Before long the range of mountains fell behind them and Trarekeal began a descent toward a flat barren wasteland. Masterfully he negotiated the wind currents by extending his long wings and controlling their flight in a smooth glide. In the distance Jacob could see a small cluster of one-story flat roofed buildings. They were the first structures he had seen in the dead realm, and they seemed completely out of place in the lifeless world. It took them only a few minutes to reach the area, and smoothly they sailed over the tops of strongholds to slip behind a nearby hill and land in decayed grass.
Once Trarekeal had settled, the phoenix flew out from Jacob’s arms and rested on a large round stone that set squarely to the side of Trarekeal’s front claw. Jacob was next to climb down and was quickly followed by Emalynn.
“That didn’t look like much of a stronghold,” said Emalynn, bending over and stretching her legs. “The buildings look abandoned with no guards. Are you sure this is the right place?”
“Why twould they need guards en’ this world,” answered Hobble with a pale face, as he leapt to ground from off Trarekeal’s high thigh. “There tis nobody en this realm fur them ta eh worry aboot.”
“Because,” said the Lynex, slipping down onto the bridge of Trarekeal’s knee and holding out his chest. “There is somebody they should be worrying about, and that is me, the great and powerful dragon riding Lynex!”
“I wish we had guards ta eh protect us froom his nonsense,” muttered Hobble, as he pulled his axe from off his back and motioned for them to follow.
The Lynex scampered down Trarekeal’s leg and then narrowed his eyes, angrily glaring at Hobble’s back. Together the group then started up the steep embankment, making their way towards the dilapidated buildings, while the phoenix and Trarekeal remained safely tucked away behind the hill. Upon reaching the hill’s crest, the team gazed out over the buildings, closely surveying the windowless structures. Decay had spread through most of the walls of the buildings like a contagious disease, leaving sweeping cracks and small holes that lined the crumbling sides. Jacob immediately sensed an ominous presence nearby, perhaps inside one of the strongholds peering at them through the narrow slits. Nervously he scanned all the buildings, attempting to spot any movement, but only the black emptiness stared back at them through the cracks.
They headed down the hill towards the largest of the buildings, and despite Hobble’s short step he reached the structure well ahead of the others. Hobble extended his hand and grasped the corroded door handle of the only opening to the building. He gave it a hard grunting push, but the door held firm. “Humph,” he then snorted in frustration, as he stepped back and clasped his axe with both hands. “AAARRGH,” he gave a sudden bellow and leapt forward; swinging his axe in two quick sweeping arches that sliced around the lock before his feet touched the ground. The door handle fell to the earth. Appearing satisfied with his handy-work he smiled lowering his axe, while the rest of the team drew in closer. “We twill need eh light ta eh see inside now,” he said, reaching his arm over his shoulder and pulling out of his open pack his dwarf torch.
“My lamp will do a much better job than yours,” volunteered the Lynex, eagerly taking his little light from his pack and stepping forward.
“Yer light tisn’t bright enough ta eh attract eh moth,” grumbled Hobble, shaking his head pathetically. “Mine tis the light we shall use!”
“Oh yeah! Well your torch fumes stink like giant’s dung!” exclaimed the scowling Lynex. “It makes us all sick to be around you, and you always attract flies with it!”
Ignoring the Lynex’s remark Hobble pulled open the door and lit his torch. With his torch held up over his head blazing, he gripped his axe tight in his other hand and warily scanned the entrance. “We twill find out what ye’re made of soon enough Lynex, when we meet up twith soome dark warriors enside,” he said calmly, and then stepped forward into the building.
Jacob and Emalynn followed directly, while the trembling Lynex remained outside, slowly backing away from the door. Inside rotted paint peelings hung down from off the walls and ceiling. The uneven floors were completely covered with mounds of mold, and a strong stench perforated the musty air, reeking with the smell of decomposing corpses.
“This place is sickening,” said Emalynn, quickly covering her nose with her hand. “The phoenix is right, this is a place of death!”
To Jacob’s surprise he could sense a strong increasing presence of darkness, draining his optimism as it pressed in tighter over him with unrelenting feelings of gloom. He couldn’t help but feel scared, knowing that there had to be great evil present to create such strong consuming depression.
Cautiously they lumbered through the narrow hallway, when suddenly Hobble exclaimed, “Ha! I knew it! The greatest Lynex tis too afraid ta eh enter! He’s nothing boot thee world’s greatest coward!”
From behind, the sound of scurrying footsteps echoed through the hall, and the trembling Lynex suddenly appeared with his tiny light. Upon reaching the group he stretched out his arm crashing into Emalynn and latching onto the backside of her blouse.
“Oooooh!” screamed Emalynn, surprised. “Let go of me!”
“I heard that dwarf!” exclaimed the Lynex in a shaky voice. “And you are too dim-witted to know that I was only making sure we were not followed!”
“Naturally ye twere eh protecting us,” said Hobble sarcastically.
“Of course I was,” snapped back the Lynex. “I am no coward! You would not say such things if I had saved your life. And someday I will show you what it means to be a real hero and save your life!”
“That twill be thee day thee sun stops shinnin’,” taunted back Hobble.
“ALL RIGHT NOW STOP IT!” cried Emalynn. “THAT’S ENOUGH! THIS IS NO TIME TO BE FIGHTING! AND LET GO OF ME LYNEX!”
“Now that we have thoroughly announced ourselves with everyone’s racket,” said Jacob, restlessly. “If there are any dark warriors in here they’ll now be waiting and prepared for us.”
Their chatter abruptly ended and distraught looks appeared on everyone’s faces. With restored silence they timidly continued down the long hallway, until the Lynex’s whimpering voice finally broke the stillness, “Master prince are we almost there yet?”
“Ye twill know when we’re there,” said Hobble, staunchly, “when ye hear me battle cry!”
Instantaneously the Lynex pressed forward, hugging Emalynn’s rear with a tight squeeze.
“I told you to back off Lynex!” she tersely grumbled.
The hallway opened up to a wide dark room, and through the shadows Jacob could barely make out the silhouette of a body laying face up, spread eagle over the soiled floor. He pinched his nose with his fingers to mask the room’s stench and entered into the chamber. As they drew closer, the flickering light from Hobble’s torch moved over the shadowy figure and immediately Jacob recognized its lifeless features.
“MR. PITTS!” screamed Emalynn first. “NOO! DON’T BE DEAD!”
Frantically the apprentices raced toward their trainer, quickly kneeling over him on both sides. Together they gently lifted him into a sitting position while Mr. Pitts dropped his head loosely to the side and his limp arms dangled down touching the floor. Sobbing Emalynn lowered her head and rested it on his shoulder. “We’re too late!” she wept. “We’re too late! He’s gone! He’s gone!”
“If only we had gotten here sooner,” moaned Jacob.
“I am sorry fur yer loss yung-ones,” whispered Hobble, “We did all we could.”
Compassionately the Lynex reached up and placed his hand on Jacob’s shoulder, offering a word of comfort. “He would have been proud of both of you for trying to save his life.” Then pausing with a long deep sigh he continued, “But if only we had got here earlier, he would have met me and been proud of me too.”
A long silence fell over the dark room as tears rolled down all their cheeks.
“Egads,” whispered a weak voice, breaking the stillness, “what are you two doing here?”
“You’re alive!” screamed Emalynn, hurriedly straightening up to happily stare into Mr. Pitts’ half open eyes. More tears began to stream down her cheeks, dripping onto the floor as she openly hugged him. Jacob also found himself making an effort to hide his unmanly sobbing by quickly wiping his moist cheeks with the back of his hand.
“We’ve come to rescue you,” said Emalynn gently.
“You’ve been bamboozled!” weakly snapped Mr. Pitts. “You don’t know how much danger you’re in. Flee now and do it quickly!”
In the shadows of the hallway Jacob suddenly sensed movement and looked up to catch a glimpse of a huge black mass blurred in the gloomy darkness. He could see it moving swiftly, entering into the room and purposely blocking their escape. As the creature faded into view, he was able to recognize its forbidding features. The beast was well beyond imagination, and he instantly recalled evenings on his farm that he had spent with Uncle Clair, sitting together on their porch relaxing and watching similar miniature predators snatch a flying mosquito or grasp onto a lumbering moth, devouring the live prey in front of them. But never had he imagined that he would ever see such an insect amplified to a thousand times its size. Before him stood a seven-foot tall winged black Mantis with an elongated body. Hunkered back on four rear legs, it held up two front appendages brandishing sharp spines. Its small head darted side-to-side with its two long antennas twisting back and forth, and its bulging checker board eyes were reflecting back their images, appearing capable of tracking their slightest movement.
“AEEEEEEEEEE,” suddenly screamed Emalynn, looking up and catching sight of the creature.
Instantly both apprentices shot to their feet, dropping Mr. Pitts to fall hard onto the soiled floor with a solid, “THUD.”
“S-sorry about that Mr. Pitts,” stammered Jacob.
“I’m all right, I’m all right,” wheezed back Mr. Pitts.
The beast squealed an ear-piercing shriek so shrill that they were both forced to cover their ears with the palms of their hands, shielding the sting of the ringing blare, “More life, more life to feed on!” it screamed.
Terrified, Jacob felt his heart pounding hard, and immediately he knew that it was well past time to call Uncle Clair. He removed his pack throwing it onto the floor and then knelt on one leg. Glancing to the side he spotted Emalynn already grasping onto a netter, positioning herself for a pitch. Hobble also clutched his axe high preparing to heave it with a mighty throw, while the trembling Lynex cowered behind them holding his eyes closed. Emalynn was first to act, nimbly hurling her netter over the beast’s head to complete an almost perfect toss. A loud explosion rocked the room and the netter burst open, instantly discharging a golden net over the creature’s body.
“I did it! I captured my first thing!” screamed Emalynn, sounding extremely thrilled.
The net tightened around the mantis and it fell to the floor.
“Great throw,” complimented Jacob, relieved to see that she had successfully hit her mark on the first try. “Those netters are real nifty.”
“Run,” weakly groaned Mr. Pitts. “Leave me and run!”
“Okay,” replied the Lynex, rising from his crouching cower.
Thrilled with her capture Emalynn began to jump up and down and sing, “But we’re safe now Mr. Pitts. I got it, I got it! I got my first dark creature!”
The golden net twitched and abruptly the Mantis’ front upper limb ripped free.
“Okay guys can we run now!” cried the panicking Lynex.
“Fools,” screeched the mantis, swiftly slicing through the rest of the net with its sharp spines and rising to its feet. “Your net will not work here! And even if you had bound me, my relentless warriors would still destroy you!”
In a flash Hobble’s axe flew past Jacob’s head, spinning towards the creatures’ upper torso, but the mantis in the same instance swung its front leg to the side, batting the axe back across the room. Seeing that they were once again in desperate peril, Jacob regretted not having called Uncle Clair and frantically began to undo his pack’s latch. He reached in with both hands and groped in the darkness searching for his money clip. For only a brief second he glanced up, and seeing the mantis quickly drawing closer he instantly knew that the monster would be upon them ripping them open before he had a chance to do anything. His heart began to pound hard like a blacksmith’s hammer striking an anvil, and he began to bemoan his cursed luck for having caused everybody’s doom. He shouldn’t have tried to save Mr. Pitts, he was cursed to fail and he should have known it all along. “Why didn’t I listen to the Magistrate, what chance do we have against dark warriors anyway,” he thought to himself forebodingly, “my curse had us all doomed from the very beginning. There’s no hope left; we’re going to die right here, right now, in this desolate world leaving nothing but our corpses to rot away in dark matter.” The sudden thought of the horrible dark matter stirred his memory, and he suddenly realized that it was the dark matter that was causing him to wallow in a hopeless delirium. There had to be some hope left, he couldn’t just give into the dark feelings like that, he had to fight it with every bit of strength he possessed. With his new realization and a renewed glimmer of hope, he began to resume his search for the money clip, when out of nowhere a sudden wave of darkness shot through him, completely knocking him senseless. It was just as before, a feeling so powerful that it felt as if he had been walloped over the head with a shovel. He tottered to the side, almost falling to the ground, as the gut wrenching sickness continued to overwhelm him. The contents of his pack were suddenly aglow, and half-cognizant of what he was looking at he saw the jewels on his ring shining.
“Hobble, Lynex come over here quick!” cried Emalynn, standing next to Jacob.
They gathered around and she held up her sentinel’s shield, squeezing the handle. A clear reddish dome of protection appeared over them, and the Mantis came to an instant halt, screeching and wailing before them with a high pitched yowl.
“Good job Emalynn,” wheezed Mr. Pitts.
By now Jacob’s body had grown completely numb. The thick blackness had buried him over in an avalanche of forsaken depression. He was barely aware of their dangerous situation, and the thought of searching for his money clip had completely left his mind. Involuntarily he reached for a netter, although his mind was still telling him to do different. There was no rationale or understanding why, he simply obeyed the dark commands and pulled out a netter from his pack, acting as if he was a puppet on a string with no will of his own. His palms began to burn as the powerful dark force compelled him on against his will.
“Emalynn release your grip and let me out,” he heard himself saying.
“Are you crazy? That thing will tear you apart,” cried Emalynn.
“Let him go!” exclaimed Hobble. “Ye should neber stop eh great one when he tis ready ta enchant!”
“Let me out now!” screamed Jacob angrily, unable to restrain himself. He hated himself for sounding so angry, but he was totally at the mercy of the unseen force.
“Let him out! Let him out!” cried the terrified Lynex.
“Okay Jacob, but I’m going to keep the shield down. If you get into any trouble jump back in here with us and I’ll turn it on again!”
Emalynn relaxed her grip and the shield disappeared. With the blackness compelling him forward Jacob boldly stepped out to meet the fierce monster in a head on confrontation. He held his netter poised and ready to throw.
“Go get him tiger!” shouted the Lynex, with his face hidden behind Emalynn’s leg.
“You wish to test me again,” squealed the mantis, raising its barbed front legs in preparation for a strike.
“Jacob what are you doing? I already tried that!” cried Emalynn. “Get back in here, you’ll get yourself killed!”
But Jacob without hesitation continued advancing toward the Mantis, only stopping a few inches short of the monsters reach. He cocked his arm and then threw the netter with a perfect clean executed throw, spinning it straight over the mantis’ head. Before the Mantis could lunge out from under the netter an explosion reverberated throughout the room and a light as bright as mid-day sun burst forth, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. The fiery net smoothly descended around the creature, and with a vice like grip it squeezed the squirming monster into a tight ball.
“EEEEEEEEIIIII,” shrieked the mantis, rolling across the floor where it finally came to a rest and lay motionless.
As if abruptly awakening from the worst kind of nightmare, the blackness binding Jacob suddenly left, releasing his mind back to his normal self. He stood trembling as both relief and decrepitude flooded his emotions.
“G-Golly that was the worst I’ve ever felt in my entire life,” he stammered, recalling every second of his forced ordeal. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief and began to detest his curse even more, wondering why his fuddazle power had turned so horrible.
“How’d you do that?” questioned Emalynn, staring at him in bewilderment.
Jacob shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to admit his helpless surrender. “Dunno,” he replied. “It just happened, that’s all.”
The Lynex quickly stepped out from behind Emalynn and exuberantly strutted over to the bound mantis. With a mighty swing of his leg he gave it several good strapping kicks. “Fools, your weapons can’t hurt me,” he mimicked. “Ha! Next time you would be wise to fear the great and powerful dragon riding Lynex, and his mighty allies!”
“You shouldn’t have done that Jacob,” quietly whispered Mr. Pitts from the flat of his back. “You shouldn’t have used your fudazzle power.”
“Let us go now!” exclaimed Hobble. “Before any moore coome against us!”
The apprentices quickly crouched low to help Mr. Pitts, and weakly Mr. Pitts draped his arms over their shoulders. They faltered side to side as they struggled to raise him to his feet, and then straining together with all their might, they fought to remain standing. Staggering forward toward the hallway Jacob looked over to see Emalynn’s agonized face turning red.
“At least try and stand on your feet,” wheezed Emalynn. “We’re not that strong!”
Mr. Pitts nodded weakly and the threesome managed to stumble their way down the hallway and out of the building, while Hobble cautiously followed behind the group tightly gripping his axe to shield their retreat from any possible danger. The Lynex however had taken the lead, and running ahead he shouted, “Follow me guys and I will bravely clear the way!”
Anxious to return home, they started their slow ascent up the hill. And for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Jacob felt a tremendous release of worry; it would only be a matter of moments before they would be back safe and sound in Sentinel Village. Exhausted they neared the crest of the hill, when suddenly the Lynex, who was already standing at the top, began waiving his arms.
“MASTER PRINCE, MASTER PRINCE, THEY’RE COMING!” he shouted terrified.
Jacob turned his head to look back and was surprised to see a dozen beasts hooded with black cloaks, dashing out of the buildings. The were dark warriors, at least six feet tall, clad in heavy iron breastplates, and wearing black leather pants plated with small rusty square sheets of iron. Their glistening skin was dark purple, and they had round red eyes that seemed to glow like small lanterns placed in dark windows. Gripped tight in their oversized hands they carried long black pipes.
“AHOUUUUUUU!” wailed several dark warriors, as they ran through the dead grass with their long cloaks tossed back.