The Shadowlands
The Lost Boys
By: Alchemystik
" Let me go! " Wyatt yelled, struggling against the arm that held him. He could hear Chris crying, and he struggled all the more furiously. No one picked on his little brother! Chris was scared, and that just made Wyatt madder.
" Ye just settle yourself, young master! " An old man's voice said in a friendly manner, " No one's going to hurt ye or the wee one. "
The man nudged open the door to the small cottage just inside the gate, and placed the two boys down. As he turned to close the rough hewned door, Wyatt grabbed ahold of Chris and pulled him close.
" You ok? " Wyatt asked in a low voice, and Chris gulped once and nodded.
The two small boys huddled together on the packed earth floor as the old man closed and bolted the door and stumped over to the big fireplace that filled the back wall of the cottage. He leaned over and stirred the logs, sending a flash of light and warmth into the room.
Wyatt looked around the room, fearfully. It was dark and smoky; all he could see was a long wooden table with two benchs and a big chair with carved arms. Two candles stood on the table, casting their light upon one of the biggest books the two boys had ever seen! It was even bigger than the Book of Shadows that sat in their Attic at home...
" Well, now. " The man said, turning to face them, " And who might you two be? "
Chris pressed closer to his big brother, staring up at the man standing over them. He was tall and very skinny, with long white hair tied back in the way that Mama sometimes wore her hair. Some kind of tail, but Chris couldn't remember exactly what the word was. The man had a long white beard, too, and little glasses that perched right on the end of a long pointy nose. He was wearing a long blue...dress?
Men didn't wear dresses here, did they?!
" Wy! " Chris whispered, " Why is he wearin' a dress? "
" Shh! " Wyatt whispered back, crossly, and then looked up at the man, who was waiting patiently.
" I'm Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, and this is my little brother Chris. "
" Hmmm..." The man murmured, and then made his way to the big chair. " Well, come along, sit down here by the fire, then. Tell me why you're here, my small travelers. "
Wyatt tugged on Chris's hand, leading him to the bench the man was pointing to. He might be a " Stranger " , but he seemed kind and there was something familiar about him. Something that made both boys feel at ease.
" Are ye hungry? " The man asked, and Wyatt was about to say no, just to be polite, when Chris's stomach rumbled. The younger boy giggled shyly as the man grinned at him, and Wyatt nodded.
" Yes, we're hungry...Sir. "
Manners, Mama always told them. Mind your manners at all times.
" Hmm..." The man said again, and then snapped his fingers. In an instant warm bread and butter appeared, along with big cups with handles that held warm apple cider.
" You're magic! " Chris cried, excitedly, and Wyatt relaxed. This was why the man seemed familiar...
He was magical, too.
Leo took a sip of coffee and smiled as his wife chatted on and on about their sons, the sisters, the club, the demons who had stopped by, everything that had happened in his absence.
Finally, when she paused for a breath, he stretched and stood up. The sun had risen, but as tired as he was, he couldn't wait another moment to see his two boys.
But just as he told Piper he'd be right back down, Phoebe burst into the kitchen followed closely by Paige.
" Leo! " Phoebe shrieked, throwing her arms around him, while Paige hugged him from the other side.
" So, tell us! How did the mission go? Are the Goblins going to behave or not? " Paige asked.
" Oh, never mind about that! " Phoebe said, plunging into her rendition of the events that had taken place, and with a sigh, Leo sank back down in his chair. The boys would be up shortly...
What was a few more minutes?
"...so, I told Chris we need to get taught, and since Merlin was the best Wizard ever, he should be the one to do it. I guess we messed up the spell, 'cause it was 'pose to take us to Merlin. "
Wyatt shrugged, then popped the last bite of bread into his mouth while the old man, whose name was Ferric, nodded with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.
" Well, your spell worked just fine, Wyatt. " Ferric said, kindly, " For the big castle is indeed Merlin's home. The problem is that Merlin rarely visits here anymore. "
" Why not? " Chris asked, then yawned hugely. After being up all night, and all the excitement of their journey, the little boy was exhausted.
Ferric stood up and snapped his fingers again. The boys found that their wooden bench had just become a soft bed, with lots of warm covers.
" You two need a short rest, so come along, off with the boots and breeches and I'll tell you the story of Merlin and Vivienne..."
Both boys obeyed, too tired to argue. As the crawled back into the bed and pulled the covers up, Ferric stirred the fire once more.
" Now then. Many years ago, when Merlin was a younger man, he used to spend many days and nights in the forest, for he said you can learn much from the creatures who live there. "
" Like the deer? " Wyatt asked, his eyes shining. This was even better than Mom's bedtime storybook! A REAL Wizard was telling them the story of the REAL Merlin!
Ferric smiled, and sat back down in his chair, reaching for his pipe. Lighting it from one of the guttering candles, he leaned back and blew smoke rings into the air.
" Not quite like deer, young one. I'm speaking of Satyrs and Elves, and, of course, Fairies. "
The two brothers looked at each other and nodded solemnly. Only a real magic guy would know about fairies. One had come to their house once, but she was very little and spoke in a funny way. Mama and Aunt Phoebe had talked with her, while Aunt Paige took them outside. When Wyatt had asked about the fairy, Aunt Paige said that she was a Princess who needed help defeated the trolls who were always trying to eat the fairies.
Wyatt had thought about that, and then had asked Aunt Paige if fairies tasted good. She had laughed and explained that some magical creatures ate others not as food, but as a means of gaining strength and power.
Wyatt thought that was kinda boring, so he hadn't asked anymore. Now, they were going to hear more about the magical creatures.
Ferric continued, " There are many different types of magical creatures, and some fairies are small and not very bright, while the Fairy Folk look like humans, and are extremely intelligent.
Now, the Fairy Folk in this part of our world kept pretty much to themselves. You can't see them unless you really pay attention, and they didn't have much to do with the likes of humans. To them, humans were little better than barbarians. "
" What's that? " Chris piped up, and Ferric explained;
" A barbarian is a person who...let's see..."
" I know! " Wyatt said, excitedly. " It's like a guy who chews with his mouth open and doesn't say please and thank you! "
" No manners? " Chris asked, cocking his head.
" Nope, no manners. " Wyatt told him and Ferric laughed.
" Close enough. Well, one day when Merlin was a young man, he came acrossed a lovely lady sitting by a beautiful little lake. This was Vivienne, the Fairy Folk Princess; one look at her and Merlin was lost. The King & Queen were against their daughter marrying a mortal, but once they realized that Merlin was talented Wizard, they gave their consent. "
Chris had fallen asleep, but Wyatt waited breathlessly. This was so cool! Better than Mom's dumb ole storybook.
" Then what happened?! " Wyatt asked, urging Ferric onward.
Ferric smiled at the enthusiasm, but quickly looked sober. " Now, you know well enough that there is many types of magic. White magic, which was what Merlin practiced, and darker magic...which Vivienne preferred. "
Wyatt's mouth made a soundless " Oh "! Vivienne used dark magic, and his parents and aunts had told him that he never ever had anything to do with people like that.
Ferric nodded, " It broke Merlin's heart, and he tried desperately to turn her to the side of light. Vivienne loved her husband, and for awhile gave up the practice of dark magic, but..."
" Once you visit the dark side, it's difficult to leave it behind. Now, Vivienne lives high on a mountain, ruling as one of the darkest Sorcerers this land has every known. Her mountain and the valley below it is known as The Shadowlands. "
" Where's Merlin? " Wyatt broke in, anxious to hear the answer. " We came here to see Merlin, to get taught by him! "
Ferric shrugged, " Merlin lives deep in the forest, in a small cottage just like this one. He works to keep the people in this land safe from Vivienne's dark magic. "
Wyatt's head drooped; he was so tired! Merlin wasn't too far away, and maybe after a little nap, Ferric would tell him and Chris how to get there.
Ferric stood up and gently pushed Wyatt down next to his sleeping brother.
" Rest, young one. Rest and I will be here when you awaken. "
Wyatt nodded and snuggled down into the warm covers. In an instant, he, too, had drifted off...
Leo stood up again, and made his way to the kitchen door.
" Where are you going? " Phoebe asked from her perch on the kitchen table.
Leo smiled and stretched his tired muscles, " I'm going to see my boys, I missed them alot. "
Phoebe looked at Piper and then back at Leo, a puzzled look on her face.
" The boys aren't upstairs, I thought they were in the sunroom watching t.v. "
" What do you mean they're not upstairs? " Piper asked, moving towards the door.
As she and Leo raced from the room towards the stairs, everyone's heart beat faster.
Paige and Phoebe searched the downstairs rooms, and met the worried parents on the upstairs landing.
Phoebe shook her head, " Nothing. "
" Their backpacks are gone, and so are their jackets. " Leo observed, " Wherever they are, it looks like they left voluntarily. "
Piper was picking up dirty clothes, trying to get a feel for whatever else could be missing from the room. Something that could be a clue.
Phoebe and Paige joined Piper as Leo finished searching the upstairs rooms and the Attic.
Phoebe reached for the book laying by the side of the bed, and gasped as a premonition hit her.
" What?! " Piper asked, anxiously, What did you see?! "
Phoebe held up the book and pointed mutely towards the picture of the forest and castle on the cover.
" They're in the woods?! " Piper shrilled, and stumbled backwards into Paige's arms.
" No. " Phoebe told her, shaking her head. " They went to visit Merlin. "
" Merlin?! " Piper gasped, tears starting to flow down her cheeks, " How can they go see a fictional character?! "
" Merlin was real. " A stricken Leo said from the doorway. " But, we need to find them before they wander too close to the Shadowlands. "
" The Shadowlands? " Paige queried, looking confused. " What's that? "
" A place where all thoughts and dreams come true; whether you want them to or not. " A somber Leo answered.
Piper looked striken and collapsed in Phoebe's arms, but Paige exchanged a look fraught with significance with Leo...
Wyatt possessed the power of thought projection. Who knows what beings could eminate from that young and talented mind?