A World Within Page 6

When William made his way to the edge of the pond again, he started to scan around. He found Daniel’s tennis shoes where he must have changed into his skates, but nothing else. Then he noticed other depressions in the snow about twenty feet around on the bank. There must have been footprints for at least three boys of varying size. They had come in one way, but had evidently left in haste. They had torn up the bank so that the muddy earth mingled with the snow.

  The footprints all led away from the pond and away from Daniel’s house. William took up the trail like a bloodhound. The tracks stayed together and the spaces between the prints grew longer from running until they reached the trees bordering Daniel’s property.

  When William followed them into the woods, he noticed they stopped briefly out of sight of Daniel’s home. There on the ground next to a tree lay four cigarette butts. Derek Wentworth’s calling card, he thought.

  William continued to follow the tracks until they met the tree line again on the other side. There, beyond the woods, stood another large home several hundred yards in the distance. Not quite as far away, William saw several boys having a snowball fight. It amazed William how easily they had continued their normal play while his friend lay bleeding and maybe even dying back on the icy pond.

  William’s anger burned hot—a righteous indignation against a bully who had now gone too far. He stormed out of the woods and marched straight for the boys. When he got within one hundred yards of them, they finally spotted him. The snowballs stopped flying and the younger boys gathered hastily around Derek Wentworth. They looked to him like chicks gathering to their mother’s wing for protection.

  The closer William got, the angrier he became. He felt like he might just strangle Derek right here in the snow.

  “What do you want, Hardcase?” Derek said. “Get off of my family’s property before I call the police. We don’t allow any beggars around here.”

  William ignored the warnings and went right for him. He ran at Derek and tackled the boy, knocking him off of his feet and onto his back. William landed on top of him with his fist raised in the air, hovering over Derek’s face. “I know it was you, Derek!” he screamed. “You could have killed him—he might die anyway!”

  “What are you talking about, I didn’t do anything!” Derek looked like a deer in the headlights—terrified.

  “I followed your tracks from the pond. I know you attacked Daniel—you and your boys here. I ought to tear you to pieces right now!”

  Two of the other four boys started to cry. “I told you, Derek! Daniel’s gonna die and were gonna go to jail for life.”

  William felt like he might lose control of his fury at any moment. But then he calmed down a little. A still small voice reminded him not to hurt this boy. It wouldn’t do Daniel any good now. Be angry, but sin not.

  William lowered his fist. Derek’s fear showed plain on his face. William slowly let go of Derek and got up to his feet, leaving the boy lying there. “You had better hope that Daniel turns out all right, because I’m going to make sure the police know who did this to him—all of you.”

  William backed away from the boys, turning to head back through the woods toward Daniel’s home. It was better for him to let things stand the way they were. The authorities would take care of punishing Derek and the other boys. Maybe, he might even be expelled over the incident. Your will be done, Lord, he prayed as he walked. And please let Daniel be all right.

  INTO THE LIVING LAND

  Daniel lay on the ice, his face numb from the cold. He became aware of his clothes being wet across his front as he lay face down on the pond. He had difficulty discerning if his eyes were open or not, but he only saw black. The air felt strangely warm and smelled of grass and flowers—more like spring than winter. He heard a definite rustling, like wind forcing its way through the full foliage of tall trees.

  The aching in his head began to subside. Maybe he hadn’t been hurt so bad after all. Daniel noticed he did not hear Derek or any of the other boys’ jeering anymore. Perhaps they had gotten their kicks and decided to leave for more exciting game. Then it happened.

  He felt a poke at his body, Derek finishing the job no doubt. Then, he felt it again, two pokes to his ribs this time. Daniel might have laughed at the ticklish sensation if his head had not been throbbing so badly. Then, the finger poked at his head and he heard the distinct sound of someone close to his face, biting into something like a piece of fruit. The juice squirted onto his cheek.

  Daniel winced and opened his eyes, expecting to find his bullies, but instead a thing stared at him. It spoke with fruit juice dribbling down its furry little chin.

  “What are you then, big nose?” the creature asked.

  Daniel screamed. His head throbbed hard, turning screaming to wincing.

  “Well, I’m not that ugly,” the creature said, placing his curled little hands on his hips, a piece of half eaten fruit in one of them.

  Daniel realized his jaw must be dangling agape. The creature sat on his haunches, but wouldn’t have been more than four feet tall on his tip-toes. He had a lemur-like face, but long ears like a rabbit falling back behind his head with ringlets and bangles hanging on them. His short silver fur covered most of his body, and his hands and feet were ape-like and appeared good for climbing things.

  “What are you?” Daniel asked, bewildered.

  “I asked you first, big nose,” the creature said gruffly.

  Daniel realized he’d been insulted. “I’m Daniel and I haven’t got a big nose.”

  “Well, it’s bigger than mine,” said the creature. “I’m Meineke.”

  “Are you a monkey, Mr. Meineke?”

  “Look, if you don’t want me calling you big nose, then don’t go calling me a stinking monkey! I’m a Wil, of the noble family too.”

  “A Wil, what’s that?”

  “What’s a Wil? Oy, you’re not from around here are you?”

  “Oh yes, I am. This is my family—” but suddenly Daniel realized the world around him had changed. The frozen pond remained the same, but everything beyond its edge had changed dramatically. No more did a wide clearing sparsely populated by trees encircle the water’s edge. This had been replaced by a thickly planted forest of trees that looked centuries old, twisted malevolently by time. The winter wonderland had been transformed into a fog-laden forest of gnarled trees where evil itself seemed to hang in the moist air.

  The tree-bark was gunmetal gray spotted with black, and the trunks of the trees were monstrous in width. The branches looked like grisly claws raking the sky in opposition to the sun, and great roots covered the entire forest floor like a nest of snakes within the crag of a rock. The dark clouds above seemed married to the treetops while wisps of fog created a murky veil that made it impossible to see what lay in the distance.

  “Where am I?” Daniel surveyed his new surroundings with a mixture of fear and awe. Had he hit his head this hard? Where was his home, his families land? All of it had disappeared, except for the pond, and had been replaced by a nightmare forest from a world he could only have imagined.

  Meineke continued chewing on his fruit, speaking as his food sloshed about. “Why, you’re right there,” he said, pointing a finger at him matter-of-factly.

  Daniel blinked slowly, becoming exasperated with the little creature’s literality. “I mean, what is this place?”

  Meineke stood up and spread his arms to the forest around them. “This awful place is Parengore Forest. It’s the home of the Spider Elves—scary huh?”

  Daniel kept his eyes searching the various layers of the forest, expecting something terrible to erupt from the murk at any moment. He felt like a hundred pairs of eyes might be watching him from the veil of fog and shadows.

  “It’s not so bad,” he lied.

  “Yeah, right. Well, I normally wouldn’t be caught dead around here if it weren’t for the Wielder.”

  “How did I get here? Last thing I remember, I was getting beat up by Derek Wentworth.”

&n
bsp; “I haven’t a clue,” Meineke said. “I left my companion to find a place to conduct nature’s business and you were lying here, gone to the world.”

  Daniel racked his brain. None of this made any sense—the Wil, this forest, Spider Elves, and his house no longer anywhere in sight. Perhaps, I am dreaming. “Who is this Wielder person you said you were with?” If he was dreaming, then he might as well find out what the dream was all about.

  “Oh, I’m not traveling with him. Me and my companion are looking for—” Meineke paused, listening. His ears twitched and perked up over his head. The little creature became as tense as a cat caught in the act of raiding a garbage can: ready to bolt at the slightest threat.

  “What is it?”

  “Shush!” Meineke hissed. He bent his head low, allowing his ears to pick up the vibrations traveling through the ground. He reminded Daniel of an old Indian scout listening for the cavalry. His eyes widened. He straightened quickly. “Come on, they’re coming!”

  “Who?”

  “The Spider Elves—run!” And with that, Meineke bounded away from Daniel and the approaching rumble. Daniel watched the Wil run, but he wasn’t sure what to do. Was this real? He took another fraction of a second to consider it. Whatever a Spider Elf is, I don’t think I want to meet one!

  Daniel started to run after the Wil when a thunderous explosion of gnarled tree branches delivered a monstrous creature into the short clearing around the edge of the pond. A gargantuan, hairy spider, the size of a Clydesdale, appeared. It carried a man of some sort riding upon a makeshift saddle just behind the crown of black eyes upon its head.

  The rider’s hair flowed silvery white down across his shoulders with pointed ears protruding through. He wore a thin beard of the same color and his skin was a ghastly, pale gray. A silver breastplate made of layers of metal scales adorned his torso and shimmered with violet color. He carried a long, intricately crafted lance in his right hand and brandished it in Daniel’s direction. The elf’s form appeared beautiful and terrible all at once and his steed made him all the more dangerous. Daniel froze in fear.

  More ghastly riders appeared, coming through the trees behind the first with their horrid mounts—their eight legs traversing the surface of the mighty, forest root system with ease. Daniel tried to run, but he slipped on the ice.

  His skates had transformed into his normal shoes. The elf rider urged his spider-mount forward to attack the boy with its two foot long fangs. Daniel saw the venom dripping as its mandibles opened to reveal the black daggers.

  A large gray bird snatched Daniel away from the jaws. It bore him up swiftly, carrying him by the shoulders. Was he now to be this predator’s next meal? “Don’t worry, lad, I’ll get you out of here,” Meineke’s voice said through the bird.

  “Meineke, is that you?” They soared up toward the twisted branches of the nearby trees.

  A blast, like a clear bubble, flew off of the end of the elf’s lance. It hit Daniel and Meineke in flight, sounding like a thunderclap. Daniel fell away and landed among heaps of decaying leaves within the gaps in the massive tree roots. Meineke tumbled in the air on a collision course with the thick trunk of a craggy, old tree. His form morphed almost faster than could be seen and he righted himself in time to land on the vertical face of the tree trunk. Meineke hung there in his original form—claws set into the porous bark like a defiant squirrel.

  He leaped down to the ground with the same elegant agility and found Daniel among the smelly, old leaves where the roots hung over them both like prison bars. “Come on, Daniel.” He led the boy back into the leaves and intertwining roots.

  The Wil tunneled, finding their way through the labyrinth created by the roots. Pockets of dead space appeared here and there among the leaves as they tried to keep moving away from the Spider Elves. The spaces between the roots were too small for the spiders to enter, but Daniel heard them moving around above, searching for their prey.

  Meineke spotted a patch of light and they rushed toward it. The pair came up through a rotted out trunk that had a large enough hole in its side for them to emerge onto the forest floor again. They ran again with the Spider Elves about twenty yards behind them. Daniel did his best to keep up with Meineke. The Wil seemed a natural for such an environment, leaping from root to root and ducking under others to stay ahead of the elf riders and the nightmares they rode upon.

  As they ran through the dense forest, Daniel noticed a distinct groaning emanating from all around them—as though the forest moaned in agony over the situation. The harder Daniel ran and the closer he and Meineke’s pursuers got to them, the louder the noise became.

  The trees swayed their craggy top branches, yet Daniel felt no wind. Could the trees be moving on their own, he wondered. He ran into an area where the roots heaved up in tight bands, becoming a wall before him. Meineke had circumvented it while Daniel was paying more attention to the movement of the forest than his way. He realized, too late, that he was cornered next to a huge old tree with massive boughs.

  One of the elven riders came to a halt behind him. His mount hissed, baring its venomous fangs for the kill. Meineke had disappeared. Daniel turned, attempting to climb, but he couldn’t find a purchase anywhere for his incapable child’s hands. The tree vibrated beneath his palms and he heard the sound of wood twisting under duress. The giant spider lunged forward with fangs dripping deadly venom. Daniel screamed as the sleek black daggers came at him. He had no defense.

  The ground shook like an atom bomb unleashed, throwing Daniel back on his side into the dirt. He looked back at the fiendish predator, only to find one of the massive branches of the tree above him grinding the spider and its rider into the ground, like a man squashing a bug under his thumb.

  The branch lifted slowly, revealing a ghastly residue from the kill. Daniel thought he might vomit, but only before the rising branch revealed another elf rider twenty yards away. The rider looked aghast at his former companion’s remains dropping from the branch, intermingled with hunks of arachnid pulp, back into the stew surrounded by eight splayed legs.

  The elf rider howled a war cry, leveling his exquisite lance at Daniel’s position. A glint of light caught his eye as an object sailed over his head in the direction of the elf. The warrior pulled his lance back to defend against a long, curved fighting knife. The blade whirled at him and clanged off of his weapon.

  A sleek figure, veiled by billowing crimson robes, glided to the ground in front of Daniel with the elegant fighting knife’s twin in hand. Emerald eyes flashed with the stranger’s beauty from beneath her hood as she turned and noticed Daniel before moving on into the fray with the Spider Elf. Daniel was instantly captivated. Had he been able to take his eyes off of her, he might have seized the opportunity to run.

  The mysterious woman evaded a strike by the elf’s lance, then rolled across the ground and under the deadly spider. Her blade, cuffed behind her arm, unfurled as she came to kneel beneath the beast as it reared up on its back legs, trying to find the elusive prey. She took the opportunity and drove the blade deep into the joint between the sternum and the joints of its legs and then leaped away as it reflexively jerked its appendages inward. The other knife lay nearby on the ground. She retrieved it quickly as the startled elf tried to recover from the collapse of his mount.

  At this distance, the long lance was of little use to the elf. The female warrior maneuvered inside his line of attack with her second blade. She finished him off while he sat entangled in his spider’s harness. She then returned the knife to its place somewhere under her robe. The woman retrieved the companion blade from the spider’s corpse and then walked toward Daniel.

  He hadn’t noticed the Wil standing next to him again, until he felt the creature’s small hand leaning against his hip. “She’s something, isn’t she?” Meineke said with a sigh.

  Daniel looked at him and noticed blood staining his short fur. Startled, he asked, “Are you all right, Meineke?”

  Meineke ins
pected his body. “Oh, don’t worry, it’s not mine.”

  “Oh,” Daniel said, trying not to imagine where the stain had come from.

  The woman approached with her other weapon, sheathing it with its twin under her cloak. She pulled back her hood, revealing auburn locks that hung around her shoulders like arms guarding her virtue. She was beautiful, yet strangely menacing at the same time, and again, her emerald eyes fixed Daniel where he stood.

  Meineke stepped forward and said, “Thanks for the save, Marissa, I thought that Spider Elf had me for sure.”

  Marissa disregarded Meineke’s gesture, walking past him to Daniel. “Man child, are you injured?”

  Is she speaking to me? “Oh, yes, I’m fine, thank you for saving me, ma’am.”

  Marissa looked at the tree above them. It had settled back into its place of stillness. Her gaze shifted behind her to the remains of the first Spider Elf. “It would seem that I’m not the only one that helped you.”

  Daniel looked up at the tree and the mess it had made of his attacker. “Oh, yes, ma’am. I’m not really sure what happened. It was the strangest thing I’ve ever—well honestly, this whole day has been strange for me. I’m still not sure how I got to this place or even what world I’m in.”

  Marissa looked intently at the young man, studying him in search of any deceit in his expression, but appeared to find none evident. “You are in the Living Land, man child,” she said, looking around the forest.

  “I’m thirteen.”

  “What?”

  “I’m thirteen now, nearly fourteen. I’m not a child anymore,” Daniel said boldly.

  A slight grin appeared on her lips and then faded quickly. “So you are.”

  “Marissa, this is Daniel,” Meineke said. “I found him face down, back there a ways, on top of a frozen pond.”

  “We’ve no time to discuss this now,” she said. “One of the riders escaped and he’ll return with reinforcements quickly.” Marissa pulled her hood up over her head, preparing to depart. “I trust, young Daniel, that at nearly fourteen, you will have no trouble keeping up with our pace.”

  No sooner had she said this then she leaped away, scaling the roots like she was born to the task. “Let’s go, lad,” Meineke said, running after Marissa.

  Daniel set out after them, trying to hold the pace with Meineke. The Wil obviously went slower than normal on Daniel’s behalf.

  “Who is she, Meineke?”

  “Marissa is a princess, Daniel, of the Bard Elves that live in the North Country,” Meineke said. “That’s where we’re headed once we meet up with the others beyond the forest.”

  “Others?”

  “Of course. You didn’t think it was just me and Marissa taking a stroll through the woods, did you? No, we’re on our way to consult Marissa’s father, King Nicholas.”

  “How far is it to the North Country?”

  “A long journey, Daniel, a long journey, but we’ll be safer after we meet up with the others. At this pace, we’ll reach the forest edge by nightfall and the others will be waiting for us, if nothing has befallen them.”

  DRAGON IRE

  The sun retreated and the darkness gained strength as the trio reached the borders of Parengore Forest several hours later. Daniel supposed that Marissa and Meineke must have journeyed through the greater portion of the forest before coming upon him. Daniel recognized nothing about his surroundings, and yet it all seemed strangely familiar to him, like a dream he had never been quite able to remember.

  Marissa kept her thoughts to herself along the entire journey, while Meineke was more than glad to share his thoughts on any subject that happened to jumped into his little head. Daniel appreciated the Wil’s company. Meineke helped him not to dwell on the fact that he had no idea how he was going to get home.

  When they had passed the boundaries of the forest, Marissa stopped. She began searching the horizon. Daniel and Meineke stood with her, trying to see what had caught her attention.

  “Hey, look, is that a campfire in the distance?” Meineke asked. “I sure hope the others have something prepared for our supper.”

  “I don’t think it’s a campfire, Wil,” Marissa replied.

  “I have a name, you know?”

  She ignored his comment and headed toward the light in the distance. “Come along.”

  Daniel and Meineke followed after her. The Wil continued to voice his personal frustration with the Bard Elf Princess. “My mother calls me, Meineke…and so does my father. Everybody calls me Meineke. Hey, Meineke, how are you today? Why I’m fine and you? Hey Meineke let’s get something to eat.…Sure, no problem, friend,” the Wil ranted as he walked. “But not me, I’m a princess and you’re just a Wil,” Meineke continued, his voice mockingly female.

  Marissa never acted as though she even heard him. After twenty minutes of walking, the group realized the reason for the fire they had seen. A small human village had been destroyed recently. There appeared to have been, perhaps, thirty lodges in the village. Now, only rubble and char remained.

  Marissa, Meineke, and Daniel stood at the edge of the village. Then Marissa started walking into the scorched area.

  “Where are you going?” Meineke asked, clearly surprised at Marissa’s investigation.

  She didn’t answer him.

  “Marissa?” he hissed.

  “I need to see something,” she said finally without stopping. Meineke and Daniel looked at one another and then at the darkness closing around them. Sit in the dark, or follow the warrior princess—it was an easy decision for them.

  As they walked into the village, they remained cautious, despite the absence of those who had caused the destruction. The main road into the town was littered with small fires, debris, and burned-to-a-crisp bodies. Daniel thought this sight might be worse than the remains of the Spider Elf and his mount. The smell sickened him—burnt flesh and the putrid, lingering odor of whatever had done this.

  Meineke and Daniel kept out of Marissa’s way as she surveyed the remains of the village. “Why did we have to come in here?” Meineke complained. He scanned around nervously. Marissa stopped to investigate a large scorched area of ground. She was obviously puzzled and disturbed by what she was looking at.

  “Your Highness,” Daniel flattered, “What is it?”

  “Man chi—Daniel,” she corrected herself, “What do you see in this burn pattern?”

  Daniel tried to study it the way she had. The fiery impression appeared in many other places in the village. It fell on rooftops, upon the streets and across the remains of the people littering the street. The pattern looked like water blasted from a hose on a dry sidewalk—splayed in the same way. “It looks like the fire came down from above,” Daniel said.

  Marissa frowned at the blackened area. “Exactly.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Do you know anything about Dragons, young Daniel?”

  “Dragons!” Meineke erupted. “Why would Dragons be involved with Mortis? They stand to lose just as much as the rest of us if Mortis is successful in bringing the Necrom Void here.”

  “That’s something only time can tell us,” Marissa said. “But it would appear Mortis is seeking allies from among the inhabitants of the Living Land to help him win the war.”

  “I don’t understand. Who is Mortis?” Daniel asked.

  “You really aren’t from around here, are you?” Meineke said.

  “Mortis is the enemy of every inhabitant in the Living Land,” Marissa explained. “He is a bringer of death. He has the ability to animate the inanimate, to a certain extent. Mortis hails from a place known as the Necrom Void. All life withers within the void and this is what he is attempting to spread across the Living Land. If we do not find a way to defeat Mortis, then I fear all life in our great world will be lost.”

  “How big is the Living Land?” Daniel asked.

  “Very few know its boundaries. My father is one of them,” she said. “He’s a great king, the mightiest w
arrior in the Living Land, except for the Wielder, of course.”

  “Who’s the Wielder?”

  “No one knows who he is, but as for what he is, the Wielder is a legendary figure that has all of the power of the Living Land at his disposal.”

  “You mean like God?”

  “Well, not exactly. The Wielder isn’t a god. But he does possess the power to destroy Mortis. The legend says, When the Wielder comes to fight with death, through arm of flesh or power of mind, the ways of death shall not prevail, or have strength to turn the tide. But when by faith the Sovereign be seen, then hope, too, will be in sight, oh cast thyself upon this rock, and sacrifice thy might.

  Daniel rubbed his chin. “It certainly is a cryptic riddle, isn’t it? How will you find him?”

  “There is a prophetic scroll which holds the secret of his location. I have already been successful in retrieving the scroll from the location my people had kept it hidden. But it must be translated from the ancient language and my father is one of the few who can do it.”

  A roar broke through their conversation from somewhere nearby. They looked across the charred remains of the buildings toward the source and saw a plume of fire erupt skyward.

  “Come on!” Marissa bolted toward the scene. Meineke and Daniel dashed away after her. They ran through the burnt shells of buildings which had once served as quaint homes for families. Now, they remained no more than charred wood and ashes—their former inhabitants strewn throughout the blackened streets.

  When they rounded one of the last sets of buildings, they saw a dragon bellowing out flame against an odd combination of attackers. The sight amazed Daniel. The dragon had gunmetal gray scales that resembled plates of armor. The beast had a long neck and a row of horns which were larger at the head, growing smaller as they trailed down the back of its neck. It may have looked like a typical dragon, but seeing it up close in all of its fury frightened Daniel beyond anything he had ever witnessed. He stopped short of the battle, frozen in place by terror.

  Several different types of warriors fought with the great monster. There were several human warriors, a group of creatures with the appearance of cherubs, a group of elves similar in dress to Marissa, and two great cats, twice the size of a normal African lion. Marissa fearlessly joined the fantastic scene as the group battled against the dragon.

  The great cats climbed about on the beast, attacking it and shredding the leathery membranes of its powerful wings. The others fired arrows and hurled long spears, trying to land a hit at one of the dragons few vulnerable spots along its armored hide.

  The dragon caught sight of Daniel. He saw a fierce bloodlust in its expression as the creature fixed its gaze upon him. Daniel felt like the dragon had stared right into his soul. He couldn’t move. The terror felt like ice running through his veins. The creature’s eyes mesmerized him—a serpent toying with a mouse just before the death strike is delivered.

  A long spear jabbed under a scale, breaking the beast’s concentration. It howled with fury and shook the large cats free of its body in a blur of motion. One of the more tenacious giant felines had to be knocked away with a nose swipe by the dragon. Then the monster turned its full focus on Daniel again.

  The wind began to blow hard over the village—it grew to a gale in seconds. The dragon gathered itself, poised to strike across the fifty yard space between it and Daniel. Meineke pulled at Daniel’s shirt, urging him to flee. “Daniel, run!”

  Marissa understood the dragon’s intent, but was not close enough to get to Daniel in time. She hurled one of her long fighting knives at the dragon. Nearly three feet of forged steel bounced off the creature’s tough, scaly hide as it released the coiled tension in its muscles and sprang toward Daniel and Meineke. A microburst of wind instantly surged through the streets of the village. It leveled the structures still standing and slammed into the dragon with massive force.

  Marissa and the other warriors were thrown to the ground by the sudden wind. The dragon slammed sideways into a nearby pile of debris—Godzilla falling onto cardboard Tokyo skyscrapers.

  Daniel lay face down on the ground with Meineke, terrified. As he turned over, Daniel noticed ominous clouds hovering low overhead, illuminated by multiple flashes of heat lightening. The wind still blew hard, but not with the intensity it just had.

  The Dragon scrambled to its feet amid the debris of the burnt building and surged after Daniel again. It leaped through the air while the warriors tried to recover.

  A white flash erupted around the dragon as it came at Daniel and Meineke. He expected to be engulfed in dragon fire, but it had not originated with the creature. Multiple flashes of lightning arced away from the dragon, connecting with the charged clouds above in a process faster than the eye can register.

  The beast screeched horribly in agony and then fell silent as it slammed into the dirt in front of Daniel and the Wil. Daniel had trouble seeing after the lightning flash. When his vision cleared again, some of the warriors, including Marissa, approached the beast cautiously with their weapons ready to strike.

  The dragon did not move. Smoke rose from its still form as though someone had just taken it off a grill like a well done steak. A burnt stench, more potent than that present in the destroyed village, quickly filled the air, wrinkling their noses. Meineke helped Daniel to his feet. The group of warriors gathered around the dragon, surveying the kill and discussing the incident among themselves. But Marissa stood transfixed on Daniel rather than the dead reptile before her.

  The warriors asked what in the world had happened. Daniel wondered the same thing, though he was glad to be alive. He had never been more terrified than when the dragon lunged after him. Why is this happening to me? I’ve only been here, in this strange place, for a few hours and already several monsters have tried to kill me!

  “Are you all right, Daniel?” Meineke asked.

  Daniel shook all over. He thought he might break down and cry at any moment. Only Meineke and Marissa paid any attention. “NO! I’m not all right,” he shouted. “I’ve got to get home. I can’t stay here!”

  Daniel turned and ran away from the group of warriors. “Daniel, don’t go,” Meineke said. “It’s dangerous!”

  But Daniel didn’t listen to the Wil’s pleading. He had had enough of this strange and terrifying world. Daniel only wanted to get back home. He would gladly face Derek’s taunting a hundred times a day if he could just get back to his own world. He ran as hard as he could and soon found himself beyond the border of the village. There was only enough moonlight to allow him to see the edge of Parengore Forest about four hundred and fifty yards ahead of him.

  It looked like a monster in its own right and suddenly Daniel was overcome by the fear of entering it again. But how else could he get home? The pond had been the only thing from home here in the Living Land. Daniel supposed that in order to get back home he would have to get to that pond again. But Parengore’s trees looked like the horrid teeth of a nightmare waiting to consume him as soon as he entered.

  “Going so soon?” a voice said from behind him. Daniel recognized the voice immediately; he had longed to hear it again ever since coming into this world.

  “William!” he erupted as he turned and saw his young friend sitting on a rock a few yards away. William dressed like the inhabitants of the land, wearing a cloak with the hood pulled back. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m here because you’re here, Daniel.”

  Daniel walked over to him. “You were pulled into this world too?”

  “Not exactly, I’m a Mem, Daniel.”

  “A What?”

  “You remember me and so I am here in the Living Land.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Take my hand, Daniel,” William said, extending his own right hand.

  Daniel reached for his friend’s hand, but passed right through the flesh unhindered. “You see me in essence, Daniel, but I have no body with which to aid you.”

  �
��Then why come to me now? Are you here to torture me with your memory?” Daniel sighed heavily and slumped down on the rock next to William. “What am I going to do?”

  “I’ve come to advise you,” William said. “You can’t go home the way you came here. You have a journey to make, my friend, and though it will be very difficult for you, there is no other way.”

  “I don’t want to go on here, William. It’s a horrible place. I’ve almost died twice in half a day’s time. There’s dragons and huge spiders and I’m really scared.”

  “You must. If this land should perish at the hands of Mortis then you will perish with it. There is a connection which cannot be broken and things must be done here which only you can accomplish, Daniel.”

  “I don’t understand, William. What things, and why do I have to do them?” Daniel asked, exasperated.

  “That I cannot tell you, but you will know when the time comes.”

  “Master Daniel, are you all right?” Marissa said.

  Daniel whirled on his rock, finding the Bard Princess standing there, her crimson cloak bathed in the moonlight, giving it a violet hue. He looked back to William, but the apparition of his friend was gone. Daniel had almost expected it to be the case. The disappointment showed on his face when Marissa came closer to him.

  “I wanted to see if you were all right,” she said with much more compassion in her voice than before.

  “Yes, I suppose. I’m sorry for freaking out back there.”

  “It can be very unsettling to face a dragon like that. If that burst of wind and the lightning strike had not occurred, you surely would have perished.”

  “Yeah, that was weird wasn’t it?”

  “Indeed, do you have any idea how those things happened?” Marissa asked.

  Daniel considered it for a moment and then shook his head. “I don’t have a clue, but I’m glad they did.”

  “Of course, but I must say these are very intriguing things happening around you: first, the tree killing the Spider Elf, and now the wind and lightning come to your aid. This is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, Marissa. Every bit of this is new and strange to me. Honestly, I’m terrified just being here. But apparently I have a journey to make in this world and the only thing I can do is keep moving forward. I used to imagine how great it would be to live in a fantasy world like this, but now I’m not so sure.”

  Marissa put her hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “That’s all any of us can do now, Daniel. And since we’re all going in that same direction, I hope you will join us as you take this journey through the Living Land.”

  Daniel glanced back at Parengore Forest—at the trees like terrible teeth bared at him. He sighed and then turned back to Marissa. Daniel nodded his acceptance of her invitation and they began walking back through the darkness toward the others. He thought of William and his friends at home. It was going to be a long road to get back to them.

  A CURIOUS COMPANY

  The Wil waited for Daniel and Marissa as they began to reach the burned out village again. He paced nervously and looked pleased to see them appear out of the darkness. “You got him to come back,” Meineke said to Marissa. “I’m glad, Daniel. You know Parengore Forest is no place to be walking about in the full light of day, let alone at night.”

  “Thanks, Meineke,” Daniel said. “I just freaked out a bit, I guess.”

  “Not a problem. Why you should have seen me when this giant carnivine got its ropes around me—”

  “Meineke,” Marissa interrupted, “we really should get Daniel back to the others and refresh ourselves with some food.”

  “I’m all for that,” Meineke said. He took hold of Daniel’s hand and led him back through the village to where the others had set up camp.

  They passed through the carnage, as before, but Daniel was even more haunted by the destruction. Now he knew the beast which had done it—a dragon that had taken a particular interest in him. But why, he wondered. Why would such a creature be so intent on the destruction of a harmless, almost fourteen-year-old boy?

  At any rate, Daniel remained grateful for the freak lightning which had killed the creature just before it had reached him. The stench of dragon hit their nostrils well before they saw the creature again. But when they did come upon the carcass, it was a grisly sight to behold. The dragon had frozen into position like rigor mortis with its extremities flailed out against the pain of electrocution. Numerous tendrils of smoky vapor rose from the body. Daniel saw what appeared to be cauterized wounds where the creature’s torso had been struck with such power that the entrails had burst forth, gushing upon the ground in a gory heap.

  The contorted expression on its face, with eyes squeezed shut, the mouth partially open, and the tongue dangling out the side of its toothy jaw horrified him. Even in death this beast evoked fear in Daniel, and he sped up to get beyond it. He half expected the dragon to get back up and come after him again.

  “Ugh!” Meineke snorted. “Smells like wet dog on a spit! He nearly had us, didn’t he Daniel?”

  “Yeah,” Daniel replied, rather wishing to put the experience out of his thoughts at the moment.

  “Hoo-hoo, I nearly let go of the ole’ bladder when that thing came after us! Praise the Maker for that lightning strike. Can you just imagine what he would have done to us had he gotten those giant choppers into our wee bodies. Makes my flesh crawl just thinking about it.”

  Daniel wondered why the little Wil seemed so intent on reliving the experience. He acted like he had just survived the best rollercoaster ride of his life. They kept walking. Soon the glow of a fire and the smell of meat roasting found them at the edge of the village on the other side. Voices issued from inside one of the less dilapidated huts. It still had a roof and most of its walls standing. One of the men Daniel had seen fighting the dragon earlier stood just outside as a sentry.

  Six human men took part in their company: three men with dark skin and three with fairer skin. The sentry nodded to Marissa as she, Daniel, and Meineke approached. They passed through into the shelter with the others.

  The men had a fire going in the midst of the largest room with a spit propped up and meat roasting upon it. Daniel didn’t know from what sort of animal it might have come, but it smelled delicious. He noticed the rumbling in his belly and the moisture welling in his mouth. Whatever it had been, he wanted some of it.

  “Boy, oh boy.” Meineke rubbed his small furry hands together in anticipation of the savory sweet meat. “I can’t wait for a bit of that.”

  “Hold your appetite and your grubby mitts, Wil,” said the small warrior turning the spit.

  The childlike warrior and two others traveled in their company. Daniel had seen them fighting with the dragon. They appeared to be children of possibly seven or eight years of age, all with bushy curls and cherubic faces, but the voice of this one was as deep as any man’s. Meineke gave the little boy a resentful stare. “Bossy cherub, who do you think you are ordering me around, Louie?”

  “You’re a cherub?” Daniel asked innocently.

  “Aye, and what of it, runt?” Louie said.

  “Who you callin runt,” Meineke said. “You ain’t even as tall as he is, Louie.”

  The cherub shot Meineke a snarl completely at odds with his angelic appearance.

  “I didn’t mean to pry,” Daniel said. “I’ve just never seen a real cherub before.”

  “Well feast your eyes on three of the finest cherubic warriors to come out of the Falewood.” Louie stood as he gestured to the two small warriors seated around the fire with him.

  The cherubs carried small swords, and they each had quivers slung diagonally across their torsos, over their right shoulders, full of three quarter size arrows. They also wore brown kilts, beige shirts and dark green ponchos which split down the middle of their backs, allowing their folded wings to push out freely for flight. Listening to Louie reminded Daniel more of a burly steel worker than a cherub.


  “This is Mickey and Bob,” Louie said as he sat back down upon the log the cherubs shared.

  “You don’t look at all like the pictures I’ve seen, and I wouldn’t have expected your names to be Louie, Mickey, and Bob,” Daniel said.

  “Well what did you expect our names to be?” Mickey asked.

  “Something long and pretty, eh lads?” Louie said. They all three broke into hardy laughter.

  Daniel didn’t know what to say.

  “What did these pictures of cherubs look like?” Bob asked.

  “Oh well, usually wearing just a diaper or nothing much at all and shooting little heart tipped arrows to make people fall in love with each other, like Cupid,” Daniel explained.

  The cherub’s laughter instantly fell silent as a tomb, and their faces became like stone. Meineke, on the other hand, appeared on the verge of a full-on fit of explosive giggles the likes of which might kill any mere mortal.

  “Boy, do you take us for a bunch of pansies or something?” Louie demanded.

  “Well, you are wearing cute little dresses!” howled Meineke. He could contain his amusement no longer and burst into a spree of laughter.

  The cherubs reacted instantly. Louie pulled his small sword in anger. “Watch your tongue, Wil!”

  Meineke went on the defense, his razor sharp claws ejecting from his plump little, pink fingers as he growled at the cherub commander like a bobcat.

  “I’ll take your wretched furry hide for a new coat,” Louie threatened.

  A low, guttural growl rumbled from the darkness just beyond the fire. Daniel became aware of the two big cats he had seen fighting the dragon earlier. The Larger of the two spoke in a menacing tone from behind Louie. “Be careful of your words, little fly. There are more fur-bearing creatures within earshot, besides the Wil, who might take offense at your threats.”

  Louie’s eyes widened as he realized the big cat was breathing down his neck.

  “That’s enough, all of you,” Marissa said. The whole lot of them quieted their bickering. Daniel stared at Marissa. Despite her beauty, she commanded complete respect from the others. She returned his gaze briefly and then continued with her conversation with the other Bard Elves and five men of their escort troupe. From what Daniel heard of their conversation, they were trying to decide which path to take on their journey north to Marissa’s father, the king.

  Louie’s demeanor relaxed along with the others, and Meineke took his seat with Daniel. He turned his attention back to the more important task at hand, getting some meat into his belly. “All right, Louie, let’s divvy up the tasties before it gets too crispy. I like it juicy, you know,” he fussed.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Louie removed the meat from the fire and began to carve pieces away for them all. To Daniel’s surprise, Louie handed him the first and biggest piece. “Welcome aboard, lad. Don’t mind our bickering. We usually carry on like this with Meineke. You know how Wil’s are.”

  “Yeah, hungry,” Meineke interrupted as he accepted his piece of steaming meat.

  “Better watch him,” Louie said. “With this Wil’s appetite we’re liable to catch him in the middle of the night out there ‘aving himself a helping of that roasted dragon.”

  They all enjoyed a good laugh over the joke as they relished the wonderful meal. All the while, the larger members of their company remained huddled together in the small adjoining room just away from the fire, making plans for their journey tomorrow.

  ON TO THE HIGH ROAD

  Sleep remained uneventful in the makeshift shelter that night. The next morning everyone awoke early. The dew still lay on the grass and there was a chill in the air. The storm that had whipped up around the dragon the night before had gone, leaving no trace of ever having existed apart from the giant reptilian corpse. The village still smoldered in a few places, but for the most part the embers had gone dark.

  Daniel felt uneasy. He had trouble remembering the dream from the night before. He only remembered a man with power beyond anything Daniel could comprehend. And yet, for some reason not revealed by the vision, the man had allowed himself to be beaten nearly to death. Daniel understood that in some way he had sacrificed himself for others who could not save themselves. He tried to remember the rest of the dream, to see the man’s face, but it eluded him.

  Daniel helped Meineke and the cherubic warriors dismember the camp. They made their best attempt to hide the evidence of there ever having been there, just in case an enemy came upon the village searching for them.

  The two giant cats appeared on the edge of the village, walking toward their company, and Daniel found himself in awe of them. They both had similar markings and appearance, but one was larger than the other. Different shades of jagged stripes ran down the length of their bodies like a tiger. As they came closer, their short fur bristled and the pattern of stripes changed. Like the skin of a chameleon, the fur became more like their present surroundings.

  The largest of the great cats stood easily as tall as a horse, but with far more power pent up in its muscular body. “They’ve been out hunting while we were sleeping,” Meineke said.

  “In Parengore Forest?”

  “Yeah, of course, Bon and Jale aren’t afraid of anything in Parengore. They’re the kind people usually fear in those sorts of places. Fortunately they’re loyal to King Nicholas and our cause.”

  “Are they both males?”

  “Oh yeah, father and son they are. They’re pantheras—great cats. The only things that would dare to tangle with pantheras are dragons, griffins, or the giant spiders like the ones you already saw in Parengore.”

  “Griffins?” Daniel asked.

  “Oh yeah, the griffins live in the cliffs of Ardath-Rage, part of the Balor Mountains over against the eastern border of the Waron Sea. They’re the natural enemies of the dragons and loyal to the cause as well.”

  “And what exactly is this cause?” Daniel asked.

  “Fighting Mortis, of course. He’s a mighty enemy who’s trying to take over the Living Land. But we have to find the Wielder.”

  Daniel nodded and continued packing up the camp. Marissa appeared out in the street along with the men and elves. The others gathered to her as they prepared to depart from the village. “We’ll be traveling by sea in the shadow of the Balor Mountains by way of the Ardath Pass and then through the Deadwood near Mt. Doom,” said Marissa.

  Daniel noticed some trepidation among the cherubs and Meineke at the mention of Mt. Doom. The men also looked unhappy with the choice, but had known about it since last night and were set to the task. The elf men remained stoic regarding the choice. After seeing Marissa in action, Daniel wondered if it wasn’t simply their way to express less emotion.

  “Would it not be better to seek shipping across the sea?” Louie suggested.

  “There are dangers upon the sea as well,” Bon, the larger of the two pantheras, said.

  Louie raised an eyebrow. “But to go in the shadow of the Dragon Hold?”

  “I would rather face a dragon on my four feet than to be cast into the water and face the horrors of the deep out of my element,” Bon said.

  “I admit passing anywhere near Mt. Doom is going to be very dangerous, but I agree with Bon,” Marissa said. “We face numerous dangers if we try to cross the sea and at least on dry land we stand a better chance of making a defense. If any are unwilling to commit to this journey, you are free to take your leave.” Nevertheless, she had said it as a challenge.

  The cherubs straightened, not willing to appear as cowards before the others, especially before the princess. Marissa met the eyes of them all with a steely gaze, assuring them she was not afraid. “Very well then, gentlemen, let’s be on our way. We have much ground to cover, but keep your wits about you. The dragon killed here may have been out searching for us when he attacked the village. We should be ready for anything. Mortis will almost certainly realize that King Nicholas has sought to find the Wielder and he may have more of his servants look
ing for us.”

  They set off on their journey to the North Country and King Nicholas. Daniel wondered what Marissa’s father would be like. She had claimed he was the mightiest warrior in the land, apart from the Wielder whom they searched for.

  After their troupe had covered quite a bit of distance across the grasslands toward the Waron Sea, Daniel’s legs began to ache. “I never appreciated a car more than now,” he said to Meineke. “My legs are killing me.”

  “What’s a car?”

  “It’s got four wheels and you ride in it.”

  “Oh, like a wagon?”

  “Not exactly,” Daniel said. They’re probably weren’t any of the modern conveniences he was used to in this world, so he decided it was probably best to try not thinking about what he missed.

  The three Bard Elf men walked in the point position, with Marissa walking several paces behind them. Three of the human men walked just behind her, with the other three taking up the rear of their company. Daniel wondered how intentional their order was. It appeared that he, Meineke, and the three cherubs were all being protected by the others. Bon and Jale, the two pantheras, walked in flanking positions on either side of him.

  “I’ve never seen cats as big as you,” Daniel said to Jale, the younger panthera.

  The great cat, whose back was nearly as high as the top of Daniel’s head, gave him a sidelong glance that did not appear friendly in the least. Jale gave him an indifferent snort, then turned back to the path.

  “Don’t mind him,” Bon said. “My son doesn’t always have the manners he should.” Bon had clearly said this to be heard by both Daniel and Jale. Bon had a deep menacing voice, yet he spoke with an elegance Daniel never would have expected from such a mighty carnivore. It made Daniel think of having tea with Darth Vader. He wasn’t sure if he should agree with the remark for fear of offending Jale.

  “I’m sorry, sir. I only meant that I’m in awe of your size and power. The largest of the big cats back in my world wouldn’t stand a chance against either of you,” Daniel said, trying to be as complimentary as possible.

  Bon seemed to smile. “Really?”

  “Oh yes, we have lions and tigers that are pretty fierce looking to me, but none of them are as big as you two. And I really think your camouflage is cool too. There are some small reptiles that can do similar things with their skin, but none of the mammals can blend the way you two can.”

  “That’s very interesting, Daniel,” Bon said. “Tell me, do the men of your world live in peace with these great cats?”

  “Well, not exactly, sir,” Daniel admitted. He felt ashamed when he thought about it. “The men of our world fear the great cats. They’re very dangerous and not civilized and intelligent like you. Some of them are caged in zoos so that people can go and see them without being attacked.”

  “You see, Father!” Jale interrupted furiously. “Our kind is hated of men even in his world.” Jale snarled at Daniel, startling him, then with a last look at his father, he ran off through the thick grasses. He soon disappeared as his chameleon-like fur changed to match his surroundings.

  “Boy, what’s eating him?” Meineke asked.

  “I’m sorry for my son’s behavior, Daniel,” Bon said. “He is still grieving the loss of his mother at the hands of men, nearly a year ago.”

  “I’m very sorry,” Daniel said. “What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “Not at all. She was taken in a pit and killed by a tribe of men who sought fur to trade.”

  Daniel immediately glanced at the three men walking ahead of them a few paces. “No, Daniel, it was not any of these men or their kin,” Bon assured him. “This happened far to the east of the Balor Mountains. But Jale blames all men for the loss of his mother.”

  “I don’t blame him,” Meineke said, clutching his own gray fur as though someone might take it from him.

  “Meineke’s right, I can’t really blame him for feeling that way,” Daniel admitted. “I’m surprised that you are willing to be so forgiving.”

  “I only recognize that not all men are the same, Daniel,” Bon said. “I would not expect that sort of attitude from someone like you, but Jale is allowing his passions to govern his actions. In times like we live in, Daniel, we must be willing to band together against our common foes.”

  “You mean Mortis?”

  “Yes, and those who have foolishly allied themselves with him. They hope to gain power from him, but they are fools. Mortis will never share his power and they will all perish who serve him. He fills their minds with lies and they choose to believe those lies to their own hurt.”

  “This Wielder who we are supposed to be searching for…”

  “Yes?”

  “Can he really defeat Mortis?”

  Bon seemed to consider it for a moment before answering. “I hope so, Daniel.” The panthera’s answer lacked the confidence Daniel had hoped to hear.

  Marissa stepped to the side of the line, waiting for Daniel and those around him to catch up to her. “Bon, where has Jale gone?”

  “My son is sulking, Marissa. He will return when he has satisfied his need for solitude.”

  Marissa nodded. She turned her attention to the Wil. “Meineke, I need you to fly ahead and scout the path for us. We don’t want to be surprised by anything.”

  “You got it, Marissa.” He tapped Daniel on the shoulder. “I’ll see you in a bit, eh?”

  The Wil leaped into the air; morphing into the same predatory bird he had been when he snatched Daniel from the fangs of the giant spider in Parengore Forest.

  “Hey, why does he get to fly off and scout?” Louie complained.

  “Because he’s faster than you are,” Marissa said. Then she gave Daniel a sly wink and walked back to the front in order to assume her former place in the line.

  THE METAMEN

  Jale smelled the strong odors of the sea. His stomach rumbled its desire for food as the aroma of fish penetrated his nasal membranes. He had managed to put nearly a half hour between him and the others. The running felt good, like being on the hunt.

  Jale had enjoyed some fun along the way, chasing grouse from the tall grasses and leaping after them. It had been too long since he had gotten to play with his other young peers. The quest for the Wielder took precedence with his father, taking them far from home.

  Jale’s head penetrated the edge of the tall grasses. He saw one of the human villages beyond near the sea. The men there earned their living as fishermen. There would almost certainly be a fresh catch around somewhere. With careful planning, he might help himself to a few tasty morsels.

  He knew his father would have been appalled to find his son even considering thievery. But Jale hated humans because of what they had done to his mother and he wasn’t above taking from them if given the chance. The foul odor of men mixing with that of the sea disgusted him.

  To his delight, Jale noticed that none of the fishing vessels rested on the shore. The men must all be out on the sea after the day’s catch. Only the women and children will be left in the village. Maybe I can have some fun putting a little fear into them before I leave with my snack.

  Jale crept from the tall green and yellow grasses, stalking ever so slowly toward the village. His fur blended perfectly with the environment, holding a dark green hue intermingled with flecks of straw colored yellow. Adrenaline surged through his veins like lightning. There was no feeling like this one. Every muscle felt like a wound spring waiting to be released.

  Strangely, he heard no sound of people talking like he might have expected. He watched carefully, but saw no one. He heard no movement in the village at all as he approached. Jale paused as he came to the main path running through two rows of houses. Something is wrong. Jale caught wind of another smell just then—blood. And it wasn’t the blood of fish or animals, but the blood of man.

  Jale’s coat took on the appearance of the ground around him: a grayish mix of sand and soil. Nothing moved in the village except
things blown by the wind coming strong off of the Waron Sea. His hunger had been replaced by curiosity and a hint of fear.

  Jale began again, stalking low and slow along the wide path. He continued sampling the air for new scents, hoping to catch the presence of anything else out of place in the village. The smell of human blood became more prominent as he advanced.

  Unwillingly, Jale followed the smell. He came to what appeared to be a lodge where the men of the village might congregate. All of the huts had been fashioned from tall thick reeds that grew among the tall grasses. They were tough and daubed with pitch to protect those residing inside from the weather.

  The smell grew very strong now. Jale reluctantly peered inside the lodge. The sight horrified him. The bodies of men, women, and their children lay piled in large heaps inside the lodge. They had been murdered in gruesome fashion. The ground inside the lodge was soaked like a sponge with their life-blood.

  Images of Jale’s mother, when he had found her killed, exploded into his mind. He backed out of the lodge, almost tripping over his own feet in the process. He made a run for the end of the path through the village. Jale stopped abruptly as he came upon a huge hole in the road. A Metaman tunnel!

  Jale turned back the way he had come, intending to make a run for it, but it was too late. A thickly sewn net sprang toward him from figures blocking his way. The stench of Metamen, with their rotting flesh wounds and cybernetic limbs, pummeled his nostrils. He felt something sharp stab into his hindquarters. The rush of dark figures around him became blurry. Tranquilizer dart!

  Jale tried to fight the effects of the drug now coursing its way through his veins. But his struggling only quickened its pace through his blood. His eyes refused to stay open any longer. Darkness closed in on him. The last sound he heard was laughter and the distinct click and whir of gears meshing with one another.