by Mark Boutros
He smiled. ‘You’ve carved little faces into it!’
‘Yes. Sadly it still is not any closer to being a two-headed turtle.’
Karl chuckled.
‘I want you to take it.’ Sabrinia put it in Karl’s hand. This moment was the closest thing he felt to comfort since he had left Flowforn.
‘I can’t do that, it’s yours.’
‘Please? Something familiar for you to take to the new world, to remind you of us…’
Karl smiled. ‘Okay.’ He placed it in his pocket and studied Sabrinia’s face. She had a heart so kind.
He put the keys down on the chest of drawers. ‘I’ll go and look for the idiot.’
‘Really?’
He nodded.
‘Thank you.’ She hugged him. ‘Thank you so much, Karl.’ Her eyes shone. It was the first time she looked at him with hope more than pity. ‘Good luck, and be careful. It’s—’
‘I know. It’s every kind of weird out there.’
25
Karl stood on the edge of the Wrath of Arazod. He scanned the clear water for feathers, blood, or any sign Arazod had been disposed of. He’d know if Arazod was dead, though, because the Fools would be marching back to Flowforn to destroy it.
He lifted his head and the sun warmed his cheeks. He flew down to Flowforn Basin to get a closer look. Nothing but strange, colourful fish.
‘Somewhere with rocks…’ What does that mean? A mountain? A cave? A cliff? Shore? Just some rocks? Arazod hadn’t given the best clue. Karl thought it was as useful as saying, under the sky, or outside of Flowforn.
He hovered and gazed northwards, taking a breath to appreciate the power of the northern waterfall. If Arazod was near that, he would have been flattened.
West, beyond the cliffs and rapids, sea followed more sea and some birds flew. Karl considered flying out to them, but they would probably just eat him.
He flew back up and faced Flowforn. The horrible statue of Arazod depicted him holding his Soul Bleeder to the sky as though he was going to strike an enemy, and both of his wings were fanned out.
To Karl’s left was the unfriendliness of Mount Hastovia, obviously full of rocks, and supposedly the Great Dragon, so hopefully not where Arazod was. Karl needed something to inspire his search.
Oaf stood at the entrance to Herbis Forest, which stretched to the northeast. All Karl knew was from Questions’ book, that the white trees were bendy. They could be moulded and would gradually return to their original position. Oaf made shapes out of them while Questions and Tortured Soul guessed what they were, which wasn’t what Karl would call helping the search.
‘Is it bread?’ Questions asked.
Oaf shook his head.
Karl lowered to his knees to search for talon marks.
‘Do you love Sabrinia, Karl?’ Questions asked.
‘What?’ Karl said.
Tortured Soul spat on the ground. ‘You would’ve dived head-first through that portal if you didn’t love her. You reckon by helpin’ you might get lucky.’
‘Put her back in her bottle!’ Karl told Oaf.
Oaf grinned at Karl.
‘Stop it.’
Oaf’s grin widened.
‘I’m just helping because I’m one of the good people. It’s what good people do. Now help me find this place with rocks.’
‘Those bent trees look like a bottom.’ Oaf pointed to trees that did, in fact, resemble the outline of a bottom.
Karl shook his head. ‘Questions?’
‘Where would you be if you were lost or captured?’ she asked.
‘That’s not helpful in any way whatsoever.’
‘Where would you go if you were Arazod?’ Questions smiled, somehow proud of her strategy.
Oaf raised a finger as though he had something better to contribute. ‘If you were Arazod, would you rather fly or be invisible?’
Karl huffed.
‘I reckon he’s invisible and is just pervin’ on everyone,’ Tortured Soul added.
This went on for a while. Karl questioned whether he was stupid for not thinking like them.
‘Does Arazod prefer night or day?’ Questions asked.
‘Quiet, all of you!’ Karl paced.
They let him think for a moment. Smoke rose from the southeast of Flowforn Forest. ‘That’s probably Lord Ragnus introducing himself to people.’
Oaf’s eyes widened and his smile vanished. He stormed towards the smoke.
‘Oaf?’ Karl called out.
He was gone.
Tortured Soul looked around, confused.
Questions stared after Oaf, her legs shook.
Karl turned to her. ‘Sabrinia said you’d help me in any way you could, right?’
She nodded.
‘So help me by going after him.’
Questions smiled, full of thanks.
‘But only if you take that thing with you.’ He pointed to Tortured Soul.
‘Rude,’ Tortured Soul said.
Questions took Tortured Soul in her hand. ‘Will you be okay on your own?’ she asked Karl.
‘I’ve got these.’ Karl flapped his wings, showing he had complete control over them. ‘Arazod’s clearly been nabbed by some pathetic bandits who live in a cave and think they can ransom him off for a quick bag of gold. I’ll find him, swoop in, grab him, and fly away. Easy. Now go.’
Questions hugged him.
‘I guess this really is the last time I see you,’ he said.
Questions hugged him again.
‘Thanks…’ he said.
Questions and Tortured Soul left.
A lump formed in Karl's throat. He could genuinely call her a friend.
He exhaled and searched for clues. He found himself thinking, If I was Arazod, where would I go? He cursed Questions and Oaf for putting those stupid questions in his mind. It did make him chuckle, too.
He studied the bent trees and realised they weren’t meant to resemble a bottom.
‘This is going to be easy,’ he announced to the air, thinking it cared.
Behind the trees he spotted a feather. Further into the forest another feather, followed by more feathers.
He followed them until the ground became muddy.
The victory he prematurely celebrated was now a disaster. He stood in a footprint so huge it could only belong to a monster.
Karl flew over a trail of feathers and footprints in the thicket of Herbis Forest until he came to four giant tree stumps illuminated by the night sun. They were in front of the Red Mountain, which was actually grey. The stumps showed no life, and their bark was a decaying, rotten green.
Karl stared at the entrance to the mountain. A roar burst out of it and shook him to the bone. He edged closer. Growls, low hums and a language he didn't understand stopped him from entering.
He flew to the top of a stump for a better view of the area, hoping for another way in but saw no such thing. He gazed at the sky, took some seeds from his pocket and tipped his head back to drop them into his mouth, but a demonic shriek shook them out of his hand.
He braced himself.
A shadow with wings and a long nose consumed him. Heavy, gruff breaths made Karl’s legs shake. ‘Please don’t be a dragon.’ He turned around.
Peezant burst out laughing.
‘Peezant! Don’t ever do that again!’
‘You should see your stupid face!’
Karl threw seeds at him.
‘Did you like my impression of a dragon?’ Peezant asked.
‘No. I found it immature. Now help me find a better way into the mountain before Arazod is killed.’
‘I do know the best way in, but you know the deal,’ Peezant said.
Karl was ready. Sabrinia had packed him off with more gold. He took a pouch from his pocket and slammed each shiny piece down. ‘Here, here, here, here, here. Now, I’ll have my bowl of information.’
Peezant looked at the gold, then at Karl. ‘I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t want gold.’
‘What?�
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‘I want hair.’
‘Hair?’
‘Yep. You got a nice head of it and it’s good for the stomach.’
Karl buried his face in his hands. ‘Just do what you have to do.’ He felt the hair rip from its scalp bed. His cries included, ‘Be gentle!’ ‘Stop pecking my brain!’ and, ‘I feel bleeding!’
Peezant finished.
‘So how do I look?’ Karl touched patches on his head.
‘Lovely.’ Peezant wiped hair off his beak and tried to contain his laughter, which didn't reassure Karl. ‘Follow me,’ Peezant said.
The two of them flew to the bottom of the giant stumps.
‘Ah, so a secret entrance in the stumps. Very clever.’ Karl untied the string from around his trousers.
‘Nope.’ Peezant pointed a wing to the entrance of the Red Mountain.
Karl folded his arms. ‘I know about this entrance. The deal was you help me to find a better way in.’
‘This is the only entrance I know about,’ Peezant squawked.
Karl gritted his teeth.
‘Bye then.’ Peezant was about to fly off.
Karl grabbed him.
‘What are you doing?’ Peezant flapped and struggled.
Karl tied the string around Peezant’s legs and bound him to his wrist. ‘Sabrinia said you speak all the languages in the realm.’ Karl smiled at Peezant. ‘You’re coming with me.’
26
Karl glided through flame-lit, pale-red rocky tunnels. Typical, he thought. I have these nice new wings, but these beasts decide it’s best to live inside a mountain. Every growl sent chills up his spine.
Peezant pulled against Karl and pecked at the string.
‘Relax. I can’t be saviour to a tyrant and have to keep watching a parrot with an attitude problem,’ Karl whispered.
Out of the tunnels, dwellings stretched all the way up to the top of the hollow mountain. The impressive structures were like big rock igloos. The red rocks made the lair more intimidating, which wasn’t necessary, as whatever lived here had already perfected intimidation.
Peezant flapped.
‘Stop it!’ Karl searched for cover.
‘Untie me or I’ll shout.’
‘You’d get us both killed?’
‘Yes.’
‘Fine. Have it your way.’ Karl grabbed Peezant’s beak in his dragon dung stained hand until Peezant passed out. Karl stuffed Peezant into his trouser pocket.
Muffled growling neared and Karl hid behind the curved wall of a dwelling.
The beasts were large and hairy, as solid as tree trunks and more than twice Karl’s size. Their spiked teeth and scythe-like claws confirmed what they were.
Karl’s heart raced and his mind begged him to leave. Karl was in the lair of the Lionbear.
The beasts carried an iron pot big enough for Karl to sleep in, and he feared they had already cooked Arazod. He followed stealthily and hid behind another Lionbear’s home. He peered into the dwelling and was thankful it was empty, so entered. The stench of damp hair invaded his nostrils. He fought the urge to retch and poked his head out of the window-shaped hole in the structure.
The Lionbears placed the pot by a rock cage on the edge of a path overlooking what must have been a long drop to death.
Karl never thought he’d be glad Arazod was alive, but there he was, shaken, weeping, blindfolded with his arms rope-bound, and with patches where he’d shed his feathers.
One of Arazod's captors shook the cage.
‘Do you know who…’ Arazod wheezed. ‘I am!’ He coughed some more. ‘Let me go. I need open air for my bre-eee-eathing!’ His whining echoed through the hollow mountain.
The Lionbear shook the cage again. The other laughed.
‘Fools!’ Arazod called out. ‘Somewhere with rocks, a cage, and growling creatures! They smell bad!’
The Lionbears growled in their native tongue. Karl tried to understand what they were saying from their gestures but it was useless. Karl took Peezant out of his pocket. ‘Peezant. Peezant. Wake up.’ Karl shook him.
Peezant stirred. His eyes widened at Karl.
Karl covered Peezant's beak with his clean hand and gestured for him to shush. ‘If you make me think you’re going to get us caught, I’ll do it again.’
Peezant’s chest puffed up and down and the anger in his eyes eventually faded, so Karl removed his hand.
‘I’ll never be able to wash that smell off!’ Peezant moaned.
‘You deserved it. Now what are they saying?’
‘Untie me and all knowledge shall be yours.’
‘If you don’t tell me what they’re saying I’ll put you to sleep, tie you up and leave you here. Then a Lionbear will find you, and it will eat you.’
Peezant folded his wings, disappointment in his little eyes. He listened in. ‘She’s complaining about the way Hastovia is today and what they’d do to change it… Stuff about the environment… Waste…’
‘What about him?’
‘He’s moaning about being hungry because Lord Ragnus keeps taking all the hazel berry from their stumps.’
Karl’s eyes widened like he’d solved a great riddle. ‘So when Sabrinia said Lionbears are being sighted all over Flowfornia, it’s because they’re having to go looking for food.’
Peezant rolled his eyes. ‘Well done…’ Peezant held his wing to his ear. ‘She’s saying she doesn’t even like eating meat. It gives her a bad temper and messes with her bowels.’
The Lionbear pulled Arazod’s blindfold off and cut his ropes. The couple picked up the pot and tipped its thick, sticky contents all over him.
He released a shrill cry.
Peezant shrugged. ‘But times are tough. They’re marinating Arazod to eat in the morning.’
The Lionbear couple left the pot and walked back the way they came. Karl climbed out of the window and hid behind a dwelling closer to the Man-Hawk. ‘Arazod,’ he whispered.
He couldn’t hear him. ‘Fools!’ Arazod called out. ‘Find me! I’m inside a red mountain with Lionbears!’
Karl leaned in further. Sweat trickled down the back of his shirt. 'Arazod.' Still no response.
Karl picked up a rock and aimed it next to Arazod, but accidentally hit him on the head.
Arazod’s head shot around to see Karl. Anger turned into disappointment.
Karl’s eyes widened. ‘Hey! He should be thankful!’ Karl moaned to Peezant. ‘If someone came to save me from something, I’d be flattered.’ Karl threw a couple more rocks in anger, his poor aim failed to achieve the desired result.
Peezant pecked Karl’s ear to get his attention.
‘Ow!’
‘If you untie me, I’ll fly over to Arazod, study the cage, then come back and we can figure out a plan,’ Peezant said.
‘No. I can’t trust you.’
‘I promise I won’t deceive you.’
‘Really?’
‘Do I have the finest beak in Hastovia?’
‘I’ve only seen bits of Flowfornia, and Hastovia seems quite a lot bigger, so I’ll say no.’
‘The answer is yes. Plus, I’m small enough to do it undetected.’
Karl considered it. Peezant had a point. ‘And you absolutely, won’t fly away?’
‘I swear on my feathers. We’re a team now. Friends until the end. Brothers in battle.’
Karl smiled. ‘Brothers in battle… I like that.’ He untied Peezant from his wrist. ‘I mean, we both have wings so should really try to get on.’
Peezant flew back the way they entered.
Karl huffed and stared, his fury rose as Peezant disappeared through the tunnels. A parrot’s promise is worthless.
Karl took a deep breath. ‘Come on Karl. Think, think, think.’ He scratched a sharp rock against the dwelling wall to mark the layout and his plan. From where he stood, dead ahead was Arazod. Behind the cage, a drop. Karl outlined the path to his right, leading to more Lionbear homes. It seemed to be quiet up there. To his left, fires burned,
where he assumed most Lionbears were. He’d have to avoid that part of the mountain.
Karl studied the layout, then sat back against the wall and thought about how tired he was. He tried to keep his eyes open, but before he could actually plan anything his eyes drifted.
A hairy hand closed in.
27
The stars shone above Questions and Oaf as they walked over hills towards the source of the fire. Oaf powered onwards while Questions dragged her feet.
‘Can we stop?’ she asked. They came to the charred remains of an old farmhouse.
‘Yeah, I’m shattered from bumpin’ around in her pocket while she tries to keep up,’ Tortured Soul added.
‘No stopping until I find Lord Ragnus.’ Oaf’s eyes were red with tiredness but his desire for revenge seemed to energise him.
‘Come on, this is a good… patch… to kip on… for the night…’ Tortured Soul drifted.
‘I’ll rest when Lord Ragnus takes his last breath.’
Questions struggled to push a statement out of her mouth. It wouldn’t materialise and she could only make strained noises. ‘Will you have the energy to fight when you find him?’ She hung her head and wished she could make a stronger point. Every time she failed to make a statement she remembered the day her people perished, the day her father froze to keep her alive.
Oaf softened. ‘Maybe you’re right.’
Questions rested her elbow against an old, disused well.
‘I want to be at full strength when I find him,’ Oaf said.
Tortured Soul hopped out of her bottle. ‘I’ll find some scraps for a fire.’ She dragged herself towards the bushes behind the farmhouse.
Oaf grabbed some branches from a nearby tree. ‘Have you ever been able to make a statement, Questions?’
She shook her head and looked at the grassy remains on the ground. ‘Are you annoyed with me for not being able to speak properly?’
Oaf turned to her. ‘Of course not, you speak perfectly.’
Questions’ hands tingled. Nobody had ever said that.
Oaf piled the branches on top of each other. ‘Are you annoyed with me for wanting revenge so badly?’
Questions thought for a moment. ‘Do you think it’s dangerous to be obsessed?’
