by L. R. W. Lee
The next opponent, wiry and quick, dueled with Andy for several minutes, at a stalemate. Out of the corner of one eye, Andy saw the portcullis rise again and a third knight joined the fray. As Andy dodged a strike from the wiry opponent, the new knight lifted his broadsword above his head and brought it crashing down. Andy narrowly inserted his shield between himself and certain death, but his shield splintered. With the distraction, the wiry knight’s blade found purchase in Andy’s shoulder and bit down, but Andy focused and brought his blade across the villain’s bicep, ending any further challenge. Andy barely dodged another swipe of the third knight’s broadsword.
Alys floated between the third knight and Andy, never uttering a word. She held up a hand at which the opponent skidded to a halt in the snow and lowered his weapon. Andy held a stitch in his side and gulped down air. Alys unshouldered the shield with one diagonal stripe and handed it to Andy. Instantly, his breathing returned to normal and his injured shoulder stopped hurting—he felt as good as new.
Alys moved clear of the area and the third knight barreled forward, the tip of his broadsword level with Andy’s heart. Andy sidestepped then pivoted, bringing the full force of the shield crashing into the enemy’s gauntleted wrist. The broadsword tumbled to the ground along with his foe, who scrambled to recover. Andy brought the tip of his sword to the enemy’s throat while bringing his heel down on the man’s hand. Pressure convinced the enemy to surrender.
Andy had barely hog-tied the enemy when three more opponents strutted from beneath the raised gate. Andy braced himself—shield up, sword moving in an eight pattern, weight on the balls of his feet—as the trio stalked forward. Before they could surround him, Andy took a running leap toward a boulder to his left, leveraging his momentum to land a kick squarely into the helmeted head of the left-most opponent.
As the challenger fell, he collided with his center brother and brought him down too. Dominos ended there, however, for the right-most contender sliced at and found Andy’s forearm. Andy barely had time to deflect a follow-up strike with his shield before meeting the frozen ground. He felt warm liquid spread below his armor and struggled to swap his shield to the other arm. The middle contender, who by now had recovered, reached him and the two challengers stood over Andy—unfair odds. Andy clenched his jaw and curled up, making himself as small as possible beneath the shield. Seconds later he felt his protection disintegrate as two swords landed hard blows.
Andy launched between the pair as they recovered from the downstroke of their weapons. He impaled one and landed a side kick, toppling the other. A follow-up kick to the man’s chin knocked him unconscious.
Andy wheezed as Alys again glided to him and offered him a shield, this one with two stripes. As before, his breathing instantly calmed and his arm healed. He took a moment to survey the scene. Six enemies lay either fallen or bound in the now dirty snow.
The sun had risen halfway to its peak in the morning sky. He spurred himself on. “I’m still at the first wall. I’ve got to win these challenges faster if I’m going to reach the Copper Knight and defeat him before sundown. I don’t want to go through this again.”
Andy took out the next four challengers like a whirlwind, slashing and kicking, sidestepping and pivoting. Standing among the fallen, the portcullis again opened but no challenger stepped forth.
“Enter!” a voice hailed from atop the wall.
Andy crept forward, sword poised and ears tuned for the first sounds of an ambush as he approached the portcullis. None came, but the next sight gave him pause. Ten heavily armed warriors arrayed themselves before the second gate, the gate he must enter to engage the Copper Knight and win the castle’s freedom from the curse. Alys swapped shields with him, giving him the one with three stripes.
“Here we go!” Andy shouted, spurring himself on at the top of his lungs.
Andy became a whirlwind as the ten enemies formed up and charged. He took out the first five in no time. The remaining knights paused and stared at the spectacle with wide eyes before dropping their weapons and retreating.
Andy caught his breath before making his way through the second gate. The early afternoon sun made the castle’s white stone sparkle with the new fallen snow, and he squinted.
“I challenge you to fight me!” A few castle inhabitants stood watching and shrank from Andy as he called out to the Copper Knight.
Silence answered. A minute passed without reply.
The front gate of the castle creaked open and a steward popped his head out. “The Copper Knight has abandoned Dolorous Guard! He mounted his steed and fled out the side gate! I just saw him!”
The declaration reverberated around the stone exterior. Hearty cheers welcomed the news.
“Coward! I can’t break the curse!” Sir Lancelot fumed.
Andy sat back in his chair and reflected for several minutes. “Sir Lancelot just walked into that problem—it wasn’t his to begin with. He saw it as a wrong to be righted. Despite the Copper Knight being a weenie and not playing fair he stuck with it—Lancelot stuck with it.” Diligence. The word popped into Andy’s brain and cavorted about.
Is that what I’m supposed to learn from him? Have I shown diligence? Andy thought through the five quests he’d endured thus far, each time retrieving the required ingredient for the curse-breaking potion. I didn’t used to be, but based on what I’ve had to go through—yeah, I’ve been diligent. I really have. A satisfied smile sprouted. “But what’s that got to do with finding another part of the heart of Oomaldee’s power?”
CHAPTER THREE
Pardner
As Thanksgiving break approached, Andy’s dreams became increasingly disturbing. Tonight, fear licked its lips, ready to devour him as he observed Abaddon’s hardened vulture-warriors standing sentry throughout Castle Avalon’s dining hall. Andy barely suppressed a scream at the sight of black stone statues—Oomish men, women, and children, some raising fists in outrage, some cowering—on matching pedestals, just like at Abaddon’s shadowy haunt in Hadession.
The tables had been removed. Andy ghosted forward toward the far end of the hall where a seven-headed dragon sat erect on a hulking onyx throne. Abaddon. And he’s added a throne. Four of the dragon’s heads moved up and down like snakes before a charmer. A black hooded mage stood to his left, arms crossed. Razen flanked his right.
“…my liege, we’re trying,” Dagon implored.
Two of Abaddon’s heads snapped to a halt inches from his lieutenant’s rigid form. He said nothing. His unblinking stare into the zolt’s saucer-shaped eyes did the speaking for him.
“We…we know the whereabouts of the queen and the heir, but with the protections afforded by their wizard’s skill, all our efforts at capturing or eliminating them continue to fail.”
Eliminating! Since when did he give his goons permission to kills us?
“Your failure is costing valuable time! Eliminate them! The pair must be destroyed, the more publicly the better. The longer you fail, the more hope you give their subjects—weak, useless swine that they are. My patience grows thin.”
In little more than a whisper, Dagon inquired, “Why not just kill those who refuse to submit?”
A blast of clear, sulphurous liquid spewed from two mouths, bubbling and fizzing on contact. The zolt grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut, managing to remain unmoving as the toxic liquid bathed him. Angry boils sprouted on his head and hands and holes appeared in the fabric of his uniform.
Andy inhaled. That’s got to burn. What’s Abaddon liable to do to Father? Andy swallowed hard. I’ve gotta get back, quick!
“I will rule Oomaldee!” The seven-headed dragon smashed a fist on an arm of the throne. “Death is much too easy. No…the citizens will suffer the same injustice I suffered at the hands of its rulers long ago. They will feel the same helplessness and humiliation as I—”
Razen lifted a long arm. “If you would permit the Black Mage to use his skills to neutralize the protections of their wizard, I’m sure Dagon a
nd his men’s efforts would prove fruitful.”
Living down to my expectations as usual. Razen, you’re such a vile, little vermin…
Not breaking the lock on his lieutenant’s eyes, grins swept three of the beast’s heads. “Again, you show yourself a devoted follower.”
“Thank you, my liege.” Razen bowed low.
Gozler and Maladoca, who bookended the pleading zolt, shot venomous looks at the one-upper.
The dragon nodded toward the black mage who inclined his head and glided out of sight.
Andy swallowed hard. I pray it takes him a long time to figure out Mermin’s formula.
“Monitor the whisper stream!” In a growl, the beast added, “Identify the turned who dare hope. Hunt them down and neutralize them publicly.”
Andy yelped, waking himself. He nearly retched, for he knew if Abaddon leveraged the whisper stream—into which the thoughts of every man, woman, and child who had been turned freely flowed—anyone who still held hope that the King would defeat him was in grave danger. Only people who had not been captured and altered would be safe. And from everything Alden and Hannah mentioned, the number of unaffected souls appeared to be dwindling.
*****
The first Saturday of December dawned crisp and sunny, although no snow could be found in Lakehills, Texas. When Andy reached the kitchen, Madison whined, “You’re going to make us late for my campus tour.”
Mom brushed a hand across Andy’s unruly locks. “Honey, did you forget? We’re touring the University of Texas today. We need to leave in fifteen minutes.”
Madison was a junior, and Mom and Dad had decided to begin visiting college campuses, starting with UT since it was well ranked and just up the road in Austin. They had both proclaimed the wisdom of Andy coming along since he would start college two years later. While Andy and formal education weren’t best buddies, he wasn’t opposed to attending college. His problem was that the timeline he anticipated for Oomaldee didn’t jive with Mom and Dad’s narrative. His gut told him the tour would be irrelevant and a waste of time. But choosing to embrace his role as future sovereign and act more mature, he didn’t complain, only pivoted and headed back upstairs. He could feel Mom’s, Dad’s, and Madison’s stunned looks ricochet off his back.
A couple hours later Andy trudged behind an overly excited guide in the midst of a pack of proud parents and prospective students. It felt stifling. Their guide had dragged them through the Engineering School, boasting that 3-D printing, the lithium battery, a vaccine for whooping cough, and a bunch of other things with Greek-sounding names had been invented there.
The guide now droned on as they approached a stately tree at the center of campus: “The Tonkawa Indians lived in central Texas, near where our campus now stands. Tonkawa means ‘people of the Wolf.’ They refused to farm because they said they were wolves and wolves hunted for food. Pecan trees like this one—” he pointed at a hulking tree they approached “—grew along the shores of the Colorado and Guadalupe rivers running right through the Tonkawa lands. This tree is the oldest one on campus…”
Andy missed whatever the guide said after that, for emerging from behind the massive trunk was a tanned, bare-chested centaur with flowing chestnut locks, a stark contrast to his buckskin coat. He sported a red bandana around his muscled neck.
Andy glanced across the group. No one reacted at the sight. Not the guide. Not those nearest him. Not his family, who were up front. He stopped and let the group leave him behind.
“Howdy pardner!” The centaur tipped his cowboy hat then waved Andy forward as he loosed a lasso from the horns of a steer statue. Beevo, proud mascot of the University of Texas, the plaque indicated.
“Just gettin’ in some practice. Never know when ya might need to rope a real one.”
“Yeah…” Andy forced a laugh.
“So, yer the One. Glad to finally meet ya. I been watchin’ fer ya fer quite some time. Name’s Houston.” The centaur wound up his lasso.
“I’m Andy. Andy Smithson. I met Jax a couple months ago. He said he’d been waiting for me too.”
“Jax! How’s that young buck doin’?”
“Fine.”
“Seems like forever since I last saw him.”
“He really likes the sixties.”
Houston furrowed his brow and cocked his head. “Must be more to that story, but never mind that. You’re not here for chitchat. You’ve got a mission to fulfill.”
“How’d you know?”
The centaur grinned. “Ancient Chinese secret. Nah…just joshin’ ya. I volunteered to guard what Merlin hid from all but the Chosen One, which it would seem is you, since you’re the only one who’s seen me in all these years.”
Andy’s stomach fluttered. He’s guarding part of the heart! It’s here!
The centaur raised his pointer finger. “Now the question is, are ya worthy to retrieve it?”
“Worthy?” Andy’s heart sped up.
“O’ course. Are ya worthy to unlock that wizard’s protections to get this piece of the heart?”
Despite the coldness of the day, Andy suddenly felt hot. He unzipped his jacket. Worthy? What would Merlin expect of me? What if I’m not? But he’s got to give this part to me. I’ve got to get back to Oomaldee. I can’t fail now. “What do I have to do?”
“Lasso ol’ Beevo over there. Ten times.”
Andy blinked. “I’ve never—”
Houston’s laugh cut Andy off. “Just kiddin’…ya need to relax.”
“Oh…” A tentative smile broached Andy’s face.
“Merlin said that if the Chosen One is worthy, you’ll be able to speak to this here pe-can tree how you and Sir Lancelot are equals, and it’ll divulge its secret.”
The clue! Andy beamed. He cleared his throat. “Sir Lancelot and I…” I’m to call myself equal with Sir Lancelot? The weight of the notion struck him and his stomach tensed. He shook his head.
“What’s wrong, Andy?”
“I’m no Sir Lancelot. I’m not his equal. He was an amazing knight.”
“He certainly was. But Merlin was wise. He knew that if you’re worthy, you wouldn’t willingly accept being an equal to that brave warrior unless he forced you to say it.” Houston locked eyes with Andy. “Now, go on.”
Andy took a deep breath. “Sir Lancelot and I…are both diligent.”
The words initiated movement in the trunk of the tree. A brass replica of Sir Lancelot appeared with a keyhole to its left.
The centaur’s mouth dropped open and he moved closer to examine. “Well now, hadn’t expected that. Wonder what ya need to do?”
Andy brightened and extracted the gold key from his pouch as he stepped toward the lock.
“Key’s too small,” Houston observed.
Andy grinned. “Watch this.” He inserted the skeleton key into the hole and, as it had on previous occasions, it morphed to fit the opening.
“Well, I’ll be…” Houston removed his hat and scratched his head.
A quick twist and the small door swung open to reveal a cavity. Andy pulled out his phone and, using the flashlight app, illuminated the inside.
“Nifty little gadget ya got there.” Houston peered over Andy’s shoulder.
A cube had been hollowed out in the trunk. It was about a foot on each side and had been masterfully finished. An intricate battle scene covered a good portion: a knight fought a multitude of foes. Many casualties lay at his feet. Andy’s mind raced to the story of the Copper Knight.
“What’s that?” Houston pointed.
Andy shone the light to the right of the opening. Something gold peeked out. He reached in and extracted a gear the size of his palm, a mirror image of the one he already had.
Houston’s mouth gaped open. “May…may I?”
“Sure,” Andy chuckled.
The centaur kept shaking his head as he zipped the gear. “The hope of the land…” He took a deep breath, and Andy swore he saw moisture well up in the big guy’s eyes.
> “By the way, why is it that no one, not even my family, saw you when you appeared a few minutes ago? My family saw Jax at our house.”
The centaur cleared his throat and handed the part back to Andy. He thought for a minute. “Was there somethin’ from Oomaldee that connected you and your family all at the same time?”
“Well, there’s a dome over our house. Mermin, my father’s wizard, invented it.”
“Not sure what that is, but if it connected everyone to Oomaldee, that might do it. I’m not surprised, since all technology in this world started in Oomaldee.”
Andy’s mouth dropped open. The riddle! He remembered:
The prowess of our Land, ‘tis true,
has birthed untold advance,
Technology has taken root
and spawned this land’s finance.
“You said all technology in this world started in Oomaldee?”
Houston grinned. “Did ya miss your guide’s exposition in the engineering building?”
“You heard that?”
“I’ve been on the campus tour lots of times. I could recite it in my sleep.”
“He said 3-D printing started here at UT.”
“Anythin’ else?”
“The lithium battery, a vaccine for whooping cough, and a bunch more stuff.”
“Glad to see you were payin’ attention.”
Andy frowned. “So you’re telling me that the inventions here at UT were made possible by Oomaldee’s heart?” He studied the part in his hand.
“Ya catch on quick. The fact that there’s a sig-nificant concentration of inventions here is no accident, not with part of Oomaldee’s heart here.”
“How’s that possible? Oomaldee’s not exactly as advanced as the US.”
“That 3-D printing gizmo he talked about? Just a me-chanical way of makin’ a sculpture replica of somethin’. I used to do that when I was a young un.”
