19. BAD NEWS

“Well,” said Chuck, scratching his head, “…THAT sucked.”

When the Gem awakens to call a Hero, the world is ill prepared...and its fate is placed in the hands of a 17 year old boy, named Wendell. 

Some will say this is nothing but a tale of fiction.
Let them think as they may. 

After all...I can't fix stupid.

Previously: Wendell is at the point of no return. King Robert III has returned to his lands, bringing with him the Lady Alhannah and the Rook, to set him once again on the seat of power. Wendell discovers there might be something more to King Robert than meets the eye.

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Don’t be in such a hurry to pass judgement on others.

You may think you know a little of their history, but that’s not what makes a person. Learning from their mistakes, breaking their prisons, refusing to give up and blazing new trails…that is what makes a person.

Don’t be in such a hurry to pass judgement on others.

You may think you know a little of their history, but that’s not what makes a person. Learning from their mistakes, breaking their prisons, refusing to give up and blazing new trails…that is what makes a person.

That “little history” should soften your heart, evoke your compassion and remind you of a single, inescapable fact:

You have a history too.

The first two days of our journey weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. To be honest, I’d worked myself into a near mental frenzy, thinking we’d emerge from the valley and into the waiting clutches of the horde. My paranoia whispered that we’d be running for days, barely escaping with our lives from a blood-thirsty army laying in wait. 

Nothing had been further from the truth.

The forest was quiet, paths empty — though there were ample signs of a large group moving north. Deep tracks, animal droppings and trampled foliage marked the way.

Dax was particular about avoiding any paths normally traveled by merchants. “If it’s wide enough for a wagon, we ain’t usin’ it,” he said…and he meant it. He even ignored the wizards’ complaints, though I noticed Dax slowed our pace enough to accommodate the old man’s fatigue. The trek to Til-Thorin was a long one, and that was taking the common routes. Now we had to make it to the Keep in two weeks, but we were limited to the high passes. Hunting trails and blazing fresh paths of our own. Dax and Alhannah took turns scouting ahead while Chuck walked with me.

It wasn’t so bad.

The brilliant colors of fall had already washed over the forest. Leaves were falling. The cool breeze during the day turned bitter cold at night, cutting through the trees like daggers of ice. The miserable experience was only exacerbated by Dax’s refusal to make anything but the smallest of fires. 

It was then I noticed some of the more remarkable properties of the mägoweave I wore.

It kept me comfortable. Much to the annoyance of Dax and Alhannah — who were forced to huddle together to keep from freezing. Even though I could will my clothing to encompass me with gloves and even a warm winter face mask — even in my limited jeans and t-shirt - my hands and face were never cold. Oh, I could feel the movement of air and could tell it was cooler…but I was never uncomfortable.

Chuck was oblivious to the weather altogether. Wrapped up in his winter hat, boots, gloves and parka, he was all smiles at night. While his smaller companions slept near the fire, the wizard lay sprawled across the grass — fast asleep — his immense beard wrapped around his face once, then folded under his head as a pillow.

Chuck’s snoring was startling at first, but turned out to be a mixed blessing. It made it difficult to sleep, sure,…but it also kept the wild animals from wandering into camp.

On the upside, the wizard seemed to have an endless supply of food. He assured me it had to be rationed, but Chuck pulled out large portions of bread and butter, honey, dried meats, apples, pears and other fresh fruits from his side pouch at every mealtime.

“How do you do that?” I finally asked on our third night. We had found a cave large enough to cut the wind and enjoy a decent fire. A full dinner felt good in my belly. We were all in good spirits.

Chuck stopped chewing, the juice of an orange dripping down his beard. He swallowed roughly, then wiped his lips across the sleeve of his robe. “Do what?”

“Store so much stuff in your hat? You did the same thing at the bookstore with this,” and I rattled the small pouch slung over my shoulder. I pulled out the money pouch I’d been given and jiggled it in my hand. “This does it too. I’ve already taken out more than it should hold, but every time I look in it, it’s still full. I have absolutely no idea how much is in here.”

The wizard shrugged. “I wouldn’t know about that. You should be grateful.”

"Oh, no. No. That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, because I AM grateful. Ever so grateful. This is just me, trying to understand, that’s all."

“Come to think of it,” added Alhannah, “you do the same thing with your robes, Uncle Chuck. Not just your hat.”

“What is this, analyze the food-bearer night?” Chuck said.

“It’s just a question,” chimed Dax, who was working on his twentieth egg, “so tell ‘em.”

“Oooo!” Chuck retorted, eyes wide. “Captain grumpy wants to play, does he? Well then, play we shall! Give ’n Take, that’s the game. The boy can ask a question for a question. If you refuse to answer, you’re out.”

Alhannah sat upright. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” I said.

Chuck stared at the elf, the grin under his mustache unmistakable. “Grumpy?”

Dax spat over his shoulder. “Fine.”

“Fine, is not ‘yes’. Yes, is…”

“YES! ….for crying out loud — just play the game, will ya?”

The wizard wiggled his eyebrows at Wendell and smirked. Rubbing his hands together, he reached inside a sleeve and pulled out a small lantern. The candle was already lit. Placing it on the rock between us, he gestured to it. “It’s called a repository spell. Makes something bigger on the inside than on the outside. Works great for bags, barrels, hats, just about anything really, even a 1963 police box. However…I added a twist to it. These have a ‘Draw’ spell woven into the magical fabric. When I reach in, I think what I want and if it’s in there, it’ll be the first thing I feel.”

I grinned. “That is…so cool.”

Chuck grinned. “Yes, very clever. Alright, my turn.” He leaned back and folded his arms. “Tell me about your family back home, Wendell.”

The smile faded from my face.

Personal information. If I was to keep the secret that I wasn’t the actual bloodline, I had to be very careful in how I responded. 

I shrugged. “Not much to tell, really. I have a dad and a few older siblings. Never really knew them, though. Everyone was already married and gone by the time I was born. Mistake child I guess.”

“Doubt that,” said the wizard. “You seem to come from a loving home."

"How can you tell that?" I asked.

"You can judge a lot about parents by how their children represent them. You are kind, thoughtful, and you have a compassion for people I’ve rarely seen in those your age." He wiggled his index finger. "That tells me you had parents who cared what you did and how you did it. Parents who loved you, cared for you, taught you, and that sort of thing.”

“Well, yeah. I guess I was. Is, I mean. Mom…died a few years back — which kinda changed it all. Car accident.”

A heaviness fell over Alhannah. She looked more solemn, frowned. She looked at Dax, who shook his head and shrugged.

“It was just me and dad, left at the house. Mom was everything to him and he…” I trailed off to a whisper, placing a hand over the smiley face. 

“Broke,” I choked out. 

The smiley whimpered silently.

“Right!” chimed Chuck. “Your turn, son.”

It took a moment for me to gather my thoughts. I shrugged off the feelings of home and locked onto the bright face of the gnome. With a deep breath I let it all go, pushed a broad smile to my face and asked, “Alhannah, how did you ever get stuck with these two?”

“Hey,” smirked Chuck. 

“Oh, that’s easy,” she beamed. “My parents. Mom was a fighter, and they’ve known my dad since he was a kid. Watched him grow up to become a researcher. When mom…vanished, we…I mean, I…” She looked into the fire, as she trailed off. She grit her teeth. After a few moments, Alhannah looked up at me, her eyes moist. She cleared her throat. “Never mind, I’m out.” She wrapped her arms around herself and stared into the fire.

My mouth dropped open to apologize.

“Right!” chimed the wizard again. “Ask Dax a question then, son.”

Dax was still feasting, slurping down raw eggs, one after another, making loud smacking noises as he did so.

“Alright. Dax…if you could face any enemy of your choice…someone you could use all your skill and anger upon, who would it be?” It was a great question. Dax had saved my life, and I’d seen how amazing he was…even without a weapon. I was quite proud of my thoughtful question, AND avoided anything personal. I grinned at the wizard. Dax seemed to enjoy the physical discipline of combat, after all.

Chuck’s face looked unusually pale.

Leaning towards me, the small pile of untouched eggs rolled off his lap, cracking open as they hit the stones around the fire. The dancing light created unnatural shadows above Dax’s cheekbones, nearly blacking out his eyes. His thick brows rolled forward into a single, solid storm cloud. Egg shells rolled over his bottom lip and fell to the dirt. 

“My father,” he sneered.

Alhannah dropped her head forward into her lap, while Dax threw his last egg across the cave and stormed out. I wrapped my arms around myself and joined Alhannah, staring into the flames.

“Well,” said Chuck, scratching his head, “…that sucked.”

On the fourth day, we stumbled across signs of the enemy.

It was a camp, down in a ravine. We were at least a day set back from any main path. Trees had been chopped down in a cluster around the camp and used as fuel.

“What’s that stench!?” I coughed, covering my mouth with my shirt. It was a foul, lingering smell, which scratched at the back of your throat. The kind that makes you gag.

Dax jabbed at black piles of excrement under a tree with a stick. “Hound feces.”

I winced and tried not to vomit. “That’s one potent puppy.”

Chuck kneeled beside the tree and ran his fingers along a deep groove in the bark. “Chain marks,” he sighed. “Definitely hounds. And they’re big.”

Alhannah kneeled near the fire pit. “The coals are still warm, boys. They’re not far ahead of us. Less than half a day. Twelve, maybe fifteen of them.” She scurried around the edge of the camp until finally kneeling and examining markings in the ground. “The tracks lead south, southwest.”

“I thought the bad guys were going north?” I said. The thought of being snatched up and carried away made me shiver. I moved closer to my companions, shifting away from the woods. “How do you know it was, you know,…the bad guys?”

Dax tossed the stick to the ground. “This isn’t the main group. These guys are staying off the main roads AND they’ve got Hounds. What do they want this far west… ‘cause they ain’t following us?”

We traveled the rest of the day was in silence. Chuck had been adamant about my schooling as we walked, engaging me in conversation, but not today. Keeping to the deeper parts of the forest, we remained wide-eyed and alert. Chuck was overly jumpy, reacting to anything out of the ordinary. A prolonged silence, startled birds taking to the sky overhead, it all caused the old man to hit the ground or hide behind the nearest tree.

I couldn’t sleep that night.

Dax wouldn’t allow a fire to be built, so we had to be content with staring up into the night sky. A million diamonds thrown across a black sheet of silk. It wasn’t quite like being alone, moving in sync with people around me, but it was close. Regardless of the gestures and reassuring smiles, I was feeling alone.

Information was being gathered, but not explained. Dax and Alhannah quietly exchanged information as they hiked through the hills. Were we lost? Dis they actually know where we’re going? The wizard wasn’t any help in belaying my growing fears, either. Chuck wandered aimlessly when left alone, often murmuring to himself.

Even moving further south, away from the enemy, we crossed the enemy’s trail on day six. It just didn’t make sense. Dax and Chuck starting exchanging words in private, which looked animated and heated. When we’d stopped for the night, no one said a word to me.

That’s the thing with silence, though. If you don’t interact with a person, all they have to go by is their own thoughts, their own assumptions. If you don’t give them new or correct information, all they can do is use what they have.

…or think they have.

Dax’s shadow, to me, always looked…odd. The evolu was sitting, leaning against a tree and staring into the dark woods.

Could Dax be trusted?

I shook my head. It was a silly thought. Of course he could. He’d been living with Chuck and the Iskari for who knows how long. He’s grouchy and sometimes mean spirited, but…Chuck trusted him.

The wizard softly snored against a rock nearby, Alhannah peacefully curled up in a ball next to him. 

Surely the High Council trusted Dax as well. Right? It was Dax who was sent to Earth to grab the hero…

…and he grabbed the wrong guy.

Could he have done that on purpose? Grabbed me instead. So evil could win?

"Makes sense," whispered Doubt. "It might account for all the attitude from the evolu, Lady Tamorah, and why he’s always so defensive."

No! That’s insane, and I knew it. The Council wouldn’t risk the gem falling into the wrong hands. Right? Dax was leading us away from the danger. I shook my head again.

Of course, Dax is on our side.

It wasn’t long before I’d worked myself into a profound headache.

The last sliver of doubt tortured me throughout the night, and I dreamed of the girl from the market. Again, I saved her, to which she’d rewarded me with a single kiss.

Breakfast the next morning was anything but. It comprised a single, hard-boiled egg and a small crust of stale bread. Apparently, Chuck had told me the truth…the supplies were not endless after all.

"Share your stash, monkey," the wizard complained.

""I’m telling ya, Chuck, I didn’t stock it." He sighed and looked at us apologetically. "I thought we’d port right there and not have to wait for me to recuperate."

“We’ll have to do some hunting soon,” said Alhannah.

“We don’t have time,” replied Dax.

“Well, we either make time, or we go hungry,” she countered. “Besides, this’ll be a good opportunity to teach Wendell some useful skills. Time well spent. A little hunting, a little survival…some self-defense. Whaddya say, Wendell?”

I didn’t say a word. My face had been frozen, eyes locked on something in the distance for most of the morning.

“I think our boy snapped a noodle,” whispered the wizard.

Chuck leaned over and tousled my hair, like a little child. “We’re going to be just fine, son.”

I blinked, painfully. “There’s nowhere for us to run out here.” My voice was shaky, a bit hoarse, and I couldn’t stop my hands to stop trembling. “If we get caught, they’ll kill us. You know that. Like dead, kill us.” My mind continued to race with horrible possibilities. Things that made my stomach turn. Images of that torso rotating over the open spit at Tämä-Un taunted me. This time MY face was on the body. I’m in a forest with hidden cannibals. Lurking. Hunting. I looked at each of them, my gaze lingering on Chuck. 

I’m being protected by the looney squad.

My bottom lip quivered.

“I’m not even ready to be overly bruised,” I complained out loud. “I don’t want to be killed dead.”

Alhannah smiled at me reassuringly. “First, Wendell, in the woods, there are many places to run and hide. Second, I think it’s a good time to start those self-defense lessons. Build some confidence.”

“Right,” coughed the wizard, shaking his beard clean of crumbs. “I’ve got this.” He stood up and did a few side bends, trunk twists and jumping jacks. “Chuck-Fu it is.”

Taking a deep breath, the wizard pulled his elbows back to his sides and took a shoulder-width stance. Pushing his knees outward, he squatted, exhaling. There was a pop…then a groan…then a thud as his legs buckled and he hit the ground, butt first.

Dax laughed out loud. “That looked more like Chuck-Fooey to me.” He laughed again, wiping a tear from his eye. “Oh, let’s get moving…”

“Don’t you mock me,” Chuck snapped. “I will have you know I spent my life battling impossible odds, defying demons, dragons, death…and mild uncomfortableness whenever possible. Wipe that smug look from your face, monkey — I’ve SEEN the plagues of every great civilization: GREED! LUST FOR POWER! IGNORANCE!…FAT WOMEN IN SPANDEX!!” He shuddered violently. “Trust me, belly fat shouldn’t be allowed that much freedom.”

The day was long, the fog thick. Much to my relief, it gave us plenty of cover as we traveled. Dax lead us higher and higher until we stood above the dense moisture. The highlands poked through the clouds like great islands in the sky.

Unfortunately, the thick cover came with a price.

Bitter cold and the slush of an early snowfall at high altitudes made the experience utterly miserable for the gnome. I listened to the clatter of Alhannah’s armor and weapons. Her nose was purple, cheeks pale as the snow itself, and she shivered violently. Yet she trudged on without a single complaint.

By nightfall, we’d worked our way back down into the valley. It was warmer, and Dax discovered a sheltered outcropping to make camp.

I quickly set about to gather firewood, while the other three tried to warm up. Dax was too numb to use his fingers. Alhannah attempted to use her dagger and flint, to no avail. The blade fumbled from her fingers and flipped into the dirt. When I finally stepped forward to take over, I was promptly shoved aside by the wizard.

“This is taking too long,” Chuck said, his teeth chattering violently. He held out his walking staff and turned his head away. “I don’t care what you say, monkey…I’m cheating tonight.”

Springing to his feet, Dax jumped back and threw his hands up over his face.

I’d never really paid much attention to Chuck’s staff. It was certainly interesting to watch it come and go, floating and jumping in and out of the wizards’ hands, but I’d never taken a closer look. Whomever created the staff was a master at realism. The grooves in the wood looked a great deal like scales, the knots like eyes, and the ripples and waves in the wood like the curvature of…skin.

It was a tiny dragon.

Slender wings folded back over its curved body and a long tail wrapped around the staff it perched on.

Chuck shook the staff firmly, pointing it at the firewood. “Well…go on now — light it already,” he demanded. Reaching out with his other hand, he rapped the dragonhead with a knuckle. “Wake UP, I say!”

I almost lost my balance when the rounded arch of wood flinched, then blinked. Lifting its horned head, the staff…or the creature upon it, stretched its neck. It looked up at me, rotated its shoulders, then spread its paper-thin wings. The bulbous beak turned to its master, a small forked tongue flicking into the wind.

Chuck shook the staff violently. “Get a move on, you lazy walking stick. You’ve napped long enough!”

The dragon hissed and flipped its head abruptly towards the pile of wood, and opened its mouth. Flame leaped from the staff, consuming the neatly arranged kindling. Twigs and logs popped and crackled. The dragon turned back and hissed again, before reverting to its original inanimate form.

“I don’t know where you learned such language," Chuck gasped. "But I have no desire to be around a potty mouth.” With a single toss, the staff sailed over the fire and drifted into a crevice of the rocks. The wizard nodded. “You go sit in the corner.”

Alhannah put her hands near the flames, rubbing them in relief.

Dax slowly opened his eyes and blinked. “You actually did it.” He scratched his head. “No one got hurt…and you still have your beard. Huh. Good job.”

Chuck waved the comments away and plopped down next to the fire. Poking a couple of marshmallows onto a stick, he passed the bag to Alhannah. “Don’t look so surprised. I have my moments.”

“That you do,” Dax said politely.

We ate what remained of our food near the warmth of the flames. Chuck found a few scraps of bread and some aged cheese in the recesses of his hat. The moldy parts were cut off and handed to Dax, who eagerly scarfed them down. We also discovered a small stream nearby, which provided fresh water. 

Alhannah excused herself to wash her face and hair. She returned with a collection of what she called ‘mook berries’, gathered in her cloak. "They’re common at this altitude," she said, "near the water’s edge."

It was a delightful treat.

With little to no wind, all we had to content with was an occasional stray ember leaping out of the campfire. Washed, warm, and somewhat fed, Alhannah began humming a tune to herself as she braided her hair.

Dax sat up after a moment. “Sing it out loud, Alhannah, or you won’t do it justice.”

She hesitated, and I couldn’t help but stare. The warrior gnome, who…looked so tiny without her armor on. The pale color of her bare forearms was like cream against the firelight. It was hard to imagine, in this light, that she could swing her tiny blades so brutally.

“You sing?” I asked.

Alhannah shook her head, fingers lingering in her hair strands. “It’s my brother who has the talent in the family. Brilliant kid. He writes and performs all over, but there’s one he wrote for our people. It’s what I cling to when I’m far away from home.”

“Then sing it,” Dax encouraged again.

She looked almost embarrassed. “Not tonight.”

It seemed odd to me, this walking, talking, sword-slinging warrior. For all the rage and skill and fight in her, she had a softer side, and was afraid to let it out. From time to time, you’d witness her nurturing side, at least with Chuck. Her comments as a sister and daughter showed how much she cared for those in her life, and she’d been my advocate with Dax back at Tämä-Un. I couldn’t resist asking, “What made you decide to become a fighter, Alhannah?”

Dax and Chuck remained silent.

She stared through the flames at me, her eyes glowing aggressively, like polished emeralds.

I shifted in my seat. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

“It was my mother,” she said.

I frowned. “Your…”

“My mother,” she repeated. There was a crack of a smile at the corners of her mouth. “She was part of the elite N.E.R.D.S. team.”

I stifled a laugh, but Chuck shook his head vigorously.

“I’m sorry," I said, "…nerds?”

“National Environmental Recon Deployment Service,” she clarified, “charged with exploring new locations and resource acquisition for Clockworks City. She was a damage control specialist. Translation: a tarkin good fighter. My mother was…how did the government say it, Dax?”

The elf stretched out on his bedroll and yawned. Slowly, he grinned wide enough to display his teeth. He chuckled. “Freakishly skilled.”

Alhannah smiled. “Always loved that ‘official’ definition. She had a gift for pain. Dad was on contract and mom was second in command under Lieutenant Pickett.” She dropped her gaze into the flames, her hands lowering to her lap, little fingers kneading warmth into her palms. “I always wanted to be like mom. Especially when she…”

“Shhh!” hissed Dax, his head popping up. In an instant, he’d flipped over onto all fours, ears twitching.

“She was in the middle of baring her soul, you nit!” Chuck grumbled.

Dax turned his gargantuan head from side to side. “We’ve got company,” he whispered. Without another word, he scurried away, up between the rocks and into the night.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Alhannah pulled on her vest and mail shirt over her head. Securing her armor, she grabbed her weapons and turned to me. "Come on!" Then she, too, dashed into the darkness.

The wizard sighed as he stood up awkwardly. “I hope there won’t be running involved. Have I mentioned that I hate running?”

I trailed behind Alhannah, helping the wizard along.

We’re running towards the danger? How does this make any sense? If there’s someone nearby, shouldn’t we be going in the opposite direction? The gnome ran and hopped around obstacles without effort, occasionally turning back to encourage the wizard forward.

Chuck wasn’t amused, however, and openly objected to being taken so far from the warm fire he worked so hard to start.

As we reached the top of the third small hill, my legs buckled under me.

Tha-THUMP-Thump!

Urrk!! Clutching my chest, I stumbled. A burning sensation crawled up and into my throat like a backed up sink. I pulled at the collar of my shirt, scratching my neck.

Tha-THUMP-Thump!

I fell forward, struggling for breath, nearly taking Chuck with me. I had to catch myself against a tree.

“You alright, son?”

“Come on, guys!” stressed Alhannah.

Tha-THUMP-Thump!

“I’m…fine,” I lied, swallowing painfully. “I’m right behind you.”

That’s when we all heard it. An echo rising above the fog.

Thundering drums and the high-pitched ringing of metal. Clashing. The biting of steel. Screams. Shouts. Growing louder. 

We stopped where the jagged rocks met the forest below in what looked to be the rubble of an old avalanche. Giant boulders and fallen trees, intermingling and piled high just beyond a forest clearing. The tall trees grew up to meet the ledge we were perched on, creating a small fan of cover. On the other side, less than forty feet below, lights moved in the night.

Fires blazed as the sounds of battle raged.

Dax, on his belly atop the biggest boulder, motioned for us to do the same. He placed a finger to his lips.

“What teams are playing?” whispered Alhannah, scooting close to Dax. She was grinning…again. She patted me on the arm. “Hey — maybe you’ll get that training you asked for? Nothing like an unexpected, life-threatening event to add some experience.”

I looked at her, aghast. She’s certifiably psychotic!

A scream echoed from somewhere in the distance and abruptly fell silent. 

“You’re joking, right?” I said.

Alhannah elbowed me, as if she was being teased, completely unaffected by the horrid sounds of death. “What you need is some adrenaline pumping, Mahan’s-Pink-Panties-I’m-Gonna-Die conflict.” She winked. “It’ll clear your senses, I guarantee it.”

A trickle of acid crept up the back of my throat, coating my tongue. 

"She loves this stuff, which is….disturbing, sure," Doubt whispered, "but you have to admire her tenacity." 

I tried to smile back, but could only manage it half-heartedly. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked for her help.

“Let’s get a closer look,” whispered Dax…and pulled himself forward on his belly.

“Closer!?” I squeaked, which was immediately followed by slapping a hand over my mouth. I lowered my tone. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

“Shhh!” Dax hissed back, shooting me a warning glare. Keeping low, polka dotted behind in the air, he crept up to the ledge, staying behind the sparse weeds growing out from between the rocks. Alhannah and Chuck followed in like.

Nervously, I followed like an arthritic caterpillar — my butt rising and falling as I moved. Not good…not good…not good.

Burning wagons and tents lit the battlefield, illuminating the conflict between men and beasts. Swords flashed in the night, while screams of agony ripped the air. The mountain wall under us reverberated the sounds of battle across the landscape, throwing echoes of pain and death back at their source.

Hundreds of human soldiers formed tight ranks — shoulder to shoulder — shields raised, spears thrusting. Wave after wave of deformed and enraged creatures swarmed from the darkness. Howling like banshees, they lunged and jumped, screaming, swinging with fist, claw, and club. 

Soldiers stood their ground, defying the horde. 

Their chants rose above the conflict. A call of deep voices, shouting out as they pushed against the enemy:

GIVE NO GROUND, LEAVE NO PREY,
PROTECT THE BACKS OF MEN,
FEAR NOT THE NIGHT, FOR WE ARE BRAVE,
TURN AGAIN AND REND!

TOGETHER MIGHTY SOLDIERS,
CUT THEM, MAKE THEM FLEE!
FOR BARDS SHALL SING OF ALL YOUR DEEDS,
AND HEROES YOU SHALL BE!

With each shout, the humans surged forward. Knocking the enemy aside, trampling them under foot. Spears pierced flesh, punctured chest and skull. Swords flashed and severed limbs.

I cringed, gripping the stone to keep from shaking. I didn’t want to see this. I couldn’t see this. It was going to give me a complex. I just knew it.

Animals with jagged teeth, curved tusks, and thick fur lunged at the lines. They looked like giant pumas, dark and sleek, with six legs…and scales. They tackled the humans, knocking a dozen or more to the ground. Thick claws raked away armor as if it were cloth — teeth sinking deep into exposed flesh. Some beasts found their demise at the end of spears and swords, while others howled in victory.

Those sounds seized my spine. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. We need to go back. Need to hide. Get help. I wanted to vomit. Clenching my eyes tight, I curled up into a ball in the dirt. I didn’t want to see anymore!

“PLEASE!” I finally begged out loud in a strained whisper.

“Shhh!” Alhannah said, quickly slapping a hand over my mouth. She frowned in an are-you-insane-you-moron look I couldn’t mistake. I yanked my head back, away from her hand.

“What’s wrong with you guys?!” I wheezed. “You’re supposed to run in the opposite direction when you find people dying. You could be next!”

With a frightfully firm grip on my arm, Chuck flipped me over to face him.

“Now you listen to me, son. I know this isn’t easy. I know it’s frightful, but you’re not here for tea and biscuits. You’re here to make a difference! No, you don’t feel you can do anything yet. Fine. But those men down there are doing their duty.” He tugged again on my arm. “Doing their duty…despite the odds against them. This isn’t about fighting fights you can win, young man. This is about fighting for other people who can’t. You…” Chuck jabbed me hard in the stomach with a boney finger, “are our ultimate back-up plan!”

My stomach heaved.

The wizard released his grip. “Get used to it.”

Arrows flew across the field with deadly accuracy, impaling the cat-like beasts through neck and face. Shafts that hungered for soft leather, soft throats, and open mouths found their targets. Even an armored juggernaut fell to crossbowman, who targeted their heavy bolts at the vallen’s protective chest plate and helmet.

Chuck groaned. “That’s Til-Thorin’s flag.”

“This far south?” whispered Dax. He flinched as a human crashed against the ledge. Bones snapped. The corpse slid off the slight incline and fell to the battlefield below. “That doesn’t make sense…why would they leave the Keep?”

The wizard bit his lip. He pulled at the weeds beneath his hands. “Govind,” he whispered.

The dawn had already revealed its light along the belly of the clouds. Near the center of the conflict, standing in a semi-circle, were a handful of knights surrounding their fallen leader. Several black shafts protruded from a mound of bright silver armor. I couldn’t see a face or much detail. Only that standing over the silver knight was an old man in faded red robes. His long, white beard complimented the silver emblems along his sleeves, reflecting the firelight.

“You know these men?” I asked.

“The mägo,” the wizard choked, “is a friend. Govind,” he repeated, “A…dear friend. I was hoping to take you to him. Ask him to begin your training.”

Govind made sudden lifting motions with his hands, clawing through the air. Flames leaped from the burning wagons, arching through the trees in rolling pillars. Like serpents seeking mice, the flames lashed out, consuming enemies unwilling to retreat from the battlefield. Giants cried out in agony as armor melted, bubbling and turning to slag against their skin.

Cheers rang out from the humans.

I watched, transfixed, as the mägo’s hands flared with a white intensity.

This guy was going to be my teacher?

The field lit up with the brilliance of a minor star. Light also flared from Govind’s eyes. Trees burst into flames. The sparse grass withered and the few patches of early snow hissed, evaporating under its touch. 

Coooool.

The horde had stopped advancing, but they didn’t retreat beyond the rim of the forest. A black robe, hobbling along, pushed its way through the ranks.

Alhannah hissed like a cat.

“Täuku,” answered Dax. He reached over and squeezed Alhannah’s hand. “Ain’t nothing a gnome hates more.”

The hooded hunchback silently lumbered across the field, the flames flickering and dying out as it passed. The soldiers from both sides withdrew from the battlefield.

Govind stepped down from the knoll and into the small clearing. He weaved his way through the mangled bodies of noble soldiers, light still flaring from his eyes.

The ground shook. A tremor. Then another. 

Splitting at the feet of the Täuku, the rock and soil ripped open. The tremors continued as nature moaned in anger. The black robe stumbled backwards and hobbled to retreat, but the crack expanded, arcing wide until it encircled the robe, cutting off its escape route. 

Govind’s very skin glowed with power and even from here I could hear the mägo chanting. With a final shudder, the ground heaved flame and molten rock out of the fissure, engulfing the Täuku.

Deafening cheers exploded from the humans, swords banging against shields.

The cheer, however, was short-lived. Flames gathered and curled like the rolling waves of the sea, twisting and lifting above the black robes. The Täuku stood in the center of the isle…unscathed.

 A rapid succession of shrill sounds pierced the night. For a moment, I thought I saw snake heads flicking out from under the cloth of the mägo’s black hood.

Wings stretched forth, and claws formed, as a long tail rolled out through the trees, setting them ablaze. 

It was a dragon.

Blinking its golden globes, it launched itself into the air. A fanged maw opening in a silent roar as it circled in the sky. 

It dove into the battlefield.

Archers fired arrows, to no avail. Some rolled and dove to safety as others, too slow to react, were consumed. The dead fell into piles of ash. I watched Govind — the light still shining brilliantly from his eyes. He called out words I didn’t understand, pointing at the serpent of flame. 

The dragon rolled and dove from above, mouth agape, claws extended. Teeth snapped over Govind as the white light flared.

The dragon vanished.

Govind’s charred body collapsed to the ground.

With a deafening roar, the horde launched themselves across the field, charging past the laughing Täuku.

…and the slaughter commenced.

Tha-THUMP-Thump!

My chest heaved, fear clawing the back of my mind. I bit my tongue to keep from yelling out. The tavern was scary, but this? How could I do this…if that guy was supposed to be my teacher?!

I looked at Chuck.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t comfort me at all.

It was impossible to block out the screams on the battlefield below. 

This was nothing like the movies. Nothing like I imagined. Playing all those role-playing games — watching those action movies. I took a deep breath and slowly let the air out. Hold it together, Wendell.

“Let’s get out of here before they look for us!” Dax whispered. He slowly backed away from the ledge.

A finger poked him in the shoulder.

Dax froze.

Trembling, I grabbed onto Chuck’s arm.

“Woah! Careful now, son, or I might end up down there with…what’s the matter?” The wizard looked up and flinched so hard, he almost fell off the ledge. “MAHAN’S PINK PANTIES!”

Dax looked over his shoulder…just as the club struck him across the temple.

“HEEL!” laughed the giant shadow.

Dax’s body flipped and rolled up against a ;are boulder.

“DON’T LET THE OLD ONE GET AWAY!” barked a second voice, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

Chuck looked at me and sighed. “Did I mention I hate running?”

<— Read Previous Chapter | Read Next Chapter —>

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Author Notes

Hmmm. Somewhere along the line, I made a mistake in writing this chapter.

When the writing and editing was completed, I had twice as much material. I’d continued writing, to make sure I had my thoughts organized, but didn’t split the content into two chapters.

What does that mean for you? It means you get another week of the story. Season 2 doesn’t end today — it ends next week.

Neener.

Jaime

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