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DezPierre had managed to climb down the cliffs and race through the sleeping army like a specter. He kept out of the glow of their fires and avoided their nasty hulking guards. His little legs carried him across the plain like the wind carries a leaf in her hands.
The black mountains loomed larger and larger. DezPierre’s sensitive nose quirked at the filthy stench hanging like a rain cloud over the rank city. The gate came into view, but he knew there was no passing through there. No, he’d find Sir Tarek’s hidden passage. The dwarfs talked about it. A back entrance their ancestors carved into the mountain when they helped to cut the great castle out of the stony cliffs. Other people lived here then. People similar to those Curians who never saw DezPierre when he sneaked through their halls, exploring, listening, waiting for the prince to say it was time to leave.
He’d vowed to not leave his Miss, but Master Ethan was alone in that wretched land. Surely, she would understand. Master Ethan had finally proved himself worthy of DezPierre’s respect. Took him long enough.
Once he reached the tall cliffs, the ones that seemed unclimbable, he sat down and waited. The grasses, the trees, they would show him the way. He only needed to wait and listen. Soon a high-pitched whistling came to him, the sound of wind passing through a narrow crevice. Yes, he was close.
Following the sound, he soon found a place to climb. Tirelessly, he shimmied up the cliff’s face, his sharp fingers and narrow feet finding crevices that clumsy human hands and boots would miss. He was up onto a ledge in a few minutes.
There he found the steps and the faint markings left in the rock that would lead the way. He hurried along until he heard rushing water. A waterfall? The one Miss went over with the blue dragon? Perhaps. His sap pounded through his heart as he reached the end of the tunnel to find a forest of pines and elms. Only barely alive! Oh, the travesty!
He reached out to the closest one, placing his hand on the rough bark. A slight buzz pulsed under his palm. “Oh, you’re dying, indeed.”
Sadness pulled his mouth into a frown as tears bubbled from his eyes. But he didn’t have time to stay and weep. He must find Master Ethan in this foul land. He made a promise to Master Stephen to take care of his children. Master Stephen gave him a home of his own. A home he still hoped to someday return to. But not without the children of that home. No sir, DezPierre would not return with such shame covering him like thick moss.
“Who is this?” Whispered an ancient voice from one of the trees.
“Elmbolds!” Dez exclaimed. Pressing his hands to the trunks, he searched each tree until he found the right one.
The elm gave a shudder. “Ah, ha, good day cousin!”
“Indeed, it is a good day. Good that I found you. Can you help DezPierre find his master?”
“Is DezPierre’s master that terrible half-breed that kills and destroys? That burns and cuts?”
“No.” Dez closed his eyes and pictured Ethan. “My master is good and kind and brave. I must find him before it is too late. Please help me. Issah is coming. We must help him break through.”
“Issssaaah?” A shower of leaves fell on DezPierre’s head. “Is it true?” Asked the ancient one. “We’ve waited so long. We’ve tried to hold on. We’ve almost given up hope.’
The Elmbold’s life force beat faster under DezPierre’s hands. “Hope comes, indeed! Don’t give up yet. Help me find my friend. I must get to him, please.”
A humming noise filled the woods. The Elmbold’s branches waved in the breeze as if storm winds disrupted them. DezPierre could feel them searching, looking. In his mind’s eye, he watched as they checked the streams, the cliffs, the rocks. They asked the few animals that remained in the hidden places of the cursed mountain. The birds gave pictures back of people coming and going, then focused on one that looked like his Ethan. He was climbing up through a narrow crevice near the top of the mountain. The river saw him crossing over and remembered him swimming in the pool in Shaydon’s Vale.
“Where is this Shaydon’s Vale?” DezPierre asked the Elmbold.
The answer came filled with such wistfulness, DezPierre feared his heart might break. “Shaydon’s Vale is the one place not touched by rot and decay, of hate and discord. High in the mountains. Your Master Ethan has found the way and has often sought solace there. So, had the centaur before he was turned. Now he runs wildly through the woods. Frightened and full of fury. He comes this way. DezPierre had better hide.”
DezPierre pressed himself closer to the Elmbold, knowing he’d blend in. From that spot, he was able to watch the tree’s attempts to direct the demented centaur away from the town, away from the dying forest.
“Wait,” asked the Elmbold. “I hear another rumbling? The earth quakes with the pounding of hooves. The charge of men.”
“Yes,” DezPierre answered. “Issah comes, just as I said. Issah is on his way to fight the Dark One.”
The trees cheered.
The rocks shifted, and the ground trembled with its cry of joy.
They gladly showed DezPierre the way to Shaydon’s Vale. That was where his master headed. If he hurried, he’d soon catch up. DezPierre knew time was short. He had to find Ethan before it was too late.
* * * *
Alyra climbed down the cliff behind Tarek. Neither of them spoke, fearing even a soft whisper might be overheard. Was she truly doing this again? Last time there had been a clear path right through the army. This time, that path was hidden beneath who knew how many feet of dirt.
The Elderads traveled behind them. Up on the top, General Marcel waited with his men for them to clear the way.
Alyra, Riyah spoke into her mind. We must hurry. I need you to send up a shield to protect Marcel and his men while Tarek works to push the soldiers back. We will do our best to raise the path, but I fear so many years have passed, I’m not sure what success we’ll have.
She replied in her mind, Aren’t you the one always telling me we can only try and do our best?
Riyah quipped. Humph, sounds like something intelligent I would say. You keep impressing me Daughter with how much you’ve listened. I was never completely sure.
Alyra spun around when she reached the bottom. “I listen, Ri. Most of the time.”
Several whispered hushes hit her all at once. She cringed, reminding herself that they weren’t supposed to talk. Wasn’t that the last thing Riyah had said?
Exactly, Al.
Amici bent to the ground, placing his hands on the dirt. A couple of others joined him. Riyah stood between Alyra and Tarek, his hands on each of their shoulders. On the count of three, I want you both to light up. One...
Alyra drew in her energy, building it to create a very large shield that would go up the side of the mountain. Tarek wiped the back of his wrist over his sweaty brow, gripping his sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Sparks flew from his fingers.
Two...
Above, Alyra spotted General Marcel leaning over the edge, watching them. The other Elderads had joined their kin, all bending onto their hands and knees searching the ground. The enemy would never see them. At least, not until Tarek and Alyra illuminated themselves.
A whispered, “here!” brought the others into a tight cluster.
The earth began to tremble.
Three! Now, Alyra, cast your shield!
A brilliant glow burst from her hands, sending a web of light upward, over the face of the cliff. Behind the light, men began moving, but she could hardly see them.
“Stand firm, Alyra.”
Another brighter burst of light shot from Tarek’s weapons. Screams erupted from the slumbering army.
“We found it,” Amici shouted. “Pull. By Shaydon’s power, arise!”
Alyra almost stumbled when the ground buckled. To her astonishment, right below her boots, white stones began bubbling up like juice pouring out of an over-ripened peach. The path flowed from her feet and spread across the land. Soldiers who unfortunately had been sleeping on the buried path were turned to ash before they were able to blink their eyes awake.
Tarek gave a startled cry of shock at what he was seeing. His light went out. At that moment, Marcel pounded down the incline, sword unsheathed. A battle cry arose from the men as they charged into the surprised camp.
Riyah managed to get Tarek to focus, and his sword blazed again. He followed the men into the fight. Alyra called after him, but Riyah stayed her with his hand. “Concentrate Alyra. We need to get the rest of them down safely.”
Tears clouded her vision. Tarek wasn’t supposed to leave her. She was supposed to fight with him. She protected him while he blasted away anything that got in their way. They were a team!
“Concentrate!” Riyah shouted when an arrow got through her shield and bounced off the rocks.
She pushed more energy from her hands. Keeping the barrier strong enough that nothing penetrated it.
When the soldiers realized the shield was coming from her, they began to rush in her direction. Riyah held up his hand, as he slashed his burning sword with the other. The oncoming soldiers were knocked back, some of them battling fire that had caught on their clothes.
“I have you, Alyra,” Riyah said, glancing back at her with a smile. “Always have and always will. By Issah’s orders, I will always stand in the way of harm.”
Swallowing down the lump forming in her throat she sent him a mental thank you.
From within the heart of the fighting, a cheer rose above the shouts and banging of metal. Alyra tried to see what was happening, but it was still too dark in the valley, even though the sky was turning gray with a slight tinge of pink.
“They’re retreating,” Riyah commented with a chuckle. “They’ll run for their master.” His smile faded. “We need to hurry. Time is running out.”
* * * *
Ethan ran into the third tunnel, hoping he might eventually find the right one. Blast! Why did they all have to be so much alike? This one smelled of animal dung. He quickly turned around and headed in the opposite direction.
Now he regretted tossing the Ledge-o-graph aside. If only he could ask Tarek how to find the right one. Were they almost here?
What if they were in the midst of a battle? Darnel had been setting up barriers around his mountain city. Ethan overheard the men talking about some being sent to Conde with a message from Darnel to not allow the invaders to pass by their city.
He clutched his medallion. So many petitions had gone up that night, for so many things. Did Shaydon hear them all? Da had always said Shaydon heard every last one.
He reached another passage. It was so dark, that he could barely make out his hands at the end of his outstretched arms. Then he stumbled over something. Metal clanked against the rock. His hands found the object. A lantern? How was that possible? His breath caught in excitement. This must be the one!
But how would he light it?
Searching the ground Ethan hoped to find some kind of fire starter left behind. Blast! How dumb had he been leaving everything behind at the pond?
Finally, his hands landed on what felt like a stick of wood. In the darkness, it was hard to tell. He moved to lift the branch when he heard, ‘That is my foot, Master Ethan.”
“What?” Ethan gasped. Was he hallucinating?
“Sir, why are you crawling around in this musty tunnel?”
“Dez?”
“Indeed. I come to get you out of Racah. Foolish boy! Lucky for you, I swore to your father to take care of his children. Miss is hard enough to manage, indeed. I’d always been a little more hopeful about you.”
Ethan could have kissed the little stump. He was so happy to see him. “Is Alyra here?”
“No, she and Tarek are fighting the evil men. I came on ahead after reading the centaur’s letter. I knew it was time for you to stop this foolishness.”
“Wait, you left Alyra?”
“She is in good hands with Sir Tarek.” Dez yanked on his shirt. “We must go now. You need to stop crawling around on this dirty floor. Do you not know how hard it is to get the mud out of your clothes?”
Ethan quickly explained what had happened since Stitch sent the letter.
“Indeed, sir. DezPierre saw the hoofer, mad as a sparrow, running toward the cliffs. The trees promised to do their best to keep him from going right off the edge. I told them he was a friend of yours. They are good trees. They will do what’s best.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Dez.”
The Okbold yanked at his shirt a little harder. “We must go. Now. Before that deranged impostor unleashes his terrible beastie. We do not want to be here if he succeeds.
“DezPierre. I have to find Brie first. She is Tarek’s mother. She is the only one who knows what happened to the Curian Katrina.”
“Sir Tarek’s mother? She is greatly important to him, she is. I will do this because Sir Tarek has always been good to me. And I will find out what happened to the kind Curian. I remember her from Aloblase. She used to leave bowls of milk and honey out for me when she caught me following Miss.”
Something wrenched in Ethan’s chest. Of course, she did. It sounded like something Katrina would do. If Darnel killed her, Ethan didn’t know what he’d do. Just the thought of her being gone made him feel as if he’d shatter like a china dish smashed against the stone floor.
“Don’t worry Master Ethan, Dez can see no matter how dark.” He helped Ethan to stand, then took his hand.
Ethan tried not to visibly cringe at the feel of the Okbold’s rough bark-like skin. “The trees showed me the way around. They are so excited about Issah’s arrival. He’s coming, indeed. He’ll be here soon.”
The pressure binding Ethan’s chest eased with Dez’s words.
For what felt like an hour, they walked through the twisting tunnel. Finally, flickering torchlight illuminated the passage. They soon came out into a room he could only describe as a tomb.
“She is here, Master Ethan. I can hear her weeping.” Dez pushed Ethan ahead of him. “Perhaps you should go first, so she isn’t frightened when she sees me. We do not wish for her to call out. The nasties are still near. We must hurry.”
Ethan rushed to the cell where her crying came from. “Brie, it’s me, Ethan. I’m here to get you. Then we’ll find Ka—”
“She’s gone.” Brie wailed. “She’s gone. He done threw my Miss over the balcony like a useless doll.”
Ethan’s legs buckled from underneath him. That couldn’t...be. “Did you see—”
“He tole me. That monster came to our room.” Her voice hitched as she hiccupped the words out. “Yanked me from my bed. Tole me what he did. Not even a little ashamed, he wasn’t.”
DezPierre pushed Ethan aside. He slid aside like a wooden statue, unable to process what she was saying. This couldn’t be. Katrina couldn’t be dead.
The Okbold poked his finger into the lock. At the sound of the click, he stepped back. “We must get her, Master Ethan. Get her and let us go to Shaydon’s Vale. I will ask the trees. The Elmbold told me they were vibrant and strong up there. They will know the truth.”
Ethan managed to gather what strength he had left to enter the cell and bring Brie out. When she saw DezPierre, she froze for a moment. “My, is this a true Okbold? Standing before me? And with a medallion? I must be having a nightmare.”
DezPierre bowed until his nose touched the ground. “DezPierre, head liaison for Jolly Orchard, and formally Yarholm, servant of King Shaydon and member of the House of Lamb. At your service.”
Dabbing the sleeve of her nightdress to her eyes, Brie shook her head. “Oh, my. I was hoping this was just a nightmare.”
Ethan held onto Brie’s arm to steady her as they headed to what Dez called Shaydon’s Vale. Now that he thought about it, the thriving vale somehow had to be attached to Shaydon. Perhaps the last remnants left of the land that once served him.
Brie marveled and gasped over the pretty oasis once they reached it. The sun was directly overhead, and the sanctuary was teeming with life. Dez ran to the closest tree, placing his hands on its bark. “They are alive and thriving here. Strong. Vibrant and happy.” He pressed his face to the trunk and spoke something Ethan couldn’t hear.
As he settled Brie beside the pool, he went to the journal. For a moment, he thought of writing his friends about the tragedy he hadn’t been able to stop. But when he gripped the writing stick, it trembled so much in his hand that he knew forming words would be impossible.
“Master Ethan. Come quick.”
Ethan’s blood ran so cold, that he feared he might be turning into stone. With great effort, Ethan reached the Okbold’s side.
The little fellow grinned up at him, his eyes glistening as if they were made of glass. “They are so happy to hear Issah is on his way.”
“That’s good, Dez. I’m happy too.”
“They tell me where to find sustenance for you, Master Ethan. You will need it for our next task.”
“Our what?” Ethan sank to his knees beside the Okbold. “I’m thinking we should just stay here, Dez. This place is sheltered, and nobody seems to know about it.”
“Indeed. Elmbold Elmmussus, says you have been the first to visit since the young couple came several years ago.”
“An Elmbold? Really?” He recalled there being a few of them in Wilderland. Lotari had seemed able to understand them, but Ethan had seen nothing but trees. “Strange finding them here.”
“Indeed. They have been here for many centuries. They have seen many come and go. They have watched the decay spread across what was once a vibrant land where dragons roamed, and people thrived. It was once a gateway to the worlds outside Alburnium. But no more.”
A bluish bird with wide wings and a long neck swooped down close to him. Something fell from its mouth. Ethan leaned closer, finding two apples had been dropped at his feet.
“Eat. Share one with her while he goes to get more. Then you and I must go.”
Ethan bit into the sweet apple. It reminded him of home. He found his strength returning. With a contented sigh, he devoured it, then went to give Brie the other. She was still sobbing, curled in the long grass, trails of tears dampening the earth.
“Dez, I really think we should stay here.” He handed the apple to Brie who hugged it to her chest.
“No.” Dez stomped his foot. “The trees can see who you weep for. They tell DezPierre that the Curian lives. She is not dead, Master Ethan. Not yet. Not if we hurry to her. She’s badly hurt.”
“What?” Another two apples fell beside him. Brie sat up, gaping at the Okbold. Her lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but no words would come out.
“Eat, Master Ethan. Then we will go get the kind the Curian. I knows exactly where she is.”
