“You bet!” He grinned. “When you were both doing your energy thing, I had a hunch that you were somehow causing changes in the air and,” he frowned, trying to explain what he had sensed, “and I think I understood what the gas molecule looked like. I can’t really explain it exactly, I’ve never had it happen before. Maybe it’s the strange power we have in this world?” He looked at both of them, hoping they wouldn’t think he was an idiot.
Sarina was facing him. “Go on.”
“Well,” he faltered, “I think that if—if I am right, then we could use your energy, actually our energy, and manufacture a counter-chemical from the air around the township.” He smiled, looking down at his hands, and held them out to take one each of Sarina’s and Paolo’s, thinking how only a short while ago he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to hold hands again. Just one more time. He’d force himself.
He looked back at Sarina and Paolo. “This time we won’t just make the gas go away, because I think that is what caused your sphere to collapse, no,” he sped up, now convinced his idea could work, “if we can direct the plasma more precisely by using the electromagnetic waves in our brains, I think this will be permanent; and it will neutralise the gas instantly!”
He looked at them both with a broad smile, but they were looking back at him in horror.
“Nathan, we have no idea how to do that!” Sarina said.
“Oh, but that’s what I’m telling you.” He smiled again. “I do.”
They joined hands while Nathan explained the lattice-like structure of the molecule he wanted them to construct from the air, by directing the plasma energy with their minds. Paolo nodded in concentration with each description, looking at Sarina when Nathan finished. “It sounds tricky,” Paolo said, “but what do we have to lose?”
Sarina looked back at Paolo, then at Nathan, then back at Paolo, throwing back her shoulders in resolve.
“If anyone has any idea about how this works, it’s Nathan,” she said. “We can only try.” She closed her eyes and gripped their hands.
Nathan closed his eyes and he assumed that Paolo must have too, because all of a sudden a vivid picture sprang into his head of the exact lattice structure he had described. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and focused his attention on the image.
The white light was glowing at the intersection of their hands then it sprang into a spinning sphere encompassing all three of them.
Though they couldn’t see it, the sphere’s spinning increased and the shimmering light changed from white to an intense deep blue, then purple. With each change, it grew in size, until the top of the sphere was level with the treetops.
“Now!” Sarina whispered, her eyes still closed and they each squeezed hands.
The purple sphere expanded, speeding in all directions across the clearing, to the forest and to the township, and beyond, where it vanished, revealing a small white spiral in the centre between them.
The white spiral was still spinning fast, but wobbling off-balance like a spinning top about to lose its centre, when it imploded and shrunk to a single point, sucking them all to the ground.
Nathan opened one eye cautiously and saw Paolo staring across the clearing. “Did we do it?” he said.
“I’m not sure,” Paolo said, “But I can feel something is different.”
“You know, I still don’t know if I have the slightest idea how to explain how this all works,” Nathan said, peering into the distance for clues, “or why it works. But you are right. It does feel different.”
“For someone without the slightest idea, you did a pretty good job of making it work,” Sarina said, standing up and brushing grass from her clothes.
Paolo looked at them. “I think maybe the gas is gone. My clothes are dry again, which must mean we did something. So perhaps we are safe, but what about … ” his voice trailed off.
“Paolo,” Sarina laid her hand on his arm, “maybe some of them managed to escape. We’ll look. We have to hope for the best.”
Paolo could only look at her with tears in his eyes.
Nathan stared into the distance. “Can anyone hear drums?”
~ 21 ~
Disturbance
They were at the end of the trail opening into the opposite side of the clearing, when Makthryg felt a disturbance in the air. He held one hand up and motioned the men to stop, marking time on the drums, and turned to Valkrog.
“Did you feel that?”
“No, my Lord. What did you sense?” The creature paid particular attention to the glint of anxiety in Makthryg’s face as he searched the sky.
Makthryg completed his scan of the sky. “I’m not sure. I felt … an addition to our space.” He stared at Valkrog. “We must be on our highest alert—”
Everyone ducked as a massive dome of purple light sped through the forest, coming directly at them. Many of the men dropped to the ground in fear, some twitching as the energy moved past them and zapped them with a surge of static. The drums stopped.
Makthryg, unaffected and standing tall, stared at the light as it vanished over the rise and towards the township. “Interesting. That was deliberately constructed to create a matter change. Who else, I wonder, has the ability to conjure this?” He looked at Valkrog, who was picking himself up, but the creature just shrugged.
“Men!” Makthryg shouted, turning his attention to the now-frightened search party, “This was nothing, a mere party trick. Resume the drums. We now know where the boy must be, and we march to capture him. Move!”
Valkrog watched the sorcerer move off, standing still for a moment, then drew a deep breath and followed.
The men marched on, the force of the drumbeat restoring strength and resolve to the hardened fighters, many of whom were still shaken by the strange phenomenon. The path was uneven and strewn with tree roots and as one pair marched past, one man tripped and fell, knocking his gas mask off on an outstanding branch.
“Quick,” his partner shouted, “replace his mask or he will—”
Makthryg interrupted as he strode up. “Be still. Look—he makes no move to hold his throat. Something is wrong.” He gazed around him, trying to sense what had happened. A look of understanding passed across his face and he nodded to himself. “Of course.” He called to all the men while removing his own mask. “Men, the gas has been neutralised. It is quite safe to remove your masks.”
And then, quietly so no one else would hear, he said to Valkrog, “I do believe we have company. Perhaps this is your old adversary at work, the Orange Witch. Come. Let us plan our attack.”
Or defence, he thought.
~ 22 ~
The Chase
“We need to move,” Sarina said. “If those drums are what I think they are, then the sooner we are out of here, the better.”
Nathan nodded. He looked over at Paolo, who was still slumped in despair, and leaned over to help him up. “Paolo. This is your world, not ours. Where do you suggest we go next? We need somewhere to hide while we make a plan. And although it might be dangerous, I’ll throw in to the mix the idea that we should search the township for …” he hesitated, “survivors.”
Paolo stood up, brushed himself off and nodded in agreement. “I know an alternative trail back to the township. It’s much further, but,” he nodded his head in the direction of the drums, “it means we will avoid Makthryg’s men.” He took a deep breath. “I haven’t yet thanked you for saving me; and Nathan for heeding my call to bring Sarina.”
If you only knew the half of it, Nathan thought as he smiled at Paolo. “I really have no idea what is going on, Paolo. Maybe we can figure it out when we get the chance to take a breath. But first we need to move fast, and get to the township. Which way?”
Paolo pointed to a dark opening at the other end of the woods. “Over there. It will be dark,” he warned, “so watch your step.”
They shared a look of silent resolve and began running towards the trees.
The drums boomed across the clearing and Makthryg and his men burst f
orth from the other trail in the distance, heading directly towards the three fleeing figures.
“Paolo!” Sarina whispered as loud as she dare while running, trying to catch Paolo’s attention as they sprinted across the clearing.
He twisted his head around, still running. “Yes, I see them. It didn’t occur to me before, but I can hear them too. I think our plasma magic not only neutralised the gas, but it’s done something to change Makthryg’s curse on me.” He pointed ahead. “Come on, we can avoid them by changing direction and heading into the forest here. There’s no marked trail, but I remember the trees are less dense there. We can force our way in and go cross country. We should be able to lose them in the dark woods.”
The loud jeer that erupted from over the other side of the clearing told them they had been spotted. Sarina heard Makthryg shouting instructions and a group of men split away to head back into the forest, led by a bird-like creature.
Valkrog!
She shivered as she remembered her dream and pulled herself up with a deep breath, searching for her strength again. They had no choice! They would have to fight. The three of them crashed into the bracken and bush, not caring about the noise, desperate to escape the army of men in pursuit.
Behind them, the drums had fallen silent, replaced by the sound of men shouting and jeering as they gave chase.
“Stop,” Paolo said gasping, once they were some way into the forest. They leaned on each other, panting for breath. “We’ll be safe for a short time. No one knows these woods as well as me,” he straightened as he regained his breath, “and we need to find a clever way out.” He looked at the others for help.
“Nathan? Any ideas?” Sarina said, hopeful that their resident genius would have something figured out, but Nathan was already shaking his head.
Paolo looked at Sarina. “Why do you not simply paint a defence? I’ve witnessed you do that before, and Rocco told me of your fight with Valkrog where you dispatched him with orange fire-magic.”
Nathan whipped around to stare at Sarina in astonishment.
Paolo was insistent. “You must surely fight them with your paint-magic. I’ve felt your power firsthand just now when we changed the gas.”
Sarina was doubtful. “What we did just now is as new to me as it is to you. But the magic-painting and fight with Valkrog happened in my dreams, Paolo! I have no idea how to do that now I’m here.” She looked at him, despair showing in her eyes.
They stared at each other, stuck in the forest in the dark, the pressure to help any surviving townsmen weighing heavily, and no easy way out. The noise of Makthryg’s pursuing soldiers shouting and crashing through the undergrowth echoed ever closer. Sarina clenched her fists and tried to think, desperate to find an answer; and then she felt that tiny core of strength again. The same strength she’d felt when she had thrown the fireballs at Valkrog. She took a deep breath and remembered what it was like to be painting when she was in complete control, and she felt the strength inside her growing and closed her eyes.
“Hey! Wake up!” Nathan said, “It’s no time for sleep you know, they’re almost on us! We need to do something. Or run faster.”
Sarina lifted her head, smiled and opened her eyes, now shining bright. “I have an idea.” She looked at Nathan. “It’s similar to what we did in the shed—only in reverse.”
Nathan stopped for a moment, thinking, then lit up. “Another portal? It could work. But we have no materials,” he said, his face falling.
Sarina was undeterred. “I don’t think it works like that in this world,” she said, confident in her idea. “And surely you haven’t already forgotten that we just controlled plasma energy with our minds? Though I do have a feeling it would help if you held my hand; and if Paolo held yours.”
“If we have to,” Nathan said, “but what will you be doing with your other hand?” He raised his eyebrows.
“This.” Sarina held up her right hand and started drawing in the air.
Nathan gasped. Following her fingers was the shimmering outline of a familiar structure.
“Come on,” Sarina said as she worked her hand in the air rapidly and holding her other hand out, “I think this will work. And we have no time to waste. Hold hands.”
They took each other’s hands and the outline stopped shimmering and began to solidify and glow.
~ 23 ~
Escape
Nathan noticed that Sarina was painting faster with the change in the energy and he saw that the shape of the inside of the shed was forming. The details were not sharp, but Nathan also saw inside the glowing outline, the definite shape of a couple of old garden chairs, and behind them, a tool bench.
He watched her hand flicking all around, filling in details, struck by her ability to paint so beautifully from memory.
He heard crashing noises from close by. Men breaking through branches, yelling, and trampling the forest floor.
Paolo and Nathan exchanged anxious glances.
“Is it working?” Paolo asked.
“I think the painting is.” Nathan was enthralled by the picture forming in mid-air in front of them. “But I’m not sure if we can travel through it. And we might be out of time.” He cast a nervous look in the direction of the oncoming noise.
“No we’re not!” Sarina said, finishing her stroke triumphantly. “There! It will work, Nathan, I can feel it.” She looked at them both. “Well? What are you waiting for?” She dived through the painted portal, pulling Nathan and Paolo behind her, at the same time as two men armed with crossbows, crashed through the undergrowth behind them.
They fell into the shed and onto each other in a heap; a mess of arms and legs. “Ow, my doze!” someone said, and a few seconds passed before they separated and stood up.
Nathan looked back at the dirty white wooden board they had passed through and he thought he could see movement in the picture, but he wasn’t sure.
“Wow. Now we’ve gone to Paolo’s world and back again. And we weren’t torn into tiny pieces. I wouldn’t believe it unless I’d just done it.” He leaned closer to the board and, wondering if they could replicate the portal, was reaching forward with his finger to prod it when he heard Paolo behind him asking a question.
“Won’t they be able to follow us here?”
“You’re right,” Nathan said, quickly lowering his finger. Curiosity could also be a troublemaker. “The last thing this neighbourhood needs is an insane sorcerer, an out of control evil creature and a squad of armed minions. What now?” He looked at Sarina, but she was smiling, shaking the can of black spray paint they had previously discarded and that she had just picked up from the floor.
“Watch,” she said, a mischievous look on her face as she turned to the board and aimed the spray can squarely at the picture.
Sarina had nearly finished covering the entire board with black paint from the now almost empty spray can. She sealed the last remaining gap, and smiling, turned back to Nathan and Paolo.
Nathan was staring at the board in horror. “Sarina, watch out!”
Coming through the board, having penetrated the last gap only seconds before Sarina had sprayed the portal, was a hand, reaching out. Sarina yelped and jumped back, raising the spray can and emptying it on the board in one last urgent blast of black paint.
A blood-curdling scream came from the other side of the portal, and the hand dropped on the floor in front of them, bloodied and twitching, severed clean at the wrist.
“Eeewww.” Sarina dropped the empty spray can and stepped back, looking down at the hand in disgust.
~~~
The man recoiled from the portal with an ear-splitting scream and fell to the floor, clutching his arm. The portal vanished, leaving Makthryg, Valkrog and the armed men in the darkened forest, alone.
“Light the flares!” Valkrog hissed. “We have work to do.”
~~~
Still in shock, Sarina felt her energy draining now that the adrenalin had eased. She pulled her gaze away from the twitchin
g hand and back to her friends. “So what happens now?”
But Nathan wasn’t paying any attention. He was staring up at Paolo, and, not taking his eyes off him, replied. “We’ve got to work out how to get Paolo back, stop Makthryg and his chicken-boy destroying the village and killing anyone that’s left, then stop him finding whatever he seems to be after, rescue the remaining townsmen, find the women and children and free them.” He was still staring at Paolo.
“Oh,” Sarina said. “Just a few things then. I didn’t even think about getting back.” She glanced up at Paolo, wondering if she’d just made everything worse.
She wondered how she would fit all this in with her schoolwork—and with horror remembered she wasn’t even at school. She sighed. So much had happened since that maths assessment. And now she had a township to save. What if it was all in vain? What if they were caught? She’d be branded a loony and taken straight back to Stratfords, and miss her chance at the competition again.
All thoughts of her own situation vanished when she realised what she was noticing for the first time; and what Nathan was still staring at.
Paolo.
In his world, he was just a boy, not so much different to them, except a bit older and more stocky.
But in their world, Paolo was a small giant. In child form.
“Wow,” Sarina said softly, “you’re …” she trailed off.
“Big?” Nathan finished. “He sure is.”
They both stared up at Paolo, who, quite uncomfortable with all the attention, spread his hands wide and said, “What?”
~ 24 ~
Moths
“Your report, Valkrog?”
“My Lord, I regret to inform you that the girl we saw is the Orange Witch. According to one of the men, she wore white war powder on her face and hair and was the one constructing the portal. Her accomplice I have not seen before,” Valkrog said. “But the boy of course, escaped with them. Somehow they were able to disable the portal from the other side.” He hesitated, “I am not yet certain how we may penetrate into their world.”
The Dreamer Chronicles Trilogy Boxed Set Vol I - III: A Sci-Fi Parallel Universe Adventure (The Dreamer Chronicles - Science Fiction For Kids And Adults) Page 16
