What happened next is something that’s difficult to explain in a story such as this. All I can tell you is that the children instinctively closed their eyes and subsequently heard a voice, not with their ears, but within their hearts. They couldn’t tell you how but they knew it was the voice of the Mysteria Tree. We would all like to know what it said but neither Connor nor the girls could tell you, for it was not words that were spoken as you and I might exchange in a conversation; it was more like the speaking of a feeling. That is the only way they could describe it when they recalled the moment much later, that a feeling of joy and courage washed over them, giving them a sense of peace about their difficult journey that they had not possessed moments ago.
“Come,” George said from behind them, “it’s time we go.”
Connor, Maggie, and Lucy followed George back to the path that fell down the river-filled tunnel. It grew darker as they left behind the sunlight of the Tabernaculum. Beside them, they could hear the flowing stream that dampened the air trapped in this enclosed space. The only light that illuminated their path was the flames of torches hanging on the wall every twenty paces.
After several minutes of careful stepping—for they did not want to fall into the river—they began to see natural light creeping up through the other end of the tunnel. They approached the cave’s opening and stepped into the sunlight, bracing themselves in the high winds that whipped against their faces.
The children turned and tilted their heads back, peering up the slope of the mountain layered in boulders, trees and brush and to the castle rising into the sky. The river burst out of the cave and continued its descent beside them. It picked up speed for several hundred more yards until it dipped over the cliff to become the thundering waterfall.
George took off the leather pouch strapped across his chest and handed it to Connor. “This is filled with your rations, enough food and water for the days to come.”
“You said last night that someone would be waiting for us when we got to the forest,” Connor said, receiving the ration pouch. “Who will be there?”
“She will tell you more,” he said, pointing down the mountain.
The children squinted into the blinding sunlight. Lady Mysteria stood just beside the path in a pasture of flowers and tall, wispy grass, staring out over the village as her blue robe drifted in the wind.
“It is time I leave you,” George said. “But I will see you back here when your mission is complete and that tree which darkens the sky is no more. I wish you good fortune.”
He approached and shook each of their hands before walking back into the cave. The children moved down the path toward the queen. When they reached her, she didn’t turn ‘round, but said, “I presume you slept little last night.”
“No, not very much,” Connor answered for all three of them.
“I too experienced a restless night. I do not relish putting anyone in danger, least of all innocent children. But I came out to this mountain pasture early this morning to wait for you and found peace in the sunrise. It is in such quiet moments that we come into contact with the Giver of All Things and can better discern his will.”
She finally turned to face them.
“He has assured me that this journey is necessary. You three are precisely where he wants you. We can all question the path we find ourselves on, especially when danger and hardship come to our doorstep, but if we have the assurance that we are doing his will then we understand there is no other path we could’ve taken. I hope you understand these things I have said to you.”
“We’re ready,” Maggie said. “We know we have to do this to save our dad. Even if we had the chance, we wouldn’t turn back now.”
The queen smiled. “Well then, I will not delay you long, lest your courage waver. Come, let me show you where you must go from here.” She motioned the children closer and put her arms around them. “Follow this path by the river until it leads you to the village entrance, right down there,” she pointed to a gate at the base of the mountain. “Journey to the far side of the village to that pasture. Do you see the trail cutting through it to those guard towers?”
The children strained their eyes over the village where a pasture preceded the tree line. A trail cut through the yellow grass toward two watchtowers, each about twenty feet high. They could barely make out a few knights standing at the base of the towers and up inside them.
“You will enter the forest between those two guard towers. Once you are among the trees, ready your senses and move with care, for evil lurks in the wood. The Shadow Army patrols the forest, moving in packs and always seeking ways to infiltrate my lands. To assure you make it to the other side of the island safely, I have asked a guardian to accompany you.”
“Who is it?” Lucy asked.
“While most of my servants and knights live here in the castle or in the village, there is a boy who lives amidst the trees. He once trained under Sir George, and while most knights train for years, he showed such extraordinary promise that he was knighted in just a few short months, years younger than most. Due to his advanced skills and his unflinching courage, I knew he could fulfill a deeper and more challenging calling than just being an ordinary knight in my court. I asked him to take up residence in the forest, to be my eyes and ears beyond the reach of my lands and report back to me.”
“So he’s like a spy?” Maggie asked.
“In some ways, yes. But he is also a warrior. He is a terror to the packs of demons who roam the forest. They tell fables of him as if he is a monster that haunts their dreams, but he is very much real, and he is a valuable asset to my kingdom and the protection of the Mysteria Tree.”
“Where will he be?” Connor asked.
“Rest assured he will find you before nightfall. Nothing escapes his gaze in the forest. Simply head east until he comes to you. I have sent word to him, asking him to help you get to the Shadow Tree and give you guidance on how to bring it down. He will have a plan. No one knows more about what lies out there where Radicle commands the sinister roots and his army. You are in good hands with him. Now come, let me hold you before you depart.”
She gathered all three of them in her arms and held them in silence as the mountain winds blew her long garments up and around their bodies. It was a strange but wonderful feeling to be wrapped up below her mantle just before marching off to battle; strange because they had not expected a motherly hug to serve them any purpose in preparing to fight evil, but wonderful because of the way it made them feel. The warm security of her embrace felt like sitting by a fire at Christmastime, easing their hearts and minds and assuring them that a time of peace might rest beyond the battle.
The queen leaned down and spoke softly. “Though I will not be with you physically, I will be with you, children. Rest assured you have my prayers. I shall ask the Giver of All Things to watch over you.”
After she let go, she gently nudged them, prompting them onward. They moved off the grass and found the path by the river. When they had taken a few steps, they each had the inclination to turn around, so that they might look upon the queen’s beauty one last time. But she was gone, leaving them alone in the mountain pasture. They briefly found each other’s eyes, willing courage and strength, before facing forward once again and beginning the long trek down the mountain.
18
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, THROUGH THE
VILLAGE, AND INTO THE FOREST
Though the children were nervous about what lay before them, it was impossible to not appreciate the view as they came down the mountainside. Below them they could see the village and the lush forest, and off to the south they could see the sandy beach lying before the sea that stretched out to meet the horizon. Their dirt path marched them alongside the river for a brief time before it split off to the right and away from the waterfall, only to curl back around so that they could enjoy a view of the crashing water head-on. Far below, the waterfall fed into a crystal lake, bubbling up with white foam from the thundering splash
es.
Farther down the mountain, the path cut between herds of wildflowers. Bees and other insects buzzed above the pallet of blue, yellow, purple, orange, red, and white flowers. Maggie and Lucy wanted very badly to go pluck bouquets for Mommy but knew now was not the time for flower picking.
Thirty minutes later, they reached a flat plain that gradually evened out and stretched up to the entrance of the village where a large wooden arch hung over a gate. A young girl about Maggie’s age with light skin and brilliant blonde hair stood before the open gate, directly in the center of the path. She wore a simple, tan dress and no socks or shoes. When she saw the children approaching, she jumped up and down and waved before breaking into a sprint to come to meet them.
“Helllllooooo, children from the outside!” she said, thundering to a halt just in front of them. “What an honor it is to meet you! We have been waiting all morning for your arrival. My name is Clare, and this is my sister, Wally.”
“It’s nice to meet you Clare,” Maggie said. “But… ah…where exactly is this sister of yours? Wally, was it?”
“Oh yes, forgive me.”
Clare jumped up in the air and turned to the side, revealing a cute, little girl with dirty blonde curls, pudgy cheeks, pouty lips, and deep, blue eyes much like her older sister’s. She sat in a harness, like a book bag, strapped to Clare’s back. She faced the opposite direction, so that the two sisters were back-to-back.
“Oh, there she is!” said Maggie. “It’s nice to meet you too, little Wally.”
It didn’t appear Wally was old enough to talk, at least not well, but she smiled and giggled. Maggie wanted so badly to go over and pinch her little dirt-smudged cheeks. Clare also had dirt stains on her dress and hands and arms, as if they had both been working, or playing, in the mud. Their clothes were much simpler and drab than what Anastasia and the other servants wore in the castle.
“Would you allow us to be your escort through the village?” Clare asked. “I know you are only passing through, but we could lead you to the forest. We would be pleased to do this. We really would!”
“Okay,” Connor said. “Sure, we’d appreciate that.”
“Wonderful! Come, follow me and Wally! It will be quite hectic when we enter the village. Do try to keep up!”
She waved them through the gates and onto the dirt roads of the village. All sorts of people milled about, going in and out of little huts layered by thatched roofs. It was a wonder to see the huts close up since Connor, Maggie, and Lucy had created them back home in their garage, though of course those were the size of a golf ball and these the size of a large fort.
In his story, Daddy had said these villagers worked to supply the castle with food and supplies. They grew crops and farmed the animals, built armor and weapons, mended clothes, constructed wagons, wove baskets, and whatever else needed to be done. And that appeared to be just what they were doing. All of the villagers were fulfilling a daily duty, whether it be gardening, farming, blacksmithing, woodworking, carrying water back from the well, tending to livestock or chickens, and a host of other tasks. There was a bustle to the village—people talking and laughing, hammers clanging, squeaky wagon wheels rolling, animals snorting and barking—that contradicted the mostly silent halls of the castle. It appeared they had come in to the town square part of the village, a place where people worked and ate and convened.
Just like in the castle, many turned to watch the children walk by. Some smiled and waved, while others looked nervous as they whispered to one another. Some even called out things to them: “Thank you for your courage!” “Please destroy the Shadow Tree!” “Be careful!” “Be watchful of the Shadow Army… they patrol the forest!”
Clare broke off from the main road and took them down a narrow side alley. With her walking out in front, Wally faced the children, bouncing up and down on her sister’s back. The little girl watched them with curious eyes and Lucy couldn’t resist making funny faces at her. Both of them smiled and giggled.
Their new path brought them directly to the lakeshore. They gazed across the open expanse and above the waterfall to the mountain and the queen’s castle. It was remarkable to be on the other side of this view and see how high they had once been while standing on the queen’s balcony.
Several small boats floated on the water, manned by several fishermen holding their polls or hauling in nets full of fish. Tiny waves lapped up on the shore, sent across the lake from the thundering waterfall across the way. On the other side of the path, more huts were stationed every twenty or thirty yards, no doubt some of the most desired homes since they had waterfront property with a majestic view of the mountain and castle.
“Don’t lag too far behind!” Clare yelled. She had gotten a few paces ahead as the children paused to appreciate the view.
The children jogged to catch up. When they reached Clare, she said, “So is it as you expected?”
“You mean the village?” Connor asked.
“And the rest of the island. It must be strange to come here after you created it with your father.”
“Strange barely begins to describe it,” he said. “I’m not sure I ‘expected’ much, though. I didn’t think it was even possible to come to this place.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Maggie broke in, “is it strange for you to…well…I’m not sure how to say this…”
“To live here inside your father’s imagination?” Clare finished for her.
“Yes, I guess that’s what I was going to say. I don’t know what it’s like for you to live in the story permanently, not just be visiting, like we are.”
“I understand it might seem strange that we live here. But it is not so strange to me. This world is all I know. It is where I was placed, so all I can do is make the best of what has been given to me. I have a calling to fulfill here in your father’s story, and I will fulfill it to the best of my ability. I am curious what the outside is like, the world you come from, but it was not my destiny to live there. Living here is not so bad, though, probably not much different from where you live. I have chores, I play, I eat, I sleep…is this much different from your life back home?”
“No,” Maggie answered.
“Not really,” Connor echoed.
Clare smiled. “I didn’t think so. We are all living under the care of the Giver of All Things, you three and me and Wally and so many more in the other realms. This unites us in the fight against evil. That reminds me; I would like to show you something.”
Clare broke off from the path circling the lake, leaving behind the cool air blowing in off the water. They came back into the thick of the village between rows of huts, though it was not as chaotic here as it had been back in the square; this seemed to be a neighborhood where just a few residents traversed the roads.
Putting the lake behind them, Clare led them through a maze of roads, but stopped abruptly after turning a corner. The children almost bumped into her back and smashed little Wally. Once they gathered themselves, they poked their heads around Clare.
“What in the world?” Lucy said, gazing down into a giant pit just a few feet before them.
“What is this giant hole?” Connor asked.
“The Shadow Tree,” was all Clare said.
“What do you mean?” Maggie asked.
“This is where the sinister roots came up and attacked us just days ago, destroying those homes,” she said, pointing to several stacks of rubble where village huts once stood. “Some of the Shadow Army rode on these roots and crawled out to terrorize the village. They caused much panic and havoc before the queen’s knights arrived. They battled the Shadow Army and hacked at the roots with their swords. Sadly, some were killed, but after several hours they were able to fend off the attack and send the demons and the roots back into the ground.”
A ramp fell down into the earth on one side of the hole. Several men and their sons were taking wheelbarrows full of mud and dumping it out, placing it before a different group who took shovels an
d stacked the mud up.
“What are they doing?” Maggie asked.
“Refilling the hole. The tunnel must be plugged since it provides a passageway for the Shadow Army to infiltrate our village. His roots create all sorts of underground tunnels beneath the island so that his subjects can move undetected.”
“Has this ever happened before?” Connor asked.
“It is impossible to know what lurks beneath the land at all times, but to our knowledge, this is as far as the sinister roots have come. This is why the queen brought you here through the power of the Counselor. She realized the roots have spread across the whole island now, growing longer and stronger. If Radicle is not destroyed soon, the sinister roots will be able to penetrate the mountain and strangle the Mysteria Tree. It is only a matter of time. Oh, please, children from the outside, do not let that happen!”
“We won’t,” Connor said confidently, though he wasn’t feeling all that confident as he gazed down at the hole. It was at least twenty feet wide. If this was just the outermost tips of the Shadow Tree’s roots, how big and powerful would the roots around the trunk be?
“You do not know how much your bravery is appreciated,” Clare said. “We love the sacred tree that grows in the mountain so dearly.”
“Do you get to see the Mysteria Tree very often living down here?” Lucy asked.
“No, not often. Once a year, we villagers take a pilgrimage up and into the mountain to pay our respects before the tree. But we still see it every day.”
“How is that?” Lucy asked.
“Through the water that flows from its hallowed roots.”
“Ah…that’s not the tree,” Lucy said. “That’s the river.”
“It may seem different to our senses, but each time I gaze upon the river bursting forth from the mountain and falling over the cliffs into the lake, I take witness to the miracle of the sacred tree. Its flowing power brings life to the rest of the island and to all of us. Without this freshwater we would all perish, for we are on an island surrounded by the undrinkable sea, water that only leaves you thirstier with each sip you take. But the water that flows from the Mysteria Tree quenches our thirst. It also is known to have healing powers when we bathe in it, curing the ailments of our body. It is everything to us, this water. I do wish I could stand before the tree from which it flows each day, and perhaps one day I will receive a call to leave the village for the mountain castle, but for now this is not the way of things, so I participate in the life of the sacred tree through its crystal waters. I do hope you will be able to protect it, I truly do. Now come, let us continue on to the edge of the forest.”
The Island of Two Trees Page 10