by Liss Thomas
Ginger offered Charlie a hand to land on, then reassured him things would be ok.
The troll lumbered forward, swinging his club at Missy, but she jumped out of the way with ease. She swung at the troll’s legs and landed a solid hit, which didn’t seem to faze him at all. He turned and swung again. Missy deflected the blow and jabbed the creature in the belly. He ‘umped’ again, and then swung his club toward her head. Missy ducked then jabbed at his knee. The troll jumped back and frowned, rubbing it.
“Please let us pass, Sir,” Missy urged him. She squared off again and readied herself for more.
He stood, still rubbing his knee and thinking it over. “Promise to bring gold?” he said.
“Yes. I promise,” Missy said with a small smile.
“Go then, remember your promise,” he said as he stood aside.
Missy thanked him and their party crossed the bridge to the other side. They walked until they were out of sight of the bridge, and then Sir Alastaire hooted.
“Missy you were brilliant! That troll didn’t know what hit him, literally. You did fantastic, but you still need a lot of work. You left yourself open far too much, and your swings were halfhearted.”
“I didn’t really want to hurt him,” Missy admitted.
“No mercy, my dear. That Devil will show you none.” Ginger interrupted their conversation.
“Alastaire, look.” She stared in awe at a massive tree with branches so high no one could possibly climb it. She shrank to normal size then scurried up to have a better look. Alastaire followed as both checked out the tree for current inhabitants.
“Empty!” he yelled back. “We’ll take it.” Sir Alastaire set to work on making a rope from vines in order to haul up their acorns while Ginger cleaned out a sizable hollow for their new home. When they finished, Ginger gathered them a feast of berries, nuts, and grubs. Missy tried cooking the grubs shish kabob style this time and found their flavor equally revolting but their texture tolerable. As Missy and Charlie prepared for first watch, Alastaire stopped them.
“I’ll do full watch tonight. We’re close to Devil territory now, and you’ll need a full night’s rest if you want to challenge him.”
“Thank you, Sir Alastaire,” Missy said as she and Charlie settled down under the large tree for the night.
“One thing I’ll say before I go. Try your best, Missy, and don’t give up, even if it looks hopeless. Never give up,” Sir Alastaire said. Then he turned and went up the tree to keep watch.
Chapter 9
Missy woke long before dawn. She slipped away from the tree and practiced using her staff, swinging harder and perfecting her stances. She pushed the dread from her mind and concentrated on her technique.
“You’ll do fine, Missy,” Sir Alastaire said.
Missy whirled around to stare at him. “I didn’t see you,” she said.
“You just remember what I told you; do your best and don’t give up hope.”
Within the hour, the squirrels, Missy, and Charlie were on the move. They crested a small hill overlooking a bustling valley. The Devil’s territory proved smaller than the Bullclan’s, but the population rivaled it. They saw deer, rabbits, and all sorts of smaller creatures as they made their way to the largest of the structures. A large, sturdy structure made of wood and stone in the middle of the Devil’s bustling encampment seemed to be everyone’s destination. Missy wrapped on the door with her staff.
A doe-headed female in a long flowing white dress answered. “What is your purpose here?”
“I’ve come to challenge The Devil,” Missy said.
The Doe’s eyes widened a bit before she opened the door and led the way to the fighting chamber. Missy admired the graceful, fluid movements of the doe. Her slender human figure caused the silky fabric to shimmer like a pool of water flowing over her body. What little skin was visible, glistened in shades of cocoa and honey.
The challenges had already begun as they entered the room. Many gathered around in a circle to watch as the Tasmanian Devil laid waste to an over eager young badger. He was smaller than the devil but he held his own against him, until in his haste, he left himself open to a massive backhand that left him disoriented. Missy watched in sickening horror as The Devil, who stood nearly the size of a black bear, defeated the badger in no time. She glanced over at Sir Alastaire, who grimaced at the swift defeat.
“Just do your best,” he whispered.
The area cleared, and The Devil called for his next challenger. The Doe nodded to Missy. She glanced back at her companions and especially Charlie. Turning back, she steeled herself for the fight of her life. Walking forward she presented her challenge to The Devil.
“I wish to become a monster and thereby challenge you, Sir,” she said.
The Devil approached and looked over his new victim with contempt. “You are but a child, and no match for my skills. Go home, little human,” The Devil said.
“You cannot refuse my challenge, sir!” Missy said, her voice rang emphatic with authority.
The Devil stared at her for several silent moments. He loomed larger and more powerful, but she showed him no fear, although inside, her heart thrashed against her ribcage. She would make him give her the chance. The Devil stepped forward, inches away now. Missy held her ground and didn’t flinch even though she had to look up to keep eye contact. His short dark hair bristled down his spine. A snarl escaped his throat giving Missy a good look at his sharp dagger like teeth.
“Very well, child, don’t expect me to be easy on you.”
Missy leveled her staff. The Devil matched her stance with his own and, without a weapon, took his position and waited. The doe came forward.
“Begin on my mark,” she said. The doe stood back and threw a worried glance toward the beast before saying, “Now!”
The two opponents began to circle the area as the crowd cheered their favorite. Missy used basic staff techniques to test the strength of The Devil. He deflected each of her blows with a strong forearm. He swung hard against her staff, knocking it out of her hand. Missy retrieved it and rolled away from another vicious swing from The Devil. He moved quick and caught her twice on the side and back as she tried to deflect him. She hit the ground hard each time but managed to regain her footing before he unleashed more damage. Missy wielded the staff with perfect strikes, but The Devil proved too strong for her. Her blows bounced off him without much effect. She stabbed and poked at what should be soft spots only to get her staff swatted away with menacing swipes. Missy felt her energy and the battle slipping away. She hit the ground often and each time barely rose to escape. The Devil increased his attack. As she swung for his legs, he kicked away her staff. It skidded out of reach, leaving Missy without a weapon.
“Give up, human,” The Devil said, annoyance in his voice for his wasted time and effort. He yawned and scratched his ear, causing the crowd to erupt with raucous laughter. Missy responded by swinging at him with her fists. She landed a punch to his chest, only to have him grab her right arm and twist it sharply. The crack in the bone was audible. He shoved her away, and she hit the ground in agony. She cradled the broken arm to her chest, fighting back a wave of nausea stemming from the unrelenting pain. Her staff was now within reach. Missy reached for it using her left hand and stood. The Devil watched her injured movements. He slowly walked toward the center of the circle. Missy met him there. The Devil swung toward her right arm. Missy parried his blow with the staff, and then countered with a blow just missing The Devil’s head. She turned and swung again, connecting with his shoulder. Still moving, she pivoted back and swung again. The Devil blocked the swing with a vicious swipe of his claw. Missy lost her grip on the staff. The Devil rained another blow to her shoulder, knocking her to the ground. She rolled out of reach and was on her feet again, swaying and unsteady.
“Give up, human,” The Devil said, kicking her staff well out of reach for good measure.
“No,” Missy said through the pain, her entire body throbbing. Th
e Devil backed away from the center of the ring and reached for a long rope. He coiled one end around his massive paw then lashed out with it like a whip, causing the end to flick and snap. The Devil walked back toward the center of the circle. Missy watched and readied herself for his first attack. The next crack of the whip landed extremely close to Missy’s head. Watching intently, she ducked to avoid contact with the rope as it reminded her of a striking cobra. The Devil’s mouth flickered in a mock smile as he lashed out at her again. She blocked and was rewarded with a stinging forearm. The next attack landed near her chest. Missy caught the rope out of sheer panic and instinct. The Devil jerked the rope, causing it to slide violently from Missy’s grasp, slicing the skin. She cried out in pain as blood gushed from the wound. The Devil took no mercy. He was on her in seconds, swinging his massive claws against her side, sending her sprawling on the floor. Missy gripped her side with her left hand but both streamed blood, staining her tunic a sickening red.
Charlie’s tiny cries of horror were only heard in his own ears. Fluttering around Ginger, he launched himself at The Devil. Ginger captured the large butterfly as delicately as possible to keep him pinned.
“Hush now, Charlie. You can’t help her now.”
Charlie refused to stop. He beat his wings in vain to escape her grasp. As his energy diminished, he could only cry out indignantly as he watched Missy’s defeat.
“Give up, human,” The Devil said, descending on the girl, his hackles raised.
“No,” Missy hissed. She pushed herself away from him. Her legs weak, she got to her feet with great difficulty. The Devil moved in quickly and wrapped his paw around her neck. She beat her bleeding fists against the massive claws gripping her.
“You cannot win, child!” The Devil roared. “You will never be more than a pet to your monster,” he added, taunting her. Missy continued to beat against him. “Don’t make me kill you,” The Devil sneered.
“You may have to,” Missy retorted, meeting his gaze levelly. She caught sight of Charlie frantically beating his wings against Ginger’s light grip, expending energy he didn’t have. She couldn’t lose. She wouldn’t let Charlie down; she couldn’t let him down.
The Devil increased his grip on Missy’s throat, lifting her from the ground. Choking and gasping for breath, Missy swung wildly with her fists, hitting any part of his body within her reach. Racked with pain, her palms bleeding, she hit him without effect.
“You are no longer able to fight,” The Devil said as he threw her to the ground. “The fight is called.”
Missy skidded across the floor, landing in a heap at her friends’ feet. The tears were streaming now as she struggled to get up.
“No!” she screamed, lurching toward The Devil as Sir Alastaire held her back. She shrugged him off and limped to the center of the ring. Missy swung wildly at The Devil, but he moved out of reach. The Devil caught her second swing with his huge paw. He pulled the small girl into a firm hold then snatched her from the ground. She struggled against his grip but was held fast against his massive body.
“It’s over, little one,” he said. “It’s over.”
Missy stopped fighting. His words were no longer threatening or harsh but apologetic and tender. He carried her to the doe before putting her down again.
“Take care of her and her friends, Elyen,” he said.
The doe wrapped her arms around Missy, whose tears now flowed in earnest.
“Come with me, child,” she said, as she embraced Missy and led her from the room. The doe glanced back once to make sure her companions were following and then led them away. Elyen escorted Missy and the rest of them to guest quarters. With Sir Alastaire’s help, they laid Missy on a bed of furs. Afterwards, Elyen sent the squirrels outside to wait. As she turned back to her patient, she poured liquid into a goblet from a tray of bottles. Holding Missy’s head, Elyen helped her drink.
“Thank you,” Missy whispered before falling deep into a painless slumber.
Stretching her slender hands over the girl’s body, Elyen pulled up the blue light and began healing the broken arm and several broken ribs. She healed the slashes and cuts and soothed away the bruises. Completing her task, she covered the girl and let her companions into the chamber.
“She is healed of her injuries, but she will sleep until morning,” Elyen said. She brushed a feather touch over Missy’s brow before leaving the room. Ginger moved close to sit by the bed. She placed Charlie on the girl’s chest. He lay listless but content against his Missy, no longer having the energy to fly.
Back in his bed at home, the real Charlie felt just as weak. He’d watched the horrific battle, unable to offer any help to his beloved Missy. He wanted to call back his reflection through the mirror but he had no power. His breath labored, he lay watching, helpless and afraid he would not recover. A knock on his door went unanswered as Charlie had not even the energy to speak. He wanted to cry with relief when the door opened anyway.
“Charlie, what are you doing?” Sophie asked as she opened the door hesitantly, not wanting to incite the wrath of her son. “Charlie!” she yelled. Rushing to his bed, she could tell in an instant how weak her son was. She glanced around the room and saw the mirror. “Oh my son, no,” she wailed, cradling him against her chest. “Atian!” she cried. Looking through the mirror, she saw the human girl lying still. A flying squirrel watched over her. She knew Charlie’s reflection was nearby and watching over her as well.
Atian appeared in the doorway. He saw his son being rocked by Sophie and stormed forward.
“What happened?” he demanded. His voice sounded harsh but his eyes betrayed intense worry. Sophie filled him in as she laid Charlie back down. Atian went to the mirror and peered through. He needed to get Charlie’s reflection back. Placing his hands on each side of the mirror, he created the soft blue light around its edges. He hoped someone on the other side would notice the change in Charlie’s reflection and place him on a mirrored surface.
Ginger’s brow creased in concern as she watched Missy and Charlie sleeping. She worried for the weakened monster. She saw the blue glow almost immediately. “Alastaire, look,” Ginger said.
Sir Alastaire came forward from his resting place and stared at Charlie. “Looks like he’s trying to get back. We need a mirror,” Sir Alastaire said. Ginger rose and found a small one. Sir Alastaire lifted the wilting butterfly into his hands. “It’s time to go, Charlie,” he said and placed him on the mirror. The blue light rose up to envelope the butterfly before it faded, leaving only the mirror behind.
The reflection returned to the mirror as Atian, grateful someone had been watching, returned to his son’s bedside. Charlie’s labored breathing became calmer, then his eyes fluttered half open. Charlie tried to speak, but no sound came from his moving lips.
“Rest, Charlie, just rest. Your human looks safe for now,” Atian said. Charlie held his father’s gaze for only a few seconds before he was drawn down into sleep.
Elyen, the Doe, crept into Missy’s room around midnight. She shook the girl awake.
“Come with me, child, and bring your staff,” she whispered. Missy rose quietly from her bed and grabbed her staff as she followed the doe from the room. They made their way to the fighting chamber. No crowds lined the edges of the ring, no challengers eager to take their chances, just The Devil in the center, a staff in hand.
“Come here, child,” he said.
Missy walked to the center of the ring and waited, confused.
“You are a stubborn and determined human. I know why you quest to become a monster. But you are weak and no match for any creature you encounter here. I will teach you how to fight and win against those stronger than you. First, show me the basics.”
Missy showed her offensive moves as The Devil blocked, then she blocked as The Devil tried to use his staff against her.
“You are not using all of your strength,” he growled as he felt the impact of her blows. “Strike me like you mean it. Each blow, each move, shoul
d be thrown to injure, to weaken your opponent,” he instructed. “Do you fear you will hurt me? Nonsense! Strike!” he bellowed.
Missy tried again, this time with voracity.
“Better,” The Devil said. “You are small and agile; your movements should be quick. You only block when I throw a punch but you should move faster. Strike your opponent if you get the chance, block when you need. Again.” The Devil aimed several blows at Missy’s head. She blocked using short accurate strokes. She managed two hits in the process, one made The Devil wince. “Good! Again, try to knock me down.”
She tried, but he stood rooted in place. He had one foot planted at all times even as she circled and inflicted blow after blow upon him. “I can’t.” Missy panted.
Elyen came forward and pulled the girl away to rest. She handed her a goblet of cool water, then went over to The Devil. “You are being too hard on her, Vrag,” she said, her eyes burning into his. “She’s so young, too young to fight against you or anyone else.”
“She will learn, Elyen, or she will die. Which would you prefer?” he asked.
Elyen couldn’t keep the tears from pooling in her large eyes. She nodded then returned to the sideline as Missy returned to her training.
“Again!” Vrag bellowed.
They practiced for hours. Missy learned and adapted strategies to use against larger opponents. She even succeeded in knocking The Devil off his feet, once. Missy limped back to her room with Elyen leading her. They entered, and Missy all but collapsed on the bed. The doe offered the girl a thick liquid to drink.
“It will help you sleep and relieve the pain,” Elyen said as she probed the girl for injuries. She healed a cracked rib and several nasty bruises. “Rest, dear one,” she said as she kissed Missy’s forehead, placing the furs over her body.
The sun was shining long before Ginger woke Missy. She rose wordlessly and followed Ginger to the bathing room. She sat in a warm pool not focusing on the task. Ginger washed her back and shoulders and then urged Missy to finish up. Snapping back to reality, Missy washed and clothed herself in a clean white tunic with dark leggings. The pain in her chest was strong this morning. Missy, slow to understand its significance, was brought up short when the memory emerged through the haze.