"I apologize, my golden tree, I really do" said De-Stik. "I did not think I can hurt a majestic creature like you."
"Apology accepted, Mr. De-Stik the poet," the tree replied.
"How… how did you know their names?" Sai peeked from between Achtisanor's legs.
"Gogogogo…" the tree laughed, "Idrin knows, Sai."
"Idrin?" repeated Sai.
"A tree of life," explained Achtisanor. "They are very rare in this region. The dark minions have tried to exterminate them for centuries."
"Hmmmm," said Sai.
"Idrins are the source of a forest's life, and this how they received their moniker," continued Achtisanor. "They manage the forest and breathe life, energy, and fertility into them. Some say that the golden elves are developed from Idrins. Since the beginning of time, the elves and Idrins have guarded the forests and their animals."
"I could not explain it better than you, Claudiomaris," said the tree.
"But I don't see any elves around here," wondered Sai.
"There are a few," said Achtisanor. "Most of them reside in the northern forests. The elf families left this place thousands of years ago because of its closeness to Kolchis."
"I am working on sprouting new trees," Idrin apologized.
"That's wonderful," said Achtisanor. "Nature will approve."
"Knight Claudiomaris," Idrin turned to Achtisanor, speaking the elven tongue, "Patrickiomaris would have been proud to see you continuing his way to fulfil your destiny."
"My destiny?" replied Achtisanor in surprise, also in the elvish tongue.
"Gigigigi, gogogogo!" the tree laughed. "Yes, your destiny, you still have not found it."
"What?" asked Achtisanor.
"Your destiny," answered the tree and laughed. "But you are on the right way."
"Careful, I am going down," Logan shouted from above, accompanied by the rustle of leaves and branches.
Logan leaped from the last branch. Two white squibs with torn white frocks were tied to her body with a rope.
"Chase!" Fitz ran to him and untied him from Logan.
"Depree!" Sai ran to them.
"They are still unconscious," said Logan. "They are critically wounded."
They put the wounded squibs on the ground. Achtisanor examined them, closed his eyes and touched his hand to their foreheads.
"They are not well," he opened his eyes and stood.
"Oh no!" Fitz eyes filled with tears.
"What do we do?" frowned Sai.
"I can heal them," the tree said.
"Really?" asked Fitz and Sai.
"Yes," replied the tree, "but I have a little mission for you."
"A mission?" asked Krunch.
"A mission!" replied the tree.
"I am sorry, honoured tree, but we have a destination to reach," said De-Stik. "We must until tomorrow night get to the beach."
"Do not worry, my mission is brief," said the tree, "and if you succeed, I will make sure that you will all arrive on the beach in front the exact location of the city of reflections in a safe and fast way."
"Okay, Idrin," said Achtisanor, "what is the mission?"
"A noble decision, Claudiomaris," said the tree, but he turned towards Fantastick. "De-Stik the troubadour, I know that one of your biggest talents is riddle solving."
De-Stik lifted his head in pride.
"I will ask you this riddle, and when you know the answer – you may start the mission."
"Well, honoured tree, I must confess," smiled De-Stik in satisfaction, "solving riddles is what I do best."
"Well, listen you all," said the tree.
"Do not be dismayed if it hit you from above.
It may seem close, but it hides inside a trove.
If you will put them deep in the ground,
You will make me very proud."
De-Stik's brow turned into a map of thought lines. He murmured the riddle again and again.
"Well," he said, "dear tree, your riddle is easy. Its rhymes did not make me queasy. I confess, some of the words were quite distracting, but it is not something that will prevent us from questing." De-Stik looked quite smug. His companions turned to him expectantly.
"The answer is… well… something you adorn. The solution is your fruit, the acorn!"
"Gigigigi, very good, De-Stik!" said the tree. "As every oak I nurture acorns, which can cause headaches even for troubadours, and when you plant them, they will grow into young trees, make me proud as a father."
"What is the mission?" asked Logan.
"Well," answered the tree, "a few days ago my acorns fell so that the first rain will nurture them in the ground, but in the following morning – they were all gone. They were stolen by wretched soldjas that live in the rock mine, not very far from here to the north."
"Soldjas?" Fitz and Sai said with fright.
"Soldjas are the allies of the Ashon forces. They terrorize the entire area. They hunt wild animals only for the game of it. They cut down trees and burn them and badger all the passers of the forest. You must stop them and return my golden fruits!"
"We shall do it," nodded Achtisanor.
"What about Chase and Dupree?" asked Fitz.
"Leave them among my roots," said the tree. "When you come back, they will both be healthy and on their feet."
"Onwards!" called Krunch, who could never pass an opportunity for an adventure.
Chapter 13 - Soldja Bait
The sunlight grew weaker and a forbidding darkness covered the forest. When the night arrived, many nocturnal animals began to howl and growl. Their eyes shone between the tree trunks, and the rustling of bats' wings and owls were heard from the treetops.
The party marched ahead, Logan leading the way, and after her in a single line were Achtisanor, De-Stik, Krunch, and the squibs. Each one of them reached his hand forward to touch his companion, except for Krunch, who held a torch and followed nimbly after De-Stik.
Occasionally, when De-Stik bald head smacked against a low branch, he muttered a colourful, and rhyming, curse.
"We are walking for hours, and I don't see any sign of soldjas or a rock cave," grumbled Krunch, "and besides, my belly aches, and I think that it might leap out of my throat and start to hunt. And I'm also cold, and tired, and my legs have not walked this long for a very long time."
"We'll be there soon," said Logan.
"How can you even see anything in this darkness?" called Fitz. "I think I might conduct a research on elven eyes."
"It must be around here," Logan slowed her walking.
"I hate soldjas," muttered Sai from behind.
"Me also," said Fitz, "they are big, ugly and mean. Anyway, this is how my monster manual describes them."
"Hold hands so we will not be separated!" called Achtisanor from the front. They could not see him, but the mist from his mouth was quite visible. "Remember! If we need to separate, the rendezvous point is the golden tree tomorrow at noon, understood?"
"Understood," said Logan.
"Of course," said Krunch.
"Yes, yes," said the squibs.
"De-Stik?" Achtisanor turned back.
"You don't need to question me," said De-Stik, "rendezvous at the golden tree."
"Excellent," said Achtisanor, "and now, not another word! We march silently."
After a few minutes, Logan pressed Achtisanor's hand and motioned him to stop. Achtisanor continued to press De-Stik's hand. De-Stik was not quick enough to warn Krunch on the stop, and he bumped into him. The two squibs bumped in turn on Krunch and they yelped in surprise.
"Shhh!" hushed them Achtisanor, silencing them. "What happened? Logan, do you see something?"
"No," whispered Logan, "but I have a strange feeling. At first I heard the owls and the animals, but for a minute and more I can't hear them."
"Hi, look here," whispered Krunch and moved his torch to the ground.
The companions gathered around a small dagger lying on the ground.
"And look here," sai
d Sai excitedly and lifted a box of multicoloured coal pencils.
"It seems that a painter went this way," Achtisanor tried to find tracks on the ground, but for naught. The ground was dry and hard and the darkness did not help.
Achtisanor lifted his eyes and looked above. "To our left," he whispered suddenly.
The companions huddled together.
"Be ready," Achtisanor walked beside Logan, the rest of the group followed them.
"Look, over there," Logan pointed to a faint light beyond the foliage.
"Krunch, kill the light," ordered Achtisanor.
In the foothills of a big hill, a large area was cleared of trees. Large rocks were strewn around, and the light came from between them.
"Soldjas stink, no doubt about it," Logan sniffed the air, "wait here."
Logan took her hand from Achtisanor and disappeared in the dark. Her friends remained frozen in place, in fear that the slightest sound will pinpoint their position. She returned after a few minutes.
"One soldja guards the opening," she whispered, "but you can't see how many there are inside. However, from what I have been able to hear there are many – and not all of them are soldjas."
"What does it mean?" asked Achtisanor.
"Shamans," said Logan.
"Ashon priests," whispered Krunch.
"I could hear one soldja say to his friend to notify the shamans to prepare for the main course on the midnight meal," said Logan.
Achtisanor motioned the party to retreat.
"They are too many for us," he whispered and dropped his pack to the ground. "We cannot enter the cave and battle them. If we'll try to do it – we are dead. We must pull them out of the cave and battle them here in the forest, where we can arrange the battlefield to our liking and advantage."
"I know a great trick to lure some soldjas, I made it once or twice," whispered De-Stik. "My friend from Hamlin taught me this. It works so well on mice."
His friends looked at him sceptically.
"Prepare for the battle here in the glade," persuaded De-Stik, "trust me; they will march like bears going to bed."
"I can do some illusions," said Krunch.
"We can help," said Fitz, "we have some tricks you haven't seen yet."
With a torch in one hand and the harp in the other, De-Stik marched towards the soldjas cave. Every few meters he dropped a golden coin and created a trail of shining coins behind him. When he reached the clearing, he took a large breath and walked. "Ahem," he cleared his throat when he reached the cave entrance. He put the burning torch on the ground and started to pluck the cords in a joyful music. When the soldja guard looked at him, Fantastick started to sing:
"Somewhere deep the forest of old,
I have found a treasure of gold,
If you want to be rich, just follow along,
But only if you march and singing this song…"
De-Stik sang the song again and again, until several soldjas gathering at the cave entrance, looking curiously at him.
"Ah… what is this?" they asked.
"Shhh… listen, he talks about a treasure."
"Treasure? What treasure?"
"Gold, you dog!"
"Who do you call a dog?"
"You and your ugly sister!"
"Shut yer hole. Come on!"
The soldjas exited the cave and walked towards De-Stik. They were ten soldjas in all, tall and broad, their skin in a brown-reddish hue. Their faces showed an evil grimace, their ears were big, their nose red and flat and a large hunch lifted from their back. Their smiles revealed sharp teeth, and a terrible stench lifted from it. They wore furs and their legs were bundled with leather stripes. They held swords and round steel shields, which were small for their large bulk.
When they reached De-Stik, he stopped playing. "Good, I was looking for you." He stood firmly in front of their incredulous faces and said, "I see that you seek the treasure too. I have no strength to carry it one bit, if you will help me I'll give you some of it!" The soldjas smiled and an evil gleam appeared in their eyes.
"You," pointed De-Stik at one of them, "take the light."
The chosen soldja hurried to pick up the torch.
"And you," he pointed at another one, "we march in tight. Do you want to be rich beyond you imagining?" asked De-Stik as an encouraging sergeant in front of his troops.
"Yes! Yes!" yelled the soldjas and stood in an ordered line.
"Then head up high and start to sing," De-Stik turned his back and started singing:
"Somewhere deep the forest of old,
I have found a treasure of gold,
If you want to be rich, just follow along,
But only if you march and singing this song…"
De-Stik marched and soldjas followed him, trying to keep the beat and tight the lines. They sang the song in hoarse and mistuned voices:
"Silver swords and coins of gold.
If you want to be rich, just follow along,
But only if you march and singing this song…"
The soldjas choir continued to march as proud soldiers, De-Stik leading them on, into the dark forest. De-Stik played on his harp, a forced smiled on his face. When they entered the forest, the gold coins trail glimmered to the light of the torch. The soldjas started to curse one another and fight for every coin. A small light shimmered beyond the tree maze. When they approached the light, they discovered a large chest with a glimmering halo around it. Inside the open chest, the treasure was revealed: golden chains, rubies, emeralds, pearls, rings, and coins.
De-Stik stopped and smiled when he saw the treasure. He took the torch from the soldja and moved away from his greedy followers, beckoning them to act. The soldjas did not hesitate a moment; they threw down their shields and ran to the chest. They pushed one another in an effort to reach it, like a pack of hyenas fighting over a single carcass.
But it seems that the chest was not there.
The soldjas fell on the ground, running over one another, rose again and tried to reach with their stubby fingers. But they just flowed through it, and could not hold anything but air.
De-Stik looked at them from his vantage point and started singing:
"I have a treasure in the forest of old,
Silver swords and coins of gold.
But all that followed are going to be sad,
Because he is about to discover that soon he'll be dead!"
De-Stik lowered his torch to the ground, lighting the end of a fuse. He turned his head away and covered his face with his sleeve.
"What? What he saying?" the soldjas looked around.
A bright light flashed in the area with a soft bang, blinding the soldjas. They started running around with drawn swords, bumped into trunks and one another.
"My eyes! I can't see anything!" yelled one of them.
"What happened? We gone to the sun?" yelled another soldja.
"Hi, close the light," yelled one of them.
"Now," Achtisanor said, and at the same time, two arrows were shot from Logan's bow and hit two of the soldjas.
"Excellent hit," Krunch whispered, peeking behind one of the trees.
The rest of the soldjas ran around blindly with their swords swinging. One of them stabbed his friend in the stomach. Another soldja, the biggest of the pack, and it seems that he was not blinded by the flash, stood in front of Achtisanor and fought against him.
"Ready, Fitz?" asked Sai, who held the small dagger that they have found earlier, ready to cut the rope that was tied to a nearby narrow tree. Fitz, who was sitting on a branch, nodded.
The rope was cut and Fitz flew in the air and landed on a dazed soldja, who stood in shock. "Come on, run, the enemy is front of you," he said to the ear of the soldja. The soldja swung his sword and ran into one of the trees with a loud smack sound. Fitz fell from the soldja back to the gleeful cheers of Sai.
Logan leaped between branches and shot another arrow from her bow, hitting a soldja that ran towards Sai and almost trampled him
.
Krunch left his hiding place and stood between two confused soldjas.
"Hi morons, I am here," yelled Krunch and disappeared quickly back to his hiding place. The two soldjas ran immediately towards the sound but bumped into each other.
De-Stik hit with staff two other soldjas and managed to beat them to the ground.
"Aah!" Achtisanor sighed when his sword has succeeded to penetrate his enemy's defence and finished the fight.
"If I did not know you, my friend, I would say you are sneaky as an elf. This treasure looked so real, I almost took it for myself," said De-Stik to Krunch while they packed their equipment after the fight.
Krunch took the torch from the ground. One soldja, the only survivor of the fight, was bound to a tree, still dazed and a handkerchief tied around his mouth.
"And the bat flash bomb was a stroke of magnificence," De-Stik said to the squibs, "incredible and credit to your science."
"And your idea of bringing them here," said Achtisanor to De-Stik, "I must admit that I thought it would not work."
The bound soldja started to grumble under the handkerchief.
"It seems that our friend wants to tell us something," Logan rose and drew her sword.
"I found a treasure in the forest of old…" the soldja muttered when Logan cut the handkerchief with her sword, "Gold swords and silver coins…" he blinked.
"How many soldjas remain in the cave?" asked Logan and put the blade on the soldja's throat.
The soldja looked up in confusion and turned his eyes toward here in order to find focus for his wandering mind.
"How many soldjas remain in the cave?" Logan repeated.
"What do ye think, me be a traitor? I do not betray friends!" said the soldja.
"Friends, you say?" asked Logan in faked wonderment.
"Gringo, Simiko and Krump," answered the soldja.
Logan and Achtisanor smiled at one another.
"And who is also there?" asked Achtisanor.
"No rat, no traitor," the soldja said.
"Kill him!" order Achtisanor.
Logan raised her sword. "No! Why so violent? What have I done to you, man?" the soldja shook with fear and added immediately: "Wait, wait a moment, demon; if the arch-shaman Sin will hear of that, he will bring Krissum and Tessus, and they will wiggle like that and eat all of you whole, like they will do to the two… I am no rat!" the soldja hit his head on the tree to silence himself.
Logan Marsh: A Thrilling Fantasy Novel (Action Adventure,Mystery, Y/A Book 1) Page 9
