An Army of Good

by K. D. Faerydae

  “What’s wrong, Elsie?” Zavier asked.

  “Ooh, nothing’s wrong, dear, I’m just preparing myself.”

  “Preparing for what?”

  “This!” she yelled.

  The old lady ran towards Tobias’s back end at speed. She placed a hand either side of his rump and vaulted herself safely onto his back, then she clasped his brown and white splashed mane in eager anticipation of a thrilling ride. Ice flew down from an overhanging branch and sat before Elsie.

  “I can see I’m going to have to keep a close eye on you! You seem to be forgetting your true age!” she scolded.

  “No need, dear. I’ll behave now. I promise.”

  “Well, I think I’ll stay here all the same,” Ice said, not trusting the naughty old lady to keep her word.

  The Halfses started the journey at a gentle pace, to allow the Humans time to find their balance. As they ambled across the woodland, a flurry of leaves began falling from the trees. Mrs Potts looked up, confused. There’s no wind, it isn’t autumn, so why are the leaves falling so heavily?

  The tumbling leaves drifted through the air before coming to rest upon the Halfses. One of them landed right between Zavier’s ears. Mrs Potts stared at the leaf, curious as to why it had fallen, when all of a sudden it stood up!

  “Oh, my golly goodness, it’s a leaf person! Look, look, Henrietta. The leaf… it’s standing up!” she shrieked excitably, her curls bouncing around her full and rosy cheeks.

  Henrietta didn’t respond to this strangeness at all, she was much too stubborn for that. She was still sulking after the earlier telling-off that Mrs Potts had given her and instead of answering, she threw a cowardly dirty look behind Mrs Potts’s back, huffed loudly and turned her head away.

  “I’m so sorry,” Lorenzo whispered into Zavier’s ear. “We were watching from the treetops as the Nomeds made their way down to the meadow last night. We wanted to warn you, but there wasn’t enough time. We’re just too small, we can’t travel fast enough. Then when they returned to the woods with, with…” Lorenzo gasped, appalled and unable to say exactly what it was that he’d seen the Nomeds dragging back to the swamp.

  “I know you would have warned us if you could, Lorenzo. There’s really no need to apologise,” Zavier reassured him.

  “It’s handy that we bumped into you here. We were just on our way to the beach to report our findings,” Lorenzo said, composing himself.

  “What findings?” Zavier asked with concern.

  “Well, after the Nomeds returned to the swamp, they weren’t seen again. We had no more trouble from them, but something else did trouble us. I’m not sure if it is anything that we should be alarmed about or not, but the swamp seems to have spread further into Bluebell Wood.”

  “How much further?” Zavier asked.

  “Not much at all. We wouldn’t have even known about it if it weren’t for a few of the Mushroom Kith that live near the swamp. They told us about it this morning when they noticed it was extending into their habitat.”

  “I think we should be very concerned about this. We know that the Nomeds are growing in strength and number. My guess is, the swamp is expanding in size to accommodate the increasing evil that resides within it.”

  “Sorry to interrupt, but this swamp, that’s full of evil, is it anywhere near here?” Mrs Potts asked, pale with fear.

  “No, we are at a relatively safe distance from the swamp,” Zavier replied.

  “Oh… relatively… oh, okay,” Mrs Potts said, scanning the surrounding woodland for any possible signs of danger.

  Henrietta had been listening in on the whole conversation, but she felt no concern about the swamp. She was angry at Zavier for bringing her into this ridiculous land and she was angry at Mrs Potts for scolding her earlier, so now all she cared about was making her point and remaining petulantly silent.

  “Thank you for the update, Lorenzo. We will catch up again tomorrow. Come to the rocky incline at noon. If I’m unable to get there myself, I will ensure that someone else is there to meet with you,” Zavier said.

  “Sure, will do, but Zavier, before we go I must ask has there been any sighting of Leah? She’s still missing.”

  “I’m afraid not, Lorenzo. I will hold a meeting tonight at which I’ll discuss her disappearance. If anything comes of it, I will let you know when we meet tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Zavier. ‘Bye for now.”

  Lorenzo and the other Leaf Kith jumped down from the Halfses, gliding through the air until they reached a suitable tree to cling onto and climb.

  “We must hurry back now. I’d like you all to hold on tightly. We don’t want anyone else to fall like young Christian did,” Zavier said.

  Henrietta sniggered to herself at the thought of Christian falling from a horse.

  “Hold on!” Zavier reiterated and the Halfses lunged into a gallop.

  The Humans gripped tightly to the horses as well as to each other, and they were transported safely and speedily to the beach.

  CHAPTER 22

  ALLOCATIONS

  For the first time in around a hundred years Serenity Sunrise Beach wasn’t quiet and peaceful. It was astoundingly beautiful, yes, and it still felt relatively tranquil, but it definitely wasn’t as serene as it would normally have been. Almost all of Liberty’s creatures had gathered there, with the exception of the Woodland Kith, the Hudor Drakos and of course Nahla the Water Warrior. Nahla was to remain hidden until such a time that the Heart of Gold was needed by its rightful owner; a time which only the Heart itself knew. As the threat from the Nomeds grew, it was imperative that both Nahla and the Heart stay safely concealed.

  That night, the section of beach by the fire was filled with bustling bodies, laughter and chatter. Even the night sky was a hive of activity. Whizzing Fire Fairies were joined by the luminous dragonflies, darting strips of colour through the darkness. The ocean roared as the Water Warriors rolled ashore and they, too, joined with everyone around the fire.

  Zavier stood up, ready to address everyone. “Quiet, please!” he ordered, and the hustle and bustle quickly reduced until the only sounds were those of the waves lapping at the sand and the crackling of the fire.

  “Firstly, I would like to formally welcome the Humans to Liberty, and thank them for agreeing to help us.”

  “Yes, thank you. Welcome. Thank you,” the creatures of Liberty chorused in agreement.

  “I didn’t agree to anything,” Henrietta muttered under her breath.

  “I also have some things that I need to discuss with you all. Lorenzo, an elder of the Leaf Kith has asked that we keep an eye out for one of their young. She has been missing for a while now and the Woodland Kith are growing increasingly concerned about her. Her name is Leah. If anyone sees her or knows anything of her whereabouts, then please let me know. I will be meeting with Lorenzo at noon tomorrow.”

  A lump rose in Harry’s throat. He gulped and carefully pushed Leah further inside his pocket.

  “And lastly, I must remind you all that we are preparing for war. The Humans are going to need our help, support and training. This is the main purpose of this meeting. Takoda, Aurora and Pelagia have already been allocated a Human that they are to share their powers with, and now I am going to select a Human for each of the remaining Berthold.”

  Zavier walked over to the log where Ice was perched. “Ice, your chosen Human is Elsie.”

  “Yay, Elsie!” Grace cheered, giving the elderly lady a wave.

  Elsie’s enchantment had worn off and the old lady was now regretting the cartwheels and vaults that she’d done earlier that day. She sat watching what was going on from a rocking chair on the veranda. Her hearing wasn’t great, and she had no idea that she’d been chosen to share the magical powers of Ice the enchantress. She clutched at the fleece blanket covering her legs with one hand and she gave Grace a wave back with the other.

  “Francis, the Human that I would like you to share your camouflage power with is Grace’s grandf
ather, Arthur,” Zavier said.

  Arthur turned to his wife, Lizzy, placed a hand on his chest and gasped as if he’d just won the lottery. “I’m gonna be magical!” he beamed.

  “What about your power, Zavier? Who are you going to share your barrier with?” Christian asked.

  “Well now, Christian, that was by far the easiest choice that I had to make. I’m going to share my power with Grace.”

  CHAPTER 23

  TRAINING

  Training began at sunrise. Harry stood at the water’s edge waiting for Pelagia to emerge from the deep, so that they could begin the first lesson in orb production. Ice and Elsie sat on the veranda together, discussing which enchantments might be most beneficial for the old lady to learn. Takoda and Christian were gathering a small selection of creatures for Christian to practice his newly acquired powers of paralysis on. Francis and Arthur perched on logs beside the fire-mound preparing to begin camouflaging themselves, and Aurora and Dan had taken themselves further down the beach, to a spacious area where they could transform into mighty Meh-Tehs. Zavier had also chosen an area away from the beach house, where he could train Grace on how to place the protective barrier around her.

  The Humans that hadn’t been selected to share the power of a Berthold were to be trained in more traditional ways. April, Hazel, Aaron, Tobias and Ezekiel were going to start them off with some general self-defence lessons. The rabbit family were to give lessons on enhanced alertness. Jock and Joanney, the woodpeckers, were to teach a sequence of secret knocking codes, and Shannon and the Ice Elves would demonstrate strength in numbers. The Fire Fairies had tips on bedazzlement, and Rian, Romulus and Remus had some useful pack strategies that they wanted to share. Preble the jumping meadow mouse’s role was simple, but effective. He was to jump around, enthusiastically cheering everyone on to boost their morale.

  The remaining Halfse men set up a workshop in the stable, where they began to craft weapons out of wood, such as shields, bows, arrows, spears and the like. The women busied themselves, crafting camouflage outfits and preparing energy rich refreshments.

  * * *

  Meanwhile, juvenile Nomeds lined the woodland that bordered the beach. They observed the goings-on from within well-concealed hiding positions, ready to report their findings back to their king.

  CHAPTER 24

  ORBS

  Harry was enjoying the gentle lapping of the ocean as it washed over his feet, and the warmth of the newly risen sun as it warmed his face. He stood there in the shallows, willingly allowing Serenity to take hold of him. Suddenly, the water dragged away from his feet, pulling him out of his dream-like state. He was left unsteady, sinking into the sand, but not for long. The waves soon returned with force, splashing around his knees and Pelagia rose beside him. Harry was completely awestruck by the magical man made of water. He had seen Pelagia and the Warriors before, but he had never been this close to any of them. He looked deep into the commander’s eyes, fascinated by the turbulence that raged behind them. Harry continued to stare mindlessly at Pelagia, mesmerised by the lively movements of his sea-spray-hair and frothy beard.

  “Let’s get started,” Pelagia boomed in his thunderous voice, startling Harry.

  “Yes, let’s,” Harry agreed.

  “First, you must be aware that orb production requires a huge amount of energy, focus and determination. It is very important that you assess your surroundings and your situation before you choose your target. Your height will help with this. I imagine your towering stature is why Zavier chose you to share this power with me. You will be able to survey the area much better than the shorter humans. You must choose your target well. Do not select the one that needs the power the most. Select the one that will be able to do the most with it. And never, I repeat never, hit a Nomed! Understood?”

  “Understood!”

  “Good, then let us begin,” Pelagia said, slapping Harry’s back with a strong wet hand.

  Pelagia selected some of Liberty’s creatures to act as targets. He found an expanse of beach that wasn’t already being used for training purposes and then he handed Harry a small pouch filled with sand.

  Harry held the bag of sand. It had a satisfying weight to it and he tossed it up and down in his palm. “What’s this for?” he asked.

  “It’s for target practice. I must be sure that your aim is perfect before I allow you to attempt to produce a power orb. Orbs are implements of intense force and are not to be thrown around without due caution. Only when I am certain that both your mind and aim are focused, will I teach you how to create an orb.”

  Pelagia ordered the creatures that he’d selected to run and fly around Harry in all directions. Mountain hares and meadow rabbits sprang all about him. The foxes, Rich and Josanne, ran rings around him, dizzying him. George and Mable, the wood pigeons, flew awkwardly overhead, as they bobbed in and out of his field of vision. And Yas, Yappa and Yukiko the mule deer, leapt gracefully to and fro.

  “Listen carefully to my commands. I’m going to call out the name of a creature and then I want you to try and hit it with the pouch. Gently, of course, we don’t want to cause any injuries. Are you ready?”

  “Ready!” Harry asserted planting his feet firmly in the warm sand and holding the pouch beside his head, ready to throw it.

  “Deer!” Pelagia hollered.

  Harry spun around in the sand, focused on Yas, the largest of the mule deer, and threw the sand-filled pouch. The bag smacked against Yas’s rump, causing him to kick out in irritation.

  “Excellent shot, but maybe a little less force next time,” Pelagia said.

  “Sorry,” Harry agreed.

  Harry repositioned his feet and wiped the sweat from his brow as he prepared for his next shot.

  “Pigeon!” Pelagia yelled.

  Harry took aim and launched the pouch into the air. It struck George the wood pigeon in the abdomen, sending him plummeting to the ground. Mable rushed to George’s side and helped him to his feet. The poor old pigeon was startled. Mable wrapped a wing around him and led him away to recover.

  “I’m so sorry,” Harry apologised, looking more than a little embarrassed. George was unable to answer so he spluttered a bit and held up a wing indicating that there were no hard feelings.

  “Rabbit!” Pelagia boomed, taking Harry completely by surprise. He hadn’t re-positioned himself, he was unprepared, but he gathered his thoughts and launched the pouch, hitting his target. “Yes!” he cheered.

  “No!” Pelagia scolded. “That was not a rabbit, that was a hare! Focus!” he ordered.

  “Yesss, sirrr,” Harry responded in a military fashion. Pelagia was a great commander and the sound of his booming voice had this effect on people, drawing out the respectful warrior in all those that he met.

  “Okay, let’s make this a little trickier,” Pelagia said, beckoning the foxes, Rich and Josanne, to come towards him. He whispered something to them both before sending them away to the beach house.

  “When Rich and Josanne return, we will continue. Harry, I want you to focus and listen to my instructions. This time you must expect the unexpected.”

  “Sure,” Harry replied, wondering what Pelagia had planned for him.

  Rich and Josanne weren’t gone long at all. A few minutes at most, just enough time for Harry to down some homemade lemonade that Jazmine had handed out to all those who were training. Harry wiped the lemonade from his mouth and then took a stance similar to that of a baseball pitcher preparing to strike out an opponent. Pelagia gave Rich and Josanne the signal and they began to run away from Harry at speed. Harry stared hard, contemplating their speed, and calculating the distance that he would need to throw the bag.

  “Hollie!” Pelagia bellowed.

  Harry was momentarily confused. Rich and Josanne were foxes, Hollie was a squirrel. Then he spotted a grey bushy squirrel’s tail flowing from Rich’s neck fur and realised that the squirrel was riding the fox. But that’s not Hollie, the grey squirrel is Tasha, Hollie is a re
d squirrel! he remembered. Then he saw her, a patch of red that didn’t quite match the fox red of Josanne’s coat. He hurled the pouch toward Hollie, using enough force to go the distance, but not too much, so as not to harm her. The pouch hit its target square on, and Hollie was knocked from Josanne’s back and sent spiralling across the sand.

  “Superb!” Pelagia commended. “A few more strikes like that one and we will be ready to move on to orb production in no time.”

  The day was getting hotter. Harry was exhausted and dripping with sweat. Pelagia looked up at the sun’s position. “Midday,” he declared, “time for a break. I’m going to return to the ocean with the Warriors for a short while. I suggest that you seek some shade and refreshment too.”

  “Yes, sir, I will, but first there is something that I must do.”

  CHAPTER 25

  THE RIGHT THING TO DO

  Harry spotted Aaron cantering toward him from the beach house. He stood in Aaron’s path, waving his arms, signalling for him to stop. The large stallion halted abruptly, sending sprays of sand around his large hooves.

  “Where are you going?” Harry asked.

  “To Zavier, at the south end of the beach. Why?”

  “Great, me too. Can I hitch a lift?”

  “Sure, but why?” Aaron asked, trying not to grumble at the inconvenience.

  “I’ll explain when we get there.”

  Harry tugged at the zip of his pocket, ensuring that its contents were safely contained before climbing upon the huge stallion’s back. He held onto Aaron’s thick black mane and the pair thundered down the beach to find Zavier. When they found him, he was in his human form, sitting on a boulder at the top of the rocky pathway with his knees pulled up and his elbows resting on them. He cradled his head between his arms and rubbed his hands through his silver hair in a concerned manner.