Nemesis and the Troll King (12 page)

“No,” said Folgoo distractedly. He stood, head tilted to the side as if listening for something. Yarg couldn't hear anything, but he knew that centaurs were very sensitive to the vibrations in the atmosphere. If something was there, Folgoo would be able to hear it.

“What is it?” he asked.

“My people are calling me. Something is happening and they are urging me home,” he said, looking apologetically into Yarg's eyes.

“But we haven't finished our quest,” Yarg said.

“I have no choice, Yarg. I must go home.”

“I don't know how I'll finish it without you, Folgoo.”

“You have great courage, Yarg, I know you will save Kaylin.”

Yarg realised that he would not change Folgoo's mind. “I'm going to miss you, centaur,” he said.

“I will miss you too, troll. But we are friends now, and that will never change.”

“So what happens to me, Folgoo?”

“I'll take you back to your realm before I go home. Maybe you'll find a clue there to help you find Friendship's Pledge.”

Yarg nodded his acceptance of this plan and touched Folgoo's back. They left the woodlands behind and landed near the western side of the castle.

10

Friendship

“C
an you wait for a moment?” Yarg asked, setting off towards the castle. “There's something that I want you to have.”
As Yarg neared the castle, he saw his troops lounging about in the courtyard. They didn't notice him until he demanded in a loud voice, “Who declared this a holiday?”

At once, the trolls lumbered to their feet, excitement on their faces. “He's home!” a few of the trolls shouted, while others rushed forward to greet him.

Yarg was surprised when Taliyard rushed up to him and pulled him into a big hug. “My king, you're home,” he said gruffly.

Yarg felt rather embarrassed by Taliyard's display of affection. “I've only been gone a short while,” he muttered beneath his breath.

Taliyard grinned at him, saying, “It's not the same without you, my king.” He turned to wipe his nose on his arm.

Putting his arm around Taliyard's shoulder as he walked forward, Yarg said in a soft voice, “Taliyard, I'm going to insist on weekly baths from now on,” and nearly laughed at the horror on Taliyard's face.

He stepped into his castle and looked around appreciatively.
Oh, it's good to be home,
he thought.

Followed by Folgoo, Yarg walked down the great hall until he came to the last wall at the end of the long passage. He pressed his huge hand on the panel, chanting words beneath his breath. The door appeared. Ushered by Yarg, Folgoo stepped into the hidden room.

Folgoo looked around, amazed. The room was an Aladdin's cave, the crude stone shelves and tables covered by an assortment of objects. Some he recognised—engraved elfin flutes, silver urchin cups, miniature pixie drums—others were unfamiliar to him.

“I can't believe that you have so many priceless treasures here!” he whispered more to himself than to Yarg, who was grinning at him.

“I guess for some reason I've been compelled to gather all these things. I have no idea why.”

Folgoo's gaze settled on an ancient book covered in webs and dust.

“You have the book of forgotten things, the Book of Sisemen?” he asked in awe, coming to stand in front of the book.

“Yes, but don't touch it, Folgoo. The book protects itself from all but its owner, and it can have only one owner at a time.”

“But this book is handed down through the dragon line. Why do you have it?”

“It was a gift from a toady.”

“Why would a toady give you such a gift?” Folgoo pressed, confusion evident in his voice.

“I was travelling near the realm of the water spirits. I came across the toady in a trap they had set—they have no love of visitors. Well, I have no love for the water spirits, so I freed him. The trap had injured the toady's leg. He said that if I took him to his home, he would give me a gift of great worth. I had nothing to lose, so I did as he asked. He gave me the book. I don't know how he got it, I didn't ask.”

Folgoo moved further around the room. Coming to a table laden with shimmering fairy wings, “Did you kill the fairies that these wings belonged to?” he asked quietly.

Yarg frowned. “No, I've never killed anything. The fairies and I came to agreements.”

Folgoo stared into Yarg's eyes. Yarg had the strange feeling that the centaur was trying to read his thoughts. “I've heard that the wings of fairies contain unique powers. Is that true?”

“Yes,” said Yarg as he reached for a brightly coloured green pair, putting them into Folgoo's hand. “These wings give invisibility.”

Slowly Folgoo reached his hand out and stroked the wings. Instantly he could feel the power. “They make you want to keep them, don't they?” he said, reluctantly pulling his hand away.

Yarg nodded as he laid them down and picked up another pair. “These wings have the gift of shape-shifting.” He laid them down and reached for a shimmering auburn pair. Folgoo reached to stroke them and felt the gift of knowledge. It was very powerful and Folgoo felt the urge to take the wings and run.

Slowly he took a step back. “I think we should leave now,” he said.

Yarg walked up to the table which held the book of forgotten things and stroked the cover. His fingers lingered on the book's aged leather binding, then moved over each letter: S – I – S – E – M – E – N. Shaking himself, he picked up the book and moved towards Folgoo. He stretched out his hands, offering the ancient book to Folgoo. Folgoo stood staring at Yarg and the book, not sure what Yarg wanted him to do.

“Take the book. It's yours. For all the friendship that you gave so freely.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Folgoo demanded. “Do you know what that book represents?”

Yarg placed the book into Folgoo's hand. “Yes. I want you to have it.”

Folgoo stroked the cover. His hand tingled, then he felt a jolt that went right up his arm. He knew without being told that the book was recognising him as its new owner. “Thank you,” he said.

Carefully placing the book on the table nearest him, Folgoo lifted one hand to touch the medallion suspended from the chain around his neck. He drew the chain over his head and dropped it over Yarg's. The medallion came to rest on Yarg's chest.

“We are more than friends, Yarg, we are brothers. Brothers of the heart. Anytime you have need of me, hold the medallion and call my name.”

A lump formed in Yarg's throat. “You believed in me, Folgoo, gave me your trust, as a brother would. Should you ever need me, you have only to send word.” Then, unable to deal with his rising emotions, he said gruffly, “Come, you have to leave, and I must go to Nemesis.”

Folgoo looked at him. “What about your last token?”

“Friendship's Pledge? You just gave it to me, I think.”

Folgoo nodded. A tear slipped down his face as he embraced Yarg. “I will take you to Nemesis before I go home.”

They moved to the front of the great hall where Taliyard stood watch near the throne. Feeling deep in his heart that he might never see this place again, he took Taliyard by the shoulders. “I am going away again, Taliyard, and I don't know if I will return. You must lead the trolls now.”

Then, to forestall whatever argument was about to come out of Taliyard's opened mouth, he said, “And the first thing you can do is to start organising those weekly baths.”

As he had expected, revulsion at the idea drove all other thoughts from Taliyard's head. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he and Folgoo slipped out before the other trolls could see them. Yarg looked around his castle one last time and then placed his hand on Folgoo's back and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again he was in the Valley Mystic.

“That really is one cool gift you have there,” he said to Folgoo, a big grin on his face.

Folgoo grinned back, then became serious as the time for parting arrived. “Be safe, brother,” he whispered a moment before he disappeared.

Yarg stared at the spot where the centaur had been, feeling a bit overwhelmed now that he was alone. He turned towards his goal, and was distracted for a moment by the perfect vision before him—the thousands of brightly coloured flowers carpeting the ground, the clouds mirrored in the surface of the magnificent lake, the soft spray from the falling waterfall. Then, shaking off the mesmerising effect of the landscape, he checked once again that he had all the tokens, closed his bag and slipped into the cool water.

Yarg felt the healing water rush over him as he swam to the waterfall that sheltered the great dragon's lair. His strokes got stronger and his mind became more focused on what lay before him. Calmness replaced the churning questions in his mind. He was ready.

11

Facing Kaylin

Y
arg reached the waterfall's edge, dove under the cascading water and resurfaced on the other side. Pulling himself up onto the ledge, he sat for a moment catching his breath.

Nemesis was behind him. Yarg felt the eyes watching him, smelt the sulphur and brimstone in the stirring air. Yarg shivered as he heard Nemesis move closer. He slowly turned around, only to realise that Nemesis was standing so close to him that he had to bend backwards.

“Have you brought all the tokens?” the dragon asked in his gravelly voice.

“I have,” Yarg said.

Nemesis looked down at the troll. He could see that Yarg had come a long way since he had first come to the Valley Mystic. He only hoped that he had come far enough to save Kaylin.

“Come, Yarg,” he said, turning and walking deeper into his cave.

Trembling in anticipation, Yarg stood and followed. When he reached the middle of the cave, he dropped to one knee. He took the tokens from his bag and carefully laid them on the stone floor in front of him, naming them as he did so.

“An ancient moonray,” he began.

“Its light will penetrate Kaylin's darkness,” Nemesis explained.

“The Sand of Memory,” Yarg continued.

“To gently restore the painful memories of that fateful day,” Nemesis added.

“Faith's Courage?” this time questioning.

“You will have need of it,” Nemesis responded cryptically.

“The Essence of Innocence …”

“… will help you break through the shield.”

“And Mystical Music.”

“To draw Kaylin to us, to give her the will to come back to our world.”

Yarg sat back on his heels.

“And what of Friendship's Pledge?” growled Nemesis.

Yarg reached behind his neck and undid the clasp, saddened to part with this symbol of his friendship with the brave centaur. Gently he lowered it to lie with the other tokens.

“No, place it around your neck. It will give you strength,” Nemesis said.

Nemesis looked at the items for a moment, then, “It's time” he said softly. “Stand beside me, Yarg. Once we start, you must not turn your back on Kaylin, no matter what happens. Do you understand?”

Yarg nodded, then Nemesis continued. “Surrounding Kaylin is a protective shield. Only one with courage, innocence and the purest of intentions will be able to get through it, and even then it will pit itself against them, trying to keep them out. You must be sure that this is what you really want before you go to her.”

Yarg nodded again, although he really had no idea what to expect.

Nemesis nudged the ancient moonray with his snout, then he began to chant. Although Yarg did not know the language, he recognised that it was very ancient. The haunting melody continued for a few moments, then the crystal stick began to break apart, forming again into glittering dust. It danced in the air before Nemesis, then began to coalesce until a swirling column of light appeared in the air before them. As Yarg watched, a shape began to form in heart of the column. Nemesis finished his chant, the swirling stilled, and Kaylin the fairy was before them.

She stood exactly the way she'd been frozen. Her skin was a pasty white and her wings a dull gold. Horror was etched on her tiny face.

“Three years,” the thought haunted Yarg as he looked at her. Memories flashed in his mind, but he pushed them away, refusing to be distracted.

Nemesis roared deeply, his agony resounding throughout the cave.

“Pick up the tokens, but leave the Mystical Music with me,” he said after a time, anger still heavy in his voice.

Yarg did as Nemesis had bid, placing the remaining tokens in his bag. His legs wobbling, he hesitantly moved closer to the transparent shield that shimmered around her. He could hear Nemesis talking to him, but the sound seemed to come from far away. He stepped forward and met the shield. It clung to him, holding him back with invisible fingers. He pushed forward. He felt as if he was walking into a thick, sticky spider web. He pushed harder. The shield responded again, clinging even harder to him, then pushing him back.

“Take Faith's Courage in one hand and The Essence of Innocence in the other. Think about Kaylin,” Nemesis urged. “You
can
break through.”

Concentrating his whole being on Kaylin, Yarg pushed again. Again the shield resisted him. Yarg pushed until he was close to exhaustion, until he felt he must give up. His legs burned, his lungs felt as if they would burst, sweat was pouring down his face. There was a sharp pain in his chest, which he realised was Folgoo's medallion pressing into his skin.

The realisation brought his friend's face vividly to mind, and Yarg remembered all that his friend had done for him, the faith the centaur had shown in one that his brothers had condemned. Gritting his teeth and tensing his mighty muscles, Yarg gave one mighty push. The shield strained, resisted, pushed back, then gave way.

Yarg stumbled forward, then quickly straightened.

“Place The Sand of Memory in front of Kaylin. Turn it over,” Nemesis instructed.

As soon as Yarg had done what he had said, Nemesis began to chant again. Yarg recognised the tune and the words as his Mystical Music. At first only a tiny glimmer, Kaylin's light appeared, but the pinpoint spread as the music continued. When her light shone as brightly as it had that fateful day, before she had frozen herself, when her face had taken on the luminescent glow natural to fairies, her now shiny wings began to flutter and she opened her eyes.

And looked straight at Yarg. “Who are you? What happened to me? Where am I?” she asked in a voice of soft confusion.

“Don't be afraid, Kaylin,” Yarg said reassuringly.

Kaylin looked around her and saw Nemesis. Relieved, she flew towards his protection and comfort. Nemesis lifted one massive wing and Kaylin scooted beneath it. He closed it protectively around her small body. He allowed her the shelter for a long while, then lifted his massive wing and urged her forward with his powerful jaw.

“Kaylin, we need to talk. Look into the hourglass and tell me what you remember,” he said gently, not taking his eyes from Yarg.

Kaylin stared into the glittering sands, watching mesmerised until they had all run their course through the glass. For a long moment she didn't say anything, then, “I had been to the mortal realm, tending a new patch of blue bells, and was just returning home. I was followed by a human. I was trying to persuade him to leave our realm, but he wouldn't listen to me,” she replied haltingly. She frowned at the memories of the human and the things he had said to her.

“What then?” Nemesis prompted.

“Nothing.”

She raised confused eyes to Nemesis. “What happened? How did I get here?” she asked faintly.

“Kaylin, the human said cruel things to you when you told him he must leave our realms. You couldn't handle his cruelty. Your light was dimming, so you froze yourself. It was the only way you could save yourself.”

“How long … ?”

“Three years,” Yarg said flatly, his voice vibrating throughout the cave.

Kaylin turned to face him again. “Who are you?” she asked.

“He is the human who hurt you,” Nemesis replied.

“But he is a troll,” Kaylin argued.

“I turned him into a troll to save him,” said Nemesis.

“From what?” Kaylin asked, more than a little bewildered now.

“From his own selfish nature, and from me,” Nemesis replied, traces of remembered rage threading through his voice and vibrating off the walls of the cave.

Nemesis watched them watch each other for a while before relenting, saying, “Kaylin, let me introduce Yarg, King of the Trolls. Although it was his thoughtless words that caused this situation, he has done much to redeem himself. He is the one who has set you free.”

Kaylin stared at Yarg, who flinched a little under her gaze.

“What I did was unforgivable, I know, but I've tried to make it up to you,” whispered Yarg.

“Then I must thank you for setting me free,” she said. She turned to face Nemesis. “What happens now?” she asked.

“That depends on you and Yarg. Your destinies are tied together,” he said looking down at her. Then turning to Yarg, he continued, “I'm giving you and Kaylin a choice, Yarg. You can remain in the immortal realms, troll and fairy, or return to the mortal realm as man and woman. But choose carefully. Once you make your choice, there is no going back.”

Yarg stared at Nemesis. He was quiet for a long while before asking, “If I return, would I remember anything about my life here?”

“I would leave your memories intact, but you would be under a spell that would cause them to disappear should you ever try to tell another of the immortal realms.”

“What is your wish, Kaylin?” Yarg asked.

Nemesis smiled. The spoilt prince had learned to think of others after all.

“To return to the life I had before all this happened.”

“Then I will be a troll,” Yarg said.

“Wait, you did not let me finish,” Kaylin responded. She fluttered her wings until she was hovering at Yarg's eye level. “I realise that you would want to reclaim your human life, Yarg. But I believe that I have a plan where neither of us has to give up our lives completely,” she continued.

“What do you mean?” asked Nemesis.

“Why can Yarg not remain here in the immortal realms for half of the year and spend the other six months in the mortal realm, with his family?”

Nemesis stared at her, his eyes a gleaming yellow. “Why would you suggest something like this?”

Yarg was also curious to hear Kaylin's reason.

“To give up my life forever would be too much for me to take,” she whispered to Nemesis. “And I am sure he would feel the same about giving up his family. So I could not ask him to do that. This way, neither of us would have to give up the life we love completely.”

“What do you say to this, troll?”

“I think that Kaylin does me more justice than I deserve,” he replied. He smiled at her, then turned to say to Nemesis, “It does seem to be the best solution to our situation,” he replied.

“You are both very sure?” Nemesis demanded.

The fairy and the troll looked at each other, and reading confirmation in each other's eyes, “We are,” they responded in unison.

“Then so it shall be!” Nemesis announced in tones befitting his role as protector of the immortal realms.

Before Yarg had time to feel relief that he would not spend all his days as a troll, Nemesis spoke again.

“But there are conditions, Yarg,” the dragon warned. “In your time in the mortal world, you must never discuss the immortal realms—except with your brother, who has been to this realm and seen so much. And when you return to the immortal realms, you will represent humans on the Guild of Immortals. But Kaylin will be your responsibility at all times. Should anything happen to her, you will be called to account.”

The dragon's tone gentled as he spoke of Kaylin. “You are fortunate, Yarg, that Kaylin has such a loving heart. You have courage and honour, but she will remind you of the other qualities necessary in a ruler—empathy, and compassion for those you serve. Learn from her so that you will be a wise king when your time to rule comes.”

Nemesis turned to the fairy. “Kaylin, within your heart I see the pain that Yarg caused you with his selfishness, but there is also great love and kindness and the power to change others and their lives. Go with Yarg and help him learn to be the leader he can be.”

Nemesis began to chant again. Yarg watched entranced as Kaylin changed before his eyes, becoming a beautiful woman—petite, slender, waves of midnight hair framing an exquisite face with a rosebud mouth, pert nose, eyes the colour of bluebells. She was staring just as hard at him, watching as the heavy troll body became a tall, well-muscled human form, the blue fur receded to leave only a cap of golden hair, and the troll features were replaced by a human face, and a very handsome one at that!

Then the cave began to swirl. Kaylin moved closer to Yarg. He took her hand, and the next moment they were in the mortal realm beside the great lake that bordered Prince Gray's family home.