The Gift by: Kimmy Kenderkin
Chapter Three
When Sheila woke up in the dim light, she saw Hank was gone. She looked around the small room, thinking how strange it had seemed to have gotten a few hours of peaceful sleep without having to worry about Orcs or whatnots attacking.
She heard a noise outside and called out through the open door. "Hank? Is that you?"
In response to her call, the barn door opened and Hank came through.
"There you are," Sheila said. "Where'd you go?"
Hank came into the room and knelt down beside her. "I went to go see Merryl. I came up with a plan and she helped me with a little something." He motioned to an object in his hands.
"What's that?" she asked him as he carefully handed it to her.
Hank told her as she held the silver wrapped gift, "It's a Gift Giving Ball. Miles gave it to me, and now I'm giving it to you."
Delighted, Sheila smiled and eyed the diaphanous silver material with appreciation before she'd pulled on the silver ribbon, revealing what it enclosed.
"It's part of their tradition and also part of my plan to get us the Key," Hank explained.
Sheila held the silver ball and turned it all around to see. It seemed to be halved, with an ornate design on each side that had showed a linked circle motif. She saw that a catch kept it shut.
"It's just like the lightning-bug balls, but something else is inside," she exclaimed as she fingered the catch. The Gift Ball contained something that shone with a beautiful light, like of which she had ever seen before.
Hank nodded and gently placed his hands over hers. "You can't open it yet, because the tradition and the spell has it that once you open it, you have to put something else inside and pass it on. And you can't do that until after we get the Key."
"How will this help us get the Key from the Soul-Eater?" she wondered aloud, her eyes still on the shining light within the ball. "It's so beautiful," she said softly. "What is it?"
Hank took a deep breath and said simply, "My soul."
Sheila gasped, both startled and overcome with emotion.
Hank explained, "If my soul is no longer in my possession when I confront the Soul-Eater, then I have a chance to deal with it and get the Key. And after we do, as soon as you open the ball, my soul will be returned to me.
"But Hank..." Sheila shook her head, distraught. "What if the Soul-Eater senses what's in the Gift Ball while we're inside?"
"The Soul-Eater won't know you have the Gift Ball, Sheila, because you won't be going in the cave with me. You need to stay outside and keep both our souls safe."
"I don't like this," Sheila told him.
"I don't like it either, but it's our only chance," he said.
"What if something goes wrong or happens to the Ball?" she asked. "It's your soul in here!" The enormity of what he'd done... of what he'd given her, was overwhelming.
Hank smiled calmly and said, "We have our weapons if we need them. Besides, I know my soul will be fine with you to protect it. I wouldn't want to give it to anyone else."
She went to him and they embraced a long while. Hank hugged her as though he would pull her inside him to take his soul's place. He had purposely left out Merryl's dire warnings from his explanation and just how dangerous his task would be. He felt the dread settle in him as he remembered how she had told him that he couldn't trust the Soul-Eater and, though his soul might be safe, his life was in jeopardy.
When they parted, it was only as far as their entwined hands and they walked slowly to the cave where the Soul-Eater dwelled...
* * * * * *
As Sheila's thoughts came back to the present, she held the Gift Ball tighter. She walked to the mouth of the cave and wondered how Hank was doing. Heat emanated from the Ball at that moment and she peeked inside through the decorative openings.
She inhaled sharply as the light subsided and a tiny image of Hank formed inside. Looking closer, Sheila saw the tiny figure move, like in a movie. She realized that she was watching Hank as he made his way to the Soul-Eater.
The tiny Hank had paused and drew a miniature energy arrow. She could see Hank's mouth moving and holding the Gift Ball to her ear, Sheila heard Hank speak. He was talking to the Soul-Eater and asking for the Key.
From inside the cave, she heard a voice wail in disappointment and frustration. "No soul! No soul, no soul, no soooooooouuuuuuuuuullllllllllllll."
Sheila heard Hank calmly ask again for the Key and try to reason with it.
The voice was silent for a minute or two and then answered sinuously, "You have a weapon to fight me with, yet you ask my permission. You have no soul and yet, wish to use the Key. Where will you go, soulless one? To find what you have lost, perhaps?"
Hank didn't answer and merely waited to see what the Soul-Eater would do.
"What will you trade me for the Key then, if you have no soul to bargain with?"
"I don't have anything to give you. You have no use for the Key. Why not let me borrow it?" Hank reasoned.
The Soul-Eater laughed, a sound Sheila knew would haunt her later in her nightmares. She peered inside the ball, trying to judge what the creature was doing from Hank's reactions.
"I will give you the Key," it said finally, and the bright ruby light that lit the cave disappeared only to suddenly reappear inside the Gift Ball. Then the light slowly dimmed and faded out.
Sheila looked through the openings and could see the miniature Hank holding a red jewel in his fist, a look of victory filling his eyes.
The Soul-Eater's voice spoke out harshly. "Congratulations. You now have the Key, and in return... I shall have your life!"
Through the ball, a look of alarm crossed Hank's tiny features and he began firing energy arrows all around him. That hideous laugh sounded again and Sheila realized that Hank was in serious trouble.
"I've got to help him!" she said as she ran into the cave.
She came to a large room and saw a wispy creature that seemed to be mostly claws and teeth. It swiftly circled the air above Hank. His energy arrows went through the Soul-Eater's form without any effect.
An idea came to Sheila, and she distracted the creature from Hank, giving him time to get away. She pulled out the Gift Ball and held it in front of her.
"Hey, Soul-Eater! Over here!" she called out.
"Sheila! No!" Hank cried.
Sheila ignored him and hoped her idea would work. She yelled out again, getting the Soul-Eater's attention. It faced her with glowing slit eyes.
"Why bother with him when you can deal with me! Two souls for the price of one!" Sheila was glad her voice didn't betray her fear. She steadied herself and got ready to act. It just needed to come a little closer.
The Soul-Eater complied and wafted over in Sheila's direction, stretching its clawed hands out for her. Its eyes began to glow hotter as it said sibilantly, "Yesssss. Souls. Ahhhhhhhh!" It swiftly attacked Sheila, screeching as it came.
Sheila gasped and made herself wait. The moment had to be right. Just before it was within reach, she moved the catch on the Gift Ball, opening it and releasing Hank's soul. His soul flew past the surprised Soul-Eater before it could be devoured and immersed itself back into Hank.
Sheila then used the Gift Ball to capture the Soul-Eater just like she saw the children do at the Lighting Ceremony. The creature was magically sucked inside and she quickly secured the latch.
"Got it!" she shouted! "I thought that would work!" She smiled at Hank who came up to her glad to see that she was unhurt.
"I'm sure glad it did! What made you think to use the Gift Ball like that?" Hank asked her.
Sheila grinned mischievously. "You weren't the only one last night making plans, you know. I remembered how the children used the balls and when Merryl put your soul into one, I figured that it could probably hold the Soul-Eater, too!"
Hank grinned back, hugged her close, and showed her the Key still in his hand. "Well, we've got the Key, so I guess we can find the gateway and go back to the others."
Sheila nodded. "But first, I need to pass on the Gift Ball tradition. And I know just who to give it to."
They exchanged smiles and headed back to Merryl's cottage.
* * *
Merryl was shocked to see them both at first, and when Sheila gave the Gift Ball and its contents to the old sorceress, she danced gleefully around them, holding the ball aloft!
The townsfolk were woken and the good news flew from person to person.
Merryl announced, "There will be a new and wonderful ceremony tonight! A true Banishing of Darkness and a chance for those who wish to do so, to use the Key to return to their birth world!" She turned to Hank and Sheila. "Come, I will show you the gateway."
She took them and the following crowd down the path a ways until they came to a large boulder with a smaller one placed in front of it. The top of the smaller rock had been smoothed out until it was flat, with a hole in it the same shape as the red jewel.
"You must place the Key in the niche and think of where you wish to be. When the image you want appears, walk through and you will be there."
Hank and Sheila thanked Merryl for all her help and said their goodbyes. They were sorry to leave Miles and Jonna, but the couple was happy at Inception and would stay behind. No more than ten others lined up to use the stone after them.
They placed the Key in the hole and stood facing the boulder. A swirling of the air appeared before them and then colors and sounds of an image of... home. The amusement park was just a step away with nothing to stop them this time.
They looked at each other and sighed. Without a word, the image swirled again and slowed to show them the sandy clearing where they had entered. They could see the others sitting around one of the holes, looking like they were trying to figure out how to use it.
Hank and Sheila stepped through and, with a bright flash of ruby light, were suddenly back among their friends. They found out that they had only been gone a few hours and that apparently, their chance to use the light portals 'flew off with the birds,' as Eric put it. He told them that Dungeon Master made a timely appearance and let them know another chance would be along in another ten years.
Hank and Sheila tried to cheer them up the way they had been during the Lightning Ceremony, and told them all about their adventure within an adventure as they walked on through the Realm of Dungeons and Dragons.
* * * * * *
Chapter Three
When Sheila woke up in the dim light, she saw Hank was gone. She looked around the small room, thinking how strange it had seemed to have gotten a few hours of peaceful sleep without having to worry about Orcs or whatnots attacking.
She heard a noise outside and called out through the open door. "Hank? Is that you?"
In response to her call, the barn door opened and Hank came through.
"There you are," Sheila said. "Where'd you go?"
Hank came into the room and knelt down beside her. "I went to go see Merryl. I came up with a plan and she helped me with a little something." He motioned to an object in his hands.
"What's that?" she asked him as he carefully handed it to her.
Hank told her as she held the silver wrapped gift, "It's a Gift Giving Ball. Miles gave it to me, and now I'm giving it to you."
Delighted, Sheila smiled and eyed the diaphanous silver material with appreciation before she'd pulled on the silver ribbon, revealing what it enclosed.
"It's part of their tradition and also part of my plan to get us the Key," Hank explained.
Sheila held the silver ball and turned it all around to see. It seemed to be halved, with an ornate design on each side that had showed a linked circle motif. She saw that a catch kept it shut.
"It's just like the lightning-bug balls, but something else is inside," she exclaimed as she fingered the catch. The Gift Ball contained something that shone with a beautiful light, like of which she had ever seen before.
Hank nodded and gently placed his hands over hers. "You can't open it yet, because the tradition and the spell has it that once you open it, you have to put something else inside and pass it on. And you can't do that until after we get the Key."
"How will this help us get the Key from the Soul-Eater?" she wondered aloud, her eyes still on the shining light within the ball. "It's so beautiful," she said softly. "What is it?"
Hank took a deep breath and said simply, "My soul."
Sheila gasped, both startled and overcome with emotion.
Hank explained, "If my soul is no longer in my possession when I confront the Soul-Eater, then I have a chance to deal with it and get the Key. And after we do, as soon as you open the ball, my soul will be returned to me.
"But Hank..." Sheila shook her head, distraught. "What if the Soul-Eater senses what's in the Gift Ball while we're inside?"
"The Soul-Eater won't know you have the Gift Ball, Sheila, because you won't be going in the cave with me. You need to stay outside and keep both our souls safe."
"I don't like this," Sheila told him.
"I don't like it either, but it's our only chance," he said.
"What if something goes wrong or happens to the Ball?" she asked. "It's your soul in here!" The enormity of what he'd done... of what he'd given her, was overwhelming.
Hank smiled calmly and said, "We have our weapons if we need them. Besides, I know my soul will be fine with you to protect it. I wouldn't want to give it to anyone else."
She went to him and they embraced a long while. Hank hugged her as though he would pull her inside him to take his soul's place. He had purposely left out Merryl's dire warnings from his explanation and just how dangerous his task would be. He felt the dread settle in him as he remembered how she had told him that he couldn't trust the Soul-Eater and, though his soul might be safe, his life was in jeopardy.
When they parted, it was only as far as their entwined hands and they walked slowly to the cave where the Soul-Eater dwelled...
* * * * * *
As Sheila's thoughts came back to the present, she held the Gift Ball tighter. She walked to the mouth of the cave and wondered how Hank was doing. Heat emanated from the Ball at that moment and she peeked inside through the decorative openings.
She inhaled sharply as the light subsided and a tiny image of Hank formed inside. Looking closer, Sheila saw the tiny figure move, like in a movie. She realized that she was watching Hank as he made his way to the Soul-Eater.
The tiny Hank had paused and drew a miniature energy arrow. She could see Hank's mouth moving and holding the Gift Ball to her ear, Sheila heard Hank speak. He was talking to the Soul-Eater and asking for the Key.
From inside the cave, she heard a voice wail in disappointment and frustration. "No soul! No soul, no soul, no soooooooouuuuuuuuuullllllllllllll."
Sheila heard Hank calmly ask again for the Key and try to reason with it.
The voice was silent for a minute or two and then answered sinuously, "You have a weapon to fight me with, yet you ask my permission. You have no soul and yet, wish to use the Key. Where will you go, soulless one? To find what you have lost, perhaps?"
Hank didn't answer and merely waited to see what the Soul-Eater would do.
"What will you trade me for the Key then, if you have no soul to bargain with?"
"I don't have anything to give you. You have no use for the Key. Why not let me borrow it?" Hank reasoned.
The Soul-Eater laughed, a sound Sheila knew would haunt her later in her nightmares. She peered inside the ball, trying to judge what the creature was doing from Hank's reactions.
"I will give you the Key," it said finally, and the bright ruby light that lit the cave disappeared only to suddenly reappear inside the Gift Ball. Then the light slowly dimmed and faded out.
Sheila looked through the openings and could see the miniature Hank holding a red jewel in his fist, a look of victory filling his eyes.
The Soul-Eater's voice spoke out harshly. "Congratulations. You now have the Key, and in return... I shall have your life!"
Through the ball, a look of alarm crossed Hank's tiny features and he began firing energy arrows all around him. That hideous laugh sounded again and Sheila realized that Hank was in serious trouble.
"I've got to help him!" she said as she ran into the cave.
She came to a large room and saw a wispy creature that seemed to be mostly claws and teeth. It swiftly circled the air above Hank. His energy arrows went through the Soul-Eater's form without any effect.
An idea came to Sheila, and she distracted the creature from Hank, giving him time to get away. She pulled out the Gift Ball and held it in front of her.
"Hey, Soul-Eater! Over here!" she called out.
"Sheila! No!" Hank cried.
Sheila ignored him and hoped her idea would work. She yelled out again, getting the Soul-Eater's attention. It faced her with glowing slit eyes.
"Why bother with him when you can deal with me! Two souls for the price of one!" Sheila was glad her voice didn't betray her fear. She steadied herself and got ready to act. It just needed to come a little closer.
The Soul-Eater complied and wafted over in Sheila's direction, stretching its clawed hands out for her. Its eyes began to glow hotter as it said sibilantly, "Yesssss. Souls. Ahhhhhhhh!" It swiftly attacked Sheila, screeching as it came.
Sheila gasped and made herself wait. The moment had to be right. Just before it was within reach, she moved the catch on the Gift Ball, opening it and releasing Hank's soul. His soul flew past the surprised Soul-Eater before it could be devoured and immersed itself back into Hank.
Sheila then used the Gift Ball to capture the Soul-Eater just like she saw the children do at the Lighting Ceremony. The creature was magically sucked inside and she quickly secured the latch.
"Got it!" she shouted! "I thought that would work!" She smiled at Hank who came up to her glad to see that she was unhurt.
"I'm sure glad it did! What made you think to use the Gift Ball like that?" Hank asked her.
Sheila grinned mischievously. "You weren't the only one last night making plans, you know. I remembered how the children used the balls and when Merryl put your soul into one, I figured that it could probably hold the Soul-Eater, too!"
Hank grinned back, hugged her close, and showed her the Key still in his hand. "Well, we've got the Key, so I guess we can find the gateway and go back to the others."
Sheila nodded. "But first, I need to pass on the Gift Ball tradition. And I know just who to give it to."
They exchanged smiles and headed back to Merryl's cottage.
* * *
Merryl was shocked to see them both at first, and when Sheila gave the Gift Ball and its contents to the old sorceress, she danced gleefully around them, holding the ball aloft!
The townsfolk were woken and the good news flew from person to person.
Merryl announced, "There will be a new and wonderful ceremony tonight! A true Banishing of Darkness and a chance for those who wish to do so, to use the Key to return to their birth world!" She turned to Hank and Sheila. "Come, I will show you the gateway."
She took them and the following crowd down the path a ways until they came to a large boulder with a smaller one placed in front of it. The top of the smaller rock had been smoothed out until it was flat, with a hole in it the same shape as the red jewel.
"You must place the Key in the niche and think of where you wish to be. When the image you want appears, walk through and you will be there."
Hank and Sheila thanked Merryl for all her help and said their goodbyes. They were sorry to leave Miles and Jonna, but the couple was happy at Inception and would stay behind. No more than ten others lined up to use the stone after them.
They placed the Key in the hole and stood facing the boulder. A swirling of the air appeared before them and then colors and sounds of an image of... home. The amusement park was just a step away with nothing to stop them this time.
They looked at each other and sighed. Without a word, the image swirled again and slowed to show them the sandy clearing where they had entered. They could see the others sitting around one of the holes, looking like they were trying to figure out how to use it.
Hank and Sheila stepped through and, with a bright flash of ruby light, were suddenly back among their friends. They found out that they had only been gone a few hours and that apparently, their chance to use the light portals 'flew off with the birds,' as Eric put it. He told them that Dungeon Master made a timely appearance and let them know another chance would be along in another ten years.
Hank and Sheila tried to cheer them up the way they had been during the Lightning Ceremony, and told them all about their adventure within an adventure as they walked on through the Realm of Dungeons and Dragons.
* * * * * *