Read the series prologue here.
Read episode sixteen here.
Episode Seventeen: The Capture
As night fell over the forest, Fedrick the goblin boy and Felnar the troll girl took up positions as guards at the edge of a series of deep of ravines completely overhung with trees and vines. Within these crevasses was camped the army of the underground city. The camp was well hidden; fairies and elves had passed many times without noticing it. Fedrick kicked a tree restlessly.
“I hate this place,” he said. “It makes me uncomfortable. We better have a real fight with those hateful meddling fairies soon. I don’t think I can stand this waiting much longer. We came here to kill fairies. I say we should get to it!”
Felnar sniffed the air. She wasn’t really paying attention to what Fedrick was saying; he had made the same complaints many times.
“I smell fairies,” she said.
“Of course you do. They’re all over this place,” Fedrick snapped. “Why do you think it’s called Fairy Wood?”
“I mean they smell closer tonight,” said Felnar.
“There may be a few nearby,” Fedrick agreed. “Let’s keep our eyes open.”
He turned and walked along the edge of camp. He hadn’t gone far when Felnar gave an angry cry and dove at something in the undergrowth. Fedrick turned in surprise.
“Felnar, What is it?”
“It’s that stupid gnome!” Felnar snarled. “The one who helped turn some of my people to stone. Quick, help me catch him.”
Fedrick moved closer in an attempt to understand what was happening. Felnar scuffled on the ground for several minutes as her small enemy avoided her grasp. The gnome kicked pebbles into the troll’s face. With an outraged roar Felnar swiped the ground, knocking the tiny man off his feet. By the time Fedrick saw the gnome, Felnar was scooping him up to hold him tightly in her claws. With a mean grin, the troll raised the gnome to the level of her eyes.
“I hoped I would be the one to catch you,” she whispered, showing her fangs.
Just then a small voice yelled, “Let him go!” and Felnar was dive-bombed by streak of red light which materialized into a red-haired pixie boy. The pixie was followed by a scaly-skinned water sprite and a purple winged flower fairy.
“Fairy scouts!” Fedrick shouted, sounding the alarm.
He drew his sword, though he was unsure how much good it would do against such small enemies. A stream of goblin and troll soldiers poured out of the ravines behind him to join the fight. It took them only a second to notice the fairies. The soldiers spread out in a wide circle, blocking the tiny creatures, keeping them in the center of the circle so that escape was impossible. Felnar swatted at the pixie with her free hand as he pulled her hair. He dodged her, but was immediately grabbed by another troll. Goblins also caught the sprite and flower fairy out of the air. The soldiers and held the fairies with their wings pinned against their bodies, causing them to cry out in pain.
“Good work,” said the captain. “Looks like we caught ourselves some fairy spies. We know just what to do with them.”
The soldiers laughed. Fedrick grinned. This moment made his stay in the horrible forest seem worthwhile. Something moved in the branches of a tree overhead. Curious, Fedrick glanced up and tried to make out what was hidden among the leaves. Suddenly, a tall elvin figure dropped from the tree, smashing into the ring of soldiers. Fedrick saw the blade of a rapier flash in the moonlight and held up his own sword in defense.
“It’s an Airwalker,” shouted the captain. “Get her!”
Fedrick and a few other goblins moved to obey, but the Airwalker dodged between them, slashing with her thin sword. The soldiers snarled when her blade hit them, leaving small gashes on their skin. They attempted to surround her, but the elf jumped back into the air, kicking several of them out of her way. Fedrick sheathed his sword and grabbed at her legs as she rose. The Airwalker twisted, smacking him hard in the face so that he fell back, releasing her. Fedrick jumped again. This time he used all his force to yank on her ankle hard enough that the girl fell forward onto the ground, dropping her sword. Before she could escape, Fedrick grabbed her shoulders and slammed her head into the earth.
The sprite screamed, “Lasa!”
The Airwalker tried to stand but fell, dizzy and stunned. As she lay at his feet trying to recover, Fedrick picked up her rapier and pointed it at her chest. The elf glared at him then winced and turned her aching head to one side. Fedrick guessed she was probably seeing stars and was pleased by this sign of his strength. Two other goblins moved to stand on either side of the Airwalker. Fedrick lifted the rapier as they each grabbed one of her arms, pulled her roughly to her feet, and held her between them, facing the goblin captain.
“Search the area. Make sure there aren’t any more of them,” ordered the captain. Then pointing to the soldiers holding the fairies he said, “You there, take the prisoners to the city.”
Just then Felnar broke in, “May I have one of the fairies? I’ve always wanted to have a pet fairy.”
Fedrick rolled his eyes. He had known about this secret wish of Felnar’s for a long time.
The captain hesitated for a minute, considering the odd request.
At last he said, “Very well. It should be all right so long as you never let it escape. Which one do you want, troll?”
Fedrick took the gnome from her hands as Felnar looked at the other fairies.
“They’re not for sale!” the Airwalker snapped.
“Shut up, you!” the captain yelled.
One of the goblins holding the elf smacked her hard in the jaw. She fell silent, resigning herself to dagger glares.
After a minute Felnar pointed to the purple winged fairy and said, “I want this one.”
The goblin holding the flower fairy handed her to Felnar.
“Get your slimy hands off her!” screamed the pixie, but Felnar ignored him.
The soldier holding the pixie shook him roughly, until he too fell silent. Yet as he looked at the fairy in the troll’s grasp, tears streamed down the pixie’s cheeks.
Just then the sprite wriggled free of her captor's claws. The goblin swatted and snatched at her, but she zipped over his head and into the nearby trees.
“After her!” yelled the captain.
Several goblin and troll soldiers rushed into the forest after the sprite, crashing loudly.
“Go, Lilly, go!” shouted the flower fairy. The pixie, gnome and Airwalker joined in the cry. The angry soldiers tried to silence them once more.
“Great job, beetle-brain!” Fedrick snarled at the goblin who had been holding the sprite. The other goblin bared his fangs. Fedrick ignored him and moved to join the group taking the remaining fairies and elf to the city. He was glad for the opportunity to return to a familiar environment, but more than that, he was proud that he had been an important part of capturing the enemies.
Continue to episode eighteen.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Quests Episode Sixteen: Hidden Threat
Quests Part Two
Read the series prologue here.
Read episode fifteen here.
Episode Sixteen: Hidden Threat
“Lilac, are you absolutely sure this is where you and Reuben saw the goblin and troll army?” Beritta asked.
“Yes, I’ve told you a thousand times, this is where we were when we saw them,” said Lilac, flapping her purple butterfly wings to keep her small body hovering at the eye level of the tall elf.
“I believe you, it’s just that the scouts have been searching for days and haven’t found any sign of an army,” Beritta explained. She brushed a lock of long blond hair behind her pointed ear with an irritated gesture. “Where did they go after you saw them? Where are they now?”
“I wish I knew. I might have found out if they hadn’t come after Reuben and me.”
“I understand,” said Beritta. “I’m just surprised we haven’t found any sign of them yet. It’s like they vanished.”
“More like they’re waiting for an opportunity to strike,” said Oakley. He and Faralasa, were standing nearby. Beritta turned to him.
“That’s what worries me. I want to find them quickly. I feel like time is running short.” she glanced up at a winged horse circling overhead.“There’s one of our forward scouts. Let’s hope he has something to report.”
The group followed Beritta as she made her way through the trees to the place where the scout landed his mount on the soft grass of a small meadow.
“What did you find?” Beritta asked.
“Not much,” the elf boy replied replied. “The goblins are hiding all trace of their presence pretty well. I can’t spot any sign of an army from the air.”
Beritta kicked a rock at her feet. It flew a short distance before hitting a tree and falling to the ground.
“I hate this!” she cried. “It feels like we’re just waiting for them to attack us.”
“There’s not much else we can do unless we find their army,” Faralasa pointed out. “They can’t hide forever. It’s just a matter of time before we find them.”
“Well I think we should try to speed things up,” said Beritta. “We’re going to spit up so we can search more of the forest at a time. Lilac will fly between everyone with news.”
“I don’t think spreading out is a good idea,” Oakley commented. “It will make us more vulnerable.”
“Keeping together we've found nothing,” Beritta retorted. “Maybe this way we’ll actually find the Dark army's location.”
“If we split up I’m staying with you,” said Oakley. “Since you’re our leader you should never be alone.”
“Fine, but you’ll have to keep up with me. I’ll be riding Mist.”
She nodded to one side as the grey unicorn approached.
“I’ll manage,” said Oakley.
“Okay,” said Beritta turning to give her orders. “Lasa, I want you, the other Airwalkers and winged horse riders to spread out and see what you can find in the air.”
“You got it,” said Faralasa. Using her new found airwalking skills, she floated over the treetops, saluting Beritta as she rose.
“Lilac, tell the other fairies to fly low under the trees and report what they see,” Beritta continued. “Oakley and I will search the ground.”
“Okay,” called Lilac as she flew to obey her orders.
Beritta beckoned to Mist and mounted her then turned to Oakley and snapped, “Come if you’re coming.”
By nightfall Beritta, Oakley and Mist found themselves near the foot hills of the Emerald Mountains. They were worn out and had made very little progress. They rested, taking turns standing watch. The night passed uneventfully.
In the morning Oakley suggested, “Why don't we scout the lower slopes of the mountains? It's possible the goblins and trolls camped there rather than staying inside Fairy Wood. After all, the elders say the forest makes goblins nervous.”
Beritta shrugged. “Sounds like as good a plan as any.”
They spent much of that day climbing the rocky peaks and exploring winding trails. As they moved onto the higher slopes a strange feeling tugged at Beritta and the wind seemed to whisper words of a half forgotten language. Something about this new sensation gave her the nagging feeling that she should tell her friends to regroup. She suppressed this thought. Oakley pointed out a thin path leading steeply uphill. Beritta nodded and focused her attention on climbing again before she could make sense of her strange feelings. They followed the trail as it wound its way over the peaks. Often the ground dropped vertically to one side or the other, revealing deep valleys and canyons between the mountains. They had almost crested a particularly steep hillside when Oakley stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Beritta.
“This path leads to the goblin city,” he said.
“How do you know?”
Oakley shrugged. “I just know.”
Beritta dismounted Mist and said, “Let's find out for sure.”
Crouching low they moved a little farther up the path until they were past the tree line. Here there was only a little short grass and lots of large rocks. The path became a well worn walkway which cut a rut through the rocks and disappeared behind a boulder. Peaking out from behind the boulder, they could see that the trail turned into a series of switchbacks leading steeply uphill. Several feat above them the path took one last sharp turn and ended at a dark entrance like a yawning mouth in the rock face. Straining her eyes Beritta spotted shadowy figures standing inside the archway.
“You were right,” she whispered to Oakley. “I think I can see some goblin guards.”
“Let's get farther down the mountain before they spot us,” Oakley whispered back.
They moved hurriedly down the slope until they were once more within the tree line. Beritta beckoned them off the path. Once they had put several hills between them and the goblin city Beritta spoke.
“This changes everything! I'm going to personally report our finding to the elders and ask them to provide us with warriors to mount an assault on the goblin city.”
Oakley looked shocked as he replied, “That's a terrible idea! I admit, knowing where they came from gives us an advantage; now we can cut off their reinforcements, but why would you want to attack their city?”
“We have the chance to take them by surprise and strike a terrible blow which could crush the moral of the army in Fairy Wood thus crippling their whole campaign against the fairy kingdom,” Beritta replied. “I will not let this opportunity pass.”
“Our job is to find the goblin and troll army and defend Fairy Wood,” argued Oakley, “not to invade goblin territories. No matter how many warriors the elders send there is a high chance we will be outnumbered. What good will we be to the fairies if we are killed trying to conquer a goblin strong hold?”
“The advantage of surprise we have in my plan gives us a much better chance of defending Fairy Wood than we would have waiting for the Dark army in the forest to materialize,” snapped Beritta. “I would much rather be the one leading a surprise attack than the one who dies in one!”
“I have to agree with Oakley,” Mist broke in. “Your plan seems dangerous.”
Beritta crossed her arms and said, “Why don't we let the elders decide? Mist, if you and I start now we can make it to the lake city in time for the midsummer festival. All the elders from the capital should be gathered for it, it would be a perfect opportunity for me to talk to them.”
“Very well,” replied the unicorn. “I suppose if anyone can talk some sense into you it would be the elders.”
“What about me and the rest of the group?” asked Oakley.
“You will pass the news of our discovery on to the others and then all of you will stay on the look-out for both the Dark army and any help coming to it from the goblin city.”
“And let you travel to Wilderlah alone? No, I'm still staying with you. Besides you should have the scouts regroup. It's too dangerous to leave our forces spread thin.”
“I will do no such thing,” said Beritta.“And if you come with me how will I get news of our finding and my plan to the rest of the group?”
“Lilac should still be making her rounds. Let's head back to the edge of the forest and wait until she passes. She will be able to spread the news faster than I could anyway.”
“It will give us a later start, but very well!”
It seemed like hours to Beritta before they spotted Lilac, waved her over and passed their news on to her. Lilac sped into the depths of the forest to spread the word while Beritta's group made their way in the direction of the elvin capital with all possible speed.
As she journeyed over mountain crags and the pains of Wilderlah with Oakley and Mist, Beritta continued to feel the tug of the earth and hear the whispers in the wind. She tried to suppress the feeling that they were telling her she should have stayed in Fairy Wood.
****
Faralasa moved easily through the air above Fairy Wood. She loved being an Airwalker. At times it seemed as though an inner force lifted her, making her weightless. Before returning to Fairy Wood after the ability tests, Lasa had trained under one of the older Airwalkers until she knew the basic tricks of the trade. She no longer had to jump to get into the air as she once had. She knew how to “walk the air” which was more like floating in the direction you needed to go. Also, she knew the proper way to fight a battle in midair or attack enemies by coming at them from above. Faralasa was itching to fight using her new abilities. She touched the rapier at her side.
Lasa searched for about two days, covering a good portion of Fairy Wood before the sun set on the second day. As evening fell, she took a brief rest and ate. Lilac met up with her during this break.
“Did you find anything?” asked the fairy.
“Not yet,” said Faralasa. “I’m going to circle back toward the place you said you saw the army. I’m hoping to see a few goblins or trolls roaming the woods when it gets dark.”
“Good idea,” said Lilac.
She told Lasa about the discovery Beritta, Oakley and Mist had made, their trip to Wilderlah and Beritta's plan to launch a surprise attack against the goblin city.
“Beritta said to tell you to keep a look out for the Dark army and any supplies or reinforcements coming from the mountains. She’ll return as soon as she can.”
“Well that's quite the turn of events,” said Lasa. “Maybe we’ll also find the location of the Dark army here in the forest by the time Beritta returns.”
“I hope so,” Lilac agreed. “Wispen, Lilly and Reuben were investigating another part of the woods. I’ve got to pass the news on to them.”
“Okay. Let me know if they found anything.”
Lilac nodded and flew off to find her friends while Lasa got to her feet, stretching.
Calling upon her strange inner power, Lasa moved into the air once again. This time she floated closer to the treetops, straining her eyes to see anything unusual in the failing light. Before long, the moon rose, casting a silvery glow across the forest which mixed with the shadows in speckled patterns of black and white. Movement on the ground caught Faralasa’s attention. She saw a tiny point of red light and realized it was made by Reuben, the pixie boy. She was about to move on when she realized that something about the scene wasn’t right. Confused, she turned to look again. As she watched, Lasa realized what was wrong. Reuben was moving very fast. He look like he was dive bombing a…was that a troll? She decided to move lower to get a closer look. She was only a few feet above them, hidden by the branches of a tree, when she realized what she was seeing. The fairies had found the goblin and troll army and they were in trouble!
Continue to episode seventeen.
Read the series prologue here.
Read episode fifteen here.
Episode Sixteen: Hidden Threat
“Lilac, are you absolutely sure this is where you and Reuben saw the goblin and troll army?” Beritta asked.
“Yes, I’ve told you a thousand times, this is where we were when we saw them,” said Lilac, flapping her purple butterfly wings to keep her small body hovering at the eye level of the tall elf.
“I believe you, it’s just that the scouts have been searching for days and haven’t found any sign of an army,” Beritta explained. She brushed a lock of long blond hair behind her pointed ear with an irritated gesture. “Where did they go after you saw them? Where are they now?”
“I wish I knew. I might have found out if they hadn’t come after Reuben and me.”
“I understand,” said Beritta. “I’m just surprised we haven’t found any sign of them yet. It’s like they vanished.”
“More like they’re waiting for an opportunity to strike,” said Oakley. He and Faralasa, were standing nearby. Beritta turned to him.
“That’s what worries me. I want to find them quickly. I feel like time is running short.” she glanced up at a winged horse circling overhead.“There’s one of our forward scouts. Let’s hope he has something to report.”
The group followed Beritta as she made her way through the trees to the place where the scout landed his mount on the soft grass of a small meadow.
“What did you find?” Beritta asked.
“Not much,” the elf boy replied replied. “The goblins are hiding all trace of their presence pretty well. I can’t spot any sign of an army from the air.”
Beritta kicked a rock at her feet. It flew a short distance before hitting a tree and falling to the ground.
“I hate this!” she cried. “It feels like we’re just waiting for them to attack us.”
“There’s not much else we can do unless we find their army,” Faralasa pointed out. “They can’t hide forever. It’s just a matter of time before we find them.”
“Well I think we should try to speed things up,” said Beritta. “We’re going to spit up so we can search more of the forest at a time. Lilac will fly between everyone with news.”
“I don’t think spreading out is a good idea,” Oakley commented. “It will make us more vulnerable.”
“Keeping together we've found nothing,” Beritta retorted. “Maybe this way we’ll actually find the Dark army's location.”
“If we split up I’m staying with you,” said Oakley. “Since you’re our leader you should never be alone.”
“Fine, but you’ll have to keep up with me. I’ll be riding Mist.”
She nodded to one side as the grey unicorn approached.
“I’ll manage,” said Oakley.
“Okay,” said Beritta turning to give her orders. “Lasa, I want you, the other Airwalkers and winged horse riders to spread out and see what you can find in the air.”
“You got it,” said Faralasa. Using her new found airwalking skills, she floated over the treetops, saluting Beritta as she rose.
“Lilac, tell the other fairies to fly low under the trees and report what they see,” Beritta continued. “Oakley and I will search the ground.”
“Okay,” called Lilac as she flew to obey her orders.
Beritta beckoned to Mist and mounted her then turned to Oakley and snapped, “Come if you’re coming.”
By nightfall Beritta, Oakley and Mist found themselves near the foot hills of the Emerald Mountains. They were worn out and had made very little progress. They rested, taking turns standing watch. The night passed uneventfully.
In the morning Oakley suggested, “Why don't we scout the lower slopes of the mountains? It's possible the goblins and trolls camped there rather than staying inside Fairy Wood. After all, the elders say the forest makes goblins nervous.”
Beritta shrugged. “Sounds like as good a plan as any.”
They spent much of that day climbing the rocky peaks and exploring winding trails. As they moved onto the higher slopes a strange feeling tugged at Beritta and the wind seemed to whisper words of a half forgotten language. Something about this new sensation gave her the nagging feeling that she should tell her friends to regroup. She suppressed this thought. Oakley pointed out a thin path leading steeply uphill. Beritta nodded and focused her attention on climbing again before she could make sense of her strange feelings. They followed the trail as it wound its way over the peaks. Often the ground dropped vertically to one side or the other, revealing deep valleys and canyons between the mountains. They had almost crested a particularly steep hillside when Oakley stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Beritta.
“This path leads to the goblin city,” he said.
“How do you know?”
Oakley shrugged. “I just know.”
Beritta dismounted Mist and said, “Let's find out for sure.”
Crouching low they moved a little farther up the path until they were past the tree line. Here there was only a little short grass and lots of large rocks. The path became a well worn walkway which cut a rut through the rocks and disappeared behind a boulder. Peaking out from behind the boulder, they could see that the trail turned into a series of switchbacks leading steeply uphill. Several feat above them the path took one last sharp turn and ended at a dark entrance like a yawning mouth in the rock face. Straining her eyes Beritta spotted shadowy figures standing inside the archway.
“You were right,” she whispered to Oakley. “I think I can see some goblin guards.”
“Let's get farther down the mountain before they spot us,” Oakley whispered back.
They moved hurriedly down the slope until they were once more within the tree line. Beritta beckoned them off the path. Once they had put several hills between them and the goblin city Beritta spoke.
“This changes everything! I'm going to personally report our finding to the elders and ask them to provide us with warriors to mount an assault on the goblin city.”
Oakley looked shocked as he replied, “That's a terrible idea! I admit, knowing where they came from gives us an advantage; now we can cut off their reinforcements, but why would you want to attack their city?”
“We have the chance to take them by surprise and strike a terrible blow which could crush the moral of the army in Fairy Wood thus crippling their whole campaign against the fairy kingdom,” Beritta replied. “I will not let this opportunity pass.”
“Our job is to find the goblin and troll army and defend Fairy Wood,” argued Oakley, “not to invade goblin territories. No matter how many warriors the elders send there is a high chance we will be outnumbered. What good will we be to the fairies if we are killed trying to conquer a goblin strong hold?”
“The advantage of surprise we have in my plan gives us a much better chance of defending Fairy Wood than we would have waiting for the Dark army in the forest to materialize,” snapped Beritta. “I would much rather be the one leading a surprise attack than the one who dies in one!”
“I have to agree with Oakley,” Mist broke in. “Your plan seems dangerous.”
Beritta crossed her arms and said, “Why don't we let the elders decide? Mist, if you and I start now we can make it to the lake city in time for the midsummer festival. All the elders from the capital should be gathered for it, it would be a perfect opportunity for me to talk to them.”
“Very well,” replied the unicorn. “I suppose if anyone can talk some sense into you it would be the elders.”
“What about me and the rest of the group?” asked Oakley.
“You will pass the news of our discovery on to the others and then all of you will stay on the look-out for both the Dark army and any help coming to it from the goblin city.”
“And let you travel to Wilderlah alone? No, I'm still staying with you. Besides you should have the scouts regroup. It's too dangerous to leave our forces spread thin.”
“I will do no such thing,” said Beritta.“And if you come with me how will I get news of our finding and my plan to the rest of the group?”
“Lilac should still be making her rounds. Let's head back to the edge of the forest and wait until she passes. She will be able to spread the news faster than I could anyway.”
“It will give us a later start, but very well!”
It seemed like hours to Beritta before they spotted Lilac, waved her over and passed their news on to her. Lilac sped into the depths of the forest to spread the word while Beritta's group made their way in the direction of the elvin capital with all possible speed.
As she journeyed over mountain crags and the pains of Wilderlah with Oakley and Mist, Beritta continued to feel the tug of the earth and hear the whispers in the wind. She tried to suppress the feeling that they were telling her she should have stayed in Fairy Wood.
****
Faralasa moved easily through the air above Fairy Wood. She loved being an Airwalker. At times it seemed as though an inner force lifted her, making her weightless. Before returning to Fairy Wood after the ability tests, Lasa had trained under one of the older Airwalkers until she knew the basic tricks of the trade. She no longer had to jump to get into the air as she once had. She knew how to “walk the air” which was more like floating in the direction you needed to go. Also, she knew the proper way to fight a battle in midair or attack enemies by coming at them from above. Faralasa was itching to fight using her new abilities. She touched the rapier at her side.
Lasa searched for about two days, covering a good portion of Fairy Wood before the sun set on the second day. As evening fell, she took a brief rest and ate. Lilac met up with her during this break.
“Did you find anything?” asked the fairy.
“Not yet,” said Faralasa. “I’m going to circle back toward the place you said you saw the army. I’m hoping to see a few goblins or trolls roaming the woods when it gets dark.”
“Good idea,” said Lilac.
She told Lasa about the discovery Beritta, Oakley and Mist had made, their trip to Wilderlah and Beritta's plan to launch a surprise attack against the goblin city.
“Beritta said to tell you to keep a look out for the Dark army and any supplies or reinforcements coming from the mountains. She’ll return as soon as she can.”
“Well that's quite the turn of events,” said Lasa. “Maybe we’ll also find the location of the Dark army here in the forest by the time Beritta returns.”
“I hope so,” Lilac agreed. “Wispen, Lilly and Reuben were investigating another part of the woods. I’ve got to pass the news on to them.”
“Okay. Let me know if they found anything.”
Lilac nodded and flew off to find her friends while Lasa got to her feet, stretching.
Calling upon her strange inner power, Lasa moved into the air once again. This time she floated closer to the treetops, straining her eyes to see anything unusual in the failing light. Before long, the moon rose, casting a silvery glow across the forest which mixed with the shadows in speckled patterns of black and white. Movement on the ground caught Faralasa’s attention. She saw a tiny point of red light and realized it was made by Reuben, the pixie boy. She was about to move on when she realized that something about the scene wasn’t right. Confused, she turned to look again. As she watched, Lasa realized what was wrong. Reuben was moving very fast. He look like he was dive bombing a…was that a troll? She decided to move lower to get a closer look. She was only a few feet above them, hidden by the branches of a tree, when she realized what she was seeing. The fairies had found the goblin and troll army and they were in trouble!
Continue to episode seventeen.
Friday, December 5, 2014
A Writing Update (Finally...)
Hello Readers!
Sorry for the unexplained year long vacation from writing. I thought I should finally sit down and write a quick note to let you all know what is going on with my writing and plans for the coming year.
First of all, my new ideas are coming together really slowly which is part of why I have not posted anything recently. That said, in looking back over the blog and some of my old stories, I decided I would like to wrap up my Quests series once and for all. I'm actually really pleased with the serial version of Quests part 1 posted here on the blog. I already have a draft of part 2 waiting for edits after which it can appear on the blog as well. I'm still debating whether to write enough episodes to make it a 3 part series or just adding a couple episodes to the end of part 2 which would wrap up the plot. Either way I hope to post a new episode sometime in January. As I mentioned in a couple of last year's posts, I was feeling overwhelmed with trying to blog every week. This coming year you should expect to see 1 or 2 posts a month, most likely a new episode each month and an occasional additional post for news.
Another thing I recently decided is that when I re-publish Quests I'm going to sell the entire series as a single volume rather than breaking it into 2 or 3 books and the separate parts will not bear their own names. I apologize to those of you who already bought a copy of part 1. However, with all the changes I've made to the series, an updated version of part 1 will help make sense of the later parts, plus you will now be able to get all 2 or 3 parts for the price of one book! The series will also remain available on the blog for anyone who wishes to read it for free.
If you have not read Quests yet or if you wish to refresh your memory you can start with the series prologue here. After that just follow the link to episode 1 at the end of the post. You should be able to get through the entire series just by following the links at the end of each episode. Also, you'll notice I have changed the look of the blog slightly. It was just time for something new.
nb Check back in January for the new episode and until then, Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!
Sorry for the unexplained year long vacation from writing. I thought I should finally sit down and write a quick note to let you all know what is going on with my writing and plans for the coming year.
First of all, my new ideas are coming together really slowly which is part of why I have not posted anything recently. That said, in looking back over the blog and some of my old stories, I decided I would like to wrap up my Quests series once and for all. I'm actually really pleased with the serial version of Quests part 1 posted here on the blog. I already have a draft of part 2 waiting for edits after which it can appear on the blog as well. I'm still debating whether to write enough episodes to make it a 3 part series or just adding a couple episodes to the end of part 2 which would wrap up the plot. Either way I hope to post a new episode sometime in January. As I mentioned in a couple of last year's posts, I was feeling overwhelmed with trying to blog every week. This coming year you should expect to see 1 or 2 posts a month, most likely a new episode each month and an occasional additional post for news.
Another thing I recently decided is that when I re-publish Quests I'm going to sell the entire series as a single volume rather than breaking it into 2 or 3 books and the separate parts will not bear their own names. I apologize to those of you who already bought a copy of part 1. However, with all the changes I've made to the series, an updated version of part 1 will help make sense of the later parts, plus you will now be able to get all 2 or 3 parts for the price of one book! The series will also remain available on the blog for anyone who wishes to read it for free.
If you have not read Quests yet or if you wish to refresh your memory you can start with the series prologue here. After that just follow the link to episode 1 at the end of the post. You should be able to get through the entire series just by following the links at the end of each episode. Also, you'll notice I have changed the look of the blog slightly. It was just time for something new.
nb Check back in January for the new episode and until then, Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Quests Episode Fifteen: “They’re in the Woods!”
Just a couple news items and reminders before I proceed to today's story:
After this post I will be taking a break to prepare for and celebrate the Christmas season. When I return to blogging I will begin posting part 2 of Quests.
Also, when I resume the story after New Year's I will be switching to a new episode every month rather than every week, though I may have an additional post every few months.
This is the last episode of Quests part 1. I hope you have enjoyed reading it here on the blog.
Now back to the story...
Read the series prologue.
Read episode fourteen.
Episode Fifteen: “They’re in the Woods!”
“Lilac, wake up.”
It was late at night with only the smallest sliver of the moon casting light on the sleeping depths of Fairy Wood but someone was shaking Lilac’s shoulder. She woke and turned to look into a freckled face.
“Reuben!” she cried in a loud whisper. “What are you doing here?”
“I was out flying and I saw something,” Reuben replied. “I wanted to tell you.”
“Come back in the morning,” Lilac growled, rolling over.
“It can’t wait ’till the morning. It’s really important.”
“Well then hurry up and tell me!” snapped Lilac, impatient to get back to sleep.
“An army of goblins and trolls is marching into the woods.”
“What!” cried Lilac pulling herself into a sitting position. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I saw them.”
“Do you remember where they were? Could you show me?”
“I think so,” Reuben replied.
“Then let’s go,” said Lilac jumping to her feet.
“Right now?”
“Yes,” she said turning to face him. “You were right. This can’t wait for morning.”
A little later, Lilac and Reuben perched on a tree branch overlooking a large group of marching goblins and trolls.
“How many do you think there are?” Lilac whispered.
“I can’t tell,” Reuben whispered back.
“This isn’t good,” said Lilac. “They must have found out that we know they were the ones who poisoned the water.”
They watched in silence for a minute before Lilac added, “They’ll have to camp somewhere out of the sun during the day. They have trolls with them.”
“Yeah,” agreed Reuben. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“I’m sure they did. Come on, let’s see if we can find out where they’re going.”
They flew out of the tree and moved toward the front of the army. Suddenly a goblin cried out, “Look there, it’s a pixie!”
His captain cried, “Quick, catch it!”
Lilac looked at Reuben in alarm, wondering why the goblins hadn’t seen her also. Suddenly she understood.
“Reuben they can see your light!” she cried. “We have to get out of here, fast! Take my hand. I don’t want us getting separated.”
Obedient for once, Reuben grabbed the hand Lilac held out to him. They flew into the thicker parts the woods as fast as they could. Behind them, goblins crashed through the trees and undergrowth trying to find the fairy spies. As they passed a hollow log Lilac tugged on Reuben’s arm, pulling him inside the small space with her. They landed at the bottom of the log, hiding Rueben’s tell-tale light.
Lilac waited until the sounds of shouting and stomping faded into the distance before whispering, “So long as they don’t find us we’ll wait here until morning. They should make camp when the sun comes up, so it will be safe to go out then.”
Reuben nodded. He glanced at the opening in the log as if he expected a goblin to reach in and grab him. With a shudder he pulled his legs to his chest trying to hide the fact that he was trembling. Lilac regarded him for a minute, taking note of all this.
“When the light comes,” she said at last, “we have to fly as fast as we can to find the fairy queen. A Dark army in the woods means only one thing.”
“What?” asked Reuben with a mixture of fear and fascination.
“War,” Lilac replied.
End of Part 1
Continue to episode sixteen.
After this post I will be taking a break to prepare for and celebrate the Christmas season. When I return to blogging I will begin posting part 2 of Quests.
Also, when I resume the story after New Year's I will be switching to a new episode every month rather than every week, though I may have an additional post every few months.
This is the last episode of Quests part 1. I hope you have enjoyed reading it here on the blog.
Now back to the story...
Read the series prologue.
Read episode fourteen.
Episode Fifteen: “They’re in the Woods!”
“Lilac, wake up.”
It was late at night with only the smallest sliver of the moon casting light on the sleeping depths of Fairy Wood but someone was shaking Lilac’s shoulder. She woke and turned to look into a freckled face.
“Reuben!” she cried in a loud whisper. “What are you doing here?”
“I was out flying and I saw something,” Reuben replied. “I wanted to tell you.”
“Come back in the morning,” Lilac growled, rolling over.
“It can’t wait ’till the morning. It’s really important.”
“Well then hurry up and tell me!” snapped Lilac, impatient to get back to sleep.
“An army of goblins and trolls is marching into the woods.”
“What!” cried Lilac pulling herself into a sitting position. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I saw them.”
“Do you remember where they were? Could you show me?”
“I think so,” Reuben replied.
“Then let’s go,” said Lilac jumping to her feet.
“Right now?”
“Yes,” she said turning to face him. “You were right. This can’t wait for morning.”
A little later, Lilac and Reuben perched on a tree branch overlooking a large group of marching goblins and trolls.
“How many do you think there are?” Lilac whispered.
“I can’t tell,” Reuben whispered back.
“This isn’t good,” said Lilac. “They must have found out that we know they were the ones who poisoned the water.”
They watched in silence for a minute before Lilac added, “They’ll have to camp somewhere out of the sun during the day. They have trolls with them.”
“Yeah,” agreed Reuben. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“I’m sure they did. Come on, let’s see if we can find out where they’re going.”
They flew out of the tree and moved toward the front of the army. Suddenly a goblin cried out, “Look there, it’s a pixie!”
His captain cried, “Quick, catch it!”
Lilac looked at Reuben in alarm, wondering why the goblins hadn’t seen her also. Suddenly she understood.
“Reuben they can see your light!” she cried. “We have to get out of here, fast! Take my hand. I don’t want us getting separated.”
Obedient for once, Reuben grabbed the hand Lilac held out to him. They flew into the thicker parts the woods as fast as they could. Behind them, goblins crashed through the trees and undergrowth trying to find the fairy spies. As they passed a hollow log Lilac tugged on Reuben’s arm, pulling him inside the small space with her. They landed at the bottom of the log, hiding Rueben’s tell-tale light.
Lilac waited until the sounds of shouting and stomping faded into the distance before whispering, “So long as they don’t find us we’ll wait here until morning. They should make camp when the sun comes up, so it will be safe to go out then.”
Reuben nodded. He glanced at the opening in the log as if he expected a goblin to reach in and grab him. With a shudder he pulled his legs to his chest trying to hide the fact that he was trembling. Lilac regarded him for a minute, taking note of all this.
“When the light comes,” she said at last, “we have to fly as fast as we can to find the fairy queen. A Dark army in the woods means only one thing.”
“What?” asked Reuben with a mixture of fear and fascination.
“War,” Lilac replied.
End of Part 1
Continue to episode sixteen.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Quests Episode Fourteen: The Giant Bat and Odd Friends
Read the series prologue.
Read episode thirteen.
Episode Fourteen: The Giant Bat and Odd Friends
Fedrick sat tense, clutching a crossbow and waiting in the moonlight outside the entrance to a large cave. A few days earlier goblin scouts had reported that deep within this cave was a creature which looked like a giant bat. This creature was called a strellogroth. The goblin council thought that if they could catch a strellogroth and keep it in the city they might be able to use it as a secret weapon against the fairies and elves. They chose a small group of goblins warriors to carry out their plan.
Fedrick was part of this group. The other warriors were spread out on the mountainside, crouching in bushes and behind rocks, also waiting. Finally, the great bat monster emerged to hunt.
The strellogroth opened its mouth and let out a call too high pitched for Fedrick’s ears to catch. As the sound bounced off the surrounding objects, the monster discovered their presence. The strellogroth wheeled in a tight circle over their heads then began to descend. It opened its mouth, showing large fangs. Fedrick jumped up and taking a deep breath to steady his aim, shot a tranquillizer dart into the strellogroth’s neck. For a moment the creature continued on its course, then the drug took effect. The strellogroth’s wings locked and it dropped harmlessly into some bushes.
Once they were sure the strellogroth was unconscious, the other goblins came out of hiding. A few of them pulled out a cart which had a cage on it. The captain of the group clapped Fedrick on the back as he passed him and commented, “Nice shot.”
The warriors gathered around the body of the strellogroth and each grabbed some part of the huge body. Then the captain cried, “All together, now!” Staggering, grunting and by the end of the task sweating they heaved the monster into the cage. They then took positions around the cart, some pulling it from the front some pushing the wheels, and slowly rolled it toward the underground city.
As he heaved and puffed his way home, Fedrick thought how pleased the goblin council would be with his night’s work. He imagined how terrified the fairies would be when they discovered this secret weapon of the underground army. A malicious grin spread across his face.
****
Bubble, the boggart, became bored with Fairy Wood. He decided to take a short vacation. He turned into a bird and flew to the plains of Wilderlah. Far below him, he saw a strange man with green skin and orange hair. Bubble hadn’t scared anyone in a long time. He decided to see if he could scare this person.
Glibbin was also bored. The elves were busy and could not play with him. He wandered out of the protective hills of the lake capital and into the fields beyond. The guards were used to Glibbin coming and going by that time, so they made no attempt to stop him. Glibbin was so busy watching a beetle climb a stem of grass that he hardly noticed when a bird landed nearby him. He turned away before he could see the bird change into something else. A minute later Glibbin heard something buzzing in his ear and turned to see a very large bumble bee hovering at his elbow.
He screamed and began running in circles crying, “A bee, a bee! It’s going to sting me!”
Bubble was so pleased that he had actually scared someone that he turned into a little man and laughed. “Got ya!” he shouted. “That was a good one. No one has been that scared of me in a long time.” He laughed again.
“That’s not fair!” cried Glibbin. “I didn’t know you weren’t a real bee. You could have warned me.”
“No way!” said Bubble. “That would spoil the fun.”
“It still isn’t fair!” Glibbin whined.
“Okay, I’ll give you another chance. Now that you know that I can change into things you’ll be prepared.”
“Like a game?” asked Glibbin.
“Sure,” Bubble replied.
“You mean you’ll play with me?”
“If you want me to.”
“Yippee!” shouted Glibbin. “I’ve been wanting someone to play with me for a long time.”
“You wanted someone to play with, I wanted someone to scare,” said Bubble happily, “It’s a good thing we met each other!”
They introduced themselves then proceeded to play. It turned out that knowing Bubble could turn into things didn’t help Glibbin much. Bubble was still able to scare Glibbin most of the time. Despite this, the two quickly became friends. They didn’t know that they were really supposed to be enemies. However, even if they had known, they probably wouldn’t have cared.
Continue to episode fifteen.
Read episode thirteen.
Episode Fourteen: The Giant Bat and Odd Friends
Fedrick sat tense, clutching a crossbow and waiting in the moonlight outside the entrance to a large cave. A few days earlier goblin scouts had reported that deep within this cave was a creature which looked like a giant bat. This creature was called a strellogroth. The goblin council thought that if they could catch a strellogroth and keep it in the city they might be able to use it as a secret weapon against the fairies and elves. They chose a small group of goblins warriors to carry out their plan.
Fedrick was part of this group. The other warriors were spread out on the mountainside, crouching in bushes and behind rocks, also waiting. Finally, the great bat monster emerged to hunt.
The strellogroth opened its mouth and let out a call too high pitched for Fedrick’s ears to catch. As the sound bounced off the surrounding objects, the monster discovered their presence. The strellogroth wheeled in a tight circle over their heads then began to descend. It opened its mouth, showing large fangs. Fedrick jumped up and taking a deep breath to steady his aim, shot a tranquillizer dart into the strellogroth’s neck. For a moment the creature continued on its course, then the drug took effect. The strellogroth’s wings locked and it dropped harmlessly into some bushes.
Once they were sure the strellogroth was unconscious, the other goblins came out of hiding. A few of them pulled out a cart which had a cage on it. The captain of the group clapped Fedrick on the back as he passed him and commented, “Nice shot.”
The warriors gathered around the body of the strellogroth and each grabbed some part of the huge body. Then the captain cried, “All together, now!” Staggering, grunting and by the end of the task sweating they heaved the monster into the cage. They then took positions around the cart, some pulling it from the front some pushing the wheels, and slowly rolled it toward the underground city.
As he heaved and puffed his way home, Fedrick thought how pleased the goblin council would be with his night’s work. He imagined how terrified the fairies would be when they discovered this secret weapon of the underground army. A malicious grin spread across his face.
****
Bubble, the boggart, became bored with Fairy Wood. He decided to take a short vacation. He turned into a bird and flew to the plains of Wilderlah. Far below him, he saw a strange man with green skin and orange hair. Bubble hadn’t scared anyone in a long time. He decided to see if he could scare this person.
Glibbin was also bored. The elves were busy and could not play with him. He wandered out of the protective hills of the lake capital and into the fields beyond. The guards were used to Glibbin coming and going by that time, so they made no attempt to stop him. Glibbin was so busy watching a beetle climb a stem of grass that he hardly noticed when a bird landed nearby him. He turned away before he could see the bird change into something else. A minute later Glibbin heard something buzzing in his ear and turned to see a very large bumble bee hovering at his elbow.
He screamed and began running in circles crying, “A bee, a bee! It’s going to sting me!”
Bubble was so pleased that he had actually scared someone that he turned into a little man and laughed. “Got ya!” he shouted. “That was a good one. No one has been that scared of me in a long time.” He laughed again.
“That’s not fair!” cried Glibbin. “I didn’t know you weren’t a real bee. You could have warned me.”
“No way!” said Bubble. “That would spoil the fun.”
“It still isn’t fair!” Glibbin whined.
“Okay, I’ll give you another chance. Now that you know that I can change into things you’ll be prepared.”
“Like a game?” asked Glibbin.
“Sure,” Bubble replied.
“You mean you’ll play with me?”
“If you want me to.”
“Yippee!” shouted Glibbin. “I’ve been wanting someone to play with me for a long time.”
“You wanted someone to play with, I wanted someone to scare,” said Bubble happily, “It’s a good thing we met each other!”
They introduced themselves then proceeded to play. It turned out that knowing Bubble could turn into things didn’t help Glibbin much. Bubble was still able to scare Glibbin most of the time. Despite this, the two quickly became friends. They didn’t know that they were really supposed to be enemies. However, even if they had known, they probably wouldn’t have cared.
Continue to episode fifteen.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Quests Episode Thirteen: New Orders
Read the series prologue.
Read episode 12.
Episode Thirteen: New Orders
Beritta woke early. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the day to come. The day before she and Faralasa had briefed the king and elders on all they knew about the situation in Fairy Wood. The council had spent the rest of the day debating the best course of action and had informed her that they would be summoning her and Faralasa sometime this morning to inform them of the decision which had been reached.
Beritta dressed quietly, grabbed a handful of nuts to munch and went outside, walking aimlessly down the hillside until she came to the southern lake. The sun had just risen. A reverent silence hung over the land as it always does at the times of the sun’s coming and going. An early morning mist hung over the lake, rising in ever thinning wisps to the heavens. Beritta stood still at the water’s edge letting the peace of the morning sweep over her. She continued to stand there even as the world around her began coming to life. Birds trilled happily in the trees, small animals moved through the grass, a few deer walked to the lake to drink.
As the deer moved into the woods, Beritta heard another animal coming up behind her. She turned and saw Mist.
“It’s a beautiful morning,” Mist’s words floated into her mind.
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” Beritta replied sighing with pleasure.
On the hillsides the elves were rising and starting their day. Before long Faralasa and Oakley appeared, trailed by Glibbin.
“I was informed late last night that I will be working as an animal handler for a group of scouts which will be using winged horses to patrol along the edge of Fairy Wood,” Oakley announced as the friends moved into a large meadow behind the southern lake.
“That’s wonderful!” said Beritta.
“Yeah, I’m glad you may finally be joining us on a quest in Fairy Wood,” agreed Lasa.
“Well, that all depends on what the elders tell us this morning,” Beritta warned.
The others nodded.
A noise behind them caught their attention and they turned to look. Mist was absently running her horn through a stream which ran through the center of the meadow. Beyond the unicorn Glibbin had moved into the woods where he was playing, which explained the noise.
“You okay Glibbin?” Beritta called.
His smiling green face appeared between the trees.
“There’s a little animal with a big fury tail,” said Glibbin.
“It’s called a squirrel,” said Beritta.
“I’m going to catch it so it can play with me.” cried Glibbin and ran back into the trees.
Lasa snorted.
Just then a young golden-haired elf boy in a green tunic trimmed with gold appeared at the end of the meadow. He bowed and said, “The council of elders wishes to speak to Lady Faralasa.”
With an excited glance at her friends, Lasa followed the messenger out of the meadow and around one edge of the southern lake. On the far side of the water they entered the woods and followed a well-worn path. They continued on this trail until they came to the place where the elders sat on chairs of exposed roots around a table of melded stumps beneath a canopy of short leafy trees. A cool breeze drifted to them off the lakes, setting the leaves rustling.
After formally greeting Faralasa one of the elders said, “In reviewing the happenings in Fairy Wood we have received reports of a few strange and amazing acts you performed. We would like you to do something for us. Jump into the air. See how long it takes you to come back down.”
With an uncertain glance at the faces surrounding her, Lasa leapt into the air. To her surprise, she hung there for three minutes. It was as though gravity had lost its hold on her.
Intimidated by this strange new ability Faralasa dropped back to the ground.
“Excellent,” said the elder who had made the suggestion. “Now I want you to do one more thing. Jump into the air again but this time, instead of hovering, see if you can move.”
“Move, you mean in the air?” Faralasa clarified wondering if she had heard him correctly.
“That’s right.”
Lasa jumped into the air again, this time moving slightly to the right. Suddenly she found that she was floating, moving easily through the air as though some unseen force lifted her. She dropped to the ground once more staring in confusion at the elders.
“It is as we thought,” one of them said. “She’s been showing signs of it for months.”
“They always do,” murmured another.
“Showing signs of what?” asked Faralasa in frustration. None of this made any sense to her.
“You’ve been showing signs that you are light enough to walk on air,” one of the elders explained. “You have graduated to the level of Airwalker. Barely anyone ever does.”
“I’m an Airwalker, really?” Lasa asked in excitement.
“Yes indeed. You will have to be trained by one of the older Airwalkers in aerial fighting and how to get airborne without jumping, but there is plenty of time for that. To begin with you will train for the following week after which you will join a scouting group heading to Fairy Wood. However, whenever you are not engaged in scouting operations you should use all your time to learn from the older Airwalkers and hone your new skills.”
“This is amazing!” cried Lasa. “I can’t wait to tell my friends!” she stopped and looked uncertainly at the elders. “I can tell them can’t I?”
“By all means,” the elders replied. “May Light bless you as you discover how to use your new ability. You may go.”
“Thank you,” said Lasa and dashed to rejoin Oakley and Beritta.
“I’m going to be part of the group that will be scouting to find the goblins,” she said, “and I’m an Airwalker!”
She hovered in the air above them just to prove she could. Beritta and Oakley were still congratulating her when the messenger reappeared.
“The council now wishes to speak to Princess Beritta,” he announced.
When Beritta came before them the elders proceeded to tell her, “We have heard how you acquitted yourself in Fairy Wood. You have shown great leadership potential. However, we cannot forget that some of your recent actions here in Wilderlah have been reckless and irresponsible. You see, we would like to assign you leadership of the scouting group which will be sent to find the goblins invading Fairy Wood but we need to know we can trust you. Can we?”
Beritta took a deep breath and let it out before speaking.
“I understand how important this quest is. I’ll do my best to act the part of a responsible leader and live up to your expectations.”
“So be it,” said an elder. “You will lead your scouting group to Fairy Wood in a week. Use the intervening time to make all necessary preparations.”
Continue to episode fourteen.
Read episode 12.
Episode Thirteen: New Orders
Beritta woke early. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the day to come. The day before she and Faralasa had briefed the king and elders on all they knew about the situation in Fairy Wood. The council had spent the rest of the day debating the best course of action and had informed her that they would be summoning her and Faralasa sometime this morning to inform them of the decision which had been reached.
Beritta dressed quietly, grabbed a handful of nuts to munch and went outside, walking aimlessly down the hillside until she came to the southern lake. The sun had just risen. A reverent silence hung over the land as it always does at the times of the sun’s coming and going. An early morning mist hung over the lake, rising in ever thinning wisps to the heavens. Beritta stood still at the water’s edge letting the peace of the morning sweep over her. She continued to stand there even as the world around her began coming to life. Birds trilled happily in the trees, small animals moved through the grass, a few deer walked to the lake to drink.
As the deer moved into the woods, Beritta heard another animal coming up behind her. She turned and saw Mist.
“It’s a beautiful morning,” Mist’s words floated into her mind.
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” Beritta replied sighing with pleasure.
On the hillsides the elves were rising and starting their day. Before long Faralasa and Oakley appeared, trailed by Glibbin.
“I was informed late last night that I will be working as an animal handler for a group of scouts which will be using winged horses to patrol along the edge of Fairy Wood,” Oakley announced as the friends moved into a large meadow behind the southern lake.
“That’s wonderful!” said Beritta.
“Yeah, I’m glad you may finally be joining us on a quest in Fairy Wood,” agreed Lasa.
“Well, that all depends on what the elders tell us this morning,” Beritta warned.
The others nodded.
A noise behind them caught their attention and they turned to look. Mist was absently running her horn through a stream which ran through the center of the meadow. Beyond the unicorn Glibbin had moved into the woods where he was playing, which explained the noise.
“You okay Glibbin?” Beritta called.
His smiling green face appeared between the trees.
“There’s a little animal with a big fury tail,” said Glibbin.
“It’s called a squirrel,” said Beritta.
“I’m going to catch it so it can play with me.” cried Glibbin and ran back into the trees.
Lasa snorted.
Just then a young golden-haired elf boy in a green tunic trimmed with gold appeared at the end of the meadow. He bowed and said, “The council of elders wishes to speak to Lady Faralasa.”
With an excited glance at her friends, Lasa followed the messenger out of the meadow and around one edge of the southern lake. On the far side of the water they entered the woods and followed a well-worn path. They continued on this trail until they came to the place where the elders sat on chairs of exposed roots around a table of melded stumps beneath a canopy of short leafy trees. A cool breeze drifted to them off the lakes, setting the leaves rustling.
After formally greeting Faralasa one of the elders said, “In reviewing the happenings in Fairy Wood we have received reports of a few strange and amazing acts you performed. We would like you to do something for us. Jump into the air. See how long it takes you to come back down.”
With an uncertain glance at the faces surrounding her, Lasa leapt into the air. To her surprise, she hung there for three minutes. It was as though gravity had lost its hold on her.
Intimidated by this strange new ability Faralasa dropped back to the ground.
“Excellent,” said the elder who had made the suggestion. “Now I want you to do one more thing. Jump into the air again but this time, instead of hovering, see if you can move.”
“Move, you mean in the air?” Faralasa clarified wondering if she had heard him correctly.
“That’s right.”
Lasa jumped into the air again, this time moving slightly to the right. Suddenly she found that she was floating, moving easily through the air as though some unseen force lifted her. She dropped to the ground once more staring in confusion at the elders.
“It is as we thought,” one of them said. “She’s been showing signs of it for months.”
“They always do,” murmured another.
“Showing signs of what?” asked Faralasa in frustration. None of this made any sense to her.
“You’ve been showing signs that you are light enough to walk on air,” one of the elders explained. “You have graduated to the level of Airwalker. Barely anyone ever does.”
“I’m an Airwalker, really?” Lasa asked in excitement.
“Yes indeed. You will have to be trained by one of the older Airwalkers in aerial fighting and how to get airborne without jumping, but there is plenty of time for that. To begin with you will train for the following week after which you will join a scouting group heading to Fairy Wood. However, whenever you are not engaged in scouting operations you should use all your time to learn from the older Airwalkers and hone your new skills.”
“This is amazing!” cried Lasa. “I can’t wait to tell my friends!” she stopped and looked uncertainly at the elders. “I can tell them can’t I?”
“By all means,” the elders replied. “May Light bless you as you discover how to use your new ability. You may go.”
“Thank you,” said Lasa and dashed to rejoin Oakley and Beritta.
“I’m going to be part of the group that will be scouting to find the goblins,” she said, “and I’m an Airwalker!”
She hovered in the air above them just to prove she could. Beritta and Oakley were still congratulating her when the messenger reappeared.
“The council now wishes to speak to Princess Beritta,” he announced.
When Beritta came before them the elders proceeded to tell her, “We have heard how you acquitted yourself in Fairy Wood. You have shown great leadership potential. However, we cannot forget that some of your recent actions here in Wilderlah have been reckless and irresponsible. You see, we would like to assign you leadership of the scouting group which will be sent to find the goblins invading Fairy Wood but we need to know we can trust you. Can we?”
Beritta took a deep breath and let it out before speaking.
“I understand how important this quest is. I’ll do my best to act the part of a responsible leader and live up to your expectations.”
“So be it,” said an elder. “You will lead your scouting group to Fairy Wood in a week. Use the intervening time to make all necessary preparations.”
Continue to episode fourteen.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A Quick News Update
Yes, I know I have fallen behind in my posts again. I have a lot of other projects I'm working on at home and sometimes blogging gets pushed lower on the list. For that reason I have decided to switch my blogging schedule to one story post a month with an addition news post every once in a while when I have announcements and such to share. I will begin writing on this new schedule in January of 2014 at which time I hope to begin posting part 2 of the Quests series. In the meantime I still have 2, possibly 3 episodes from Quests part 1 which I will edit then post in the next couple weeks before Thanksgiving. The next episode is not quite ready to make its appearance today, but you can expect to see it either late this week or early next week, so stay tuned!
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