Lyzbeam: The Prophesy ~ Chapter 4

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saving neggi2

“ZIXTY!  THERE!  VE’VE VALKED FOR  zixty pacez.”  Earstine replied wiping the sweat from around his eyes.3

“And look,” Neggi pointed to the left.  “…There’s the waterhole!”4

Earstine patted Neggi on the back with the flat of his foot.  “Vell done.  Now choor gettingz zee hang of et!  Let’z go!”5

*****6

They were approaching the waterhole when Earstine stopped dead in his tracks.  He put out his foot to make sure Neggi would stop also.7

“Don’t worry, Earstine, I’m way ahead of you.8

Now approach the waterhole,9

It controls the mind and soul.10

Stay to long, lose control;11

Beware the hungry troll.12

“This means that there is a troll about here that wants to eat whoever comes here and that the water can take over a weak mind if they are not wary.  We should approach with caution.”13

Earstine stared at Neggi long and hard but managed to nod his head in approval.  Neggi smiled and crouched down among some reeds and bluegrass.  Earstine followed on all fours circumspectly looking over his back and from side to side.14

He was so engrossed in doing this procedure that he bumped into Neggi’s hind legs as he stifled a yell.  Earstine rubbed his aching beak-like nose as Neggi glared in his direction.15

Neggi continued to crawl until he peered out from among some tall cattails.  To his surprise, the waterhole wasn’t very large, only about half a mile to three-quarters of a mile wide and long.16

Neggi had been sitting on a ledge of both mud and dry soil.  It suddenly gave way and Neggi plunged into the water sending a splurge of ripples towards an occupied hole on the bed of the waterhole.17

Earstine hurried to where Neggi had fallen and looked down into the water with dismay.  The water had turned still and no bubbles disturbed the surface.18

“Neggi,” Earstine whispered hopefully.  “Neggi!”19

Suddenly, the submerged dragon broke the glossy, mirror-like surface right below Earstine’s head.  Neggi gasped for breath as his friend dragged him ashore.20

Coughing up water, he administered, “I must go back.”21

Earstine looked at Neggi in disbelief.  He couldn’t have meant the water.  It is perilous and he may not come back again alive.22

“Please,” gasped Neggi his nose flaring and his eyelids flickering.  “I must go back.  Please, it is calling me.”23

It hit Earstine like an axe cleaving into a metal helmet.  The water had complete control over Neggi.24

Earstine looked at Neggi’s lanky limp form lying on the ground among bent and broken reeds.25

“Don’tz choo vorry, dear boy, I’ll getz zee avay frum here.”  As he spoke, Neggi’s eyes blinked open showing white, misty eyes with vacant pupils.26

“You’ve refused to let me go back.  Now you must pay the price.”  Neggi lept up to his full height extending his wings challenging Earstine.27

“Look, ve don’tz have to fightz!  I’ll take zee ‘ome and I’ll helpz choo.  Now, comez vith uz.”  Earstine turned to go but Neggi flew over his feet and landed in Earstine’s escape route.28

Earstine knew he had to get away somehow so he jumped onto his feet, put out his finger and yelled, “Move!’  Neggi was lifted off the ground magically.  Before Neggi realized what had happened, Earstine was gone trying to figure out how to get Neggi out of the lake’s torment.29

*****30

Earstine trekked over the vast plain seeking help.  For two strenuous hours he had searched desperately; no dragon seemed to inhabit the dust-ridden grassland.31

Just as Earstine was about to give up and turn back, he noticed a fuzzy silhouette in the distance.  Friend or foe, Earstine couldn’t tell but he had to take the risk.32

“Hoi!  Choo zere, vait a zecond!”  Earstine broke into a steady trot calling to the stranger.  As Earstine approached the unknown creature he realized that its clothes were torn to rags and ominous scars and wounds spread across its horribly stretched pink arms and legs.33

“Oh, no!  Vhat happened to choo?” Earstine asked the pink dragon who was barely taller then himself.  “Hey, choor like Lyzbeamer!  Zee zame zpeciez an’ everizink!” 34

The pink dragon stared down upon the upside-down creature blankly.  It pushed Earstine aside and proceeded to walk on.  Earstine, not wanting to loose maybe his only hope, ran excitedly to what he figured was a Pygmy Dragon.35

“Vait, zir!  Choo’ve not vaited for me to request choor `elp.” Earstine spluttered as he caught up.36

“And what would I need to listen to you for?37

No one knows,38

No one understands,39

What will happen,40

To these `ere lands.41

No one will survive,42

No one will stand.43

This declares44

The Iron Hand.”45

Earstine looked up on the stressed Pygmy Dragon quizzically.  “Vell nows.  May I ask choo choor name?”46

The dragon stared ahead but mumbled, “Dimitri,” under his breath47

“Vell, Dimiters, I vill ask choo to help me’s zave my friend froms zee  lake…”48

“The lake?” Dimitri gasped and jerked his head in Earstine’s direction.  “The very one in the school rhyme?49

Now approach the waterhole,50

It controls the mind and soul.51

Stay to long, loose control;52

Beware the hungry troll.53

“Is it the same?”54

“Yess.” Earstine hissed taken a little aback.55

“We must hurry!  Follow me.”  Dimitri burst into a steady run.  56

*****57

Backtracking to the original spot where Neggi had fallen was no easy task. The tall, overgrown bluegrass infested the outskirts of the lake making it almost impossible to see the three-hour-old scuffles.58

Earstine led the bloody dragon to the very spot of Neggi’s tumble.  Dimitri sniffed the air intently and obviously uneasily.  He pushed Earstine aside once again and peered into the lake.  Turning to Earstine he said,59

“Do not look at the water; for this is the very waterhole the old rhyme talks about.  Shield your eyes from its mirror-like shine and do not fret, not until fate gives us a reason to fret.”60

Earstine did as he was bid but couldn’t help overhearing the soft melodious voice of Dimitri uttering an ancient spell to the tranquil water.61

“Hear my voice o’ water and fear it.  For it is I, Dimitri son of Demetoir here to free that who was stolen.62

“Water, o’ water63

How gently you lie.64

No heed to the wind65

As it passes you by.66

Gently it sweeps,67

As you needlessly68

Take lives of those69

Who travel heedlessly.70

How do you carry such a heavy burden?71

Choosing randomly those to do your will72

As you wait for your troll to protect you.73

For dragons like me to smother your fill.”74

With this, he ended reaching out to lay his claws across the giant piece of glass.  Earstine spread out his fingers and looked in between the small cracks at Dimitri.75

“It’s okay, my new friend.  The water is powerless as long as I am here with you.  You may peer into the mirror and fulfill your increasing curiosity.  I will not hide that you will be greatly disappointed.”76

Earstine, as though being pulled by some invisible force, began to crawl towards the bank.  He looked over the edge ready to rid himself of his restrained desire.  As he looked at the surface, he let out a disappointed sigh.77

The waterhole seemed to have lost all of its luster and potency.  It now seemed dull and grungy, slimy and cold.  The warmth of the day when he first had seen the lake was now replaced by an invisible blizzard.  The water wasn’t mirror-like but clear so Earstine could see the cruel life within.  Long, fierce pike circled among the olive green, algae covered seaweed seeking easy prey.  Sturgeons wriggled in between the rocks like a long ribbon twisting and turning as it falls to the ground at New Years.  Eels lashed out of deep crevices in rocks at any living thing that moved among its grasp.78

It then was clear to Earstine, the waterhole was made for pure evil but its purpose was not yet revealed.  Not until the near future would Earstine or Neggi know.  But Earstine did know that Dimitri was hiding something, something that could turn the future around.79

*****80

Earstine stood, turning his back on the water.  Brushing dead sticks and leaves from his scales he now turned his attention to Dimitri. “Zo.  Now vhatz do ve do?”81

Dimitri looked across the lake to the opposite bank noting the cave among its reeds.  His blank face turned grim and he crouched down by Earstine’s head.82

“We must go to the troll’s lair which I am guessing is over there, hidden from the unwary.  We must then quietly sneak in unnoticed and retrieve a key, a sapphire key.  Then from there, it’s easy as one, two, three until we unlock the door.”83

Earstine’s eyes faded at the thought of going in a troll’s cave.  Only once had he fought a troll and that filled Earstine with grief.84

“Okay, Dimiter,” agreed Earstine.  “I’ll go.  But letz me tell choo, I’ve had a bad eggzperience vith a troll in zee pazt.”85

“Don’t you fear, my friend, nothing as simple as this can go wrong.” Dimitri assured him.  Dimitri and Earstine started off and it wasn’t long before Dimitri broke the silence.86

“You’ve never told me your name odd one.”87

“Vell,” Earstine replied, astounded that he overlooked such a thing. “my name ez Earstine.  I amz a blackzmith and a medizine makor.”88

“Well now,” Dimitri said his eyes glowing. “you wouldn’t happen to have a few nice swords with you now, eh?” 89

Puzzled by the lame remark, Earstine simply shook his head.  He had an odd feeling about this dragon that made his stomach turn.  Either that or he was extremely hungry.  Earstine looked up at Dimitri observing him for the first time.90

Dimitri’s face was scarred flesh, never to be mended.  His eyes were a phosphorescent turquoise with black slits for pupils.  Various scales were missing, pulled off by some unknown foe.  His ears were tattered threads and his shredded wings, his legs, and his arms were long and lank.  He obviously wasn’t born that way.  Earstine now knew what had happened to the mysterious creature.  Some enemy Dimitri only knew had tortured him.91

Prob’ly zat enemy he vas talkin’ aboot in zat poem!”  Earstine looked back up into the tortured eyes of Dimitri, those eyes that had seen too much for his heart, mind, and soul to bear.92

Sumzink ez very vrong! Earstine thought as he and Dimitri approached the troll’s cave.93

****94

A boulder was the only thing protecting Dimitri and Earstine from the ominous cave mouth.  Dimitri slouched down by the sturdy base of the rock and sighed.  He closed his eyes but his hands desperately clutched the double-edged sword that hung hidden under his brown cloak.95

Earstine couldn’t stand the silence any longer so he asked the question that had burned a hole into his mind.  “Vhy do ve needz a zapphire key?  Vhy do ve needz to go throo a door?”  Earstine watched as Dimitri opened his eyes and loosened the grip of his sword’s hilt.96

Turning to Earstine he said, “The key the troll keeps by his bedside.  He has sworn to protect it and you can bet your life that he will.  The key opens a hidden door that leads to a fantasy world; the world is the opposite of what you saw earlier.  This, I am sure, is where your friend is being held captive.97

“Now we must go in there and get that key from that troll.” Dimitri continued.  “It’ll be difficult. Do you have a weapon?  I’d recommend it.”  Dimitri looked down on the two tiny feet.  He hoped he hadn’t insulted Earstine.98

“I have a dagger andz a few treekz oop my zleeve.” Earstine sneered, smiling from ear to ear.99

Dimitri raised his eyebrows but didn’t bother to ask.  Instead, he drew his sword and stealthily walked forward around the boulder.  Earstine followed.100

“We’ll be lucky if he’s sleeping.” Dimitri whispered.  “Troll’s usually are asleep; if not they’re eating.  Not real good bodyguards, these trolls.  They’re always too tired, eh?”101

But Earstine had given Dimitri a kick and glared at him.  “Don’t talk.  ‘These trolls’ you speak of also have very sensitive hearing.  Now get a move on.”  Earstine motioned towards the cave.102

Dimitri resumed to walking around the boulder.  They stopped at the end of their shelter before they were revealed to the gaping shadow.  Dimitri looked at Earstine and Earstine back at he, and just like that they bolted into the devouring darkness.103

*****104

Lyzbeam couldn’t pull her eyes away from the broken mirror.  She knew the twins were behind her; she knew because Traita was still grasping her hand.  Yet, Lyzbeam didn’t look.  The sight before her left her flabbergasted.105

“Sos, whats yousa thinks?” Lopco asked stepping up beside her.  “Howsa dos yousa likes yoursa newsa wingsa?”106

Lyzbeam couldn’t deny it.  She loved her new wings.  Instead of tiny, unfledged wings, she had a wingspan twice the size of Andimar and they were ready to fly.107

“Thanks!  I don’t know what else to say.” She told the babes giving each a loving hug.  “I’ve been waiting for this day for so long!”  Lopco smiled and Traita’s eyes lit up.108

Lopco than bolted to the door.  Pointing outside he said, “Musta testa yoursa wingsa!  Letsa gos!”  Traita tugged Lyzbeam toward the door and back into the dim series of halls.  Instead of walking to the left from where they had come, they turned right where a warm draft of air blew on their faces.109

Lopco rolled a rock out of the way of the exit and revealed the sight behind.  A raging sandstorm was about to begin.  Lopco and Traita stepped outside the shelter and Lyzbeam followed.  She watched as a clear covering slipped over their eyes to shield them from the flying particles.110

“What are you doing?  What are we doing our here?” Lyzbeam asked.  “You know, I don’t think your parents would like this.  Lopco and Traita giggled and turned toward a wave of sand that would engulf them as if they were in the middle of a hurricane.111

“Starts flappings, friendsa!” Traita screeched as the roaring of the sandstorm drew nearer and louder.  Lyzbeam hadn’t the slightest idea how to start flying; how to set her feet or how to properly take off was inconceivable without lessons.112

Then, the “wave” came.  Lyzbeam could hear the yips and cries of the twins and instinctively she began flapping.  She shut her eyes as some sand blew into her eyes.  Lyzbeam lost control as the wind spun and tossed her about.  She lost all sense of direction, yet she could still hear faint yells that belonged to the two babes she had come to love.  As tiny particles whipped like needles against her blue-green armour, she began to blindly pinpoint the area of Lopco and Traita.113

With her arms outstretched Lyzbeam searched through the air.  Suddenly she heard a screech on her left.  Lyzbeam veered toward the sound, using her tail as a rudder.114

Lyzbeam knew she had to open her eyes to see exactly where the Beexo was, but she couldn’t force herself to do so.  A tremendous amount of grit made her eyelids stick together.115

Suddenly, her open hands felt something furry.  She closed it trying to grab it before it fell, but she had grabbed too late.116

Lyzbeam quailed as the piercing screams of Lopco were swallowed up by the catastrophic sandstorm.  Lyzbeam clenched her teeth and bolted downwards, forcing her eyes to open and endure the stinging of the flying material. 117

Suddenly, she saw Lopco falling down towards the ground.  She flapped harder and faster to be able to catch the Beexo.  Lyzbeam reached out and grabbed his tail as she eloquently changed directions.  118

A stealthy front from behind the storm was imminent.  It hit and Lyzbeam and Lopco were bowled over onto the ground----Lyzbeam remembered no more.119

*****120

When Lyzbeam came around, her head was throbbing and the storm had ceased.  She sat up and shook her head when she realized that she and Lopco had never found Traita.  She peered over to her left and saw Lopco (quite some way off) bending over something.  With ease, she lifted off the ground and flew off towards Lopco.  121

As she neared his side, Lyzbeam could distinguish the small brown lump Lopco was crying over.  It was the little Beexo, Traita, who lay motionless by him.  Her arms were flopped over her head and her knees came up and touched her bloody nose.  Abundant cuts and gashes covered Traita’s inflamed face.  It was gruesome, yet Lyzbeam gently picked the lifeless form up.  Soothingly she said to Lopco, “Come now.  We must take her to your parents.”122

Lopco’s parents were none too happy.  They thought Lyzbeam had brought a curse upon their only little girl.  Wrongly accused once again, Lyzbeam decided to step up onto the giant boulder and speak her mind.123

“I know you all think that I, a foreign of your city, would do something this tragic to one of your children.” Lyzbeam yelled once the drums, flutes, and voices died down.  “But I come to you now, not as a murderer seeking false innocence, but as a friend of one of your children.  All your daughter wanted to do was make me fly, yet they she and her brother chose the wrong time.  A severe sandstorm was just about to breach and took us totally by surprise.  It carried her away from our aide and when the storm had ceased, we found her lying there lifeless.124

“But do not mourn for she would not want us too (I don’t think).  Instead we should rejoice for she is now in a better place with a wonderful green field with streets of gold, the blessed little thing.  So continue to feast and dance as if she were here for it is how everything should be.  I mean…aren’t we supposed to be having a fiesta?”  Lyzbeam closed her eyes and listened for the music to begin.125

Yet nothing happened.  A drum fell and rolled across the cave floor; a shuffle of feet could be heard as well as the sound of many freshly lit matches.  When Lyzbeam opened her eyes, scores of torches were lit and they had many weapons from pitchforks to tiny daggers ready to slay their child’s new “pet”.126

The once homely, drunk Beexo’s were now sober killing machines baring their teeth and screeching.  Lyzbeam could hear the minute squeak of Lopco saying, “No, no! Stopsa!” beyond the mob.127

Lyzbeam turned tail and ran off the boulder and stepped in the alcoholic punch bowl.  Shaking off the glass bowl was harder than she had thought with an angry mob coming after her at the same time.  It was no ordinary game of “tag”.128

Hoots of laughter protruded from their death mongering throats as they waved their pitchforks about like flags.129

What have I done?  Lyzbeam thought as she ducked a Beexo who had leapt from an overturned drum.  It was then that she realized that the floor space at which to run to had expired.  A smooth wall with a mural of the Beexo’s ancestry marked a dead end.  Lyzbeam turned to face the Beexo’s who were slowly closing the gap. 130

Suddenly, from among the prodding pitchforks and daggers emerged a friendly familiar face.131

Lopco ran up alongside Lyzbeam and grabbed her hand like his sister had done.  He raised his right hand up for silence as he smiled up at Lyzbeam.132

“This forsa you, friend!” Lopco replied.  Lyzbeam noticed the change in his dialect but didn’t bother to ask just yet.133

“Mom and Dadsa!  This here…thisa heresa is my friendsa!  I won’t lets you dosa anythings to hurtsa hers!  I---” but his cries of protest were overruled by his furious parents who were forming a plan of action.134

Lopco desperately looked around the room for some means of escape.  His gaze passed over Lyzbeam.  She was clad in a pink scarf, a blue shirt, and baggy gray pants that were held up with a silver studded leather belt.135

Then Lopco’s eyes grew double.  Tugging on Lyzbeam’s pant leg, he yelled, “Friend, flysa!”136

“What?” Lyzbeam growled as she punched a charging Beexo in the jaw.137

“You musta fly!” repeated Lopco once more.138

Lyzbeam looked down at him in dismay.  Lopco clearly didn’t realize that the altitude of the ceiling wasn’t high enough.  With her wingspan, she would never be able to fly accurately out of the cave.  Yet, if she could only reach the section of the room where the instruments played, she could fly out.139

“Friend!” Lopco trilled as both their backs met the cool surface of the mural.140

“Follow my lead!” Lyzbeam murmured.  Lopco stared up at her appalled.  Lyzbeam winked and said, “I’ve got a plan!”141