The Golden Talisman

by J. Stefan Jackson

  “He stopped cutting the vines and started using the massive sword on the trees themselves. But since the sword was actually made of gold, it became more bent and mangled with each whack. Finally, he threw down the now useless weapon and pulled the tree until it snapped near its base. Dark green sap flowed out into the corridor, which formed an additional sticky mess for him to step through. Completely frustrated, Morylan suddenly stopped, picked up the sword, and threw it at me.

  “I just happened to see him do this and was able to avoid the flying sword. I sprinted to one side of the corridor and dove headfirst into the tall grass and wildflowers growing between the immense carnacs. The sword careened down the marble floor, crushing the leading villagers before skidding on up to the very end of the corridor, where it rested precariously over the side of the stone staircase.

  “The rest of the villagers slid on the gooey mixture that a moment ago had been their comrades. One by one they toppled to the ground, falling on top of each other as they looked back anxiously at Morylan, who quickly bore down on them all. In the midst of this confusion, several miahluschkas gathered around me. I immediately got back to my feet, and they cautiously moved away from me. They were now far more fearful of me than I was of them.

  “Once I was back in the corridor, I started running again. The marble floor was slippery with blood and gore, and I eluded the grasp of at least one villager that tried to tackle me. I was soon in the lead again.

  “The gap between us steadily increased and I kept running until I reached the sword, which still hung over the top of the staircase. I crawled underneath the huge, twisted blade, carefully avoiding the gore that clung to it and which had collected in puddles upon the stairs below it. When I was far enough away from the carnage, I scrambled as quickly as possible to reach the bottom. I jumped down onto the gravel pathway and immediately raced for the pond. By then, I had a huge lead over everyone else. The villagers seemed unable to look past the liquid remains of their comrades trickling down the stairs. It wasn’t until Morylan caught up to them that they finally ran after me in earnest.

  “The marble giant bent down to pick up his useless sword, nearly dropping it before snatching it up into his hands. For some reason, he wouldn’t pursue any of us down the staircase. Instead, he glowered in anger while fidgeting back and forth as if he wasn’t sure what to do next. Obviously, his maker never believed anything that ran from him would ever be able to make it past this point.

  “I noted most of this from over my shoulder as I ran. I soon reached the bridge to cross over the pond. After I climbed up onto it, I paused to take another look behind me. For the moment, the villagers didn’t seem as interested in me. They were fascinated instead by something in the water just to my left. I took a quick look as well, glancing over the side of the bridge while maintaining my guard. At first, I couldn’t see what caused the air bubbles in the churning water. But I did notice they were moving swiftly toward me. My heart began to feel the now familiar panic as the ducks and geese suddenly flew away from the pond in fright.

  “The disturbance in the water caused the bridge to sway suddenly, and I lost my grip on the railing and fell hard on my ass. I wouldn’t need another look, and certainly wasn’t foolish enough to take one either. I only hoped the immense fish I just saw wasn’t able to bite through the wood and rope of the swinging bridge to get me.

  “Cautiously, I got back on my feet again, crouching below the railing. I thought about getting off the bridge, but the villagers had already climbed on and were pursuing me from a safe distance. I had no choice but to move ahead. Even though the villagers hadn’t been a very large threat as of yet, I took nothing for granted in this place. Once I neared the middle of the pond, I peered over the edge and saw that the fish were getting even bigger. Their cold and hungry eyes seemed to follow my progress from just below the water’s surface.

  “Suddenly, several of the fish flew into the air above the bridge, snapping their jaws wildly. I now had my first good look at them. They were horrifying. When their jaws opened, I saw row upon row of sharp jagged teeth. They could easily suspend themselves in the air with large red fins that fanned out into wing-like appendages with razors on the ends. I barely avoided being filleted by one of these monsters as it came at me. It missed, but caused me to fall. Meanwhile, my pursuers used this opportunity to make up the lost ground between us. They crept within a few feet of me, and I was forced again to resume my trip across the bridge.

  “I hadn’t made it far when one particularly large fish crashed onto the bridge directly in front of me. It flipped around with its teeth gnashing at my legs and feet. Unfortunately, I was left with little room to maneuver, since I could hear the excited clicking noises from the bastards coming up right behind me.

  “The fish flipped itself toward my chest. At the same time it flew up, I dropped and rolled under it, the fish’s sharp fins grazing the back of my T-shirt, easily ripping it with its razors. The villager right behind me wasn’t so lucky. The fish flipped upward again and latched its deadly jaws onto its face. Blood and some grayish goo squirted everywhere as the surprised fucker howled in pain, falling to its knees in a desperate effort to free itself.

  “This struggle kept them all at bay for a few minutes, and I used this advantage to gain a sizable lead. After dodging past two more flying fish, I finally neared the other side of the pond. That’s when I heard a tremendous roar coming from the stone staircase nearly a quarter of a mile behind me. I turned to look and saw Morylan swing his bloodied sword wildly above his head. For whatever reason, he remained where he was just above the staircase, bellowing angry and nonsensical sounds at me. Then, he took a step back and hurled the sword in my direction one last time. The heavy weapon landed just beyond the middle of the bridge, twisting and snapping it into two pieces. The terrified villagers screeched loudly as they fell into the water.

  “I made it to the pond’s other side just before my side of the bridge was pulled underwater by the force of the blow delivered to it. I might’ve been all right anyway, for the fish paid little attention to me, choosing my adversaries instead that were conveniently gathered in the middle of the pond. I climbed up the grassy bank overlooking the pond and sat down, trying to catch my breath again before moving on. Beyond the pond, I saw Morylan fall down to his knees atop the staircase. With his headdress now removed, he buried his face in his hands. Beyond the towering trees behind him stood what was left of the golden spike, looming only fifty feet or so above the tree line.

  “I needed to get going. I stood and walked over to the path leading to the grove of fruit trees I’d visited that morning with Genovene. I hadn’t gone far when I heard another huge rumble coming from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I didn’t immediately see anything different from a moment ago. But then I saw Morylan look up toward an enormous black cloud hovering above the remnants of the golden spike. Bolts of lightning flashed around it as the cloud rumbled again. The last of the spike melted away until it completely disappeared from view. As it did, the cloud steadily grew larger before moving toward me.

  “I couldn’t fucking believe it. I mean, it was like there was no end to this shit! I started running for the grove. A gusty breeze soon blew through the meadow around me, bending the tall grass and wildflowers to the ground. The wind continued to get worse until I stepped inside the cool expanse of the grove.

  “I was again impressed by the huge fruit trees that Genovene had called Somilas. I remembered the gentile breath-like sounds they had made earlier. They were quiet now, and like everything else in this hellish place, what was once benevolent was now presented with an ominous evil. The trees were awake.

  “I slowed my pace and warily looked around. The dim stillness made the grove a hell of lot spookier than it’d been earlier, and the deeper I moved into it the less light there was. Suddenly, I heard something move to my right. I quickly turned my head but saw nothing. Then something moved again, only this time it was on the left side of the p
ath. I stopped and looked over there, but again detected nothing out of place. Maybe what I heard was the trees’ fruit falling to the ground. Yes, that was it...some ripe ‘Somalian’ fruit dropping.

  “That logic began to comfort me, until I glimpsed a tree’s root rise out of the ground and take a step forward. I was only a quarter of the way into the grove, and I considered turning around and going back. But that meant I’d be dealing with other unknown dangers while I tried to find some other way home. What if Morylan had somehow followed me and was waiting for me just outside the grove? ‘What’ would I do then? Maybe even Genovene was there, too, hoping I’d panic and frantically run back out of this place. Hell, even if neither was there, what about the dark cloud I saw?

  “A loud thud resounded from behind me to my left. As soon as I looked in that direction, another loud thud came from my right side. I whirled around, peering as best I could into the dimness. The decision I’d just debated over had now been made for me. Seven trees had closed in around me, leaving only the path ahead presently unblocked. Another tree approached the path, and I could tell it intended to close me in.”

  Shaking his head, Jack softly addressed Peter again. “You know, Agent McNamee...I was pretty fucking frazzled by this time. I was weary and exhausted, and so goddamned tempted to simply collapse upon the ground and go no further. But just as I felt this suicidal urge, sudden warmth enveloped me. I didn’t physically hear a voice this time, but I felt something powerfully impressed upon my mind. It was like, ‘don’t give in, Jack—the path will protect you!’.

  “I mustered up my courage and took a few steps forward. The eighth tree lifted a root from the ground and crashed it across the path in front of me, shaking the very earth as it met the gravel surface. Within the next few seconds the tree would completely block the path. I bravely sprinted toward it just as it lifted another root to pull itself around and directly block me. In the very instant it lifted its root, I dove and rolled underneath it. The root slammed down where I’d been just a split second before.

  “I was now behind the trees. I stood up and ran, hearing a loud, meaty, breath-like sound coming from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and was surprised to find what I’d originally thought was the back of the tree I’d just slipped past was actually the front. There was a face on the trunk, and it sneered contemptuously at me. The eyes, nose, and mouth were clearly defined, though if these features hadn’t been moving, I might’ve never detected their existence. It rumbled as it spoke something to me, though I couldn’t figure out what it said. It must’ve been an order to stop me in some way, because the other trees in the grove started moving toward the path.

  “Other trees tried to halt me with their branches, but I kept running. When I was within a hundred feet of the grove’s exit, they crowded the path along its remaining length. One stepped in front of me. I moved to the right as if I was going to try to really move in that direction. When the tree went for the fake I ran to the left instead. Despite my dexterity, I narrowly escaped in one piece, receiving a reminder of just how close it’d been as a long scratch from a branch drew blood along the outside of my right leg.

  “I was just about to leave the grove when I happened to look over to my right. Immediately I stopped moving. Banjo and his playmates were suspended in the air within a circle of five trees less than eighty feet away. They were hanging from the trees’ branches. A sixth tree moved within the circle and now approached the tree from which Banjo hung.

  “He was putting up quite a struggle, kicking his legs desperately. A branch was wrapped tightly around his snout to keep him quiet while two others were wrapped around his mid-section and shoulders to keep him from escaping. The other four animals remained motionless, with strips of bloody flesh and fur hanging from their torn bodies. The middle tree closed in on Banjo.

  “‘What the fuck am I supposed to do now?’ In my mind I knew I should just get the hell out of there, to save my own skin. But my heart wouldn’t let me do it. I couldn’t bring myself to desert my friend, even if he was just an animal.

  “Fearing I’d surely regret it, I ran off the path and raced to the circle. After eluding the outstretched branches from more trees that pursued me, I reached the trees holding the animals, moving around the circle I finally came to the one that held Banjo.

  “He was suspended nearly fifteen feet above the ground—obviously far beyond my reach. To make matters worse, the middle tree was in the process of positioning a branch directly in front of him, the twigs at the end of the branch contorted into a menacing claw. As it raised this branch to strike Banjo, I kicked the tree holding him. Sharp pain ripped through me, from my toes to my knee, and I cried out in agony. But, surprisingly this caused the tree holding Banjo to move its branch the instant before the middle tree’s claw came downward. The claw missed Banjo by just a hair, crashing into the ground and snapping two of its twigs off.

  “Both trees turned toward me as I limped out of their reach. Despite the pain in my foot I approached the tree holding Banjo again, bravely kicking it with my other foot. The tree swung around, trying to grab me with another of its branches. It missed me completely, but it hit the tree holding the dead fawn on its face. That tree dropped the fawn’s carcass to the ground. To my surprise—and this is the honest-to-God-truth—it then swung a branch with its twigs all balled up in a roll-like fist and pummeled the tree holding Banjo on the face. It let out a rumble of pain and dropped Banjo to the ground, turning its full attention toward the other tree.

  “As ridiculous as this sounds, an all out fight broke out between the two of them, and in the confusion that followed, I ran into the circle, picked up Banjo, and threw him over my shoulder as I dodged past the middle tree and the others now preoccupied by the tree battle. I then raced back to the path.

  “The entire grove was in an uproar and couldn’t organize themselves in time to stop us from leaving. All they could do was throw their fruit at us. Fortunately they had terrible aim, although one somila’s fruit glanced off my shoulder and landed on the ground. When it did, it burst open and some acid-like shit poured out, sizzling and foaming as it burned a hole in the ground. I ran even harder.

  “Once we left the grove, the somilas didn’t pursue us anymore. When I was certain we were out of their range and truly safe, I sat Banjo down on the path and dropped to my knees from exhaustion. Every time I got tired, it was worse than before, and it took longer for me to recover. Thankfully, Banjo didn’t move away from me this time, because I wouldn’t have been able to stop him. He put his front hooves on my shoulder and eagerly licked me on the face, bleating repeatedly in my ear.

  “I was relieved he was unharmed, despite his own ordeal. I scolded him for almost getting killed, wondering why he and his buddies didn’t stay put in the meadow like they were supposed to. He just looked at me curiously while I petted him. I looked to the side of the path where I’d watched him and the other animals at play earlier. The ground was completely scorched and the grass and wildflowers were burned away from that entire portion of the meadow. Whatever had caused this, it had done so fairly recently, as smoldering flames burned the remaining grass near the path.

  “I worried for a moment the somilas had done this, and that they might be coming for us soon after all. But, when I saw the damage to the meadow extended for several acres on either side of the path, I knew something else was responsible for this.

  “I spotted a pair of crumpled and shredded robes lying on the ground not far from us, and I moved over to get a better look at the mangled garments. Lying next to them were the partially eaten and charred remains of the two miahluschkas Genovene had assigned to watch over Banjo. Their torn bodies were violated so badly, at first glance I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking at. But once I stooped down to examine the half-eaten torso of one of the critters and its exposed internal organs, along with the shattered skull of the other one, I soon verified what they once were. I was surprised at how similar they were to the rest of the
human race—unlike Genovene and the others.

  “I moved back over to the path, keeping Banjo close by me. It didn’t take long to find out what was coming next, for no sooner than we reached the path again, a solid gust of wind was there to greet us. An ominous dark shadow suddenly obscured the late afternoon sunshine that had so recently bathed us in its warmth.

  “I grabbed Banjo and ran to the river. I didn’t need to verify the cloud from earlier was above us. I looked up anyway just in time to see a pair of misty appendages grow from the cloud and reach for us, bringing more gusts of wind and bolts of lightning down into the meadow. The cloud was much larger now, and its wind fierce enough to throw me to the ground. Once I was able to stand again, I couldn’t maintain my balance, falling a number of times while struggling to hold onto Banjo.

  “The sheer force of the assault grew stronger and stronger until the powerful gusts finally knocked us down to the point where neither of us could stand up. I crawled toward the stone bridge while holding onto Banjo’s collar, dragging the terrified animal with me. Even though it was less than a hundred feet away, I didn’t think we’d ever reach the bridge.

  “The cloud’s darkening arms continued to solidify until they were clearly defined and muscular that included hands and lucid fingers. I swear to God I’m telling you the truth, Agent McNamee, but I can’t blame you if you don’t believe me. I know I scarcely believed I was really seeing this shit!

  “Somehow we reached the bridge. I climbed on first and then pulled Banjo up with me, being careful not to strangle him. The cloud’s hands grasped the sides of the bridge, sending an immediate tremor throughout the stone structure. Powerful gusts blew across it, and torrid lightning strikes, which had been landing closer and closer to us, now crept to within a few feet. The crackling and sizzling sounds were near unbearable, but we kept going.