"Our only other option would be to kill them," William said. "I can't ask you to do it, Simon."
The lead Tree Nymph spread her hands out palm down in sweeping motions. "There'll be no pain for him. Trust us. No fight. No fight."
"Frankly, I do find them beautiful," Simon said. "And it doesn't sound like a very high price to pay."
Two of the Tree Nymphs flew forward and grabbed Simon by the armpits then the lot of them flew east and upward.
Teresa sighed. "I've a dread feeling we aren't going to see Simon again…"
William said, "Don't even talk that way."
Juxta stared off in the direction the Tree Nymphs disappeared to. "They seemed to want a fair bargain. I heard their telepathy. They weren't discussing harming Simon."
Teresa shook her head. "I'm not going to sleep a wink until he returns."
"If they don't bring Simon back," William said, "we'll burn down this whole forest."
"I bet I can scry Simon from far away," Juxta said. "We'll find him if they don't bring him back."
Teresa said, "Thank you. I feel a little better."
Around dawn Juxta's perimeter spell woke him up. Two Tree Nymphs returned Simon who still slept even though the beasts carried him by the armpits. Juxta woke William and Teresa. The nymphs shook Simon awake and put him feet first on the ground.
Teresa asked, "How was it?"
"Ummm… I don't remember too much," Simon said. "They had me smoke Lotus flowers at the start of their enchantments."
Juxta growled. "Lotus flowers!"
"I didn't know what they were until after I smoked them."
"Lotus is supposed to be extinct," Juxta said. "Don't get accustomed to them. They don't grow outside this forest. Lotus flowers will control the minds of even the strongest men."
Teresa poked Simon in the belly. "What else happened?"
"Like I said. I don't remember."
In truth, he actually remembered a great deal, little of it he intended to share with another soul. He thought of something he could share. "Two of them cuddled up with me when I went to sleep, one on each side of me. It was warm and cozy."
Teresa rolled her eyes. "Men!"
The nymphs led the troop in a southwestern direction all day. As dusk approached they ran into a half-dozen more Tree Nymphs. A nymph said, "This is a new tribe of Tree Nymphs. You must pay them as you paid us, and they'll guide you to the next tribe's land."
William said, "We understand."
They traveled through the day following the Tree Nymphs. At dusk they flew away with Simon. William, Juxta, and Teresa ate dried rations warmed over a small fire. Morning came and Simon rejoined them. He seemed none the worse for wear. If anything, he seemed more vigorous than usual. William asked, "What are they feeding you?"
"A kind of bird. I haven't seen any outside their pens."
Within a few hours of travel, they met up with another tribe of Tree Nymphs. A few hours before dusk, a thick, foggy mist materialized around the travelers. William asked the Tree Nymphs, "Can you guide us in this fog? We can barely see the trail ahead of us."
One answered, "We're on the right path, royal one."
They made camp in the darkening forest. The nymphs whisked Simon away leaving the others in the fog. Night passed without incident and again Simon rejoined them. They followed the Tree Nymphs. Dusk approached, and William asked one of the nymphs, "Why haven't we encountered a new tribe to guide our way?"
One answered, "Our territory is wide."
The fog was still thick about them. William whispered to Juxta, "Is this mist natural?"
Juxta looked about himself with ‘true sight'. The mist showed a magical tint to it, and he conveyed that to William with a shake of his head. William turned on the Tree Nymphs and shouted, "You've led us in a circle!"
Simon turned to look at William. "No, your highness."
"Yes! We camped but a hundred yards from this spot yesterday!"
The Tree Nymphs grabbed Simon by the armpits and started to lift him. Simon struggled in their grasp pulling them down. The Tree Nymphs said, "Come, Simon, be with us."
"Fight them, Simon!" William turned to Juxta. "Show them who's in charge here, Juxta."
Juxta rained lightning down on the two Tree Nymphs, and the lightning hit spherical shields around the creatures. Juxta instinctively raised shields around his companions and himself, and the lightning came back at them twofold. Juxta's shields held. He sighed. "I don't think magic is the answer."
The Tree Nymphs started a beautiful singsong, and Simon started to lift off the ground.
"Simon, fight it!" William said.
"They're too beautiful, my lord… I renounce my rank in the rangers…"
"You can't do that!" William pulled his bow from his back. "You're enchanted!"
Simon said, "Yes…"
William reached for one of his arrows forged from the same lumber as Juxta's staff. He pulled it back all the way. "Last chance, nymphs."
The nymphs laughed. "We're immortal. Arrows won't work…"
The prince aimed just right and above the creature's breastbone and let fly.
The arrow went thunk into the nymph piercing her clear through. The arrow lodged in her chest. The nymph shrieked in agony and fell crippled to the ground. Simon fell like a stone. Juxta heard, Bane Arrows! The second Tree Nymph fled into the night sky. The wounded Tree Nymph cried from the pain, and silver blood flowed out of the front and back of the wound. It gulped for air. It cried, "It burns! Pull it through! I beg of you! Get the arrow out of me…"
Nobody moved. It begged and pleaded. Simon said, "I'll do it," and he grasped the arrow and pulled it through the creature's body. The blood on the arrow looked red, even though the Tree Nymph still bled in silver.
After a few moments, Juxta heard, Can we tend to our fallen? Will you let us save her?
"They want to know if they can tend to her… They're afraid of us," Juxta said.
Prince William said, "Simon, ready an arrow."
"But, your highness!"
William readied another Bane Arrow. "Follow my order, Ranger."
"Yes, my lord," and he readied an arrow.
William shouted, "Treat your wounded!"
Six of the Tree Nymphs descended on their fallen sister. They huddled around it whispering to it.
William said, "What's going on, Juxta?"
"I don't know."
"We're trying to help her lift her disguise, so the wound can be treated," a Tree Nymph said. "She doesn't want to. Humans find our true form repelling."
They started singing to it. A few moments later light flashed brightly from the Tree Nymph's form revealing the creature's hideous form. It had bat like wings easily a yard long extended. Its teeth protruded from its mouth, curved and pointed like vicious canines. Black, leathery skin stretched tight over its skeletal structure. Intestines in its belly showed through its skin. One could see its heart beat. It had stubby arms with three sharp claws for hands. It had larger feet with three pronged claws. Blood flowed red from the arrow wound, and it started to cough up blood as it breathed.
One of the nymphs said, "We need a piece of steel to cauterize the wound, a sword or dagger."
Teresa volunteered her short knife. The Tree Nymph took the blade and held it before the others of its kind. They started an ancient chant. The blade grew hot and began to glow. The Tree Nymph poked the glowing knife into the wound. She rotated the blade a full turn. The wounded nymph bayed and howled. They applied the hot blade to the backside of the wound. Finished, she plunged the knife into the ground. "That blade is still too hot to touch. It'll cool."
The wounded beast rolled onto its side and coughed up blood again and again, then fell unconscious in exhaustion as the other Tree Nymphs fed her strength. Four of the Tree Nymphs picked up their fallen sister and flew away. The two remaining Tree Nymphs looked at the ground, unable to meet the gaze of the humans.
"We're truly sorry to have delayed your mission,
" a Tree Nymph said with big, round eyes. "We never thought it would come to this."
"What you mean is you never thought we carried Bane Arrows," Juxta said.
"We're the wards of this forest and all its secrets. Tomorrow we'll steer you back on the true path."
"We'll trust you on the morrow," William said.
"We have to ask, nay beg, can we use Simon tonight?"
Teresa shouted, "No!"
Simon sighed.
"You have your answer," William said. "Leave us to our camp."
The Tree Nymphs floated away. Simon said, "I'm not sure if I can pay our toll through this forest again, not after seeing their true form."
Teresa said, "Let's get some sleep."
They broke camp early the next day. Two Tree Nymphs joined them and showed them the way through the forest. They started noticing ancient stone markers every mile or two. They had to be on some ancient road. By sundown they met Tree Nymphs from a new tribe.
"We know your mission is urgent," the Tree Nymph said. "And that you carry Bane Arrows. But still, we must have our toll."
"Lead us straight and true, and I'll pay if I can," Simon said.
It was close to nightfall, so they camped. The Tree Nymphs said, "You'll reach a new tribe before nightfall tomorrow. Simon must join us tonight."
The next day the Tree Nymphs led them into a giant clearing. At its center, a walled city stood overgrown with trees. A giant stone castle stood at the center. Teresa said, "It's the Lost City!"
"Aye, no human has seen it in eons," one of the Tree Nymphs said. "If we go around it, there's a tribe of nymphs on both sides, and one on the far side. You could camp in its center, letting us have Simon for another night, or go around it and have to pay two tribes. It's up to you. Aren't you the least bit curious what the castle holds? There's much magic left over from a time long forgotten."
William looked at Juxta. "It'll only take a few hours to explore the castle. Are you interested, Juxta?"
Juxta paused in thought. "A bit curious, your highness."
Simon said, "I'll help explore until dusk."
The Tree Nymph said, "Splendid!"
Chapter 18
They cut a direct line from the city gates to the castle. Stone houses and buildings mostly still stood, but they didn't see any wooden structures or wooden roofs. Trees grew in the middle of cobblestone streets. The gates to the castle had long since rotted away. They tied up their horses in the castle's courtyard. Simon suggested they split up, and Teresa voted that down.
They made their way into the throne room. The stone throne still stood, and a golden crest of a dragon hung behind it. Two hallways led away from the throne room, and they took the left one. Juxta illuminated the way. None of the doors or furniture of the castle survived the eons.
They found an armory, and weapons littered the floor, untarnished. William asked, "Are they magical?"
Juxta quietly chanted ‘true sight', and a faint red glow emanated from the blades. "Pick one up, and try saying, ‘pyros'."
Simon gingerly picked up a sword at random and said, ‘pyros'. The blade burst into flame.
William said, "You do it, Juxta."
Juxta picked up a blade, pointed it at a wall, summoned power, and poured it in ‘pyros'. Flames shot from the blade and went splat on the wall.
William smiled from ear to ear. "It would be nice if we could take these back with us."
Simon laughed. "I don't think we brought enough horses for that."
William picked out a thin bladed rapier and handed it to Teresa. "We'll show you how to use it. It's about time you learned swordplay anyhow, if you're going to travel with us."
Teresa took the blade, slashed at the air with it a few times, and thrust forward with it. "Doesn't seem too complex."
They continued their exploration of the castle. On a lower level, they came to a room with a pile of rust in the doorway. Gold coins in stacks glistened under Juxta's arcane light. If they wished to count them, it would have been thousands and thousands of gold coins all with a crest of a dragon. Simon said, "Are they cursed?"
Juxta chanted for a moment. "No."
Simon picked one up. "It's easily twice the weight of a normal coin."
William said, "We've plenty of travel money."
"I would like a few," Simon said. "Just to be able to prove we were here. My sergeant back home will never believe any of this trek of ours."
William said, "Fair enough, take a few."
Teresa smirked. "Don't have it melted down into jewelry to impress a girl."
Juxta said, "I think he learned his lesson last time."
Simon's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, yeah… Are we done exploring?"
"We haven't found the mage's quarters yet." Juxta pointed up. "I'd guess they're on an upper level."
They headed for the stone stairs and made their way to a top level of the castle. Hallway after hallway they searched. Finally they came across a still intact wooden door. Juxta said, "This must be the one. It's protected by a powerful ward."
Simon asked, "Can you pick the lock?"
Juxta attempted it for a few minutes and gave up. "The tumblers are fused. Simon, take Shad-Ra and insert it like a key, turn it, there'll be an easy way to turn it and a hard way, turn it the easy way. Then push the door open. I'll protect us from the ward."
Juxta put spherical shields around each of them. The edge of the door budged and vaporized in a million splinters of wood. A blinding light came from within the room, enough to generate heat and fire. Juxta stepped up the power he summoned, channeling it through Dragon's Fire and his amethyst staff. The ward increased in intensity. William said, "It's getting warm, Juxta!"
Juxta shouted, "Shield your eyes!"
Simon hissed. "That's not what we wanted to hear!"
Juxta summoned more and more power, but the ward didn't let up. With every breath, it grew stronger. Juxta had to continuously up the ante to keep up. It was too much for him, and a nagging ache began to creep into his fingers and hands. Blood started to flow from his nose. He felt no rage, only fear. The ward grew whiter and hotter. Juxta fell to one knee grasping his staff like a crutch. Time passed, and Juxta lost himself in a haze of power. The ward started to ease up slowly. Juxta fought for air. Abruptly the ward stopped, and Juxta collapsed in a heap on the ground.
Teresa said, "Is it over?"
William kneeled down to Juxta's still form. "I think so."
Simon poked at Juxta's leg with his toe. "How's Juxta."
"He's breathing. His heart beats."
They looked into an organized room of books and scrolls. A mummified corpse sat at a desk. They stepped warily into the room. An apparition of mist and shadows rose from the corpse and floated in the air. It said, in a rumbling voice that filled the room, "Who disturbs me?"
"We're on an urgent mission. My name's William."
Simon said his name.
Teresa squinted her eyes at the ghost trying to sum up its structure and makeup. The colors shifted between a gray mist and clouds of darkness. The form, even though clearly human, kept twisting and turning in hues until she looked away. "I'm Teresa. Our fallen comrade is Juxta."
The spirit paused and looked around. His eyes lingered on the mummified corpse. "I'm dead."
William nodded. "For some eons."
The spirit started to whimper and cry.
Teresa pointed out the window at the dead city. "What happened to this place?"
The apparition shook his head. "There was a plague. We angered one of the gods. The plague was vicious with no symptoms we could isolate simply death where you stood or slept…"
"Your ward incapacitated our companion," William said. "How do we help him?"
"The ward must have grown more powerful over time. I used it simply to preserve my books and scrolls. You could let him sleep or wake him. Cold water on his face will wake him, likely."
Simon carried their water-bag. He squirted Juxta's face with it.
&n
bsp; "I hate when people do that to me." Juxta started to massage his temples trying to rub away a pounding headache. He noticed the apparition for the first time. "Who are you?"
The spirit bowed. "Robert Devenport, High Mage to King Neil."
Juxta looked around himself and noticed all the scrolls and books. A staff hung on the wall behind the desk with an Amethyst headstone like his. Robert asked, "How did you get here? How did you get past the orcs, goblins, and Tree Nymphs?"
"We paid the nymph's toll," Simon said. "I've never heard of goblins."
Juxta waved his hand in a sweeping motion. "What happened here?"
"As I was explaining earlier, we must have angered one of the gods." Robert looked out the window. "There was a great plague upon us. Many thought it was the creation of the Tree Nymphs that angered the gods. They protected our forest, and fed on the orcs and goblins. We only created twelve of them, all female, from a vicious monster of beast."
Simon winked at no one in particular. "There are more than twelve of them now."
"We hoped they wouldn't be able to increase in number."
"They found a way," Simon said.
"Likely why the gods were angered," Robert said.
Teresa put her hands on her hips, and all her muscles tensed up. "You keep referring to gods, yet there's but one God."
Robert's eyes opened wide. "No, there's a pantheon of gods. They routinely interfere in man's affairs."
Teresa shook her head. "No longer."
"I don't believe you." Robert turned his spectral gaze on Juxta. "Can you make it rain?"
"My name's Juxta. Nobody can make it rain."
"It's a simple prayer. Will you try it?"
"I won't call on the power of the elder gods."
"It's getting late," Simon said. "The nymphs will be coming for me."
Robert asked, "May I join you in your camp?"
Teresa, Simon, and Juxta all looked at William. He said, "Yes."
"Splendid! Juxta, can you restore the ward on this chamber to preserve the scrolls and books?"
Juxta said, "Explain how."
"Form a cube along the inside of the walls and then recite this chant."
"We call your language, Ancient. It's a dead language some spells require."
Juxta, Magi Page 13