Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal

by Peter Wilson

  “I need to know why…”

  “You don’t want to die finding out why. Let’s return to the Manor. We will talk to your Grandmother and find a way to contact Maddox from a distance.”

  Jack wiped his nose with his sleeve as it had started run. He didn’t reply to Anthrow but nodded slightly in agreement.

  “We need to throw the stone in the lake,” he said after a time. “How are we going to get past those thugs over there.”

  “With this,” said Anthrow as he tugged on the necklace that allowed him to move with great speed. “It looks like dawn isn’t far away, so we’ll need to move quickly if we’re going to have the cover of darkness to our advantage. I’ve been looking for a good spot by the edge of the river where they hopefully won’t spot us. See that tree?”

  Jack peered over to where Anthrow pointed. An old tree stood by the rivers edge, its roots exposed and its ashen branches sagging. There were plenty of places to conceal themselves if they could reach it unseen.

  He looked back at Anthrow and nodded.

  Anthrow smiled back at him and grabbed him by the arm saying “This can feel weird the first time you do it.”

  “What do you mean by…”

  Jack didn’t have time to finish his sentence as he was pulled at incredible speed out from the bushes and straight for the lake.

  Anthrow was keeping wide berth of the nearby fire but even if they had run straight through the group of men, he doubted they would have been seen. Everything was a blur of colours and light, impossible to make out any landmarks or objects.

  In what seemed like a second they had arrived at the tree and were securely hidden from the group.

  Jack’s head spun as it adjusted back to normal speed. “That feel horrible,” he said once he taken a moment.

  “You get used to it. Have you got the stone? I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.”

  “Yeah,” Jack replied as he pulled it from his pouch.

  “Quickly, throw it in.”

  Jack pulled his arm back and threw the still covered stone in the lake. It was a good throw and travelled far before making a small splash in still water beyond.

  He paused and watched the water for something to happen. Was that it? Did it work?

  CRACK!

  A lightning bolt split the night. Jack could have sworn it originated from the lake, pushing itself up into the sky.

  Voices started to carry over the lake as groups of Theorden’s men called out to each other in alarm.

  “Oh dear,” said Anthrow.

  In the distance a horn blew, calling the men to action.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Quick Exit

  CRACK!

  Another lightning bolt flew up from the lake. Then there were dozens of them, all flying wildly into the sky.

  Jack turned to the group of men closest to them and saw they stood and were making their way to the edge of the lake. As he gazed around he saw silhouettes against all the other fires as well.

  “Well I don’t know if it’s killing the Horde in your garden, but it certainly doesn’t like being in the lake!”

  Jack nodded in agreement, struggling to hear Anthrow over the cracks of thunder.

  Soon the bolts of lightning were becoming less frequent, occasional sparks spitting out as if the stone were taking its final breaths until finally, one large crack fired off, signalling that it was over.

  “Over there!” Jack heard someone yell, and he swung in the direction it had come from to see a large person pointing in his direction. The men behind him fell in as they started to run towards them.

  “Hold on!” Anthrow said as he grabbed Jack and took off once again at lightning speed. Light blurred all around them as they fled the lake.

  Suddenly they were thrust forward as they hit the illusion barrier of Diamond Lake as it cancelled out the magic of Anthrow’s necklace.

  Jacks head spun as he moved from a great speed to slow motion, before breaking through and landing in a heap on the red dusty sand of the first knot.

  He looked back and saw that the lake had once again disappeared, hidden by magic.

  “Hurry, let’s move!” said Anthrow as he stood up and grabbed Jack again and made to take off.

  Nothing happened.

  “It’s run out!” said Anthrow. “Come on.” He let go of Jack and started running towards the portal. “It isn’t far!”

  Jack stood and rushed after him. As they ran he looked back at the barrier. The men hadn’t come through yet, but he assumed it was but a matter of time.

  “There it is, right on the other side of that rock.”

  “I see it,” replied Jack as he pushed himself to run faster.

  They reached it just as the yells of Theordens’ men could be heard in the distance.

  “Don’t move!” a deep reptilian hiss commanded them.

  The Shadow Man stood before the portal, his featureless face following their movements as they came to a stop before him.

  He stood alone, without the Horde at his feet. His human frame was a swirl of angry black mist, with twisting tendrils of black smoke rising from him. He stood, but his feet seemed to barely touch the ground, as if he was weightless.

  “Give me the book, Gregson,” he hissed at them.

  Theorden’s men had caught up and were surrounding them, closing off any chance of escape. They looked angry, and Jack was sure that they didn’t intend on letting him escape again.

  “Anthrow?” Jack whispered.

  “Maddox!” Anthrow said as he gave Jack a wink and look of reassurance that wasn’t very convincing, “You’re looking…thinner than I remember.”

  Great plan, though Jack. Stupid compliments. He watched the Shadow Man for any reaction to being called Maddox. Could this really be his father?

  When the Shadow Man didn’t respond, Anthrow continued “I see you found Theorden without my help in the end. How is that working out for you?”

  “You!” The Shadow Man hissed. “Yes I remember. Helping my family once more I see. Are you working for my wretched mother or is this puny child pulling your strings like that of a pathetic puppet. Tell me boy,” he said turning to Jack, “which one of my siblings do you spawn from, to steal from me the mantle of heir to Gregson Manor?”

  Jack paused. Maddox didn’t know who he was! Part of him was relieved. His father wanted him dead, but not because he was his son.

  The rest of him was revolted. How could this monster be his father? He suddenly didn’t want this Shadow Man to know who he was.

  “Tell me now child. Theorden wants you alive for now, but he didn’t say in what condition. Do I have to make you bleed to find out what I want to know?”

  “I’d have to know who you are to answer that question. Maddox? I’ve heard of no Gregson by that name,” said Jack. “Perhaps you were taken off the role call.”

  The Shadow Man seethed in anger, “Everybody will know my name! Theorden will crush your world, with me at his side. You will learn to speak to me with respect. If you manage to live that long, young Gregson.”

  “Until then, perhaps we should move this along,” said Anthrow. “If I’m to die today, I’d rather not have to listen to speeches from an egotistical gaseous fart such as yourself. I’m sure Theorden will have plenty of nonsense to ‘enlighten’ us with when we meet him too.”

  “What are you doing,” whispered Jack. “Try not to piss him off too much!”

  “I’m nervous! This is why I try to avoid situations like this!”

  Maddox laughed deeply, “Like children in a game. Come then, let us go. You’ll soon learn we’re not playing.”

  He turned away, saying, “Bring them! And bring me the book. We have some catching up to do. I want to know what’s so important about my old friend.”

  Large hands wrapped around Jacks shoulders as he and Anthrow were pushed towards the portal.

  Jack’s eyes widened as Maddox body started to drift apart, losing its human form to bec
ome a long tendril of smoke.

  A man about three feet in height with green skin and wearing a comically formal brown suit appeared from the shadows of the rock. He held a large red orb up in the air, the smoke that had been Maddox floated into it.

  Once he had disappeared into the vessel completely, the small man turned and ran through the portal.

  So that’s how he’s able to travel between worlds, Jack thought. It also explained why he hadn’t chased them the first time they’d met in the Grotto. He needed someone to help him. Just like the Horde, he didn’t carry enough weight to travel through the portals.

  “Your turn,” the man behind Jack said gruffly as he pushed him into the passageway. The portal grabbed him and once again he was thrust through darkness, floating back towards the Grotto.

  ***

  Jack sat, his hands and feet bound. He watched Maddox from afar as he stood surrounded by the black mist. His eyes were closed, and Jack guessed that he was communicating with someone through the Horde.

  “Any ideas?” asked Anthrow. He too was tied up and watching Maddox.

  The minute they’d arrived back at the Grotto, they’d been bound and searched. From Anthrow they had taken the box of rings Vonsant had given him and his charm of speed. He had pleaded to keep it, which had resulted in cruel laughter as they snapped the chain from his neck.

  Jack had managed to take the ring off his finger and hide it in his back pocket while this happened, so when it was his turn to be searched they only took the book, and the black ring that hung from his neck.

  “No ideas, Anthrow,” said Jack. “We’re tied up and surrounded. I can’t see any way out of this…yet.”

  Theorden’s men were seated nearby, keeping a careful gaze on the two of them as they awaited orders from Maddox.

  They were also at least fifty metres away from the closest pathway that could lead them to a portal and freedom. With the amount of men surrounding them, there was no way they could make it.

  Jack looked over and watched the Horde. Two animals had risen from the mist and were fighting. One was a wolf and the other was a deer or antelope. Beyond that he could hear the thousands of voices within the mist. Lives taken. Lost and talking at once.

  There was something else, he thought. A magic hum that was always there, but hidden, unless one concentrated on it. It was similar to the magic of the black ring that had been taken from him.

  He tried to match the tone of it, much like he had done with the ring when they’d last turned to mist. Once he thought he had it, he pulled the hum into himself and tried to conjure the magic that would turn them to mist.

  It’s working! He thought as he saw his hand slowly turn black.

  Maddox had finished his conversation and was returning towards them. His featureless face was impossible to read, but Jack thought he seemed agitated as he glided towards them.

  He quickly pulled back from the hum of the Horde and his hand returned to normal.

  “It appears your earlier companions have managed to delay the armies move into Earth by sealing the portal,” he said angrily. “I told him using Alice was a stupid idea. She would have spilled everything once my mother confronted her.”

  Yes! Thought Jack. David and Rosie had done it! They’d managed to get home and recover the blue emerald.

  “Don’t think we are beaten yet. Bring me the book!” he said.

  The small green man rushed over with the book and held it up. Not only was Maddox not able to travel through portals, he was unable to carry anything. Jack wondered why he chose to be in smoke form. It had some benefits, but being like that all the time? How did he eat?

  “This book knows the location of something called the Forgotten Portal. It’s rumoured to be on Coran, and can take you anywhere in the Universe…but I believe you know all this. Don’t you, Gregson.”

  Jack stared at Maddox but didn’t respond. He wouldn’t tell him anything.

  “How else could you have reached Diamond Lake? We’ve had that portal guarded for weeks. You will take me to this Forgotten Portal so that we can create a new one to Earth. I will then remove the enchantment on the portal in the Western Gardens so that Theorden can bring his army through.

  “Why would I help you to do that?” asked Jack. “You’re just as mad and evil as Theorden. Find the Forgotten Portal yourself!”

  “You know I cannot, heir to Gregson Manor.” He replied in a condescending voice. “We both know how the book works. It will only reveal the location of the portal to you. As for why you would help me? Theorden said I could not kill you, but he said nothing of this one.”

  The Horde approached from behind Maddox, two large wolves morphing out of the mist. They walked towards Anthrow snarling and began to circle him.

  “You will take me to the Forgotten Portal or your friend here will die.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chaos Reins

  “Get up!” said Maddox.

  Jack had fallen down on one knee, exhausted from the pace they were being forced to walk.

  They were back on Coran, leading Maddox, the Horde and Theorden’s men to the Forgotten Portal. Once Maddox had threatened Anthrow’s life, Jack knew he had to take him there.

  Anthrow had told him to refuse to help, not to worry about his fate.

  Jack couldn’t do it. Even if it meant Theorden overtook Earth, he could never forgive himself if someone was harmed because of a decision he made.

  Jack slowly stood back up and resumed his walk. He was leading everyone around the mountain, as there was nowhere on this side of it that men could safely climb to the peak.

  He actually had no idea if there were places to climb on the other side of the mountain either, but the book had refused to give him a route to take, so he had lied to Maddox and convinced him that this was the way to the portal.

  “Jack, you can’t lead these people to the portal,” said Anthrow who was walking beside him. “You would be dooming everyone everywhere to Theordon’s rule.”

  “What other choice do I have? He threatened to kill you,” replied Jack.

  “A small price to pay! And that’s coming from me that has no interested in being dead.”

  “We’re not giving up.”

  Jack continued the walk around the mountain, looking for an opportunity to escape to present itself.

  ***

  Jarl arrived to Coran with a pop and a shower of gold dust.

  She had been searching for the young man and his friends ever since she had refilled her pouch with magic dust. It was getting very boring.

  She had returned to the little shop on Bowlandose to find the one eyed men still having fun with the changes she had made to their bodies, but the young man and the rest of his companions that had been lying under the tables were gone!

  Perhaps they had gone in search of her, she thought. Silly people! She was much better at finding things. He had been leaving signs everywhere he went, signs only a pixie such as her could see, and she felt that she was close to catching up with him. I’m coming young man!

  What was this? More of those one eyed men! They had other friends with them, and that weird black mist she’d seen more and more recently.

  There he is, she cried in joy to herself as she saw the young man leading the group. He had found more people who wanted to play and he was looking for her!

  She reached into her pouch with both hands and grabbed two handfuls of dust. This was going to be fun!

  ***

  “Oh crap, we have to get out of here!” said Jack to Anthrow as the chaos pixie flew past him. Was it the same one as before? It was too small to tell.

  “Well if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear it!” said Anthrow as he held up his tied hands to Jack.

  Suddenly there were screams from behind them, as one of the men morphed into a massive snake like creature. It was at least ten metres tall, and Jack watched the change in its eyes as its comrades turned from friends to food. It grabbed one of them and ate him whol
e.

  “Again, if you have any ideas!”

  Theorden’s men were in disarray, running in all directions as the pixie threw its dust down on them, creating chaos everywhere.

  The horde was also stirring as all the voices wondered what was happening.

  Then Jack knew what they had to do. “Anthrow hold on to me,” he whispered. “We’re getting out of here.”

  He once again tuned into the hum of the Horde, drawing on the magic that bound the mist together. Jack now understood how it worked and he drew it in as he wove the magic to his will.

  “What’s happening?” asked Anthrow.

  “We’re getting out of here,” Jack replied as their bodies turned to mist. “I’ll lead us.”

  He turned them away from the chaos happening around them and started up the mountain, the mist he’d created clinging to the rock as they climbed vertically towards the peak.

  Jack looked back as they continued upwards. The men were spread out, running in every direction in hope that the Chaos Pixie didn’t decide to target them. More fantastical monsters had joined the snake, tracking down men for an afternoon snack.

  The Horde remained where it had been before, curious but unperturbed by the happenings around it. Maddox was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where are we going?” asked Anthrow.

  “To the Forgotten Portal. I know a shortcut,” replied Jack.

  He pushed them up to the peak of the mountain, the magic he weaved thrummed through him. As he reached the top and headed down the other side, he saw the silver tree and stopped, the illusion of fear washing over him.

  “Why have we stopped, we need to move to the right.” asked Anthrow.

  “No we need to go left, towards that tree.”

  “There is no tree to our left, but I know we don’t want to go that way. This way seems better.”

  “Anthrow we do need to go this way, I’ve done it before. Close your eyes and allow me to guide us.”