You’ll have times when people will like you and times when they won’t. It’s not always in your power to change the way another feels about you. What matters most is standing upright, squaring your shoulders, and doing the job you agreed to do.

“For the last time,” Chuck yelled, “she’s not IN Sanctuary!”

He was huffing and grunting in anger, his face flushed red. The wizard stepped forward, boney finger prepared to stab—but Dax pushed harder, keeping him out of swinging distance. The veins in Chucks forehead bulged between the snow white hair and bushy eyebrows like purple worms.

“This house and garden are not PART of the Iskari community!”

The wizard rolled up his sleeves and tried once again to jump at Gaidred, who stood, calm and unflinching, on the front doorstep of the cottage. The Elder kept his hands tucked in the wide sleeves of his tunic, which ticked off Chuck even more.

“This estate was placed in Sanctuary’s forest before your great, great, GREAT, great, great, grandfather was a twinkle in his daddy’s eye!” he bellowed. “It was built for the hero and his lineage after him and I am the steward! Furthermore, I will not have some child tell me who I can and cannot have as a house guest OR whom I can employ!”

Elder Altorin tried not to laugh, unsuccessfully, and finally tugged on Gaidred’s sleeve. “Oh leave him be, brother, the little girl isn’t going hurt anything, surely.”

Alhannah sat patiently on the couch, arms folded, ankles crossed, bottom lip jutting out from her face in frustration. When she noticed the Elder staring at her, she glared back, throwing in a snarl for good measure.

Gaidred shook his head and shot a wary glance at Alhannah. “I would not be so certain, Altorin. If you remember, his last gnome guest nearly caused an exodus of our people back to the surface of Elämä! It took us a week to find those dead sheep in the water ducts.”

Chuck’s bottom lip quivered in anger, the scowl on his face just daring the Elder to push his luck. Dax grunted under the strain of the old man’s efforts to kick some blueberry butt.

With a sigh, Gaidred finally backed out of the doorway.

“Then again, there’s only one Höbin Luckyfeller.” He bowed ever-so-slightly to the wizard, “I apologize, Morphiophelius. I will keep the peace.”

“Oh I’ll give you a piece…” Chuck grumbled, trying to kick as the Elder turned. Luckily, Dax deflected his leg and the wizard booted the door frame instead.

At the negative mention of her father, Alhannah hopped from the couch and opened her mouth to retort.

Dax growled at her so quickly, she bit her lip.

“Can we get a move on?” he pleaded, stepping aside and letting Chuck stumble out the front door. “The sun’s risin’ down below—so if ya wanna surprise ‘em, we gotta go!”

Wendell was already on the lawn, enjoying the morning light. A cool breeze rustled the leaves of the giant trees cuddling the grove. Bluejays picked at the peanut feeders hanging from low branches, while finches darted through the foliage, playing arial tag and chirping noisily at one another. The sun, the plants,…even the mowed lawn looked perfect. Wendell couldn’t figure out how…or when it had been done.

He frowned. Another planter lay smashed, littering the path near the front gate. Wendell stooped down, fiddling with the clay fragments. Decimated Easter Lilies were ground into the soil. Once again, tiny footprints covered the walkway. What the…?

He decided not to ask.

Life was feeling…better. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to Wendell this morning and that didn’t seem so bad. Not after last night, anyway. His outspoken attitude had dumbfounded the Iskari High Council…leaving them with little choice but to assist Wendell as best they could—or do without the gem and their replacement hero, altogether. Not the best solution, but it was one Wendell could live with.

He bounced on the balls of his feet, anxious.

I wonder what the planet looks like? Thoughts of imaginary creatures from fairy tales, flooded his mind. Giants, fairies, dragons, sprites, unicorns, centaurs, minotaurs? He slapped a hand over his own mouth. This is so exciting!…who knows what wonders await me down below?! Do the trees talk? Do the animals walk and talk with humans? Halflings…I would LOVE to meet some halflings! Ooooooooh!—maybe the land is under a spell of endless winter!! He rubbed his hands together eagerly. I’m gonna find out! The smiley on his T-shirt was grinning so wide, Dax stopped in his tracks.

“Right then,” the troll bellowed, glaring back, “Come on you lot!” Leading them all out to the side pasture, he motioned to the Elders. “Gaidred, ya wanna go over the plan before we hit the road?”

Wendell found it almost strange not to see the Council members in robes. Both Gaidred and Altorin were dressed in brown tunics with extra wide sleeves, trousers, and dark green cloaks with hoods. It made their blue skin almost look purple. Thick leather bands gripped their wrists, while both elders had pouches hanging from their wide belts and bags slung over their shoulders. What also seemed odd, were the weapons. Gaidred wore two short swords—one on each hip, while Altorin had a shield and mace strapped to his back. Both wore a long knife strapped to the front of their chests.

Except for the color of their skin and lack of hair, they reminded Wendell of the Gypsy’s from the Black Market.

“The Council has already sent Elder Lamier ahead of us, to the island of Äsä-Illäriu.” He looked to Wendell, “That is the homeland of the Evolu, the…”

“Elves,” finished Wendell.

“Correct. He will speak with the High Lords and lay the situation before King Robert III. We are offering our assistance in securing the Prime Gate and any other matters the King may feel are of importance.”

“What about going to Til-Thorin?” Wendell asked. The smiley face glared at each member of the group. Wendell was feeling particularly pleased with himself—feeling a determination to stay focused. He even felt a hunger to learn. Surprisingly, he even felt anxious about looking through the books Chuck had picked up from Perspicacious. He hoped the wizard thought to bring them along.

“That is the other matter Lamier will address. At your request, Lord Wendell, we have not revealed who you actually are. To the King, or anyone else. You will be acknowledged as a special ward of the Iskari High Council—the last member of a family line, seeking further records of your people. ”

“Which is dumber than a Tauku in a beauty contest,” grumbled Dax.

Altorin coughed…and quickly looked away, covering the smirk on his face.

Gaidred ignored them both. “The Iskari High Council has been given charge of wards over the ages, so this is not unheard of. It should satisfy any curiosity.”

Wendell frowned, “But I’m not from here…and there aren’t any records to be found. Can’t we just introduce me as a…” he paused, unsure of how to address this himself, “I don’t know—just a foreigner? I really don’t want to deceive people and what you’re suggesting is a lie. ”

“It’s not technically the truth,” Gaidred corrected him. “You are indeed a ward of the Council. You are indeed the last of your family…on this world, and, as an adopted host of Ithari, you are seeking more information which can assist you in your duties as hero. Thus, my answer is, technically, correct.”

Wendell’s frown deepened. “It’s crap.”

Gaidred smirked. “It’s perspective.”

“It’s time to GO!” bellowed Dax.

Grabbing a stick from the ground the troll walked around the party, scraping a circle in the dirt. “I don’t see the smarts in keepin’ who ya are a secret. ‘Specially not to people who can help us! But I ain’t in charge, so what’s my opinion matter anyway—even though my own skin’s on the line…?”

Wendell crossed his arms, irritated. “Until I learn how to do more than survive getting beaten up in bars…or pubs, or—whatever that place was, I don’t want anyone developing false expectations. This is going to be hard enough without others looking over my shoulder, pushing and prodding and judging me. That’s not right.”

“No,” agreed Dax, tossing the stick away and spitting on the ground, “It’s called life, kid. Get used to it, cause ya ain’t gonna be able to avoid what it throws at ya. You can’t ask for time outs, replays, or hide from it, so ya should be making friends where ya can.”

“Why,” scoffed Wendell, glaring at his green guardian, “should I add to the caliber of friends I already have? With so much love and support, why would I ever need MORE?”

Dax flinched and bit his bottom lip.

Gaidred watched the exchange with dismay. “Let us stick to the plan. After that, we can make our way to Til-Thorin as the hero requires. Questions?”

No one spoke.

“Right then,” said Dax soberly, but he avoided looking at Wendell. “Everyone gather ‘round me. I never transported this many people before, so it should be…interesting.” He reached out and squeezed Alhannah’s hand, giving her a weak smile.

Alhannah gulped. Even the Elders looked between them uncomfortably. Wendell was still fuming.

“You’ll do fine, monkey,” said Chuck, thumping his walking staff upon the ground. “Try and get us as close to Tämä-Un as you can—but not the valley. Better to hike in, than finding an unwelcome surprise party waiting for us, eh?”

“Agreed,” said Gaidred, supportively.

Chuck glared at him.

The Elder rolled his eyes and sighed.

One by one, the party gathered around Dax, staying within the circle he’d scraped into the soil.

“Here goes everything,” whispered Dax. Then, with a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Raising his arms out to his sides. Several long moments passed. Wendell was about to say something when Dax released the air in a steady exhale and clapped his hands together.

There was a deafening BAMPH!

Wendell didn’t have time to prepare. Just a flash—the blink of an eye…and everything changed. The ground, instantly uneven under his feet, threw Wendell off balance. He hit the ground, legs folding under him, falling forward against his will. He rolled downhill, trying desperately to control himself without luck. Throwing his arms outward, he stopped the spin and slid across the damp ground cover instead. With a last jolt, he smacked against the trunk of a tree. The impact jarred his back and ribs.

Sipping air, Wendell grunted and forced himself up onto one elbow.

A thick fog crept along the ground and enshrouded the forest. Thick grass and wildflowers, brambles, weeds, and the colorful leaves of autumn lay upon the ground around them. The few trees visible looked like thin, gnarled fingers in agony, desperately reaching for sunlight. The moist underbrush clung to Wendell’s clothes and arms.

He shuddered. The forest looked like blurry, epileptic strokes of a brush over a white canvas. Wendell quickly got to his feet. The layered ground cover of leaves and needles crunching as they moved.

Everyone but Alhannah had fallen upon impact…even Dax. The troll was laying up against two large boulders. He was face down, unmoving.

“Chuck!” Wendell yelled and dashed to Dax’s side.

The wizard knelt and pulled a small pouch from his sleeve, Altorin kneeling opposite to him. Chuck rolled the small body over. Blood and leaves covered his lower face and chin. His eyelids fluttered repeatedly—fingers twitching. Snatching the hat from his head, Chuck put his ear to Dax’s chest.

He sighed in relief. “Steady heartbeat.”

“Just…tired, not dead,” the troll whispered. Moaning, he rolled to his side and spit the dirt from his mouth. “Feels like my head’s been used as a war drum.”

Alhannah knelt down and lightly poked him in the shoulder. “Well get up old man—no excuses, we have some giants to hunt.”

Dax smiled weakly and tried to stand. His arms flailed about as his legs rebelled and buckled under him. Before the wizard could steady him, the troll flopped backwards and into a nearby bush.

“Fairy Farts,” he cursed, but he didn’t attempt to get up.

Even Wendell was concerned. “You ok?”

Chuck and the gnome pushed past him.

“Is…he ok?” he asked again.

“I’m…alright,” Dax grumbled, trying to sit up unsuccessfully. He slapped the wizards hands away and spat the leaves from his mouth. “I do this for a living, remember?”

“What,” teased Alhannah, “sitting on your backside and complaining?”

“Huh?”

“Look around,” she smirked, “—you did it! New record, uncle Dax. Six people!”

He grinned triumphantly as he pulled himself up out of the bush with a “Hmph!” The expression immediately changed. Fresh blood, red as a pomegranate, streamed out his nose, down his chin and neck. Dax’s oversized head suddenly flopped backwards, eyes rolling back into his skull.

“Dax!” screeched Alhannah, and she jumped forward to grab his arm.

Chuck was already in position and caught the troll by the shoulders. He laid Dax carefully upon the ground.

“The strain was too much. He’ll need a little time to rest before we can move him.”

“We can use the time to scout the area and get our bearings,” answered Gaidred. “Lord Wendell and Alhannah, would you mind accompanying Altorin and myself?”

Wow, I’m actually being asked? “Sure,” Wendell answered.

“Fine by me,” answered the gnome, but her attention lingered on Dax.

“He’ll be just fine, dear one,” prodded the wizard. He smiled brightly at her. “He just needs a breather, that’s all.” With a shoo motion of his hand, he added, “I promise.”

Alhannah looked at Dax, unsure, but nodded.

“If you would accompany Altorin,” said Gaidred, “I will take Wendell with me.”

The gnome gave him a rueful grin. “Wish I could, your counsel-ness, but no. Ain’t gonna happen. I work for Chuck. The kid’s my responsibility until I get fired or killed—so, I go where he goes. No exceptions.”

Wendell smirked, the smiley openly laughing in silence. I’m starting to like this girl. Uh…gnome. Wendell tried not to show his amusement, but it had to be frustrating, having two people in less than twenty four hours, refuse to obey a request of the Iskari High Council. Wendell was surprised when the Elder bowed gracefully.

“As you wish,” he said matter-of-fact, “Let’s secure the perimeter and pinpoint where we are while we wait for Dax to recover.” Gaidred looked at Wendell, “My Lord, if you and the Lady Alhannah would come with me.”

Alhannah elbowed Wendell’s leg, “Lady…I like that.”

****

The land didn’t look much different than what Wendell had seen on Earth. In fact, except for the occasionally odd-looking plant, he could almost mistake the area for the back woods of Idaho or Oregon. There was a huge variety of tree life, most of which was covered in a thick green moss. Many of the trees looked like pine, oak, white fur and douglas fir. He found himself pulling leaves, needles and snapping small branches from specimens as they walked, examining them.

“What are you doing?” asked the gnome.

“Just…learning. These look like the kind of trees I have back home.”

Alhannah looked at him as if he were crazy. “Whatever toots your horn.”

It wasn’t what Wendell was expecting—the planet of Elämä was just like Earth. He found himself utterly disappointed. He’d seen giants, strange animals, magic, a dragon and even associated with blue-skinned people—but…

Alhannah tossed a rock into the nearby bushes. Small birds that looked a great deal like bright orange Quail darted across their path.  “Do you know where you’re going, Iskari?”

Gaidred didn’t look back. “I do…and my name, Lady Alhannah, is Elder Gaidred.”

The gnome stuck her tongue out. “Ok, Gaidy…where are you going?”

The Elder shook his head, “Up.”

Higher and higher they climbed, weaving between the trees and climbing over rock. The heavy fog and overcast sky made it nearly impossible to see more than a few yards ahead of them, which made Wendell nervous. He kept looking back over his shoulder.

“Why do we have to climb so high?” he finally asked.

Gaidred didn’t answer. The gnome sighed, “He probably wants to get an arial view of the land,” she clarified. “Find land marks, you know, to show us where we are.” Speaking louder, “I’m assuming here, Elder, that you can identify land marks?”

Gaidred didn’t stop or look back. “We will know soon enough.”

Within the hour they had reached the top of the mountain and they all sat down to rest. The fog stretched out over the mountains like the soft foam of the sea, snuggling into the valley and crevices of the landscape. The sky was grey, painted with thin streaks of blue—the light of the sun hidden behind the thick layers of cotton overhead. The trees were thinner at the top of the mountain, affording them a panoramic view.

Without a word, Gaidred knelt down and sifted through the grass and weeds. He lifted a small stone, roughly the size of his thumbnail and rubbed it against his tunic.

Wendell looked to Alhannah, but she shrugged her shoulders.

Whispering something into his palm, Gaidred tossed the stone into the air.

Wendell was shocked to watch it slow and stop in midair.

The Elder stood up, adjusted his tunic and brushed his hands together, rubbing the soil from his fingers and palms. Slowly turning around in place, the stone moved with him—floating in alignment with Gaidred’s forehead.

Then it stopped.

Gaidred continued to move, but it seemed the rock was stuck.

Opening his hand, the rock fell into his palm.

“Take a seat, my friends,” he said quietly, “this will take a little time.”

“What are you doing?” Wendell asked.

Gaidred settled himself upon the ground once more and rested his arms upon his knees. Closing his eyes, he said, “Looking for land marks.”

Wendell looked back at the gnome.

“Why do you keep looking at me?” she snapped, “I don’t know any more about his apparently weird habits than you do!” Peering into the fog, “Come on—lets see if we can find something to eat while we’re waiting for Mr. Mysterious.”

****

“I’m not eating those.” Wendell turned his face into his arm as the gnome kicked open the log. The rotten, pungent smell made the putrid green and yellow grubs look even more intimidating as they wiggled, trying to work their way back into the dark recesses of the wood.

“Why not?” Alhannah countered, “We can’t make a fire—we’d give ourselves away, so, if you’re hungry—just try it.”

Wendell gagged. “Mmmph! …no thanks. not that hungry.”

“Suit yourself,” and she popped the grub into her mouth, biting down hard. There was a pop…and a clump of milky-white puss, ran down the gnomes chin. Wendell turned his head away and shuddered to his toes.

Alhannah smiled—which made the liquid ooz out from the side of her mouth. “I’ll tell you one thing,” she chomped away eagerly, “…it doesn’t taste anything like chicken, that’s for sure.”

Wendell was about to reply, when the hair on his neck stood on end. He froze in place—allowing only his eyes to scan his surroundings.

Alhannah wiped the goo from her mouth with her glove. “What’s the matter?”

“The fog.”

“What?”

“Look around…the fog. It’s disappearing!”

The gnome laughed, “It does that, you know. It gets warmer and then it goes away—it’s called NAture.” She emphasized the last word mockingly.

Wendell shook his head, “Like this?”

Sure enough, the mist in the air wasn’t dissipating…it was sinking. Sinking into the ground…or was the ground rising? Wendell couldn’t tell—but they sprinted back to Gaidred.

The Elder was looking out over the mountains, arms hidden in the wide sleeves of his tunic. The fog had lowered into the crevices of the valley below, revealing the mountain tops for miles around.

“What happened?” Wendell asked curiously.

Gaidred turned from his thoughts, his brows arched. “Pardon me?”

“The fog,…it just, well, I don’t know,” Wendell tried to explain, “…sank away?”

“NAture,” Alhannah said again, mockingly.

Gaidred grinned, “I simply asked the elements if they would allow me the opportunity to get a better look around.”

Wendell’s mouth opened in a dull expression, “Huh?”

The Elder looked past the hero and down at the gnome. “Amazing things are possible when you use MAnners.”

She smirked, “Heh. Point for blueberry.”

“Tama-Un is there,” he pointed to the next ridge over.

“How can you even tell,” Wendell asked, “All the mountains look the same.”

“Not so,” said Gaidred, “Do you see the small, pointed rock formations? On the highest point of that peak?”

Wendell squinted. “Yeah.”

“That is tietä, or a path to all doors. A discreet marker for those who know where to look—marking the valley of Tämä-Un. And that,” the Elder said with a satisfied grin, “is where we travel to next.”

By the time they returned to the camp, Dax was already up and walking around. He waved off any questions about how he felt.

“Let’s get a move on,” was all he’d say.

Altorin had discovered tracks leading away from the valley.

“Wide and newly worn. If it was from the enemy, they’re not trying to hide their presence.”

“Good,” spat Dax, “Then they’ll be easier to round up and slaughter when Bob get’s back.”

“They also split off,” added Altorin, “in several directions. The most worn tracks could lead to Til-Thorin, but several others definitely lead south. To the Southern Shores, maybe?”

“What the flip would those monsters want to come to our land for, only to march to the beach? They ain’t likely ta be here ta make a summer home.”

Wendell found Dax’s aggression curious. Does he really hate them for what they do…or maybe for how much he looks like them? For the first time, his curiosity nearly overwhelmed him. Why would the High Council choose an aggressive troll to be my guardian, when he so openly detests my very presence? Why not leave me in the care of the wizard?

“Did anyone bring clippers?” hollered Chuck.

He sat on a rock with his bare foot pulled up near his face. “Blasted ingrown toenail!” he cried aloud, then, seeing no one was paying any attention to him, he leaned forward and bit at his toe. “OWW!” he screamed, and fell backwards off the rock into the brush with a thud.

Wendell stared as the wizard struggled to get to his feet, floundering around with his pointy hat over his face.

“Right,” he muttered to himself, resolute, “Troll it is.”