Gary Saves The Multiverse- The Complete Novel

by C. F. Cooper

  "Don't you care?" Gary said, more confused now than angry.

  "Do you care?"

  "Yes, of course I do."

  "Then the river cares. You are part of the river. Do you refuse to do your job? Do you refuse to be the part of the river that cares and helps tend the garden?"

  Gary felt a light spark in the centre of his body which then spread outward until he was glowing just like the river. He held up his hands and looked at them in wonder. He was water held in the shape of a person. He was water talking to water.

  "Does the river care?" Devin asked Gary.

  "Yes," Gary replied, understanding for the first time. "Yes, the river does care. I do care."

  "Then let the quest begin."

  The light forming the shape of Devin further separated into a hundred parts and floated over the water before falling back into the lake as raindrops. One solitary ball of light remained hovering in front of Gary. It slowly passed him and moved towards his frozen companions. It entered into Octavia's right hand which glowed, showing her veins pulsing below the surface.

  A sudden flash of light exploded behind him and threw Gary to the ground, face first.

  "Wow, that was worth the journey," said Smallgrass. "Devin's ashes certainly made a splash."

  Octavia leaned down and helped Gary to his feet. "A fitting speech Gary. The river lights up when ashes are returned to it. We should have warned you. Are you alright?"

  Gary held Octavia's right hand. It felt warm. "Did you see that," he said rubbing her hand.

  Octavia looked puzzled. "See what?"

  "Did any of you see it?"

  "The flash of light when you returned the ashes to the water? Yes, of course we did," said Smallgrass.

  "That was all you saw? What about you Daisy?"

  "Did you see something else Gary?" she asked.

  Gary turned and looked at the lake. The fireflies were buzzing in the air, illuminating the cave drawings, the streams were flowing in and out of the lake as before. The ashes were now gone from the surface of the water.

  He wasn't sure how to describe what he'd seen without sounding ridiculous. "I guess I felt Devin's presence. That's all."

  Daisy hugged Gary. "We all feel his presence. He is still with us in spirit."

  "So, Gary," said Smallgrass. "Have you made up your mind yet? Are you going to stay in Warrensgate and grow carrots or head to the Crystal City and grow a pair?"

  "Smallgrass," Octavia roared. "Gary has already helped us, but this is not his fight. If he wants to stay out of it, that's his business."

  "Gary?" said Daisy. "What are you going to do? We will respect your decision whatever it is. Won't we Smallgrass?"

  Smallgrass shrugged. Octavia pushed his shoulder. "Won't we Smallgrass?"

  "Yes, okay."

  Gary looked at the group, staring at him in expectation. "Like you said Daisy, there won't be a Summervale if we don't defeat the Ice King. It's not going to happen by itself. I'm going to the Crystal City."

  "When do we leave?" said Smallgrass.

  "I leave today. Anyone that wants to come with is welcome to join me."

  "Now you're talking," said Smallgrass. "We're in."

  "All the way," said the other Smallgrass. "I've never been to the Crystal City. I've never actually left Summervale," he giggled.

  "I'm coming too," said Daisy.

  "You'll need a guide," said Octavia. "With so many of my people siding with the Ice King, I can pass off as a doomwalker. That may be useful as we pass through enemy territory. I too shall join you in this noble endeavor."

  Chapter 9

  The group of companions stood at the edge of the village. Gary was dressed in leggings, a loose tunic style top and the beaver coat that Smallgrass had given him. He had a belt for his sword and knife and a leather canteen of water slung over his shoulder. He now looked like one of the inhabitants of Cockaigne rather than...

  "What do you call my world?" he asked.

  "What do you mean?" asked Daisy.

  "You are all aware of my world, there are legends of how the worlds separated. What is my world called?"

  Smallgrass coughed and looked to one side. The others shuffled without answering.

  "Ok, what's it called? Spit it out."

  "Uffern," Octavia finally said.

  "Uffern," Gary repeated. "It doesn't sound that bad.

  Smallgrass looked at Smallgrass and winked. "Indeed, it's a very pleasant sounding name. Rolls off the tongue it does."

  Daisy clapped her hands together. "Right, we better get going. We need to reach the other side of the pass by nightfall, so we can slip past their guards in the dark."

  Gary shook his head and pointed at the mountain peaks. "We're going that way. If we go through the pass, Octavia's people will need to engage the doomwalkers in battle to create a distraction. They will lose more people attacking from the safety of the pass than they will by defending it. We go over the top."

  "No one goes over the top," said Smallgrass.

  "Only because you have a pass. Is it impossible?"

  Smallgrass rubbed his chin in contemplation. "No, the lowest peak is just above the plateau we live on. The terrain is rough, but it's passable."

  "No-one will know we have entered Springrise. That will give us the advantage of surprise." said Gary. "Does anyone object?"

  Everyone nodded their agreement and the group began the long walk ahead of them.

  It took them three hours to reach the badgers sett where Gary had spent his first night. They paused briefly for a rest and then continued. The terrain became rougher the higher they travelled. Grass gave way to scree and dirt. The small stones slid underfoot as they walked, and the pace slowed.

  "It helps that we don't have to carry any provisions other than water," said Gary. "One of the advantages of your way of... replenishing energy."

  Daisy laughed. "Gary, will you ever be comfortable saying the words making love?"

  Gary smiled. "Maybe one day, but not yet. Will Octavia be ok?"

  "She is the strongest of us all."

  "Yes, but Smallgrass and Smallgrass are partners. We can... you know, but how will Octavia keep her strength up. She told me she can go for days without... but I don't know if she was joking."

  "You will need to do your part there Gary. We are a team," replied Daisy.

  Gary's eyes opened wide and his mouth fell open. "You don't mean..."

  "Yes, why not. She needs energy, you need energy. You are very lucky to have two partners on this journey."

  "But she's a lizard," he spluttered. He looked at Octavia who was walking ahead of them. He looked at her large muscular frame and thick black leather scales. The eyes in the back of her head looked over at him and winked.

  "And I'm a rabbit and you're a man of Uffern. Love is love. We must nourish and help those we care about."

  "But there's different kinds of love," said Gary.

  "There is. Smallgrass and Smallgrass have pledged themselves to each other, well mostly. We have not. We must share our love. It is the way of the four lands."

  Gary for some reason remembered the smell that had encased him when he'd killed the doomwalker during Daisy's rescue. He looked again at Octavia and tried to imagine... no, he had to put the thought to one side. Perhaps they would meet other lizard people in Springrise before it became an issue.

  "We should reach the top just before nightfall," said Ocatvia. We can bed down for the night and travel down into Springrise in the morning."

  Gary nodded. He leaned over to Daisy and whispered. "I'm not expected to... you know... every night with both of you, am I?"

  Daisy flung her head back and laughed. Her long blonde hair flicking with the movement of her head, entrancing him with her beauty all over again. "Poor Gary. This quest is not turning out as you expected is it?"

  ***

  They made camp just below the ridge. The terrain included a natural arch that shielded them from the wind. Smallgrass made a fire w
hile the others walked the final twenty feet to the summit. Stretched out below them was Summervale to one side and Springrise to the other. Summervale glowed in the dying embers of the Sun. It was completely surrounded by peaks.

  Gary looked down into Springrise. The land was divided in two. Half covered in snow and half frost. The villages billowed out smoke from their chimney's and the forests were disfigured with large swathes of land where the trees had been mown down.

  "Springrise is almost gone," said Octavia. "The forests are being destroyed to stoke fires night and day to protect against the cold. That is the future of Summervale if we don't succeed."

  ***

  Darkness fell, and they huddled round the fire.

  "You must tell us of Uffern Gary," said Octavia.

  "Yes, what is it like?" asked Daisy.

  "I don't know where to start," said Gary. "What do you want to know?"

  "Tell us how it's different?" said Smallgrass.

  "Well, from what I have seen of the four lands it's larger, much larger. And we have technology to make life easier."

  "Tools?" said Octavia. "You mean tools?"

  "I guess. For example, I have a phone. A device that lets me talk to people at a distance. They can see what I am doing. I can record images of what I'm doing instantly, and they can follow me online"

  Smallgrass wrinkled his nose. "So, what do you talk about when you meet if you already know what each other has been doing?"

  "I don't know, celebrities, sport, movies whatever."

  "Celebrities?"

  "Famous people."

  "Famous for what?"

  "Anything."

  "So, you talk about strangers?" asked Octavia.

  "And do all these tools make people happy?" asked Daisy.

  Gary rolled the thought around in his head. "No, not especially, but some of it is amazing. We have left Uffern and been to the moon."

  "You have been to the moon?"

  "Well not me personally, but man has been to the moon."

  "What did they do when they got there?"

  "Collected some rocks, took soil samples. Some of the images are amazing."

  Smallgrass nodded his head as if understanding. "And did you watch this on your phone tool?"

  "Well, no, it was before I was born."

  "Well that all sounds wonderful," said Daisy.

  Gary shook his head. Why was it that he could not explain the wonder of his own world? There was so much that was good, but he couldn't translate it in a way that evoked interest in his companions.

  "It doesn't sound too bad," said Smallgrass. "Not as bad as I imagined at least."

  "Why would you think it was bad?" asked Gary.

  "Well it is called Uffern."

  "Ok, what exactly does that name mean?"

  Daisy looked round at Gary scrunching her nose as if in apology. "It means hell. It's just another name for hell."

  "Right. I see. So, does that make me a demon?"

  "A friendly demon," offered Smallgrass.

  "We should make love and get some sleep," Octavia announced.

  Gary froze, staring straight into the fire to avoid all eye contact. I cannot do this, he thought. What excuse can I come up with?

  "Daisy," Octavia continued, "You make love with Gary tonight and I will take my turn tomorrow."

  "Are you sure," asked Daisy out of politeness.

  "Yes, it's decided. And Smallgrass, keep the noise down."

  Chapter 10

  They woke early the next morning and made their way to the peak. Standing on top of the world they surveyed Springrise.

  "We should make our way to the village of Clowder Hollow," said Octavia. "It was still free when I passed through Springrise. It looks like it still is." Octavia pointed to an area of land covered in a light dusting of frost but, so far, no snow.

  "Agreed," said Daisy. "The cat people have been good friends to us, and it is on the path to Autumnfall."

  They began their descent and soon reached a forest on the upper slopes of the mountain range. Unlike Summervale's forests, these looked as if a giant had marched through them flattening trees as he went. Whole areas were bare, with only the white stumps of trees remaining where they had been ripped down and dragged out of the forest for much needed firewood.

  "How can they do this to their own land?" said Smallgrass shaking his head in disbelief.

  "What choice do they have?" said Octavia. "The land is freezing over. They must do what they can to keep warm. These are desperate times."

  Their conversation was interrupted by a whistling sound. Daisy raised her hand for them to be quiet and she whistled a reply. This continued for a few minutes before she nodded and lowered her hand.

  "What was that?" asked Gary.

  "It's our phone tool. Our way of talking to people at a distance," she replied. "Clowder Hollow is safe, but not for long. There is a group of doomwalkers moving towards it as we speak. We must get there quickly if we are to seek help and shelter."

  "Who were you talking to?"

  "Him," Daisy nodded in front of her as a tall dark figure emerged from the trees in the distance.

  "Daisy," The figure shouted as he began to run towards them.

  "Oscar, it's so good to see you," said Daisy.

  When he reached the group, Oscar embraced Daisy and then put out his hand in welcome to Gary. "And you are?"

  "I'm Gary, good to meet you."

  The others greeted Oscar and asked him about Clowder Hollow.

  "We are one of the last major holdouts," he explained. "Not because we have fought back, simply because they haven't arrived yet. They were following the one straight path, treating everything else as an afterthought. That changed yesterday though. They are spreading out and attacking any village that is not yet under their control.

  Word has come through of Summervale's victory. There is an appetite to fight that I haven't seen before. You must come to Clowder Hollow and help me rally the troops."

  "Do you think you can hold them off?" asked Gary.

  Oscars eyes widened, and his nose flared as he took a deep breath. As he did so, cat ears appeared on his head and a long tail emerged behind him. "We are cat people. When we choose to fight we fight with a ferocity that none can match." He stretched his fingers out in a quick sudden movement and claws emerged from his fingernails.

  Daisy laughed. "Oscar, you are such a show-off."

  Oscar tilted his head to one side and winked at Daisy. "It's quite impressive though, you must admit."

  "Oscar is an actor," explained Daisy. "And unlike most of us, can transform at will."

  "I hold a locket of every emotion in my soul," he said. "I feel any and every mood instantly and intensely when I choose to. What can I say, it works."

  "Very good," said Smallgrass. "But we'll need more than a good actor to fight the doomwalkers. Come let's go."

  "This way," said Oscar. "The doomwalkers won't reach Clowder Hollow before nightfall and they won't attack then. Mostly lizard people you see. Hopeless eyesight." He looked at Octavia. "No offense intended."

  "None taken," she replied. "Mostly lizard men is what you really meant."

  "Of course," Oscar replied. "I would never dream of insulting a lizard woman. Especially one with eyes in the back of her head."

  Chapter 11

  The village of Clowder Hollow sat at the edge of the forest, or what was left of it. The perimeter barrier made it look more like a stockade. The whole village was surrounded by a large continuous wall made of tree trunks pile driven into the ground and held together with cross beams. The top of the fence had a rampart that was patrolled by cat people. As they approached the village Gary observed that everyone on duty was displaying cat ears. They were clearly in a heightened state of attention.

  "Friend or foe?" shouted one of the guards looking down on them as they approached the gate.

  "Friend," replied Oscar.

  Gary shook his head at the naivety of it. "Well let's ho
pe we're not liars," he said to no-one in particular.

  "No one would lie about that," said Octavia. "Doomwalkers may be our enemy but they too have their honour."

  "Well that's not how it works where I come from," said Gary.

  "But you come from Uffern."

  The gates swung open, and the travelers entered the village. Gary looked around. It was made up of what were quite basic wooden dwellings compared to Warrensgate. Like Warrensgate the streets were narrow, sometimes no more than two people wide. It created the sensation of being in a maze as they followed Oscar through the streets.

  The buildings thinned out as they reached a central square. In the middle of the opening was a longhouse with a sign above the door. The building was a tavern named The Duck'n Pride and had a crest of a mallard and a lion above the entrance.

  "My uncle is the tavern owner," explained Oscar. "He is also the leader of the village."

  The tavern was a long dark building with paintings along one wall. Each of them was of a cat person complete with ears and tail, usually in some action pose. The wooden bar was positioned on the other side of the room. It ran the full length of the building. Metal tankards lined the wall behind it. There were at least two dozen, each with names engraved on them.

  The tavern owner waived them over. In sharp contrast to Oscar he was almost deathly white, the only colour, his ruddy red cheeks. His belly and his lips were oversized and his eyes dark as night. Oscar introduced the companions to his uncle.

  "Any sign of Sasha?"

  "No sign of her uncle. No one has seen or heard from her for over a week."

  The tavern owner shook his head. "They have her Oscar, I'm sure of it."

  "She was patrolling the perimeter of the frost zone," Oscar said to the others. "Her and five other villagers. They went out one night and never came back. It's not the first time either. We are now keeping the patrols to a minimum and only during the day."

  I'm sorry you have lost your daughter," said Gary. "Daisy was taken by the doomwalkers and we rescued her, so all hope is not lost. People do come back."

  "Thank you, Gary. You have kind and soothing words to share with a worried father. Now pray tell of the battle of Warrensgate. Is it true that you defeated the doomwalkers? Word has travelled fast and given us hope."