Dunderhead grabbed Ayla's ankles and began pulling her into a clearing, in the center of which was a large pot heating up over some firewater.
"We'll just cook you now, then you can't escape," Dunderhead chuckled evilly.
His plans were interrupted because just then a giant purple fire-breathing land dragon with huge claws and shinning white fangs burst into the clearing. Ayla struggled to her feet trying to run, but she couldn't stand up. The dragon breathed a burst of fire into the air and the goblins all scattered, but rather than chase a random goblin, the dragon headed straight for her!
The purple dragon inhaled, preparing to toast Ayla into a nice dragon munchie. It grabbed her ankle and pulling her in though its skin.
Wait a minute, that is NOT how dragons eat people, Ayla thought, thoroughly and utterly perplexed.
Just then, Ayla saw Nassia standing next to her with a man and a woman, who stood with her eyes closed and sweat on her brow, obviously concentrating on something.
"Ayla, this is King Emeritus Trent and Sorceress Iris, we met on the path and they helped me to rescue you," Nassia explained, pointing at the former Xanth royalty.
"Th.. Thank you so much, I own you me life," Ayla wrinkled her brow as if thinking of something unpleasant, "literally, in fact, a few moments more and I would have been goblin stew, but if this situation ever comes around again, please try to save me in a way that does NOT give me a heart attack."
Nassia looked ashamed, "Sorry, I didn't realize, I..I"
"Oh, I'm just kidding, Nassia, I loved the rescue plan, you should have seen the look on those nasty goblins faces when you guys plowed into the clearing."
Just then the man, Trent, cleared his throat, "Ladies, I hate to interrupt, but Ayla, you have to walk so that the illusion dragon can move without exposing us, and we have to hurry, Iris is wearing out, she can't maintain this illusion much longer."
Nassia picked Ayla up and let her lean on her shoulder. Walking out of the glen Ayla explained to the group what had happened to her in the goblin camp while Nassia brought Ayla up to speed on how she had found Trent and Iris.
"I think that we should head to Humfrey's castle as soon as we can," Nassia told Ayla, "I was thinking and I can't imagine why he wants me, I am just a normal nymph, right."
"Nassia, I have no idea, I came to get you just because Humfrey said that was where I could be of the most help, but no I don't think you are just a normal nymph, a normal nymph would just have run away when I was captured, they wouldn't have stayed around, and they certainly would NOT have cried."
"Honestly, I have no idea why I cried, I was just upset and it came naturally, it happened a few times in the Retreat, but not often."
Around then the dragon faded and they were somewhere on the path near a protected sleeping area. Trent turned some small bushes into caterpillar tents and they went to sleep, Nassia and Ayla in one tent and Iris and Trent in another.
Early the next morning they all woke up and gradually came out of the tents, thoroughly exhausted from the previous days adventures.
"Iris and I were talking last night and we think that you two should continue with us to Castle Roogna where there is an enchanted path to the Good Magicians castle, from here there are only small footpaths and you have already seen the possible danger on those," Trent explained; the girls conferred for a minute, remembered the goblins, and quickly agreed.
"Well then, we should head out after breakfast."
Trent turned some plants into a milkweed plant and a pie tree, and they ate like royalty; well, two of them did at least.
Turning the tents and food back to its original condition, they group headed out on the path. Just as they began to get tired, the ground began to rumble.
"EARTHQUAKE!!!" Nassia shouted this and ran swiftly into a cave that appeared to be safe from the rumbling.
"%@$&*!" Trent cursed, causing some ladyfingers nearby to wilt, " Com-pewter"
"Oh dear," Iris sighed as they ran to catch up with Nassia, "we're in for it now."
The four of them ran into the cave and abruptly the shaking stopped.
"Well, that's convenient, now we can leave" Nassia said, turning around to exit the cave.
The cave entrance suddenly became a sheet of rock.
"Umm, or we can just stay a while."
"Nassia, this is the cave of Com-Pewter, he is an evil machine that has the ability to change reality in his vicinity, you can't just leave, he tries to herd in travelers by having the invisible giant stomp around, that was the earthquake, I am sorry I didn't realize where we were sooner, we were hoodwinked by this evil hunk of junk," Trent exclaimed, turning to face the machine.
"I am merely an innocent traveler, please let me and my friends leave, we will do you now harm."
HA, WHAT HARM CAN YOU DO ME, IDIOTIC PEON
"Please, let us go, we can harm you and we will if you do not let us go."
"Why is Trent acting so strangely, he isn't a normal traveler, he is.." Ayla was silenced as Iris covered her mouth.
"Shh, Com-Pewter might let us go if we don't have anything to offer him, if he knew the truth, then..." Iris' look silenced Nassia and Ayla.
"Com-Pewter, what can we give you that will make you let us leave", Trent asked the evil machine.
I WILL LET YOU LEAVE ONLY IF YOU GET ME MORE MEMORY
"How can we get you more memory, that cannot be collected," Trent asked puzzled.
THERE IS A CERTAIN TYPE OF ANIMAL, A RAM, SPEAK TO MY FRIEND MS. DOS, A MUNDANIAN LIVING IN XANTH, SHE WILL HELP YOU
And with that, the entrance to the cave opened up, right onto a small cottage with a woman out in front tending the garden.
THIS IS MS.DOS' HOUSE, YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE PERSON TO GO WITH YOU, THE OTHERS MUST REMAIN HERE
Trent walked over to where the women were standing and whispered so that Com-Pewter could not here him.
"Hmm, Iris, you come with me, I am sorry girls, but Iris has the strongest talent and we are most used to each other, we will try to return soon," Trent said, taking Iris by the hand
"I will go with this one" Trent said to Com-Pewter
GOOD LUCK
And with that, Trent and Iris stepped out of the cave and the door closed back up. Nassia and Ayla were alone again, stuck in a small cold cave with an evil machine with immense power. Oh dear.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N Thank you to all the wonderful people who have reviewed the previous installments, sorry this took so long to write, I will get the next one out much sooner, I hope to be writing at the pace of one or two chapters a week. If you have any suggestions send them to me. I am thinking of taking this all around Xanth, maybe even to the gourd and/or Ptero. PLEASE PLEASE Review this one. Have Fun!!!
"We'll just cook you now, then you can't escape," Dunderhead chuckled evilly.
His plans were interrupted because just then a giant purple fire-breathing land dragon with huge claws and shinning white fangs burst into the clearing. Ayla struggled to her feet trying to run, but she couldn't stand up. The dragon breathed a burst of fire into the air and the goblins all scattered, but rather than chase a random goblin, the dragon headed straight for her!
The purple dragon inhaled, preparing to toast Ayla into a nice dragon munchie. It grabbed her ankle and pulling her in though its skin.
Wait a minute, that is NOT how dragons eat people, Ayla thought, thoroughly and utterly perplexed.
Just then, Ayla saw Nassia standing next to her with a man and a woman, who stood with her eyes closed and sweat on her brow, obviously concentrating on something.
"Ayla, this is King Emeritus Trent and Sorceress Iris, we met on the path and they helped me to rescue you," Nassia explained, pointing at the former Xanth royalty.
"Th.. Thank you so much, I own you me life," Ayla wrinkled her brow as if thinking of something unpleasant, "literally, in fact, a few moments more and I would have been goblin stew, but if this situation ever comes around again, please try to save me in a way that does NOT give me a heart attack."
Nassia looked ashamed, "Sorry, I didn't realize, I..I"
"Oh, I'm just kidding, Nassia, I loved the rescue plan, you should have seen the look on those nasty goblins faces when you guys plowed into the clearing."
Just then the man, Trent, cleared his throat, "Ladies, I hate to interrupt, but Ayla, you have to walk so that the illusion dragon can move without exposing us, and we have to hurry, Iris is wearing out, she can't maintain this illusion much longer."
Nassia picked Ayla up and let her lean on her shoulder. Walking out of the glen Ayla explained to the group what had happened to her in the goblin camp while Nassia brought Ayla up to speed on how she had found Trent and Iris.
"I think that we should head to Humfrey's castle as soon as we can," Nassia told Ayla, "I was thinking and I can't imagine why he wants me, I am just a normal nymph, right."
"Nassia, I have no idea, I came to get you just because Humfrey said that was where I could be of the most help, but no I don't think you are just a normal nymph, a normal nymph would just have run away when I was captured, they wouldn't have stayed around, and they certainly would NOT have cried."
"Honestly, I have no idea why I cried, I was just upset and it came naturally, it happened a few times in the Retreat, but not often."
Around then the dragon faded and they were somewhere on the path near a protected sleeping area. Trent turned some small bushes into caterpillar tents and they went to sleep, Nassia and Ayla in one tent and Iris and Trent in another.
Early the next morning they all woke up and gradually came out of the tents, thoroughly exhausted from the previous days adventures.
"Iris and I were talking last night and we think that you two should continue with us to Castle Roogna where there is an enchanted path to the Good Magicians castle, from here there are only small footpaths and you have already seen the possible danger on those," Trent explained; the girls conferred for a minute, remembered the goblins, and quickly agreed.
"Well then, we should head out after breakfast."
Trent turned some plants into a milkweed plant and a pie tree, and they ate like royalty; well, two of them did at least.
Turning the tents and food back to its original condition, they group headed out on the path. Just as they began to get tired, the ground began to rumble.
"EARTHQUAKE!!!" Nassia shouted this and ran swiftly into a cave that appeared to be safe from the rumbling.
"%@$&*!" Trent cursed, causing some ladyfingers nearby to wilt, " Com-pewter"
"Oh dear," Iris sighed as they ran to catch up with Nassia, "we're in for it now."
The four of them ran into the cave and abruptly the shaking stopped.
"Well, that's convenient, now we can leave" Nassia said, turning around to exit the cave.
The cave entrance suddenly became a sheet of rock.
"Umm, or we can just stay a while."
"Nassia, this is the cave of Com-Pewter, he is an evil machine that has the ability to change reality in his vicinity, you can't just leave, he tries to herd in travelers by having the invisible giant stomp around, that was the earthquake, I am sorry I didn't realize where we were sooner, we were hoodwinked by this evil hunk of junk," Trent exclaimed, turning to face the machine.
"I am merely an innocent traveler, please let me and my friends leave, we will do you now harm."
HA, WHAT HARM CAN YOU DO ME, IDIOTIC PEON
"Please, let us go, we can harm you and we will if you do not let us go."
"Why is Trent acting so strangely, he isn't a normal traveler, he is.." Ayla was silenced as Iris covered her mouth.
"Shh, Com-Pewter might let us go if we don't have anything to offer him, if he knew the truth, then..." Iris' look silenced Nassia and Ayla.
"Com-Pewter, what can we give you that will make you let us leave", Trent asked the evil machine.
I WILL LET YOU LEAVE ONLY IF YOU GET ME MORE MEMORY
"How can we get you more memory, that cannot be collected," Trent asked puzzled.
THERE IS A CERTAIN TYPE OF ANIMAL, A RAM, SPEAK TO MY FRIEND MS. DOS, A MUNDANIAN LIVING IN XANTH, SHE WILL HELP YOU
And with that, the entrance to the cave opened up, right onto a small cottage with a woman out in front tending the garden.
THIS IS MS.DOS' HOUSE, YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE PERSON TO GO WITH YOU, THE OTHERS MUST REMAIN HERE
Trent walked over to where the women were standing and whispered so that Com-Pewter could not here him.
"Hmm, Iris, you come with me, I am sorry girls, but Iris has the strongest talent and we are most used to each other, we will try to return soon," Trent said, taking Iris by the hand
"I will go with this one" Trent said to Com-Pewter
GOOD LUCK
And with that, Trent and Iris stepped out of the cave and the door closed back up. Nassia and Ayla were alone again, stuck in a small cold cave with an evil machine with immense power. Oh dear.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N Thank you to all the wonderful people who have reviewed the previous installments, sorry this took so long to write, I will get the next one out much sooner, I hope to be writing at the pace of one or two chapters a week. If you have any suggestions send them to me. I am thinking of taking this all around Xanth, maybe even to the gourd and/or Ptero. PLEASE PLEASE Review this one. Have Fun!!!