Chapter Thirty Five
A group of Blue soldiers climbed the steps to the town of Regdlin towards Green's camp, bearing a white flag.
A Green scout rushed to inform the King as the Blues handed a letter to the Greens, and left. The letter was delivered promptly to King Green in his tent. "Blue wants a fight of the Champions."
"I'm ready," said Andrew. The decision had actually been made weeks ago. It was time to set things right, and end this horrific mess.
"Fine, our Champion will fight," said Teltibane. "But send back as a condition that Blue raise the Blue Crystal tomorrow and allow the formation of the Light to proceed as normal. If not, our Champion will be greatly weakened."
Green sent Blue the message, and he accepted. He would easily defeat the young mortal boy, Light or not.
Andrew left Green's tent and walked outside, under the stars.
Greybeard followed. "Andrew, this is it—"
"Greybeard, thanks. But I would like to be alone now. Please," Andrew said.
"Oh, I understand."
Andrew looked at Greybeard's face and saw tears glistening there. He was touched.
"Thank you Greybeard. We will speak yet again...."
"Yes, of course. There is a phrase that dwarf friends tell each other before they go out to battle. 'Our company in this world was as steady as the mountain. Our company in Yunu will be as bright as the seven suns.' You are right, Andrew. We will speak yet again, regardless of the outcome of the fight tomorrow."
Andrew nodded and Greybeard left him, and he continued walking under the stars, contemplating his fragile existence. Greybeard hadn't tried to pretend that Andrew would surely win in the fight against King Blue's Champion. Blue's Champion would be highly trained, the odds were stacked against him. Andrew felt a mix of feelings. Trepidation was strong there, of course. But he also felt another feeling perhaps even more strongly; that he was nearing his purpose. The stirrings of a sense of fulfillment were within him, and they would culminate at the time of the fight tomorrow, whether he prevailed or not. He only need do what he was capable, that was all that was asked.
Andrew wondered where he would be this time tomorrow. Would he live to see the stars again, to gaze on the luster of the moon? Or would he be in Yunu, the afterlife, like Greybeard said.
Perhaps his greatest challenge tomorrow would be to control his fear of dying or it would overtake him completely and he wouldn't be able to function at all.
The battle was set for twelve noon the next day. It would take place atop Qawars Hill in a large open courtyard, paved with flagstones, on the outskirts of Regdlin. Andrew would go up against Blue's Champion. If Blue won, he would command the Realm of Green. If Green won, Blue would be sent home in shame, his advanced weapons confiscated and be forced to pay reparations for the war.
King Blue had his servants set up an ornate throne made of blue marble set with cream colored gemstones on the western side of the courtyard. King Yionaffe Green, King Teltibane, and their entourage stood on the eastern end of the square. The remainder was lined with the local townspeople and the armies of Green and Blue, who had all come out to watch the symbolic fight.
Andrew looked around for any sign of Katy, prisoner of Blue. He spotted her on Blue's end. She was tied up and gagged, her hair a scraggly mess around her shoulders. Two mean looking muscular Blues were assigned to guard her. Andrew felt a tug at his heart.
It was a beautiful day. The sun shone bright in the sky, while a caressing breeze blew on the hilltop.
"The rules as set forth in the ancient law state that each side is allowed but one Champion," said Teltibane to Andrew. "But the crafty Blue may have some tricks up his sleeve to circumvent that rule. Whatever the case, if you believe that the Light can assist you it will help you to prevail."
Andrew nodded. He was too nervous to speak. The weight of an entire Realm rested on his shoulders, and he was about to fight a mighty, trained Champion.
"You are most skilled with the katana from any weapon. It would be wise for you to pick it as your choice of arms. But there are no rules limiting how many weapons you may use throughout the battle. You may switch at any time if you have need. And if you defeat Blue's Champion it is King Blue's prerogative to battle you himself if he so chooses. Good luck Andrew, and may the Light lead you."
"If, if I die, will you tell my parents how, and why?" Andrew asked.
"If you die, I shall travel to Earth personally to meet with your parents, and tell them all about their noble son and his battles."
Andrew smiled weakly at this, it was some consolation that his parents would be informed of all that had transpired here in the event of his death.
It was time. Andrew entered the courtyard, practically shaking with fear and nerves. Challenge Blue's handpicked warrior? It was insanity. He took a huge sniff of Lysier, in case the skill of levitation would come of need. A short bald man in a grey cloak approached Andrew and spoke in a squeaky voice. "I am Gesforth. I will preside over the proceedings, and ensure a fair fight. And you are—"
"A-Andrew Cilifax, Champion of the Light."
"I can't hear you! The din of the crowd is to loud!"
"Andrew Cilifax!" Andrew shouted. "Champion of the Light!"
There. Speaking it out made the surreal idea sound all the more real.
Gesforth jotted something down on a piece of paper. He then went to the other side of the courtyard to get the name of the other Champion. Andrew looked across the square towards his foe. He was a tall man with steely grey eyes and a short, dark brown curled goatee. His dress was all dark blue, like most of Blue's men. Atop his head was a dull bronze helm with three long, blue plumes sprouting out from the top. A tall, wicked looking battle axe held upright in his gloved hand gleamed in the sunlight.
Gesforth walked to the middle of the courtyard and motioned for everyone to quiet down.
"To settle the dispute between the Houses of Green and Blue..." Gesforth elaborated on the disagreement and the claims of both sides for a few minutes, "...we have here today the Champions of Blue and Green, who will do battle on behalf of their patrons, to decide this contest. Andrew Cilifax, Champion of the Light!" Gesforth pointed to Andrew, and Green's men cheered. "Against Rockonove Melforian, of the Elite Guard of Blue!" Blue's men gave a thunderous applause.
"Without further ado, begin!" Gesforth squeaked.
Andrew drew his sword from the sheathe on his back and made to go towards Rockonove. The Guard stood still. Then, an astonishing thing happened. His skin rippled, as if he was a lake. Then it stretched weirdly... as another man who looked like an exact replica of Rockonove, walked out of his body. The same process happened twice more, and there were now four Rockonove Melforians!
Shouts of "no fair!", and "only one Champion!" were heard from the crowd. Gesforth consulted a small brown book. He walked to the center of the courtyard, and quieted everyone down once more. "The rules state that only one Champion may be registered to fight. At the time of registry, Blue's side had only one Champion. The rules say nothing of a limit after the time of registry. Therefore, the multiplication of Rockonove is within the rules! Resume!"
Much grumbling could be heard from the sidelines, but there was nothing they could do. Gesforth ruled it legal.
The four Rockonove's approached Andrew and surrounded him. He waited. They swung their axes as one. Shining blades cut through the air towards Andrew's head.
Andrew produced the magical shield that Teltibane had taught him, and the axes bounced off harmlessly. He then used the momentary surprise of the Guards to strike swiftly at the torso of one of them. The katana entered deep, and the first of the Guard slumped to the ground, blue blood spewing from his wounds.
The three remaining contenders swung again, one after another this time. Andrew leaped up and landed on the handles of one of the axes. He climbed from handle to handle, and aimed a wide sweeping strike at the last Guard
. But the Guard ducked, and Andrew missed.
Andrew battled the three remaining Guards for the next several minutes, with neither of them gaining the upper hand. Every blow was blocked, every strike parried.
Andrew decided that instead of aiming for their bodies, he would aim for the axes themselves. The katana's balance would cut through their handles and render them useless.
A Guard swung his axe at Andrew. Instead of blocking the blow, or sidestepping it he moved in close, and brought his sword down on the wooden handle with a vicious blow.
The top of the axe snapped off. Andrew charged the Guard, who was now only armed with a short staff but did not know how to use it. Two swings, one to the side of the body, the other to the neck, and the Guard was bereft of a head. His body dissolved into a puddle of blue and vanished.
For the first time, Andrew felt that maybe, just maybe it was possible that he would win... but he didn't want to get his hopes up too high just yet. Two highly trained, highly motivated warriors were still standing strong.
The Guards that remained pounded the bottoms of their axes into the ground rhythmically, creating a menacing beat that was almost hypnotic in nature. They were determined to defeat Green's Champion and please their master.
The Guards came at Andrew from either side. Andrew waited until they were close. Then he used the concussive blast that he had learnt from Teltibane. They were thrown to the floor. Andrew pounced, and stabbed a Rockonove in the back. He dissolved into a bubbling pool of murky blue and evaporated.
Andrew battled the final Guard who threw slow but heavy blows with his axe. He mostly dodged the blows, then jumped and somersaulted clear over the Guard, using the levitation skill that Cuddles had taught him. The Guard whirled, at the same moment that Andrew stuck his sword back over his shoulder, straight into his neck.
"I serve my Master," were Rockonove Malforian's final words.
Then he magically turned to ice, starting from his heart and travelling rapidly outwards.
"Andrew, let go of the sword!" Teltibane yelled.
Andrew released the sword, which was still embedded in the Guards throat. He watched aghast as the Guard's entire body, and then the katana as well, changed into ice. If Andrew had been holding the sword the spell would have turned him into ice as well.
The ice Guard, along with Andrew's trusty katana, shattered into a million tiny pieces. He served his King in his dying moment.
"Andrew, look out!" yelled Greybeard from the sidelines.
Andrew whirled around just in time to see the first Guard he had stabbed, who had been wounded badly but was not dead yet, throw his axe at Andrew like a javelin from his position on his back on the stone floor.
Thanks to Greybeard's warning and his enhanced reflexes, Andrew was able to turn in time to catch the axe by its handle. He walked slowly over to the Guard, the foulest of Blue's men, and brought it down hard, directly on his heart.
It was over. Blue's Champion was defeated. Cheering and stomping could be heard all around the courtyard, as Greens celebrated their victory. Andrew felt great. He had completed his mission, and would soon be going home with Katy, at last.
But then King Blue stood up from his throne. A hush came across the crowd.
"What is it, King Vallidius?" squeaked Gesforth. "Your Champion has been vanquished."
"I will challenge Green's Champion myself, according to the statute set out in the Ancient Law," said King Vallidius Blue. He looked disdainfully around at the crowd.
"Very well," said Gesforth. "King Vallidius Blue challenges Andrew Cilifax, Champion of the Light, to battle."
Kiara threw Andrew a brez wood staff with which to fight with.
"Begin!"
Blue held up his hand. "Wait. Bring the tank!"
About forty Blues trudged towards the courtyard, carrying a huge glass tank filled with water. A colossal yellow octopus with blue and black rings inhabited it on one side. The Blues set the tank down on the side of the courtyard.
"Bring the prisoner!" shouted Blue.
Katy was marched towards the edge of the square. Andrew saw her and felt pity and anguish pull at his heart.
"I believe you may know this girl, Andrew Cilifax," Blue spat out the words. "Here's what I am going to do. I will place her in the tank, with the octopus. Do you recognize this beauty, mortal?" Blue pointed at the tank. "Did they teach you about it in your skience classes? The blue-ringed octopus I believe it is called among you limit-lives. Known far and wide for the potency of its poison. A simply wondrous creature, it is. This fine specimen was imported to the Color Realms from the tide pools of the paycific ocean, and magically grown to monstrous proportions. If one regular sized blue-ringed octopuses can kill twenty men with its venom, this one can kill twenty-hundred. Yes, it has the power. The tank is locked with a combination known only to me, and its walls are unbreakable. The girl goes inside. I will put the hungry octopus to sleep for twenty minutes. If I defeat you within that time, I will let her out, for why lose a good slave? But if you defeat me, the octopus will awaken, and she dies. It is your decision, Cilifax. Surrender now, and spare her the tank. Or fight, and let her die."
Andrew burned with rage. "Why don't you just kill her outright if I choose to fight?"
"That would violate the truce."
A hush came over the courtyard. Would Andrew fight and kill his dearest friend?
Andrew was ready to give up and admit defeat. How could he allow Katy to get killed? How could he kill the one he cared about most?
But then he looked at all the people who were depending on him. He looked at Teltibane, his commander. He couldn't let his personal wants and needs make the decision for him. This was a war, and he was a soldier. He had to fight.
Gesforth walked over to Andrew. "What is your decision, Andrew Celifax?"
"I will fight."
Three simple words, that would have so much effect.
A tied up Katy was placed in the tank with the sleeping poisonous octopus. A tank that would never be opened again, if Andrew was victorious. Her dark blond hair swirled in the water. There was some air at the top for her to breathe. The door was locked.
"Andrew Celifax will fight!" shouted Gesforth. "Begin!"
They started at opposite ends of the wide courtyard. Andrew pushed aside his rage, and focused as he advanced towards Blue. Every step he took caused him tremendous pain, as each step brought him closer to Katy's death. He was still a couple hundred feet away when Blue drew from his pocket a small box of mortal made blue chalk.
The words of Marius said so many weeks ago echoed in Andrew's mind. 'Items from the Mortal Realm, are potent in the Realms. Even a mundane object from the Mortal Realm can take on powerful properties in the Realms.'
Blue emptied the chalk bits into his hand, and said an incantation. He threw them up into the air in a sweeping motion. The pieces formed a blue halo around his head momentarily. Then they turned into tiny, deadly, razor sharp blue darts, which sped towards Andrew, one after another, in rapid succession.
The voice of Teltibane was now in Andrew's head for a moment. A piece of cryptic advise, given so long ago. Advice that Andrew hadn't understood at the time:
'Even a thin stick can serve as an impregnable shield, if wielded right.'
This was it! The thin stick, the staff, can be a shield. You only need to wield it right! Andrew spun the stick around and around in front of him, until it was a blur. It spun so fast that it was effectively a shield. Most of the darts bounced off harmlessly. Though a few did get past it. Of those, most of them hit the magical gi and did no harm. But three did manage to tear into the flesh of Andrew's unprotected leg, and they stung horribly.
Andrew focused on his mission and forgot the pain. He spun the staff and successfully prevented the darts from hitting his head or anything vital. They made little 'ping' sounds as they struck the spinning staff to fall to the ground. Finally, Bl
ue ran out of chalk and the barrage of darts stopped. Andrew painfully yanked the three that had hit out of his leg. Blood pooled around him on the stone floor, but Andrew's Light enhanced body helped him heal quickly.
The first wave had crashed on the rocks and broke, it was time for the second. The King removed from his pocket a bag full of small blue pebbles, which were imported from Earth. He then threw them high into the air towards the area where Andrew was standing. Since the pebbles were from Earth, they contained great power here in the Color Realms. Power that a mighty sorcerer like Blue knew how to unleash and use to its full potential. In mid-air, the small pebbles magically transformed into giant boulders, heading straight for Andrew.
The first boulder landed to the left of Andrew, right next to him. The ground shook from the impact. Then more boulders started to rain down all around him. Flagstones cracked. Stone split. He was forced to jump and leap to avoid the huge stones.
And he wasn't getting anywhere. Andrew was using all his effort in dodging the boulders, and was not moving any closer towards Blue.
Then the next piece of Teltibane's cryptic advice, said so many weeks ago, hit him.
'If the way under is blocked, you must go over.'
Andrew couldn't move forward without getting crushed by the boulders. He was still a beginner at magical levitation. He didn't have the skill to just fly up and over the raining stones. But, he could use levitation to aid him in jumping the distance from one boulder to the next. Effectively going over, when the way under was impassable.
Andrew took and pinch of Lysier and leaped mightily. He landed on a huge blue boulder which sped through the air. He leaped again, taking a huge jump, and landed on the next flying boulder. Slowly, he advanced through the hail of stones, leaping from soaring boulder to soaring boulder.
He had by now cut the distance between himself and Blue in half. He was only one hundred feet away.
Blue ran out of magical pebbles. Andrew looked behind him. The square was littered with the huge blue stones.
Blue dug into his bag of tricks once more, and began his third wave of attack. He retrieved a small container of Earth-made putty from his cloak and opened the container. He removed the navy putty, and said an incantation. Instantly the putty changed shape and transformed into a large navy gun, with a very wide barrel.
Blue fired as Andrew leaped to the side. Blue bullets sped towards him as he dodged and twirled to avoid them. To run straight at the King would be suicide.
The third, and final piece of enigmatic advice became crystal clear now: 'Where there is no path, you must forge one where there isn't.'
Andrew delved deep into the core of his soul and imagined, no, believed, that there was a spiral path, leading towards the spot right next to Blue. Teltibane had once told him that the Light could create objects temporarily for its Champion, if he believed it enough.
At first nothing happened. But them Andrew caught a glimpse of a shimmer. It slowly solidified. A sparkling, silvery path, leading from himself and to the right, curving up into the air, to the left, and ending right next to Blue's gun hand. Like a round tunnel.
Andrew ran along the silvery path. It took him upside down, spiraling towards Blue. Blue fired at him repeatedly. But he could not see the magical path, and could not anticipate where Andrew would be the next second to shoot at that spot. And Andrew ran faster than Blue was able to take aim.
Andrew landed right next to Blue. He slapped Blue's gun hand with his staff, hard. The gun fell out of Blue's hand to shatter on the floor.
Blue was out of Earth ammo, and wouldn't be able to rely on sorcerous Earth objects anymore.
King Blue glared angrily at the annoying Andrew, like one would look at a pesky mosquito. He took a short blue baton from his cloak, which immediately elongated in his hand to form a long staff as Andrew lifted his own.
They battled ferociously. Blue's crown fell off and rolled to the side, revealing his azure mane. One of Andrew's buttons snapped off.
Blue was highly skilled with the staff. He coordinated his strikes so that each hit led up to the next.
Andrew knew that each strike of his staff brought Katy's death closer. He was battling himself as much as he was battling Blue, and probably more.
Andrew saw that he would not win with pure fighting. Blue was just too skilled and powerful. He tried another tactic. "You are foolish. All your plans lead to the destruction of the Light."
"So?"
"Don't you know what the Light does?"
"My faithful advisor Gulnath has proved to me that the Light only helps God. It is not for us! It was never for us!"
"No!" shouted Andrew. "That's a lie! The Light brings peace and joy to all of creation. In its absence, only Darkness and Death reign. Without the Light, all of us, including you, will suffer horribly."
Blue stopped for a moment. It looked like he would back down. But then he reaffirmed himself.
"No! You lie! Green and his cohorts have fed you deceptions. And you believed them! You are just parroting what they have told you, you know nothing, foolish boy. They are jealous of me and my power! It is a conspiracy to take away my crown! To take away what is mine by right!"
Spit flew from Blue's mouth as he went into a rage. "It is all a plot to usurp me. I will never allow it to happen. If the Light must be destroyed, so be it. It is not for us anyway. It was never for us."
But King Blue was shaken to the core by Andrew's words. And as much as he tried to convince himself that he was justified in invading Green and letting the Light be destroyed, he was now very unsure of himself.
And so King Blue's heart went out of the fight. His long held false beliefs were shaken, he was demoralized. He fought with a heaviness of heart.
And gradually, Andrew began to overcome him. He backed Blue down. Until finally Blue gave up, and broke down weeping. His face was buried in his hands, as his staff fell to the floor with a clatter.
Andrew didn't know what he was supposed to do now. Was it over?
"You must end it," Teltibane called. "Or the outcome of the war will remain undecided, and a new battle of Champions will be needed. There is no other way. You must end it now."
Andrew slammed the broken Blue in the face with his staff. Once, twice, three times, and Blue's eyes rolled back into his head, as he slumped to the ground. King Vallidius Blue was dead at last.
The people cheered, Green and Blue alike. The long reign of the tyrannical King Blue was finally ended.
But Andrew didn't share in their joy. In fact, he felt nothing but deepest sorrow. If Katy wasn't dead yet, she would be in just a couple of minutes, victim of Blue's octopus. The victory came at a heavy price for the Champion. He had saved a world, but lost his own.
Andrew couldn't bear to look at the glass tank, where Katy's lifeless body was doubtlessly floating, probably being devoured by the beast already. He knew that blue-ringed octopus venom works in seconds. Tears clouded his vision. He only hoped that they would be able to break the tank open, so that they could bury the remains of her body.
Andrew couldn't remember a time in his life where he felt more miserable than he did now. Katy was dead. He walked away from the courtyard, his head down, his heart heavy.
Then he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Hey you. What are you moping about?"
Andrew spun in disbelief. There was Katy, running over to him. A huge grin was on her beautiful face. She was as alive as she ever was. Not far behind her was a smiling Teltibane.
"But, but, the poisonous octopus," Andrew stammered.
"The code was 'power'," said Teltibane. "I cracked it on the sixth try."
Andrew picked up Katy in a huge hug. They kissed passionately, and Andrew didn't want to ever let go. He held her tight, as elation overpowered him completely and surged throughout his being from his head to his toes. He nearly lost her. Which made him all the more lucky to have her.
Fin
ally, they broke away.
"Come on, a huge party is starting up," said Katy. "Let's celebrate!"
Near the square a party commenced. Green women brought delicacies from their houses and set them out on tables. A large band played folk tunes. And it was led by none other than Blue's former chief general.
"Let's dance!" said Katy.
They danced away, losing themselves in the joy of the crowd, and the joy of the moment. It was a time of renewal, and a time of rejoicing. The culmination of all the efforts of the war.
Greens and Blues danced with each other. And in the center of it all, was none other than a grinning Gleef, dancing lively with a Green woman. He had his life back.
Greens were happy that they had been saved from the prospect of slavery to King Blue. But that was nothing compared to the joy of the Blue's, who had been enslaved already, and were finally free. Although some of Blue's men, who had shared the twisted ideology of their master, slunk away in disgust.
The celebration lasted all day, and well into the night.
The next day the festivities continued. In the afternoon, King Yionaffe Green called a formal feast. Andrew and Katy were the guests of honor.
A group of former Blue machine gunners presented a short poem to Andrew, which they recited at the feast:
"Subjugated by one,
with a thirst for domination,
Pushed asunder by a King,
with no explanation,
Released by a boy,
from a gloomy haze,
Restored by a man,
worthy of praise,
Oppressed by one,
feared throughout the land,
Enslaved by the power,
of the mighty Blue hand,
Saved by a human,
who made the world bright,
Freed by a mortal,
defender of Light."
Katy whooped, hollered, and cheered at this, to Andrew's chagrin.
"Cmon Andy, lighten up. They're singing for you. And you deserve it."
It was a strange experience for Andrew to have people praising him like that. It felt weird.
Andrew and Katy met with Teltibane later. He looked changed from when Andrew first saw him, much lighter, much more joyful. Laugh lines crinkled around his eyes.
"I assume that you two will want to be sent back home," said the old wizard.
"Yes," said Katy. "We have made so many friends here in the Color Realms, but we think that we should really be heading back to our own world now."
"Very well. If that is your wish, tomorrow, after the Lighting, I will send you back."
"Will we come back today, on the twentieth of June?" asked Andrew.
"I will send you back to Earth near the time when you left," said Teltibane. "But you will probably have missed the night."
"We will say that we got lost in the forest, so we slept in the woods," said Katy.
They laughed. For it was true. Only in quite another forest. A forest where the leaves were multicolored and the eaguars roamed.
An idea hit Andrew. "If we will return home three months ago, before—"
"— I wouldn't try to alter the paths of time, Andrew," Teltibane cut him off. "Time is woven of many strands, you cannot know how changing one will affect another. Try to save your aunt, others may die, we can't know the reasons.... she's in a better place. Besides, we already know that you'll fail, for it happened already, didn't it?"
"You're right, Blue killed her, and I can't change that," Andrew's eyes teared and he choked up. "I, I will visit here before, and..."
Katy patted his shoulder. "Some things are just out of our control, Andrew. We don't know why, but it had to happen."
Andrew nodded. "I, I'll visit her one last time, and remember her forever."
The teens were being hosted by different Greens in Regdlin. They walked back into town together, and went their separate ways.
Andrew went to Teltibane's tent the next morning after the Lighting to be sent back. Katy wasn't there.
They waited for her, and waited. An hour passed, and Katy still hadn't shown up.
They walked into town in search of her. There was some buzz on the streets about the new ruler of Blue.
"Who is the new King?" Teltibane asked a peddler.
"Didn't you hear? The new ruler of Blue is a girl, a Queen this time, from the Mortal Realm."
"From the Mortal Realm!?" Andrew shouted. There was only one mortal girl in the Color Realms that he knew of.
They raced to where the Blues were camped. There was a new royal tent set up. Andrew ran up to it, but was stopped by the guard.
"Do you have an invitation?"
"No, but—"
"The Queen is not seeing anyone at this time. Sorry."
"The Queen? Is she a young mortal girl?"
"Yes, she was. She has become the new Queen Blue. According to the ancient laws if there is no King, a mortal may claim the throne."
Andrew turned to Teltibane. "Is that so?"
"Yes, but Katy wouldn't have known that."
"Gulnath, faithful advisor to the late King, has informed the Queen of this law," said the guard. "Now you must go. No loitering around here."
An ashen faced Andrew walked away from the tent, with Teltibane right behind him.
"What can we do?" Andrew asked. "And why would Katy do something like this?"
"Perhaps Gulnath enticed her. Perhaps he enchanted her. We can't know for sure why," Teltibane said. "But this can undo everything that we have done. Whenever a mortal becomes King or Queen of Blue, they become corrupted completely. Someone, probably the sly Gulnath again, has cursed the throne of Blue in this way. She will likely become just like the old Blue, if not worse."
"How much time do we have?"
"Eight and one third days. After that it will be irreversible. She will become an immortal Queen, and will shed her old personality completely, probably to become a vain and corrupt monarch."
"So what can we do? How can we get her to give it up?" Andrew asked. He had just saved her, and now she was torn away from him again. It was heart-wrenching.
"Let me think a minute." Teltibane furrowed his brow. "Okay, I have a plan. I have in my possession an enchanted mirror that shows the true nature of things, a gift from an ancient Elf sorcerer. You have to get the mirror to her. When she sees her reflection in it, she may abdicate the throne."
"Okay. I think I have a way to give it to her."
They went to Teltibane's tent, and he produced the mirror.
Andrew took it to a shop in town, and had it wrapped up nicely. He ran back to Katy's royal tent.
"Yes?" said the guard.
"I bear a gift, for her royal highness."
"I'm sorry—"
"A gift?" came a girl's high voice from inside. "Oh, do let the foolish boy in, if he bears a gift for me. I do love presents!"
"Yes, milady." The guard stepped aside.
Andrew entered the tent. It was full of clothes and jewelry.
"If you so much as disturb one of my outfits I will have you flogged," screamed the girl.
She was dressed in royal clothing and an elaborate hairdo, and it took Andrew several moments to recognize that it was Katy.
"Katy?"
"Katy?" mimicked the girl. "It is 'her royal Highness' to you. I don't know a Katy. Now quickly, show me the present!"
"Katy, what has happened to you?"
The Queen looked at him closely.
"Oh, you must be that foolish mortal boy whom I once knew, who thought he knew me. I have moved into a higher station now. You thought that you would be the big hero and steal the show, while I was a nothing. Well, I have taken the crown, boy, and now I am much more important then you will ever be."
"Katy, what are you saying?" Andrew was deeply hurt. He had
loved her. He had truly loved her. And she had loved him. "Of course you are special, and important to me. You don't need this. It will transform you into something horrible. Please, give it up."
For an instant Andrew thought he saw the old Katy behind the mask of the new one. But that instant didn't last long. "Oh, hush, you stupid boy, and give me my present already! Say any more of this nonsense and I shall have you punished!"
So she was already taking on some of the habits of the old King, as well as some awful new ones. Andrew quickly kneeled down and presented the gift.
The Queen ripped the wrappings off the mirror. "Ah, a pretty mirror, so I can see my pretty reflection."
She looked into it, saw her true hideous reflection within, screamed, and fainted.
Guards rushed in, pointing their spears at Andrew. "What have you done to the Queen!"
"I didn't do anything, she did it to herself," said Andrew.
"Throw him into the hole," said the head guard.
They grabbed him.
"Excuse me." Andrew spoke up boldly. "I am here under the protection of Teltibane, High King of the Light. If anything happens to me, you will have who to answer to."
They looked at the head guard.
"Very well," he said. He wouldn't pick a fight with the powerful King of the Light. "We will let you go. But if anything permanent has happened to her, you will stand trial for this."
"Fair enough," said Andrew. "Now I suggest you tend to more important things. Like getting your dear Queen to a doctor. Now."
The guards carried Katy out.
Andrew went to Teltibane.
"Well, how did it go?" the wizard asked.
"She was horrified by what she had become, so it worked somewhat. But she also fainted, from the shock," said Andrew.
"That's not so far out of the realm of the ordinary," said Teltibane. "Let's go see if she has awoken and how she is doing."
They went to the town physician. Katy was lying on the bed in a comatose state.
The physician, a bald man with grey hair, was listening to her heart.
"What's her prognosis?" Teltibane asked.
"Extreme shock. Heart has slowed. Can't know how long it will last. Might be days, might be years. Might be forever."
"May I stay at her side?" Andrew asked. "We were friends. Close friends."
"Yes."
Andrew sat by Katy's side, holding her hand. He stayed there the whole day. Katy didn't wake. He would stay forever if he had to. Her cold hand felt still and lifeless in his.
Andrew was feeling terrible about the whole thing now. Maybe it would have been better that she had lived as the vain Queen, rather than be stuck in a coma forever.
Katy didn't wake the next day, or even the one after that. Andrew remained at her side the whole time, holding her hand, waiting for a sign of life. He ate and slept in his seat.
On the fourth day, Katy finally woke. "Where am I? Why am I wearing this fancy dress?"
The physician indicated that Andrew should speak. "Don't you remember? You became the Queen."
"The Queen? Are we still in the Realms? Andrew, I'm so glad you're here. I just want to go home."
"Okay. We will go home soon. First let the doctor here make sure that you are better. You were in a coma, Katy," said Andrew.
"Okay."
Andrew left, and went to Teltibane's tent. "She has awakened, thank God. She just wants to go home."
"Does she remember any of it?"
"It seems not. Will she be completely healed?"
"It is hard to say. She may have fits occasionally, where she thinks that she is the Queen of Blue again. I will give her something to help her with that. And she also must officially abdicate the crown, even if she doesn't remember anything. It is only a short ritual. And then, you will be on your way. You should be proud of yourself, Andrew. You went up against the odds, and beat them. You are a true hero. I apologize to you again that you landed up in the dangerous rainforest. I did not intend for that to happen. And, do you give me permission to summon you again, if there is need of a hero, a Champion of the Light, in these parts once more?"
"Yes," said Andrew. "It is what I was meant for."
"Excellent. Here is another rainbow card. You will be able to transport yourself through a rainbow to the Realms again, like the first time. But this time, try to concentrate on a rainbow closer to the Citadel please. Farewell, Andrew Cilifax. Until we meet again."
"Goodbye," said Andrew, and he bowed towards the King.
Andrew remembered back when he first met the amazing man who is the King of the Light. How he had been so angry with him. How he didn't want to become the Champion. But he proved that he could do it, with the help of his friends. He fought against a powerful tyrant, and freed the people of his tyranny. Like Greybeard said so many weeks ago, one should never doubt himself.
It was almost time to go. Andrew went around to all the friends that he had made. He bid goodbye to each of them.
Last, he went to Blue's former general, Imina Kinsin, whom he had come to know over the last few days. "Goodbye, Imina. What are you going to do, now that King Blue is gone?"
"I will pursue my dream. I will become the best bugle player that the Realm of Blue has ever produced," said the general. "I thank you, on the behalf of all of the citizens of the Realm of Blue. It was truly an honor knowing you. So sad that we had to fight on opposite sides. If you ever find yourself near the town of Acedone, in the region of Eminar, look me up. You will always have a place in my home, and in my heart."
"It was a pleasure knowing you too, sir. Farewell. Katy must be ready by now. I should be going."
Andrew sprinted back to the physician's house. Katy was just walking out. Andrew took her hand. She was a little unsteady on her feet.
"How do you feel?" Andrew asked.
"Better. But a little tired. Andrew, let's go home."
They walked to Teltibane's tent, on the outskirts of town.
"We're ready," Andrew called.
Teltibane emerged, carrying a small prism. "Let me get the right angle with the sun here."
He held the prism up to the sunlight, and a rainbow appeared. He said an incantation, and it seemed to intensify. A great noise started up.
"Look into the rainbow, and imagine the waterfall where you came from!" Teltibane shouted over the noise.
They looked at the rainbow, and concentrated on the spot where they came from originally. The hidden waterfall in Arbori Park.
The noise of falling water filled their ears, and got louder and louder. The colors of the rainbow bent, and flowed around them, faster and faster.
Color and sound spun around them, until it enveloped them totally.
Then the teens landed with a thud on the grass, near the waterfall in Arbori park. The eastern sun shone through the green trees. It was about six o'clock a.m. and the air was chilly. It was early springtime, less than twelve hours from when they had left.
Katy stretched, looked around, and smiled. "Green leaves. No monsters. Home at last."
No monsters, Andrew mused. No danger. But no adventure either. Although he had his fill of it, for the time being. If there was one thing that he had learnt, it was that adventure wasn't all fun and a good time like it was often depicted to be in books and movies. It came with a steep price.
The pair hiked back through the forest to the path and back to the entrance of the park. Their bikes were still there, thankfully, locked to the bike stand. They rode towards home until they got to the spot where their paths diverged, and stopped to share a kiss in the early morning air.
"I love you Katy," said Andrew. "I guess this whole adventure will have to be kept secret, if we don't want to be sent to a mental institution."
"I guess you're right," said Katy. "But to me, you will always be the hero, Andrew Cilifax, Champion of the Light. Slayer of the evil King Blue, and—"
"Okay," said A
ndrew, holding up his hand. "That's enough, Katy the Captured, who never gave up hope in the darkest hour, who—"
Katy laughed. "See you later. Our deeds live on, in the millions freed of Blue's tyranny. And that's enough for me. It's better than any recognition or award. And don't forget, we still have that science test today. And the biology paper."
"How do you remember that stuff?! That was months ago. Kind of. You're right, I better get going."
Andrew Light-defender pedaled off, as fast as he could. His science average was hanging by a thread. He needed to cram for the test that day.
He parked his bike and rushed into his house.
Andrew's mother and father were sitting in the kitchen, half filled cups of coffee in front of them, looking very tired. They glared at Andrew as he came in to the room.
"Young man," said Andrew's mother, Sarah, in her best you-have-been-very-bad voice. "Where have you been? Away all night. Do you know how worried we were?"
"Katy and I went on a hike and got lost, so we slept in the woods."
"Oh," said Sarah. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine mom."
"We will let it go this time," said Andrew's father, Bill. "But if it ever happens again, you will be grounded for two months, at least."
"Okay," said Andrew. "Now am I excused? I have homework to do."
Sarah nodded. Andrew hurried to do his schoolwork in the couple of hours remaining before school.
Kyle accosted Andrew after school. "War."
"War?" asked Andrew, nonplussed.
"Yes, war. Call of Warfare Five. Me against you. Now."
Andrew was tired of war and fighting for the time being. And after the real thing, the prospect of having a fake war on a screen just wasn't very exciting any more. "War? It's not my thing. I'm more of a pacifist type."
"Is this the real Andrew Milton? Or has his brain been taken over by aliens? You told me that you couldn't wait to play Call of Warfare Five. That it made you salivate," Kyle said. "What happened?"
"Oh, all right," said Andrew. "C'mon, race you there."
Anything, for the sake of friendship.
Andrew mastered the game pretty easily. But some of his comments made Kyle think along the lines of alien abduction again. Such as, "in a real battle that tactic never would have worked. The game engine doesn't take into account the gunner's reaction time, or the inertia of the helicopter—"
Kyle cut him off. "A real battle? Like you would know anything about a real battle."
Oops. Andrew quickly recovered, and resolved to be more careful in the future. A mental facility was not where he wanted to be spending his time.
"Kyle you know my Uncle Fred, the veteran, whenever he comes around he always goes on and on about his war experiences, how he won that battle or the other...."
Andrew finally got to finish his painting of the dolphins and sea the next night. He put the last touches on the dolphin's nose, and it was finally complete, so many months after he had begun.
If only Blue would have drew inspiration from the playful dolphin instead of the venomous octopus, Andrew mused. Things could have been so much different. So many lives needn't have been lost. So many men needn't have been maimed.
Vallidius Blue amassed power as mighty as the great blue ocean, and he had waged his war. But he was ultimately stopped by powers as light as the brilliant sands of the beaches, the very sands that hold the great sea at bay everywhere.
THE END
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends