“I know. We all know.” Then Ostephen remembered Deliah and said, “I’d like you to meet my dearest friend, Deliah.”
Kristoff kissed her on the cheek, and the three began to sing and dance and had a little fairy party right there. Even Edwin joined in and neighed in joyful delight, adding a brilliant sparkle with his rose crest and horn.
• • •
The Dark King looked deep into his goblet and saw the three fairies reunited and joyful.
“What’s this?” he screamed. “What’s this madness?”
The gathered Kahorgis and Dark Ones standing nearby stumbled in front of the king.
One of them stammered, “Well, the spell was wearing off, you see, and he wasn’t a harm. I mean, he was just one little fairy. Besides, we didn’t think anyone would find him.” The other Kahorgis all laughed.
The Dark King threw the goblet to the floor, splattering its dark, murky contents across their faces.
“No one! And I mean no one is to be released! Do you understand?”
“Uh, yes, sir. Yes, sir,” they all mumbled apologetically.
The Dark King let out an unmerciful bellow, “Fools! Fools you are! You will stand guard out front because that is all you’re capable of! Go!”
They retreated and stood by the main doors, shivering in the brisk night air. The Dark King sat back down.
“They do have a point. What is one teensy weensy fairy going to do? Blast it! It’s nothing.” He glared at a nearby Dark One and shouted, “Don’t just stand there, fool! Get me a new drink!”
“Yes, sir!” the Dark One replied and buzzed off at once, a small trail of flames in his wake.
Chapter 13
The fairy folk, us fairy folk.
We laugh at the humans who think we’re a joke.
For we are real, so real you see.
See us as we flit from tree to tree.
Being reunited with his brother had brought about a strength in Ostephen that Deliah hadn’t yet seen. He was energized; he was hopeful; he believed in the power of miracles because he had just experienced one. There was no doubt in his mind that the light would triumph. They had made it to Rainbow’s Pass, and they had prepared as a kingdom for the ensuing battle. It was only a matter of weeks before they would reach the Dark Corner. All would be revealed; an end would be seen.
Deliah sat alone, gathering her thoughts and her own strength. She remembered something Papa would say whenever she would hear a story of a bad guy or a monster and get frightened. He would always hug her and say, “One light will always overpower any darkness. One light is all it takes. Just shine.”
“Papa,” Deliah said aloud, “please give me strength. I have a lot of people counting on me, and I don’t want to let anyone down. I refuse. I owe it to Faye. I owe it to my home.”
Papa appeared as a vision before her, and he said, “My sweet child, the light shines down, shines out, shines through. You’ve nothing to fear. Just be you.”
His words comforted her greatly, and her worries eased. Something inside her shifted from nervousness to determination.
“I’m ready for you,” she said. “I’m ready.”
• • •
The Dark King laughed as he heard the little girl’s words echo through his castle.
“Muahaha,” he roared as he gripped the sides of his throne so tightly that he tore the arms off. He tossed them to the ground.
Through scathing teeth, he said, “We’ll see! We’ll see!”
Raising his hands, he sent waves of lightning crashing through the Dark Kingdom, and all its inhabitants guffawed proudly as several trees split in two, caught on fire, and fell to the ground sizzling, leaving nothing but a trail of black soot in their place.
• • •
Sitting by the shore, Ostephen was filling Kristoff in on the events of the journey and was enjoying a few moments of rest when a giant sea turtle swam up to them.
“Hello, Duin. The sea sprites told me you popped in for a visit. Sorry I missed you earlier.”
“That’s all right,” Duin replied, putting a giant flipper on a rock to get a tad closer to them. Several sea sprites jumped up playfully next to him, splashing in the surf.
“Is that a sea sprite?” Deliah asked as she peered out. “They haven’t any wings! They’re so light!” A couple sea sprites waved to her and pretended they were surfing among the sea spray, while another was riding a seahorse.
“They’re actually the other reason I came to speak with you,” Duin said in his highly intelligent yet leisurely, professorlike drawl. “The sea sprites have received word from Dedrik the dragon that you should head to Mount Finity, home of the dragons. Dedrik has a gift for you, but I must warn you that Mount Finity is quite a trek, and you may tire easily.”
“No worries,” Edwin said, “I plan on sticking around this time. They need to conserve their energy, and a little extra protection couldn’t hurt either.”
“Very well,” Duin said.
The sea sprites waved and invited them into the water, shouting “Come on in, it’s fun!”
As Duin slowly slipped back into the water, he asked if Deliah wanted to come along for a ride with him. She grabbed on to his shell; the others jumped in as well. They all splashed playfully, forgetting for a short while about any worries. A starfish landed on Deliah’s forehead and peeked over her brow, bending a tentacle to say hello. Deliah giggled and floated on her back, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face. Duin floated alongside her peacefully.
“I think you’ll find Dedrik and the dragons quite useful.”
“I’m not sure I care to see any dragons,” Deliah said slightly terrified.
Duin noticed Deliah’s hesitation and added, “Dragons tend to get portrayed as dark or dangerous, but they can serve as guides just like fairies or angels. Dedrik has much to offer. She is a wise one. She is the guardian of treasures and of hidden wisdom.”
After a calm hour spent basking in the afternoon sun with the sea folk, they collected their belongings, hopped on Edwin’s back, and took off for Mount Finity.
Chapter 14
Spread the love, spread the joy, and
Rejoice in the glory of the land.
Nature, oh nature,
Truly man’s best friend.
The white, snow–capped mountaintops were a far cry from the forest greenery and waters they had just traversed. They were thankful for Edwin; he had carried them such a distance and saved them so much time. They searched for Dedrik in every area she was known to be but failed to find her. A bird–like squawk filled the air, and they nearly tripped over one another as an enormous red dragon landed in front of them on the mountaintop. Her red scales glittered, and her eyelashes gleamed gold.
“You have traveled far and shown great tenacity,” the dragon began. “You have awoken the primal energies within you and therefore around you. There is a hidden treasure on Mount Finity; I wish to share it with you.”
The dragon shuffled back as she unfolded and lifted her right wing, revealing a large red ruby.
“This gem is a window into the Dark Corner. It will reveal to you the location of the Dark Ones as well as the Dark King’s intentions. This ruby was once in the hands of the Dark Ones, but the Wise Ones and Elderlys found it and blessed it so that it could only be used by those with pure intentions. The Wise Ones and Elderlys then left it with the dragons, fierce protectors whom the Dark Ones tend to shy away from.”
The dragon reached out a talon and dropped the ruby in Deliah’s hands. The ruby glowed and flashed, and they could see the Dark King casting a black cloud with lightning across the land. The gem flashed again, and they saw the Kahorgis and the Dark Ones in combat training.
Dedrik locked eyes with Deliah and said, “The absence of fear is where power lies. Do not be fooled by the Dark King, for he has much fear. His castle and his very existence are built upon it. There is nothing sacred about that. Know that the dragons are with you.”
Deliah
suddenly felt a strong presence around her. She looked up to see a dragon perched on every mountaintop within eyesight.
“You have integrity, support, and love. You can persevere, my child,” Dedrik concluded.
Kristoff had been holding his hand up periodically, wings flapping urgently, trying to get Dedrik’s attention.
“Yes, Kristoff?” Dedrik asked at last.
“Are you a fire–breathing dragon?” he asked, his eyes growing in excitement.
“Yes,” Dedrik replied, batting her golden lashes.
Kristoff clasped his yellow hands together and begged, “Pretty please!”
Ostephen joined in, asking “Just a wee one?”
Dedrik laughed and flew above the mountaintop as though she were about to leave. A small snort of smoke left her nostrils. Kristoff and Ostephen mumbled disheartened, and then they saw a huge flame as Dedrik turned to the side and released a large breath of fire. The flames took the shape of Pan dancing and playing his flute. He leaned forward in the flame as if he were playing a special note just for them.
Dedrik yelled, “Looks like you’re headed for Piper’s Point!”
She winked and departed, the other dragons following.
“Sweet!” Kristoff and Ostephen said in unison, watching Pan and the flame vanish into a thin puff of smoke before fading into the sky.
Chapter 15
Unicorns, leprechauns, magicians—it’s true.
Fantasies, myths—call them what you will,
But these are reality; you know this still.
As the foursome neared Piper’s Point, they were surrounded by sheep and livestock.
“Where to now?” asked Kristoff.
They looked at one another with uncertainty, and then the sound of melodic music began to rise.
“I think that’s a flute. Perhaps Pan is leading us to him,” Deliah said. Edwin carried them onward toward the music where they saw Pan, half-goat and half-man, sitting on a tree trunk, playing to an attentive audience of big horn sheep. He continued to play as he walked toward them, the sheep parting to let him through, and eventually he stopped before them.
His music slowly came to an end, and he tucked his flute away.
“Pleasure!” he said cheerily.
“Pan, is it?” Deliah asked, extending her hand.
He nodded, ignored Deliah’s extended hand, and gave her a hearty hug.
“Pan, indeed. I reckon I drew you four in just as I did the sheep!” he said with a chuckle.
“Your music is enchanting,” Deliah agreed.
“Ah, thank ya, miss. Music is truly healing, I believe. Never fails to calm my soul or ignite inspiration.”
Pan was direct, and he always made eye contact. He was quite a commanding presence to be around, yet he was gentle and unassuming at the same time.
He looked at Deliah’s feet and said, “You must be tired. I reckon ya should trade those in for a pair of these” and pointed to his hooves. She giggled, staring at his hooves. “Well, my dear, shall we get you and your friends the information?”
“Information?” they all echoed.
“Ya didn’t stumble upon Piper’s Point for nothin’. Me playing that song was no coincidence. It’s a bit of an omen, it is. Songs about Valley Low,” he said, walking and waving them onto a nearby ledge of land. Standing on the dry rock, they all looked down. “That’s Valley Low,” Pan said as he pointed down to the never–ending brown rock.
“I think I’d prefer Valley High,” Deliah mumbled.
“So ya ready?” Pan asked.
“Ready for what?” Deliah asked fearfully, as she already knew the answer.
“Why, to journey below, of course,” Pan replied.
A large piece of rock crumbled under Edwin’s weight and started to move, and he shuffled back onto his hind hooves. His horn started to glow as another piece of rock gave way and fell to the valley below. Edwin struggled not to fall with it. Several of the big horn sheep got closer to the edge and formed a wall around Edwin. They were used to rock climbing and didn’t waste any time in an emergency. He managed to save himself, and they all breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the brown rock tumble and break as it bounced off the rock walls before crumbling to pieces below.
“That’s why there’s only one way into Valley Low,” Pan said. They all looked at him ridden with anxiety. “The underground tunnels,” he continued.
“Follow me!” he shouted. He pulled out his flute and began to play the same melody. He guided them a few miles up the mountain where they came to a tiny wooden barn. He pushed through the doors and shouted, “In here, lads!”
One by one, they walked through the barn doors and found themselves instantly transported underground to a dry, dark hole. Pan took a candle off a hook near the door, struck a match on his hoof, and lit it. He then shoved the candle into the end of his flute, creating a makeshift lantern. Kristoff and Ostephen provided a slight glow, and Edwin’s horn lit up quite a bit; between these two light sources, the path through the tunnel was passable.
“Now I’ll warn ya. Valley Low is where the gray exist. The gray are those who don’t want to play a part in favoring the light or the dark. They dwell in Valley Low and gladly go unnoticed. So if you see a shadow, don’t be affright. Their favorite time to come out is night.”
Kristoff and Ostephen locked eyes and together moved closer to Pan.
“So what is this omen? The song you were playing?” Deliah asked.
“Ah, yes, miss. It’s the omen of the light.” The song began to sound from his flute even though he was not playing it as he spoke. “The omen was written long ago that a girl will one day appear. A girl with wings and hair of the earth, a girl so sad and forlorn. She will awaken and seek her truth. At once, the blueprint is born.” Deliah rubbed her arms as she felt a chill, and several goosebumps formed. “The realm will gather, and all will be one, intent to eradicate fear. Through the Valley Low she will go and save him as he lies asleep. King Finvarra shall be set free as by her, the prophecy.”
“Finvarra!” Ostephen and Kristoff shouted. “Finvarra, Fin Fin Faye!” they chanted three times over with Pan and Edwin.
Pan’s music and lyric stopped as he looked them all in the eye and said, “Finvarra shall be set free.”
Deliah, sorry to break up their circle of excitement, asked, “Pan, does the omen say exactly how the girl goes about doing this?”
Pan, quiet and serious for a moment, replied, “The twisted root lies hidden in the heart of Valley Low where Finvarra sleeps inside. The only way to open it is to find the twisted root key.”
“Twiglet!” Ostephen and Kristoff shouted. “I heard a story once that he may have come close to finding it, but his family denied it.”
“Who’s Twiglet?” Deliah asked.
“Twiglet was born of the Twiggen family. They helped out at the baby pine nursery, you see. Mrs. Twiggen likes to be involved and keep busy. Twiglet, well, he can be a wild little guy. Some can’t decide whether he’s a creative genius or just plain crazy. I’ve always liked Twiglet myself,” Ostephen said.
“He’s certainly not boring,” Kristoff added.
And so, they decided that when they reached the end of the tunnel, they would set out for the baby pine nursery, which wasn’t far from Valley Low.
Pan continued to lead the group when he suddenly blew out the candle and in a hushed voice instructed them all to huddle close against the wall. The four of them stood in alarmed silence against the dry, dirty wall of the cave.
“It’s a gray. Be quiet and still,” Pan whispered.
Deliah held her breath in fear as a shadowy gray figure slowly drifted closer toward them. Kristoff and Ostephen stood stark still, their eyes bugging out of their heads. They all felt a cold chill as if they had suddenly gotten caught in a winter storm. The gray seemed to almost stop; it moved at an even slower pace as it moved alongside them. It paused and seemed to be looking right at them. Deliah had never been so grateful for the dar
k. They all prayed silently that it would pass.
Just let it pass, they pleaded over and over in their minds.
The gray gave off a low moan. Deliah desperately wanted to cover her ears but was too frightened to move for fear the gray would hear her. Moments later, the gray began to drift forward again. Just when they thought they might breathe a sigh of relief, two more followed in its wake. Deliah closed her eyes; she couldn’t bear to look at the grays. They were scarier than any nightmare she’d ever had. They were so dark and hollow–looking, just shadows devoid of any real feeling.
Several minutes later, Edwin assured them that the grays were all gone. Pan struck another match and relit the candle.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Deliah said, breathing a monstrous sigh. “That was close, too close.”
“Come on, carry on. We’re nearing the end. No choice but to go forward now,” Pan replied.
He gestured for her to walk closer to him, and with another large sigh, they continued to creep through the tunnel, more alert than ever. It had felt much longer than it actually took to reach the end of the tunnel and come out into Valley Low. In the center, they saw the twisted root. It was hard to imagine something as grand as a king lying hidden in the heart of it.
“Well, we’re here, but all is useless without the key,” Pan declared.
“Edwin, can you take us out of Valley Low and to the baby pine nursery a few miles ahead?” the brothers asked.
Edwin nodded, and they all gathered round him and closed their eyes. Upon opening them, they found temporary relief of the dry dirt that covered Valley Low.
Chapter 16
Intrigue, curiosity, wonder—why?
For we are the joy you miss as a child.
Be five again, why not?
You’ve every right to enjoy your lot.
The smell of pine trees filled the air, and they all breathed in its heavenly scent. Ostephen said hello to all the baby pines, knowing that one day they would be transported to his favorite place: the forest of pines. They followed a voice singing nursery rhymes. Sure enough, it was Mrs. Twiggen singing the baby pines to sleep as she tended to them. Slowly, bark–covered lids began to fall until the entire nursery of baby pines was sleeping soundly. Mrs. Twiggen was dusting her thin hands of twig on her apron when she spotted the five of them heading toward her. Waving her little wooden limbs, she quickly motioned them to the left where they wouldn’t disrupt her sleeping babies.
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