by Brandon Mull
“I’ll do my best,” Kendra said, ducking through the mist, stepping over slick rocks and damp bones. Not many steps behind the waterfall, the coolness of the cave made her wet skin colder.
The bare cave lacked features like stalactites or stalagmites. It was just a big hole leading into the hillside. Kendra supposed it was dark, but her fairykind abilities allowed her to see just fine. Each step forward took her farther from the sound of the waterfall—and farther from her friends.
Before long, Kendra saw the flickering glow of firelight up ahead. The cave widened into a large cavern, and Kendra beheld several flaming cauldrons standing on tall, iron legs. By the firelight, Kendra beheld a brutish giant with exaggerated musculature. He wore a garment of shaggy fur and hairy boots fashioned from animal hides. He was nearly as broad as he was tall, with three heads perched above his beefy shoulders, the middle one larger than the other two. He was throwing hatchets at a wooden target with impressive accuracy.
After hurling his fifth hatchet, the giant plodded forward to retrieve them. One of the three heads turned and locked eyes with Kendra.
“We have company,” the left head said, and the giant turned, the other two pairs of eyes quickly fixing on her.
“We do,” the center head acknowledged.
Kendra was no taller than his hip. Compared to Bernosh, this giant’s size was not overly impressive, but he easily looked large and savage enough to beat Kendra into paste. Mustering her courage, she tried to project that she was a visitor rather than prey.
“I’m Kendra Sorenson,” she said with a curtsy. “I’ve come hoping you can help me.”
“A delightful little mortal,” the right head said.
“A delightful little morsel,” the left head countered.
“Fairykind, if I am not mistaken,” the right head said.
“We’ve never tasted fairykind before,” the left head noted.
“You were not invited,” the center head said, his voice rougher and his pronunciation more primitive than the other two heads. “I owe you nothing.”
“I came because of an emergency,” Kendra said. “Dectus hopes you can loan us the key to the Dragon Temple.”
“She should not know you have the lightning key,” the left head said. “Her knowledge endangers us.”
“She must be telling the truth about Dectus,” the right head reasoned. “Very few know the location of the key.”
“Dectus has no authority over us,” the center head said.
“It might be worth learning the conditions of the emergency,” the right head maintained.
“Kendra, why do you seek the key?” the center head asked.
“A dragon war is coming to Titan Valley,” Kendra said.
All three heads laughed.
“Dragons distress the small,” the left head said.
“We bridle their power,” the right head said.
“Let the dragons come,” the center head boasted. “We giants will smash them.”
“Most of the other sanctuaries have fallen,” Kendra said. “This isn’t just a few dragons. We are talking about a dragon army, led by Celebrant. He is aided by Ronodin, who recently took over the Fairy Realm. Dectus thinks it would be wise to retrieve the Harp of Ages to help in the fight.”
“More likely she wants the Harp to help her people,” the left head said.
“We have heard tales of other sanctuaries falling,” the right head said.
“With or without the Harp, the dragons will perish,” the center head said.
Kendra dropped to her knees. “Please, mighty Ptolemy. I need your help. Let me try to retrieve the Harp of Ages.”
“She’s so young and sincere,” the right head said. “And Dectus backs her. I say lend the girl the key.”
“She is small and weak!” the left head argued. “She has no chance of retrieving the Harp. She will lose the key!”
Kendra rose to her feet. “I am a dragon tamer. I bested the dragons at the Wyrmroost Dragon Temple. We defeated the hydra and Glommus, and I killed Siletta.”
“Grand claims,” the center head said.
“Let’s help the girl!” the right head said.
“We should eat the girl!” the left head said.
“I don’t taste good,” Kendra assured them.
“She is slight,” the right head said. “Scant meat to be had.”
“Humans have a wonderful crunch, bones and all,” the left head said.
Ptolemy pulled two hatchets from the target, one for each hand. “The hatchets will decide,” the center head said. “Dodge all five and you can borrow the key.”
He surprised Kendra by tossing the first one underhand. She lurched to the side, and it scythed by close enough that she felt the breeze. Kendra unstopped the bottle and guzzled the effervescent liquid.
The next hatchet was thrown overhand and slashed Kendra in half. It was strange for Kendra to feel her vaporous body separate and then merge back together.
The center head yelled angrily.
“Witchcraft!” the left head accused. “Treachery!”
Kendra tried to explain that she was simply trying to play smart, but her gaseous vocal cords could not produce sound. With an effort of will, Kendra drifted slightly closer to Ptolemy.
The ettin angrily claimed another hatchet and hurled it twice as hard. Kendra felt the weapon swish through her, temporarily dispersing her body with a sensation like millions of tiny fizzing bubbles. Again, her gaseous body fused back together as the hatchet clattered behind her.
“She cheated us!” the left head cried.
“She is using good strategy,” the right head approved. “She has potential to retrieve the Harp of Ages.”
Ptolemy collected the final two hatchets. He raised one to throw it.
“No!” the left head shouted. “She is like a cloud of gas! We cannot hit her right now. You may as well try to wound the smoke of a campfire. Wait. We did not say how quickly we must throw the axes. Wait for her to solidify so you have a fair target.”
“Go reach under your mattress and fetch the key,” the right head said, giving Kendra a significant look. “We should let her attempt her errand.”
“She mocks us,” the left head said. “Do not allow a young girl to defeat us. We would be laughingstocks. She will no longer act so smug after we devour her.”
“I will wait,” the center head said, hefting the hatchets. “Two more throws with a fair chance.”
Kendra willed herself back toward the entrance to the cave, and she drifted in that direction.
“She flees,” the left head said. “I declare a forfeit.”
“She may return,” the right head said.
“Return and die,” the center head called. “I will not miss.”
Kendra glided onward. She needed a new strategy. If she waited near Ptolemy until her body solidified, she had no doubt that she would die.
Floating through the mist beside the waterfall caused a bizarre sensation, her entire body tingling as water particles invasively mingled with her gaseousness. Vanessa approached with concern, and Kendra started pantomiming.
“He threw rocks at you?” Vanessa guessed. “Wait. Axes? And you drank the potion?”
Kendra signaled that she had it right. Then she played more charades.
“A key?” Vanessa interpreted. “Under something? You’re sleeping? On a bed? I see. Ptolemy keeps the lightning key under his bed?”
Kendra tapped her nose and gave a thumbs-up.
“I need to hurry to the others,” Vanessa said. “Follow me if you like, but stay in the shelter of the ravine so you don’t blow away.”
Vanessa took off at a sprint over the rough terrain beside the creek. Kendra was surprised that she dared run so fast over the unfavorable ground, but the narcoblix remained surefoo
ted until she passed out of sight. Kendra decided to wait rather than float after her, mostly because she knew Tanu and Warren would head to the cave now that negotiations had failed.
Kendra hovered within view of the waterfall for a long time, idly wondering if Ptolemy might come after her. The ettin did not emerge from his cave, and Kendra tried to relax and enjoy the bubbly calmness of floating without a solid body.
After what seemed a long time, Warren appeared, leading a sheep. They had apparently used chains from the portable dungeon to devise a crude leash. Tanu and Vanessa came along behind.
Warren waved as he approached Kendra. “Good job getting the location of the key,” he said cheerfully.
Kendra scowled, flexed her vaporous muscles, and pointed at the cave.
“I figured the ettin would be tough,” Warren said. He lowered his voice. “We’re going to trick him, not fight him.”
Warren led the sheep to the edge of the waterfall; then Tanu crouched and fed the sheep a potion. Kendra saw no difference in the animal. Holding a small flask in his hand, Warren led the sheep behind the waterfall.
Tanu and Vanessa retreated to Kendra, each holding a potion ready. Tanu scrutinized Kendra for a moment. “Stay low,” he advised. “You won’t be gaseous much longer.”
Kendra pointed at the cave and cocked her head curiously.
Tanu sidled close and whispered. “I gave the sheep a sleeping potion. It’s very potent, but I tinkered with the recipe so hopefully the sheep will remain conscious until the ettin eats it. I tuned the mixture for the ettin’s chemistry. Let’s hope Ptolemy will soon be in dreamland.”
Kendra pantomimed throwing hatchets.
“Warren has the gummy potion,” Vanessa said. “It will make him virtually indestructible.”
Kendra nodded. Her body started to feel extra fizzy, and she coalesced into a solid again. Vanessa and Tanu supported her until the dizzy spell passed.
Tanu handed her a bottle. “Here is another one in case you need it. If Ptolemy shows himself, don’t hesitate.”
“All right,” Kendra said, watching the cave, worried for Warren.
“How deep is the cave?” Vanessa whispered.
“I didn’t have to go very far to find the ettin,” Kendra said. “He’s super buff. Huge muscles. One of his heads is nice, one is a jerk, and the middle one seems to be listening more to the jerk.”
“Well, I have an enlargement potion ready in case it turns into a fight out here,” Tanu said.
Vanessa glanced at him. “Does your shirt stretch?”
“The solution is tuned to treat my clothes like part of me,” Tanu said. “Similar to fur or a hide.”
About half an hour later, Warren emerged from the mist, carrying an iron pole with a complex symbol at the end. He took wobbly steps, legs bending in ways that made Kendra wince.
“Is Ptolemy neutralized?” Tanu called.
“He took the bait,” Warren said, speech slurred, head bobbing oddly on his rubbery neck. “Sleeping like a baby. Wait, I’ve known too many babies. Sleeping like an old guy after a long day.”
Clutching the lightning key with two hands, trying to keep it steady with unstable arms, Warren handed it to Vanessa. Then he held out a hand to Kendra. She shook it and felt the rubbery fingers compress beneath her grip.
“Gross,” she said, reflexively releasing him.
“Doesn’t hurt,” Warren said as clearly as he could. “The gummy potion worked great. Ptolemy hit me with hatchets, punched me, pulled me, stomped on me. It didn’t hurt. My body stretched around sharp edges without tearing and squished flat under heavy blows.”
“Perfect,” Tanu said.
“How long will Mr. Three Heads be out?” Warren asked.
“He ate the entire sheep?” Tanu asked.
“Spat out a few bones,” Warren said.
“He’ll be unconscious for a day or two,” Tanu said.
Warren nodded floppily. “It’ll give that cave some much-needed silence. That guy wouldn’t shut up. Three heads are definitely worse than one. Should we head back to our dungeon?”
Tanu looked at Kendra. “Next stop, Dragon Temple.”
“I’ll catch up,” Vanessa said. “With an ettin asleep so nearby, it would be a waste not to have a quick bite.”
“He looked kind of germy,” Warren said.
“I’ll be careful,” Vanessa promised, licking her lips.
There’s Seth!” Knox exclaimed. “I call it! I found him!”
“You’re not serious,” Newel said.
“That sure looks like him!” Doren cried, pointing. “See? Over there, by the swordsman. Is that a satyr with them?”
“We found him!” Tess enthused.
Knox ran through the crowd of the Arena Plaza to reach his cousin. The wind gusted, and a goblin chasing a bandanna almost collided with him.
Knox, Tess, Newel, and Doren had been carried to Humburgh through the Giant Queen’s passage by Rustafet. The giant shuttled them across Big Side to the Small Town entrance, with directions to the Arena Plaza. They had rooms reserved at a place called the Wayside Inn that Knox had not yet seen. Knox had been looking for Seth at the Arena Plaza for about five minutes.
“Seth!” Knox called as he drew near to his cousin. “We found you.”
Seth turned and regarded him skeptically. “Do I know you?”
“You don’t remember me?” Knox asked.
“I’m sorry,” Seth said. He stood by a tough-looking guy with his hand casually on the hilt of a sword and a satyr wearing a yellow shirt under a tweed vest.
“It’s me, Knox. Your favorite cousin!”
“You’re my cousin?” Seth asked.
“The ob-Knox-ious one? From Texas? With the smelly Knox socks? I sometimes make fun of your Seth breath! You have to remember.”
“You’d be surprised how clean my memory was wiped,” Seth replied.
Tess and the satyrs caught up.
“Do you recognize me?” Tess asked. “Your cousin?”
“I’m afraid not,” Seth said.
“I’ll give you multiple choice for my name: Tess. Jules. McKinley. Or Laura.”
“I don’t know,” Seth said. “Jules?”
“No, but I always wanted that name!” Tess said. “Good guess. Try again.”
“Tess?”
“Good job,” Tess said. “Maybe your subconscious knows.”
“You seem nice,” Seth said.
“What about us?” Newel asked. “Do any memories stir?”
“A hint is you introduced us to fast food,” Doren said.
“Sorry, guys,” Seth said. “I only know about fast food—I have no memories of eating it.”
“We have a huge favor to repay,” Doren said solemnly. “Where do we start? Taco Bell?”
“We’re Newel and Doren,” Newel said. “We’ve been looking for our best friend.”
“You have many who care about you,” the swordsman said.
“Who is this guy?” Newel asked.
“Looks like he can handle himself in a brawl,” Doren assessed.
“This is Fenrick,” Seth said.
“Who’s the new satyr?” Doren asked contemptuously.
“I’m Virgil,” the satyr said, holding out a hand to shake.
Newel clasped his hand. “Nice to meet the flavor of the moment.”
Doren glared. “Have fun while it lasts.”
“Fly high,” Newel said. “Try not to think about the crash.”
“Look, guys,” Seth interrupted. “I’m sure you mean well. We’re on important business.”
“Are you going to trash another sanctuary?” Knox asked.
Newel and Doren winced.
Seth looked uncomfortable. “I probably deserve that. I’m not trying to hurt anybody.
I just want my memories back. You probably want that for me too!”
“We’re here to help you,” Knox said.
“Meet your reinforcements,” Newel said.
“You don’t have to be lost anymore,” Tess added.
Seth glanced at Fenrick and Virgil, then back to Knox. “Can we talk later?” Seth asked. “I have an urgent appointment.”
“We crossed oceans to find you,” Knox said. “We almost got killed a bunch of times. And I took out a powerful demon.”
“We have rooms at the Wayside Inn,” Doren said. “We can feed you. And your new sidekicks.”
“Are you with Kendra?” Seth asked.
“Not at the moment,” Knox said. “But she was with us. She sent us to look for you while she tries to save the world.”
“How?” Seth asked. “What’s the problem? What’s she doing?”
Knox glanced at Newel and Doren. The satyrs theatrically looked away, as if they had become interested in anything besides the current conversation.
“You don’t want to tell me,” Seth said. “I get it. You know I lost my memory, and after all I’ve done, you don’t know if you can trust me.”
“We really are here to help you,” Knox said.
“Help me how?” Seth asked. “Take me in? Lock me up? Keep me from doing more damage?”
“Nothing underhanded,” Newel said.
“We’ll find your memories,” Tess said.
“Doing that will be complicated,” Seth said. “I’m in the middle of the process, and making progress. Right now, extra people might capsize the boat.”
“Harsh,” Newel said.
“The new Seth is falling in the polls,” Doren added.
“It’s not personal,” Seth said. “I’m going someplace where unexpected tagalongs could hurt my chances. Virgil set up an important meeting.”
“Who would let a satyr organize a meeting?” Newel said with a huff.
“Have you ever been to a party, Virgil?” Doren asked. “Ever watched an action movie? Or binged on donuts?”
“Virgil has been a big help,” Calvin called. “We’re closing in on important mysteries.”
“Calvin!” Tess exclaimed. “You really were with Seth!”
“I’m fine,” Calvin said. “We really do have a meeting.”
