Realms of the Red Rabbit
JAKE
Book Two
By Laura Eno
Copyright © 2009 by Laura Eno
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States of America
Manufactured in the United States of America
First edition published June, 2009
Cover art and jacket design © 2009 Glen DeBusschere
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Other books by Laura Eno –
Realms of the Red Rabbit, Book 1
This book is dedicated to my family, as always.
A special thanks goes to my dog, who reminds me to stand up and back away from the computer every once in a while.
The thunder crashed…
Jake paced outside of the cave in disbelief, letting the thunder roll in his anger. Alyson had just denied him, turning away and re-entering the cave. He had been so sure of her capitulation. The vision shown in the mirror held the true events of the future – how had she managed to circumvent them? As thunder continued to crash in a fury unparalleled in the history of the Realms, Jake waited.
“Sooner or later you’ll have to come back out,” he snarled into the wind, his eyes flashing with an emerald light.
The only response he got back was that damned lullaby riding the breeze with the meddling ogre singing the descant. His voice was one that Jake fervently wished he’d never hear again. Magical creature or not, dead was dead and Jake had killed him. The ogre shouldn’t still be communicating in any form.
And still Jake waited, but Alyson never reappeared. His anger spent, the thunder dropped off, leaving only a cold and calculating determination in its wake. Jake was aware of the moment when Alyson made her way back to the outside world. Something inside of him snapped taut, as if a connection had been made that couldn’t be broken – only stretched tight.
“You belong to me, Alyson,” he whispered softly, but with the clash of steel filling his voice as he spoke. “I will have you.”
Distant Memories
“Wizard, I’d like a word with you.”
Jake stepped closer to his king and bowed low.
“There is a sickness spreading through the outer reaches of the kingdom. If not halted, it will soon be upon us. Vanquish it and you may choose your bride.”
“It is my honor to serve you.” Jake bowed again and backed out of the room, hiding his fear.
At twenty, he was still learning his craft. Although he already possessed more magic than his father once had, the king’s order would be difficult. While the reward of a bride enticed him, he knew that the punishment for failure would be an unpleasant death. Returning to his own humble dwelling, he started working on the monumental task.
Many hours later Jake knew that success was at hand. The power within him surged, spilling forth as it sought to destroy its intended target. Two more days passed; days that Jake spent studying how to harness the incredible leap that his magic had taken.
The guards arrived on the third day, summoning him to an audience with the king. Jake presented himself in exaltation, already confident of the outcome.
“The illness has abated. Well done, wizard.”
“Thank you, my liege.”
“Have you chosen a bride?”
Jake already knew who he wanted; the daughter of the king’s chief advisor. He’d loved her from afar for some time now. She was the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom – and she knew it. Her haughtiness revealed itself as disdain on the few occasions when Jake had tried to speak to her. His humble beginnings placed him beneath her notice.
“Yes, my liege. Elissa.”
The king laughed. This wizard’s hubris amused him.
“You would have a happier married life with another, but so be it. The wedding will take place at the new moon.”
“Thank you, my liege.” Jake bowed low and left the king’s presence, elation marking his footsteps. Elissa belonged to him.
The unpopular wedding took place two weeks later. The seething bride glared at her new husband, while her father bemoaned the fact that his only daughter was forced to marry someone unworthy of her. As Jake escorted his new wife into his home, Elissa turned on him.
“You will pay dearly for this insult to me!”
Jake eyed her thoughtfully. This wasn’t going exactly as he’d planned. Perhaps he should prepare a magic elixir to make her more agreeable.
“I love you, Elissa. Tell me what would make you happy and, if it’s within my power to do so, I will fulfill your wishes.”
“You want to grant my wish? Drop dead. That’s the only way you could make me happy.” She entered the tiny bedroom and shut the door in his face.
Despondent, Jake mixed a potion that he hoped would make her love him but she refused to drink it. She knew of his magic and wouldn’t be tricked. After spending the night asleep on the floor, Jake’s morning didn’t start out any better.
“Do you really expect me to live in this hovel? My father’s sheep have better accommodations than this.” Elissa waved her hand in the air and spoke with a sneer on her face.
Jake began to realize that she might not ever come to love him, unless he could somehow elevate his worth in her eyes. He devised a plan while spending another night on the floor in front of the fireplace. He would journey to the kingdom of Tor and apprentice himself to the powerful mage who resided there. When he returned home his powers would be much greater, causing Elissa to see him as a great man and worthy of her love.
“I must go on a journey and will be gone for some time. You will remain in this ‘hovel’ because you are my wife. Hopefully, you will come to appreciate me in my absence.” He gathered a few items to take with him and turned to Elissa.
“Kiss me goodbye now and wish me a safe journey.”
Elissa laughed; the sound bitter as it rang throughout the room.
“Never.”
Jake grabbed her by the arms and kissed her anyway. She spit in his face as he released her.
“You will regret that you ever touched me.” She would make him pay for his impudence.
Jake smiled. “I believe you’ll change your mind upon my return.” He left before she thought of something more degrading to do to him.
Jake’s quest proved successful. The mage saw great potential in him and honed Jake’s natural abilities. By the time a year had passed, the student equaled the teacher in power, a fact that the mage found unsettling.
“I have taught you all that I know in matters of potions, conjuring and mesmerization. There is nothing more to learn from me, yet you lack one vital quality.”
“What is that?” Jake couldn’t think of anything that he might be deficient in.
“Wisdom…and that I cannot teach you. It comes from time itself; the journey of living and learning from your experiences cannot be rushed. I fear that you are still a rash young man, given to impulses that you cannot as yet control. Be forewarned that the consequences of using your powers in a reckless manner could destroy all that you have gained.”
Jake humored the old man who was, after all, at the end of his long life.
“I have always used my magic for the good of my liege. That will not change.” Except to win over my wife, he thought.
Jake took his leave and headed home, arriving back in his own kingdom after a few weeks time. The place seemed different to him now, looking around as he walked past the ramshackle huts on the outskirts of the village.
Spotting his own rundown house, Jake reflected on Elissa’s words and decided she’d been right. No matter, with his new abilities he’d be able to acquire the means necessary to build her a house that would rival the king’s castle. That would be the first thing he would tell her. Surely she would be happy to hear that news.
In high spirits, Jake walked through the door. Voices could be heard coming from the other room. The laughter of Elissa rang clear along with that of another man. He walked over to the doorway, a heavy weight now occupying the space where his heart had once resided. The silence stretched out as the three of them observed one another. Elissa finally broke the tableau.
“I had hoped that you were dead.”
Her hateful words were more than Jake could bear. A fury swept over him; the blind rage assuming a life of its own. Dizziness stripped him of all rational thought for the span of several moments. When he at last resumed a normal state of consciousness, it was too late. Elissa and her lover were gone. A pile of ashes were all that remained.
The culmination of his anger horrified Jake. He collapsed in grief. The woman he loved was dead; destroyed by his own desire for revenge. How had this happened?
Terror replaced misery after a time. In a blind panic, Jake grabbed a few essentials and left his home. Certain death at the hands of his king awaited him if he ever returned to this region again. He had taken the life of another using magical means. Only the king could give consent to that. He was on his own now.
After a time spent wandering through the desert, bitterness was all that remained standing in Jake’s psyche. Where lofty ideals had once reigned, the seeds of evil had now taken root. All they required was a dark environment to grow in. He gave them that. His downfall was complete.
Jake began to sell his services to the highest bidder in the villages that he came across. It no longer mattered to him if the end result of his magic was harmful or not. The prestige and power of his accomplishments poisoned his soul. Nothing could touch him now.
One day, while traveling to the next village, Jake came across a gnome out in the desert. The creature looked at him without fear; the wisdom in his eyes reminding Jake of the mage who’d taught him in what seemed like another lifetime now. A kernel of respect blossomed in his heart for the gnome’s quiet stance.
“What are you doing out here in the middle of the desert?”
“This is my home.”
The gnome gazed at Jake, reaching into his hidden thoughts and seeing all that had transpired in his life. The creature shuddered at what he found. Jake stared back.
“What is your name?”
“Leka.”
He had nothing further to say, so Jake continued walking. After a few steps he realized that Leka had begun to follow him. Turning, he stopped to face the ugly thing.
“Why do you follow me?”
The gnome shrugged but didn’t answer so Jake ignored him and kept going. A few minutes of silence passed before Leka spoke.
“Your path is destructive. I wish to help you regain your perspective.”
Jake spun towards the gnome and snarled at him. There was something about this creature that threatened to unearth the last seed of goodness within Jake. The honorable person that he used to be needed to remain buried, along with the painful memories of his treacherous deeds.
“Your help is not needed nor desired. Don’t you know who I am? I could turn you to ashes with a thought. Begone before I decide to do just that.”
Leka ignored the threat, his eyes boring into Jake’s with an intensity that infuriated the young man. Determined to be rid of this pillar of goodness, he attempted to blast the gnome out of existence with a bolt of energy. The gnome winked out a moment before the lightning reached him, rematerializing once the discharge was spent. In an abrupt change of mood, Jake laughed at him.
“So, you are quick enough to anticipate my attack. No matter. I am bored with you anyway. Follow me if you wish but you will find no foothold into my mind.”
Jake kept walking, determined to ignore his unwanted companion. Sooner or later the creature would give up. In the meantime, he had more important plans to dwell upon. It was time to start thinking about putting down roots. Perhaps the next village would present a likely spot in which to do so. He would overthrow their ruler and crown himself king. Any challengers would die a horrible death by his magic.
Perhaps he would keep a harem, as well. Jake chuckled to himself. Gone were the days of pining over one woman, wishing for her love. Females fell at his feet now, entranced by his handsome features and seduced by his power. He had no need to even use his mesmerization abilities with them. He couldn’t remember now why he’d ever felt it necessary to try to win over the arrogant Elissa.
Leka could hear the thoughts running through Jake’s mind. The ruminations disturbed him greatly. The powerful mage must be stopped before humans everywhere fell to him. He was fast becoming a despot of significant magnitude.
If Jake had known that Leka considered him a tyrant with such far-reaching supremacy, he would have been pleased. His plans hadn’t yet moved beyond ruling his one small kingdom but soon it would occur to him that the world would bow at his feet, given the right motivation.
The next village that Jake entered fell to him as soon as the guards witnessed their king reduced to a pile of ashes. They lay prostrate before him, pledging their loyalty. The captain of the guard approached Jake, bowing low.
“How may we serve you, my king?”
Jake considered that for a moment. “First, you will assemble all of the women of the village before me, so that I may choose from among them.”
“You mean the eligible maidens, sire?”
Jake’s temper flared. “No, I mean all of the women.” What did he care if they were already married? It hadn’t mattered to Elissa that she had a husband who was devoted to her. His present path in life was all her fault. She would be the one to blame for his nefarious ways.
“Is there anything else, sire?” The guard spoke with a heavy heart but Jake was too enthralled with his new position to notice.
“Yes, get rid of that gnome…if you can catch him.” Jake pointed a finger at Leka, laughing as he did so. The request would be impossible to carry out but he would enjoy watching the guards try.
As everyone scrambled to do the new king’s bidding, Leka approached Jake.
“Why do you bring torment to these people?”
“Because I can. Why do you care? You don’t know them.”
“They don’t deserve the destruction that you will bring to their way of life. Please stop now, before it is too late.” The gnome tried to plead with the last shred of Jake’s conscience.
“It’s already too late,” Jake muttered.
At that moment the ground began to tremble. Both were thrown to the floor as darkness overwhelmed their senses, blinding them to what was happening. When the dust settled Jake and Leka both found themselves sitting in a small, damp room. The only furnishings it held were a tiny bed and one broken chair. The only other thing that made it noteworthy was the presence of a pair of emerald green, disembodied eyes.
Central Processing and a Few Reflections
The eyes studied them both for a moment; the fathomless green depths drawing them in, commanding their attention. It dismissed the gnome from further consideration. Undoubtedly the creature had been standing next to the other one when he had been drawn into the Realms. The wizard had been the chosen one.
“Welcome to the Realms of the Red Rabbit, wizard. You will be here for eternity. How you fare will be up to you.”
Jake found his voice, despite the impossible phantasm floating before him. “Why did you bring me here?”
“Did you not see the star pattern in the sky?”
“What stars?” Jake didn’t bother to look at the night sky. That was for superstitious soothsayers. He held more power than that.
“The Red Rabbit convergence. The occurrence appears every seven hundred of your years. I do your world a service by removing harmful and corrupt people from its midst.”
“What do you get out of it?” Those eyes certainly didn’t strike Jake as a benevolent force seeking to do good in the world.
“I see you already have a grasp on the way of things. I feed off of their misery and pain.”
“I demand that you send me back to my world.” Jake’s temper flared. He’d had enough of this disembodied nightmare.
“There is no going back. Besides, I have special plans for you.”
The eyes sent a bolt of pain lancing through Jake’s head. The white-hot energy seared his nerve endings, causing Jake to sink down to his knees. The humiliation was too much for him. He bowed to no one. Jake struggled to his feet, facing the entity as his anger boiled over. His attempt to reduce the eyes into a pile of ashes failed miserably, except to provoke the creature.
“You will learn eventually. A few hundred years spent in the Crystal Caves will change your attitude.”
Jake disappeared in a veil of mist.
“And as for you…” Green Eyes turned his stare towards the gnome but Leka blinked out before he had a chance to disintegrate the creature. It didn’t matter. The gnome would carve a life out for himself in the Realms – or not. Other magical creatures existed out there already. Perhaps he would find them on his own at some point.
As for the wizard, the human’s power could rival its own, given time to develop. Long before that came to pass though, he would be incorporated into its eye matrix; he and the other special ones whom it would find in the future. Satisfied with events so far, it faded out of the processing room.
*****
Jake found himself imprisoned in a series of caves. Another person would consider the crystalline structure an object of beauty, but not him. All it represented to Jake was an enclosure with no discernible way out. The multi-faceted walls reflected his image back at him; a thousand different Jakes all mocking his impotence.
A bolt of energy left Jake’s hand as he sought to shatter part of the wall. It bounced off of the facet he aimed at and shot straight back at him. He hit the ground seconds before being fried by his own energy. Muttering imprecations, Jake had to remain low for several minutes while the bolt continued to travel back and forth, pinging from multiple crystal planes before finally dissipating.
“That would have been a wretched way to die, ignited by my own hand.” Jake stood, looking at his many reflections.
“Am I going to start talking to all of you next, slowly losing my mind? Is that the plan? It won’t happen.” His snarling image grimaced back at him a thousand times over.
There was something about this place that blocked hunger but not the need for sleep, Jake realized later after waking up from an unintended nap. So be it. At least he knew that those green eyes weren’t going to kill him by simple starvation. He would use this time to increase his magic. Sooner or later the entity would come back for him. He was sure of that. When it did, Jake would be ready.
*****
The gnome materialized into a strange forest after leaving the room with the entity. The trees were frightful looking, full of multiple eyes protruding from their trunks and metal blades for teeth. They ignored his presence. Leka walked up to one of the trees.
“Would you tell me of this place that I find myself in?”
“Go away. You are a magical creature. We have no interest in you, only lost travelers.” The tree shut its many red eyes, dismissing the gnome.
Leka took the opportunity to take a closer look. The bottom of the trunk had been hollowed out. Something small moved about inside of the enclosed space, possibly an animal of some sort. As the gnome bent down to inspect it the eyes of the creature within turned on him. They glowed with the same shade of green as the entity that had brought Jake and him here.
Carefully stepping back from the tree, Leka pondered what to do next. He wouldn’t find any answers here. Perhaps if he just popped in and out of various places he would find someone willing to talk to him. If nothing else, at least he would start to learn his way around this place that apparently was his new home.
In an odd way, Leka felt gratitude towards the green-eyed phantom. It had removed Jake from the earth, leaving its population to continue on without the presence of a most dangerous mage in their midst.
The gnome wondered how Jake was faring in the Crystal Caves, whatever they were. He tried focusing his thoughts on Jake, at last locating him hundreds of levels below where Leka currently stood. So, the Realms had many different levels. That explained a bit of what he’d been sensing anyway. He popped out, leaving the forest behind.
Jake spun around when he heard the noise behind him, ready to do battle. Anything was better than the boredom he’d been subjected to. It was only that tiresome gnome, though.
“Tell me that you weren’t sent here to keep me company. The last few days of staring at myself haven’t been bad enough to require your presence.”
The gnome gave him a puzzled look. “I was not sent here. What do you mean by ‘days’ though? It’s only been hours since we arrived.”
It was Jake’s turn to look confused. “I have been here for several days, at least.”
“The passage of time must flow in a different manner here. Perhaps it depends on the person or placement. I will investigate.” The gnome popped back out, leaving Jake in a fit of temper.
“Come back here and find a way out for me, you conniving pile of…” The rest of his sentence was lost in a cacophony of thunder as his words reverberated against the crystal. Jake stood still, listening to the crescendo with a smile on his face. Interesting effect, he thought.
Desolation set in as Jake remained trapped in the caves. The weeks turned into months while he continued to sharpen his magical skills for the day when that green-eyed jailer returned. As the months spent alone stretched into years however, despair changed to madness.
“What are you laughing about?” The one thousand reflections grinned at him while Jake shouted above the roar of the thunder.
His wanderings through the series of caves had never revealed a way out but he searched them every day in case something changed when he wasn’t looking.
“Don’t get ahead of me,” he snarled at the front section of crystal Jakes. They were always out in front of him and he didn’t like it. He should be out in front. It was only fair since he was the one standing on the ground.
“All right, have it your way.” They weren’t listening to him anyway. Jake sat down, preventing the others from going any farther. That will teach them who’s in charge, he thought.
The gnome popped in for his yearly visit. Jake sneered in his direction.
“Why don’t you show up more often? Once a year isn’t very charitable of you.”
“I told you before, in my timeframe I visit you every day. Perhaps there are lessons for you to learn in your accelerated existence.”
The thunder started. Leka popped out just as Jake threw a bolt of lightning in his direction. After several minutes of lying on the ground, avoiding his own energy discharge, Jake stood back up to face his many adversaries. “What are you laughing about?”
Leka arrived in a wooded glen after leaving Jake. Its beauty soothed his jumbled thoughts. He tried to help the wizard by visiting him but Jake had descended into madness. Maybe there wasn’t anything that could be done for him but Leka would continue to try.
A man approached the gnome, looking older than time itself.
“Welcome. I am the caretaker here. Please stay and enjoy the pleasant surroundings.”
The caretaker’s serenity infused Leka with a sense of wellbeing. It would be wonderful to live out my days here, he thought. The peacefulness of the setting invited him to lie down on the soft grass. Birdsong whispered on the breeze, enchanting his tired mind with promises of rest.
Leka looked around to thank the old man but he had disappeared. He snapped awake as he felt the underlying miasma taking hold of him, much like the web of a spider holds its prey. Gathering the last of his strength before death claimed him, the gnome blinked out.
Hours later, after finally regaining his senses, the gnome pondered his narrow escape. Places such as that were deadly even to magical creatures such as him. He must investigate these Realms with greater caution.
Shaking the last of his muddled thoughts out of his head, Leka wondered if he might find others of his kind by trying to concentrate on different forms of magic. If there were others like him, perhaps they could band together and explore this strange world. Hopefully he wasn’t the only magical creature here. With that plan in mind, the gnome settled down to start his search.
By the Numbers
“Have you enjoyed your solitude?”
Green Eyes floated before Jake; its one thousand reflections boring down on him, obliterating his own images. Jake howled with laughter before sending a bolt of lightning in the monster’s direction. The entity absorbed the discharge without comment.
“Release me!” Jake hurled another bolt at it. This time he thought it quivered slightly.
“I can see that one hundred years hasn’t changed your attitude. Eventually you will tire of this. Only then will you be of use to me.” It faded out, leaving Jake with his own reflections once again.
Has it been one hundred years? Jake had lost track of the years long ago, about the time that Leka quit visiting him. The ugly creature annoyed him but his visits had been a break in the dull routine, at least. Jake supposed that the gnome got tired of him trying to kill him each time he popped in and finally decided it wasn’t worth the effort.
Or maybe Leka was dead? It didn’t really matter…and good riddance if he was. Jake didn’t need anyone. He had himself to talk to and that was enough.
*****
Eons passed, or so it seemed to Jake. He no longer bothered to search the caves; nothing ever changed. His voice now sounded harsh and grating from the continuous shouting matches waged against his reflections. The rolling thunder that echoed through the crystal, caused by his temper, had rendered him mostly deaf. And still he waited.
One morning, as he awoke to begin another miserable day, he found those hated green eyes stationed before him.
“How…long?” His voice cracked and splintered as it resonated against the walls.
“You’ve been here for two hundred years.”
“Will you…let me…out now?” Jake bowed his head, acknowledging a force greater than he.
Satisfied by the capitulation, Green Eyes restored Jake to his former self in mind and body – mostly. The wizard would no doubt carry a bit of the madness inside of him forever but that was to be expected. It would make him more valuable to its plans in that state anyway.
Jake felt alive again. His benefactor had only to ask for something and he would see that it was carried out.
“What would you have me do?”
“You will move about the Realms for me, doing my bidding. But first, you have much to learn. Let us leave this place.”
Jake nodded, eager to start his new role. If he’d been able to see his reflection just then, he would have noted that his normally golden eyes glowed an unearthly shade of emerald green. He left his place of captivity, determined to never enter another cave again.
*****
The gnome called upon the melody which rode the air, seeking yet another magical creature to bring into his growing community. Leka had discovered the air sprites by accident, tucked away in this corner of the Seventh Realm, almost six months ago. Since then, they had worked to build a Kingdom of their own; one protected from outside interference. Numerous creatures had been steadily drawn to this region; elves, ogres, faeries and the like now had a safe place to dwell, away from the menace of the green eyes.
Leka paused in his summoning as a ripple of great power washed against the protective barrier. Its essence felt like Jake. The gnome hadn’t seen the wizard in four months but knew that much more time than that had passed for his adversary in the Crystal Caves.
“I believe that Green Eyes has a new soldier; the most powerful one yet.” The gnome wondered what the future would be like between Jake and himself.
An ogre named Finn walked over to Leka. “I felt it, too. Is it the wizard you spoke of?”
Leka looked up, and up some more, into the giant’s grinning face. All four of Finn’s teeth were exposed, giving him a fierce expression.
“Not to worry. Your powers are strong enough to protect yourself against him, as are mine. It’s some of the others who will need to stay inside the security of this Kingdom.”
“I’m not worried, although I have no wish to leave this place,” Finn replied. “When the world forgot me and I was banished to the Realms I feared that I would never see my kind again. The one day that I spent alone, out in the desert, felt like an eternity. Then you found me and brought me here, back with others like me. I will always be grateful for that.”
Leka patted the ogre’s kneecap, which was as high as he could reach. “We can be proud of our accomplishments. Soon, the Kingdom itself will be powerful enough to draw the magical creatures of lore to it, without my help. Then I must start traveling again. My goal will be to stop the depravations of Jake, inasmuch as I am able. He will surely gain more power over time.”
Finn nodded and picked up his guitar, teaching the air sprites a new lullaby. Their sweet music filled the air as they picked up his melody. He continued playing, his head bobbing in time to the music as his shaggy hair flew in all directions. A sudden peal of thunder shattered the melody, causing Finn to look at the sky in bewilderment. Leka braced himself for what would come next.
A mist formed near them and Jake stepped out of it, his handsome face wearing the wild grin of an unbalanced man.
“How touching…an ogre teaching the air how to play music.”
Finn let the snide remark pass, turning to face Jake. “And is your master pulling your strings even now, or are you here just for a visit?”
Thunder crashed all around them by way of response. Jake was furious about the term ‘master’…because it was true. He vowed right then that it wouldn’t always be so.
“Temper…” Finn admonished, showing his teeth.
In a sudden display of his quicksilver mood, Jake performed a mock bow towards the ogre, letting his own perfect teeth show.
“I have come to see how my old acquaintance has fared in these past two hundred years.”
Leka looked at Jake with pity for a brief moment. Two hundred years must have been torture for him. Although he deserved more for his past deeds, not to mention what his future crimes might entail.
“It has only been six months for me since we arrived in the Realms.”
Jake refused to believe that. “You never visited me, not once in two hundred years. Why?”
The gnome checked a sigh. He reminded himself that Jake’s mind was damaged. “I visited you every day for two of my months. You did not wish to speak to me. Instead you attempted to kill me each time I entered the caves.”
“If you say so.” Jake dissolved into mist, his cruel laughter riding the wind as he departed.
“I suppose that was his way of letting me know that he was back.” Leka looked off into the distance for a moment before going back to his summoning.
Jake was going to keep him very busy. Right now though, he had more important matters on his mind. He quickly found the mental touch of a leprechaun hiding in one of the other Kingdoms in the Fifteenth Realm. He prepared to go collect him.
“Watch over things while I’m gone, Finn.”
The ogre nodded solemnly, ready to do anything necessary to protect their Kingdom.
The gnome arrived just outside of the Kingdom of Tyrants, on the Fifteenth Realm, and stopped to get his bearings. He’d learned a lot about the different Kingdoms during the last six months of popping in and out. Some of the knowledge weighed heavy on his heart. The Kingdoms seemed like a good idea on the surface; each one had been tailored to fit certain groups of miscreants as punishment for their evil deeds in the world.
The system had some major flaws to it though, at least in Leka’s opinion. Green Eyes constructed the Kingdoms for his own sadistic pleasure, for one thing. Among other flaws were the innocent people who became trapped here; people spending eternity in punishment with no possibility for reform – even if the ‘crime’ was something nebulous; and magical creatures that became trapped in the human Kingdoms and forced into hiding.
The leprechaun was one such being. Leka found him cowering in a dark corner, trying to avoid the carnage going on around him as these people submitted to the brutality they used to subject others to. The gnome slid over to him, gently taking his hand. They left for the sanctuary of their own peaceful Kingdom, leaving the slaughter behind.
Once back home, the other magical creatures quickly welcomed the leprechaun into their midst. Soon he was singing and laughing along with the rest of them, relaxed in his new surroundings. At one point tears filled his eyes as he surveyed the different fairytale-like frescoes adorning the walls.
“I’m a wee bit closer to home,” he softly stated, looking at a painting of a green valley with a rainbow in the sky.
“That’s why the walls are painted this way, so that we don’t forget where we came from, even if they have forgotten us.” The faerie blew him a kiss. She was rewarded by his shy blush.
Finn started playing his guitar for the group. Soon, the inhabitants were twirling, hopping and dancing to the music. The air sprites added their melody to Finn’s playing and it became a sound of enchantment, enjoyed by all.
The gnome surveyed them with satisfaction. They were happy and safe, free to be themselves once again. The creatures of magic might have been forgotten by the outside world, discarded as useless relics, but in here they would live on forever. Only he carried the full weight of knowledge concerning how precarious the situation outside their doors really was. That was as it should be too. Leka would continue the fight to make sure that others, human and magical alike, might share in the rewards of a peaceful existence.
Finn broke into his reverie. “You seem worried.”
Leka acknowledged the statement with a small smile. “Determined would be a better word.”
“Can I help?”
“There may come a time when you will need to make some hard choices, my friend, but not today…and not soon. Thank you for the gifts that you share with us here now; your music and your healing touch. They are much appreciated…especially when a faerie gets a bent wing.”
Finn knew that Leka was teasing him but he blushed anyway. Just this afternoon he had sat down without looking, bending the much smaller faerie’s wing in the process – although he had quickly healed her.
While the ogre and the gnome stood inside talking, Jake paced in the hard-packed dirt outside their gate, listening to the wretched lullaby singing in the night air. He was both drawn to and repulsed by the sounds of camaraderie that spilled forth from the open door. The warmth and light of the scene playing out before him triggered memories of a time before…before what, he wondered? There seemed to be a time in his distant past that held hope for him such as he heard now from those despicable creatures.
No matter, he finally decided. The memories must not be important if he couldn’t recall them. He heard the summons of the being that he was now a part of, recalling him to some task that he hadn’t completed yet. Still Jake lingered for a few seconds longer before leaving the area. The melody fractured for a moment as he faded out, as if his passage caused a disturbance in the air itself, and then resumed.
I’ve got the Feeling
The run-ins between Jake and Leka became more contentious as time passed. Each sought to reach a particular group called The Travelers. These individuals weren’t immediately processed into a Kingdom. Instead they were allowed to journey through the Realms until they found a Kingdom that suited them…or were ensnared by one if they remained inside for more than a few days.
The problems faced by the travelers were a total lack of awareness about where they were or even why they were here. Jake attempted to control them by any means necessary, often sinking them farther down into the Realms through treachery for his own sport. He looked at the gnome’s presence as meddlesome interference in his territory and used seductive persuasion to lure the person away from the vital information.
Leka tried to explain their present circumstances to them so that they could make more informed choices, thereby avoiding costly mistakes. He didn’t succeed very often though. The people usually became combative and abusive toward him. Still, once in a while someone listened. That was enough for him to continue thwarting Jake.
*****
“I have a new task for you.” The eyes floated through the processing room where a number of people would soon be sorted.
“What would you have me do?” Jake looked expectantly at the eyes. It normally didn’t summon him into its presence anymore since the link was so strong now.
“You will be in charge of selecting my chosen ones from now on. The Red Rabbit convergence is once again aligned in the world and my need is great. Choose as many as you think appropriate, in body if they are well or consciousness if not.”
Jake looked forward to this new task and pursued it with a ruthless aggression. His mist floated along each person’s stream of consciousness, sampling thoughts and deeds as he targeted people for entry into the Realms.
The world had changed so much in the millennia since he’d last seen it. Jake looked around in fascination during the short time that he was allowed there. He traveled to the place of his human existence. The dramatic changes startled him. His small village had grown into a bustling city, full of commerce.
Having completed his task, Jake returned to the Realms in a thoughtful mood. Green Eyes only visited every seven hundred years, during the convergence. Was it possible to enter the world at other times? Maybe the star alignment was just some code that the entity followed. Jake hadn’t been able to determine its reasons for a lot of things.
Now that Jake knew the way back to the world he tested his theory a few weeks later. One trip every seven hundred years was not enough to satisfy his curiosity about the things he’d seen. It worked and Jake spent a few days looking around in wonderment.
Green Eyes expressed his displeasure over the unplanned trip by sending spears of pain lancing through Jake’s body upon his return.
“You will not go into the world again unless I send you. I can easily destroy you for disobedience. Remember that.”
“I understand.” The fire still burned in Jake’s head.
“Very well. I have a task for you. I have chosen another to add to my elite forces; a powerful mage not unlike yourself. When I am ready to release her from the Crystal Caves you will train her.”
The eyes faded out, leaving Jake in a jealous rage. Another like him? He was the best; the favored one. Jake had the feeling that the green-eyed monster was looking to replace him. That wasn’t going to happen. He’d see to that.
In the meantime though, Jake decided to add a bit of insurance to his position. He began working on a way to block his essence from the eyes’ awareness without it noticing. Jake still planned more excursions back into the world without the entity knowing. Nothing would stop him.
When Danae won her release from the caves after only a few short months, Jake’s ire increased. The monster had kept him in that mind-altering isolation for two hundred years.
“You must bend easily, to have capitulated in such a short span of time,” Jake sneered.
Her eyes flashed with an emerald light, but otherwise she remained composed.
“It told me that you would be jealous. However, I didn’t bend or capitulate. I was smart enough to see the value in joining it, unlike some. Are you ready to begin or do you want to waste time socializing?” She smirked as a peal of thunder broke nearby.
Jake couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. They were discussing him behind his back? What else were they planning that he didn’t know about? He struggled to reign in his temper. The less she knew about him the better. He showed her a smile and bowed, mocking her.
“Follow me.” He created a mist and they both stepped through.
Jake had to admit that she had an abundance of power and wielded it well. After spending months training her however, he’d come to loathe the sight of her. Danae was a vision of beauty but she grasped every opportunity to belittle him; injecting poison in his mind with venomous words until he lost his temper. In the meantime, that ugly gnome ran around the Realms unchecked, helping people with his kind words while Jake babysat the Queen of the Vipers.
“Aren’t we done yet?” Jake hadn’t received any indication from Green Eyes as to how long he would have to continue playing nursemaid.
“The entity left that decision up to me.” She knew that Jake would find that answer unacceptable. Her smile widened as his eyes flashed in frustration. He really was so predictable.
“I’ve already shown you everything that you need to know.” But certainly not everything that I know, he thought.
“I hardly think so, but I get the feeling that any further time spent here with you would be filled with misinformation on your part. No matter, you won’t be seeing much of me. Our master has other plans for me; plans that are of the utmost importance to it.”
She faded until only her eyes were left; eyes that looked so much like the entity that Jake stood in stunned silence. Could she be so in tune with it that she knew the mind of Green Eyes better than he did? It didn’t matter, Jake thought as he dissolved into mist. He had his own plans to carry out.
*****
The gnome hadn’t seen Jake in months, but he’d felt the new power in the Realms. Whoever it belonged to, it didn’t bode well for the people trapped here. While not as powerful as Jake it had a sharp edge of cruelty in its essence, combined with a subtle persuasiveness. Whereas Jake might bludgeon someone with his power, this new one would slice them in two…much as a sword would.
Jake showed up just as Leka had almost succeeded in detouring a young traveler away from the Kingdom they now stood in front of. It hadn’t been easy to persuade the young man to ignore the siren call of the beautiful women standing just inside the gate but he had listened to the gnome’s advice in the past.
“Come, I’ll introduce you to the ladies in there.” Jake put his arm around the young man’s shoulder and steered him toward the entrance to the Kingdom.
The gnome waited in silence for Jake to reappear, knowing that he would do so. Minutes later Jake stood before him again, eyes gleaming in the dusky light.
“Why would you lead him into the Shadow Kingdom? He didn’t belong there among the denizens of the night who killed in the world.” Leka couldn’t fathom Jake’s cruelty.
Jake laughed. “Why not? He wanted to go.”
“But they all turn into vampires in there. He will die a horrible death at their hands, over and over again, and never be able to leave.”
Jake snarled at the gnome. “Stay out of it. You have no business here, or anywhere else. He was obviously sent to the Realms for punishment over something. I just made sure that he would receive it.” Then he smiled.
“Besides, I could have sent him to far worse places than this; places where he would beg for death and never find it.”
As Jake left, his cruel laugh rode the wind. Leka sighed. Even if it took him forever, he would find a way to stop Jake. Right now though, he needed to get away from this dreadful place and back to the sanctity of his home, where warmth and light were shared among friends. He popped out.
Finn played the guitar for them all that evening, accompanied by the air sprites. Leka fought to put today’s failure behind him as he listened to the music, but without much success. Ana came over to talk to him, sensing his distress.
“You need to talk to us more about your troubles outside of these walls and find relief in the sharing. You already know that I’m a good listener.” She pointed at her large elven ears to press her case.
Leka smiled at her. “I don’t wish to burden others with that which they cannot change.”
“Nonsense. We feel the pain happening out there. You don’t need to shield us, but you do need to let us help. We are family. That’s why we have banded together, to help one another. Now talk.”
As the gnome explained how the day had progressed, the others drifted over to listen and ask questions. Leka was surprised. He had always thought that the burden of knowing would cause more heartache, but the opposite seemed to be true. They all wanted to know what happened out in that place where it wasn’t safe for them to venture into. Sharing his story with them brought peace of mind to all of them, including him.
“I won’t try to shield you anymore. From now on, you will all know everything that I know. It is the only way to stand strong against the forces out there. I see that now. I thank each of you for being a part of my family.” The gnome looked at all of them as he spoke.
“Well said,” Finn replied. “We are strongest when we stand together.”
The air erupted into a joyous chorus, signaling its approval. Leka felt renewed; ready to continue the fight. In the dark days to come their combined strength would see them through. He left thoughts of Jake behind and enjoyed the night.
*****
Persistence paid off. Jake stood before the floating eyes in triumph, completely masked from its awareness. It has no idea that I’m here right next to it. He was now free to move about the Realms, even into the world, and Green Eyes wouldn’t be able to track his movements. Jake left his hated master’s presence, full of plans.
His first of many trips took him out of the Realms and back into the world. Jake watched the helpless people sharing their lives together and despised them for their weaknesses. And yet, on some level they fascinated him. They had something that had been taken away from him; the chance to dictate the course of their own lives.
Angry at the thought, Jake turned away and re-entered the Realms. The silence of the night mocked him as he stood next to a large pond.
“Hey! Watch where you’re stepping, you overgrown toadstool.”
Muffled snickering reached Jake’s ears as the natural inhabitants of the pond banded together to hurl insults at him. His temper grew, sending peals of thunder rolling through the sky. He tried blasting the creatures out of their watery hiding place, to no effect.
“It doesn’t work that way, Oh Evil One. We were here first.”
A frog had the audacity to jump up and land on his shoulder. Jake tried to strike the impudent creature but it was too quick for him, leaping out of the way.
“You aren’t my type anyway, Nefarious Being.”
Jake left in a temper, lightning striking the ground where he’d been standing moments before.
“What a hothead. I hope he doesn’t come back.” The frog hopped in the pond, just in case anyone else decided to go for a stroll in the dark.
All the World’s a Stage
Boredom set in for Jake during his time spent in the Realms. It wasn’t easy to live forever. He started constructing traps for unwary travelers to stumble across as they wandered aimlessly about, drawing his ideas from things that he’d seen out in the world as it continued to evolve and change.
Turning the innocent toys of children into harbingers of evil intent were among his favorite creations. He also added books, puzzles and mazes throughout the Realms, designed to harass, intimidate – or even maim – the unsuspecting person if they got too close to the object. Humans had a natural curiosity so enticing them into a closer inspection was easy enough to do.
But still Jake continued to be drawn out into the world. He watched the people go about their daily lives; both hating them for it and longing to join them.
*****
I once considered that wizard to be a prince among my soldiers; the apex of my creations. The emerald green eyes floated through the night air, searching for its ‘lost prince’ as it considered what to do.
Jake had learned how to conceal his whereabouts of late, something that the entity had not thought possible. The man had too much power now but he was still the best servant that it had. Perhaps a distraction was in order; something to take Jake’s mind off of any plotting. The convergence was nearly upon them once again. The eyes would enter the world at that time and find the one who could provide that diversion.
The entity discovered Jake at last, standing in front of the Kingdom that the magical creatures had created for themselves.
“I have been searching for you.”
Startled, Jake turned around. Green Eyes floated before him, looking displeased.
“Forgive me, I was lost in thought.” In truth, Jake hadn’t been aware of the entity’s approach. That disturbed him. The masking must work both ways; neither could sense the other. That could prove deadly for him, if he wasn’t very careful.
“The stars align themselves once more. It is time for you to go out into the world again and collect the people whose pain will bring me the greatest pleasure. This time you will take Danae with you.”
The eyes faded away before Jake had a chance to protest. Why was he stuck escorting that wretched woman? Let one of the others do it. Of course, Jake knew himself to be the best at this task. Maybe that was why he was forced into this unpleasant position. He hadn’t seen her in many years. Perhaps she had changed.
She hadn’t. The first words out of her mouth were insulting.
“I was hoping that the gnome might have killed you by now. Maybe I should give him a few pointers.”
Her eyes glowed in the darkness and her smile was feral. Jake refused to take the bait. Nothing would spoil this night for him, not even her.
“After you.” He gave her a mocking bow, knowing full well that she had to wait for him to show her how. Her eyes flashed as the comment hit home.
“You know that I haven’t been there yet, so get on with it and show me how.” Danae spat the words at him, her jaw set in determination.
“Oh yes, I forgot. How inconsiderate of me. You’re still in training mode.”
“You are a pompous, arrogant piece of…never mind.” Danae brought herself under control. “I keep forgetting that I should make allowances for someone as pathetic as you. After all, you couldn’t even figure out how to keep your wife satisfied.”
Thunder crashed all around them, reverberating throughout the Realms, at the mention of Jake’s wife. How did she know about Elissa?
“Let’s go,” Jake said through clenched teeth. Danae had just changed her status from ‘annoying irritant’ to ‘dangerous adversary’. She moved to the top of his list of people to eliminate from his domain.
He left, not caring in the least if she could follow or not. Unfortunately, Danae showed up right beside him after only a moment’s delay. Jake ignored her and went hunting.
After identifying a few people, marking them for later collection, Jake noticed Danae’s absence. He hadn’t seen her leave, but apparently she’d gone off on her own. His mood brightened considerably with that discovery and he enjoyed the rest of his night.
Green Eyes roamed this night also, seeking the one who could occupy the wizard. It knew him better than Jake knew himself. The entity found what it was looking for in the last room down a long hallway.
It sighed in satisfaction. The quest was finished. She was the right choice. The girl would have been one of its candidates anyway in a few years, but not quite yet. No matter, she could come early. It left her then and returned home, back to the Realms.
*****
“Did you hear the thunder last night?” Finn walked over to the table where the gnome sat, engaged in a heated debate with several of the faeries.
Leka chuckled. “Yes, Jake must have been quite angry to cause that kind of display.”
“I wonder what set him off.”
The gnome sighed so hard that he blew one of the faeries off of the table.
“Oh, sorry…last night was the convergence of the Red Rabbit. No doubt it had something to do with that. Soon there will be many more people populating the Realms.”
In fact, Leka needed to leave soon to see if he could speak to any of the travelers and help them with their choices.
“Would you keep an eye on things while I’m gone, Finn? I won’t be around much for a while.”
“I will do better than that,” Finn promised solemnly. “I will keep both eyes on things.”
The gnome laughed out loud, sending faeries scattering for cover.
“Thank you, my friend. You always know how to cheer me up.”
“I am here to serve, as always.” Finn bowed low, his shaggy hair sweeping the floor as he did so. The ogre was concerned for his friend, although he chose to hide that fact. The battles that Leka fought out there, trying to stem Jake’s sadistic tendencies, were taking a toll on the gnome. It didn’t look like anything would change soon either.
The situation grew worse with each seven hundred year span that passed. The world was more populated, Green Eyes had more soldiers out collecting for him and the Realms were home to more innocents than ever…thanks to the uncaring attitude of grabbing anyone in the vicinity of the one chosen. Lately the innocents hadn’t even been allowed the right to travel. Many were processed to the same Kingdoms as the condemned. Finn wondered what Leka would find out there this time.
“I wish you luck and a safe journey.”
“Thank you. I will stop in from time to time. I will need to.” The gnome rose and popped out to begin his task.
Jake was waiting for him by the man-eating trees. “You needn’t concern yourself with this area, gnome. No one will come through here today. In fact, why don’t you just go on home and wait. I’ll let you know if anyone wishes to talk to you.” He flashed a huge grin in Leka’s direction before going back to his conversation with the disgusting tree.
The gnome watched the acid drool out of the mouth of the tree for a moment before leaving the area. Hopefully nobody would stumble into one of those as they were passing through. He tried the processing room next. No one was there, not even Green Eyes. That meant that the actual collections hadn’t started yet. He sat down on the bed to rest for awhile as he waited. The tiny room had become his second home lately, but it was the fastest way to find out if someone would be sent traveling.
He felt the eyes approaching and quickly hid under the bed, out of sight. A group of people appeared, along with a small child who obviously shouldn’t have been gathered in. They were all processed into one of the Kingdoms, including the little girl. Leka watched with a heavy heart. He wouldn’t be able to retrieve her from inside the Kingdom.
More people came through. All were assigned to different areas. None were being allowed to travel, apparently. He waited anyway, until no one was left, before he departed.
*****
“You will show Danae how to collect someone. Go to the one marked in this place.” The eyes had summoned Jake and Danae into its presence to deliver its message, giving them the person’s marker to go by.
“I am honored.”
Danae bowed to the entity, but Jake looked angry, saying nothing. That had always been his special task.