The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight

by Donald Allen Kirch

  Rohan stopped. His attention was drawn towards the Argo.

  "What is it, Rohan?" Jatel asked.

  The elf could not bring himself to speak. For, when facing the unknown, an elf was just as flabbergasted as his human counterparts.

  "Look!" Dorian pointed at Rohan's bow.

  The bow, resting upon the elf's shoulder, started to blaze red.

  All turned back, focusing upon the Argo.

  The ship looked as they all had left it. There appeared to be nothing out of place. There was a fire burning bright upon the deck, but other than that, all was as it had been.

  Still, there was an uncertainty in the air.

  "Kai!" Ka-Ron finally said.

  Upon the mention of the witch's name, Jatel became quite defensive. He knew that if the woman wanted to reach his master, there was really nothing that he could do to stop her. But, like all men who care, he felt better in the mere performance on an attempt to provide comfort.

  This did not pass the attention of the knight.

  "Calm yourself, young squire." Ka-Ron stated kindly. The woman held Jatel's hands tightly. "We are not without a plan, dear sir. We have rather worthy friends who have all known the sting of battle."

  "Kai has her magic, sire."

  "Sadly, Jatel, that is all she has."

  Jatel, in an act of solidarity, kissed his master upon her forehead. If nothing else, he wished to offer comfort, in hopes that he himself would become less burdened with his own insecurities.

  Above the Argo, there appeared a mystic storm of some kind. There came from the dark growing clouds a thunderous laughter. Upon hearing the voices, everyone in Ka-Ron's party turned his attentions towards Keeth.

  Keeth had no idea what was going on.

  "Well, wizard?" Dorian asked.

  "Well, what?"

  The dwarf pointed his ax up toward the growing clouds. "Have you some answers for us?"

  "Nope," Keeth shrugged. "Nothings coming to mind."

  Both Dorian and Rohan gave the old man a harsh glance.

  "Some wizard you are," Rohan huffed. The elf started pulling arrows from his back pouch.

  "Just because I'm a wizard, that doesn't mean I have an answer for every talking cloud we run across." Keeth rushed forward and headed towards his ship.

  "I think you pissed him off," Jatel said, laughing softly.

  "Oh, I'm pretty sure he's pissed," Ka-Ron added.

  "So what!" the elf concluded.

  The entire team followed Keeth.

  The bog's water felt different to everyone in the group, as they had to wade in the giant ancient sailing pool in order to reach the ship. At first, the bitter cold of the water reminded all of their first encounter, but, as their bodies became used to the bog, the difference became apparent.

  The water was aware.

  As if controlled by an invisible hand, the water started to churn, bubble, solidify, and take on shape.

  "Great gods! What is all this?" Dorian shouted, his head just barely above the waves.

  "Hold on, my little friend," Rohan added, offering his hand for the dwarf to take.

  "Take care of yourself, elf!" Dorian barked. "I'll manage."

  "You'll drown."

  "Then I won't have to worry anymore!"

  Rohan laughed. In his mirth, he patted Dorian's head and played with his hair. In doing so, everyone within the group, in their own little ways, started to realize that Dorian's response was unlike that of any other dwarf's. Dwarfs, by their very nature, do not like to be touched. They are as solitary as monks. If a dwarf ever showed emotions, other than gruffness and spite, it is usually towards a fellow dwarf.

  There was more than gruff and spite in Dorian's eyes.

  That much was clearly apparent.

  "You will do well, dear friend." Rohan laughed. "Come! Let us investigate."

  A wall of water rose above the Argo, taking on solidity. By sheer volume, the water made the ship look like a tiny toy left behind by a troubled child who felt himself late for dinner.

  "Upon my nose, what is that?" the dwarf asked, hopping up upon a stone to gain a footing. It took all Dorian's attention to help tear his eyes away from those of his elfin friend.

  In the form of water, fish, seaweed, and sand Kai stepped from the wall of water. Her projection glared down upon those who stood before her.

  "Total elemental projection of one's astral being!" Keeth surmised. "A cheap trick if ever I've seen one."

  "Huh?" was all Ka-Ron could state, looking up at Kai's giant facsimile with both trepidation and a sad sense of inadequacy.

  "So," Kai's voice thundered. Her mouth appeared to be made out of several loose tree limbs and coral shells. Upon looking closer, the crew of the Argo could see a school of fish swimming within the confines of her chest.

  "Before words are cast," Keeth interrupted, holding up a warning hand. "I wish to know your intentions."

  "Intentions, wizard," Kai said. She cocked her watery head to one side. "Why, I intend to make our brave knight suffer as much as any mortal can, and if I have to kill you along the way, well, I'll consider that a bonus."

  "Looks like we're in trouble," Dorian grumbled, taking root upon his rock.

  Silent eyes told the dwarf to keep his thoughts to himself.

  Reluctantly, Dorian took the advice.

  "This woman is under my supreme protection," Keeth warned.

  "Then, wizard, start protecting!"

  With a wave of her hands, Kai caused the bog to boil up in response to her orders. Huge hands came from either side of the pool. Their aim was to smash the small party where they stood.

  Keeth clapped his hands together.

  "I call upon the universe to listen to my pleas," Keeth prayed.

  "Oh, please! Give me a break." Kai laughed. "Where did you learn your skills? A carnival?"

  "I call on the power of energy; folded by the speed of light, and compounded by the natural laws of forces in motion. Hear me!" Keeth's face became as pale as a dead man's. Whatever he was planning was taking quite a lot out of him. "Bring forth my wrath and focus it upon the elemental force before me. In the name of my masters, my teachers, and my own inner god, I command thee! Attack!"

  From Keeth's hands, there came forth a bright ray of energy. It radiated outward into all directions, until its power was focused upon the elemental image of Kai. With all his concentration, the wizard directed his magic towards the heart of the beast.

  As the energy ray attacked Kai, the Wicca Master laughed.

  "Great Wizard!" Kai mocked, "Is this the best you can do?"

  "Not by much, madam." Keeth turned his attention to Rohan. "Would you be so kind as to shoot a silver arrow into that, Rohan?"

  The elf needed no other coaching.

  In a flash, he reached, pulled, and aimed an arrow at Kai's image.

  "You will not!" Kai insisted.

  Upon hearing the threat, the elf smiled.

  "Witch, you do not rule me," Rohan stated, letting the arrow go.

  The silver arrow launched, and its flight made its mark within the center of Kai's watery chest. In doing so, Rohan was quite amused at the fact that he had managed to stake two swimming fish within the school spotted earlier. The arrow stayed its course, floating in the icy water.

  "Back to you, wizard, the elf said, putting his bow away.

  Keeth called up more energy, focusing his attention now on the storm cloud Kai had used to announce her arrival. He remembered simple teachings of his earlier years. He remembered the facts about water.

  "Wizard," Kai laughed, only mildly reacting towards the invasion of the arrow. "Your powers are nothing compared to mine."

  Keeth would not listen. Instead, he concentrated all of his attention upon the cloud which continued to hover above Kai's elemental image. After a while, a spark came from the cloud. The spark continued to grow in both size and power. The wizard started to move his hands and fingers with a purpose. The words coming from his mouth were s
o low, that those around him thought he was just muttering to himself.

  All was going according to his plan.

  "And what is this?" Kai asked, amused. "Fireworks?"

  "After a fashion, madam." Keeth giggled.

  As fast as his laughter had arisen, Keeth's face turned stern. He thrust his hands outward, as if to command some unseen force just recently obtained. Again, a bolt of energy responded to his chantings.

  From the cloud, bolts of lightening began to strike at the heart of the Wicca Master.

  Kai reacted violently. Screaming and being pushed aback, the woman almost landed on the Argo.

  "What have you done?" Kai asked.

  "Never mess with a wizard who knows his way around electricity, madam."

  Kai was hit again with another bolt of energy. This time, everyone with the wizard could see where the lightening struck. It was hitting the silver arrow, shot into her by Rohan.

  Kai started to lose her shape.

  Drop by little drop, the Wicca Master began to disappear.

  "And don't come back!" the wizard warned.

  Kai collapsed upon herself, letting out a scream of helplessness and outrage. Showering the Argo and her crew with an innocent rain, the clouds above the ship dispersed, and Kai was gone.

  "Well," Keeth huffed with satisfaction. "That was interesting."

  As the wizard trotted ahead, alone, Ka-Ron and Jatel stared long and hard into the questioning eyes of their elf and dwarfish friends. They mildly mocked the wizard, who appeared to be many years younger in spirit, having successfully prevented Kai from achieving her evil intentions.

  "I think he rather enjoyed that," Rohan stated, securing his gear.

  "I think he's mad," Dorian offered.

  "Which is why we need him," Ka-Ron concluded.

  All followed the wizard, having a greater confidence in his protection.

  ***

  Upon boarding the Argo, everyone heard the curious sounds. They took on the suggestions of someone crying out for help. Then, as time passed, they sounded like a sort of shouting. Whatever their intentions, they were clearly heard by all.

  "Molly!" Jatel said, running toward the cabin doors. "She could have been affected by the death of Voslow."

  Ka-Ron joined her squire.

  Upon opening their cabin door, Jatel and Ka-Ron found that their world just became a little more complicated.

  ***

  The cabin door opened.

  Both Molly and En-Don stopped.

  Jatel and Ka-Ron stood still, looking stupefied.

  In the shock of being caught in a rather intimate position, Molly let out a soft scream. As any decent woman would, she reached for a blanket and covered herself.

  En-Don looked on, guilt clearly evident upon his face.

  "Ah, sorry," Jatel stated as he quickly closed the door.

  It took several beats before either Molly or En-Don reacted.

  Both burst out in laughter.

  "I think your mother hates me even more, now."

  "Really?" En-Don's face mocked sincerity. "How could you tell?"

  It had been some time since Molly had the feelings of a mortal woman. And, sitting atop such a handsome young man, with him deeply inside of her, she was in her own personal heaven. There was nothing better than this moment.

  "Your mother's going to kill me."

  "She cannot," En-Don insisted.

  "En-Don," Molly said, beaming. "You'd come to my rescue?"

  "Of course," the young man confirmed, grabbing her by the waist. "But that is not what I meant. I meant to state that it would be impossible for my mother to kill you, now."

  "Why?"

  En-Don grinned, kissing Molly upon her hanging breasts. "Because, my dear lady, I have her sword."

  "My hero," Molly purred, enjoying.

  Both continued with their lovemaking, knowing full and well that drama and persecution awaited for the both of them on the other side of the cabin door.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Jatel let go of the door knob as if it were on fire. He couldn't seem to shake the mental picture in his mind. His son, less than a phase old, was in bed, making love to a full-grown adult woman. And a woman who was a vampire, no less. As odd occurrences, this one took the cake!

  Ka-Ron mumbled to herself.

  "But&but&but&" the knight kept saying. A battle of wills, rules, and common sense were raging in Ka-Ron's skull, and no one had the courage to bring a halt to it.

  "Sire," Jatel said, trying his best to calm Ka-Ron down.

  Ka-Ron bolted. Backing away from everyone, she switched her attention constantly from her friends to the closed door of her cabin.

  "He's still a babe," Ka-Ron cried. The tears coming down her cheeks spoke volumes. The pain was quite profound. "He is not ready for this! He barely knows his alphabet!"

  "He seemed to know what he was doing," Dorian said.

  Both Keeth and Rohan hit the dwarf with a tactful hand.

  "What did I say?" the dwarf rebutted.

  Jatel approached Ka-Ron, who, in response to his closeness, softly surrendered. She wrapped her arms around her love and wept. Glancing off towards his friends, Jatel calmly took hold of his master. He raised his eyes to the heavens, silently thanking them for his master's acceptance.

  "I've lost my son even before I had a chance to know him," Ka-Ron cried.

  "Nonsense," Jatel whispered, kissing his master upon her forehead. "In the long term, Ka-Ron, we will get to know him better."

  "How?"

  "What better way to know someone, than to see how they in turn love another?"

  Ka-Ron gave in to the inevitable.

  ***

  "Prepare to get underway!" Keeth shouted, stationing himself between the ship's wheel and his row of control levers.

  Both Rohan and Dorian responded.

  With ease, the dwarf pulled up the Argo's bow anchors. Rohan put the gangplank in place, and secured all the ship's lines. Each did his part to help the vessel get underway. All stood at a respectful distance away from both Ka-Ron and Jatel, who were still recovering from their parental shock.

  Keeth pulled down on two levers and pulled back up on one.

  Again the Argo clicked, vibrated, and rolled to life.

  The ship became airborne.

  "To The Fire Mountains!" the wizard shouted, turning the wheel until it could not be turned anymore.

  Having cast one last glance towards Mull Garden, Keeth was happy to see a small group of villagers approaching the ancient castle. Once more, after the fear passed, people would live within her walls. Perhaps, just perhaps, her great history would be saved. The wizard went further with his assumptions: History was not through with Mull Garden. Her legacy continued still.

  For Keeth, that was a satisfying feeling.

  Ka-Ron sat silent upon Jatel's lap, glancing down at her tiny feet. Her shoes were ruined by the muddy waters of the bog, and there appeared to be no replacements. She waited for Kai's spell to take hold.

  She was not disappointed.

  Slowly, the stains in her shoes siphoned away. The tears and soiled marks faded as if a bad memory. Her shoes returned to their former glory.

  For once, the knight did not curse the Wicca Master.

  "Shoes are quite expensive in this economy," Ka-Ron mused to herself. "Better that magic replace them."

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a kiss from her squire. Ka-Ron closed her eyes and beamed. Her position in Jatel's arms was not unpleasant.

  "Better, now?" Jatel asked, nibbling on her ear.

  "Somewhat." Ka-Ron turned her head, making Jatel's task easier to accomplish. "I knew this day would come, Jatel. To be honest, however, I imagined it seventeen seasons down the road."

  "Hmmm&an interesting road, to say the least."

  "An understatement."

  The Argo disappeared from the Cibolan skyline, only to become a memory for storytellers, historians, and those seeking to thrill maidens on a f
oggy night.

  ***

  Molly woke, blinking her eyes.

  By all appearances, both she and En-Don had slept through the course of the morning, into the darkness of night. This amused her. After several seasons, being a vampire, she still was a night owl. Her mother was correct: bad habits were indeed hard to break. But, thankfully, that was now all in the past. For the first time, in a long time, Molly was hungry for food. She started to crave a fried piece of fish. She didn't care what kind it was, she only knew that is what she wanted to help start off her sun. Perhaps a warm glass of sheep's milk. Anything but blood.

  En-Don snored.

  Deep within his corner of the bed, Molly's love battled with the forces of the nocturne, and raised up one hell of a storm. It almost made the scene comical, if it had not been for the sweet fact that his ass poked out from under the sheets. That sight alone made the racket En-Don was causing somewhat bearable.

  "Zzzzzzzzzz."

  Molly winced at the noise.

  "Oh, enough!" she playfully yelled, slapping En-Don upon his butt. "Wake up, my noisy prince."

  "What?" En-Don's head popped up, and he searched.

  "Time to rise and face the music, dear."

  En-Don surrendered to the battle which lay before him. Although he was still new to this world, he was not naive enough to believe that his mother and father would accept his interest in Molly. Not even after her becoming mortal again.

  The young man lowered his head and shook it in a troubled manner.

  "We'd better," En-Don said, turning to face his love.

  En-Don had all intentions of giving Molly a kiss, but, upon facing her, he was taken aback.

  "No!" Molly screamed, placing a shaking hand outward, as if to order En-Don to keep his distance.

  "Molly, what's wrong?"

  The young man got up, strapped on his armor, and tried to approach his love. He could not understand why she kept avoiding him.

  "Molly?" En-Don pleaded. "Tell me, what have I done?"

  En-Don found his answer as she passed in front of a mirror.

  "Dear gods!" the young man stated, placing a trembling hand up to his lips.

  En-Don's mind raced as he inspected his reflection.