Flash Fiction #677 -- Forgotten/11

 

Gargoyles began swirling through the sky, and it was difficult to tell which way they would come at the group. Cita drew her weapon, which was just a reflex to danger. There might be hundreds of the gargoyles above them, and it wouldn't be long before they began picking up the humans and their companions.

Farlyn had a different idea. If he shared it with Tennon, the rest of them didn't know it. All Cita saw was the Dragon scrambling up rocks and then throwing himself over the edge of a cliff. She let out an involuntary cry of surprise and shock just as the Dragon caught the updraft of a breeze and used it to propel himself toward the attackers. He soon spiraled his way into the mass, sending gargoyles tumbling through the air and either far down the cliff or onto the trail near the group.

I finally gave Cita something to fight, and Urdo quickly joined her. She wanted to see what the others were doing, but gargoyles kept tumbling in around her, and some of them were not nearly as stunned as she would hope.

If Cita had been fighting at the side of just humans, they never would have survived, let alone won the battle. She never saw quite what Lady Kerinis did, but there were times when the sky lit in a bright yellow light and dozens of gargoyles tumbled lifelessly to the ground. All that she'd heard in the past said that the Fae were dangerous enemies and fierce warriors. Cita wondered, given her background, if she shouldn't update some of those tales because they were far too mild. Even quiet Tennon had let go of some of his inhibitions and attacked anything that came near them with a fierceness she had not expected.

Cita had also not expected to win. Only a handful of gargoyles survived to circle high in the air and then disappear into the shadows. Most of the creatures had been destroyed by magic, but the three humans had done their part as well. Now, with the immediate danger past, Cita felt as if all energy had abandoned her. She staggered back against the boulders only to find that she had wounded her shoulder, and her arm certainly didn't want to work.
Cita had not expected Tennon to join her, sitting on the ground. The battle was all but won, and no one needed their help. Cita thought the fae lady enjoyed the challenge.

"Why did I think I was forgotten?" Tennon asked as if Cita knew how such things worked.

Maybe she did. Spite with something they all understood.

"You believed it because someone wanted you to believe it. Someone was jealous of your status as the Fae and a Godling."

Two dead gargoyles tumbled past them, but Tennon never noticed.  "How is this so obvious to you, who hardly knows me?"

"I have an outside view. I can guess at the wider picture.  I might not be right.  Be open to other answers."

He nodded, but she suspected he thought he had the answer already. Pieces of the puzzle had begun to fall into place, and they were not pieces of myth, either.  They could all understand jealousy, especially of someone who remained so polite.

Despite the bad timing, Cita decided to press on with her questions.  She was only stopped because Urdo and Atora scrambled down to where they were sitting.

"No, no.  Don't get up. We took care of the problem.  You two just rest," Urdo said as he leaned against the cliffside.

Atora shook her head and went to work on tending wounds. Cita was glad to see nothing more than Farlyn in the air. Nothing would take them by surprise.

Lady Kerinis had scouted ahead on the trail. She came back looking worried.  "There is a new trail up ahead of us.  Rock troll built and leading into the wilderness.  This is Dragonland,lderness.  This is dragonland and I fear to know what they may have found and are trying to guard for themselves."

"Nesting grounds," Tennon said with a worried look at Farlyn.  "Do the dragons know?"

"Farlyn wouldn't be here if they did," Atora answered.

"And now I do know."

Cita looked up. Farlyn made remarkably little noise for something so large. He also floated well.

"My friend," Tennon said as he started to stand.

"No. Atora and I will go to find the other dragons.  You stay with these fine people.  There are Dragons involved, Tennon.  You are the only one with a chance of helping the dragons understand that they are not enemies.  And you dare not go on without them; don't even think it.  This is a dangerous magical problem.  Neither of us could name the enemy."

"Why Atora?" Cita asked.

"The same as before. She has a naturally calm disposition.  Now go.  Find the nesting grounds and save the eggs.  We will join you soon."

Atora calmly grabbed a wing and pulled herself up to the neck.  They flew away.

Tennon stood.  He looked unsteady.

"I guess we have our orders. Let's find the troll trail and hope for the best."

Cita didn't want to consider what might be the worst.

Flash Fiction #676 -- Forgotten/10

 

What they did was walk.  It was a long way to the mountains -- but they had a shortcut.

"Fae anchors,"Tennon explained. "Lady Kerinis -- my mother -- locks onto the next link and pulls us there. That is why the scenery changes and how we can hope to not draw attention. Otherwise, we would be most of the year just to get to the base of the mountains."

"And what will find there?" Sita asked.

Tennon started to say something, and from the frown on his face, she wasn't going to like what he said.

"Sita --"

"If you are about to tell me that the rest of us should stay behind, be aware that if I hear that one more time I am going to start thinking we don't need to take you along on the rest of this adventure."

Tennon looked startled. His mother gave an amused laugh and stepped back beside them. "This is where you learn you cannot do everything alone, my son. I have to admit, it is a lesson a long time coming."

"I work with others!" he protested. "Farlyn --"

"And even  with him, you managed to get him posted far from you."

"That worked best for both of us," he answered.  "At least until now."

"It may be that it was a good choice even now," she answered. "The two of you not being caught together may be our best hope. Let us see what happens."

Then with a slight nod, they moved on again. This time Sita could tell they were much closer to the mountains. 

"Matters will get far more dangerous in the mountains," the lady said. "We must go to the highest spot to find the Dragon nests. What we find there will affect everything we do afterward."

Cita noted that she did not sound as if she expected to find anything good. That attitude was noted by everyone and even Faarlyn glanced her way with growing despair. Tennon just marched onward as though he would take the next leap without them. All of their conflicting emotions seem to be caught by the wind dancing around them. Cita wondered if that might not be literally true. She traveled with fae, godlings, and dragons on this strange journey. Who knew what magic did with their emotions?

That thought turned her to her own emotional outburst. She could feel a surge of anger beneath all the other emotions and expectations. She. All that beneath the feeling of relief that the travel was going so well. Almost immediately, Cita could pick out some of the worst emotions from others.

"Urdo, please calm your temper," she suggested. When he turned her glare in her direction, she shook her head and kept her place."fae, my friend. Our emotions are getting out of hand because of the magic. We need calm. All of us need calm."

Lady Kerines turned to her with a slight look of confusion. "You seem to know a lot about Fae. Is that more common in humans these days? They never seemed much interested in the Fae back when I still spend time among them. They certainly never try to understand us."

Cita could see that everyone wanted a break before they tackled the mountains. She wasn't certain why she was anxious to get going and find out what happened to the dragons. It could not have been anything good, not with this ongoing mess that they dropped into. On the other hand, the lady had a point about humans understanding Fae. Besides, it might help that they understood each other little better.

"My reality is a long ways from this one and even farther from the one where my team and I joined up with Tennon.  When I was in my teens, I accidentally stepped through what I later found out was a male between two realities or realms as they're known here. If I had stepped right back out, I would've still been home. However..."

"Home was boring," Tennon finished for her.

"Exactly. Once I was over the line, I realized I'd never been made for middle-class family the most exciting event was settling down to watch our favorite movie together. Yes, I do miss that sometimes. Just the same, I am living the life of those movies rather than just watching them and I long ago decided I couldn't give that up. I walked away from the veil and I never went back. However, I didn't exactly fit in either. As soon as I got my head in order, I started doing my best to learn about the people around me."  
"And you done well from all I can tell," Lady Kerinis replied. She seemed to take the story well unlike Cita's two startled companions "what about you, my son? What reason did you have to leave home?"

Tennon made a slow turn to face his mother. His face had slightly paled in his eyes grown large as though he looked at something he didn't understand that all. The expression unsettled lady as well she started to stand but he waved her back down.

"I left because I had no choice. I was Forgotten."

"Never!" Lady Kerinis leapt to her feet and lightening flashed out of the clear sky. "How could you think such a thing?"

"Yona took me aside an told me," Tennon said. 

"Yona!  that sniveling little coward -- I'll make him wish he was Forgotten."

"Something we can discuss later," Tennon replied.  He looked upward.   "I fear I may have been wrong about the gargoyles."

They were launching themselves off the mountain and heading down toward the group. There were so many that Cita couldn't begin to count them. She wanted answers and this was just another delay along the road. She wasn't the only one who looked more annoyed than worried. 

Flash Fiction #675 -- Forgotten/9

 

Cita had questions.  By this point, she had so many questions that she had begun dividing them up into groups along with secondary lists.  She said nothing as they followed the fae an her army.  At least the trolls had quickly turned away and fled. When Urdo moved to walk with her, she almost suggested they head off into the wilderness with the trolls.

Then she caught site of the dragon as he gave Tennon, who was still unconscious, a worried look. She went back to mentally arranging her questions. Urdo said nothing and Atora walked beside her new friend, the dragon.

She didn't have enough questions to ask.

"I am sorry I couldn't stop to tell you what was going on when I left," Atora admitted and looked nervous. "Tennon said I was the best to go since I was the least upset. I suppose he was right. I was worried but I figured we'd handle it like everything else."

"You did the right thing. The rock trolls were not going to listen to reason until you and the Dragon arrived."

"I thought I should be scared about riding a Dragon, but by the time we got to that point I think I was just too emotionally exhausted to care. Besides, Farlyn was anxious to get back to his friend. I think he was worried enough for both of us."

"They make legends out of things like you did," Urdo added.

That won an appalled look from their companion and a laugh from Cita.

"By the time we're done, we might all be legends. I don't think that will really help with our work."

She doubted the others understood what she meant. Cita had never searched out the greater quests, happy to do searches for lost cities and ancient relics.  Temple leaders loved them, but could rarely pay well.   Her team had a reputation for solid work, though.

Would people expect legendary work now? 

Cita tried not to think about such a future.  She reminded herself that she didn't have a clue about how to get back home.  Cita had to trust Tennon to get them back where they belonged.  At least he was on his feet again.

Urdo was mumbling something.  It didn't sound like curses this time. He looked around with growing distrust.

Cita felt much the same way, and that wasn't helped when things began to change. In one step she went from scrubby grasslands to pine forest. Glancing back showed only forest.  The dragon soared over them, apparently oblivious to the changes. Or maybe he made them. Anything seemed possible.

Real and unreal no longer mattered.

Nothing mattered.

Cita slowed and stopped.  She noted that Tennon had moved to stand beside her as he waved the others to join them. Cita started to protest, but Tennon sat on the ground and signaled her to do the same.  Even the dragon found a place to land and joined them.


Tennon didn't waste time. Cita appreciated that about him, though she wondered what they were about to get into for him to be worried enough to stop them on the trail. The Dragon flopped down behind him, unsettling a layer of dust and bugs.

"Farlyn has told me some bothersome news," he admitted. "My friend can find no other dragons in this realm, although there should be hundreds of them."

"I thought they were just ignoring us," Tennon's mother answered with a look of embarrassment on her face. "Farlyn --"

"Gone," the Dragon whispered with such sorrow that everyone felt it. "They are not here. I must learn what happened to them."

"I am again offering to get three of you home," Tennon said.  "No, listen to me first. This is something far beyond the quest on which we started. I knew what we were looking for when we started. It's one thing to go looking for a fairly tame Dragon, and quite another to go hunting for the entire Dragon clan. There's no telling where they went and if they went at the urging of some enemy. Anything that could force dragons out of their lands has got to be very dangerous."

"Could they have retreated to another place?" Cita asked.

"Those mountains are our homeland," Farlyn said with a nod toward a distant line of darkness. "It is not a place we would journey away from and abandon everything we've become. Something dangerous has happened. I must search out the answer to why I can't find them. If they left on their own, the reason could be dangerous. If something forced them away, it is even worse. "

"Be wise and go your own way," Tennon said, but he looked at his mother this time.

"You need me," she said.  "You need all of us, but especially me."

"All of us," Cita said. She finally had a question to ask. "What do we do?" 

Flash Fiction #674 -- Forgotten/8

 

A waft of hot, dry air passed over Cita in the dark, and she could hear shouts from others. If this were death, it would pass quickly,

Then the darkness cleared.

She had forgotten the dragon.

No, she thought, her feelings still confused.  It was not possible that she had forgotten the very reason they were here. For a moment, she looked up and doubted the huge green creature she saw soaring above them. She doubted everything they had done to get here.

Tennon suddenly put a hand on her arm, and she felt an odd little sting. It did not clarify her thoughts, at least not at first. However, looking at Tennon brought new thoughts to her mind that helped to clear the way for others.

"Mage," she said, and hoped that made sense.

"It was clear from the start that they had some magic, or else they wouldn't be able to take Faylyn's stone.  I had to clear all thoughts of the Dragon from your minds or else he'd realize that Atora was not just escaping with the pretty babble."

"And she saved the Dragon and came back to us," Urdo said with a shake of his head.  

Cita understood that reaction. Until now, Atora had done little more than what was required of her during their journey. She was steady but unimaginative. Looking upward, Cita could see her companion riding the Dragon as it swept down on panicked rock trolls and sent them running again.

"This is madness," Cita decided. "But I think this means we have won?"

"I have one last matter to settle," Tennon replied. "And here comes Faylyn with just the one I wanted to talk to."

The Dragon circled once and then settled with a ground-shaking thump. It reached out with huge talons and daintily dropped a rock troll that landed face down on the ground before them.

"Mage Strongstone,"  Tennon said with a nudge of his foot.

The rock troll muttered something into the ground. Then he rolled over and slowly sat up.  Unlike the other trolls, he wore jewels and scarves and had a symbol of power etched into his forehead.  It glowed with changing colors, shifting from blue to green to red and back again.

He spoke before Tennon could. "I had no idea it was a dragon stone. Do I look that human? Let me rephrase that one.  Do I look that stupid?"

"And yet here you are, fighting us for it."

"King Orcsmitter sent us," Mage Strongstone said as he struggled to his feet. Cita realized he was not young. "My apprentice sensed something strong in this area.  The king gave me guards and told me to get here.  We had no idea we were dealing with dragons."

"That makes me wonder who set this up as bait and what they intended to catch," Cita added.
That stopped Tennon. He must have been ready to say something but he suddenly turned to the sky and shouted to Farlyn to land.

"I would guess it was set for the Godling," Urdo replied.  "The rest of us  are unimportant."

No one argued.  They were all watching for trouble, though. Cita Thought all the clouds look like strange creatures preparing to attack them. Forcing herself away from that fancy, Cita focused on the land around them instead. It did not help. Shadows appeared to move for no reason and she feared they were gathering at the base of some trees. She had been in dangerous situations before and could not figure out why this one so bothered her that she would imagine it to be worse.

It was the magic, she supposed. She had never dealt with mages very much, let alone dragons and Godlings. What good was Tennon, if all he did was bring them to this trouble? Cita turned to snarl some words at him, but realized in time that it would not help. Then she thought of the one question that might give them some answers.

"Is there something else that we have forgotten?" she asked.

"We have forgotten that this is home," Tennon replied.  He signaled Farlyn to him.  "And even I have allies here. I just have to draw their attention."

Before Cita could ask what that meant, Tennon dropped to his knees and put both hands to the ground.  "Blood calls to clan.  I request help."

He started to stand, but in that moment an army appeared, all of them with swords in hand.  Friend? Foe? Cita couldn't tell, especially since both Tennon and Farlyn both looked startled and worried.

A woman stepped forward. Unlike the others, her sword glowed blue with power. Cita stepped back from such power, even though the woman didn't come near her.

"So," the woman said. Se rested her sword on the ground like a walking stick and a circle of blue spread across the ground.  "At least you and Farlyn are still together."

"Mother," he began, but then faltered and stated to fall. She had to drop the sword to catch him.  

"I hate dramatics," she admitted as she gently lifted Tennon into her arms.  "Come along. Trouble will be on the way by now."

Flash Fiction #673 -- Forgotten/7

 

Mounds of dirt grew into small hills covered in rock and the sharp-edged stubble of long-dead plants. Cita could see no clear path, but Tennon pressed onward to higher hills.  Soon, they all had cuts on their legs and hands.

Atora had walked with Tennon for a few miles, but now she slowed until she was at the end of the line with Cita. They continued in silence for a while, but Cita thought her companion looked bothered.

"Is there something wrong?" Cita asked and then gave a slight laugh.  "Other than the obvious."

Atora looked amused.  "Tennon knows what he is doing."

"It is good to know one of us does."

Atora's face grew somber again.  "I don't want to fail.  That's all."

Before Cita could reply, Atora moved off to join Urdo for a while.

Was she making her farewells?  This coming battle would be the worst they had fought so far.  Some of them might not survive.  Cita wondered if she should do the same and apologize for bringing them here.

No. They could have walked away many times, even before Tennon suggested it. Now, with that green light shining brighter, it was not the time to abandon the work.

They walked on.  Closer.  Tennon looked back at them, but he said nothing.  She had expected one more attempt to dissuade them, but maybe it was too late. Cita began to hear a high-pitched buzzing noise, but it did not come from the crystal orb that held the stone. That multi-faceted ball hovered over a black pedestal, and Cita had the impression of invisible chains holding it there.

The area was barren except for the crystal and stand, and piles of dark rocks that might have marked some boundary. Atora and Urdo crossed to the display, but a flicker of lightning played along an invisible wall that held them from getting any closer.

The buzzing got louder, and something the size of her hand swept in front of her face.  Another followed.

Giant bees.

She swept one aside and down and prepared to slice it in half. 

Tennon caught her arm.  "While I appreciate your enthusiasm, maybe you could turn it to our enemies rather than allies."

She pulled back in haste. That's when she noticed the piles of rocks coming to life.  They faced rock trolls, and the giant bees were already in battle with them.

Urdo moved to her side, and they had downed two trolls before she realized that neither Atora nor Tennon was helping.  Tennon put his hands on the magic wall and destroyed it, and then quickly did the same to the crystal covering. Atora grabbed the stone as it tumbled. 

"Go!" Tennon shouted.

Atora started out at a run, the wave of Tennon's hand Center up into the air and flying. She not only moved quickly, but she was also soon out of reach of the rock trolls.

If those rock trolls hadn't then turned on Cita and Urdo, she might have watched with delight. Atora looked as if she might have been born to fly.

Tennon, she saw, was face down on the ground and in danger of being trampled. She still had questions for the Godling, so she went to stand over and protect him. Urdo, as always, kept to her side and fought off two trolls. It was hard to battle rock with metal, but they both slashed at vulnerable spots around the joints.

Eventually, trolls began to fall. Unfortunately, Urdo and Cita had both suffered from serious injuries by then. Their only hope came when Tennon struggled back to his feet with the long shard of crystal in his hand. He drove that makeshift weapon straight into the back of the troll's head, and it fell dead without a sound. Another troll charged him and won the crystal straight through his heart. By then, Tennon had bad cuts on both his hands. That didn't stop him from charging toward the next group of ten trolls.

Cita and Urdo joined him. The bees swarmed in behind them, and the trolls didn't like bees either. That was probably because they headed straight for the creatures' eyes. Tennon took advantage of the blinded trolls and killed two more. Then the mage went back down to his knees, and it was all Cita and Urdo could do to keep them safe. None of them would last much longer. Except for the bees, there was no sign of any other allies. However, Cita could see more trolls coming at a run across the grasslands.

"Urdo, you should --"

"If you say one more thing about leaving -- drop!"

Cita threw herself flat on the ground as Urdo stabbed. The rock troll granted and maybe cursed before he fell and landed on Cita.  It twitched once and then became a dead weight. Dead rock troll weight.

"Urdo --"

"Busy here."

Cita gasped out a curse and tried to pull herself out from under the body. She desperately tried to ignore the pain in her side. She had clawed about a hand's breadth forward when Urdo yelled a curse and fell over her and the dead troll.

And then the world went black.

Flash Fiction #672 -- Forgotten/6

 

They walked for the rest of the day—maybe more than a day, although the sun barely moved in the sky. They rested twice, with Tennon on guard duty while the humans slept. Grasslands gave way to scrub and desert, and Cita did not like the idea of walking across that landscape of mostly glaring rocks and sifting sands.

Even Tennon stopped in his relentless forward movement and gave the desert a scowl of distrust. Urdo scanned the area, and Atora appeared to be listening for something.  Cita saw nothing and only heard grains of sand moving over the rocks.  The slight breeze felt hot and dry enough to suck the sweat from a person.  

"We can't possibly --" Urdo began

"You know the way back.  Thank you for your help."

Tennon headed off into the desert. So, of course, they followed. Tennon glanced their way with a frown of disbelief and kept going, but within a mile, their companion began to falter and would have gone face down onto the rocks if Urdo hadn't caught him.

"You should go back," Tennon whispered.  "This is not your quest. I know this place now.  It is not good."

"You can't expect us to stop now," Cita replied, although she thought the words were madness. "But we had better come up with some way to survive."

"Tent," Tennon mumbled.

Cita thought that would have been wise months ago when they bought supplies for the trip. She almost said so, but stopped when Tennon pulled a small cloth from his pouch and shook it out. And shook it again. Each time, the fabric grew larger. Urdo caught one end and helped create a covering large enough for them all to shelter under it, though Tennon had to do some magic to create poles to hold it up.
Then he fell asleep.
The three of them settled near he opening to the tent and kept watch on the hot, dry land beyond.  They whispered a few words, but then fell silent when it bothered Tennon.

They each took turns guarding and resting.  The magic tent blocked the heat, and Cita had no trouble clearing a spot to rest.  She fell to sleep with remarkable ease.

The sun drifted low over the desert. Cita stood by the opening to the tent and scanned the landscape for the telltale shadows of distant buildings or the sparkling of village lights.  She saw nothing.

Tennon woke, then Urdo, and finally Atora.  They shared food, and Tennon finally stepped to the opening and stared out into a world lit only by a half-moon.

"So desolate. This used to be a lovely land."

"What happened?" Atora asked.

"Another group wanted it. The war destroyed everything, including defenders and attackers. This is what they left behind.  It was my mother's land. I did not realize the paths were taking me home."

Cita put a hand on his shoulder.  "Is this journey about Farlyn or is it about you?"

He stared blank-faced for a half-dozen heartbeats. Then Cita saw a slow change take place. She saw the young priest become far more powerful. His eyes blazed with anger. Cita took a step back in surprise rather than fright.

Then he blinked and became Tennon again.

"I have forgotten something," Tennon admitted. "I don't know if this is about me more about Farlyn. I don't think that really matters since we are both here. Can you see the glow in the distance?"

Cita could see a pinpoint of green straight out from the tent's opening.  She tried to quell the hope that they had nearly finished this quest. It had not been what they had set out to do.

This was far more important than the search for gold and jewels. She felt inadequate to the journey's end -- whatever that might be. Cita worried she would fail in the most important work of her life.

Maybe that feeling came from Tennon. How could she feel that way if she did not know what they were meant to do?  Did Tennon know?  Probably not, and that was enough to worry him.

They gathered up their few supplies.  Tennon folded up the tent and put it away. He stopped to look at the three over, but Atora took his arm and stopped him from speaking.

"It's no use," Atora told him.  "We're going with you.  Let's not waste time."

Cita and Urdo followed them, but at a distance.  Cita had questions, but when she looked at Urdo, the thoughts fled again.

"What do we believe?" she finally asked. "What do we trust?"

"We believe what we see for ourselves, and we trust him until we learn otherwise."

So, they still followed, even when the ground began to move.

Flash Fiction #671 -- Forgotten/5

 

Cita wasn't sure where she got the energy to leap at Tennon and grab him by his shoulders. She shook him several times.  

"What do you mean, first?" Cita demanded.

Tennon extricated himself from her hold and took a cautious step backward. "Magic -- rule of three. We have two more."

"Those flying monstrosities don't count?" Atora asked.

"Gargoyles. They were just defending their territory."

"What next?" Urdo asked with a nervous twitch of his head.

"They still have Farlyn's stone, so we follow it.  Yes, that might lead to a trap, but that is still better than wandering aimlessly. Unless you wish to go back? I can get you to the staircase.  It is a long climb, but I doubt the gargoyles will bother you if I am not there."

No one said anything.

So they followed Tennon. Cita tried to believe that their mage had a clue to where they must go.  Sometimes she thought she could see a hint of green in the distance and assumed that must be the stone.

Following Tennon started to seem like traveling in a constant circle. The landscape rarely changed, and when it did, it was not for the better. Nor was the journey helped by Tennon repeating tales of past adventures that seemed far too much like this one. That only made her think, even though that was part of the circle.

Then, in the blink of an eye, everything around them changed to a landscape of low hills covered in small fires that seemed to move on their own.

"Well," Tennon said as he looked around. "This is different."

Cita thought he sounded too assured, as if he believed his magic could take on anything. He had already used considerable power to get them this far. He acted as though he had infinite powers to draw upon, but Cita knew mages didn't work that way. Was a mage-priest any different?

Another thought intruded. Was it possible that Tennon was not anything like what they thought he might be?

She glanced his way and was shocked to find him nodding in her direction. "It took you long enough to figure that one out," he said. "I didn't mean to hide anything from you.  It just seemed as if there was no right time to explain. Watch out!"

Cita spun to find one of the fire creatures waving spindly arms at her. They shot out fireballs and sparks. She swept her blade at it out of habit before considering how the fire would react to metal.

Cita almost tossed the weapon aside before she realized it was not reduced to a molten mass of iron. In fact, the creature shriveled and died as it spat a few useless sparks at her, then shriveled into a pile of ash. Tennon knelt long enough to scoop up a couple of handfuls of ash and shove it into a pouch.

"Use your blades!" Cita shouted to the others and hoped her encounter had not been a fluke. In moments, dozens of the fire creatures were turning to ash.

But there were too many. They fought in pairs, the other two resting while the other two swept their weapons into the massing creatures.

"Storm," Tennon gasped.  "I need a moment --"

Atora and Urdo rose to fight while their mage -- or whatever he was -- took a step back and began to chant. The fire creatures paused for one heartbeat and then surged forward.

Cita hoped the rain would come in time.

Deluge.  It felt as though a river suddenly dropped on them. Creatures of fire turned to shapes of ash and then disappeared into the mud. The rain only lasted a few dozen heartbeats, but as it eased back, she could see that Tennon had defeated the enemy.  He had also fallen on his back in the mud.

Cita stared down at him,  "What are you?"

"An embarrassed godling." He sat up on his own but accepted her hand to stand. Cita released his too-warm hand in haste.  "My father is a god and my mother a fae. That gives me unusual powers, but I am limited by being one of the Forgotten."

"Forgotten," Cita echoed. They were already heading away from the battlefield.

"The gods scatter offspring wherever they pass and think nothing of it. They forget as part of their nature.  The fae are different. They only send a child out if there is a reason it cannot survive in the fae world. In that case, they are forgotten for a reason.  I suffer from both types, which makes it difficult for me to call upon any help."

"And then, here we are," Urdo added.

"I did not ask for you," Tennon said.  "You did not ask for my help, either.  As one of the Forgotten, the best I can do is join with others if I think I can help.  I did not expect to find the problem with Farlyn. I could have sent you away --"

"We are here," Urdo said. "You better get moving, or we'll leave you behind."

Cita planned on a long discussion later, but right now, Urdo was right to get them moving.  They had one more battle to fight.

Flash Ficton #670 -- Forgotten/4

 

Cita realized the creatures didn't notice that Tennon had allies.

She felt panic for a heartbeat before it transformed from 'flight' to 'fight'. If the creatures hadn't been so intent on Tennon, or maybe stopped yowling and growling for a moment, they would have noticed Cita shouting orders to her companions.

Tennon wasn't helpless. One tumbled lifelessly down the stairs while another glowed briefly and disappeared. Cita saw the boy balanced precariously at the edge of a step.  He had a dark-bladed sword in his hand, and she didn't know where it came from.

Cita didn't doubt it had power, though. It destroyed these creatures so easily that she felt tempted to leave the battle to him. Unfortunately, another ten of the creatures and they noticed that Tennon was not alone.

"Stay close together," Tennon shouted.  "Guard your backs and heads!"

Good advice. The three of them immediately moved to Tennon to form a square as best they could on the stairs. He gave a nod of appreciation, although his sword never stopped. Urdo was doing almost as well with his non-magical, but thick-bladed sword. He grunted every time he swung the heavy weapon, but rarely missed a blow.
Atura fought with matched short blades.  Usually, her battles looked like a graceful dance.  That wasn't entirely possible on the stairs, but she held her own.

Cita found that her long knife wasn't the best weapon against creatures with multiple claws and wings. One came behind and caught her by the hair jerking upward. Cita sliced off a strip of hair, spun, and cut the creature with her blade in a wing.

It howled and tried to pull away, but the knife tore a long, ragged wound through the thin skin and tendons.  The wing folded, and the creature, his long-nailed feet barely on a step, shouted in pain. It tumbled backward, hit its head on the stone steps, and went limp.

Cita spun and found the battle done.  The enemy either lay dead at their feet or retreated in flight.

"We must go!" Tennon ordered.  He tied a piece of cloth around Atora's right wrist, a touch of magic helping to stop the bleeding. All of them had suffered cuts and bites.  "Go, go!"

So they headed downward again. Cita wasn't alone in watching the clouds for more of the demons.  They rushed across the stairs, all of them growing breathless.

Things flew close by, but those intrusions lessened as the clouds thinned.  They broke out into a bright sunlit day, but kept heading downward for another hundred steps before Tennon signaled a stop.

At least they could see the ground from here. Fields, paths, and a distant town with a huge temple of some sort.  Cita hoped that was good.

She saw a flash of green from a high temple tower.

"Tennon --"

"I saw it.  At least we don't have to hunt through a realm or two." Tennon lifted his hand and nodded.  "It is a trap, of course. But it is his stone."

"And we'll walk right into it," Cita said.

"Actually, I thought we would fly.  Now."

Cita barely had time to yelp as a wind caught hold of her, lifting all of them upward by several yards.  Atora looked like she might pass out from the fear, but Urdo looked as though he was born to fly.

Cita wasn't certain of her own feelings and didn't have time to contemplate them.  At this speed, Tennon was going to splatter them against the tower wall.

They barely slowed as they neared with Tennon in the lead. He threw himself through a window, and the other three quickly popped through, with Cita entering last. She rolled and came to her feet.

Late to the battle.

Urdo was down with Atora standing over him while he grabbed at his fallen sword. That left Tennon alone fighting a multi-armed monstrosity with even more eye tentacles. There was no way to take down such a creature.

"Tennon -- what should we do?" Cita asked, her voice trembling.

"Surprise me."

She almost snapped a rude answer before she realized the underlying wisdom in what he said. She had to believe that this thing not only saw, but also heard and understood any plans. Surprise was their best weapon.

Cita stepped back to her companions. She offered a hand to Urdo to get him to his feet. 

"Will your leg hold up for one more attack?" she asked.

He grinned in agreement.

They spun and rushed the creature, all three of them throwing themselves at the ground and cutting into the five thick legs that held it up

It screamed and thrashed, claws catching hold of cloth and skin. Cita hoped the others were smart enough to protect their heads. Atora had graduated from legs to eye stalks while the other three focused on arms.

Tennon found the shell-encased brain.  The black sword sliced through it several times before he stepped back and nodded as it shriveled into a mass of black and disappeared.

"Good!" Tennon said.  "That's one down!" 

Flash Fiction #669 -- Forgotten/3

 Cita had no idea what they would do next. As the supposed leader of the small troupe, she thought she ought to make an important decision now. 

Instead, she watched as Tennon walked to the skeleton and leaned down to gently touch the skull.  He jumped backward when the mouth popped open, showing dagger-like teeth.

A piece of green cloth was caught on one of the teeth.  Tennon reached in and pulled it out.

"Smart dragon," he mumbled as he crumpled the cloth in his hand. He looked at the others. "This is our link to Forlyn, or at least the one who took his stone. This will not be an easy journey, and even with this cloth, I can't tell what we will find.  I only know which way the person wearing this cloth went."

"Person?" Urdo asked.

Tennon held up the cloth.  "This is the bottom half of a sleeve.  It seems at least human-like.  Not fae as far as I can sense, but the person must have power."

"Or powerful companions," Atora said.  "Or both."

"Both," Tennon agreed.  He looked past the dragon to an archway and a staircase that appeared to go downward for a long distance. Tennon crossed to look down and frowned when the other three joined him.  "This is more danger. You should go back now.  I can get you there."

"And we wait to see if you win?" Atora asked.  "What happens if you don't win?"

"Forces that have tried for eons will finally break through and raid this realm. The gate is weaker now, but if I fall, so does the magic that holds the destruction back. You might do better by being there to help."

The entire world seemed to take a shuddering breath, the air itself trembling.

"I am going with you," Cita said. 

All four headed downward, although she thought Urdo mumbled a few curses. She couldn't quite hear what he said, so she couldn't decide if she agreed.

A few steps later, Tennon stopped and nodded at Urdo.

"You are right. We have had no discussion about either time or distance. My offer to send you back at any time will always stand–– as long as I do. You might be wise to consider your choices before we go into battle rather than during it."

"And we are likely to have a battle, aren't we?" Cita asked as he started downward again. She still couldn't see the landscape at the bottom of the stairs. In fact, she couldn't see the bottom of the stairs, which seemed to be lost in a cloudy mist.

"You have fallen into an ancient war that has waged ever since the beginning of time. There have been battles that have included everything from Ragnarok to D-Day. We are more likely to find ourselves in a skirmish rather than anything large, but that doesn't make it any less important, especially if we find the ones who took Farlyn's essence."

That seemed a wise thing to tell them, and Cita kept whatever question she had to herself this time. Urdo seemed content with the answer, and since he was their only true warrior, Cita accepted his reaction. She never quite decided what Atora wanted and decided now wasn't the time to ask.

So they kept going right down to the edge of the mist, where the tenant finally stopped and sat down on the stairs. They were all worn by now, and none of them was in a good mood. Even Tennon snarled at the wispy clouds below them. Atora drew out some bread and cheese from her supplies and passed pieces of it around to everyone. That improved the mood of the group.

At least right until something yowled in the mist below them. Tennon snarled in a way that made him look far from human. No one had ever asked the questions. Tennon stood and shot lightning into the heart of the cloud. With no warning, they were in a battle.

Things came out of the clouds. Small, annoying creatures, easy to bat away, formed the first wave. Cita soon realized they were an intentional distraction. She was the first to see these long-winged dark creatures emerge from the misty cloud.  

All ten of them went for Tennon before she could shout a warning.

(continued)

 

Flash Fiction #668 --Forgotten/2

 

Tennon had stopped them at the last easy part of the journey. After that, they fought through bracken, weeds, and saplings, moving closer to the river. Cita thought she could hear water rushing through rapids. Were they going to cross the river? Why not when it had been less turbulent?

Cita wanted to ask questions -- many questions.  However, she feared trespassing into areas that Tennon didn't want to discuss, and she didn't want to push that line.  Surprisingly, even Urdo held his peace for a change. In fact, he looked pleased, even while the roar of the river grew louder.  

They stepped out of the trees at the base of a gigantic bridge that led straight through the heart of a massive waterfall. Cita could not see through the water and mist to the other side, but she had the feeling of a building gathering shadows around it and hiding from the world. The distance and the river made it impossible to make out any details, though.

"He should have started across to meet us," Tennon said. Cita caught a hint of desperation in his face, but he quickly buried that emotion.  "I sense nothing beyond the gateway."
"Gateway?" Atora asked with a growing expression of distrust.

"Between here and the realm of the gods," Tennon answered, paying no attention to her worry.

Cita didn't like that answer any more than the rest of her companions did -- however, she had no intention of pushing for more information. The other two fell silent as well.

Tennon turned to her and started to speak.  He even changed his mind.

"Let's go, then," Tennon said.  He stepped toward the bridge. "The fae built this. It is not as straightforward as it seems."

Cita had never dealt with anything fae-related, of course. Until a few heartbeats ago, she thought they were nothing more than tales for children.

Cita didn't like walking into the mist, even with Tennon and his magic at her side. The white stone surface melded into the water ... but the thunder of the falling river muted to a slight whisper. Cita didn't feel better for it. Cita didn't feel safer walking beside Tennoon. She had no idea of his abilities or his limitations. She wasn't even sure what he might be beneath that human facade.  Was now the time to mistrust him?

Cita turned to Urdo -- but he wasn't there. Neither was Atora --

Tennon grabbed her arm just as she started to panic and head back to find them..

"I have them. They are safe."  He gave Cita a slight shake.  "Be calm.  Trust me.  We are almost there."

As far as she could tell, they were nowhere. Her friends were gone, and she was lost.

"I cannot say this again: trust me."

Cannot?
    
Trust him or go off on her own?  Cita was not that stupid.

"I trust you." Just not as much as he might want.

Cita realized she had passed a test. Tennon looked both relieved and pleased. He still held her arm, but it felt more like camaraderie rather than command.

Like she belonged.

They broke out of the mist and stepped onto an open balcony that seemed more like a temple. The skeleton of a mid-sized dragon lay stretched out across the floor.

Tennon faltered, and Cita caught him.

"No," he whispered.  "It can't be --" Then he stopped and nodded, the fear of a moment ago, gone. "Of course it is not true. He isn't dead."

"He's a skeleton," Urdo pointed out.

"When dragons die, they disappear. And I would have known.  His Stone of Being is gone.  It is a palm-sized Ruby that sat in the middle of his forehead.  Forlyn isn't dead, but he will be hard to find."

(continued)

Flash Fiction #667 -- Forgotten/1

 

"There is a problem ahead," the boy said as he looked back, startling his three companions.

It wasn't what he said that startled them. There had been trouble ahead for the entire month-long journey.  It was that their companion spoke at all that unsettled the three. He'd said nothing when he joined them at the edge of the village until now.

Not an auspicious start to their first conversation, Cita thought. She was the leader of the expedition, but she had never gotten used to being in command.

"Priest," she addressed him because that was what they'd decided he must be, despite his young age. She shaped her words carefully. It was best not to anger the servant of some god. Then she looked back at him and threw caution to the wind. "Boy, is there anything helpful you can tell us?"

He met her look, grave as ever.  "Never take in a priest without knowing what they're after."

Silence filled the area, except for the rush of the river they had followed far into the unknown mountains. Urdo and Atora were doing their best imitations of being nothing at all.  There would be no help there.    

Cita glimpsed humor in the priest's eyes.  "You have been waiting to say that for a long time, haven't you?" she asked.

"You have no idea how long." He pushed back his hood, showing his long, braided hair for the first time.  "Sit down.  Now that we are this close, we need to talk."

"Since it is too late to go back?" Urdo demanded, dour as ever.

The priest looked around.  "I see no one stopping you."

Urdo frowned but settled on some grass, resting on his elbow as he stretched out.  He even looked intrigued.  So did Artura as she sat on a log by Cita.

"I am Tennon," the boy said as he sat cross-legged in the grass near Urdo.  "I am a Guide of Orantis -- which means I lead the worthy through the dangers on the last part of the journey."

"Orantis is a very old god," Urdo complained.

"They all are," Atora countered.

"Worthy?" Cita asked, hoping to cut their conversation short.  "We aren't members of your temple or followers of your god, or any of the Old Ones."

"Worthy," he repeated, and seemed to look for the right words.  "That is a state of mind. You have come this far without arguments or talk of glory and a dragon horde to plunder.  Rather, you look for forgotten stories to go with your legends.  None of you is looking for riches: you want to find truths."

"I am hoping for both," Urdo admitted and won a grin from Tennon.  "But say you are right about why we are here.  What is your place in this group?"

"Guide," he repeated as he stood.  "And guardian."

"A Guardian against what?" Cita asked.

"Other legends." He lifted his hand and traced a glowing symbol in the air. Somewhere in the woods nearby, a creature howled and hissed.  The other three were instantly on their feet.  "Yes, time to go.  This way."

The symbol moved, lighting their path with a silvery glow.  Large things moved around them, but nothing came into the light.  Cita wondered if they were now over the line and couldn't go home.  Urdo wasn't the only one who kept looking back.

Tennon led the way. He somehow had taken over the group in those few words he had spoken. Cita thought to complain, but that idea passed quickly.  Tennon at least seemed to know where to go -- and he had magic.

Magic.  No one had seen such powers in this part of the world for a few generations. Then this boy brings it back with a simple wave of his hand, and acts as though this is normal. Cita forced herself to look away from the magic symbol and at Tennon instead.

"Why are you a guide and guardian?" she asked.

He glanced at her and away.  "No one asked that.  It was my assigned duty, and an important one in the days when the pilgrims still came."

A long time ago, she thought.

"The gods fought a long war. They forgot us. I am not the only one."

(continued)

Flash Fiction #666 -- Hel To Pay

 Toby, the farm dog, called the goats to him. They complained about leaving their feed, but Toby didn't care. This would be over quickly. He made certain Helen, the barn cat, handled the sheep nearby. Many farm animals respected the fiery little cat and her many sharp claws.

"I am going to be gone for a few days. You will behave." They made sounds of protest. Nearby, the sheep bleated in distress as the cat yowled. "If not … There will be Hel to pay."

They looked at the cat and went quietly to their food. There would be no trouble.

Flash Fiction #665 -- Chicken!

 

"What are you staring at, Tommy Cat?" Patches pushed her way to the hole in the fence, displacing her large and lazy cousin. "Chickens. Boring."

"Baby chicken," Tommy corrected. "It wouldn't take much to catch a couple paws full."

"The hens would kill you."

Tommy climbed over the fence and found chicks racing toward him.

"New friend play!"

Patches laughed from beyond the fence. By the time the hens arrived, Tommy was covered in chicks. Tommy turned out to be an excellent guard for his new friends, chasing off hawks and rodents. The farmer noticed and gave him better food.

Flash Fiction # 664 -- Autumn's Apples

 

I had been standing in the keep's garden while the master mage showed me how to use the wand to grow apples in a few minutes instead of weeks. This took a lot of power, but it meant safety from starvation during a siege.  There had been raids along the border, and we expected trouble at the keep soon. Gwyna had been with us in the garden earlier, but Master Mage Rox grew tired of her inability to follow directions.

Knight Coventry led his horse (some said side-kick) through the garden, constantly reminding the horse to eat nothing. Cov and Autumn would be out on the trails for a while, and neither looked happy.

That was the last bit of sanity I remembered until I found myself in a village market in a place I did not recognize. A jumbled flash of memory brought disjointed scenes to mind. Cov had started for the garden gate. Autumn wanted some berries and didn't move.

Something bright flashed. Mage Rox shouted for everyone to stop. The wand was missing.

After that? It felt as though I bounced from place to place without knowing how I moved from one spot to the next.

When Cov arrived at the city gate, I knew it was time to leave. I disappeared into the market-day crowd, glancing back every few yards. The knight followed me, but that might only have been a chance since we were both on the main road from the gate to the castle.

I lost track of him in the market, and that did not make me feel better. Was he here for me, or was it a chance? I could almost wish to bounce again.

I turned and ran face-first into a horse.

"There you are," a familiar voice said from somewhere over my head.  "It is a good thing Autumn has forgiven you for abandoning us. He doesn't usually let people just run into him."

Autumn gave what looked like a nod of agreement. I knew he was eying the half-eaten apple in my basket. I let him sneak it out, and his rider pretended not to notice when the horse shoved it into a saddlebag.

I finally took a step backward and looked upward.  How appropriate that sunlight wreathed Cov's head.

"Knight Coventry," I said with a bow. We were drawing attention.  I sighed.  "I did not take the wand."

"Of course you didn't," Cov said with a sigh of tried patience.  "If anyone with magic had touched the wand, we all would have known it."

"Then why have you been chasing me?" I demanded.

"Why did you run?"

"I didn't. I just kept going places.  Where am I?"

Coventry came off Autumn swiftly and unexpectedly grabbed me by the shoulders. I took offense at his attitude and snarled something rude before I realized he was trying to keep me here.

 "Why aren't you back at the keep? You had to realize that this was more than a simple theft."

"Mage Rox is unhappy. Best to at least pretend I could go off on a hunt and come back with the answer and the wand."

Autumn vigorously nodded in agreement. I suspected the horse spent far too much time around people of power.

The horse took another apple.

I felt a buzzing in my body, but Cov held me in place. Then he used a quick spell to sever the magic that had been controlling me. We both felt it snap. I would have liked to trace it, but we had other problems. Local guards were heading our way.  We both wore the symbols of our vocation, so there was no doubt of our power, even if people didn't realize that Cov was the mage's knight.

"Cov?" I said as more soldiers neared.

"You, me, and Rox were the only ones present. Rox is mad --"

"But he has to know we didn't take it!" I waved a hunter spell into the air.

DING.

Cov and I stared at each other in shocked disbelief.  He cast the same spell.

DING.

"We have instructions --"

DING.

"There were only the three of us," Cov said. He signaled the soldiers back. A few of them recognized him and seemed confused.

Although not as much as we were.

I tried the spell a few more times -- right, left, up.

"It moves." I did another round of DINGs

"None of us have moved  Why would --"

We both had the answer.

"Autumn!"

"She couldn't have eaten it," Cov said, grabbing the bridle when she tried to back away. "The wand is indestructible! What have you done?"

"Apples," I said. "She put it with her stolen apples."

Cov pulled it out. He looked frustrated, annoyed, and slightly amused.
Mage Rox had felt him pick up the wand. Cov held it out to him.

"Well?" Rox asked.  

"Autumn," he said.

"I suspect she saw us making apples," I offered.  "That horse will do just about anything for an apple."

"There is nothing more dangerous than a smart horse," Rox mumbled.

Autumn preened.

"Why was I jumping from place to place?" I asked.

"Gwyna," Rox replied.  His eyes flashed with anger. "She tried a new spell she'd been working on to send a person somewhere else.  Only she couldn't decide where.  It wasn't until Cov broke the spell that I found you. And then the wand turned up as well."

"Can we use the spell against enemy troops?" Cav asked. "Or at least their leader?"

"You mean she may actually have a use?" Rox asked. "Let's go home and talk about it over a meal."

They began to fade when Autumn grabbed a basket of apples.  

Flash Fiction #663 -- Master (Drabble)

 

Others called the little lizard a fool and worse. They demanded he stop lecturing them about philosophy and return to good lizard work, like building mud nests and hunting insects.

The little lizard decided on a different path. He built a leaf boat and floated down the Summer Stream. He passed through the forest, fields, and dangerous rapids and finally reached the edge of human land. He abandoned his boat and went to the village.

He met a group of mice who became enthralled with his happy philosophy of life. They soon called him Master.

Master had found his place.

Flash Ficton # 662 -- More Neko Adventures/10

 

 

Neko knew he could draw Maude's attention.  That was the easy part since he was still her prime target.  Getting her to follow him back into the castle was a different matter. She may have been single-minded in her revenge, but she wasn't stupid.

Neko and his friends did their best to make the cat's retreat look realistic. First, Colin went down while under attack and disappeared. As Maude swept in at them, Shosha raced for the door into the building, and Neko was to follow, limping as if injured.

The injury didn't need to be faked. Maude had picked up some fire sprites. One caught his back right leg and left a painful burn before Neko kicked it off into the moat, where the thing fizzled and died.

Shosha had just reached the door and darted inside.

The door slammed shut as Neko turned to follow her. Even though this was part of the plan, Neko still gave a cry of shock and despair.  Maude laughed. That sound unsettled him more than he had expected. He rushed to the door, ignoring the pain in his leg, and pounded on it.

"Let me in!  Let me in!"
The door didn't move, even when Maude landed a few feet behind him.Neko pounded a little more frantically.

"What did you expect? You are just a cat to them.  I let you share in my glory!" She took several quick steps forward.  "But you are mine now."
Neko had been saving his power.  He used it now as Maude leaped at him.  His power hit her when both her feet left the ground.  Amateur mistake. She flipped head over heels for three rounds before she hit the ground.

Neko took a step forward, hoping she was stunned.  Unfortunately, Maude immediately sat up, howling in rage and throwing magic in all directions, just as he had expected. He bounced some of it back at her, and she surged up, her hair flying in wild wisps around her head as she flew toward him.

Nico retreated into the building, with Maude only an arm's length behind him.  Maude never noticed Shosha, who rushed outside as soon as the witch had gone past. Neko had intended to go a couple of yards farther, but he realized his injured leg would not hold him that far. Neko was slowed as well.  By the time he spun to head toward the door, she could brush her finger over his ear.

She almost had him.

Neko dropped flat on the floor as she cursed and went over him.  The cat used all the magic he could to launch himself straight back at the door.

It worked, but only because Maude, so close to the kill, had not prepared herself for the masonry wall.  She hit hard and fell with a moan.  Neko almost turned back to finish her, but she was still moving --

By the time he rushed out the door, she was already on her feet, her hands raised.  Maude's eyes glowed yellow with uncontrollable rage as he rolled out the door.

Colin slammed the door and shoved a huge seal over it, barely in time to stop Maude's spell that would have obliterated a large section of the building.  The power of the seal had not been easy to manifest, and Colin went to his knees, gasping.

Dorian, Merlin, and Tamaran worked together on the roof to spread a wall of magical marble over the building. The first layer glowed a brilliant white, almost blinding Neko. He could still hear Maude screaming in rage until the next layer spread downward over the first.  This one was a dull gray that held its own magic while it hid the power behind it.

The third layer was a forbidding black that covered all the other work entirely, so it looked like a small hill rather than a prison.  Neko sat and waited. It was over an hour before the three came down. Colin was steadier and had done a little work on Neko's leg. It still hurt, but he said nothing.

They settled on the bridge, and all of them stared at the new hill.

"It won't be long before people forget there is a building under there," Merlin said.  He looked pleased. "I think a layer of dirt, grass, and brush will help."
With a wave of his hand, he added that covering.  It looked better. He also filled in the mote and changed the bridge to a road that led around the barrier and off to ... somewhere else.

It all looked better, but Neko knew Maude was still right there, and she would work at getting out. He watched with renewed worry, knowing they had only slowed her.  Who knew how soon she'd find a way out?

"I will stay and guard," Neko said. He tried not to sound bothered, but at least he wasn't trapped in a small building.  "She will-"

"As soon as she stops screaming, she will lie down and sleep for a long, long time," Merlin said.  "We might even get lucky, and she out-sleeps her own magic. If she doesn't, we still will not see her again for at least two centuries.  You need not sit and wait, Neko."

"Good.  Thank you.  I suppose we'll find enough trouble without her help."

"More than enough," Luna said. Then she smiled.  "But we will face our troubles together."

No one asked for details.

Word spread quickly about what they had done to Maude.  No one else bothered them for the rest of the trip, but Neko knew there would be other adventures -- problems -- ahead.

He kept an eye on Luna.

The End

Flash Fiction #661 -- More Neko Adventures/9

 

Neko was still trying to plot the quickest way out of the castle and the realm when Dorian suddenly stood.  Then he sat again.

"Merlin and I don't always get along," the fae explained.

Oh, even better, Neko thought.  He scooted back under Colin's chair.

"Merlin doesn't always get along with anyone," Tamaran replied as he pushed aside some parchments.

"Arthur-" Dorian began.

"Arthur hasn't forgiven him for not mentioning that problem between Arthur's best friend and wife. Things are still a bit touchy.  But that isn't our problem now.  You barely missed him.  He felt an intrusion in the veil, and it held the scent of an old enemy-"

"Maude," Colin said and won a curious stare from Tamaran.  "We have had trouble with her for some time, and I fear she followed us here.  We didn't know this was Merlin's realm."

"I wonder if Maude realizes where she is," Dorian added. He paused for a moment and then shook his head.  "I suspect she knew no more than we did. Probably less since she followed us, and I had chosen a place with little magic — or so I thought."

Colin looked pleased. "Meeting Merlin should surprise her." He looked around and gave a nod to Dorian. He returned it. "Our three companions are special-"

"Neko, Shosha, and Reggie," Tamaran replied. He gave a nod of recognition to each of them. "I wasn't entirely sure it was you, Reginald.  Nice new form."

"Temporary," Reggie replied.  Did Neko hear regret in that voice? "It did seem wiser than a huge penguin wandering around. I know not everyone can see me, but I don't want to startle a mage."

  Neko looked him over.  "Do you want to remain a hawk? I don't mind.  But wait.  You should be whatever you feel is appropriate to the moment."

Neko hadn't expected the silence that followed his statement.  It had seemed a logical suggestion.

"A wise and kind gift," Tamaran stated.  "It should make your future work all that much easier. Trouble!"

Future work?

Before he could form a question, the building shook as unleashed magic swept over it.  Not far away, a considerable amount of power exploded, sending waves of magic toward them once more. Neko could feel Maude's magic and another source that must have been Merlin.


His magic felt subtle. Neko was certain that subtlety would not work with Maude. That seemed confirmed by the next explosion, which cracked windows in the building. Tamaran frowned; with a wave of his hand, he reinforced the protective spell on the castle.

"I think we can guess how well that meeting went," Reggie said, looking down at Neko. "It wouldn't surprise me to learn that she's forgotten all about us. Merlin is a far more formidable enemy."

"And he, if she somehow won, who could provide her with the power to rule a dozen realms or more,"  Colin added.

"I think we need to go help –" Dorian said.

"There is no need," Tamaran said.  "Merlin is on his way." A bright light grew at the doorway. "Merlin is here."

Neko moved a little to the side so that he could get his first look at the legendary human mage. Because of Maude, he had thought nothing good about humans with magic. At the moment, he couldn't say that Merlin was any better than Maude. Just being her enemy was not enough of a recommendation.

Merlin looked younger than any of the illustrations Neko had seen. He looked a lot like Colin and could probably pass for a Fae.  His face was flushed, and his hands moved in a nervous gesture that unsettled Tamaran.

"Reginald,"  he said.  "And Dorian.  Interesting combination."

"Just a matter of show," Dorian assured him.  "Reggie is assigned to Neko."

"But it would look odd for a cat to walk around with a hawk on his shoulder," Neko added.

Merlin gave a slight sound of amusement. Good.  That said something about his temperament.

"She is heading our way," Colin warned.  "We have little time for a plan."

"The best we can do is to keep her angry," Shosha offered.  "And keep me away from her."

"Shosha is right," Neko replied. "The best we can do is to keep her mad, so she doesn't think things through. Maude has always depended on power over intelligence, but if she thinks about what she's doing, Maude will start conserving magic. We don't want her to do that."

"This is a group with considerable magic," Tamaren replied.  "We ought to be able to do more than just make her angry."

"Don't worry.  We'll get to that part," Colin assured him. "I just hope we can deal with her for good this time."

Neko ended up telling the story of Maude's involvement with his life.  "And then I tripped her on the stairs.  We all thought she was dead.  We won't make that mistake again."

"And she knows it," Luna said. "She won't try that ploy again. I wish I could see things clearer, but I don't see anything that indicates we lose the battle."

"And from that, I assume you also don't see that we win," Merlin added. "Don't worry, Luna. We all understand how difficult your gift can be."

Luna mumbled her thanks, still looking bothered by her inability to give them something more tangible. Neko understood; being a cat gave him limitations as well.

"She's not alone," Neko said, trying to show he had use.  It was a stupid reaction, but at least his observation appeared to startle the others.  

Merlin nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can sense others as well.  Good catch, my friend. I like to think we would have noticed before a battle, but now we know to keep watch for more enemies."

"She is going to take her frustration out on the village," Dorian said.  "We need to act soon and keep her anger on us."

Neko stepped forward.  "I have a plan."

Flash Fiction # 660 -- More Neko Adventures/8

 

They had followed a wagon path; well-worn wheel tracks knifed into the sightly muddy dirt.

"Bringing firewood to the castle," Colin said, and Dorian nodded.

Neko wanted to ask what castle, but he, Shosha, and even Reggie were already in silent mode. Reggie was a hawk for the duration of their visit. As long as Neko stayed close to him and Dorian, the spirit animal was fine. If Neko wandered off, so would Reggie.

They emerged from the wilderness into a sloping valley lined with groups of buildings at varying levels. Their wagon path became lined with well-worked stone, although it was not often used. Newly grown spring weeds vied for space with saplings and piles of last year's autumn leaves. Most of the buildings looked abandoned, and only a few people walked the stairways and winding paths.

Their entrance had not gone unnoticed. People peeked out of darkened doorways, and children froze in mid-play in yards. The sight of the young ones made Neko realize that this was not a fae settlement. There would never be so many children if the fae lived here.  They rarely raised any young. These appeared to be human.

He hadn't realized it at first because there was a touch of magic in the air.  Neko sniffed at it, fearing this was the work of human power. Humans with such magic were most often troublesome.  The power felt diffused, though, and rarely used. Neko thought it might be nothing more than a protection spell.  Apparently, they did not trigger it as a danger.

Their road crested one last hill and then led straight down a steep slope to a wide stone bridge over a river and then to the castle gate.

The imposing castle stood four stories high, with several square towers rising an additional two floors above the curtain wall. The building's stonework  appeared to be a uniform white and gold marble, glittering in the sunlight. The inner keep rose even taller, graced with several glazed round windows.  Neko had seen nothing like it, even in all the books he'd studied.

They didn't slow.  Dorian and Colin said nothing, so the rest of them kept quiet, although Neko had questions.  Very many questions.  He could sense magic nowhere but at the castle, and that was not fae power. Few humans had attained this powerful of magic.

Neko wondered why they hadn't asked Luna about any upcoming trouble.  Probably because they had no choice.  Besides, the few times they had asked her, it had led to complex and ultimately useless plans. If she offered advice, though, it worked out well for them.

Neko glanced her way in hope.  She said nothing.  They walked on in silence.    

"A lot of activity at the gate," Colin said softly as they reached the bridge.  "But no banner is flying.  The Lord of the castle is not in residence."

 "That may be a blessing," Dorian replied and didn't miss a step.

"You know where we are?" Colin asked, a frown growing.

"I fear I do."

There was no time to ask more.  Luna even frowned, and Shosha tried to find a pocket to hide in.  Neko just walked along, only glancing at Reggie-hawk, who was holding onto Dorian's shoulder. He looked down and nodded as if they shared a common understanding.

Neko was starting to get annoyed.

The guards escorted them through the gate, a corridor that led through the curtain wall, and out into a remarkably well-maintained inner courtyard.

A man in fine robes strode across the courtyard to meet them.  If this was not the lord of the keep himself, then the place must be very rich to afford such clothing for an underling.

Neko realized the guards were well-dressed and carried excellent short swords as well.  Despite a decline in population in the surrounding village, this wasn't a backwater border settlement.

"Greetings," the man said when he reached them. "I am the castellan, Tamaran.  I fear we did not expect guests and are unprepared for such an unusual group."

He looked at each of them in turn, and Neko had the oddest feeling that he could judge them well. Tamaran looked bothered, but not worried.

Then he gave a quick look upward, as though he expected trouble to fall out of the sky. "Let us go inside and speak," he said.  

Luna emphatically nodded in agreement. No one else spoke.

Tamaran took us straight inside, waving aside questions from several anxious servants and guards.  He finally stopped by a door and looked at the people still milling around.

"There is no news.  These travelers have come on a different matter."

Neko saw many of the people turn away with apparent regret. He realized something else was going on here, and he feared they were soon going to be drawn into it.

Tamaran unlocked the door beside him, pushed it open, and waved the others in ahead of him. Neko was last in line and paused at the threshold, his ears folding back --

 Tamaran looked him in the face.  "You are a cat.  The curiosity would have you yelling at the door if I locked you out."

He was right, of course.  So Neko walked in with no more show.  Tamaran followed and locked the door behind him. He looked relieved, and Neko wondered if it had been the servants and guards who worried him so much or something else.  He supposed they would soon find out.

Everyone found seats.  Neko settled at Colin's feet like a friendly, polite, and normal cat, but he had the feeling none of it fooled Tamaran.  He took his place behind the desk.  Neko suddenly thought he looked too young for this kind of power.

"I am curious what brought two fae and their unusual companions to Lord Myrddin's realm, especially at this time of trouble."

Neko thought his heart stopped and then raced to catch up again.  He twitched, but so did all of his companions.

Myrddin.  Merlin.
 

Flash Fiction #659 --More Neko Adventures/7

 

"Colin!" Luna yelled.

"Penguin to the rescue!" Reggie shouted and leaped into the storm.

Neko made a sound that might have been disbelief or rage. He started to move, but Shosha caught hold of him with a wail of despair. He almost tried to shake free of her, but she might have fallen out of the boat as well.  Neko didn't want to go flying after her.

Neko had to trust his spirit animal to save their fae friend.

He wanted to pound his head against something.

It wasn't necessary, though.  The storm started pounding him with hail.  Shosha hissed. After a moment's hesitation, Neko did as well. Maybe the storm listened to them.  The wind eased, and the boat settled into a much gentler rocking motion.

Neko dared to dash across to where Luna leaned over the side. He almost leaped on her shoulder, but suddenly, Reggie hopped up over the railing with Colin hanging over his shoulder. He unceremoniously dropped the fae and then fell on his back.
"I flew," Reggie said, looking Neko in the face.  "I am the first penguin ever to have flown.

"And?" Neko asked, watching as Luna helped a still-dazed Colin sit up.

"I enjoy having my feet on a solid surface," Reggie answered.

That sounded wise to Neko.  He almost said so, but Colin turned his attention to Neko, who felt a rush of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Colin," he said, bowing his head.

"You were right. I was so focused on the feel of Maude that I lost track of the actual storm.  We were heading for serious trouble. I think she might have put us on that path. She could have slipped the thought in and kept me watching where she wanted."

"Instead of where?" Shosha asked.

Now, there was a good question.  All of them looked around with a start, and gradually, they all focused on the northeast corner of the storm. Flashes of sullen red light defined those clouds as they swirled and drew closer.

"Time to leave," Colin said.  "Everyone, hold on.  Dorian?"

"Ready." His voice seemed to come from every direction.

That was all the warning they had.  Neko glanced toward the clouds in time to see a giant hand reaching for them. He didn't have time to give a warning.

And didn't need to.  A gale-force wind rushed over and around them, the sails flapping in all directions and sending them skittering along the edge of the clouds. Neko held on to Shosha, who seemed to bounce higher than the rest of them. Neko thought it was her fur.

The wind struck the clouds and tore them to shreds amid bright flashes of lightning and deafening thunder. Sunlight broke through in a dozen spots, leaving Neko half-blinded.

His instincts said to move.  He caught Shosha on a bounce and bounded halfway across the craft to where Luna and Reggie still had hold of Colin. Lightning struck so close behind that Neko felt it burn his tail as the boat shattered.

He hardly had time to panic before Dorian swept them all up into a magical net. Maude screamed with rage and fear as she fell past them.

"Dorian," Colin gasped.  He held to the glowing magic.  "We need help."

"Yes, my friend, we do.  Hold on.  We are going through The Veil."

Neko wondered if he should feel worry or delight.  Going through the Veil meant they were leaving the human world and going to the fae realm.

Unless they went to some other realm entirely.  Neko had read about a few, and he knew they could be dangerous, although when measured against an enraged witch like Maude, they were probably delightful vacation spots.

No one asked his opinion. They reached the edge of the veil and were going through the swirling rainbow colors before he could form a logical protest. Passing through the veil made his skin itch.  He wasn't sure if it was the veil or his worries about where --

They came out into a storm.  Of course, there was a storm. They had no dry days.  This one at least felt normal.  They drifted downward in a spiral that threatened to make Neko dizzy. The combination of rain and movement also made it impossible to get a feel for the world.  Was this the fae's home world?  Was it somewhere more human?  Did Colin know?

They settled onto a small boat sitting in a stream.  The current tugged the craft away from the veil.  Dorian, not using magic, leaped from the bank into the stern and gave a friendly nod, acting as if this madness was all part of a well-scripted plan. He signaled for silence.

Reggie moved closer to Neko and Shosha.  Neko watched the landscape of bright flowers and birds.  Scattered trees blocked some of the sunlight, helping to keep the temperature moderate.  This was the most pleasant place they had been in a while.

They kept silent for at least five miles.  Neko thought he heard a shout of frustration once and felt a touch of dark magic, but it seemed as though the land neutralized it.

This was a fae place, then.  He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"There will be a welcoming dinner when we get there," Dorian said.  The idea of food got Neko's attention, even asleep.  "But the council wants to talk to us, so don't expect too much formality."

"There is something to be grateful for," Colin replied.  He sounded exhausted.  "Bringing us to the outer realms was brilliant, as long as they don't hold any trouble against us.  So, a few rules this time, my friends.  Take any insult with a smile, but do not counter it.  If someone is rude and shoves you aside, bow and let them pass.  Neko and Shosha should remain silent until Dorian or I ask you a question.  Don't let them know you can speak and understand."

Neko realized that made them perfect spies.