Chronicles of the Story-Keeper: Book 1 Chapter 5
By: jungleboy69
Chapter 5: Three Goblins and a Frog
"HELP!" Soren screamed as he fell into a world of light. He fell farther and farther, faster and faster. He was dizzy and scared. His mind raced with fear. Would he ever stop falling? Was he going to die? Was he dead? He wondered if he would ever see his family and friends again. "MOM, GRANDMA, HELP!" He screamed, flailing his arms about in a futile attempt to fly.
He heard birds chirping and trees blowing in the wind. The noise seemed to get closer and closer, but he just kept falling and falling, not knowing where he was falling to.… "Ouch!" Soren exclaimed, hitting the ground.
The impact was hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to seriously injure him. Had it not been for the rough landing, he would have thought he was dreaming for sure. "Urrgh..." Soren groaned, rubbing his head. "What...happened?"
As he got to his feet, he felt his pulse to make sure his heart was still working; he was still alive, from what he could tell. Soren sighed in relief to have finally stopped falling… but where exactly had he fallen to? It was then he got a good look at his surroundings.
He was standing on a dirt path in the middle of a thick forest. The trees were tall and dark with bright green moss covering their trunks. The sun's rays shined through a light mist. Birds squawked from high in the trees and, if he listened closely enough, he could hear a tiny stream in the distance.
Soren spun around wide-eyed, looking in all directions. His breathing increased as he took in his new surroundings. Was he overreacting or not reacting enough to what had just happened? And what exactly had just happened? Was he dreaming?
"Where...am I?" He muttered, half amazed and half frightened. "MOM!" He called out, cupping his hands to his mouth. "MOM, WHERE ARE YOU?!" There was no reply. After calming down a bit, he took a good look around at the forest.
It was unlike any forest they had ever seen—in real life, at least. The colors were so vivid and the air was so crisp. It was as if they had fallen into a painting, a painting Soren was positive he had seen before. It reminded him of the forest in his grandmother's cottage and yet was completely different.
Suddenly, he felt something wiggling inside his backpack and heard a strange sound inside. Unstrapping his backpack, he unzipped it and saw the case which contained the quill. It was glowing, just like the book. "What...the..." Soren muttered as he took out the case.
He frowned a bit and listened carefully; was he hearing voices? Slowly, he opened the case...and the white quill shot up into the air and floated before him! "OH YEAH!" A voice called out from the quill. "DOES IT FEEL GREAT TO BE OUTTA OF THERE!"
The quill stretched itself and twisted a bit. "Man, you have no idea what it feels like to be cooped up in that wooden death trap for weeks!" It muttered. "I would have killed to stretch my pen tip...seriously, I nearly wet my ink on my cushion." "Anyway, thanks for getting me out of there kid...if it weren't for..." The quill stopped when he saw the look on Soren's face.
His eyes were bulging out, his face was drained of color and his jaw was dropped so low that it nearly fell off. "Kid...you okay?" The quill asked. "Did...did...did you just...talk?" Soren struggled to get the words out. "Well, of course I can talk, kid!" The quill replied. "How else can you hear me?"
3...2...1...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Soren screamed at the top of his lungs and fell backwards, scooting away and dropping the wooden case. At the same time, the quill also screamed and floated back. "DEMON PEN!" Soren screamed, clearly freaking out. "DEMON POSSESSED PEN!" He grabbed a nearby rock and raised it high. "Stay back!"
"Woah! Woah! Kid!" The quill yelled in shock. "Calm down! I'm not possessed and I'm not a demon!" Soren breathed a little slower and stared at the floating quill. "You're not...?" He asked cautiously. "Give me one reason why I should believe you..."
The quill sighed. "Come on, kid!" It added. "I was best friends with your dad, remember!" "Marcus Richards... you told me so much about you; his little 'lion cub'!" Soren's eyes widened as he heard that last sentence. He dropped the rock from his hands. "You knew my father...?" He asked in shock.
"Yep!" The quill replied proudly. "Name's Quill, and it's an honor to meet the son of the great Marcus Richards!" Soren blushed a bit. "Thanks..." He spoked, smiling a bit. "My pencils!" He cried out. The path was littered with the pencils and a few dirty socks Soren had been dropping into the book all week
"So this is where they all went!" He exclaimed as he picked up the pencils. "Where do ya think they went, China?" Quill asked, sarcastically. After picking up his stuff and packing them in his bag, Soren looked around the forest. Now that he calmed down, he was starting to admire his surroundings.
"This forest is so...beautiful..." He whispered, reminding him of the forest near his grandmother's cottage. He could hear the songs of birds, the breeze blowing through the trees and a distant sound of a stream. "What is this place, Quill?" He asked. "Where am I?"
Quill shrugged. "To be honest, I never been in these parts before..." He replied. "So, my guess is as good as yours, kid." Suddenly, the ground started shaking. A powerful rumbling had consumed the forest. The branches of the trees shook, and the small rocks on the ground began jumping as something massive moved closer toward them.
"What's that!?" Soren exclaimed in shock. "An earthquake!" "Quick kid!" Quill replied. "Take cover!" Soren grabbed his bag, and he ran off the path and into the forest a little way and took refuge behind a particularly wide tree. Quill flew behind and sat on his shoulder.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing. A huge cavalcade of soldiers on white horses rode past them. Their armor was clean and shiny. They carried green-and-silver shields with large red apples painted on them and waved flags with the same design.
Soren was beyond amazed. His father told him stories of medieval knights who protected the innocent and upheld the code of chivalry. The soldiers were moving at such a fast and forceful pace that none of them noticed the awestruck twins peeking out from behind the tree.
Soren's gaze was fixed on the shields. A red apple was such an odd thing to be displayed on a shield, but there was something so familiar about it. He couldn't put his finger on it. The rumbling slowly faded away as the soldiers disappeared down the dirt path. Soren stayed behind the tree for a few moments, with Quill on his shoulder and making sure the coast was clear.
"Those were...knights..." Soren whispered. "Real...knights..." Quill hopped off his should and floated next to him. "That's enough excitement for one day." He explained, looking around. "Let's find some shelter, kid..." He noticed that Soren was staring at the direction where the knights went off.
"Hey kid..." Quill asked. "You okay?" "The apples..." Soren replied, looking deep in thought. "The apples on their shields...they look so familiar; where have I seen them before?" "Never mind the apples, kid!" Quill exclaimed. "We should get...Hey, check this out!"
Soren turned and saw a poster pinned to a nearby tree. He walked over to it and pulled it off the tree for further inspection. It was old, with faded writing, and a picture of a disgruntled-looking little girl with curly blonde hair was centered on it. The poster read: WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE GOLDILOCKS FOR BURGLARY, THIEVERY, AND RUNNING FROM THE LAW
"Dead or Alive..." Quill spoke up, whistling a bit. "Looks like sweet Goldie got it bad, doesn't it kid?" He turned to Soren, only to be surprised to see the pale look on his face. For the latter, he looked like he had seen a ghost.
All at once, he realized the truth. No wonder the trees had been so recognizable. He had seen pictures of them so many times growing up. The book had taken them to the exact place he had hoped. "Is it...is it possible?" He whispered in shock. "Uh, kid..." Quill asked, floating up to his face. "You okay?"
"It can't be..." Soren muttered, a wide smile growing on his face. "It is... It is...!" "Kid, what is it?" Quill asked again. "You know where we are?" "Yes...Quill!" Soren exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. "We're in the book...We're in the Land of Stories!"
"I should have recognized this forest!" He added, looking around. "It's straight out of my Grandma's books!" He gasped. "This is the place where Story-Keeper Richard lived and ruled..." "All of Dad's stories...about the Story-Keepers...they were true..."
"Woah, kid...take it easy..." Quill tried to calm him down. "They were...true...!" Soren continued. "There were all true!" "My Dad's Stories... the Story-Keepers...all of my favorite fairy-tale characters...THEY ARE ALL TRUE!" He punched the air and yelled out that last part so loud that his voice echoed throughout the forest.
"Gee...kid..." Quill replied in amusement. "I admire your enthusiasum but we really show find a place to stay..." "Excuse me, may I help you?" said a proper voice behind the friends. They jolted at the sound of another voice besides their own. They turned around to see who it had come from, and once they saw, they couldn't believe it.
Standing behind Soren and Quill was what could best be described as a frog man. He was tall, with a wide face, big, glossy eyes, and shiny green skin. He wore a dapper three-piece suit and carried a large glass jar of lily pads. "Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help but hear you from far off," he said with a very wide smile.
Soren's eyes popped open and his jaw dropped when he saw the frog man. If he needed any more evidence that they were in the fairy-tale world, this was his proof. Quill chuckled at his reaction.
"You look awfully young to be in the forest by yourselves," the frog man said. "Are you lost, boy?" "You're...you're...you're..." Soren stuttered, trying to get the words out. The frog man sighed. "Yes...I know, I know." He told them. "Don't worry; I'm used to people shocked to see me."
Soren blinked in surprise and shook off his surprise. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." He apologized. "It's just that I never met a frog wearing clothes and speaking to me." The frog man was a bit taken aback by his response but smiled gratefully. "And I never met a boy with a floating pen..." He replied.
"PEN!?" Quill exclaimed, flying up to the frog's face. "I'm a quill, in case you hadn't realise it?!" "Oh, I'm sorry..." The frog man apologized. "I sometimes get them mixed up." He looked back at Soren and studied his face, paying special attention to his clothes.
"It's strange..." The frog man told him. "You look awfully familiar; you remind me of a very good friend of mine." "Where exactly are you from, boy?" "Well...it's hard to say." Soren replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm pretty far from here."
Suddenly, a piercing set of wolf howls echoed through the forest. All three of them jumped at the sound. The frog man looked around the trees with fear in his big, glossy eyes. "It's getting dark," He said. "We'd better get inside. Please, follow me home. It's just a few minutes' walk from here."
"Woah...woah...woah...!" Quill spoke up. "Why should we trust you?!" The wolf howls echoed again. This time they were much louder than the first. Wherever the wolves were, they were getting closer.
"Mr Quill, I know I look scary now," said the frog man to them, "but I'm nothing compared to some of the creatures that lurk around these woods at night. I promise I will not harm you." There was such concern in his eyes, it was hard not to trust him. The frog man took off at a brisk walk deeper into the forest.
"Hey, wait for us!" Soren called out before starting to follow him. "Kid, what are you doing?!" Quill protested. "How do we know we can trust him?!" "Don't worry, Quill!" Soren replied. "If he wanted to hurt us, he would have done it already." "Besides, he's a good man with a good heart." He replied. "He won't hurt us."
"How can you tell?!" Quill demanded. Soren just smiled and shrugged. "I don't know; I just know it." With that, he followed after the frog man. Quill groaned. "Hey, wait for me!" He called before flying after them.
The friends hurried behind the frog man for a good while. They zigzagged between trees and jumped over boulders and tree roots that stuck up from the ground. The deeper they went into the forest, the thicker the trees became. It got dark very quickly and was almost pitch-black by the time they reached the frog man's home.
"This way," he said. "My friends will be rather surprised to have visitors." "Friends?" Soren asked. The frog man brushed aside some dead vines growing over a large wooden door that was camouflaged into the side of a small hill. He knocked on it. "Fone, Phoney, Smiley!" He called. "I'm back and I brought guests!"
The door opened and the strangest creature Soren had ever seen appeared. He had pointed ears, a large nose and white skin. He wore a black vest and a small bowler hat on his head. He had a cigar in his mouth and a long thin tail trailed behind him.
"Welcome home, Mr. Froggy!" He spoke. "I got dinner ready and... oh!" He noticed Soren. "Well, howdy do, stranger! I wasn't expecting any guests" He added, tipping his hat and bowing to him. "Name's Smiley, Smiley Bone Goblin! Pleasure to make your acquaintance!"
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Smily." Soren replied, smiling at the white goblin. "I'm Soren and this is my friend, Quill." "Well, I'll be!" Smiley exclaimed, staring at Quill. "I never seen a flying stick before." "I'M A QUILL!" Quill yelled at him in annoyance.
"A talking, flying stick!" Smiley added, his eyes sparkling. "Now, that is unusual!" Quill made an indignant noise. "Come on in!" He added, gesturing inside. "I've got my famous pot-luck stew coming up!" Froggy smiled and followed him, leading Soren and a hesitant Quill inside.
He looked back into the forest, making sure they hadn't been followed, before shutting the door behind him. It was very dark underground. Quill grumbled. "How can anyone live in this dump?" "Quill, manners!" Soren scolded him.
"Forgive the mess. We weren't expecting company," the frog man apologized, and lit a lamp with a match. They were in a large room with dirt walls and a low, dirt ceiling. Roots from a tree growing above them grew down like a chandelier. A cluster of big, cushy chairs and sofas—many of the cushions had the stuffing sticking out of them—sat in the center of the room and were angled to face a small fireplace. Nearby, teacups and pots hung from hooks over a tiny kitchenette.
To Soren's delight, there were books everywhere. Shelves of books lined the dirt walls; piles of books were stacked on every available surface and on the ground; it was as if the room were infested with literature. "Mr. Froggy, you're back!" Another voice called out.
Another white goblin emerged from the kitchenette. He was slightly smaller than Smiley but he had the same pointed ears, large nose and long tail. "Dinner's at the table!" He added. "And there's some lily pad tea!" "Thank you, Fone." Froggy replied. "I hope you don't mind if we brough in guests." He added, gesturing to Soren and Quill.
Fone grew surprised to see a human and a floating quill next to him. "Oh, hello!" He replied. "Nice to meet you, Mr..." "Soren..." the said boy explained. "I'm Soren and this is Quill." "Soren, that's a nice name." Fone added with a smile, making Soren smile back.
"Is the frog back yet?!" Another voiced called out from a room and a third white goblin came out. He had the same pointed ears, large nose and long tail and was wearing a black shirt with a golden star on the front. "Good, cause I'm not gonna wait one second for...GAH!"
He screamed when he saw Soren. "HUMAN!" He screamed. "There's a human here!" He jumped behind the couch. "I'm innocent!" He yelled. "Ya got nothin' on me!" "I demand my lawyer!" He added. Soren just stared at him. "What's his problem?" He asked in shock.
Fone sighed. "I'm sorry about my brother." He explained. "Phoney always had this bad habit of getting into trouble." "That's right!" Smiley added. "It doesn't help that he's a selfish, little greed bag!" "HEY!" Phoney popped up from behind the couch. "I resent that statement!"
"You don't have be afraid of me, Mr. Phoney." Soren assured him. "I'm not going to hurt." "Quill and I were just looking for a place to stay for the night." "Quill?" Phoney asked, . "You mean that floating white pen you have there?"
"FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M A QUILL!" Quill exclaimed in frustration. "How hard is it for you to tell the difference?" "You can talk!" Phoney added, jumping over and grabbing Quill. "Hey!" Quill yelled. "A talking, floating pen!" The white goblin squealed; his eyes lit up with delight. "This is perfect!"
He turned to Soren. "Boy, how much is this pen worth?!" He asked. "What?!" Soren replied. "I'm not selling Quill, he's my friend!" "Come on!" Phoney begged. "I'll pay you, your weight in gold!" "I'll give you precious gems beyond your count, I'll make a duke or a count, I'll even-OW!" He was interrupted by a flick of a long tongue, courtesy of Froggy.
"Enough, Phoney!" Froggy spoke sternly. "You're being rude to our guests, now let the quill go!" Phoney grumbled and released Quill, who huffed at him. "You're crazy, ya know that?!" he yelled at him, before landing on Soren's shoulder.
"Soup's on, everybody!" Smiley exclaimed, emerging from the kitchenette and carrying a tray with four wooden bowls of piping hot stew. The aroma wafted into Soren's nostrils and he licked his lips. "Smells great..." He muttered.
"Well, come on then!" Smiley added, gesturing to the fireplace. "Help yourselves!" "About time!" Phoney snorted as he sat down on a comfy chair with his bowl. "Here's yours, Soren!" Smiley offered him a bowl. "Thank you..." Soren replied, accepting it. "What is it?" Quill asked.
"Pot-Luck Stew..." Smiley replied proudly. "It's got onions, carrots, potatoes, chicken and my special ingredient!" Soren took his spoon and slurped the stew. He licked his lips with delight. "It's delicious!" He exclaimed, making Smiley grin widely.
"So, Soren..." Fone asked. "What are you doing out here in the Dwarf Forests?" Soren looked up in surprise. "Dwarf Forests?" He asked. "What are the Dwarf Forests?" Froggy and the Bone Brothers gasped at him, completely appalled. "You never heard of the Dwarf Forest?!" Phoney exclaimed in shock, nearly spilling his stew.
"No..." Soren explained. "You see, I'm from a land far away and this is my first time visiting the Land of Stories." "Tell me about it..." Quill muttered. "It's a very dangerous place," Froggy told him. "It's the only designated area of land without a ruler or a government; it's a kingdom where everyone is their own king. It used to be populated by dwarfs who worked in the mines, but now it's full of criminals and fugitives mostly. It's a place where people go when they don't want to be found."
Soren felt a lump rise in his throat. Knowing he had not only traveled into another world but were in a dangerous part of that world did nothing to help his anxiety level. "Are there other kingdoms?" He asked.
The others looked at him in stunned silence. "Kid, were you born under a rock or something?" Phoney asked with a raised eyebrow. "Phoney, be nice!" Fone shot back, before turning to Soren again. "Sorry about my brother..." He added. "but I'm curious; you don't know about the other kingdoms."
Soren blushed. "Well, my dad told me about the Land Of Stories..." He explained. "but I hadn't really understood how big it was." "Do you think you can tell me about it?" Froggy smiled. "Well, it will be our pleasure, young Soren."