by Brandon Mull
“I earned my way to this room before,” Merek said.
“But you didn’t know why you were here,” Humbuggle said. “You wandered off without ringing the bell. We provided a good life for what remained of you.”
“You’ll tell us the true Game?” Seth asked.
“Yes,” Humbuggle said. “Very few ever learn it. I could count them on one hand. If that hand had at least eighteen fingers. To learn it, you must swear to keep it a secret.”
“I promise,” Seth said.
“Me too,” Merek added. “What is the true Game?”
Humbuggle pressed against one fist, cracking knuckles, then popped the knuckles of his other hand. After clearing his throat, he recited:
To master how my Game is played
Go find the Unforgiving Blade
Beg no gurus, ask no sages
Cut the strings of the Harp of Ages
“That’s it?” Merek asked.
“I know, it’s brief, and the meter is imperfect,” Humbuggle said. “But you both paid heavily to come this far—I wanted to make the objective plain. English can be so ambiguous and cumbersome.”
“We find the Unforgiving Blade and cut the strings of the Harp of Ages,” Seth said.
“Can’t get much by this kid,” Humbuggle said, jerking a thumb at Seth. “Don’t be too disappointed. Many tasks are easier said than done.”
“The Harp of Ages is in the Dragon Temple here at Titan Valley,” Merek said.
“I will neither confirm nor deny,” Humbuggle said, hands behind his back.
“To destroy it would be a desecration,” Merek said. “That Harp was pivotal in winning the dragon war.”
“Could we restring it?” Seth asked.
“You don’t understand,” Merek said. “Wounds inflicted by the Unforgiving Blade can never be undone. What that blade cuts will never be repaired.”
“You didn’t expect me to give away the Wizenstone without sacrifices?” Humbuggle asked. “I better go. Being around clever heroes tends to make me blab. Thanks for making this entertaining.”
With a flash and a puff of smoke, Humbuggle vanished.
We’re traveling by dungeon?” Warren asked.
“It was made for transporting prisoners,” Kendra said. “But Dectus thought we might prefer it to wicker when the storm hits.”
Kendra, Warren, Vanessa, and Tanu stood before a human-sized wooden house with iron-reinforced doors and bars on the windows, meant to be carried by a giant. Not far off, Bernosh, a surly giant wearing huge, mismatched pieces of armor, sat sharpening a longsword that could probably cut most castles in half.
“I try not to voluntarily enter dungeons,” Warren said. “Entering a prison is often easy. Getting out tends to be the problem.”
“You don’t think Dectus means to trap us?” Vanessa checked.
“Let’s imagine Bernosh takes a nasty fall and breaks his neck,” Warren said in a reasonable tone. “What happens to us?”
“We have the keys,” Kendra said. “We unlock the front door and leave.”
“If our giant takes a nasty fall, we’ll be lucky to survive it,” Tanu said. “Unless we use the right potion.”
Bernosh stood and sheathed his sword. “Are we going or not?” He was built like a running back, with bulging arms and legs.
“We’re going,” Kendra said, unlocking the front door of the dungeon.
The four of them entered and sat on thinly cushioned benches with high backs. Armrests projected from the benches at intervals, and Kendra grabbed one tightly. Unlike in the wicker house, several sets of shackles were bolted to the walls. Bernosh smoothly swung the house onto his back and set off at a brisk pace.
“He doesn’t waste time,” Warren approved.
“It gave me a head rush,” Tanu said, sliding his fingers through his thick hair.
“But it wasn’t jerky,” Vanessa said.
When Bernosh exited Terastios, he picked up the pace to a lively jog, making the portable dungeon sway and bob, shackles jangling. Seen through the barred windows, the landscape went by at a startling rate.
“Are we in this big of a hurry?” Warren asked.
“The faster we travel, the less ground we cover surrounded by lightning,” Bernosh said in his rumbly voice.
“Great, he’s listening,” Warren said.
“I’m slow to judge,” Bernosh said.
Though the speed was exhilarating, Kendra had to agree that the jostling was too much, especially with all the furniture made of wood and poorly cushioned. Kendra soon found that by rocking her body in harmony with the jouncing of the dungeon, she could reduce the impact of the motion.
“I’m going to need a chiropractor after this,” Tanu said.
“You could use a gaseous potion,” Vanessa suggested.
“Worse situations might lie ahead,” Tanu replied. “I’d better save the potions.”
Warren had unfolded a copy of the map. “Does this giant’s name start with a p?”
“The p is silent,” Tanu said. “Like in pterodactyl.”
“English is ridiculous sometimes,” Warren said. “Why have silent ps?”
“Only psychics know,” Kendra said.
Bernosh ran for more than two hours before setting the portable dungeon down on a riverbank so he could pause and drink. Kendra had not seen much of the landscape going by because she had been too busy bracing herself during the choppy ride. She and the others stood and stretched now that they were at rest.
“Listen to the wind,” Tanu said.
Now that he mentioned it, Kendra heard the wind whistling in the trees and felt it gusting through the dungeon. Going to a window, she saw that the sky still looked mostly clear.
“How far off is the storm?” Kendra called.
At the river’s edge, Bernosh stood tall and gazed eastward. “Less than a day,” he reported. “We may feel the front edge in a matter of hours.”
“How far to Ptolemy?” Kendra asked.
“We’re almost there,” Bernosh said. “This was the last reliable place to get water before we reach his cave.”
“Are you sure you want to go in alone?” Warren asked Kendra.
“Dectus thought negotiation was our best chance,” Kendra said. “He suspected Ptolemy would be more likely to take pity on me than any of you. I’ll bring a gaseous potion. If he tries to capture me, I’ll drink it right away.”
“Most ettins have two heads,” Bernosh put in. “But Ptolemy has three.”
“Dectus told us the middle one has control over the body,” Kendra said. “The other two act like counselors.”
“True enough,” Bernosh said. “Not a terribly large giant, but plenty big next to any of you. Ready to go?”
“Sure,” Kendra said.
She and the others returned to their seats barely before Bernosh hauled the dungeon onto his back. This time he walked instead of jogged, and Kendra could see the relief on Tanu’s face.
They traversed heavily forested foothills, the dungeon windows just higher than the tallest treetops. Bernosh stepped over creeks and pressed through branches, leaving some damage to the forest in his wake. He stopped at the mouth of a narrow ravine and set the dungeon down beside a small stream.
“The way ahead becomes too narrow for me,” Bernosh said. “Even if Ptolemy should come out, I can’t assist in a scuffle against him. He is held in high regard by the ettins and several of the other lesser giants.”
“We understand,” Warren said. “Does an ettin have much of an appetite?”
Bernosh chuckled. “Does a wheel roll downhill? Ettins eat almost anything.”
“Do they have favorite game or livestock in the area?” Warren asked.
“Bears,” Bernosh said. “Sheep. You four, potentially. Anything alive they can catch.”
“How are you at catching sheep?” Warren asked.
“It’s no trouble,” Bernosh said.
“We could use a live sheep,” Warren said. “It might s
peed the mission along.”
“I’ll have a look,” Bernosh said, lumbering off.
Tanu held out a gaseous potion to Kendra. “Don’t hesitate to use this.”
Kendra accepted it. “I won’t. How would this wind affect me in a gaseous state?”
Tanu winced. “You could get blown far from us. If you go gaseous, try to stay in the ravine. It looks mostly sheltered from the breeze.”
“I’ll accompany her to the entrance,” Vanessa said.
“Take my gummy potion,” Tanu said. “Just in case.”
Vanessa accepted it and joined Kendra on her way into the ravine. They walked along a little shelf of land between the wall of the ravine and the trickling stream. The ground was uneven, and loose rocks sometimes shifted underfoot, forcing Kendra to tread carefully.
“Have you ever seen an ettin before?” Kendra asked.
“I have had few dealings with giants,” Vanessa said. “Do not expect the ettin to be as refined as the sky giants. Most giants are quite savage.”
“Dectus thought Ptolemy would talk to me,” Kendra said.
“I hope so,” Vanessa responded. “Keep that potion ready.”
After a couple of gentle turns in the path, a thin waterfall came into view at the end of the ravine, no broader than if Kendra extended both arms. Behind the waterfall gaped the mouth of a cave, at least four times Kendra’s height. Animal bones littered the sides of the stream near the base of the falls, with a few poking out of the water.
“I could do without the bones,” Kendra said.
“Let’s not join the collection,” Vanessa suggested.
Kendra paused toward the end of the ravine, at the side of the waterfall. There was room to get behind the waterfall without stepping into the stream, but not without passing through some chilly mist.
“I’ll wait here,” Vanessa said. “Turn on the charm. Play up your innocence.”
“I’ll do my best,” Kendra said, ducking through the mist, stepping over slick rocks and damp bones. Not many steps behind the waterfall, the coolness of the cave made her wet skin colder.
The bare cave lacked features like stalactites or stalagmites. It was just a big hole leading into the hillside. Kendra supposed it was dark, but her fairykind abilities allowed her to see just fine. Each step forward took her farther from the sound of the waterfall—and farther from her friends.
Before long, Kendra saw the flickering glow of firelight up ahead. The cave widened into a large cavern, and Kendra beheld several flaming cauldrons standing on tall, iron legs. By the firelight, Kendra beheld a brutish giant with exaggerated musculature. He wore a garment of shaggy fur and hairy boots fashioned from animal hides. He was nearly as broad as he was tall, with three heads perched above his beefy shoulders, the middle one larger than the other two. He was throwing hatchets at a wooden target with impressive accuracy.
After hurling his fifth hatchet, the giant plodded forward to retrieve them. One of the three heads turned and locked eyes with Kendra.
“We have company,” the left head said, and the giant turned, the other two pairs of eyes quickly fixing on her.
“We do,” the center head acknowledged.
Kendra was no taller than his hip. Compared to Bernosh, this giant’s size was not overly impressive, but he easily looked large and savage enough to beat Kendra into paste. Mustering her courage, she tried to project that she was a visitor rather than prey.
“I’m Kendra Sorenson,” she said with a curtsy. “I’ve come hoping you can help me.”
“A delightful little mortal,” the right head said.
“A delightful little morsel,” the left head countered.
“Fairykind, if I am not mistaken,” the right head said.
“We’ve never tasted fairykind before,” the left head noted.
“You were not invited,” the center head said, his voice rougher and his pronunciation more primitive than the other two heads. “I owe you nothing.”
“I came because of an emergency,” Kendra said. “Dectus hopes you can loan us the key to the Dragon Temple.”
“She should not know you have the lightning key,” the left head said. “Her knowledge endangers us.”
“She must be telling the truth about Dectus,” the right head reasoned. “Very few know the location of the key.”
“Dectus has no authority over us,” the center head said.
“It might be worth learning the conditions of the emergency,” the right head maintained.
“Kendra, why do you seek the key?” the center head asked.
“A dragon war is coming to Titan Valley,” Kendra said.
All three heads laughed.
“Dragons distress the small,” the left head said.
“We bridle their power,” the right head said.
“Let the dragons come,” the center head boasted. “We giants will smash them.”
“Most of the other sanctuaries have fallen,” Kendra said. “This isn’t just a few dragons. We are talking about a dragon army, led by Celebrant. He is aided by Ronodin, who recently took over the Fairy Realm. Dectus thinks it would be wise to retrieve the Harp of Ages to help in the fight.”
“More likely she wants the Harp to help her people,” the left head said.
“We have heard tales of other sanctuaries falling,” the right head said.
“With or without the Harp, the dragons will perish,” the center head said.
Kendra dropped to her knees. “Please, mighty Ptolemy. I need your help. Let me try to retrieve the Harp of Ages.”
“She’s so young and sincere,” the right head said. “And Dectus backs her. I say lend the girl the key.”
“She is small and weak!” the left head argued. “She has no chance of retrieving the Harp. She will lose the key!”
Kendra rose to her feet. “I am a dragon tamer. I bested the dragons at the Wyrmroost Dragon Temple. We defeated the hydra and Glommus, and I killed Siletta.”
“Grand claims,” the center head said.
“Let’s help the girl!” the right head said.
“We should eat the girl!” the left head said.
“I don’t taste good,” Kendra assured them.
“She is slight,” the right head said. “Scant meat to be had.”
“Humans have a wonderful crunch, bones and all,” the left head said.
Ptolemy pulled two hatchets from the target, one for each hand. “The hatchets will decide,” the center head said. “Dodge all five and you can borrow the key.”
He surprised Kendra by tossing the first one underhand. She lurched to the side, and it scythed by close enough that she felt the breeze. Kendra unstopped the bottle and guzzled the effervescent liquid.
The next hatchet was thrown overhand and slashed Kendra in half. It was strange for Kendra to feel her vaporous body separate and then merge back together.
The center head yelled angrily.
“Witchcraft!” the left head accused. “Treachery!”
Kendra tried to explain that she was simply trying to play smart, but her gaseous vocal cords could not produce sound. With an effort of will, Kendra drifted slightly closer to Ptolemy.
The ettin angrily claimed another hatchet and hurled it twice as hard. Kendra felt the weapon swish through her, temporarily dispersing her body with a sensation like millions of tiny fizzing bubbles. Again, her gaseous body fused back together as the hatchet clattered behind her.
“She cheated us!” the left head cried.
“She is using good strategy,” the right head approved. “She has potential to retrieve the Harp of Ages.”
Ptolemy collected the final two hatchets. He raised one to throw it.
“No!” the left head shouted. “She is like a cloud of gas! We cannot hit her right now. You may as well try to wound the smoke of a campfire. Wait. We did not say how quickly we must throw the axes. Wait for her to solidify so you have a fair target.”
“Go reach under your mattress and fe
tch the key,” the right head said, giving Kendra a significant look. “We should let her attempt her errand.”
“She mocks us,” the left head said. “Do not allow a young girl to defeat us. We would be laughingstocks. She will no longer act so smug after we devour her.”
“I will wait,” the center head said, hefting the hatchets. “Two more throws with a fair chance.”
Kendra willed herself back toward the entrance to the cave, and she drifted in that direction.
“She flees,” the left head said. “I declare a forfeit.”
“She may return,” the right head said.
“Return and die,” the center head called. “I will not miss.”
Kendra glided onward. She needed a new strategy. If she waited near Ptolemy until her body solidified, she had no doubt that she would die.
Floating through the mist beside the waterfall caused a bizarre sensation, her entire body tingling as water particles invasively mingled with her gaseousness. Vanessa approached with concern, and Kendra started pantomiming.
“He threw rocks at you?” Vanessa guessed. “Wait. Axes? And you drank the potion?”
Kendra signaled that she had it right. Then she played more charades.
“A key?” Vanessa interpreted. “Under something? You’re sleeping? On a bed? I see. Ptolemy keeps the lightning key under his bed?”
Kendra tapped her nose and gave a thumbs-up.
“I need to hurry to the others,” Vanessa said. “Follow me if you like, but stay in the shelter of the ravine so you don’t blow away.”
Vanessa took off at a sprint over the rough terrain beside the creek. Kendra was surprised that she dared run so fast over the unfavorable ground, but the narcoblix remained surefooted until she passed out of sight. Kendra decided to wait rather than float after her, mostly because she knew Tanu and Warren would head to the cave now that negotiations had failed.
Kendra hovered within view of the waterfall for a long time, idly wondering if Ptolemy might come after her. The ettin did not emerge from his cave, and Kendra tried to relax and enjoy the bubbly calmness of floating without a solid body.
After what seemed a long time, Warren appeared, leading a sheep. They had apparently used chains from the portable dungeon to devise a crude leash. Tanu and Vanessa came along behind.
