Other Worlds: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Two - Fantasy

by P. A. Priddey

  ‘What is that?’ A dwarf shouted, as the rocks assembled into a giant figure.

  ‘That’s Rockman,’ said Alex. ‘A good friend of ours.’

  Verdan’s eyes grew big. ‘That’s the head off my grandfather’s statue.’

  I am sorry, if it offends you, I will remove it, said House.

  ‘On the contrary, you honour me to see him in battle.’

  Then I will march in front.

  They moved forward at a steady pace and the enemy marched against them with trolls in the middle, none of which wore armour and only had two arms. The pace got faster and Rockman smashed into two of the trolls. Alex pointed his hand and golden beams of energy shot at one who flew backwards on top of another pack of ogres. Adair did the same with his lightning. The gnomes, equally skilled, used their strength. Like a roman phalanx, with the dwarves, pushed the goblins and ogres back. Torgon and Thalion used their magic as well as swords to kill one of the trolls. Their swords had a blue flame coming off them which cut through anything in their way.

  If any of them looked in danger Jodie and the elves helped them with their missiles and none of them missed a target once. Rocks flew through the air and the enemy turned and ran. Their leaders, three trolls, grabbed the closest goblins and threw them back into the fight. Alex saw this and knew the goblins would be slaughtered if it carried on. He flew in the air above the goblins and saw Dagur hiding behind the three trolls. His hands glowed with the golden energy and blasted two of the trolls out the way and flew at Dagur. The dark elf tried casting enchantments, but none appeared to work. Alex put his hand on Dagur’s chest and the energy sent the elf flying backwards and Alex dived after him. It was only Greytooth’s club that stopped him, he dodged it this time but Dagur vanished. The troll loomed above Alex who threw his spear upwards catching Greytooth under the chin, going straight through its skull, and the troll died instantly. When Dagur disappeared, the enchantment on the goblins and ogres broke. They ran, and gave Alex a wide berth as they passed him.

  James caught up with him. ‘Should we give chase?’

  ‘Yeah, but at a steady pace, I’m not going to kill any of them who are fleeing.’

  Paige sheathed her sword. ‘What the hell were you doing?’

  Alex shrugged. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I knew you would try to take them on your own.’

  ‘No, only the leaders, and Dagur was here’

  The rest of the army joined them with Verdan in the lead. ‘They will have to stop running sooner or later, what do we with them?’

  Alex nodded. ‘Nothing, hopefully they will stop once they’ve gone back through the portal to their world. Do you know where it is?’

  ‘No, we only know of the one to the elf world.’

  ‘Maybe we should look at doing something with it when we get there.’

  Torgon shook his head. ‘It’s forbidden to tamper with a portal.’

  Alex thought about it. ‘I wouldn’t dream of doing anything to the portal, but what about digging a large hole below it.’

  ‘I like that idea,’ Verdan agreed.

  ‘It has its merits,’ said Torgon. ‘You could put a garrison there, too.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Verdan. ‘I will discuss it with the other kings when they get here.’

  You might not have too long to wait, said House. I can see two dwarf armies heading this way.

  Alex considered it as they followed the retreating army. ‘They must have known they would come eventually.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Verdan, with some disgust. ‘They probably hoped to defeat us and use the castle to repel the other armies.’

  ‘I can see that,’ said James, ‘and I did wonder why they never used the catapults on your walls.’

  Verdan pointed to the distance. ‘Like the village over there they didn’t destroy. I bet they wanted to occupy our world.’

  Carrie slid her arm inside Alex’s. ‘What happened to the dwarves from the village?’

  ‘They’re back at the castle,’ said a dwarf, in a more feminine voice but not by much, and she took her helmet off.

  ‘Queen Getha,’ said Thalion. ‘I did not recognise you in your armour.’

  ‘You know a female dwarf fights just as well as any male, just like these human women I’ve been proud to fight alongside.’

  ‘We don’t like letting them have all the fun, your highness,’ said Carrie, smiling at the dwarf who had long red hair. She had a more of a motherly look than one of a warrior.

  Getha nodded. ‘For one moment I thought Lord Alex was going to have all the fun himself.’

  Alex smiled, it was a forced smile as all he could think about was goblins, and their pointless deaths caused by Dagur. ‘No, your highness, I just wanted to soften them up.’

  Verdan pointed at the goblins running. ‘You did that and more. I never expected them to run so quickly.’

  ‘No, they were under an enchantment,’ said Alex. ‘I would’ve killed the one who did it if the troll hadn’t got in the way.’

  ‘Dagur was here,’ said Torgon.

  ‘Yeah, I hurt him, but he got away again.’

  ‘That cursed enchanter was on our land,’ said Verdan.

  Alex nodded. ‘Yeah, and I believe he was controlling the goblins, they didn’t want to fight you.’

  Verdan’s face reddened. ‘That monster will pay for this.’

  ‘You have my word on that, but you must have been holding them off for a while.’

  ‘Since yesterday morning, the villagers came running to us in the middle of the night.’

  ‘Your messenger was fast getting up the mountain and through the portal.’

  ‘He lives near the portal. It was our other messengers which are quick, as they’re birds.’

  They walked on as another dwarf army approached, all staring at Rockman.

  ‘Verdan, did our grandfather come back to aid you?’ said the lead dwarf.

  ‘No, Korlan, but he is impressive do you not think?’

  ‘Indeed he is, as is your strange-looking army. Where did they all come from?’

  ‘Would you believe they just appeared from nowhere?’ said Getha.

  Korlan removed his helmet. ‘Right now I could believe anything.’

  Verdan smiled. ‘You should see them fight.’

  ‘I missed that, I don’t suppose they might turn around for another try,’ said Korlan, giving a wistful look at the retreating enemy.

  Torgon shook his head. ‘I really don’t think they have any courage left for that.’

  Korlan bowed. ‘My lord, it has been a long time.’

  ‘Yes it has, it would have been sooner, your highness, if you didn’t have such terrible weather on the mountain.’

  Korlan was greeted by the other elves and introduced to everyone else as King Korlan, when another army arrived.

  ‘Late to the party, Laxan, just like us?’ said Korlan.

  ‘We had a little trouble on the way,’ said the dwarf, he was slimmer than most dwarves, with light brown hair tied in a ponytail and his beard had braids.

  ‘What kind of trouble?’

  ‘There were about two hundred of them, mostly ogres waiting at the bottom of the mountain with the portal to the elf world,’

  Torgon raised an eyebrow. ‘They were expecting us to come that way and were going to ambush us.’

  ‘It would appear so,’ said Laxan, ‘but it seems you came via another route.’

  Torgon winked. ‘Yes, we have a faster way.’

  ‘Interesting,’ said Laxan, ‘but why have you not killed the other goblins instead of letting them escape.’

  ‘No need,’ said Verdan. ‘Lord Alex would prefer they go back to their own world than slaughter them, and I agree.’

  Laxan pulled on one of his braids. ‘Who is Lord Alex?’

  ‘I am,’ said Alex.

  ‘Humans giving orders on a dwarf world.’

  ‘When my castle was overrun, and all hope was lost.’ said Verdan, ‘this h
uman appeared saving us, and has led us to where we are now, then yes.’

  Alex glanced at the dwarf. ‘I was more advising than ordering, but if you want to kill those who are fleeing in fear of their lives I cannot stop you.’

  Laxan shook his head. ‘No, there would be no honour in that. I just don’t want them coming back hurting my kinsmen.’

  Verdan put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Don’t worry, cousin, as Lord Alex has given us the idea of digging a big hole, and Lord Torgon believes we should put a garrison there, too.’

  Laxan stood in front of Alex with his broad arms folded. ‘A big hole underneath the portal is your idea?’

  Alex nodded. ‘Yeah, it might deter them from leaving their world.’

  Laxan hit Alex on the arm in a friendly manner. ‘Clever, and I would take a shovel myself to help.’

  You will not need me for a while, said House, which made many dwarves look around to see where the voice came from.

  Alex looked up. ‘We will be fine, where are you going?’

  To tell the others you are OK. The rocks descended to the ground slowly.

  Torgon saved Alex the trouble of explaining to the newcomers about House. They walked on for two hours until the goblins turned into a ravine.

  Verdan put his hand in the air. ‘Keep an eye out, they may have left traps.’

  They encountered no traps, and at the end of the ravine was the portal where the goblins and ogres were disappearing through it. The pursuing armies stopped and most of them sat on the ground.

  Torgon looked around the land. ‘A good place for a garrison up that hill.’

  Verdan nodded. ‘How many soldiers should we base here?’

  Korlan stood with hands on hips. ‘Around a hundred, depending on the size of the hole, we might not need too many.’

  ‘We could send forty from each kingdom,’ said Laxan. ‘Who to choose though will be difficult as I wouldn’t want to be stuck out here away from my family.’

  Alex studied the bleak terrain. ‘You could change them once a month.’

  ‘That would be much better,’ said Verdan.

  Laxan looked a little unsure. ‘It would mean a lot of walking.’

  Marakus sighed and shook his head. ‘You’re hopeless.’

  ‘That’s nice, we hardly ever see him unless we’re doing the travelling,’ said Laxan. ‘When we do see him he insults us, and apart from that he’s half the man I used to know.’

  ‘It’s nice you have noticed, I have been working out,’ said Marakus. ‘You have many horses here so why don’t you use them.’

  ‘You know we don’t like riding horses.’

  ‘We didn’t either,’ said Fergal, ‘but Alex taught us how, and it’s quite fun if you manage to stay on.’

  Laxan smiled. ‘Falling off is the one reason we don’t like riding them.’

  Marakus shook his head in disbelief. ‘Then build carts or carriages and let them pull you.’

  Laxan considered it. ‘We do have carts for carrying other things.’

  ‘Can they not carry your soldiers, also?’

  ‘That could work I guess.’

  ‘You could build a village here, too,’ said Alex, and the others looked at him confused.

  ‘How would that help?’ said Verdan.

  ‘Some of the soldiers could bring their families, and might want to stay permanently, and they wouldn’t have to travel anywhere.’

  Laxan pulled on his beard. ‘That’s not a bad idea, but I’m not sure if anyone would want to live here.’

  ‘It doesn’t have much going for it,’ Korlan added.

  Alex considered it. ‘What hobbies to dwarves have?’

  Torgon laughed. ‘Drinking.’

  Verdan frowned but it soon turned into a smile. ‘That’s one hobby, we have many, but many enjoy fishing.’

  Alex glanced over at the portal. ‘Then make this the best place to come fishing.’

  Laxan shook his head. ‘There is nowhere to fish for miles.’

  Claire smiled. ‘I think your good ideas have just run out.’

  ‘Not really,’ said Alex, also smiling. ‘There is nowhere to fish, yet.’

  Adair laughed. ‘Yes, I might even come and try myself.’

  ‘I didn’t know you fished.’

  ‘I did a long time ago . . . there were no shops back then.’

  Laxan watched their little conversation. ‘Is there any chance you might let us in on what you’re talking about?’

  ‘You’re going to dig a very big hole,’ said Alex. ‘So why not fill it in with water and fish.’

  Laxan’s eyes grew wide. ‘What an idea, making our own lake for fishing.’

  ‘We could make it the greatest one here,’ Korlan added.

  ‘I will leave that for you to decide,’ said Verdan. ‘I better go and get rid of all those bodies, something I’m not looking forward to.’

  I have already taken care of that, said House.

  ‘What have you done with them,’ said the king, a little surprised.

  I took them back to their world, and told the goblins to take care of them, as some were still alive.

  ‘Thank you, that was very helpful.’

  Alex looked up. ‘What was their world like?’

  The part I visited was like a tropical jungle. The goblins I saw were very frightened and clearly distressed.

  ‘They should not have attacked our world,’ said Laxan.

  ‘They didn’t want to, Dagur enchanted them,’ said Alex, and Torgon explained what happened.

  Adair waited for the elf to finish. ‘We will protect your people against his enchantments.’

  Alex looked up again. ‘Can we go to their world?’

  Yes, said House, I can take you anytime.

  ‘But not today,’ Adair insisted.

  Alex stared at the portal. ‘Why not? I only want to take a look around.’

  The wizard put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. ‘No, you’ll be hunting him down in their world, let us sleep on it.’

  Laxan studied the wizard. ‘Why is it I should know you?’

  ‘Because he is the legendary great wizard Adair,’ said Thalion.

  ‘I thought you were just a legend my grandfather used to tell me about,’ said Laxan. Dwarves lived a long time but not as long as gnomes or those on the elf world.

  Adair smiled. ‘I knew many dwarves back then.’

  Laxan pulled on his beard. ‘Lord Alex, I think you should listen to the great wizard.’

  ‘It’s not my uncle who scares me, but I know he will tell my mother,’ said Alex.

  ‘And who is your mother?’ said Laxan.

  ‘My sister, the Lady Luella,’ Adair replied.

  Verdan raised both eyebrows. ‘One of the six great ladies is your mother?’

  Alex nodded. ‘Yes, and one is my aunt, and the other four are sort of related and very good friends.’

  ‘Did I not tell say how we should listen to the advice of humans more often,’ said Laxan smiling.

  Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘We will get along just fine.’

  House took some of the dwarves back to the village to get tools and material to start the work on a garrison for the portal.

  Laxan stood watching. ‘I’ll leave my army here to rest, and toast the dead with you.’

  ‘As will I,’ said Korlan. ‘My men would prefer to rest after marching all the way here.’

  Verdan smiled solemnly. ‘It will be a long walk back.’

  Why would you want to walk back? said House.

  ‘You can take us all back?’ said Verdan.

  Yes, I will take you in groups.

  Laxan rubbed his eyes. ‘Is it safe?’

  Alex nodded. ‘Very safe, we do it all the time.’

  House took the dwarves back first, and the elves followed by those from the mansion. King Verdan gave a toast for those who died in battle. They entered the main hall of the castle for a victory celebration and to drink ale. The hall was long with statues lini
ng the walls. Alex walked outside afterwards just gathering his thoughts. He stood on the battlements thinking of what happened. His power had grown, he could taste the ale which was strong, but it wouldn’t get into his system. The alcohol would dissipate as he drank it. He was soon joined by some of his friends.

  Paige leant with her shoulder on the wall. ‘What’s going on?’

  Alex sighed. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘You didn’t need us . . . you could’ve destroyed them all without leaving the castle.’

  ‘No, you’re wrong, I’ll always need you,’ said Alex, as he gripped the battlements and looked over the land. ‘Yeah, I could’ve done a lot more damage to them if I wanted, but what would that have achieved?’

  Claire folded her arms. ‘I thought you weren’t going to keep things from us.’

  ‘I’m not keeping anything from you, not that I know of. I’m not sure myself of what’s happening.’

  Paige rubbed her eyes. ‘And what part of all this do you understand?’

  ‘My power keeps growing.’

  ‘We know that.’

  ‘My power comes from the sun as I believe, but the sun on the elf world and the one here are different and is making me stronger,’ he said. ‘At least I think that’s what’s happening.’

  ‘So it’s just a coincidence that we’re here,’ said Claire.

  ‘No, none of this is coincidence, but something tells me I’m here to get stronger.’

  Carrie looked surprised. ‘Why do you need to get stronger?’

  ‘Something is going to happen, and I will need all the power I have.’

  Paige’s eyes grew big. ‘The Final Destiny?’

  ‘Maybe, but I’ve no idea what it is.’

  Asima sat on the battlements. ‘Is that the reason for your behaviour in battle?’

  ‘No, I had enough of the killing. There was no need for any more death, so I went for the ones who were sending them in.’

  ‘I can understand that,’ said Paige, ‘but none of this is like you.’

  ‘And what is me? I don’t even know who was out there fighting today, I don’t even know what I am anymore.’

  Paige shook her head. ‘If it wasn’t you, then who?’

  ‘I don’t know, this time last year I was using a walking stick as I could hardly walk, and now I’m doing all this.’