Chapter Thirty-One
ADAM
As if hiking through the mountains during the day in the burning sun wasn't hard enough Adam found that hiking a mountain in the dead of night with only the moon as your light and the Shadows looming in every crevice of the Dark Forest was perhaps a deadly feat. The roots grabbed at his ankles, the branches yanked at his hair, and not to mention the winds were blowing the whispers of the Shadows, the overall evening had been a challenge. The only thing keeping him on his goal is because the Dwarves are the only ones in the entire Realm that will be able to shield Snow White from the dangers ahead. He would trudge through the Dark Forest and the Shadows, he would walk through his worst nightmares, he would march through hell and back if it meant getting her safe.
Thankfully the moon provided him the light he needed and the hope he needed to get through the Dark Forest. It was rather ridiculous that there were no lights, no lanterns other than the moon as a source of light. Perhaps he had been in the Anti-Realm for far too long and took such luxuries, though they were just as perilous, for granted. It had been nearly a week since he's returned to the Anti-Realm and it took the lack of light in the day in a Realm filled with light for twelve hours of the day for him to think of it.
He paused in his trudging and suddenly thought of the Older Frederick and wondered how he was doing, how he was coping with his memories changing with all the choices Adam had made, if he was even alive or in existence anymore. The wind stopped sending the whispers to him and merely blew about his ankles as he took this moment to stop and think on things. He had really changed since he arrived. He put his hand to his chest and couldn't help but feel a little more human.
The wind stopped blowing. The clouds covered the moon. The leaves no longer danced. The branches no longer scratched. The air grew thin and in his moment of pausing did he feel it approach. The Shadows from the trees were swirling and joining together. It was faint but he knew the feeling very well, it was her magic, the Evil Queen's dark magic. It was still young and not as marring and dark, but it was still her magic. Adam turned and watched as the Shadows continued to grow and conform together until they formed a giant black bear. The Shadow Bear stood on its haunches, eyes glowing green and glaring down at him with a lustful hunger in its eyes.
"You must be what she prepared the other day." He looked up into its eyes waiting for it to strike. It growled in response to him. "I hate to disappoint you, but I won't be allowing you to have her."
It bared its large fangs and growled even louder at him. Its muscles rippled as it flexed its body and prepared its stance. Adam merely pulled his gloves from his hands and stuffed them into his pockets.
"If you're going to be what prevents me from keeping her safe I'll gladly take you out." Adam kept his eyes locked with the Shadow Bear. "But just so you know, I've dealt with your kind before."
The beast before him roared loudly into the night before barreling towards Adam. Prepared for it to come to him Adam prepared his poisonous skin to a medium toxicity. The Shadow Bear came towards him, he stepped to the side it fast enough and grabbed the Shadowy furry mass plunging his poison as deep into the Shadows as possible. The adrenaline kicked in and spiked his blood lust, all the anger from this evening began to add fuel to this growing desire of causing mass destruction. Yes, he relished being powerful enough to kill legions of men without having to draw a blade, yes he relished the feeling of being superior he could feel himself slipping almost to the point of laughing he continued to fight with the Shadow bear.
The Bear raised its paw and swiped at Adam's shoulder, just barely missing his head, and knocked him aside. He only skidded to the side and was able to jump up again and readied as the bear lunged at him again baring its teeth and ready to bite his head off.
"Wanting to play dirty, eh?" He chuckled deep within him as the feeling of action tickled the dangerous levels of malice that wanted to surface. "Then let's play dirty!"
An old sense of himself that Adam had avoided ever allowing himself to ever become again peeked its ugly head out and took control as he fought the Shadow Bear. He felt raw, he felt loose, he felt as though he had no care about the repercussions of the world and simply wanted to slaughter the beast in front of him. He almost laughed in excitement. The bear swatted its giant paw at him again and this time Adam caught it and inflicted as much of his poison into it as possible.
It writhed in pain and opened its huge jaws and bit into Adam's shoulder. Already in a fit of rage his poison mixed with his own blood as well as entered into the Shadow Bear. The beast clenched its teeth tighter and tried to shake Adam, but he shoved his fingers into its eye and it released him.
It was the stinging of his poison and the needle grazing of the blood seeping wound in his shoulder that made him blink and return to himself. He had lost himself to his raw anger, deep jealousy, and blood lust for a quick moment of power. He felt weak for allowing himself to stoop so low as to follow his inner angers and passion to lose all sense of reason for himself as well as a fool. Anger blinds on easily to his surroundings as well as himself; and Adam had years of anger built up. It had taken him years to control his anger instead of using it to thrash about wildly and go on murderous rampages.
His hand went to his shoulder to try to stop the bleeding, but it would be no use in this rain, especially since the beast came running at him again. It was ready to tackle him and maul him. Adam refused to allow the Shadows to expose him and make him weak again. Adam pulled his hand to the hilt of his sword that lay at his waist. It was a sword made up of pure light, it was bestowed to him by the old hag right before they arrived at the Anti-Castle so that he could use it to fulfill her mission, killing Snow White and carving her heart out with it. He had never used it, but it was the only thing that would get rid of the Evil Queen's Shadows.
He removed the sword from its sheath and ran it through the beast's skull. A terrible crack and pop sound happened as it went through the bone, but being possessed by the Shadows it still moved. He yanked his sword from the skull and was thrown off of the bear and was sent rolling down the hill into the swamps. Muck and mud went into his mouth, but he had no real time to acknowledge it as the bear came quickly behind. Adam braced himself, this time aiming for the heart. If this truly was one of the Evil Queen's Shadows then the only way to get rid of it would be to stab it through the heart.
He removed the sword from its sheath and ran it through the beast's skull. A terrible crack and pop sound happened as it went through the bone, but being possessed by the Shadows it still moved. He yanked his sword from the skull and was thrown off of the bear and was sent rolling down the hill into the swamps. Muck and mud went into his mouth, but he had no real time to acknowledge it as the bear came quickly behind. Adam braced himself, this time aiming for the heart. If this truly was one of the Evil Queen's Shadows then the only way to get rid of it would be to stab it through the heart.
Adam sometimes wished he never understood why the Queen always went for the heart of things. The heart pumped the blood through the body, it worked the hardest, and without it no one could live, sure they could exist, but they would not be able to live. She even knew that and although she created strong creatures and beasts she gave them weak hearts for her own control over them. Adam could only count himself so lucky as to have had a strong heart.
Adam stood ready for the bear to tackle him, in fact he would have to let the damned beast tackle him if he were to get a good stab at the heart. Trying to catch it at the ribs would be too risky. The weakest spot on the beast's body would be its underbelly and its chest that caged the heart. He couldn't think about the risks, he couldn't think of the possible mauling, no he had to focus on the part that rested just under his chin and fur. The inky black mass of contorting and restless shadows that enveloped the bear all twisted and turned and with tendrils lurched out from its body and reached out for Adam. He easily cut them with his blade, however many shot out at once and caught at his wrists, his ankles, and even neck. He struggled to continue to cut the tendrils as the bear continued to run towards him. For the first time since he left the Evil Queen's Castle in the Anti-Realm he felt himself being strangled and saw the black spotting his vision. The beast tackled him, caught his blade between its teeth and shattered his sword of light into pieces. All that remained was the hilt.
Turning its big ugly head down towards him, it opened its jaws ready to maul Adam's face off when suddenly a burst of light on an arrow shot the bear in the side. Thunder boomed, the rain somehow found a way to pour harder and a bolt of lightning crashed into trees somewhere up the mountain and lighted a small cliff area showing two men standing there. Two little men. Two Dwarves, in fact. It roared up in pain and both Adam and the bear looked and saw two Dwarves, Dopey and Grumpy, standing with crossbows and arrows made of Light. The beast stood on its hind legs and began to change direction, but as soon as it was on its hind legs, Grumpy shot an arrow into its heart and the beast turned into ash immediately.
"Are you still alive?" Grumpy spat as he peered over his crossbow.
"How did you -?" Adam could only gape up at the Dwarves. How in Apfel did they know he was here? How in Apfel did they have Arrows of Light?
"Get your ass up here." He snapped and did a series of hand motions to Dopey. "It's raining and I'm wet an' tired." He propped his crossbow over his shoulder and waited as Dopey scurried off somewhere. Still holding the broken hilt of his sword he pushed himself up from the ever growing swampy puddles and trudged his way through the muck.
"And grab that crystal too!" Grumpy called and put his hand on his hip in impatience. He pointed to where the beast had turned to ash. Adam looked over his shoulder and sure enough there was a crystal in the oddly shaped heart resting in the muck of the swamp. He bent down, picked it up, and brought it with him as he joined Grumpy on the cliffside.
Grumpy stood with his foot tapping impatiently and an ever growing sour look on his face.
"What in the damn Apfel were you doing down there," He pointed down to the muck hole he had been fighting the bear in. "Fighting the Shadows in the dead of night, huh?"
"It came after me." He answered honestly and coolly before handing over the crystal to the Dwarf. "I was merely defending myself."
"Well, yore stupid ass better be pretty damn grateful that Dopey, for whatever forsaken reason, was out here." He spat on the ground as he continued to glare up at Adam. "Had he not told me you were out here you'd have been devoured by now!"
"And I graciously thank you for taking care of that." Adam tried to remain calm and respectful to the Dwarf who ultimately saved his life.
"Graciously thank me my ass." He spat again and narrowed his eyes up at him. "I don't know why you decided to come out here, but you best leave us out of it!"
"Wha - ?" Adam blinked down at the Dwarf.
"Listen here, Black Prince." He barked and pointed his crossbow up at him. "I don't like you, nor do I trust you. As far as I can tell, all you are is trouble."
"Then what was the point in saving me?" Adam snapped back. "You could have left me there to die!"
"And leave you to be another puppet to the Shadow army, I think not." He scoffed. "Besides, Dopey would never forgive me if I hadn't. . ."
Adam could only stare down at the grumpy Dwarf. Despite his crude manners and even cruder tongue he was far better than he let on. Adam could not blame him for not trusting him and only seeing him as trouble. In all honesty he truly was, but what else followed you when you were a villain, even as a villain recruit, other than trouble?
"Well if you ain't got nothin' else to say then follow me." He snapped and turned on his heel. "It's fucking cold and wet."
It took Adam a moment to realize that Grumpy wanted him to follow him. Not wanting to miss the opportunity Adam followed suit and trudged deeper into the mountain with Dwarf. Grumpy said nothing as they trudged but would look over his shoulder to make sure that Adam was following him. Despite how grumpy and grouchy the old Dwarf was, his heart was still good.
Adam was so relieved once they reached the clearing that would take them to the dwelling place of the Dwarves. All the lights were on in the cottage and Adam's body longed for the warmth of a fire and a place that was dry. Once they were close enough to the cottage the doors flung open and six other Dwarves were waiting on them to enter. They had towels ready to dry them off and Grumpy had no shape in undressing and snatching up the towel to change into something dry.
Dopey both worriedly and excitedly held up a towel for Adam and he almost immediately reached out for it when he realized that he didn't have his gloves on. He slipped them on, despite how difficult it was to get half wet gloves on. With his gloves back on his hands, not that they would do much for him now that he was soaked through, he accepted the towel from Dopey and dabbed at his face and hair.
"Thank you." He asked with a gentle nod of his head.
"It's so good to see you again, friend." Doc laughed nervously. "Though, I do wish that the weather conditions were better."
"I'm sure we have some extra clothes for you." Happy offered. "It wouldn't do you any good to get sick from wearing wet clothes."
"Yeah, you'd get the . . . the. . . " Sneezy started to wheeze for a sneeze, but held his finger under his nose to keep from actually sneezing. "The sneezes."
"I'm fine." Adam shook his head and draped the towel around his shoulders. "I in fact can't stay too long."
"What the hell ya mean you can't stay long?" Grumpy snapped and glared daggers at Adam. "I just saved you from a Shadow Bear and you want to go back out there?"
"Shadow Bear?" Doc looked from Grumpy to Adam. "There was a Shadow Bear in these woods?"
"Compliments from the Queen of Apfel." Adam groaned. "She summoned that thing here."
"Dark magic is never good." Doc frowned and shook his head. "Evil is sure to follow after it. Well, at least you're safe here, friend." Doc smiled up at Adam. "Though I must say that your visit is quite the surprise."
"My visit will not be long." Adam insisted. "I am here with a request."
"Of course you are." Grumpy rolled his eyes and climbed up the stairs that would lead to their bedroom.
"A request?" Doc continued and tried to ignore Grumpy.
"Yes." Adam nodded and his mouth suddenly felt dry. "Would you be able to house a friend of mine?"
"You need us to house someone?" Doc raised his eyebrow at him. "I don't know friend, that's quite a lot to ask."
"It's the princess of Apfel." Adam straightened as best as he could, but between the low ceiling and his clothes weighing him down. "The Queen is trying to kill her, and it's not safe for her at the castle."
"And you think she would be safe here?" Doc's brows furrowed.
"Dwarves have always been known for their strong sense of magic and protections." Adam nodded. "This is the only place that I could think of to bring her where she would be safe. Please, it will only be for a few days."
"Are you sure you're not just bringing her here to kidnap here?" Grumpy gruffed as he came back downstairs in dry clean clothes.
"Grumpy!" Doc and Happy scolded in unison.
"No, don't 'Grumpy' me!" He spat. "We've had false dealin's with royals and other humans alike. I'm not going to allow us to have to get uprooted again just because you've got a faint heart, Doc."
"Grumpy!" Happy frowned and put his hands on his hips.
Grumpy merely rolled his eyes and turned his gaze back to Adam. "Now tell me, princey, how can you prove that you're not just bringin' her here to kidnap her until you set the blame on us?"
Adam looked down into the old Dwarf's eyes. He's been through pain and anguish for far too long in his life to trust a human, Adam couldn't fault him for that. Adam could tell that he must have suffered greatly for him to act this defensively. There's a chance he at one point in time had been too trusting and caused them to be here where they were now in Apfel.
Adam reached his hand into his suit coat and pulled out a small leather pouch. The tiny weightless thing felt like a ton as he debated on using this as his leverage.
"Will this do?" Adam handed the bag off to Grumpy. He almost snatched it back as soon as he dropped it off.
"What is it?" Grumpy held it and didn't even open it.
"It is a gift for the princess." Adam explained as he didn't take his eyes off the bag. "We were walking around the festival together and she liked that piece. I haven't had a chance to give it to her yet. . ."
"And how much value is this?" Grumpy still did not take it out of the bag.
"The actual price value is little," Adam confessed. "But to me it is something much more valuable because it was something she wanted."
Grumpy scowled and said nothing as he opened the little leather pouch, peered inside of it, then snatched it closed. Adam's heart hammered in his chest and he ever so desperately wanted it back in his possession. It was a gift for Snow White, it wasn't meant to be used as leverage for her to stay here. He greatly wished that he had had something else of more value to give to them so he would not have had to have given up the necklace.
"When are you bringin' her?" Grumpy asked and crossed his arms.
Adam felt a small sense of relief wash over him. "As soon as I can."
He glared up at him. "You better not be bringin' her in this rain."
"Of course not." Adam glared back.
"Then we'll be seeing her tomorrow." The Dwarf tucked the leather pouch into his front breast pocket. "I'll be holding onto this 'til she gets here."
Adam's heart squeezed, but there was little else he could do in order to provide some sort of shelter for Snow White. "Thank you." Adam bowed his head in his gratitude. "You will never know how much this means to me."
"I beg ta differ." Grumpy snorted then turned on his heel to go to the kitchen.
"Well." Doc cleared his throat. "Now that that is all settled. We should all be getting to bed."
"I'm gettin' a drink before I go to bed." Grumpy hollered from the kitchen and made evident noises that he was pouring himself a pint.
"Well hurry it up and get your behind into bed." Doc bellowed back. One by one the other Dwarves started climbing the stairs. Doc remained downstairs and looked around the room.
"I'd offer you up my bed, but I don't think that you would fit very well." He offered an awkward chuckle.
"It's fine." Adam shook his head and used the towel to try and soak up more of the rainwater that drenched his clothes. "I will need to be leaving soon anyways. It's a trek through the mountain and back."
"Must you go so soon?"
"He's havin' a drink with me first." Grumpy gruffed as he stood in the doorway holding two tankards. "I'll see him off Doc, you go get some sleep."
"I really must –" Doc tried to argue, but Grumpy cast him a glare.
"Get to bed, Doc." Grumpy said sternly. "If you don't rest up you won't be able to lead us to the tunnels tomorrow."
Doc stood and pursed his lips. Adam could tell that Doc didn't want to leave the two of them alone, but that he was also tired and going to bed was beyond tempting him. With nothing else to say he too turned on his heel and marched upstairs to their room. Adam and Grumpy stood where they were and just watched Doc enter the bedroom and said nothing until he shut the door behind him.
"Get in here." Grumpy called as he reentered the kitchen and dining area. With no other choice, Adam followed Grumpy with squishing footsteps and joined him at the table. "Drink this." Grumpy slid a tankard over to Adam.
"Thanks." By the mere smell of it he knew it was an apple ale. He refused to allow himself to think of the filthy state the house was in and heartily drank the ale. It burned his throat going down and quickly warmed his bold body as he sat.
"You really gonna try and head down the mountain tonight?" Grumpy asked, arms and legs crossed as he looked over his tankard at him.
"I have too." Adam nodded his head. His eyes were heavy in addition to his body and he wanted nothing more than to rest for a few minutes before heading back out again.
"You should wait up 'til this rain stops." Grumpy interjected.
"I have to beat the sun up." He shook his head. "I have to get her out of there before they go out to finish off the festivities."
"Why?"
"The Queen is trying to kill her." Adam snapped as his head began to pound. "The Queen and the no good foolish fiancé are trying to kill her."
"Who?"
"Snow White." Her name made his face swell with heat.
"She's your princess, huh?" Grumpy snorted with a quick smirk before taking a sip from his tankard.
"It's rather complicated. . ." Adam Glowered down at his ale.
"Must be if you're bringing her here to live with a bunch of Dwarves 'til whatever's goin' on blows over." He sloshed his ale around in his tankard. "What are you goin' to do if they come lookin' for her?"
"I made a promise that I would keep her safe." He took another sip from the tankard. "And that is exactly what I plan on doing. . ."
"All right then." Grumpy gave a shrug. "Now what do you plan to do with this necklace?"
"What?"
"You know it's fake, right?"
"I'm aware that it's fake." Adam frowned.
He raised an eyebrow at Adam. "And you're going to give fake jewelry to a princess?"
"She's the one that picked it out." Adam felt his face warm. "She has no idea that I got it for her. . . and I would like to keep it that way until I can actually give it to her."
"Interesting." Grumpy merely nodded his head.
They let the conversation drop as they quietly drank their ale to warm them up. Adam's body shivered from wearing the wet clothes and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep now that he was in a safer place. But the time was ticking and there would be little chance of beating the sun if he didn't hurry and make his way back.
"You look like a drowned rat." Grumpy snatched Adam's tankard away and shuffled over to the sink. "You should go sit in front of the fire before you head out. You just might catch your death trying to run around through the swamps again."
"I really must go."
"And get lost in this nightmare again?" Grumpy challenged. "Go sit in front of the fire and warm up and at least let your clothes dry before you go."
As much as he hated to admit it the Dwarf was right. Oh how he had wished that Mr. V had taught him a teleportation spell. It would make travelling between the two places so much easier. Grumpy led the way into the living room where a big fire burned and heated the whole house. Adam blinked in shock for not noticing it the first time he entered the house. Grumpy took a rocking chair that had his name on it while Adam sat cross legged in front of the flames. He wanted to take his coat and shirt off to enjoy the full warmth of the fire, however, that would put the Dwarf at too much risk after his little fight with the Shadow Bear.
"If you sleep for a bit I'll wake ya when the rain stops." Grumpy said as thunder boomed overhead.
"I don't have time for sleep. . ." Adam was trying to fight the droopiness of his eyelids.
"Ya keep saying that." Grumpy rolled his eyes. "You won't be any good to anyone if you're sick or if you don't sleep. Just rest a bit. The rain will stop sooner than you think."
As much as Adam wanted to argue and fight with himself to actually get moving, his body had already bunkered down and already started to go into sleep mode. He rested his elbows on his knees and rested his face in his hands.
"Wake me when the rain stops." He closed his eyes within his hands and took a deep breath. His body was battered and sore from his fight on top of being sleep deprived. Despite his best efforts Adam could not help but feel himself droop into sleep.
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
Thank you all for coming so far with me. We are making great progress and I think we are at least at the top of the hill on the down stretch now. ^_^ Please hang on tight as we go on a bumpy road.
Please continue to leave comments and reviews and share your thoughts and opinions with me. They are a tremendous help to me as I continue to write.
Thank you so much for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!
Ko-fi/SarahtheWriter
