The Realms of Animar

by Owen Black

  The sphere hovered in mid air, still and unmoving, with a slightly luminescent quality that emitted a small amount of light. It was perfectly white and made no sound, nor did it provide any hints to its origin.

  “What…what is that thing?” Felia asked.

  Trussil did not respond. She just stared in wonder. It was incredible.

  Suddenly the two women were blinded by a powerful white light. They groaned and shielded their eyes with their hands. Almost as quick as it had appeared, the light faded and gradually the women peeked into the center of the room where the sphere had once been.

  Bewilderment struck for the second time in a matter of moments. Where once the mysterious orb had been hovering, there now stood a white unicorn and next to it, with a hand stretched up and touching its horn, was Alia.

  The women looked at one another. There were no words to describe what they had seen. They recognized the creature to be Thane, although he now had a horn atop his head. Mordigal had been right.

  The girl released her grasp on the horn and pulled the blanket that was draped around her body tighter. She was shivering and clearly startled by what had taken place. She looked around the strange room as she tried to decipher where she was.

  “Thane honey?” Felia asked as she walked forward. “Is that you?”

  The unicorn turned its head to the sound of her voice and then shifted quickly back to his human form. Thane now stood before them wearing his sleepwear and a pair of boots. His disheveled hair was topped with melting flakes of snow and he appeared as surprised to be in his room as they were to see him.

  “W...w…what hap…happened?” Thane asked, his words fighting through a cold-induced tremble. He had no idea what they had seen.

  Alia smiled, her face covered with excitement, and blurted, “You’re a unicorn Thane! This is fantastic!” She looked around the room then added, “So where am I?”

  “A unicorn? Are you kidding?” Thane asked. Then, without thinking, he reached up and patted his head that of course was only covered with damp hair. The horn was only visible in his animal form.

  Felia began to speak when the door opened and Mordigal and Avryn darted in. They were breathing heavy from the sprint and were speckled with snow. The men halted when they took note of the occupants of the room. Avryn bent over and rested his hands on his knees while he caught his breath.

  Trussil walked over to Mordigal. He glanced into her eyes and then put an arm around her shoulder. They intended to stay out of this, for now.

  Before anyone else could speak, Alia turned to the others. “Did you see it? Thane is a unicorn!”

  Avryn glanced at his wife. Their eyes met and they knew their lives had just changed forever.

  An awkward silence filled the room. The group looked at one another as they attempted to grasp what had happened.

  Avryn was the first to speak, “So how did you two get here?”

  “Don’t look at me!” Alia replied.

  Avryn turned to Thane who had a puzzled look on his face. “Alright son, I know you are probably in a bit of shock right now. But what happened? How did you get here?”

  Thane scrunched his brow. He was as puzzled as everyone else. “Well, I was there, standing next to the window. I know I heard you…you both…coming and I just wished I was back in my room. I sort of pictured it I guess, that was when it all kind of went fuzzy and I…we…we…just poofed.”

  “Poofed!” Alia added with a gesture of her hands.

  Mordigal glanced at Trussil then turned to leave. “Alright, I think now is a good time for us to head out,” he said. “Avryn, can I have a word with you before we go?”

  “Sure…sure of course,” Avryn replied. He then followed Mordigal and Trussil out of the room, leaving Felia to settle Thane and Alia.

  They closed the door to the bedroom and gathered near the front door where candlelight cast eerie shadows around them as they huddled closely together.

  Mordigal began, “Avryn listen, I really didn’t know how relevant this was at the time but now, given what we have learned, this is making sense.”

  “Nothing can shock me now,” Avryn replied. “What is it?”

  Mordigal paused a moment while he pondered his words. “The man that sent me here, Fatalis, he has this…this person he consults with, an old soothsayer of sorts, some kind of mystic. Nobody else has even met this person, he is kept locked away somewhere in the caverns. Any way, recently Fatalis confided in me that this mystic told him that a unique boy with special gifts would somehow threaten his destiny to rule Animar. I could only gather now that, with our latest discovery about your son, Fatalis believes this unique boy to be Thane.”

  Avryn rubbed his beard and then shook his head. “So this is why he sent you?”

  “I believe so. I thought it was just to strike a blow to you - that is all he told me. I had no idea that Thane had magical abilities. I’m not sure what Fatalis knows but he definitely believes that your son poses a threat to him and he intends to form the biggest army the land has ever seen and destroy this place and everyone in it. He will stop at nothing to kill anyone who stands in the way of his rule.”

  “Alright,” Avryn said. “Tomorrow morning I will call a meeting of the Council and I want you there. They need to hear some of this from you as well. We need to convince them that we have to act now.”

  “This mystic you mentioned,” Trussil said. “Do you know what kind of animal it is?”

  Mordigal raised an eyebrow, surprised by her question. “No. Rumor was that it was something different, of another realm maybe but I really don’t know more about it.” He then turned to Avryn, “I will do what I can to help.”

  “Sorry,” Trussil interrupted, “but this oracle has only been around for less than a year I take it?”

  Mordigal gave her a curious look. “That’s about right. Why are you so interested in him?”

  “Something about the timing is rather familiar,” Trussil replied. “I will have to think on it.”

  Catching them by surprise, a small glowing white sphere then appeared hovering in the center of the room. Trussil spotted it and motioned to the men who turned their attention to it as well.

  The door to Thane’s bedroom opened and Felia ran out. “He vanished!”

  Trussil directed her to the glowing orb that had started growing in size. Felia then shook her head, disappointed. Then, without sound or alarm, Thane popped into sight before them. To Trussil’s surprise there had been no blinding light this time.

  Thane looked at his father sheepishly and said, “Sorry, I guess I wondered what you were talking about and somehow, well, you know…”

  Avryn shook his head and pointed to his door. “Go back to your room,” he commanded. “Oh and this time just—” It was too late, the boy had vanished. “—walk.”

  Avryn and Trussil looked at one another when they heard Alia shriek with delight in Thane’s room. Obviously Thane had reappeared.

  “He will need a lot of training,” Trussil said.

  Mordigal nodded. “That could be incredibly beneficial in combat, if he can harness it.”

  “Combat?” Felia questioned. “Forget it.”

  “I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Avryn argued. “If this madman Fatalis is after him who knows what beasts he will send next.” He then turned to Mordigal and added, “No offense.”

  Mordigal grinned. “None taken.”

  Avryn then continued, “Any way, we will have to pull him out of school a bit early. He needs to start training with Urso right away.”

  Felia began to speak but held her tongue.

  Aware of the tension, Mordigal put an arm around Trussil. “Well, I suppose we should try and get some sleep. Tomorrow should be quite a day.”

  Mordigal then reached out his hand to Avryn. Trussil noticed her husband flinch a bit, as if he had acted out of habit, not necessarily intent. He was an outsider to these people and to many he was still a cold-blooded killer. She waited anxiou
sly for a reply from Avryn but then, after a slight hesitation, he smiled and grasped Mordigal’s hand and they shook. Trussil was relieved.

  Mordigal opened the door and was struck by a strong gust of cold air along with a few flakes of snow.

  Trussil looked to Thane’s room. “Alia!” she yelled.

  The door to the bedroom opened and the girl poked her head out. “Yes?”

  “Come on, we are taking you home.”

  A frown appeared on the girl’s face. She looked over her shoulder into Thane’s room then returned her attention to Trussil. She decided not to argue. With a sigh, Alia pulled the blanket around her shoulders tighter then joined Mordigal and Trussil as they left the house.

  Avryn closed the door and walked back to Thane’s room where he and his mother were waiting. Thane was sitting on the floor with his back pressed into a corner of the room and Felia was sitting on the bed, her hands clasped around a small lantern that held a burning candle. Avryn walked over and sat down beside her on the bed.

  “Well, I suppose this explains a few things, but you sir…you are not off the hook for wandering off again,” Avryn stated.

  Thane looked up at his father but knew better than to reply.

  “Obviously this is a strange time for you. It is for all of us. We need to try not to make something too big out of this, you are just like your mother and I in that you have horns, well a horn - it just developed later in life.” Avryn paused a moment, then continued, “You know the village will be in an uproar tomorrow. I don’t know about Alia, but the other Hoppensey children will tell everyone what they saw. I’m pulling you out of school, it’s almost time any way, but you need to start training and working on your latest abilities.”

  Thane eyes bolted to life.

  Avryn’s face remained solemn while he carefully pondered his words. He then said, “Mordigal was sent here by an evil man - a carnivore - who wants to destroy our village. There is reason now to believe that he might be after you. I don’t want to alarm either one of you, but I need you to know how important it is that you develop your fighting skills. He is likely sending more trouble this way and we need to be ready.”

  “After me?” Thane asked. “Why? What if we…what if I…go away? Will he leave the village alone?”

  Avryn smiled at his and shook his head. “No. That is noble of you but this man would destroy this place either way. Our only hope is to get help and fight them off here. We don’t have the numbers to fight a war. The council voted down my request to send for help once before, but I think now, with what has happened tonight, perhaps they will at last see how dire our situation really is.”

  They sat in silence for a few moments. In a matter of a few hours, everything had changed. None of them knew what the future would hold.

  “So I wonder if this explains the headaches, the horn I mean?” Felia asked.

  “I hope so,” Avryn replied. “It would make sense.” He peered inquisitively at Thane and asked, “So do you have any more tricks we should know about?”

  “I don’t know,” his son replied. “I’m not even sure how this one works, well, not completely. I will work on it.”

  Avryn stared at Thane and sharpened his tone. “Listen, now this is important. I don’t want you abusing your power. I don’t want you popping, or whatever it is you do, from place to place unless you are training or working on developing your ability, ok? I need your word on this. Now is a critical time for you. And no more disappearing at night and worrying us to death. You are old enough to know better. Harness your strengths and become a man or you will struggle to find your place in the world. The choice is yours.”

  Felia shifted a bit. “We don’t want to overwhelm you Thane, it’s just you wont be in school now and this is a big change. We will do everything we can to help and we can talk about it any time – please know that.”

  Thane signed. “I know, I know and I’m sorry. I really don’t know why I left tonight. It just felt like something I needed to do. Alia probably thinks I am crazy. Any way, just tell me where to go tomorrow.”

  Felia stood up to leave. “I doubt she thinks you’re crazy silly boy. You have a lot to learn about women.” She smiled and added, “You got that from your father.”

  Chapter 18

  Vulpo Whiptail was a fox. Quite literally, he was a canine of the red fox variety. The oldest of his kind under Fatalis’ rule, he was a leader of sorts, although it was not a role he cherished. As a human he was a small, thin man with a pointed face, long nose and a mound of reddish hair than had begun to turn grey sitting atop his head. Although by no means decrepit, he was ready to put his hunting days behind him. Unfortunately, being the obedient follower that he at least attempted to be, that was not his decision.

  Apart from his duties as a leader, Vulpo was also a rather skilled metal-worker. This was a rare profession on Animar, likely due to the dread that many felt toward the material that could prevent transformation between man and beast. This, however, was not a concern of Vulpo’s. Metal was a fascination. Gold, copper, iron or silver - given the proper flame and tools, he could bend and shape metal as if he were a magician, and some even thought he was. Although reasonably honest, he was not about to dispel that myth, lest his value diminish with the legend.

  His most precious creation to date had been a golden goblet that he had created for Fatalis long ago when he had been ‘welcomed’ into the legions of his new master. Putting his talents to the test, he had toiled over fire for days turning and carving, pounding and crafting until he at long last had presented it to Fatalis as a gift. It was well received and, at least to its maker, the goblet was a symbol of their kinship.

  Vulpo was thus terribly disappointed as he watched his finest creation tumble through the air. With a heart filled with sadness, time slowed to a crawl as he watched the magnificent cup arc high above and then begin its decent, spewing forth an unknown reddish liquid onto the cavern floor. If there was any consolation to the travesty that he witnessed was that the beloved treasure struck Critias, a vulture scout who had just returned and given his report, squarely in the head.

  The wiry man stumbled backwards clutching his scalp as the cup landed on the cave floor with a loud clank. In his fright, the victim of the tossed relic nearly stumbled into one of the torches that lined the walls of the chamber. For a brief moment Vulpo’s heart leapt; he was excited at the possibility of determining the flammability of a vulture. Alas, he was disappointed by the near miss.

  Apart from Vulpo and the two guards flanking either side of Fatalis, there were five other men in the room with Critias. Their faces were concealed in darkness as they stood along the outer perimeter of the room, tucked away from the light and wisely away from their leader’s rage. Like Vulpo, they had recently been named generals of a newly formed army and they were anxious to prove their worth.

  With characteristic fury, Fatalis smashed his hands on the armrests of his throne. His muscles flexed and his deep voice echoed around the room. “You are gone for nearly two weeks and you expect me to believe this rubbish? I should skin you and feed you to the dogs!”

  The scout sank to his knees and pleaded with hissed words that sounded more serpent-like than those made by a man. “Please Master, I beg you. I speak the truth. The wolves are dead, they failed.”

  Fatalis looked to his right, in the direction of one of the figures standing in the darkness. He paused, and then returned his glare to Critias. “Go back to Mordigal...tell me exactly what you saw.”

  “An alarm had been sounded and the village was in an uproar. People were running everywhere. Then I spotted Mordigal and he was being chased. I followed him and then all of the sudden he jumped through a window and when I landed I saw him kill Ellyn. Drove a dagger through her neck did he – to save some village woman and then…then he kissed her! A group of men came in and saw them embrace but just stood there. They did not attack him, just watched! He must have been in allegiance with them, clearly so. I was fortunate to
get away before they spotted me. Very fortunate!”

  Fatalis leaned forward in his throne. His icy stare pierced Critias like a sharpened blade. “So tell me, fine scout, what of the others? Could you not help any of them escape?”

  “Oh no it was too late. It was a trap! I waited and waited outside the village but nobody made it out. Perhaps they were part of his scheme? Yes – that has to be it! Well, all but Ellyn of course, surely not her.” The scout lowered his head in reverence, an obvious touch of dramatic flair to emphasize his closing point. “Clearly the wolves are not as loyal as I master.”

  In his years, Vulpo had rarely experienced a sensation quite like this. The mere thought of an urge to both vomit and laugh was something he had yet endured and as such he was forced to cover the smile that had formed on his lips with his hand. Unquestionably, however, he was anxious to see what would happen next.

  Fatalis peered inquisitively at a dark figure to his right and beckoned the man forward with a wave of his hand. Slowly, he emerged from the blackness and walked toward the center of the room where his face became illuminated by the crackling torchlight and the scar upon his left cheek quickly revealed his identity.

  Critias turned and looked into the eyes of Ash, brother of Mordigal and one of the last survivors of his pack. The kneeling scout stared in shock, obviously surprised that the wolf had survived. He had fled for his life, leaving the others to whatever fate had befallen them, somehow even arriving back after the wolves who traveled by ground.

  The look of astonishment was obvious on his face. He then quickly stood up and walked towards the assassin. “Master Ash! How splendid! I thought you were lost with the others! I looked for you, I-“

  With an astonishingly quick and highly unexpected motion, Ash replied. Critias fell to his knees as he grasped for air while his hands clutched at his throat in a feeble attempt to hold back the flow of blood.

  Expressionless, Ash wiped the bloodied blade on his leg and then sheathed the once-again glistening dagger. He stood over Critias as the fallen scout struggled desperately to hold onto life. Silently, Ash waited until the final breath had dwindled forth from his victim and, serving as confirmation that his task had been completed, the fallen man morphed into a vulture, wings crumpled at its sides.