The Warble

by Victoria Simcox

  He reached inside and took the case out of the tree. Then he picked up the Warble, which had cooled down significantly, and placed it inside the case. At that very moment, a swift wind blew at him and stirred up the leaves on the ground. It swirled upward, and when it was just above his head, he heard a deep voice say in a low whisper, “You must have faith.”

  Werrien stood silent for a moment as a memory flashed through his mind. It was again of his father, King Warren, and a time when the king had crossed over a fallen tree straddling the raging Indra River. When he had gotten to the other side, he held out his hand and told Werrien to come, but Werrien was scared and hesitant. That is when his father said those exact words: “You must have faith, son.” Werrien had crossed over the tree, but when he neared the end, he slipped and began to fall. His father grabbed hold of him, and with his strong hands brought his son to safety at the other side of the river.

  With his eyes still shut, Werrien tried to savor the moment, but the wind suddenly died and the memory along with it. He opened his eyes and stared down at the Warble with its vibrant, orange color swirling throughout it. Then he closed the lid of the gold case, and at the same time that it clicked shut, thunder roared in the sky, followed by a flash of lightning.

  Now that the Warble was safely in the case, a blanket of darkness enveloped Werrien. He was wet, cold, and extremely hungry, but worst of all, he couldn’t see anything. It was a totally helpless feeling, and he fought against doubt as well as fear, which were trying to pry their way into his mind again. The only way he kept them out was by saying the words, “I will have faith.” He repeated these words as he leaned his back against the tree, weary and exhausted.

  The dark forest was very quiet except for the pitter-patter of the rain falling on its many tree branches. The soothing sound calmed Werrien’s nerves and made his eyelids very heavy. He began to nod off. Just a few minutes of sleep will make me feel so much better, he thought. However, just as he began to drift off, he was awakened by the sound of branches snapping. He opened his eyes to see a light flickering through the trees, to the west of him. Then a few moments later, a dark figure emerged from between the trees, carrying a lantern. Werrien carefully slipped the gold case between his back and the tree. The mysterious figure walked toward him, with the lantern creaking as it swung from side to side. Even with the light from the lantern, Werrien couldn’t make out whether it was a gnome, dwarf, human, or even a zelbock, for that matter. It passed by the tree, seeming not to notice him, but he could see its smoke-like breath. Then there was a strange silence, followed by a few more footsteps. The steps stopped suddenly on the opposite side of the tree, and the mysterious figure came to Werrien’s side of the tree. “Rumalock?” Werrien’s voice was full of surprise as well as relief.

  “Hello, Werrien! I am so relieved that I found you. I have been commissioned to lead you to Kristina,” Rumalock said.

  “Was it Roage that sent you?”

  “Yes, it was. Do you have the Warble?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then come with me. I will take you to Kristina.” Rumalock began to walk away briskly.

  Werrien followed as Rumalock led him through the forest with his dimly lit lantern lighting the way.

  “Where are you taking me?” Werrien asked.

  “It’s best not to discuss it now. Could be spies out here. Anyhow we’ll be where we need to be very soon.” Rumalock’s mood seemed serious and his pace quickened.

  Werrien kept quiet as he followed Rumalock north through the dark and damp woods, always keeping a sharp eye for any signs of the enemy. He had known Rumalock for most of his life, and he trusted him, but the anticipation of not knowing where he was being led or what the plans were was giving him an anxious feeling in his stomach. To add to his anxiety, the gold case, tucked inside his shirt, was warming up and cooling down, constantly reminding him of the task that lay ahead.

  Rumalock changed his course and headed west in the direction of the Indra River. When they arrived at its bank, they boarded a raft. Werrien sat down on the raft and held the lantern; its fragile flame flickering in the wind. He wondered where Rumalock was taking him, but he dared not question him. The old dwarf was far too busy steering the raft across the rough waters. One wrong move and they could topple over and be swallowed by the raging river.

  By the time they reached the opposite shore, the rain had tapered off, and in its place came a cool breeze, carrying with it the scent of smoke. Not too far into their walk, they could hear the crackling and popping of wood burning, and soon after, they heard hammering, along with voices conversing.

  “It’s not much farther,” Rumalock said. He climbed up a steep hillside and when he reached the top, he turned around and held out his hand to Werrien. Werrien grabbed hold of it, and as Rumalock pulled him up, his firm grip brought back the memory of his father’s strong hand, gripping his and pulling him up the same hillside. Then he remembered his father having a premonition of a place where dwarf, gnome, animal, and human believers would gather together to prepare for a great battle that would change the destiny of Bernovem.

  At the top of the hill they could see a clearing in the woods, and in the midst of it, a roaring bonfire. Gathered around the fire were many gnomes as well as dwarfs, busily making weapons. Two young girl gnomes, about Werrien’s age, one with brunette hair and the other with blonde, sat on a fallen tree, sewing garments. When they caught sight of Werrien walking toward the fire, the blonde whispered something to the brunette, and they both giggled. They dropped what they were doing and ran excitedly to him, each taking him by one of his hands.

  “Prince Werrien, come and sit and we will give you something to eat,” the brunette said.

  Werrien was more than happy to take her offer. Nearby was a large cauldron on top of some glowing coals. The blonde gnome girl ladled a bowl of hot soup out of the cauldron and handed it to Werrien. He took it with both hands and thanked her, and she smiled at him bashfully, her round cheeks blushing in the light of the fire. He was so hungry; he could have eaten the soup in a couple of gulps but he chose not to being that it was so very hot. The brunette gnome girl handed him a chunk of bread, which he found delicious. “I’ve just baked it,” she told him. The last time he had tasted bread like that was when he was a little boy, and the cook at the palace had baked it fresh. While he was eating, Looper flew up behind him and landed on his shoulder.

  “It’s about time you showed up,” Looper joked.

  Werrien nodded with a full mouth. The gold case warmed up against his skin, bringing him once again to the reality of his mission. “I need to find Kristina. Is she here?”

  “Well, not exactly, but I’ve come to bring you to her. Come on—follow me.” Looper said, and jumped off his shoulder. He looped around a few times in the air and then headed into the forest. Werrien followed him, feeling much better now that he had eaten.

  The sound of the gnomes and dwarfs working around the fire began to grow distant, and the sound of raging water in river grew louder.

  “Where are we going?” Werrien asked.

  Looper flew up to his ear and whispered, “I’m not supposed to talk in these parts of the woods. Rumalock’s orders.” Werrien understood and so he kept quiet.

  After walking a long while, they finally came to a cliff overlooking the Indra River. Werrien stood at its edge and gazed down at the turbulent water. Looper stayed back a distance, for fear of being swept away by the wind. The strong gusts of cool wind blew a fine mist in Werrien’s face, and it reminded him of when Kristina and he had jumped off the cliff similar to this one. That girl is pretty brave. He realized then that he missed her.

  “Come on, Werrien. We need to keep moving.” Looper clung on to a tree branch so as not to be blown away by the rough winds.

  Werrien wiped the mist from his face and turned to follow Looper. They traveled on in silence until Looper finally flew to the ground. He began picking up the leaves and moving them from where he stood.r />
  Werrien looked curiously at him. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Could you help me move the leaves and dirt from this spot?” Looper’s voice strained.

  Werrien got down on his hands and knees and began helping Looper. As he was digging, his finger hit something sharp. “Ouch!” he said, lifting his hand and shaking it. He had gotten a wood sliver under his nail.

  “Yes! It is the right place. I was so nervous that I might not be able to find it again,” Looper said, excitedly.

  “Glad I could be of help.” Werrien pulled the long sliver from underneath his nail. The sliver had come from a hidden door in the ground, with a round, iron ring attached to it.

  “Pull on the ring to lift up the door. It’s very heavy, but if you can get it up about two inches, I can slip through the crack.”

  Werrien bent over and grabbed the ring. He began to pull hard on it, and he managed to lift the door about an inch. But then he dropped it. “This thing weighs a ton. I don’t think I can lift it more than an inch, even if I wanted to.”

  Just after he spoke, Roage flew toward them and landed on a nearby tree branch. “May I be of some assistance to you?” he asked Werrien.

  “I’d like that, Roage, but I don’t think you’ll be able to lift it, either.”

  “Look behind this tree I’m in. At its base there is a rope buried under the leaves.”

  Werrien did so and found the rope.

  “You must hurry; for there is a band of zelbocks headed this way, and they’ll be here within a few minutes,” Roage said.

  Werrien took the rope and placed it through the iron ring. Then he threw the ends of it over a sturdy tree branch and began to pull on it as hard as he could. The door lifted up, but then his hands suddenly slipped from the rope, and the door dropped and slammed shut again. Using all his strength, he pulled on it again and managed to lift it slightly higher than the last time.

  “It’s big enough for me to get through,” Looper said.

  “Then go quickly! I don’t think I can hold it much longer,” Werrien’s voice strained.

  Looper cautiously went in, and just as he disappeared, Werrien dropped the rope and the door slammed down.

  “They will have to come quickly for you, or else you will surely be caught again by the zelbocks,” Roage said to Werrien.

  Werrien was still not sure what was going on, or even what the door in the ground was for. “Who will have to come for me?”

  Before Roage could answer, the door in the ground suddenly lifted up and Rumalock stuck his head out into the open air. “Ah! Werrien! You have made it. Come down inside,” he said.

  Werrien took the rope off the tree, placed it back where he had found it, and started to cover it up again.

  “Just leave it and go,” Roage said impatiently. “You can’t afford to be caught again.”

  Werrien went into the underground after Rumalock, and the door slammed shut after him. Roage quickly buried the rope and covered the door with the leaves. He had just finished when the zelbocks approached.

  One of them caught sight of him and shot an arrow at him. It caught the end of his wing and pulled out a few feathers. The arrow landed in the earth, no more than a quarter-inch from the covered door. Roage let out a shrill caw and flew off.

  30

  After the door in the ground shut, Rumalock climbed down an old wooden ladder, and Werrien followed after him. Above them, they could hear the pounding of the zelbocks’ horses’ hooves as they trampled over the hidden door.

  The underground was cold, and it smelled of damp earth. Rumalock began to walk north, toward a dark tunnel. He carried the same lantern that Werrien had held on the raft ride earlier that evening, and again, it was their only source of light.

  “Where are you taking me?” Werrien asked Rumalock.

  “Just follow me,” Rumalock said ardently and led the way through a tunnel that was just tall enough for him to fit through. Werrien had to duck, for he was at least a head and a half taller than Rumalock. The farther they traveled, the thicker the silence became; Werrien began to feel somewhat claustrophobic. Finally, they reached a wall, and Rumalock turned left. They walked on farther yet, until a light could be seen coming from a room up ahead. Sitting in the middle of the room were Ugan, Retzel, and Kristina, and on Retzel’s shoulder sat Raymond. The four of them were sitting around a table, looking at a map. Clover sat on the edge of the table, swinging her legs to and fro, looking not the least bit interested in the whole situation. When they heard Rumalock and Werrien approaching, they stopped talking.

  “Werrien!” Kristina said excitedly, jumping up and running toward him. She wrapped her arms around him. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, closing her eyes and squeezing him tight. As she did so, the Warble heated up the gold case, tucked inside Werrien’s shirt. It became very hot, causing her to jump back quickly.

  “It’s nice to see you…too!” Werrien returned the embrace yet he felt a little awkward about her sudden affection toward him.

  “Now children, I am going to help you the best that I can, but we must get straight to business. As you are well aware, Queen Sentiz and her zelbocks are after you,” Rumalock said. He placed his lantern in the middle of the table between two large dripping candles. Kristina sat back down in her chair, and Retzel quickly pulled out a chair for Werrien to sit in. “I have sent a spy into the queen’s camp to find out the direction they will be heading.” He brought everyone’s attention back to the map. “The queen’s army will be heading northeast. Then, at about this point,” he pointed to the map, “they will head east, to get to the far north side of the mountain.” He dragged his finger a short distance and then stopped. “They will climb the mountain at precisely this spot.”

  “That’s the way I was planning to go. It’s the only place I know of that one can climb up the mountain. As a matter of fact, there is no other way,” Werrien said.

  “Over the past several years, I have searched the mountain’s base for another way up, and I have found one more spot. Here.” Rumalock pointed his finger a little more west on the map. “It’s a little risky, but it can be climbed, at this spot.”

  Werrien looked closely at the spot on the map. “Funny, I’ve been around the base of the mountain a few times, and I’ve never noticed a place there where the mountain could be climbed.”

  “Trust me; it’s there. Would you bring out the Warble?” Rumalock asked Werrien.

  Werrien reached inside his shirt and took out the gold case, but as he was about to place it on the table, it got so very hot that he had to drop it. It slid across the table and stopped in front of Kristina.

  “Well, at least we know it’s in there. I will explain to you the safest and fastest way for you to get to this spot at the mountain’s base without running into the queen’s army.”

  “Oh, how I dread seeing those horrible zelbocks,” Raymond chimed in.

  Ugan, who had been sitting quietly up until this point, decided to speak up. “There’s something I’d like to give to you, my brother.” He reached into his coat, pulled out the Book of Prophecy, and slid it across the table toward Rumalock.

  Rumalock looked surprised. “My brother, where did you get this?”

  “I saved it from burning in the fire at your home.”

  “That is so noble of you. I wouldn’t have thought you to do something so great.”

  “It was not a great deed that I did. Actually, I’m no more than a coward. You see, I gave it to the queen, but it was not without consequences, for in my spirit I grieved, knowing I had done nothing good in my life. But then, for some reason, I was given a second chance when the queen fell overboard into the sea, and I was able to get back the book. That’s when I made a promise to myself that I would return it to you, if it were the last thing I did in my miserable life.” Ugan lowered his head in shame.

  There was silence for a moment and a sad expression came to Rumalock’s face. “At least you have come this far, my broth
er,” he said, softly.

  A swift breeze blew into the room and extinguished the two candles. Kristina grabbed hold of them so they wouldn’t fall over. At the same time, the Book of Prophecy blew open to the last page that had writing on it. New writing began to scroll across the page as they watched.

  “What does it say?” Kristina asked.

  All six gathered around the book, and then Werrien read out loud: “Queen Sentiz and her zelbocks are leaving the base camp to begin their assent up Mount Bernovem in search of Werrien and Kristina.”

  Clover balanced on top of the gold case, like a circus performer. “Ouch!” she yelled suddenly and jumped off the case into the air, grabbing her feet in her hands. Everyone turned their attention on her. “It’s hot!” she added, irritated.

  Rumalock sighed and then continued, “I’m sorry to say that there is no more time for discussion. We must leave at once!” He closed the Book of Prophecy and tucked it under his arm. Then he picked up the gold case, but it became so hot again that he had to drop it. It fell on the floor and slid under the table. He picked it up, and handed it to Werrien. Then he picked up the lantern and began to walk briskly toward the dark tunnel. Kristina grabbed Raymond and followed him; the others followed after her. When they arrived back at the ladder that led up to the hidden door, Rumalock took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Werrien. “Here, take this small map. It has your directions from this point on. I have outlined in red the way you should go.”

  “But I have no weapons to defend us,” Werrien said.

  “I have taken care of that.” Rumalock went behind the ladder. He came back with a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

  “That’s my bow and my arrows! How did you get these?”