Stavius

by Gregory Cholmondeley

  The only saving grace for the week was that we were going to have our first Math and Science Club meeting. Of course, Shontelle was already there by the time I arrived and, even worse, she was wearing a Wizard Spelz shirt and surrounded by my friends excitedly talking about fantasy role-playing games (RPGs).

  Wizard Spelz is the RPG our group plays almost every Saturday night and is an impressive mix of old school gaming with online first-person games. You create your realm and quest using a set of location, abilities and attributes cards. When you go on your quest, you roll your dice, make your moves, and put together the right location, character, and conditions cards upon reaching objectives. Then you scan in the QR codes on each card in the set to create a unique situation online and do battle together.

  You could probably do all this online, but somehow having your own quest master making your maps and designing your quests and challenges and having everybody argue about it is an essential part of the fun. It just wouldn’t be the same to log in and have a computer do it all. But the best part is that, once you’re done, the online system stitches the highlights together into a movie, complete with a dramatic voiceover in a deep voice that sounds like one of those movie trailers.

  We’d play the game half the night and then sit back with our Mountain Dews and Doritos to watch our movie. They always began with the same with the announcer saying, “On the dark and shadowy world of Quoferra, four powerful wizards head out on a dangerous quest to…”

  We’d all recite the opening with the announcer as we settled in to watch the intro. Then the announcer would introduce each player, complete with our names with credits scrolling across the screen. We’d each jump up as our character was introduced and mimic the actions on the screen while reciting our intro along with the announcer.

  I’d say: “Malgom Seght, warrior class wizard banished from the house of Kandth for his terrifying and uncontrollable power. He roams the world seeking challenges to his supreme blade and energy skills.” I’d be matching the announcer with my deepest voice possible while mimicking the screen by jumping and swinging an imaginary sword through the air and landing on one knee and raising my free hand to let loose a lightning bolt. Each of us would act out our intro clips in sync with the movie before collapsing on the couch or floor to watch the video of our quest. We’d reminisce about how cool each victory was, talk trash about our mad skills, and even argue that the computer was wrong and how things had happened differently. It was the perfect end to a great evening.

  Shontelle was just as into the game as we are and the guys invited her over to play tomorrow night. Once again, I felt as though I was being ignored, so I just got up and went outside to be alone for a few minutes. I had barely sat down when Shontelle came out and asked, “Mark, what’s wrong?”

  I had no idea where to begin and just said, “Everything.”

  “Hey, I’m sorry, Mark,” she said. “I came out to the steps to hang with Jarius because I thought he was cool, but he’s really a big butt head.”

  I was pissed at her, but I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Yeah, he sure is,” I agreed. “Listen, I’m mad at you, but it isn’t your fault. I was trying to hang out with Jarius for the same reason, but I can’t stand him either. Then this girl I really like came by and assumed that you were my girlfriend and it ruined any chance I ever had with her. I’m just miserable and want to be alone.”

  All she said was, “Boys are such idiots.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I had opened my heart to Shontelle, and this was her response? “Why would you even say that?”

  “Because the only reason that girl spoke to you was that you were hanging out on the front steps and looked like you have a girlfriend,” she said with disgust. “Girls are much more interested in boys who already have other girls interested in them, even if they’re losers like me.”

  “Really? What? Hey, you’re not a loser.” I was baffled and finding it difficult to stay mad at her.

  “Oh, come on, Mark. If a girl sees a guy with another girl, then they think that there must be something attractive about him and they take a second look. Guys must do the same thing, right?”

  “Um, no. If a girl I like is with someone then I figure she’s not going to be interested in me,” I said.

  “Oh man, you know you’re pathetic when you need another nerd, two years younger than you to explain how girls think,” she laughed.

  “Yeah, well I guess I never had a chance to ask a girl before,” I answered, but I was starting to laugh too. “We’d better get inside. I really am interested in getting this club going.”

  “Me too,” said Shontelle. “Thanks for letting me join.”

  Chapter 13

  Equous

  AUGUST 31, MEARTH

  Stavius opened his eyes and saw a dense green canopy of leaves overhead. He tried to sit up but failed and fell back on the ground. He seemed to be lying on soft grass which he decided was comfortable enough for him to close his eyes again and rest for a few more minutes. A moment later he felt a warm breeze on his face and smelled a horrible stench. He opened his eyes to see a horse’s mouth inches away from his, breathing on his face.

  “Ew, what horrible breath! Back off,” he groaned.

  The horse’s head pulled away, and Stavius heard a soft, but irritated, male voice in his head say, “Well good morning to you. Your breath is no bouquet of flowers either. Besides, you try brushing your teeth with hooves! I am glad you’re awake, though. You gave us quite a scare, human.”

  “You sound like my best friend’s mother,” groaned Stavius as he closed his eyes.

  “She must be a lovely woman,” noted the horse.

  Stavius’ eyes flew open, and he said, “Wait! You’re a talking horse!”

  He could hear the horse groan as it explained, “No, I’m not a horse, I’m a unicorn and, before you ask, only mares have horns. Second, do you see my lips moving? Of course not. We communicate telepathically. What do they teach you in schools today?”

  “I never really spent much time in school here, but I’m pretty sure that unicorns are not on the curriculum on either planet,” Stavius thought.

  “Please use your voice, human,” answered the unicorn. “I can easily send my thoughts to you, but your mind is so muddled that you sound like a mumbling drunk when you try to project.”

  “I was saying that no, they don’t teach us about unicorns,” Stavius shouted. “Where are we?”

  The unicorn jumped slightly and quickly said, “Oh, my apologies for the improper introductions. You are in Equous, and I am Druvy. I am afraid that we have never had one of your kind visit us before. I hope you like fresh fruit. I have brought you a selection.”

  “Thank you, that will do fine,” answered Stavius with a much softer voice. “My name is Stavius, and I am eternally grateful for your hospitality. How did I get here and where, exactly, is Equous?”

  “Ah, Bernice brought you and your friend, Janus, here two days ago. I must say that your friend is not nearly as polite as you,” Druvy said with a shake of his head. “I cannot tell you where Equous is located, though. None of us, other than the centaurs, have ever been beyond the borders. All I can say is that it is a vast land of delicious green, grassy fields, crystal clear springs, and forests of apples, pears, peaches, and berries. It is the most wonderful place on Earth. Your friend should be back soon. Perhaps he has more answers.”

  “And what about Bernice? Is she all right?” asked Stavius.

  “Bernice is a little weak but will be fine with rest, although she is probably too stubborn to take it,” Druvy assured him. “I will notify the guards that you are awake, and they will inform Bernice. I am certain she will want to visit as soon as she is able.”

  “Wait! Guards? Are we being held here as prisoners?” Stavius asked with a worried voice.

  Druvy just laughed and said, “No, of course not, Stavius. The guards are the centaurs who protect Equous and keep uninvited guests out. They are
the reason why no dangerous species like yours have ever been inside of Equous. The centaurs built and continuously expand a massive stone wall around the entire region. They constantly patrol and enhance it to keep us safe. We would have been wiped out centuries ago if they hadn’t.”

  “But why were we brought here?” asked Stavius. “What makes us so special?”

  “That is what everyone here would like to know,” admitted Druvy. “The guards have a strict policy prohibiting ever bringing any of your kind past the wall and Bernice is the only one who could have overruled that law.”

  “Why? What’s so special about Bernice?” asked Stavius.

  Druvy whinnied a loud laugh and said, “Kid, you really don’t know who Bernice is? She has been the head of the guards for the past three hundred years! Bernice periodically takes short leaves of absence about this time of year but has never brought anyone back. In fact, she is probably the strictest centaur of them all about upholding the law. You two are a real puzzle and have been the center of our gossip for the past two days.”

  Druvy left after this conversation, and Stavius tenderly stood to limp over to a small spring. Druvy was right, the water was pure, refreshing and delicious. He sat on a nearby rock and sunk his teeth into an apple from the pile left for him. He was famished, and the fruit was also delicious, but he wasn’t sure how long he could survive on nothing but apples and pears.

  Janus arrived a short while later and immediately ran up to Stavius and gave him a hug. “I’m so glad you made it, Stavius. People who lose that much magic don’t often come back.”

  “Let me guess, they slip into a coma and never wake up,” said Stavius.

  “No, they die,” said Janus in surprise. “What makes you think that?”

  “Oh, nothing,” answered Stavius. “I was just thinking about something I heard on Earth. So, what’s it like here in Equous? Is there really nothing to eat but fruit?”

  “Nah, the food is great here. I think the satyrs just left that for you because they weren’t sure how long you’d sleep. We’ll get some real lunch later. This place is fantastic!” Janus excitedly answered. “I’ll show you around a bit if you’re up for a little walk.”

  Stavius had never seen Janus this excited. He was usually more cynical, and now he was being, well, rather pleasant. Stavius almost made a comment but decided against it and instead said, “I would love a walk, as long as it’s a short one. I’m still pretty beat.”

  The two boys slowly walked out of the woods toward some brilliant sunlight, which Stavius guessed was shining on Equous’ fabled pastures. He soon discovered that his guess was absolutely right and that Druvy wasn’t exaggerating the beauty. There were seemingly endless rolling hills covered with beautiful greenish-bluish grass. He saw small creeks, scattered forests, and herds of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen grazing in the pastures.

  He saw a few centaurs in the distance and a herd of unicorns, obviously mares due to their shimmering horns, galloping over a rise. There were a group of oddly proportioned people tending what looked like a vineyard on another hill. But the most stunning sight was a herd, or perhaps it should be called a flock, of flying horses soaring through the clear blue morning sky.

  “Are those…” Stavius started to ask before Janus interrupted him.

  “Yes, those are pegasi,” interrupted Janus before he could complete his question. “Aren’t they beautiful?” Then he quickly added, “Just don’t stand directly under them,” with a hearty laugh.

  “They look smaller than I imagined, but yes, they are stunning,” said Stavius in awe.

  “Yes, there are a few different species, but most only stand about three feet tall so, no, you can’t ride them,” said Janus. “But just look at how they move!”

  A small group of pegasi had begun trotting along the ground and then, just as they broke from a canter into a gallop, spread their wings and began to soar upward. They might only stand three feet tall, but they had six- or seven-foot wingspans. It was one of the most impressive and awe-inspiring sights Stavius had ever seen.

  “I bet this is like heaven for a horse lover like yourself,” I said while staring at the flock of tiny horses circling overhead.

  “It certainly is,” he answered. “By the way, how did you know I loved horses?”

  “Oh, from math class,” Stavius answered, still mesmerized by the flying horses.

  Janus was as pale as the moon as he grabbed Stavius’ arm and demanded, “What do you mean, from math class?”

  “Oh, I, uh, my visitor recently sat by a kid in math class back on Earth who is into horses,” Stavius stammered, hoping he could get himself out of this mess.

  “That’s a lie,” shouted Janus. “Your visitor remembers Mearth! You know who I am! You know the truth!”

  “I, um, no, well, yes, I guess, well sort of,” Stavius stammered.

  “You’re awful!” screamed Janus. “You spied on me on Earth and used what you learned to con me into merging with Janus. Now he knows the truth and has abandoned me. I hope you’re having fun laughing at me. I hate you, Stavius! I hate you!”

  Janus took off running while Stavius stared at him in utter confusion. Sure, he kind of blurted out that he remembered Mearth while on Earth, but he had no idea why Janus was so upset. Furthermore, Stavius realized he had no idea how to get back to his camp and was standing there watching his only friend on this world run off into the distance when someone walked up from behind.

  “You sure have a talent with people, Stavius,” said Bernice with a snort. “Whatever did you say to him?”

  “Bernice! How great to see you!” shouted Stavius. “How are you feeling? How did we get out of there? You were in pretty rough shape the last time I saw you.”

  “I’ll tell you on the way back to the spring, Stavius,” laughed Bernice. “Now climb up. You aren’t ready to be out and walking about.”

  “No, that’s all right,” said Stavius. He was exhausted from his short stroll but remembered Bernice’s dislike of being ridden.

  “Don’t make me lift you,” growled Bernice and Stavius quickly hopped on.

  “I thought we were goners so many times that night,” began Bernice. “First, I thought the werewolves were going to kill us, but then you somehow blasted them with, well, whatever it was you blasted them with. Then I was sure I was going to succumb from my wounds, but somehow Janus managed to repair most of the damage. And then I thought we would all die because none of us had enough energy to get out of there. But then you gave me the gift of life. You gave me your magic.”

  “Hey, I figured I was going to die anyway,” said Stavius. “The least I could do was to give you a chance.”

  Bernice stopped and turned around to face the boy sitting on her back. Tears were streaming down her bearded face as she said, “I heard what you said at that spring, and few people would’ve made that offer, but you did more. I saw you put your hands on my shoulders and felt you transfer your life force into me. I saw you collapse on the ground as I felt the surge of power bring me back from the brink of death.

  “I have never known one of your kind to consider sacrificing their life for a centaur, and yet you did so without hesitation. I lifted the two of you and carried you both here to Equous because, not only do I owe you my life, I now honestly believe that you and your friends might actually be the ones to fulfill the prophecy.

  “You see, I’ve been studying and assisting your heroes for centuries because I believe that the prophecy impacts all of us, not just your species. I have never met anyone I felt to be worthy of the title of hero until I met you two and I think you can succeed if you can keep from alienating your partner and can get your strength back in time to travel to Septumcolis before the others are executed.”

  “Oh, is that all,” groaned Stavius.

  “Well, at least that’s the easy part,” laughed Bernice. “Once you do all that you can finally begin working on the prophecy. But first, we eat!”

  Two smaller
centaurs were also heading toward the thicket carrying baskets of fruit. It looked delicious, but Stavius found himself fantasizing about the meals back at the village and wondered what kind of meal Mr. Satish was eating.

  The centaur didn’t stop at the thicket, though. She carried Stavius far away to the edge of Equous. Stavius realized it was near the border because he could see a tall, stone wall curving off into the distance. He also saw what appeared to be a village filled with more of the oddly-dressed people Stavius had seen earlier. They were wearing tight, colorful shirts and baggy pants with bold, vertical pinstripes, and seemed to walk with an unusual gait. Stavius and Bernice were nearly at the edge of the village before one turned to stare at them and Stavius realized who lived in this village. These people walked on hooves and had ram horns spiraling from the tops of their heads. This was a village of satyrs.

  Neither Staven nor Mark had ever seen a satyr before, and Stavius tried not to stare. Fortunately, the buildings in the village also demanded their attention. There were substantial, well-constructed houses made from wood and a large pavilion in the center of the village square. This pavilion had elaborately carved columns supporting a vast, roof covered in lush, green leaves. The building was filled with long, similarly carved tables of varying heights but seemed to have no chairs or benches.

  The tables on the outside were all far too high to be used by a human or a satyr while the tables in the center were on a raised floor, which brought them to reasonable bar height. As a result, there was one square of counters at the edge of the raised floor which was high on one side and lower on the other. The reason for this design became evident as Stavius saw how it was being used.

  Centaurs were standing and eating their lunches at the long, tall tables at the outside while the satyrs were standing and eating at the shorter tables on the raised floor. Most seemed to prefer dining with their own species; however, a few satyrs dined across from their taller centaur friends at the tables along the edge of the dais.