by S. E. Smith
“I’m afraid I can’t give you anything as elaborate as Ashure’s hammock to sleep on,” Asahi ruefully commented.
She laughed. “I have a spell or two of my own. Besides, a hammock for one isn’t as nice as it looks,” she said. “Tell me about yourself and your grandfather.”
He gave her a startled look, then relaxed in his chair, silently staring into the flames. She could see that he was thinking. She continued eating while she waited for him to respond.
“There isn’t much to tell—at least about me. I never knew my mother. From the few arguments I overheard, she was a student at the same university my father was attending. She and my father had an affair. Afraid her parents would disown her, she hid her pregnancy from them, had me, dropped me at my father’s apartment, and promptly returned to Japan. Several years ago, I discovered she married an affluent older man, had a son, and was content with her life. We met once. She asked that I respect her wish to live separate lives. She does not want me to contact her again. My father was—” He paused and shrugged. “My father wasn’t interested in being a father. He liked beautiful women, fast cars, and being anywhere that was away from home. He resented the expectations that came with being a good, dependable son and father. I know that deeply wounded my grandmother. After—after Aiko’s disappearance, my grandmother doted on my father—giving him everything he wanted. Unfortunately, it was never enough and it was not always good for him.”
Nali leaned over and laid her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry your father could not appreciate what he had in front of him,” she said.
He shook his head. “My father was a weak and selfish man, but he did one thing right. He took me to my grandmother. She died when I was seven—the same day that Aiko returned. Within a week, I lost both my grandmother and father, and gained a grandfather. Aiko—was a kind man, gentle and wise. I can’t imagine what it must have been like when he first arrived in your world. I, at least, had the benefit of his knowledge to guide me, while he… while he found himself in a strange world without his wife or young son,” he murmured.
“Did he ever tell you how he came to be here?” she curiously asked.
With a slight smile, he said, “Yes. The best way to share it is to tell the story as he told it to me. It all began a little over seventy years ago. My grandparents owned a small restaurant outside of Yachats. One morning, he set off before sunrise in his fishing trawler, hoping to catch enough to support the coming week’s menu. Aiko said the ocean was as calm as a lake, not a ripple marred the surface. He had thrown the last line out when the water beneath the boat swirled with color. He said the ocean opened up, and before he knew what was happening, he and the trawler were sliding through a dark hole. Aiko clung to the trawler, terrified at first, then fascinated as the trawler slid through a funnel of water. All around him, he could see the marine life going about their business as if nothing was amiss. But the water began to change the farther he went until…”
“Until… what?” Nali demanded, leaning forward in her seat.
“Until his trawler popped out the other end of the funnel like a bobber at the end of a fishing line, and he found himself near a cove in another world,” he said with a smile.
Nali smiled too and waited to hear what happened next.
“Aiko said he waited three days and three nights, hoping the funnel would return. He was afraid to leave his trawler, worried it would disappear,” he explained.
“What did he do after the three days?” she asked.
“On the fourth day, driven by thirst, he anchored the trawler, dove over the side, and swam to shore. As he emerged from the surf, a beautiful young witch stepped out of the woods. Her name was LaDonna Fae, and she was looking for a way to sneak off the Isle. She promised she would help my grandfather if he would help her,” he said.
“Why would LaDonna need help?” Nali asked with a frown.
Asahi chuckled. “I asked my grandfather that same question. He said she was betrothed to a much older wizard and wanted to live a little before she settled down. So they set sail that very evening—traveling far and wide for years across the Seven Kingdoms,” he said.
“This must have been centuries before the Great War and the aliens,” Nali reflected. “Did he tell you about their adventures?”
“Yes. He wrote them down in his journal,” he replied.
Asahi retrieved his grandfather’s journal from his bag. Over the next hour, he shared the adventures of Aiko and LaDonna. With her dinner pouch empty and her stomach full, she placed the dinner accoutrements aside and listened with rapt attention. Several times, Nali wiped away a few tears that escaped from her eyes.
By the end, she was crying for the little boy and her heart was breaking for the old man plunged into an era he didn’t understand. Yet, she was thankful for the turn of events that had allowed Aiko to return to his own world so he could be there for Asahi. Listening to Asahi’s story made her think of Ashure’s magic mirror—the engraving on the back of it—and her own life.
“I buried him next to my Baba and father. That day, I promised him I would find a way to the Seven Kingdoms no matter how long it took,” he finished.
“And you kept your promise,” she said with a smile.
He gave her a small smile in return. Then his expression shifted to show his resolve. “I’ve decided I won’t be returning to my world,” he stated.
Nali took a breath to respond, but before she could, Ashure sleepily commented, “Like she would have let you go back after a story like that—not to mention after you two….” He poked his head out from his hammock to waggle his eyebrows suggestively, sending them a devilish smile that paired well with his wildly mussed hair.
“Shut up, Ashure,” Nali and Asahi growled at the same time.
Ashure’s snort of laughter as he disappeared inside the hammock again made Nali shake her head. She didn’t know how Tonya put up with him. Well, she did, because she knew Tonya loved him. It was impossible not to love Ashure—spirits and all.
Nali bit her lip and smiled at Asahi, sending him a heated look. They both rose from their seats at the same time. Breathing deeply, Nali checked out his physique as she remembered the previous night. One night would never be enough with him. When he touched her, she came alive.
“I’ll make our bed while you clean up. You can put all the trash in the fire. The magic will absorb it and convert it to energy,” she said.
“I have a thermal blanket in my bag if we need it,” he offered.
She shook her head. “I’ve got this,” she reassured him.
Nali tried to keep her focus on what she was doing and not on Asahi. It was difficult. Every movement he made was pure grace, power, and discipline. He was meticulous in everything he did.
She forced her attention away from him and to the wide, long bed. She suspected this hut had once belonged to a huntsman. They were slightly smaller than trolls, each had the same grouchy personality as the goblins, and loved the forest as much as the fairies. While their name made it sound like they were hunters, they were a gentle, solitary race of herbivores who preferred staying out in the woods instead of indoors.
With the whisper of a few simple spells, she created a moss mattress, goose-down feather pillows, colorful silken sheets, and a thick duvet. She looked up when Asahi stopped and admired her handiwork. She quietly laughed at his perplexed expression.
“A few enlargement spells on items already here or those we brought can go a long way. There were pieces of moss from the old bedding. After multiplying and expanding them, we have a mattress. With magic, I can make covers out of a handkerchief from my bag and pillows from feathers left by geese that once nested here,” she explained.
“I wonder if I could learn magic,” he mused.
She tilted her head and looked at him. “I don’t see why not. If you would like, I could teach you some,” she offered.
“That would be nice. I need to brush my teeth,” he said, looking around for his ba
g.
“Try this,” she suggested with a smile and captured his hand. He frowned when she dropped several blossoms into the palm of his hand. She took one of them and slipped it between her lips. “Place one in your mouth. It has a minty flavor and will fizz for a moment. When it finishes, your teeth will be clean. I picked them from a bush I saw outside when we were cleaning out the hut.”
He lifted a flower to his mouth and slipped the fragile petals between his lips. His eyes widened in surprise when the petals dissolved into a refreshing effervescence. He ran his tongue over his front teeth in appreciation.
“I remember my grandfather talking about this, but I never understood how it could work,” he admitted.
“What do you use in your world?” she asked.
“An old-fashioned toothbrush with toothpaste,” he said.
“We use that here if the bushes are not available. They are fragile and don’t last for long. I need to freshen up before I retire,” she said with a wave of her hand toward the bathroom.
A flash of lightning and the rolling sound of thunder made her look over at Ashure. His eyes were closed, but she doubted that he was asleep. The Gryphon lay on his chest polishing the dagger with his tail.
She walked to the bathroom and opened the door. It creaked loudly, and she grimaced as she pushed it shut.
“This place definitely belonged to a huntsman,” she mumbled, an expression of distaste crinkling her features at the very crude toilet and pump fountain that poured into a bucket used as a sink.
Suck it up, Nali. You’ve been in worse places, she thought, fruitlessly trying to remember where that place might have been as she filled the bucket and washed her face.
Chapter 16
Valdier:
The Hive
Phoenix yawned and slowly opened her eyes. She snorted a laugh when Stardust wiggled underneath her, causing her body to move like she was floating on water. She rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face against the soft, golden body of her symbiot.
“I guess you’re feeling better,” she murmured.
She looked out of the cave and gently bit down on her bottom lip. Guilt swept through her at the thought of worrying her parents, her sister, and the others, but she knew if she had tried to explain, they would have prevented her from coming. She rubbed her cheek against Stardust.
“There is so much pain, Stardust. I have to help,” she whispered aloud.
The symbiot shifted, flowed out from underneath her, and stood up. Phoenix giggled when she found herself staring into the eyes of a floppy-eared dog that resembled the one her mother had loved as a child. She squealed and turned her head when Stardust licked her on the cheek with a long golden tongue. With a lengthy sigh, she caressed her symbiot’s muzzle.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Stardust stepped aside and sat down. Phoenix straightened and affectionately smiled at the golden dog as it shook its head and scratched behind its ear, the movement causing its large ears to flop back and forth. Then her stomach growled, and her smile faded. She was so hungry and wished that she had brought something to eat with her.
She reached out and scratched Stardust behind an ear. “You’re going to trip over them. You always do when you’re in this form. Come on, we better get going. We’re in a heap of trouble, and I don’t want Mom and Dad to ground us forever. Plus, the sooner we get home, the sooner I can get something to eat,” she said.
Phoenix stood and wiped the dirt from the seat of her dark blue pants. The fire was barely smoldering in the pit. A quick survey of the area reassured her it would be safe to let the fire burn out. She and Stardust had used everything that was flammable close by, so there was no chance of it spreading.
She swallowed as she stared into the dark tunnel. Scared—that was what she was feeling. Instead of taking a step forward, she backed away.
Pl—ease, help… me.
The broken, whispered words echoed through her mind. She couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, only that it was someone who needed her, someone who was begging her not to give up on them. She touched Stardust’s head with one hand and covered her pounding heart with the other.
“I… I’m not ready,” she said in desperation, her voice barely audible.
This was part of her destiny, Phoenix could feel it, but it wasn’t supposed to be this soon! There was a cold lump in her stomach, and she was very much afraid that if she started on this path, she would never see her family again.
She turned to leave but froze when she heard a heartbroken sob. She stood at the Hive entrance, her eyes closed, as she focused on following the mental thread. In her mind’s eye, she envisioned the winding path through the tunnels leading to the enormous cavern. A river of gold flowed through the center. She sensed she needed to follow the river.
Phoenix opened her eyes and stared out at the driving rain. Yes, she was afraid, but she couldn’t abandon someone who was in trouble. That wasn’t who she was.
“Take me to the river, Stardust,” she quietly instructed the symbiot.
The Isle of the Monsters:
Huntsman’s Hut
When Ashure stepped into the hut, Nali was placing her small bag on the ground next to Asahi’s black duffle bag, and Asahi was tossing the remains of their breakfast into the magic fire.
“I’ve saddled the Fire-breathers, and they are ready to go. Last night’s storm didn’t faze them a bit.” Ashure grinned with pride as if they were already his. “I swear you are teasing me with perfection, Nali. After this is all over, you should allow me to purchase a few of them lest I go mad with envy,” he said.
“If we make it through this, I’ll think about it,” she grudgingly replied.
Ashure did a quick jig and grinned. “Finally!” he said, rubbing his hands together.
Nali helplessly smiled at his antics for a moment before a stern expression disguised her amusement. “I said I’d think about it, not that I would agree,” she retorted with a shake of her head.
With sparkling eyes, Ashure replied, “Never you fear, my lady, I know very well that you strike a hard bargain.” He touched a finger to the side of his nose in a knowing gesture.
Nali looked down at the map spread out on the table in front of her and allowed another genuine smile to curve her lips, this one a little bittersweet. “Well,” she murmured, “I love them all.” Ashure’s expression softened, and she cleared her throat. “Let’s move on. We have an alien to kill.”
Asahi moved close behind her and looked over her shoulder at the map. “How far do you think it may have traveled?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’m not sure. A lot depends on how far it got yesterday before the storm—assuming the storm would even affect it,” she replied.
“It’s likely that the entity is weak at the moment. It left a significant amount of its body matter behind at the Daktyloi’s home. If it followed the canyon, it would take even longer,” Ashure reflected.
“Especially if it needed to stay in the shadows,” Asahi added.
“Nali, I think we—you—should try the Goddess’s Mirror again since my mirror is lost,” Ashure suggested.
Nali looked up from the map they were studying, frowned, and shook her head. “It is too dangerous. Besides, the Goddess’s Mirror doesn’t work like your mirror. Sometimes it shows me what I request, but it is just as likely to give me confusing, random images,” she said.
“I, for one, do not want a repeat of it coming through the mirror to kill us—or when it found out where we were and tried to bury us in zombies and fire bugs,” Asahi pointed out.
“Is it not our goal to battle and defeat this alien? What other choice do we have? We have guessed a likely location the alien may head toward, but we cannot be sure,” Ashure argued.
Nali focused her attention on the map again. “You’re right,” she quietly agreed, her stomach clenching at the thought.
“I’m right?” Ashure repeated before he grinned. “Of course I’
m right! Asahi, call the Golden Dagger.”
Asahi nodded and pulled the dagger from the sheath. Mr. Gryphon yawned and shook his head, then glared at him with mild irritation.
“What is it now? I was recharging,” the gryphon grumbled.
“Our apologies, Mr. Gryphon,” Nali briskly replied. “I’m about to use the Goddess’s Mirror to see if we can locate the alien, and I need your help,” Nali diplomatically informed the lion.
Mr. Gryphon’s mane fluffed up, and he stood at attention on the dagger’s hilt. “Anything for you, Empress,” the lion announced.
“Flattery—nice, Nali,” Ashure murmured with an impressed nod.
“Ashure, are you ready?” Nali asked.
Ashure gave her a brief nod and pulled out his enchanted sword. For a moment, his mind went back to when he had received this from Magna, the fearsome Sea Witch. After his and Tonya’s wedding, they had gone to see her family, and then popped over to Yachats for a quick visit because he couldn’t dismiss the nagging worry that Nali might need help in her battle. No one knew the alien creatures’ reasoning better than Magna did—and the first of these aliens would never have been destroyed without her help.
It had taken some fast talking—and Tonya’s help—to get around Gabe and Kane. Magna’s husbands were very protective of their pregnant wife. In the end though, Magna made the sword and gave it to him. He was still in awe of the changes in her appearance since she had been freed from the alien’s possession. Centuries of imprisonment had changed her, but there was a reason that no other had survived the alien for a fraction as long as she had—and now her indomitable strength would be turned against the last of these alien invaders. Ashure hoped he would make her proud.
Nali looked at Asahi. He bowed his head, the dagger and Mr. Gryphon ready for whatever might happen. She lifted her hand and called forth the Goddess’s Mirror.
“Goddess’s Mirror, come to me.” A cloud of gold appeared in front of her. It swirled and formed into the mirror. She reached out and wrapped her fingers tightly around the handle. The clear glass reflected her image, and she noticed what the two men must see as well—her worried expression. She drew in a deep breath, held it for a fraction of a second, and released it. “Show me the alien,” she instructed.