The World of Sharlain

"But what about the entrance to Dan's house? It must be around here, somewhere? If we look around -"

  "Why? We came to find Gord and Clay and Tom." Gloria dropped her gaze. "Well ... not Tom, I guess." She put her hand on Peter's shoulder. "Sweetheart, please. Do as I say."

  Peter held tightly to the scooter, placed a free hand on the plaque and said the words: Borgo-nom achewan. No-nopawno agerwan. He vanished as did the scooter and Gloria pushed her scooter to the tower. There was a shuffling noise behind her and she knew she was in danger and she clutched the scooter tightly with clenched hands and said the words, but nothing happened. She moaned and the scraping, wheezing sound came closer and she turned to see the first long arm with snapping claw raised above the tiled path.

  "Touch the plaque," she groaned. "I must touch .."

  She leaned against the tower and touched the plate and held the scooter and said the words, and the creature blinked to see its prey vanish.

  Peter held his breath until Gloria appeared beside him in the long grass and they headed bouncing across the plain toward the blue hills and the day brightened into yellow and the sound of their scooters echoed against the Mountain of the Golden Tower.

  When they reached the green forest they stopped and pushed the scooters into a cool glen.

  "Do you know the way?" Peter said. "Have you been here before?"

  "Yes, but now I'm thirsty. Follow me." She pushed her scooter to the edge of a small stream and drank from the its waters. "The Stream of Life," she murmured, then continued along the bank to the valley that ran through the blue hills.

  "That cave, see? Up there, up that slope?" Gloria pointed.

  "Yes, I see it," said Peter. "What is it?"

  "That's where Charlie lives. We're going in, just to say hello and see that he's all right."

  "Charlie? Okay, anything you say, sweetheart," groaned Peter without enthusiasm.

  They left the scooters at the edge of the forest and climbed the slope and entered the cave, continuing to the stairs that brightened with each step, descending into the cavern below.

  "Wait!" Peter whispered hoarsely, pulling the heavy revolver from his belt. "We've been here before. That monster, it's -"

  "No, a different cave. This one's safe. No monster."

  Gloria walked to a small door and pushed, but it would not move. She began to shout:

  "Charlie! It's me, Gloria! Let me in!"

  Peter looked about at the familiar surroundings expecting to see a creature with long arms terminating in snapping claws and he trembled. The small door opened and a small man in a white robe emerged with cap in hand and hair of red. Peter held his breath. The little man bowed deeply and spoke his name:

  "Challia er Woller au Potria umbo-Laurion bonderwan Prescille van der Crae-irn."

  "Charlie!" cried Gloria, holding the small man in her arms and lifting him from the floor. "Peter, this is Charlie. Charlie, this is my husband, Peter. I'm so glad you made it home safely. May we come in, just for a while? We must continue to Wilo-ard and get Clayton."

  "Hello Charlie," said Peter, bowing deeply to mimic the small Mirien. "Are you sure there are no monsters in here? We met one in a cave, just like this -"

  "Our home within these walls of stone are free of monsters, from the blue hills to the cool green forest, to beyond the hills and down to the sandy shore which kisses the river that runs to the sea that spans the horizon and even beyond the river to the lands of Filope where monsters do indeed dwell, but -"

  "Thanks Charlie," said Gloria. "I think Peter gets the idea." She turned to Peter and whispered. "He does go on, so think hard about any question you may have. Is it worth waiting for the answer?"

  They entered through the door and the band of Miriens stood in a long row and waited with heads bowed and chanted as Gloria passed.

  "They seem to think highly of Charlie," said Peter. "Look at that. They're all bowing as he goes by. He must be their leader, don't you think?"

  Gloria smiled and nodded, then stopped and Charlie continued, but the Miriens turned to Gloria and bowed deeply and chanted:

  Lady of the golden glow, Mother of Dragomir

  Give us thy blessing, give us thy tear.

  "Say," whispered Peter, "I think they mean you. Mother of Dragomir? Golden glow?"

  Gloria rubbed the amulet on her sweater and it glowed brightly and the Miriens fell to their knees and chanted anew:

 

  Darkness has fallen upon this land.

  Shed a tear upon this sand.

  Each Mirien arose and spilled a handful of sand at Gloria's feet and backed away and fell again to their knees. Gloria bent to a knee and placed her hand upon the sands.

  "A tear," she whispered, her voice shaking. "A tear for Thomas Barclay."

  And a tear fell from her cheek and wet the sand and the Miriens clapped their hands and arose and she followed to the center of the room where a fire flickered and she and Peter then sat and the Miriens marched slowly about the fire, chanting.

  "I say, dear," Peter whispered, "what do they think you are?"

  "Special," muttered Gloria. "Quite special."

  The one in white came forward into the light of the fire and sat by Gloria and she listened to his words.

  "When last we met the Ghost of Chalma instructed us to return to Dragomir and await her command and we did and we have feared to leave this mountain except with special care to seek food from the green forest where one of our number did go and returned with a friend who we now ask to come and give you his blessings as we all do bless you -"

  "A friend? Charlie, did you say you found a friend? What friend are you talking about?" Gloria looked worried. Peter was confused.

  The one in white arose and smiled and raised his hand and the Miriens ceased to chant and formed a line from the fire to beyond the circle of light and from the darkness came a figure, large and slowly it came until it stood before the fire and bowed deeply toward Gloria, its arms held out from its side.

  "Thomas Barclay?" Gloria jumped to her feet. "Tom!" and ran to his side and he knelt and she threw her arms about his great head and cried. "You big old panda. You big old nasty man. We thought ... oh Tom, you're alive!"

  "Yup. It's me all right, that I guarantee," said Tom. "Hi Pete. Welcome to Sharlain."

  "Tom. I thought you were, you were -"

  "Dead, yup, I know. That damned Arden knocked me out, but he didn't kill me, that I guarantee. Nope. Guess he didn't figure on my body weight. Gave me just enough of his zappo to kill an ordinary man, but I ain't so ordinary. So I woke up, a bit groggy, wandered around the woods for a bit then figured I better get out of there so I started across the desert, heading for Charlie's place. I was pretty hungry and pretty thirsty and pretty damned tired. I can't remember everything, but I think I fainted. Can you imagine that? Me? Fainting? Well, there I was out there in the desert without water or even a cheese sandwich and I dropped like a fly. When I woke up a bloody big dragon was carrying me in its jaws, just like I was a rag doll. Not on the ground mind you, but flying, half way to the moon. We was way up there and I looked down and saw these hills and hoped that it might just let me down gentle like, right on Charlie's doorstep. So I says: You can drop me off at Charlie's if you like. I was just kiddin' of course, but that old dragon dropped out of the sky like a rock and put me right out in the front yard. And I've been here ever since. I feel great and Charlie's a great host." Tom patted his ample belly.

  Gloria swept the tears from her cheek and looked up at Tom and asked: "That dragon, did he have a spotted head?"

  "You bet. Spots all over and -"

  "Freckles! That was Freckles!" cried Gloria.

  "Well, what do you know! That's what he said when he flew away."

  "Said? What did he say, Tom?"

  "He said I am Freckles of Monash and I bring greetings from the Keeper of the Door. Or something like that."

  "Oh, Freckles. What a good friend. He's a
dragon of Monash, but a good one. He saved my life when Clay and I were captured by the Ardens. Freckles saw the amulet and thought I was pretty important. The Keeper of the Door he called me."

  Peter stared intently at his wife. Keeper of the Door. Mother of Dragomir. That was his wife? His Gloria?

  Gloria paused and hung her head and said in a low voice. "But Clayton, he's still a prisoner of the Ardens. We must save him, then go on to find Gordon."

  The one in white approached them and raised his hand and the Miriens rose as one and listened.

  "We wait until the Ghost of Chalma gives us the courage to seek your friends and the wisdom to walk the path which is right and the strength to defeat our enemies who reign in the land of Woller from which we all come and then will the Miriens of Dragomir join with our friends to march on the Black Abyss and -"

  "Charlie," interrupted Gloria. "Did you say join with our friends? Who are your friends? It seems that everybody in Sharlain is in league with Eba-evin, from the Beasts of Filope to the Ardens of Wilo-ard to the dragons of Monash to the Kingdom of Woller. Who else is there in Sharlain?"

  "Beyond the sea lies the world of Eire and those that live in that world have become our friends in this time of crisis when the Dark Lord seeks to enslave this and all worlds and when comes the Ghost of Chalma to set us on the path of victory against the tyrant, we shall join with those of Eire and -"

  "Wait a minute, Chuck," said Tom. "When was the last time you saw any guys from this Eire place? How do you know they're still on our side? It seems everybody's joining up with that Eba-guy."

  The one in white lowered his head and spoke in a low voice so few could hear, but they leaned forward and were quiet while the Mirien continued.

  "Many of us have seen those of Eire, for the Miriens have ships that ply the seas and each return tells of another meeting with the people of Eire and they are good and gracious people who fear nothing and they have weapons which none can resist and when the Dark Lord -"

  "About this Eire place, Charlie," said Gloria, "can we get there by sailing across this sea? How did you first come to meet them? Did they originate in Woller, like everybody else in Sharlain?"

  "They are not of Sharlain," said Charlie and they were surprised by the shortness of his words and they waited for him to continue and he did. "The people of Eire are from another world. They know not of Sharlain but we know that they would not turn away in this, our time of need, and we need only wait for the Ghost of Chalma to -"

  "Hold on, Chuck." Tom scratched his head, frowning. "Not of this world? You mean there's yet another world out there somewhere? This Eire world? How do you get into it, this other world. Through some Monash door? That's really weird, I guarantee."

  Peter coughed and they all looked at him and when they were quiet he spoke. "I think going to this other world is out of the question. We know nothing of the people who live there. Maybe they're dangerous. Maybe they have huge teeth and long arms and claws that'll cut you in half. If we want to go to another world for help why don't we go back to our world? At least we know what to expect." He paused and gazed at the band of Miriens then at Gloria and Thomas Barclay then continued. "Of course they won't believe us, back home, so we take Charlie with us and maybe something else that's from Sharlain, maybe Freckles. That way they've got to pay attention and take us seriously."

  There was a long pause and then Gloria spoke. "That's not a bad idea. What do you think Tom?"

  "Sounds good to me. Where do we find Freckles? Will he fit, through the Monash door?"

  *****

  They stood at the mouth of the cave, the one in white and Gloria and Peter and Thomas and it was dark for night had fallen and the sky had not a single star. Thomas raised his voice and shouted the name of Freckles to the dark sky and they waited, but no sound was heard. Again he shouted, and again. Then came a glow from above and it descended and shimmered and coalesced into the shape of a woman for it was the Ghost of Chalma.

  "My dear Thomas, why do you call? The night is full of the eyes of Eba-evin. Do not awaken his evil forces."

  "Aah, Ghost," grunted Tom. "We're looking for a dragon named Freckles. We thought we'd take him back home, to our world, along with Chucky here. Then we'd come back with an army to defeat that Eba-guy. What do you think of that?" Tom grinned at the beautiful figure before him, clad in diaphanous robe that quivered gently in the warm wind.

  Peter gazed with open mouth and could not speak, but repeatedly pressed the errant hair from the side of his head. The Ghost came forward and placed her hand on his shoulder and said: "Peter Jacobs, I greet you and wish you well, but it was a mistake to come to Sharlain for the evil dragon will soon be in these lands with his hordes."

  "Dragon?" said Tom. "Did you say dragon?"

  "Oh Tom, I didn't tell you," said Gloria, "but Freckles told me that Eba-evin was once the leader of the dragons of Monash, the chief dragon, I guess."

  Peter closed his mouth and said: "Do you think we stand a chance against this Dark Lord, if we come back with an army from our world?" He was staring at the ghost. "We have weapons you wouldn't believe. Missiles, tanks, fighter jets, every imaginable weapon of destruction."

  The Ghost shimmered and rose into the air and they heard her say: "It is dangerous to pass between worlds, as only the King of Light can do this thing. Yet, Gloria has the key to your world, given by the King of Light to one who left Sharlain and never returned from your world." Then she vanished.

  "She must be talking about old man Woller. But ... but he died, poisoned. You can't count that," groaned Tom. "He was just an old man. What could he do in our world? Stand on a street corner and preach the end of the world? There's one of those guys on every street corner."

  "It's dangerous to pass between worlds?" Peter said. "But we did, and so did Dan Woller and his wife, Kathy, and -"

  "I think she meant something else," Gloria said. "I think she meant that it's dangerous unless you're sure of what you're doing, where you're going." She held up the amulet. "With this, we are sure. We won't show up in a cave with some monster, or in the dark Abyss. I'm not afraid."

  They stood silent on the slope and the sky darkened and still they stood until the one in white turned slowly and climbed the hill and entered the cave and they all followed.

  The next morning the dragon called Freckles was waiting on the slope by the mouth of the cave and they came out and he greeted them and said that the Wizard of Chalma had told him of their wish and he had come to join them, for he still thought of the Ghost as a wizard and would not disobey. Then Gloria and Peter and Thomas and the one in white and the dragon touched each other, standing in a great circle, and Gloria pulled the amulet from her sweater and rubbed it and spoke the words: Borgo-nom achewan. No-nopawno agerwan and they all vanished and the Miriens who stood on the slopes were afraid and returned to their cave and the faint glow of the Ghost appeared, but only for a moment, then dissolved.

  CHAPTER 12

  Eba-evin

  When first they crossed the great river flowing from the sea, Gordon Chaplain was afraid, for beyond the river came the rent in the ground, a great trench running from horizon to horizon, and then the black rim which rose sinister and smoking as a volcano and he knew it was the Abyss.

  The winged Beasts of Filope descended, the robes of the riders rising in the wind until they dropped into the Abyss and it was dark and still. All but one veered off and vanished into the blackness and Gordon Chaplain was taken with the one to a vault embedded in the side of the Abyss which glowed red with tongues of flame which swept up and he perspired until his face was covered in beads of sweat. He slid from the beast and it rose again and screamed into the dark void and Gordon stood before a pedestal with stony protrusions, rising amid the fires and atop the pedestal a giant creature with horned back and head that rose into flaring nostrils. The creature raised black wings and flames flickered from its nostrils and it leaned forward, red eyes glowing in the dimnes
s.

  "We are Eba-evin, master of the dragons of Monash and Lord of Sharlain. Welcome."

  Gordon Chaplain shivered even in the searing heat and asked: "Why am I here? What do you intend to do with me?" He hesitated, then continued. "I come with friends, powerful friends who have weapons of destruction which -"

  The evil dragon raised its head and laughed, a raucous, screeching cry that echoed from the stone and from the soaring ceiling.

  "I know of your world and its weapons, but you come alone into Sharlain and you are here at my mercy. I know not how you came to be in my world, but I shall know this before the day is done."

  The dragon raised a clawed hand and pointed a bony finger to just beyond Gordon. A noise, behind him, and Gordon spun about to see the figure of a man step from the dark to the ruddy light, a black robe rising in the red glow.

  "Dan! Dan Woller!"

  "Hello, Gordon," said Daniel of Woller. "Welcome to my world."

  Gordon looked back at the dragon, then at Daniel Woller, stepping forward and saying in a voice at once quiet and fearful.

  "Look Dan, how do I get out of here? It was a mistake. I had this amulet, I said some words, you know, borgo-nom achewan. No-nopawno agerwan. The words that you spoke that night -"

  The dragon screamed in rage and rose into the air and came flapping to the ground, towering above the two. It pointed at Daniel.

  "You spoke the words so all could hear?"

  The dragon was shouting, its voice a shrill cry of insanity born of anger. Daniel of Woller cringed and backed again into the darkness.

  "My Lord, I did not speak the words. He is mistaken. It was the wise man of Woller, the one sent by the King of Light to warn the other world; he spoke the words. I did not. Nor did my Queen, nor did any of -"

  Gordon stepped forward and shouted so as to submerse the voices of Daniel and the dragon:

  "Daniel of Woller! You spoke the words in a dream, a dream that I invoked. You deny this, but it is true!"

  "Wait, Gordon, don't -"

  The dragon rose with a sweeping of wings and came upon Daniel and the man fell to the ground and was silent and still and Eba-evin rose again and soared to his pedestal, folding his great clawed wings about him.