The giant wolf snarled on all fours at Helena who, still in the same stance, smiled. The wolf pounced off the ground towards her with fearsome power, its mouth wide and teeth sparkling as it headed towards her. Still smiling, Helena let her left arm drop back to her side, as she did she pushed off the ground with her left foot throwing herself into the air, twisting towards the wolf. They reached each other in mid-air. The wolf, reached out with its paws, mouth open and teeth drawing closer to Helena as if she was a magnet to them but Helena thrust her feet towards the wolf’s face and kicked it powerfully under its jaw, knocking it on to its back with a thud. Helena completed the spin and landed facing the wolf.
Smiling, she looked down “is that all you’ve got?” she laughed.
The wolf sprang up, poised to leap at the girl, but before it could do so a loud shout sounded across the grass. “Enough!”
Immediately, they all turned towards the corner of the house from where Delaius was striding, unafraid, towards the two protagonists, rather, he seemed angry. In fact, looking at the other two it would seem they were more afraid of him.
He looked at the wolf. “You should know better than to draw attention to yourselves. Humans walk these parts all the time!” he growled. “If you weren’t so self-obsessed you’d notice there are four stood over here!” Delaius looked the wolf up and down, “and, William, sort yourself out will you” he said as he threw a pair of shorts in the wolf’s direction.
The wolf suddenly began shrinking; all the while his wolf like features were being absorbed into what was clearly becoming a male human figure.
“Whoa” Aaron said slowly in awe as they all stood watching, unable to take their eyes from the transformation.
Delaius turned to the woman “I expected better from you Helena.” he said disappointedly.
“I’m sorry Delaius, I did nae realise they were still here.” Helena apologised.
“Whether they were here or not I would expect better from you, both of you” he said turning back to William who was now standing half naked on the grass. “Get inside and put the rest of your clothes on. We leave for the festival in a short while, and be nice to the guests.” Delaius turned towards the others but before he could speak, Frankie blurted out. “What are they?”
“I’m sure they will answer any questions you may have. Please don’t be afraid” he said to the group. “As long as you pose no threat they’re quite harmless. So you have nothing to worry about.” Helena and William came up behind Delaius as he continued. “Come on we’ll go inside and get ready to leave.”
William looked older than Helena but Helena’s eyes told a different story. William was just over six foot in his human form; his lean toned figure, even features and messy hair were enough to make Frankie weak at the knees.
Helena spotted Frankie gazing at William, “Hands off! He’s taken” she said as Frankie had the grace to look embarrassed.
“We knew you were here really” William whispered to the friends. “Thought we’d give you a show” he said as they made their way around the side of the house.
“Pay him no attention” Helena said smiling “he could nae put on a show if he tried.”
They seemed nice but what were they? Jack thought to himself unable to fathom how Helena was able to do some of the things he’d just witnessed.
As they walked through the kitchen, Jack noticed that Delaius seemed to be brewing something in a pot, but he decided against asking him about it. Delaius, sensing his gaze, told them to make themselves comfortable in the living room and that he would be along shortly. The room was now brightly lit with the curtains thrown back to reveal comfortable sofas and chairs arranged for easy conversation. A cream carpet covered the floor while an oriental rug lay in front of a large fireplace set with logs. The large window gave the same view towards the mountains that the friends had first admired that morning. Jack noticed a fragrant smell in the air like tea mixed with mint.
William left the group briefly to get fully dressed in the clothes he kept in the bedroom he used from time to time. Returning to the company, he joined them as they chatted, waiting for his return to question Helena and himself regarding the amazing sights that had witnessed last night and this morning.
The pair were very responsive to the questions and answered as many as they could. William had told them that he was a werewolf and that he was twenty eight when it had happened. Explaining how he was attacked by a group of werewolves who were attempting to turn more people into their kind so their numbers would be increased during the rebellions that were raging in Nanantharim. Luckily, Delaius and Helena had come to his aid and dealt with the creatures before they could take him. However it was too late to save him from infection so they let him stay with them, teaching him how to control his anger, though he admitted that if it wasn’t for Helena he would have been lost long ago. His love for her made him relaxed and controlled and that she had spent three months after the attack keeping him at ease until he could control the condition himself. Jack sensed that William was hiding something, he didn’t know how, but something about the way he told them made him question the truth in what he was saying. Nonetheless he kept quiet and listened intently as Helena explained that she also had been infected. A human turned vampire. She told them she had been with Delaius since she was a young woman. She had been bitten by a vampire who was insane and driven by a lust for blood, she had stayed with him because she was like him and he looked after her. Delaius had hunted the vampire down but had taken pity on her and helped her become who she was today. Delaius had to guide them and they had been at his side ever since.
“Hold on” Aaron started “I thought vampires can’t go out in sunlight” he asked.
“That’s a load of haggis.” Helena said “The sun only affects pure bloods, but they‘re beasts and only know how to kill”
“So you drink blood as well?" Frankie asked nervously.
“Aye, but it’s just another source of food. I need blood from time to time but I do nae crave human blood if that’s what you mean, a myth is all.” she explained. She turned her focus to Frankie “though I’ve heard young girls taste amazing”
Aaron laughed but Frankie went pale in the face. William laughed, “She’s only joking, though her jokes could use some work.” He smiled fondly towards Helena as everyone but Frankie chuckled.
“So how old are you?” Lily asked them intrigued.
“Well, I am ninety four and Williams just a baby.” Helena said. “He’s fourty eight” she smiled and stroked his head.
“Who’d have thought she’d have turned out to be a comedienne eh?” William chuckled.
Jack looked stunned “so…how old is Delaius” he said.
“Well that’s not for me to tell but he’s older than us.” Helena said.
“How can he be that old and only look about sixty” Aaron asked.
“Oil of Olay” William joked “hey you could use some baby” he said to Helena who responded by slapping the back of his head with an all too angry look on her face.
“So what is he” Frankie asked interested.
“Who Delaius?” William said as if they should’ve known “he’s a wizard isn’t he.”
Jack stayed silent but the rest of them looked more amazed than when they found out about Helena being a vampire and William being a werewolf. Aaron’s eyes lit up. “No way!” he said.
William laughed, “They easily believe we’re what we are but they can’t take in Delaius being a wizard.” he said to Helena.
“No I just mean. Well that’s pretty cool, like...” he said unable to contain his smile “it’s not every day you meet people like you three and that thing in the woods.”
“Banshees” William growled disapprovingly “there a menace.”
“Anyway, there’s a lot more than just werewolves and vampires that you have nae met yet” Helena said.
“Like what? Go on tell us” they pleaded.
“Well, you’ll see surprising th
ings at this festival, I can tell you, the first time I went it blew my mind…”
“Story times over” Delaius said entering the room “all ready to go?” he asked and they all nodded and headed for the archway to the hall.
Chapter eight
The Road to Nanantharim
As they made their way out of the lounge, they pleaded with William and Helena to tell them how they did what they did.
“What kind of abilities do you have as a werewolf” Aaron asked as William and Helena exited the room.
“It’s nothing you want to be, Aaron. Being like them is more of a curse; watching as your loved ones die around you, it’s not a life most would choose.” Delaius interjected.
“I would” Aaron said instantly.
“Don’t be foolish boy. As happy as they might seem they long for a normal life.” he told Aaron. “Anyway, enough about them, if you need to use the toilet it would be wise to go now, otherwise wait outside with Helena and William and I’ll be along momentarily.” he said leaving the hallway and heading back into the kitchen.
They all went upstairs to grab their jackets and before Jack returned downstairs he saw Delaius out of the bedroom window. He was coming out of the shed carrying a wide bowl with a thoughtful grimace upon his face.
Jack returned downstairs to the bookshelves in the hall. As Delaius came in through the kitchen door, Jack picked up the book he’d looked at earlier that day.
“I had a glance at this earlier. I hope you don’t mind” he told Delaius. Delaius moved towards him, “Ah, the Redmond Rebellions. Dark times those. A long time ago as well,” he smiled, “though a great bit of history to know.” He placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder “knowledge is power after all.”
“What should I do about my back-pack” Aaron interjected as he and the rest of the group had now assembled in the hall.
“Take it with you; I’ll be taking you back to your car when we leave the festival so it is best not to leave anything here” Delaius told them.
The only other belongings they had apart from their clothes was in the back-pack and all that consisted of was empty lunchboxes and bottles of water and so seeing they were all ready Delaius opened the door and signaled them to follow.
It wasn’t long before they were on their way, marching off down the hill and away from the house. The clouds floated past the sun, causing it to move in and out of view, however it was still warm and a cooling breeze swept towards them from the east.
Delaius strode purposefully across the fields. The group had chatted a little amongst themselves during the walk but seemed preoccupied about the visit to Nanantharim. It seemed that they were headed straight for the large stand of trees that Jack had thought was some kind of a maze that he’d noticed from Delaius’ house earlier that day.
“I saw that stand of trees before, is it a maze?” Jack asked as he came up to Delaius’ side.
“You have good eyesight. It is there that we will pass into Nanantharim. It forms a square you see, and in it are four separate mazes. At the centre of each is a doorway.”
“Doorways to what?”
“Well one of them,” he said pointing to the right of the stand of trees, “once led to the great realm of Winos, but the door was destroyed. The door to the south west is our destination, it leads to Nanantharim.”
“What about the others?”
“Well one has never been used because no-one really knows where it goes to, nor do they know how to open it. And the other” he grimaced, “the other is never used because it leads only to death”
“Death?”
“Yes, you would only find death there, and death would find you.”
“Has anyone ever gone through?”
“There have been a few who thought they could cheat death and take back those that were taken from them but none have ever returned. If you ask me, that doorway should have been destroyed long ago.”
Jack didn’t ask anymore, instead he continued walking, thinking through what Delaius had told him. Four doors, all leading to different worlds, or so he presumed from Delaius’ words; one led to death, another to Nanantharim, one had been destroyed and the fourth unknown. What next? He wondered.
It had only taken twenty minutes to reach the edge of the maze and Delaius had brought them around to the south west side and standing so close to it now they could all see its magnificence.
Jack had noticed it from Delaius’ home but now he realised just how large and skillfully crafted it was; It stood over twenty feet high and had been carefully trimmed so it was symmetrical; not an inch of grass or stray branch stood out from it.
A large arch opening was Delaius’ destination and he led the group through it casually and happily. Flanked by bushes on either side they followed Delaius as he wound his way through the maze. They passed dead ends and other paths which led away from them but Delaius did not hesitate as he led them on.
“I’m guessing we’re trying to reach the centre then?” Aaron said loudly to anyone that would listen.
“The centre has never been reached, nor is it known that one even exists” Delaius said as they reached a fork in the path. “This way” he said turning left. “This place was here before any of us, there are identical ones on each of the three known worlds, it is not known who built them, but they are all enchanted you see. From a birds-eye view you see no openings, it is simply a maze, and it is only when you walk through it yourself that you realise there are openings”
Aaron was about to ask further, but as they made a right turn he held back as his question was answered.
The trimmed grass which covered the ground in the narrow passages through which they had travelled, became a cobbled path which led through an opening into an open square. Half way across the space, a tree with a broad trunk stood on either side of the path. The path forked on the other side of the trees with a leg of the path running towards each of the far corners of the square. The left fork led to what appeared to be a dead end and the right fork led to another arched opening.
Delaius led the group towards the trees and stopped a few metres from them.
“What’s this then?” Aaron asked confused at what he saw.
“This, this is our path, wait here” Delaius told them all as he moved to within a few inches of the two trees in the centre.
The group chatted amongst themselves about why they’d been brought there and Jack told them what Delaius had said.
“So this is a doorway”
“So he said” Jack shrugged eyeing Delaius as he began talking gently towards the trees.
“Who’s he talking to?” Lily queried.
“Just watch” William told them.
Moments passed until Delaius stepped back from the two trees. Within seconds of him rejoining the group the bark of both of the trees began peeling back from top to bottom like a roll of cling-film. They stood in shock as the bark unfolded until it formed a barrier between the trees. The inside of the bark seemed to glow for a moment as a bright yellow radiance shone over it and faded into a lustrous black; it was the look of darkness, as if someone had turned the lights off and they were looking into total darkness. A strange feeling came over them as they gazed at it in amazement.
“Right who’s first?”
“Eh?” Aaron started.
“To go through, come on, it’s no good sitting around here.”
The four of them looked at him in disbelief, somewhat confused. William edged past the four and walked towards the darkness that made up the space between the two trees.
“I guess it’ll have to be me then.” William said as he walked straight towards the trees.
The group watched as he stepped through and disappeared as if consumed by the darkness.
“Who’s next?” Delaius asked hurrying them along.
Jack’s main concern was his friends and, as they were only going to this place to help get rid of his wound, he felt it only right that he go through before any of the others, just in c
ase, and William had gone through first so surely it was ok, he hoped.
“Go on lad, it’s alright, I didn’t save you to kill you now did I” Delaius said to Jack as he noticed his hesitation. Frankie’s eyebrows raised but Jack didn’t see and he mustered his courage, closed his eyes and walked straight through. He felt a slight resistance which bent and stretched easily as he walked on before it released him and seemingly fell back to its original state between the trees. Jack kept his eyes closed and it was only when he felt a hand on him and heard William laughing that he opened his eyes.
It had been mid-afternoon when Jack had walked through the darkness and now it was night-time. The moon was high in the sky and the sky was beautiful, filled with stars and not a cloud in sight and the smell of wild flowers and dried bark filled the air around him. He could see that they were in some kind of woods as there were trees everywhere and the ground was filled with dead leaves, twigs and broken branches. The low hoot of an owl echoed through the woods and the air was warm and calm.
Meanwhile, Delaius was urging the others through.
Frankie was having none of it. “What, don’t look at me.”
Aaron shook off his confused expression and mustered up the courage to step up.
“I will. I’m doing this for you sugar-lips, if I don’t come back, you will tell my mum I love her won’t you?” he winked and grinned.
Frankie smacked him around the shoulder playfully before he stepped nervously towards the darkness. He glanced back momentarily before closing his eyes and stepping into the darkness.
Jack and William watched as Aaron appeared through the darkness, his eyes, like Jacks had been, were closed.
Moments later, Lily and Helena came through together, Lily wore the same surprised look as Jack and Aaron, surprised and awed. It was, after all, incredible.
Frankie came through next, shouting and crying as she walked out of the strip of darkness with her hands out in front of her as if to feel for any danger, her eyes were tightly shut and her low whispers were more than hilarious to the others as she mumbled “Oh please, oh please, oh please.”
The Amulets (An 'Amulets of Andarrin' tale) Page 7
