Ice-Ghost

Pan scanned for the whereabouts of the witch. When he found her, he navigated them to where she was standing. As they got closer, they could see the tiny figure of the witch in the distance.

  “This is as far as everyone goes. I will finish this adventure alone,” said Ice-Ghost.

  “No!” everyone cried.

  “I am sorry, but this I must do alone.”

  Pan boomed out, “We have no time left. Look, the castle is already breaking out from the ground. If its foundation completely rises to the ground, she will enter into it and find the Chain of Deprivation. It is a chain that will allow her power to come in full circle and upsurge. She will attach the ice-crystal to it and it will give her powers beyond even her own comprehension. She will have the power to keep the world in a deep sleep forever. Finish her now, Numen, or none of us will see our freedoms again. Now, Numen, now!”

  Seeing the urgency in Pan’s eyes, Ice-Ghost asked Gloo, “Can you fly this?”

  “What? Fly this? I…I…I don’t have any hands. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

  “Fly it, Gloo, you can do it. You must do it.”

  “All right, all right, but I sure wish I had some hands. I’d feel more comfortable about this choice. What are you planning on doing?”

  “Hopefully I can get close enough to prick her with this tooth.”

  Gloo looked at the tooth. “You know, Ice-Ghost, this moment is the very first time that I can say I’m glad to see that tooth, but don’t let me interrupt. What’s the plan?”

  “If you can fly me close enough to the witch, I will jump out of the cauldron and prick her with the tooth. After I jump, Gloo, you must quickly turn and fly the cauldron to a safe place.”

  “Okay, but couldn’t I just land the cauldron on top of her?”

  “No, too risky.”

  Gloo put his hooves on the wheel and began to steer. Ice-Ghost asked Christy to keep her head down as they descended and flew straight toward the witch. The closer they got, the more the air was filled with the cracking and grinding sounds of the world’s most supreme Ice-Castle rising from the ground. Already, the turrets on the castle walls could be seen. Soon, the towers had risen above the ground, followed by the tall, thick, ice-curtain walls. The castle creaked and groaned as it emerged from the ground.

  As they flew through the air, Ice-Ghost took the tooth out of his tunic and turned to Gloo.

  “Remember, after I leap from the cauldron, quickly turn and fly to a safe place.” He clutched the tooth in his hand and readied himself for what he had to do. As they got closer to the witch, he removed the wax from the tip of the tooth and got ready to jump.

  “Steady, steady. Turn now, Gloo!” Ice-Ghost yelled as he jumped out of the cauldron. The witch suddenly sensed the presence of her cauldron and turned around with snake-like speed.

  “Suspensia!” she yelled and Ice-Ghost froze in the air. Gloo and the others sped away.

  His hand had stopped no more than two inches from her. The tooth was cupped in his hand and out of the witch’s line of sight. If he could just twitch a finger, he could drop the tooth onto her exposed ankle, but he could not get any part of his body to move, not even a fraction of an inch. As the others sped away, the witch hit the cauldron with a pounding spell, causing everyone to be dumped onto the ground. Gloo, Pan, and Christy fell to the ground and did not stir. The other contents of the cauldron lay beside them. The ground continued to groan and shake as the castle emerged causing the witch to laugh with glee before returning her attention to Ice-Ghost.

  “I thought I’d killed you, Ghost. You and your kind are such a pestilence, but I will soon fix that.”

  Then, she turned back to watch the castle rise. The castle continued to rise as larger and larger pieces of it broke through the ground. The sound of the ground violently shaking rumbled through the air. The air rumbled so much that it slowly rattled the tooth in Ice-Ghost’s hand, until it fell. The witch turned just in time to watch it fall and stab into her foot. The droplet of Spring Awaking drained from the hole of the tooth and into the witch’s skin. For a moment the witch seemed perplexed at this turn of event. She shook her foot and the tooth was flung aside.

  “What is this, Ghost? Yet another of your stupid tricks? Well, whatever it is, it has failed.” The witch then sensed something was different. It had become very quiet.

  She turned and saw that the walls of the castle had emerged. Its walls were glimmering and smooth, the towers contained conical spheres and the high-gated entrance loomed toward the sky. Inside the castle’s walls were courtyards and the main building. The Keep, where all the heirlooms of the first witch had been locked away, was located on the eastern side of the courtyard. It was there that the Chain of Deprivation was stored, the chain that could complete the regal magic of the Ice-Crystals.

  The witch beheld her castle with joy, but the moment quickly passed as she realized that something was wrong. As she scanned the castle’s exterior, she noticed that the front gate was not all of the way up and could not be opened. The foundation of her castle had not completely risen. Quickly, she raised her wand and repeated the spell. “Accre-altos-acroplis-menum-bondeye.” When that spell didn’t work, she tried every other spell she knew. However, neither creak nor groan disturbed the silence. She dropped her arms and stared at the castle’s wall. Her blood began to slowly boil.

   The Not So Much Plan 

 

  The contents of the cauldron had been tossed out and were lying on the snow-covered ground. Gloo, Christy and Pan began to stir as they felt the uncomfortable coldness of the snow. The cauldron had fallen between them and the witch offering some shelter from what lay in front of them. Gloo and Christy slowly inched their way toward Pan, who had landed only a few feet behind the cauldron.

  Pan looked at them and asked, “Is everyone okay?”

  Both Gloo and Christy said, “Yes, I am fine.”

  Christy asked, “What happened and where is Ice-Ghost?”

  Pan answered, “We were hit by a strong spell that knocked us out of the witch’s cauldron.”

  Pan’s face moved up to the highest corner of his mirror to see past the cauldron. He saw Ice-Ghost and reported to his friends.

  “Ice-Ghost is a hop, skip and a big jump away from us on the other side of this cauldron. Things do not look so well for him, though. We must do something quick!” They huddled together and began whispering ideas. Well, at least Pan and Christy were whispering. Gloo, on the other hand, lay on the ground with his hooves crossed over his eyes muttering, “Oohh, this is bad. This is bad.” Christy tried to calm him by placing with her arm around his furry neck.

  “I’ve got a plan!” said Pan.

  Christy turned to Gloo. “Gloo, please stop. Pan has a plan and we need you.” Gloo stopped wailing and faced Christy. For the first time, he saw how they were somewhat alike. Both were away from their loved ones. Both seemed lost and frightened and both needed each other to be strong. The courage of the dwarves awoke in him. His conviction to help was completely renewed. Christy saw this renewal in his eyes and she smiled. So did Pan.

  “I’m all right now. Better than alright. So now, what is your plan, Pan?”

  “Christy, Gloo, if the witch tries to cast a spell on either of you, come hide behind me.”

  “What will that do and what will happen to you?” Christy asked.

  “Maybe nothing, maybe everything, but I don’t care. Once, the witch aimed a spell at me, or so I thought, but nothing ever happened. Her explanation was that she had changed her mind and wanted to be nice, but I’m not convinced. Since then, she has always threatened me with her wooden mallet.”

  Christy spoke, “Well, yes, Pan, but you could be wrong. You could die or something worse.”

  “Just do as I ask,” said Pan. “I no longer fear the witch.”

  This statement comforted Christy and she smiled. Gloo looked up.

  “This is your plan? To hide behind you? Not much of a plan,
Pan. We won’t be able to hide behind you forever.”

  Pan looked at Christy and Gloo, and said, “Well, the rest will come as things progress, I imagine.” Pan turned a shade of awkward grey for a moment and then spoke again. “Listen,” said Pan. “Ice-Ghost is in grievous trouble. The witch has him frozen in the air.”

  Christy involuntarily let out an, “Oh dear.”

  Pan continued, “Maybe, if we can distract the witch, Gloo could Ghost-nap him and we could escape and hide. Maybe he has something in one of those pouches that can help him out of the spell.”

  Gloo shook his head in disbelief. “Ghost-nap?” inquired Gloo.

  “Ghost-nap, kidnap, you know what I mean,” retorted Pan.

  “I don’t know, mirror,” said Gloo. “Let’s say we get Ice-Ghost, then what? Where do we go and how will we get there? We have nowhere to hide, no food, no water!”

  Pan laughed, “I don’t know. We probably won’t get that far in our plan anyhow.” Christy, with an awe struck face, just stared at Pan. Pan looked around and saw the witch’s club lying on the ground. “Or, Gloo, you could take the witch’s club in your teeth, run up behind her and strike her on the head with it.” Christy now had a dejected look on her face and blanched.

  Gloo rubbed his ears together, “No, no, no. I like the first plan better, Pan. It’s so unexpected and, without all the complex and strangling details attached to it, it just might work! Besides, I don’t have a better plan.”

  Without changing her expression, Christy chimed in, “It might work?”

  Gloo turned to Christy. “And your plan, my dear?”

  This question put Christy on the spot. Blushing, and with a faint smile, Christy replied, “Well, yes. It…it might work!” The three were about to discuss further details about their plan when Gloo went stiff and silent.

  “Do you hear that?” asked Gloo.

  “I hear nothing,” replied Christy. There was an eerie absence of sound. They peered around the cauldron and saw the witch standing in front of Ice-Ghost as he remained suspended in the air.

  The silence was soon broken by the witch, “Aaaaggghhh, my magic, my castle, my magic! What have you done?”

  Just then, the witch’s ice snakes on her head went limp. Her view became blocked as some of the snakes dangled over her eyes. Then, a cracking sound could be heard coming from one of the castle’s walls. The witch pushed aside the dangling snakes just in time to see her castle walls begin to crack.

  “Noooo!” cried the witch, as the ice castle began to crumble. “You, you, you, Ghost, you will pay the ultimate price that any life can ever pay.” The witch raised her wand and began the worst spell imaginable: the curse of Kavadier/Kavadium, the spell of Half Life, Half Death, Eternal Abyss. The sky above them darkened and the air felt heavy and energized as she began to cast her spell:

  “Veklum incessant Vulkor

  Non rem abied

  Amaranthine Purgateal.”

  As she spoke, the large pearl tip of her wand began to emanate a bright blue energy force. The light spread across the tip of her wand until only the front half of the pearl was glowing. In the darkened sky, small, glowing white clouds began to form. The air became more violent as she continued her spell:

  “Volum lecter haas

  Nos devium aparva

  Lectuum Kavadier, Kavadium.”

  She continued her curse while glaring at Ice-Ghost. He kept struggling from within, but could not succeed in moving an inch. With all of his might, he struggled, but it was in vain. He knew that the witch was coming to the end of her spell and could do nothing, but listen, while she said the last verse, “Ahok Rrrraaahbashz!” Then, the spell was unleashed.

  Through the air it went and, at that moment, so did the trio. Abandoning their first plan, Christy grabbed Pan by his hang string and leaped forward. Gloo decided to leap onto the back of Ice-Ghost, hoping to push him down onto the ground and out of the way of the spell. While holding Pan up as a shield, Christy landed right in front of Ice-Ghost and Gloo as the spell was unleashed. Onward came the giant blast of the spell and it hit Pan dead center. Pan, tormented by the blast, let out a loud, “Aaaaarrrrggggggg,” while Christy shuddered from behind him. Christy became tormented as she heard Pan scream.

  As the blast continued hitting Pan, the lightning blue spell began to splash away in all directions. The very end of the spell balled up against the mirror and was reflected back onto the witch. The witch froze for a moment in awe. Then, she cried out, “No, no, no, no, no…I…it…” as she shrank until she was the size of a pearl. When she stopped shrinking, she just disappeared with a hiss and a poof. The only thing that remained of her was her wand and the heart-shaped Ice-Crystal.

  The wand fell upright into the snow. The pearl tip glowed as the wand grew seven feet tall. After the wand stopped growing, the pearl’s light went out. Ice-Ghost, with Gloo on his back, fell to the ground. Some of Gloo’s hair was singed from the witch’s blast, but, other than that, he was okay.

  “Gloo, you’re as heavy as a mule,” groaned Ice-Ghost.

  Sitting on Ice-Ghost’s back, Gloo looked at his feet and hands. “Yippity oh, tippity yo, I’m me again.” Ice-Ghost was able to move now and rolled Gloo off his back. It seemed that all of the things that the witch had done were now undoing themselves.

  As for the witch’s Ice-Crystal, it split in half. One half zoomed into the air and came crashing down into the ice, burrowing itself deep into the immensely thick ice-sheet. The other half flew off to the southern part of the world and did the same. Soon, a faint wailing scream could be heard coming from the south.

  Poor Pan was lying on the ground. His mirror frame was singed by the blast of the spell. Everyone gathered around Pan.

  “Pan, are you all right? Pan? Pan, can you hear me? Please say something, anything.” Christy’s eyes began to well up and Gloo cried. Ice-Ghost put the backs of his fingers on Pan’s pane and bowed his head. It had become a cheerless mood for everyone. Everyone bowed their heads.

  “Wha-wha-Happy New Year’s, everybody,” Pan said as his eyes opened and he smiled. On the corner of his forehead was a small, star-like crack. Other than that crack, Pan looked fine.

  Ice-Ghost looked at Pan and said, “The witch is gone.”

  “Happy New Year,” Pan repeated.

  Christy, with a remorseful face, said apologetically to Pan, “Pan, I am so sorry. Can you forgive me? I didn’t have time to think. You could have been…well, you know.”

  Pan laughed a laugh that could have opened up a rosebud. “You did exactly what I asked of you and I am sure we are all thankful.” The four spoke together and rejoiced.

  Christy often had a practical side to her that she could not always contain. “I am so glad that we are free of the witch, but what shall we do now? Where shall we go and how will we get there? The witch’s magic is gone. I fear the cauldron will no longer be able to help us.”

  Pan chuckled and smiled. “Sweet, innocent little girl of one of the outer worlds. The cauldron belonged to the king. Maret Brundehildigart captured the cauldron and enslaved it. Its real title is the “Pot of Alms” and the King used it when his citizens were in need.”

  Christy and Ice-Ghost both felt a sigh of relief. Then the expression of relief suddenly left Ice-Ghost’s face and was replaced with none at all. Christy’s moment of joy was replaced with a moment of concern.

  “What’s the matter, Ice-Ghost?”

  With a pensive look, Ice-Ghost replied, “We must leave and I must see all of you back to your homes safely. Then, I must go back to the witch’s castle and look for my soul.”

  Christy spoke first. “Then, I will go with you. I want to be there.” Gloo followed with the same response. It became unanimous as Pan spoke. Before they left, Ice-Ghost made a strange request. He asked everyone to face where Brundehildigart had last been seen and bow their heads.

  Ice-Ghost spoke, “Good luck and farewell, Maret Brundehildigart and may happiness find
you.”

  Everyone found it odd and yet strangely fitting that Ice-Ghost gave her a short and sincere eulogy. Then, they climbed back into the cauldron. Ice-Ghost, with the help of Pan, steered the Pot of Alms back to the witch’s castle. Everyone felt relieved and joyous, except for Ice-Ghost, who seemed distant. Ice-Ghost remained surprisingly quiet throughout the trip. Pan spoke with Christy and Gloo through most of the trip, but eventually quieted down. Every now and then, Pan would look at Ice-Ghost from the corner of his mirror, but said nothing.

  “Gloo, what will you do now?” asked Christy.

  With raised eyebrows, he stammered, “What, what will I do, hmmm…” The question caught Gloo by surprise, but he managed a warm smile. “I will go to the mines and seek my friends and family. Now that the witch has passed, the great gates to the mines will be opened.”

  “Did your people lock the gates?”

  “No, young one, the witch put a great spell on the locks and no one has been able to open them since.”

  With a great look of concern, Christy asked, “Then are they trapped?”

  “No, no, no, my child, not quite. How can anyone be trapped in paradise? The mines are a place of beauty and awe. There are tall marble columns that reach up to the smooth surface of the mine’s ceiling and beautiful inlaid granite floors. In the Quarrine, there is a great fountain that spews the clearest water the eye has ever seen, or the palate has ever tasted. It is a great world in a great world…now that the witch is no more.”

  “You make this place seem so beautiful. I wish that I could see it someday.”

  “Someday, my child, perhaps someday,” Gloo said as he smiled.

  “Will your people come out now?” asked Christy.

  “Yes, indeed, but what is more important is that those dwarves who wandered and were shut out of the mine can now return. My people are now free to come and go as they please and I am glad.”

  Christy lowered her head and sighed.

  “Gloo, I hope that you can see your friends and family soon.”

  Hearing Christy sigh woke Gloo up from his dream of being home again.

  “Don’t worry, Christy. We will all be home soon. I’m sure of it.”

  Christy looked up and smiled. “Do you think so?’

  “Of course, of course, lest I go from a mule to horse,” he said. Then, with a reassuring smile, he laughed.

  Gloo then asked, “Christy, what will you do when you are home?”

  Christy had to think about that question for some time. Finally, she said, “Hug my parents.” Then, she added, “Gloo, do the kids go to school in the mines?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Do they get time off from school?”

  “Yes, it is called Funtine and lasts through two full moons.”

  “Well, that is what I’ll do when I am home. Go to school and enjoy my summers. Oh and I also want to become…” Before she could finish, the cauldron rocked.

  Ice-Ghost turned and apologized, “I’m sorry, my hand slipped from the wheel.”

  Christy looked at Ice-Ghost, who turned and faced forward.

  “Pan, what’s wrong? You’re awfully quiet,” Christy said.

  Pan said nothing and Ice-Ghost remained quiet. Gloo had noticed that Ice-Ghost looked tired and troubled. Gloo stood next to Ice-Ghost.

  “My friend, allow me to steer for a while. It looks like you could use some rest.”

  Ice-Ghost, with a tired smile, answered, “Thank you, Gloo, but I’ll be all right.”

  “Yes, you’ll be all right, but, right now, you need some rest. I see it in your eyes, my friend.”

  Reluctant at first, Ice-Ghost refused the offer. It was not until all of the others urged Ice-Ghost to rest that he surrendered the wheel to Gloo. Christy felt that, maybe now, she could converse with the two, but she was wrong. Both Pan and Ice-Ghost remained silent.

  Christy was finding this silence troubling and was about to ask Pan another question when Gloo blurted out, “Look, it’s the witch’s castle or what is left of it! I believe all of her power has left this world. It is gone.”

  As they approached the castle, they saw many brown patches where the snow and ice had once been. As the Pot of Alms descended, they saw the last remaining fragments of the witch’s castle. Giant columns and pillars of ice stood where once there where walls and towers.

  “Oh my,” said Christy, knowing that somewhere in the ruins was Ice-Ghost’s soul.

  Gloo steered the pot in between the ice-pillars, hoping to find the witch’s enchantment room or, at least, what was left of it. Gloo saw a pile of debris and headed for it.

  Gloo landed the Pot of Alms and everyone got out. On the ground were many broken and spilled vials. Some of the contents seemed to be flowing away, as if headed in an intentional direction. Ice-Ghost fell to his hands and knees and started to cough.

  Christy turned. “What’s wrong, Ice-Ghost?”

  Pan, with an anguished look, spoke. “He has been without his soul for too long. He is dying. We must find his vial and hope that it is not broken. I can see that there are still many vials that remain intact.”

  Gloo spoke up and said, “Then let us carefully sort through the pile.” As they approached the pile, many of the colored fluids on the ground began to disperse in all directions. The colored fluids spread out like a school of tiny fish does when a shadow is cast upon them. Gloo and Christy carefully searched through the pile of broken and unbroken vials. After several moments, Gloo held a vial that was cracked and missing its lid. He had seen it many times before. It was the vial that had held the soul of Ice-Ghost.

  “Nooo,” he wailed and Christy went pale. She looked over at Ice-Ghost.

  “Ice-Ghost, I…I…I…I…” Just then, Christy noticed there were several pale figures approaching from behind the tall pillars of icicles. They were some of the souls that the witch had taken from her victims. The tallest figure stood in front of the rest. Ice-Ghost, still coughing and on his knees, turned and saw the pale figures approaching. He was weak and his body quivered as he struggled to stand. Gloo tried to help him, but Ice-Ghost refused the help.

  “No, Gloo, for this act, I must stand on my own.” He struggled and faltered, his body trembling as he struggled to stand. Finally, he was on his feet and closed his eyes. Then, his soul returned to his body. A light tan hue returned to his skin as he breathed in deeply. His hair turned a cinnamon brown and his eyes became hazel. When he opened his eyes, light seemed to shine from within them.

  “Ice-Ghost, you’ve changed! Well, what I mean is that you are different, and not.” Christy had a hard time trying to describe her feelings. For the first time, she thought about how wonderful and warm his presence seemed to be.

  “Hello, Christy, and thank you.” He turned to Gloo and Pan and thanked them also. Christy hesitated for a moment before she spoke again.

  “Now that I see you, I wonder why you were called Ice-Ghost. Yet, I think I know why. Without a soul, the body becomes ill and faint.”

  “That’s right, but time is short and the worlds will soon un-align. Christy, you must leave now before the world’s window closes. This world is changing and the window between worlds will be less seen in the future, or at least that is what I think.”

  Ice-Ghost looked around at the souls who had now gathered around them. Most of the souls were of dwarf size. Ice-Ghost asked Gloo if he thought that he would be able to help them find their owners.

  “I think they are the souls of friends, family and my clan,” responded Gloo.

  “Then, can you help them?” asked Ice-Ghost.

  “Yes, my people live deep in the mines where it is warm and where the witch never dared to go. Others have been scattered throughout the land since the great gate had been shut by the witch. I will search and find their owners.”

  Ice-Ghost turned to Pan. “As for the unopened vials that we have found, am I right in thinking that we should release their contents, Pan?”

  “Y
es, yes, by all means. They are parts of our world that should be free. The few remaining vials with souls Gloo shall take when he leaves for his home.”

  It was agreed and they opened all of the vials. Some of the vials contained liquids that raced along the ground until they could be seen no more, while others began to soak into the soil. Some were smoke, vapors or gases that flew into the air. Everyone could sense that a change was taking place.

  The remaining icicles that clung to the trees melted away and the trees began to blossom. The sky became the most beautiful shades of blue imaginable and, as it reached toward the horizon, it softened into a light blue before changing into a powdery purple. Nearby a rainbow bridged across a hillside. A single songbird that could be heard was soon joined by others. The world had become so incredibly beautiful that Christy didn’t want to leave. She had fallen in love with this new world since the witch had been dispatched. She now realized that she had grown very fond of her new friends and, of all of her new friends, she knew that Ice-Ghost would be the one she missed the most. Time, however, was running out. Ice-Ghost and the others rushed Christy to the end of the path where the window last dropped and the worlds connected.

  This place still had a thick sheet of ice on the ground. Christy looked into the familiar darkness and sighed. On this side of the darkness were her new friends and a new beautiful world; a world she had taken part in making right. Yet, on the other side, was the world where she had been loved since the day she was born; a world of family and friends. As Christy lamented about this choice, she thought she heard a faint call. It came from inside the dark void. It was very faint, but she thought she recognized the voice. That voice sounds like the voice of my mother, she thought. She listened closely, hoping to hear it again. Ice-Ghost looked up into the sky.

  “Here it comes,” he said. “I see it. The window is coming. Christy, be prepared to leave soon.”

  “Window?” Christy looked up into the sky, but could not see anything. “Where? What window, Ice-Ghost? I do not see one.”

  Ice-Ghost continued looking into the sky. “It is coming,” he assured Christy.

  Christy continued to strain her eyes in hope of seeing the window. Finally, she saw the small rectangular frame slowly spinning through the air.

  “Oh my. I see it. I see it. Ice-Ghost, I see it. How marvelous. It’s golden. I wonder why?” Downward it continued to fall, getting larger as it came. Over the darkness it went and then into the darkness it fell. In the darkness, a thud could be heard, followed by the sound of a large window being opened. This time, when she faced the darkness and she heard her mother’s voice, it seemed soft, but clear.

  Christy turned to her friends and with a happy expression said, “It’s my mother’s voice. This time I am sure of it.” They returned her smile as Christy lost hers. “I’m going to miss all of you…wait, maybe you could come and visit me. I would love that. Ice-Ghost, you could meet my mother and my father, oh, everyone. My world also has so many wonderful things. Gloo, Pan, it would be wonderful.”

  Pan smiled. “Sure, I’d love to go visit and hang around.”

  There was an awkward moment of silence as the others looked at Pan. Christy laughed.

  “That was funny, Pan. Thank you,” said Christy

  Pan continued with, “I hope it’s not a reflection of…” when Ice-Ghost interrupted Pan.

  “I am sorry for interrupting you, my good friend, but, for now, time is short.”

  Pan smiled. “Yes, yes, you are correct. Let’s do move on with it.”

  Christy stepped toward Gloo and smiled. “Goodbye, Gloo, I am going to miss you. And thank you.”

  Gloo bowed and then slapped with each hand both his knees three times. When he looked up, he saw that Christy looked puzzled.

  “That is how the dwarves say goodbye when we think we may not see a loved one for a long time. We slap our laps three times, clap three times, you and I pat our hands together twice and we bump our foreheads gently.” After Christy and Gloo said goodbye dwarf-style, Gloo looked up at Christy with misty eyes, bowed and turned away. She then turned toward Pan.

  “Child, we shall say goodbye in the same fashion.”

  Below Pan’s face two hands appeared and together Christy and Pan slapped, clapped, patted and bumped foreheads. As they bumped foreheads, Pan rose up in his mirror and kissed Christy on the forehead.

  “Farewell, child of Aris, may the sun shine fair on your face and the guardian Angelica follow your