by M. L. Forman
Alex shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I should send a message to Whalen. He may know how to break this spell.”
“Possibly, but do we have time to wait for a reply?”
“No,” said Alex with a sigh. He rubbed his eyes. “I’ll send a message and then we can break camp.”
“Rest first,” said Sindar softly. “Collect your thoughts and rest your body. You’ve had a long night.”
Alex’s eyes were already closing. He would rest for an hour or two, then send a message to Whalen.
Whalen will know what to do, he thought as he drifted off to sleep. Whalen is a great wizard. He always knows what to do.
When Alex woke, he felt much better. Looking at the sun, he could tell he had been asleep for almost three hours. Sindar was walking around the fire with Andy, but Andy seemed unaware of anything around him.
“Any improvement?” Alex asked.
“No. I thought perhaps moving around would help them, but they seem unchanged.”
“They will be moving around quite a bit soon enough. Let me send a message to Whalen, and then we’ll start back down the mountain.”
Sindar nodded, but said nothing, helping Andy sit back down beside the fire. While Alex wrote his message, he noticed the blank stare on Andy’s face. He hoped that Whalen would have an answer and that the answer would come soon.
Once Alex had sent his message, he and Sindar began leading the others back down the path toward the first gate. Their going was painfully slow because their companions would run into the stone sides of the trail yet continue trying to move forward. After several hours of turning their friends back onto the path, Sindar came up with a clever solution.
Fastening a length of rope to each member of the company, Sindar was able to pull their dazed companions into the correct path as they went along. But even with this improvement, their progress was incredibly slow.
What had been a day’s travel going up the path took them almost three days to travel back down. Alex was beginning to worry that they wouldn’t be off the mountains before the snow began to fall, and he certainly didn’t want to spend the winter stuck on the mountainside.
“From here on it will be more difficult,” said Sindar, dropping to the ground beside Alex. “The path is steep, and there aren’t any rock walls to keep our friends from falling off the edge.”
“I know,” said Alex. “And they don’t seem to be improving at all.” He thought for a moment. “I suppose I could change our friends into mice and carry them down the mountain inside my magic bag.”
“Do you think you could do that?”
“Perhaps, but I’ve never transfigured a human, and I’d hate to accidentally hurt one of our friends.”
“Then don’t think on it,” Sindar advised. “We will manage, somehow.”
Alex simply nodded. What he had said wasn’t entirely true. When Alex had transfigured Val’s magic bag, Val had been inside it at the time. It wasn’t a pleasant thought and he pushed it aside. Transfiguration was a simple solution, but not one he was willing to try on his friends, at least not yet.
“Perhaps we should just put them inside one of our magic bags as they are,” Alex said softly.
“A simple solution to our problem, but there are dangers. We do not know what magic Val used on them, and the magic inside the bag may trigger some greater damage.”
“Yes, I suppose that is possible,” said Alex. “And then there are the rules of honor to consider.”
“Giving another the safety of your bag without his consent is a loss of honor for both the person being protected and the holder of the bag,” said Sindar in a troubled voice. “The rules of honor are there for good reasons, but those reasons hardly apply right now.”
“If things get worse and we can’t get off the mountain, we may have to risk that loss of honor.”
“Not yet. Not if there is another way to save our friends. We will find a way to save them, Alex. I’m sure we will.”
For a long time they sat in silence. Alex felt too tired to sleep or think. He lay back on his blankets and watched the stars above him, letting his thoughts wander freely.
“You have not said what happened in the tower,” Sindar said softly.
“We haven’t had time,” Alex replied. “And I’m not sure I can really explain everything.”
“Rest, Alex. The morning may bring new hope.”
“And a message from Whalen,” Alex added, his mind and body finally succumbing to sleep.
Alex woke to the dinging of a geeb and was glad to find a message from Whalen had indeed arrived. He paid the geeb and tore open the letter, his hopes high that the answer he needed was here.
Dear Alex,
I will not trouble you for details now as I understand the situation you are in. I’m afraid I can’t be of much help to you. There is a spell that might cure your friends, but I cannot write it here, and even if I could, I’m not completely sure you could use it. It is a difficult spell to work and can go very badly wrong if not done correctly.
My best advice to you is to get to the enchanted woods as quickly as you can. You may find help in the woods, if you can reach them before the snows block your way. I believe that time will heal your friends, but winter is coming and you can’t wait.
I am sorry that I cannot be of more help to you at this time. Whatever happens, don’t give up.
Yours in fellowship, Whalen
Alex showed the letter to Sindar before storing it in his bag. He felt a little frustrated that Whalen had the answer but that he could not share it. Now he and Sindar would have to do what they could, and Alex wasn’t at all sure it would be enough.
Chapter Thirteen
Brownies
Alex had managed to defeat the evil shadow, destroy the lower library, and recover the Horn of Moran, but he felt like none of that mattered. They were still trapped on the mountain, and his friends were helpless. For the first time Alex thought their adventure might be a failure, and his mood grew darker as he considered what that failure would mean.
“Come,” said Sindar. “We will do what needs to be done.”
Alex agreed and tried to shake off his dark mood. Both Whalen and Garson had told him not to give up or give in to despair, but Alex felt that this was an almost hopeless situation. If Whalen had been there, he could have cured Bregnest, Halfdan, and Andy, and they could easily get off the mountains. In the end, however, Alex knew there was nothing he could do but carry on. If they were going to get off the mountains before winter set in, it was up to Sindar and himself to get them off.
They moved along the trail more slowly now, staying close to the mountain and avoiding the edge. To keep from losing one of their friends over the edge, Alex and Sindar were forced to move them one at a time. This was tiring and time-consuming because Alex and Sindar had to climb each section of the path twice and descend it three times to move the company forward at all.
After ten days of moving forward only a few hundred yards at a time, they finally reached the spot where they had camped their first night on the mountain. The wind blew constantly, and the sun hardly ever came out from behind the gray clouds that filled the sky.
“We’re almost down,” said Sindar. “Perhaps another two or three days and we’ll finally be off the mountain.”
“And then what?” Alex asked softly.
“Whalen said we might find help in the enchanted woods. At least we will find shelter there from the coming snows.”
“I’m sorry,” said Alex, looking at Sindar. “I’ve been letting myself think only dark thoughts of failure. I’m feeling sorry for myself, I guess.”
“Sorry for yourself or for your friends?” Sindar questioned.
“A little of both I suppose.”
“Then stop one and do what you can to help the other.”
Alex knew there was no reason to be depressed. They would make it off the mountains and to the enchanted woods before it started to snow. He had the Horn of Moran in his bag, but still, he co
uldn’t find any joy inside himself. Worry filled his mind, and not just about his friends. Alusia needed the Horn of Moran in order to know who the true king was. But even more important than that, the Horn would unite the people of Alusia and stop the different kingdoms from drifting apart and falling into an unending series of wars.
It took the company three more days to reach the first gate, and it was already dark when they got there. The sphinx watched them silently as they approached and passed through the gate.
Alex wanted to move on at once, but Sindar insisted they rest before starting for the woods. Alex reluctantly agreed. He had only slept for a few hours each day and had hardly eaten since leaving the Tower of the Moon. All he could think about was helping his friends by getting to the enchanted woods before the snow started to fall.
“All right,” Alex said. “We will rest. But only for an hour or two. The snow will be falling soon, and I can rest once we get to the woods.”
Alex conjured a fire to keep the company warm, and then helped Sindar wrap their companions in blankets. Sindar quickly cooked a meal for the two of them and made Alex eat a second helping. When he was finished eating, Alex lay down and almost instantly fell asleep. His dreams, however, were dark and troubled, and not at all restful. It wasn’t long before Alex woke, and when he did, he found snowflakes falling on his face.
“We must hurry,” said Alex, jumping to his feet. “If the snow gets too heavy, we won’t be able to find the woods at all.”
“I will lead,” said Sindar, attaching the guide rope to his belt. “I can see better in the darkness, and it would be deadly to get lost now.”
Sindar set a quick pace, and Alex had trouble keeping up. He felt tired and week, and with each step, his feet felt heavier. The cold wind numbed his senses. At times it seemed that Sindar was pulling the entire company forward like a great sleigh horse in the snow. The ground was already white, and the air was so full of snowflakes that it was hard to see anything. They had walked for a long time when Sindar suddenly stopped.
“The snow is too thick,” Sindar yelled over the howling wind. “I can’t see where we are going.”
“We can’t stop here,” Alex yelled back.
“We can’t go on without some kind of guide. We could wander for days in this storm and never find the woods.”
“I have an idea,” said Alex, forcing his nearly frozen brain to work.
Holding his hands close together, Alex conjured up a large, bright blue weir light. Concentrating on where he wanted to go, he focused on the light that hovered in front of him and simply said, “Lead me.”
The light hovered for a moment and then moved slowly forward and to Alex’s left. Alex and Sindar quickly changed places in the marching order, retying the rope that held the company together. The weir light seemed to wait for Alex to follow and never moved too far ahead of him. It always seemed to move in a straight line, though it was hard to be sure in the blowing snow.
The snow was soon ankle-deep, but the weir light continued to guide them. Alex desperately hoped that his magic was working, because if it wasn’t, they might be traveling in circles. After walking for what seemed like hours, Alex finally saw the dark shapes of trees ahead of him, and he let out a sigh of relief. As they continued to move forward, the snow grew lighter, and in a few minutes they were inside the enchanted woods.
“A useful bit of magic,” said Sindar. “A pity that Halfdan didn’t see it, he would have enjoyed that very much.”
“Perhaps another time,” said Alex, conjuring several additional weir lights to guide them into the dark woods.
“It is warmer here. The air is much warmer, in fact.”
Alex had noticed it as well. The change in temperature would normally have troubled him, but all he wanted now was to find a place to sleep.
After moving into the woods a short distance, they came upon a small meadow. Alex stopped the company and untied the rope from his belt. He was so tired that he could barely help Sindar with the others. He lit a fire and let the weir lights fade.
“I need to sleep,” said Alex, dropping onto his blanket. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so tired.”
“Rest, my friend,” said Sindar. “I will watch and keep the fire burning. You have done a great thing, and have earned a rest.”
“We have done a great thing,” Alex corrected as he closed his eyes.
* * *
When Alex woke up, the sky was much lighter, and he thought he heard Sindar talking to someone. Alex hoped that his friends had recovered, but when he sat up, he saw Sindar sitting alone by the fire. The fire was larger than it had been, and Alex wondered why Sindar had built it up so much.
“Who are you talking to?” Alex asked.
“The brownies, of course,” Sindar answered.
“Brownies?”
Sindar grinned and pointed to a large brown stump a short distance from the fire. Alex didn’t remember the stump being there, and he felt a little confused. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he suddenly realized that the stump was actually a small, brown-skinned creature that looked more like a miniature dwarf than anything else Alex could think of.
“Welcome, master wizard,” said the creature, removing its pointy hat and bowing to Alex. “We hoped that you would be returning to our woods.”
Alex blinked several times to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. The brownie giggled, and Alex recognized the sound as the laughter he’d heard when they had passed through the enchanted woods before. The brownie took a few steps closer, then bowed once more.
“I am Tip, at your service,” said the brownie.
“Thank you,” Alex managed to reply.
“I was just discussing our friends with Tip,” said Sindar. “It seems that he and his people might be able to help them.”
“If you can, we would be very much in your debt,” said Alex as he studied the brownie in front of him.
“Oh yes, I’m sure we can help, but there are a few difficulties involved,” Tip answered.
“Difficulties? What difficulties?”
“Well, as I was telling your friend Sindar, we don’t like to show ourselves to humans or dwarfs,” said Tip, turning slightly red in embarrassment.
“But I’m a human.”
“You’re a wizard,” said Tip. “And that makes a difference.”
“So, you can help them, but you don’t want them to see you,” said Alex, slightly puzzled.
“Not exactly,” said Tip. “We can help them, but we don’t want them to know we helped them, or even that we were here.”
“And that is the difficulty,” said Sindar, looking at Alex.
“I see,” said Alex, trying to think of a way around this difficulty.
“I do have a solution,” Tip said.
“And what is that?” Alex asked with interest.
“We could put your friends in an enchanted sleep,” said Tip. “They could sleep all winter, and when spring comes, they will wake up and be themselves again.”
“And this is your solution?”
“In part,” Tip answered. “You see, the enchanted sleep will help them heal faster, and they wouldn’t know we helped them. Unless, of course, you tell them.”
“I see,” said Alex with a soft laugh. “So Sindar and I need to promise not to tell them about you.”
“Exactly,” said Sindar.
“And you would be willing to take our word?” Alex asked Tip.
“Of course,” Tip answered in a surprised tone. “Elves we trust very much, and wizards we know do not lie. At least good wizards don’t, and we know you are a good wizard, so that’s that.”
“Well then, Sindar, what do you say?” Alex questioned.
“I have already given my word to tell no human or dwarf about what happens here,” said Sindar. “Of course, wizards are another story, so I’m sure you could tell Whalen.”
“Oh, yes, we know Whalen Vankin and we trust him very much,” said Tip, his head bob
bing up and down rapidly. “But you must promise not to tell your friends what happened to them here. Neither them, nor any other human or dwarf.”
“I promise not to tell any human or dwarf what happens here, or about your people who live here in the enchanted woods,” said Alex.
“Very good,” said Tip, beaming at Alex. “Now, we will take you and Sindar to a much nicer place where you can spend the winter as our guests.”
“And our friends?” Alex questioned, not wanting to leave Bregnest, Andy, and Halfdan lying in the meadow.
“We will take them to another place, near the southern edge of the woods,” Tip answered. “When spring is near, we will lead you and Sindar to them, and then you can wake them up.”
“Very well,” said Alex. “We accept your kind offer.”
Tip seemed thrilled. He gave a short, loud whistle, and the meadow suddenly came alive with brownies. Alex and Sindar both laughed as what appeared to be hundreds of brownies bowed and introduced themselves. After a moment, Tip clapped his hands three times and the brownies became almost instantly quiet. Tip gave instructions for a group of brownies to move Bregnest, Andy, and Halfdan, and then asked Alex and Sindar to follow him.
Alex was still tired, but he got up and followed Tip into the trees, still surrounded by the rest of the brownies. After a short hike through the woods, they arrived at the strangest-looking village Alex had ever seen. The brownies’ houses were all between six and eight feet high and painted in every color imaginable. Some of the houses were all one color, but most were a mixture of colors and patterns. Alex particularly liked one large house that was painted with red and white strips like a giant peppermint.
“Welcome to our village,” said Tip when they reached the town square. “We have a small house prepared for you, though it is not as grand as we might hope. I thought you might want to rest a bit and take a bath before this evening’s feast.”
“You are most kind,” said Sindar. “I am sure that my friend and I will be comfortable.”