What Came From the Stars

by Gary D. Schmidt

  Then did Fralim warp his Art, and gave his eyes to it, and with his Art, he did blind and smother all the faces of the O’Mondim, and Ouslim went again to them in their despair, and said to the O’Mondim that they had lost what they had lost because of the wrath of the faithful Valorim, who believed that they would betray them. Then did the O’Mondim march to the Hills of Elil and slaughter the gentle Elil. And they marched to Bawn, and in the Battle of Sorg Cynnes, they betrayed and slew Hengel, who had been at their birth past the Falls of Hagor. So did die the only two of the Valorim who knew where that place was.

  But then did Elder Waeglim lead the Valorim out of the City of the Ethelim, together with a host of the Ethelim, and they did come upon Mondus at Sorg Cynnes, and there did they do great battle. And Elder Waeglim stood as iron on the field, but at First Sunset, he fell sorely wounded, and if it had not been for Bruleath of the Ethelim, he would have died that day on the field. But Bruleath stood by him at the battle surge, and he—an Ethelim—did rally the Valorim, and together they built the Wall of Ice around the fallen Elder Waeglim, and did repel the O’Mondim. By Second Sunset, the faithless Valorim and Mondus had fled into the Long Woods, together with the faceless O’Mondim. And Elder Waeglim still breathed. And he and Bruleath became brothers of the heart.

  But Mondus was not fallen. He crossed through the Long Woods and up into the Valley of Denvelf, and then across the mountains to the Valley of Wyssiel, and there he bound the faceless O’Mondim to him, so that their only love was their hate for the Valorim, and their only trust was in Mondus. And for three winters Mondus grew strong.

  Elder Waeglim returned to the City of the Ethelim, and he too grew strong, and he was often at the house of Bruleath of the Ethelim.

  Then, together with Taeglim and Yolim, Elder Waeglim built the battlements above the city at Brogum Sorg Cynna, for they suspected that Mondus would return with the O’Mondim. And Taeglim and Yolim built the battlements wondrous fair and wide and high, so that none might come into the city unless they were allowed to pass the battlements. But Elder Waeglim did not know, and could not have known, that it was his folly to trust Taeglim and Yolim, and that already they were tempted to turn to Mondus, who had seduced them.

  And so, the army of Mondus gathered on the Plains of Arnulf, and those who stood on the battlements of Brogum Sorg Cynna looked out and beheld an endless sea of the faceless O’Mondim, and around them, the faithless Valorim, who stoked them with their hate, and who, with the rising of Hreth, drove them across the Plains to Brogum Sorg Cynna, and there they did meet the army of the Ethelim and the might of Elder Waeglim, who stood on the battlements with a hardened heart, for behind him, back in the city, Ferth was abed, tended by the daughters of Hild, for she was giving birth to a son.

  And so wave after wave of the faceless O’Mondim broke upon the battlements of Brogum Sorg Cynna, and the Ethelim cheered to the echo from mighty Langleth.

  Yet First Sunrise brought treachery with it.

  When the light of First Sunrise fell upon the battlements by the Long Woods, the stones exploded. One by one, they became dust and dust only—this through the terrible Art of Taeglim and Yolim—and the Ethelim and the Valorim who stood upon their ramparts fell to their ends. When Elder Waeglim turned to find Taeglim and Yolim, they were gone to their new lord, and nothing could stop the fall of the battlements of Brogum Sorg Cynna.

  Then did Elder Waeglim order all away from the falling battlements, and they formed lines before the City of the Ethelim, the Valorim together with the Ethelim, and they stood waiting for the faceless O’Mondim, who flowed over the fallen battlements like a flood, and thrust into the Ethelim and Valorim. The Valorim and Ethelim fell back again and again, until they reached the walls of the city itself. And there, Elder Waeglim did call to those around him, and urged them to the greatness they needed. “Now is the time for all to hold fast, ” he said. “Now is the time for strong arms, strong hearts, and strong spirits.”

  From that moment, the line did not falter, nor did it fall back. They stood as one, as iron, as powerful as the fallen battlements. And the O’Mondim could not come at them, and the O’Mondim fell into Silence.

  It was in the heat of that battle that Young Waeglim was born and did breathe his first breath. And not long after, Elder Waeglim did breathe his last breath, so he never did see his son. But Mondus had fled again, and the O’Mondim host was defeated, and they returned to the Valley of Wyssiel. There they dwelled for eighteen years, while the Ethelim ruled their city from the Twelve Seats, and while Young Waeglim dwelled in the glory of his father and did come to learn the Art of the Valorim, until he was made the Master of the Forge, and did practice the Art in the heat of its fire.

  For all those years, Mondus brooded in the Valley of Wyssiel, and brooded, and brooded, even as he gathered the faceless O’Mondim again. And the Valorim were foolish. They would not believe that Mondus would battle them a third time. They were wrong. When he was most ready, Mondus drove the O’Mondim through the Valley of Wyssiel, and below the Long Woods and below the Field of Sorg Cynnes and even below the Hills of Elil. And then, in a march impossible to imagine, he came by night to the City of the Ethelim, which had grown accustomed to nights of peace, and whose gates were wide.

  The O’Mondim were in the city before any of the Valorim knew of it, and they were upon the Reced itself as fast as Thought. When they burst into the Reced, there was great battle, and the sons of Brythelaf fell, and the daughters of Hild, and the Twelve Seats were overthrown, and it was left to Young Waeglim to forge the Art of the Valorim into a single Chain so that it might be sent out of this world and not fall into the grip of Mondus—none knows now whether that sending was for good or for ill.

  And in that battle by the Forge, Brythelaf fell, and Young Waeglim—whose hand writes this Testament—became the last of the faithful Valorim in this world.

  Tomorrow, even he may be gone, and the O’Mondim may be triumphant.

  All depends upon one last, most desperate chance.

  A LIST OF WEIRD AND STRANGE WORDS

  THAT CAME OUT OF THE MOUTH OF TOMMY PEPPER

  AND WHICH HE NOW CLAIMS

  HE NEVER SAID BUT HE DID SAY

  EVEN IF HE SAYS HE DIDN’T OR DOESN’T REMEMBER HE DID

  With a Little Help from Mr. Burroughs

  By Alice Winslow

  ALDER: Wine. Tommy pretended he knew what he was talking about here, but he didn’t.

  ALORN: A planet in a galaxy far away. It has rings, sort of like Saturn, probably.

  ARNULF: Plains to the north of the City of the Ethelim, except they don’t use north, said Tommy. They use something to do with the position of their twin suns. I don’t think he understood this very well.

  BELOIT: Art of all types. Maybe.

  BENU: A deep and dark woods, named after something older than the Valorim. No one knows what the word means. See Denvelf.

  BROGUM: Wall or battlements or barrier or barricade or something like that. It’s meant to stand against a siege or an attack.

  BYRGUM BARUT: This seems to be a curse. Tommy would not translate it for me, but the way he said it made things seem pretty clear. When he really wanted to say it like a curse, he added Su. So it went Su byrgum barut. Sure sounds like a curse to me.

  CYNNA: Field of tall grasses.

  DENVELF: A valley named for something older than the Valorim, but no one knows what the word means. The valley is known for its fruit—don’t ask me what kind.

  DUR: Cold.

  EAC: Also.

  ECGLAEF: The inventor of naeli. See naeli.

  ETETH THREAFTA: These two words seem to go together. They mean “Stay out of the water.” I think threafta means “water.” But maybe eteth does.

  ETHELIM: The name of a group of people.

  ETHELRAD: The main road in a city. I am guessing that rad means “road,” which, when you think of it, is really close to English.

  FAH: Really dirty or ugly or smelly or disgusting.
Like Cheryl Lynn Lumpkin.

  FALETTEL: This is a curse that Tommy used because Mr. Burroughs would take him down to the main office if he used words that he shouldn’t and Mr. Burroughs didn’t know this was a curse so Tommy figured he could use it.

  FERR: To make or to create. Or to do something.

  GLITE: Glass or windows.

  GLITELOIT: Art made from glass or maybe art made from light itself—but that is hard to imagine.

  GUMENA WEARDAS: I think these words go together and mean “brave people” or “brave warriors.” Or it might mean “brave warrior,” so one warrior or several. It is definitely a compliment, and despite what James Sullivan said, it is not meant to refer to boys only. James Sullivan can be such a jerk sometimes.

  GYLDN: A weapon like a dagger. It is worn at the belt.

  HALIN: A weapon that seems like a short sword. I don’t think Tommy knew how to use one. Or how to even hold one.

  HANORAH: This one is from Mr. Burroughs. He thinks that it is an instrument—sort of like a French horn but much bigger—that is blown at special occasions. He said that the plural is hanoraho, which sort of sounds like someone is trying to yodel but isn’t very good at it.

  HARNEUF: One of the Valorim, who cut spectacular jewels.

  HENGAELF: One of the Valorim, who owned the Woods of Benu but who apparently wasn’t the cleverest of them all since he lost the woods in some sort of stupid deal.

  HENGEST: A name for the sun.

  HNAEF: Another name for the sun. This is confusing. It sounds like Tommy meant that this is the sun that rises first in the morning and sets first in the evening, and that Hengest is the sun that rises second and sets second. This would mean that there are two different suns, I guess.

  HRETH: A name for the moon.

  HRUNTUM: Temporary houses built by a shore. These are washed away twice a year by the highest rylim tides—which goes to show why they were temporary. See rylim tides.

  ILLIL: Beautiful or lovely.

  KARFYER: One of the Valorim, who was an artist. He always left one part of his work of art unfinished.

  LIMNAE: This is another weapon—as if Tommy needed another weapon. It is long and like a whip of metal and is worn across the back. Tommy said he knew how to handle this but I don’t think he really did.

  MAEGLIA: Weak, helpless, or useless. Tommy sometimes used this as an adjective, like “Jeremy Hereford is maeglia.” But sometimes he used it like a noun, like “He is a maeglia.” Either he didn’t know which was which, or it can work both ways.

  MELUS: A sweet drink made with something like honey. Tommy said it was like grape juice but a completely different flavor. This isn’t a very helpful description.

  MOD: When I asked him what this meant, Tommy pointed to his stomach and said, “Guts.” I don’t know if he meant bravery or his intestines.

  NAELI: Fireworks.

  NANIG: Not any. I’m not sure if this was really a word in this language or if Tommy was just saying it funny.

  NEFER: Never. This is probably another word that Tommy was just saying funny. Sometimes he doesn’t know when to stop. He liked to say it when Patrick Belknap was reaching for his accordion.

  NUNC GLAEDRE NON: I think this is a saying. It means something like, “Never again will there be happiness” or “You won’t be seeing good times around here anymore.” This is a depressing language.

  NYSSI: Tommy used this to describe a kind of order—so, “in order of nyssi.” I never could figure out what this order was. I think it had something to do with color, but I’m not sure.

  O’MONDIM: The name of a group of monsters. At least, I think they are monsters. Maybe not.

  ORLU: A weapon that you wear at your shoulder. The plural is orluo, so I guess adding an o in this language is like our adding an s. I don’t think Tommy knew how to hold this weapon either.

  RAU: A boat. Tommy never said what kind, but it sounds like a boat with a sail.

  RECED: A castle. Tommy said that it was built for the Ethelim by the Valorim.

  RUCCA: Dirty or ugly or smelly or disgusting. Plymouth Harbor on a really bad day. Or the basement of William Bradford Elementary any day.

  RYLIM TIDES: The highest tides that come only twice a year and destroy the hruntum. See hruntum.

  SELITH: Relax.

  SLYTHING: A sneaky walk, used by the O’Mondim and sometimes Mr. Zwerger in order to catch someone.

  SORG: I think this is a certain kind of stone that is very hard and heavy. I asked Tommy if it was like Plymouth Rock, and he said it was a lot harder and heavier than Plymouth Rock, but how would he know that?

  STRANG: I guessed “strange” but Tommy gave me a look that said I was an idiot and he said it means “strong.” Then I said it should probably mean “strangle,” and Mr. Burroughs told us to stop.

  SYN: After.

  THRIMBLE: A technique used in painting—and maybe other arts, but in painting for sure. In this technique, the artist makes things on the canvas move—not appear to move, but really move. Like a goat chewing grass, say.

  THRYGETH: The very, very last completed part of a work of art that gives it its power.

  TOMBRADISIND: No idea what this means, but it seems important to Tommy. James Sullivan also uses this word. I think it means that something is good. Like, say, “Mr. Burroughs is a tombra-disind teacher.” I think.

  TREMPE: A loud drum. The plural is trempo.

  TRUNC: Another weapon, this one used by the O’Mondim. It is made out of a gray metal. Its plural is trunco.

  UNFERE: Not beautiful, but not horribly ugly. Somewhere in between, but tending toward the ugly side of things. Sort of like Mrs. MacReady.

  VALORIM: The name of another group of people.

  VITRIE: A predator that sounds like some sort of reptile, like a dragon. It has talons that sink into you—which sounds very dragony. The plural is vitrio.

  WEGELAS: White birds, sort of like seagulls, but smaller.

  WEORULD: Globe or world or planet. Or this could be another word that Tommy was just saying funny.

  WUDUO: Long banners that are usually black. They are hung on high walls when someone important has died. Like a president, I guess.

  YKRAT: This sounds like a rope made out of something like iron. It is very strong and cannot be broken. I said it could probably also mean “love” and Tommy didn’t say no.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Arctic TernPlate CCL

  JOE PEPITONE once gave me his New York Yankees baseball cap.

  I'm not lying.

  He gave it to me. To me, Doug Swieteck. To me.

  Joe Pepitone and Horace Clarke came all the way out on the Island to Camillo Junior High and I threw with them. Me and Danny Hupfer and Holling Hoodhood, who were good guys. We all threw with Joe Pepitone and Horace Clarke, and we batted too. They sang to us while we swung away: "He's a batta, he's a batta-batta-batta, he's a batta..." That was their song.

  And afterward, Horace Clarke gave Danny his cap, and Joe Pepitone gave Holling his jacket (probably because he felt sorry for him on account of his dumb name), and then Joe Pepitone handed me his cap. He reached out and took it off his head and handed it to me. Just like that. It was signed on the inside, so anyone could tell that it was really his. Joe Pepitone's.

  It was the only thing I ever owned that hadn't belonged to some other Swieteck before me.

  I hid it for four and a half months. Then my stupid brother found out about it. He came in at night when I was asleep and whipped my arm up behind my back so high I couldn't even scream it hurt so bad and he told me to decide if I wanted a broken arm or if I wanted to give him Joe Pepitone's baseball cap. I decided on the broken arm. Then he stuck his knee in the center of my spine and asked if I wanted a broken back along with the broken arm, and so I told him Joe Pepitone's cap was in the basement behind the oil furnace.

  It wasn't, but he went downstairs anyway. That's what a chump he is.

  So I threw on a T-shirt and shorts and Joe Pepitone's cap�
��which was under my pillow the whole time, the jerk—and got outside. Except he caught me. Dragged me behind the garage. Took Joe Pepitone's baseball cap. Pummeled me in places where the bruises wouldn't show.

  A strategy that my ... is none of your business.

  I think he kept the cap for ten hours—just long enough for me to see him with it at school. Then he traded it to Link Vitelli for cigarettes, and Link Vitelli kept it for a day—just long enough for me to see him with it at school. Then Link traded it to Glenn Dillard for a comb. A comb! And Glenn Dillard kept it for a day—just long enough for me to see him with it at school. Then Glenn lost it while driving his brother's Mustang without a license and with the top down, the jerk. It blew off somewhere on Jerusalem Avenue. I looked for it for a week.

  I guess now it's in a gutter, getting rained on or something. Probably anyone who walks by looks down and thinks it's a piece of junk.

  They're right. That's all it is. Now.

  But once, it was the only thing I ever owned that hadn't belonged to some other Swieteck before me.

  I know. That means a big fat zero to anyone else.