by Deb Sartoris
The Witch reached over and pulled the hair of Steven up so that his head was above the table. Ely held his son’s hand tight under the table. He knew it would not take much to provoke his already angry son.
“Look at you now – not so proud are you? Guards! Remove these creatures. Take them below to the dungeon.”
Just as the first guard laid his hands on him, Roberto swung around and tossed him against the wall. Ely let go of Steven, who grabbed the witch’s wrist, jumped up on the table and threw himself over top and landed fully upon the witch on the floor. Ely, Wisteria and Sofia used their hidden swords and finished off the remaining guards.
The witch started chanting in whispers and soon the ground began to shake again.
“Let me go…you cannot stop me. I call upon this planet…you should not be able to move! I saw you drink the wine! I know myself it has been tested.
Steven held the witch with all his might. The ground shook and shook and still Steven kept the witch pinned on the ground. The others came around to the middle of the floor where Steven and the witch lay.
Steven snarled. “Where is the woman, witch? You will tell me or so help me you will not see another sun rising!”
“I do not know what you are talking about.” The witch raged. “Let me go!” The walls of the room were breaking and wooden beams and rocks were falling all around them.
Sofia spoke. “Steven we do not have much time.”
“I know the woman is here.” Steven was clearly frustrated. “I can sense her.”
Sofia walked around to face the witch. She sat down and took the witches face in her hands. Roberto reached over to stop her just as Ely went to stop Roberto.
“Wait! Roberto, do not touch Sofia. She will try and read though the witch’s mind to locate the woman. Do not interfere with her now.”
Just then, more troops entered the room and Roberto, Ely and Wisteria turned to face them.
As Sofia touched the witch, the ground stopped shaking. The troops stopped their approach as if they did not know what to do.
“Stop touching me, woman! You will die, I tell you!” The witch was becoming frantic. “I will kill all of you…kill them! I command you as your witch, strike them down!”
But the troops stood unmoving.
Steven’s voice took on a dangerous tone. “Listen to me, witch. We have come to free the planet and the beast that you have enslaved here. You are holding a woman here within the castle; where is she?
The witch would not break easily. “I do not know what you are talking about. There is no one here.”
Steven squeezed her neck just a little tighter. “You are wrong. I can sense her. She is here.”
Sofia’s voice was calm. “Steven, do not allow your anger to rule your thoughts. Reach out now using your bond with the woman to find her. Call upon her now; she will hear you.”
“Let me go! I rule here! Kill them! What are you waiting for?” the witch screamed.
Sofia reached under the witch’s neck. She pressed hard at the bottom and the witch went very still.
Sofia spoke softly to the witch. “I can take all your pain away. It would be easy to save your mind if you so wish it. You do not need to keep pulling the power of the planet. It will no longer help you."
“I will never stop! I will use everything I have to kill you!” The witch started whispering a chant again, louder this time. Again the walls started to shake and Steven almost lost his grip on the witch.
Sofia nodded decisively. “Very well, witch, you have made your choice. I will let the planet have you. Steven you must release her.”
“NO! Aunt Sofia, she knows where the woman is!”
“Steven, release her – let the planet have her. We will find your woman, I promise you.”
Steven looked at Sofia and back to the witch and he did as she asked. He released his grip and helped Sofia off the floor. They both stepped away from her.
“You fools!” The witch howled in triumph. The earth began to shake once more. The walls buckled and pillars started crashing as the ceiling gave way. “You do not know my power! I will…” The stone tiles separated as the floor pitched down beneath the witch. Rubble slid in toward her as the crack widened. The room shook as the witch fell to her knees, howling “What is this?” A hint of panic edged her voice. “How dare you!” Another crack opened and she lost her footing. As she fell, she grabbed at a chair that was caught on the edge of the growing chasm. A table careened over the edge of the hole, crashed and broke in two. The jagged edges of the table gouged into her arms but her grip remained fastened on the chair. The ground shook once more and the chair broke from the strain. The witch screamed as her body fell down into the pit.
Roberto had to use his super speed to grab Sofia and Steven before their bodies dropped into the pit as well.
Suddenly, it got very quiet. No more rumbles emanated from the ground. The room became noticeably cooler. After a few moments, the silence was broken. The troops at the main door laid down their weapons and cheered – “We are free at last!”
* * * * *
Chapter 42:
Ely spoke first. “Steven, Sofia, are you alright?”
Sofia answered, peering at Steven. “Yes I think so.”
Roberto asked “What just happened? Sofia, what did you do to the witch?”
“I did nothing to her. She had made her choice to keep hurting the planet by stealing its power source. She had within her an evilness that I could not reach – she would not allow me to save her. I let the planet have her back for all the harm she has done. Steven, can you hear me?” The rest turned to see where Sofia was staring and saw that Steven was kneeling down on the floor with his hand touching the wooden planks. “Steven what is it?”
“I can see her…she is here far below the floor.”
“Excuse us please.” One of the soldiers by the door spoke up. “The witch…she kept things far below the castle in the dungeon. It is rumored that she has a beast down there…chained to a wall. We can take you there if you wish.”
As Steven stood up and started to walk to the door, Ely noticed Sofia falling backward toward the floor. “Roberto grab Sofia now!”
“Sofia!” Roberto caught her head inches from the floor. “What is wrong? Can you walk?”
“I’m not sure I can husband; my strength is all but gone now. I used everything I had to try and reach the goodness left in the witch.”
“I will not leave my wife now. The rest of you…take the young master down to the place you say the beast is located.”
* * * * *
Chapter 43:
“Roberto can you hear me?” Mesquil spoke into the com device. “Come in! Can you hear me? I don’t think this thing is working. I hate this damn technology! Roberto! Answer me old friend!”
Sofia touched Roberto’s hand. “You must answer him before he storms in here.”
Roberto shook his head. “My duties are to care for you, wife, not worry about that hunter; he is fine. I can hear his voice; he lives.”
“No, Roberto, we must talk with him. It is very important.”
Roberto sat down on the floor and pulled his wife up into his lap. “Very well wife if you insist.” He pulled out the com device.
“Mesquil, I hear you. How goes your battle?”
“We have won…well, I guess we won. The troops stormed toward us and just as we were about to battle, they suddenly stopped and stood still for a few minutes. The ground started shaking and my troops thought that they were using some kind of weapon on them.”
“I was deep within the cave maze at the time. You will never guess what we found down there. Wild things bigger than anything I have ever seen in my life old friend. Words cannot be found to describe them.”
“When we came to the surface with the great beasts ready to fight, the troops that had approached us had all laid down their weapons and were cheering. At first we thought they were playing at some g
ame; but we noticed that the ground had stopped shaking and the air was cooling.”
“We did not have any injuries here. All the beasts have been rescued. We are taking them to the lake now near the ship; we can use the medical supplies there to help them with anything they need.”
“There is another surprise, my old friend, but I will let you see for yourself; you would not believe me now if I told you anyways.”
Roberto sighed in relief. “Very well, we are in search of the woman in Steven’s dream. He has stated she is here.” He paused. “Sofia is not doing well my friend. As soon as we can locate the woman below, we will take the second ship and meet you at the lake. Take care, old friend. Mind the beasts – do not take any hides until I arrive!”
Roberto dropped the com device as he noticed her eyes closed. “Sofia can you hear me? Wake up my love!”
Sofia kept her eyes closed. “I’m here, husband; just resting my eyes. Did Steven go below yet?”
Yes, he left with his parents and some of the troops. They are searching now for the woman.”
A smile slid across Sofia’s face. “What do you find so funny wife? You cannot even walk and yet you smile at something?”
“It is Steven…he is in for a big surprise. His strength as a man will be tested and he will have to choose soon.” Her voice became distant. “It would have been fun to watch his face.”
“Again you talk in riddles wife – always like you have seen things before. I will never get used to these habits of yours.”
* * * * *
Chapter 44:
“Algamight, are you alright?” Tusk’s voice sounded far away. “The walls fell on my leg…I can not move. Can you hear me? Do you live?”
Far off in her mind Algamight heard a voice calling to her. I am here. I will find you. Stay with me. I will be there soon.
Algamight felt the pain again as she transformed into the great emerald dragon once more. The rocks that had fallen all around her blew apart and landed across the room. She pulled her leg chain until it released from the wall and walked over to Tusk. She could smell blood beneath the rocks. She knew he laid there buried within the rocks.
She used her talons and pulled rocks and wooden pillars out one at a time being careful not to shift the pile; each layer getting closer and closer to Tusk. At one point, she thought she heard someone coming but then the noise stopped. All she could focus on was Tusk – she had to find him.
Another layer gone and, finally, she could just make out his body. As she pulled the last bit of rubble away from his face, Tusk was very still. Is he still alive?
Just as she was about to touch him with her great talon a voice bellowed from behind her. “STOP, BEAST! I will kill you! Leave the woman alone. She is mine!”
Algamight turned full on to the men who had just entered the small chamber. She stomped her great feet and bellowed with all her might. Her flames and breath sent them flying off in the air.
Steven was the first to get back up and advance toward the great beast. He had no fear of the creature. He knew that he must save the woman that must be buried in the rocks. He pulled his sword out and was working his way over all the rubble. As he got closer, he heard a moan, and a part of him knew it did not sound like a woman but a man. But that did not matter – he was sure that he was in the right place – perhaps the woman was injured and trapped below the rocks. The great beast stood its ground as Steven approached it.
Then, as if from far away, but all around, a great sound came to them – first soft like the wind in the trees, then growing louder and louder like thunder from a great storm. The beast began to glow, the white lines in its body pulsed as if water was running through them. The beast’s color had changed it was getting greener and greener. The eyes were growing larger and larger and appeared to sparkle like some great mirror was in them.
Suddenly, the beast bellowed out long and loud – a great sound that made everyone put their hands over their ears. Steven dropped his sword as he was forced to put his hand to his own ears. Louder and louder the sound grew and, just as sudden, it stopped.
Steven had bent over in pain from the noise and when he straightened, he saw, lying upon the rocks, a naked woman with white hair. As he started for her, his head swiveled back and forth. “Where is the beast? Look alive, men! It must still be in here somewhere.”
“Help me! Someone help me! I’m stuck below the rocks! Is there anyone out there? Algamight can you hear me?”
Steven walked over the rocks, took off his cape and placed it over the woman. He had assumed that she was the one calling out to him. As he reached down, hand came up from the rocks and grabbed him. “Help me, please!”
Steven called to the soldiers. “There is another stuck in the rocks. Help me move them. He is still alive.”
As the men pulled him free from the rocks, Tusk saw Algamight laying on the floor next to Steven, who held her head in his lap, whispering. “Wake, please, woman. I have not come all this way to fail in my mission to save you. Please, can you hear me? You must wake up.” Steven placed his hand along the dirty face of the white haired woman and she stirred ever so slightly.
Tusk saw Algamight and he crawled across the floor to where they were sitting. “Does she live?”
Steven glanced at Tusk. “Yes, but just barely. She has not woken up since the beast bellowed and left. I believe she is injured.”
“I cannot walk, stranger…I think my leg is broken. Can you get us out of here before the witch returns?”
Steven took the hand of the old man. “You do not need to worry about the witch any longer; she has gone to the great beyond now. The planet claimed her.”
Tusk started to shake as tears of joy filled his eyes. “I have waited for this for many long years, stranger. We have endured great suffering at the hands of this witch.”
One of the men spoke up. “Master Steven, it is growing dark outside. We will not be able to see our way out of this dark place if we do not leave soon.”
“Very well. Someone help the old man; I will carry the woman with me.”
Just as they were about to leave a tiny noise was heard up in the window. A small sound yet it was there – chirp, chirp, chirp.
“WAIT!” Tusk said. “Help me to the window.” One of the men helped Tusk reach up to the little nest and there was the little red bird. Her feathers were torn and bloody, but she was still alive.
“Well little one, you are a strong little bird to have lived all this time. I guess we both need a little help getting out of this place we have lived in for so long.” Tusk placed the bird in his pocket and the rest of the men helped him up the stairs back toward the surface of the castle.
Steven held the woman in his arms. She had only stirred slightly when he picked her up to move her. As he carried her up the stairs, he brushed the hair away from her face. It was the same woman in his dreams. She was older than before when they stood by the lake but still the same eyes and curve of her nose. Her hair was much longer now and, while he tried not to think about it, he had seen her naked body. She had the same markings down her arms and legs he remembered.
He pulled her head a little closer to his shoulder and whispered to the woman. You are safe now. I, Steven, have found you as you asked. We are together now. Nothing will keep us apart again; I promise this to you.”
* * * * *
Chapter 45:
Ely, Wisteria and Steven took the two strangers and went back to the great room. Roberto glanced their way, holding Sofia in his arms just as Steven held the strange woman.
“Well Steven, I see you found the woman we came for.” But Roberto had other concerns; Sofia had not woken up since the others had left. “Ely, I think it best if we head back to the ship now and meet up with the others at the lake. We need to get both these women up to the ship. They are in need of medical attention and I think that’s the best place for them.”
Tusk did not understand all the stranger�
��s words but he did understand some of them. “We cannot leave this place, now. We have lived here our whole lives. Now that the witch is gone we can rebuild our world back to all its original glory.”
“Old man, you are injured. By the looks of that leg, I’m guessing it is broken in more than one place. Without our medical care on the ship, it will be unlikely you will get to walk again on your own.”
Just as the words had left his mouth Roberto heard a strange noise far off in the distance – a humming noise.
“Do you hear that? Ely? Steven?”
“What? Roberto, we do not hear anything at all.”
“There is something coming from that direction.”
Tusk turned to look in the direction Roberto pointed. “Coming from the lake…you hear something coming from the lake.”
“If the lake is in that direction then, yes, from the lake. Our transport ship is just over the ridge hidden below in the trees. We can use that to get to the lake. Our other troops are there along with the other beasts that we rescued from the caves near the lake.”
“What other beasts?” Tusk asked hesitantly.
