Cave Of Forlorn

by R. C. Rutter

  Seth moaned. His body was covered in sweat but he was SO cold and shivering. He had no idea where he was. He tried several times to open his eyes but couldn’t, the lights were too bright. He worked his way through his other senses. His fingers and skin were numb; the sound of rushing water was nearby, there were many odors but most were acrid and he could not smell any onions. Focusing back on himself, he realized that it hurt to breathe.

  A voice over him was saying some kind of incantation in a language he did not recognize. His arm suddenly was on fire, then both arms. The fire moved down to his legs and as it did his body straightened out. He was lifted into the air and flipped over many times, then fell back down landing on his stomach with a thud. He was just about to relax when his body was picked up again and he was slammed hard into the wall. Trembling and sweating, he crumbled and fell to the floor. He tried again to open his eyes and found himself in a forest of black trees, he was moving but he was not running. Looking down, he realized that he riding on the back of a wolf. Malcolm was yelling at him and pointing. Seth put up a hand to silence Malcolm but that did nothing. Malcolm drew a small sword and sliced Seth’s hand. Looking down, Seth saw the blood was dripping into a pool of water. Seth leaned forward to look and fell into the pool. Now he was in the water trying to swim but no matter how hard he tried, he could not move. His lungs were about to burst. He needed to get some air. Looking down, he saw that massive chains were wrapped around his ankles and something very large swam passed.

  * * *

  Thorgon, Robald, Gweneviere, and Malcolm were transfixed on the door. Loud sounds and yelling were coming from within. Robald tried to stand but could not. “Thorgon, try to stand.” Thorgon attempted and failed. Gweneviere and Malcolm both tried and failed as well. They had no choice but to sit and wait until the spell was lifted.

  Gweneviere looked at Eric. “Can you stand?”

  “Of course I can but I am quite comfortable where I am. It is good to give my feet a rest. And there is no point in antagonizing anyone at this time, nothing to be gained. Perception is sometimes more powerful than reality. If I had remained standing when Cerberus forced the rest of you to sit, he might have taken it as a challenge and refused our request. I shall continue to sit and meditate.”

  Seth screamed but his lungs filled with liquid. He lunged and expunged the liquid. His eyes opened quickly and he saw that the wall in front of him was soaked. The room was lit by a single candle where it had seemed so bright before. He felt himself walking over to the bed. Falling forward, he collapsed and laid there breathing heavily.

  Cerberus walked over to him and began asking a lot of questions.

  “What is your name?”

  What is the name of your father?

  Where were you born?

  How old are you?

  How many men have you killed?

  Why are you here?

  Is Gweneviere the King’s Daughter?

  Seth just stared at the creature then put his head down and closed his eyes.

  “Well? Answer my questions.”

  Cerberus waited but no answers were forthcoming. He walked to the door and opened it. Everyone tried to stand as soon as they heard the bolt being pulled back and the door handle turned. Eric sat still.

  Cerberus took a few steps away from the doorway. “Well? Don’t you want to see your friend?”

  No one moved.

  “Oh, yes, of course, my apologies.” With a quick wave of his finger, everyone was pulled to their feet. Thorgon promptly fell over. “Sorry, my foot fell asleep. I will be alright in a minute or two.”

  Robald and Eric helped Thorgon to his feet as everyone headed for the doorway.

  They peeked inside the room. Seth was sitting up. He turned his head to look at them. A strange smile came over his face as his eyes rolled back into his head. Seth leaned back falling off the bed and collapsed on the floor.

  “Well, obviously this is going to take some time. I thought we were further along. You must leave him here with me. I will do what I can.”

  “No, we cannot. He must travel and travel he shall” stated Eric. “Did you purge the demon? How long will he stay like this?”

  “I don’t know and I don’t know. No one has ever survived a demon attack before. I got a few spells from him but nothing extraordinary, nothing to explain his condition. I would like to study him further. You must leave him here. He will be taken good care of. I give you my word.”

  “I shall discuss it with my colleagues and we will decide the best course of action.”

  Eric turned and walked away. Gweneviere, Robald, Thorgon, and Malcolm all looked at each other, then turned and followed Eric.

  Eric walked for about two minutes then stopped and looked around. “It is prudent not to be overheard. We cannot leave Seth here. If we take him with us, he puts us all at risk. If we leave him here, there is no telling what will happen to him. He could stay in his current state, he could get worse, or he might be healed. Point is, I have no idea what danger he will be in and there is no way for me to protect him. I welcome your thoughts.”

  Gweneviere spoke first. “We can’t leave him here. I say we take him with us and I will be responsible for him.”

  Malcolm added “Me too. Gweneviere and I will watch over him. After all, he is our brother.”

  Thorgon looked at Robald. “No, he stays. Risky as it is, we cannot allow his current state to jeopardize our mission.” Robald nodded his approval.

  “Then I shall stay with him” stated Malcolm. “We will join you as soon as he is well enough to travel.”

  Eric stared at Malcolm for a moment. “No, that won’t do, I cannot allow that. There are tasks ahead for which only you are qualified.” Malcolm looked stunned. Gweneviere started to open her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted. “Don’t even think about it. You must fulfill the prophecy. If you fail, we all fail.”

  Eric paused to gather his thoughts. “Well, it is settled then. Seth will stay here. We will join him here on the way back home.” Eric walked back to the door and knocked. “Go away” came the response. Waiting patiently, he knocked again. “We are closed. Come back tomorrow” was the response. Eric waited again.

  He knocked a third time. “This had better be important. You are interrupting very important work.”

  Cerberus opened the door and looked at Eric. “With all these interruptions, I am having a hard time getting any work done. What do you want?”

  “The boy must stay. You must eradicate the demon. Only then will he be well enough to travel.”

  “And what if you don’t return? What shall I do with him?”

  “Give him food and shelter for three days and then send him home. If I don’t return, it means we have failed and there is no longer a home to go to. Failure is NOT an option.” Eric paused. “I know what you are thinking. Three days of food will fatten him up. If you harm him….”

  “Yes, yes, I know, eat him and the wizard will be mad and vengeful” Cerberus said mockingly. “I got that part. I will release him in three days however once he leaves my sight; I am not responsible for what happens to him.”

  Eric nodded, turned, and walked to the group. “Gather your things, it is time to go. Gweneviere and Malcolm, you might want to say goodbye to your brother. It would probably be a good idea for all of us to pay our respects.”

  Gweneviere and Malcolm solemnly walked into the creature’s house and stayed for just a few minutes. Gweneviere came out of the room in tears. “I could not stay any longer. It is so hard to see my brother like this. I hope his recovery is swift and painless.” She turned away so no one would see her tears. Malcolm walked up, pulled her close, and hugged her tightly.

  Thorgon and Robald said their goodbyes from the doorway. Neither would fit through the door.

  “Let’s go” Eric said solemnly. He walked over to the doorway. “We are ready to depart. Could you send us home please?”

  Cerberus was sitting against the wall with his eyes clos
ed. The eyes shot open and Cerberus looked stunned. “Oh, no, I can’t do that. Fighting this demon has zapped my strength in a way I did not anticipate. You must make your own way. Follow the water.” With that said, Cerberus lifted a finger and the door slammed shut. The rocks near the door piled up until it disappeared from view.

  Eric turned around and looked at the group. He had a frustrated look on his face. “We will have a slight delay in our plans. We must follow the river until we get out of the mountain. Be on your guard. This environment is hostile, wet and slippery. We might have some unexpected visitors. Hopefully, we will not be anyone’s dinner.”

  Gweneviere looked shocked. Eric winked at her as he lifted his staff and tapped the ground. The top of his staff began glowing very brightly. “Single file, please. Robald and Thorgon, please keep Gweneviere and Malcolm between the two of you. I shall lead the way.

  Eric led them out of the cavern and into the cave entrance to the river. The walls quickly closed in on them as the sound of the water grew louder. At the cave exit, someone had made a sign that each of them read as they walked by. “Beware. Don’t drink the water. Don’t go in the water. Don’t disturb the water. Leave the water alone. You have been warned!”

  The path led to the right. It was slippery but manageable. Eric was leading the way, followed by Thorgon, Gweneviere, Malcolm, and then Robald. As soon as Robald cleared the cave, the entrance shut.

  There was nowhere to go now but follow the path.

  * * *

  Lydia opened her eyes. She had been asleep for hours. Looking up, she saw the dark sky and twinkling stars. Sitting up, she became aware of her surroundings. Slowly she began to convince herself that she was actually awake. She found herself on the edge of a cliff, actually she discovered, just a ledge near the top of the cliff. Small bushes were nearby and a fire was keeping everything warm. She noticed a small pot in the middle of the fire with an incredible aroma. Whatever it was smelled delicious. Her stomach began growling. It had been a long time since she had eaten.

  She looked around but was alone. One small bowl and a single spoon were next to the fire. She helped herself and gulped the food down. She could feel the warmth of the food all the way to her stomach.

  A twig snapped in the distance. Lydia froze and listened. She reached for her swords but they were gone. She panicked and started digging in her clothes for the small knives that she kept hidden. They were gone too. She had no weapons. She did the only option available to her. Quietly placing the bowl and spoon down, she crawled over to the bushes and hid, using a branch to erase her tracks.

  Lydia peered out from the bushes and saw an old woman approaching the fire. She was humming a tune and carrying some firewood. As she came closer, Lydia could see her features. She was a plump, matronly woman. Her hair was pulled back exposing the red cheeks from her wood gathering exertion and she was breathing heavy and trying to hum at the same time. She got about five feet from the fire and stopped. Looking down, she saw the bowl and spoon. Dropping the firewood, she pulled out a hairpin and called out “Who is there? Show yourself. I know somebody is here. Forest animals don’t use spoons. Well, at least none that I know of.”

  Lydia waited and listened. She knew better than to expose herself. No weapons for defense. Strangers in the forest are usually bad news.

  The woman bent down and threw the firewood onto the fire. As she did this, she picked up a couple of rocks. The fire was soon burning brighter spreading the heat which Lydia could now feel from her hiding place. She started backing up and snapped a twig. Lydia’s instinct took over and she leaned back just in time to avoid the rock that flew past her nose. This stranger was quick, very quick for an older woman. Lydia kept silent.

  “I won’t miss with the next one.”

  Lydia did not move.

  “Come now, show yourself. If you were going to attack me, you would have done it by now.”

  Lydia took another step and the rock came fast and furious. She shifted just in time as the rock scraped her cheek. “Biscuits, that was close” thought Lydia.

  “Okay, I am coming out. No more rocks, okay?”

  Lydia emerged from the bushes and walked into the firelight. The woman put her hairpin away. “Well then, what do we have here? A hungry girl lost in the woods? You are far from home.”

  The woman looked around as if she was expecting more to emerge from the bushes. “Traveling alone?”

  “I am here by myself” Lydia replied. She did not know where she was. She had no idea where the wolf had gone so as far as she knew, she was alone.

  “Well then, come; help me fix some more stew. Here, cut up these vegetables.”

  Lydia’s hands automatically felt for the small knives she carried. She pulled one out and stared at it. The knives were not there a few minutes ago. She started second-guessing herself. The knives were not there. She knew that. Yet, the knives were there now, confusing, indeed. Lydia reached to grab the vegetables and almost tripped over her swords. Now she was really beginning to wonder.

  The old woman smiled at her “I have determined that you are not a threat. You may have your swords and knives back, you might need them. The woods are not a safe place to be, especially for a young girl such as you.”

  “I can take care of myself” Lydia said defiantly, grasping the hilt of her sword for effect. The sword disappeared.

  “Can you now?” the old woman laughed.

  Lydia was getting a bit agitated. The sword reappeared.

  “No, it is not me you need to fear. You need to be more careful with whom you travel with.”

  Lydia did not speak. She thought to herself “There was no way of knowing who this woman is and I am not about to trust a stranger.” There was no point in bringing up anything. She started worrying about her wolf and was getting frustrated.

  She decided it could wait and focused on cutting up the vegetables. They spent several minutes throwing food into the pot. When it was about half full, the woman put it over the fire. It did not take long for the delicious aroma to fill the air. They finished the rest of the ingredients and tossed everything in.

  Lydia looked at the woman who was now sitting down with her eyes closed. “What is your name? What are you out here by yourself? Where are you going? How do you know who I have been traveling with?” How did you….”

  The woman abruptly cut her off with a wave of her hand “Questions, lots of questions. I will answer a few. My name is Erica. I am not out here by myself, I am here with you. I don’t know where I am going. Well, maybe I do, but then again, maybe I don’t.” Erica laughed.

  “What do you know about me?” inquired Lydia.

  “Well, I know you have been traveling with a pack of wolves. Shabb told me that.”

  When Lydia heard Shabb’s name, her eyes opened wide. “Who is Shabb? I thought you were traveling alone?”

  “Oh, I guess he did not tell you. You just spent several hours riding on his back. No matter, you are safe now.”

  “Where is Shabb?” Lydia stood up.

  “Shabb was called away. His services are needed elsewhere. So here I am.”

  Lydia looked perplexed.

  “My, my, you have been through a lot.” Erica looked long and hard at Lydia, too much for such a young girl. You should be in a house with parents, going to school, and running errands, playing with your friends. Instead, you are here in the forest facing danger, tis sad indeed.”

  “Since you know Shabb and about me traveling with the wolves, do you know how to make wolf’s potion? Did Shabb leave you any? I don’t want to die.” Lydia paused. “At least, not like that.”

  “Not to worry. I am quite the cook. Never trust a skinny cook I say. Come, have some more stew. You will find it very beneficial to your life.” Erica winked.

  Lydia understood that the potion was in the stew. She did not see Erica do anything special to the stew so it was impossible to tell if it would work. At this time, she had no choice but to trust her.

&nbs
p; Lydia hammered Erica with questions. “Tell me, where is Shabb? Is he coming back? How did you know he had to leave? Who told you? Who are you working for? How did you make my weapons disappear? What do you plan on doing with me? How do you know about the poison? How do you know about the antidote? Where is the wolf pack? Where am I supposed to be going?”

  As Lydia asked all the questions, it became obvious to her how much her life was messed up and she began to cry. It was just a few years ago that she was in love with Robald. Life was good then. It would have been perfect if he had only agreed to give up fighting. She could not spend everyday worrying about whether he would die that day. It was too much of a strain. Here she was, twenty-one in years, and she knew her life was a mess.

  Erica watched her cry for thirty minutes. Finally the sobbing was slowing down. Lydia felt exhausted, stretched out and closed her eyes.