All Into One: Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

         I was taken back by what Roth had described. They were using us against their enemies. We were going to be killed. I would hope no one would kill his or her friends for this. Maybe we would find a way to get the captives their memories back and let them help us in this war.

         “Roth, what can I do to help?”

         “Just come with me and we will see the king.”

         I followed the lycanthrope down the dining hall and through a set of huge spruce double doors, leading in the ceremony room. The throne was laden with lapis and emerald, the staff of the king rest beside the throne and was studded with many a diamond. The king, though, was not in the throne.

         “Harriet,” Roth said to one of the guards. “Where is King Peter? We have a meeting with him and the others. It is imperative we get to him.”

         “Asoroth, the lord and his servants left a while ago, at least three hours ago, to head to town. The king wanted to visit the townspeople in secrecy,” Harriet replied.

         “Do you know how long it would take us to head to town? Or are any of the Fictionals with him? I need as many of the leaders as soon as possible.”

         “It would take a good hour to get to town, maybe forty-five if you Changed. The people have overrun the streets and many are leaving to the other dimensions, hoping to escape The Dark Ones. And yes, some of the leaders are down there with him.”

         “Well, they shouldn’t get too far before they are taken as well as the others. Thank you Harriet. I hope to see you again.”

         “Farewell, Roth.”

         Roth made me hop on his back, giving me a piggyback ride. We headed out the gates as fast as Roth could carry a one hundred and twelve pound seventeen year old girl. Before Roth could stop, we went of the side of the castle walls and floated downward.

         “Where is the town?” I asked Roth.

         “Just over that hill, in the valley.” He pointed past the castle and close to the woods.

         “That shouldn’t take too long should it? Harriet made it seem as if it would take ages to get there.”

         “It’s an eleven mile hike just to get to the top of the hill. But since I have the endurance of a werewolf, we will get to town fairly quickly, as long as we don’t get raided by the outcasts.”

         “Outcasts? What did they get kicked out for?”

         “The town has laws and rules and if you do not obey those, they kick you out and people look down upon them by calling them outcasts or hostiles. Most prefer being called outcasts and that we do respect.”

         “Well, since we need to find the king so urgently, we better get a move on, Roth.”

         “Laura, when I change, do not be afraid. I do keep my sanity and my thoughts when I change. Just watch out.”

         Roth took a step back so did I, thinking still about Zach and how amazed he would be if he were here. Roth’s body contorted and awkward formations. His legs grew and bended, as did his arms. He started to grow a snout from his face and his teeth turned sharp and wild. Fur came from everywhere and he was back in wolf form.

         “Come,” Roth said in my mind. “Get on, we need to go as soon as possible.”
         As I got onto Asoroth’s back, I noticed the sun dipping downwards and glanced at my watch. It was already four o’clock in the afternoon. We had roughly eight hours to find the king and the other leaders, get back to the castle, and discuss whatever the topic was that no one was telling me, before twilight came and The Dark Ones appeared.

         Roth ran up toward the hill and we hit the woods almost instantly. The brush of the forest was dense and I could barely see a thing. No wonder the outcasts come here, I thought to myself. No one could see them coming.

         The woods became denser as we moved along and the sun was moving swiftly toward the horizon, making it harder to even see a foot in front of us. We made it through safely and it had taken us a little bit over an hour due to the harsh brush and briers.

         The town was magnificent with high stonewalls and wonderful buildings. There was a windmill that moved with such ease, I almost fell off of Roth’s back. The town’s people were in “normal” Narnian clothes, leggings and a cloth shirt. Most of them were milling around the market and being inconspicuous. But there was one small group of men, and few women, that were huddled up in a small circle as if they were hiding someone.

         “There,” I pointed to the circle, showing Roth. “There’s the king and the leaders.”

         “Good eye, Laura, good eye.” With his accent he sounded like an Australian for a moment.

         “We need to grab them, twilight might be a little earlier than usual. Dang it. I just realized that we passed through the Warp at twilight and when we go back it will still be twilight.”

         “We can make it through. We’ll just head straight to Zach’s. His parents are on a cruise through the EAC- the East Australian Current.”

         “Why? The Dark Ones are very near to that spot, or at least in your world they are.”

         “They like being alone and Zach thinks that they believe him to be a burden. I don’t think so though. I think they love him more than Melissa, his older sister.”

“That explains. Now how do we get down there?”

“We need to find an opening and pass through the crowds and at least get to the market, we will have a bigger advantage then. Okay Roth, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while now, how old are you exactly? Your accent makes you seem older.”

         “I am, you won’t believe me, three hundred and eighteen years old. Born on February 6th, 1696 in Wales, UK. I was turned when I was 27 in 1723. Left my family the day I found out and never went back.”

         “Wow, that’s depressing Roth. You need more light in your world, but first, we need to get to King Peter.”

         “Yes, let’s find a way in the crowd first.”

         I found a small path that led into the stables, hoping we wouldn’t be seen. Roth found some outfits for us behind a broom closet. We found our way from the stables out into the yard. Seeing now, we weren’t able to see over a head in the town. The streets were clogged with merchants, mailmen, and magical creatures.

         “Now how are we to find them? We can’t see anything!”

         Trying to voice over the sound of the town’s people, Roth said “Just head straight to the market! The king will be there!”

         It took about ten minutes for us to just get to the farmer’s market by weaving our way through the bustling crowd. We were still a good ways away from the regular market and it was getting closer the seven o’clock.

         “Why is everyone out here?” I ask Roth loudly.

         “I’m not sure. I think something either very good or very bad occurred. I hope King Peter and at least Chiron know.”

         “Wait. Chiron is here? Why! How! He’s supposed to be at Camp Half-Blood!”     

         “He’s one of the leaders. Why do you think he leaves Camp so much in your stories? To talk with Zeus? No, Chiron doesn’t like the gods that much anymore. Even though they granted him his wish, he still wants to be able to walk as a human occasionally.”
         “So when he leaves Camp, he comes here? Does he use the WOP or does he travel through other entrances?”

         “He mainly uses the WOP, but when Glenda or any of the other Patrollers get hurt or sick, he takes the Guard. The Guard is our emergency route to everywhere. It’s not used much, but it is needed for the Ficitonals to survive.”

         “Where are the Guards placed?”

         “Anywhere we can use them. The San Queros are trying to find a way to control where our Guards lead. It has happened once to a Roman, son of Apollo. He was on a quest when he ran into a Guard and the San Queros took him to Chancellor Gwarmian, the Dark One’s leader.”

         “Poor kid. His parents must have hated him so much. Who names their child Gwarmian? I mean seriously though, who is he really?”

         “Only one knew where he came from and that person died three millennium ago. The San Queros have existed since the beginning of time. They were close with the Elders who lived on Danu Talis. They have corrupted everyone they encounter and make them loose their humanity and self-thoughts. No one knows who formed the San Queros but we do know that Chancellor Gwarmian is the newest head leader of the clan.

         “Still, no one has met them and returned sane. That is why we are all worried that they will destroy every Fictional known to the worlds. We must protect the most important of the Fictionals, even though we would like to save them all, it just can’t happen.”

         “Well that sounds intense. Hurry up, we need to get the king and the others.”

         We rush through the crowd while getting some ugly remarks when we knock someone down or accidentally hit someone. Most of them I have never heard of in my books and I don’t even care if I hit most of them.

         “There he is now,” I pointed to the market building that held the clothing materials.

         “Of all places, why the clothes and not the jewels or something expensive?” I asked Roth quietly.

         “I believe I heard from a citizen that the animal population has decreased greatly and are running out of materials for clothes. He might just be stocking up in case they actually do run dry.”

         “But why must he come and not a servant?”

         “Let’s go find out. Shall we?” Roth had offered his arm to me and we took off even faster than we were and reached the market stall.

         “My king,” Asoroth whispered into King Peter’s ear. “We need to have a council meeting right now and twilight is falling quickly.”

         “Asoroth, you startled me. Everyone this sounds urgent so we must move quickly back to Care Paravel. Round the council and we will start once we reach the castle. Careful though, the jumper is not as well as it use to be.”

         The king and his companions made there way to the gates of the town faster than we could even get to the market place. The king must have had some way to get to the castle quickly because the Fictionals around him made a circle in the woods and a faun made a ring of clovers and a warlock made some runes for a portal to get to the lily field. A blue glow emitted from the runes and clover growth and one by one the Fictionals went through.

         I noticed some Fictionals that I knew, there was a warlock named Harcrot from Annapolis, Maryland. A demigod who looked to be the daughter of Athena with her grey eyes and blonde hair that had maps and some advanced tablets. Then there were several Next-Generation Elders who I could not name worth a flip.

         Roth and I followed them into the portal, and when we passed through, the blue glow cut out. We were staring at the field of lilies again and the group of Fictionals had already made their way to the circle jumper. One by one they got up to the castle and headed toward the council hall.

         “Hurry,” Roth announced to the Fictionals. “Twilight has almost begun.”

         And at that, my watched beeped, signaling the start of twilight.