by Nick McNeil
“Sir, what do we need to grab? I thought we packed everything?” Roderick asked.
“Roderick!” Bertly shouted. “Can you not last one minute? I thought we agreed, no questions until Noskar.” Bertly noticed that both Polly and Dev bit their fingers as they attempted to hold back smiles.
Roderick’s eyes widened. “Sorry, sir.” He instantly broke eye contact with Bertly and looked forward down the pathway.
The group continued down the dirt road and toward a thick forest. On each side of the path was luscious green grass, which stood higher than Bertly’s waist. Random lavender plants spread across the entire field, adding a fresh smell to the air. A few leagues past the Academy was a dense forest that stood in between the school and the village. It was clustered with trees ten times taller than a giant.
“I am personally excited to visit the college town. In my seven years, I have never been.” Bertly could tell Dev was trying to ease the tension with his little announcement.
“The town is modest in size, but it has the necessities. Most of the occupants are storeowners. I think most of the business comes from Academy students trying to get supplies in order to create their own potions,” Bertly replied.
“I am curious, what are we picking up, Bertly?” Polly asked as she walked with an enormous map of Pangea spread wide open.
Bertly hesitated. “Food…for our fifth companion.” Bertly started to kick a rock down the dirt path.
“Oh…right.” Polly gave a half grin and continued to survey the map. “Bertly, do you think we could make one quick stop on our way to Noskar? There’s a place along the way that has intrigued me for quite some time.” She looked up from her map. “It really is no detour. I am sure Cl—” Polly stuttered. Bertly shot her a wide-eyed look, alerting her to the fact that she’d nearly spoiled the surprise. “I am sure they could use the break anyway.”
Bertly kicked the rock down the dirt path once more. “Hmm, what kind of detour?”
“The Eternal Cave. It’s between the White Lake and Stonebank.” Polly smiled as wide as seemed possible. “Please, Bertly.”
Bertly burst out laughing. “You don’t seriously believe that old myth, do you?” He wound his leg back and kicked the rock as hard as he could. It flew off to the side and was lost in the tall grass.
“What myth, sir?” Roderick asked.
Bertly stopped walking and turned. “Roderick.” A vein was bulging from Bertly’s forehead. He could feel it protruding. “If you ask one more question, I swear on my own good looks, I will seal your lips shut until we get to Noskar. Do I make myself clear?”
Roderick gulped. “Yes, sir.”
Bertly turned back around and started kicking another pebble down the dirt path. “Sorry, Polly, but I don’t think we will have the time.”
“Oh, come on, Bertly, it will take less than an hour—the cave is tiny. I know you love magical treasure.” Polly folded her map up. “Plus, this is my spirit quest, too. Shouldn’t I have some say in where we go?”
“Magical treasure? Count me in,” Dev said.
Bertly grunted and kicked another rock into the tall pasture. “I suppose we can make a brief stop, Polly.” Bertly stopped walking and glanced up. The pathway was blocked by a wall of redwood trees.
“It sure is dark, sir. I hope the forest isn’t too thick.” Roderick’s voice trembled. Bertly could hear his footsteps creeping closer to him, and when he looked back, he saw that Roderick was gripping his travel sack tight and was following Bertly so close he was only a hair behind him. Bertly sighed. His instinct was to taunt his apprentice, but he also understood that a good master knew when to provide comfort. Bertly figured this was one of those times.
“I would not worry, Roderick, this forest is quite new. It hasn’t had time to grow much yet. That’s why it still has no name.” Bertly marched forward. “Let’s not waste any time, then.”
After the first dense row of trees, the plants thinned and the air grew humid and warm. Bertly felt small beads of water drip onto his face from the water built up on the tree leaves. The ground was soft from the constant water falling onto it. Plants and flowers emerged from every inch of the forest floor, making the forestry appear beautiful and alive. When Bertly took his attention from his immediate surroundings and looked closely into the distance, he could see small flickering lights.
“It looks like you lucked out today, Roderick.” Bertly slapped him on the back, causing him to nearly fall forward. “It seems the forest is quite small.”
Roderick exhaled. “Thank Cordelia.” He adjusted his posture and started marching forward alongside Bertly.
“What are you going to do when we get to the mountains, little apprentice?” Bertly asked, emitting a small chuckle.
“What do you mean, sir? Are the mountains dangerous?” Roderick shook his head. “No, wait, I mean…” Roderick’s eyes were shifting about to look in all directions as he was stuttering. Bertly could tell he was trying to rephrase what he had said so it wouldn’t be a question. “I meant, I had no clue the mountains were dangerous.”
Bertly frowned and gave a slow nod.
Where the group emerged from the forest, the dirt road returned, and just down the pathway was a charming village filled with several shops and homes. The town was lit by lanterns hanging from street posts and store porches. There were antique stores, potion shops, a tailor, as well as a blacksmith. Despite the sun having set, townsfolk were walking in and out of stores and wandering along the streets. In between the retail shops, there were saloons inviting potential customers inside with live music playing.
“I present to you…” Bertly spread his arms out like wings. “The village that never sleeps.”
“Polly, maybe we should ditch Master Bertly and Roderick and do our spirit quest here,” Devdan cracked. He gazed around the lively town, and Bertly watched as Devdan became visibly distracted by every young woman who walked in or out of the nearby saloons.
Polly had her eyes locked on the live band inside a bar across the road. “You don’t need to convince me.” Polly chuckled. She pointed toward a store sign. “Maybe the Drunkin’ Dragon has a scale we can steal.” The entire group burst out laughing.
Bertly interrupted the joyous laughter to bring them back to earth, “We can come back to celebrate after our spirit quest. For now, we must get a move on. The sun is nearly set. Everyone grab any last-minute supplies and meet back here in fifteen minutes.”
The group nodded in agreement and parted ways.
As Roderick began to split from the group, Bertly grabbed him by the collar. “I don’t think so. You’re staying where I can see you.” Bertly let go of Roderick’s collar and led the way.
Roderick followed closely behind him. “Can I ask just one question, sir?” he muttered.
“No,” Bertly stated. “Even if I said yes, you’ve just wasted your one question asking me if you could ask a question.” Bertly glanced over toward Roderick.
Roderick let out a big sigh, his shoulders slumped, his gaze fell to the ground, and he kicked up dirt.
“Okay, fine, one question,” Bertly said.
Roderick straightened his back and cleared his throat. “I don’t mean to question you, sir, but something has been worrying me.”
“Roderick, spit it out,” Bertly groaned.
Roderick exhaled. “Do you think it is a wise decision to go on such a dangerous mission with me as your apprentice, sir?” His voice quivered.
“Roderick, I will emphasize this again.” Bertly placed his hand on Roderick’s shoulder as they continued to walk. He had to speak louder than usual in order for Roderick to hear him over the music that filled the streets. “I am the first red-eyed human since Cordelia. I do not worry myself with odds, chances, or luck. I already know I am lucky, there is no denying it.” Bertly took his hand off Roderick’s shoulder and pointed toward a storefront named Wiggly Willie’s. He gently nudged Roderick in the direction of th
e store. “To be honest, it’s that blond elf that I worry about.” Bertly snarled his upper lip.
“Really, sir?” Roderick sprinted ahead a few steps in order to open the door for Bertly. “Most people seem to like him. He has been voted ‘Most Liked’ every year that I’ve been here.”
“Most liked?” Bertly shouted as he walked past Roderick. “Who does this voting?”
“The student body, sir. We vote on all sorts of candidates each year for the yearbook,” Roderick replied.
“Yearbook? What yearbook?” Bertly bellowed.
“Hello there, travelers. Welcome to Wiggly Willie’s. The one-stop shop for anything wiggly. I am Willie. How can I help ya?” An old man with short gray hair and a long beard stood behind a counter. He had wrinkles in the corners of his eyes and lines around his joyful smile. “Oh my, a fellow human.” Willie squinted. “A red-eyed human,” he exclaimed, his face filled with excitement. Willie emerged from behind the counter and extended his arm to greet Bertly. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I haven’t seen another human since my hair was black. I’ve heard rumors about you attending the Academy, but after a few years went by, I didn’t think you’d ever stop into town.”
“Did you really hear about me?” Bertly tried to hold back a smile. Notoriety was the first step to becoming a great master.
Willie’s eyes widened and he craned his head back. “Well, of course.” He threw his hands into the air. “Every human in and outside Noskar knows who Bertly and Polly are.” He started rubbing his hands together in a giddy manner. “Sweet Cordelia, you are the first red-eyed humans since the goddess herself.”
Roderick and Bertly slowly turned their heads toward each other. They locked eyes and their jaws dropped. Bertly snapped his head back toward Willie. “You mean to tell me”—Bertly placed his finger on his chest—“that every human in Noskar knows who I am?”
“Absolutely, Master Bertly.” Willie’s smile grew even bigger—it engulfed his entire face. He ran behind the counter. “Anything you want is on the house. Anything for Cordelia’s children.”
Bertly found himself practically choking on the air. “Pardon?” He cleared his throat. “Could you repeat that last part?”
“Everything in this shop is free for one of Cordelia’s children. Now, can I get you something wiggly?”
***
Bertly and Roderick walked out of Wiggly Willie’s, each with a huge bucket of worms in his arms. Though they were only shopping briefly, the number of people in the streets seemed to double. They tried to keep straight faces as they navigated through the crowd, but they both looked as though they had just seen a ghost.
“Sir, I really want to ask a question right now.” Roderick was leaning back, trying to keep his body from falling forward. The bucket of worms he carried was larger than his torso.
Bertly continued to trek forward and stared into the village. His eyes were not fixated on any one thing, but his mind was. “He called me one of Cordelia’s children,” he said, still in a state of disbelief.
“I have never heard that phrase before, sir,” Roderick replied.
“Me neither, but it sounds like a very good thing.” Bertly came to a halt and placed his arm across Roderick, halting his stride. When Roderick came to an abrupt stop, his bucket jolted, and the contents flew upward—a few worms slapped the bottom of his chin. “Do not mention any of this to Polly.”
Small beads of sweat formed on Roderick’s forehead. “Sir, you are starting to ask me to keep a lot of secrets. I maybe should have mentioned this before. I am not the best secret keeper, sir.”
Bertly’s face grew hot. He spoke slowly and in as stern a manner as he was able to, “Roderick, I swear, if you crack…Especially with what I am going to show you later. Not even sweet Cordelia—”
A deep voice called for Bertly. He looked over the swarm of drunken villagers, and—several inches taller than the rest of the crowd—Bertly spotted Dev’s sunny blond hair.
“Is everything okay, Roderick? You look awfully pale,” Polly asked.
Bertly wrapped his arm around Roderick, placing his hand on Roderick’s far shoulder. “He’s sick…from the worms,” Bertly interjected.
“I hate worms,” Roderick added.
“Oh my.” Polly placed her hands over her mouth. “Well, let’s meet up with our next companion so we can get those worms off your hands.” She looked at Bertly. “It is plenty dark now.”
Bertly nodded. “If we leave now, we can be at the Eternal Cave before dawn.” He led the group through the bustling town and back onto the dirt road they had originally embarked upon. The road ran straight through the village; however, it couldn’t be seen at night due to all the bar hoppers. Shortly after leaving the village, the dirt road faded back into tall grass. Bertly knew rolling hills covered the lands beyond, though he wasn’t able to see very far out due to the lack of light.
“This should be far enough.” Bertly stopped walking and placed his bucket of worms onto the ground. He pulled out his whistle from under his shirt, and before turning around, he blew his silent whistle as hard as he could. Bertly tucked it back into his shirt and then spun to face the others. He looked to Polly and the two shared a knowing glance; then he turned his attention back to Roderick and Dev. “I am sure you two have been curious as to how we will pull this adventure off in such a short time.”
Both of the elves nodded in agreement.
“Well, your questions are about to be answered.” Bertly smiled at Roderick. “I suggest you place that bucket down now.”
Roderick dropped the bucket onto the ground and groaned. He instantly massaged his newly freed arms.
Bertly listened for the sound of Clia’s wings and was relieved to hear the familiar flapping in the distance. The others didn’t react, which Bertly assumed was due to the music from the village being too loud for them to recognize a far-off noise they’d never before heard. “Do you remember what I said about no questions?” Bertly smiled.
As Roderick and Dev were nodding, a dark shadow accompanied by a gust of wind flew over them. Dev ducked and covered his head as his blond hair fluttered in all directions. Roderick screamed and flew headfirst onto the ground. Clia landed on the ground in front of Bertly and came to a screeching halt. Her talons dug into the ground and created long, deep lines across the grass-covered dirt. There was not enough space for her to slow down, so she knocked into Bertly, sending him summersaulting backward. Without hesitation, Clia pounced on top of Bertly and nuzzled her face into his neck.
“Down, girl,” Bertly said as he gasped for air. “Let me catch my breath.”
“Sweet Cordelia!” Devdan shrieked, gripping his hair at the roots with his jaw wide open. “Is that what I think it is?”
“He asked a question,” Roderick cried out from the ground. He was still attempting to stand up after Clia had knocked him over. “See, sir, it isn’t just me.” Roderick was breathing heavily in and out with his hands on his knees.
Clia grabbed Bertly by his belt and gently lifted him into the air. Bertly was able to prop back onto his feet with the assistance of his trusted pet. He brushed himself off and petted Clia behind the ear. “I will let this one slide. He at least had causation for his slipup.”
Polly strolled over to Clia and scratched her under the chin. Clia lifted her beak high into the air, extending her neck as far as it could stretch. “This, boys, is how we are getting to Noskar. However far we can walk in three nights, she can fly in an hour. We will be in Noskar by midday tomorrow.”
“Wait, sir, do we have to ride that thing?” Roderick shouted, his face a pale mask of pure terror. Clia whipped her head and glared at him.
“Her name is Clia, and she is the only reason we have any shot at finishing this quest,” Bertly snapped.
Devdan interjected, “Ma’am, you seem to be comfortable with Clia, and I haven’t made any promises to you about not asking questions.” He peeked at Bertly and then
looked back at Polly. Bertly could tell that Devdan didn’t want to make eye contact with him. “If she can fly as quick as you say she can, then how are we going to hold on tight enough to stay aboard, especially for half a day?”
Bertly scowled at Dev.
“Good question, my apprentice,” Polly replied. “Gryphons have special feathers, which possess a gripping-like power. While you could easily break out of their grip when desired, they still provide enough support to keep you latched on.” Polly rubbed her hand against the natural pattern of Clia’s feathers to better reveal them. “Anyone who mounts a gryphon is latched on tightly.” Polly smoothed Clia’s feathers back into place. “That is if the gryphon gives you permission, of course. If Gryphons so choose, they can make their feathers as slippery as oil.”
“Astonishing,” Dev exclaimed. He picked up the bucket of worms Roderick had been carrying and walked toward Clia. Clia cocked her head to the side and brushed past Polly and Bertly. She looked Dev in the eyes and then buried her face into the bucket of worms. Her large head knocked the bucket out of his hands, spreading the worms all over the ground, which she then proceeded to pick at. “Remember me as the elf who brought you worms.” Dev chuckled as he petted Clia’s head.
“Worms are the key to a gryphon’s heart,” Polly said.
“She’s nice to everyone. Don’t feel special,” Bertly cracked with his lips puckered and arms crossed.
Roderick approached Clia slowly from the back with his arm extended. “Hello, girl.” He got closer and lunged forward to pet her on the back leg. Clia jolted her back leg out and flung Roderick away from her, sending him back toward Bertly and Polly.
“I thought you said she was nice to everyone, sir?” Roderick squealed. One of his hands was over his stomach while the other rubbed his head.
Bertly grunted and lifted Roderick to his feet. He grabbed the bucket of worms and pushed it into Roderick’s arms. Clia twirled her head toward Roderick and licked her beak. She did a short prance and chowed down.
