Chapter 4
Listen to Katethegreat19's rendition of Come Little Children about halfway down when words all appear in italics
Disclaimer: nope, nothing
Previously: Magi smiled. "Mayhaps it's because you imagine me so. Remember, things aren't always what they seem in this place."
The trio continued following Hoggle through the hedge maze and looked over their shoulders; seeing Magi get smaller and smaller until she disappeared from sight behind a wall of foliage. After she was gone they continued on in silence, until they heard a pained roar coming from a glen. Hoggle recognized it and ran to the scene, still following Maya's wish they trailed after him. Upon entering the clearing they saw a large orange shaggy-haired beast being strung by its ankles and tormented by goblins who held a sharp-toothed beast on the end of a stick.
"Ludo!" Hoggle cried barreling towards the group.
"Ho-gle!" the beast cried back. They caught a glimpse of the pain etched on the creature's face and leapt in to help as well. Between the four of them they were able to scare the goblins and their torture stick away and help the beast down to his feet. "Ho-gle." The beast said again. "Fwiends?" he asked looking at the runners with the dwarf.
"Yes Ludo, friends." Hoggle replied somewhat resignedly. He looked to the three humans. "You's must forgives 'im. Ludo still 'as troubles speakin' sometimes."
"His name is Ludo?" Masako asked.
"Yea, but yer names is too long for 'im ta gets right. Might wants ta thinks a somethin' else." Hoggle told them.
"I'm John." John said stepping forward to Ludo. Ludo pulled John into a hug.
"Jawn fwiend!" Ludo cried happily.
"Naru." Naru said also stepping forward.
"Nawu fwiend!" Ludo cried again, pulling Naru into the hug as well.
"Masako." Masako told Ludo.
"Mashako fwiend!" and now Masako was in on the hug.
"Greats, now yer all friends; let's gets goin'." Hoggle said leading them on. Ludo released them long enough to allow them to catch up and lumber along slightly behind them.
They continued on the path until they came to a wall with two doors carved into it. Both had goblin head knockers; but the ring of the left one went through the goblin's ears, and the ring on the right was held between its lips.
"Well, come on!" Hoggle snapped crankily. "Picks a door!"
"Which one leads where?" Masako asked.
"Not allowed ta tells ya!" Hoggle reminded them testily. "Asks the doors 'emselves!"
"Right," Masako walked over. "Excuse me,"
"What did you say?" the one with the ring through its ears shouted. The one with the ring in its mouth said something, but it came out garbled and completely undecipherable.
Masako looked at them for a moment before going to the one with the ring in its mouth and pulling it out.
"Oh thank you!" the knocker said. "You have no idea what it's like to have that thing in your mouth for so long."
"You're welcome. Now maybe you can help us, we need to get through here and-"
"Say no more." The knocker cut in. "but don't bother asking that one anything. He won't hear you anyway." He explained as the second knocker kept repeating its question. "So, choose a door and enter through."
"But which door goes where?"
"'Serts me, we're just the knockers!" the knocker replied with a hoarse chuckle.
"But there's no knob." Masako pointed out.
"No, but knock and the door will open." The knocker replied.
"Oh," Masako looked at the ring in her hand. "Oh! I get it." she tried putting the ring back in the knocker's mouth. He kept it closed. Masako frowned before holding the knocker's nose until it was forced to breathe through its mouth and shoved the ring back in.
"Sorry." Masako said as she knocked and started forward.
"It's alright, I'm used to it." the knocker replied through the ring as the door swung open.
Following the path they soon wandered into a forest with dense foliage, letting almost no light in. they assumed this was the Dark Forest Maya had told them about. As they wandered along there came a rhythm which surrounded them. Glancing around they saw the silhouettes of creatures with glowing red eyes watching them from around tree trunks and bushes.
"What are those things?" Masako whispered, slightly frightened.
"Not sure, but maybe we should take Miss Maya's advice to heart and just ignore everyone else besides Hoggle and Ludo." John replied.
"I'm still frightened." Masako admitted.
"Here," John said offering her his hand. "Kazuya and I'll keep you safe, but you can take it if you want."
Masako shyly accepted the proffered hand and squeezed it tightly. John squeezed back as though to assure her everything was going to be alright.
Naru watched the exchange and mentally sighed in relief. Hopefully, though it might break her heart, Masako might fall out of "love" with him and in love with John. It would sure make his life a lot easier. Now all he had to do was focus on M-. Mai. He would never admit it, even to himself, but Mai had ensnared him from the day they met. She was the only one to defy him, ever question why he did something instead of trusting him and his intellect. And while it could be frustrating at that moment in time, it was also very refreshing; a nice change of pace for him. He wanted to get her back safe and sound and that was all there was to it.
Now they were being confronted by these wild creatures with glowing red eyes and feathered heads and long gangly limbs and beaks for mouths.
"What are those things?" Masako was very close to shrieking by this point.
"Fireys," Hoggle replied, keeping his voice low. "Don't pay no 'tention to 'em and they'll leaves us alone."
And it was true. By ignoring the creatures completely they soon became bored with the travelers and left them alone. However, there came a rustling through the trees and the sound of music caught their ears.
"What is that sound?" John asked.
"Don't knows, never heard its befores in my lifes." Hoggle replied. "Best to stays away from its anyways though."
"It's so…. Pretty…." Masako said dreamily, veering off the path and following the sound.
"Ms. Hara!" the boys cried.
"Mashako!" Ludo called.
She didn't listen to any of them and kept on walking into the forest.
"Quickly, before we lose her completely." Naru ordered. The group ran into the growth after her.
Soon they came upon a different clearing where Masako stood absolutely still, staring dreamily at a sight not one of them could utter an apt word to describe.
A young female clad in a black leotard and tutu was dancing fouette' turns on the forest floor like a ballerina would on a grand stage. Her skin was the color of bones, the leotard strapless and clinging to her body. Long white legs stood out from under the tutu, she wore no tights, and her feet were clad in slippers of the same ebony color; the laces running up past her knees. Her hair was matched to her clothes, and ran as a short cut with a feather like piece sticking out from the top. She took no notice of the audience, and the ethereal music played from some unknown spot; the strings of some instrument being plucked one, then three.
The girl stopped turning and opened her eyes; black as the night devoid of the stars. Elongating her steps with dancer grace; she walked towards them, her mouth open and moving.
Come little children
I'll take thee away
Into a land of enchant-ment
Come little children
The time's come to play
Here in my garden of shadows
From all around them a chorus of soft, sorrowful wails. Backing the girl as continued toward them en pointe; arms extended behind her. Naru and the others had had the sense to put their fingers in their ears after the first note had come out.
Follow sweet children
I'll show thee the way
Through all the pain
And the sorrows
Weep not poor children
For life is this way
Murdering beauty and passions
Again the chorus of wails came along. The dancer made her way to Masako, who had been standing more inside the clearing from the beginning while the rest had stood still in the tree line.
"What is it?" John asked.
"Sirens..." Naru muttered. "Ms. Hara's been entranced by a siren. Whatever you do don't unplug your ears."
Hush now dear children
It must be this way
Too weary of life and deceptions
Rest now my children
For soon we'll away
Into the calm and the quiet
The stringed instrument and the chorus of wails took over as the siren took Masako by the hand and led her to the middle of the clearing, turning the girl so she faced her friends while the siren continued to dance around her. Masako stood swaying, amethyst eyes cloudy, dull, and unseeing. Suddenly, the siren held up a hand, the chorus stopped. The instrument went from playing a melody to chords again.
Come little children
I'll take thee away
Into a land of enchant-ment
Come little children
The time's come to play
Here in my garden of shadows…
The chorus took over as the siren pushed on Masako's shoulders, gently forcing the medium to her knees. The siren tilted Masako's head up and drew open her mouth. The siren opened her own and leaned over Masako's face, tilting it at an angle to have easier access. The siren began to breathe in, and a small light turquoise mist stemming out of Masako's mouth as her eyes rolled back into her head before closing completely.
Everyone watched stunned for a moment. Then Hoggle was able to stutter;
"Wha-what's that thing doing to the little lady?"
"Killing her." Naru answered bluntly.
"H-hows?"
"Legend has it that sirens are creatures who use the power of their songs to lure unsuspecting victims to their death. They feed off the souls of their victim's in order to survive. This theory has never been proven however since there's still no scientific evidence of the existence of the human soul."
"Me thinks there's proof enough nows."
As they were standing there discussing the existence of the human souls John and Ludo watched Masako fall to death; her skin becoming paler and her body becoming slack, the muscles not having the direction to hold her upright anymore.
"Ms. Hara!" John cried, running out into the clearing and distracting the siren from its meal.
Angered at this interruption the creature rose, dropping Masako completely onto the ground and faced the young priest from her hunched over stance.
"Leave her alone!" he ordered.
The harpy chuckled evilly and drew to her full height; much taller than she had appeared at first sighting. She stared down the blond and flashed him a malicious grin, her teeth now sharpened into pointed daggers. Her legs straightened until there came a snap at the knees. They now bent backwards like the hind legs of a predator. Her arms rose out at the sides, like a bird preparing for flight. Her elbows straightened until they too snapped, now bending down like the curve of a wing. She jumped straight up, out of sight. John raced to Masako when suddenly there came a great screeching; like the call of a griffin. John looked up just in time to see talons shred him across the chest with such force he was torn away and tossed a few feet from where Masako lay. He leaned up on his elbows and saw a great black bird with the head of the siren looming over Masako possessively.
"Father Brown! Get back here!" Naru called.
"I can't!" John shouted back, 'at least if it's focused on me it can't harm Ms. Hara.' He struggled to find something to attack the creature with when he felt a heavy weight in the pocket of his light jacket. Reaching inside he found a jewel encrusted golden cross, he couldn't remember ever owning something like that. He stared at the cross for a moment when it grew and rounded out in his hand. The longer part of the cross had become the handle of a large silver sword. John stared back at the siren as it eyed the weapon ominously.
John gazed at the monster and felt his grip on the lance tighten. He whispered to himself, drawing together his courage. "In the beginning, there was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God…" he faced down his opponent, unafraid.
The siren stared at him a moment longer before charging. The priest charged ahead, sword outstretched to meet the beast. Weapon met flesh, the force causing the fighters to surge back. John got up, roughly unscathed. The siren fell on its back, the sword lodged in its chest. It didn't move, but let out one howl of agony before decomposing into nothing more than a scorch mark on the grass; the sword that had felled it now a cross wedged into the earth.
John rushed over to the medium's side, helping her to sit up a little. He couldn't contain his sigh of relief as the little color she possessed returned to her cheeks. She groaned.
"Ms. Hara?" John said on the breadth of a whisper.
Eyes opened, and amethysts gazed back at him; full of life as they should've been the whole time.
"John?" Masako asked. "What happened?"
"You were attacked by a siren." He answered plainly. "But it's alright now. It's gone, you're safe." He helped her to stand and drew her into a hug, surprising both her and himself. "Thank God you're okay." Masako blushed, thankful it was hidden from the others' sight by the priest's shoulder but clung to him nonetheless; still shaken by almost dying.
"Good work Father Brown." Naru said as they made their way back to the path, noting that the slashes on the jacket probably had not penetrated the flesh because the young priest didn't seem to be in any pain. There was a silent agreement never to speak of what had just transpired again.
Eventually, they came upon a rocky cliff face with a rope dangling down from it. Hoggle climbed up first and made sure the rope was still secure before telling the others to climb up too. Ludo had disappeared sometime before that, but Hoggle told them not to worry; said that Ludo knew the rope wouldn't be sturdy enough for him and was taking another way. They climbed up the rope and asked where they were to go from here. Hoggle pointed to a hole in the ground.
"You can't be serious." Masako said gazing into the depth of black space.
"I is as serious as I can be's." Hoggle replied. "Quickest way throughs is by goin' down that hole."
"How do we know it's safe?" John asked, still not having let go of Masako's hand.
"Looks, I can'ts go first, but I beens down this way befores. Yous have nothin' ta worrys abouts."
Masako and John still eyed the dwarf suspiciously, and Naru decided to take the plunge since Hoggle was doing what Maya had asked of him so there was no reason to distrust him, and that the more time they stood there the less time they had to rescue Mai. He took a deep breath, sighed, and jumped in. he felt himself slide down a dirt tunnel into what could have been an aqueduct and end up stopping at the edge of a cliff which abruptly dropped into a large pit of liquid which smelled; there really wasn't a word to describe how awful the stench was.
Realizing that the others would probably be coming down any second Naru stood and made ready to keep them from falling over the edge. He thankfully kept all the others from falling, and Hoggle told them the only way to get out of this was by edging their way across. They came upon a little hut near the end of; well they guessed it was the Bog of Eternal Stench, they figured it wouldn't smell this bad unless it was what all of the King's subjects feared. Sitting outside was a little fox-terrier on top of a sheepdog dressed in a doublet and hose. The theme in this place seemed to be dark romantic medieval apparently.
"Didymus!" Hoggle called.
"Brother Hoggle? Brother Ludo? What brings thee here to mine humble abode?"
"Runners," Hoggle said by way of explanation.
"Ah, then thou knowest what I must do." Didymus replied.
"Yea, yeah. Let's gets on with it."
"Very well." Didymus turned to the runners. "Thou shalt not pass!"
"Why not?" John asked.
"I have taken an oath to protect this bridge." Truthfully, it was a path of stepping stone rising out of the bog water but it did make a bridge leading to what was hopefully the exit.
"What was your oath?" Naru asked.
"Without mine permission, no one may cross" Didymus answered.
"Okay, may we cross your bridge?" Masako asked politely.
Didymus stunned for a moment, the eye not covered by a patch blinking owlishly at them. "Verily then." He nodded his assent and allowed the group to pass, following behind them. "Just like old times my brothers?" he asked Ludo and Hoggle.
"Yeah," Hoggle agreed. "these three is just as much troubles as She was when She first cames through."
"Verily." The little knight agreed. "Onward Ambrosius; or I'll never feed you again!"
They made their way out of the bog; those who could smell had their noses singing to the heavens, and into another stretch of forest.
"What forest is this?" Masako asked.
"The Enchanted forest." Hoggle replied.
Just then, a low growl made itself heard through the comfortable silence and soft noises of the forest.
Masako flushed. "I'm hungry?" she offered as an explanation.
"I am too." John agreed. "Is there anything to eat around here?"
"Dunno," Hoggle replied. "I don't comes this way much 'nymores."
The runners looked around and saw a huge tree laden with fruit.
"Is that a peach tree?" Masako asked.
"I think so," John replied. "let's get some fruit to eat. Kazuya, are you coming?"
"I might as well," Naru answered. "it won't do any good to continue on an empty stomach."
The three Underground traveling companions had not heard the conversation of the three runners and had not seen them stray off until hearing the snapping of the fruit coming off the tree. The turned around to see the humans sinking their teeth into the peaches they'd picked.
"No!" Hoggle cried.
"Desist!" called Sir Didymus.
"Fwoot bad!" Ludo managed to choke out, but it was too late. All three fell to the ground in an enchanted slumber, each having only taken one bite out of their peach.
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