Nemesis and the Troll King (10 page)

George's pacing had almost made a new path outside his little hidey hole when they popped into the space before him. His eyes went wide in astonishment at the sight of all the little Nuffins.

The Nuffins had handled the journey much better this time and Yarg had only to help the smallest to its feet. This done, Yarg introduced Gurt to George, and then Gurt took over and introduced the rest of his band.

George looked at Yarg. “You've brought me a family,” he whispered, tears moistening his eyes, then turned back to the Nuffins almost as if he had expected them to have disappeared.

He held out a feather finely wrought in gold. “Here is Faith's Courage,” he said.

Yarg stared at it for a moment before taking it reverently in his hands. “Thank you,” he said as he opened his bag and carefully put the feather into it.

Showing no trace of shyness now, the Nuffins were all clustered around George, asking questions about his mountain, their small hands stroking his wing-feathers. A small Nuffin moved to tuck itself under George's wing.

George looked at Yarg and Folgoo, “I … uh … I'm never going to forget this,” he stammered, but Yarg just smiled.

“It's all right, George. I hope that you'll be very happy together.”

Folgoo put his hand on Yarg's shoulder. “Ask him if he knows where to find The Essence of Innocence,” he asked softly, but George heard even so. His eyes lifted and his beak fell open. “No small tasks for you, right?” he whispered. Before Yarg could ask what George meant, George continued, “It's in the Silklands. Litchen the Unicorn holds innocence in his palm.”

Yarg called Gurt over from his place by George's side and said, “Folgoo and I have to go now, Gurt, but you'll be fine here. George will look after you.”

George took a step back, giving his visitors and the Nuffins privacy to say their goodbyes. Folgoo looked at Yarg, who was showing some embarrassment at the open display of emotion from the Nuffins. He knew that although Yarg might gruffly deny it, the troll had developed a fondness for his little friends.

Yarg and Folgoo set off to the bottom of the mountain. They turned back once. The warming sight of the large bird surrounded by his new family met their eyes. They smiled at each other.

“So, about these Silklands,” Yarg said.

8

Silklands

T
he scene before them was a vision to behold—with the exception of the Valley Mystic, Yarg had never seen a more beautiful sight.

They stood in a vale beside a gently flowing brook. The crystal water, tripping over pebbles it had rounded over great ages, whispered as it passed, but although Yarg strained to understand, its message remained just beyond his grasp. Slender willows dripping feathery fronds bordered the stream, and further back from its banks, woodlands of trees of greater stature stood sentinel. A silvery, silken-spun substance coated the trees and plants and spread across the ground around them. Sunlight shimmered off it, reflecting back an almost pure whiteness.

“It looks so wispy, like thousands of tiny spider webs. I almost don't want to step on it for fear of spoiling it,” whispered Yarg.

He reached out to touch the silvery web that draped a nearby tree. As he brought his hand closer, a wave of something he could not identify washed over him. He shivered. He felt a yearning for something long gone, something …

His search to capture the feeling was interrupted when Folgoo touched him on the shoulder. “Let's go find Litchen,” the centaur said.

Yarg shook his head to clear away the sensation and started off after his friend. As they moved, a group of tiny butterflies appeared before them, swirling gracefully in the air as if dancing for their guests. Vibrant against the shining glow, they were every colour of the rainbow, with iridescent patterns on their tiny wings.

Yarg stepped around them, only to have the butterflies flow in front of him. They darted forward, returned, darted forward again.

“I'd say they want us to follow them,” said Folgoo drily.

The two adventurers gave in to the silent demand and set off after their fluttering guides. Yarg stared around him as they walked, having lost none of his fascination with the shining gossamer adorning the foliage.

The butterflies eventually stopped and hovered in the air at the edge of a clearing. Yarg and Folgoo came to a halt as well, and stared before them in wonder. In the centre of the clearing was an enclosure made of shining glass. Puzzled, Yarg moved closer. He could see himself clearly reflected in the glass, and yet the wall in front of him was transparent—he could see through and beyond it, into the valley.

Yarg's gaze was drawn to the centre of the glass enclosure where a unicorn was standing in front of a large orb, silently watching the images it held of young children laughing and playing.

“These are the innocents of the mortal world,” Litchen said without looking at them. “Their hearts are filled with the ability to love unconditionally. It's my job to protect them, to ensure that mortal children keep that special innocence for as long as possible.”

The group remained silent as images continued to flicker across the orb. Finally, Litchen spoke again, although he had yet to look at them.

“I know what brings you here, Yarg. For me to give you The Essence of Innocence, you must have innocence. And I must tell you that I have reason to doubt that I would find any left in one such as you.”

“Uhm, I don't know what to say Litchen,” whispered Yarg, because in his heart he also had doubt.

Folgoo shook his head in disagreement. “I've only known Yarg for a short time, but I know that he has good in him.”

“I don't doubt the good, just the innocence,” said Litchen, his voice oddly flat as he finally turned to face them.

Yarg and Folgoo stared at him. The unicorn was the most dazzling magical creature they had ever seen. His body was large, but graceful. Yarg could see the rippling of well-developed muscles beneath the dazzling white coat. His hooves weren't the same as Folgoo's—they were cloven, like two large toes that were almost joined, and he had a long sleek tail that flicked rhythmically from side to side.

The pure beauty of his face was enhanced by the hint of a white goatee beard on his chin and the slender spiral horn that arched from his forehead. His eyes were swirling silver, so captivating that Yarg found he wanted nothing more than just to look into them.

Folgoo shook his head and lowered his eyes to the floor, trying to break the hold that Litchen's eyes seemed to be having on him. He nudged Yarg. “Look at the ground, Yarg,” he said.

Litchen laughed at Folgoo's words. “Afraid, centaur?” he taunted in a soft voice.

Folgoo shook his head in denial.

Yarg didn't know what Folgoo had felt, but he'd come to trust the centaur. He dropped his gaze and stared at the floor. Litchen laughed anew at his small act of obedience.

“I will bring you no harm. Our work here is to protect, remember.”

Folgoo sent a quick glance at him. “There are others here?”

“Mr. Twilight, the Sandman, the Book Babies, a few more,” he said in an offhand manner. “But come, you must be in need of some food and drink.”

They walked with Litchen until they came to an area where huge comfy couches were arranged in a horse-shoe pattern around a massive stone plinth that bore a large piece of wood across it. Yarg sank into one of the couches with a sigh.
This is nice,
he thought, reaching for one of the fat cushions that littered the couches and placing it on his lap.

Litchen lowered himself onto a huge cushion on the floor, and motioned to Folgoo to follow suit. He had just stretched out and was looking very relaxed when the butterflies appeared again, leading a man clothed from head to foot in a black coat that sparkled with a shimmering glittering glimmer.

Before he could think better of it, Yarg blurted out, “Are you a wizard?”

The man laughed. “No, I'm Mr Twilight” he said, seating himself across from Yarg. “It's my job to pull down the twilight at the end of each day, giving children something to wonder about in the evening's dusk. Have you heard that the hour of twilight is bewitching? Well, that's my work.”

Fancy living all this time in the immortal realm and not knowing that twilight arrived every day because there was actually a magical being making it happen,
Yarg thought.

Litchen grinned as if Yarg had spoken aloud.

“Where are the others?” asked Yarg, looking around.

“They will be doing what they do,” said Litchen.

“And what is it that the Book Babies do?” asked Folgoo curiously.

“Ah,” said Litchen, “the Book Babies carefully cultivate the love of reading in children. They attract children to particular books and lead them on a magical adventure through the words written on the pages. They are the ones who allow the different characters to become alive to children.”

Yarg looked at Litchen, respect in his eyes. Lichen pointed his horn at the table, and a feast of nuts, berries and pieces of fruit appeared on it. Another nod and water appeared in two stone cups. There was silence for a while as Folgoo and Yarg gratefully refreshed themselves, then Litchen called to Yarg: “Come Yarg, we have work to do, you and I.”

Folgoo started to stand, but Litchen waved him down again. Folgoo stood nevertheless once they moved out of sight. He followed as Litchen led Yarg back to the orb, then he hid behind a large tree at the edge of the clearing where he could watch without being seen. Yarg came to stand before Litchen. He lowered his eyes again.

“No,” said Litchen as he moved closer to Yarg. “If I am to determine your innocence, then I must look deep into your eyes. After all, the eyes are the windows to one's soul. Children's eyes show innocence because their hearts know no malice. If a mortal child is harmed to the extent that they lose that innocence before they reach adulthood, then the one that hurt them will one day be brought to regret it deeply. No child can be harmed without serious repercussions. A judgment day awaits the mortal realm.”

Litchen locked his gaze with Yarg's, and Yarg had the strange sensation that the unicorn was inside his mind. He was held captive by those swirling eyes as flashes of memories chased through his head.

“Do you know the difference between good and innocence, Yarg? No? Well, let me tell you. Innocence is freedom. Children are innocent because they are free from the knowledge of real badness. Their lack of worldliness and sophistication ensures their innocence. Now good is another thing altogether.”

He paused and Yarg felt the hold on his mind released a little.

“You have much mischief in you,” Litchen said in a musing tone, “but you have courage. Even though you are a troll, you have strong convictions about right and wrong, and you have honour, even more of a rarity in your kind. I can see that your past actions have been well meaning,” he paused again and then added drily, “for the most part.”

The unicorn's tone became serious again.

“You have often been selfish, but those acts were made through ignorance. Despite your many mischievous troll pranks, you have only sought to hurt one living being. The fairy Kaylin. Tell me, Yarg, why would you hurt her so?”

Yarg offered no answer, so Litchen continued, “She opposed you, where none had dared before, so you turned your anger upon her. That was not your best hour, Yarg.”

Litchen stopped talking as he again concentrated on Yarg's memories. Then Litchen withdrew his mind from Yarg's. The moment he did, Yarg fell to the ground.

Concerned, Folgoo hurried to Yarg. He stretched out his hand intending to help Yarg stand, but Litchen stopped him. “Don't touch him for a few moments or his memories will become yours.”

Folgoo pulled his hand back.

“It's the effects from my mind sieving through his. Don't worry, he'll be fine in a few moments.”

Litchen turned away from them and stared at the orb again as he waited for Yarg to recover. After a few moments, Yarg stood up. He swayed, but Folgoo put his hand out and steadied him.

“I have reached a decision, Yarg. I think that in your heart of hearts you are good, and although you don't have a lot of innocence left, there is still enough for me to give you your token.”

Yarg sighed deeply. He felt drained.

Litchen pointed his horn towards the orb and a small vial filled with a mixture of swirling silver appeared in Yarg's hand.

“That is The Essence of Innocence. Guard it well, for it is very valuable. There are those who wouldn't think twice about taking something so precious away from you.”

Yarg stared at the vial in his hand. “So you really believe that I am good?” he asked hoarsely.

“I know your heart, Yarg. Go in peace, brother.”

Yarg inclined his head in a gesture of respect. “Thanks,” he whispered as he turned away from Litchen and started out of the unicorn's domain.

Folgoo followed, but they didn't stop until they had reached the border of Litchen's land.

“I think that we should rest somewhere,” said Folgoo, looking around him, but Yarg shook his head.

“I have to save Kaylin, now more than ever.”

“Sure, Yarg,” Folgoo said with resignation. “Which token is next?”

“Mystical Music.”

“Uhm, Sik the Satyr and his wood nymphs have the ability to create and play mystical music. I think we need to go to Ashtree Woodlands.”

Yarg smiled at Folgoo. “His name is Sik?” he teased as he put his hand on Folgoo's back.

Yarg closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was standing before a gentle waterfall that was flowing from a tree trunk.

“I've never seen water flow from a tree before,” he said.