Chapter Seventeen – Tunnel Trouble
Iris was constantly watched as the travelers continued on across the land. Sir Tandeth stood closer to Ash throughout their walk, guarding him carefully. Iris didn't care. For once, she actually felt happiness. She had a friend, despite everything that happened to her and all the mistakes she made. She would accept that nobody left her alone, especially near Ash.
The grey prince was congratulated for his efforts to help Iris. "You've acted like a true troll," Harper and Prowlus said. "It was crazy, but your parents would be proud," Gris added. Ash accepted the praise, if only to hide what he was truly feeling. He would not bring up the Dream Sucker, or the dream the creature gave him, or how much he wanted to go back to that dream world now that he was back in reality. He had said to the Dream Branch that he was confident his friends and family loved him despite his colors, that he was happy with them around. Here he was, back with them and grey once more, and Ash felt like he had lied to himself and the others in his dream.
All they did the next couple days was wander, vaguely following the scrapbook Poppy left for them. Most that was left of the memorial tome consisted of specific people Poppy met, and every other place she mentioned, Prowlus deemed too dangerous to visit.
One day, while everyone sat around a campfire telling stories and laughing, Ash suddenly threw the scrapbook at a tree.
"Ash!" Harper gasped. Prowlus hurriedly retrieved the book, checking it for damage but finding none.
"What is the matter, my prince?" Sir Tandeth asked.
Ash brought his knees to his chest. "We finished the scrapbook."
"Is that bad?" Gris asked.
"I still don't have my colors; so, yeah, I'm going to say that's bad." Ash grumbled.
"Ash, may I bring up the option to visit the mountain trolls?" Harper suggested.
"If the wing trolls couldn't help with their magic, what makes you think the mountain trolls can help when they have no magic at all?" Ash scoffed.
"Don't give up hope, my liege." Sir Tandeth encouraged. "And do not forget you have accomplished many things."
Ash shrugged. "Nothing big."
"Maybe not to you." Finny said. "But for the people you've helped, it's kind of awesome."
Ash glanced to her, and then to Iris and Sir Tandeth. He cracked a grin. "Yeah, that is pretty cool." He looked back to Finny, and his eyes traveled to the feathered poncho she wore. Except he knew it wasn't a poncho; but, rather, it was her only remaining wing. It had been three days since Finny saved him and inadvertently revealed her damaged wings, but Ash hadn't found the right time to ask about it.
Finny caught his gaze, and she sighed. "I guess I should tell you, huh?"
"If you want to." Ash shrugged.
Finny unwrapped her wing from her shoulders. She folded the wing similarly to how Ebony did, and everyone got a better look at the lovely appendage. The feathers were pure white and looked fluffy. The wing didn't make a sound as it moved. The stump, where the second wing once rested, didn't move, and was black with scar tissue. Finny's shirt was open in the back to allow the wings to move freely.
Finny blushed a little at everyone's awed expressions. "I used to have two wings. I guess when a mountain troll and wing troll have a baby, this is what her wings look like. I used to be able to fly above the treetops and dance in the clouds. Sometimes I'd go out flying and not come back for hours. Learning was easy. My parents couldn't exactly teach me, so I watched the birds. Then I just flew. It was like it came naturally to me."
'So what happened to your wing?' Prowlus asked, which Harper translated for Finny.
"I was in an accident." Finny explained. "We were attacked by growl beasts, and one of them swiped its claws at me. I tried to fly away, but he got one of my wings, and I blacked out. When I woke up, Dad had bandaged my back, and I only had one wing left." She glanced skyward to the stars. "I wish I could fly again."
Finny couldn't stay sad for long with everyone comforting her. Soon, the happy stories resumed, and everyone went to sleep peacefully. Except Ash, of course, who tossed and turned the entire night and became rather grouchy the next morning. The travelers started walking again, in no particular direction even though Harper subtly steered them towards the mountains. They encountered a few non-dangerous creatures and even had to creatively cross a river together. Aside from that, nothing much happened.
Whereas most of the travelers were thankful for some quiet times—a break between adventures, if you will—Ash's frustration bubbled up inside him like a pot boiling on the stove. Prowlus and Eclipse, the most intuitive of the group, noticed this and did what they could to get Ash to release that ire before it exploded. When they stopped for lunch, Eclipse pulled Ash to a more secluded area a short distance away where he could safely practice magic.
Eclipse drilled him, giving him pointers as he performed the spells. After he had released some of that built-up tension, Eclipse spoke. "Tell me what troubles you, my little prince."
"You're pretty smart. You ought to know already." Ash said, still practicing his magic.
"You are so young, Ash, yet you put so much adult-level pressure on yourself." Eclipse mused. "You also have done so many brave things other children your age could not or would not do."
"Yeah, I get it, I'm awesome and I'm doing great things and I'm probably making Mom and Dad really proud." Ash growled. "If I'm doing all this, if I'm being a troll in the simplest sense, why am I like this?" Ash gestured to himself, indicating his grey skin and black hair. "Why can't I look like a normal troll? Why can't I fit in if I'm acting like I do?"
"Ash, you are forgetting that you were born like this." Eclipse reminded him. "You are forgetting that it is a miracle you were born at all. Malcolm tried to kill you before you even came into the world." She knelt in front of him and touched the fire-shaped red mark on his chest. "You know this mark, yes? You know what happened the day you were forced into life?"
"Yeah." Ash heard the story before, after he asked about the strange birthmark he had. "Grandpa Peppy's brother was crazy and he decided to hurt Grandma by killing me. Creek saved my life, and that's how I got this mark. It came from his Phoenix Tear Crystal. And I guess I wasn't in my birthing pod long enough to develop my colors, so I've been grey since the day I was born."
Eclipse nodded. "Please allow me to be blunt, my darling. If you develop your colors at all, it will take time and patience. You must wait for them to form, and that takes much longer outside the birthing pod, where it's done naturally."
"That's what everyone tells me!" Ash snapped. He took a second to calm himself. He hated losing his temper in front of his great-grandmother. "Everyone says, 'Be patient. Take some time.' Well I've waited ten years! I'm tired of waiting! I'm tired of feeling like an outsider in my own home."
"I understand."
"Do you? Were you born grey, too?"
"No, but I was born with magic. When I was your age, magic was still seen as dangerous witchcraft. I couldn't reveal my powers to anyone. We both know what happened when I did."
"If Great-Grandpa Wolfrick was so mean, why was he never grey?"
"Being grey has nothing to do with meanness. It had everything to do with happiness. The things that make you happy, make you who you are. You are a special circumstance."
"But I just want to be like everyone else." Ash accepted Eclipse's hug. "Why can't I just fit in?"
Eclipse and Ash kept their talk to themselves. Though she had hoped their talk would alleviate Ash's chagrin, Eclipse discovered her plan had only briefly cooled him. Ash had a bit more stomp in his step, and he snapped at anyone who questioned his choice of direction. Ash either didn't notice the hurt looks from his friends, or he didn't care. He was distracted while they walked, and didn't exactly pay attention to which direction they traveled. He wracked his brain, trying to think of how he could get his colors to appear. Every time he looked down at his grey hands and feet, he just got madder.
I can't go back to the Troll Tree still grey! He thought as he walked. Why is this taking so long? This shouldn't be so complicated!
When night fell, Harper managed to convince Ash they should rest and find somewhere to sleep. Ash agreed, and Prowlus and Harper got everyone organized. A fire was made, sleeping bags were pulled out, and Gris and Steve did a perimeter check for any potential dangers. Sir Tandeth even cooked for everyone.
Ash sat alone, a short distance away from the others as they jovially conversed around the fire. He scribbled in the dirt with a stick. There was no use in figuring out a plan. His thoughts swirled around his greatest fear: that he would remain a grey troll forever.
Iris and Sir Tandeth finally approached him. Iris smiled a little. "Hey, kid. We're sharing stories around the fire. That bergen boy...uh, Gris, is it?" She looked to Sir Tandeth, who nodded in confirmation. "He's telling us the most hilarious story about his dad's pet crocodile, Barnabas. Why don't you join us?"
"No thanks." Ash said.
"My liege, we understand you must be frustrated." Sir Tandeth said. "But look at all the incredible things you have done on your journey! You saved the wing troll princess from those revolting reptilians. You coaxed me from the Fearsome Forest. You've performed many fantastic feats of magic."
"You found the lost prince and princess. Erika and Icestorm?" Iris added. "And you're taking great care of their kid. You saved me, Ash, and gave me another chance. Why are you not happy about all that? You should be proud of yourself."
"I know I apparently did a lot of great things." Ash said. "But I haven't done the one thing I need to do. I haven't accomplished the one thing that's the very reason why I came on this quest."
Iris crouched to be more at his eye-level. "Hey, what's so bad about being grey? Especially if you were born like that. I was grey most of my life, and I don't think it really contributed much."
"The trolls in Moonlight Kingdom were all grey because everyone was miserable." Ash reminded her.
"I know." Iris sighed. "I just don't know how to make you feel better. You're really good at making everyone else feel less bad about themselves. I wish you could do the same for yourself."
Ash curled up in a ball and turned away from them. "We would love to have you join us, my prince. But we will respect your need for space." Sir Tandeth gestured for Iris to follow him, and they returned to the fire. Ash glared at the darkness of the forest, brooding. He wasn't particularly happy to see Prowlus come over next.
"What do you want?" Ash demanded.
'To check on my little brother.' Prowlus signed with a gentle look in his eyes. 'I know you are frustrated, Ash. But this has been fun, right?'
"Yeah, I guess." Ash said. "But I still didn't do what I came out here to do. Everything I've done so far has been great, but it's like taking a bunch of side missions that don't really matter."
'It does matter, Ash. How can not getting your colors yet distract you so much from all the greatness you've done?'
"You don't understand."
'I am trying to understand, Ash, if you will just help me.'
Ash stood and turned away from his brother. "Just leave me alone." Prowlus put a hand on Ash's shoulder, but the boy shoved him off. "Stop it! Stop trying to comfort me! I don't need someone to tell me everything will be okay! I don't need someone reassuring me constantly. I need my colors! But I'm not getting them and I don't know why!"
'It's because you were born this way!' Prowlus made sure Ash looked at him. 'I need to be completely honest with you, Ash. You were born grey. You never got the chance to fully develop. These colors you have now may be your true colors. It's horrible, I'm sure, and it must be so hard to feel like you don't fit in. But you might just be this way forever, and you have to accept that!'
"Don't you get it?!" Ash demanded. "That's my worst fear! My worst fear is that these are my true colors, and I'll be grey forever! I'm next in line for the throne! Rosie's running her own kingdom, so it's up to me! But nobody will take a grey king seriously, so it'll probably be you who will be king!"
'Do you fear that you will not be king simply because you are grey?' Prowlus asked. 'I have made it clear to Father and Mother that I have no interest in being king. You were part of the family before I was, and it is your birthright.'
"But who will listen to a grey king?" Ash demanded. "Who will respect an outcast as their leader?"
Prowlus stared at him with pity. 'You are putting too much pressure on yourself, and I don't know how to help you, Little Brother.' He tried to hug Ash, but the child shied away from him. Hurt, Prowlus sighed and returned to the fire.
Ash leaned against a tree, staring off into the darkness. He didn't mean to hurt anyone. But nobody would give him answers. Or, at least, he never got the answers he wanted. His mission was beginning to feel like a waste of time. What would he say to his family if he returned without his colors?
Who am I?
Feel like I'm back at the beginning
And, deep down, don't think I can be king
Is there nothing more that I can do?
Must I accept what they know is true?
Am I doomed to be grey until I die?
Who am I?
As the travelers moved on the next morning, there was a very evident tension in the air. Ash marched violently as he led the way. Nobody knew for sure if he had any idea of where he was going, or if he intended to go a certain way. Not that anyone would question him now. He was in too bad a mood, and not exactly open to hearing anything. None of the travelers wanted to invoke his anger, either to avoid a tense argument or because they didn't want to deal with a tantrum from an eleven-year-old.
The travelers reached the base of the mountains, as Harper hoped. Before them was a trail leading up the mountains and the entrance to a large cavern.
"Come on. Let's check this place out." Ash walked right into the cave, and his friends had to scramble to catch up. While some might've protested, they realized the cave was rather pretty on the inside. When they left the light behind them, they created torches from the kindling in their supplies to illuminate their path. The interior of the cave had gemstones and crystals embedded in the walls, stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and stalagmites stretching up from the ground.
Eclipse disappeared, and then reappeared after a few minutes. "Good news! This is not a cave! It's a tunnel! The exit leads out and up into the mountains!"
"Great!" Gris said.
"Yeah! We can explore this and pop out right where we want to be." Harper said.
"Yeah, great." Ash kept walking. He felt his compact mirror vibrate, but he stuffed the enchanted object into his bag and ignored the call from his parents. Normally, he'd be open to chatting with them. But not right now. He'd call them back later.
The cave was certainly beautiful, even if Ash didn't notice. Everyone paused when they came to a fork in the road.
"We go down this way." Eclipse pointed to the right. "That leads to the exit."
"I want to go this way." Ash gestured to the left. "I bet it's a shortcut."
"It's not. I tried that way." Eclipse assured.
"Well, I want to see what's in there." Ash said.
"I would not advise it, my liege." Sir Tandeth said. He inspected the walls of the path Ash wanted to take. "This way is too dangerous. No need to put ourselves in unnecessary danger."
"It's fine." Ash insisted as he started down the left tunnel, which was a bit smaller than the rest of the cavern.
"Ash, I don't think that's a good idea." Harper said, Prowlus nodding in agreement.
"Then you guys can keep going. I'll meet you outside." Ash called over his shoulder.
"Ash, wait!" Harper called.
"I will go with him, milady." Sir Tandeth assured, following Ash. "Go on, all of you, if you wish. We will meet up again later."
The other travelers exchanged looks. "I think we'll go with him." Harper said.
"I can stay here with the animals." Gris offered.
"Then I'll be a go-between so we can stay in touch." Eclipse said. Gris sat against the wall with Steve and Ebony. Harper, Prowlus, and Iris hurried after Ash and Tandeth.
"Nice to see you guys aren't total chickens." Ash snickered.
"There's a difference between being cowardly and being cautious." Harper muttered.
"Do you see anything dangerous down here?" Ash demanded.
"Sometimes dangers are unseen, my liege." Sir Tandeth said. "Though not always unheard, especially in an echoing cavern."
Clack…..clack…..click clack
That was the sound of a rock hitting the walls and the floor. Everyone froze when they heard scratching on the stone.
"We should go." Iris urged. "I lived in the Western Woods my entire life, and this place is giving me the creeps."
"It's nothing." Ash didn't sound so confident anymore.
More scratching, and a soft hissing.
"I would advise a quick retreat to our friends, my prince." Sir Tandeth said.
"No. We're fine." Ash looked around wildly, shining his torch in various corners of the cave. "There's nothing down here that can hurt us."
"Ash, let's go." Harper insisted.
"I've got magic! Nothing can hurt us while I can do this!" He created a sparkling ball of fire in his hand and he threw it down the tunnel.
The light from the fireball illuminated the hall just enough to reveal creatures that looked like a cross between a bat and a cat.
Everyone screamed out of fear, which only riled the creatures more. They flew down, screeching, and the trolls and Sir Tandeth scattered a bit to avoid them. Sir Tandeth had the advantage of being much taller than the trolls, and he drew his sword to cut the creatures out of the air. He was careful to aim high, where there was no risk of hitting one of his friends. The creatures bit and scratched at them. Eventually, they managed to run. Prowlus, Harper, and Iris took off for Gris, Steve, and Ebony. Sir Tandeth and Ash tried escaping, but only ran further down the tunnel. Ash fired blasts randomly. He then created a wall of ice between the creatures and him and Sir Tandeth.
Sir Tandeth suddenly stopped, and Ash skidded to a halt. "What are you doing?"
"You must keep going! Find a way out!" Sir Tandeth ordered. "I will defeat them!"
"There's too many of them!" Ash could hear the ice wall breaking. It wasn't strong enough to hold the creatures out. "And Eclipse said there's a dead end down here!"
"I am sure you will be all right. But I must protect you from these creatures or you'll be killed!"
"If I leave you here, you'll be killed!"
"You must leave me, my prince. I must fulfill my duty."
"I won't abandon you!"
Sir Tandeth sighed. "Loyalty is a quality all good knights must possess. You'd make a good knight, my prince." He twirled his sword in his hand, and he stabbed it into a crack in the wall. He jerked the sword hard, and the crack traveled upwards to the ceiling. The stalactites began to crumble.
"Don't do this!" Ash pleaded.
Sir Tandeth grabbed Ash by his vest. "Be safe, my prince! Escape!" He threw Ash farther down the tunnel. Ash tumbled and rolled, and then scrambled to run back to Sir Tandeth. The black knight moved out of the way of the falling stalactites, and he turned to face the creatures as they flew for him.
The rocks fell and completely blocked the tunnel, kicking up dust.
Ash coughed as he pounded on the rocks. "Tandeth! Sir Tandeth, please! You can't do this!" Ash struggled to move the rocks. When his tried to blast them away, his magic came out weak. Ash felt tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks. His torch had gone out, and it was so dark in the tunnel. He fished a spare glow stick from his hair to light his way. He started running, wanting to escape and to get as far away from the massacre no doubt happening on the other side of the rocks. He whimpered a little, scared of whatever might jump from the darkness.
"Harper! Prowlus!" his voice echoed down the tunnel. "Nonna? Gris? Iris? Anyone?" Nothing except his own voice flying ahead of him. He still cried. His glow stick light would only shine a short radius around him.
Because of that, he didn't see the drop-off. Instead, he fell off it.
Ash wildly reached for something and somehow managed to grab the edge of a rock. His glow stick fell down, down, down, down into the darkness, a little green light getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared. Ash saw nothing. Only blackness all around him. His legs dangled. When he swung them forward, backward, and to the sides, he still didn't feel rock. He just hung there, unable to know how to climb up and how far he fell down.
"Mommy! Dad!" Ash cried. "Please, someone help me!"
He lost his grip, and he fell. He couldn't scream anymore, and he prayed his death would be painless.
But instead of hitting rock, Ash hit water. He hardly had a second to hold his breath. He had a slight sensation of sinking. It was still too dark to see anything.
Then, there was a light! He could see a faint glow below him. When he got closer, a current grabbed the boy and pulled him into the light. It turned out to be another tunnel, this one full of crystals that glowed with a soft blue light. Ash felt an uncomfortable sensation in his chest from holding his breath for so long, and he hoped the flow would at least push him out soon so he could get some air.
He did get his wish: the undertow literally spit him out the other side, and he flew up from the water's surface. He landed on something that felt like sand, and he coughed harshly. Ash breathed deeply, turning onto his back and staring at the glowing crystals that covered the ceiling. His eyes fluttered shut, and he succumbed to his exhaustion.
Voices came from a smaller tunnel behind Ash, which he never had time to notice before passing out.
"You think the current caught anything else today?"
"As long as it's not another one of those bat things. They're creepy even when drowned."
"Hey, what's that?"
"Great stars above! It's a kid!"
"I thought we told those kids it's not safe down here!"
"Wait, look! Here's a backpack. In fact, I've never seen this kid in the kingdom before."
"You know, you're right. That's weird."
"Let's get him to the king. Quickly!"
Song: "Who Am I" reprise 2