by Unknown
"They are heavily armored on the back and belly and their tails have stingers," Pontos said.
Pontos was their weapons specialist. Even though he was smaller than many of the others, his ability to assess the opponent's weakness was a huge asset.
"How many soldiers will it take?" Azrak asked.
"All of them, sir. We are severely outnumbered," he replied.
Azrak closed his eyes for a moment. He knew his men would fight to the death for the king, but this time none of them knew what they were up against. It didn't seem fair, and all for some orb that the king wanted.
"Let's get this over with as soon as possible. I don't want to waste any time," Azrak said. "Ralti and I will assemble a team to extract the vessel while, Brigdon, you and Helios plan for a distraction. We need to draw them out and keep them busy while we get in and get out."
"Yes Sir," Brigdon and Helios said, bringing their fists to their chests with a thud. They spun on their heels in unison and left.
"Azrak, are you willing to die for this?" Ralti asked. He knew it was inappropriate, but Azrak had always reassured him that if he felt the need to say something he had better.
"I am," Azrak simply said.
Helios worked his way quickly back to his camp, stopped at his satchel, reached in and took out the mushroom. He spun the trumpet-like fungus in his paw while admiring its furry yellow-orange center. It was two of his paws tall and about one paw wide at the top. He took out his knife and slipped it down the outside rubbery surface, letting out thick clear goo.
Helios was instantly attracted to its sweet aroma. Helios remembered one professor explain the hallucinogenic natures of different fungus's that grew in their natural surroundings. He decided it would be wise to put small pieces of cloth in his nostrils.
"Helios, Jaxton and I were just thinking," Pontos said, walking up behind him.
Helios jumped and spun around.
"Here, you must put these in your nose," Helios said. Pontos burst into a rumbling laughter at the sight of his comrade with cloth shoved up his nostrils. "You will want to put these in your nose. Trust me."
"Ok, ok," Pontos said through laughs. He took the cloth and stuffed it in his nose. "Like this?"
This time Helios grinned. He cleared his throat and sliced off a small piece at the bottom of the mushroom.
"Where did you find whatever-this-is?" Pontos asked.
"I found this mushroom near the Selket's lair and I have never seen one before. I brought one back to study it," Helios said.
"And, have you found anything?" Pontos asked, still trying to keep his amusement at bay.
"Ah, now that's interesting?" Helios said.
The tubular tunnel came to a point at the bottom. Small fibrous gills encompassed the inside. He ran his talon over them which caused them to sway back and forth.
"What?" Pontos asked, stepping in closer to take a peak for himself.
"Do you see the gills? They sway back and forth when I brush against them," Helios said.
"What does that mean?" Pontos asked.
"I don't know, but I have never seen one do this," Helios said.
"Do you study these often?" Pontos asked.
"I have studied all that are known to us in our lands," Helios said, taking the slice and cutting it into smaller pieces.
He grabbed a cup and poured a small amount of water from his water bag, put the piece in the cup, and waited. Pontos too, crept closer trying to get a glimpse inside the cup.
"Is it doing anything?" Pontos asked.
"Not yet," Helios said and took another piece and smashed it against a flat rock.
The goo oozed out and as it mixed with the outer shell, turned a greenish color and started to glow.
"Oh my! It's changing colors!" exclaimed Pontos.
"It would seem that the two chemicals, when mixed, create a sulphuric reaction, causing it to illuminate," Helios said. He scooped the mush onto his knife and lifted it eye level.
"That's amazing," Pontos said. "I had no idea this stuff was so interesting."
Helios gave a small grin.
"What in the –" Jaxton asked, making the two jump.
They were staring at the glowing ooze like a couple of children. Jaxton burst into laughter when they turned toward him with the small pieces of cloth sticking out of their noses. Pontos was about to respond with his new found knowledge, but a loud bang startled them all.
The three jumped and searched their surroundings, their ears twitching back and forth. A highly seasoned soldier knocked over a pail that had been sitting on a low flat stone near a fire. He leapt across the ground and swung his arms as though he was trying to catch something in the air.
"Here little butterfly, come here. I won't hurt you," he said.
Another soldier was sitting on the ground bathing in dirt. He flipped it up and tried to catch it with his head. Another was lying on his back talking about how wonderful the water was.
Jaxton turned to Helios and said, "They've gone mad!"
A glint of a blade flashed before Helios's eye. He ducked in time to avoid an attack.
"Blast it all," Jaxton growled, pulling his blade. The soldier stepped back and reset his position.
"Rotag, what are you doing?" Pontos asked.
"Look out," Helios said and stepped to the side, elbowing another soldier in the face to prevent him from striking Jaxton.
"Stop, everyone stop!" Jaxton yelled.
A soldier stumbled around as though he couldn't see, and one more flew in a circle chasing his tail. Before they knew it, there were three more soldiers all forming a circle around them.
"What is going on Helios?" Pontos asked.
His voice stuffy from the cloth in his nose, Helios shook his head and took a step back. He knocked over the cup that had the piece dissolving in water.
"The mushroom... It has to be," he said. There was only a puddle of water, it had dissolved. “It must have emitted a fume, causing hallucinogenic side effects."
"Hallucinations?" Jaxton said, blocking another blow. "So what do we do now?"
"We'll have to keep them occupied until it wears off and hope that no one gets hurt," Helios said.
"How long will that be?" Pontos asked.
"I have no idea. I guess we'll find out," Helios said, he blocked his swing and shoved him over.
"They're not very good are they?" Pontos asked, "If they fought like this in battle we would be dead already." He tripped a soldier and disarmed him.
"That's the thing with hallucinations," Helios said. He ducked, letting a tankard sale over him, pegging the soldier behind him square between the eyes. "It changes the way reality is experienced in the brain."
"Shut up, Helios," Jaxton said.
Helios was about to yell at him, when Pontos interrupted and asked, "Do you think the scorpions would be affected by this? After all we are severely outnumbered."
Helios thought a moment and said, "If I remember correctly another creature similar to the scorpions are susceptible to hallucinogenic properties. Perhaps the scorpions will be too. We don't need to kill them all, just keep them busy."
"We need to get more of these mushrooms," Jaxton said.
Jaxton, Pontos and Brigdon went mushroom hunting. Helios stayed and observed the soldiers for over an hour. One by one the soldiers stumbled around blankly. They only had a faint recollection, as though it had been a dream.
Helios immediately started asking question about how it felt and what they experienced, taking as many notes as possible as fast as he could.
At one point, the soldier that had been chasing butterflies broke down into tears with the realization that the little creatures might have been in danger.
CHAPTER NINE
Velsharoon Witch
The aroma of cooking sausage wafted in and out of his nose. He sat up and feeling his headache was gone, he dressed and went downstairs.
"Oh, good, you’re awake. How do you feel?" Mrs. Bailey said, waving her arms
around with a spatula in one hand.
"Much better, thank you, I'm sorry to be an inconvenience." he said with a smirk.
He shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Never you mind, it's my pleasure. But I must ask, how often to do you get these headaches?"
Shaz shrugged and leaned against the door way, "Every so often."
Why is everyone so worried about my headaches, he thought.
"Do they come on after something happens?" she asked slipping the cooked sausage onto a plate and setting it on the table next to him.
"I don't know, never thought about it." He said.
"Sit and eat." she commanded kindly.
Shaz sat down in the little chair, and tried to find a place that was comfortable for his long legs. He chuckled at the thought that Riddick would never fit in this chair. Mrs. Bailey set the table with a large plate of griddle cakes, butter, syrup and juice.
"Help yourself and don't be shy. I made tons and I don't do left overs." She said, rummaging in a cupboard.
Shaz made himself a plate and finished everything. He even added a second helping and polished that off too. He sat back in his chair and patted his belly.
"So what are your plans today?"
Mrs. Bailey cleared some of the dishes and filled the wash basin with water.
"I need to go to the forest. I have some things to take care of."
"Alright, I will see you later." She mumbled from behind a pantry door.
Shaz hesitated for a moment and asked, "Is Serin going to be here today?"
"No she has the day to herself. Why dear?" She asked.
"Oh, nothing, I think I fell asleep on her talking and I wanted to tell her I was sorry."
Mrs. Bailey peeked from behind the door, eyed him, and said "I'm sure it's alright."
He couldn't see the grin on her face. She didn't want to be obvious, but she wanted the two of them to get to know each other well.
"Thanks, well, I'll be back later" he said and went upstairs, put on his sword, and grabbed his pack.
****************************************
"Closed." he said as he reached for the door of the weapons shop.
Shaz growled under his breath and leaned against the cold stone wall to wait until they opened. After about an hour, the shop keeper switched the sign on the door. Unlatched the bolt and pulled back the curtains, from the little window in the center of the heavy wood door.
"Hello, what can I do for you today?" A jolly man said from behind a counter.
Shaz spotted the bows and arrows.
"I would like to buy a set please." he said.
"Ah yes, how about this one here?" The tall bald man said.
He reached up and pulled a bow off the hooks and handed it to Shaz. He held it out straight and lined up his wrist, so the bow was straight, but that his forearm was out of the way of the string. He grabbed the string and pulled it back tightly.
"Ah, I see you know your bow." the shop keeper said.
He looked around for another for him to try.
"Yes, this one feels a little-"
"Small." he interrupted.
He could see that Shaz couldn't get his elbow bent tight enough when the string was pulled back.
"Yeah"
He set the bow on the counter. The man pulled another off the wall and gave him the bow.
"Try this one."
Shaz again set up and pulled back the string. He let loose and pulled back a few times but shook his head. Several bows later the shopkeeper thought for a moment.
"Still not right, hang on. I think I have just the right one."
The shop keeper slipped through the curtain that covered the back room. Shaz heard the man rummaging around. He came back through the curtain. In his hands was a light tan bow, a little larger than the medium length bow. He'd never seen anything like it on the island. Shaz took the bow and held it up, pulled the string back and forth a few times. It was perfect. He turned the weapon over taking in all the fine carved details.
"This bow’s been in my shop for many years, I've never been able to sell it. Seems it likes you."
Shaz felt an interesting sensation. There was more like, a voice inside his mind that said ‘Remember me?’
"Who sold this to you?"
"An old dark fella. I remember because he kept his hood over most of his face the whole time. Creepy kinda guy, though he didn't ask for much."
"I'll take it. And the rest of the gear too."
"You bet."
"Since this bow’s been here for so long and I didn't pay much I will give it all to you for fifteen pence." he said.
"Sounds great." Shaz said.
After strapping on his new bow, Shaz noticed there were fewer canals toward the center of the city. The people here wore fine woven tunics in bright colors and trousers, with buckles around the knees. Women wore brightly colored full skirts, that swooshed as they moved, and lacy tops that covered their necks and wrists. Shaz was not used to the busyness of big city life. He felt awkward wearing his light colored traveling tunic, his bow and arrow on his back, a sword at his hip and traveling boots that clunked on the cobble stone streets.
He wandered into a large square where merchants sold their goods. He stopped and looked at different trinkets, pots, and clothes. A booth on the other side of the square caught his attention. The closer he came to the booth, the stronger a pit in his stomach grew, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood out. A voice seemed to scream at him, but his curiosity overpowered it.
A small glass orb hung at eye level. The reflection of his deep blue eyes captivated his attention. The lurching feeling rose again. A small woman stood behind the table. For a split second he felt almost a panic, but then saw she was just a small old woman. I’m sure this little woman couldn’t do any harm. He thought.
“Something you like?” asked the little old woman pointing to the glass orb.
Her small beady brown eyes scrutinized his.
“I guess.”
“What does it say to you?”
“Say?”
“Yes, what does it speak to you?” her voice raspy but elegant.
“Umm.”
“Look again.” She said.
She touched the glass with a crooked finger. A small spark came from her finger and the orb. Curiosity forced his eyes to peer once again into the orb.
“Many you will save, many you will kill, hope is not lost.” echoed in his mind.
Shaz jumped back and stared at the little woman. His pupils grew large as he contemplated what had just happened. A smile formed at the corners of her lips. Her long brown dress, brushed along the ground. It might have fit her once in her younger years, however, time had wreaked havoc on her tiny frame. Shaz ran his fingers through his hair and brushed it out of his face.
The woman scurried into the tent then came back, her hand in a tight fist almost made her tanned skin white. Shaz extended his hand as she dropped a small object into his palm. The pain raced to his brain telling him to drop it, but his hand was paralyzed. The harder he tried the worse it became. Shaz closed his eyes and tried to filter the pain by focusing on anything happy. The first thing that popped in his mind was Serin, her voice. A small smile crested and the pain ceased. He opened his eyes to see the small framed woman standing in front of him. A huge grin now covered her face, her eyes nearly buried by the sagging skin wrinkled by her smile.
“What is this all about?” asked Shaz.
“You are the one!” she exclaimed.
“No, I am-“
“Shazmpt” she said.
She grabbed his elbow and directed him into her booth.
“I must give you something.”
Shaz still held the small silver medallion.
“What is this? Who are you?” Shaz asked
“The medallion of the black wyvern.”
“The what?”
“The black wyvern is the most powerful creature on this planet. Even in the cosmos, well
, except you. Most people do not remember the time of magic. It has been centuries since one has come as noble as he.” a tiny glint in her eye flashed before his.
“I am sorry I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Although he did, he just wanted to test her and see what she knew and was willing to tell him. A trick he had learned from Grandfather.
“Hush, you are stronger than you think. Now tell me, what did you think of when you soothed the medallion?”
“Soothe?”
“Yes, what did you think about that made the pain stop and tamed the medallion?”
Shaz’s mind again selected Serin.
“See there it is again” the old woman said staring up at him. He was twice her height but her spirit was bigger than he was.
“Her name is Serin.”
The woman gasped and took a step back. She bumped into a small table filled with jars and bottles of different colored liquids.
“Serin of Lockwood you say”
She covered her mouth then opened a small wooden chest. It had intricately carved patterns and symbols. It was fastened with a steel clip and hook and sealed with some kind of magic. Shaz, for the first time, saw different colors and hues surrounding things. He understood it to mean they have some magical elements to them.
“Do you know her?” He asked.
“Not exactly, ummmm…yes…hummm…it’s gotta be in here somewhere?” she muttered.
He hadn’t said Serin’s surname. In fact he didn’t even know it. Alarm bells sounded in his ears once more but he couldn’t leave just yet. A feeling in his chest was telling him to stay.
“Ah yes, here it is,” spinning on her toe she thrust a small gold medallion in his other hand.
Dreading the same effects of the last, Shaz flinched back a bit. Instead, a cool sensation rippled through his body. It reminded him of the cool earth and warm spring breeze on the island. A soft blue and green hint of color formed around his fist. A crooked smile crept from the corners of the old woman’s mouth. Shaz stood back. It seemed that the pleasant little woman was about to morph into a nasty creature.
“Now put them together” she pointed to the two pieces.
The pieces nearly leapt out of his hands and joined together with a snap, pop and slight sizzle. A braided rope formed around the wyvern creature in the middle. The little medallion fell into his hand. She reached for it but he was faster. The old woman crept close. Her eyes wide while her scraggly old brows cinched tightly. The tingle of magic became stronger. He backed out of the booth carefully placing his feet around the pots and jars of jellies and powders. He reached for his sword gripping firmly around the hilt.