by Peter Glenn
I saw one particular flower that had seven pointed petals in a mix of silver and blue that reminded me of LaLuna. Part of me wanted to reach out and pick it, and I stopped for just a moment to consider it, but in the end, I left it alone.
LaLuna saw me and gave me an approving nod. Looks like I’d made the right decision to leave it alone. Whether it was going to eat me or just anger someone that would then eat me, I’d never know, but I felt certain it was one of the two.
“Well, this is lovely,” I said, taking in a deep breath of the clean air. That was one thing I liked about the fae realm. The air was so clean. No hint of pollution anywhere.
“Indeed, Sir Damian,” LaLuna said. She gestured wide with her arms. “The fae realm is full of wonder, mystery, and beauty at every turn.”
I decided to press my luck. “You know, a beautiful walk with a beautiful girl, a guy like me could get used to this sort of thing,” I mused.
“Shh!” LaLuna spat, putting a hand to her lips.
Well, so much for being slick. Guess I’d misread the situation yet again.
“Hey, sorry if I came on a little strong there–”
She shushed me again and froze in place, motioning for me to do the same. “There’s someone here,” she told me, whispering.
My heart rate sped up as I braced for another conflict, but I stood completely still. Not that there was anything to cover us if anyone was out there. We were standing in the middle of a road. But LaLuna wouldn’t have had us pause for nothing.
On the bright side, at least she hadn’t been mad about my compliment.
We both stood there for a solid minute, trying to not even breathe, then LaLuna gave the all clear signal.
“It’s okay,” she said, sucking in a deep breath. “Just some pixies playing in a nearby pond. Nothing for us to worry about.”
She gave me a slight smile, and we kept walking. Sure enough, as we rounded the next bend, we came across a small pond where several pixies were playing. They were tiny creatures, barely as big as my hand, and they were flitting from lily pad to lily pad, splashing each other with pond water. It was cute and served to completely calm my nerves.
“If there are pixies here, we must be close to civilization,” LaLuna told me over her shoulder as we kept going. “So you will need to be quiet and let me do all the talking. Understood?”
“Sure thing.” I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “Whatever you say, boss.”
Once again, LaLuna was right. We rounded the next hill and came across a small village. The houses all had thatched roofs and wide, green lawns. I could see fae folk milling about, walking down the street and into different buildings, carting around various goods in what looked like wooden wheelbarrows, and chickens, of all things, running to and fro down the main thoroughfare. It looked like something out of a picture of medieval times I’d seen once at the British Museum several years ago.
We started down the main road, and I did my best to ignore everything as LaLuna had told me back in the jungle, but I was finding that hard to do.
A small dwarf walked out of its house and glared at both of us with its beady little eyes. It turned and muttered something to another dwarf that stood next to it, then continued its glare.
On the other side of the road, I could see an older, what I assumed to be elven, gentleman, rocking in a chair on his porch, giving us similar death glares.
In fact, the more we kept traipsing through town, the more I could feel the weight of the stares of not just those two, but everyone in the village on my back. Everyone in town was staring at the two of us. And they didn’t look happy to see us.
Was it just because we were new, or because I was human? Either way, I assumed it wasn’t a good thing.
“Are you sure we should be here?” I asked LaLuna in the quietest voice I could muster. I locked eyes with a nearby imp for longer than I cared to and went back to staring at her back instead.
“It’s fine,” LaLuna insisted. “Most fae villages don’t get a lot of newcomers.”
The first one, then. I supposed that was better than them all staring at me because they wanted to eat me.
“Fair enough. It’s just... none of them are even hiding it.”
LaLuna turned to face me. “Do not worry, Damian,” she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Once I talk to their village elder, all will be fine. We just need to reach him first.”
“O-okay,” I said in a shaky voice. Those glares were really getting to me.
We kept going for another couple of minutes, everyone staring at us and stopping what they were doing in the process. A small crowd of them even cropped up behind us as some of the villagers started to quietly stalk our progress.
I was about to turn around and do something rash when we finally reached a house that looked to be about twice as big as all the others, with newer roofing material. Two imps stood outside the hut, each with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. Well, they looked like imps, but they were a fair bit taller. Almost human-sized, in fact.
I figured that must mean it was the village elder’s house.
“Ho there!” LaLuna cried toward the guards. “We come in peace. I wish to speak with the village elder.”
Basic approach, but I kind of liked that.
Imp One frowned at us. “Who dares bring a human into our peaceful village?” he asked in a huff. His hands tightened around the shaft of his spear, and he lowered it a little bit until the tip was level with my head.
“Hold, Dalfus,” LaLuna demanded, putting her hand out in front of her.
So she knew this dweeb? Why hadn’t she mentioned that earlier?
“It is I, LaLuna, the fae guardian. We merely seek passage to the Seelie Court.”
“LaLuna?” There was a collective gasp from both of the guards and several of the villagers behind us.
Dalfus set down his spear and rubbed his eyes. “LaLuna, is it really you?” he said. “We’d heard you were lost to us.”
LaLuna took a few steps forward and embraced the guy for a moment. “The rumors are not true, as you can see,” she assured him. “I am alive as the sun is strong.”
Dalfus bowed. “Thank the fates. Come with me, and we will speak with the elder.”
The imp scraped and motioned for us to follow him into the house. I had to duck my head to make it inside, which was saying something, because I’m not all that tall myself. But most of the fae around here were far shorter than I.
Once I had LaLuna to myself again, I was going to have to ask her a bunch of questions. The way she’d made it all sound back in the bar, I’d thought she’d never gone out into the fae world. But now everyone knew about her? Something weird was going on.
Dalfus led us further into the house and stopped right before a small door on the left side. The door had some sort of strange, runic markings on it, undoubtedly announcing to the world that it was the elder’s room. He knocked on the door three times.
“Enter,” a voice beckoned from beyond the door. It was musical in nature, and old. The voice held a distinct power to it.
Dalfus pushed on the door, and we all piled into the room with him. The room beyond was dimly lit, with but a single torch in the center providing light for all of it. I couldn’t even see what lay in the corners of the room. There could have been an army of boggarts hidden in those shadows, and I’d have no idea. Which I’m guessing was on purpose.
The elder himself sat about two feet from the torch in a crisscross position with his hands on top of his knees, like he was in the middle of a meditation session. He had white hair and a long, white beard, and his skin was weathered and wrinkled like he was part tree. But those eyes... Those deep, green eyes pierced through the darkness of the room and gave his face a certain lightness to it that it otherwise would not have had.
“So, you’re the one that brought a human into our midst,” the elder said, regarding LaLuna. “I should have known only a fae guardian would have that level of gumpti
on.”
The imp Dalfus and half the town had appeared to be on LaLuna’s good side. This guy? Not so much.
LaLuna bowed her head. “Please, elder, believe me when I say that it was a matter of the utmost importance.”
“Humph,” the elder spat. “And who are you and a lowly human to tell me of importance?”
“Hey! I came of my own free will!” I blurted out, forgetting my vow of silence for a second. I clapped my hand to my mouth a second later, but it was too late.
The elder’s eyes narrowed and all the light from them faded away. “Oh you did, did you? And what business do you have then, little man?”
Little? I was taller than this punk. I felt heat rise to my cheeks, and my nerves tensed. His words were riling me up.
“I’ve promised to aid and protect LaLuna!” I said. I put my hands on my hips. “And so I shall!”
“Big words from a runt such as yourself,” the elder huffed. I had half a mind to smack him right then and there. “And just how do you intend to protect a guardian of the fae? If she can even call herself that.” His dark eyes regarded her again, and he tsked, then he turned his attention back to me.
“Damian, please,” LaLuna pleaded. “Let me do the talking.” She put a hand on my shoulder, but I brushed it away. This little tree runt had insulted both of us now. I wasn’t about to let him get away with that.
“You don’t think I’m a worthy protector, huh? Why, because I’m a ‘lowly human’? Pfft.”
“That’s right,” the elder said, glaring at me. “You’re nothing, just like her. A failed guardian and a failed protector.”
My blood was beginning to boil. I wasn’t sure why, but this little guy was really getting to me. “Oh yeah?” I spat. “I could best all of you right here and now!”
What was I thinking? Where had obedient Damian gone? Oh, who am I kidding. I’ve never been obedient.
“Oh, you could, could you?” He sneered. “With what?”
“With this!” I grabbed onto Grax’thor’s hilt and brought her to bear, the edge resting mere inches from the elder’s face.
The elder hissed and scowled, shrinking away from the tip of the blade. “Guard!” he called. “Guard!”
“Damn it all, Damian,” LaLuna swore, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Now you’ve gone and done it.”
Chapter Eight
“DONE WHAT?” I ASKED, looking back at LaLuna. “Angered the poor little tree freak?”
She shook her head. “I told you I had it all handled. Now you’ve gone and ruined it all. You can’t show cold iron to a tree fae! It’s deadly to them!”
Huh. So that rumor was true, then. Good to remember, if it ever came to that. Briefly, I wondered what other kinds of fae would die to Grax’thor’s metal, but I didn’t have long to ponder the question.
A rough, gravelly laughing noise came from behind us. “Fools,” the voice said. It was the elder’s voice, but somehow different. Darker. “You were wrong to have come here and threatened me. Now you will face my guard.”
Oh, great. Another battle. And I was still a bit on the waterlogged side. I looked over at LaLuna, but she put up her hands and backed away a step. “This is your mess, Damian,” she told me.
Fine. I’d do it myself. “At least I can depend on you, right Grax’thor?” I asked my sword.
You’re a moron, she said.
I shook my head. No matter, she’d do what I told her to, anyway. That was the beauty of swords. They did what you told them. At least I hoped she would. Suddenly, I wasn’t too sure.
Everything around me turned pitch black. Somehow during the commotion, the torch had gone out. No matter. I’d fight blind. I could do anything. I’m not sure where the sudden sense of confidence came from, but I was going to roll with it.
“You’re on!” I shouted at the air. “Bring on your toughest fighter, I don’t care! I can take him!”
The elder laughed again, and the air around me became charged, like it was electric. Then our surroundings began to shift. I wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or not, but soon I was standing in the midst of a giant battle arena, the elder on one side with his guard Dalfus, and me on the other.
I scanned the area for LaLuna, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. Likely another trick from the elder.
“Let’s end this foolishness! Bring it on!” I demanded.
The elder clapped his hands and Dalfus’ whole body began to shake. It lifted high up into the air, and then he started to twist and morph into something else entirely. When the process was finished, something akin to an ogre with impish features stared straight at me, brandishing a giant wooden club in its oversized hands.
Dalfus opened his mouth, and an unearthly roar ushered forth, spilling out waves of hot, putrid-smelling rot breath in my direction. Even from several feet away I could feel the roar’s intensity wash over me.
I tightened my grip on Grax’thor and motioned for him to come at me. Dalfus obliged.
He came at me with a wide swipe of his club, and it was all I could do to roll out of the way to dodge the strike in time. In spite of the imp’s size, he was every bit as fast as he’d no doubt been when he was smaller.
Scrambling back to my feet, I tried a lunge at his backside before he could recover from the first swing. My blade bit into Dalfus’ tough hide, but only barely. Still, it was enough for him to howl in rage and spin around, club hand lashing out at me.
I was forced to retreat before I could do any more damage, lest the massive piece of wood make me into a human-shaped pinata.
Dalfus ambled forward, threatening to smash me into a pancake with one of his giant feet as he thrust at me with the club at the same time.
I rolled again and slid, dancing forward this time and under his feet. At the end of my roll-slide, I swung my blade in a high arc, scoring another line across the imp’s back. The blade left a wide, nasty gash in its wake. Thick, green blood seeped from the wound, though not as much as I’d been expecting. It seemed his hide was thicker than I thought.
As impressive as the gash looked, it wouldn’t do much to slow the brute down.
Worse, it had also made him angry. He roared again and staggered backward, slamming his back into me with more force than should have been possible. I went sprawling through the air, falling face-first with a loud smack on the earth a few feet away. My chin skidded across the ground, leaving my skin feeling raw and burning.
Slowly, I pushed myself back up to my feet while my opponent turned around to face me anew. He swung his club in a low arc, and I didn’t have time to act. The wooden club crashed into my left side with a loud crack. Once again, I flew through the air like a ragdoll, landing in a heap several feet away.
I shook my head to clear away the stars that had formed in my vision and scrambled to get away before he could strike again, slightly clutching my left side to ward away the pain that shot through it.
Thank goodness nothing appeared to be broken. At least I had that going for me.
I held Grax’thor out in front of me with my right hand while the injured arm lay flat against me. I would be at a slight disadvantage with only one arm, which sucked, because I hadn’t exactly fared that well so far to begin with. But I was still determined to beat this thing.
Dalfus lunged again, his hulking form lurching forward quick as a lightning strike, and I was forced to roll to the side once more to dodge out of the way. But this time, I’d noticed a pattern to how he attacked. One I could hopefully turn to my advantage.
He came at me again, but this time, I was ready for it. When the club came for me, I turned to the side. It whooshed past my chest, missing me by a hair’s breadth. While he brought the club around for another blow, I came in under his guard and swung upward, slicing into his exposed forearm and cutting deep into the muscle.
A loud howl alerted me to the fact that I’d scored a decent blow this time. Dalfus staggered backward again, and I could tell from his stance that he was having trouble h
olding onto the massive club. His grip held, but it looked weaker.
I sneered at him and raised Grax’thor to strike another blow, but once again, he moved too fast, coming at me again before I could ready the attack.
Dalfus backhanded me with his free hand, his claws smashing into my torso and raking my skin. I felt white-hot, searing pain as a wound opened up in my abdomen from one of the massive claws as, once again, I went flying through the air.
I managed to land a little more gracefully this time, but still had to scramble to my feet before Dalfus was on top of me once more. At some point in the advance, he’d dropped the club, but his natural claws were almost more dangerous.
He loomed over me, hands raised in the air and a scowl on his face, and roared again, more of the putrid breath spilling over me, forcing me to turn to the side to avoid it.
Then he brought his clawed hands down in a hammer-type smash. At the last second, I rolled to the side, and his hands crashed into the earth where my body had just been.
I tried a back-handed slice with Grax’thor as I rolled and once again scored a lucky blow to the other side of his injured arm. That seemed to finally slow him a bit as he roared and thrashed his arm, almost pulling my blade along with it.
Dalfus’ eyes turned blood-red with rage, but his next attack came slower, and I had plenty of time to dodge out of the way while still scrambling to my feet. It seemed I was finally starting to wear this big brute down.
He lumbered toward me, but I ducked and lunged underneath his guard, my blade slicing into his other forearm and leaving behind another nasty wound. More thick, green blood spilled from the opening, some of it splashing onto me.
I hissed, thinking it would burn like poison, but it did nothing of the sort.
Of course, my shirt was still stained and ruined. There went another Duran Duran tee. But then, the earlier swipe that had opened up a tear in my abdomen had probably already done that, so the blood stain was of lesser consequence.
Still, those suckers were hard to find. I was bummed.
Dalfus shrieked and stumbled backward, grasping at his own forearms as he fell to his knees. Finally, I had the beast where I wanted him. I raised Grax’thor and held it out at arm’s length, the tip resting gently against his muscled neck.
