by Jerry Hart
* * *
Shae sat on the floor, holding the baby close to her. Andor paced back and forth, looking like a crazed animal. He smelled awful, the stench coming from him in hot waves every time he got close.
Andor looked down at her and the baby. “I used to have a son. Did you know that? Dargonius’s plague killed him.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Shae said quietly.
“I bet you are.” He spit on the floor near her feet. “What’s his name?”
Shae looked up, confused. “Whose?”
“The little prince you’re holding. I know that’s Aneela’s baby.”
“His name is Joshua.”
“Adorable. Ask me what my son’s name was.”
She didn’t.
“Ask me!” he yelled, startling her. Joshua started to fuss in her arms.
“What was your son’s name?”
“Joffey. He was only six years old.”
A dead silence filled the dark room. Shae still couldn’t believe he’d found her. They had been so careful, walking into Champagne’s house and then using the teleporter to get to this house. The guard assigned to protect her and Joshua had to be dead.
“Where is the queen?” she heard Andor ask from far away.
“I don’t know,” she replied.
Andor suddenly snatched Joshua away from her. Shae jumped to her feet, but he pushed her back down. When she looked up again, she saw the man holding the baby, making silly faces at Joshua.
“He’s so cute. He reminds me of my son.”
He then pulled a knife from the waistband of his pants and held it to Joshua’s throat. “Where is the queen?” he asked again with a calmness that frightened Shae nearly as much as the knife.
Chapter 15: Separate Paths
Josh and Aneela walked down the steep tunnel, a guard trailing them. The other guards were escorting Victor to the graveyard to dig up Rockne. Josh hoped Rockne was awake now, struggling to escape from his coffin, fearing the suffocating darkness. Even though he was dead, he might still feel fear.
“Josh,” Aneela said, stopping him with a touch to his arm. “Is there any way to allow Rhys to take over for a moment?”
“I don’t know,” he replied in Rhys’s voice. He still hadn’t gotten used to this arrangement. “If I could, I would let him take over permanently while I ride in the back, but every time I try I get sucked back to the front.”
“Can you try again? Please?”
She whispered this, and the sound as well as the look on her face nearly broke Josh’s heart. He nodded and then relaxed, letting his thoughts slip into the background. Though he didn’t have muscles at the moment, he equated what he felt now to letting his whole body relax.
He was suddenly jerked backward, or at least, to the rear of Rhys’s mind.
Now he was watching a body move without his telling it to. Rhys was in control now.
“I’m here,” Rhys said to Aneela.
Josh fought against the urge to retake control. He didn’t even want the control, but it was like magnets drawing each other together. He was the negative force, and Rhys’s mind was the positive. Or something like that. Josh wasn’t good with metaphors, but he used to play with magnets when he was younger. The way they suddenly snapped together when they got close was undeniable.
“I don’t have much time,” Rhys said, his voice echoing in Josh’s ears. “Before I go, I want to tell you I love you and our son. We’ll save Rapatha and live happily ever after.”
Aneela nodded, taking his face in her hands. “I know.” She kissed him.
Josh felt himself blushing. Though she was kissing Rhys, Josh could feel her lips on his own as well. He felt the love Rhys had for his wife as if the feelings were Josh’s. He felt bad for invading on their moment, even though he couldn’t help it.
Josh was suddenly pulled forward, to the front of Rhys’s mind. Rhys gasped and Josh got a brief glimpse of horror on Aneela’s face as he regained control of the body. “Sorry,” he said to Aneela.
Her look of horror slowly turned into one of resignation. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner you get out of my husband, the better.”
The trio continued down the tunnel, which slowly grew colder the farther they walked.
* * *
Victor rode the lift up to the ice lake in the valley, where a circle of guards formed a ring of protection. There was a gap in the circle, however.
“Is someone missing?” he asked the nearest guard.
“We thought we heard a noise on the trail,” one said, turning his blue-and-yellow face toward him. “One went to check it out.” He pointed to the lone trail that led into the valley.
“Is that so?” Victor asked as he rode the hexl toward the trail. Before he got halfway there, a figure appeared. His face, too, was painted blue and yellow. “Did you see anything?” the dwarf asked the returning guard.
“No, sir. It’s all clear.”
“Good. I’ll be back soon.”
Victor rode the hexl up the trail and out of the valley, wondering why the guard hadn’t looked him in the eye when reporting the good news.
* * *
“We must be near the ice wall,” Josh said after nearly twenty minutes of walking. He remembered the large wall on the far side of the giants’ kingdom. He never thought he’d be able to go near it when he first saw it during the giant massacre not long ago.
“We are,” Aneela confirmed.
They continued down the tunnel, which appeared to have gold dust floating in it. The end of the tunnel looked tiny, and Josh felt like he was walking down a funnel.
“Is it my imagination,” he said, “or are we getting smaller?”
“What do you mean?” Aneela asked.
“I mean, it feels like we’re getting smaller. At first I thought the tunnel was, but now it seems to be the same size as we walk on.”
“Well, then, we’re not getting smaller.”
He chuckled sarcastically at her snappy remark. “What’s this gold dust, then?”
She waved it away. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t appear to be harming us, so let’s keep moving.”
They did, and before they knew it they reached an opening. What Josh, Aneela and the guard saw rendered them speechless.
Chapter 16: Fairies of Dargo Island
Astrid flew toward Dallas as it was assaulted with lightning. A giant storm cloud hovered over the entire city. She saw a few cars explode after being struck, saw people fleeing the streets for safety. No one would notice her flying above. Even if they did, Astrid didn’t care. She was still weak from what Josh was inadvertently doing to her. She feared she wouldn’t be able to calm this storm in her condition.
But she had to try.
She flew above the storm clouds. It was slightly calmer up here, but she could still hear the thunder below. She tried to calm her mind as she waved her hands around in circles, the way her father taught her. Nalke had been a good teacher, and though she missed him terribly, she tried not to think about him at the moment.
She had work to do.
* * *
Josh, Aneela and her guard stood on a rock bridge that spanned across a large cavern overlooking a pool of golden light. It was so blindingly bright that Josh couldn’t tell what exactly was down there. He guessed it was the fairies, but he couldn’t guess how many there were.
“It’s beautiful,” Aneela said quietly.
“I agree,” Josh said.
A bob of light lifted from the pool and floated before them. It was man-sized, which Josh thought was weird. When he thought of fairies, he pictured tiny creatures the size of a pencil.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” the light asked.
Aneela, who had placed a hand before her face to block the light, said, “I am Aneela, queen of this island. I have come to speak with you about an urgent matter.”
The fairy dimmed slightly, making it easier to see. The fairy was male, with short blond hair an
d a very slim body. He looked like a child. His wings flapped so quickly they were barely visible. “What matter?” he asked.
“This island is alive and very badly injured. We were told you have in your possession a necklace that can help a friend of ours.”
The fairy chuckled. “I don’t see how a necklace can help an island.”
“No.” Aneela sighed in frustration. “The necklace is for another friend. The island, however, told us about the necklace. It used to belong to her. Do you have it?”
The fairy crossed his arms. “Maybe. I don’t see why we should give it to you, though. I do not know this friend of yours.”
“It’s for me,” Josh spoke up. “I am a nature demon.”
The fairy gasped and backed away. “Nature demons cannot walk on land!”
“I know that; I’m possessing this guy. My other friend is the true nature demon, and I’m sucking her power away by also being one. I need the necklace to suppress my power. What’s your name?”
The fairy relaxed a little. “Charles.”
“Charles, please help us. Astrid, the nature demon, is my best friend. I don’t want to hurt her anymore. If she dies, then the whole world might be destroyed by the weather. Do you want to be responsible for that?”
“Aren’t you a nature demon, too? If this Astrid dies, can’t you just take over?”
“No. I don’t know how to control the weather. Please.”
Charles stared at Josh for what felt like ten seconds before nodding and diving back into the pool of light. He returned a moment later with something in his hands. “Here,” he said, handing it to Aneela.
Josh studied it. The chain was nearly as golden as the pool below, and there was a large green gem the size of an egg.
“Thank you,” Josh said.
“What do we do now?” Aneela asked him.
“I guess I can leave Rhys.” Josh relaxed once again, closed his eyes and imagined himself leaning forward. It felt like falling. When he opened his eyes, he was floating next to Aneela and Rhys.
“May I?” Aneela asked, lifting the necklace toward him.
Josh tilted his head forward so she could place it around his neck. He imagined the chain going through him, as if he were a ghost, but it made contact with his skin.
A second later, he dropped to the ground with a jarring thud.
“Ow,” he said jokingly.
Aneela and Rhys laughed. The guard behind them made a choked sound that didn’t sound like a laugh. Everyone turned to him and saw blood spilling from his mouth. His eyes were wide open. He dropped to the ground, and the group saw another guard standing behind him with a knife in his hand.
He tilted his head upward, so everyone could see his blue-and-yellow face, and said, “Hello, Queen Aneela. I hear you’ve been looking for me.”
“Indeed I have, Andor.”
* * *
Astrid gasped with renewed energy. Something just happened to make her feel better. She smiled as the elements better responded to her commands.
“Thank you, Josh,” she said. He must’ve found the necklace. She continued calming the lightning until all that was left was the sound of panic in the streets. That, too, settled down.
* * *
“What is this now?” Andor asked as he stepped toward the edge of the bridge. “A fairy?”
“Yes,” Aneela replied, staring at the knife. She held Rhys close to her, wordlessly telling him to stay away from the man. She kept Josh close to her as well. She didn’t know if he was vulnerable in his current state, but she didn’t want to find out.
“I thought fairies were tiny,” Andor said.
“We are,” Charles replied. “We cast a spell upon the entrance to shrink intruders to our size.”
“Told you so,” Josh whispered to Aneela. She gave him a look that made him look away in shame.
“What do you want?” Charles asked Andor. “You are not welcome here.”
“I just want the queen, fairy.” To Aneela, he said, “I’ve had such a difficult time finding you. You’ll come with my, Queen Aneela, and no one will get hurt.”
“Why on earth would I go with you? It’s four against one.”
“Three against one,” Charles said. “I want no part of this. I want all of you to leave.”
“Shut up!” Andor yelled at Charles. “And to answer your question, Aneela, you’ll come with me because…I have your son.”
Aneela gasped. “That’s not possible. He’s well protected.”
Andor laughed. “I hardly call leaving him with that doctor in that empty house ‘well protected.’”
Aneela had been holding out hope that he was bluffing, but he just proved he wasn’t. She looked at her companions before saying, “All right. I’ll go with you.”
“No!” Rhys screamed as he lunged at Andor.
But Andor was quicker than anyone could have anticipated. He stabbed the charging man in the gut.
Aneela screamed.
Rhys turned to his wife, grasping his belly. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly before falling into the golden pool.
“I warned him!” Andor shouted. “I warned all of you. Now come with me, Aneela, before someone else dies for you!”
Aneela was about to do so when the pool of light suddenly erupted upward in a wave. The fairies spun around the cavern like a tornado. Andor, Josh and Aneela stared in wonder and fear as a loud buzzing sound filled the large space.
Josh suddenly kicked the awestruck Andor in the stomach and then pulled Aneela toward the exit. They left behind a screaming Andor.
* * *
Victor and the two guards dug into the snow-covered ground with axes and swords, the dwarf wiping sweat from his brow. How could he be so sweaty when it was cold outside? The hexl waited patiently by the side of the tombstone, watching.
“Thanks for your help,” Victor said sarcastically. “Isn’t it in your nature to dig through the ground?”
The hexl merely stared at him.
After ten minutes, the dwarf reached the coffin. Once he opened it, he smiled down. “Hello, Rockne.”
“Hello, Victor,” a gruff voice replied.
* * *
Josh and Aneela made it back to Rapatha’s cavern safely. Josh panted with the effort of running, grateful he could run in the first place. The necklace was working like a charm. He looked at Aneela, who was also breathing heavily, but she was also crying.
“I’m so sorry,” he said to her.
“He may still be alive,” she replied. “He fell into the pool of light. Maybe that will heal him or something. You know, magic.”
Josh nodded. He didn’t know anything about these fairies, but Aneela’s hope wasn’t too far-fetched. “We can go back for him,” he offered.
“No. Not now. Let’s find Victor and Rockne and save Rapatha first. It’s what Rhys would want.”
“Okay.”
They ran to the front of Rapatha.
“Are you all right?” the glowing figure asked them. “I saw a man come through, but he wouldn’t tell me who he was or what he wanted. I couldn’t stop him.”
“We’re fine,” Aneela said. “Well, some of us are.” She stopped talking, unable to say more.
“The fairies took care of that man,” Josh said. “And I have the necklace.” He held it up.
“It’s still as beautiful as I remember,” Rapatha said. “All you need now is for Rockne to take you to the incubus to get my life essence back.”
“Have they dug him up yet?” Aneela asked, sounding more like her old self.
“Yes.”
“We’ll go to them. I know I said we should meet back here, but in case Andor is still alive…”
“I understand,” Rapatha said. “If he still lives, I will try to slow him down.”
“Thank you, Rapatha.” Aneela and Josh ran up the hole the meteor had left in the crystal.
Chapter 17: Rockne Returns
Once Josh and Aneela reached the ice lake above, they met a g
ruesome sight. All six guards were dead. Their blood coated the lake and surrounding snow. Aneela covered her mouth in disgust. Nearly her entire army was dead now. All because of Andor.
“Come on,” Josh said, urging her away from the scene.
They ran up the trail between the mountains and met Victor a few minutes later. He was riding the hexl, and Aneela saw decayed arms wrapped around his middle. She already knew who was behind the dwarf.
“Andor attacked us,” she said quickly before anyone could interrupt. “He said he has my son.”
“Where is he?” Victor asked, his face turning red with rage. “I’ll tear him apart.”
“The fairies stopped him, but I need to find Joshua. Rockne?” she called. The figure behind Victor tilted his head to the side so she could see his face. She cringed at the sight of the long-deceased wizard. “I need you to take Josh to Lacey, to the incubus’s shop, to retrieve something. Do you remember where it is?”
Rockne, brother of Nalke, smiled down at her. His face looked like a skull with a paper-thin layer of skin on top. His white hair was mostly gone. He wore a reflective suit made up of tiny pieces of glass. He’d claimed it help hide him from Nalke. “Nice to see you too, Aneela. And, yes, I remember. What’s going on?”
“I don’t have time to explain. The island is dying, and we need Rapatha’s essence to heal it. The incubus took it—”
“Rapatha?” Rockne interrupted, his smile vanishing. “Rapatha is here?”
“Rapatha is the island! Now listen to me! Take Josh to that shop and retrieve the bottle with her essence. Can you do that?”
“I suppose so,” he said quietly. “When I get back, I’ll have a lot of questions.”
“Duly noted.”
“How are we supposed to get there?” Josh asked. “I never thought of it until now.”
“We’ll take the train,” Rockne suggested.
“I thought the train only went to Dallas.”
“You forget who built the train, Dr. Debelko,” Rockne said, his smile returning. Aneela noticed Josh shiver at the title of Doctor. It was a private joke between the two, back when Josh thought of Rockne as a friend rather than someone who wanted to kill his own brother in order to become sole nature demon.