REDEMPTION

WHIZZENMOG BETRAYAL
LAND OF MISTASIA NOVELLA
(THIS STORY TAKES PLACE BEFORE LAND OF MISTASIA) 

REDEMPTION  
CHAPTER 7

It was extremely difficult for me to live in Cadieux Castle for many years after my father’s death at the hands of my master’s Wolverine Army. I knew I was mostly responsible for his demise. I was forced to spend my nights in my father’s old room. I slept very little, and when I would drift off, I’d awake from terrible nightmares. In each terrifying dream I was the one that killed my father, even though I wasn’t sure how he had died. I never saw him after Rainer and I left him in the fields between Cadieux Village and the castle. The lack of sleep made me uncomfortable in my tight, dry skin. It itched all the time. Some nights I wouldn’t even make it to the dreams about my father because my skin would burn so badly, just as it did the day LaCroiux turned me into this…this thing.

Rainer never returned. Sometimes I would sneak away and watch from the edge of the forest with the magnifinder LaCroiux made hoping to see my brother return…with the emerald in hand.

I spent my existence in servitude to my master and the king.

Recently, LaCroiux returned to the castle in a flash as he did on most occasions, but this time with a vibrant smile. He called to me immediately. He pulled me inside the castle and into a secluded room in a far wing.

“Do you recognize this room, Ethan?”

I searched the small darkened room for any clue as to where we were. Then suddenly, an image of the emerald glowing brightly in the center of the room emerged in my mind.

“The emerald!”

“Yes,” LaCroiux acknowledged my wide-eyed recognition. “I have located your brother, Ethan. Here is your opportunity to redeem yourself.”

“Yes, I’ll do anything, master?”

“I have discovered a way to reopen the portal that your brother created using the emerald of power so many years ago. Now, you will go through the portal and lure him here,” LaCroiux said as he grabbed me by the arm and led me back into the hallway.

An orange flash of light meant we were travelling. Now we were in the Wolverine Forest.

“Aren’t I to steal the emerald?” I asked

“I doubt very much that Rainer will carelessly leave it laying about for you to steal, so we need to make him want to return…and return with the emerald.”

“What must I do?”

“You will go through the portal and steal something from him. His family.”

“What?” I responded.

“His grand child, a girl. You will kidnap her, Ethan, and bring here to Mistasia.”

LaCroiux explained how I would need to enter the portal, travel through the woods and then enter a house just beyond. Inside would be a young girl. He handed me a white pouch, within it was a powder that would reopen the portal allowing me to return to Mistasia with the girl.

He grabbed a handful of the powder from the pouch and tossed it at my feet. The ground began to shake and tremble. Then it started to spin and swirl. I had seen this once before, when my brother disappeared forever. Was LaCroiux tricking me? Was he punishing me one last time? Would the ground open up and I be sucked down into the depths never to be seen again?

I would soon find out. I felt a tugging on my feet, and I began to sink into the portal. LaCroiux smiled.

Just as I began to feel the portal pulling me in, Sorcerer LaCroiux hit me with a blast of ferocious wind and knocked me to the ground.

“We have company,” he pointed to two Elven Warriors tracking through the forest. “Despose of them. Then use the powder to reopen another portal.” He pointed to the portal as it closed. Sorcerer LaCroiux vanished in a flash with a single tap of his staff upon the ground.

I tracked through Wolverine Forest. I stopped and inhaled deeply. The scent of elves was unmistakable upon the air, sweet and fruity as it entered my reptilian nostrils. They were easy to find.

I slithered up behind them; Grace Tallon, guardian to Princess Merran Cadieux, and Mecca Begron, an elven warrior.

“Just two elves? I am hurt to know your princess thinks so little of me that she believes it takes only two Elven warriors to defeat me.” I mocked.

Grace spun aiming her meager arrow directly at me. I felt laughter begin within my tainted heart. She truly believed she could stop me with a single arrow? It would take hundreds. I faked a panic and placed my hands in the air.

“I surrender.”

“Really?” Mecca blurted out in astonishment.

“No,” I replied with a laugh, confusing the simple-minded elf.

Grace’s temper flared. She fired her arrow, but I summoned a burst of wind with a wave of my hand directing the arrow toward Mecca.

The muscular elven warrior wore armor, yet jumped out of the way just in time. It pierced the ground where he had been. Mecca brandished his sword and slashed at me.

I danced away from each attempt while laughing. These two were the best warriors the princess could send to stop me? What a joke. I had a task to perform. This battle was becoming bothersome. I gritted my teeth and blasted Mecca with a gust of wind knocking him to the ground. Then, I summoned tree roots around the fallen warrior. Roots burst free from the soil wrapping themselves around Mecca, trapping him.

      “Grace, run!” Mecca shouted as he struggled to free himself.

            I spun toward Grace. She ran.

For a moment, I wondered if I should chase.

      “Dispose of them!” my master’s voice echoed in my head.

I chased the fleet-footed warrior through the forest. Grace ducked under roots and between the trees. Her sweet scent led me directly to her. I discovered her hiding behind a group of intertwined tree trucks.

      “Tell me, Grace Tallon.” I whispered in her ear after slinking up beside her unnoticed.

 She turned to face me and raised her bow and arrow.

      “How do you think you’re going to stop me? Do you really believe you alone can defeat me? I’ve already defeated your weak friend.”

      “Just give me one good shot, Whizzenmog. That’s all I need.” Grace defiantly replied.

      We glared at each other. I stalled her as my next attack approached. A rhythmic rustling emerged in the distance.  A wicked smirk overcame my scaly face. A new scent reached my nostrils. Wolverines. Their strong, pungent odor was distinctive and overpowering in small numbers. This approaching scent was nearly deadly to those not accustom to it.

“This is my cue to leave, my dear. Tell the princess I’ll take care of everything. It was good to see you…for the last time.”

I moved with great haste back toward the Whizzenmog dwelling just outside Wolverine Forest.

There would be the perfect place to reopen the portal. My large reptilian feet stood firmly in the short wet grass at the edge of the forest. The sun was setting with a pink glow changing the color of the sky around it to light purple.

I closed my eyes to compose myself for a moment. The excitement of my redemption was overwhelming. My heart pulsed at great speed, racing my blood through my body.

A sudden rush stabbed the air behind me. I turned just in time to block an arrow that would have struck me in the back.

“Tallon!,” I hissed.

The two elven warriors had somehow survived and raced toward me.

“Don’t move, Whizzenmog!” Grace barked. “It’s over!”

“Over?” I questioned the crazy thoughts of a diluted warrior. “You are too weak to defeat me?”

“I am far from weak, Whizzenmog. You are weak. Your whole family was nothing but thieves and betrayers,” The angered elf scolded.

“My family betrayed me!” I screamed in pain. “It was my brother who turned out to be weak.”

“I heard you helped him steal the last emerald,” Grace replied arrow now pointed at my chest.

“No, but I will retrieve it from him.” I removed the small pouch given to me by LaCroiux and poured a sand-like powder into my palm. I leapt back into the air and tossed the powder on the wooden door of the old Whizzenmog home.

A bright light flashed followed by rushing winds.

The elven warriors struggled in the tall grass.

The wooden door had changed. It was now a spinning vortex of colors. The colors slowly faded as did the powerful wind. When the colors had completely faded, all that was left in the doorway was a spinning black portal that resembled the nighttime sky.

Mecca stood up in the grass and yelled, “Grace, stop him! He’s entering the portal to Greenville!”

I leapt into the portal, but Grace Tallon latched onto me as I entered the spinning black hole. We entered together and spun violently. She released her grip on me inside. The dizziness forced my eyes to shut.

When I reopened my eyes, I was alone. Grace wasn’t near me. The forest was enormously tall. The blades of grass blocked my vision. I lifted my head. That’s better, I thought. I was very low to the ground. It was quite disorienting. The trees were so tall here. I tried to move my legs, but felt my hips slide to the side. I looked back and noticed I had no legs, but my scaly body stretched out into the grass and disappeared. I lifted my hind end and there was a tail, with the white pouch at the very end. I shook with fear and heard an odd sound. I did it again and the sound returned. It was coming from me. My tail was rattling. I realized I had transformed into a snake.

I panicked. I needed to return to Mistasia as quickly as possible. I slithered through the grass. It wasn’t very long until I reached the edge of this forest. Here it was open and raining. The grass was now shorter. In the distance was an elven-like figure sitting. She was holding a unique object above her head deflecting the water away from her body. Behind her was a home, quite a bit larger than the ones the elves called home in Mistasia.

A voice called out to her. She didn’t respond. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, because the rain was running down my head and across my back. I could smell the fresh water along my nostrils. I lapped at it with my forked tongue.

This was the girl that I was to retrieve. This was Rainer’s grandchild. The one I must steal. It was my redemption. She stood up and walked toward the opening in the side of the home. I began to thrash my tail back and forth propelling myself across the slick grass. I was gaining on her. She entered the home and disappeared into the darkness. I slid off the grass and scratched my underbelly along a stiff rocky substance just before the door. I heard more voices calling out, but I ignored them. I was completely focused on her. I could see the funny-looking object still above her head, but her body was hidden behind a dark material. I now found myself gliding across a new substance. It was like grass, but darker and itchy. I lifted my head again as I move around to see the young girl sitting and crying.

Here was my opportunity, my redemption. I just needed to wrap myself around her and she would be mine! I sprung forward. My fangs exposed and tongue lashing. She screamed.

Sweat Redemption.

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PUNISHMENT

WHIZZENMOG BETRAYAL
LAND OF MISTASIA NOVELLA
(THIS STORY TAKES PLACE BEFORE LAND OF MISTASIA) 

PUNISHMENT  
CHAPTER 6

Sorcerer LaCroiux’s eyes were fixated upon me. How much had he seen? Did he know that my brother had escaped? Did he know Rainer had the emerald? All these thoughts raced through my mind. My head was swimming, my stomach flipped with fear. I quickly got my answer.

The elder elven sorcerer lashed out. He lifted me into the air. I floated above the ground as the wind carried me toward my master. LaCroiux briskly guided me to the edge of the forest and then released his grip on me. I crashed, landing hard on my side. My elbow lodged into my ribs knocking the wind from my lungs. I gasped for air as LaCroiux picked me up by my neck with his bony fingers sticking into my fur. He still hadn’t spoken to me.

Our eyes meet for a brief moment. It frightened me to see into his devilish soul from such a close distance. I struggled to speak causing LaCroiux’s head to tilt in an odd fashion. A smug grin invaded his old slightly wrinkled skin.

“Speak up, Ethan.” Then he released his grip and I fell back to the ground. “Where is the emerald you ignorant fool?”

“It is gone.” I braced for an attack, but he didn’t strike.

“Gone?”

“My brother stole it from me and then vanished into some kind of spinning portal. I chased after him, but it disappeared before I could follow.”

Sorcerer LaCroiux stared at the broken door in the distance where he must have witnessed my brother’s disappearance.

“You have failed me, Ethan. You’re father was right. You are a disappointment.”

My body trembled. I couldn’t bring myself to look at my master. All the strength and power I had felt just a few short moments ago was now gone. I was left cowering like a small child.

“You will have to pay for your failure, Ethan.” The powerful sorcerer didn’t hesitate.

He tossed a bright blue fireball at me. It engulfed me. At first it actually felt cool around my body, but at the snap of his fingers the color changed to a scorching white and the intense heat ripped through my body. I could smell my skin burning. The pain was excruciating. I screamed for him to stop, but he continued. My fur began to burst into flames and crumble from my body. The skin underneath was covered in heat blisters, which began to burst and then boil under the tremendous heat directly on my skin. Sorcerer LaCroiux was cooking me alive. My skin began to peel and stretch revealing a scaly layer underneath. I couldn’t take much more. I wished for death, but then the pain stopped. My vision began to blur and fade to black. I collapsed to the ground and passed out.

When I awoke, we were no longer in Wolverine Forest. LaCroiux had taken us back to Cadieux Castle. He had let me live. I found myself on the stone cold floor of my father’s bedroom. I was alone. I struggled to my feet and stumbled into a wooden chair, barely catching myself before I fell to the floor. I pulled myself along the wall to the bed. My chest felt tight and my side hurt. I began to cry when I saw the skin on my arms. There was no longer any fur. It was completely gone. My skin was scaly and had a brownish-yellow color, like I was sickly. I lifted my head slowly almost too afraid to glance in the mirror and see my reflection. I gasped aloud at the sight of myself.

“NO!” I screamed. I now resembled some hideously deformed creature, a cross between a snake and an elf. My eyes were deep red and bulging from the sides of my head, with two large fangs and a forked tongue.

LaCroiux had exacted his punishment for me losing the emerald of power. I would forever remember my failure.

I sat alone in my father’s room. The sun had risen and begun to set again, when the door creaked open and three elven warriors entered with swords drawn. They stepped to the side as Sorcerer LaCroiux swooped in with a gleeful smile and joyous tone in his voice as though he had never been mad at me.

“Ethan! You are going to miss the celebration!” His demeanor was a far cry from our last encounter. His appearance had changed drastically too, as he now wore royal robes; a long white robe with gold and purple designs along one side and a metal staff with an empty place in the top which looked like it was made to hold something specific. “Come Ethan, we are requested at this celebration!”

I followed LaCroiux to the upper most part of the castle that overlooked the village. Gathered below was the entire population of Cadieux. I stood quietly beside my master as we waited patiently, but I dared not ask why. I was afraid to even look in his direction, so I just stared at the ground allowing me to notice that even my feet had changed. They now looked like lizard claws of the same color as my skin. One tear streamed down my scaly cheek.

Music began to blare. The crowd began to make noise, some cheered, some gasped and other cried as I did.

Then Cragon Cadieux walked from the opening out onto the balcony joining LaCroiux and me. He was wearing the king’s robes. Long, thick black material with the royal colors woven in all around the edges…purple and gold just like LaCroiux’s. Cragon wore a smile that beamed from ear to ear. He had won. The plot against his own brother had materialized almost exactly the way he and my master had planned…except for the emerald, for which I paid dearly.

Grace Tallon emerged behind Cragon. She looked distraught as she carried the young elven princess in her arms. Her uncle turned and removed Princess Merran from her care giver’s unwilling release. Grace was quickly pulled back and escorted away. The crowd erupted in a chaotic array of yelling, with some cheering mixed in. Then the moment every inhabitant of Mistasia would regret took place. Sorcerer LaCroiux carefully placed the crown of King Steven on the top of his brother’s head. At that instant, King Cragon Cadieux emerged victorious before all of Mistasia.

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BATTLE OF BROTHERS

WHIZZENMOG BETRAYAL
LAND OF MISTASIA NOVELLA
(THIS STORY TAKES PLACE BEFORE LAND OF MISTASIA) 

BATTLE OF BROTHERS 
 CHAPTER 5

“Ethan!” My brother called “Ethan, get up!

I knew when I opened my eyes I would no longer be on the ship, just like the king and queen vanished. Sorcerer LaCroiux had transported them somewhere using his powers. I also had a pretty good idea where Rainer and I ended up…Cadieux Castle. “Retrieve the stone, Ethan,” LaCroiux’s words echoed in my head. He would have to send us back to the castle for me to retrieve the last emerald of power. I was alarmed at what I saw outside the castle when I opened my eyes…a battle!

“Get up, NOW!” Rainer yelled as he pulled me up off the ground.

My eyes were definitely wide open. The castle was under attack. Sorcerer LaCroiux had given me assistance in the form of hundreds of wolverines and a few large trolls. The Elven Warriors valiantly defended the castle, as did our father. He was directly in the middle of the battlefield fending off two or three wolverines at a time.

“We have to help father!” Rainer said as he continued to pull me toward the action.

I personally didn’t want any part of this battle. I wanted to find a way through it and into the castle. Searching through the groups of Elven Warriors and wolverines, I found a path to the back gate. Rainer stopped me.

“Where are you going?”

Do I zap him or play along? I wondered. Then I remembered that I would need his help to enter the room where the emerald was hidden so I played along. I picked the first wolverine I saw and blasted him in the back.

“Great shot, Ethan!” my brother cheered.

A smile crept across my face. I blasted two more. It felt good. Don’t shoot the elves. I reminded myself. Besides they would be my servants soon.

I suddenly realized that my father, brother and I had formed a triangle defense so no enemy could sneak up behind us. We were easily fending off LaCroiux’s mighty henchmen.

“Rainer! Ethan!” our father called. “I need you both to get to the castle.”

I immediately began searching for the safest route.

“I can help, father!” Rainer replied.

“I need you two protecting the princess.”

That seemed to be all Rainer needed to hear, and we were off toward the castle. Once we reached the back gate we slipped inside and quickly found the princess. The castle shook as the monstrous trolls hammered away on the walls with their meaty fists trying to punch a hole through the stones. Fortunately, this castle was well built and would keep them at bay long enough for me to steal the emerald and end this insanity.

The young princess was crying when we arrived, and her uncle Cragon Cadieux was in the room. I gasped at the sight of him.

“Thank goodness you have arrived. I fear for the princess’s safety,” The strong, young elven prince claimed.

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered, but no one seemed to hear me.

“Why are you not with my brother?” The prince questioned.

Like you don’t know, I sarcastically thought. The prince sure seemed to be laying this act on thick. He knows exactly what happened on the boat, and outside the castle. He’s behind it all. But, he doesn’t know how I’m going to ruin his well thought out plans.

The castle shook violently again and again. With each thunderous boom, the princess cried out. A young elven girl named, Grace Tallon, held her against her chest attempting to sooth, Princess Merran Cadieux…who was now the rightful heir to the throne.

“Rainer Whizzenmog, how will your father stop this attack?”

Rainer ignored Prince Cragon. He appeared to be in deep thought, maybe trying to figure out his next move. I could almost feel his torment while he helplessly waited in the castle for the battle to end outside.

“We are losing the battle!”

“NO!” Rainer screamed. He was panting heavily trying to control his rage. I had never seen him like this before. He appeared torn.

“We have a secret weapon that could change our fortune, Rainer.”

I immediately knew exactly what the prince was referring to…the last emerald.

“It is truly our only hope,” Prince Cragon pleaded.

Rainer snapped his head at the prince and looked him up and down struggling to maintain eye contact. My brother was fighting within himself whether to open the hidden chamber and release the power within the emerald to save the castle, or hope that our father could stop the onslaught before it was too late.

That is when I decided to enter the fray with the good prince…for now. I calmly placed my hand upon my brother’s shoulder. “Rainer, you have already failed father once tonight.” I said reminding him that Sorcerer LaCroiux had kidnapped the king and queen under his guard. “Don’t do it again.”

A tear formed in Rainer’s eye. “Let’s go!” He gave in.

I instructed Grace to lock the door from the inside and hide until we returned. Something I had no intention of doing. Prince Cragon and I followed Rainer as he ran through the castle to the secluded wing where the emerald was hidden. He opened the secret doorway and we entered. I reached for the glowing green gemstone, but it magically lifted into the air and over my head. When I turned around, it was firmly in the grasp of my brother’s paw. He sternly glared at me. Prince Cragon’s face lit up with excitement at the very sight of the emerald.

“It’s astonishing,” Prince Cragon commented. A reflection off the emerald shown in his eyes.

I caught myself staring. It had grown uncomfortable in the small room, when the prince reached out for the emerald. I don’t think he realized he was doing it. The gemstone was drawing him to it. Rainer pulled it away. I saw an opportunity and snatched it from his grasp. We all began to struggle attempting to pry the emerald from one another’s grip. I freed it, when Prince Cragon punched me square in the snout. My eyes instantly began to tear, and I dropped the emerald. My brother snagged it using his wand and was off running. I zapped the prince with a freezing spell for socking me, and followed Rainer into the hallway.

As I turned the corner, a flash of light blinded me. Then I saw my master. He stood across from me with Rainer between us trapping him. By now, he had probably figured out that I was not playing on his team anymore, but if he wasn’t certain, I was going to make it crystal clear.

 “Give it to me, brother.” I demanded.

Rainer responded by pointing his wand at me. He began to back into the wall feeling LaCroiux’s presence creeping up behind him. We converged on my brother. Rainer frantically swung his wand between us, pointing it at me, then LaCroiux and back again.

I reached out for the emerald and Rainer swatted at me. When our paws collided I felt a warm sensation again as the orange light reappeared. This time I heard a loud snap and everything again went black.

When we reappeared, I again found myself in a familiar place, but I knew that Rainer would not recognize our location. We were deep within the Wolverine Forest…my new home.

It was eerily quiet within the forest, as it should be since most of its inhabitants were currently at the castle. A calming sensation settled into my previously rigid body. I felt my paws relax and conform to the dirty forest floor. Inhaling deeply, the aroma of the forest zoomed through me. An evil smile overtook my face. One I couldn’t resist even if I tried. I now realized that only my brother stood between me and the emerald. Sorcerer LaCroiux made certain of that by sending us here alone.

“Rainer? Where are you, my brother?”

I listened to the forest talking to me. Birds chirped, leaves rustled against the slight breeze. Then, a sound. Something produced only by another stepping on a twig. I spun around. My wand at the ready

“I don’t want to hurt you, Rainer. I only want the emerald.”

A rustling sound rose from my left. “Never!” Rainer yelled as he ran toward me. He leaped and crashed into me, knocking my wand into a pile of leaves. We rolled along the forest floor throwing punches, which is an odd way for two wizards to settle anything, but our brotherly spat went much deeper than just this emerald. I grabbed hold of Rainer’s fur and flung him against an exposed root. He yelled out in pain as I pinned him down.

“Where is the emerald?”

We were both breathing heavily. He struggled to free himself. “I have hidden it in the woods. You’ll never find it.”

Angered, I slammed his head against the ground. The ground trembled as my powers began to boil. As a wizard, I needed my wand to channel my powers into use, but as a sorcerer I was free to twist the elements around me.

I began to laugh. It was unexplainable. There was no good reason for laughter at this moment, but I couldn’t control it. Fear had taken over Rainer’s face. He had begun to realize just how much danger he was in.

“How could you do this, Ethan? How could you betray your own family?”

“My family?” My laughter ceased and was replaced with rage. The swell of emotions caused me to tear down a nearby tree. It crashed to the ground only a few feet behind me. “You ask me how I could betray my family? This family? I was never a part of the Whizzenmog family, Rainer. Our father never accepted me for what I wasn’t.”

“And what’s that?”

I hesitated briefly deciding whether or not to answer truthfully, then I did, “You, Rainer. I was never as good and strong as you.” I summoned more roots from the ground. They burst out tossing dirt into the air, which landed on Rainer’s face and body covering his reddish-orange fur. I directed the roots to entangle his body and hold him to the ground.

“I will find the emerald, Rainer.”

“Why are you so angry?” Rainer questioned.

I scoffed at the thought that he was unaware of the reason. “Do you remember the night I left? What you did to me? Humiliating me again! The look in our father’s eyes that night said it all. I knew that I would never be as good as you in his eyes. That was the day he choose you, Rainer.”

“That’s not true.”

“LIAR!” I screamed so loudly that the chirping birds leapt into the sky and flew away. “Liar,” I repeated in a whisper.

“He was crushed when you didn’t return, Ethan.”

“Well…father won’t have to worry now, because when I find that emerald, I am going to be the most powerful sorcerer in Mistasia. And you will call me King.”

Rainer didn’t respond. He just stared at me shocked, like I had just slapped him in the face.

“Now where did you hide the emerald, Rainer,” I asked while searching around the forest.

When I turned my back, a bright blue flash caught my eye, followed by a snapping. I turned to see Rainer had broken free and escaped into the forest. I followed him forgetting about my wand in the leaves. It didn’t matter. I had left that life behind now. I was a sorcerer and in this forest there were all the weapons I would ever need to defeat my brother.

First, I pulled the ground up under his feet causing him to trip. Rainer gathered himself and ran again. Next, I snapped a nearby limb free and flung it like an arrow. My brother blocked it with a charm and continued to flee. He hid behind a large tree, but I just yanked it from the ground, roots and all, before tossing it aside with a tremendous crash which crippled at least two more trees nearby.

Rainer attempted to slow me down with a freezing spell, but I pulled the dirt before me up like a shield. It froze, but I kicked my leg through and continued stalking him.

“Give me the emerald, Rainer!” I demanded.

Rainer started to run again, but I had had enough. A tree branch lodged into the ground blocking his path. He turned to the right and another landed in front of him; then two more encircled Rainer in a wooden prison.

“There’s no escaping this forest, Rainer!” I stuck my face between two branches. “For so long, I envied you. Now, I pity you. I will not ask you again.”

Rainer pointed to a bush located between two trees just a short distance away. Underneath, I could see a green glow. My heart began to quicken as I reached underneath and grabbed hold of the solid stone. I pulled it out and focused on the object in my hand. It was green in color, but was not the emerald…just a mere rock.

“Rainer!” I yelled in frustration, but when I turned around he was gone again. He had escaped from my trap and disappeared into the forest. I closed my eyes and knelt to the ground. Placing my paw along the forest floor I calmed myself. I could feel the vibrations flowing to me from my right side. I dashed off in pursuit.

The forest quickly thinned and I found myself at its edge. Before me was a clearing. In the distance, Rainer ran for the shelter of a small house. I dashed toward him running faster than I had ever gone in my life. Just before I reached him, Rainer gripped the emerald tightly in his hands and was chanting something.

I didn’t have the time to reach him, when the ground began to tremble. I skidded to a halt. That was when I noticed our family’s crest upon the large wooden door. This was our old family home from centuries ago, before we became the protectors to the king. The land had claimed most of the house; only this door remained visible under the green vines, and tall grass.

The emerald began to glow brightly in Rainer’s palms. The wooden door began to change. It started to swirl around and around. Flashes of light spun at great speed. Rainer glanced at me for a single moment and then jumped into the portal. He had vanished.

I had to follow. I ran the short remaining distance and jumped, crashing into the decaying wooden door. I burst through into the dark and dirty room behind. The portal was gone, Rainer was gone, and most importantly…the emerald was gone with him.

I was crushed. My hope for greatness had just vanished before my eyes. I pulled myself out of the wreckage and stepped out into the grass. Standing at the edge of the forest was my master, Sorcerer LaCroiux. Fear overtook me. 

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Copyright 2013: Christopher M. Purrett