Mercivil pinched her lips together. I don't want muclones sneaking up on anybody.
Hoping to find Thoruk, she spun toward the trail. I wonder when he'll show up? He promised to be here before the activities start.
She spotted Protuk and Wolfuk, who agreed to spend time with the youngsters and post sentries around the park, out of sight so the kids wouldn't get frightened.
As the two men approached the large tent, she greeted them. "Hi, thanks for coming. I know this is another thing to add to your overflowing plates, but the little ones really love you. You're the two biggest attractions each year, except maybe Fluf." They chuckled.
Protuk scanned the area. "Well, a lot of the children are here because they're thrilled to help their favorite teacher."
She smiled. "Thank you."
Surveying the grounds, she noticed three smaller tykes running circles around their favorite bear in the distance. It's a good thing Fluf has such a good disposition.
Mercivil glanced at Protuk. "Do you have your carvings?"
"Of course, I always bring them for the youngsters. They're here in my case." The craftsman lifted a beautifully-crafted maple box with an engraving, 'For the Little Ones.'
She turned toward Wolfuk. "Are you ready to teach the teens how to track hogs and whitetails?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Ready as I'll ever be."
Protuk scouted the park. "Have you seen Thoruk?"
Mercivil squinted at the amiable man. "Not yet, but he promised to show up. You don't intend to talk about any of your strategies tonight, do you?"
"No, unless he asks."
"It's best if none of you discuss battles near the children. The teenagers have keen ears and are always curious about what's happening."
"Yes, you are right as usual, Miss Mercivil. I'll be mum unless Thoruk insists, but I'll encourage him to talk later, away from the kids."
"Thank you. Now, why don't you go set up? I'm sure the young ones will get in line to see you in no time at all."
Five minutes passed and Mercivil glimpsed over to where Protuk laid intricate carvings on a table. Several little tykes ran in his direction, screaming, "It's Protuk! He's here!"
Just like that, 10 small campers fidgeted in a crooked line to receive wooden replicas of bears, wolves, otters, and other local wildlife. No doubt, Protuk was the highlight of the moment. Mercivil smiled. It's great to see everybody having fun. Protuk and Wolfuk seem to be enjoying themselves.
After a half hour or so, Stormulka approached and pointed at the road. "There's Thoruk. I'll be right back. You don't need..." Without finishing his sentence he whizzed toward his buddy.
Looking things over, Mercivil sighed. Everything is ready now that Thoruk's here.
Mercivil cupped her hands around her mouth. "Listen up! We're going to light the bonfire. Gather in a semi-circle but don't get too close. We don't want any flaming urchins."
A couple of the boys laughed. "Awww, why not?"
Squinting with curled lip, Mercivil feigned an evil stare. "Just come here and stop being a pain." She grinned.
From behind, someone put their large, firm palms over her eyes. "Hi, are you talking to me? It appears I've arrived just in the nick of time to save you from ruin."
She recognized Thoruk's voice and whirled. "Not a minute too soon." She hugged him. "Thanks for coming. Tonight wouldn't be the same without you. Go over there and do the honors. Light my fire."
He chuckled and walked along the front row of youngsters near the kindling under one of the logs. "Okay, let's move back a bit. You're too close." He studied the large audience settling on the ground before him, most still chattering away.
Thoruk raised his arms. "Da, Da, DA, DAAAH! Hear Ye, Hear Ye! This evening we celebrate our annual bonfire. It is a day, where by law, all children are ordered to HAVE FUN!" The kids cheered.
"Okay, before we get started, please bow your head."
The chorus of chatter grew silent while most lowered their chins, though some kept peeking around.
"Now, close your eyes. Dear Lord, please bless these wonderful children, their families and friends, and Ukkiville. Please keep us safe from all evil, my Lord."
Everybody responded in unison. "AMEN!"
While the crowd lifted their heads, Thoruk pointed to the crisscrossed arrangement of logs. "ARE YOU READY TO HAVE FUN?"
The excited campers screamed. "YES!"
The Master of Ceremonies egged them on. "ARE WE READY TO LIGHT THE FIRE?"
"YES!"
"Can you say, 'thank you, Miss Mercivil'?"
They shouted unanimously. "THANK YOU, MISS MERCIVIL!"
Stormulka extended a lit torch to Thoruk, who motioned for Mercivil to join them. He placed her hand and Stormulka's with his. "Let's do this together, united." They lowered the fire and set the kindling ablaze. Within seconds, flames engulfed the logs, helped by the soft breeze.
The youngsters yelled. "Hooray!"
Protuk moved his chair nearer to the bonfire as smaller children lined up again to get carvings.
Grinning, Thoruk peered at Mercivil. "Who needs Santa when we've got Protuk?"
Mercivil looked across the sky as the evening's light was fading. Stunning! She poked Thoruk and pointed to the horizon where the full moon's orange glow peeked above the mountain crest beyond the lake. "That sure is pretty."
Thoruk smiled. "Yep, but not as pretty as you are this evening." He gazed into her eyes, illuminated by flickering flames.
She jabbed him harder. "Don't start that tonight. There are little ones to tend to. I'll get even with you before the night's through."
Mercivil turned to the audience and raised her voice. "What better place in the world exists for telling a story?" She extended her arms, motioning at the Lake of Dreams.
Cupping their palms like megaphones, the kids hollered. "NONE!"
Silence fell over the crowd for a second, and a monotone sound emanated from a distance. "What's that noise?" asked a little girl.
"Those are bullfrogs," sniped a freckle-cheeked lad, mimicking the spotted croakers with a throaty "Ribbet, ribbet."
The boys next to him laughed.
A stark, eerie shriek pierced the air, startling everybody. All heads whipped in the direction of the horrific screech. Mercivil's eyes widened as the children's contorted faces were etched in fear. What on earth!
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
More Than Just Magic
Seconds Later at the Bonfire ~ 8:45 pm
While the children's focus remained frozen in the direction of the frightening noise, Mercivil glanced toward Protuk who motioned two sentries to check on the disturbance.
She spread her arms and talked soothingly. "Calm down. That just sounded like a crane or some other bird. There's nothing to worry about." She peered at Thoruk for assurance. He nodded.
After several minutes of murmurs and chatter, an older girl named Curulka spoke out. "Miss Mercivil, please tell us a story about Thoruk."
He shook his head. "Nooo, let's not go there. I'm sure Mercy has much better tales you'd enjoy."
Mercivil winked at Curulka. Way to go! That should distract them for awhile.
Aware that her buddy was fidgety and uncomfortable with all the attention, Mercivil snickered. "I think that's a great idea, Curulka. Sharing such a grand tale would be fun. Where do I start?"
She sat cross-legged, grinning ear to ear while she looked at Thoruk. Obviously agitated, he glared back. Pretending not to notice, her voice changed to her typical storytelling tone that the little ones loved so well. "Once upon a time, 26 years ago on New Year's Day, Thoruk was born in a small village called Ukeville.
"His good buddy, Stormulka, was born in nearby Ulkaville that same autumn. And last, but certainly not least, the young man's gorgeous friend, Mercivil, was born in Beliville two years later in July." She faced Thoruk and batted her lashes, then continued.
"Each of the villages was established by their families in 2037, and in 2052 th
e three merged into one which was named Ukkiville. Over time, the families grew very close as more children were born and the village expanded." As the words rolled from her tongue, she spread her arms out over the crowd then smiled.
"Thoruk's ancestors of the Uke family extended across the colder regions of Old Norway, Iceland, and Greenland. In fact, your great leader came from the bloodline of Leif Erikson whose father was Erik the Red. Both were famous Viking explorers."
One of the boys in the rear raised his hand. "Is that why Thoruk has red hair?"
"Yep," Thoruk grumbled as his face flushed brighter than his nicely-trimmed, cinnamon-colored beard accenting his long, bronze-red hair.
Mercivil looked around the crowd. "Thoruk's ancestors shared stories of Leif Erikson becoming the leader of a large village in Greenland and discovering Old North America centuries before Christopher Columbus. One old book I read described how Leif Erikson later formed a Norse settlement in Old Canada where he raised two sons, Thorkus and Thorgon."
She tilted her head. "Notice anything familiar about those names?"
"Yes, both begin with Thor, just like Thoruk," replied Cougivil, the eldest boy. "Was he named after Leif's sons?"
"No, not exactly." She smiled at Thoruk. "You see, he was a very cute infant with curly locks and dark green eyes, so I've been told. Nobody thought a cutesy, little thing like him would develop such tremendous strength, walking and lifting heavy things much earlier than other kids.
"In addition to his colorful locks, he obviously inherited some of his brawn and vigor from Eric the Red. After determining Thoruk's childhood traits and tendencies, his parents named him after the Norse god, Thor, renowned in Norwegian mythology for his strength and protection of mankind.
"Some of you may have seen the beautiful dragon design on one of Thoruk's battle-axes. It is his most treasured weapon, passed down through generations beginning with Leif Erikson's grandchildren."
Extending the shiny but nicked ax high, the children's beloved leader pivoted and twirled the ornate blade for all to see. Across the audience, eyes sparkled in awe of the magnificent display.
Deeruk, the fastest girl in school, rose to her knees. "I notice Thoruk calls you Mercy and Stormulka, Storm, for short. How come I never hear anybody call him Thor?"
"Heavens! He hates being called Thor; only Intellulka gets away with that. I'll let Thoruk tell you why."
He looked intently at the gathering. "Because I wouldn't want anybody confused about my intentions. I'm proud to be named after Thor and I'm committed to using the strength our Lord gave me to protect people.
"But I don't want anybody to suggest I think of myself as a god. I'm just a simple man who wants to do good through my actions and try to be an example for others to follow."
A boy in the crowd gasped. "OOOOOH, Fluf farted!" He and three companions scattered like scared rabbits. "It smells horrible!"
Mercivil shook her head and sighed. "Hey, if you kids didn't lie on her belly, she wouldn't toot around you. Are you ready now? Should I continue the story?"
"Yes, keep going!" the youngsters blurted, a few more rising to their knees.
"Tell us how you know Thoruk so well," Curulka queried.
"Ah, you want to get personal." Mercivil slowly nodded. "Okay! Since our families were real close, Thoruk, Stormy and I grew up together, playing when young and being educated and trained as a trio after we got older.
"Side by side, we received our teachings from Intellulka, renowned across the land for the wisdom he gained from many years of travel around several territories. Our wise professor taught us to extend the capabilities of our brain, beyond what is accomplished by most. By doing so, we learned to increase our IQs and utilize powers not harnessed by others."
Inquisivil, a young man who spent most of his time around Intellulka, cocked his head. "What do you mean? Will you show us your powers?"
Mercivil squinted. "First of all, exercising advanced abilities can be very unpredictable and risky if not applied wisely and with control. Each of us will demonstrate one of our powers to help you understand. But we never use these gifts except under a dire emergency — apart from this one time for you tonight.
"Stormy, why don't you show them one of your tricks?"
He stood and pointed to a large, black kettle over a smaller campfire. "Watch carefully." Squinting, he stared at the steaming pot. The shiny, steel spoon started to rattle. Slowly it rose, spinning faster and faster. Then he looked away, and it fell back in place, clanking against the pot's rim.
"Oooh, aaah!" The enthralled children's eyes widened.
"Okay, it's your turn, Thoruk." Merciful motioned him to stand.
"Mine won't be flashy like Storm's stunt." Chuckling, he rose. "I need a volunteer."
Curulka's arm shot upward. "I'll do it! Pleeease?"
"Alright — are you sure? Come and stand next to Miss Mercivil." When she reached the spot, he peered closely into Curulka's eyes. After a few seconds, she dropped to her knees and began untying Mercivil's bootlaces.
Thoruk touched Curulka on the shoulder. "Why are you doing that?"
Her face flushed. "I don't know. I just had the urge to do it."
Thoruk tried to comfort her. "Hey, don't worry. That was me encouraging you to do it through our minds." He focused on the audience. "You saw how powerful this can be, but it could be dangerous in the wrong hands."
As Thoruk sat down, a sentry whispered in his ear. He gazed at Mercivil and smiled. "Now it's your turn, Mercy."
She gazed at her trusty pet as two youngsters rested on her guardian's stomach again. "Fluf." The bear lifted her snout as Mercivil stared at her. Suddenly, the beastly pillow rolled away, leaving both kids lying flat on the ground.
"Stunning! How did you do that?" asked the little campers.
"I can communicate with some animals on a basic level if I can maintain eye contact long enough. Intellulka not only taught us how to practice our skills but also the importance of protecting them from misuse. You'll likely never see us use such powers again, unless there's extreme danger which can't be handled by normal human means."
Mercivil stood and glanced at everybody to make sure they appeared comfortable. "Now that we've entertained you, let's get back to the story. I think you'll find what remains to be quite interesting.
"On a cool autumn day, when I was 13 and my two buddies were 15, we became blood siblings here by the Lake of Dreams. Each of us used our own knives to slice small crosses above the upper side of our wrists, just enough to share our blood. We smeared our cuts together and declared ourselves devoted friends forever.
"Dedicating our lives to help others, we pledged to work and fight, shoulder-to-shoulder when needed against our enemies. With our covenant, we vowed not to tolerate bullies or criminals and to put an end to any aggression."
"See, here's my blood cross." She pulled up her sleeve and showed them. Thoruk and Stormulka did likewise.
"Wow!" Excited murmurs filled the air as the kids scooted closer for a better look.
Mercivil continued. "Shortly afterward, we received our defensive training from the famous Master of Arms, Protuk, renowned across the Resourcelands for his prowess, strategy, and mastery of weapons." Mercivil pointed to Protuk describing the art of carving to a group of teenagers.
He stood and took a bow. "Thank you, Miss Mercivil, but I'm just a humble servant, truly."
Mercivil raised her hands. "Let me assure you that Protuk is much more than a humble servant. He's a little shy when someone brags about our favorite village protector.
"You may not know, but Protuk slew four Skalag warriors who ambushed him while he was hiking alone one summer day. Word traveled fast and few dared to challenge him after that! We are fortunate to have learned from the best. We all love him dearly, don't we?"
She lifted her arms higher and led the cheer. "Protuk, Protuk." The children cupped their hand around their mouths, chanting. "PROTUK, PROTUK!"
Rising once again
, he bowed. "Thank you."
With a sly grin directed toward Mercivil, Curulka blurted. "Do you love Thoruk?"
She paused. "Yes, of course I do; but not in the manner you're thinking. I love Thoruk and Stormy with all my heart — like brothers. Well, on that note, it's time for us to get a good rest."
The youngsters frowned. "Awww."
Mercivil yawned. "Come on now. It's been a long day filled with lots of fun. I'm tired, and you must be too. Get ready and into your sleeping bags, and I'll sing a song to help you fall sleep."
Mercivil sang a delightful lullaby she learned from her mother. Noticing the campers nod off one by one, her voice became softer and softer until all were still by the slowly-dying bonfire. She checked the logs, comfortable the big chunks of glowing, orange embers would provide warmth through the night.
Quietly rising, Thoruk whispered in Mercivil's ear. "The earlier disturbance was just a bobcat killing a crane. Nothing to worry about. Wolfuk and the sentries will watch over you and the kids. Protuk and I are heading home." Mercivil smiled, understanding they had important battle preparations to deal with that evening. While walking off, he glanced back at her.
She waved. Looking across the peaceful lumps tucked under covers, Mercivil laid her head on her pillow with a heavy heart. The children have no clue. Tonight's slumber could be one of the last restful sleeps for quite some time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Zolokt
Thursday ~ August 15, 2075 ~ 8:30 pm
While Ukkiville's youngsters enjoyed themselves by the bonfire, Zolokt anxiously awaited an ally three miles north of his encampment. Marked by a grotesque scar across the forehead that easily distinguished him from all Skalag men who traditionally shaved their heads, he paced back and forth.
His son, Scientokt, and daughter, Angrokt, stood nearby to share in the discussion of the battle against Thoruk and his villagers. Two Skalag scouts clothed in smudged and sweaty garments kept watch at the clearing's edge in the woods.
The New World: A Step Backward Page 12