Day 10

Kerri–liana woke up early. It was still dark with the hopes of a new day. The stars faded in the heavens above yet nothing could be seen out of the window.

She played with the blue crystal she had found. Mulling over everything that had happened. Part of her felt that she was the only one looking for a way back home. Even James seemed happy here. Which was good but why not still look for a way home..?

Her thoughts where interrupted by Adam. The farmer’s oldest son.

“You look very nice today.” He said bravely.

“Thank you” she replied.

Hoping she wouldn’t have to turn another one away.

“Where are you from?” he asked.

“Pardon?” she responded.

“I have a bet with my friends that the fire girl is not from here. So, am I right?” he asked.

“Umm yes. I am from a place far away.”

“Where?” he asked excited.

“Earth.” She mumbled “But you can’t tell anyone. I don’t want to get into trouble.”

“Trouble?” he asked confused “You are friends with the evil queen. No one will touch you.”

“Evil queen?” Kerri asked.

“Yes, you know, the queen. The one who sent you and gave you a royal seal. You know that if even your hand gets cut the person who did it must die.”

Kerri felt like the royal seal wasn’t such a good thing anymore.

“Die..?”

“Yes, off with the head. A real bloody ordeal. My father’s cousin had a farm and someone with a royal seal was stealing fruit and fell from the tree and cut his hand and my father’s cousin lost his head.”

The boy told the story very matter of fact as if it wasn’t a big deal at all.

Thistle came into the room.

“I want my hair to look like yours.” She stated.

“I’m talking first.” Adam objected.

“You can’t be the only one to talk to her.” Thistle complained.

“Wait your turn.” Adam snapped.

“How long will that take?” Thistle asked sadly.

“As long as it takes.” Adam replied.

“Children.” Kerri interrupted “Enough. Both of you go help your mother.”

“Now look what you’ve done.” Adam snarled.

“It’s not my fault. If you weren’t being selfish.” Thistle sulked.

Kerri shook her head as they left the room still arguing.

James sat at the table. Yesterday’s discovery could prevent a food shortage. But acting quickly was key to success.

Kerri came and joined him at the table. She acted like everything was fine. Like they were best buddies.

“I have been thinking about the city of gold and I think if we can find it, we will be able to go home. I will talk to Tẽra when we get back, if we divide and conquer, we can find all the pieces and reopen the sugs for everyone.”

“You seem to be forgetting Tẽra is planning to get married to ensure peace for the kingdom.”

“What?!?” Kerri asked.

“Yes, that Zazo guy was discussing the princes with her. She was telling Nikki before she left.”

“Umm… Why didn’t she tell me?” Kerri asked offended.

“Maybe because you only care about going home.”

“That’s not fair! Someone has to try and I am the only one trying.”

“Are you?” James asked.

“Yes, I am. Who else is trying?”

“Tẽra has had people looking over records and Joe and Natrica, have tried to keep the peace so we can enjoy the freedom of a queen we are friends with. Rather than Tiffany the tyrant who I am sure wanted me dead.” James paused “Just because we don’t read and understand the language doesn’t mean we aren’t trying. But we have to eat in the meantime.”

He’s making up stories, she told herself. Still upset, she mused.

After a morning of hard labor. James suggested returning to the castle. It was almost a day’s travel but James insisted that the castle resources could speed things along. This however meant making the trip alone. No guards to escort them.

Just before they left, the farmer and his wife gave them food for their trip and blankets to sleep on. Thistle came over to Kerri.

“I am sorry our fighting made you want to leave. I made you something.” She gave Kerri a drawing of everyone together.

Kerri felt bad. She had brushed this child off and yet she showed her kindness.

“Thank you. I have to go help bring the birds to save the farm. I am not leaving because of you.” Kerri comforted.

The little girl smiled.

The walk alone with James seemed very, very, long.

James kicked stones as he walked. He really didn’t know what to say to her. He was not alright with friends nor did he want to pretend he was.

What was not to like about him. On earth he did important work protecting the environment. On Chayim he was a hero having found and answer to a devastating plague of bugs.

Kerri couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“What you did was unfair.” She said angry “You didn’t give me time to think. You haven’t taken any of the past few days into count when almost demanding a relationship from me. It’s unfair and…”

She wasn’t sure what else to add without being hurtful.

“And what?” he asked annoyed.

“Selfish.” She added.

“Liking you is selfish?”

“Making demands of me is. Expecting things of me. You know how important it is for me to go home. Yet you are happy to make me start a new life here.”

She stomped her foot and stopped walking

“I DON’T WANT A LIFE HERE!”

“Here is where we are and if you want to stop living because of that, it’s your choice.”

He kept walking. Not slowing down or stopping even though she had stopped walking.

It thundered and blue lightning flickered across the sky.

Both looked up. They were out in the open walking along a dirt road with nothing but trees around them.

James sighed and kept walking.

“We need to find shelter.” Kerri said.

“We need to keep moving. There is no shelter around here.”

“Can’t you make something?” she asked.

“Like?”

“A tree house.” She suggested.

He laughed and kept walking.

“You are really acting like a jerk.” She said.

He ignored her and kept walking.

It started to rain.

Well, more like a dam wall broke and water pounded them from the sky. Within seconds they were soaked. The road turned to mud and the sky became a bellowing charcoal, rumbling over with blue streaks, lighting the way. On the hill afar off a stone house flicked into sight with each strike of lightning. Thunder rumbled and shock the air. The dirt road turned into a slow-moving mug river, covering Kerri’s ankles. It almost looked like the trees were moving away.

Kerri decided she was going to the stone house on the hill. The one that seemed to be getting closer. She didn’t like being socked. She ran towards the house saying nothing to James.

James walked on fighting with the mud river and not winning. Finally, he stopped. He looked around. Kerri was gone. He looked but couldn’t see her anywhere.

The urge to panic sat on his chest.

Think, she didn’t scream so she didn’t fall. She wanted shelter so maybe she went to the trees?

He looked around. The trees seemed further away than before. Bursts of light lit up the sky in a glorious light show.

He was sure something was in the sky. A large patch of darkness that never lit up.

This storm is creepy.

Then almost as instant as a blink, a man stood before him. But he was dry despite the rain.

He spoke to James but James couldn’t understand.

Then the man wearing a bright yellow hat took him by the arm, put a yellow strap around his arm and moved upwards. James was floating. It didn’t feel like he was being dragged by the arm but rather like gravity had been turned off and he was being slowly pulled by a weak magnet.

James asked a thousand questions. But no one understood him. He muttered to himself and made sarcastic remarks. Finally, he was on a flying ship. In the clouds in the storm. The massive ship suddenly gained speed as it glided. It had massive lightning conductors that looked like wings. They took him below deck. James noticed that there were only men on board.

A lean weather-beaten man under a mop of curly grey hair accompanied by a huge full beard sat behind a big wooden desk.

The men spoke to one another and then gave him a chair to sit on. The captain looked him up and down approvingly.

James looked at him slightly concerned. These men looked ruff, smelt ruff and they had bad teeth.

It seemed to be a requirement to join. Yellow teeth with black spots and completely unkept.

The captain spoke to him. James politely answered

“I do not understand you.”

“Hummm” the captain mumbled then gave James a bubbling purple liquid.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

They wanted him to drink it. It smelt like rotten eggs. James smiled and refused.

They forced him.

It was a horrible experience. It tasted as it smelt. But with bubbles to ensure the taste fizzed into every taste bud.

“How’s that?” the captain asked.

James stared at him.

“You speak English?” James asked.

“English? No! You just drank a translating elixir. See we couldn’t understand you and you couldn’t understand us. So, we bridged the gap. Never had someone to try it on before. So do tell me if you experience any symptoms.”

“Never tried it before. What if it kills me?” James said wide eyed.

“Then we know it needs work.” The captain replied “I am Captain Joe Hork. This is my crew. Who are you?”

“James Thornbulton of earth. An ecologist.” He said flatly.

“A what? Never mind. What are you doing up here James?”

He looked at them like they were crazy.

“You brought me up here. Kidnapped me from the ground.”

“Now, now, boy you are over reacting. We fetch your socking sorry self from out of the rain. What where you doing out in a storm?”

James glared at them.

“Walking home.” He replied.

“Let’s give the smarty-pants a lift. What say you lads?” the captain said.

“Cap’in de be prob’em wiff da popela”

The captain’s face went red.

“A problem with the propeller? What kind of problem?”

“Wiz’d kind.”

The yellow teethed, black haired man who slumped over his own body with such bad posture. He had a missing finger and an eye patch. He fidgeted as he waited for the captain.

“Bring Gizer in.” the captain ordered.

They brought Gizer in. He was dressed in a long blue robe with white trims. His gold tipped shoes pocked out. A big hood hid his face.

“Captain?” Gizer inquired.

“Jim here says there is a problem with the propeller.”

Gizer looked at James

“What would you have me do about it?” Gizer asked the captain still looking at James.

“Fix it.” The captain said rhetorically.

Gizer looked at Captain Joe Hork.

“I have severed you on this rotting log for years. Yet without me you would fall out of the sky. We had an agreement and you haven’t kept up your end of the bargain.”

The captain looked vexed yet said nothing.

“Swear to me in front of all your men that if I fix this problem of yours again. I will become 2nd. But I must also be given space to do my work.”

“Gizer I feel you are becoming evil…” the captain paused

“I like it.” he grinned “I tried your elixir on the boy there. It seems to work.”

Gizer’s eyes widened. He expressed delight and requested that James be sent to his lab.

James was taken to a lab. Glass pipes and tubes and flames under colored liquid decorated the two tables in the lab. It looked like chaos yet somehow had an organized feel. A black board on wheels filled with equations stood at the head on one of the tables. Two small round windows where on the left of the room and lights hung from the ceiling. Some flickered like the bulb were going out. But James couldn’t see a bulb through the frosted bowl that served as a cover.

He went to the small round window and looked out but all he could see was fog.

“Yes, we are flying.” Gizer said

“You get used to it. Or not.” He added thoughtfully.

“Why am I here?” James asked.

“Well in short you are a test subject and I want to test how well my experiment worked.”

“Will I be released?” James asked.

“Depends on how the experiments go. If you respond well no. If you die yes.”

“Die!” James looked concerned.

“No need to worry… well there is… the last guy died. But take comfort I have been working on it since and I think I have worked out what went wrong.” Gizer said cheerfully.

James’ countenance fell.

“Will I get food and water?” he asked remembering our well things went when he was the queen’s captive.

“Of course, you will. I am not savage!” he exclaimed.

Gizer leaned in.

“Are you hungry?” he asked inquisitively.

“Yes, I am” James answered.

James had hoped Gizer would leave the room giving him a chance to look around but instead Gizer screamed.

“Get some food and water for my subject.”

James noticed how honest he was. Maybe he could use that to his advantage.

“Who are you?” James asked.

“I am Gizer the wizard’s apprentice.”

“Where is the wizard?” James asked.

“Hiding from me. He still thinks he is smarter and stronger than me.”

“I don’t understand.” James said.

“The wizard has been running from me for sixty years. I have traveled though time, been to many worlds chasing him down. He likes to play irritating games. But I will catch him and kill him.”

James thought. Loony bin. Maybe the wizard is better than him. Since he’s been trying to kill the wizard for sixty years unsuccessfully.

“Why do you want to kill the wizard?” James asked.

“So, I can become the wizard and not the wizard’s apprentice.” Gizer said as if James was stupid.

James shrugged and acted like he was hiding a secret.

Gizer glared at him.

“Why are you behaving strangely?”

“I know something that can help you. But I will only tell you if we make a deal.”

Gizer’s eyes got big.

“MAKE A DEAL!” he shouted

“How about you tell me and I don’t feed your face to the fishes while you are still alive!”

Gizer looked serious.

James had not expected that kind of response. He was hoping to bargain for his release.

“Where I am from, there is more than one wizard. You don’t have to be the wizard’s apprentice until you kill him. You take a test and if you pass you become a wizard.”

James lied.

He had no idea how wizards on earth did things or if they even had any real power. But drawing from legends he thought he might be able to make a test that was believable. Maybe.

“A test.” Gizer was intrigued.

“I know the test. I was once lost in the jungle with a man who set the tests.” James fibbed

“But you have to be willing to change to pass the test.” James added.

Gizer eyed him.

“Lost in the jungle” Gizer said slowly.

“Well, I was lost. But he was doing prep for a test. Of course, he wasn’t lost.” James reassured.

“Why would he tell you this secret?” Gizer asked.

That was a good question.

“I found his missing dog.” James panicked.

Gizer looked satisfied at this answer.

“How do I do this test?”

“What’s in it for me?” James asked.

“I won’t kill you?”

“How long will I be able to understand you?” James asked realizing that could become a problem.

“Forever if I did it right. Only a day or two if I did it wrong.”

“Will it kill me?” James asked.

“Maybe, but I think you will survive. You haven’t started displaying symptoms yet.” Gizer pulled a face “It’s still early though.”

James looked at him with amazement. Was this man for real?

“If I do the wizards test with you, will you free me without doing more tests or experiments or anything that could result in my death?”

Gizer looked like he was looking for a loophole in that deal and battling to find one.

He looked like he was in pain when he said

“Yes”

“I will need to write things down and order them properly. This is a hard test. Are you sure you are ready? There is no shame in being an apprentice.” James said.

“I am ready!” Gizer stated.

So, James was brought everything he needed to fabricate a test of wizard’s power. He really scratched deep into the mind for movies he had seen and super powers that he had wanted as a child.

Kerri-liana ran to the stone house. Blue lightning flashed about. She worried a little about James but she wasn’t going back in the storm to find him.

When she got to the stone house. The big door opened and closed by itself. Candles lit themselves in the entrance hall.

“Hello” she called.

But there was no reply. Just candles lighting the way she should go. She followed the path set out for her.

“I mean you no harm.” She said in vernacular

“I am just seeking shelter from the storm.” She added as she walked

“Hello” she called even louder.

Her shoes walked mud as she went.

She followed the light into a lit room. More like the heart of the castle. Three stories of bookshelves lined the room. With ladders and desks and tables. It was as if everything in the room was alive.

“Oh my, I have a guest.” A voice said from behind a very big book.

“Miss Pots get some tea for our guest.”

“Who are you?” Kerri asked.

He walked over in a dusty blue robe. His long white beard was smooth and shiny like in a cartoon. His white hair was loosely pushed back. It was tidy but needed a trim, or more honestly a cut. He was as black as coal with blue eyes. He smiled a warm welcoming smile.

“I am the wizard. Welcome to my home. I am surprised to see you. It has been many years since I last had a guest. Please forgive the state of my home. It has been sometime since I thought of dusting.”

Kerri looked around. She was unsure but it seemed as if things moved on their own but then became still when she looked.

“Your home is…” she paused.

Miss Pots arrived. Miss Pots was a tea pot. Its patterns moved over it and it flew. Hovering in the air and pouring tea into matching tea cups.

“Sugar?” the Wizard asked.

Kerri stood frozen staring at the tea pot. While trying to face the wizard. But she just couldn’t stop looking.

“It’s rude to stare.” The wizard said.

“It’s moving by itself. Your tea pot is…”

“Yes, Miss Pots here has served me faithfully for years.”

He said again “It’s rude to stare.”

“I’m afraid to look away.” Kerri said still looking at Miss Pots.

“Miss Pots you may rest. I will do it myself.”

Once the tea pot sat on the tray and the pattern stopped moving Kerri could look away.

“Can it speak?” Kerri asked.

“No, she cannot speak. She doesn’t have a mouth.”

“Umm thank you for the tea but maybe I should be going. Yes, I must be leaving. Urgent things for the queen.” Kerri said unsettled.

“Leaving in this storm?” The wizard asked

“You could be struck by lightning. Or washed away or catch a chill.”

Kerri smiled awkwardly.

“You have never seen magic before, have you?” he asked kindly.

“Magic isn’t real.” Kerri said trying to convince herself more than him.

“So, what do you call it? Two sugars in her tea please.” The wizards said to the sugar dish.

A pretty silver spoon put two scoops of sugar in her tea and another spoon stirred it.

“This tea is good. You really should try it before going out into the rain.” The wizard said.

Kerri held her hot cup watching the tea whirl inside, its warmth was comforting, it swirled like tea at home.

“Would you grace me with staying for something to eat? It really has been a while since I have had the opportunity to share a meal with someone.”

Kerri was in shock. She looked at him but his words seemed to be from another room.

The wizard smiled.

“So, food it is.”

He left the room.

Kerri drank her tea. The more she drank the better she felt. It was a very good cup of tea.

“Miss Pots.” She whispered.

The tea pots pattern started to move.

“Are you alive?” she asked “Were you once a person?”

“No, my dear child. Miss Pots is just my favorite tea pot. I do like my tea.” The Wizard said.

“Oh, you could hear me.” Kerri said slightly embarrassed.

“Kerri where are you from?” The wizard asked.

“Earth. But I don’t know how I got here or how to get home.”

“But you have a theory?”

“Well yes… I think this blue crystal has something to do with it.”

She dug in the bag and pulled it out.

“Mmmm” the Wizard said.

“Do you know what this is?” she asked.

“Yes, I do.”

“Can you get me home?” Kerri asked.

“No. But I can tell you how to get home.”

Kerri’s eyes widened.

“Please Mr Wizard… umm what is your name?”

“I am Coalton”

“Mr Wizard Coalton. Ummm please tell me how to get home?”

“Do you really want to go home?” he asked.

“Yes! Why wouldn’t I want to go home?”

“Why indeed.” He said.

“What about your friends?” he asked.

“I will take them back to earth with me.” She said “I don’t plan on leaving anyone behind.”

“What about the task you have from the queen. It must be very important.”

“This is my task.” She replied.

“You lie.” He said calmly “This task you gave yourself.”

The food rolled in on a trolley and a knife proceeded to cut a roast. Large spoons dished in and place food on her plate. A knife and a fork wrapped in white cloth placed themselves next to her plate.

The food looked and smelt very good.

“If you know everything why ask me?” Kerri said.

“To test you.” He replied.

“Why?” she asked.

“Why indeed.” He replied.

He started to eat.

“Please eat, the food will nourish you.”

Kerri began to eat. The food was good. Then she noticed that her clothes were dry. She was no longer wet.

“Did you dry my clothes?” she asked.

“Yes, I did. I perceived you would be more comfortable in dry clothes.”

“How?” she asked.

“Somethings you are not ready to hear.” He answered.

The Wizard Coalton was sophisticated and well proportioned. He wasn’t large nor small. His build suited and fitted with everything about him. He seemed to omit a shine, from his hair and skin. He had a clean and wholesome look about him.

“Mr Wizard Coalton, will you help me get home?” Kerri asked.

“Yes, but it will not be easy. You and your friends will be tested.”

“How do you know so much about me and my friends?”

“You are telling me.” He answered.

She looked confused.

“Tell me what you think of your friends from earth?” The Wizard asked.

“I think Tẽra likes strange animals and had taken her role as queen way to seriously. I think most of them are fine. I know we all want to go home. Why are you asking if you already know everything?” Kerri asked.

The Wizard smiled “No I don’t know everything. But please tell me more about your friends.”

“Well, there is Joe, she kills people and sleeps just fine at night. She killed fifty of the queen’s guards with Sugar and she’s unaffected. Sugar, I don’t know much about. I know the real queen wanted Sugar to work for her. Joe picked up a girl a child named… Rose…um Rosaleighm, and a slave girl Spice who is a doctor of sorts.”

Kerri paused

“If I continue telling you these things you will help us get home?”

“I will help you, help yourself get home.” He replied.

“Why do you want to know about the people from earth?”

“It is a test.” He replied.

“Why are you telling me it’s a test?” Kerri asked.

“Why not?” he responded.

She thought for a minute. She didn’t have a good answer for that. So, she continued.

“Then there is Chris. He is very good-looking but a bad guy. He sold Rachael for money and well Rachael, she is changing. I am not sure what so say. She’s a rich girl with issues. There is the air-hostess Viola and her sister Fiona who is part of the USA air force. That is a big deal by the way. Fiona really likes this guy Ranger he is a Mystic Healer. But I think she is too young to make up her mind about a guy and she did just meet him. Deciding you are in love and willing to make a life with someone so soon. It’s crazy. But moving along, there is also Nikki she is into extreme sports and she’s all tough and stuff. Has weird hair but each to their own. Oh, and Natrica who can’t mind her own business and tries to play match maker. She’s a poll dancer on earth and the first thing she did once she got here was dance on a table for money.”

Kerri rolled her eyes.

“I mean you got a chance to start again. I’m just saying.”

“Tell me about yourself.”

“Well as you know I want to go home. I really want to go home. I am an archaeologist and I love my job and my family. My life is good.”

“What about your family?” he asked.

She eyed him

“You wanting me to tell you my grandfather was from this world and I only just found out and what I thought was our secret language is actually the Queen’s language?”

“Yes” he answered.

“So, will you tell me how to get back to earth?”

“Yes, I will. But I have already told you this.”

“When will you tell me?” she asked.

“When you are ready.” he replied.

“When will that be?” she asked trying not to be impatient.

“That depends on you.”

They had finished eating by now and the table cleared itself and new dishes came out. A thick chocolate mousse accompanied with more tea and biscuits.

“What do you want?”

Kerri asked now presuming he wanted something. Everyone wants something.

“Do you know why the lightning is blue?” he asked.

“No.” Kerri said playing along.

He paused as if waiting for something.

“Let me tell you a story. Once a long time ago a man loved a child as his own. He intended for this child to have everything, have his power, his wealth, his estate, everything he owned and more. He wanted this child to be greater than himself and for many years it was good. The boy grew and became a brilliant young man. A prodigy really.”

The wizard paused staring into nothingness.

“Then the man told the boy his plan. To make him the heir of everything. To give him this and more and the young man was excited and worked hard to please the man. But time continued and the young man grew into a man who became impatient for his inheritance his title his right to everything. The apprentice’s greed consumed him and turned him again his master. He started to view his master as an obstacle to his deserved life. The master saw the evil growing in his heart but he couldn’t bring himself to rid himself of the man he loved as his own. So, he banished him so he could discover what was really important in life. But the child’s journey led him to killing innocents and destroying things. He viewed his banishment as being disowned instead of a learning curve. He sort to kill his master who could not kill him. So now is the master responsible for the cruelty of his apprentice?”

Kerri saw a test before her. But it seemed to be a loose, loose answer. No answer would be right. Maybe it was another honesty test. Since no answer was right maybe be honest thoughts were required. But then again that might be too simple. If this was a simple test why such a long story?

“Umm is this another test?” Kerri asked.

The wizard sighed.

“Do you have children?” he asked her.

“No” she answered.

“Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“No” she replied.

“Hummmmm” he mused.

Kerri sat and thought about it.

The wizard spoke “There was once a girl who loved her older brother very much. They had been though much lost and hardships together. Her brother loved her dearly too and he wanted her to have the best life possible. A lovely woman come into their lives and made the brother choose between her or his trusting sister. Who should the brother choose?”

“His sister. Family is forever but girlfriends come and go.” Kerri replied.

“Hummmmm” the wizard mused.

“Would you please stop saying hummmm, every-time I say something.” Kerri said.

“A ship is wrecked and ten people survive, men and woman no children. This Island is remote and the chances of being rescued is low. But after a few weeks a boat comes passed. However, the people on the boat are impatient and don’t wish to wait for everyone to be called and to pack up their things. A woman is on the far side of the island collecting food. What would you do? Leave without her or stay on the Island with her and be left behind?”

“Leave. I can send help for her.” Kerri answered.

“What if you couldn’t send help for her? What if the Island is surrounded by bad storms and terrible weather?”

“That what emergency services are trained for.” Kerri answered.

“Mmmmmmm” he said.

“What?” she snapped.

“A man loves a woman, they are happy or he is. Secretly she is waiting for something better to come along. He is nice and kind and makes her happy enough but he is not what she envisions for her life. He has a child that she doesn’t want. She plays nice and doesn’t really mind the child since the real mother is dead, but she doesn’t want the baggage. Is it wrong for her to be with him?”

Kerri eyed him

“I am not answering these silly riddles.”

“Then you are not ready.” He responded.

“Mrs H, please make up a bed for our guest.”

Kerri was getting use to everything being alive and it wasn’t freaking her out anymore.

“Just like that?!” she moaned following him over to the desk

“You’re sending me to bed like a child.”

“You are welcome to stay up or even leave if you want. But I will be getting some rest.”

“And if I answer your stupid questions?”

“Goodnight miss. Please do rest for the morning will come quickly.” The wizard said.

He floated up into the air.

“Unbelievable” she moaned.

The lights lead her to her room. A lovely well-furnished room, suitable for a lady. A sleeping dress was on the bed waiting for her.

However, Kerri could not sleep. The house when left alone in her room was way too creepy. After skulking about and exploring the old mansion she returned to her room.