Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1)

by Bernice Fischer

“Get ready, boys, here they come,” warned Azghar.

  Madgwick grinned and glanced at Rig with raised eyebrows. “When last were you called boy?”

  “Can’t remember, but don’t mind so much if it’s Azghar.”

  “Here they come,” roared Azghar.

  Madgwick and Rig were ready. They were tied securely and their hands were full of glittering dust. The shimmers came in behind them. Azghar turned sharp left and then shot up above the shimmers.

  Rig threw a handful of dust into the air. It hovered for a split second before whooshing towards the shimmers and exploding like fireworks to scatter them in different directions. The shimmers closest to the fireworks sizzled as the glitter touched them and they fizzled all the way to the ground.

  “Good one!” yelled Madgwick. He would have yelled more but Azghar had turned on his back. Madgwick had a perfect view of a cloud of shimmers racing towards them. Still upside down, his dust dropped from his hands and turned into a silver net. It caught the squirming shimmers in a bundle. With the flick of a wrist, Madgwick released the end of the net and the shimmers were hurled to the ground, struggling inside as they dropped.

  As his dust flowed back to him, Madgwick formed arrows for his bow. He shot left and right, sometimes catching two or three shimmers at a time. Rig was shooting at the shimmers with a dust gun. A burst of silver dust rushed through the barrel, cutting down the shimmers in its path. Rig howled with glee.

  Jeff could not really see what was happening with Rig and Madgwick, but he heard the yells and howls. Jeff was wincing, imagining that each howl was Madgwick or Rig being caught in a shimmer. Around them shimmers were dropping, some of them going down like stone, while others floated down like deflated bags, and some flew around erratically like balloons.

  He could not keep his bearings either. Azghar moved like liquid, one minute all he could see was black misty shimmers above him, and then it was green forest beneath.

  The dragon was amazing. He turned, dived and rolled as if he knew exactly how and when and where to be to give Madgwick and Rig their shot at destroying the shimmers and destroy they did. It was what they were trained to do.

  A cloud of shimmers was heading directly for them, full frontal attack. Jeff opened his mouth to warn Azghar, but he had already snapped his head to the side and had seen the shimmers closing in on them. He did not try to evade them.

  A deep rumble came from within the dragon, so loud that Jeff could feel it. Azghar opened his mouth and a sharp blue flame streamed out. The shimmers evaporated within seconds and Azghar flew through the black haze that was left.

  “Eeeeeuw,” yelled Matt.

  * * *

  The broom-bike had reached the forest in record speed. Angie knew they had little time. Although Azghar was mighty and the warriors were deadly with their dust, there were just too many to keep them all away.

  Angie needed time to start the doorway process. The door had to be open long enough to get them through but not too long to allow the shimmers to get through, or even worse, Wiedzma.

  Angie hopped off the broom, patted him fondly and made her way to the enchanted pool. She faced the still water, deep-dark green in colour. She dropped her head and raised her arms, palms facing out. She opened her magic and let it flow towards the pool.

  Azghar had already forged a magic path for the doorway, so the groundwork had been done and all Angie had to do was reach across with her magic and create the link. She felt the tentative touch of what she recognised to be spell weavers. The link was there. The elders had received Azghar’s message and had made it on time.

  Now they just had to wait for twilight and the first moonbeam and then the link would be forged. After that the doorway would open and they would be able to cross. Angie had to concentrate and work hard to keep the link strong from her side. It was not easy. The spell weavers had many hands lending strength from their side.

  Thirza was standing, half watching the skies for the moment the magic would start. He was also watching for Azghar. He held onto Rhed tightly, squeezing his arm now and then to reassure him and to keep him quiet. Angie could not be distracted right now. All their lives depended on her keeping the link until the doorway was formed.

  The forest was dark and the shadows were creeping together as twilight approached. It made the forest seem mysterious. The trees were large like the ones in the forest surrounding Little Falls.

  The emerald pool was circular and seemed sunken in as if the forest had grown around it over the years. A little stone wall covered with moss lined the banks. The sides were steep, encasing the deep green water. The water lay very still, looking cold and ancient. Trees huddling over the pool kept it well hidden.

  As the first hue of pink entered the sky and the moon could be seen rising, the pool started to bubble and the waters slowly parted to reveal a narrow stairway leading down the side. Round stepping stones rose slowly to mark a pathway across the pool towards the dimly lit outline of a doorway. The moon’s first full beam suddenly struck the doorway and it lit up brightly.

  Angie lifted her head towards the skies, using her magic to ensure that Azghar heard her. “Azghar, the doorway has been revealed.”

  Angie heard the dry response from Azghar. “A little busy right now. I will bring a huge load with me if I come down now. There’s too many to keep away from the kids and away from the doorway. Drat that Wiedzma for making so many. They just keep coming.”

  The doorway opened and Angie turned to see cloaked men standing on the other side of the doorway. The elders were there in full force, ensuring the doorway stayed open and also making sure shimmers could not pass.

  Their heads were lowered, hidden in their hooded cloaks. They formed two lines and softly started to hum and very lightly tap their left feet. The trees started to dip in time with the rhythm. It felt like the air was pulsating with their chant, pushing through the door in waves. The ground trembled as their feet directed the song.

  “The elders are here,” yelled Angie to Azghar. “All of them!”

  47

  Azghar roared in approval of Angie’s message, his fire evaporating a host of shimmers. The more they destroyed, the more there seemed to be.

  “Madgwick, Rig!” Azghar called to the two warriors who were fighting their hearts out above him.

  “The doorway is open, it is time. There are too many shimmers to land without taking them with us. You are going to have to each take a child and drop. I will keep them busy up here.”

  Madgwick gasped, “Azghar! There are too many to handle alone.”

  “I know, but we don’t have a choice, the doorway has been opened now, it must be now. So do it!”

  Madgwick and Rig loosened their dust ties and made their way to Jeff and Matt.

  Azghar spoke to Matt gently. “Matt, it’s time for you to go home. You have to be brave and go with Madgwick and Rig. It will be exciting, you will see.”

  Matt’s bottom lip started to wobble. “Can’t you come with me, Azghar?”

  “Matt, can I fit under your bed?” he waited until Matt giggled at the image before continuing. They did not have much time to say goodbye. “You belong with your mother, father, with Jeff and your grandfather. I belong here.”

  “Will I see you again?” asked Matt in a sad little voice.

  “Very soon!” answered Azghar. “When you go to sleep, wait for me at that big tree by the entrance of dreamland. We will go in together, and have some fun and exciting adventures together. We will fly all over the place.”

  “You’re my best friend, Azghar.”

  Madgwick and Rig swung around the front. Madgwick reached for Jeff, using his dust to bind the two of them together, ignoring Rig’s disgruntled glances and waiting for the right moment to release.

  Rig reached Matt, looking into the boy’s eyes, which were bright with unshed tears.

  Rig rolled his eyes at the thought of a crying child and a running nose. He tied Matt to himself and nodded to Azghar. They were r
eady.

  “Are you crying?” he asked Matt.

  “Nope,” sniffed the boy.

  “Do you need to wipe your nose?” asked Rig.

  “Nope,” sniffed Matt again.

  In a sudden twist Azghar roared and released the biggest flame ever. “Now!” he yelled at the warriors. Both instantly dropped away from Azghar, taking the two boys with them.

  Matt screamed as they dropped, nearly giving Rig a heart attack.

  “It’s okay!” yelled Rig, panicked by Matt’s bloodcurdling scream.

  “Funnnnnnnn,” yelled Matt. “Let’s go back and do this again.”

  Rig was speechless. He liked this kid!

  Madgwick watched Azghar as they dropped away from him. The dragon had shimmers all over him. He twisted and flamed them away but he could not reach them all. Madgwick concentrated really hard, keeping his dust binding him and Jeff together in place.

  Then he stretched out his hand and released the biggest spray of dust he could. The dust attacked the shimmers like a storm, driving them away from Azghar, finally giving the dragon time to turn and gain a little space from the shimmers.

  48

  The dust flowed back to Madgwick just in time. He could not risk a chute, as descending would be too slow and the shimmers would be over them in no time. He followed Rig’s lead and formed a cushioned ball around them, hitting the ground a few seconds later, bouncing around until they rolled to a stop.

  Madgwick released the dust and glanced around to see where Matt and Rig were. They had landed a little way from them, Matt still tied to Rig but his eyes were gleaming. The child was begging Rig to go back up and jump again.

  Rig had a grimace on his face as if he was trying very hard not to look like he was in any way enjoying the boy’s enthusiasm.

  Jeff grabbed Matt’s hand and hurried in the direction of the forest. They had landed in an open space not far from where Thirza was waving his arms, showing them where to go. They started towards Thirza when a wind came up behind them with such a force that they were all blown over. They were shielding their eyes from the dust and grass. Jeff held onto Matt tightly as they rolled in the wind, trying to see the cause.

  Jeff’s heart lurched when he saw it. The evil witch Wiedzma had arrived on a shimmer with her windstorm, causing chaos around her. She landed in front of them, blocking their way to the doorway. Grzegorz rolled off the shimmer and hobbled to the side towards the trees.

  Rig and Madgwick pushed up off the ground and stood in front of Jeff and Matt.

  She looked calm and gleeful, her black hair flowing freely behind her and her mole was back in the middle of her forehead.

  “You won’t get past me, so you might as well give up,” she said to Rig and Madgwick. “I want a dream catcher, either one or both, I don’t really care. I also want a warrior or two. My darling shimmers are not just normal shimmers. These are full nightmare shimmers, quite capable of overpowering the dragon. He may be powerful but there are too many of them to fight at once. That leaves you and me and your dirt.” She laughed a deep, eerie laugh.

  She turned her head slightly to stare at Jeff. Her green eyes were piercing, “You shoot me with that potion gun again and I will make you eat it.” She smiled to lighten her words and continued, “It’s obvious you don’t know how to use your skill but if you come with me then I will teach you. You will have everything you ever wanted and more. You would be the prince of Drakmere.”

  “I don’t think so,” Jeff snorted, his lips curling.

  Wiedzma stared at Jeff, slowly nodding. “Then it will be with force, and so it shall be.”

  She waved her hands and Jeff felt a tug on Matt’s body. She was trying to reel him in with magic.

  Jeff locked his arms around Matt. Grass tufts and dirt shot up as he dug his heels in, trying to stop the silent pull towards Wiedzma. “Madgwick! Rig!”

  Both Madgwick and Rig threw a shield up at the same time, their magic combining to create a wall in attempt to repel Wiedzma’s spell. Madgwick’s lips were pulled in a sneer as he concentrated.

  The frown on Rig’s forehead was deep and his lips pressed together. “We are so close; the doorway was just there, the kids are just steps away from the doorway,” he grunted to Madgwick.

  “This evil old hag is not going to stop us now.” Madgwick’s magic dust increased in magnitude as his scowl grew.

  Jeff felt the pull ease and hauled Matt to his feet.

  “When I make my move, you run with Matt. Don’t stop, don’t look back. Your only mission is to get across the path and through that doorway.” Rig was firm.

  “But …”

  “No buts,” he said.

  Rig dropped his head and did a half turn before leaping into the air to land on one bended knee, his arms spread out, releasing his dust forward towards Wiedzma.

  The force of his battering ram knocked Wiedzma backward. He did not stop. He twirled and stretched his arms and legs out, sending another blast in the shape of a cannon ball at Wiedzma.

  Watching Rig was like watching a ninja pulling off complicated moves. Wiedzma was screeching and tried to counter the dust with her wind, so Rig had to hold it in place with sheer force, his face fierce with concentration.

  Madgwick grabbed Jeff by the arm and Matt by the collar, propelling them forward as he ran. Madgwick turned his back on the boys and threw his hands out in front of him, his dust plunged forward and he joined the fight against Wiedzma and her shimmers.

  Jeff and Matt ran as fast as Matt’s little legs could take him. They closed in on the trees and were close to the pool where Thirza and Rhed were beckoning them to hurry.

  A leg shot out and caught Matt’s foot causing them to stumble and fall. They rolled on the moss-covered forest floor, making the landing soft and spongy. Grzegorz limped out from behind the tree.

  “You sneaky brat, you are not going anywhere. You will not destroy all my planning.”

  49

  Grzegorz reached Matt first, pulling him up and away from Jeff. Matt kicked his shin hard. Grzegorz threw his head back as he laughed.

  “Did not even feel that kick. Thanks to you my foot is asleep, asleep forever. Didn’t even feel a thing.”

  “Kick his other leg, Matt,” yelled Jeff.

  Matt kicked Grzegorz’s other shin as hard as he could. This one he did feel. He lifted his leg in pain and hopped about but his snoring foot could not support his weight and he went crashing down taking Matt with him.

  Jeff dashed to Matt trying to pull him away from Grzegorz’s grip.

  “Stay away from my brother,” yelled Jeff, his eyes bright and wild.

  Some of the potions and marbles that Matt had stored in his pocket rolled out. Jeff helped Matt gather his marbles and miniature bottles.

  Grzegorz screamed, high-pitched like a girl, “Eeeeeeiiiiiiiii my gems, you little thief, Wiedzma, he has my gems!”

  Wiedzma’s eyes widened. Some of her potion bottles were rolling along the ground. The little brat had taken her potions. Her hand flew to her mouth, she dropped her guard and Rig’s dust attack knocked her to the ground again. Rig and Madgwick used this time to race past her, blocking her from Jeff and Matt.

  Madgwick looked up from his mad sprint. Angie was standing there just behind the boys. Her face was serious, not angry nor smiling in her usual crazy way but just calm, not good.

  “Take the kids through the doorway,” she said to the warriors.

  Looking at Wiedzma, she said quite calmly, “I have had about enough of you.”

  Wiedzma’s eyes narrowed. “I am sick and tired of being knocked down!” she yelled wildly. “Give my potions back, you deranged old duck!”

  “No, I don’t think I will give them back, thank you very much, duck indeed! I have been called many things but never a duck before. A goose, or a pigeon, even a pheasant, but a duck, that is a first.” Angie looked at the ground. A bottle of potion was still lying there.

  “Wiedzma, Wiedzma, Wiedzma,” she said, fli
cking her wrists so that the bottle flew into her hands. She held it up to take a look.

  “Fancy letting this out of your sight. Your witch license should be taken away for that alone, but then, you don’t really care about the witch order.”

  That just did it for Wiedzma. She clamped her jaw and hurled spells at Angie. Angie blocked them and sent back some of her own. You could not really see the spells going back and forth but each time a spell or enchantment was blocked there were colourful sparks. Soon both witches were surrounded in circles of pink, orange, green and blue sparks as each witch tried to catch the other off guard.

  Madgwick and Rig backed the boys up so that they could not get hit by anything. They moved them around inch by inch, leading them towards the stairs that ran down to the pool.

  Madgwick’s foot nudged something and he saw one of the potions that had rolled out of Matt’s pocket. He swooped down and put it in his own pocket.

  Rhed and Thirza were standing on the bottom step. Madgwick motioned for them to go through the doorway. They could hear the chanting from the elders who were holding the door open. They had to go through, and soon, the elders would not be able to hold the door open for too long.

  Jeff watched Wiedzma’s face. Her eyes and smile, previously bright with wild glee now looked troubled as if she knew she could not win against Angie. It was just a matter of time before Angie would wipe the floor with her as easy as peanut butter on toast.

  Wiedzma glanced up at her shimmers fighting Azghar. Her face darkened as if their rage flowed into her mind. She smiled as she calmly told them to kill the dragon.

  Angie’s breath caught. She screamed, “Azghar!”

  A terrible, high screeching roar came from the skies, sending shivers of fear down Jeff’s back. Everyone immediately looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of Azghar screaming in pain.

  Angie stamped her foot and put her hands up sharply, palms outward as if she was pushing Wiedzma away. As Angie’s spell hit her, Wiedzma was lifted off her feet. She twisted in mid air. A shimmer appeared out of nowhere, embracing her like a blanket and they vanished.