by P B Hughes
“Wow, I can’t believe it,” said Gregory. “You want to heal trees. If only you had that much compassion for humans you’d be a decent guy.”
Jude whirled around and stuck his staff into Gregory’s face. “Some of these trees are nearly a thousand years old. They’re relics. It’d be irresponsible not to do anything.”
“Irresponsible? What’s irresponsible is waiting here for certain death.” Gregory looked about the fallen trees nervously. “Daniel, talk some sense to him.”
Daniel stood silent, staring down at the blood in a daze as Jude strode over to an especially old-looking tree that had a long, deep cut down the middle.
“Daniel?” said Gregory.
Jude’s eyes shone green, and the orb on top of the staff began to glow. The gash in the tree began to shine, and slowly, the area grew together again. New bark formed over the tree’s white flesh, leaving very little evidence that any damage had been done except for a knotty scar.
“That’s as good as I can do with a training staff,” said Jude with a frown.
“Daniel!” Gregory shouted, shaking Daniel by the shoulder.
Daniel shook his head. “Hm—what?” he replied, blinking.
“What’s the matter with you? Will you tell Jude we’ve got to get out of here?”
Daniel still seemed in a fog.
Gregory snapped his fingers in his face and Daniel’s eyes came into focus. “Yes, you’re right. Jude, come on it’s time to go.”
Jude healed one final thick specimen and then turned to face them. “We’re almost to the road,” he said as he walked ahead.
Chapter 7
Finally, they stumbled out of the woods and onto a road. And what a strange road it was—made from layers of cobbled red brick that wound and twisted through the forest like a snake through grass.
The sight of the blood upon the felled trees left Daniel with the queerest sensation. It was like he had been in a dream, watching himself through a different pair of eyes as he studied the glistening red drops. But they were not just remnant wounds of some distant beast. No, the blood felt as though it was from his veins, and the beast that spilled it was a part of him. Anxiety began to fill him over her fate. Her? Yes, he knew it was a she. But how did he know that? Death, it seemed, had come calling. And if the beast were to die at the wyvern’s jaws, Daniel felt as though a piece of him might die with her.
“If a wyvern were in these woods, we’d know it. They’re clumsy and loud,” Jude told Gregory. “Still, we need to make it to Moda’s before nightfall. I don’t want to be walking in the dark with you two baboons.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere in the dark with you, Jude,” Gregory shot back. “You’re scary enough in the light.”
Jude raised an eyebrow and went back to studying the map. “We’re nearly there,” he said.
Ahead of them, the road split into two directions. Jude stopped and pointed into a dense thicket that lay beneath the woodland trees. “That’s where we’re going.”
“We have to go into that?” asked Gregory, his eyes widening incredulously.
Jude didn’t answer. He walked straight into the brush. Gregory let out a long moan and followed after. Daniel looked after them a moment, then back at the road behind.
“Oh, come on, Daniel,” called Gregory. “Don’t leave me alone in here.”
“I’m right behind you.”
After several long minutes of pressing through bushes, bramble, nettle, and climbing over roots and rocks, Daniel and Gregory reached the edge of a small clearing. They stumbled out of the woods and began plucking their cloaks— covered top to bottom—of burrs, thorns, and various leaves. Jude stood ahead of them, free of any clinging plants, staring at the blank face of a high, rocky crag.
Gregory marched up next to Jude. He frowned and stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Yep, it’s a cliff.”
Jude walked up to the side of the cliff, reached out his hand, and ran it across the stone.
He rapped his staff against the rock.
TAP-TAP-TAP.
Nothing happened.
TAP-TAP-TAP.
Again, nothing happened.
“Fine,” said Jude with mild irritation, “we’ll do this the hard way.”
Jude’s eyes darted up the cliff. He scanned the crag until he noticed a cluster of vines dangling from the top. A wry smirk spread across his thin lips and his pupils sparked, glowing a steady green. He reached his palm toward the vines and spread his fingers apart. Then, as if plucking a stringed instrument, he trilled his slender fingers up and down. The vines sprang to life. Up they rose, like cobras dancing for a flute. Jude thrust his palm toward the ground. The vines took a dive, slithering and spiraling as they grew down the cliff-side. They reached the bottom and coiled up next to Jude’s feet. Jude gave the command with his eyes—a quick glance toward the cliff. The vines shot forward and struck the stone with deadened clicks. Tendrils spread up, out, searching for cracks. All the while Jude’s smile slowly grew. His eyes shut and he scowled in concentration. Several seconds passed by, and then…
“Got him,” he said darkly.
His eyes stopped glowing; the vines withdrew and coiled into a bunch. Then, he reached out with the staff and rapped the rock.
TAP-TAP-TAP.
This time, there was a muffled, “Help! Help! Stop, I’m coming!” from inside.
Suddenly, the side of the cliff shook, and what was once a smooth, blank face, cracked until it formed a perfect rectangle. Ever so slowly, the door began to vibrate and slide open. There, in the opening, cringed a small brown-furred creature, blinking with blackberry colored eyes. He had enormous ears that fanned out like moths’ wings from his tiny head and a brown nose like a squirrel. A green frock covered his skinny body, tied around his middle by an oversized belt with a large brass buckle. His name was Moda, and he was a Chimaroo.
“Please, don’t eat me!” he croaked as he braced himself. “I’ll give you anything you want!”
“Eat you? Why would we eat you?” asked Daniel.
Moda stared at the boys with fearful apprehension. “Who are you? What do you want from me?”
“Mordecai sent us,” said Jude, “to obtain mana-crystals.”
“Mordecai? That Miraclist schoolteacher? Picks and pails, I thought you were—” Moda stopped short and gave each of them the once-over. His lip curled and he adopted a new boldness. “And did Mordecai tell you to wake me from my nap with an invasion of vines?”
“You didn’t answer when I knocked,” replied Jude.
“So you tangle me up and drag me through my cave?” he snapped angrily. “I thought murder was afoot!”
“It’s not my fault you took so long,” Jude rebutted. “We have a limited amount of time. I had to wake you up somehow.”
“Bah!” huffed the little creature. “If I had known you were just impertinent children, I would never have opened my door! You woke me from a marvelous dream about a river of gold I was swimming in, and I wish to return to it. Now go away!”
With that, Moda turned and walked back into the cave.
Daniel stepped forward. “Sir, we are very sorry about waking you. We didn’t know you were asleep. Our friend here, he’s an Emerald Miraclist, and the vines help him see—well, more like feel—inside places he wouldn’t normally be able to. He’s a bit of a novice, and might have accidentally tangled you up. For that we deeply apologize. We didn’t even know if we had found the right place!”
“I am not a novice—”
“Shh!” hissed Daniel.
Moda turned back around and stared at them.
“We are Mordecai’s students. I’m Daniel, that’s Jude, and he’s Gregory.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” said Gregory.
“Mordecai sent us to get mana-crystals.”
“I don’t care if you were sent by the Emperor himself!” snorted Moda. “You invaded my privacy and nearly killed me from fright. Now get off my property! Off! Off-off-off!”
Of course it falls on me to smooth things over, thought Daniel. “Jude, apologize to Mr. Moda,” he said.
Jude’s face lit up with disapproving protest, but when he saw Daniel’s pleading look, he acquiesced.
“Sorry,” he said curtly.
“Sorry, my warts!” Moda blurted. He wheeled around and sulked back into the cave. “I don’t have to entertain disrespectful flea-bites like you!”
The stone cave door rattled, and little by little crept back into place. Daniel pulled off his pack and set it down in front of him. He opened the top leather flap and began to rifle through. “Where did I put it, where did I put it,” he murmured. “Ah, here it is!” Daniel lifted a leather pouch into the air. He walked forward and said through the wall, “Excuse me, Mr. Moda?”
“Go away!” came the stifled reply. “I’m sleeping.”
Daniel shook the pouch up and down. The clinking sound of gold coins jingled loudly.
Silence.
“We have your payment—double!”
Daniel stood for a moment, and turned to face Jude with a withering, Now look what you’ve done stare. Before he could say anything, the door vibrated and creaked back open.
This time, there stood a very different looking Moda. A toothy grin was plastered across his face. He took a little bow, sweeping a ridiculous-looking purple hat off his head. In his left hand, he held a sign—and in his right a hammer. He stuck the sign out in front of the cave door and gave the top two swift blows. The sign read: “Moda’s Crystal Shoppe.”
“Ah, welcome, welcome!” he said effusively, tossing the hammer back into the cave. “Always good to see paying customers! What’s this about double?”
Daniel smiled and looked from Jude to Gregory. Jude stood, scowling, while Gregory gave Daniel silent applause.
Moda slinked toward Daniel, wringing his hands greedily. “The sound of gold—more beautiful than any music,” he said.
Daniel reached inside the pouch, pulled out a sparkling gold coin, and flicked it into the air with his thumb. Moda’s eyes grew wide, and his mouth hung open.
Moda reached for the coin.
“After,” said Daniel, pulling it away, “you give us the goods.”
Moda scowled, and then blinking he said, “But of course. Where are my manners? Come in, come in!” He ushered them forward and hobbled back inside. Then, he stuck his head out the door and looked suspiciously left and then right. “You’ll have to forgive my reservations. There have been strange goings-on in these woods lately.”
The cave felt cool and dry, and Daniel’s head almost touched the low, smooth ceiling. He noticed the unlit torches lining the walls, disappearing into the blackness down the tunnel. Above the cave entrance an array of heavy metal gears and chains studded the wall. Moda reached up and grabbed a steel lever sticking out just below them and gave it a yank. The gears began to spin; the chains clinked and clattered as the stone door slowly rolled shut, the last rays of light cut off from the outside. Then: darkness. Suddenly, a loud pop rang out through the hall and the torches burst into flame, two by two all the way down the long hallway.
The three boys jumped up in surprise.
“Incredible!” said Gregory. “How did you do that?”
“Hm? Do what?” grunted Moda.
“The door and the torches. How did you get them to do that? It was amazing.”
“Ah. I’m an inventor,” gloated Moda, obviously pleased with Gregory’s praise. “Carrying a torch around gets tedious so I built a gas-line system through the tunnels. When I push this stone,” he stepped on a round, black rock that stuck out of the floor, “it creates a spark while simultaneously releasing gas, causing the torches to turn off and on.”
With a swish the torches went out. He let out a laugh, and re-lit the torches.
“What I’d give to have that for my room,” swooned Gregory. “I hate lighting candles all the time. And Mordecai won’t let me use my powers indoors.”
“Well, it’s a very complex system,” replied Moda as he led the way. “It took years to perfect, and I had to spend gold to get the supplies. I hate to spend gold, but sometimes it’s necessary.”
“I absolutely love machine work,” said Gregory excitedly. “It’s about the only subject in school I enjoy. Will you teach me how to build something?”
Moda chuckled. “I like you, boy. You’ve got the Chimaroo spirit. But you’re here for business—not a lesson.”
The clunk of the boy’s boots and the pat of Moda’s bare feet echoed down the hall. The further they went, the more Daniel grew impressed with how Jude managed to find Moda using the vines. There were several tunnel offshoots leading this way and that. Finally, they reached a staircase and began to ascend. The top opened into a small cavernous room. A potbellied stove sat in the corner, its iron door wide open, revealing a bed of hot coals that made the room glow a soft orange. Against the walls stood several racks of neatly ordered tools containing shovels, picks, and other strangely shaped items used for mining. Next to it, sat a box full of several peculiar looking trinkets with knobs and switches, all labeled with various high prices. At the back of the room was a rectangular-shaped hole cut into the wall. Moda shuffled over to the back and pulled another lever, and a small door, just small enough for Moda, opened up in the rock.
Gregory made a beeline for the inventions, and snatched a long-necked silver wand with a fat, round handle. A button stuck out from the side and he gave it a push. A tiny flame flickered out from the top of the spout.
“Incredible!” Gregory gushed, turning it over in his hands, eyes wide with wonder. “I’ve never seen anything like it—the craftsmanship is truly superb.”
“So, you like my Hubaru fire-starter, eh?” said Moda, now behind the counter. “You’ll need the refill pack. That’ll cost you—”
“No,” interrupted Jude. “Gregory, you’re impressed by the most idiotic things. You can create fire from nothing, yet you marvel at a flame created by simple machine-work?”
Moda’s face contorted. “Cranks and planks! Simple machine-work? I’ll have you know that fire-starter took me six years to perfect!” He pointed a crooked finger at Jude. “We may not all be gifted magicians like you, boy, but there are creatures far more resourceful than you realize. It’s those like us who improve the world. It’s people like you who are soft inside—leaning on your powers instead of using your wit or invention.”
Jude stared down at Moda with loathing in his eyes.
“Anyway,” said Daniel to lighten the air. “Let’s get down to business.”
“My favorite word!” said Moda. “Business.” He folded his hands beneath his chin. “Now, how may I help you?”
Daniel cleared his throat. “We need mana-crystals. The Grand Investiture is about to begin and the three of us are competing for a position as Gate Guardians.”
Moda snorted, clearly unimpressed. “Are they having that again already? Explains the large number of orders for mana-crystals. You’re lucky I set a bag aside for you. But only because Mordecai told me he’d make it worth my while, mind you. I thought he’d be coming himself to pick them up.” Moda hopped down from his stool and disappeared into a room behind him.
“He wanted to come with us, but he was injured,” explained Daniel.
“Injured?” called Moda from the back room. “Mordecai injured?” He came back and heaved a large, bulky sack up onto the counter. “That’s a rare occurrence. How?”
“A wyvern attacked him,” Daniel replied. “Whipped him with his tail and broke his leg.”
Moda’s face grew grave. “A wyvern you say?”
Daniel nodded.
“Strange, strange,” Moda muttered under his breath. “I don’t like it; I don’t like it at all.”
Jude stepped forward. “Don’t like what? What do you know, beastling?”
“Demanding child,” Moda said. “You should know I’m not one to volunteer information.”
Jude began to speak. Daniel silenced him w
ith a raised hand. He reached inside his cloak, pulled out a silver coin, and held it up.
Moda smiled. “Hmph. A wyvern rider came through this area earlier. Nasty fellow, just like him,” said Moda with a leer at Jude. “Approached me this morning while I was out hunting for my breakfast.”
The boys exchanged looks.
“I’d never seen a wyvern up close. Horrifying monster. Black scales, red eyes—and those claws,” a shiver ran through Moda’s body. “But even stranger was the way the man looked—piercings and drawings all over him. Asked if I had seen any strange creatures running about in the woods. I told him I’d seen nothing more unusual than him and his pet. Didn’t give me the time of day after that. Just flew off.”
“He didn’t say who he was?” asked Jude. “What about what he was looking for?”
“No, nothing.”
Daniel flicked the silver piece to Moda and he snatched it out of the air.
“The wyvern we saw didn’t have a rider,” said Jude.
“Maybe it was a different wyvern. Who knows? At any rate, he’s gone. Whatever he’s looking for isn’t in these woods. Now back to business,” said Moda, thumping his palm on the countertop.
“Yes, but the thing he was after was on our campus. It was hiding in our basement. Some black, furry thing with wings,” said Daniel. “It flew off when the wyvern left.”
“Strange goings on, to be sure. That will be twenty royals—double price,” Moda reached out his hand toward Daniel with a grin.
Daniel reached into his cloak, pulled out the pouch, and moved to the front of the counter. He then spilled the contents out, counting each one by one.
“And…twenty,” he said as the last coin clinked on top of the others.
Without a word, Moda brushed the coins into his oversized hand, opened a drawer next to him and dropped them in. A grinding clatter came from within, and then stopped.
“Deposited, safe and sound,” said Moda, patting the drawer affectionately. “Couldn’t get to those coins if you were a metal-mole!”
Daniel slid the bag off the counter and set it on the floor. Jude and Gregory gathered in close to examine the contents. Inside the bag were perfectly cut cylindrical crystals, glowing a soft magenta.