Tranquil Fury

by P. G. Thomas

  As Lauren jumped out of the wagon, she approached John, “What happened?”

  “The Master Weapon Smith wandered off. I think he may have been coming down with a dwarven form of Alzheimer’s. He saddled up a pony, and rode out of the mine for some reason. By the time Aaro and Bor found him, it was too late.”

  Death was all Lauren could think about, “Are they ok?”

  John replied, “All of the brothers are fine. When they finally found their father, a frost beast, I guess they mean a polar bear, burst through the forest, and killed all of the black-clad soldiers. When they came back to the mine, they cremated their father, and we have not seen them since.”

  “Frost beast? Polar bear, are you serious?”

  “You will have to ask them yourself. How was your trip?”

  “Good. Bad. I don’t know. We also came across a large camp of black-clad soldiers. I didn’t think they would be this far west, or I guess I was hoping they wouldn’t be. We have to get out of here before they trap us.” Lauren turned towards Mirtza, “Before we leave, find a stone or something that only calls Ironhouse home. Everybody else, let’s go up to the dining room.”

  Alron arrived ten minutes after they had all entered, and advised the brothers would be down within the hour. Gor was the first to enter, and went straight to the kitchen. Aaro and Bor were next, followed shortly by the three remaining brothers.

  Lauren went up to the brothers, grief still written on their faces, beards still wet with tears, “I am so sorry for your loss. The Master Weapon Smith was a great man.”

  Aaro stepped forward, the eldest, it was his role at times like this to speak for the Ironhouse clan; his clan now, “Great was his life Earth Daughter, much he did forge. Smith’s many, taught he did. But metal, too long forge left, soft it does go, too soft. To Pappy, same does happen, forged baked his mind, soft as well. His end was near, this we did know. But death senseless, dwarf worthy, not it is. Tragedy made worse, sons to late, revenge frost bear stolen. Ironhouse axes and honor, robbed, unsatisfied.”

  Lauren felt for the brothers, losing a father to a senseless accident, she felt the purple hair caress her cheek, started twirling it, and felt the emotions from Samantha’s senseless death try to crawl out of the black void where she had trapped them.

  As Lauren fought her inner emotions, Bor stepped forward, “Sad it is, but Pappy and forge, together now they are. Tradition satisfied. His forge, Pappy did give birth to. Life he gave forge, forge gave him life. Both old and broken, one now they be.”

  Lauren let go of her hair, grasped her tri-wood staff with both hands, hoping it would somehow grant the strength she would need, “I wish there was something more we could do, but when we took the Earth Mother to her tree, we encountered a large force of black-clad soldiers. I have been chosen,” and then staring at Alron, “and asked to lead, to find the midlanders, elves, dwarves, and others. To show them the truth, there is no plague, that their lands are being invaded. I was hoping it was a small army, but now I am undecided. We need to find those willing, push the invading force back. I don’t think we can stay here any longer. I am afraid if we do, the black-clad soldiers will trap us here.” Lauren moved to the center of the room, “We need to head south, find those that fled. My Earth Guard has advised that where I go, they go. And I have a funny feeling Logan will be going with me. I think Eric should go with us as well, hopefully we will be able to find somebody to train him how to use that sword.” She looked down at Aaro and Bor, the Earth Mother had said they would go with her, but she wanted it to be their choice, not force them, “I am hoping once we head south, they will not find Ironhouse Mine. You should be safe here, and some of my friends may want to stay with you as well.”

  Aaro cracked his massive knuckles, “Stay they can, alone they will be. Master Weapon Smith, his forge leave, never he does, tradition it does be. Reasons to stay, none we have. My axe, revenge find here it will not. Black-clad, lessons taught they must be, Ironhouse, teach them we will. Leave without us, you shall not. Earth Guard, good they may be, but many to protect there are. Ironhouse, to the end, with Earth Daughter and friends will be.”

  Lauren was hoping for a similar answer. The passion from Aaro warmed her heart, but their hunt for revenge, well that caused her concern, “Aaro, Bor. If you are going to join us, it means you do what I say. Should I say we have to avoid a fight, it means we will not engage any opponents. I am sure you will get your chance, but not until I say so. Is that understood?” Aaro and Bor were reluctant to provide the answer that Earth Daughter asked for, but Lauren shook her head, “You can all stay here, go out and do as much black-clad hunting as you want. If you go with us, you have to do as I say. Do you agree?” It seemed to her, ore would form quicker in the mountain depths than it took for Aaro and Bor to produce their answer.

  After a few minutes, in unison they replied, “Yes Earth Daughter.”

  “Gingaar, Mirtza, John, Ryan, Zack. I guess you have a choice? You can stay here, or come with us.” One by one, they all stepped forward, showing that they would go with Lauren.

  Gor pushed a cart out of the kitchen with hot bean juice, fresh tea, several other beverages, and an assortment of foods, “Leave, when do we? Preparations great make we need to.”

  Bor inquired, “First, your trip, tell us all. Clues, hold it may.” As they ate a quick meal, Alron and Panry advised of the trip, but the major focus of the talk was about the size of the black-clad army, and the strange fog. Aaro then retold the fateful details of seeing their father slain. When the last words were spoken, Lauren asked Alron, Panry, Aaro, and Bor to make some suggestions on what they should do, knowing they were best suited for this task. Lauren desperately wanted a hot bath, had a bad feeling it would be a long time before she would have the luxury of thinking while immersed in hot water, letting it penetrate into her worries, lessening them.

  When Lauren returned to the dining hall an hour later, she joined Eric and John sitting at a table just inside the hall. She turned her chair, so her back was to the wall, scanned the room. One midlander, five friends, six dwarves, seven elves. She felt like she was making some sort of a bid in a card game, a game she did not understand.

  John saw the odd look on Laurens face, “What’s troubling you?”

  “About five weeks ago, a scared little girl wondered what the heck was happening. I sit before you now, a scared little girl, wondering what the heck is happening. But now I have nineteen people blindly following me. Throw in an army of unknown size, a Mother that isn’t talking to me, a brother doing even stranger things. Everything is fine John, just fine. We are going into a trip to the unknown, against the unknown, to an unknown location. And when we get there, we find a bunch of people, tell them the truth, raise an army, and then take back their lands. Seriously, what do I have to be troubled about?”

  John smiled, tried to be sarcastic, “I was afraid for a while you didn’t understand what was happening. It looks like you have a pretty clear grasp of everything.”

  “Seriously John, did you and Zack switch brains when we arrived here. This isn’t a slumber party, where all I have to do is make sure that everybody has a place to sleep, and order the pizza. They already killed a defenseless old dwarf. How many more are going to die? Raise an army? Fight an army? Part of me knows it has to happen, but part of me is really scared. I told the Earth Mother and Alron that I would do it, and I will. I just wish I knew what it was, that I was supposed to do, and how I am going to do it.” Lauren did not wait for a response to any of her questions, and John was doubtful if she was even talking to him. She stood up, and joined the table that Alron sat at, listened carefully to everything the four had to say.

  Zack wondered over to John and Eric, his faithful companion in hand, a pitcher of beer, “Guess we are going on a road trip.”

  John just shook his head, “Lauren is pretty worried about everything.”

  Zack shrugged his shoulders, “That’s what girls do, worry.”

  Ry
an had been sitting with Mirtza and Logan, and when they saw Zack join Eric and John, they wandered over, curious to hear what wisdom the fresh pitcher of liquids had gifted Zack.

  “Told you guys the other day this would happen. Those black-clad guys would break up our party. Raise an army, fight the bad guys, Lauren saving the world.”

  Logan reached to fill his mug, “This is pretty serious stuff Zack.”

  “Yeah, I know. Seriously, I am going to enjoy watching it all happen. Dude, cool tats. Where did you get them?”

  Logan set down his mug, unrolled his shirt sleeves, “Sister.”

  “Lauren did those? She does ink? I have to talk to her.”

  “Not Lauren, Sister,” replied Logan.

  “Dude, I either need less or more beer, what?”

  “Mother, who talks to Lauren, seems to have a relative of some kind. They call her Sister.” John answered, “This Sister seems to have taken an interest in Logan. Lauren was given that strange staff, Logan received those tattoos. The Earth Mother called him Sister touched.”

  Zack smiled, “Well Cougar Bait, they are pretty plain, but the ink looks real life like. Guess I was wrong Ryan, they went after the messy twin, and skipped the eldest.”

  Lauren stood and called to everybody, “In two days, we will start to head south. Alron and Aaro have a list of supplies and arrangements that we need to make. They will need your help in accomplishing all of these tasks, and I would appreciate it if everybody could lend a hand, and make this happen as quickly as possible.” Alron then stood, listed off the responsibilities, the travel arrangements and more. Lauren just sat beside him, grasping her tri-wood staff, as she looked at the floor, unable to meet the gazes that now stared at her.

  *******

  The day that Lauren had dreaded so much finally arrived. She had overseen the packing of the wagons the night before, had checked with Mirtza, and he confirmed finding a unique stone in the stables that the bracelet recognized. The dwarves had dusted off one of their wagons, and loaded it with fresh food, their armor, weapons, bedrolls, grain for the mounts, and such. Hakk had set the remaining ponies free the night before, at Alron’s insistence, as he did not want the six outlanders riding the ponies, afraid that if attacked, the six would all bolt in different directions. He recommended that Lauren and her friends should ride in the back of Mirtza’s wagon. They had put in some cushions and blankets, to try to make the long trip more comfortable, but Lauren knew she would not know comfort until they found the masses that had fled. She had awoken early this morning, troubled dreams had refused to yield and grant her one last night of peaceful sleep in the large warm bed. She took a long hot shower, said goodbye to it, and then left her room with her tri-wood staff in hand.

  In the kitchen, she found Gor preparing the last meal, “Lauren, happy should you not be?”

  “When this is all over, then I will be happy. For now, I am not sure what to expect.”

  “For breakfast, what would Lauren like?”

  “Just a cup of hot bean juice. I will come back up and dine with everybody else, when they are all down.”

  She wandered down to the stables one more time, wondering if they had overlooked anything. As she was going over the packed items, John came down, added his backpack to the wagon, but did not like the look he saw on her face, “What’s wrong?”

  “It feels like the first day before going to a new school. I don’t know what to expect. When we took the Earth Mother to her tree, I told her I would lead. But when I looked down at her, the expression on her face, it was hard to say anything. Before she went to the tree, she sought some sort of confirmation from me, but I felt trapped in a corner, I couldn’t answer her. I finally did, but I think it was more out of anger or spite or… I don’t know. The next day, Alron took me back to the dead tree that the Earth Mother had crawled into. It was like the tree I slept in at the covered forest, but it wasn’t dead any more, and there was no cavity with the corpse of the Earth Mother in it. Just a magnificent huge tree, reaching up to the heavens. Alron asked me to accept being chosen, to lead. I told him I would do it. But when that stable door opens, what am I supposed to do?”

  “Follow your heart. Use your head. I think there is a divine plan at work here. Mirtza finding us in the middle of nowhere, taking us to that forest so you could find Mother, Logan could find Sister. I don’t know what to think about Eric and that sword, but there is a design there as well, not all of these things are random. Somebody has cast you into a role. The stage is set, the extras hired, props laid out. It’s your time to shine Lauren, the curtain is going up, “

  “You’re sure this is the way it is supposed to be?”

  John tried to quote Zack’s words, “Belief and need. Have a little bit of faith.”

  “John, before the Earth Mother left the mine, and even when she was at the tree, she called each one forward and gave them a message. She told Mirtza with his family, he would reunite, but she did not give me a message. Of all of the people that needed to hear something, I received nothing. Why?”

  “I remember seeing a cartoon in some magazine a long time ago. It showed a guy working on a blackboard, when a character materializes beside him. Well the first guy is completely amazed, really does not know what is happening. The second guy tells him that in exactly one minute, the first guy will solve an equation that will allow him to create a time machine. He wanted to be there, to witness the historic moment. Well the first guy is flabbergasted, seeks confirmation that he actually did create a time machine. The second guy declares it to be true, and says that he is the proof. At that moment, knowing it was possible to create a time machine, the first guy starts to think about his next project, and never creates it. And the second guy fades away, having changed history.”

  “There is a point to this story John?”

  “Anything that Mother says to you could change everything. I think Mother is banking on two things: free will, and Lauren.”

  “It is that simple?”

  John shrugged his shoulders, “I could spend several hours, explaining dozens of different theories, hypothesis, principles and more. I could fill your head with so many examples about patterns, choices, cascading effects, and similar grand scale logic, but in the end, I wouldn’t really be able to answer any of your questions.”

  “Then how do I know it will all work out?”

  “Ask me that when it is all over, that is the only time we will really know.”

  “You do realize that I feel like a blind person trying to find my way out of a door knob factory?”

  “Just listen for the hum of the emergency exit lights.”

  “What did she tell you before she left?”

  “She said you would do fine. That you would expose the truth, raise an army, and save the lands.”

  “Then why were you crying?”

  “When she first embraced me, she set her staff on my foot. As we talked, she started to lean on it, was crushing my toes. She might be little, but it hurt like the dickens.”

  Lauren smiled at his lie, “Fine then don’t tell me. Let’s go back upstairs, and join the rest for our last meal here.”

  John needed a minute to regain his composure, “I will be up in a second.” He then leaned against the wagon, took a few deep breaths, thought of the words she had told him night before. He still could not believe them, would not repeat them aloud, not until he was sure it was not a lie. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and headed up to the dining hall, trying to think pleasant thoughts.

  They consumed the last meal quickly, and when done, everybody helped Gor to close up his kitchen. And as the rest headed towards the stables, Lauren waited for Eric, tugged on his shirt, “We are forgetting something.” She then led Eric around the corner to the secret little room, placed her hand where Aaro had, and opened the door. Darkness screamed in silence, as the light from the hall invaded the dark. On the fireplace mantel sat Tranquil Fury, still in the ugly scabbard. Lauren walked up to the sword, tap
ped it with her tri-wood staff, “Embraced in darkness for too long you have been my friend. Darkness is on the lands, even during the day. I am hoping you are tired of darkness, that you can help us push it back. But Tranquil Fury, you serve Eric, as he is the champion. Eric will do, as I ask, not what you want to do. Try anything, and I will get you melted down, and make table cutlery out of you.” Lauren then turned around, and headed to the door, “Eric, I really don’t know what is going to happen. We will try to find somebody to train you to fight, whenever we get to where ever it is we are going. Maybe the sword and armor are just a symbol to rally the people.”

  Eric’s reply was very soft, “No.”

  “You are right, even before I said it. I knew it sounded like a boatload of crap. Go introduce yourself to Tranquil Fury. From this day forward, never let him leave your sight, do not let any others touch him.”

  Eric thought back to his conversation with the Earth Mother in the stables. He really did not know why he walked up to her, but he had. She pulled him in close, ‘Thine task does be grim, death thou shalt reap. A bounty great thou wilt harvest. Embrace it first thou shalt, sick of death thou will become. But when this does be over, know this now, though it wilt comfort thou little. Thine memories, visions filled red, tortured screams, thou wilt be cleansed, haunt thou they will naught. But until that day does arrive, battle seek thou shalt, great wilt thine hunger be, even greater, the waste that thou wilt unleash on the lands. A slow death does stalk Mother’s children, guised in plague hoax. Thou does be carnage and genocide, and brutal wilt thine wrath be. A storm shalt soon be unleashed, only great death able to quench it. Its name does be Eric, thine guides name does be Tranquil Fury. Friend Eric, Champion, I would tell thou to go in peace, but thine path, it does lead in direction other. Naught elf word does be known, for where thou does be asked to go. I does hope that thine trip does be short, thine suffering…’ He still heard the words ringing in his ears. Naught elf word does be known, for where thou does be asked to go. She may not have had a word, but he did, Hell. As Eric walked up to Tranquil Fury, he turned to Lauren, “Can I have a few minutes alone with it?” Lauren was surprised, but went out into the main hall. Eric went up to the fireplace, gently lifted the sword from the rack that held it, pulled the magnificently crafted blade from the dark that devoured it in the sheath, “Hello Tranquil Fury, I am Eric, your champion. As I understand it, you are my guide, and our destination is Hell. From what the Earth Mother told me, we are going to have a very colorful time together. I don’t know how many shades of red there are, but the way she talked, I think you want to taste all of them. The weather has been calm outside lately, she told me a storm was coming, told me that we were the storm. Friend, I can’t say I am going to enjoy what is going to happen, but the sooner we get started, the sooner it ends.” Eric then placed the massive sword across his back, adjusted the strap so that he did not trip over the death hungry metal, and went to join Lauren and the others.