Tales from Dargo Island: The Complete Trilogy

by Jerry Hart

  “Fine, then,” Aneela said. “Take the train. I have to find my son.”

  Victor lowered the hexl’s head to the ground so Rockne could dismount. Then Rockne and Josh got on two horses offered by a couple of guards and made their way to the coast. A train awaited them.

  “I’ll go with you to find your son,” Victor said to Aneela.

  “Thank you,” she replied.

  When they reached the house, they found Shae tied to a chair in the kitchen. Victor untied her, and she immediately hugged him and then Aneela.

  “Andor took Joshua,” she said quickly. “I couldn’t stop him. I’m so sorry, Aneela.”

  “It’s all right. Do you have any idea where he could’ve taken him?”

  Shae shook her head.

  “We can start by searching all of these houses,” Aneela suggested. “If we can’t find him here, then we’ll search this whole island.”

  Chapter 18: Journey to Lacey

  Josh and Rockne stepped aboard the silver-blue train, Rockne heading straight for the control console. Josh had ridden this train plenty of times, when he worked on the island. It had only gone to and from Dallas in “five minutes.” The thought of it going anywhere else seemed hard to believe.

  But Rockne had, indeed, built and powered this train with his magic.

  Josh still couldn’t believe Rockne was back, if only temporarily. During the battle for Nalke’s power, Rockne had accidentally torched Josh with his wizard’s fire. As Josh lay dying, he leached Rockne’s life force to heal himself.

  Before Rockne’s betrayal, he and Josh had been friends. The fire had been meant for Nalke, but Josh intercepted it to save the nature demon. Though Josh knew he couldn’t die, the pain of the fire had still been almost more than he could handle.

  “Here we go,” Rockne said from the front of the train. “Off to Lacey.”

  They smoothly glided out of the station and crossed over the massive waterfall that separated the island from the rest of the world. Josh saw a large Navy ship just on the other side of the waterfall, floating there and pointing toward the island.

  “Can they see us?” Josh asked Rockne.

  “No one can see us. Who are they?”

  “When the meteor crashed on the island, it brought the attention of the outside world. They’re probably trying to figure out where the meteor went.”

  “Well, I wish them good luck finding it,” Rockne said with a laugh. “The island, like this train, is invisible. The waterfall acts as a deterrent to anyone who comes close. It messes with their equipment and their minds, makes them want to turn back. It’s a little magical suggestion I implemented.”

  “You must be so proud of yourself.”

  Rockne looked at him. “I take it you’re still mad at me.”

  Josh didn’t answer.

  “I’m sorry I almost killed you,” Rockne said.

  “And I’m not sorry I killed you,” Josh finally said with a satisfied grin.

  Rockne laughed. “I deserved it, I know. You did the right thing, and I’m actually…proud of you.”

  Josh looked at him. “You’re proud of me for stopping you?”

  “In a way, yes. It took a lot of guts to do what you did, and you did it to protect someone else. That’s why I knew you were right for the job of protecting the Village.”

  Josh hated to admit that Rockne’s words made him swell with pride. “When I took that job, I never imagined I would end up having to protect it from you.”

  “Indeed.” Rockne laughed again and sat down across from Josh.

  The train glided across the ocean, to some unknown territory Josh couldn’t imagine. Rapatha had gone to the town of Lacey centuries ago. To think it still existed made him want to chuckle.

  “How can the train take us there?” Josh asked.

  “I can take the train anywhere, as long as I know where it is. If I knew where your house was, I could take it straight to your front door.”

  “How long will it take to get there?” Josh asked, looking out at the calm, dark sky.

  “I’ll give you one guess,” Rockne said.

  Josh turned to him. “Five minutes.”

  * * *

  Andor dropped into the crystal cavern with the green, glowing thing. He was bleeding from his head, and he felt dizzy and nauseated, but he managed to push himself to his feet once again. Escaping the fairies had been difficult, but clearly not impossible. Once he got back out into the tunnel and returned to normal size, he was able to crush under his boot the fairies idiotic enough to follow.

  “Stop!” a familiar voice called from above.

  He turned to look up at the green figure. “Why should I?” he asked it.

  “What you’re doing is wrong.”

  “Says who? I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.”

  “I know you lost a very special person, and that you blame Aneela for it.”

  “How do you know that? Did he tell you?”

  Just then, a small figure stepped out from behind a large purple crystal. It was Joffey.

  “Revenge won’t bring him back,” the green light said.

  Andor looked up again. “He’s back now.”

  “Only in your mind. He can never come back. You do his memory a disservice by killing others.”

  “I never wanted to hurt anyone,” he said to Joffey, tears falling down his cheeks.

  “Then stop, Daddy,” the boy said, his voice echoing throughout the cavern.

  Andor instantly stopped crying, his face transforming into one of pure hatred. “If you’re not real, then I don’t have to be haunted by you.”

  “I didn’t say he wasn’t real,” Rapatha replied. “I said he wasn’t alive.”

  “Same thing in my book.” Andor spat on the ground. “What am I to do? Waste away in some cell while Aneela lives happily ever after and I spend the rest of my days thinking about my son? I think not!”

  He turned, leaving the cavern—and his son—behind.

  Chapter 19: The Land of Constant Starlight

  Josh stared out a window as the train approached a large fog bank. Once inside the fog, he could see nothing.

  “We’re here,” Rockne said.

  “Where?” Josh asked, still looking out.

  “Lacey.”

  As soon as he said that, the fog lifted and Josh was treated to a view of what looked like a tiny island. Only, instead of resting in the middle of an ocean of water, this island looked to be resting in space. Josh looked down and saw nothing but stars. If he were still alive, he imagined his nose would be bleeding the same way it did when he first arrived at Dargo Island. It always did when he was truly afraid.

  “Are we in space?” he asked Rockne.

  “No. We’re still on Earth, just in a strange place.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Josh whispered.

  He noticed for the first time that the elevated tracks seemed to appear before the train, as if coming to exist seconds before the train passed over them. He looked out the back window and saw those tracks disappear, no longer needed.

  “Rockne, you may have been a misguided s.o.b., but you sure can work wonders.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.”

  The train circled the tiny island as Rockne looked for a place to make land. The island truly looked like it was floating in space. Josh had seen many amazing sights in his day, from Dargo Island to Nalke’s castle in the clouds, but this place had to be the most wondrous of all.

  Rockne stopped the train at the end of a cobbled street that lowered into the water. It seemed like a better place than any other. Josh and Rockne stood at one of the train’s doors, looking down.

  “Are we supposed to jump into the water or something?” Josh asked. He couldn’t imagine jumping down; it would feel like jumping off a cliff and into the universe.

  Rockne pushed a button on the console and the train lowered. He then stepped onto the cobbled street. Josh followed him up the street and into what appeared to be a town f
illed with dark shops and a lot of alleys.

  This must be the town of Lacey. And it appeared empty.

  “Is there anyone here?” Josh asked.

  “I haven’t been here for centuries. Back then wasn’t much better. This place crawled with giants and other disgusting creatures.”

  “You don’t like giants?” Josh asked, remembering the giants on Dargo Island the old man massacred nearly single-handedly.

  “Let’s just say I tolerated them. You know, this incubus we’re visiting reminds me of you.”

  “Because we’re both incubuses—incubi?”

  “More than that. When I last encountered him, I scared him badly enough to make his nose bleed.”

  Josh looked at him.

  “In fact, when you first came to Dargo Island and your nose bled from the shock, I immediately thought of him. Maybe you’re related.”

  “Maybe.” Josh’s step quickened with anticipation.

  “Wait for me,” Rockne said with frustration as he climbed up the steep street. “I’m a walking corpse, remember?”

  “Don’t remind me.” He went back and helped Rockne up the hilly street.

  The old wizard in his shiny suit walked through alleys, turning this way and that, looking for the shop the incubus owned. In all that time, Josh hadn’t seen a single living soul in this town. It truly was empty.

  “Ah!” Rockne said. “There it is.”

  He pointed to a sign that said “The Narrow Shoppe.”

  Chapter 20: Incubi

  Josh was taken aback by how warm the shop was. He understood the name, as well, because the place was, indeed, narrow. On either side were clothing racks that lined the two walls, forming a closed-in path to a counter. At the counter sat a young man with greasy, spiked blond hair.

  The man looked up at them slowly, as if he’d just awoken from a deep sleep. “Welcome to The Narrow Shoppe in the Land of Constant Starlight. May I help you?”

  Rockne took a step forward, and the man jumped up in surprise. “Remember me?” the old wizard asked.

  “How could I forget?” The owner backed away, his eyes wide. Josh could see from where he stood that his nose suddenly started bleeding. “I still haven’t seen your lovely friend. Is that why you’re here?”

  Rockne laughed. “Centuries later, and you’re still protecting her? You’re loyal to the end, aren’t you?” He walked up to the counter. Josh could see no way to get on the other side short of jumping over it. He followed Rockne.

  “Centuries?” the owner asked, incredulous. “Has it been that long?” He looked over his shoulder, at a nearly empty shelf. A single jar, filled with a golden mist, sat upon that shelf.

  “Haven’t you noticed this town is empty, Wesonger?” Rockne asked.

  Wesonger looked shocked. He nodded. “I had noticed, but I didn’t think much about it.” He wiped the blood from his nose.

  Now that he was closer, Josh noticed Wesonger’s eyes. Though his face looked like that of a man in his mid-twenties, his eyes looked dull and gray.

  Wesonger suddenly looked at Josh with those old eyes. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Josh. I’m…I was an incubus too.”

  That seemed to intrigue the shop owner. “Really? I haven’t seen another in…centuries. Are you not still an incubus?”

  “No. I’m a nature demon.”

  Wesonger jumped again, startling Josh and Rockne. “Get out! I’ll not have nature demons in my business.”

  “Hold on,” Josh said calmly, pulling the necklace from under his shirt. He made sure Wesonger saw it. “While I’m wearing this, I don’t have any powers. I’m not here to hurt you.”

  Wesonger’s eyes widened at the sight of the necklace. “I remember that….”

  “I figured you would,” Rockne spoke up. “It belonged to my friend, Rapatha.”

  At the mention of her name, Wesonger’s attention snapped from the necklace to the wizard. “Rapatha. Is she all right? You found her, didn’t you? You hurt her and took the necklace?” He sounded angrier by the second.

  “I didn’t hurt her,” Rockne said, “but she is ill. That’s why we’re here. I know you turned her into an island and—”

  “An island? What are you talking about?”

  “She’s an island now. Because of the magic you gave her.”

  “She wasn’t supposed to turn into an island.”

  “What was she supposed to turn into, then?”

  “A rock. That’s all. And it wasn’t meant to be permanent; she was supposed to be able to change at will, whenever she needed to.” Wesonger raised an eyebrow. “What is Rapatha?”

  “She was a nature demon, as well.”

  The owner suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, scaring Josh. The young nature demon had been falling asleep due to the warm air and mild smell of spices in the shop, but now he was fully awake.

  “Wait!” Wesonger said, as if he just remembered something. “You said she’s hurt?”

  “Yes. She was struck by a meteor and—”

  “A what?”

  Rockne sighed. “A rock from the sky. She’s fatally wounded and she needs the life essence you took from her in exchange for the magic.”

  Wesonger started to turn his head toward the shelf but stopped himself. “I’m afraid…I don’t have it anymore.”

  Rockne stared at the lone jar. “Is that so?”

  “It is.”

  Rockne leaned on the counter, close to Wesonger’s face. “The way I see it, the product you sold her was defective. That should render the transaction void. I think it’s only fair you give her a refund.”

  Rockne had spoken so quietly that the threat in his voice was unmistakable. The two men stared at each other for a few silent moments, and Wesonger’s nose started bleeding again.

  “It’s my last jar,” he whispered. “After that, I will surely die.”

  “Rapatha will surely die as well if she doesn’t get it back.”

  Another quiet moment. Josh couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “Why do you want to live any longer?” he asked Wesonger. “You’re alone in a dead city, with nothing to show for it. Is it really worth it?”

  “How long have you been alive?” the owner asked.

  “Nineteen years.”

  Wesonger’s eyes widened. “That’s all?”

  “It’s been too long. I…killed my twin sister when our mom was still pregnant. I leached her life away to save my own.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.” Wesonger sounded genuine. “Have you harmed any others?”

  “A few. Almost all of them were accidental.” Josh’s voice choked up, but he managed to keep himself under control.

  Wesonger nodded. “The life of an incubus is lonely and dangerous. You’ll most likely never meet another who can understand what you go through.” A thought seemed to occur to him. “In fact, I haven’t seen another our kind in…centuries.”

  Josh nodded. “I think we’re related. My nose bleeds— used to bleed whenever I got really scared, the same way yours does.”

  Wesonger grinned. “Is that so?” He looked over at the jar again. Finally, he sighed and grabbed it. “The last time I saw Rapatha, she asked me if I ever did anything important with my life.” He handed the jar over. “Tell her this is it.”

  Rockne took the jar. “Thank you, Wesonger.”

  Chapter 21: Chaos

  Aneela rode up to the palace courtyard, passing numerous islanders. Wilhelmina stood, rubbing her hands before her. Aneela dismounted and ran to her trusted maid. “Wilhelmina, are you all right?”

  “Yes, milady. It’s just…I was so worried about you. And the people…they’re saying the dead have risen from their graves. There have been several sightings.”

  “I know.” Aneela grabbed the maid’s shoulders firmly. “Have you seen Andor or my son?”

  “Andor? Your son?” She put a hand to her mouth. “No, milady, I haven’t seen them.”

  Aneela turned to her people
, who were pouring into the courtyard. It devastated her that the remaining islanders could all fit in this fairly small space, but the island had been through much in the past year.

  “People of Dargo— No, this island will no longer be known by that name. From this day forward, it will be called Rapatha.” She paused to let her people digest this news. “Fellow Rapathians, the island is dying. It was wounded when the rock fell from the sky. The island’s heart, Rapatha, will soon perish if she is not saved.”

  Right on cue, the island shook violently, knocking a few people off his and her feet.

  “What can we do, milady?” a man asked from the crowd, returning to his feet.

  “At this time, nothing. Josh and…someone else are working to save her. I address you now to give you a choice. Should they fail, the island will be destroyed. If you wish it, you may leave the island.”

  The crowd, consisting of a little over twenty people, gasped. Aneela had expected that.

  “Will you leave, milady?” an old woman asked.

  “No. I cannot. My son is missing. Andor has taken him. If anyone has seen them, tell me now.”

  No one spoke.

  “As I thought,” Aneela said sadly. “As to the news of the dead rising, it is true. It’s a side effect of the damage done to Rapatha. The dead won’t harm you.”

  Her words didn’t comfort as well as she’d hoped.

  “If you choose to stay,” the man said, “we will stay too.”

  Aneela nodded. “Thank you.”

  “And we’ll help you find the prince,” the old woman said.

  “I may know where he is,” a male voice said from the back of the group.

  People gasped and backed away, allowing a dark figure to approach Aneela. She couldn’t quite see his face, but the others seemed afraid of him. She heard a few murmurs of “he has returned” and “the king lives.”

  That last one made Aneela’s heart race. She immediately thought of Rhys, having returned from the dead. She ran toward the crowd, toward her husband. When she reached her people, she came face to face with the figure.