War in Colgilor

by Colin Gibbons

  After their sad but memorable visit, Ferreira turned to Shaun. ‘Thank you so much for this wonderful experience, one we will never forget, but now sadly we must return to the Guardian’s cave, and to be honest, neither I nor the other warriors are looking forward to the journey back.’

  Shaun’s face spread into a huge smile. ‘Sorry, I forgot to tell you: the Great Wizard has given me a portal to set up in the valley so we can come and go as we need to, and of course the herd will pass through to join us when the battle begins.’ He opened his rucksack and took out a strange-looking, crystal-cut glass with a shadowy mist swirling across its surface, and he carried it over to one of the many caves set in the hillside surrounding the valley. The warriors followed him over and watched as he placed the crystal glass inside the entrance before stepping back. He paused a moment, closed his eyes and pointed his ring towards it. They looked on in wonderment as the crystal surface slowly cleared and burst out into an array of dazzling light, filling the cave entrance with blinding rays before slowly calming down and returning to the way it was, just another cave entrance.

  Shaun opened his eyes. ‘Good, no one would suspect this to be a portal to the Guardian’s cave. It can only be opened by the Guardian at his side, or me using the Great Wizard’s ring at this side.’ Ferreira peered inside. ‘What would happen if I walked through?’

  Shaun smiled. ‘Nothing. It would just lead inside the cave, but let us move on. I will open it up and we can pass through, but first of all we need to say our goodbyes to Star and his herd.’ He turned and led the warriors back over to where Star and the herd were waiting. Each warrior found the horse that had carried them there, and stroked it gently. Shaun wiped away a tear as he said goodbye to his friend. He always felt sad when they parted, but he knew they would soon be reunited. ‘Goodbye, my loyal friend. It won’t be long now before we lead the warriors into battle against the Dark Wizard, just as your ancestors carried the great Fairy warriors into their battles. At least now with this portal it will save a lot of time and energy travelling to and from the Guardian’s cave.’ With one last pat from Shaun and a nuzzle from Star, he turned and led the warriors back over to the cave entrance, pointed his ring towards it, and glanced back over to the herd and waved before leading them through. The Guardian was waiting for them in his cave as they flooded through, and once they had all assembled he led them over to the far end of the cave. Running along the full length of the back wall was a series of hand-carved ornamental doors, each engraved with a name at their base and the figure of a warrior above. He turned to the crowd of warriors who were standing in silence, their eyes focused on the doors and their minds racing with a combination of excitement and suspense.

  ‘These are the figures and names of the 50 great warriors,’ the Guardian said, his voice strong but emotional, so he opened one of the doors. There was a loud gasp from the crowd, for inside was a beautiful, hand-crafted sword with a rainbow-coloured blade and a golden edge. The sword was standing on its tip with a golden halo encircling up from the bottom to the handle at the top. ‘These are their swords which they carried into battle, special weapons that played an important part in destroying the enemy.’ He paused a moment. ‘They will be the finishing touch for you to experience those glory days. You will be riding the descendants of their mighty steeds and 50 of you will carry their swords.

  ‘I propose 25 to be allocated to your troop, Ferreira, and the other 25 carried by you, the Great Wizard’s Fairy Warriors. You must decide who in each troop will have the honour of carrying them into battle.’ He pointed over to Ferreira. ‘You will of course carry Favoria’s, who would have been so proud, and I’m sure he will be looking down on you now. You must all return to the Great Wizard’s cave to prepare yourselves for this important fight which will determine the future of Colgilor.’ He waved them through the portal. Shaun was the last one, but before he could step through the Guardian placed his hand on Shaun’s shoulder. ‘When you first arrived here with Favoria I was so annoyed with him and wondered why he had broken the warrior’s pledge never to expose the whereabouts of this magical place to anyone, let alone a stranger to our world. But I wish I could apologise to him now: although he had faith in you he had no idea that it would be you who would have to bear the burden of saving our world. I’m sure he is looking down and will be so proud of you, as we all are. The Great Wizard, the Grey Elf and now, I hear, even the Gods are singing your praises, and I hope that they are by your side at the final battle to keep you safe.’ He wiped away a tear before smiling and waving Shaun through. ‘Go now and be careful: it would be so unjust if you did not survive but I’m sure you will.’ With that, he wrapped his arms around him before stepping back and watching Shaun pass through.

  Since arriving back at the Darkside from the Dark Wizard’s fortress, Baba Yelka had tried frantically to contact her sister Baba Madea, but without success, and time was running out. She knew the Dark Wizard had no patience and that he could send his guards to capture her at any time, so as a last-ditch attempt she decided to travel to the isolated mountains at the far end of the Darkside. She knew it would be a long, dangerous journey, so she spent time preparing. She created a special broomstick with a seat for her, and of course her ever-present companion, her precious black cat, needed a basket. Once completed, she wasted no time packing food and water for them both into her backpack, tucked her scraggly hair under her pointed hat, wrapping a headscarf around the base, and tied it under her chin to prevent it blowing away. And with a thick shawl around her shoulders and her wand tucked in her belt, she set off, keeping under the banks of thick, dark mist which covered the Darkside continuing hour after hour skimming above the ground.

  After travelling for most of the day, the sea of thick mist began to thin and she came to land on a craggy outcrop overlooking a vast, rugged landscape with endless mountain peaks and deep valleys, a truly barren area. Even the atmosphere was contaminated with the dark smell of decay and death. She climbed off her broomstick and sat down with her cat to have a rest and a snack before venturing into the hostile-looking terrain ahead. Apart from the smell, conditions had improved: the sky was much clearer but that was probably a bad thing, as she would be easily spotted by the Harpies or other dangerous predators that roamed the area. She shuddered at the thought and convinced herself she would reach the safety of her sister’s cave before being attacked.

  So she set off once more, skirting the foot of the mountain range, staying in the shadows of their towering sides, and keeping close to the valley floors, twisting and turning in an unending maze. It was a strange, eerie journey; the atmosphere seemed to be alive with weird sounds of groans, cries and screams and the increasing rancid smell of death. She couldn’t relax for one moment as she constantly searched the sky above and the shadowy, craggy surface of the mountainside. But worse was to come as she reached the end of another valley and turned a sharp bend. She came face to face with three giant snakes which brought her to a sudden stop. The snakes reared up in an attacking stance, their bright green eyes locked onto her, and each one was hissing loudly as they slithered forward, their huge, red-forked tongues projecting out towards her. Slowly she slipped out her wand and sent a loud explosion of dense, black smoke towards them, which totally engulfed the snakes, and she set off, rising quickly above them, cackling with relief as she passed overhead.

  But it was short-lived, for she had only travelled a few metres when the air around her was filled with an ear-splitting, nerve-jangling, bellowing roar, and from behind a nearby mountainside appeared a strange, terrifying creature; the wings and tail were those of a Dragon, but its head and legs were those of a sabretoothed lion. Suddenly it leapt into the air and swooped down towards her. As it got closer its huge, slavering mouth opened, revealing razor-sharp, tusk-like teeth, its large, evil, red eyes bearing down on her, and she screamed out loud as a burst of fiery smoke belched out, making her swerve to one side to avoid the flames. Her heart was pounding and her body trembling a
s she disappeared behind a steep hillside, and without looking back flew on as fast as her broomstick would go. Finally after several miles she landed under a projecting rock at the foot of the mountainside to gather her breath and check to see if the creature was still in pursuit. Thankfully there was no sign or sound of it, but just as she was about to move on, the valley ahead was filled with the sound of loud wailing, and from out of one of the caves appeared a pack of large wolves. They gathered outside and raised their muzzles to the sky and howled in unison, which sent a shiver down Baba Yelka’s spine. Even from a distance they looked a fearsome sight. She held her breath, hoping they would head off in the other direction, but that was wishful thinking, and she gasped in frustration as they turned towards her as if they could smell or sense her presence. But thankfully they couldn’t fly and she quickly took to the air once more, getting ever closer to the isolated mountainous area where she hoped her sister would be living.

  She continued for several miles without further encounters with the dangerous and weird creatures that roamed the area, but she knew it couldn’t last, and sure enough, from out of the shadows of the mountainside appeared a group of Harpies giving off ear-piercing screeches as they swooped down towards her. But just as she was about to turn round and try to outrun them they split and flew either side of her; there must have been ten, maybe a dozen. She was too busy trying to avoid them, rather than count them. The strange thing was that they didn’t try to attack her. They formed an arc behind and up both sides as though ushering her forward. They travelled several miles, heading towards the highest of the mountain ranges which was running along the extreme edge of the area, and in the centre was a towering buttress projecting from the highest peak. And as they drew closer, the Harpies began sending out intermittent screeches as they moved closer, guiding Baba Yelka up towards the buttress and onto a protruding ledge at the entrance before turning and flying off.

  She stood a moment to gather her thoughts, trying to decide whether to fly back down or enter the cave. Inside, her nerves were jangling and her stomach was tied in knots, but before she could decide, a voice called for her to enter. She took out her wand and slowly crept forward along a dark tunnel into a huge, open cavern. She rubbed her eyes several times, trying to adjust to the dim light, when suddenly from the back of the cave a figure appeared and moved towards her. She raised her wand ready to protect herself, but cried out with glee when she realised it was her sister Baba Madea and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her. ‘I’m so pleased to see you,’ she whispered. ‘I’ve had such a dreadful journey. This is such a hostile place: how can you possibly stay here?’

  Madea nodded. ‘That’s true, but that is the reason I feel safe here: not even the Dark Wizard’s guards would venture into this part of the Darkside. I don’t know how you have managed to get through.’

  ‘But that is why I’m here. You can come back. The Dark Wizard has granted you a pardon: he now wants both of us to create an army of Zombies so he can take over Colgilor and enslave the good element of the land and eliminate the Great Wizard and his followers.’

  ‘Why should I help him? I don’t need to: as I say, I’m safe here and allowed to do as I please. What possible advantage would there be? Let him fight his own battle.’

  ‘Yes, you may say that, but if the Great Wizard wins, then he will want to eradicate the whole of Colgilor of evil, and that means you and me will be doomed.’

  Madea screwed up her already wrinkled face and rubbed her wart-covered chin with her long, bony fingers. ‘Yes, that’s possible, but I still think I will be safer staying here.’

  Baba Yelka was becoming very agitated. ‘Have you forgotten how evil and bad-tempered the Dark Wizard is? And maybe his guards couldn’t reach you here but he has promised that if I don’t come back with you, he will find us and torture us before killing us in a slow, painful death, and I certainly don’t doubt his words.’

  ‘Very well, I will come with you, but first of all I must wait for Hadra to return. She has been very good to me, keeping me safe, and to be honest, we have built up a trusting friendship.’

  ‘Ah,’ sighed Yelka. ‘Was she one of the group of Harpies that escorted me here?’

  ‘No, they were her guards. If you like, she rules the area. They obey her orders. She left first thing this morning with them, but she must have spotted you and sent them to bring you here. She must have gone off hunting but she will be back.’ She ambled over to the back of the cave. ‘You must be hungry after your journey. I’ll see what Hadra has in her store.’

  ‘Hungry?!’ exclaimed Yelka. ‘How could you eat anything in here? The smell is overwhelming: in fact the whole of the area is covered in a shroud of rancid smell,’ she said as she walked over to join Madea. ‘What is that!?’ she screamed, pointing to a crumpled figure lying on the ground.

  ‘Oh that, it’s just a carcass that Hadra has been feeding on. All the flesh is gone: that’s why she must be scanning the area for a meal.’

  Yelka shuddered at the thought, but before she could reply there was a loud screeching sound coming from outside, followed by a heavy thud at the cave entrance. Yelka held her breath as the sound of rustling and shuffling filled the cave, and Yelka gasped in despair as Hadra entered. The Harpies that had escorted her were big but she was a huge monster, totally blocking out the light that had been filtering through. Although her face was that of a beautiful woman, it was cold and soulless with ice-cold, green eyes that stared right through Yelka, sending shivers down her spine. Her head and shoulders were covered in small, fine feathers, but her huge wings were made up of the most magnificent, coloured plumage, and the fine feathers at the front covered her whole body right down to the largest, longest claws imaginable.

  She stood looking Yelka up and down before turning to Madea. ‘This must be your sister whom you have talked about. Why would she make such a dangerous journey? I am amazed she was able to survive. The broomstick is not the quickest way to travel: she must have encountered some of our ferocious friends on the way.’

  ‘The Dark Wizard has sent her to take me back,’ replied Madea. ‘He wants us to help him defeat the Great Wizard and the Grey Elf. He is determined to crush all those who follow them. This will be the war between good and evil, and he needs all those who practise black magic and the dangerous creatures that roam Colgilor to join forces for the final battle.’

  Hadra turned to Madea. ‘But why would you or your sister put your lives at risk for him? You are safe living here and she is welcome to stay with you.’

  ‘Yes, but that might change,’ the Dark Wizard told Yelka. ‘If we don’t return, he will come with his army to capture us. Even with your great strength the Dark Wizard’s magic is so much stronger; and even if he did not come, if the Great Wizard wins the battle he will take over the Darkside and we would all perish anyway.’

  Yelka stepped forward. ‘Yes, I know they are familiar with the Darkside. There is a young boy, a stranger to our world. He carries the God Thor’s magic hammer and rides a beautiful, winged horse. He seems to be trusted by the Great Wizard and the Grey Elf, and has visited the Darkside on two occasions. ‘Both times he has humiliated me and I have vowed the next time we meet I will kill him.’ Her voice was filled with emotion and hatred.

  Hadra pondered a moment, her green eyes flashing with anger. ‘Tell me, was this boy accompanied by a Leprechaun and beautiful young Elf?’

  ‘Why yes,’ replied Yelka, looking somewhat perplexed. ‘How would you know that?’ Again Hadra stood silent for a moment. ‘I, too, have a score to settle with them. Go back to the Dark Wizard, tell him I will join him if he needs me, and I can bring with me many of the dangerous creatures that live here.’

  A weird smile crossed Yelka’s ugly face. ‘Come, sister, we should leave immediately as the Dark Wizard will be waiting, and I am so pleased we can give him Hadra’s good news. I’m sure he will be delighted to have her and her friends with him.’

  Hadra turned towards th
e cave entrance. ‘I will escort you to make sure you arrive back safely. I wouldn’t want the Dark Wizard coming to look for you if you didn’t return to him.’ She shuffled back out of the cave and soared off the ledge with the two sisters following on their broomsticks.

  Shaun, meanwhile, had arrived at the Elf Kingdom from the Great Wizard’s cave with Prince Edola, Princess Evena, and their warriors and families. He had brought a portal with him to leave there so they could travel to and fro as they prepared for battle. As he stepped through he stopped and sighed out loud at the sight of the breath-taking, picturesque landscape that unrolled before him. It was even more beautiful than he remembered, with its rolling, lush green hills covered with vibrant-coloured flowers, a sparkling river meandering quietly down through the hills to a bright green lagoon with beams of golden sunshine dancing across its surface, and up on the highest hilltops stood a magnificent stone castle. Further over, a dazzling, golden palace, both overlooking dozens of small, brightly painted cottages dotted down through the landscape. The layout was very similar to the one the Great Wizard had created for his warriors and their families in the secret area, but this was so much more: this was a special, unique, magical setting with a serene aura. And he was overcome with that same heart-warming, uplifting sensation coursing through his veins as he, Louis and Ava had experienced when they first laid eyes on it all those years ago.

  They were greeted by Princess Elba and several of her Elven Warriors. Her face lit up into a radiant smile as she approached Shaun, her arms outstretched. ‘It’s so good to see you again,’ she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, tears of joy trickling down her face. ‘We were expecting you. ‘Ava’ and her sister Ellena have prepared a banquet and entertainment to welcome you and all of our honoured guests who will be staying with us.’ She took Shaun’s hand and led him over to the grassed area surrounded by a ring of toadstools, with all the warriors and their families following behind.