My 1 Year Blogging Anniversary

Photo credit to Jose Pinto on Unsplash.

Do you know what today is?

You don't, do you?

I'm offended.

Oh well. It's okay, I guess.

...

Are you getting any ideas? Do you have any guesses?

Here's a hint. Read the title of this blog post. (Sheesh, I'd have thought you'd done that already...)

YES, You are CORRECT! It IS the 1 year anniversary of this blog! You're a GENIUS!

Around this time February 19th, 2023, I launched egrunyan.com. And wow. What an adventure it has been.

Blogging on a regular basis has been such a huge blessing and it materially changed my life. Through it I have gained friends, motivation, and grown as a storyteller. God has used this little blog to teach me so many things, and I wouldn't change a single thing about how it's all come about.

That being said, I thought I'd offer you a small prize (and embarrass myself a little bit in the process) to celebrate this momentous occasion.

I'm going to reveal to you my first ever fantasy story. I wrote it when I was ten. At a whopping 10,000 words (the size of a short story) it is possibly the most horrendous piece of high fantasy ever to be written. Make sure to leave a sarcastic comment below the post that I can laugh at and and reply to.

Disclaimer: I did not edit this manuscript at all before posting it. Prepare yourself for a ten-year old's many grammar, formatting, and spelling errors.

Photo credit to Johannes Plenio on Unsplash.

The Stargazer

Prologue 

He was running.  The cold wind whipped cruelly at his face.  The soles of his boots were coming undone, though he had tried to sew them back together many times.  They slid in the wet mud, making the boy slip and almost enough to be overtaken by his captors.  Angry shouts of pursuit sounded behind him.  The bread he had stolen hung at his hip, a guilty reminder of the life he had led.  He paused, and glanced up at what loomed threateningly behind him.  A black forest.  It stretched as long as the eye could see, and was thick with brush.  If he lost his way in there…  He shook his head.  Better not to worry about it until it had happened.  Hopefully it never would.  He glanced back.  They were almost upon him now. The figure hesitated for a split second and then plunged into the almost sure death.  

Chapter I

A confusing prophecy

Gabrel was trying to sort things through his mind.  He had been walking through the forest for several hours, and he needed to make camp soon.  

An owl screeched a warning of nightfall approaching.  It was getting too dark to see.  The forest was grey, and gloomy.  Wet moss was growing among wet and rotting trees, and the thick canopy blocked any sunlight that would try to burst in. Gabrel liked things to be dark and strange. All the grass underfoot was dead, and yellow.  Where there wasn’t grass there was mud.  Gabrel’s boots were caked with it.  He turned his head from the side to the side, taking in every rustle.  Finally, he sat down on a nearby rotting log, that was growing fungus quicker than you could say centar.  Gabrel gathered a few armfulls of dry wood and lit a match.  Most people had trouble lighting fires, but Gabrel was an expert.  He had had plenty of practice while on the run.  Pretty soon a small fire was crackling in a friendly sort of manner.  He took the bread out of his leather satchel, and stuffed it down.  He had stolen it from a town on the edge of the woods that day, and found to his distaste it was already stale.  To ignore the hunger still coming up in him, the boy closed his eyes and imagined how life once was.  If you have ever woken up at three in the morning and cannot go back to sleep, and it so happens you are hungry you know the feeling.  It comes up from your stomach into your chest, and burns.

  Gabrel stared at the flames thoughtfully, and then slouched down sleepily.  Most would feel very uncomfortable in this position, against rotting logs with fungus for a pillow and wild animals screaming around you. But the boy was used to it.  He was so tired he didn’t remember to be cautious, which is a very stupid thing to do if you are alone in the woods at night with no one for miles around.    

    Gabrel was a sixteen year old thief.  His name showed it all.  In the ancient language of Darune Gabrel meant ‘One who Steals’  Gabrel was not the boy’s real name, but nobody knew his original name, so that’s what they called him.  That’s even what he called himself.  He was alone because his parents were dead.  The only person who knew why was himself, and he swore not to tell why. He was an orphan, though he would not admit it to anyone.  He had no friends, no money, and no childish outlook.  In fact, he was often very cross.  Life was hard, but being a thief was even harder.  

     As he closed his eyes you could easily see his features in the firelight.  He was tall, and thin from lack of food.  His hair was long, dark blonde, and in need of cutting.  The eyes that looked out from the thin face were a serious grey, with the faintest hint of blue.   His nose was long and thin, the ears showed faintly.  They had a definite point. An elf.  Of what kind, that was another strange thing about him.  Nobody knew that either.  The clothes he wore were distasteful.  They were ripped and torn, covered in  moss.  Gabrel was a walking mystery.

He stared at the dancing flames, that threw sparks this way and that.  Even the most cold-hearted person would have sympathy for him.  Especially if they had seen the tear fall to the dead grass, and heard the sniff, followed with a shaky breath.

     When Gabrel opened his eyes it was still dark.  He glanced up at the stars.  By the movement of Mestar, the biggest constellation, it was midnight.  As he lay there with his head behind his hands, he remembered laying in his mother’s lap and her stroking his hair while they watched a nearby planet explode because of a comet collision.  Living creatures had lived there, and had been smashed to smithereens.  He also remembered saying, “Why did the planet explode, mother?”  She had answered, “Sweety, that was no ordinary comet.  It was sent by another planet that they were fighting with.  They killed millions of people.”  She had looked sad, but added, “Never forget.  Pain is part of the universe we live in.  It wasn’t always here.  But it was our  own bad choices that led us here, and we can’t go back.  Always consider what you are about to do.  Ask yourself three questions.  Will this hurt someone, will it affect anyone else, and is it kind? Never try to hurt another person honey.  Always think of others before yourself.”  “Does that mean all fighting is bad, mother?”  The woman had thought for a moment.  Then said, “If it is for a good cause it is not bad.  But if it is over land, or a sheep, even things you have stolen, or a bad kind of leadership then it is bad.  Don’t you think those things are foolish?”  She had tickled him.  “Never be proud, my son.”  She told him, and then left.  It had been before the dark hour where everything Gabrel had known and loved had changed.  Not to mention himself.      

Gabrel had been walking for about an hour.  It was getting cold.  Maybe if he ran he would warm up.  Gabrel was very tired, but exuberant.  For the first time one of his inventions had worked!  He had built his own teleporter to see if it would work.  He hadn’t expected it to work at all, but it had!  It did take a lot out of you.  It might be something about the amount of energy being produced...  He broke into a trot.  Pretty soon he was warming up. Gabrel felt an unfamiliar emotion well up in his chest.  It had been so long since he had felt that way.  What was it called?  Happiness.  He closed his eyes, and sniffed the earthy smell of forest land.  SMACK!  He found himself on the ground, looking face to face at a little old man he had run into.  His head throbbed.  He winced, then stood up.  He started to walk away, then stopped, and debated if he should help the man up.  But what if he went on to the next town and told the townspeople he had seen him.  After a few seconds he went back over.  “Sorry sir.”  He helped the little man onto his feet.  “Sorry young man.”  Said the person.  “Oh no.”  Gabrel objected.  “I ran into You.  Please don’t apologize.”  “But I do need to.”  Said the old man cheerfully.  “You have been chosen to save the seven realms of Mortaghue.”  The seven realms?  This guy must be nuts.  The seven realms were seven galaxies all circling the same star.  It was seven galaxies orbiting the largest star yet discovered.  Gabrel lived in the seventh galaxy called Ragazzono, on the planet Jenjar.  Jenjar was mostly made up of lush forests and water.  “Me?”  Gabrel gave a bitter laugh.  “You’re crazy.  Why would a stupid kid like me be chosen to save all the people in our universe?”  

“Hmmmmm.”  The old man, who must be a dwarf because of his size, was walking in circles around him.  He had ignored his rude comment.  “Tall, handsome, bitter...sober.  Good enough.  Bad past though.  The bitterness and past must be corrected.”  Gabrel could see his features now.  He was fat and round with a long white beard and blue eyes.  He was wearing a black satin cloak, and was carrying a large bag.  “I must be going sir.  Good day.”  Gabrel started to leave again. “Wait a minute.”  The old man was pulling something out of his bag.  It was a blue velvet cloak, that fit Gabrel perfectly.  “H-how?”  Gabrel stuttered.  “Put it on.”  “Alright?”  “Here are your boots.”  Gabrel put them on like they were made for him.  “I have three prophecies.  One.  You need to find the lost city of Farthore.  Two.  You will meet a friend in Tartune, and three.  You are destined to save the realms.”  Then he was off, after giving Gabrel the first honest money he had had in years.  Gabrel was still gaping as the old man waddled away.  When Gabrel had recovered his bearings enough to call a shy thanks, the old man called back, “Don’t worry about it, my boy.  It’s the least I can do for you.  But take heed, I know who you are.”  And Gabrel looked paler than usual.

Chapter II 

The weirdest relationship ever.

Elwing Red was crouching on a flat rooftop, watching shoppers go by and waiting for a stupid one to be dumb enough to stop and go through his or her belongings so he could nab them.  The sky was grey, and most people were hurrying home to avoid rainfall.  Red relaxed.  “Calm down.”  He told himself.  “Be patient.”  Honestly, Elwing wasn’t as good a thief as he thought himself.  He was  sixteen, and spent his days robbing people.   

Red had  dark brown hair, and hazel eyes that were very green.  He was tall and thin, with an oval shaped face  and tanned skin.  His kinsmen were a mixture of an elf and a human.  His ears were rounded, though.  Unlike pureblood elves.  Most elves hated half-bloods.  For this very reason Red hated going into the forest, for fear of coming down upon a tribe.  He had heard old timers in the town saloons telling legends about wild elves living in the trees.  The boy shivered.  But you would be surprised at how cheerful the criminal was, if you took in the fact he was an orphan, and lived on the streets.  Red had come as a child to the village of Tartune, a small organization.  Almost ever since he could remember he had sat on this very rooftop everyday above the saloon and robbed.  

       He sat there for a while longer, and was starting to get quite bored, until he saw a stranger making his way through the crowds.  The kid was tall, about his age with blonde hair and a dark blue cloak on.  He wore boots, and had a sword at his belt that he kept making sure was still there.  Strange.  Almost shady.  Red wondered what he could make of this dude.  As the young man passed his hiding place, Red caught a glimpse of his expression.  Cautious.  Red wasn’t the wisest person.  He was too young to realize picking fights with complete strangers wasn’t a good idea.  But Red quickly decided to see how skilled this guy was.  He made a running leap off the roof and onto the stranger.  “What in the seven realms?”  The boy under him muttered in surprise, as they tumbled to the hard cobblestone.  Red hoped this guy had cash.  He landed a punch in the gut.  A grunt responded as the boy was left breathless.  “What was that for?”  His sides were heaving, and his gloved hand rested lightly where Red had hit him.  Red jumped up quickly, and put his foot down on the other fellow’s chest.  By now a crowd of onlookers had gathered.  Red was feeling quite proud of himself.  But as soon as he reached for the boy’s bag, his prisoner grabbed his hand and flipped him over in his place.  The tables had turned.  “You’re nothing but a streetrat!”  The boy snapped coldly.  “Red grimaced.  “Don’t call me that!”  The boy socked him in the stomach.  The crowd gasped.  Red was angry.  Great, now his hot head was getting him killed.  This person, who Red didn’t even know what race he was, would draw his sword and murder him!  End of story.  Boom.  But after a few minutes of horrible fear, the boy let him up.  Red saw a quick glimpse of something in his grey eyes.  It was sympathy.  The boy helped him up, and turned to go.  “I know what it’s like.”   He mumbled.  Then he turned, and the crowd started to disperse as Red sat open mouthed.

     Gabrel was reaching the outskirts of Tartune about an hour later.  He hadn’t found the friend yet, and was starting to lose faith.  Who had he met in the town that could have been the friend?  He put the thought out of his mind, and thought about the boy he had met so undignified.  Just think.  A few days ago at this time he was just like him.   

Then he knew the answer to his question.

Red was sitting in the town saloon.  The only other people in the saloon were two men drinking and playing cards.  From the loud way they were talking, and the jerky movements they made, Red expected they had drunk a little too much.

Red had come in after the fight to try to cheer his spirits with some beer.  He was sulking, because Elwing was not used to losing, and when he did didn’t have the best attitude.  

He looked around.  This saloon was like a second home to him, after the roof.  The barkeeper and him were friends, and the barkeeper knew where Red was hiding out.  But he had never told anyone,  even gave Red free food.  The room was crowded with polished tables and chairs, and by each chair there sat a glass and plate.  Not to mention each table had its own set of playing cards.  Red came in often, to eat, listen to the news, and play cards with his friends.  He had so far had managed self control and hadn’t gotten drunk, but several of his friends had.  It really was awful.  

The room was lit brightly by candles, and the scent of beer filled the room.  Red sniffed it contentedly.   He had chosen a dark corner to sit where he could sulk in peace.  No use acting like a baby in the open.  “Hello, Red.  What can I do for you today?”  Red looked up into the kind face of the barkeeper.  His lips were covered by a very thick white mustache, and his eyes, that were a twinkling blue, looked down at him kindly.  His apron was stained shades of purple from all the drinks he had been making.  “Hello, Mr. Jared.  I just want a sandwich, please.”  Mr. Jared whistled low and long.  “You're upset about something, aren’t you Red.”  Red nodded.  His friend could always see through him.  “Yeah.”  “Tell me.”  The barkeeper brought him a warm sandwich and a cup of cattle’s milk, which Red gratefully accepted.  “I lost a fight today.”  “Another fight?”  The barkeeper shook his head.  “Which one of the boys was it this time?”  “That's the thing.”  Red said.  “I don’t know.  It was a complete stranger.  A kid about my age with long hair and a blue cloak.  I-I thought he was going to stab me when he got me down at last, but he let me up.”  “Red, you really shouldn’t do things like that.”  The barkeep said.  “The only reason you're here right now is because that boy showed you mercy.”  “Ha.”  Red snorted.  “If he ever gave himself mercy I’d be shocked.”  But he resided under the barkeep’s sharp look.  “Your right, I know.”  “There.”  The barkeep got up, and went back behind the counter.

Red heard a thunder clap.  Soon the sound of lazy raindrops were pounding on the tin roof, and with the murmur of voices and flipping of cards Red dozed off.

Red opened his eyes in surprise.  He must have sat there for about an hour.  The rain was still pounding, and the barkeep was still behind the counter, but the men who had been playing cards were gone.  He had awoken because someone had sat down at his table.  Red straightened up.  Someone was sitting across from him. The face was covered by a darkly colored hood, and Red got the strange suspicion that whoever this was didn’t choose his table for any reason.  Red nodded curtly to the person and the person nodded just as curtly back.  The barkeeper came over, and asked, “Good afternoon, sir.  I mean, if you are-”  The person cut him off in a low voice.  “I’m a boy.”  “Oh, forgive me!”  Red hadn’t seen the barkeep so nervous in a long time.  The only other time he’d acted this way was the time a band of murderers stopped at the saloon.  “Would you like anything?”  The barkeep quivered.  The person answered shortly.  “Water.”  Thankfully, the barkeep scurried off, glad to get away from the strange person.  Red shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  What should he do?  Run away?  No, he didn’t want to look like a coward in front of a stranger again today.  He settled his gaze on the ceiling, and pretended to be distracted.  But after he had counted out only five spiders the stranger spoke.  “I need to talk to you.”  Red looked at him.  “Okay, what about?  If it’s about the downtown robbery, it wasn’t me.  That was K-”  The figure interrupted yet again.  “No.  I want to talk to you about..another subject, let us say.”  At this the boy pulled back his hood, and in a burst of shock, Red stood up, knocking his chair over.  It was the boy he had fought in the street that morning!  “Sit.”  The stranger indicated to his fallen chair.  Red righted his chair and sat back down, seething with rage.  Between gasps he looked across the table at the calm, cold face.  “What are you doing here?”  He asked.  Then, everything changed.  The boy dropped his cool manner, and looked regretfully into Red’s.  He almost looked like a regular worried boy.  But what he said surprised Red even more.  “I want to apologize for the way I acted this morning, and to give you an offer.”  Red sat dumbfounded for a  few seconds, then recovered his self respect.  “I’m sorry as well, I should have known better.  And, I can forgive you.”  The stranger gave a wry smile.  Red wondered if he had ever really smiled in his life.  He leaned forward in his seat.  “So about the offer…”  The stranger sat up straighter.  “I’m Gabrel.”  “What?  Doesn’t that mean ‘thief’ in the troll dictionary?”  Gabrel nodded.  His name was always catching up to him.  “I’m Elwing Red.”  Red held out his hand.  Gabrel shook it.  His cool manner had returned.  “I need a-”  He paused slightly.  In Gabrel’s mind he was wondering if this entire prophecy thing was a wild goose chase.  Then something stronger than his doubts sprang up in him.  He finished.  “I need a partner on a quest I’m going on.”  “Quest?”  Red’s eyes widened.  In spite of himself he was starting to get interested.  Gabrel told him about the strange man he had met on the road.  “I’m thinking he was a wizard.”  He finished.  “And if his prophecies were correct, you should be the ‘friend’ I’m looking for.”  Red looked around the saloon.  Did he really want to stay here forever?  Gabrel was handing him everything he could want.  A ticket out of this place, a chance to earn respect and to be a hero!  After a few silent seconds he replied. Two words.  “I’m in.”

They both soon realized getting along would be harder than they had thought.  When they had made camp that evening, after walking all day, Gabrel unpacked his satchel.  He handed Red some stale bread, and then took a small kit and container out as well.  He opened  the kit.  Red leaned over the fire with interest.  They were tools.  He opened the other pack.  It was a fancy carved handle.  Gabrel pushed a button.  A silver blade popped out.  “You better behave.”  Gabrel snickered slyly.  “Or I may have to use this on you.”  He opened a small door in the handle full of wires and cut the amount he needed.  “I’m going to go find a kind of potato to charge this.  It’s plentiful here.  Don’t touch anything and don’t wander off.”  “Who said you're the boss?  I’m just as old as you.”  Red muttered crossly as Gabrel disappeared into the darkness.  Red stared at the jumble of wires in the little box.  He noticed one wire was bent a little too much.  “I’ll just bend it a bit.”  He thought.  “It won’t do any harm.  Gabrel will appreciate it.”  Just as he was reaching into the box Gabrel appeared holding the potato he wanted.  “Don’t touch that!”  He yelled, running faster than Red had ever seen someone run, and shoving him away, where a burning log rolled into ia bed of moss six inches from Red’s head.  “That could of killed me!”  Red yelled.  “If you had touched that wire you would have been sent into intergalactic space near a black hole just as I programmed for sabotage, and would have frozen in space or burned in a black hole!”  Gabrel yelled back.,  Angrily, Red threw himself down on a scratchy blanket for sleep.  A minute later, after Gabrel had put his stuff away, he said gruffly, “Sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my head.”  “Sorry.”  Red managed, and doused his anger with a dose of humility and exception.  “I shouldn’t have touched your things.” 

       Gabrel sat up quickly, tossing his wavy hair out of his eyes.  Something wasn’t right.  He looked sharply at Red, who was hunched over close to the fire fast asleep.  He put more wood on the fire and shook Red.  “I’m going to go look around.  Stay here.”  Red didn’t stir.  Gabrel sighed, and took out his sword.  He had finished it before he and Red had gone to sleep, and maybe for the first time he could use it.  Quickly he crept away.  In the darkness Gabrel moved silently with a tracker in his hand.  It showed him where things that would alert enemies, such as dry leaves or a twig.  A goblin scurried across his path.  Ugh, those things were gross.  The local Jenjar goblin was a small, green thing that I won’t go to lengths to describe.  

      Gabrel felt satisfied after about half an hour, and returned to camp.  When he was nearing it, he thought he heard scuffling noises.  Maybe some more goblins.  But deep down Gabrel didn’t think so.  When he reached the clearing  what he saw made him catch his breath.  Red was tied to a nearby tree, with his mouth gagged and eyes huge. Eleven werewolves were around the fire, laughing.  Gabrel looked up at the sky.  The moon was full.  He was a stupid kid if there ever was one.  Careful to stay out of the circle of fire’s light, Gabrel snuck over to Red.  He could hear the wolves conversation easily.  “I heard a man from the sea is eager to conquer the races.”  “Of course, we could go into hiding, but our kind is fearless.”  “I would stay and fight.”  “What about the legend someone will come and save us?”  “All rubbish.”  Gabrel stopped right behind the tree Red was tied up to.  Red still wasn’t aware of his presence.  Gabrel racked his head hard.  How could he signal to Red without the wolves noticing?  Then it hit him.  This would only work if Red had had some schooling.  In the ancient way of writing, he tapped out, “I am here.”  After a few breathtaking moments , came an answer.  “You’re stupid.”                              

   Gabrel couldn’t help grinning.  Classic Red.  Even he knew him well enough to realize that.  Quietly he untied Red’s bonds, and sent another message.  “We need to go.  “I understand.”  Red slowly retreated around the tree to where Gabrel stood.  He bumped into him.  Gabrel stifled a cry of alarm as he fell against another tree.  His hand brushed onto a knife where a wolf had stored it in the  tree.  Soon a trickle of blood went down his finger.    One of the wolves lifted his head and sniffed.  “Is that blood?”  It asked.  Red mouthed to                Gabrel, “You oaf!”  Gabrel didn’t reply.  Then Red whispered just barely audible for Gabrel to hear, “Let’s get out of here.”  Gabrel nodded.  Safer not to answer.  They started to back slowly away.  Red stepped on a pile of dead leaves.  “Did you hear that?”  Another asked.  One wolf turned and looked at where Red had been tied.  “The prisoner!  He escaped!”  He snarled.  “Let us find him and punish him by making him our dinner!”  The wolves started in different parts of the woods.  One came straight at Red and Gabrel’s hiding place.  Red caught his breath.  “I see them!”  The wolf said happily, and grinned.  When wolve’s grin they show all their razor sharp teeth that glint in the light and always show yellow.  It’s not a pleasant sight.  “Run.”  Gabrel said out of the side of his mouth to Red.  “Okay.”  Red said in an unnaturally squeaky voice.  They turned and ran as fast as they could.  They matched speeds.  Gabrel started fumbling with his good hand into his satchel.  After a few minutes he pulled out a small round contraption.  “What took you so long?”  Red gasped.  “Give me that.”  He grabbed the contraption from the other boy and started pushing buttons.  “Don’t do that!”  Warned Gabrel, coldly.  Red dropped it, then grabbed it up again.  Gabrel took this time to snatch it from his grasp.  They were out in a clearing now close to a farm.  The sun was slowly rising.  Gabrel flipped open the power source.  He groaned.  “You just knocked the battery loose!”  He quickly flipped it back, electrocuting his hand in the process.  “Ow!”  His hand blackened a bit.  “Whatever you do hold on to me!”  He called to Red who was lagging behind.  Gabrel could see all eleven werewolves on Red’s tail.  “Run!”  He yelled.  

 Red felt a wolf nip at his tail.  That was way too close.  All of a sudden, he tripped and rolled down the mossy hill toward the wolves!  Gabrel was yelling words of encouragement to him.  But Red was too tired to carry on.  He closed his eyes.  “Alright Mom and Dad.  I’ll be with you soon.”  Red’s earliest memory was watching a troll kill his parents.  It wasn’t a very happy one. Red breathed deeply.  He had loved his parents, more than anything in the world.  He hated to recall that feeling of helplessness that had surrounded him as he watched his parents being slain trying to protect him.  Elwing Red never wanted to feel that way again.  The wolves attacked, and Red closed his eyes, ready for the pain that would come.  It didn’t.   All the sudden he heard a voice in his head.  “Come on, Red.  GET UP.” “But..I can’t!  The wolves-”  Red thought shakily.  “NO!”  The voice sounded ferocious.  “YOU CAN.”   Suddenly Red felt new energy, and leapt to his feet.  He could.  He somersaulted backwards and landed on his back.  Surprised, the wolves slowed.  Then they took their pace back up again.  Their eyes were yellow, their teeth bared.  The long fur that grew on them was tangled, and muddy.  Red started to feel fear again, but something pushed him on.  He caught up with Gabrel, who had still been running.  No surprise.  Gabrel’s eyes were screwed shut in concentration when he reached him.  Red asked.  Gabrel’s eyes popped open.  “Oh! Okay.  I haven’t done that in a long time.”  He mumbled, and winced, clutching his head.  “Wait, what?”  Red asked in bewilderment.  “Just hold on.  I’ll tell you later.”  Red grabbed Gabrel’s arm as the other boy slammed his hand down on a button.  They disappeared.

Red  opened his eyes.  He was floating in a bluish colored room.  He turned around, gasping.  The entire place looked like coordinates!  He looked down at his feet.  He was hovering over..nothing.  He looked up, and saw Gabrel was floating too, but bending over a control panel.  “What in the seven realms is this thing?”  Red asked.  “We are teleporting.”  “Where?”  “The farthest I can go is twelve yards forward.”  Gabrel pushed something.  The teleportation broke.  Red felt the cold morning wind rush against his face again, as they leaped from a few feet in the air.   They ran past a farmhouse where a little girl was coming out to feed her baby goblins.  

Little Mary May came outside to collect her eggs and feed her baby goblins.  It was a lovely day.  She couldn’t wait to see her babies.  She was just reaching the last step, when two tall thin teenage boys appeared out of nowhere, leaping out of the sky.  They pounded past Mary May, and it sounded like they were talking about something called nellohoarding.  Little Mary May didn’t know what that was, and clutched confusedly her dead mice for her goblin sweethearts.  Behind the boys  were some big hairy things.  She ran back into the house, calling, “Mummy, two boys ran past being chased by giant killer rabbits!”  “That’s nice dear.”  Her mother replied.  

Chapter III

Ghost town

Red and Gabrel were walking through the woods that were slowly thinning.  They had outrun the wolves till sunrise, when they had turned back into regular elves or trolls or whatever they were.  Red had wanted to go back to bed, but Gabrel insisted on walking to the next town.  Gabrel looked at his map.  “It’s not on the map.”  “Strange.”  Mused Red.  “Hey, when I was rolling down the hill I heard a voice in my head that made me get up.”  Gabrel avoided eye contact.   “How strange.”  He said it almost absently.  “Are you sure you don’t have anything to do with that?”  Red’s eyes were ready to pop out of his head.  “I feel like I read somewhere there is a group of people that can do that.”  Gabrel looked panicky.  It was one of the first emotions Red had seen him show.  “We had better hurry.”  He handed Red a small piece of salted meat.  “I think I see it.”  Red said.  Sure enough, small huts were coming up in the distance.  When they reached it, Red called out.  “Helllooooo?”  A woman appeared at her doorstep.  “Visitors!”  Her voice called.  Several people poured out of houses.  They cordially came to meet them.  But they all looked... upset.  They all were wearing rags for clothing, and clogs on their feet.  What was going on?  “Here is some food.”  Said a little girl, her voice choked with sobs.  “Thank you.”  Red said, but his face was quizzical.  “Welcome.”  Sighed a young lady.  “Do you want a newspaper?”  Groaned a man.  “Sure.”  Red said, taking a copy.  Gabrel’s curiosity got the better of him.  “Is there anything wrong?  You people don’t look normal.”  “Gabrel!”  Red hissed.  Then in a kinder voice, he asked,  “Can we help?”  An older man shook his head.  “Nobody can help.  But you can go to the old woman’s house.  She can tell you what is wrong.”  Red and Gabrel walked toward the nearest house.  The crowd dispersed.  It was silent.  “What is this, a ghost town?”  Red asked.  “We have other things to worry about.”  Gabrel said.  “We need to find this old lady’s house, and see what’s wrong with these people.”  They scanned a few houses.  At one was a rotting sign that was rotting in the wind.  It said in bold black letters, ‘The old lady’s house.’  “Well that was a no brainer.”  Red laughed.  “Come on.”  They walked up to the neat house and knocked.  The door swung open.  Red lost his boost of self confidence.  “That was creepy.”  Gabrel went first.  “Hello?  Ma’am?”  The wood in the house was rotting.  Spiders made their nests in corners, and rats scurried around.  When Gabrel took his first step, his foot went through the wood.  Fungus was growing everywhere.  Red even saw a rat run into a dark corner. “Come into my bedroom.”  Called an old cracked voice.  Red looked around.  The house was mysteriously empty.  The two walked into the room the voice had called.  They were surprised at once.  A fire crackled and made the room.  All the windows were open, letting light in, and a spinning wheel sat in the corner.  A bed was opposite it, and a rug with a rocking chair sat an old woman crocheting.  She looked ancient, with silver hair that was pinned up and twinkling blue eyes.  She had a wide smile on her face, and a nearby stack of books lay close to her if she wanted to read.  She beamed at them.  “Nice to meet you Gabrel.  Who is your friend?”  “How do you know my name?”  Asked Gabrel.  Still, his face showed no emotion. “Oh, we all know about you.”  The old lady said.  Out of nowhere a wand appeared and flew to her hand.  “A witch?”  Quivered Red.  “I am not a witch.”  The lady said curtly.  “The realms call us witches but we are not.  We are… female magicians.”  “Okay.”  Said Gabrel.  “If you know everything about me, please keep it private.”  The old lady nodded.  “I see why you want to keep it a secret.  You have many reasons to say that.”  Red opened his mouth, then closed it again.  The old lady had a tinkling laugh, and said, “You want to know why everyone here is sad but me, do you not?”  Red nodded.  “I’m Elwing Red.  Just call me Red.”  “Ah, good!  Sit down, Red and Gabrel.”  They promptly sat down on the rug.  “A long time ago.”  Said the old lady.  “There was a family called the Stargazers.”  She looked meaningfully at Gabrel, who frowned.  “They were not ordinary people.  They were elves.  A different kind than your ordinary one, though.  The last living.  But they had mind powers.”  She tapped her head.  “Almost all were noble.  But one day they were wiped out.  All but two, who with their minds managed to escape.  They are in hiding, and do not want anyone to know who they are because they know HE will be killed.  But he is noble as well, if he can get past his anger, and was taught well by his parents.  But a man over the sea.. He wants to wipe all the races on this side of the sea out, because his family was wiped out by the boy in hiding’s family.  But one day, the boy will come out of hiding, with his last living relative and defeat all his beasts.”  Red was captivated by the story until he looked over at Gabrel.  Expecting to see as much awe as he had, instead he saw Gabrel was looking out the window, hiding his face.  Red felt uneasy.  Moved by the tail, most likely.  The young man was also slowly coming to the conclusion Gabrel wasn’t the nicest person.  It felt like he had been dealt a cruel deed when he was younger and he had never been able to forgive them for it.  Red turned his attention back to the old lady.  “But you said there are two.  Why do you speak so highly of one, and not mention the other?”  “Because one-”  The old lady bent forward and stopped her knitting.  “Is the chosen ruler of the Seven Realms.”  Gabrel’s head shot up.  “What?”  Red noticed his voice crack.  “Yes.”  The old lady reclined back into her chair, and picked her work back up again.  “I will tell you a secret.”  She said, smiling softly.  “The boy’s name is..”  She paused for dramatic effect.  “Montague.”  “Cool name.”  Red said.  “The man of the sea is not here yet, but his beasts are.  The first one is the Werewolf Queen.  She came and took over here.  That is why everybody is sad.  It is a curse that only affects none strong minded people.  It might be here forever.  It might not.”  The old lady clicked her tongue.  “That settles it.”  Red jumped up.  “Where are you going?”  Called Gabrel, sharpley.  “To fight the Queen.”  Red called back.  Gabrel started to get up and follow him, but the sorceress held up her hand.  “Gabrel my dear.”  She said in a soft voice.  “Get past your bitter self and forgive.”  Gabrel walked out of the room.  

Gabrel and Red stood nervously in front of the iron gate the old lady had directed them to.  “If we die doing this..”  Red started but was cut off short by the voice.  “You can do this.” Red stopped speaking, and looked around.  The prince must be nearby.  The old lady had told him in private he was a prince. Where was he?  Gabrel pounded on the bars.  They swung open creaking loudly.  Eeeeeeeeek.  “That was too easy.”  Gabrel said suspiciously.  They were standing in front of a giant mansion with curtained windows everywhere.  Gabrel was right, because two wolves appeared and started to attack.  Gabrel unsheathed his sword and pushed the power button.  The sword glowed blue with energy as Gabrel swung it toward them.  He pressed another button, and when the blade came into contact with the wolves they vanished.  Gabrel grimaced.  “They are being sucked into a black hole right now.”  “Nice feature.”  Red commented dryly.  “Don’t I need a weapon?”  Gabrel pulled a sword similar to his own out of the bag.  “This is my old one.  It doesn’t have all the fancy features this one does, but it is electrically charged and electrocutes anything it comes in contact with.  It also has a voice command.”  Red took the blade.  “How do you build these?”  Gabrel didn’t reply.  

They broke open the door and were in a long hall richly carpeted, that led to a door that said, throne room.  Gabrel closed his eyes.  “She doesn’t have security because she thinks no one can defeat her.”  “We’ll see about that.”  Red said.  “Hey, how in the seven realms did you know that?”   Gabrel ran to the door at the end of the hallway, but was quickly knocked back by a burst of blue light.  Gabrel lay on the ground and screamed in pain.  Red saw the bright blue light zigzagging all around him, and Gabrel swung his sword back in reply. Red was at once at his side, asking him what was wrong.  Gabrel clutched at his side, his eyes wild.  “Magic.”  He sucked in his breath.  “Very strong magic.”  Gabrel’s face was unreadable.  Red thought he looked horrified.  The blue light still attacked Gabrel, but did nothing to Red.  The one time he was able to come in contact with it, it slid right through his body, as though he was a hallucination.  When it went through his body, Red’s legs felt as if they were frozen, but his stomach felt as if it was on fire.  Gabrel yelled again.  The light was so bright, it blinded Red to see if his friend was all right.  Then that voice gripped Red’s mind again.  “Run..You can’t make it….Too dangerous.”  The voice in his head panted, as if under a great strain.  Red looked about wildly.  Was the prince alright?  He replied.  “No.  I would never desert a fellow man.”  All at once the blue light stopped zig zagging, and turned straight to Red.  Red could have sworn two red eyes with black thin slits were in the middle.  Another voice entered his head.  It was slippery, and cold.  Red immediately felt like a failure as it spoke.  “All is lost.  Surrender.”  Red turned to see Gabrel lying on the floor.  He groaned.  “I shouldn’t have…”  “Huh?”  All at once the blue light zoomed toward Red.  Red was too frozen to move, until he saw Gabrel jump in front of him, and shout something inaudible to his ears.  The blue light vanished, and when Red could see again, he saw Gabrel on his knees on the floor.  His hair was dripping with sweat.  His cut hand was pressed against his side, where Red saw blood pouring from a fatal wound.  His breath came in ragged gasps.  Red dropped down beside him in a panic.  He heard Gabrel whisper to him, “Take me to the sign.”  Red promptly slung Gabrel over his shoulder, and led him to the sign.  “What does it say?”  Gabrel asked, his voice getting stronger.  Red slowly sounded out the strange words.  “Whosoever chalengeth me, repeat the five ancient words but one knoweth.”  Gabrel immediately responded.  “Gangar, Sunjun, Ankor, Sethgue, and Carganthurough.”  “Wha-?”  The door slid open.  “How?”  Red wondered.  Gabrel turned to him.  “She’s in there.  I’m sure of it.  See you on the other end of this.”  Red nodded, and they clasped their arms.  He looked worriedly at Gabrel who was having trouble standing on his own.  Red hoped his small amount of fighting technique would protect this weak elf.  They descended into a dark room.  They both stepped on a cushioned rug at the same time, and torches lit the room one by one, making a small eerie clicking sound as they turned on.  Sitting on a gold throne with two wolf bodyguards sat a giant wolf with a huge crown on her head.  Her claws were out, and her teeth dripped with venom.  Her hair was tangled, and she was covered in gold and rich clothing.  Her guards were holding spears with gold handles and scarlet robes.  Elaborate pictures hung on the walls.  The floor was scarlet with rugs.  The wolf’s eyes were closed.  But when she opened them they were yellow with a single black slit in the middle.  “I knew you would be here.”  She said, smiling to show her ugly mouth.  “You don’t think I’ll give up that easily, do you?”  She asked.  “Bow before your queen.  This is MY town.” Red’s courage boosted.  “Oh yes your ‘highness.’  He said sarcastically.  “Your no queen of mine.”   The wolf sneered.  “Guards, finish them off.”  The two wolves advanced, grinning wildly.  Gabrel closed his eyes for a split second, then opened them wide.  “Those wolves are insane.”  He breathed to Red.  “She gave them poisonous gas.  Don’t let them bite you.  Hit them in the back.”  Red pressed a button on his sword.  “Hey, Juliet?”  “Yes master Red?”  A robotic voice replied.  “Unsheath the blade, and switch on electric control to 99 percent.”  “Yes master Red.”  The sword immediately shot faster than you could see out and lit up with blue electricity.  Red cranked up the electricity volume to as far as it could go.  Gabrel did something to his own sword.  By the way he handled it he had obviously been trained.  He waited till the first wolf was almost upon him.  Then, while Red watched in shock, he flipped over the wolf and stabbed him in the back, despite his severe injury.  The wolf wilted onto the ground.  “It should appear outside the castle.”  Gabrel called to Red.  “And transform back into whatever he or she was before.”  Red heard the queen growl as he clashed his blade with the other creature.  The wolf was much stronger than Red, and started to push him to the ground.  Red faintly heard Gabrel yelling at the queen who was laughing.  He turned to Red from across the room.    “That wolf has formula on its claws to turn you into a wolf.  Keep it distracted until I reach you!”  Gabrel started to run to Red, but metal bars came down and blocked his way.  The exertion was too much for poor Gabrel.  He collapsed on the ground, and moaned. The bars made a metallic clanging sound as they hit the ground.  “Help!”  Red said hoarsely.  A trap door came down from the ceiling in Gabrel’s cell.  A wild troll was inside, a cage, snarling and clawing at the bars.  His face was green, and squashed.  He had garments of wool, and a club the size of Red himself.  Gabrel  was helpless.  The look of terror reminded Red of how HE had felt as he watched his parents go.  Elwing didn’t want this experience for Gabrel, friend or not.  He couldn’t tell of Gabrel even liked him.  All at once Red slid under the creature’s legs and hit him squarely in the  back.  “What was that?”  He yelled.  Red knew he could never have done that move before.  Gabrel slowly got up, clutching his head.  The death of the wolf deactivated the trap door and metal bars.  Gabrel hurried over to help Red up.  “If that had scratched you you would be a wolf right now.”  “I know.”  Said Red, scratched the back of his head.  “Thank you.  For saving me.”  Gabrel looked sheepishly grateful.  An emotion, and thanks.  That was a start.  Then Red made the decision he was going to do his best to turn Gabrel into a kind person.  Not the cold, rude boy he knew now.  It might be hard, but he would. 

The queen did not take this very well.  She growled a deep, long growl that sounded as loud as thunder.  She rose to her thirteen foot height, and said, “Maybe you defeated  my minions, but you won’t beat me!  I will destroy you!”  She set one foot down to finish them off.

The red haired girl found herself outside the castle.  A minute later her brother joined her, looking dazed.  They looked each other over.  “Are we really free?”  The girl asked, clasping her hands together in anticipation.  “I think so.”  Her brother replied, a smile going over his face.  “Come on, let’s go home.”  He ran in the direction of a small house nearby.  But the girl wasn’t ready to go just yet.  She looked up at the sky and watched the sun come out from behind the clouds.  “Thank you.”  She whispered.  “Thank you.”  Then she started running to the hut, calling out, “I’m home!  I’m home!”  

Red was really excited.  “Yay.”  He said to Gabrel.  “We get to be squashed by a giant wolf.  Just how I always wanted to die.”  The foot was close to coming down on them.  Gabrel snatched Red’s sword from him and spoke into the mike.  “Hey, Juliet.  Activate forcefield feature for two people.”  “Understood.”  Juliet answered, and a blue forcefield covered them both.  Red moved very slowly in the field.  It was like trying to run underwater.  “This won’t hold very long.”  Gabrel informed him slowly.  “We need a plan.”  “Good.”  Red replied.  “I think I have one.”  

The forcefield broke, and Red and Gabrel dashed out from underneath it.  “Oh ma’am.”  Said Red with false but convincing voice.  “You may need to pull your robe down a bit.”  While the Queen was distracted, Gabrel leapt forward to hit her heart.  But the Queen had seen it coming.  She took her own sword, and as the blades met Red took Gabrel’s place.  As Red taunted the Queen Gabrel snuck over to her back.  His head ached with pain.  His wound would not likely heal unless tended to soon.  Gabrel wiped exhaustion off his face and hurried on.

The weakness in a werewolf is the back, for werewolves have no spine.  It is all fur and flesh, an easy target.  Gabrel hoisted himself on the throne.  A goblin came down.  Of course, it was radioactive to her wait.  Gabrel had little time to take this guy out, so he quickly killed it with a skillful slash of his sword.  As he stepped over the body he saw Red starting to struggle.  He was running out of smart things to say, and he was starting to sweat.  Gabrel saw why.  The wolf was extending her claw to scratch him!  Gabrel knew it was time to act fast.  Now or never.  He tried to discourage the wolf’s mind.  It had a small effect.  Her mind was strong.  Gabrel lifted his sword, and yelled, “Julianna!”  For that was the sword’s name.  “Turn on intergalactic space sending now!”  The Queen turned just quick enough to see her doom.

Gabrel stumbled over to where Red lay on the ground.  His eyelids drooped.  He knew Red was unconscious but not injured.  His vision was blurry and he felt some nausea rise in himself.  Gabrel knew his wound was a bad one, and he would most likely not live.  As he collapsed beside Red he smiled to himself.    Gabrel wasn’t a nice boy.  He admitted that to himself, and he was too bitter.  But...He had died saving others. 

Red opened his eyes.  He and Gabrel were laying in the sorceress’ house in the guest room.  The room was very similar to the sorceress’, except larger.  He sat up and looked at Gabrel.  Still out.  But they were both clean and  with no bruises, except for Gabrels wound.  Red looked it over.  It had been rapped well, and from Gabrel’s steady breathing it was alright.  He blinked, and lay back down.  Red was in his normal clothes, and the bed was white sheeted and clean.  How long had he been unconscious?  A fire burned nearby and sunlight filled the room.  Red felt ravishingly hungry.  Gabrel yawned, and sat up himself.  “You're awake.”  Red said.  “Yeah.  We-did it.”  “We sure did.  Are you hungry?”  Gabrel grunted.  The sorceress came into the room at that exact moment carrying a tray filled with food.  “Good morning, boys!”  She said cheerfully.  “This town owes you everything.  The spell is broken, and everyone is happy again.”  Gabrel stretched, and yawned, putting both feet out of bed.  “How long have I been out?”  “Five days.”  The fairy said.  “Five days???  We need to go.  We should get to the lost city of Fathore as soon as possible and meet their authorities.”  Red was stuffing his cheeks with food.  “Come on, can’t we eat something?  I haven’t had food in five days.”  Gabrel agreed.  “Leave some food for me.”  “There is plenty where that came from.”  Laughed the Sorceress.  “I understand your need to get to Fathore.  In fact, I can tell you where to go.”  Gabrel stopped eating and blinked, swallowing so he could speak.  “You can?  Where?”  The Sorceress smiled.  “Do you know where the Great Forest is?”  “Sure.”  Gabrel answered.  “From here it would take about three weeks to reach it.”  “Well, in the middle of the forest you will find a great tree.  It is an oak tree.  If you can find out how to get inside it the colonie will be revealed.”  “Got it.”  Gabrel turned to Red.  “Time to go.”  “Hmm?”  Red looked up, swallowing.  “Hey!”  Gabrel cried.  “You ate all the food!”

Chapter IV

Being chased

The old lady sent them off with good wishes, food, and a map.  The magic she had done while they were unconscious had healed all their scratches and bruises, besides Gabrels wound.  It was still rather sensitive,  but the old lady had taken him out of danger with several strong spells, and the town was eternally grateful to the boys.  To show that gratefulness they gave them enough money for board and food until they reached the Great Forest, and gave them a ride in a milk wagon for ten miles.  It was a good start, and they would reach the Great Forest in three and a half weeks exactly.  When the wagon dropped them off they were in the middle of nowhere.  Red smiled.  “You know?  I actually liked fighting that wolf.”    Then he added, “I also liked eating the food.”  He  was munching on bread and took a swig of water.  “All you care about is eating.”  Gabrel sighed in frustration.  “Come on, let’s go.”  “One question.”  Red turned to him.  “What was that strange blue light you fought?  It..spoke in my mind.”  Gabrel’s lips tightened angrily.  “You’ll find out in good time.”  They started running in the direction the map pointed.  “Hey, do you think there will be any pretty girls there?”  Red asked hopefully.  “Girls?  Really?”  Gabrel asked in disgust.  “So!  Do you?”  “For all I know this could be a colonie of dwarfs.”  “What?  I haven’t seen one of those for a while.  Basically they all are short and fat.”  Gabrel snickered. “Yeah.  I bet you want to marry a dwarf.”  Red made a face.  “I was hoping for an elf or something.”  

That night they camped on the flat plain.  They didn’t need to worry about werewolves, after the Queen had died the spell had been broken on all people cursed by it.  Still, they took turns watching for anything suspicious.  When it was Red’s turn at 2:00, he took a blanket and plopped down on top of it.  They had hiked twelve miles that day, and he was exhausted.  He tried his best to whittle a stick, and threw it into the fire.  Gabrel had told him they needed to save food, and he could only have one piece of bread while watching for the rest of the night.  Red ate half of it, and stared at the fire for about an hour.  Then he took out Juliet and cleaned her.  There was nothing to do.  All at once he saw a light in the distance, and loud voices.  Somehow he knew this wasn’t good.  Quickly he shook Gabrel.  Gabrel sat up slowly, still wincing at his side. “What is it?”  Red pointed wordlessly at the light that he could now tell were torches.  Gabrel grabbed a bucket they had saved for an emergency and dumped water all over the fire.  It hissed out.  Red snatched up his bag and stuffed Juliet inside wrapped in the blanket.  He didn’t want to leave evidence.  Gabrel also gathered up his things and they started to run.  They could easily hear the people now.  “What did ya say he looked like?”  “Blonde.  I could see im’ anywhere.”   “I think he’s cute.”  Giggled a voice.  Gabrel resisted the urge to groan.  It was the butcher from his old town with his apprentice and daughter.  A lizard was pulling the cart with the young girl inside.  The men were walking beside it, talking about him.  “Run faster!”  Gabrel hissed to Red.  He ran faster than he ever had before.  Those men were looking for him, and no wonder.  “We sure will get money off him.”  Said the butcher.  “The reward was three thousand shekels.”  Gabrel ran even faster.  They were too stupid to have seen him yet.  “Who are they?”  Asked Red, panting.  “The butcher from my old town.”  Gabrel whispered.  “I think the township is offering a reward for me.”  “Oh man.”  Red gasped.  “How good were you?”  Gabrel couldn’t help giving a half smile.  “Really good.”  Red wasn’t amused.  “Hey!”  The butcher yelled.  “Who was that?”  They were trapped.  “Cover your face.”  Red whispered.  “I’ll take care of this.”  Gabrel pulled the hood of his blue cloak over his eyes and hair.  Red stepped forward.  “Hello?”  He asked, falsing what we call a Scotish accent but really sounded like a small group of elves nearby.  “Who are you?”  The butcher looked at him suspiciously.  “You were running.”  “Yes I was running.”  Said Red, faking a flash of annoyance.  “I thought you were those criminals that have been at work around here.”  The butcher and his apprentice looked left and right in fear.  “Yes, stripped a man clean of all his belongings the other day.”  Red shrugged.  “I wouldn’t be out here if I were you.”  “Why should we trust you?”  Said the fat apprentice.  “For all we know, you could be one of them.”  Red smiled.  “Gentlemen, this is proof that I’m not.”  He lifted up a card for the nearby elve’s town.  Gabrel tried not to choke.  Where in the world had Red got that?   “Who’s your friend?”  Red glanced back at Gabrel, stuffing the card in his pocket as he did so.  “Oh, her?”  Gabrel tried not to frown.  Red was pretending he was a girl?  This was getting out of hand.  “That’s my sister.  She has a cold, and night air is bad for that, you know.”  “Let us see her face.”  The butler demanded.  His daughter, who had been silent during this conversation, spoke.  “Hey, girl, have you seen the new facial cream that came out?  It’s ravishing!”  “The what?”  Gabrel squeaked.  It was a pretty convincing girl voice, but the young lady did not take to it.  She jumped nimbly down from the wagon, and stood before Gabrel with her hands on her hips.  Quickly, she reached up and yanked the hood off his head.  Gabrel’s angry face was revealed in the light of the torches.  “Hi, Gabrel.”  She sneered, flipping her blonde hair behind her back.  The butcher laughed.  “Good to see you too.”  Gabrel frowned.  “Now ye get in that there wagon.”  “Do you really think I’m gonna take orders from YOU?”  Gabrel knew action was needed.  Before anyone could say anything, he punched the butcher in the face.  He stumbled back yelling in pain.  Who would have known?  The butcher’s daughter took a rope out of her pocket and quickly lassoed the two boys together.  She tied it cruelly, and Gabrel cried out in pain as she tightened the rope around his wound.  The apprentice helped her load them into the wagon.  Red fumbled for Juliet, but the young girl kicked the bag far away from him.  She turned over to the apprentice, who had been watching.  “Don’t just stand there like a dork!  I dropped my hair oil a way back.  Go find it!”  Red moaned loudly to send her a clear message he was thoroughly disgusted.  “Really?  You’re worried about HAIR OIL right now?”  “Hey, how am I supposed to be beautiful without hair oil?”  She flipped her golden hair over her shoulder.  Gabrel cringed.  It was REALLY greasy.  The girl dragged her father into the wagon beside them and jumped into the driver’s seat.  She mumbled something about going and finding the apprentice, and turned the lizard around.  They drove on for about five minutes before hearing a strangled cry, that sounded unmistakably like the apprentice!   The butcher’s daughter jumped down from the wagon.  “Oh no!”  She sounded worried.  Just at that moment,  A figure landed from the sky on their wagon!  Red and Gabrel were just quick enough to yell in surprise when the butcher’s daughter turned around.  “Oh no you don’t!”  She cried angrily.  “You must be the bandits!”  “I didn’t think they were real!”  Red whined.  In the firelight Gabrel could barely make out the person’s features.  Light brown hair with blonde highlights came down over a pale face with a breathing mask over it.  He was wearing a black tunic, and orange vest.  His hands were gloved and held two daggers.  “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!”  The girl screamed, and ran into the darkness, crying the apprentice’s name.  Slowly the boy lowered his knives and turned to Gabrel.  “Get up.”   Gabrel smirked. “Um, I’d love too, but as you see I’m tied to this weirdo and have no idea who he is, so can you untie me?”  This caused a half smile, Gabrel could tell.  Red, on the other hand, was not pleased.  “Hey, you're not gonna dump me,  right?  Buddie, I just saved the world if what you say is true!”  “Yeah, and you got a personal card from who knows where, and pretended I was your sister.”  “I thought that was funny!”  “Well, they stole some of our food because of the mess you got us into.  Do you think that’s funny?”  “What?  Not the food!”  While they had been talking the stranger had pulled them up, and rebound them to rope handcuffs attached to each other so they could move, but not easily get away.  Red looked down from speaking, and groaned.  “Now we’re your prisoners?”  The boy nodded.  “Finders Keepers, right?”  Red scowled.  “Even I wasn’t dirty enough to follow that saying.  How about..  Finders be a great guy and let the other dudes go.  Everyone is happy.  Right?”  Their captor shook his head.  “Nuh uh, not happening.”  Red let his breath out, and frowned deeper, letting his shoulders sink as he did so. “I have a ride.”  The boy said.  He led them into the dark.  Gabrel fell on top of Red several times, though the walk was short.  “Knock it off, man!”  Red growled, after his fifth fall.  “Sorry!”  After a while, they came to a small clearing of trees.  One of the several moons that brightened the land illuminated enough for Red and Gabrel to see a bike in the center of it.  It was Orange and white, streaked with black.  The hovering sequence was on, and the low motor buzzed.  It had one seat in front and two in the back, with the roof down.  “Get in.”  The boy said.  Struggling, the two prisoners, with lots of yelps of pain and arguing, found their way into the back.  When they were settled, Gabrel realized the boy was already into the cockpit, hitting buttons and flipping switches.  “Excuse me!”  Gabrel yelled to him over the roar of the machine.  “We need to go West!”  The boy, if he had heard them at all, didn’t act like it, because from Gabrel’s compass he went North West.  Oh well, that was close enough.

“We need to get away.”  Red whispered to Gabrel.  “We need to find the last Stargazer!”  The boy turned, and his eyes looked so angry fire seemed to burn behind them.  He unsheathed one of his daggers and held it right up to Red’s neck.  “Who are you talking about?” Red gulped.

TO BE CONTINUED

(EXCEPT IT TOTALLY WON'T BE!)