by KJ Siirila
She flew down and fluttered in front of them. “I thought I’d find you here.” She laughed.
“It’s so good to see you again Princess Fimella.” Mitral sat and Ademus and Aerifus joined him as she told them the whole story about the witches.
They listened intently for quite some time and then stood back up.
“All of us must go back to the Valley of Illumination, even if the witches are no longer there, it just makes me realize that it’s too dangerous for us to leave the Valley unattended to. We will have to have faith that they will reach their destination and bring the Book of Elandor home safely.” Mitral began walking.
“I think I should go to the Midnight Mountains.” The Princess flew in front of them now.
“I’m afraid that isn’t such a good idea Princess. You must come back with us. If anything happened to your mother, and I hope it doesn’t, you would have to take over the fairy kingdom. Be strong Princess Fimella.” Mitral smiled at her.
“We really should hurry Mitral. We need to get back to the Valley of Illumination before any other unsavory creatures decide to come in and take over.” Aerifus patted him on the back.
“Don’t worry everything will be fine, I’m sure of it.” Ademus smiled at the Princess Fimella.
They walked away slowly readying themselves to go back home. The Princess flew above them but felt as though something was wrong. She didn’t know what, but something.
The Shaman, Micael and Ovit were a trio now and it was a lot harder on them not knowing what was ahead of them. They missed the Queen Armad already. They were close to the mountains because they could see them from a distance, not clearly but the outline in the night sky made them somewhat visible to the naked eye.
“What will we do once we reach them?” Micael asked.
“It’s going to be harder once were in the mountains Micael and Ovit. We will have to search long and hard to find the Book of Elandor. Luckily we are looking for water which will make it easier. There isn’t that much water running through the mountain range.”
“Although the Queen Armad is gone, I still feel like we’ll succeed my friends.” Ovit smiled at them.
It was the first time anyone had smiled since the Queen had been killed by the warlocks. They knew they had to stay strong to survive now, but they would find the Book of Elandor no matter what the price.
The ghouls were putting the final pieces of their plan together not knowing that Olagh and Izasa had snuck up the stairwell and were listening to their whole conversation. They got excited when they realized that the ghouls were leaving their castle and going to the witch’s and warlock’s castle.
“We will leave now and go to the castle. We will enter the easiest way possible, the front door.” Helmog chuckled. Slothard and Wagrim looked at him as if he were crazy.
“We’re going through the front door Helmog? That’s insanity.” Slothard grimaced.
“We will act like we have come to pay them a visit, and once we get inside one of us will keep them busy while the others make themselves scarce to search the castle for the crystal ball.”
“It’s almost crazy enough to work Slothard, I think he’s right.” Wagrim spoke calmly.
“Agreed.” Slothard stood up and headed for the door. “What’re we waiting for we have a book to find.”
The ghouls left the main door of their castle walked down the bridge and into the night air headed to the witch’s and warlock’s castle.
Crovis and Trovis were waiting for the ghouls in the altar room making jokes and laughing until they arrived. They could hardly wait to see the ghouls faces when they walked through the door and over to the crystal ball.
Crovis and Trovis waited for some time and nobody came. They decided to go to main sitting room and watch out the window for the ghouls. They waited for awhile before they saw the ghouls heading up the path to their doorway. They ran out of the sitting room and back to the altar room and waited.
Outside the castle the ghouls looked up at the windows and saw no lights flickering.
“It looks as if nobody is home.” Helmog grinned.
“I don’t know Helmog, I feel like something is wrong here. Something is strange.” Slothard stepped back from the door.
“I agree with Slothard, Helmog, something is definitely wrong here. I sense something I just can’t put my finger on it.” Wagrim stood next to Slothard.
“You two have been plotting against me since the beginning of time. I don’t care what you two think I’m going into this castle and I’m going to find the Book of Elandor with or without you.” Helmog turned away angrily and walked into the castle. Slothard and Wagrim stayed outside of the castle and waited.
Helmog walked into the sitting room and saw nothing. The castle wasn’t very large and he knew he could find the crystal ball quite easily but he’d still have to check every room until he found it. He started with the closest rooms to him but found nothing. The castle was dark but not dark enough where he couldn’t see where he was going.
He moved slowly and quietly down the hallway searching each room. He tried not to disturb anything because if he did he knew they would know he had been there. He reached the end of the hallway and found a staircase. He took the stairs and found the altar room. He grinned from ear to ear as he walked over to the table where the crystal ball sat he picked it up and held it in his hands. Just as Helmog was about to set it back down he heard a noise behind and turned around to find the brothers staring at him with smiles on their faces.
“Stupid ghoul, did you honestly think you could come into our castle and find the Book of Elandor?” Crovis laughed at Helmog.
“Where are the other two?” Trovis asked.
“I’m not afraid of you warlocks. You scare me about as much as your beastly sisters.” Helmog laughed at them.
As he stood there laughing, Crovis pulled out the bottom of potion and smiled at Helmog.
“Tell me something ghoul, when you came into the castle did you ever imagine you would be here for eternity?” Crovis cocked his eyebrow and Helmog looked down at the bottle in his hand. “Ashes to ashes ghoul.” Crovis threw the bottle at Helmog’s feet and within moments all that was left was a pile of dust. Crovis and Trovis looked at each other and started laughing again.
“We have to find the other two now Crovis. If they get away Grimelda and Magella will know what we were up to.” Trovis turned to leave the room and saw Slothard and Wagrim staring back at them holding fireballs in their hands. They walked into the room.
“Why it looks to me like Helmog has become a pile of dust Wagrim.” Slothard moved closer to Crovis and Trovis who stood with their bottles of potion staring blankly at them.
“I’m warning you ghouls leave this castle now or suffer the same fate as your friend!” Crovis warned.
“We don’t want to harm you warlocks. Actually, we’re quite happy about what you’ve done to Helmog. We never liked him anyway.” Wagrim smirked.
Crovis and Trovis looked at them confused.
“We’ve been trying to get rid of him for years, you just helped it along. Do you honestly think that we didn’t know what you two were up to? Don’t forget we can sense almost anything that happens in the Midnight Mountains warlocks so don’t be fools put the potions down and let’s talk.” Slothard and Wagrim put out their fireballs and Crovis and Trovis put down their potions.
“Let’s talk ghouls.” Crovis lead them out of the altar room and into the sitting room. Trovis sat close to Crovis in disbelief over what had just happened.
“You want to rid yourselves of the horrid sisters. We will help you. We feel like you got rid of our problem so we’ll help you get rid of yours.” Slothard walked over to the window. “We always knew we’d be much better off without Helmog just as you feel you will be much better off without your sisters.”
“Why did you think the Book of Elandor was in our castle ghoul?” Trovis spoke up.
“The Mystagog told us it was here. Wagrim and
I knew it wasn’t but Helmog being the fool that he is decided it was and we went along with him.” Slothard grinned slyly.
“So what now, what can we do to rid ourselves of the sisters?” Crovis said looking at them.
“It will take some time but you mustn’t let them know that we’ve become alliances. Tell them you destroyed our leader and that has weakened us. Convince the sisters that we should all band together and once we find the Book of Elandor we will destroy them and share its’ power.” Slothard walked towards them and put out his hand.
“How do we know you’re not lying to us ghoul?” Trovis asked.
“That’s the beauty of it warlock, you don’t.” Crovis and Trovis shook hands with both of them and they all sat back to discuss the rest of the plan.
Back at the ghouls castle Olagh and Izasa were searching every painting of the great hallway searching for the Book of Elandor. They couldn’t find anything that resembled a mountain lion or a billy goat and it was beginning to frustrate both of them.
“We should go back to the Forest of Shadows and discuss our next plan of attack.” Olagh stated.
“I think that’s a good idea. The Mystagog obviously lied to me about the whereabouts of the book.” Izasa slumped onto the floor.
“Don’t let it bother you so much Izasa, you and I both knew that it may or may not have been here in the castle, but at least we looked for it.” Olagh smiled.
“I just wanted to be the first to find it Olagh. We have been suppressed for so long living in the Forest of Shadows that I just wanted us to have the glory of finding the book before the other creatures did.” Izasa put his head against the wall.
“Who’s to say we won’t.” Olagh pulled Izasa up on his feet. “Now let’s get back to the battalia before they decide to storm this castle and get us all killed in the process.”
The two of them walked out the front door this time hoping the ghouls wouldn’t see them.
The Shaman, Micael and Ovit were well into the mountain range searching every nook and cranny for the Book of Elandor. It would take weeks to search every mountain in the range and they knew it.
“Can we stop and rest Shaman?” Micael sat down on the ground wearily. “Ovit and I are exhausted. We need to sleep and eat something.”
“Of course we can Micael.” The Shaman sat down next to them.
Micael laid down on the ground and closed his eyes he was asleep in a matter of minutes. He started to dream after a short time.
“Micael wake up sweetheart.” He heard a voice say to him. Micael looked up and saw the shadow of a woman standing above him. He couldn’t see her face.
“Who are you?” He asked.
“What do you mean who am I? It’s me your mother.” She smiled.
“My mother? But, I don’t even know you.” He tried wiping his eyes but her face was still a shadow.
“Of course you know me Micael. I just wanted you to know that I’m watching over you on your journey and I wanted to tell you that we will be together one day soon. I am waiting for you, so is your father. Be strong Micael. I’m sorry but I must go now I’m out of time.” The voice grew distant as the woman slowly disappeared. Micael began calling to her. “Please don’t go mother! Please don’t go!” He woke up sweating.
Micael looked around him and realized that it was just a dream. The Shaman was smoking his pipe looking over at him when he woke up.
“Sometimes Micael your dreams can tell you many things.” The Shaman puffed on his pipe.
“How did you know I was dreaming Shaman?” Micael asked.
“I know many things Micael. In my time we had dreamcatchers to catch the good and bad dreams. The dream you had was good though, I sense that.” The Shaman smiled at him.
“It was very good Shaman. I dreamnt of my mother and she told me that everything was going to be alright and that her and my father were waiting for me on the other side.” Micael was still groggy from his sleep.
“I’m glad she came to you Micael. I feel that you’ll see her again one day. When the world changed many memories were taken from the myrmidons and I feel sorry for that. I think the Gods are letting them slip back into your minds slowly and eventually you will remember everything.” He put his arm around Micael’s shoulder.
“Thank you Shaman.” Micael lay down on the ground. “I better get some more rest if we ever plan on finishing this journey for the Book of Elandor.”
“Rest Micael, you’ll need all of your energy for tomorrow.” The Shaman kept smoking his pipe as Micael fell back to a deep sleep.
Not very far from the three weary travelers the witches flew back into the Midnight Mountains with a vengeance. Grimelda and Magella were still seething over the lies the Mystagog had told them and were out for anyone’s blood. They flew down to the front door of the castle and pushed it open.
“Brothers?” Grimelda yelled at the top of her lungs. “Where are you?”
Grimelda and Magella went into the sitting room to look for them and didn’t see anything but some glasses lying on the tables full of a bright green drink. Grimelda rolled her eyes.
“Some things never change do they sister?” She grimaced.
Not too long after their arrival Crovis and Trovis entered the sitting room and stood in the doorway. Grimelda walked over to them and stood directly in front of them.
“What have you two been up to?” She sniffed them.
“Whatever do you mean dear sister?” Crovis said arrogantly.
Grimelda turned slightly and looked at Trovis. “What happened in the Forest of Shadows brother?”
“Povina and Nevula are no more by their own mistakes sister. I was lucky to live.” Trovis said slyly.
Grimelda turned and walked back into the sitting room to her chair. The brothers walked closer to them and stopped a few feet from her chair.
“We have something for you sister. Actually, we have someone for you.” Crovis smiled.
Grimelda sat up. “What do you have there Crovis, what are you hiding behind your back?”
Crovis pulled the bottle out and handed it to her.
“A bottle of dust?” She looked at him confused.
“It’s not just any dust sister it’s the remains of one of the ghouls.”
“One of the ghouls?” Grimelda stood up and walked closer to the fireplace then turned to them. “How did you get this?”
Crovis walked over to her. “It seems that the ghouls, being the silly fools that they are, thought the Book of Elandor was hiding in our castle and when they came to get it, we turned one of them into dust.”
“What about the other two? Where are they?” She demanded.
“This is the funny part sister, they hated him. They were happy we destroyed him and have offered to help us find the Book of Elandor for sparing their lives.”
Trovis held back his laughter over the sneakiness of it all.
“Where are they now Crovis?” Magella asked.
“We let them go back to their castle. They aren’t going to be a threat any longer. As long as there aren’t three of them their powers are much weaker.” Crovis grinned.
“My anger has been replaced by a little bit of happiness. I can’t believe you actually managed to capture one of the ghouls.” Grimelda was ecstatic.
“We should celebrate with a victory drink don’t you think sister?” Crovis walked over and grabbed a flask of the bright green liquid.
He poured four glasses and handed them each one. They raised their glasses to the air and took a drink.
“We will go to the ghoul’s castle in a short while and discuss our next plan.” Grimelda balked.
They all stood their chuckling.
Olagh and Izasa had escaped the ghoul’s castle and were almost back in the Forest of Shadows. They walked along slowly feeling somewhat defeated on their adventure.
“We can’t let this get to us Izasa. We may still find the Book of Elandor. It’s only a matter of time before the Gods allow it to fall into one o
f our laps don’t you agree?”
“Yes Olagh, I realize that the Book of Elandor will be found soon, but I was thinking how funny it would be to try and find the Book of Garenon first.” He looked at Olagh’s face to see his reaction.
“I never thought of that Izasa. That would be a very good idea. The Book of Elandor would be useless to them if they couldn’t find the Book of Garenon.” He began laughing loudly.
“We should go back into the Forest of Shadows with the battalia. We’ll let them battle each other for the first book because without the second it’ll be useless.” Izasa moved on.
In the mountain range of the Midnight Mountains the Shaman, Micael, and Ovit continued on. Ovit seemed to skip through the mountain pass on this night. He seemed almost jovial.
“You’re extremely happy this evening Ovit.” Micael looked at him and grinned.
“There is no time for sadness right now Micael. We have to keep our spirits up for this journey to be successful. We have to keep moving forward until we find the Book of Elandor. We will have time to mourn our losses later.” Ovit smiled.
“I’m very proud of both of you.” The Shaman spoke up.
“Thank you Shaman.” Micael slowed down a bit.
“The two of you have become fighters. You have defended yourselves in the face of danger and survived. You are warriors.”
Micael and Ovit felt very high spirited now knowing the Shaman thought so much of them. They were all walking along feeling very cheerful when they noticed a light in front of them. It looked like a small fire on the ground. They slowed down a bit.
“What do you think it is Shaman?” Micael said nervously.
“I’m not sure. Let’s get a closer look.”
The three of them walked slowly forward and saw an old woman sitting in front of the fire. She had her eyes closed and opened them when she realized someone had come.
“What can I help you with travelers?” She creased her wrinkled lips.