Eye of the Wizard: A Fantasy Adventure

by Daniel Arenson

  Tangleweb came to stand before her, still smiling that strange smile. She pulled back the veil she carried, revealing a wavy blade. The light of a million gems glittered against its steel.

  Cobweb's eyes widened, and she almost fainted.

  Tangleweb lashed her knife, and Cobweb started, sure that Tangleweb had cut her. But no; Tangleweb had merely sliced the rope around Cobweb's neck. She was free from the chain gang, but still clutched in spiderling hands. Cobweb panted, trembling.

  Tangleweb kissed her cheek. Her lips were soft and cold. "I gave you a chance, my beloved child," the elder spiderling whispered, her breath upon Cobweb's ear. "I gave you a home. I gave you a purpose. And yet you rebelled against me. You too need a scar."

  Cobweb tried to kick, to free her hands, but could not. She managed only a wiggle of her toes. The spiderlings' fingers dug into her, so painful tears budded in her eyes; she thought their fingers could pierce her like that dagger. Looking around feverishly, she saw that many spiderlings bore fresh scars. If they rebel, Tangleweb further deforms them, she realized. By destroying their bodies, their spirits, she convinces them to stay.

  Tangleweb tapped the dagger against Cobweb's cheek, not yet drawing blood, but sending shivers through Cobweb. She screamed beneath the palms that gagged her.

  "I am thinking," Tangleweb said, "to take one of your eyes. With one eye, you'll never be an archer again. Your friends, the Bullies, will not need you." Tangleweb nodded. "But with one eye, you can still pick my gems."

  She even knows about the Bullies! Cobweb wondered if this spiderling was a sorceress. "Please," she tried to say, but it sounded more like, "Mghugguuum."

  Tangleweb laughed. "What's that? Did you say you'll be happy to lose an eye for me? Very well."

  She began moving her dagger closer to Cobweb's eye, millimeter by millimeter. The blade's glint blinded her.

  A tear ran down Cobweb's cheek. I'll never see Scruff again.

  Suddenly, in the hush, a voice came from the forest floor below.

  "Ooh, lots of firewood!"

  Tangleweb lowered the dagger, frowning.

  Cobweb whimpered in relief. My eye is still here.

  "La la la, lots of firewood to collect," came the voice from below the trees. "Mommy Neev will be so happy."

  Romy! Cobweb had never thought she'd be so glad to hear the demon's childlike ramblings. Tears of love for her friend filled her eyes—both her eyes.

  "Hey, stop that!" Tangleweb cried, leaning over the rope bridge, shouting down at Romy.

  The spiderlings who held Cobweb also looked down, and their grasp loosened just enough for Cobweb to also glance below the bridge. Romy, wagging her tail and singing to herself, was picking slats of wood from the scaffolding that covered the trees.

  "Don't you touch that!" Tangleweb screamed, but Romy carried on, oblivious. She was singing too loudly to hear.

  The rope bridge dipped a foot.

  The spiderlings scrambled about, grasping for support. One of Cobweb's legs came lose.

  "Lots and lots and lots of firewood," Romy sang, snapping off wood and rope. The entire scaffolding—the structure that held the bridges and ladders—began to crumble. Spiderlings slid from here to there. The hands that gagged Cobweb slipped off her mouth, and she took a deep breath.

  "Womy!" she shouted.

  Romy looked up to the canopy, eyes widening. "Oh hi Cobweb! I see you found some friends. Look at all this firewood!" Romy reached to a wide log, ten feet tall, that supported a network of ropes and ladders.

  Tangleweb screamed, face flushing. "Don't do it!"

  Romy ignored her and pulled the log, growling with effort. Rope ladders fluttered. Bridges flapped. The scaffolding began to snap like twigs.

  The rope ladder Cobweb stood on tore, and spiderlings rained around her. She yelped and grabbed for support. Her hands caught a rope, and she held on for dear life, dangling over the forest floor. The ground was so distant, a hundred feet below.

  Something grabbed her foot.

  A weight tugged her, and Cobweb screamed. Fingers dug into her calf.

  She looked down. Tangleweb was clutching her leg, dangling over the forest floor, kicking the air. "Help me, Cobweb," the birthmarked spiderling pleaded. "Please."

  "Go to Heww," Cobweb said and kicked. Tangleweb's fingers slid down to her ankle. Cobweb kicked again, and Tangleweb lost her grip. The spiderling fell, screaming, and thudded into a pile of leaves.

  Cobweb breathed in relief, her hand sore around the rope she clutched. Her feet dangled.

  "Womy!" she cried.

  The branches above her creaked and snapped. Ropes slid around. Many spiderlings had fallen from the trees, but others were scurrying about, upsetting what scaffolding still stood. Cobweb looked up. The rope she held was tied to a branch, and that branch was bending and raining splinters. It would snap any instant.

  Cobweb kicked and swung, releasing the rope. For an moment she flew through the air. She reached out her hands, aiming to grab a branch three feet away.

  Please, spirits, help me.

  Her fingers grazed the branch.

  She could not grasp it.

  Cobweb fell.

  It seemed forever that she tumbled through the air. It couldn't have been more than a couple seconds, but it felt like ages. Cobweb had enough time to remember her childhood, her friends in Spidersilk Forest, her new Bully friends, Scruff's smile. Goodbye, world, she thought. Goodbye.

  Then she landed into Romy's arms.

  "Oh hi again, Cobweb," the demon said, holding her. "God, who knew spiderlings could be so heavy?" She dropped Cobweb at her feet.

  Tears filled Cobweb's eyes. She'd never been so happy to see anyone. She leaped to her feet, hugged Romy, and kissed her.

  "Oh my," Romy said with a giggle, flustered.

  Panting, pushing strands of hair back from her face, Cobweb looked around. Spiderlings were rising from bushes and piles of leaves, blinking, rubbing their eyes. For the first time, Cobweb saw conscious thought in their eyes, not just mindless obedience.

  Cobweb jumped onto a fallen log. "Spidewwings!" she cried. "Tangweweb has b-been using you. You awe fwee now."

  One spiderling—a skinny thing about four feet tall, no doubt banished for her height—tightened her lips, nodded, and began to run. "I'm out of here!" she cried before disappearing into the forest.

  Two other spiderlings—both wearing eye patches—followed suit.

  "You'we fwee, you c-can go anywhewe!" Cobweb shouted, excitement making her giddy.

  The other spiderlings were looking at one another, slowly nodding, tightening their lips. It was as if a spell had been broken. They're finally listening to me.

  "No!" came a shout, and Cobweb turned, heart leaping. Tangleweb was rising from a pile of leaves, white light engulfing her, streaming around her. Her hair pulsated like flames, and her eyes burned blue like forgefire. Lightning crackled around her fingers. She was a sorceress.

  "Wun!" Cobweb said and grabbed Romy's hand.

  Romy needed no encouragement; she was already running in place, feet kicking up dirt. Holding hands, the two girls raced through the forest, Tangleweb howling behind. When Cobweb glanced over her shoulder, she saw Tangleweb in hot pursuit, racing over the forest floor, white light snaking around her. She shot a bolt of lightning from her fingertips; it missed Cobweb's head by an inch, blinding her, and destroyed an elm before her.

  "I'm scared," Romy whimpered, arms pumping.

  "Fwy!" Cobweb said, heart racing, breath aching in her lungs. "Cawwy me." She had never run so fast, and Tangleweb's howls filled her ears. Another bolt of lightning flew, just missing them, knocking down an oak.

  "Oh yeah," Romy said. "I forgot that I can fly."

  The demon wrapped her arms around Cobweb, flapped her wings, and took flight. Cobweb clung to her, arms wrapped around Romy's neck. The two crashed through the canopy and soon were shooting through the sky, the trees distant below.

  "Did we lose her
?" Romy asked, arms tight around Cobweb's waist.

  Cobweb scanned the distance. Tangleweb was no where to be seen. She sighed, tears in her eyes. "We wost hew, Womy."

  "Phew. That's good, because my wings hurt and I'm hungry."

  As the two descended back to the ground, Cobweb hung her head. I lied, she knew. We didn't lose her. Not me, at least. I think Tangleweb will forever haunt me.

  The two crashed onto the forest floor. Romy was never very good at landing, and the girls rolled through mud and leaves. Romy knocked her head against a root, struggled to her feet, then fell onto her backside, blinking. "Ouchy."

  Normally Cobweb might have laughed, but not today. The memory of Tangleweb, she knew, wouldn't leave her. That place in the trees, where Tangleweb dwelt, would remain.

  "We must nevew g-go back," she whispered.

  Romy raised her eyebrows. "But I saw gems. Lots of gems! Pretty gems."

  Cobweb rose to her feet and shook her head. "Nevew! Dat p-pwace is cuwsed. We m-m-must nevew go b-back. We m-must nevew teww a-anyone about it. Dose gems awe cuwsed. Pwomise me, Womy. P-pwomise you won't go b-back. Pwomise you won't teww."

  Romy shrugged. "Oh all right. I promise. I didn't see any diamonds there anyway, and I'm more of a diamond girl."

  Cobweb nodded. For now, Tangleweb's spell was broken. The spiderlings had escaped. May others never find her kingdom among the gem trees.

  As the two girls headed back to camp, Romy skipped and sang, but Cobweb only hung her head low, a deep sadness inside her.

  "Fow so wong," she said quietly, "I hated how I t-tawk. I hated m-mysewf. B-but I saw t-t-today whewe sewf-hatwed couwd wead, how p-p-peopwe couwd use it. I wiww wove m-mysewf now, Womy."

  Romy smiled, teeth glittering. "You hated how you talk? I think it's cute. It makes you special."

  Cobweb raised her eyebrows. "Weawwy? I tought you awways m-made fun of me."

  Romy snorted. "The only person I make fun of is Neev, but he deserves it. You should make fun of him too. He especially hates when I beat him at chess, then make fun of him for losing. I can beat him every time."

  Cobweb smiled, relief sweeping over her. She couldn't remember ever feeling so good. "Wiww you t-teach me how to p-p-pway?"

  Romy nodded. "See, there are a few different pieces, black and white ones. The most important is a king. You have to capture him. The other pieces are...."

  Cobweb smiled, trying to keep it all in her head. It was confusing, but good to think about. By the time they reached their camp, she thought she knew the game.

  She was happy.

  Chapter Nine

  Skunk Soup and Lollipops

  Dry Bones took a stroll through Hell.

  He walked down dark tunnels, their walls glittering with diamonds. He hovered over pools of lava where toddler demons swam. He flew across caverns where dragons swooped, shrieking as demon youths tried to tame them with whips, shouts, and delicious dragon biscuits. Finally he reached the Ninth Circle, that pit of pain where demons like Romy tortured dead human sinners.

  Countless sinners filled the chambers, tied to racks. Demon girls were busy whipping them, poking them with pitchforks, and stretching them on racks. Some of the demons recognized Dry Bones and waved, while others just rolled their eyes. Male demons were the warriors, those heroes of Hell who guarded its borders and dreamed of the day they'd conquer Heaven. Here in the pits were their sisters and daughters, fiery and cruel. From here had Romy been plucked.

  Robes swishing, Dry Bones walked toward Issa's office and stepped in, not bothering to knock.

  Issa sat inside on her leather chair, her feet on her desk. Cotton balls peeked between her toes, and she was painting her toenails gold.

  "Bonesy!" she said when she saw him. "What are you doing here, you old bag of bones? Miss me too much?"

  "Always," he said. She leaped toward him and kissed his cheekbone. He handed her a bouquet—thirteen dead roses, her favorite.

  "Aww, you shouldn't have," she said. From outside the office came the screams of sinners, and through the window Dry Bones could see demons dunking the poor souls into lava.

  "Issa," he said, "I need something of you."

  She wiggled her eyebrows. "Some lovin?"

  "Probably, yes, a bit later. But for now, my dear, I want you to kill some people."

  She snorted, blowing back a curl of her flaming hair. "I'm your girlfriend, not your assassin."

  Dry Bones sighed inwardly. If he had eyes left, he'd roll them. Issa still believed she was his girlfriend, even though he saw her rarely, only when he got lonely and craved a woman's touch, or when he needed somebody tortured. Months could go by between their encounters, yet she insisted they were a couple, that he loved her like she loved him. Let her keep fooling herself, he thought. It keeps her around for when I need her.

  "You'll want to kill these people, trust me," he said. "Are you missing a demon? One Romy?"

  Issa snarled, eyes flaring. She bared her fangs with a hiss, and her hair crackled, scattering sparks. "You have seen the girl?" she said, flexing her claws.

  Dry Bones nodded, twisting his jaw into a smile. Issa's drool dripped down her fangs to hiss against the floor. Her bat wings spread wide, and her eyes crackled with flame. When enraged, she was among the deadliest creatures Dry Bones knew.

  "One of my apprentices kidnapped her. His name is Neev Thistle. He and his siblings are traipsing around the world with her, causing me no end of trouble. Go on the hunt, Issa. Kill Neev and his siblings. Then take Romy and deal with her as you like."

  Issa grinned, her fangs dripping drool. Her eyes widened with bloodlust, and her hair blazed like a bonfire. "You have a deal, Sexy Bones," she said. "Romy has been driving me crazy for a long time, and finally I got her. Show me the way. I'll kill these humans of yours, then drag back Romy in chains." She snarled, steam leaving her nostrils. "I'll torture her myself. I haven't tortured anyone in a while, and poor Romy will help me get back in shape."

  She grabbed her whip from the wall and cracked it.

  Dry Bones reached out his hand, and she took it. Her hand felt hot, and she gripped him so hard, he thought she'd break his bones. She kissed his cheekbone again, and Dry Bones touched her flaming hair.

  As they left the office, Dry Bones allowed himself a smile. The Thistle Kids could perhaps defeat moldmen... but Issa would hunt them down like Baumgartner gobbling mice.

  * * * * *

  As they journeyed to Queenpool, Romy moaned. Her feet hurt. She'd never had a blister before, but now she had two, one on each foot. She didn't even know which foot to limp on.

  "Mommy, I want to rest," she said and poked Neev's backside with her pitchfork, not enough to hurt him, but enough to incur a growl.

  "You'll rest when you're dead," the young warlock said. "And if you poke me again, that won't be too far off."

  Romy gave the longest, loudest whine of her life. "Well, I'm not walking anymore," she said and flapped her bat wings, fluttering into the air. Usually flying tired her even more than walking, and she avoided it whenever possible, but at least it would give her blisters a rest.

  Thirty feet in the air, she flew above the other Bullies, her wings churning the crisp morning air. From up here, she could see the land clearly. The road snaked for miles between the grassy hills. Blooming dogwood trees, mossy chalk boulders, and the occasional rivulet covered the land. Earth is beautiful, Romy thought. The green of grass and leaves, the white of stone and flowers, the blue of the water glistening in the sunlight—it all looked like a work of art. Poor humans have to walk below and can't enjoy the view. I should pick them up, so that they can see this.

  She examined the Bullies who walked beneath her. The smallest was Jamie. She'd be easy to carry. Romy swooped down and grabbed the girl's shoulders.

  "Hey, let go!" Jamie demanded, punching.

  "I only want to show you the view," Romy said, struggling to lift the girl.

  "Leave me alone!" Jamie squealed and freed herself.


  Neev turned around to face them, scowling. His eyes blazed as if he too were a demon. "Kids, stop fighting."

  Romy pouted. "I'm not a kid, I'm 207."

  Neev glowered and raised his hands, black magic sparkling on his fingertips. "If you pick on Jamie again, you won't reach 208."

  "Oh, Neev, you're so grouchy," Romy said and flew away, pouting.

  They kept traveling down the road, Romy flying above the others. She was bored. At one point, she spotted a crabapple tree. She collected the fruit and spent a while dropping the apples onto the Bullies' heads. She especially tried to hit Jamie, whooping whenever the apples bounced off her. Jamie responded by tossing pebbles at Romy, but Romy evaded them easily, and many fell onto Scruff's head.

  Soon Romy began to regret tossing the apples at Jamie. Her stomach was rumbling. I'm hungry. All the Bullies had to eat was skunk soup (courtesy of Scruff's less than impressive hunting skills), which tasted just as bad as it smelled. I didn't leave Hell for this. In Hell, she dined every day on fried mushrooms, spicy tunnelhog chops, and juicy dragon steaks, but on Earth it seemed even turnips were a delicacy, judging by how fast Scruff could gobble them. Man, I wish I had a poodle.

  Romy's stomach was grumbling like thunder when finally she spotted chimney smoke ahead. A village! When she strained her eyes, Romy counted ten houses with thatch roofs, their walls made of waddle-and-daub.

  "Ooh, look, it's Queenpool!" she said, excitement making her fingers tremble. She fluttered down to stand before the other Bullies. Finally the long journey was over. "I saw a village ahead. We're here!"

  Neev shook his head. Dust coated the hems of his black coat, turning them gray. His shoes were frayed, and his hair limp. He's not enjoying this trek any more than me, Romy realized, and suddenly she wanted to hug him, and would have too, were he not so dusty.

  "No, Romy, Queenpool is still a couple days away," he said, wiping burrs off his pants. "You probably just saw a backwater village."

  "Can we visit, Mommy? Please!" She tugged at his sleeve, making puppydog eyes. They might have poodles.

  Scruff approached them, hair shaggy, boots muddy, clothes covered with burrs and dust. "Hey, I'm the oldest brother. I decide what we do."