Title: Book One of the Chosen of Shannara
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.
Authors Notes:
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.
Authors Notes: Just remember, another word for a female dog is bitch. Just thought we'd tell you that so you can understand the play on words later on in the story. Nothing much to say except we love you all! And we're tired as heck. Remember, we need reviews! We live off of them!!! Please, review us, we're lonely. ;_;
Reviewers Response:
Fallen IceAngel: Your right, not that many people do read Terry Brooks stories and of those who do. . . how many really know about fanfiction? Thanks, we think our stories good too. Therefore, we charge you with a mission, convert as many people as possible into Shannara loving freaks like us!
// Nonsense! My Vo'galth are unstop . . . able. Damn, she is kicking ass.// Yeah, we too were proud of that statement. Very proud. We tried to keep the conversation between Ash 'Frank' Midnight and Jez as humors as the situation would allow. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Sora Potter: We love you for reviewing. Thank you soooooooo much! "Mommy, what's Mr. Pibb?" "Well honey, it's kind of like Dr. Pepper, only without the medical degree."
Chapter Five: The First Deaths
* * * *
The sun shown brightly on the warm earth, lighting all within its grasp, and looking down upon the cool waters of Rainbow Lake. The clouds, completely white fluff, were riding the high winds of fortune, and not giving a care to those below. On the shores of the bright, clear lake, a group of teenager boys and girls sat in scattered exhausted states. To them, the world wasn't bright and cheerful with breezes laughing away care. To them, this world was very grave and bleak, a death scene with blood soaked dirt.
"So," Aiken sighed, looking at one face to another of the three teenagers. Pointing to each one of them in order from the lake, he named them off, "You're Brinn. You're Lukc. And you're Gok."
"Yes, that's correct," Lukc nodded. "Nice to see the battle didn't rattle your brain."
Aiken gave a puff of air indigently. "Hey, I wasn't the one laughing like a maniac."
"I was laughing?" Lukc looked puzzled.
"Do you guys think she'll be alright?" Deidre, who sat next to Aiken, pointed to the motionless body in front of her. She hadn't been paying attention to the boy's conversation, but instead was wondering how the heck this strange girl killed all of those creatures. Deidre, herself, had killed one of them, but not with floating water.
"Is she dead?" Jez's voice was right behind Gok, making him jump.
"No," Deidre answered.
"Is she dying?" There wasn't a hint of concern in her voice, though it wasn't cold or distant.
"Um, I don't think so," Deidre cocked her head.
"Then she'll be fine," Jez plotted down in between Gok and Lukc.
"How do you think she did that," Aiken struggled with the words, "that . . . water, bubble thing . . ."
"Magick," Lukc and Jez said at the same time.
"I've never seen magick like that," Brinn commented.
"I've never seen magick," Aiken added. "Well, aside from street performers and card tricks. But they don't count when compared to this."
Gok sighed, "Well, we've only seen the Wishsong, and even so, magick has been forbidden in the reach of the Federation."
"But the Federation was destroyed," Brinn said stubbornly. He hated the Federation so much, with all of its rules to restrict magick, rules that basically, he felt, forbid the Ohmfords from living.
"They had a hold on the Southland for the last hundred years, and there's many people who don't think that they're really gone," Gok pointed out. "Just because the leader was destroyed - we shouldn't be talking politics right now."
"Why not?" Brinn shook his head in confusion, then it made sense. "Oh! Well, maybe she's a druid?"
"I've never heard of a druid do something like that." Lukc said, puzzled.
"A druid?" Aiken asked, his eyes lighting up. "You mean, a real druid?"
"Yes, but the only living druid I know of is our Uncle Dark."
"Cool! Hey, do you guys have dragons?" he couldn't but help to ask. To Aiken, dragons were very real and he has read just about every fantasy book based upon them.
"Dragons aren't real," Deidre piped up. "Nor is magick . . . I think."
"Magick is real," Brinn defended. "All three of us have it, and so does your friend, it seems."
Deidre gave him a puzzling look while his cousins shot him a "shut up" look. Aiken, however, was a believer in magick, but not observation. "She's not my friend," he pointed to the unmoving girl. "I don't even know her name."
"Memial," Jez mumbled.
As if that was the magic word, the girl, Memial, stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked at the sun and shielded her eyes from it with her hand. "I wasn't snoring, was I?"
"No," Aiken answered. "Any more potatoes attacking you?"
"Shut up," Memial growled with a slight blush. "That didn't happen."
"Are you okay?" Deidre broke in. "Does your head hurt? How's the rest of your body? You know, you could've drowned. I know CPR, but I don't think I'd done it on you. You might have not liked it. Maybe one of the boys would've done it. You know, my Uncle Bo preformed CPR on one of his friends. His friend and he were at the beach and they were swimming. He, Uncle Bo's friend, went too far out in the water, and the waves were getting bigger. He was trying to body surf the really big waves - I mean these waves were BIG! Three times taller than him - though he's pretty short. He's shorter than me. You know, I'm taller than most people in my family, but when I go to school, I'm the short kid. Well-"
"Shut up!" Memial rasped, pushing herself into a sitting position. "You're giving me a headache!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I just can't help but talk and talk. My dad scorns me for talking so much, but I really only do it when I'm sad, or nervous, or anger, or happy. Uncle Bo doesn't think I talk too much. One time, I was talking to him, and all he was doing was staring at me, and when I asked him about his thoughts, he looked at me blankly and said that I was a cute kid. He's very kind. He's always taking me places when no one will. He really doesn't care that much. If I-"
Memial let out a half annoyed and half amused shout while covering Deirdre's mouth with her hand. "Girl, PLEASE seek help. If not for yourself, then for my sanity."
"Sorry," was all that Deidre mumbled. For a moment, everyone waited to see if she'd start up one of her stories.
When nothing happened, Memial stood up, her knees almost giving out. Aiken, the closest to her, moved to help, but she waved him away. With a few short steps, she was walking as if nothing had happened before.
"Well, shit," Memial tossed her hair back. "That was fun, wasn't it?"
Gok suddenly pipes up. "Are you a druid?"
Memial thought for a moment. "A dude? Do I LOOK like a DUDE?!"
"Drew-id," Lukc pronounced slowly in correction.
"Sorry. Druid. No, I'm not."
"Then what are you?" Gok questioned.
"A girl, I do believe," Memial answered. "Um, what are you're guy's names?"
So a round of introductions was made and everyone knew everyone's name.
"Hmm," Memial, who was sitting again, pondered, "Well, we aren't in California, that's for sure. Where did you guys say we where? Calla . . . Calla . . . "
"Callahorn," Gok offered.
"Right. Where's Callahorn?"
"In the Southland." When Gok saw their confusion not clear up, he added, "The Four Lands."
"Oooooh, I see!" Memial said as she nodded her head. "So, where are the Four Lands?"
Brinn, Gok and Lukc were all stunned into silence with gaping holes that sound was suppose to come out of. Memial, Aiken, and Deidre were all looking at each other in mute understanding.
"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Jez whispered in a haunted, maniac voice.
"Shades!" Brinn jumped up, causing everyone to start. "If those things were here, attacking us, who was protecting our families at the inn?!"
"Shades!" the other two Ohmsford echoed their cousin, jumping up as well.
In a short period of time, the brothers had their boat tied down, their fishing equipment on their back, and were walking towards Varfleet at a fast pace. Aiken was the first to snap out of his daze. "Wait up!" he called, grabbing Deidre's hand and tugging her after him as he chased the three other boys. Memial and Jez shared a look of slight confusion before Memial shrugged and chased after everyone, Jez following a few feet behind.
"Where are we going?" Deidre asked as they strode forward, her tiny legs having difficulty keeping up with everyone else.
Just when she thought her question was going to go unanswered Gok responded to his battle companions query. "To our home. Varifleet."
Silently, the group walked at a steady pace, the four Californian teenagers respecting their brothers in arms need for silence as they all headed towards Varifleet.
Lukc was the first to break the quiet with a question for Memial. "Tell me, after all that magick you did, are you feeling the least bit tired, or have you done that enough before that you're used to it by now?"
"No and No, to both questions."
"I see. Then how did you do that?" Lukc's emphasis on the word 'did' in his sentence stressed exactly how curious he was about what she had done earlier. "Are you sure you're not a druid?"
"Listen," she said, exasperated, "Don't you think that if I was one of these 'druid' people I would know it?"
"I guess so, yeah."
"Then I guess you just answered your own question, didn't you?"
"I guess I did, at that."
Everything was silent for a few moments, then. . .
"But how * did * you do it?"
"Ugh. Drop it. Just. Drop IT! Ok?"
"Ok, but tell me, really, how did you . . ."
* * * *
Deidre stared at the big, masculine hand grasping hers as they walked. Glancing upwards, she watched as Brinn and Gok tried to convince Aiken dragons did * not * exist.
"I was talking to my Aunt, she's the Queen of the Elves, and she once described a creature similar to what you speak of, but it was part of a folk tale. I'm telling you Aiken, dragons don't exist." Said Gok
"Let me get this strait. There's Elves here, but no Dragons? What next? Trolls?" By this time, Aiken was getting slightly pissed. Out of all the fantasy, magickal lands he could end up in, why did it have to be one with no dragons?! In fact, he was so busy making sure that there were no dragons, he forgot to let go of Deidre's hand.
"Of course there's Rock Trolls." Brinn interrupted, "Everyone knows that."
Trying to be helpful, Gok volunteered more information. "There are also the Gnomes, who live in Anar of the Eastland."
"Gnomes?! Elves?! Rock Trolls?!?! But no bloody Dragons?!?!?!?!" Aiken was screeching by then. Of course, the screeches came out very manly in Deidre's opinion.
"Also . . ."
* * * *
Tuning out the conversations taking place around her, Jez turned herself on autopilot and focused on what was taking place in her mind. Her eyesight turned black as she spiraled deeper inside of herself, until she was in a vast, empty abyss.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice seeming to echo. She waited a few moments, and then tried again.
"Hello?" This time, instead of echoing, her voice disappeared even as the sound left her mouth.
"Frank?" she called out.
"My Vo'galth. My precious Vo'galth. That bitch killed my precious Vo'galth."
"Yeah, she did. And she did a pretty good job of it, at that. Now, why did you send those freaky monsters after us?"
"I didn't send them after you, I sent them to fetch you here. Some how the spell messed up and . . . why am I explaining this all to you!?"
"Because I'm so easy to talk to. Now, Frank, keep talking."
"Don't call me Frank! I am your master and you will do as I command!"
"No," Jez drew out the thought. "*I* am your master and you'll do as *I* command!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not! *I* am your master because I can act more mature than you!"
"Ha! HA HA HA bloody HA! I bet your balls haven't even dropped yet."
"How dare you! My balls dropped over 65 years ago, thank you very much."
"Yeah, dropped and hit the floor by now."
" I don't look a day over 24."
"Sure, and I'm sane." "Bitch."
"Yeah, but not yours."
"We are * not * doing this again. Am I clear woman?"
"Clear as dog shit in a swamp."
It took a few minutes for 'Frank' to process that one.
"That's a new one."
"Just made it up myself. You like?"
"Yes, very unique and descriptive. I take it you have a flare for words?"
"Oh yes, Frank, I love them."
"Ash."
"What?"
"My name, it's Ash. Ash Midnight. What's yours?"
"Jez, Jezebel Lee."
* * * *
After what seemed to Deidre absolutely forever, she finally got up the courage (or to be more specific she finally got tired enough of walking) to ask how much longer it would be before they got to Varifleet.
Happy for the distraction, Brinn answered her. " We're almost there."
"My feet," complained Memial, "hurt. Badly."
Aiken was finally distracted from his dragon conversation, long enough, at least, to ask a question. "How long is the walk from the Lake to you home?"
"Oh," said Lukc, "about three hours or so of a good walking pace."
"Three hours?!" he shouted. "Have we been walking that long?"
"Just about," Gok nodded.
"Whoa, it doesn't seem that long," Memial mused, thankful, too, for a distraction from Lukc. "I'm tired, but I didn't think I would even last this long . . ."
"Your mind was on other things," Lukc pointed out, to which Memial nodded in agreement. In a few seconds of silence, Lukc pointed in front of them and proclaimed, "There's Varfleet."
Up ahead on the flat lands, the road that they walked on led to a large cluster of buildings. From the edge of the lake to out of their eyesight, buildings, one story or two and some three, loomed with slopping roofs all the same color and hardly any lawns if there were any at all. They were either of wood or brick, with wooden signs hanging from above a doorway of some. Inns, alehouses, armor and weapon stores, spice stores, blacksmiths, fabric stores, food stores, and many other places were taken into note by the Californian teenagers. This was only the business section of the city, one of the Ohmsford brothers informed, though it was pretty much the same anywhere they went in the city.
In the street, crowds of people - a few on horses - were shifting in an erratic pattern from here to there and there to here. No one really paid any attention to the person they just bumped into, but they gave notice to the teenagers walking hurriedly down the road. Most shouted out to Lukc and asked if he was performing that night, while some stared at the outlandishly clothed four strangers. Three of the four teenagers tried to avoid as many stares as possible; truly realizing how different their clothes seemed from everyone else's. Jez just kept on walking, paying no heed to anyone.
"So, where's this inn of yours?" Memial mumbled, still not looking up at anyone.
"Just two more streets down," Lukc answered after saying hello to a bunch of teenage girls.
"He's popular, huh?" Deidre noted to Brinn and Gok.
Gok tried to hide his ill feelings toward it, but a little showed in his tight voice. "He sings songs at our ale house on a near nightly bases. The songs are about our family heritage and he does it so well that almost everyone knows about him in Varfleet."
"Wow. He must very good, then."
"No. Well, he is; he's had practice. But, I'll tell you later. There's still Federation spies in Varfleet, even though the Federation was suppose to be nothing but a memory."
"Oh, okay," Deidre nodded, remembering faintly about the no magic rule of the Federation. That, and Gok really didn't seem all too happy about his brother being in the spot light. She could relate. No one really pays her any attention in her family. It's always about her younger sisters or her grandma or someone else besides her. Though Uncle Bo always paid attention to her.
"Stop babbling," Memial told her.
"What? I didn't say anything!" Deidre was really appalled.
"No, but you were thinking and it was how you babble, wasn't it?"
Of course it was just like that, but Deidre wouldn't admit it. She just walked beside Aiken, taking in the sights, and hardly noticing that they had been holding hands for the past three hours.
"Hey Lukc!" cried another group of girls as they headed the opposite direction. Gok stared strait ahead, ignoring everyone walking by.
Two blocks later and they were back at the inn. "Wow," whispered Deidre, "It's huge." The building was two levels tall, and a hundred feet long, with a stage jutting off the common room side. It was made completely of wood and reminded Memial, vaguely, of a mix between a tavern in the Old Wild West and a log cabin in the woods.
Running up the steps to the front door, Gok got a strange feeling in his gut. Something wasn't right. Pushing hard, hard as he could with his over abused protesting muscles, he opened the door and was greeted with a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Dad!" his aching scream lanced the air like a knife. Then everyone else was at the door and he was running towards the fallen form of his beloved father, jumping over broken pieces of furniture and the occasional human corpse. In the corner, a warm blaze danced merrily.
He fell to the ground beside his dad, Brinn and Lukc right beside him.
"Dad," he sobbed while gently cradling the dying body of his father in his arms. He barely registered the dead bodies of his mother, his Aunt Damson or his Uncle Parr.
"Dad."
Slowly, his father's eyes opened as he took shallow breaths, the act of forcing air into his lungs a desperate battle, a battle against time and fate. His brown eyes had lost their customary sparkle and were slowly fading to a dull, stupid dung color.
"Lukc, Gok." He rasped. Far off, Gok felt an ice pick slam into his heart. Lukc and Brinn were trying desperately not to cry. In the background Memial, Aiken and Deidre huddled together, watching the sad play taking place. Jez had wondered off to the kitchens, on a food raid.
"Father, what happened?" Lukc barely chocked out.
"We were attacked," he answered in a whisper. "Listen, Lukc, Gok, my sons, you must go get Walker and ask for his help. Go get the elf stones from your aunt . . . and look out for each other."
"Father what are you talking about?!" Gok cried, a lone tear falling down his cheek. "Just hang on a moment longer; we'll get some help!"
"No," Coll feebly grabbed Gok's hand. "It's too late . . . Brinn, please, guard my children. . . . I love all of you, my boys."
And with those final words, Coll's grasp on Gok's shaking hand loosened and his breath stopped. Lukc shakily touched his father's forehead and dragged his hand across Coll's eyes, closing them forever.
" . . . Father," Gok whispered, shaking with sobs.
"Damn," a whisper came from the fireplace. Jez sat in front of the fire, nibbling on what looked to be a sandwich and said, "Now that's touching. Talk about a Kodak moment."
"You dog!" screamed Brinn, jumping up, his face burning a bright crimson. Striding forward, he grabbed for her but was pulled back, struggling, by Aiken and Lukc. Gok just sat there, lost in his pain while Memial and Deidre gazed at the unfolding scene with shock and disgust.
Jez just sat and smirked. "Yeah, but no your bitch."
Just then the back door was falling off its broken hinges and in its place stood an imposing figure, outlined in shadows. Walker Boh had arrived.
Authors: DracoStarbo ( dracostarbo@yahoo.com ) and Lunablue ( deadredsocks@yahoo.com )
Disclaimer: The Shannara universe belongs to Terry Brooks and affiliated companies.
Warnings: This story contains language and ideas that can be found offensive.
Authors Notes:
As always, Loved something? Hated something? Let us know, by reading and reviewing. Or flaming. Or sending hate mail. We do except all forms of MasterCard, Visa and stalkers are generally appreciated.
Authors Notes: Just remember, another word for a female dog is bitch. Just thought we'd tell you that so you can understand the play on words later on in the story. Nothing much to say except we love you all! And we're tired as heck. Remember, we need reviews! We live off of them!!! Please, review us, we're lonely. ;_;
Reviewers Response:
Fallen IceAngel: Your right, not that many people do read Terry Brooks stories and of those who do. . . how many really know about fanfiction? Thanks, we think our stories good too. Therefore, we charge you with a mission, convert as many people as possible into Shannara loving freaks like us!
// Nonsense! My Vo'galth are unstop . . . able. Damn, she is kicking ass.// Yeah, we too were proud of that statement. Very proud. We tried to keep the conversation between Ash 'Frank' Midnight and Jez as humors as the situation would allow. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Sora Potter: We love you for reviewing. Thank you soooooooo much! "Mommy, what's Mr. Pibb?" "Well honey, it's kind of like Dr. Pepper, only without the medical degree."
Chapter Five: The First Deaths
* * * *
The sun shown brightly on the warm earth, lighting all within its grasp, and looking down upon the cool waters of Rainbow Lake. The clouds, completely white fluff, were riding the high winds of fortune, and not giving a care to those below. On the shores of the bright, clear lake, a group of teenager boys and girls sat in scattered exhausted states. To them, the world wasn't bright and cheerful with breezes laughing away care. To them, this world was very grave and bleak, a death scene with blood soaked dirt.
"So," Aiken sighed, looking at one face to another of the three teenagers. Pointing to each one of them in order from the lake, he named them off, "You're Brinn. You're Lukc. And you're Gok."
"Yes, that's correct," Lukc nodded. "Nice to see the battle didn't rattle your brain."
Aiken gave a puff of air indigently. "Hey, I wasn't the one laughing like a maniac."
"I was laughing?" Lukc looked puzzled.
"Do you guys think she'll be alright?" Deidre, who sat next to Aiken, pointed to the motionless body in front of her. She hadn't been paying attention to the boy's conversation, but instead was wondering how the heck this strange girl killed all of those creatures. Deidre, herself, had killed one of them, but not with floating water.
"Is she dead?" Jez's voice was right behind Gok, making him jump.
"No," Deidre answered.
"Is she dying?" There wasn't a hint of concern in her voice, though it wasn't cold or distant.
"Um, I don't think so," Deidre cocked her head.
"Then she'll be fine," Jez plotted down in between Gok and Lukc.
"How do you think she did that," Aiken struggled with the words, "that . . . water, bubble thing . . ."
"Magick," Lukc and Jez said at the same time.
"I've never seen magick like that," Brinn commented.
"I've never seen magick," Aiken added. "Well, aside from street performers and card tricks. But they don't count when compared to this."
Gok sighed, "Well, we've only seen the Wishsong, and even so, magick has been forbidden in the reach of the Federation."
"But the Federation was destroyed," Brinn said stubbornly. He hated the Federation so much, with all of its rules to restrict magick, rules that basically, he felt, forbid the Ohmfords from living.
"They had a hold on the Southland for the last hundred years, and there's many people who don't think that they're really gone," Gok pointed out. "Just because the leader was destroyed - we shouldn't be talking politics right now."
"Why not?" Brinn shook his head in confusion, then it made sense. "Oh! Well, maybe she's a druid?"
"I've never heard of a druid do something like that." Lukc said, puzzled.
"A druid?" Aiken asked, his eyes lighting up. "You mean, a real druid?"
"Yes, but the only living druid I know of is our Uncle Dark."
"Cool! Hey, do you guys have dragons?" he couldn't but help to ask. To Aiken, dragons were very real and he has read just about every fantasy book based upon them.
"Dragons aren't real," Deidre piped up. "Nor is magick . . . I think."
"Magick is real," Brinn defended. "All three of us have it, and so does your friend, it seems."
Deidre gave him a puzzling look while his cousins shot him a "shut up" look. Aiken, however, was a believer in magick, but not observation. "She's not my friend," he pointed to the unmoving girl. "I don't even know her name."
"Memial," Jez mumbled.
As if that was the magic word, the girl, Memial, stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked at the sun and shielded her eyes from it with her hand. "I wasn't snoring, was I?"
"No," Aiken answered. "Any more potatoes attacking you?"
"Shut up," Memial growled with a slight blush. "That didn't happen."
"Are you okay?" Deidre broke in. "Does your head hurt? How's the rest of your body? You know, you could've drowned. I know CPR, but I don't think I'd done it on you. You might have not liked it. Maybe one of the boys would've done it. You know, my Uncle Bo preformed CPR on one of his friends. His friend and he were at the beach and they were swimming. He, Uncle Bo's friend, went too far out in the water, and the waves were getting bigger. He was trying to body surf the really big waves - I mean these waves were BIG! Three times taller than him - though he's pretty short. He's shorter than me. You know, I'm taller than most people in my family, but when I go to school, I'm the short kid. Well-"
"Shut up!" Memial rasped, pushing herself into a sitting position. "You're giving me a headache!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I just can't help but talk and talk. My dad scorns me for talking so much, but I really only do it when I'm sad, or nervous, or anger, or happy. Uncle Bo doesn't think I talk too much. One time, I was talking to him, and all he was doing was staring at me, and when I asked him about his thoughts, he looked at me blankly and said that I was a cute kid. He's very kind. He's always taking me places when no one will. He really doesn't care that much. If I-"
Memial let out a half annoyed and half amused shout while covering Deirdre's mouth with her hand. "Girl, PLEASE seek help. If not for yourself, then for my sanity."
"Sorry," was all that Deidre mumbled. For a moment, everyone waited to see if she'd start up one of her stories.
When nothing happened, Memial stood up, her knees almost giving out. Aiken, the closest to her, moved to help, but she waved him away. With a few short steps, she was walking as if nothing had happened before.
"Well, shit," Memial tossed her hair back. "That was fun, wasn't it?"
Gok suddenly pipes up. "Are you a druid?"
Memial thought for a moment. "A dude? Do I LOOK like a DUDE?!"
"Drew-id," Lukc pronounced slowly in correction.
"Sorry. Druid. No, I'm not."
"Then what are you?" Gok questioned.
"A girl, I do believe," Memial answered. "Um, what are you're guy's names?"
So a round of introductions was made and everyone knew everyone's name.
"Hmm," Memial, who was sitting again, pondered, "Well, we aren't in California, that's for sure. Where did you guys say we where? Calla . . . Calla . . . "
"Callahorn," Gok offered.
"Right. Where's Callahorn?"
"In the Southland." When Gok saw their confusion not clear up, he added, "The Four Lands."
"Oooooh, I see!" Memial said as she nodded her head. "So, where are the Four Lands?"
Brinn, Gok and Lukc were all stunned into silence with gaping holes that sound was suppose to come out of. Memial, Aiken, and Deidre were all looking at each other in mute understanding.
"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Jez whispered in a haunted, maniac voice.
"Shades!" Brinn jumped up, causing everyone to start. "If those things were here, attacking us, who was protecting our families at the inn?!"
"Shades!" the other two Ohmsford echoed their cousin, jumping up as well.
In a short period of time, the brothers had their boat tied down, their fishing equipment on their back, and were walking towards Varfleet at a fast pace. Aiken was the first to snap out of his daze. "Wait up!" he called, grabbing Deidre's hand and tugging her after him as he chased the three other boys. Memial and Jez shared a look of slight confusion before Memial shrugged and chased after everyone, Jez following a few feet behind.
"Where are we going?" Deidre asked as they strode forward, her tiny legs having difficulty keeping up with everyone else.
Just when she thought her question was going to go unanswered Gok responded to his battle companions query. "To our home. Varifleet."
Silently, the group walked at a steady pace, the four Californian teenagers respecting their brothers in arms need for silence as they all headed towards Varifleet.
Lukc was the first to break the quiet with a question for Memial. "Tell me, after all that magick you did, are you feeling the least bit tired, or have you done that enough before that you're used to it by now?"
"No and No, to both questions."
"I see. Then how did you do that?" Lukc's emphasis on the word 'did' in his sentence stressed exactly how curious he was about what she had done earlier. "Are you sure you're not a druid?"
"Listen," she said, exasperated, "Don't you think that if I was one of these 'druid' people I would know it?"
"I guess so, yeah."
"Then I guess you just answered your own question, didn't you?"
"I guess I did, at that."
Everything was silent for a few moments, then. . .
"But how * did * you do it?"
"Ugh. Drop it. Just. Drop IT! Ok?"
"Ok, but tell me, really, how did you . . ."
* * * *
Deidre stared at the big, masculine hand grasping hers as they walked. Glancing upwards, she watched as Brinn and Gok tried to convince Aiken dragons did * not * exist.
"I was talking to my Aunt, she's the Queen of the Elves, and she once described a creature similar to what you speak of, but it was part of a folk tale. I'm telling you Aiken, dragons don't exist." Said Gok
"Let me get this strait. There's Elves here, but no Dragons? What next? Trolls?" By this time, Aiken was getting slightly pissed. Out of all the fantasy, magickal lands he could end up in, why did it have to be one with no dragons?! In fact, he was so busy making sure that there were no dragons, he forgot to let go of Deidre's hand.
"Of course there's Rock Trolls." Brinn interrupted, "Everyone knows that."
Trying to be helpful, Gok volunteered more information. "There are also the Gnomes, who live in Anar of the Eastland."
"Gnomes?! Elves?! Rock Trolls?!?! But no bloody Dragons?!?!?!?!" Aiken was screeching by then. Of course, the screeches came out very manly in Deidre's opinion.
"Also . . ."
* * * *
Tuning out the conversations taking place around her, Jez turned herself on autopilot and focused on what was taking place in her mind. Her eyesight turned black as she spiraled deeper inside of herself, until she was in a vast, empty abyss.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice seeming to echo. She waited a few moments, and then tried again.
"Hello?" This time, instead of echoing, her voice disappeared even as the sound left her mouth.
"Frank?" she called out.
"My Vo'galth. My precious Vo'galth. That bitch killed my precious Vo'galth."
"Yeah, she did. And she did a pretty good job of it, at that. Now, why did you send those freaky monsters after us?"
"I didn't send them after you, I sent them to fetch you here. Some how the spell messed up and . . . why am I explaining this all to you!?"
"Because I'm so easy to talk to. Now, Frank, keep talking."
"Don't call me Frank! I am your master and you will do as I command!"
"No," Jez drew out the thought. "*I* am your master and you'll do as *I* command!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not! *I* am your master because I can act more mature than you!"
"Ha! HA HA HA bloody HA! I bet your balls haven't even dropped yet."
"How dare you! My balls dropped over 65 years ago, thank you very much."
"Yeah, dropped and hit the floor by now."
" I don't look a day over 24."
"Sure, and I'm sane." "Bitch."
"Yeah, but not yours."
"We are * not * doing this again. Am I clear woman?"
"Clear as dog shit in a swamp."
It took a few minutes for 'Frank' to process that one.
"That's a new one."
"Just made it up myself. You like?"
"Yes, very unique and descriptive. I take it you have a flare for words?"
"Oh yes, Frank, I love them."
"Ash."
"What?"
"My name, it's Ash. Ash Midnight. What's yours?"
"Jez, Jezebel Lee."
* * * *
After what seemed to Deidre absolutely forever, she finally got up the courage (or to be more specific she finally got tired enough of walking) to ask how much longer it would be before they got to Varifleet.
Happy for the distraction, Brinn answered her. " We're almost there."
"My feet," complained Memial, "hurt. Badly."
Aiken was finally distracted from his dragon conversation, long enough, at least, to ask a question. "How long is the walk from the Lake to you home?"
"Oh," said Lukc, "about three hours or so of a good walking pace."
"Three hours?!" he shouted. "Have we been walking that long?"
"Just about," Gok nodded.
"Whoa, it doesn't seem that long," Memial mused, thankful, too, for a distraction from Lukc. "I'm tired, but I didn't think I would even last this long . . ."
"Your mind was on other things," Lukc pointed out, to which Memial nodded in agreement. In a few seconds of silence, Lukc pointed in front of them and proclaimed, "There's Varfleet."
Up ahead on the flat lands, the road that they walked on led to a large cluster of buildings. From the edge of the lake to out of their eyesight, buildings, one story or two and some three, loomed with slopping roofs all the same color and hardly any lawns if there were any at all. They were either of wood or brick, with wooden signs hanging from above a doorway of some. Inns, alehouses, armor and weapon stores, spice stores, blacksmiths, fabric stores, food stores, and many other places were taken into note by the Californian teenagers. This was only the business section of the city, one of the Ohmsford brothers informed, though it was pretty much the same anywhere they went in the city.
In the street, crowds of people - a few on horses - were shifting in an erratic pattern from here to there and there to here. No one really paid any attention to the person they just bumped into, but they gave notice to the teenagers walking hurriedly down the road. Most shouted out to Lukc and asked if he was performing that night, while some stared at the outlandishly clothed four strangers. Three of the four teenagers tried to avoid as many stares as possible; truly realizing how different their clothes seemed from everyone else's. Jez just kept on walking, paying no heed to anyone.
"So, where's this inn of yours?" Memial mumbled, still not looking up at anyone.
"Just two more streets down," Lukc answered after saying hello to a bunch of teenage girls.
"He's popular, huh?" Deidre noted to Brinn and Gok.
Gok tried to hide his ill feelings toward it, but a little showed in his tight voice. "He sings songs at our ale house on a near nightly bases. The songs are about our family heritage and he does it so well that almost everyone knows about him in Varfleet."
"Wow. He must very good, then."
"No. Well, he is; he's had practice. But, I'll tell you later. There's still Federation spies in Varfleet, even though the Federation was suppose to be nothing but a memory."
"Oh, okay," Deidre nodded, remembering faintly about the no magic rule of the Federation. That, and Gok really didn't seem all too happy about his brother being in the spot light. She could relate. No one really pays her any attention in her family. It's always about her younger sisters or her grandma or someone else besides her. Though Uncle Bo always paid attention to her.
"Stop babbling," Memial told her.
"What? I didn't say anything!" Deidre was really appalled.
"No, but you were thinking and it was how you babble, wasn't it?"
Of course it was just like that, but Deidre wouldn't admit it. She just walked beside Aiken, taking in the sights, and hardly noticing that they had been holding hands for the past three hours.
"Hey Lukc!" cried another group of girls as they headed the opposite direction. Gok stared strait ahead, ignoring everyone walking by.
Two blocks later and they were back at the inn. "Wow," whispered Deidre, "It's huge." The building was two levels tall, and a hundred feet long, with a stage jutting off the common room side. It was made completely of wood and reminded Memial, vaguely, of a mix between a tavern in the Old Wild West and a log cabin in the woods.
Running up the steps to the front door, Gok got a strange feeling in his gut. Something wasn't right. Pushing hard, hard as he could with his over abused protesting muscles, he opened the door and was greeted with a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Dad!" his aching scream lanced the air like a knife. Then everyone else was at the door and he was running towards the fallen form of his beloved father, jumping over broken pieces of furniture and the occasional human corpse. In the corner, a warm blaze danced merrily.
He fell to the ground beside his dad, Brinn and Lukc right beside him.
"Dad," he sobbed while gently cradling the dying body of his father in his arms. He barely registered the dead bodies of his mother, his Aunt Damson or his Uncle Parr.
"Dad."
Slowly, his father's eyes opened as he took shallow breaths, the act of forcing air into his lungs a desperate battle, a battle against time and fate. His brown eyes had lost their customary sparkle and were slowly fading to a dull, stupid dung color.
"Lukc, Gok." He rasped. Far off, Gok felt an ice pick slam into his heart. Lukc and Brinn were trying desperately not to cry. In the background Memial, Aiken and Deidre huddled together, watching the sad play taking place. Jez had wondered off to the kitchens, on a food raid.
"Father, what happened?" Lukc barely chocked out.
"We were attacked," he answered in a whisper. "Listen, Lukc, Gok, my sons, you must go get Walker and ask for his help. Go get the elf stones from your aunt . . . and look out for each other."
"Father what are you talking about?!" Gok cried, a lone tear falling down his cheek. "Just hang on a moment longer; we'll get some help!"
"No," Coll feebly grabbed Gok's hand. "It's too late . . . Brinn, please, guard my children. . . . I love all of you, my boys."
And with those final words, Coll's grasp on Gok's shaking hand loosened and his breath stopped. Lukc shakily touched his father's forehead and dragged his hand across Coll's eyes, closing them forever.
" . . . Father," Gok whispered, shaking with sobs.
"Damn," a whisper came from the fireplace. Jez sat in front of the fire, nibbling on what looked to be a sandwich and said, "Now that's touching. Talk about a Kodak moment."
"You dog!" screamed Brinn, jumping up, his face burning a bright crimson. Striding forward, he grabbed for her but was pulled back, struggling, by Aiken and Lukc. Gok just sat there, lost in his pain while Memial and Deidre gazed at the unfolding scene with shock and disgust.
Jez just sat and smirked. "Yeah, but no your bitch."
Just then the back door was falling off its broken hinges and in its place stood an imposing figure, outlined in shadows. Walker Boh had arrived.