CHAPTER TWO: THE LAKE OF TEARS
Once at the edge of the Forests of Silence, Jasmine and Barda said goodbye to Kree and headed for the Lake of Tears. Together they walked in silence enjoying the bright warm sun and the refreshing breeze that rippled their hair. However, while the road side was beautiful and peaceful, Jarred and Jasmine never let down their guard, for they knew that looks could be deceiving and that the road to the Lake of Tears would be full of danger.
'Dad?' Jasmine said, breaking the silence. 'Do you think Morio will be alright?'
'Oh course he will.' Jarred said confidently. 'He's lived in that forest for ten years. I'm sure he'll just go back to doing whatever it was he was doing before he met us.'
'It must be lonely there.' Jasmine said conversationally. 'With only the animals and trees to talk to. I wonder if we are the first people he has talked to since he arrived there?'
'Yes, you are,' said a quiet voice from behind them.
'Morio! What are you doing here?' exclaimed Jasmine.
'After you left, an elder tree told me that I should go with you. He said that he had a good feeling about it and that there had to be a reason why we met.' explained Morio. 'He said that it had something to do with my destiny and it was my chance to find out who I am and where I come from.'
'In that case, we are pleased to have your help.' said Jarred.
'Our help,' corrected Morio, motioning to Filli and Kree.
'Yes, including Filli and Kree.' chuckled Jarred.
'So, where are we going?' Morio asked eagerly as they started walking once more.
'The Lake of Tears.'
Morio's face fell.
'Please tell me that you are joking.' Morio said, looking between father and daughter.
'No. We have to go there. It is where the next gem is. Why?' asked Jasmine.
'That is the territory of the sorceress Thaegan.' answered Morio.
'Regardless, we have to go there.' said Jarred. 'How do you know of Thaegan anyway? Is that another word that has jogged your memory?'
'No. Kree told me about her.' said Morio, looking at Kree who was perched on his arm. 'So let me get this straight. You are planning on going straight through Thaegan's land?'
'Yes, it is the most direct route to the Lake.'
'But it is also the most dangerous. It would be safer to go around...'
'And risk running into Grey Guards and being caught?' demanded Jarred, looking down at the boy next to Jasmine. 'No, we're going straight through and that's final.' Jarred said, before picking up his pace, leaving the two teenagers behind him.
As the group were approaching a nearby bridge, Jarred stopped and frowned at a weird shaped boulder that was blocking their path. Jasmine halted next to her father, while Morio went and stood calmly in front of the boulder, and said, 'Can you please stand aside so we can pass?'
Jasmine and Jarred exchanged a look, wondering if he could now speak to boulders to, but then the boulder moved to reveal that it wasn't a boulder at all, but rather a huge, golden-eyed, dark-skinned man holding a wickedly curved sword.
'If you wish to pass, you must answer my riddles correctly. Answer incorrectly, and I will kill you.' said the giant. 'As are the rules I must follow until truth and lies are one.'
'Here is the riddle you must answer,' said the giant. He took eleven sticks out of his pocket and threw them to the ground. 'Change eleven to nine, without removing any of the sticks.'
'Oh, that's easy!' said a happy Jasmine. 'Mother use to play these sorts of games with me when I was younger!' She quickly bent down and spelt the word nine with the sticks. Henceforth, changing eleven into nine.
'Very well, the girl may pass.' said the giant.
'But...what about my father and friend?' asked Jasmine.
'The one who answers gets to cross.' said the giant.
'Go ahead, Jasmine. We'll meet you on the other side.' said Jarred.
Once more, Jasmine did as her father asked and crossed the bridge, while Jarred and Morio waited for the next riddle.
'Here is my next question,' said the giant. 'It is long, so to be fair I will ask it twice. Listen well;
Sorceress Thaegan gulps her favourite food,
In her cave with all her brood.
And the names of the children are:
Hot, Tot, Jin, Jod,
Fie, Fly, Zan, Zod,
Pik, Snik, Lun, Lod,
And of course the dreaded Ichabod.
Each child holds a slimy toad.
On each toad squirms two fat grubs.
On each grub rides two fleas brave.
Here is my riddle now, so beware.
Answer my riddle now, if you dare.
How many creatures are living in Sorceress Thaegan's cave?
Morio just looked at the giant as he repeated it for a second time, not having a clue what to do, but when he looked at Jarred, he was startled to find him smiling.
'Why are you smiling?' asked Morio.
'When Endon and I were boys, we use to have to solve problems like this all the time during our schooling.' answered Jarred, before bending down and doing the necessary calculations in the dirt, while Morio just watched on in fascination. He wondered if he would have been able to do calculations like that if he was still with his family.
'Right, I've got it.' Jarred said, a few minutes later. 'One hundred and five creatures.'
The giant was silent for a minute before he smiled horrible and grabbed Jarred firmly by the arm.
'DAD!' yelled Jasmine from the other side of the bridge.
'Your answer is incorrect.' It said.
'What do you mean it is incorrect?' growled Jarred. 'Thaegan, plus her thirteen children, plus thirteen toads, twenty-six grubs, and fifty-two fleas equals one hundred and five!'
'What about the black bird?' asked Morio.
'What black bird?' snapped Jarred, trying to free his arm from the giant's firm grip.
'Thaegan's favourite food is a black bird swallowed alive. That's why I was against going through her terrain. I was scared for Kree's safety.'
Jarred frozen and turned to look at the teenage boy standing near him.
'You've got to be joking! How was I supposed to know that?' snapped Jarred, but it wasn't aimed at Morio, but rather the giant.
'It is not my concern what you know and do not know.' said the giant, raising his sword and lining it up with Jarred's neck, but before he could swing his sword, Morio spoke to him.
'You are a tricker and a deceiver.' Morio said calmly. 'As such, it is no surprise that you are doomed to guard this bridge until truth and lies are one.'
'My suffering was not justly earned,' spat the giant. 'It was for pure spite that Thaegan took my freedom and cursed me to be tied to this piece of earth. If you are so interested in truth and lies, we will play another game.' he said, dropping Jarred to the ground with a thud. 'We will play a game to decide which way your father shall die...'
'I have no father.' said a blank Morio. 'Jarred is my friend, not my father.'
'Oh, either way the game is to decide how he will die.' said a slightly embarrassed giant. 'You may say one thing, and one thing only. If what you say is true, I will strangle your friend with my bare hands. If what you say is false, I will cut off his head.'
'I've got a better idea, how 'bout neither.' said Jarred.
'Chop off his head.' Morio said suddenly.
Everyone turned and looked at him.
'Well, is my statement true or false?'
There was silence as the giant just looked down at the sixteen year old before he let out a cry of pain as his flesh began to ripple, melting and changing shape. Then, brown feathers began sprouting from his skin, legs shrinking and feet spreading, becoming talons. His powerful arms and shoulders were gone and had reformed themselves into great wings. His sword became a fierce, hooked beak. In a few short moments, the giant was gone, and a huge, proud bird with golden eyes stood in his place, before taking flight.
Morio watched as the bird flew away, before helping a shocked Jarred to his feet, leading him across the bridge and stopping in front of an equally shocked Jasmine.
'You knew that he was a bird, didn't you?' Jasmine said finally, looking over at the silent and thoughtful Morio.
Morio nodded.
'How did you know that your answer would set him free?' asked Jarred.
'I may have been raised by animals and trees, but I can be intelligent when I need to be.' said Morio, leading the way down the path towards the Lake of Tears. 'Anyway, I knew he would have no answer for it the statement was true, he was bound to strange Jarred, thus making it false. And if the statement was false, the man was bound to cut off his head, thus making it true.'
'Wow,' said an impressed Jasmine.
'Hmm, Grey Guards are coming.' said Morio calmly, climbing up a nearby tree, then looking down expectedly at his companions.
Jasmine and Jarred hurriedly climbed the tree and moments later a pod of Grey Guards came in to view and they had a prisoner with them.
'They've captured a Ralad!' breathed a shocked Jarred.
'A what?' asked Morio.
'One of the Deltoran tribes. They are a race of builders.'
'Oh.'
The group then fell silent as the Grey Guards and Ralad stopped under the tree they were hiding in. Two of the guards pushed the Ralad man roughly to the ground at the base of the tree, threw him a bottle of water, before joining their brothers as they began to eat and drink. Whilst this was happening, the Ralad man's eyes remained fixed on the food scraps that were being scattered on the grass of the clearing they were in. He was starving. Morio, Jasmine and Jarred had to watch in silence as the guards tormented the starving Ralad with food, until the guards decided that they were tired and went to sleep.
'Now's our time to escape,' whispered Jarred.
'And save the Ralad man.' said Jasmine.
'Jasmine, we can't risk it. Our objective is to find the gems then to find the new heir to the throne. You know that!' Jarred whispered back angrily.
'How can we just leave him here?' demanded Jasmine.
'Be quiet you two or they will hear us!' interrupted an impatient Morio. Jasmine ignored him.
'I won't just sit here and - Morio no!' Jasmine exclaimed in a whisper as Morio jumped down from the branch they were sitting in and landed in one a few branches down, before leaning against the tree trunk, blending in with the tree.
Jarred and Jasmine looked warily down at the Grey Guards and were relieved to see that they were still asleep, but the Ralad man was looking up into the tree, having heard Morio. Eventually the Ralad man looked back down and Morio, jumped out of the tree, landed in front of the Ralad man and put his hand of its mouth to stop any scream.
'It's okay, I'm a friend.' whispered Morio, before motioning for Jarred and Jasmine to come down.
'Well, I guess there's nothing like the direct approach.' Jarred whispered to Jasmine as they climbed down the tree.
When they got to the base, they went over to Morio, who was looking thoughtfully at the Ralad man's chains.
'Leave it to me,' whispered Jasmine, taking a pin from her hair and picking the locks.
'Dare I ask how you know how to do that?' asked Jarred.
'Nope, cause you won't like the answer.' replied Jasmine.
'I was afraid you'd say that.'
Once the chains were off, the Ralad man drew a V with to lines coming off the top on the ground and looked up at them inquiringly. Baffled, Morio, Jasmine and Jarred glanced at one another, then back at the Ralad. He saw that they did not understand his meaning. His black eyes grew fearful and he quickly brushed the mark away, but he still seemed to trust them. Silently, Jarred put the Ralad on his back, before silently hurrying away with the two teenagers, away from the guards. Once they were saw they were a good distance away from the guards, they decided to stop, make camp and see to the Ralad. During their escape, the Ralad had fallen unconscious and Jarred went straight to work on cleaning his wounds and making him better. That was one bonus of being married to the city of Del's herb and medicine maker.
While Jarred was tending to the Ralad man, Jasmine and Morio both settled down for the night, while Kree stood watch.
-THE PRINCE OF DELTORA-
The next morning, Jasmine was woken by Morio's gentle shakes to wake her up. Yawning, Jasmine sat up and looked around. Morio was making them breakfast with the berries he had found nearby, while Jarred was talking to the now conscious Ralad.
'It's good to see that you are looking better.' Jasmine said, walking over to the Ralad.
'Jasmine, this is Manus and he thanks you for saving him from the Grey Guards. He says he owes us a great deal.' said Jarred.
'What do you mean, he says?' asked a curious Morio. 'I haven't heard him say a word. All he does is draw in the dirt.'
'None of the Ralads have voices, Morio.' explained Jarred. 'Thaegan saw to that, long ago. It was when, out of spite and jealousy, she created the Lake of Tears from the beauty of D'Or...'
'D'Or?' questioned Morio.
'Another tribe within Deltora, though they came from across the sea and are not part of the seven main tribes.' said Jarred. 'Anyway, the Ralads of that time raised their voices against her and she put a stop to it, and not just for them, but for all who came after them. There have been no words spoken in Raladin for hundreds of years. Hence, is why they draw markings in the sand. It is their only means of communication.'
'Proof once more why Thaegan is a monster,' said Morio coldly.
'After breakfast, we should leave. If we are unlucky we might have a pod of Grey Guards after us and it's not safe to stay still too long with Thaegan around.' said Jarred.
'Agreed.' said Morio and Jasmine in unison as Manus started writing in the dirt again.
'What's he saying?' asked Jasmine.
'He said that he will take us to his village, where we can rest, get supplies and continue our journey.' answered Jarred. 'Thank you, Manus.' he added.
'How long will it take to get there?' asked Morio.
Once more Manus scribbled in the dirt and once more Jarred translated.
'Three days, if Thaegan doesn't catch us first.'
'That's not comforting,' muttered Jasmine as she prepared to set off again.
During their journey to Raladin they tried to keep to small, well-hidden paths, but eventually, that proved to be impossible as the paths disappeared leaving only main roads. Thankfully, this part of Deltora wasn't travelled much and the small party met no one, which was good. If it was only Jarred and Jasmine walking along, no one would be suspicious, but had Morio, a wild boy with a black bird and a Ralad...that would be hard to explain why they had such an odd party. Anyway, as they walked on towards Raladin, they passed many empty houses with the Shadow Lord's mark branded into the doors and other structures. It was then that Manus explained the meaning of the mark he had drawn in the dirt as they saved him from the Grey Guards. Apparently it was the mark of the Deltoran Resistance, a group of people who fought against the Shadow Lord.
Days later, the party arrived at Raladin and found it to be a ghost town. Morio, Jarred and Jasmine watched sadly as Manus ran around his home town, looking for his people, but in the end, he went and sat by a fountain sadly, before picking up a nearby flute and beginning to play. The music was beautiful, yet sad at the same time. The group could feel Manus' pain as their own, but then there was the sound of flutes being played cheerfully and a secret passage was opened to reveal a secret passage to an underground city, full of happy Ralads, over joyed to see Manus again.
'I can't believe that Ralads were able to build something like this,' muttered Morio as they were lead into the underground city. 'It's amazing!'
'I know, and thanks to Manus and his people, we are able to see such a wonder and relax. Plus you can also have a bath.' Jarred said to Morio.
'Why? I'm just going to get dirty again anyway.' Morio said stubbornly.
'That's not the point. You're a young man, and young men shouldn't go around all filthy!'
'Fine, I'll have a wash,' grumbled Morio, making Jasmine giggle, as he followed one of the Ralad women into a nearby house where he could wash up. And he did wash up, even though it was just his tan skin. He didn't bother with his dirty brown hair and nothing Jarred could say or do could make Morio wash his hair. He ended up chasing the stubborn teenager around the underground city - entertaining the Ralads and Jasmine - while Kree chased Jarred, trying to protect Morio. In the end Jarred gave up, and went off muttering about stubborn teenagers.
-THE PRINCE OF DELTORA-
Three days, Jarred, Jasmine and Morio stayed in Raladin and one there last night there, they told the Ralads where they wanted to go. The Ralads were horrified and were even more horrified to learn that Manus had volunteered to take them there. They tried to reason with them and Manus, scribbling on the ground and in the end, the group found out that they feared a monster that lived there that went by the name of Soldeen. And when the group mentioned Thaegan, they then learnt from the Ralads that Thaegan could only be killed if a drop of her blood is drawn, but those who have tried, failed and were never seen again, for her body was protected by a magic barrier, making it impossible for her to be killed.
'Then we will hide from her,' said Jarred. 'And we promise that Manus will return safely to you.'
Then, with that, Jarred and Manus led the way out of the village with the two teenagers following behind them, arguing about something, as usual.
By midafternoon the way had grown rough and the hills more rugged. Dead trees held bleached, white branches up to the pale sky. The grass crackled under their feet and the low-growing bushes were dry and dusty, but eventually they arrived at a murky lake ringed by banks of thick, grey mud riddled with what looked like worm holes. In its centre a slimy rock oozed water which dripped ceaselessly into the pool, causing slow, oily ripples to creep across its surface. Twisted, barren peaks of clay rose beyond the lake like haunted things. There was not one green, growing thing to be seen and there was no sound but the dripping of water and the faint, squelching movement of mud. There were no smells but damp and decay. It was a place of bitterness, ugliness, misery and death.
'The Lake of Tears. They named that right,' muttered Jarred. 'Is the Belt warm, Jasmine?'
Manus looked at Jarred and Jasmine curiously.
'No. We'll need to get closer.' answered Jasmine.
Manus made a motion to Jarred asking what they were talking about.
'We're searching for a special stone that we believed to be hidden here,' said Jarred, telling Manus a little of the reason they were there. After all, the Ralad man had done a lot for them, so it was only right that he should be included. 'But the matter is a deadly secret. If we find what we seek, you must tell no-one, whatever happens.'
Manus nodded his hand on his heart.
'It's hard to believe that this use to be the city of D'Or.' Jasmine said quietly to Morio, who was looking around in disgust. 'It use to be like a fairytale garden. Full of life and love. I can't believe Thaegan could do such a thing.'
'She is a cold, heartless monster. That's how she could do it!' growled Morio. 'Let's find the gem and get out of here. I don't like it here and neither do Filli and Kree.'
Jasmine looked over at Morio's two constant companions and saw that he was right. Filli was trembling while Kree stood like a statue, on Morio's shoulder, all tense. She then looked over at her father who was currently moving towards the lake. She went over to join him. As she did so, the Belt began to grow warm.
'It's here somewhere.' Jasmine said. 'The Belt is growing warmer the closer we get to the middle of the Lake!'
'Maybe it's underneath the water.' mused Jarred.
'Get out of the water, now!' yelled Morio all of a sudden, while Kree started screeching. 'Quick! Can't you see, something is coming towards you!'
Father and daughter alike, turned to face the water and sure enough, something big was heading towards them. Together they scrambled from the water as a big sea like creature came at them. They made it to land just in time.
'I take it that was Soldeen.' Morio said to Manus, who nodded his confirmation. He was staring at the creature in fright.
Morio turned and watched as Jarred and Jasmine fought Soldeen. He watched as Jasmine was thrown into the air, before landing on top of Soldeen, with Jarred yelling out to her. He then watched as Soldeen relaxed and as Jasmine spoke calmly with him. Then, before his very eyes, he watched as he took Jasmine to the gem which was on the rock in the middle of the lake. He then watched as she came back, but she did not look happy.
'She has the gem, so why is she unhappy?' Morio asked Jarred.
'I have no idea.' admitted Jarred, frowning at his daughter's odd behaviour.
Together, they watched as Soldeen and Jasmine came closer before they hear Jasmine yell something, before the sky seemingly split open with a jagged streak of light. With a fearful, rushing sound, a cloud of foul-smelling, yellow smoke belched through the crack, churning the Lake to mud and filling the air above it with thick, choking flumes. And in the midst of the smoke, hovering above the water was a towering figure, shining green with wild, silver hair that crackled and flew around here beautiful, sneering face as though it was alive itself...
'Thaegan!' growled Morio as the witch laughed coldly.
'Welcome to my beautiful garden,' she said, looking down at them all, before saying a magic spell, aiming it at Soldeen. Soldeen was hit painfully with a jet of golden light. Jasmine, you was still on his back, went flying into the water, losing the gem.
'Jasmine!' yelled Jarred, swimming in after her and pulling her out of the water.
'Foolish little girl,' laughed Thaegan, watching Jarred and Jasmine. 'It was only by chance that you set Soldeen free.' She glanced over at Soldeen, who was leaning against the rock in the middle of the lake, eyes closed. 'But you are all really pathetic...'
'That is enough, Thaegan!' yelled Jarred, jumping to his feet and drawing his sword. He then charged at her before he hit the magic barrier and went flying backwards.
'Now, time for you.' said Thaegan, turning to face Morio and noticing Kree on his shoulder. 'Ah, you brought me a snack. What a thoughtful little boy.'
'Kree is not on the menu!' snapped Morio, drawing his dagger and running at the witch.
Thaegan laughed at his pitiful attempted and began a magic spell once more. During this, Kree dived, like a black arrow, towards Thaegan and with a vicious snap his sharp beak stabbed one of Thaegan's fingers. He had managed to get passed Thaegan's magic barrier, because she had lowered it to cast her spell. Thaegan shrieked in rage, shock and pain, turning to face Kree who seemed to be squawking in triumph, and then soon saw why as a drop of red blood dripped from the witch's finger. Thaegan's eyes widened and she let out a hair raising scream as her body shuddered, writhed and turned into a dead, rotting, small tree.
After Thaegan's death, a most extraordinary thing happened. Before the groups eyes, the Lake of Tears began to disappear and was replaced once more with the beautiful city of D'Or. Full of green, beautiful buildings, fountains and the now laughing D'Or's, golden people who had been turned into different horrifying creatures. Soldeen also changed. He changed back into a tall, golden man with a mane of tawny hair, and the weeping rock that had been on the centre of the lake, transformed into a golden woman with night black hair. In her hand she held the red ruby.
'Am I dreaming?' said Jasmine as the man and woman walked towards them.
'If you are, we are all dreaming the same dream,' said a chirpy voice, they did not know.
Frowning, Jarred, Jasmine, and Morio turned around and saw Manus grinning at them.
'Manus - you can speak!' exclaimed Jasmine.
'Of course! With Thaegan's death, all her spells have been broken!' said a cheerful Manus. 'The people of Raladin, D'Or and everyone around here thank you, especially for what that amazing bird of yours did.' he added, nodding his head to Kree, who was perched proudly on Morio's wrist.
'Indeed,' said a deep, quiet voice. The man that had been Soldeen was standing next to them along with the beautiful woman. 'We have met before as enemies and now, at last, we meet as friends. I am Nanion and this is my wife, Ethena. We are chiefs of D'Or, and we owe you our freedom.'
'I believe you are looking for this,' said Ethena, holding out the ruby.
'Um, yeah.' said Jasmine, taking the ruby, but then hesitating, every much aware of Manus, Nanion and Ethena's eyes on her, Morio and Jarred.
'For a hundred years we have lived a half life that was worse than death, and it is thanks to you that we are once more your true selves.' said Manus. 'Your secret, if it is a secret, will be safe with us.' Nanion and Ethena nodded their agreement.
'That's good enough for me.' said Jarred, and Jasmine nodded, before taking off the Belt making Manus, Nanion and Ethena gasp.
'The - the Belt of Deltora!' gasped Nanion. 'But - why is it here, so far from Del? No, do not answer that, for I believe I know what has happened. Thaegan told us, before she sent us into darkness, that the Shadow Lord would come and Deltora would be lost forever. And it has happened, hasn't it?'
'Yes, but Deltora will not be lost forever. It will free again just like D'Or.' answered Jarred, before saying his goodbyes, before heading back to Raladin where they were perceived as heroes, much to Morio's embarrassment.
Azaelia Silmarwen facebook page: link on profile
Written: 18 January 2012
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN THIS STORY. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FANDUB CREATED BY FANS, FOR FANS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FAIR USE ONLY.
