Chapter 11: The Child and The Maid
"I knew you'd follow me into the portal little prince," says the woman.
"Where are we?" Puvol looks around at his surroundings. The site is one he has never seen before. The forest that he now stands in is filled with darkness and emptiness. The yamaran trees, the largest in the world, stand over four hundred feet in height. With their thick growth, the yamarans literally eclipse the sun from view, leaving a few strands of light to find their way to the grassy surface of the forest turf. The immense gathering of trees is filled with eerie and creepy noises, like that of many bugs and tiny critters. After getting a hold of his whereabouts, Puvol fixes his eyes on the woman who stands before him.
"You don't really need to know where we are little one," she says to Puvol. The woman in the maids' outfit leans down to caress Puvol's cheek. "You're a very special little child you know."
"I'm no child maid lady." Puvol scowls. He can feel the cold metal of the woman's star shaped diamond ring pressing against his skin.
"Oh of course not," she smiles. Her dark blue eyes are warm and comforting. "I'm sorry if I offended you." The woman gives Puvol a kiss on his forehead then stands upright.
A light breeze blows through the forest, and for a moment all is silent. Then a sparkling beam of light emanates from the ground surrounding the woman's sandaled feet. The beam starts to bend and twist around her entire body. Puvol, in surprise, takes several steps back, tripping on a rock and landing on his behind, but he never takes his eyes off of the woman. The bright, red beam envelops her, and as quickly as it appeared, the light fades away.
The woman, once garbed in a maids' outfit just moments ago, now wears an ensemble which some would say, is a little more revealing. A white, silk, strapless top cropped just above her stomach, fits tightly around her. Puvol tries to figure out how she keeps that little piece of cloth on her body, but then guesses that it must be those big 'things' sticking out of her chest. Her black skirt is cut about three inches above her knees as a thick, white belt holds it at her waist. The belt, which looks to be made from the skin of some kind of animal, is adorned with an array of star-shaped diamonds and many brown, leather pouches. A plum colored cape is draped across her back, attached to a few small rings on a silver collar that's wrapped around her neck. Most noticeably, her long, black hair tied by a purple ribbon, is now a light ginger color.
"You like my little trick?" She smiles with her soft, crimson lips.
"Uh-huh," Puvol continuously scans her body up and down, from her black leather shoes, to the large pink pendant on her silver collar. "Can you do that again?" His eyes light up, hoping to see another fantastic quick change.
The pale skinned woman bends over and pats Puvol on his head.
"I'm sorry sweetie, but I'm afraid that was a one time only show."
"Aww…" Puvol slowly stands up and brushes off his black tunic, his head just barely reaching her midriff. "What's your name?"
"My name is Nora."
"That's a pretty name," Puvol's curiosity continues. "Do you have a last name?"
"It's Madrestyre."
Puvol tilts his head and contemplates.
"I don't like that name, I'll just call you Nora."
Nora giggles and says, "That's fine Puvol. Now you must come with me."
"Where are we going?"
Nora grabs Puvol's hand in hers.
"You'll see little one."
With that, the child and the beautiful woman known as Nora, hand in hand, take a walk through the dark expanse of the yamaran forest.
"I guess we walked the wrong way Syl," Jero takes a look across the deserted beach. "Looks like we're on an island, though it's hard to tell with all those damn trees blocking our view to the north." (looks creepy in there).
"I see a lot of little islands over there," Sylia points her finger southward. "I think we're in the Islands of Vermeil. Remember when we went to Silvera a few months ago with mom and dad, and we flew over the islands?"
"Yeah I remember," Jero tucks his hands into his pants pockets, his blonde hair blowing with the ocean breeze. "But that would mean we traveled halfway around the world Syl."
(Yes it would. Could this all be real?)
Sylia doesn't say a word. Her thoughts at the moment are nothing but scattered puzzle pieces. Where exactly are we? Where did the portal come from? How do we get home? Where's Puvol? This last question brings Sylia back from her thoughts.
"Let's go." Sylia removes the tie binding her golden hair, leaving it to blow free in the salty air.
"And where are we going?" Jero arches an eyebrow.
"To find Puvol of course." Sylia turns and walks towards the forest of yamarans, leaving a trail of footprints in the sand behind her. A flock of white birds fly overhead toward the dense forest as if leading the way.
"In there? We'll never find him in that stuff." Jero slowly trails his sister.
"Come on Jero. We won't find Puvol or find a way home just by standing at the beach making sand castles." Sylia quickens her pace causing Jero to quicken his.
"Alright, alright," Jero thinks about the situation for a bit and says, "Who put you in charge anyway?"
"I'm the oldest."
"Only by two years," Jero argues. "Besides, I'm the man here."
"Man? You're fourteen for crying out loud. You wouldn't be able to stare down a black tipped banderwulf without peeing your pants."
"Shit you!"
"You watch your mouth Jero," Sylia stops in her tracks and points a threatening finger at her younger brother. "If you continue to argue with me, I'll just cast a silence spell on you and make you shut up."
That was it. Jero had nothing more to say. The only thing he could do was to keep a scowl on his face until they reached the edge of the forest. For a few moments, the two Harvey children could do nothing but stare into the enormous group of yamaran trees.
"Well, uh," Jero mutters. "You first."
"I thought you were the man." Sylia says with a side-glance.
"Um, yeah," Jero's mouth begins to dry up. "And I'm telling you to go first."
Sylia answers Jero with a roll of her eyes and steps into the forest with her brother in tow. Jero couldn't have been closer to his sister than if he were a fly on a wall. Every step is taken with caution due to the darkness surrounding them. With the small beams of sunlight breaching the forest's 'shell' here and there, it's hard for their eyes to adjust. As they get deeper into the forest, the temperature cools down considerably, leaving them to wrap their arms around their bodies.
An hour later, they wonder to themselves if they're going around in circles. All of a sudden, a sharp wind blows over the two siblings, their clothes blowing rapidly with the strong gusts. Sylia grabs Jero by a sleeve and guides him to another part of the forest where the wind isn't as strong.
"Where did that come from?" Jero asks.
"I don't know." Responds Sylia. (didn't feel natural).
The two travelers take a break to catch their breath. A loud howling noise echoes through the forest, followed by another, and then another.
"What the hell is that Syl?" Jero's breathing is slightly erratic.
"Maybe it's a black tipped banderwulf."
"Don't joke like that Syl."
"I'm not joking dummy."
Sylia quickly jerks her head to the left.
"Did you see that?" she asks Jero.
"What?"
(What do you mean 'what'? It was huge for crying out loud!)
Another howl.
"Take a look around Jero."
A large shadow flits through the forest with lightning speed.
"Ok, I saw it," Jero, wide eyed and sweating, begins to breathe rapidly. "What do we do?" he whispers.
The snapping of a twig to the right causes the youngsters to shake in fear. That sounded close, Sylia thinks to herself.
"Well whatever we do, we better do it fast," Sylia's eyes pan around their location. Unable to detect any more moving shadows, Sylia decides that it would not be in their best interest to just stay where they are. "You follow me." She whispers.
Jero takes out a small dagger from a sheath attached to his belt.
"Right behind you."
The two take off blindly through the dense forest, running with tired legs and worn out spirit. Another loud howl reverberates in their ears. Behind them, Sylia and Jero can here the speedy steps of something chasing them, brushing through the bushes and the leaves of the low-lying branches. They race through the yamaran trees with reckless abandon, cutting themselves on the branches and the thorns of the bushes spread all around. Sylia looks back for a second to catch a glimpse of whatever's tracking them, and as she faces forward again, a black shadow with glowing red eyes leaps at them head on.
"Duck!" yells Sylia.
The shadow barely misses them as the teens continue to run.
"Whatever it is, it's huge!" Jero observes.
(It's a damn banderwulf! It must be! Sylia got that thought stuck in your head!)
"Just keep running!"
The howling continues as do the footsteps behind them. The brush seems to take life as if everything is moving around them all at once. With their lungs working overtime, and their hearts racing, it is the fear of seeing whatever it is that's trying to kill them, that keeps them running. Their legs, feeling like soft rubber, start to falter under the stress. The sounds of their killer behind them grow louder with every second. Its howl is piercing and dreadful. Sylia stumbles forward but Jero is quick to catch her.
"Come on Syl; gotta go!"
A harsh growling noise from their pursuer speaks loudly of blood and jagged teeth; ripped flesh and screams from little children lost in the forest. A saliva filled roar tears through the darkness surrounding the Harveys. They're gaining fast, Jero thinks to himself.
With the little strength they have left, the young teens start their run once more, jumping over rocks and ducking under large branches. Their clothes torn in many different places, and with blood trickling from small wounds, Sylia and Jero finally catch a glimpse of an opening.
(We're saved!)
"I see light Jero," Sylia speaks through bated breath. "We can make it."
Two gigantic shadows appear from the sides, keeping pace with the running teens.
"They're gonna box us in Syl!"
"We're almost there Jero, just keep going!"
Suddenly, the shadow to their right leaps slightly ahead of them then makes an enormous jump towards their general direction. With a quick snap of his wrist, Jero throws his dagger at the red-eyed monster with amazing accuracy. The small blade hits its mark, causing the shadow creature to collapse and let out a horrendous cry of agony.
"Just a few more yards." Sylia whispers to herself; the light ahead of them grows larger with every footstep.
A grotesque growl from their other pursuer ignites an extra burst of speed in the two youths. It's a race to see who can get to the clearing first.
(We're going to make it!)
"Jump Jero!"
As the two children break through to daylight, their fears turn into sheer terror. The cliff in front of them begs them to stop running, but the momentum in their stride keeps their posture forward. Sylia and Jero scream in fright as they fall over the precipice, their arms and legs flailing about. Their bodies hit the rocky slope, causing them to wince in intense pain, more pain than they've ever felt before. Sylia could have sworn she heard a couple of snapping sounds, like the twig that alerted them to the presence of their pursuers. The horrendous howls of the beasts that chased the children through the forest goes on and on like a broken and hideous song, as the young siblings continue their unstoppable descent down the hard, jagged slope.
After their easy trip through the forest, Nora and Puvol walk quite a distance across a barren plain. The forest of yamarans is like a blot in the distance, blurred by the waves of heat being generated by the sun. The cracked ground below is like a never-ending jigsaw puzzle. Puvol tries to play a game by trying not to step on any of the cracks, but fails miserably. They walk for what seems like forever compared to their trip through the cool, breezy forest. Puvol had enjoyed the way Nora tamed the banderwulves in the forest with an orange talisman she keeps in one of her brown, leather pouches. The two travelers finally come to a stop in front of a large, gray mountain that covers nearly a third of the island.
Before them, a dark cave beckons the two to enter its gaping mouth. With her hand still clasping Puvol's, Nora leads him into the mountain's black hole. A few meters in, their path becomes illuminated with the flames of a few scattered torches decorating the cave walls. Puvol feels a sweat coming on as he and Nora travel farther down the seemingly endless tunnel; the air is harsh and thick. For one of the few times in his short life, Puvol stays completely silent and behaved, not out of fear, but wonderment. Never has he experienced something so exciting as he has within the past few hours. Just when it seems like Puvol and Nora will be walking forever, the path comes to a stop, ending at a small wooden door. Though they look old, the hinges on the door seem to have been oiled recently, and the circular knob, shaped somewhat like the head of a serpent, looks to be brand new.
Nora kneels down on the dirt floor to come face to face with Puvol. He can smell the sweet scent of bangleberries, along with a flowery perfume that creates a feeling in Puvol that he's never known before. Nora's calm, blue eyes meet with the brown eyes of the young prince, causing Puvol's heart to beat just a little faster. A bright red blush graces his cheeks as he begins to fiddle with his fingers. Nora warmly smiles at her companion, as she grasps his hands within hers.
"There's much to tell and teach you Puvol," Nora says in a soft and soothing voice. Her eyes turn to the aging door; Puvol's eyes follow suit. "Do you want to know what's beyond that door?"
Puvol, without a word, just nods.
"Then open the door, my prince."
Puvol releases his hold on Nora's soft, white hands, and faces his body toward the wooden door. A slight fear of what might be beyond the door grips Puvol for a short time, but that is quickly replaced by his strong curiosity. With a deep breath, Puvol reaches toward the serpent shaped doorknob with his left hand. As he wraps his hand around the knob, Puvol feels a magical warmth course through his body for a split second. After the warm feeling has passed, Puvol turns the knob and slowly opens the door. An enormous gust of wind blows the door wide open, sending Puvol back a few feet.
As the wind dies down, Puvol takes a look through the door and eyes a stone staircase leading downward. Nora watches as Puvol takes a cautious step through the doorway, keeping his eyes on a light located at the end of the staircase. Nora takes to her feet and follows the little Harvey downward. When he reaches the bottom, Puvol becomes awe struck at the vastness of the room he now stands in.
"Wow," if Puvol's eyes were any wider, they'd probably fall out of their sockets. "This is a lot bigger than the courtyard in our castle."
The stone walls surrounding them are lined with racks of weapons and shields, books and battle armor, potions and pouches. A large number of wooden dummies are spread across the entire expanse of the room. Puvol runs across the stone floor to the middle of the room, looks upward, and slowly spins in place to examine the glorious ceiling.
"The whole thing is so sparkly." Puvol observes.
"Yes it is," Nora says as she makes her way toward Puvol. "A very long time ago, this mountain was a fiery volcano that erupted once a month. The inhabitants that used to live on this island had to relocate because the eruptions were too intense. The ground would shake uncontrollably and spews of hot lava would occasionally hit their villages," Nora stands next to Puvol, following his gaze to the sparkling lights above. "The volcano eventually became dormant and it's been that way for over a hundred years now."
"Dormant?" asks Puvol.
"That means it stopped erupting sweetie," Nora answers, then continues her story. "Then many decades ago, a group of men began to mine the volcano and found many of these jewels inside," Nora sticks her hand out to show Puvol her diamond ring. "Those men are the ones that created this room. They figured it was the perfect place to be because of the sunlight that comes through from the opening in the volcano's top.
"But one day, a terrible cave-in occurred killing most of the miners in this very room. One of the survivors was a magician who accompanied the miners. He used a very powerful spell to protect himself, and a few others, from being crushed by the large rocks. Seeing the situation as too dangerous to continue, the remaining workers decided to take what jewels they had and evacuate.
"The spell that the mage had cast not only protected the workers, but it somehow fused many of the jewels together on the ceiling, which is what you're looking at right now."
"So the light outside comes in through the opening up there," Puvol points upward. "Then it comes through the sparkling ceiling that reflects that light all over the room."
"Very good Puvol. I call this the 'Diamond Chamber'." Nora spreads her arms out as if showcasing the room.
"Will this place cave in again?" Puvol asks with a sense of worry in his voice.
"No little one," Nora says with a smile. "I've made sure of it."
"Cool," Puvol scratches his head and asks, "So what are we doing here?"
"We're here to begin your training."
"Training? What kind of training?"
Nora bends down to meet Puvol's gaze with her blue eyes.
"Your training into greatness. You don't know it yet my prince, but you were born into this world for only one purpose," Nora places her hand under Puvol's chin. "And I will tell you what that purpose is, if you allow me to complete your black magic training."
Puvol's eyes burst wide open in excitement.
"Can you teach me Meteo?"
Nora's crimson lips smile wide.
"Oh sweetie, I can teach you things even more powerful than the mighty Meteo; things no one else in the world can teach," Nora brushes her hand through Puvol's brown, flowing hair. "Will you join me?"
"Yes!" Puvol doesn't hesitate for a second as he jumps into Nora's body, wraps his arms around her neck, and pokes his nose through her ginger hair to smell the sweet scent of bangleberries and perfume once again.