“Azghar!” Angie screamed again. She started to run for the clearing.
“Get through the doorway now,” she yelled over her shoulder at the warriors.
“Broom!” she called while running towards the clearing. Her broom came up behind her, having transformed from a bike into a rocket. His bristles were blood red with power and he swooped down beside Angie. After two sideways looks, Angie leapt on.
As they shot into the sky they could hear Angie screaming. “How am I supposed to hold onto a rocket? No, never mind about that, just go.”
She and her rocket-broom disappeared over the trees in a red flash.
Madgwick, not wanting to waste any more time, turned and urged everyone down the stairs. The chanting had reached a climax. It was time. As they were about to step onto the stone steps, Galagedra came through the doorway. He almost glided across and stood by the stairs, smiling a welcome at the warriors and Thirza.
“We have to go one at a time. Rhed, you go first, then Thirza.”
Rhed went down the last step and crossed onto the stones. The pool was still bubbling like a Jacuzzi, and he was not keen to touch the water. He went through the doorway, and the minute he passed through, a warm cloak was draped over his shoulders and he was led across the remaining stepping stones to the bank on the other side. Rhed looked up into the face old a smiling kindly old man.
“You are safe now, Rhed.”
Rhed smiled and looked back at the doorway, watching for the others.
On the other side, Thirza was stalling. He had been here for so long, there were so many what ifs going through his mind.
Galagedra touched his hand. “She is waiting for you,” he said. Thirza nodded and answered simply, “I will not go before my grandchildren.”
Jeff led Matt down the stairs and they started to hop from stepping stone to stepping stone.
Then Wiedzma appeared on the grass bank, her hair still gooey and yellow from the paint ball. She screamed a spell to enchant a vine, which grabbed Matt around the chest and dragged him away from Jeff and towards the side of the bank where she was standing.
“You are not stealing my child.”
The shimmers were streaming towards the doorway.
Rig flipped backward and landed on the bank in front of the shimmers, his dust sword in one hand, his dagger in the other.
Madgwick turned and started his own dance with the shimmers, using his dust as a whip in the one hand and a net in the other. The shimmers screeched and squealed as he made them evaporate around him.
Jeff scrambled over the stones towards the bank, racing for Matt who was dangling in a vine that was swinging him closer to Wiedzma.
He felt the blood run out of his face. He was angry but calm, his mind very clear.
“I told you to leave my brother alone.” Jeff did not yell. He was not in a panic. He was beyond those emotions. Jeff stared at Wiedzma, his face smooth like he was in total control. He was going to make her regret that she ever picked on his brother.
Jeff reached into the darkened room in his mind. It was so natural that it was like flipping a switch. He saw dreams passing like a movie trailer but not fast and uncontrollable as before. This was so easy he could not understand why he had battled before. He clearly pictured what he needed and forced it out of a dream that he did not even realise was passing.
His palms were pushed out in front of him to face Wiedzma. He felt a tingling, like a current passing through his body. He took all that energy and directed it out of his hands.
Out of his palms shot glittering magic dust, like a jet of water from a fire hose. The power was so strong that Wiedzma was blasted off her feet and held against a tree by the pure force of the dust. She screamed and splattered as she got a mouthful of it.
Grzegorz limped towards Matt. Jeff turned to him and raised an eyebrow, “If you think you can get to him before me, try.”
Jeff closed his fist and the violent stream of dust was cut off. As he pushed his hand at Grzegorz, the dust flew from his palm and tumbled Grzegorz like a soccer ball into the forest. Grzegorz, squealing, faded as he rolled over moss-covered rocks and roots.
Wiedzma was panting and looked like a drowned rat. Jeff shot his hand at her again and thin glittering strands spun around her like a spider web, binding her to the tree that she was leaning against for support. She screamed as she strained against the web.
Jeff had reached Matt who was lying on the floor. A dust dagger shot out of his hand and sliced a vine, which started snapping like a live electric cable.
Jeff pulled Matt up. “You okay? Let’s go home, Matt. Give her a serious attitude salute to say goodbye.”
Jeff struggled to his feet, carrying Matt in his arms and staggered to the stairs.
Madgwick somersaulted in front of him and took Matt out of his arms, pushing Jeff down the stairs and across the stones in front of him.
“How did you do that?” Madgwick gasped.
“I don’t know. It was just there and it was easy.” Jeff was staring at his hands as he hopped over the stones. He was expecting to see them seared with heat but they looked normal, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
“Go,” yelled Madgwick. They did not need to tell Galagedra twice. The elder pushed Thirza towards the doorway. Thirza was still yelling for Matt when he went through the silver doorway to the other side.
Matt looked over Madgwick’s shoulder and gave Wiedzma the commander’s salute Jeff had taught him for serious attitude situations.
Wiedzma’s eyes widened.
Rig had somersaulted to the bottom step and was waiting with open arms for the next attack.
Jeff reached the doorway. It was starting to brighten, a clear sign that they were running out of time. The doorway was starting to close.
Holding Matt tightly against him, Madgwick hopped onto every second stone. He looked up and saw Jeff standing at the doorway, his arms open, face fierce with determination. With all his power he threw Matt into Jeff’s waiting arms. “Take him through, close the doorway,” he yelled.
Jeff caught Matt and hugged him tight. Matt’s little arms closed around his neck.
“Come on, Madgwick, Rig, come on!” begged Jeff, taking a step back towards the doorway rim.
“No, Jeff, we’re going back for Gwyndion, Azghar and Angie! Go Go!”
The chanting intensified and the door was so bright that it started to flicker. Jeff smiled at Madgwick and then with Matt still tight in his arms, he stepped back. The doorway closed in a blinding flash.
Madgwick stared at the place where the doorway had been shining brightly a few moments ago. Feeling the stepping stones start to sink, he quickly hopped back to the bank, where Rig was standing watching Wiedzma. Jeff’s dust, which had held Wiedzma tied to the tree, had disappeared when Jeff stepped through the doorway.
She was staring at them. Her face was red and her hair looked like yellow, sticky snakes. She raised her shaking hands, intending to finish them off once and for all.
Madgwick pulled the potion out of his pocket and uncorked it. The blue liquid swirled around, pleased to be escaping. He threw it at Wiedzma. The potion splashed all over her.
Wiedzma howled and started to bat at the blue that was spreading all over her body. She was starting to fade into blueness. She lifted off the ground and swirled away like a breeze on a summer’s day. She screamed obscenities at them as she hovered over them before floating away, soon disappearing into the blue skies. She was gone but not for good. Sooner or later the potion would wear off and she would be back.
Rig turned to Madgwick. “Did you see Jeff? That was our magic dust. He was using our dust as if he was a warrior, but how?”
“I don’t know. He must have taken it from one of our dreams. I don’t know how.”
“He is a strong dream catcher, stronger than any I have ever met. Maybe Galagedra will be able to explain.”
Madgwick was silent, then said, “Sorry, Rig, I made them close the doorway w
ithout us. We can’t leave just yet. We have to find Gwyndion. I am not sure how we will get back but we will deal with that when we have to.”
Madgwick spoke very matter of factly and did not sound sorry at all.
Rig was grateful Madgwick had chosen to stay with him and find Gwyndion. He looked at Madgwick’s face and saw that his friend did not need words.
Still fearful for Azghar, they both raced through the forest in the direction of where Azghar’s horrible screams were last heard.
50
The elders walked the children through the forest. They were all very quiet. All of the elders were wearing dark cloaks with hoods. Their hands were wrapped inside their sleeves and they seemed to glide over the forest floor. Only Galagedra had his hood down and seemed to be walking next to Thirza.
Jeff and Rhed were very upset that Madgwick and Rig had not come back with them.
“They said they were going to help Azghar and Angie,” said Jeff quietly.
“What about Gwyndion?” asked Rhed. His tone was flat and tired.
“Gwyndion? What is this about Gwyndion?” asked Galagedra. His normally low voice rose slightly.
“She’s a warrior and was at the castle with Matt but they could not find her,” answered Jeff.
“Gwyndion is alive! The whole of Sandustian will be in celebration. I am stunned, we watched for years but found no trace of her! They will find her, they will not fail. We will watch Drakmere through the globe for any signs and be prepared for an exit doorway.” Galagedra shook his head at the unexpected news.
“And there is always Azghar. Never underestimate Azghar,” added Thirza.
“And Angie,” said Jeff.
The trees started to sway and made a swooshing noise, so loud that Galagedra stopped short and tilted his head.
Jeff anxiously turned around, looking for a shimmer or maremist, but Galagedra laughed softly and spoke to Rhed. “The trees welcome ‘Twigwig’ home.”
Rhed tried to grin in response but his smile looked weak, as if he was not sure how to take this welcome. He checked his pockets for his pongsap root.
The elders fell away until it was only Galagedra who was walking with them. Thirza was carrying Matt who was worn out from all the fun and adventures.
“How long were we gone?’ Jeff wanted to know.
“Time flows differently in Drakmere, so although it will seem you were away for a long time, you were only gone a few days. Everyone thinks you were lost in the forest,” Galagedra explained.
“Except for your mother, Jeff, she knows the truth.”
Jeff’s brows rose and he made a mental note to ask her about it.
Soon they saw lights through the trees and Jeff recognised his house.
Galagedra stopped. “Until we meet again, young dream catcher.” He bowed to Jeff.
Galagedra nodded at Thirza before retreating back into the forest, the darkness knitting together around him.
They watched until they could not see him anymore before finally moving towards the brightness of home.
Breaking through the trees, Jeff yelled, “Mom! Dad!”
The back door flung open and his parents rushed out. The next thing he knew he was gripped in a bear hug.
Rhed’s mother was also there, hugging Rhed so tightly and sobbing so loudly that he could not get a word out.
Thirza handed the sleepy Matt to Ella while the boy tried to tell her that he had lost a tooth, that he had flown on a dragon and that he had found a grandfather.
She hugged Matt and turned to Thirza who was standing quietly to the side, the sorrow of all the lost years etched on his face. She grabbed his hand and then hugged him.
She whispered brokenly. “Mom told me you’d come home if you could, when the doorway was open, and if you could, you would come home. And here you are, home at last. I did not know what she meant until tonight. Thank you for bringing my boys home.”
Jeff and Rhed exchanged looks. There was something more here, something to certainly investigate.
A little while later Jeff sat by the window in Matt’s room, staring at the moon, wondering where Madgwick and Rig were.
Thirza leaned against the door frame. His eyes were misted at the sight of his family.
Matt snuggled into his bed. His eyes were half closed, and his mother was sitting on his bed crooning the poem that she whispered to Matt every night when she tucked him in.
Moonlit beams and sun-kissed dreams
Await you in dreamland,
Meet me at the big green tree,
We’ll go hand in hand.
But if I’m late and you get scared,
Mischief runs amok,
Raise your voice, stamp your foot and shout
smok, smok, smok.
What if Jeff went back to Drakmere to find
a cure for his best friend Rhed?
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Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1) Page 22
