Greysons of Grimoire

by Tpaul Homdrom

  Kathryn was clearly in motion, dancing around the spider — Shana couldn’t see her, but she could see her ribbons flash into and out of the spider’s light. Lashing against its body, tugging at its legs, wrapping over its eyes… every attempt Kathryn made at attacking the Summon seemed to have no effect at all.

  And why would it? The spider was a monster, so gigantic Shana couldn’t even see its entire body at all times in this small grove.

  What could five barely-trained high schoolers do against something so powerful?

  “I said I’ll go!” Shana cried out desperately. “Take me! Leave them, please! I’m begging you!”

  “Too late for that,” the woman said. “You should have kept your friends in line. Now… well, I’m just going to have to take all of you.”

  “No!” Shana screamed, but it changed nothing. The spider Summon assailed her allies with its legs, poured webbing from its bulging abdomen, and showed no signs of any pain no matter what the Dawn Riders threw at it.

  The look she saw on Shias’ face said everything for her. He was determined, focused, and not thinking for a second about backing down. And looking at the rest of her allies as they came into and out of the light, she knew they were as determined to succeed as Shias. Even Rae, shy and small and uncertain, despite cowering underneath Brutus’ struggling form, had a look that said “I’m not leaving.” Her eyes gleamed with desperate focus.

  Why? Shana wondered feebly, falling to her knees as she watched the lopsided fight continue. This doesn’t have to continue. Give up. Run. Save yourselves. Stop fighting for me.

  I did this to all of you. It’s my fault. Don’t take the fall for me.

  And then Shana saw the most terrifying and heartbreaking thing — Altair, her tiny little dog Summon, utterly dwarfed by the massive spider, leapt high from the ground to run across the spider’s back, barking and biting and clawing as he went.

  “Altair,” Shana said softly, struggling for her voice. “Don’t… please… not you…”

  But Altair continued, barking and fighting with courageous intensity, showing no signs of fear in his hopeless fight.

  “Altair!” Shana shouted, running forward, tripping over a tree root, and then rising again, racing forward to do whatever she could to help her dog.

  Shias dampened the force of yet another blow against Brutus, but it wasn’t enough. Rae’s strong, courageous Summon crumpled, toppling to his side and crashing to the forest floor. Rae cried out, reaching for him, but webbing wrapped around her, tied her tight, and she dropped, unable to move.

  “Altair, help get Rae free!” Shana called out, and Altair replied with a bark, leaping off of the spider’s back and landing lightly on the grass. He raced to Rae and went to work with his teeth, but webbing swiftly caught up the little dog, too. He struggled and writhed within his own bonds, unable to escape.

  “Let him go!” Shana cried out, pulling at the webbing with her hands, but the silver threads wouldn’t budge. She pulled out her bookmark, held it up, and sent Altair back into magical space to free him.

  “Shana!” Shias shouted, and before Shana knew it, she was wrapped up in webs as well. She wondered why Rae was silent in her captivity, and soon she understood.

  The webbing wasn’t just constricting her. She felt her eyelids grow heavy. The sounds of the world around her faded, swallowed up by emptiness. Her mind fuzzy, her body warm and relaxed, slowly she drifted away.

  Shana immediately knew she was asleep. Because as the grove vanished from her mind, she passed into what she knew to be a dream.

  This wasn’t like her recurring dream, though. There wasn’t the fluffy pink mist swirling in the void.

  At first, there was nothing but darkness.

  And then, she saw a light. It was faint, but grew steadily. Soon, Shana was standing within the light. A golden bubble, it shielded Shana from the darkness writhing outside of its barrier.

  “What is this?” Shana asked aloud. She stood on a flat platform within the bubble, and she walked to its edge, reaching out to touch the barrier.

  “Don’t,” came a voice that startled Shana. She whipped around, coming face to face with a man. He stood in the center of the bubble, dressed in golden clothes with a golden cape wrapped around his shoulders.

  His face was concealed, shining with bright light.

  “Who…” Shana started to ask.

  “I am the Radiant King,” the man said. His voice was warm and pleasant, drawing Shana in. “It seems you’ve finally allowed me to enter your dream.”

  Shana shook her head. “I didn’t allow anything,” she said. She felt her senses sharpen, and stared at the King suspiciously. “Annabelle said you took her from her siblings. You’re the one the spider lady works for. What are you doing here?”

  “I am trying to help you,” the King said. For some reason, Shana knew he was smiling, even though she couldn’t see his face. He pointed to the bubble’s edge and the darkness beyond. “I am trying to protect everyone. What you see is the true state of the universe. The light is shrinking. Darkness closes in on it with every passing moment. I have fought back against the darkness, but I cannot save the universe alone.”

  “So why are you in my dream?” Shana asked. “Why did you…” Her hands balled into fists, and she glared at the shining man. “We were attacked by a giant spider! My Summon was attacked! My friends were hurt! And the woman who did it works for you!”

  “Peace, young one,” the King said, his voice ever calm and reassuring. “Neith only worked with what she was given, doing her best to contain you with as little violence as possible. That’s the reason I sent her there to watch over the children — Neith refuses to kill. You and your friends were in no danger.”

  “It sure felt like we were,” Shana said. “And she laughed at us. She was condescending and rude and disrespectful. She attacked us, when she could have let us leave, or only taken me.”

  The King sighed. “I apologize for her behavior,” he said. “She enjoys her work, sometimes too much. But, Shana, I allowed it because I’m desperate. Because I’m running out of time. All of creation is running out of time. And I… I can only save everyone if I have your help.”

  Shana blinked, stunned by the shining man’s words. “You… what now?” she asked, dumbfounded. “What are you talking about? What do you need me for?”

  “You have the Dreamer’s Heart,” the King said. “I…” There was a violent tearing sound, and the bubble was punctured to the King’s side. He turned in a flash, raising his hand as darkness surged inward. From the King’s hand came brilliant golden beams of light, blasting against the darkness. There was a brief struggle, dark raging against the light. The King’s light won out, pushing the darkness back until it was forced outside of the bubble, and the puncture was sealed.

  “As I said,” the King continued, his voice weary for a moment before he composed himself. “Time is running short. Shana… I will be meeting with you and your friends in person very soon. But since you allowed me into your dream, I took this opportunity to display to you the danger the universe is in, in a way I couldn’t outside of dreams. I hope you will understand.”

  Before Shana could respond, the King vanished. Then the bubble, and the darkness, vanished with him. Shana floated briefly in a white void, alone with her thoughts as she began to drift back into a dreamless sleep.

  Shias would say to be careful. But he doesn’t need to. Not this time.

  Maybe what the King said is true. But I didn’t allow him into my dream, no matter what he says. And the way he’s kidnapping us…

  His servant hurt Rae. She hurt Altair. She probably hurt Ben, and Shias, and Kathryn, too. And she uses a giant spider. Spiders are always evil.

  So many kids are still being held hostage. The King wants to save everyone? Yeah, right.

  When we wake up, I’m getting back home as fast as I can. If the King’s serious about saving everyone, then he won’t mind me doing what I set out to do in the beg
inning.

  Until I save all of those kids — until I find Rae’s dad — until I find Caleb, Delilah, and Fae — the King can take his hopes and dreams and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine.

  Sorry, mom. I know I shouldn’t be so crass.

  But you can blame dad. I learned that one from him.

  Chapter 31: Intangibles

  — G —

  “Hello?” Fae asked, standing at the flap that covered the entrance to Gerick’s tent. She felt like she should knock, but knocking on fabric was impractical.

  This is why doors are so helpful.

  “Gerick Irsotz?” Mercury asked.

  “I’m coming,” came a calm voice from within. The girls stepped away as the flap was pulled aside and a man emerged from the raggedy red tent. His grey hair was tied back in a ponytail, and his striking scarlet eyes shone with warmth and kindness. He was dressed in a dark blue jacket with brass buttons that was also a cape — it buttoned closed in the front like a jacket, but rather than sleeves, it simply wrapped around, loosely covering his upper arms. A sketchbook hung from a long, thin chain around his neck like a lanyard. His white pants were tucked into brown leather boots which had “holsters” that, much to Fae’s delight, contained pens, pencils, and brushes.

  He smiled as he saw the girls. “Ah, new visitors,” he said. “Welcome, welcome. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “You’re Gerick Irsotz?” Fae asked.

  “Yes, that’s me,” Gerick said.

  “I’m Fae Greyson,” Fae said, holding out her hand. “I was told you might be able to answer some questions about magical artwork.”

  “No surprises there,” Gerick said with a wry smile. “Most who seek me out have the same sorts of questions. Let me grab a few seats so we can talk more comfortably.”

  Inside Gerick’s tent were several simple wooden stools, small and light enough that he could carry five at once, arranging them in a semicircle outside the tent. Fae and the sisters took their seats first at Gerick’s gesture, and then he joined them. Mercury, Neptune, and Jupiter introduced themselves, and Gerick returned his attention to Fae.

  “So, Miss Greyson, what can I help you with?” he asked.

  “Just Fae is fine,” Fae said, opening her bag and pulling out the sketchbook where she’d drawn her most recent piece, the drawing of the Cartographer’s Waystation. “I… this is my first time to the Enchanted Dominion, and I’d never even heard of it until very recently. But I have many drawings like this… scenes and places that just come to me, even though I’ve never seen them before. Have you heard of anything like that?”

  Gerick took the sketchbook, leafing through the pages and spending a long time on each drawing. “Some of these are unfinished,” he said.

  “Yes,” Fae said. “I… when I start drawing them, I get into a sort of zone where my hand is working on its own. If I get interrupted, it breaks the flow and I can’t complete the piece.”

  “I see…” Gerick continued looking through the book, and the longer he was silent, the more Fae’s anxiety grew.

  Did he know anything? Would he have worthwhile answers? Did these drawings really mean something, or was Fae just crazy?

  “I’ll be quite honest,” Gerick said, lowering the book and casting a long look at Fae, “I’ve only heard of something like this once before, and only in rumors and scattered hints. I tried to track down as much information as I could, because it fascinated me, but there didn’t seem to be much to find — though, of course, I don’t know everything. It’s very likely I missed something somewhere.”

  “What do you know?” Fae asked, hanging on every word.

  “There was a boy from Earth, a long time ago,” Gerick said. He looked up at the sky, his expression deep in thought. “I’m not entirely sure how long it would be for you. Time is very different in the Enchanted Dominion, and I’m not all that familiar with Human lifespans. But it would have been many centuries ago. I never met the boy, but I heard the stories. He had strange drawings, exact recreations of Locations and even quite a few Enchanted — yet he’d never been to those places or met those people before. While here, he traveled quite extensively. He, too, was seeking answers to why he was drawing these things and people he’d never seen before.”

  “What did he find out?” Fae asked.

  “I’m not entirely sure,” Gerick admitted. “I know some of the Locations he visited and Enchanted he spoke with — some of whom are still very much alive, and perhaps they’ll be more receptive to you questioning them than they were to me — and I know that it’s unclear whether or not he ever left the Dominion. Some say that he refused to go back to Earth. Others say he simply vanished off the Celestial Shore. Still others whisper about the Queen, saying that she stole him away.”

  “The queen? What would royalty want with him?”

  “Not that queen,” Gerick said.

  “The Queen,” Mercury said, and the way she said it was similar to Gerick, putting an emphasis on the word as if it were a name, not just a title. “No one speaks her name. But if she went after the boy…”

  “Then she could want Fae as well,” Neptune said.

  “What’s so dangerous about her?” Fae asked. “And why won’t anyone speak her name?”

  “Because to speak it is to invite her attention,” Gerick said. “Though if you must know a little bit more… she’s more properly called the Nightmare Queen.”

  “Paints a pretty clear picture, huh?” Mercury asked. “If you talk about the Royal Family’s queen, you’re talking about Queen Enchanta. Otherwise, ‘the Queen’ refers to the Nightmare Queen.”

  “She rules over fear and terrors.” Neptune said. “The unknown, and the things that prey on us in our deepest slumber.”

  “What would she want with the boy?” Fae asked.

  “It’s unclear,” Gerick said. “No one I spoke with was able to answer that much. Like the other information about what happened to the boy, they seem closer to rumor than fact, but… I can’t simply dismiss them out of hand. The boy vanished, and no one knows to where. It’s worth exploring all possibilities.”

  “What else can you tell me about him?” Fae asked.

  “Early on, it seems he simply wanted to know why he was able to draw these things,” Gerick said. “Personal accounts talk of the boy’s innocence and curiosity. Those who spoke or met with him early in his journey speak of him fondly.”

  “I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming,” Mercury said.

  Gerick nodded. “Those accounts are from early on,” he said. “As time passed, the boy seemed to… change. It’s unclear exactly how young he was when he arrived, but either way, change is no surprise. It is the essence of Humans and Enchanted alike to change as time passes. But the boy seemed to develop a sort of… obsession. The latest accounts, nearest to the boy’s disappearance, talk of him frequently — and sometimes rather aggressively — inquiring about Collapse.”

  That word hung in the air, and judging by everyone else’s reactions, Fae should have a chill running down her spine. “Collapse means something in this world, doesn’t it?” she asked.

  Locations, Enchanted, the Nightmare Queen… the way they name things makes it hard to tell if a word is a regular word or has added meaning.

  “Indeed it does,” Gerick said, nodding gravely. “Collapse is one of the Intangibles.”

  “Intangibles are…” Mercury started, pausing in thought. “Well, let’s start before that. The Dominion and the Enchanted are really big on prophecy and destiny and stuff like that. You know about Locations with a capital ‘L’. There are also Characters, with a capital ‘C’ — important figures in prophecies and history, and they’re often recurring figures who have specific roles to play in the world and the destiny of existence as a whole. The Queen is one of those.”

  “And then there are Intangibles,” Neptune said. “These are forces of magic that transcend both physical form and conventional magic as a means of describing them. Many of
them are greatly coveted by those with a desire for power or change. Collapse is… one of the more ominous Intangibles.”

  “Anyone who’s asking about it, or trying to find or obtain it in some way, is probably lost,” Jupiter said. “If you’re someone who wants Collapse, that likely means Collapse has already found you.”

  “Indeed,” Gerick said. “Collapse has two components. Many believe it to be a creation of the Queen, but no one knows for certain. The first component is an infection of the mind and soul. It creates in the infected a desperate, obsessive desire to find and obtain the second component, which…”