that was obvious,” she replied.

  Kat cleared her throat loudly to get everyone’s attention. She turned Brett back to his normal self and he stood there, dazed and shaken. She ignored him, and locked eyes with me. “Now that the whole gang is here, what shall it be, Gwen? Will you let us remove these minor yet annoying pieces from your group? They will only hinder your quest.”

  Celia walked over to me. “If we don’t like your answer, we will not be happy.”

  She dropped her pink pompoms to the floor. They grew and sprouted eyes and mouths filled with teeth. “And neither will our pets.”

  Kat dropped her pompoms as well. They too grew into fluffy, giant balls of teeth.

  “I’m not so not sure if this is cool or creepy?” Sebastian said.

  “A little of both,” Mika said.

  I focused my gaze on Kat and Celia. “This is so not cool!”

  Kat sighed and rolled her eyes at me. “Listen, Gwen. We know, in your little human mind you want to do what’s best. So trust us. Get rid of the weak links. Because, well…they are weak!”

  “I’m not weak!” Bart protested, sticking his back right into Kat’s. “Sure, I’m not as strong as Brett, or Art, or Sebastian or Gail or Gwen or even Mika…” He stopped to consider his words. “Wow! I’m a wimp….”

  “And a little baby!” Kat said.

  Bart shrank to the floor and became a tiny baby. He giggled and looked up at us contentedly.

  Kat grinned. “Very fitting, just don’t make a mess in your diaper.”

  Now it was my turn to get into Kat’s face. “Kat! That’s uncalled for!”

  Kat snickered. “Please, he even admitted to being the weakest member of your team!”

  “True,” I told her. “But he contributes in other ways. He’s clever and agile and great on the computer.”

  “Your point being?” Kat asked.

  “I need my entire team. All my knights! Flaws and all. They are still part of what makes us a great unit!” I insisted.

  “So, you are ready to fight us then?” Kat asked.

  Celia stepped forward. “Yeah, us and our pets!”

  The pompom monsters started bouncing up and down and foaming at their mouths.

  “Oh, gross!” I said.

  “True, but not an answer,” Kat replied. She looked at the giant pink balls of teeth, “Be
sides, I think they have their own charm.”

  Lance looked around the room. “My, this world is so, so strange,” he said.

  “You get used to it fast,” Fern sighed.

  I considered what was happening here. Two powerful fairies had thrown down a challenge. But they would only put up a stink and a fight if I didn’t agree to remove the two weakest members of my team. I had to think carefully. After all, with fairies (and I mean girls), things are never quite as simple as they might appear. Could we defeat these fairies if we had to? My thought was, it might be tough, but we could do it. I could take Kat out with a headbutt before she even knew what had hit her. But then, that would mean the fairies would probably never take our side again. And we might need their magic down the road.

  Kat stood there, arms crossed, a look of contempt on her face. She tapped her foot impatiently. “Ya know, girl, we may be immortal, but we don’t have all day.”

  I felt the eyes of my entire team on me.

  I took a deep relaxing breath. I tried to let my mind find a similar situation from the past. I guess there weren’t any.

  “No!” I said stomping my foot.

  Kat pulled back. She fanned herself, feigning fright. “No? To what?”

  “No! I won’t let you remove Bart and Brett from my team of knights. They may not be perfect but they are still my knights and they play a role. Brett is brave and a bit foolhardy, but he gives us all courage. Bart is good with people and computers. So yes, they will remain part of our group.”

  I paused to let those words hit home. But before the fairies could say anything, I said. “And no, we won't fight you. We need to keep all our energy and focus trained on Morgana. You will just be a distraction. Plus, we’ll put such a whipping on you, you won’t be able to help when the battle against Morgana finally comes.”

  “Do you really think you can defeat us?” Kat asked.

  I faked giving her a headbutt. She recoiled. I straightened up and smiled, “Yes, I am sure we could defeat you.”

  Merlin inched forward and turned his butt towards the fairies. “I could reinforce her words with a nice fart!” he laughed.

  The two fairies huddled together. They mumbled some things to each other in Latin.