Shannon stood next to Terrance and looked up at the moon. “What an odd color.”
“What do you mean?”
“The moon is usually more of a blood-red color when I go out to do stuff at night.”
Terrance thought maybe she was joking, but she betrayed no smile as she stared up at the moon with a somewhat sad expression. Terrance held her close and kissed her cheek.
Curtis leaned against a tree. “The others should be here soon.”
They noticed the silhouette of a figure approaching through the forest. Terrance put his hand to his sword but could soon see it was Randolph, who looked at Shannon as he approached. “Why are the cute ones always evil?”
“I’ll still be cute when this is over,” Shannon said. “At least I hope so.”
Randolph stared at her with an expression that seemed friendly enough, though something seemed to lie beneath the surface. He then looked at Terrance and chuckled while stroking his beard. “Well, don’t you bring us all sorts of trouble?”
“We’re all in the same boat here,” Curtis said. “Just trying to figure things out.”
They noticed two more figures approaching. Travis and Erica. They waved hello, then gazed at Shannon uneasily until Erica finally said, “It’s funny because I was just telling Travis we should see if Terrance and Shannon wanted to do a couples’ thing.”
Travis didn’t smile. He looked at Curtis. “You think it’s possible to help her out of her current situation?”
“I assume all things are possible,” Curtis answered.
Soon another figure appeared. With the spacing of the trees, it seemed impossible for them to be snuck up on in this forest. This time it was Joyce, finally in civilian clothes—a brown jacket and jeans—and not scrubs. She had a broad smile on her face. “Taking one of the Adversary’s minions directly to the faeries they’ve been trying to destroy—I can imagine a myriad of ways this can go right.” She looked at Shannon. “You sure you want to join the good side? We have to deal with this crap constantly.”
“Happy warriors,” Curtis said.
Joyce laughed. “Practically bursting with happiness. Which reminds me”—she looked around—“is Princess Sunshine here yet?”
Curtis shook his head. “And is Donald coming?”
Travis shook his head. “No, couldn’t get in contact with him.”
“He’s probably sleeping,” Joyce said. “Like a sane person.”
Curtis glanced at Terrance and Shannon. “Talia should be here soon, and then we’ll get going.”
Randolph chuckled. “I bet she’s going to love this. Are we sure she’s not going to just run in here and behead Shannon?”
Joyce shrugged. “That would get us to bed quicker.”
Terrance had actually been more than a little worried that that was exactly what Talia was going to try. Shannon didn’t look afraid, though, just very serious. Erica patted her gently on the back. “Talia won’t behead you.” She hesitated a moment and then added more quietly, “She probably won’t be very nice, though.”
“Nice doesn’t help the situation,” came a voice, though they looked around and saw no one. Finally, Terrance looked up and saw Talia above them, perched in the branches of a tree.
“How’d you get up there?” Joyce asked. On all the trees, the nearest branches looked to be at least ten yards off the ground.
“A better question is, why are you up there?” Randolph said.
In the moonlight, Talia was barely more than a silhouette above them because of her white cloak. “One doesn’t just walk right into a trap in the way the enemy is expecting.”
“No trap,” Shannon said, “but if you want to stay up in that tree, I’m cool with it.”
Even at this distance, Terrance could hear Talia grumble. She leapt from the tree, plummeting to the ground and landing on her feet in front of Shannon with a tremendous thud. “That looked like it hurt,” Terrance said.
Talia ignored him and walked right up close to Shannon until their faces were only inches apart. “So are we to believe there is some penitence rattling around in this empty husk?”
Shannon was visibly exerting a great amount of restraint. “I know you don’t have any reason to believe me…”
Talia laughed and turned to Terrance. “Out of curiosity, did you meet her before or after you obtained your sword?”
Terrance’s left hand rested on his sword’s hilt. “Well…just after.”
Talia brought her gaze back to Shannon. “That’s interesting timing.”
More anger was creeping into Shannon’s face. “I didn’t start dating Terrance as some ploy.”
Talia kept her eyes locked on Shannon’s. “I know we can’t expect Terrance to think things through, since we know what member of his body she’s leading him around by, but I hope the rest of you see the obvious here. They’ve never been able to gain access to the faeries’ palace themselves, but if she is somehow able to convince us to willingly give her help…”
“We are all on guard,” Curtis said, “but if Shannon is being truthful with us and it’s possible for those owned by the Darkness to break their bonds, then finding that out is worth the risks.”
“I disagree.” Talia stood still in front of Shannon, her arms crossed and her hands hovering near where her swords were under her cloak. “She made her choice, and as we know these things, there is no humanity in her left to save.”
“That’s not true!” Terrance shouted, pushing Talia back so that he could step between her and Shannon. “If you don’t believe that, you don’t need to be here.”
“I know she’s engendered some loyalty in you through the sexual favors she’s performed,” Talia told him, “but I would not get too attached to such a thing. You’re just going to get yourself hurt…in more ways than one.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Terrance stood beside Shannon, though he noticed she now had one hand curled into a fist.
Curtis stepped between the two groups, facing Talia. “You’ve said your piece. So will you help?”
“I certainly won’t abandon you to whatever trap she has planned.”
“Is everyone else okay with this?” Curtis asked the group. “Expect a fight ahead…especially if Shannon is sincere. My guess is the servants of the Darkness will be after us in full force to prevent one of their own from being restored to her true self.”
“We’re ready,” Travis and Erica said in unison.
“I’m for helping the pretty young thing,” Randolph said.
“And I’m too tired to think rationally enough to say no,” Joyce said.
“Then we better get moving.” Curtis took a cautious glance at the bits of sky they could see between the leafy canopy above them.
“Where are we going?” Terrance asked.
“The edge of the world. Now let’s go.”
Chapter 25
“The edge of the world is within walking distance?” Terrance asked as they wandered through the Sentinel Forest.
Curtis kept the lead. “Yep, it’s not too far from here.”
“Hey, I thought I saw something!” Travis exclaimed, looking off through the trees.
“That was just my unicorn, Cloppers,” Talia said. “He keeps his distance because he doesn’t like crowds.” She glanced at Shannon. “Or certain types of people.”
“They say pets resemble their owners,” Joyce said.
“You can’t own a unicorn,” Talia responded. “You can only gain its trust.”
“So, while we’re walking,” Erica said, “can we ask some questions of our new friend here?”
Shannon kept close to Terrance, almost pressing up against him. “You can ask me questions if I get to ask some, too.”
“She is going to probe us for weaknesses.” Talia kept up the rear.
Shannon laughed. “You are aware we already know all about you people? We know that your group and others are planning an attack on our fortress. We also know who you all are a
nd where you all live. If the forces of the Darkness wanted to come after you in the middle of the night while you were sleeping, they could.”
“Thanks,” Joyce said. “That squashed a bit of my desire to go home and sleep in my bed.”
“Why don’t they do it?” Terrance asked.
Shannon shrugged. “I guess they think it would draw too much attention. We’d much rather let things fizzle away than have to strike them down abruptly.”
“The harder they come down on us, the more they are losing,” Talia said, “and the more they risk inadvertently opening the eyes of others to their evil. And when that happens, they really lose.”
“Something like that, I guess,” Shannon said.
Talia stared intensely at Shannon and Terrance. “Are we really to believe that you didn’t know about Terrance?”
“I didn’t!” Shannon insisted. “That doesn’t mean that others weren’t aware.”
Terrance looked at Talia. “I told you about how I met that guy who called himself the Caretaker. He knew…though he said he kept it to himself.”
“The Caretaker is that weird guy with the mask, right?” Randolph asked.
Terrance raised an eyebrow. “You’ve seen him, too?”
“He seems to take a personal interest in those who try to fight being trapped in this world,” Travis said. “He is a little creepy, to say the least.”
“And very powerful,” Shannon said. Terrance could see a bit of fear in her face, and he put his arm around her. “And no, he didn’t tell me about Terrance. We rarely hear from him ourselves.”
“Anyway, I hadn’t gotten to my question yet,” Erica continued. “What does lie beyond the dark fortress?”
“The Caretaker’s realm,” Shannon answered.
“What do you know of it?” Curtis asked.
“Not much. The Caretaker likes his privacy. I believe he has some sort of tower there.”
Terrance remembered looking up and not even being able to spot the ceiling. “I’ve seen the inside of it.”
“Then one day we will find out what that thing has to say to us when we fight our way past your fortress and face him with weapons in hand,” Talia said.
Shannon seemed to ponder that for a moment. “I expect consequences from such an action…to say the least. What exactly do you expect to gain from confronting him?”
“He has trapped us in this sliver of reality and feeds upon all those inside it,” Curtis said. “We are merely looking for a way to free ourselves.”
“And you don’t fear what he’ll do?”
Curtis stopped and looked at Shannon. “When one understands what he truly is—how powerful he is and how much of him exists beyond this world—there is nothing to fear.”
Talia came nearer, staring pointedly at Shannon. “Of course, having given herself to the Darkness, we don’t know how much of her is left.”
Shannon ignored her and looked at Curtis. “How do you know these things?”
Curtis continued leading them through the forest. “Your people don’t know how we get our information?”
“We know faeries never seem to give straight answers and you can’t trust elves,” Shannon said. “I’m not sure who else you might consult. You seem to gets bits and pieces of information from somewhere.”
“Now she does kind of seem like she’s probing us for something she doesn’t know,” Joyce said.
“It’s not to report back on you,” Shannon said quickly. “It’s just…if I’m to join you, I need to understand…what is understood.”
“We find small bits of information here and there, and we have to piece them together,” Curtis explained. “The things we are most certain of—the things we really know—come from inside ourselves. It is not the rational mind that knows these things; it’s the part of us beyond this world that comprehends these truths.”
Shannon frowned. “I don’t really follow.”
“You have the explanation of the world from the followers of the Darkness, and I’m sure their arguments are quite compelling,” Curtis said. “And yet here you are. Some part of you still saw the truth. That’s what you have to listen to.”
“Unless this is all a ploy,” Talia said. “And there is really no human part of her left to appeal to.”
Shannon grimaced at Talia words, but Terrance saw more sadness than anger in her face. He, though, now had plenty of anger. He stopped and spun around to face Talia. “I’ve had enough of you! You didn’t have to come! We get that you don’t like her and you think she’s an evil monster, so just shut up; we don’t need to hear it anymore. She already had to fight her own friends to save me, but it’s like you’re trying to push her away. And if you think I won’t punch a woman, just keep it up!”
Talia looked shocked for a moment, but then her face changed to a scowl. “No, I don’t think you’ll punch a woman.”
Terrance thought about it for a moment and realized she was probably right.
“She’s got you in her thrall,” Talia said, “and you’re going to be the one hurt the most when—”
“He’s right; enough,” Curtis said.
“But—”
“We’ll see the truth of the matter soon enough,” Curtis said. “So your opinions aren’t needed, Talia. Just your courage and your help.”
Talia took one last look at Shannon and then stared briefly at Terrance before facing Curtis. “All right; I apologize. I will be prepared but will hold my tongue.”
“Come on; we’re almost there.” Curtis led the way again.
They continued, all quiet now, until Joyce finally broke the silence. “So, Randolph, how’s that sports team you like?”
“It’s not football season.”
“Fascinating.”
Shannon whispered to Terrance, “Thanks for sticking up for me.”
“I know this has to be hard for you.”
She simply nodded.
Ahead, Terrance could now see light at the edge of the forest. As they approached, it became so bright that it seemed like a sunrise, but Terrance checked his phone to see that it was nearing midnight. Finally, the forest ended, and ahead was a field that appeared to end abruptly at the light. At the edge of the field was a wooden shack and what looked like an old sailing ship. As they got closer, Terrance could see that it was a cliff they were approaching, and the light was coming from beneath it. The rest of the party headed for the wooden shack, but Terrance moved ahead of them, curious about what was on the other side of the cliff. When he looked down, he did see blue, but not the blue of water as the nearby ship implied. Instead, it was blue sky and clouds beneath him, and nothing else. The light was coming from the sun, but not from the sky above; instead, it came from a sky below. Terrance looked up and saw the blackness dotted with the stars of night that were still out, then he looked back down at the clouds and blue sky below. He backed away from the cliff’s edge, a little worried of what it meant to fall off it into the sky.
“Edge of the world.”
Terrance turned to see Randolph behind him. “I thought the world was round.”
Randolph nodded. “Yep. They have photos from space and everything.”
“So what’s this?”
Randolph smiled. “Its edge.”
Terrance took one last glance at the sun below him, but whether above or beneath, you weren’t supposed to stare at it. He saw that Shannon was standing next to him, also staring down into the blue. “We are where man is not meant to be.”
“Is that what they told you?”
She nodded. “By wandering off the main path like this, reality and the world start to break down.”
“Are you still worried about that?”
She took Terrance’s hand and smiled at him. “I guess I’m still figuring out what’s worth holding together.”
They headed toward the ship, an old wooden vessel like in a pirate movie. It was then that Terrance saw that it was beyond the edge of the cliff, resting on a cloud somehow. “Are we goi
ng to ride on that thing?”
“Don’t worry; this ship is sturdy,” Travis said.
Terrance looked over the vast ocean of clouds lit from below. “What happens if you fall off?”
Travis frowned. “I don’t know, bro; haven’t known anyone to fall off.”
The door to the wooden shed opened, and out stepped a brown bear. Terrance’s hand went to his sword, but the bear stopped before them and stood up. It was wearing a red vest, and Terrance thought for a moment that maybe it was a circus bear. He wasn’t sure why a circus bear lived out in a shack next to a flying ship, but the whole situation already didn’t make much sense.
And then the bear spoke. “How many?”
“There’s eight of us,” Curtis said.
The bear looked them over. “And where are you going?”
“We need to get to the faerie palace.”
The bear nodded. “I can get you there. One silver piece per passenger. I also accept credit or debit.”
Shannon pulled a debit card out of her pocket. “I can pay, since this is all about me.”
“All right.” The bear took the card in his paw and went back into the shed to swipe it.
Terrance turned to Curtis. “Why is a bear the captain?”
Curtis shrugged. “Who would you imagine would pilot a cloud ship?”
The bear returned and handed Shannon back her card. “We can go ahead and board.” He led them to a wooden ramp that was the entrance to the ship. As Terrance crossed the ramp, he paused to look over the edge and saw that there was nothing but blue sky beneath him. It made him a little queasy.
Sidequest: In Realms Ungoogled Page 20