Chapter 2
The Warlock paced, round and round the wooden altar, waiting, ignoring the deep purple sunset visible through the single window of his tower room. Though outwardly he seemed calm, inside his emotions were in turmoil. Within hours, minutes maybe, all that Power would be his!
All the tools he needed for the forthcoming ritual were ready: the goblet, the knife and, of course, the Conduit Crystal from the Dragon's Graveyard. The Crystal was nestled comfortably in its plinth on the altar, and he looked into its centre, dreaming of the power that was to come, a fusion of life and power so intense that it would sweep the old order away! And he would make it happen, no matter what the cost!
He waited.
Eventually, a Minion entered; a tall Dark Elf, dressed in midnight black robes. It bowed, eyes lowered.
'What news?' asked the Warlock.
'Our first attack failed, Master. The children are still in the Fungi Forest.' The Elf hesitated before continuing. 'And they have seen Zilzad. The Imp is free, Master. The prison was destroyed and…'
'Enough!' shouted the Warlock, his anger slipping out accidentally. The Minion bowed lower and started to shuffle backwards, unwilling to bear the brunt of its Master's wrath.
'So,' hissed the Warlock, 'They thought the Imp would help? It is free once more.'
He stopped, and took a slow, deep breath then turned to glare at the retreating Minion.
'Find that Imp,' he hissed between clenched teeth. 'And bring me the Ranger!'
The kids stood around the remains of the shattered crystal, all glaring at Eric, their new Ranger.
'This is your fault Eric,' said Hank, swinging his Club over his shoulder.
Eric glared at Hank, their new Barbarian. That helmet didn't suit him.
'Me? I didn't free the Imp, did I?' he snapped angrily. It wasn't his fault this time. They weren't going to pin this on him. 'I told you not break it, but did you listen? Oh no! You know best! No one ever listens to me!'
He turned to glare at Bobby, who standing next to the shattered crystal, dressed in the voluminous green robes of the Magician. The young boy pulled the Hat off.
'I was only trying to help,' he said angrily. 'You should have Wished differently. We could have gone home!'
There was a general murmur of approval from the others. Home had been a Wish away, just five words – 'I wish we were home.' Eric felt sick, the same feeling he'd had looking into every portal home, just as it closed. His big mouth had done it again. Why hadn't he been paying attention? They could have been home! They should be home, right now! That was obviously what the others were thinking, judging by the unfriendly expressions that surrounded him.
'How was I supposed to know this would happen?' he muttered.
'You should have kept your big mouth shut until your brain connected to it!' said Diana, tugging at her uncomfortable new clothes.
Eric stared at her, not in anger, but because she looked so strange in real clothes, even if they were lilac.
'But it's the Imp's fault,' insisted Eric. 'It changed our weapons round. Don't blame me if it didn't understand what I meant.' He turned to point at Hank.
'Bobby should never have been let near that crystal with his dumb Club. Some leader you are, Mr Barbarian! You're just jealous I've got your Bow! I'm the fearless hero now!'
Hank flushed but didn't reply as Uni gave a frightened whine and nuzzled up to Bobby, in spite of the thick robes. Eric looked down at the Bow, suddenly worried. Fearless hero? Him? That couldn't be right?
'But what are we going to do?' asked Presto, who was standing, hunched up and looking cold. 'We can't walk around like this! We have to get ourselves back to normal.'
Eric scowled at him.
'What's wrong? Missing your dress or something?'
Presto blushed and muttered:
'I'm going to be a terrible Acrobat, I hate gym class.'
They looked at each other.
'Oh brother!' said Bobby, looking down into the Hat. 'If Presto can't get this Hat to work properly, what chance do I have?'
'Perhaps Dungeonmaster can help?' suggested Diana.
'Are you nuts?' said Eric, waving his Bow at her, 'When has that little squirt been around to help us when we really needed it?'
'But he gave us our weapons, surely he would be able to change us back?'
'I doubt it, even it he wasn't so busy,' said Hank sadly. 'We can't swap back, so we'll just have to make the best of what we have.'
'I'm just glad Venger isn't here to see this,' said Presto, 'He would have us disarmed in seconds.'
'Don't say that,' said Hank, with a reassuring smile. 'C'mon guys, all we need to do is get to that portal and get home the old-fashioned way. It doesn't matter if we are wielding the wrong weapons.'
'As long as we don't meet any opposition,' said Eric loudly.
'As long as we think before opening our big, fat mouths!' said Bobby, just as loudly.
'Why don't you shut up, fungus-brain!'
'Who you callin' fungus-brain? You're the one who got lost in a forest of mushrooms.'
'Well…' started Eric, but Bobby was on a roll.
'And you're the one who went charging off on his own. We had to come and find you before you fell of a cliff, or walked into a dragon or something.'
'I was doing just fine, before you and your Club came along and spoiled everything! I didn't ask for your help!'
'Well, that's the last time we come and help you! Some thanks for coming to find you, you didn't even wish us home!'
Bobby turned and stormed off towards one of the mushrooms close by.
There was a resentful silence, then Sheila the new Cavalier said:
'We'll have to set up camp soon. And have some food.'
Her suggestion was immediately backed up by Hank and one by one the others moved off to join Bobby in the shelter of the mushrooms. They started to unpack their provisions, leaving Eric alone by the crystal's remains.
He stood there for a long time. The others had every right to be angry with him. What a stupid thing to go and say. Venger's Master had been right. They were never going to get home with him around. He had put his foot in it once to often. Not only had he blown their first easy chance of getting home in ages, they were all the mixed up with the wrong weapons. If they didn't get back to their own world soon, or reverse the Wish, they were done for.
The initial rush of pride was gone. Yes, he had the Bow and he was the new Ranger. But the doubts had started. Hank was always the one who was there, always ready and alert to the dangers of the Realm.
Eric shivered. Now it was his responsibility to be the fearless hero, and he wasn't cut out for that. He looked down at the weapon once more. It was so useful, so versatile. How was he ever going to control it, let alone help the others with it?
He walked over to the mushrooms and sat in a broody silence, waving Presto and the food he was offering away. The girls were sitting off to the side, talking quietly, and fidgeting with their new weapons. Eric could hardly imagine a less likely Thief or Cavalier. Sheila was so used to hiding under her Cloak, now she had to run around shielding the others from danger. And Diana? Well, she had never hidden from a fight in her life. What used was the Thief's Cloak to a girl like that?
Hank started hitting the small stones Presto was throwing for him, obviously trying to improve his aim, while Bobby was muttering to the Hat, pulling out all sorts of useless junk, like bits of wood, rubber chickens and sundry electrical items. It also seemed intent on producing empty beer cans for him. He had accumulated quite a mound by the time dinner was finished. Uni lay close to Bobby, her head slumped on her front hoofs, watching the pile of rubbish grow larger.
The night darkened, and soon there was only the bright moonlight to see by. The others had all been practicing with their new weapons. Hank had progressed to hitting the beer cans at Sheila's shield and Diana was helping Presto with the Javelin. Only Eric hadn't done any practice. He sat off to the side, legs crossed, looking at the Bow.
'Hey Ranger! Ol' Cavalier! Eric!' called Diana suddenly. 'You gonna show us what you can do?'
Eric shook his head. He could never practice in front of the others, they would laugh.
'I don't need to practice with this,' he replied, hoping that was the end of the matter.
'But Eric…' started Hank uneasily.
'Do you think I can't cope with one little Bow?' snapped Eric. 'It can't be that hard, you got it easily enough.'
'We all need practice,' put in Diana.
'Why don't you all just GET LOST! I don't have to put up with this!'
Diana gave him a hurt look. 'Don't jump down my throat! Gee, Eric, what's gotten in to you?'
Eric's mind was suddenly filled with No-Name's words. -Your friends are doomed to remain in this Realm as long as you stay with them. Eventually, they will leave you here, trapped forever. It is their only way home.
He knew he'd turned pale, remembering the sound of that awful voice. The others were watching him. He frowned, still unable to tell them what was wrong.
'I'm tired of having to put up with you all! I don't need your help!' he said, standing up unsteadily. 'I said I'm fine, so let's go to sleep. I'll take first watch.'
'Eric's right,' agreed Hank suddenly. 'We have a long walk tomorrow. Let's get some sleep.' He gave Eric a cold look. 'Wake Diana when the moons set.'
One by one, the kids settled down, until Eric was left alone again, listening to the soft breaths of his comrades. This had to been the worst day of his life, even counting the day they were transported here. They had missed another chance to get home, and he had almost blurted it all out everything! Would he have told them what HE had said, if Hank hadn't stepped in? They would blame him, they would know he was the source of all their problems. What was he going to do?
He looked at the Bow, filled with a growing sense of dread. This new weapon was no comfort. What was he going to do if he couldn't use it? The others would kill themselves laughing. The I-told-you-sos would be unbearable. What was he going to do? It was only one little Bow, he wasn't really afraid of that, was he?
The hours slipped past, and the new Ranger was still too overwhelmed by doubt to try out his new weapon.
Finally, the moons dipped below the hills, and he stirred from his dark thoughts and yawned. It was time to wake Diana. Perhaps after a sleep he would feel better, and tonight not even the nightmares would keep him awake.
As he stood, there was a sudden creak from beside the crystal.
Eric turned and peered, but there was no movement. He was almost going to look away, when there was another creak and a quick flash of pale green.
'Bet it's the Imp,' whispered Eric, 'I'll teach it to mess with me!'
He gripped the Bow firmly and stalked off.
Hank was barely awake. His eyes were still closed and he was enjoying the final few seconds of rest before facing another day. His eagerness to get up and get on with their journey was tempered with the knowledge that he was without his Bow.
He was still their leader, true. The Bow itself wasn't the symbol of his leadership, but the Club was so restricting. All he could do was hit things, and how could he help the others doing that? That was the big problem. That and the fact that Eric, the least competent of his friends, was the Bow's new wielder. It was a temperamental weapon and needed a strong will to control it, something Eric didn't have. Hank realised with a jolt that he just didn't trust Eric to use the Bow well when he was needed.
Hank thought back to the pervious day. It was one long catalogue of temper tantrums from Eric. The ol' Cavalier had taken being unpopular into a whole new realm. He'd been unbelievably callous and ungrateful, even by his own standards. All that the others had got for their trouble was more insults and the usual I-am-fine-on-my-own comments. It was almost as if their Cavalier was deliberately trying to drive his friends away.
Something would have to be done. The thought of another day of petty arguments, sarcasm and whinging was too depressing. For the first time in a long while, Hank secretly wished Eric had never come to the Realm with them. Thank goodness they were almost at the portal.
The thought of going home brought Hank fully awake.
He opened his eyes, and had pulled himself to a sitting position before noticing the hulking form of a Stone Dragon looming high above the mushroom forest. At least as tall as a house, it was thin and grey, with huge violet coloured wings and a long, whiplash tail that flicked restlessly from side to side. Its front paw was raised to swipe at his sleeping friends.
'NOOOO!' he bellowed as he leaped up, grabbing his Club and swinging it as hard as he could at the ground. The ground surged forwards, and a wave of mushroom-covered land radiated out. The Dragon looked down at him as it staggered backwards, but it didn't fall.
The others were stirring, looking round at him. He pointed.
The Dragon gave a low roar as it swung back round to face them, but at least they were all standing this time. It lumbered forwards, knocking mushrooms as it went.
'Scatter!' Hank shouted.
Hank looked for Eric, but the fungi blocked his view. What would he give for a few well-placed arrows at the moment! He struck the ground again, feeling the Club vibrate in his hands, but the Dragon managed to hold its ground and keep moving. Its long, sinuous tail whipped round towards him. Sheila just reached him in time, her Shield held high. The tail bounced off harmlessly.
The next few minutes were the most frightening of all their fights in the Realm, even the ones against Venger.
The others had split up, trying to keep the Dragon on the move. No one managed to use their new weapons the way they wanted to. Diana was having problems with her new Cloak. She still had her natural agility, but is was obvious she felt restricted without her Javelin. Presto kept slipping over, the Javelin always the wrong length, and Bobby was producing more beer cans from the Hat, full this time. The fizz they produced when the Dragon stepped on them only frightened it a few times.
From the look in her eyes, Hank could see that Sheila was terrified, having to run out and protect the others from that long tail. She had already hesitated two times.
They fought on, not making any headway with the hungry Dragon, their new weapons still not co-operating.
Then suddenly Diana appeared right beside the Dragon's front paws.
'Hey, stone-breath!' she shouted. 'Bet you can't get me!'
She disappeared seconds before the left paw swiped at her, reappearing on the other side to taunt the Dragon again. It turned, knocking a thick-stemmed mushroom with its tail. The mushroom toppled forward, right on top of Bobby, who was crouched on the ground talking to his Hat with his unicorn beside him.
Presto was too far away to reach him in time, but he threw the Javelin and it stuck the ground beside Bobby, stopping the mushroom's fall long enough for the boy and the unicorn to scramble to safety. The new Magician looked round gratefully.
Hank looked down at the Club. It was up to him, this had to end.
The Dragon charged again, and once more the kids just managed to dodge the flying fungi and the swiping claws. Hank swung at the ground again, concentrating all his thoughts and strength on the act, as he did when he used the Bow. This time the shock waves were all concentrated in the Dragon's direction and it was unable to keep its balance. It staggered, and wavered, and finally toppled over, hitting the ground with a tremendous crunch.
It didn't move.
The others came running up, bruised, bedraggled and exhausted. Hank could barely control his anger. That had been too close. He glared at Diana.
'How did a thing that size manage to creep up on us?' he demanded.
The girl looked vaguely surprised.
'I wasn't on watch,' she said. There was a pause before she added:
'No-one woke me.'
That was the last straw. It was one thing to be surly and ungrateful, but quite another to put them all in danger.
'So you were the one asleep on duty?' he asked Eric angrily. But Eric wasn't there. 'Eric?'
They looked round, from one to another, then searched around the decimated clearing, but there was no sign of the new Ranger at all. He had disappeared.
'Has any one seen him?' No one nodded.
A memory of something Eric had said last night returned to Hank. 'I'm tired of having to put up with you all! I don't need your help!'
The reality struck Hank suddenly, making him go cold with bitterness and anger and the foul feeling of betrayal. Eric had gone! He had done actually done it! He had taken the Bow and abandoned them! He'd left them unguarded in the middle of the night. Hank looked at the others and saw the realisation hit each one of them in turn. He had to turn away, unable to speak, so it was Presto who finally said what everyone was thinking:
'He's left us here. He's gone home without us.'