Galagedra spoke again, causing the mutterings to stop instantly.
“We believe that Rig has the experience as he alone has been to and returned from Drakmere. He understands the dangers that lie within Drakmere better than any other warrior in this chamber. He also understands why this particular child was taken. And I think he has earned the right to go and avenge his loss.”
Some of the younger warriors, including Madgwick, looked curiously at Rig while the older warriors merely nodded at the choice. Rig got up, and then, speaking in his bass voice, said his first words since entering the chamber.
“I accept this task.”
Galagedra gazed at Rig for a second. He spoke softly.
“Thank you, Rig. I understand the pain this decision must cause you. The child’s life lies in both your hands.”
He paused. “The elders will prepare dust for you to travel with. You must go tonight, as the doorway can only be revealed in a full moon before it reaches its full height in the night sky. Please prepare yourselves and meet back here at the chamber in an hour.”
Madgwick stared at Rig and felt delighted and a little intimidated by the choice.
Rig was a fierce and bad-tempered warrior, the warrior most feared by foes of Sandustian.
He had long, sleek black hair, which was tied in a ponytail that ended halfway down his back. His eyes were the sharpest colour of blue-purple Madgwick had ever seen. There was a sadness about him that often reached his eyes.
Rig was not unfriendly but he did not mix with the other warriors, preferring to keep to himself or to stay out in the field. He was good looking but did not even notice when the girls in the village blushed if he nodded or smiled in their direction.
And he himself did not smile much. He was about as tall as Madgwick, but had a stronger body from all the years in the field. He had many years of experience over Madgwick.
Had he really been to Drakmere? And what loss were the elders talking about? Madgwick wondered.
Galagedra raised his hands to all. The meeting was done and so the elders, with the use of their dust, popped away in a blink of the eye.
Each elder had his own special preparations to do before Madgwick and Rig left.
Some of the elders would assist in preparing the magic dust that would go with the warriors while other preparations were more behind the scenes: the magic that would open the doorway to bring the child home when it was needed.
5
Madgwick made his way from the chamber, hearing the buzz of voices as the warriors started among themselves. The drone grew until he felt like it was pushing him along the chamber aisle.
The humming was silenced with the dull thud of the door closing firmly behind him. Down below he caught a glimpse of Rig who was already at the end of the market. Drat, he thought, I didn’t even see him leave. I would have liked to talk to him.
Madgwick sighed and sat down on the carved stone bench just outside the door. It looked out across the village.
He was relieved that he had been chosen as the warrior to go to Drakmere. He thought he would have a hard time to convince them.
Madgwick winced at the thought of his mother’s face when he had to tell her he was going to Drakmere. Oh, she was immensely proud that he was a warrior but she would have been even more delighted if he had had a different calling, such as watching over the vegetable garden or something equally dangerous, like attacking tomatoes.
He also wanted to find Angie. She might be able to give good advice … or not. As long as she did not turn him into a toad. He did not have time for that right now.
“Madgie! Madgie!” his six-year-old sisters chanted as he opened the door to his family home, and before he could utter a word he was grabbed around his legs by four little arms.
Laughing, he ruffled their golden locks and then promptly lifted them each over a shoulder and carried the giggling twins to the slide as they went looking for their parents. Madgwick adored his sisters, Lori and Penni. He thought they were the prettiest little girls in the whole of Sandustian.
They had matching cheeky dimples that popped up when they laughed, which was very often. And they constantly bobbed up and down with endless energy.
Like all Sandustian homes, Madgwick’s family home was intertwined with a large tree. There was a bright orange slide that ran throughout the home, and it was activated when someone sat or stepped on it. The slide went in all directions, up and down, around and around and was the quickest and most exciting way to move around the tree house.
Together, Madgwick and his sisters slid around the house. The girls squealed as Madgwick stood on the slide while they were dangling on his shoulders. He was an expert at navigating the slide standing.
Finally they found themselves in the kitchen where Madgwick gently set them upright on the floor and winked at the animated faces gazing up at him. Then he looked into his parents’ faces.
Madgwick’s mother, Anny, had short, curly golden hair like the twins and although she also had dimples, they were not as pronounced as the girls’.
His father was tall and skinny and had to wear braces to keep his trousers up. His hair was thin and black with streaks of grey running down the sides. He was always laughing and telling jokes and to the delight of the twins, when he laughed, his ears wiggled.
Madgwick inhaled deeply and in a gush of words told his parents about the crack, the maremist, and about the child that was captured in a moonglow.
He finished with the biggest news of all.
“I have been chosen to go into Drakmere and bring the child home,” he told them.
Madgwick paused and waited for the explosion. His mother did not disappoint, and burst into tears covering her round face with her hands.
Madgwick looked at his father with a crooked grin. “Dad, did I tell you the elders chose Rig to go with me?”
He knew the news would ease his mother’s fears.
“Really? Rig is going with you? Oh, I feel so much better.”
His mother’s voice came out muffled as she spoke through her tissue. Madgwick rolled his eyes and said “Thanks, Mom.”
Five minutes later, after hugging the girls and his still-sniffing mother and shaking his father’s hand, Madgwick bid his family farewell.
* * *
Madgwick’s mother felt her heart contract as she watched him go. She would miss that crooked grin and the way it showed his dimples, not to mention his tendency of raising one eyebrow when trying to make a point. These were just some of the things that made everyone like him.
She glanced at her husband who was also standing there, watching Madgwick go.
She sighed. She knew her son was not as strong as the older warriors, but he had only been in the field a few years. In time, his strength would build and his body would transform the way she had seen it with other warriors. But in the meantime, she hoped his young powers would proved strong enough for the danger ahead.
* * *
Squaring his shoulders, Madgwick headed back towards the village, intending to find Angie. He searched and searched and was starting to stress, because he did not have much time left and there was no sign of the witch.
Disappointed, he turned to head back to the Chamber, but as he rounded a corner a cheerful voice spoke up.
“So, my boy … You’re heading into Drakmere. Do you think that’s wise?”
“Angie!” exclaimed Madgwick. “I have been searching for you everywhere! What did you mean earlier? What do you mean now? Of course I have to go. How can I not go?”
Angie glared at Madgwick.
“Mind your manners boy, one question at a time, or you may be croaking your next question. Hopping your way into Drakmere will not be fun.”
Madgwick reined in his relief at running into her.
She cracked Madgwick a rare grin. She had a very soft spot for the young warrior.
“What I meant earlier you will still find out, and what I mean now is that it is never wise to enter Drakm
ere, urgent mission or not, and yes you have to go, now run along. You’re late!”
She whirled around and walked away, leaving Madgwick with his mouth open. He was flabbergasted. She had been no help, no help whatsoever.
He turned away towards the Chamber when Angie called. “Madgwick?”
He hesitated before turning around. The witch was half turned back to him. “I will be watching your adventure and interfering now and then. And if you come across a moonaisy, will you bring it for me?” She hurried down the lane in between the people.
Madgwick watched her hurry away, and started when she yelled without stopping or turning around. “TOAD. Madgwick, if you’re late I will zap you into a toad! Toooooooaaad!” Her voice faded out.
Madgwick laughed as he hurried towards the Chamber.
On entering, Madgwick glanced around and noted he was alone. Rig was not there. He was disappointed as he had been hoping to discuss their plan.
With nothing else to do, Madgwick caught a cushion and sat in the front row ahead of the pulsating globe, mesmerised by the eerie glow. For the second time in a day, Madgwick started when a voice spoke right next to him.
“Madgwick, you must take utmost care once entering Drakmere. We will watch your journey but there is much we will not be able to see. You will have to rely on your wits and bravery, something I happen to know that you gave an abundance of,” Galagedra finished with a smile.
Dropping the smile, he added, “We do not send our warriors into Drakmere with an easy heart, Madgwick.”
The elder’s face was grave. “The dangers are so great that we shudder at the thought. But this child, he is too young and he will not survive Drakmere on his own. This child, Matt, possesses the quality to infiltrate the dreams of all children. The king wants this child, but make no mistake, Madgwick, that the king will grab either child, the younger or the elder!”
Madgwick gasped. Keeping Jeff out of Drakmere was an even greater priority than he had realised.
“Either one will serve his evil twisted purpose, as both boys are dream catchers,” Galagedra continued. “With an enchantment or spell, their dreams can be manipulated to catch the dreams of all other children.”
He paused to let Madgwick absorb the information.
“If the king, by some inconceivable series of events, manages to keep either child, that child will be lost to us forever, and the dreams of the children of the world will be open to nightmares and terrors forever, without any way of stopping them.”
Galagedra sighed. “You must bring the child back. And for all these reasons the brother, Jeff, cannot go with you into Drakmere.”
Handing Madgwick a brown leather bag heavy with dust, Galagedra said, “Take this dust the spell weavers and elders have prepared for you. It should last a while, but use it with caution. It is very powerful. And Madgwick, listen to Rig. He has been there before and will lead you through many dangers.
Galagedra smiled. “He is not easy to work with, this we all know, but he is the best warrior to have with you in Drakmere.”
Then Galagedra paused before adding, “You will have to help the child. There may be tears.”
Madgwick nodded. “Galagedra, I will not return without the child. And … I was hoping to meet Rig here.”
The elder smiled, and said lightly, “Go Madgwick. Rig will catch up to you before you enter Drakmere.”
Madgwick nodded once more. It was more or less as he had expected. Rig had his own ways of doing things. No one really told Rig what to do. He just knew what to do and how to do it. The younger warriors all looked up to him, trying to imitate his fighting style.
Galagedra stood and Madgwick did the same.
There was so much more he wanted to know, needed to know but there was no time for questions. With so much happening so quickly, now when it was time to act, he was not really sure what to do next. Find the doorway, go through and look for the boy Matt, he supposed.
Madgwick smiled briefly at the elder and started towards the door, then asked, “Galagedra? What is a moonaisy?”
Galagedra laughed. “Angie caught you, did she? It’s a flower, a daisy bewitched by the moon, very rare and sought after. The magic of a moonaisy is powerful, and only the very skilled can use its magic successfully. You will be lucky indeed if you find one of those.”
Galagedra sighed and sat down by the globe, watching the glowing orb.
Madgwick watched for a moment, then squared his shoulders and walked to the Chamber doors. The runes were moving and recreating themselves, no doubt rewriting tales of adventures to come.
Madgwick stepped out of the Chamber and the door swung firmly shut behind him.
6
Jeff stayed on his knees for about five minutes, his mind going over Matt’s vanishing. He remembered Matt floating, the glow, and then, gone! How was it possible? Still in disbelief, he pushed himself to his feet. He felt windswept, like he had just been through a storm.
Jeff reached his room, where his unanswered messages from Rhed were still flashing impatiently. He bent over the keyboard, not bothering to sit.
“Matt gone,” he typed and hit enter. He decided to do another sweep of the house. What had happened could not be real. Surely Matt was just asleep somewhere, and Jeff was in serious need of some sleep too. He was so tired, in fact, that perhaps he had imagined the whole thing. Yes, that’s it. Jeff half laughed at himself for a second before he was jolted back to reality.
Starting at the bottom of the house, Jeff started going through each room and each cupboard a boy might crawl into. He checked the washing machine, the dryer … nothing. Jeff just reached his room when he heard the squeal of bicycle tyres. Rhed!
Rhed rushed up the stairs two at a time.
He had been best friends with Jeff forever. Matt was just a baby when he and Jeff met, and Rhed was there for all the firsts. Like the first time Matt fell out of the tree, and the time they taught him to ride a bike.
When those two words flashed on the screen, Rhed bit his lip as if he knew this was serious. This was trouble and Matt was in the middle of it. Jeff would not joke about this.
“Matt gone” must have meant Matt was not in the house and not in the garden. And that left only the forest. There was a lot of ground to cover.
“Jeff! What is going on?” Rhed’s shoes squealed in protest as he bolted through the sliding door.
He stepped into Jeff’s room, dropping his bag in the corner.
“What do you mean Matt is gone? Gone where?”
Jeff cleared his throat then looked Rhed in the eye. “I’m not sure where he is, but he’s gone. I’ve searched the house, every room. He isn’t in here. Just … something weird happened tonight and I don’t know how to explain it.” He rubbed his eyes. “I think I’m going crazy.”
Rhed looked at his friend with raised eyebrows. “What the heck is going on?”
“Matt was asleep on the couch.” He hesitated. “Next thing there was the sound of breaking glass. And then he was floating!”
“Whoa, did you just say floating?”
“Floating! Then he went straight through the window …” Jeff moved to the moonglow door, stretching his hands over the cool glass, trying to feel cracks that were not there.
Rhed’s eyes narrowed as he examined the glass looking for cracks.
“I raced after him.” Jeff held up his hands to show the evidence from his hasty tree descent.
Rhed narrowed his eyes again. “Geez, that looks rough.”
“When I got to the bottom, I tried to tackle Matt out of … whatever it was. But I was stopped by some dude who seemed to know what was going on, and then Matt disappeared, the dude also disappeared but he said he would come back!”
Attesting to true friendship, Rhed did not laugh. He did not even snort in disbelief. Then Jeff turned toward Rhed with a frown, not sure what kind of look he was going to be facing. But Rhed merely appeared thoughtful.
Rhed glanced at the moonglow door again and asked,
“Okay, so if it all ended outside, then it makes sense that Matt could be in the forest somewhere.”
Jeff’s eyes widened. He whirled around and then, without a word, both boys rushed out the door, shoving each other in their attempt to reach the stairway.
Jeff raced to the kitchen drawer, grabbed two torches and ran to the back door to catch up with Rhed.
He stopped on the grass, not sure on where to go next. The full moon, lying low on the horizon, gave off an eerie golden glow. Jeff doubled over and planted his hands on his knees, as if he had a stitch.
“How come you believe me?” he asked Rhed.
Rhed was turning in a circle, staring into the darkness. “It’s you, bud. You don’t tend to exaggerate. Besides the fact that I saw the mist attack, you’d kick my butt!”
“Well, maybe I have lost it,” Jeff muttered before yelling his brother’s name into the night.
Jeff strode towards the path on the left side.
“Rhed, you head on down that path on the right,” he said over his shoulder. “These paths meet in the middle. If Matt is in the forest then we should find him.” He paused. “That is, if he has not wandered further than the brook.”
Jeff did not need to wait to see if Rhed had started moving. He knew his friend was already heading that way.
The forest felt angry. There was just a slight breeze and yet the branches were rustling restlessly.
Jeff kept on the path heading all the way to the brook, although it was unlikely that Matt would wander all this way by himself: he was afraid of the dark.
Jeff shone his torch up and down in frantic jerks. He stopped at all Matt’s favourite trees where the kid liked to play or hide. His heart was sinking. If Matt was not in the forest then how was he going to explain what happened to his mother or the cops? To anyone, for that matter.
Jeff and Rhed met in the middle where the two paths joined. Rhed shook his head.
“Damn,” said Jeff. “I think it’s time to call the adults and explain …”
Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1) Page 4
