Devrie Spaulding's Blog, page 2

THE ISLAND PART 2

My people are a little bit different than the main group Tank rules over. My name is Shell only because I prefer to be around my boat and the others. We are not given names until we earn them. All of us. The visible and non-visible. At least the ones born here. Some have been washed up on the shore just like our building supplies. Not everyone gets eaten buy the evil. How else would it grow more food?

My family live beyond a veil to the eastern part of the island. That’s right. An invisible barrier concealing our home. Since it is beyond a magical barrier, it will not grow anything other than grass and trees. We have tried planting gardens. It never took. There is wildlife, but the humans can’t eat them. Only we can.

We are descendants of Flegrea. Some would call us demon wolves, shape shifters. Human most of the
time, we change to giant black wolves when we hunt. There are other reasons we shift but most of the
time is for hunting. Other times? Let’s just say it’s an emotional thing. Long ago, control over anger and
rage helped quell the insanity keeping us human most of the time.

I was on my way back home through the barrier when yelling stopped me in my tracks. Everyone was
running towards the shore. That couldn’t be good. It would put everyone within reaching distance of the
evil. No one seemed to care. Even Tank was running that way. “Uggg, fine!” I huffed and
changed directions.

THE ISLAND

It was better when the water beyond our shores wasn’t quiet like it was today. Then, at least, we knew where the evil was.

 

Our tiny island had been forgotten for so long now we didn’t remember anything else. There was barely enough visible land mass to produce crops and raise livestock to keep us all from starving but just barely.

 

No electricity or communications ran through our homes. The outside world simply didn’t exist for us. Lean-tos and shelters made from whatever washed ashore huddled in the very middle of our island for the most protection. It was almost the safest place. Our livestock surround that, and then the fields spread a little further out. Not much grew in sand, so our choices were limited, and quantities were meager.

 

Because of the evil swimming just beyond the shallows, there were no fish to speak of. Only “it” swam in those waters. Gargantuan in size, vile in temperament, it would kill anything it could reach. Kill isn’t a good enough word. It would rip apart and devour. If the victim was human, they would be tortured first. The livestock vanished occasionally, but humans were its main choice.

 

Daily life wasn’t life at all. One person ruled over the visible people. Tank. Not a name, really, but more a description. He was a massive man. Dark skinned and muscled. His shelter wasn’t much better than anyone else’s but it had more than one room. He took whatever woman he wanted and horded the most food. Right now, his choice was Sheila. For some reason, he fancied her the most. She, of course, wasn’t happy about it.

 

He didn’t choose violence much. Just intimidation. If someone made him angry, he simply picked them up and threw them into the water. It didn’t take long for them to disappear, screaming.

 

Me? My name is Shell. I lived between the visible and non-visible people. I even had a boat. I never went out on it, but I worked on it a lot. I even made bargains with Tank for metal. He seemed to appreciate my advice. Not that he took it very often. Right now, he needed help with Sheila. He wanted to win her over. I tried telling him to keep her captive wasn’t going to do it. Of course, he wouldn’t hear of that. So, I suggested giving her authority. Let her guide him. Show her he appreciated her. That, he listened to. As far as I knew, things were getting better between them now. Who knew?

 

I am sure you are wondering what is meant by visible and non-visible people. Let me tell you…

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MOM

She sat there in stunned disbelief, reflecting on her life choices. Growing up had been painful and traumatizing, but it made her who she was. However, she couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or bad. Was being emotionally strong and detached a benefit? Not letting go of the past sure wasn’t.

 

Staring at her mother in the hospital bed, counting the seconds between her breaths, she knew the mistakes she had made. Her mother was going to leave her. This was a fact. Before this moment, she didn’t know how that would make her feel. Their relationship in the past was a tense one, to say the least. In the past few years, her mother had changed for the better. But the woman just couldn’t let go of the past, as usual.

 

Instead, she chased after a father who chose another family over her. A father who couldn’t even remember her birthday. She forced her way into his life all because he apologized once. That was something her mother never did. She fought tooth and nail to be a part of his new family but always fell short. She never truly was accepted.

 

Now, as she watched her mother fade away, those efforts seemed like a waste. Her mother remembered every birthday. She gave gifts with money she couldn’t spare during the holidays. She even tried to choose the right lotion that wouldn’t cause her daughter headaches just so she could hug her. All her actions screamed louder than any words. How could she not see it sooner?

 

The woman thought of these things as the machine rang in a long, solid tone. They all knew it was going to happen, but she still wasn’t ready for it. The agitation when her mother couldn’t stop twitching her feet due to her medication turned into longing. She realized she would pay any price to hear her silly jokes or watch another James Bond movie with her. Movies! She never got around to watching the latest Indian Jones with her mother like she had wanted. Could she ever watch Red or Red 2 again without tears? 

 

Every day from this moment forward would be filled with regret. The house would be too quiet. Her life would be too empty. She would never get to tell her mother she was sorry and how much she really loved her. The opportunity was gone. Her mother was gone.

SORT OF SILENT SISTERS’ SHENANIGANS

A wave of water hit Christine in the face. “Hey! Watch it!” She couldn’t help but smile at the boys’ antics. Over a dozen had jumped into the lake at once, drenching anyone silly enough to stand at the edge. There wasn’t a shore, really. It was a straight drop from the rocks down to the soft bottom. Beautifully crystal-clear water ripped from each boy’s splash.

Sounds of dragging ice chests drew her attention away. Even more teenagers hauled countless bags and other items towards a covered picnic area. One boy started the grill causing flames to shoot sky high. Another placed a portable stereo on a table and began to blast music.

Christine’s boyfriend, Jeremey, sauntered over placing a red plastic cup in her hand that was clearly not just juice. He gave her a light peck on the cheek. “This is gonna be awesome! Do you know who found this place?”

She scrunched up her face. “I don’t know but it looks like the whole senior class is here.” Her gaze swiveled to a dirt path that rose to the top of a rather large hill. An immense stone building sat on the top. It reminded her of an old castle. “Are we gonna get in trouble for being here? Who lives up in that place?”

Jeremey shrugged. “It’s a convent of some kind. How can we get in trouble for being here. What will they do? Yell at us? Call the cops? The sign over there says they don’t talk.”

“Something like a vow of silence?” Christine finally pulled her eyes away from the spooky building.

“That’s what the sign says. Come on! Let’s go swimming.” He tugged on her hand, leading her to the water. She laughed along with him and got in.

                                ***********************************************

Up in the convent, three nuns glared out of a top window. Sister Dodie, Sister Sherry, and Sister Joanna couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Disrespectful children! Dodie slapped Joanna’s arm and pointed angrily towards the unwanted gathering. It was supposed to be the nun’s private recreational area. Joanna nodded but Sherry shrugged. A smile spread across Dodie’s face just as The Mother walked up.

The Mother tapped Dodie on the shoulder, causing all three to turn. She raised a single eyebrow that quickly removed Dodie’s smile. A small shake of The Mother’s head told them they were not to interfere with what was going on below. The Mother tapped the top of her wrist where a watch would normally go and then pointed to the sun high in the sky. Clearly, she thought the hoodlums would disperse in time.

All the Sisters nodded but Dodie frowned. She didn’t dare look to the other two while being chastised by The Mother. As soon as their superior turned and left, Dodie grabbed the other two by their brown tunics and hurried away.

She pulled them along the cold dark corridors until they made it to Dodie’s private chamber. Once inside, she took out three notepads with pens and handed them out. On hers, she wrote, “we have to do something.”

Sherry answered with, “but Mother told us to leave it alone.”

Dodie smiled. “But did she really?”

Joanna nodded in agreement to Dodie’s written statement and wrote, “She could’ve been telling us to wait.”

Dodie pointed at Joanna with a tilted nod. She knew Joanna would think along the same lines as her. They just needed to get Sherry on board. That never seemed to be a problem, though.

Just as Dodie predicted, Sherry finally nodded her agreement with a sigh. They began hastily writing out their plan. It was going to be a hoot.

Once the plan was agreed upon, they took off in separate directions after leaving the room. Each one had to grab whatever they thought would be perfect for their idea and then meet outside at the top of the pathway once the sun went down. Hopefully, The Mother wouldn’t suspect a thing.

By the time they all met outside, The Mother hadn’t been seen. So far, so good. There was no telling what their punishment would be if they got caught.

All three had found some form of brown or grey fur covering. They draped them over their bodies and took off down the hill making sure to stay in the trees. It would ruin everything if they were seen too soon.

As they went, they rustled the bushes and trees. Each time, they would stop and look at the party goers. No one seemed to notice the noise they were making. When the Sisters were almost to the end of the trees, making as much noise as possible with no results, they stopped. Frustration etched all of their faces.

Dodie raised both hands up in the air and thrust them at the teenagers. Joanna shook her head. What were they going to do. When they both looked to Sherry, their mouths dropped. She was grinning from ear to ear holding up a small blow horn looking device. One word was written in bold across the label, “Bear.” Their dropped jaws turned into O’s.

Sherry depressed the button causing a very loud roar sound to come from the device. It was so loud, the other two had to cover their ears. Instantly, the music stopped and not a single teen spoke. The nuns began shaking the trees again and Sherry pressed the button one more time. While shaking the trees, Joanna and Dodie made sure to be noticed between the shrubs in glimpses.

Finally, someone pointed and screamed in their direction. “MONSTERS!”

Instant chaos ensued. Just like you would see in movies, boys abandoned girls running away with high pitched screams while the girls chased after them. Many were still in the water and frantically trying to get out. It was as if the panic caused them to forget how to swim.

For good measure, Sherry pressed the button one more time. This really put the pep in the teens’ steps. Within seconds, they were all gone, leaving everything they had brought behind. The area was covered with trash, clothing and food.

Dodie, Sherry, and Joanna doubled over in silent laughter. They were finding it difficult to breathe.  Each one covered their mouths hoping to not make a sound.

A twig snapped behind them. Joanna almost lost her vow of silence by nearly screaming. They turned and faced an angry Mother. Her arms were crossed in front with one foot silently tapping the soft ground. She pointed to each one of them individually before throwing an arm out towards the littered lake area. Her other hand brought out a box of garbage bags from who knew where.

Not one of them stopped smiling but they accepted the offered box.  As they turned to clean up, Dodie caught a slight smile from The Mother. That made it all worth the risk. The three continued the rest of the way down with tears of mirth running down their cheeks.

I WON THE WAR

Hello everyone! I finally won the war on getting my MAGIC’S HUNT published in a paperback form. Apparently the process did not like the words in my world map. Well, one word really. Go figure. Lol. So now the paperback version is available for purchase through amazon. I am truly sorry for the delay. This book is, regrettably, priced a little bit higher than my other two books because it cost more to publish a book with color maps inside. Please forgive me. It will be worth it. I promise. Thank you all for your continued support. I cannot do this without you all. Love, always!

ZACH PART THREE

Zach woke with a start in an unfamiliar room. A heavy blanket secured him snuggly in a strange bed.  He struggled to push the blanket off and sit up. Clearly, his mother had put him here and “tucked” him in. She always pulled the blankets too tightly. She meant well.

“Young lord, please lay back down. You are not well.”  A woman in nurse garb stood up from a wooden rocking chair and scampered over to him. She tried to place a comforting hand on his tiny shoulder, but she shoved her off. “Please, sir, you must lay back down.”

Zach tried to speak but his throat was so dry. It took him several swallows before he could form any words. “How long?” It was all he could say.

“Five nights, sir.” She picked up a glass from beside his bed and filled it with water from a crystal carafe. “You poor lad, your throat must be parched.”

Zach snatched the glass from her and gulped some water down. Unfortunately, it did not stay down. It spewed from his mouth, soaking the blanket just in front of him. He threw the glass across the room, but it didn’t hit a wall. Instead, it smashed to the floor.

The nanny gasped. “Now, sir, that was uncalled for!” She went to his closet and pulled out a small dustpan and hand broom. Shaking her head, she tsked while cleaning up his mess.

His little eyebrows scrunched together. Why was the water not staying down? He wrapped one hand around his throat. What little water that did soak into it, helped but he was still so very thirsty.  What was happening to him?

“Stay in bed until I return.” His nanny rushed out of the room and shut the door behind her. As soon as the door closed, Zach got out of bed. He walked over to the carafe and sniffed its contents. It didn’t smell like anything. It was just water.

He slowly inserted his hand and dipped one finger into the liquid. His stomach churned when he opened his mouth letting a single drop drip onto his tongue. When it hit, he was racked with spasms throughout all his organs.

Zach cried out and hit the floor clutching his stomach. In seconds, the nanny was back with his mother in tow. She ran to her son’s side and knelt. “Oh, Zach! What is wrong?” She wrapped one hand around his upper arm. “Here, baby, let me help you back in bed.”

Reluctantly, Zach let his mother help him. She was the only one who ever truly showed him kindness. Indulging her from time to time couldn’t hurt. “Thank you, mother.”

A small smile spread on her lips. “Of course. Did you need any water?”

He shook his head. “No, Mother. I simply need sleep.”

She tucked him in again just as tightly as before. “Whatever you need, son. Sorina will see to your needs tonight.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “You are still warm. I shall send for the doctor tomorrow.”

“No, Mother. I will be fine. I just need rest.”

His mother nodded and left the room. Sorina reclaimed her spot in the rocking chair and began reading from her book. Zach rolled his eyes. It was probably a romance. How disgusting.

It took a while, but Zach finally fell back asleep. He wasn’t sure how long he slept but when he awoke again, it was still night. Sorina was no longer in the rocking chair. Someone else was. It creaked under the person’s weight.

Zach wasn’t afraid even though he knew who it was. He sat up in bed and stared directly at the cold man who’s eyes glowed red in the darkness of his room.

“Hello again, Zach. We have much to discuss.” This was the first night of many, that the cold man visited him.

MAGIC’S HUNT RELEASE

Hello everyone! After quite a lot of banging my head on my desk thanks to Kindle Create, I am pleased to announce that I have completed my side of the publishing steps for MAGIC’S HUNT. It is now in the review stages. This will be the Kindle version. As soon as I finish negotiating with the paperback process when it comes to the maps, I will let you all know when that one starts its countdown. Thank you to everyone who reads my books and visits my site for the short stories. It is like a party in my mind with all these characters. I just love it and knowing some of you enjoy the stories, makes it all worth it.

Love you all!

ZACH PART TWO

Zach’s mother tried to pull him into a tight embrace as his father towered over them. The look in his eyes was pure hatred. Did his father actually hate him? It didn’t matter. He didn’t care. Not really. Something inside him kept him from caring. He pushed against his mother’s hard abdomen. The corset giving him enough solidity to break free.

“Oh, Zach. Are you alright? Never leave me like that again. Do you hear me young man? A dead body is no place for a child to be.” His mother was in near hysterics.

If she only knew the dead things he played with in his room. Maybe that was why his father looked at him like that. Maybe he knew. Zach searched the train compartment for the cold man and couldn’t find him in all the chaos. Something told him his future lay with that man. He needed to find him. Needed to find out what he was. That strength, that coldness. He knew how that coldness felt from his experiments but the strength. Those eyes? He still felt as if those eyes were on him.

The rest of the trip went without incident. Well, mostly. Zach spent all his time searching the train for the cold man. He never found him, but he always searched. At night, he would wake from dreams of him in a cold sweat. It left him weak. His mother fussed over him, but he pushed her away saying he was fine. The food smelled foul. No matter how much water he drank, he was still left with a thirst.

Finally, as the train pulled into the station, his mother insisted on taking Zach to the town doctor. His father dismissed it all as another stunt for attention and went off to a local tavern.  When they got to the doctor’s house, she told him of Zach’s progressive illness on the train. For a brief second, the doctor’s eyes dimmed with a knowledge he knew he couldn’t share. Instead, he gave Zach’s mother a brown glass bottle of tonic to give him every night before bed.

That afternoon they left by horse drawn carriages. The road was bumpy. There was nothing to do. His mother was fascinated by the scenery passing them by and tried hard to get him interested as well. Instead, he retreated to his dark thoughts. The eyes of that man still haunted him. He wasn’t afraid. He was simply curious. And you know what curiosity gets you.

His mother gave him his medicine as they traveled. He tried to refuse but his father made a point to hold him down. It made Zach violently ill. They stopped many times along the road just so he could vomit. Still, the medicine kept being given. The hatred emanating from his father was stifling.

After what seemed like forever, the carriage passed into Bucharest. This is what finally caught Zach’s attention. Countless Romanians filled the sidewalks. Top hats bounced up and down as they walked. Towering buildings lined the streets. Each one impersonated a palace. Fancy stonework decorated three or more stories of windows while even more intricate designs framed doorways. The only thing that Zach didn’t see was a blade of grass. That was fine by him. He never enjoyed nature anyway.

Come to think of it, the only time he enjoyed anything was when a life was held in his small hands. He held the choice between life or death. That was what fascinated him.

Several turns had them stopping in front of yet another three-story building. At this point, they all started looking the same. The only difference with this one was it had a small iron fence trapping one singular tree surrounded by perfectly cut grass.

When they came to a complete stop, a swarm of servants poured out of the house. They began taking in all of their luggage and his mother had a lot. Several unhitched the horses bringing them around another corner. Zach couldn’t see where they were going, however. As soon as the light flooded in from the now open carriage door, it stung his eyes. Maybe he had been in the damnable carriage for too long. He smiled knowing if his mother knew he thought that word, it would make her upset.

His father stepped out and walked straight into the building not even looking back to see if his wife or child followed. His mother was not as cold. She practically glided down onto the sidewalk as a proper lady should. One delicate hand lifted towards him. Zach stared at it but refused her help. He jumped down. He was eight after all. Not a child anymore.

Zach straightened his vest and jacket. One day he would get to wear a top hat and be a real gentleman, not that he was gentle by any means. A cold chill ran up his spine. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. This was a feeling he was not familiar with. The feeling of fear.

With a slow turn, Zach faced the street. Their carriage still blocked his view of the other side, so he side-stepped a few times. What he saw froze him in place. Under the awning of the home across from him stood the cold man. He stared straight at Zach with a wide smile. One hand raised to his top hat. He barely lifted it in greeting.

Suddenly, a long carriage zipped by noisily causing Zach to jump. When it passed, the cold man was gone and Zach passed out.

ZACH PART ONE

He stood in the doorway of an abandoned house watching as the night sky started to lighten. Zach only had a few minutes more before he would have to go inside where his new family waited in the cold dark cellar. It was during this time, every night, Zach would think and reflect.

To say he was a normal boy would be stretching it. He never got along with the other kids at school. They always seemed afraid of him. Even the bullies wouldn’t bother making him a target.

Zach’s parents whispered behind closed doors where they thought he couldn’t hear them. They worried about how out of control his aggression and anger had been getting. An eight-year-old should be out playing with other children or riding his Rover bicycle instead of holing away in his room alone.

A smile spread across Zach’s small features as he thought back to those moments. If they only knew about the horrible things he did in his private time. They would have skipped the family trip to Romania and moved up his appointment with the town psychiatrist.

He ran his short fingers through shaggy black hair, exposing pitch black eyes. The sky now threatened him with hues of red and orange. That trip had changed everything for him. That trip is what made him what he was… a vampire.

__________________________________________________________________________

It was 1886 and he stood at the bow of a rather large three mast sailing ship traveling from New York to Romania. His parents had made the plans telling all the gossipy community they were visiting relatives in Germany. However, their true destination was a bit more distant.

Apparently, Zach had family in Romania, Kronstadt in particular. He could care less about this wasted trip. All he wanted was to go back home to his dark room and even darker experiments, but his parents refused to leave him behind. They claimed he needed some adventure to hopefully brighten his moods.

That is how he found himself now leaving the ship and taking a carriage to the Express d’Orient. Once they reached Pitesti in Romania, they would travel the rest of the way to Kronstadt by carriage.

Servants loaded their baggage into one of the sleeping coaches while Zach was towed by his mother to the restaurant coach. They sat at an elaborately decorated table complete with oil lamps and velvet chairs. All the window curtains had been pulled down to keep the hot sun out. Once his father joined them, they order their meals and sat in silence.

“Zach, dear. Would you like some pudding?”

“No, mother, I would not.” Zach stared at her with narrowed eyes. His father ordered an alcoholic drink and pretended to not pay attention. That’s just how it always was, his mother trying to make him into a normal child and his father never noticing.

The train lurched forward rocking the hanging lamps. Workers hurried around cleaning up spilled drinks and delivering meals. It wasn’t the life of the train that interested Zach. People going about mundane lives doing mundane things bored him. Death fascinated him, however. He watched each waiter trying to think of different ways death might take them. A smile spread across his face as he mentally played the role delivering that death.

From in the back of the coach, an older man in thick furs coughed loudly. His skin was grey and eyes red. Zach noticed numerous glass cups scattered around his table. Just as he lifted his hand to order another, he went into a coughing fit and vomited all over the approaching waiter. Women screamed and men gasped. The man’s eyes grey wide when he couldn’t stop long enough to catch his breath. In a shudder, he collapsed dead on his table.

The coach erupted in chaos. Husbands clung to fainted wives and waiters scurried to and fro, not really knowing what to do. Zach stood up to get a better view. His mother tried grabbing him by his dress jacket sleeve, but he yanked free. This trip had just become interesting. The dead man’s vacant eyes seemed to look in his direction. Zach took several steps forward hoping to get closer, if he could just touch the body.

He dodged a waiter trying to push him back. Only a few more feet and he would be there. His mother yelled his name begging him to come back but Zach refused to listen. He stretched out a hand. Mere inches from his target an icy grip snatched him away. He tried to pull free, expecting to see his father, but the man was not his father.

A tall, older man with long black hair held his wrist firmly. No matter how hard he tried, Zach couldn’t pull free. He looked up at the man and glared hatred. “Let me go.”

In a thick Romanian accent, the stranger answered. “Do not disturb the dead, my son. I do believe you need to return to your seat.”

“I am not your son. Now let me go.” Zach’s voice was low and threatening.

This apparently amused the man. His lips curled in a grin and Zach gasped at the sharp pointed canine teeth. When his eyes traveled to meet the man’s, he blinked rapidly. A faint red glow emanated from his deep brown eyes. “What are you?”

“This is not the time, but you will know soon enough. Now go. We shall meet again.”

GOW Part 6

“Why are you here?” The deep booming voice shook the water.

Gow had his sword out and ready. “The king sent me. We need something from you that could save the Great Waters.”

“He is no king of mine.” The eyes drew closer.

“I understand that. He is my king and a kind one. He only wishes to help save everyone. Will you help us. I do not wish to fight you, but I must help him.” Gow raised his sword higher. The lights of the kraken’s eyes nearly blinded him, but he stayed steady.

The kraken laughed long and hard. “Puny tad pole. You could not fight me and win. I admire your dedication, however.” The giant face drew back a little. “Why should I help? Nothing can harm me.”

“We all have something that can harm us. There is always something bigger or stronger. You could squash me, this is true. But I could fight and win anything twice my size, maybe larger.”

“There is nothing larger than me. No one can defeat me. I am Kraken.”

Gow was stumped on this one. He didn’t really know of any creature larger than a Kraken. The giant had called his bluff. How would he convince this one to give up a piece of his horde? They were much like dragons. Krakens loved shiny things, magical items, rare finds. An idea came to him. “I know not what this enemy is or why the king of the mighty Undinia would fear them. What if they are a swarm? A giant swarm of things. Sure, you can defeat any foe but what about a million little ones attacking at once? You cannot stop them all.”  

The giant eyes blinked several times. “You speak true, little tad pole. What would you have of me?”

Sheathing his sword, Gow bowed low. “Thank you, great Kraken. The artifact the king requires is something I am not familiar with. Something to repel the enemy that comes.”

A bubble instantly formed around Gow. “Descend with me. This shield will protect you from deep water pressures.” An enormous hand reached out in front of Gow. He knew not to hesitate when something this large gave an invitation, so he stepped aboard.

The pair rapidly lowered deeper and deeper. It seemed like forever. He couldn’t see anything. Not the cliff face or even the Kraken holding him. This trench must truly reach the middle of their world.

As if to answer his thoughts, they fell through what seemed to be the edge of water but from the bottom. They didn’t fall far. The Kraken was huge, and he landed quickly on a sandy shore. An immense forest rose behind them with another Great Water in front. Birds sang and flew in the air. Everything was alight with an unseen source.

Gow took a deep breath of the new air. Lucky for him, being an amphibian, he could breathe both water and air. This atmosphere was alight with magic.

“Where are we?” Gow’s eyes were larger than they ever had been. It was absolutely gorgeous.

“This is my home. Welcome.” He removed the bubble around Gow but kept him in the palm of his hand. “I shall take you to where I keep my treasures.”

Gow watched as they traversed through the forest. Animals of unknown kinds scurried out of the way. A mountain came into view. In the side, a Kraken sized cave could be seen. When they entered, it was just as bright inside as it was outside.

Before his eyes, piled as high as the cave, was the most treasure Gow had ever seen. It sparkled and glowed with magic. He feared that some of the items would be way too dangerous to ever leave their new home. He could feel so much power in that mound. It took his breath away.

‘How did you come by all of this?” Gow was now being lowered to the ground. When he stepped off, the Kraken stood with pride.

“I have been alive ever since this world was created. I have seen much and discovered many wonderful or horrible things. I keep them here for safety.”

“I can feel the magic. It is not all good.” He took a step forward but didn’t get any closer. “What do you suggest would help with the king’s problem?”

“Allow me into your mind. I will be able to see your conversation with him and his thoughts, as well, at the time.” The Kraken closed his glowing eyes.

Gow relaxed and closed his eyes. He knew it wouldn’t hurt him but being relaxed would make things easier for his new friend. In his mind, his conversation with the king replayed. Then, an image formed. It was glowing ice blue. A sphere of some kind held within a silver cage.

They both opened their eyes at the same time. The Kraken nodded his mighty head. “I know this artifact.” He began to walk around a corner but halted. “Please do not touch anything. Many of these items will kill such as you in a single moment.”

Gow laughed. “You don’t need to tell me twice on that one, friend.”

The Kraken did not move. He let out a sigh. “Friend. I have not had a friend in millennia.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Do you really count me as such?”

“Of course, I do. Why wouldn’t I?” It confused Gow that the Kraken would ask that but then he thought of how isolated and alone he must be. He walked over to the giant and place his tiny hand on one ankle. “Would it please you for me to come visit from time to time? I could bring you more treasures I come across.”

The Kraken’s eyes shined. “I would very much enjoy that.” He stepped around the corner and disappeared. Moments later, the Kraken was back. Dangling from a silver chain was the artifact.