by L. EE
Not sure how to interpret the creature’s actions, Andy maintained the ready position.
Alden watched and shook his head. “I’m telling ya, they’re not gonna hurt us.”
“I’d like to believe that.”
The kappas’ conversation concluded and the leader slowly approached.
“Stop right there!” Andy demanded.
The leader paused, but not understanding the language, took several more steps forward.
“That’s far enough!” Andy warned, waving Methuselah in an eight pattern.
Alden stepped forward, intercepting the leader before it reached Andy.
The leader squeaked what might be interpreted as a greeting and then, with its eyes locked on Alden’s, bowed. Alden mimicked the gesture and the creature smiled.
“I think he’s thanking us,” announced Alden.
Andy maintained his position and continued watching for any movement in the ranks of the surrounding kappas.
The kappa leader then lifted a necklace from around its neck and motioned for Alden to accept it.
“Don’t!” Andy protested, but not before Alden had already bowed his head and the leader placed it around his neck.
Alden lifted the necklace to examine its fine detail. A series of intricately carved seashells hung from the string with images of what appeared to be the undersea world of kappas: ornately clad seahorses, uniformed kappa warriors, mermaids, a great coral castle with a king.
“This is beautiful! Thank you,” Alden said as his eyes sparkled.
The kappa leader seemed pleased with his reaction and bowed again. Then, meeting Andy’s eyes, he winked, turned, and rejoined the rest of his troops. A call went up and the kappas fell into formation. A second call sounded and they began an organized march in the direction of the Crystal River. The stench began to dissipate.
Andy let out the breath he’d been holding and relaxed.
“See, I told you they weren’t going to hurt us.”
“You didn’t know that for sure.”
Alden shrugged and smiled. “I had a feeling,” he said, as he examined the necklace further.
While the boys still felt anxious about a potential bellicose attack, the rest of the afternoon passed without incident. As the rays of the sun began dancing around their feet, Andy said, “I think we need to find a place to camp for the night.”
They located a large clump of wild grass and trampled down much of the growth in the middle, leaving a thick perimeter they hoped would hide them. They chose not to build a fire lest they attract unwanted attention. Dinner consisted of cold rations: biscuits, fried chicken, and chocolate chip cookies. Still feeling nervous, Andy took two time candles out of his backpack and rummaged around for a match.
“Shouldn’t be too bright,” he said quietly.
Given the uncertainty of the situation, the boys put a plan in place before they left the castle: they would share four hour watches each night. The time candles they’d packed would assist in measuring the hours. Each candle had three marks dividing its height into fourths. When a candle had burned completely, four hours would have elapsed and it would be time to change the watch. Andy lit the first candle and offered to take the first shift.
Andy’s watch stretched his nerves. The fog had thinned and almost disappeared as darkness fell, and he felt exposed with only clumps of grass to hide in. The light from a quarter moon didn’t help, for with the gentle but irregular breeze, it made shadows look alive. He rejoiced he had Methuselah for protection, but even with the sword, Andy jumped more than once, his heart in his throat. Every scuffle of rodents or rustle of birds made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. The candle burned out and Alden took over.
It didn’t take long for dreams to overtake Andy’s mind. On and off over the past few weeks he continued to dream about seeing that old abandoned house. Tonight was no different. Andy found himself walking up the rickety steps and seeing the dove and dragon arguing. The dream always stalled at that point, as if waiting for who knew what to happen before continuing on. But Andy would have to wait no longer to see how the dream resolved, for tonight, as he crossed the threshold into the room, Razen rushed past him. Strangely though, it seemed Razen hadn’t seen Andy, so intent was he on reaching Abaddon.
The surprise woke Andy, which startled Alden.
“Bad dream?”
Andy nodded then pulled his blanket over his head and tried to get back to sleep. No matter how many times he’d experienced the dream, it still terrified him to see all that happened. What could this new revelation mean?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
My Liege
The fog of yesterday reemerged as thick as ever with the sunrise. Over a breakfast of crusty bread and blueberries, Andy told Alden the latest dream.
“I wish I knew what it meant,” Andy concluded.
“I’m not sure I want to know. It’s scary,” replied Alden. “Why would Razen be seeing Abaddon?”
“I don’t know, although it is just a dream.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” croaked Alden, eyes wide.
They stowed their gear in their backpacks and surveyed their surroundings, checking for any sign of the bellicose.
“I don’t see or hear anything,” Alden whispered after several minutes.
“Me neither.”
Not wishing to encounter more surprises as they had in the city of Oops!, they headed toward the wall that surrounded the land of Oomaldee and followed along its base. They knew when they neared the outskirts of the town of Ooggy as the peaceful chorus of birds was replaced with a symphony of city noises, making it harder to detect any sounds the bellicose might make and alert them to its presence. They heard the rhythmic ringing of a hammer on an anvil and assumed they were passing near a blacksmith’s shop, though they couldn’t be sure in the thick fog. Shortly after, the stench of a tanner’s shop wafted on the breeze and they hurried past.
“Whew! I don’t know which is worse, cow farts or that!”
Alden smiled.
Awhile later they heard the unmistakable tapping of a mallet at what they assumed to be a cobbler’s shop. They felt no need to stop and confirm their hunch, so continued on. They wanted to reach the Snail watchtower by lunchtime. The Snail watchtower marked a corner of the wall surrounding the land; it joined the northern and eastern sections of the wall. As a corner, it stood much taller than the average watchtower, since it had no passage underneath. Its height allowed soldiers to keep watch for dangers coming from the sea. On the other side of the tower and adjoining wall stretched the Sea of Mystery. And since the sea lay outside the land, soldiers could see for many miles, unhindered by the cursed fog. At least that’s what Hans mentioned to Andy earlier.
“Boy, imagine that. On the other side of this wall there’s no fog,” Andy commented. “Hopefully it’ll be a better view than the land of Hadession.
“Yeah.”
Somehow no fog sounded good right now as Andy squinted to make out the sought-after landmark. They continued on, coming to a deserted section of the dirt road they had been following. As was his habit, Andy paused to look and listen for any signs of the bellicose. Sensing no disturbances, they continued on. Not long after, they could make out the roofline of a house through the fog. As the boys approached, Andy halted.
“What’s wrong? Did you see the bellicose?”
Andy slowly shook his head. “No, look.” He pointed at the roofline but Alden didn’t understand. “It’s the house from my dreams.” Andy didn’t know how he knew, he just did. Dreaming about the house was one thing, seeing it in person quite another.
“Are you sure?” Alden squeaked.
Andy nodded.
They inched their way closer, the hair on the back of their necks standing on end. Sure enough, as the house came into clearer focus, they saw the broken porch railing and the smashed front windows upstairs and down. And true to the dream, shards of glass lay on the ground.
“I think w
e’re supposed to go inside.”
“I don’t know, Andy…”
They hesitated near the only large tree in the area, which stood perhaps fifteen yards from the house. The sound of feet kicking up loose pebbles on the road erupted in the quiet.
“Did you hear that? Someone’s coming,” Alden panicked.
They dove behind the tree, praying they would remain unseen. Thankfully the tree had thick, leafy branches near the ground. They quickly climbed up and settled themselves among the foliage. No sooner were they hidden than the form of a vulture-man waddled into view. The man did not look around. Intent on his objective, he looked forward, unaware of eyes peering at him. It was fortunate, too, because as Razen passed, both boys gasped.
“We need to see what he’s up to. Come on,” Andy whispered.
They waited until Razen had entered the house before leaving the safety of their hiding place. On the ground once more, Andy pulled Methuselah out and the blade extended. They paused to look and listen for the bellicose, then moved across the open ground as quickly and quietly as possible.
When they reached the front steps, Andy turned to Alden and said, “You don’t have to come.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look, it’s my dream.” Andy wanted to add, “I don’t want anything to happen to you,” but it would have sounded weird.
“It’s not your dream anymore. This house is real. Look, neither of us knows what we’re getting into, but we need to get that stone back. Now come on, let’s see what he’s up to.”
Andy reluctantly accepted and then turned to face the steps. “Follow me. If it’s the same as in my dream, I know where all the creaking boards are.”
Alden nodded.
Andy took a tentative step up the steps onto the crumbling porch, avoiding the rotten board he’d fallen through in his dream. They reached the front door with a No Trespassing sign nailed across it at eye level. Andy turned the knob. It was unlocked. They pushed the door open, trying to minimize the creaks, and ducked under the sign. Broken furniture lay strewn about the room they entered, and the sunlight seeping through the windows revealed a thick layer of dust blanketing everything. The smell of decay enveloped the room.
Alden tried to stifle a sneeze. Andy whirled around to look at him, eyes wide. Alden grabbed the end of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed. After a minute, he gave Andy a thumbs-up.
“That was close,” mouthed Andy.
Andy headed toward the stairs. “They creak,” he cautioned.
He picked his way past the broken risers and squeaky boards with Alden following. The smell of decay increased with every step. Andy nearly lost his balance at one point and had to grab the railing, leaving a handprint in the dust.
It’s a lot easier to go upstairs in a dream. I hope they don’t notice my handprint.
Andy gave Alden a thumbs-up once he had recovered, calming his companion. With the exception of one board that complained, they managed to make it to the landing with minimum noise.
Andy peered around the corner to the right, checking for Razen or anyone else. All clear, although they could hear voices coming from the room at the end of the hall Andy knew so well.
Andy pulled his head back and whispered, “The coast is clear, but I don’t want to barge into that room like I do in my dream. There’s a door just before it. Let’s head into that room and see if we can hear anything through the wall.”
Alden nodded.
Andy started around the corner and then stopped short. Alden nearly ran into him.
“What’d you do that for?”
“I had a thought.” With that, Andy pulled the pouch from inside his tunic and found the gold key. Holding it up he whispered, “I don’t know if that room’s locked or not, but why risk it?”
“Good idea.”
With Andy now holding the key and Methuselah, the boys ducked around the corner and tiptoed toward their objective. Andy guided them around the loose, squeaky floorboards until they came to the door he had identified. He held the gold key in front of the doorknob to ensure it would open, turned the knob, and pushed. The muffled voices in the other room stopped as the hinges complained. The boys hurried inside and closed the door behind them, hoping they hadn’t been discovered. Muffled voices resumed.
“What was that?” rumbled one.
“What was what, my liege?” replied another, this one higher pitched and nasally.
“I felt…vibrations…on the floor. Go check!” the first voice demanded.
“Yes, my liege.”
In the room, Alden whispered, “Did you hear that?”
“Yeah, Razen just called him ‘my liege’!”
Seconds later the boys heard footsteps stop at their door and the handle rattled. They stared wide-eyed at each other and dared not move. After a few tries, the inquirer gave up and continued down the hall, checking the rest of the doors.
Andy looked around in the dim room. The only light struggled through haphazard slats on a partially boarded up window. He could see the tops of a couple broken panes. Like the rest of the ramshackle house, the paint in the room peeled from the walls and a thick layer of dust covered the wood floor. Andy spotted a vent in the wall adjoining the room Razen would return to. He made his way over to it and silently pried opened the slats. As he did so, they heard a sound like something large scraping across the floor.
“What was that?” Andy mouthed.
Alden shrugged.
They heard Razen’s footsteps return past their door.
“I found nothing, my liege.”
With the vent open, they could hear the conversation. Thankfully, it appeared Razen had not gone down the stairs and seen the handprint Andy left on the banister earlier.
“By the way, that’s an ingenious way of protecting yourself from the stone, my liege.”
“He’s got the stone with him!” Alden squeaked.
Andy motioned for silence.
Ignoring the compliment, the lower voice continued, “As…I was…saying, that girl…maintains…that I…do not…benefit…from the…powers…of the stone…until…its bond…with Hercalon…is broken. Is this…your understanding?”
“It is, my liege. From conversations I’ve had with the King—pardon me, with Hercalon—he told me the first time he touched it, it sent agonizing pain through him. I presume that act bonded the stone to him. I don’t know what is required to break it.”
“You will…kill Hercalon!” Andy and Alden gasped and again heard a scraping sound.
The higher pitched voice remained steady, unmoved by the demand. “My liege, if I may. From what Hercalon has told me, if you kill him, I believe the bond can never be broken.”
Whew! thought Andy. At least the King isn’t in immediate danger. Even though he hated Razen, Andy almost mouthed, “Way to go!”
“Then…you will…find a way…to make…this stone…bond…with me. And then…kill him!” demanded the lower voice.
“Yes, my liege.”
Alden proposed in hushed tones, “I’ve heard enough! We should attack right now. He’s got the stone.”
Andy shook his head. “We can’t let Razen know we’re aware of what he’s up to.”
“Why not?”
“Are you suggesting we kill Razen?”
“No, but—”
“Well, if Razen is still around and if he’s supposed to eventually do away with the King… Let me ask you this, how badly do you want to make it to your twelfth birthday?”
“You think he’d try and, you know?”
“I think we need to hide here until Razen leaves and then get the stone from Abaddon.”
Eyes wide, Alden nodded.
With a plan in place, both boys settled down to wait, nerves on high alert. They heard more conversation between the two villains, but nothing newsworthy. Mostly a lot of stuff that proved Abaddon had an overly inflated ego.
Awhile later, Alden’s stomach announced its empty conditi
on by rumbling loudly.
“Looks like that bread and blueberries are no longer with you,” whispered Andy, trying to smile despite the tension he felt. “Let’s eat.”
Alden didn’t object, so they opened the pack with the food. Thankfully, Marta had packed their food in cloth so it made no noise as they unwrapped it. As they bit into the fresh moonberries, small white berries that were sweet when picked at night, they heard Abaddon declare, “Off…with you! Learn how… to get the stone…to bond…with me.”
“Yes, my liege.”
The boys stopped mid-bite, set the rest of their berries down, and drew their weapons. They crept to the door, listening for Razen’s footsteps to pass. There he goes. They waited a minute to be sure he had left. Alden tiptoed over to the boarded window and peered through the slats.
“He’s gone. Let’s do it!” Alden whispered.
They opened the door and crept into the hall, swords out front. Andy counted with fingers raised, “One. Two. Three.”
They sprang around the corner in unison, ready for what might greet them.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Attack!
As soon as they bounded into the room they saw the last vestiges of a huge blue creature as it disappeared.
“Whoa! Was that Abaddon?” Andy questioned.
“Wait a minute, that doesn’t make any sense! What happened to him being that huge red dragon with all those heads?”
“Remember I told you that in one of my dreams I found out he’s a shape shifter? I guess he can take whatever form he wants.”
“That’s too weird. He was huge! Nearly half the size of this room!” Alden exclaimed. “He looked like a snake but with blue skin.”
“Yeah, that must be what we heard scraping across the floor.”