CHAPTER 12
"So what do you think we have to do here?" Rodney asked.
Teyla sighed. "I do not know. I do not know what we did the first two times."
Silently, they stared out of the odd 'village' they found themselves in. It was in a grove of the largest trees either had ever seen. No 'in' was the wrong word. The grove was the village. These people had somehow hollowed living trees into homes without killing the trees.
Cheery firelight flickered in hundreds of windows. Thick, wide vines curved around the tree trunks like stairways. Tree limbs wider than a sidewalk twisted and curved. Wooden bridges and rope ladders linked trees.
Little golden lights (fairies and elves! Rodney's mind kept gibbering) flitted everywhere making the whole thing feel surreal.
"Efleguard said they were tests of character."
"He also said they were suppose to be something you chose to partake in. We did not choose."
Rodney glanced back at his two friends who had yet to wake up. "No, and that really pisses me off."
A gentle knock on the door interrupted the conversation.
Teyla went to answer it. Rodney stood back, hand resting casually on the P-90 clipped to his vest.
A young girl entered with a tray laden with food and drink. "Efleguard thought you might not want to leave your friends." She told them, glancing over at the two men.
"Thank you." Teyla replied graciously.
"How long do you think before they wake up?" Rodney asked fretfully after the girl left.
Teyla frowned and shook her head. "Perhaps you should reactivate our transmitters."
"And the spheres?"
"I do not think we need to worry about them. I doubt we are on the same world." Teyla pointed up to the three moons. The world they had been on to begin with had only one tiny moon.
"I agree. Whatever this is its moving us from world to world." Rodney picked up his laptop and began reactivating their transmitters. "How is that possible? We aren't going through a gate. It can't know where exactly we'll be at any moment so not transporter pads. It's got me completely baffled." He added the last bit in an aggrieved tone.
"There, we're back on." He told her moments later.
SGA
Ronon came awake slowly. His entire body throbbed; one huge pain. Motionless, he listen to the sounds around him. The last thing he remembered was those things – not people – chewing on him and Sheppard pulling one of his grenades.
Now he was on a soft bed with sounds of people sleeping around him. Slitting his eyes open, he glanced around while twitching his fingers to his holster. The feel of his gun was reassuring.
"Ronon," Teyla's whisper came from his right. "We are safe for the moment. Sleep."
His trust in her was so absolute that he relaxed without asking for more information. Sleep crept up on him and tugged him under again.
The next time he awoke early morning sunlight was slanting across the room he was in. McKay was now occupying the space Teyla had been in last night. He was tapping on his laptop with his pistol lying on the table next to him.
A slight noise outside the door had his hand moving from keyboard to pistol. Wariness replaced frustration on his face. A soft voice called for entrance and Rodney went and flipped the latch on the door backing away quickly.
The door opened slowly and a young girl brought in a tray of food. The tension eased in Rodney's body as the girl spoke softly of the morning and well-wishes toward the stranger. A few exchanged words and she was gone.
Rodney re-latched the door before sitting down. He leaned back and eyed the door and rubbed his face and rotated his head relieving tight muscles. He caught Ronon's gaze on one of the rotations. A cautious look slid across his face.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah."
Ronon put his feet on the floor and sat up. The room spun. He felt himself falling then hands on his shoulders.
"Easy. Take a minute. You got chewed up pretty bad."
Ronon grunted, but didn't shrug off Rodney's hands. He remembered trying to keep zombies not only off of him, but off of McKay as well.
With Rodney's help, Ronon got to his feet and over to the table. He scanned the room and saw Teyla asleep next to Sheppard.
"They offered two rooms. We declined."
"What happened?" Ronon asked ripping a hot roll in half and stuffing it in his mouth.
"One minute we were zombie chow and Sheppard was blowing us up; the next we were in a snow drift with you two unconscious and men riding giant armored bears were shooting at us."
"Giant bears?"
"Giant armored bears. We were rescued by fairies and elves."
Ronon just stared at Rodney.
"You don't believe me."
"Giant bears? Fairies? Elves?" Ronon shook his head.
Rodney smirked at him. He went to the window and leaned out. "Hey, you flying little people. My friend wants to meet you."
He stepped back as a tiny swarm of golden lights flitted through the window. Several lighted atop his laptop.
Ronon stopped eating and stared at the teeny-tiny people with delicate fluttering wings. He raised a stunned look to Rodney's smug face.
Hello. Hello. Hello.
"Um, hello."
Awake finally. Good. Get better quick now.
They tinkled with merriment and flitted back through the window.
"I must be hallucinating." Sheppard's weak drawl drew their attention.
"Nope. Not unless we all are." Rodney responded as he dipped some hot soup into a wooden bowl and tossed a couple of thick slices of bread onto a wooden plate. Balancing the plate on top of the bowl, he grabbed a cup of whatever the beverage was and took it to Sheppard.
Sheppard had taken the most of the damage since he had the grenade. Rodney helped him sit up in the bed and rearranged pillows until Sheppard grated out, "I'm fine, Rodney."
"Right. Grenade exploded on you. You are concussed and most likely have broken ribs."
Sheppard shifted and winced. "Bent maybe; not broken. That hurts a lot more."
Rodney snorted and settled into a chair then he got them up-to-date while they ate.
"The Ordeal? We've stumbled into the Ordeal?" Ronon asked, stunned.
"You know what's going on?"
"I've heard of it. The Ordeal was instituted ages ago by a race that is now extinct. Warriors could only advance so far in rank until they passed the Ordeal. It tests your morals, your loyalty, your ability to think under extreme circumstances."
He meet the gaze of each even Teyla who had awoken. "Once started you have to finish. Pass or fail are the only two options."
"So we have to pass unknown tests in order to get home. Since we don't know what the tests are we can't cheat."
Ronon just looked at him. "It is the true person that is being tested. You must react as you honestly would in a given situation."
"I do not think that we will have a problem passing." Teyla said confidently.
A knock on the door had Sheppard and Ronon placing hands on weapon butts. Teyla gave them a warning look and went to open the door.
Efleguard stepped in. "I see your companions have waken."
"Yes, just."
"If they are able, we will send you on. The Ordeal must not be delayed for long."
"We're able." Sheppard and Ronon replied in neutral voices.
"John, I'm not sure…"
"I'm able."
Teyla frowned, but nodded knowing arguing would be useless once he got that mulish look on his face.
"Most information about the Ordeal has faded into myth. I do know that you will find the key to moving on in the ruins."
Ronon rose to his feet. "Let's go then."
Efleguard nodded and stepped out.
"Wow!" Sheppard breathed the word out in awe as he stepped out the door and saw where they were. "This is…" He stopped mid-sentence as several tiny figures fluttered around him. He looked over at Rodney, eyes gleaming. "Fairies."
Rodney grinned. "Yep and did you notice our new friends ears?"
Sheppard turned to take a better look at Efleguard. "Elves? Elves, McKay?"
"Lord of the Rings."
"Cool."
"Still in a hurry to leave?"
Sheppard drew amazed eyes over the unbelievably huge trees which were lit from within the tiny lights, the foxes, wolves and other animals calmly moving between the human figures, the flitting fairies. Reluctantly, he nodded. "We have to get back."
Efleguard led them down the curving vine pathways to the forest floor. A regal woman dressed in white waited. Her hand absently stroked the thick furred head of a large white tiger.
Jewels sparkled in her hair and around her neck and wrists. A twinkling, silvery mist trailed from her fingertips making the tiger glow. She gazed calmly at them as they approached. The tigers tail swished backed and forth lazily.
"Milady," Efleguard went to one knee, bowing his head.
Hesitating only a moment the Atlanteans also went to one knee although they refused to bow their heads when surrounded by strangers. Ronon and Sheppard both winced as their injuries protested the movement.
Around them small groups of wolves lounged at the base of trees and under bushes. Sylphlike figures in winter cloaks moved silently with lean wolves, white foxes or tigers gliding at their sides.
Most ignored them, but one, standing in the shadow of a tree, eyed them with ill-concealed dislike. The team traded looks. What could they have done to get that look? And was it not odd that none of the animals were near her?
"Oh, get up, Efleguard." The lady reproved him with a gentle laugh.
Efleguard rose to his feet. A mischievous smile danced at the corners of his lips. "I should not bow before my queen?"
"When do you bow to anyone, Love?" Her gaze slid past him to their guests.
"Apologies. Dirua, may I make known to you Teyla Emmagen, Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, and Ronon Dex. Unwitting participants in the Ordeal."
"Greetings," her voice was low and musical and amused. "Efleguard has told me of rescuing you from the Bears. He will see you to the ruins so that you may continue your quest."
"We appreciate any help we can get." Sheppard smiled his most charming smile.
"Regrettably, we cannot offer much. The Ordeal must be completed with minimum interference." She turned her attention to the man beside her. "To the boundary, Efleguard. No further."
"Yes, Dirua."
"What happens if he goes pass the boundary?" Rodney asked curiously.
"We are not allowed to help you once you pass the boundary. If he does, he becomes part of the Ordeal and will have to finish it with you. He will not be able to return." Dirua stated.