by Mary Ting
The town I had visited just days past had been razed. Some of the stores had burned to ashes, while some still blazed. The hiss and crackle of fire made it difficult to determine if people needed help.
Carcasses and blood covered the streets, along with shattered plaster, wood, and glass. I skirted the debris, trying to stay away from the fire. The ash-heavy breeze blocked my view.
At times the flames blinded me, burned my eyes, and the fast-rising smoke made breathing difficult. Covering my nose with my cloak helped, but it did not keep me from coughing.
It took some time to get to the other end of the town. I passed the area where the old lady had given me the beans. She clearly had some knowledge of magic. Why wasn’t she helping these people?
Screams of horror and death tore through the town, sounding like thunder. I rode faster, but the horror spread out before me. My own cries melted in my throat, and my muscles would not move. Blood stained the ground ... so much blood. Like Aldwin and Peter, their bodies had been ripped to pieces.
Then out from the shadows and smoke, the monsters appeared. Malice-filled amber eyes pierced the night.
I froze, terrorized.
These poor people had no chance. Most held no weapons, and those who did were not skilled in their use; the monsters had killed them easily. They would have been better off running instead of attempting to fight.
Men, women, and children ran like mice, dodging claws and feet. A monster tore legs from a torso. Another one smashed a body with its feet, and one decapitated another with a simple flick of its wrist.
My stomach twisted and I wanted to vomit. We could stay and fight, but there were too many of them—and I was sure they were in other towns, too.
I gasped in horror. Little children ran and mothers fled with their infants in their arms. Should I stay and help, or try to move past the monsters in one piece? My conscience argued.
William answered my question. “The only way to stop the war is to kill Longinus. Our only two tasks are to bring Richard home and kill Longinus. On our way to Black Mountain, if you must kill a monster, so be it. If we lose each other in the chaos, get yourselves to Black Mountain.” William held his sword up in the air. “We ride together.”
The men gave a mad war cry as they charged forth behind William. Still devastated by what I had seen, I had no voice left in me. With my dagger in front, I followed.
“Stay close to me. Be careful,” Jack said, trying to protect me as usual.
Jack rode swiftly, jumping over burning debris and sometimes circling wreckages, but he always looked behind to make sure I followed as we tried to escape the monsters’ attention. When they spotted us, their eyes gleamed with rage. Their roars shook my bones and fear numbed me, and my muscles slacked on Angel’s reins. The sound caused me to move slower with unsteady movement.
“Jack. Watch out!”
A monster’s claw swooped down at Jack. He ducked and sliced at the monster’s hand with his dagger. The monster shrieked, holding his wounded hand as scarlet liquid dripped down. The monster seemed confused to see us fighting back. The people ran, but not us.
Even with its injury, the monster chased us doggedly. Jack stopped suddenly, almost causing Angel to collide with his horse. The monster loomed above us and I stood right between its legs.
Oh God! Icy chills washed through my bones and I trembled.
Jack cut through its right leg, and having a hunch what he would do, I sliced across the other, just as deep and long. The monster collapsed.
William and his men slashed left and right with their swords as they rode. The men had a pattern of killing the monsters. One would lure its attention, while the others came around and cut through the ankles, legs, or whatever they could reach.
This gave me hope. We might be smaller than them, but we were smarter and faster, and we knew how to work as a team.
I made the mistake by not looking behind me. One lifted me up with its claws. The monster’s tight grip choked off my breath, and I wiggled to loosen its fingers.
“Jaclyn!”
Jack must have turned and seen Angel without a rider.
“Jack!”
Jack stopped his horse and grabbed Angel’s reins. He pulled her to the side and jumped off his horse and ran to save me. When he reached us, he jabbed his dagger into the monster’s toe.
The monster howled, loosened his grip on me, and dropped his arm. I took the opportunity to free both my arms and drove my dagger into the flesh between his thumb and pointer finger. When the monster let me go, I fell. Instead of the ground, I felt arms around me.
“I’ve got you.” Warm breath brushed against my ear.
Jack had caught me. Unbelievable. I embraced him from relief. I had never wanted to feel like a princess who had been saved by the prince, but for a moment, I did.
“Thank you. Next time, it’ll be my turn.” I scoffed as though it didn’t matter. But we had no time to chat. We had monsters to kill and people to save.
I spotted a family hiding behind a burning home in the distance. Everyone was running, but not them. It was the worst place to hide. The house could burn down at any second and leave the family injured, or worse—dead. So I did what any stupid, caring girl would do. I ran toward them.
“Jaclyn!”
Jack’s voice rang out behind me. I imagined him rolling his eyes and cursing under his breath. Dodging a monster, I pulled my cloak away from a flaming bundle of debris, while running across a field toward the family.
“Come,” I said to the family of four, waving my arms in case they could not hear me.
The father and mother had their arms around young twin daughters. Dirt smudged their faces and nightgowns.
“Jaclyn. We need to go.” Jack tried to pull me away.
I yanked my arm back. “Please, let me help this family. I’ll go as soon as we get them to a safer hiding place.”
Jack did not understand. Once I stopped and got close enough to see their faces, I could not leave them. Their faces would haunt me if I did.
Jack sighed, annoyed, but did as asked like I knew he would. I’d come to believe he would do just about anything for me. When the family did not move, Jack pulled them out and forced them to follow me. I led them away from the fire and around the corner.
“Thank you,” the man said, hugging his family. His hands shook, sweat dampened his forehead, and his voice trembled with fear. “I don’t understand. Where did they come from? Is this the end? Where is God?”
The man’s eyebrows arched, and he raised a hand toward Heaven. I felt sorry for him, and for the town, and every town that would face that monstrous cataclysm. Father Henry had preached often enough about the end of the world. Maybe this was it?
The little hope in me deflated, but then I thought about Father. No, it could not be our end; it would be Longinus’s.
Jack patted the man. “’Tis not the end. The monsters will leave soon and move on to another town. Stay here until you know it’s safe.”
“Aye. Thank you,” the man said again.
I’d always thought all men were brave, but I’d come to realize not all men had courage. That man had done his duty by protecting his family. But could he have done what Jack had done? I thought not. Some men were just born to be heroes. Like Father.
After Jack and I got back on our horses, we rode fast toward Black Mountain. Behind us, the diabolical flames continued to spiral up to the endless darkness. My heart broke for the townspeople, and numbing sadness overwhelmed me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Beanstalk
By the time we arrived at Black Mountain, dawn had broken, but the sullen clouds prevented light from shining through. I blew out the lantern and rubbed the sleep away. The hope of seeing Father well and alive kept me going forward.
I did not want to think what Longinus might have done to him. Father must be starving and dehydrated. At the thought, I took a water skin out of the saddle and gulped some down.
After Jack’s horse and Angel were secure by the stream, so they could drink freely, I untied the lance. William and his men had already tied their horses. They tilted their heads way back to examine the mountain, looking discouraged.
“Father.”
William spun to Jack and rubbed the back of his neck. “How do we climb? The other-worldly beanstalk is gone, and the mountain ... the mountain.” He sighed heavily. “The monster carried me before. How did you get up there?”
“It’s going to take us all day,” one of William’s men said.
Another tilted his head far back. “Holy Mother of God. The mountain is truly black.”
“Is there another way up?” someone asked.
William’s and Jack’s foreheads creased, and their lips turned down. They glanced up the mountain, then down, and then up again.
Jack rubbed his chin and stared at the spot from where the beanstalk had sprouted. Had they thought a beanstalk happened to be growing larger than life by chance, perhaps? Even Jack had not asked me about it. Jack must have ridden the beanstalk right under my nose when the plant grew at an impossible speed. That would explain why Jack had been there at the same time as me.
I began to notice William’s men staring at me. Perhaps they had in mind I was some kind of abomination, or a miracle. They had seen what I’d done, how my cut had healed itself, but no one had said a word about it. Others looked at me with wide eyes, respectfully. After all, I was just a girl, holding a weapon like a man.
“Where did you get that lance?” one asked.
I stiffened. “It belongs to my father.”
I told something of the truth. The lance belonged to me, according to Father’s story, but I would not share such words with them.
He backed away and bowed his head. Pointing to the lance, he looked at me with admiration. “I heard a tale about a girl who carried a lance. The tale proclaimed she would destroy evil and bring peace to the land. I never thought to see a woman as brave as you, to have the courage to stand against evil, so I never believed the tale. Now I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I will follow you and your crusade.”
My tongue twisted and could not speak a word. I’d never heard such tale before, and if I had, I would have never believed it to be me. And I didn’t now.
How does that explain my ability to heal so fast and the images I see when I touch the tip of the lance?
“I know not of any such tale.” I shook my head and slowly put the lance behind my back. This darn thing was too big to hide.
He should not think of me as a savior. It was a lot of pressure, especially when I knew I was going to let him down. I could not kill Longinus. Maybe, collectively, we all could, but I couldn’t by myself.
His eyes fell to my arm and gazed intently, as if he could see something there. “But I saw what you did. Blood fell from your wound, and it healed before our eyes.”
I shrugged. How could I explain when I did not know what was happening to me?
Jack cleared his throat to bring us back to our purpose. “Ask questions later. Right now, we must figure out how to get up there.” Jack narrowed his eyes at me as if I held a secret. “Jaclyn, do you know how to grow the beanstalk?”
I sighed, took off my right boot, shook it until the two beans fell out, and then put my boot back on.
“What are those? Beans?” A man laughed. “A savior with beans?”
I glared at the man who mocked me, and so did Jack. I wanted to introduce him to my fist.
Breathe. Do not give into temptation.
“We don’t have time to plant a bean,” one said.
“Shut your lips and let her speak.” Jack’s fists squeezed tightly, and the muscles on his arm hardened as if eager to strike someone. His shoulders tensed, and his fingers flexed and unflexed.
I picked up the magic beans, dropped one back inside my boot, and held tightly to the other one. Then I prayed. Please do not fail me. Father needs me. It had to work.
I tried to recall what had happened or what I’d said before I dropped it, but I had said not a word. And dropping it from halfway up the mountain again to recreate the miracle seemed foolish. I had to have faith. As the image of the old lady came to my mind, I looked at Jack and then everyone else.
With a fist on my waist and my lips curved into a leer, I announced, “Sirs, brace yourselves. Hold on tight.”
As I held my breath, I dropped the bean in the same spot where the last beanstalk had sprouted and covered it with dirt. It was the longest couple of seconds of my life.
Please. Please. Please. Don’t make me a fool.
Everyone watched the mound of dirt, and they too held their breaths.
Just when I thought I had made a terrible fool of myself, the giant beanstalk burst out right under my feet. Up and up I went. I held on to a leaf while Jack did the same. He gave me a crooked, proud smile, and he held that look all the way up.
A couple of men fell off the beanstalk, and their fading screams died the farther we flew. I felt horrible. They had not grabbed on fast enough. Other men grabbed on to the beanstalk or its leaves with every part of their body, their features terror stricken.
The icy wind brushed my face as I soared, but at the same time, it soothed me. When I peered up, it seemed like I headed for the sky, the clouds readied to swallow me. We shot higher, passing the face of Black Mountain, marred by long, deep claw marks along every inch. I shivered at the thought of how many times the monsters had been in various towns, stealing the sheep and visiting people’s homes without them knowing.
Just like before, the beanstalk knew when to stop growing. I stepped onto burnt ground, and the aftermath of the flames stung my nose. Those below me had to climb, so Jack and I extended our arms to help them up.
“What magic is this?” One man clutched his chest.
“I cannot believe it,” another man, who had just come up, said and vomited.
“’Tis God’s work,” another whispered and clapped his hands together to pray.
“Or the work of the devil,” someone behind him murmured.
I scowled at his comment. Such a fool. He surely had seen the work of the devil when he’d seen the monsters. I parted my lips to snap at him, but thought better. Father needed me. No need to waste time on petty words.
“This way.” Jack waved us directly to the cave.
The men looked hesitant and incredulous as they entered. With swords raised, they cautiously paced forward.
The anticipation of seeing Father made my heart thunder. Every step brought me closer to him, but part of me braced for the worst. Longinus was an evil monster. He had neither heart nor soul, so I would not put it past him to—
I stopped thinking.
Jack held up a hand for everyone to stop. With my back pressed against the wall, I took quiet steps, one at a time. Lanterns and candles surrounded Longinus, who was still in his hideous monster form.
Why hadn’t he changed? I knew the answer to my own question. He stayed as a beast so his men could wreak more harm. They changed when he changed. His people were full when he was full; all connected to him.
The monsters had keen hearing, but Longinus ignored us and ate the slab of fresh meat on the table. The table looked too small, as did the plethora of dishes in front of him. Ten monsters skulked on either side of him, as if to protect him. The other countless monsters must be below.
“Welcome.” Longinus kept his eyes on his meal. “Do not take me for a fool and think you walk on the wind, you tiny, pathetic people. Lovers of God. Have you come to bow down before me and beg me to remove the monsters from your towns?”
His ears, which had transformed to something akin to a lion’s, twitched slightly.
William’s men trembled and stared with wide eyes. A few scurried like mice behind Jack and me.
William stepped forward. “No. We’ve come for our friend. Release him. Tell your monsters to back away, and we can have peace again.”
Longinus laughed, not an evil laugh
, but a genuine laugh of a person who’d heard a good joke. “Little people have such high demands. You think I will do as you wish? What will it gain me? After all the people are dead, I will be free to live anywhere I please. If there are any survivors, and if they’ve been lucky enough to live this long, well ... I do enjoy eating humans. Your kind forced us out of many places to come to this very mountain. I am only taking back what was mine long before you were born. This world. And as for your friend, you’re going to have to go through me.” He licked his claws and smoothed his long, ugly tongue along his bottom lip, making a sucking sound. “Perhaps I ate him.”
“Liar.” I stepped in front of Jack so Longinus could get a clear view of me. It felt so strange to have a conversation with a beast, looking like something between a lion and a human.
His glossy black lips spread wickedly. “Little girl, blood of Mary. Such a harsh word.”
I ignored him and moved to the side, ascending a gradual slope toward him. Jack and William followed close on my heels.
Longinus opened his mouth wide to yawn, showing all of his hideous teeth and I squirmed at the sight. His head snapped back to me, and then gazed past me as if he saw something.
“Tell me. How did you climb up here? The beanstalk had burnt down. And how did you manage to grow one so quickly? Who gave you that power?”
His eyes pinned me at his last words. He was not pleased.
“You don’t need to know.” I gave him the same neutral, but commanding tone back.
“I see. Well, you’re just in time to watch your father die.”
“Where is he?” I gripped the lance tighter. How I wished to drive it through his heart right now.
Longinus ignored my question and shoved a chunk of uncooked meat into his mouth. Red liquid seeped from the corner of his lips when he tore through with his sharp monstrous teeth. He did not see me as a threat. Even as I approached closer, he did not bother to look my way.
“Where is he?” My shout shook my body. I waved my arms to draw Longinus’s attention so William and his men could find Father.
