《Wanderers》


 Chapter 1 - Flames

    Fire and smoke. Yelling.


    Rab crouched down in the dark shadow of a tree. For some reason it was nearly totally dark in that one spot. He was almost invisible there. Nobody was going to see him unless they really looked hard.


    With a loud crackle the big house caught on fire. The flames whooshed up the roof, and lit up the village like it was daytime.


    What a terrible thing to see, Rab thought.


    His village, burning.


    Everyone he''d ever known was gone.


    Or would be, soon. He didn''t want to think about that.


    There was a scream. It sounded like a woman. Then it was quiet again, except for the sound of the fires.


    The monsters that had come tonight had been different from anything he¡¯d ever heard about.


    Most nights, Ashmen or Bonewalkers would appear after dark. The sounds of the skeletons clacking and stumbling through the woods was something he¡¯d grown up with, but always one by one, on their lonely staggering path through the night.


    Ashmen would begin as whirls of dust in the red light of sunset, finally gathering together into dark, man-shaped forms that slipped silently through the village, moaning and searching for someone to take away with them.


    But as long as everyone was inside with the doors shut, they were safe.


    Not tonight.


    After the sun went down, the Ashmen came like a river. More than anyone had ever seen. There must have been ten of them for every villager that hid in the houses. Bonewalkers came after them, sometimes armed with axes and swords and bows, but often carrying only sticks or rocks or rotten pieces of junk.


    They swarmed through the village.


    Then the fires had started.


    It would have made sense if a fire started at the blacksmith''s. Fire was always a danger there. Elm the blacksmith kept a bucket of water around just in case.


    But the fires had popped up across the village, one after another. Like someone was starting them.


    The Ashmen hadn''t been able to get through the doors ¨C every villager knew how to keep those locked - but once the fires started people didn''t have a choice. They had to run.


    Everyone ran out into the night, but there was nowhere to go. Everywhere was crowded with the mobs. The lanes between the houses were a chaos of terrified villagers and Ashmen and Bonewalkers in a chaos of running and yelling.


    Rab hid himself, and watched the monsters walk past him. He was sure they were going to reach down and grab him, but not one of them even looked in his direction.


    He couldn''t see what was starting the fires, but soon every house was burning.


    All he could do was hide. He wished he could do something, but the flames roared up into the night, and the mobs washed back and forth across the village, looking for anyone they could find.


    What could one lone villager do?


    After a long time, less Ashmen were swarming through the village. There were just a few, here and there, shuffling along the empty paths. Bonewalkers clacked away into the night, seeming to lose interest in the destruction. There was nothing left of the houses except the rock walls. There was no sound except Ashmen softly moaning.


    Rab didn''t move.


    They were leaving. He was sure of it.


    After the fires went out it was a long, dark night.


    At first, when the sky began to glow red, Rab thought it was fire again. But then he saw that the sun was starting to come up.


    The village was quiet.


    Of course none of them could survive in the daylight. The Ashmen would melt away in the sunlight like mist, and the Bonewalkers would have gone deep into the forest, dropping random pieces of bone along the way until they collapsed again into a pile. It would be safe to come out then.


    But was he alone?


    What else might still be out there in the empty, ruined village?


    He was afraid to see.


    There was no sound, except for a cow mooing out in the fields. The mobs never attacked the animals, only the villagers.


    When the sun was all the way up and shining through the morning mist, Rab knew that he wasn''t hidden anymore. Anyone walking past would see him right away. So he stood up.


    The air smelled like smoke, and he was afraid to move. He didn''t know what to do. There was nowhere to go, anyway.


    He stepped out onto the path, and his feet crunched on the gravel.


    Almost as soon as he did it, there was a loud crash from somewhere, and he heard the noise of running feet.


    Getting louder.


    Whoever it was, they were headed straight towards him.


    There was nowhere to run. All of the houses were gone - there were only blocks of stone and wood scattered all over now.


    Rab jumped behind some stones and waited.


    The sound of running feet stopped.


    His heart was pounding. What was he supposed to do? Hiding was the only thing he knew how to do and there was nowhere to hide.


    What was left?


    "Hello?" a voice called out.


    It was a girl''s voice.


    He knew it right away.


    It was Nem.


    He stood up.


    "Over here," he said.


    She looked at him and frowned.


    "Who else have you found?"


    He didn''t want to tell her he''d been hiding until just moments ago.


    "Nobody," he said. "You want to look together?"


    He knew Nem, but they''d never been real friends. She stayed around the adults a lot.


    "Alright," she said. "We can go that way."


    She pointed down the path. She had always been too bossy for her age and size.


    "We shouldn''t just go any old way," he said. "We should have a plan."


    "Okay, what''s your plan?" she said.


    But he noticed that her hands were scrunched up in her robe, and her fingers were white.


    This probably wasn''t the time to get into stupid arguments.


    "Actually never mind," he said. "We can go down the path first."


    She glared at him and started walking.


    "What do you think happened to Gru?" he said. The village¡¯s Defender had started fighting Ashmen right away, but Rab hadn''t seen him again after the fires started.


    "Gone," she said. "He was under a pile of them. I saw him flash and disappear."


    Defenders were made of metal. It was hard to imagine how much damage it would take to kill him. People... people weren''t as tough.


    "Where were you hiding?" he said.


    "Out by the west path. At the three trees. Where were you hiding?"


    He didn''t like the way she said hiding. Like he should have been doing something else.


    "Just over there. In the dark spot."


    She glanced at it and then yelled out "Hello!" again.


    Nobody answered.


    He followed her around the village twice, yelling for people to come out. It would be great if everyone suddenly stood up. If everyone had found great places to hide all night.


    But there was only the sound of wind. And the cow that wouldn''t shut up, out in the grass.


    "We can''t be the only ones," Nem said.


    "We should see what''s left that we can use," he said.


    She started walking down the path again.


    "Nem, wait," he said.


    She spun around.


    "We can''t be the only ones! We wouldn''t be if everyone had fought back! Everyone just ran and tried to hide!"


    Her face was red.


    Rab put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it away.


    "I hope we''re not the only ones," he said. "But either way we still need to decide what to do."


    "I guess so."


    "Let''s just start simple. We need food, right?"


    She nodded.


    "Okay, fine. Let''s look for food."


    Going through the houses one by one they found a few scraps of food - potatoes, carrots, bread. They divided it up between them.


    They found loose torches too - they must have been knocked off of the buildings. Rab grabbed those and stuck them in his robe.


    Light was going to be really important if they didn''t have anywhere to go at night. Light was the only thing that kept mobs away ¨C not just magical mobs like Ashmen and Bonewalkers, but dangerous animals too. Prowlers and Night Eagles would shy away from a well-lit village. Even spiders wouldn¡¯t usually come into open light. But all the same he didn¡¯t like the thought of seeing how well that would work when they were stuck outside.


    The gardens were empty and scorched. There was nothing worth taking.


    When they came to the last house, Nem gasped and pointed into a corner.


    Rab didn''t want to see for a second, in case it was something terrible. But he made himself look. Nem needed him to be the grownup, even if he really wasn''t one.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    There was a sword in the corner, laying there where anyone could pick it up.


    It glittered in the sunlight. Electrum. Since Rab was training to be a Smith he recognized it right away.


    "Who had an Electrum sword?" Rab said.


    "I bet it was hidden in a chest," Nem said.


    It must have been Pen the Cleric. Rab couldn''t see anyone else having something like this sitting around. It definitely hadn¡¯t been in the smithy. He knew every inch of Elm¡¯s workshop.


    They both walked over and stared at it.


    "You should take it," Nem said.


    Something seemed terrible about picking it up. Like he was agreeing to something that frightened him.


    "I don''t know how to use a sword," he said.


    It was heavier than he expected.


    He tried to swing it, but he could barely even hold the thing. It wobbled in his hands like it was out of balance. After a moment it fell right out of them and clanged down onto the floor.


    Nem stared at him.


    "You have to practice," she said.


    Rab had a feeling that wouldn''t do any good at all. But he wasn''t going to say it out loud.


    "I will," he said. "Later."


    He heaved it up again and shoved it into his inventory.


    He really, really hoped he wouldn''t need to try to use it for real.


    When they stepped outside, they were done. They had picked up everything they could find through the whole village.


    It wasn''t much. They would be out of food in a couple of days at most.


    Nem looked up at him.


    "I know we''re the only ones left," she said.


    He nodded. What was there to say?


    "What do we do now?" Nem said.


    Rab didn''t have any idea of what to do. He wanted to ask someone the same question. But there was nobody to ask.


    So that meant he had to be the one to decide.


    Nem was looking at him like she expected a good answer.


    Great, he thought. Just great.


    "I guess..." he said. "I guess we see if we can find somewhere new."


    Orb the Librarian had told them stories about other villages. The library books talked about village life like it happened in all sorts of different places.


    But Rab had no idea how far away another village might be, or in what direction.


    "How do we find another village?" Nem said.


    Well that''s the problem, isn''t it? Rab thought.


    He didn''t want to make Nem worried though. So he smiled and pointed. One direction was as good as another, as far as he could see.


    "I think we should go that way," he said.


    She looked over towards the hills and nodded.


    "Okay," she said. She looked a little more confident. "I hope we can find the new place before it gets dark."


    Me too, Rab thought. Me too.


    He really didn''t know what they were going to o when it got dark.


    But there was still one more problem, and he didn''t even know if they could do anything about it.


    Nem followed him like she thought he already had it figured out.


    If this part doesn''t work, we''re not going anywhere.


    They both stopped at the end of the path.


    As far as they knew, nobody from the village had ever gone farther than this.


    Every kid had tried it. It was kind of a game. You went to the end of the path, and you stepped on the next block. Then you saw how long you could stay there, one step farther out, before you had to jump back into the village again.


    Rab had counted to fifteen once, which was actually pretty good. He wasn''t even counting really fast.


    It started like a feeling of being sick and lonely, but it got worse and worse. Pretty soon you broke out into a sweat, and then you got really, really scared. Running back into the village fixed it right away.


    Adults didn''t even try. They all knew where the limits of the village were, and they all stayed inside of them.


    It worked the same all around the village, but the end of the path was the spot everyone used for the game.


    Now they were as far as anyone could go, and they looked out into the grassland.


    There was only one way to know.


    Rab stepped onto the next block and waited.


    Nothing happened. Nem watched him with big eyes.


    Still nothing.


    "I think it''s okay," he said. "You try."


    Rab stepped one block farther out to give Nem room. Nobody had ever made it more than three blocks. They said it felt impossibly horrible after that.


    Nem looked like she was feeling braver from watching him do it, so she stepped onto the block and squeezed her eyes shut, like she was waiting for a punch.


    After a few moments she opened her eyes again and looked up at Rab.


    "There''s nothing," she said. She looked amazed.


    Rab took three more steps. That made five blocks. He''d just set the village record.


    He felt no different at all. Whatever it was that had held everyone in place, it was gone now.


    "I guess we''re okay," he said, and gave Nem a smile.


    She grinned bravely at him and together they walked fifteen more blocks. For a moment Rab thought it was starting to get to him, but then he realized he was just feeling sad. They turned around to look back at the village.


    "Bye, village," Nem said.


    It didn''t look much like home now. It was just a bunch of empty shells of houses.


    "Come on, we need to get going," he said gruffly and started walking again. Because if he''d stared back for another second he was going to burst into tears. That wouldn''t do anyone any good.


    They headed towards the hills together, and Rab looked up at the sun.


    Almost noon already. I really hope there''s a village close by, he thought.


    But part of him knew it wasn''t going to be that easy.


    They walked farther and farther away from the village, until they couldn''t see it any more.


    The sun was hot, but as they started to go higher into the hills, the air got colder.


    They stopped for lunch near a little pond, and Nem bugged him about the sword until he pulled it out.


    It wobbled in his hand, and he could still barely hold on to it.


    "Try stabbing something!" she said. "Kill that tree!"


    He rolled his eyes but did his best. As soon as he tried to stab it into the bark, the sword flipped right out of his hands and thumped onto the ground.


    "Pretty sad," she said.


    He picked it up and held it out to her.


    "You want to try?"


    She looked at him like he was crazy.


    "It''s almost as big as me. How am I supposed to use it?"


    "I don''t think villagers can use swords. It just doesn''t work," he said. ¡°They¡¯re Player things. Maker things.¡±


    They both knew the stories. Orb had told them about the Players, who made things and rode horses and brought treasures up out of the deep caves, or who fought monsters in the Underworld. Now he wished he¡¯d paid more attention, but they were just old stories. Could a villager become a Player? Was it like a job?


    Nem was still thinking about the sword.


    "You practice," she said. "I''ll tell you if you''re getting any better."


    So he wasted time trying to slash and stab at the air. As far as he could tell he never got any better. The sword felt like something alive - like it didn''t want him to hold it.


    The next time he dropped it, he made a disgusted sound and put it away.


    "I''m done," he said. "We need to get going anyway."


    "I think you were getting a little bit better," Nem said.


    He knew it wasn''t true though


    They spent the rest of the day climbing through the hills. Everything was gray rock, and there was snow just a little bit farther up. Rab kept hoping they would find a good spot to see the land all around them, and maybe get an idea of which way to go to another village.


    But even by the end of the day, all there was to see was rocks.


    And it was getting dark.


    They needed to decide how they were going to stay safe for the night.


    The problem was, what were they supposed to do? Villagers didn''t spend the night outside. They had never even heard of anyone trying to do it.


    How do we figure out what nobody knows how to do?


    They could see the entrance to a cave - it sloped away into the blackness below. They couldn''t see anything at all down there.


    "No way," Nem said. "I am not going into that place."


    That was fine with Rab. He had a bad feeling about what might be down there in the dark.


    "I say we stop right over there," he said. He pointed at a big flat area of rock.


    Nem frowned.


    "That''s stupid. It''s the opposite of a house. There''s nothing there at all!"


    "Mobs don''t come near torches, right?"


    "Yes," she said. He wasn''t sure if she really knew that, or if she just wanted him to think that she did.


    "We have some torches. We set them up and stay put until sunrise. No mobs."


    He set four torches in a little square and told Nem to sit, then he sat down too.


    He scrunched his back up against hers.


    "Now try to look like a rock," he said.


    She snorted.


    "This is the stupidest plan anyone has ever come up with ever," she said.


    "Rocks don''t talk. Be like a rock."


    It got darker, and Rab started to worry. The mobs last night had come right through the village, torches or no. The fires had been bright as day, and it didn¡¯t seem to bother them at all. If they ran into mobs like that, the torches wouldn¡¯t mean a thing.


    He looked nervously up at the sky. Night Eagles were supposed to be afraid of light too, but he and Nem were just sitting there in the open. All lit up.


    Do we look like a snack?


    It wasn¡¯t long before he saw the whirling of an Ashman clumping together in the last red light of the sun. Soon there was another. They just stood dumbly, lurking at the edge of the torchlight. But they didn¡¯t seem to want to come any closer.


    What worried Rab was the spider. It had popped up out of the cave and now it was only a few blocks away. It wasn''t facing them, but it was way too close.


    Nem turned her head to look at it.


    "Do you think it can..." she said, and the spider hissed at the sound of her voice.


    "Sshhh!" Rab whispered.


    The spider had already moved towards them.


    With a clattering sound, a Bonewalker appeared at the crest of a nearby rocky hill. It held something that looked like an old sword.


    He''d never been so near to so many mobs at once. It felt like there were more than normal. They were everywhere.


    The spider''s eyes glowed. It was looking right at him.


    What was he going to do if it attacked?


    His hand grabbed at the sword in his inventory. It was all they had, but he knew it was useless. What else could he do, though?


    Then the spider turned around and started moving away. The Bonewalker lurched off after it in the same direction.


    He felt Nem shudder.


    "We have to do this all night?" she whispered.


    He nodded and shushed her again.


    It wasn''t going to work, though. The mobs were too close.


    He leaned over and picked up one of the torches. He needed to move very, very slowly. He crawled out four blocks and set it down again.


    That seemed better. The light went farther out.


    He looked at Nem. There were no mobs near her.


    "Can you do what I just did?" he whispered.


    She looked and nodded.


    Before long they had all four torches spread out around them, plus they lit two more, making a circle. They were right in the middle of it. It seemed kind of stupid - they were lit up like it was daylight, but none of the mobs moved any closer to them.


    It was another long, long night.


    At sunrise, when the last Ashman whirled away into a puff of dust that scattered with the wind, they picked up all of the torches again and Rab put them in his inventory.


    Then he thought about it and gave half of them to Nem.


    She looked at them.


    "This is in case you die, right?" she said.


    "It''s just in case, is all," he said.


    She put them in her robe and didn''t mention it again.


    They headed out along the bare rock together.

 Chapter 2 - Survivors

    The mountains lasted for what seemed like forever. Rab and Nem kept going all day, eating as little of their food as they could manage, and spent a second night on the cold, rocky ground. They had learned a little bit from the first night, though. This time they picked their spot before the sun went down. They found an open space against a tall cliff, where nothing could come at them from one side, and which was far enough from any caves so that spiders weren¡¯t as much of a worry.


    Rab set the torches out in a wide half-circle around them which left them in a patch of light while the stars wheeled across the sky. Rab told Nem to sleep, and he stayed up most of the night watching, getting ready to wake Nem, grab everything, and just run into the darkness if a mob took an interest in them.


    The night seemed even longer than the first, and one Ashman spawned just outside of the circle of light, staring right in at them. Rab didn¡¯t say anything to Nem ¨C he just watched it, holding his breath and hoping. The light did seem to help. The mob shuffled towards the two of them, but just as Rab was getting ready to grab Nem¡¯s shoulder to wake her up, it shuddered against the torchlight and turned around, wandering out into the night again.


    Rab must have fallen asleep, because one moment he was carefully watching the night, and the next he was staring up into the sky. A Night Eagle was circling, looking down at the two villagers. Night Eagles mostly took animals like chickens or small pigs and sheep, but it seemed curious at the sight of the two villagers all alone down below. Rab wiggled over towards Nem and tried to cover her up as much as he could.


    I¡¯m the only target here, he thought at it. I¡¯m big and heavy and you can¡¯t pick me up, so move along.


    It kept circling for a long time, but eventually it sailed away just as the first red light of dawn touched the sky.


    It was past noon when they finally saw green trees ahead of them again.


    "It''s a cliff, and there''s a forest!" Nem said.


    They both ran forward to see.


    When they reached the edge, there was a surprise waiting for them.


    "A village!" Nem squealed.


    "It''s a village," Rab agreed.


    He could hardly believe it. All this time there had been another village just a few days walk away, and nobody even knew about it.


    Or at least nobody had ever told Rab about it.


    It looked about the same size as home, and they could see people working in their gardens. They were tiny from so high up and far away. But it looked peaceful.


    "Let''s go!" Nem said. "We can be inside tonight!"


    Rab suddenly felt unsure about the whole idea. He''d never heard of anyone taking in wandering villagers before. He was more or less sure they¡¯d never told any stories like that. But on the other hand he''d never actually heard of wandering villagers before either.


    There was just no way to know what the village would do when they saw him and Nem.


    "Why don''t we watch for a bit?" he said. "We can get an idea about what they''re like."


    Nem sighed.


    "I have one potato and a loaf of bread left. What about you?"


    Rab checked, even though he already knew the answer.


    "Two potatoes, a carrot, and three torches."


    "Plus the sword," Nem said.


    "And that," said Rab. It was still sitting there in his inventory.


    "I don''t want to be outside any more," she said. "And we don''t have much food. What are we waiting for?"


    Rab shook his head. There was no reason to worry her.


    "I just think we should know who they are before we go and ask to stay with them."


    Nem frowned.


    "This was the whole plan, wasn''t it? Find somewhere new? Now we''ve found a place."


    "I know."


    He couldn''t really put words around it, but he felt like waiting was the right thing to do.


    "We''ll get there before dark, really."


    "Ugh," Nem said and walked over to a nearby rock. She sat down in the sunlight and sighed. "You watch them. I''m already bored."


    There wasn''t much to see. It was people working, talking to each other, and going in and out of their houses. Rab lay down in the grass with his head sticking out over the cliff, and just watched.


    Eventually Nem lay down beside him and started watching too.


    "I count fifteen people," she said


    "Sixteen. Someone went behind the big house a while ago."


    "So the same size as home. We''d make them eighteen."


    It was sort of peaceful, sitting up on the mountain and watching everyone do their work.


    But the sun was getting low on the horizon.


    "Getting late," Nem said. "I bet we can spend tonight in that big house."


    She stared at him hard.


    "Okay, fine," he said and stood up. "Let''s go."


    "Thank you thank you thank you," Nem said. "I can''t sit still all night again. It''s boring and scary at the same time, and I''m tired of it."


    But Rab was still worried.


    Can we go into a new village? Is that even possible? How will they feel about strangers?


    Nem seemed to just assume that they''d be welcome. Rab was a little less sure about that.


    What would the Council have done if a couple of new people had just wandered in, asking to stay?


    He didn''t know what the answer would be, but he didn''t think it would have been an easy yes.


    On the other hand there was only one way to find out.


    "Okay," he sighed. "Let''s go."


    But they hadn''t even made it fifty blocks before Nem stopped, and Rab almost tripped over her.


    "Do you smell something?" she said.


    Rab felt his stomach tighten up. He sniffed the air.


    "I... maybe," he said.


    "I smell smoke."


    They stared down at the village again.


    "There," Rab said. He pointed.


    They could see a fire at the edge of the village.


    "Oh no," Nem said.


    She started running.


    "Wait!" Rab yelled.


    He ran too, and he was bigger than her. He grabbed her robe and pulled on it to stop her.


    "What are you doing?" she yelled. "Let go!"


    "You can''t run into the middle of that! Not again!"


    She glared at him,


    "I won''t hide this time!"


    They could see the Ashmen now, moving between the houses. It wasn¡¯t even fully dark yet, but they were everywhere down there.


    There were more fires, too.


    "What do you think will happen?"


    "I''ll tell them to fight! Not to run and hide!"


    Rab shook his head.


    "You won''t even make it to the first house. Look at them all."


    The village was full of Ashmen. They were everywhere. There were Bonewalkers again too, moving through the paths.


    "So what do you want to do?"


    "We wait," he said. "We can''t help. We would only die too."


    "You''ve got the sword! Go use it!"


    He pulled it out and held it up.


    "I don''t know how! I can''t even hold it. It just doesn''t work."


    She glared at him and then looked down at the fires in the village.


    "We can''t just do nothing," she said.


    They stood and watched.


    "There''s nothing we can do," he said again, after a while.


    The whole village was in flames now.


    I can''t believe I have to see this again, Rab thought.


    Nem''s face was pale, and she was shaking.


    "We can''t just stay here," she said. But they both knew it was useless now.


    "We have to."


    He hated saying it, but he knew that he was right. Going down there would just get them caught up in it again. He didn''t think they would be lucky a second time.


    "So you''re scared?" Nem said.


    "I''m being grown up about it," he said.


    She didn''t like that answer, but she didn''t argue, either.


    "So what do we do?" she said.


    "It''s time to set the torches out. Maybe somebody will see them."


    She stared down at the mobs crowding through the village. They couldn''t see any villagers at all.


    "What for?"


    "Somewhere to run to, I guess."


    Something else was moving down in the village. It flickered like flame, but it moved through the village like a mob. Rab didn¡¯t know what it could be. He wished again that he¡¯d spent more time listening to Orb¡¯s stories.


    Rab started putting out the torches in a circle again. He could already see an Ashman that had congealed from the gray rock dust, just a few dozen blocks away. They''d left it pretty late, so he hurried.


    Nem sat in the middle of the circle and stared down at the village.


    When Rab sat down next to her she shuffled over, away from him.


    Nobody came out of the village all night. They could see the mobs starting to wander away near dawn, as the fires went out. Eventually nothing moved down in the village at all.


    Nem spoke for the first time when the sun started to peek up over the horizon.


    "Nothing," she said. "We let them all die."


    Rab sighed.


    "We didn''t do anything. What good would it do if we went down there and let them get us, too?"


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    She stood up and looked around.


    "None, I guess."


    She went over and started picking up torches. Then she turned around and stared at him.


    "I would have tried if I were you!" she said. Her face was dark.


    "Really? You against a hundred Ashmen? Me against a hundred Bonewalkers? What would have happened?"


    She pointed at the village.


    "You think that''s better?"


    "Better than dying for no reason at all, yes," he said.


    "Maybe we could have rescued someone. Anyone!"


    "We couldn''t..."


    "I wasn''t afraid to try!" she yelled.


    Rab wanted to yell back at her. I''m not a coward! But somehow that would make it sound like he was.


    "It''s not about being afraid. It''s about being stupid, if there''s no way to win."


    She glared at him.


    "So now we''re alive. Do we go down and see what we can find to eat?"


    Rab knew that he''d done the right thing. But that didn''t mean it was a good answer.


    "We think about what we can do," he said. "If you have an idea, tell me."


    She frowned and didn''t say anything else. She looked like she was thinking hard.


    By the time the sun was all the way up, they were ready to head out.


    "Come on," she said to him and started walking down the hill again.


    He had to walk quickly to keep up with her.


    They walked into the village. It was totally silent. A few little fires still burned here and there. Nem walked ahead of him, looking around, and didn''t do much but grunt when he said anything.


    She was obviously searching, so he followed her and kept his mouth shut. He looked around, too. Maybe someone had hidden like he and Nem had done.


    He hoped. It would be good to be able to help somebody.


    But they found nothing. The village was just like home had been. Empty.


    They found more food in a couple of houses, and some torches.


    "Maybe there will be another sword. One for me," Nem said.


    The village was creepy, Rab thought. There was nobody here, and nowhere to stay safe. He didn''t like the idea of spending the night here.


    He didn''t even really want to keep poking around through the ruined buildings, even though he knew that they should. It felt¡­ disrespectful somehow.


    "I think we should keep going," he said to Nem.


    "What if every village is going to get burned down?" she said.


    He''s been worrying about the same thing. Even finding a village didn''t suddenly mean they were safe now.


    What were they supposed to do? Eventually they would run out of food.


    He shook his head.


    "No more waiting," he said. "If we see a village, we go in and warn them. Right away."


    Nem nodded.


    "Good," she said. "You need to practice more with that thing."


    He rolled his eyes but spent some time trying to control the sword. He¡¯d heard the stories about Players fighting Bonewalkers and spiders. Orb had made it seem easy. The stories made slashing and stabbing sound like they were the simplest things in the world.


    But actually doing it was different. It was like the sword didn''t want to be in his hand. Like it was trying to escape.


    Nem was frowning at him.


    "I don''t think I could protect myself with this," he said to her. "Never mind both of us."


    "So what else can we do, then?"


    "Find a village. Tell people."


    A Cleric or a Librarian was bound to know better than them what to do, anyway.


    They packed up everything that they had found and walked to the path out of the village.


    "Which way?" Nem said.


    He pointed forward to the open fields. He wanted to stay away from the dark forest, where there could still be mobs. Prowlers or Bonewalkers could stay in the darkest places all through the daytime.


    But Nem was staring into the trees.


    "I just saw someone!" Nem said. "In the woods!"


    Rab hadn''t thought about that. What if someone had figured out that they could leave the village? Running into the woods might be a good idea.


    "Which way?"


    "Right there," she said. "I saw someone''s clothes move."


    "Could be a Bonewalker," he said. "Be careful."


    They walked up to the edge of the trees.


    "Hello?" Nem yelled. "Is anyone there? We''re here to help."


    They waited but nothing happened.


    "Hello?" Rab said loudly. "We''re not mobs. We''re villagers too."


    Then something did happen.


    There could see brown villager robes between the trees.


    "It''s a child!" Nem yelped, and started running.


    "Wait!" said Rab. He was still worried about any mobs that might be left.


    Nem ignored him and ran into the forest.


    "Nem!" he yelled.


    He had a terrible feeling that he would lose her too. Then what?


    He was about to run in after her, but she came quickly out of the trees again, leading someone by the hand.


    It was child. Much smaller than Nem. A tiny little girl who looked terrified.


    Nem brought her up to him. She stared at the ruined village, and then up at both of them.


    "What''s your name?" Rab said gently.


    The girl stared back and forth. Her eyes were round and wide and scared.


    He shook his head.


    "She''s too upset to talk. Let''s look for more food," he said.


    "We have to take her with us!" Nem said.


    She put her arms on the girl''s shoulders and stared at Rab. He suddenly realized Nem actually thought he might say no.


    "Well of course, but we still need food," he said. "Actually now we need even more food, I guess."


    The little girl looked around at the ruined houses, then held both her arms up to Rab.


    "She wants you to carry her," Nem said, still frowning.


    He picked her up, and let her wrap her arms around his neck, and bury her face in his shoulder.


    Rab had a sudden urge to cry, but he stopped himself.


    "Let''s go," he said.


    "We don''t know her name," said Nem while she followed them.


    "She''ll tell us when she can."


    Rab saw some food on the floor of a wrecked house and they went in.


    "What do we call her? We can''t just call her that girl." Nem said.


    Rab looked down at the back of her head, which was shoved into his shoulder.


    "Lyb", he said. "We can call her Lyb."


    It was the name of his friend from the village. She was going to be a baker. She hadn''t been there the next morning. Like everyone else.


    "Lyb," said Nem. "Is it okay if we call you that?"


    Lyb''s little head didn''t look up, but it nodded.


    "Okay," Rab said. "Food. And whatever else we can find."


    He made them do a careful search, back and forth through all of the buildings. They found a little more food, and by the time they were done Rab badly wanted to leave.


    Something felt wrong about the village. It had felt that way since the first time he saw it. He didn''t like being there.


    "Come on," he said, and led them out of the village.


    The grassy plain went on and on, and there was no sign of another village.


    It ended in a swamp that stretched out as far away as they could see.


    "Ugh," Nem said. "I''m not walking through that."


    Rab didn''t want to either, but there was dark forest on both sides, and he didn''t like the idea of going into them at all. Too dark, too many places that things could hide. Something still felt weird, and he wanted to stay out in the open. At least that way they could see whatever was coming.


    So they went along the edge of the swamp, trying to find some good dry ground. But there was nothing else. Eventually they stood on a bit of land that stuck way out into the water. It was either go back, or go through.


    "Well that was a great plan," Nem said. "Now we have to spend all day with our feet soaking wet."


    "Let''s just go," Rab said. "I want to get through it before the sun goes down."


    There were spots of dry land in the swamp, and they tried to stay on them. But now and then there was no choice - they had to step into the mucky brown water and slosh their way through to the next little bit of land.


    He carried Lyb the whole way, even though the extra weight was overheating him. He kept looking back, expecting to see something coming after them, but there was only swamp and sky.


    By noon he was hot and tired and hungry. He saw a little patch of dry ground with trees and bushes, and even a little beach.


    "There!" he said. "Let''s eat there!"


    He felt like he was burning up, and he needed to sit down and eat something.


    They sloshed up onto dry land again and sat down.


    "I hate the swamp," said Nem. She squeezed water out of her robe. "It smells."


    Rab put Lyb down and flopped onto his back.


    "Let''s just rest a minute," he said. "I need to catch my breath."


    He thought they were pretty safe. There were thick bushes and trees on all sides - nobody could see them. But they couldn''t stay too long if they wanted to get out of the swamp before it got dark. Who knew how far that was?


    "Here, Lyb," Nem said, holding out a piece of bread. Lyb shook her head.


    "She won''t eat anything?"


    "Not a thing," Nem said. "You let us know when you''re hungry okay?"


    Lyb nodded and bent over the water, watching the little bugs zipping around.


    It made Rab angry to see Lyb poking at things in the water with a stick, out here in the middle of a dirty swamp. She should be in her village, being taken care of. She was too tiny to be out in the world.


    Then it''s up to me to take care of her, he thought. It seemed like an awful idea. He could barely take care of himself.


    Something about the swamp was overheating him. He felt like he had a fever.


    Just a few more minutes of rest and he''d be able to get going.


    He closed his eyes, but when he heard a branch snap in the bushes he jumped back up to his feet, staring around.


    Through the bushes came an old woman, bent over, covered with dark rags. She wore a crooked hat on her head.


    The second she saw them, her eyes opened wide in shock.


    "Witch!" Nem whispered. Lyb stood up and turned around to look, and for a moment they were all quiet.


    Rab had seen one before. A witch had walked past the village when he was little, and he had run with the other kids to see her. The old woman had never even looked at the villagers, she had just kept trudging along until she disappeared in the trees.


    Witches were in the stories, though. They made potions, and cast spells. Sometimes they fought Players in the stories. They were basically mobs, and it seemed like they lived all alone, doing whatever terrible things it was that they did.


    The witch stared at them, and they stared back. Her eyes were wide and angry in her wrinkled face.


    The witch finally broke the silence.


    "You!" she shrieked. "What are you doing here?"


    Rab stood up. His legs felt shaky. Witches were supposed to be bad news, but that was in stories. Nobody actually knew. Maybe for real, they would be different.


    "Hello," he said. He was trying to be polite. "We''re looking for a new village."


    "Abomination!" the witch yelled over top of him. Now there was no doubt about her anger. Her eyes were furious, but she didn''t come any closer.


    She just pointed at them.


    "Return to your place!" the witch said. "You do not belong here!"


    "I''m sorry," he said, "Our village was..."


    The witch grabbed at her robe, and then threw something. Rab watched it curve through the air. It was going to hit Lyb or Nem.


    So he jumped.


    The little bottle exploded against his hands, covering them in sick green goo.


    It burned his skin. He yelled out in surprise, then turned to Nem.


    "Take Lyb! Go that way!"


    He pointed towards the sun.


    Nem backed up and then stopped.


    "Go!" he yelled again.


    Whatever was on his skin was getting inside of him. He could feel it starting to make him sick.


    Nem grabbed Lyb''s hand and the two of them ran off into the swamp together.


    He could only see one way to make this work. He had to look confident.


    He grabbed the sword with both hands, brought it out of his robes, and held it up high so that it reflected the sunlight. He hoped the witch wouldn''t notice the way it wobbled.


    Then he screamed and ran at her, looking like he was going to finish her right there.


    He must have been a terrible sight, with his arms dripping poison goo. The witch stepped backwards, looked panicked, and then turned around and ran back into the deep swamp between all the weeds.


    He stopped, and listened. He thought he could hear her feet splashing as she kept running.


    Then he dropped to his knees and shoved his arms into the water, scrubbing at them to try to wash the poison away.


    When he stood up again he kept the sword out, in case the witch came back. Then he headed off towards the sun, hoping he could catch Lyb and Nem before they got too far away.


    He was already feeling woozy. It was getting worse. He hoped he''d gotten the nasty stuff off before it was too late.


    After a long time, he stopped in the swamp. There was no sign of the girls.


    He had lost them.

 Chapter 3 - Allies and Enemies

    Rab plunged through the swamp water, getting more panicky every moment. There was no sign of them at all, and no sound of their voices. He kept stopping, hoping, and listening. But all he heard was the bubbling swamp water and a few birds. He was sick, so sick, and he could barely see, but he was driven on by his fear for the two of them.


    He didn¡¯t want to shout ¨C who knew if it might bring the Witch back their way again? But he was going to have to do it. There was no other way. Even though his sight was dim and his head swam with dizziness, he was terrified at the thought of Nem and tiny Lyb wandering alone through the muck while it got darker and darker as the night set in.


    He realized after a few lost, confused moments that he was kneeling in the mucky brown water, and just staring into the mud. There was a little mud hill popping up out of the swamp in front of him. He crawled up to the top of it and tried to gather his strength so that he could shout out their names as loud as he was still able.


    Then there was a splash behind him. He whirled around, afraid it would be the witch again.


    But it was Nem and Lyb.


    "We heard you walking," Nem said. "But we hid until we were sure it wasn''t the Witch."


    He nodded.


    "Poison," he said. "Can''t talk."


    Nem stared at him.


    "What do we do?" she said. She sounded almost as tiny as Lyb.


    "Keep moving," he said. "Get out of swamp."


    Lyb walked up to him and held her arms up.


    "He can''t carry you Lyb," Nem said kindly to her. "We both have to walk so he can get better."


    Lyb stared at him for a second, then turned around and stared out into the swamp.


    Nem looked back at Rab. He could see that she was scared.


    "Should we find somewhere to rest?" she said. She sounded like she didn''t know what to do.


    "Go," Rab whispered, "Just go."


    He couldn''t do anything else. But they needed to get far away from the witch.


    Lyb sloshed through the ooze on her own, following Nem.


    It was getting worse. He felt so sick that all he could do was keep moving. He couldn''t talk, he couldn''t do anything. He just stared at the swamp and watched his feet splash into it.


    He dropped the sword in the slimy water and didn''t even notice. Nem ran back and tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy for her to carry, so she dragged it along behind her with both hands.


    Some part of him felt terrible that Nem had to be the one keeping them going, deciding what direction they should move in. But he just couldn''t do it. He felt like the world was getting darker even though the sun was high up in the sky.


    They splashed and plodded through the muck for what seemed like ten days. Twice they came to the edge of huge lakes, and had to go the long, long way around. Rab looked up for a moment, and he could see hills. Nem was heading them for dry land.


    Good thinking Nem, he thought, but he didn''t have enough strength to say it out loud.


    But the swamp was huge. They were still in it when the sun started to go down.


    "Camp," he whispered. "Set up torches."


    He would be able to stop. That seemed like the best thing in the world.


    As the stars started to come out, Nem suddenly said, "There. That''s where we''ll go."


    He didn''t look up to see. One place was as good as another. It was dry land though. He fell face-first onto it and let Nem run around setting up torches. He fell asleep without even checking to see if they were in a good spot.


    He woke up with a huge gasp, like he''d been holding his breath for hours.


    Lyb was sitting nearby, watching him, with her arms folded around her legs.


    Where was Nem?


    He looked around in a panic. She wasn''t anywhere!


    "Where is she?" he said. His voice sounded rough, like he had a cold.


    Lyb just stared at him, watching. Her eyes glittered, reflecting the moonlight.


    But then there was a noise behind him, and when he whirled around Nem was right there.


    "Sshh!" she whispered. "You''re too loud! There''s two Bonewalkers over that way."


    "Where did you go?" he whispered back.


    "I was trying to get up on one of the pillars," she said.


    "Really?" he said. "You were messing around while Lyb was here all alone?"


    Nem looked offended.


    "I wasn''t messing around," she said. "I wanted to see if I could tell what direction we should go in."


    "Oh," he said. "Okay, sorry. Wait, what pillars?"


    Nem pointed, and Rab realized that they were camping near a bunch of shiny black columns that made sort of a wide half-circle around them. They looked ruined and ancient. He could see where Nem might have been able to scramble up to the top.


    "You''re looking better," Nem said. Her eyes were a little hopeful.


    "I do feel a bit better," he said. "What is this place? Was it a village?"


    Nem shrugged.


    "I don''t think so. Those columns are weird. They''re like glass."


    She showed him her fingers. She had cuts that oozed blood.


    "They''re sharp, too," she said. "I couldn''t get very far up."


    He grabbed her hand and examined it. The cuts were long, but not very deep.


    "Okay, don''t do that again," he said and frowned. What if she had cut herself badly while he was out? "Who knows what kind of nasty stuff is in the swamp water?"


    "I didn''t know how long you''d be sick," she said. "I was so worried I couldn''t even sleep. I had to do something."


    Nem looked like she was on the edge of tears.


    "It''s okay," he said. "You did a good job today. Really."


    He''d kind of forgotten how young she really was, since Lyb was the baby now.


    Her lip quivered, but he watched her control it until her face was calm again. It made him feel bad. She shouldn''t have to act so grown up. But what were they supposed to do?


    "You can sleep now," he said. "I''ll stay up and watch."


    "Okay, thanks," she said.


    But she never even got the chance to lie down.


    Lyb jumped up suddenly, and ran behind Rab, wrapping her arms around him. It was like she was trying to hide.


    "Lyb, you''re trembling!" Rab said.


    Nem stared into the swamp.


    "Get the sword out," she said quietly. "There''s something out there."


    Rab knew the sword wasn''t going to be any help. He didn''t think bluffing a Prowler or a Bonewalker would work the same way it had on the witch.


    If he actually had to use the sword, he might as well have been carrying a stick. It would do them about as much good.


    It wobbled in his hands, even though he tried to keep it steady. It was too heavy, and it still seemed like it moved on its own. It was nearly impossible to control.


    But it was all they had.


    There was something moving in the swamp. Rab could see that much, but he couldn''t tell what.


    He was really worried that there might be a lot of things moving in the swamp.


    Then there were two glowing blue eyes staring at him, and there was a whirl of sparks.


    "Umbrals!" he said.


    His stomach sank. Nothing was going to protect them from umbral shadows. They were mysterious, powerful, and... just very, very strange.


    "Don''t look it in the eyes!" he said to Nem and to Lyb.


    He knew he shouldn¡¯t look up - everyone always said that - but he could feel its eyes on him.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    They weren¡¯t really shadows of course. But they were dark and filmy, and you could see right through them. Their eyes glowed a dim blue, but their faces were smooth and featureless. Rab had never heard a story that explained what they were. They were things to be avoided. If one showed up in the village, the only thing villagers would do was go inside and shut the doors, and wait for it to leave again.


    It stepped onto the dry land.


    "Take Lyb and run behind the pillars," Rab said.


    Nem tried to grab Lyb, but her little hands tightened around Rab''s waist.


    "Lyb, please!" Nem said, but the little girl wouldn''t move. She was shivering like she was freezing.


    But when the Umbral tried to walk into the circle of the old black ruins, something flared up in front of it. It was like a pulse of fire, and the creature drifted quickly back and shrieked a horrible scream into the night sky.


    Three more Umbrals appeared out of nowhere.


    "Oh no," Nem said.


    Now there were four of them, hovering just a few blocks away from Nem, and Lyb, and Rab. Their glowing eyes were very bright, and they made strange chittering noises. They must have been talking to each other.


    Then all four of them tried to move into the circle at once.


    Rab knew there was nothing they could do. It was ridiculous to even try to fight four umbral shadows. He might as well try to fight lightening.


    But he wasn''t going to just give up.


    He held up his wobbling sword, and screamed back at them, just like he''d done to the witch the day before.


    They didn''t even seem to notice.


    But when they tried to move into the circle again there was another flash of flame and heat, and they jumped back.


    They started making that weird noise to each other again.


    Rab halfway expected even more Umbrals to show up.


    But instead one of the four seemed to drop down to ground level, and a wavering bit of darkness like an arm pointed at him. From the creature came a sound very much like a bark that echoed through the night.


    Something flew straight at him. It was just a bright blue flash, but nothing stopped it. It sank straight into his chest and made a popping sound.


    He was sure they had killed him. But nothing happened.


    The flash shot out behind him and twisted around in mid-air to hit Nem. She yelled and swatted her hand at it, but it just flew straight into her and then out her back again, and then disappeared.


    Rab and Nem stared at each other with their mouths open.


    The creature that had shot at him raised itself up to full height again. All four of them drifted awy into the darkness without another word.


    After a moment Lyb finally let go of Rab, and sat down on the ground.


    "Are they gone?" Nem said.


    "I have no idea," Rab said. "Is Lyb okay?"


    "She''s still shaking, but I guess so. What was that? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I wish I knew,¡± Rab said.


    They waited a long time, but nothing came back for them. Rab was going to tell Nem to get some sleep while he kept watch, but the sky was already starting to turn red. They had made it through the night, at least.


    They kept walking through the swamp together, and Lyb was willing to walk by herself between them now. Which gave Rab time to pull out the sword. Something was making him want to handle it. He stared in amazement when he had it in his hand.


    It didn''t wobble. It felt good. Like he could control it. It felt like it balanced perfectly, and was almost a part of his own arm.


    When he swung the sword, Lyb and Nem both looked back at the noise.


    "Look at this!" he said.


    He jumped up out of the water and slashed at a plant. It dropped down into the water.


    Nem smiled at him.


    "See, now that''s why I was telling you to practice," Nem said.


    Rab didn''t think that was what had helped.


    "I think it was the Umbral. I don''t know what it did, but I can use the sword now. Before it felt like it was trying to get out of my hand."


    Lyb was staring at him as well. Her little eyes were very serious.


    "You see that, Lyb?" Nem said. "Rab can kill a hundred Bonewalkers now if they get anywhere near us!"


    Rab didn''t think that was true at all, but there was no point in worrying Lyb.


    He nodded.


    "You bet," he said. "I think we might even be able to make it to the next village!"


    Nem gasped.


    "That''s it!" she said. "Maybe you can teach them how to do it too!"


    He shook his head.


    "Let''s just worry about finding someplace first, okay?"


    He didn''t think it would be that easy.


    But he and Nem looked at each other for a second. He held out the sword to her.


    ¡°Now you,¡± he said.


    She swallowed and tried to hold it. It was too heavy for her. She could barely even lift it up straight.


    ¡°No good,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m too little for it.¡±


    The swamp finally ended at some hills. There was no sign of a village anywhere.


    Lyb pointed up at the top of the hills.


    "I think she wants to go that way," Nem said.


    Lyb nodded and pointed again.


    Rab looked around. There were some tall jungle trees far to the north. Were there villages in the jungle? He didn''t know. South and west was just more swamp. Maybe more witches.


    Rab shrugged.


    "Why not? If we get high enough maybe we will be able to see which way to go."


    As they walked he played with the sword some more, keeping his swings far away from Nem and Lyb. It was amazing. It felt like it was balanced in his hand now. The sun glittered on the sharp edge, and every time he swung, it hissed through the air.


    It made him feel safer. It wasn''t walls and a good strong door, but it was a lot better than nothing.


    The sun was almost gone. The sky was red, and the stars were coming out.


    Rab felt in his robe for the torches. If they set them out in a circle, then they could keep monster spawns away, and the three of them would all sit very quietly without moving all night long.


    If anything came after them, he had the sword. He didn''t know if he could use it - not for real - but at least they could do something other than run.


    "Lyb, come back!" yelled Nem all of a sudden.


    The little girl was climbing ahead of them. It was like she was trying to get to the top first.


    "This is no time for games, Lyb," Rab yelled after her. He scrambled up the rocks desperately.


    They both climbed to catch up with her, but by the time they did she was already at the top of the peak.


    When they reached her, Nem gasped.


    There was a deep valley stretching out in front of them, and more low hills after that, far away into the distance.


    But at the end of the valley, there were lights. Torches.


    Plus a door. An actual, real door. Right on the side of the hills.


    "It''s...," Rab said.


    "A house," Nem said. "It has to be the entrance to a Player house. Who else could make a house in the middle of nowhere?"


    Rab patted Lyb on the head.


    "I think you just saved us," he said to her.


    She turned her little head to stare up at him, and Nem grabbed her from behind in a big hug.


    "Lyb!" she said. "You''re so smart! Now we''re safe!"


    Lyb didn''t look all that happy, though. She just shrugged away Nem''s arms and started down the hill. Rab and Nem looked at each other.


    "What''s wrong with Lyb?" Nem said. "She seems strange."


    "I don''t know, but we can worry about it once we''re inside."


    The thought was amazing. To be locked inside again! It seemed almost too much to hope for.


    They stumbled down the blocks together, chasing Lyb''s little shape in the dimming light.


    "What if there''s a Player there?" Nem said.


    "I don''t know. I really don''t know," said Rab. "I guess we look first."


    But Orb¡¯s stories had said that Players didn''t stay in just one place. They often made things and then moved on. Sometimes for just a night''s sleep. Maybe they would get lucky.


    When they got to the bottom of the valley, it was dark.


    "We need to hurry," Rab said. The door was so close. He couldn''t see any mobs yet. But they would be out soon.


    Then there was a hissing sound, and flash of brilliant red light.


    Something appeared in the dark, ahead of them. It was a square of whirling, shining magic that moved like water, but it looked almost like a door.


    "What is it?" Nem said.


    Rab had no idea. He thought of the Umbrals, but somehow he was sure it was them.


    Before they knew it, Lyb had walked right up to the swirling magic doorway.


    "Lyb!" Rab yelled. "Get back! It might be dangerous!"


    Lyb stood beside the door and turned around to face them. She smiled. It was the first time they had seen her smile.


    It wasn''t a nice smile at all.


    "It is dangerous," Lyb said. She had a tiny child''s voice, but the way she spoke wasn''t like that at all. It sounded too sure of itself.


    As soon as she spoke, a flood of Ashmen began to pour through doorway. More than Rab had ever seen before. Their soft moans echoed through the valley. Bonewalkers came through the gateway too, mixed in with the misty Ashmen, and carrying cruel, rusty swords.


    Rab grabbed his own sword with both hands and held it up.


    He knew it was probably useless. There were just so many of them. He had to do something, though.


    "Lyb! Run for the Player house!" Nem yelled.


    But Lyb just stood there, watching them and smiling.


    "Run," Rab said, and pointed at the door that had to be a Player house. "Nem, get behind me!"


    But the mobs didn''t attack. They stood still, in a groaning, swaying crowd. It was like they were waiting for something.


    Lyb moved away from the doorway and walked beside the mobs, running her fingers along the shining white arms of the Bonewalkers as she went past them. They didn''t attack her.


    "I was going to have some fun with you two at the next village," Lyb said. "But since you can use that thing, I can''t wait any more."


    When she said that thing she pointed at the sword in Rab''s hands.


    "Lyb?" Nem said. "What''s happening?"


    Lyb didn''t say anything. She just raised her arms up towards the sky.


    Then she said something that they couldn''t understand. It didn''t even sound like words. It was a weird, sizzling noise.


    She burst into flames. But she wasn''t on fire. She was fire.


    She began to spin, faster and faster until she was a whirling circle of pure searing flame that light up the night.


    "I know what that is," said Nem. Her voice sounded sick with fear. "It''s called a Flamethrall. Orb the Librarian showed me a drawing in a book once."


    Now Rab understood why Lyb had wanted to bring them into the empty hills.


    ¡°It¡¯s from the Underworld,¡± said Nem. ¡°It¡¯s a monster.¡±


    "It was taking us out here where there was nowhere to run," he said.


    "That Maker house was a surprise," the Flamethrall said in Lyb''s little voice. "But it won''t matter. You can''t get there now."


    "Lyb!" Rab yelled. "Why? Why are you doing this?"


    But the creature didn''t answer at all.


    "The fires," Nem said quietly. "All the fires. It was her."


    The Flamethrall rose into the air, and spun away up over the heads of the mobs. It whispered in a voice like flames, "Kill them."


    Then it floated into the shining portal without another word. The portal flickered out and disappeared with a hiss once the Flamethrall was gone.


    Without a sound, the mobs began to shuffle forward toward Rab and Nem.

 Chapter 4 - Villagers

    The night was so dark that Rab could barely even see them.


    "Up the hill again, run!" he yelled. Nem started climbing up the blocks, and he followed behind her, looking backwards and watching the huge crowd that was coming towards them in the dark.


    Then an Ashman leapt towards him out of the darkness, reaching for his arm.


    He swung the sword at it without thinking, just blindly slashing, and the mob flashed and disappeared with a distant moan.


    It worked!


    He could hardly believe it had actually worked for real.


    Two more were in front of him. Nem was moving too slowly.


    "Faster!" he yelled.


    "I''m trying!" Nem said and scrambled up the hill.


    He slashed both of the Ashmen, and they flashed and jumped back, but disappeared when he hit them again.


    The massive crowd coming towards them was only a few blocks away now.


    Rab turned and ran, picking Nem up and climbing with her under one arm.


    "Put me down!" she yelled. "I can make it!"


    He didn''t have enough breath to say anything, so he just jumped up the hill faster than he ever thought he could move, and they finally started putting the mobs behind them. When they reached the top of the hill he put Nem down and pointed at the door again.


    "We go around the edge, and down to the door," he said.


    Nem nodded and ran. She was faster on flat ground, and he kept up with her.


    He could tell the crowd was starting to climb up the side of the valley near them now. The shining white limbs of a Bonewalker flashed towards him, too close. They just needed to have enough room to get down to the door again. He didn¡¯t know if they could do it. The crowd swept along below them like a river, matching their pace.


    "We need to go faster," he said between breaths.


    "I have little legs!" Nem yelled. "This is as fast as they go!"


    But they were nearly at the other side now.


    More mobs were starting to climb up towards them, and towards the door, too.


    "Down!" Rab said.


    They both jumped two blocks at a time down, and landed in front of the door with the mobs only a few blocks away.


    The door wouldn''t move. He couldn''t open it.


    It was made of iron. Who had ever heard of an iron door?


    "Hurry!" Nem yelled, staring at two Bonewalkers rattling towards them, just a few blocks away.


    "You try!" Rab said. "I can''t make it work!"


    They switched places and Rab swung his sword again right away. The Bonewalkers were harder than Ashmen. His sword clanged against them, and they slashed back with their rusty blades. Rab jumped back and then stabbed again. One of them flashed and disappeared, but the other was already raising its sword, and two Ashmen were lurching up behind it.


    "What is this?" Nem said. She sounded frantic.


    "I don''t know, I''ve never seen a door like that!" Rab yelled. He swung again and again, hoping that Nem would figure something out. Mobs flashed and disappeared, but each time there were two more for every one that he took out.


    Eventually his swing barely touched a creature, and it swung it''s arm down hard on him.


    It hit him in the shoulder. There was a burst of pain. He almost dropped his sword. If the Bonewalker¡¯s weapon had been sharp instead of dull and rusty he would have been in trouble.


    He stabbed, and the mob flashed and was gone, but another one hit him in the side.


    He gasped. It hurt!


    There were too many. They would just bury him in a pile of them before he could do anything.


    He slashed again, and another one was gone.


    An Ashman hit him in the side clumpy fists. Rab yelled out loud with the pain. It was awful!


    He stabbed and it disappeared.


    His side and his shoulder burned, and he could hardly breathe. There was another one right in front of him. He stared at it and tried to raise the sword again, but his arms were weak.


    Just then, Nem''s hand grabbed his robe and pulled him backwards, hard.


    He fell through the open door and landed mostly on top of her, but she jumped up and pushed the door closed again.


    The iron door clanged shut. Almost instantly, there was the sound of fists banging against the metal.


    "I think we''re good," Nem said.


    Then she saw his face, and gasped.


    "You''re hurt!" she said.


    Rab pushed himself up, and stood with his back against a workbench. Gray, blurry faces stared in through the little windows in the door.


    When Nem tried to put her hand on his arm, he pulled away.


    "Just let me rest, I''ll be okay."


    He wasn''t sure that he would be, though. He was weak and shakey. Plus something else.


    He was scared. This wasn''t fun. They could hurt him. Or worse.


    The sword didn''t just fix his problem. It wasn''t as simple as that. In some ways it made him more likely to get hurt.


    But Nem was looking so worried that he said, "Really, I just need a second."


    He couldn''t tell her about how he felt. Then she really would think he was a coward. He worked to slow his breathing, and to try to calm down.


    There was more thumping from outside. The door didn''t even move. It was strong enough to hold them back.


    "How did you do it?" he said. He could hardly believe they were actually inside and safe for the first time in days.


    "There''s a button," she said. "I hope they''re not smart enough to figure it out."


    "Smart mobs we don''t have to worry about," Rab said. "I hope, anyway."


    "Let''s move away from the door. If they don''t see us, maybe they''ll forget what they''re doing."


    It was worth a try. They were in a big square room, with lots of rare things - ovens, a chest, workbenches, and a few items that Rab didn''t even understand. Player things.


    They sat on the floor together and tried to calm down. After a while there was no more sound of fists thumping on the door.


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    "I can''t believe Lyb was really... that thing," Nem said.


    Suddenly Rab laughed. Or at least it was a noise sort of like a laugh.


    "What''s funny?" she said. She looked like she couldn''t imagine anything ever being funny again.


    "I just realized why the Witch ran away. She knew what Lyb was. That''s who she was yelling at! She probably thought I was full of terrible magic!"


    If only she''d known that he could barely even hold the sword without dropping it.


    Nem frowned.


    "The Witch was afraid of us because we were with something even worse," she said.


    Rab sighed.


    "I guess so. I''m going to call that lucky because I don''t know what else to call it."


    "I haven''t slept in days," Nem said. "And now I see a bed."


    There was definitely a bed, right there next to the chest.


    "Go lie down," Rab said. "I''ll look around, but I won''t go far."


    Nem didn''t argue. He was happy to let her rest, but he still wanted to make sure they weren''t going to have a run-in with a Player. He¡¯d never heard of anyone actually meeting one in real life. It was just story stuff, but all the way out here, who knew what could happen?


    But it didn''t look that way. The chest only had a few random bits of dirt and stone, tree and vegetable seeds, and things like that. Rab might have worried if it was filled with gold and weapons and rare ores, but this place didn¡¯t seem lived-in.


    When he looked over at the bed again Nem was already fast asleep.


    When she woke up later he had set out breakfast - some of their last carrots and potatoes. He''d taken a break to sit in a corner and really calm down. It took a long time before he could stop shivering. But then he''d gone exploring. He told her about the tunnel entrance he''d found.


    "I can''t see the end," he said. "But it heads away from the valley out there, and I think we should go somewhere far away. I think we should try it."


    Nem chewed on her carrot and shrugged.


    "I just want to find a new village," she said. "But do you think Lyb will come back looking for us?"


    "I don''t know. I hope not."


    She nodded, but she still looked worried.


    The tunnel went far, far back through the mountain. It was lit with torches, and it was so long that after a while they couldn''t see where they came from at all. They couldn''t see anything down towards the other end either. Eventually they came to another tunnel that crossed with theirs. Looking left and right, they couldn''t see the end of that one, either. All they could see were torches heading away into the distance.


    "I say we keep going straight," Rab said. They could always head back here again if they didn''t like where it ended up. At least they were safe from mobs. It was well-lit and exactly one block wide.


    He felt about as safe as he could remember being for a long time.


    Something in a villager feels best with walls all around, he thought.


    But the tunnel just kept going. Eventually they stopped to eat their last food. Rab broke his bread in half and offered a piece to Nem.


    She shook her head and kept eating her carrot.


    Rab realized that she looked older. She definitely wasn''t the same now as the little girl she had been in the village.


    I guess something like this will do that to you.


    He didn''t feel the same now either.


    When they got going again, it wasn''t very long before they saw something up ahead. It was sunlight, shining through a door.


    "There it is," he said. "I hope it was worth all that time."


    Plus they were going to start getting hungry for real if they had to head back again.


    Nem was ahead of him. He had let her step over him when they ate. She started running.


    "Wait!" he yelled, but she didn''t listen.


    The last thing he needed was her stepping into a trap. So he ran after her. They both pounded down the tunnel until they reached the end.


    Nem stood at the door, on her tiptoes, looking out of the window, and Rab stood behind her, looking over her head.


    They saw a long green plain stretching away into the distance. Far away there were more mountains, and a big, curving river through the middle of it all. Beside the river, there was a village. It was bigger than any village Rab had ever heard of.


    "That''s a lot of houses," Nem said.


    "Anything outside the door?" Rab said.


    She shook her head.


    "Then I guess we go."


    From the outside it was a lot like the entrance in the empty valley - set into the side of a mountain, but with no light outside of it. It would be hard to see from the village. They closed the door carefully after they left, and Rab looked around, remembering everything so that they could find it again if they needed to.


    He saw Nem examining the village as they walked down the slope to the grassy plains.


    "Any smoke?" he said. He didn''t think there was any.


    "No," she said. "But what are we going to do if we see some?"


    He wanted to say run, but he knew that wasn''t a good answer. Especially now that he was apparently the only villager in the world who could handle a sword.


    "We tell them," he said. "We tell the villagers right away. We warn them about what to watch out for."


    "So we''re bad news," she said.


    "The Firethrall and the magic doorway are the bad news," he said. "You and I are the good news."


    "How?"


    "We''re alive," he said. "We mean that the mobs don''t have to win."


    She looked up at him and smiled a little.


    "You''re the good news. I saw you fight them. You can kill Ashmen. You killed Bonewalkers! You''re probably the first villager ever who can do that."


    But he never wanted to do that again. Not ever. He knew he couldn''t say that to Nem though.


    They walked down to the village. There was a farm near the path, and a farmer tending his wheat. When he saw them coming, he stopped and watched. When they got near to him, he frowned.


    "Can''t say I''ve ever seen anyone manage that trick before," he said. "How did you do it?"


    "You mean being that far outside of the village?"


    The farmer nodded.


    "We''re not from here," Nem said, grinning. "We saw your village and we wanted to have a look at it. It''s not bad, compared to the other villages we''ve seen."


    The farmer just watched them walk by with his mouth hanging open.


    "That actually wasn''t very helpful," Rab said to her.


    "Sorry," she said. "I''ll let you do the talking when we meet their council."


    Kan the Priest stared at Rab and Nem, and sighed.


    The council had heard their whole story. Nobody looked worried. The village''s council here was Kan, and a Blacksmith named Lum, a Librarian called Alm, and a Farmer named Ron. Four was a big council, but this was a big village.


    Nem was frowning at all of them.


    "We will discuss your story," Kan said. "Please wait here."


    They walked out of the house, and left Rab and Nem all alone.


    It was nice to be back in a proper house again - the torches and the wood and the doors were all just like home.


    But Rab couldn''t relax. Nobody had said they were welcome to stay. Nobody had even seemed all that surprised to see the two of them.


    "They don''t believe us," Nem said.


    Rab didn''t think that was it.


    "They didn''t seem surprised at all. It was like they''ve heard this before."


    "Then why aren''t they doing something?"


    "I wish I knew."


    He looked out of the window at the villagers.


    "It''s just like home," he said.


    Nem was still frowning.


    "Home wasn''t safe, was it? They need to get ready."


    "I can''t make them," he said.


    "They didn''t even care when you showed them you can use the sword," she said.


    Rab thought that they had looked worried about that, more than anything.


    When the door opened, just two people came back in.


    "We would like to move you to another house," Kan the Priest said.


    Nem stood in front of him, looking like she wasn''t going to move for anyone.


    "Why?" she said.


    "This is where the Council meets," Lum the Blacksmith said. "But we want to be able to ask you more questions."


    "You''ve heard about the Firethrall and everything else. What else do we need to talk about?"


    Lum looked amused at Nem''s defiance, but Kan just stared at her.


    "We don''t want you talking to people and spreading scary stories," he said.


    "They''re not stories," Rab said.


    "They will scare people, that''s what we care about."


    "Maybe they should be scared," Nem said.


    But it didn''t do any good. They took them towards a house at the edge of the village. A huge iron Defender lumbered along beside them. Rab thought that was going too far ¨C the village was treating them like they were the problem.


    "I guess you''ll have lots to talk about with your friend in here," Lum the Blacksmith said when he opened the door and motioned for them to go in.


    "Our friend?"


    Lum gave them a funny look and shut the door on them.

 Chapter 5 - Firethrall

    A very old villager sat alone in one corner of the house. He had gray hair, and faded, dirty Clerics''s robes.


    "Do you know him?" Nem said.


    Rab shook his head.


    But the old man smiled when he saw them.


    "Good," he said. "I was worried I wouldn''t find you."


    "Who are you?" Nem said.


    He said his name was Yob, and that he had come to the village just the day before.


    "They''re not very friendly to strangers here," he said.


    ¡°We noticed,¡± Nem said.


    "Why are you wandering alone?" Rab said. "Was your village burned too?"


    "I was banished from my village a long time ago," Yob said. "I''ve spent years living on my own."


    "Years..." Nem said, horrified.


    "Banished? I''ve never heard of that," Rab said.


    The old man grimaced.


    "Not surprising. People don''t like to talk about it. But Clerics can do it, if they believe it''s the right thing."


    Rab nodded. They knew leaving the village was possible now, at least, but he felt sick at the idea of spending year after year alone in the world with no other villagers, no houses ¨C nothing at all! It was too terrible to think about. His mind raced ahead and he imagined himself and Nem wandering homeless for years on end. It sounded like a nightmare. But if every village treated them like this, what choice would they have?


    "But you," the old villager said to Rab. "I came this way hoping I would meet you."


    "Me?"


    ¡°Well, not you in particular. But I knew someone was coming.¡±


    Yob looked like he was deciding how much to say.


    "I was banished from my own village for... becoming too friendly with some creatures of the night," he said.


    "Who?" said Rab. "Ashmen can''t talk. Or Bonewalkers. That really only leaves Witches or else..."


    Yob nodded.


    "The dark brothers, yes. The Umbrals."


    "You can talk to them?" said Nem. She sounded interested and disgusted at the same time.


    "A little," Yob said. "It took time and patience. And great caution. But I made myself useful to them."


    "Useful," Rab said.


    He wondered what Yob''s village would have thought about that.


    "Enough so that they came to me a few days ago, and let me know I should look for you near here."


    "Why? What for?"


    The old man shrugged.


    "Understanding what they want is always hard. But they actually seemed... I guess worried is the best word."


    "About me?" Rab said.


    Yob laughed.


    "No, that''s not how they work. But there''s something big happening. I wish I knew more."


    "Maybe it''s a good thing if they''re the ones who are scared," Nem said.


    "No, it''s not like that. They told me that a Firethrall had come out from the Underworld and was destroying villages."


    "Why do they care about that?"


    "They told me they''d given a villager the power to destroy it. I guess that''s you."


    He looked at Rab like he was trying to figure out how one small villager and another even smaller one could do anything useful at all.


    Feeling some kind of need to justify himself, Rab pulled out the sword.


    Yob''s eyes went wide when he watched Rab swing it around the room a couple of times.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting,¡± he said.


    "I can use it, but all I want to do is find a safe place for me and Nem to live."


    "There''s only one way to do that now."


    Rab felt sick. He already knew what the answer was.


    "Destroy the Firethrall?"


    Yob nodded.


    "Nowhere will be safe until then."


    Then he made them tell him their whole story, and asked questions until Nem started to fall asleep.


    Rab and the old man moved over to another corner of the house to give her some quiet.


    "I can''t fight a Firethrall," he whispered. "I can''t do any of that again. Ashmen and Bonewalkers were bad enough."


    It felt good to be able to say it to someone. He''d been pretending for Nem''s benefit, but now he could finally tell the truth.


    Yob just shook his head.


    "Did you think being a hero was easy?" Yob said.


    "I''m not a hero. Not at all."


    "You''re the guy with the sword."


    "Nem thinks I''m afraid. And she''s right," Rab whispered. "I''ve never been so afraid."


    Yob nodded.


    "That''s the right way to feel. You should be afraid."


    "But I''m not brave at all."


    "Brave is what you do, not what you feel."


    Rab really didn''t think Yob was getting it.


    "You fought to protect Nem, and yourself, right?" Yob said.


    "That''s the only reason I did it."


    Yob nodded.


    "That''s good enough," he said. "That''s all it takes."


    "I''m just a villager!" Rab said. "I''m supposed to be a Smith!"


    "Everybody is just somebody."


    Rab shook his head.


    "All I want is for us to be safe. For Nem to be safe," he said.


    "Like I said, that''s good enough."


    It was nice to have someone to talk to who understood what was going on. But on the other hand Yob was also kind of annoying.


    The next day, they were still just left in the house. But there was always someone outside the door, making sure they couldn''t leave. Twice someone came and gave them food, but apart from that there was nothing to do.


    By the end of the day Nem was just about ready to kick the door down and start yelling at their guards.


    "We came here to help them!" she said. "And they don''t even want to hear about it!"


    Rab agreed.


    "This village doesn''t want to be saved," he said.


    Yob pointed at the children running down the path outside.


    "They don''t get to decide," he said.


    "So that''s our problem now?" Nem said.


    Yob shrugged.


    "We know. They don''t. So it''s our problem."


    "When the Firethrall is dead, what happens to us? Are we safe?" Nem said. She looked very serious.


    "I think the village will change its mind about us. About you at least. You could live here."


    "And you?" Rab said.


    "There is work to do. I already know where I have to go next."


    Rab didn''t ask him where that was. He was really worried that the answer would mean he couldn''t stay here with Nem.


    It was getting late in the day when the Council finally came to the door.


    Yob sighed.


    "I thought they''d at least let us stay the night. These really aren''t very friendly people."


    Kan the Priest looked in at them.


    "It''s time for you to go," he said.


    Three strong farmers and a Defender walked beside them on the way to the edge of the village.


    "What do they think we''re going to do?" Nem said. "They really need a crowd to throw out two kids and an old man?"


    "It''s a message," Yob said. "They''re letting us know they mean it."


    "Stupid," Nem said. Then she raised her voice. "They''re letting us know they''re stupid!"


    Nobody paid any attention to her, though.


    When they reached the end of the path, the farmers and Kan the Priest all stepped back.


    "Go," said Kan. "You are banished. Leave us."


    Yob turned and started walking away without saying a word.


    Nem looked up at Rab. Rab looked at the villagers.


    We''re just kids! His eyes said.


    But they stood with their arms folded, and waited. There would be no help from them.


    "Come on," he said quietly, and put his hand on Nem''s arm.


    She glared at them one last time, then whirled around on one foot and stalked out of the village. Rab followed her towards the setting sun.


    They set up their circle outside of the village.


    Now there were three of them. That was better than two. Plus one of them was a grownup. Rab felt a little better about that. Nem looked less scared, too.


    When it got dark, they sat together in the middle of the light, and watched the village. Yob reached into his robes and gave them some bread.


    "I''ve been keeping as much food as I could," he said. "I had a feeling that I would be outside again."


    Rab pointed up at the mountains.


    "We can get to the Player house tomorrow, easily."


    They had told Yob all about it. It seemed like the right place to go. They could be inside and safe.


    But Yob shook his head.


    "We''re not going there," he said.


    "It has iron doors!" Nem said.


    "Maybe there are more villagers like us, or banished ones too," Rab said. "We can make a home for all of them."


    Yob smiled.


    "I like that you are still thinking about what you can do to help," he said. "But our battle is here."


    Nem made a disgusted noise.


    "To help them? They threw us out. They won''t even listen."


    "The have not seen what''s coming," Yob said. "When they do, they will listen."


    "You really think the Firethrall will attack here?" Nem said.


    "It will," Yob said. "Until then we wait."


    Nem looked at Rab.


    He can wait, her look said, But you and I can make up our own minds about what we''re going to do.


    The next day it was raining.


    They didn''t move away the circle of torches. Even at noon, it was dark enough that mobs were still walking around like it was midnight.


    The three of them were all soaking wet.


    They ate a lunch of soggy bread. When Rab saw that Nem was shivering with the cold, he decided. He stood up and faced Yob.


    "Nem can''t do this," he said. "She''s too young. I''m too young."


    Yob sighed.


    "If we don''t stop the Firethrall here, how many more villages will it destroy? How many more young ones will be gone?"


    "So that''s it?" Nem said. Her teeth were chattering. "We don''t matter now? Only everyone who is safe in their village matters?"


    Yob looked at her gently.


    "They''re not safe. They just don''t know they''re in danger. You know better."


    Rab was getting angry with Yob, though. How could two wet kids and an old man fight the Firethrall anyway? It was beyond stupid.


    Nem stood up next to Rab.


    "We still don''t have to sit here and freeze to death. There''s a warm place and a bed just over that way. A place where we can decide what to do."


    "You already know what to do," Yob said.


    "No," said Rab. "That''s not good enough. Just because I can use a sword, that doesn''t mean I can kill a Firethrall! Plus Nem can''t even do that. Is she supposed to just watch, and then die after I do?"


    Rab had decided. He owed nothing to Yob. Someone had to think about what was best for Nem.


    "We''re leaving," he said. "Once it''s safe to walk to the Player home, we''re going."


    Yob stood up.


    "No," he said. His voice was loud and hard.


    They both stood still and stared at him. Suddenly he looked different. Before he had been a frail old man, but now his eyes shone with something hard and cold.


    "You''re past the point where you can turn away from this now."


    Rab thought about just grabbing Nem''s hand and starting to walk away, right then and there.


    Yob pulled something out of his inventory and held it out.


    It was armor. A helmet that was bright silver even in the darkness of the rainy day.


    "Put this on," be said.


    He pulled out leggings, and armored boots, and a strong plate-mail chest piece, and laid them all out on the ground.


    Rab stared at it all, amazed. Every bit of it was enchanted in some way. The magic colors spun across it all.


    He picked up the helmet, and he put it on. He couldn''t resist trying. He''d never seen a villager wear one before. Nobody had.


    Yob thumped on it with his fist. A shimmer of magic burst from under his hand.


    "You''ll be good against a lot of mobs with this on," he said.


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    Yob laughed at Rab''s amazed expression.


    "I didn''t even know I could wear armor at all," Rab said.


    "It was the Dark Ones. You might be surprised. I have a few things that will give us a chance," said Yob. "It looks like it''s time to show them to you."


    Nem watched the two of them silently, until she finally couldn''t be quiet any more.


    "So that''s it?" she said. She spread her hands wide. "What about me? I''m little, and I can''t swing a sword. I can''t do anything."


    "That''s not true," Rab said. "We wouldn''t have made it out of the swamp without you. We wouldn''t have gotten through the iron door without you."


    "You will keep the village children calm and ready to do as they are told," Yob said. "You know more than most adults now about what can happen."


    Nem frowned.


    Yob started pulling potion bottles out from his inventory. He had handfuls of them.


    "Fire resistance," he said, "Slowness, Healing, here, take them."


    "What about you?" Rab said.


    "I have my own way. And my own supplies."


    He finally told them his plan.


    "I will rally the Defenders to open a path to the Firethrall," Yob said. "Rab will use the fire resistance on himself and the slowness on the Firethrall."


    "You really want me to try to kill that thing?"


    "It is what holds a mob band together. Once it is gone, they will be easy for the Defenders to defeat."


    Rab was quiet, staring at the potion bottle in his hand.


    "Put me on a roof," Nem said.


    "What? No," Yob said. "You have your job."


    "Give me some potions. Put me on a roof. I''ll be out of the way of the mobs and I can throw them down wherever we need them."


    "And if we fail?"


    "I jump down. I grab everyone I can, and see if we can leave the village. We run."


    She stood in front of Yob with her hands on her hips.


    Rab spoke up.


    "I''d feel better with Nem helping," he said. "She''s saved us before. She''s little but she thinks fast."


    Yob gave her a hard look.


    "There would be no help for you," he said.


    "Same as ever," she said and shrugged. Then she held out her hand.


    Yob started giving potions to her as well.


    "Don''t worry about wasting them," he said. "Use them when you need them."


    "Because there''s no tomorrow if we lose, right?" she said.


    Rab went over to her, and gave her arm a squeeze.


    "So we don''t lose, I guess," he said.


    His stomach felt sick with fear, but he smiled bravely for her.


    It finally stopped raining near evening, but the first fires started as soon as the sun went down.


    "There!" Nem gasped, and pointed.


    Yob didn''t wait. He jumped up and started running to the village.


    "Hurry!" he yelled.


    The villagers were all watching the smoke and flames from inside their houses. Nobody even tried to stop them.


    They could see the mobs now. They were starting to fill the paths and surround the houses at the edge of the village.


    "I will bring the Defenders!" Yob yelled, "Find the Firethrall! Slow it if you can!"


    Then without another word he turned and headed away. Rab and Nem ran down the path toward the fires.


    "Up there!" Nem said. She pointed to a house.


    Rab grabbed her legs and heaved her up. She scrambled onto the roof and didn''t even look back at him.


    "I''ll be watching!" her voice called back.


    He pulled out the sword. There was nothing else for him to do now.


    He walked down the path, and a crowd of Ashmen started stumbling towards him with their arms stretched out.


    When the first one grabbed for him he stabbed it twice, and it flashed and disappeared.


    The next one took hold of his arm, but he pulled away and slashed at it.


    Then suddenly an arrow flew past him and knocked the next Ashman back along the path. Another arrow zipped past his shoulder and set the creature on fire. It ran away, burning.


    Rab turned around and saw four Bonewalkers pounding down the path towards him,


    Yob was farther down the path, holding a bow. He had another arrow ready, and it flew past Rab again, knocking one of the mobs back.


    "What are you waiting for? Go!" Yob yelled.


    Yob¡¯s arrows flashed almost too fast to see. One after another, they were gone with a clatter of falling bones.


    For a moment Rab thought that this might work after all. He turned and moved forward, slashing at the Ashmen coming at him.


    One of the village¡¯s Defenders was gone almost right away. It was surrounded by a crowd of mobs - there must have been dozens of them. A ball of flame from the Firethrall shot through them, setting mobs on fire along the way and crashing into the Defender. It flashed and was gone. That left three.


    But now they knew which way to go.


    "That way!" yelled Yob, pointing.


    The last three Defenders began smashing their way through the crowd, and mobs flashed and disappeared in front of them. Rab followed behind them, stabbing and slashing whenever one got past them.


    He wanted to laugh. They were cutting through them like butter!


    He looked back at Yob again, but just then another crowd of Bonewalkers came around a corner, and swarmed themselves around the old villager.


    Rab heard him yell. Mob after mob burst into flames as his arrows flew, but Yob was surrounded and mobs were hitting him from all sides.


    Rab turned away from the Ashmen and started slashing his way towards Yob. One of them hit him right in the arm, and despite the armor he almost dropped the sword from the pain.


    When the old man saw what was happening be yelled, "Don''t help me! Kill the Firethrall! Do it!"


    Rab turned back and started fighting forward again. It was a hard thing to do.


    "Rab!" he heard Yob yell again.


    When he looked back he couldn''t see Yob at all in the crowd of mobs. But he heard his voice.


    "Find the Deep Witch! Talk to the Deep Witch!"


    Then there was a flash from inside the crowd of mobs, and he knew that Yob was gone.


    But there was no time to worry about it.


    Now it''s just me and Nem again, he thought.


    He looked up and saw that she was crouched on the roof of the next house, watching it all with a potion ready in her hand.


    He started slashing his way through the mobs again. He could see the orange glow from the Firethrall. It wasn''t far ahead.


    He took out a slowness potion and threw it over the top of the crowd of mobs. He was just hoping for the best when he heard the bottle smash.


    "Not far enough!" Nem yelled from the rooftop. "Three blocks more!"


    Rab tried to take out another potion but now there were mobs on both sides of him. There was no time. He hacked at them both until they flashed and disappeared. He quickly drank a healing potion, and felt the warm glow spreading through him.


    Then he grabbed and threw another slowness. When he heard the smash he looked up to Nem.


    She shook her head.


    "It moved! Two blocks to the right!"


    Suddenly one of the Defenders flashed and disappeared and there were mobs crowding into the space it left.


    Only two Defenders left.


    He growled in frustration. They were so close! But there was no way to throw now. There were too many mobs coming at him at once!


    He started fighting, trying to move them forward, helping the Defenders clear a path. When he looked up he couldn''t see Nem any more. He moved forward slowly, and he could see the whirling glow of the Firethrall now.


    Something flew through the air and smashed right on top of it. He knew it had to be Nem, throwing from the roof. The creature spat a bolt of flame back toward the roof, which exploded into fire. He heard a shriek from Nem, and saw her running across the roof with flames on her robes.


    There was no time to help her. He was so close, and the Firethrall was slowed now. It wouldn''t be able to fire again right away. He hoped Nem would remember the healing potions.


    He drank another one for himself, and a fire resistance as well.


    Then he threw himself into the crowd, hacking as hard as he could on all sides.


    Forward, forward, he thought. I need to get to it now.


    Then suddenly it was in front of him. He didn''t even know how he''d managed to go so far. It shot flames, which hit him square in the chest from one block away.


    It burned. He screamed. It would have killed him if he had not taken the potion.


    Healing or attack?


    He couldn''t wait. He stabbed at the Firethrall. He sank his sword deep into its flames. It shrieked like an animal and moved backwards, away from him.


    He took the moment to grab another healing potion. It was his last one. He drank it. He threw the bottle on the ground and ran forward.


    Another slowness potion spun through the air and smashed against the creature.


    So Nem is still going.


    The thought made him feel stronger, and he charged ahead just as the Firethrall shot another gob of fire straight at him. It hit him right in the face, and only his helmet saved his eyes.


    "Why?" he yelled. "Why are you burning villages?"


    "Why would I tell a dead man anything?" it hissed back at him. He could feel the heat building up. It was going to shoot fire at him again.


    He could barely see anything at all, but he knew where it was. He jumped forward and slashed as hard as he could. There was another shriek from the creature, and it backed away again, trying to get ready for another fireball. He was going to attack again when an Ashman crashed into him from the side, and knocked him over.


    When he looked up one of the Defenders smashed it from behind, and another Ashman burst into fire when it stepped into the flames from the Firethrall.


    "Attack the Firethrall!" he yelled at the Defender. "We have to kill it right now!"


    Back home, Gru the Defender would sometimes obey simple orders, but he really didn''t know if all golems worked the same way. They had listened to Yob though.


    They turned around and started moving towards the Firethrall.


    Rab jumped up, but he realized that his leg was hurt, and he had to limp. He heard Nem''s shout of "Rab!" and turned to look.


    A potion was heading towards him through the air. He reached out and caught it. It was more healing. He drank it and instantly felt better.


    One Defender was trying to hit the Firethrall now, while the other one stayed back and took care of any mobs that got near them. But the creature was dodging the Defender''s slow arms, moving back and forth faster than it could swing.


    Rab jumped to the other side of the creature, trapping it between them. He stabbed once more just as the it shot flames that wrapped around him. The fire resistance was wearing off. He screamed at the heat, and he could smell his hair burning. But he stabbed again, while the Defender smashed it over and over with its huge iron arms.


    Then suddenly there was a burst of light and short scream, and the Firethrall disappeared.


    It was gone.


    "You got it!" he heard Nem yell.


    But there was no time to be happy. They were still surrounded by Ashmen and Bonewalkers.


    Rab turned, getting ready to start fighting again. Except that the mobs weren''t attacking. One or two still threw themselves at the Defenders, but it didn''t take much before they were gone too. The others were wandering off in all directions.


    Whatever had been holding them together in a group, it was over.


    Rab looked up at Nem on the roof.


    She held up a healing potion for him. He shook his head. He was good enough, for now.


    The village had only lost a few houses to the fires, and it didn''t look like they were spreading.


    While the Defenders chased down the last mobs, Rab went over to the edge of the roof. Nem stood there, looking down at him. Her robe was burned and black on one side, but apart from that she seemed to be okay.


    "You look terrible," she said to him.


    He looked at his armor, and it was scorched from the flames. When he pulled off the helmet it stank like burned hair. He started to grin, but then he thought about Yob.


    "Come on," he said, and held his arms up to help her down.


    They went over to where Yob had fallen. His bow lay on the ground, shimmering with magic.


    "Go on," Rab said. "I think he would have wanted you to have it."


    She picked it up carefully, then looked surprised.


    "It doesn''t feel too bad," she said. She picked up one of the arrows and tried to fire it at a tree. It zipped high above the houses instead.


    She stared at him in amazement.


    ¡°Do you think this is because of whatever the Umbrals did?¡±


    He nodded.


    "Probably. But like you said to me, you need to practice."


    "I will," she said. "Can we go inside now?"


    Nobody on the Council complained when they walked into the nearest house.


    The villagers just stood and looked at them for a moment, then Kan the Priest stepped forward.


    "Thank you," he said. "I don''t know what we can do to thank you enough."


    "But you''re welcome to stay here," the Blacksmith said.


    The other council members nodded.


    The old farmer who was tending his wheat when they first came to the village said, "I don''t know how you''re doing the things you''re doing boy, but you''re both okay by me."


    Whatever the Council had decided, it seemed like the old farmer''s words made it official. The other villagers finally started smiling, and suddenly Rab and Nem were surrounded by people talking and asking them questions and offering them food.


    It felt good, but Rab saw the way Nem was looking at him. She knew he wasn''t going to stay.


    "Yob told me about something I need to do," he said the next day, when they were sitting in the sun with their backs against the well.


    He wanted to stay. Oh yes, he really did. The idea of taking off the armor and putting it in a chest seemed like the best thing in the world. The sword, too. But Yob had told him to find the Deep Witch.


    Whatever that was.


    There might be other villages in trouble. Out there somewhere. He didn¡¯t imagine that he could somehow fight every mob in the land on his own, but somebody had to tell them. Like Yob had said, he knew. They didn¡¯t. That made it his problem to make sure they found out.


    Even if they decided not to listen.


    "I want you to stay here, though," he said. "You can be safe here."


    "While you''re all alone?" Nem said.


    "You''re just too little," he said. "I''d like to have you with me, but it''s not right."


    She stood up.


    "I can feel the change coming, you know. I''m not that much younger than you. I wouldn''t be surprised if I was as tall as you in a few days."


    It happened like that, of course. Kids would just pop up overnight and be nearly as tall as the grownups. She was probably even right about it.


    He sighed. He really wouldn''t mind waiting for a few days. A time to rest would be... better than good. Great, actually.


    "Tell you what," he said. "You spend some time practicing with the bow, and I''ll work on getting set up for a trip. We might as well be organized about it."


    Nem looked surprised. She must have expected him to say no.


    "Okay," she said and nodded eagerly. "I''ll work hard at it."


    The next day they spent some time trying to convince the adults to see if they could leave the village now. Not one of them wanted to try. They just frowned at the idea. So the day after that they rounded up some of the children to try the edge of the village game instead.


    The results were shocking. When the children realized there was no more village border, Ran and Nem ended up having to chase them halfway across the nearest fields to keep them from running into the forest. Once they had finally rounded everyone up again, they took their news straight to the Council. Nobody looked very happy about it, but at least they immediately gave someone the job of keeping an eye on where the children went.


    When the morning finally came for them to leave, the villagers all came out as far as the old edge of the village.


    Nem almost looked like an adult now. Just like she had said, one morning when they woke up she was nearly as tall as Rab, and Lum the Blacksmith''s armor had fit her perfectly. It wasn''t enchanted, but it would definitely protect her.


    "Thank you again," said Kan the Priest said gravely. "We owe you our lives."


    Nem stared him in the eyes. She seemed to like it a lot that she didn''t have to look up at the adults anymore.


    "We don''t know how many other villages were burned," she said. "But there may be more wandering villagers. If anyone comes looking for a new home, you can let them stay. That would be the all the thank yous we want."


    Rab nodded, and the Council said they would do it.


    "They''re still not the friendliest people," Nem said when they were far out in the fields, heading west. "Do you think they''ll really let any lost villagers stay?"


    Rab shrugged.


    "I spent some time talking to Old Wen the Farmer about it last night. He said yes. I think the Council is a little bit afraid of him. If they say no he''ll give them a hard time."


    Nem looked up at the distant trees.


    "So how do we find the Deep Witch? And what do we do when we find her?"


    "Same way we found the villages. We start walking. When we find her... I don''t know. Yet."


    She frowned, but nodded.


    "Okay," she said. "Lead the way."

 Chapter 6 - Lost

    Ren the Cleric shook his head sadly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do,¡± he said.


    It sounded final. It sounded like someone slamming a door closed on Kim¡¯s whole life.


    Arn could see that Dav was going to explode.


    Dav¡¯s face was getting red and his eyes were darting back and forth, looking between the three Council members. He was putting something together in his head - Arn could see it happening. But it wasn¡¯t going to be anything good. Not something that would actually help Kim.


    The whole village was there.


    If Dav started yelling at the Council, it wouldn¡¯t even matter if what he said made any sense. He¡¯d just be an angry kid. A kid who was sad that his friend had vanished.


    Probably a kid who needed some time to calm down.


    Dav had brains, for sure, but he didn¡¯t have any clue how to deal with people.


    Arn needed to stop him before he ruined their last chance.


    Everyone had been back and forth across the whole village - nearly the whole village - all day long, and now the sun was going down.


    Kim was nowhere to be found.


    At least nowhere that they¡¯re willing to look, Arn thought.


    But they all knew it. It just didn¡¯t matter. The player house was forbidden. Off-limits.


    Dav was going to start yelling at them that their stupid rule had to go, and that if they weren¡¯t willing to go look in the player house, he and Arn sure were. He¡¯d probably call them cowards, too.


    Ren the Cleric looked at Dav. His face was sad, but it was also firm. Like he¡¯d made a decision. There was no way he was going to change his mind now in front of everyone. Especially not because Dav was angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Dav, really,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s awful but it happens sometimes.¡±


    Bre and Cat, the other two council members nodded.


    Arn hurried forward, and pushed past Urn the Butcher.


    He grabbed Dav¡¯s shoulders, squeezing them. Hard. Hard enough to make him look.


    Hard enough to interrupt the words that were just about to come flying out of his mouth.


    ¡°No!¡± he tried to signal to Dav with his eyes.


    Dav looked confused, then angry again.


    But he didn¡¯t start yelling.


    ¡°We have to¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°No,¡± Arn said quietly.


    The three of them were all the same age, though Arn was going to be a Butcher and Kim was going to be a Librarian.


    Of course Dav was going to be a Cleric. That much probably would have been obvious about him even if he never wore the colors. He had that kind of mind. It was always experimenting with things, asking questions, and making the old folks uncomfortable.


    But even for a Cleric, Dav was just¡­ different. He didn¡¯t think about things in the same way that the rest of the villagers did.


    ¡°That kid''s either going to change the whole world, or else he''s going to get blown up¡±, Mak the farmer always said.


    Dav wasn''t usually angry. Ever. He was too interested in things to even notice what other people thought, never mind getting angry about them.


    But this was different. It was strange to see him that way. He kept looking around like he expected her to just suddenly be there.


    If Kim wasn''t there to keep Dav safe, Arn would have to do it. Arn was not the one in charge. Usually he and Kim followed Dav¡¯s lead. Or at least Kim would go along with Dav¡¯s plans when they weren¡¯t actually going to get everyone killed.


    Arn¡­ he followed the two of them, mostly. He certainly wasn¡¯t the one in charge.


    Dav and Kim had probably never been apart for more than one night in their lives. Last night she¡¯d ended up in another house when the sun went down, which happened now and then, but in the morning she was just¡­ not there.


    All day long Dav had been rushing back and forth across the village, helping everyone look. Getting more frantic all the time.


    Looking more lost all the time too.


    He and Arn had both walked past the player house a dozen times, looking in the windows when nobody was watching. They would have gotten yelled at for doing that much.


    They hadn¡¯t seen anything, but nobody knew what it was like in there.


    ¡°What if she¡¯s just in a room we can¡¯t see?¡± Dav whispered to him. ¡°Or up the stairs?¡±


    It was the obvious question. It was also the question nobody was going to let them answer.


    Now Ren the Cleric was thanking everyone for helping out. People were starting to head over to the houses they liked, getting ready for the evening.


    "We can''t fight it," Arn whispered to him. "We need to let them think we''re going along!"


    Dav stared at for a moment, then nodded his head. He didn''t look any less angry.


    Lyn the Librarian came over to see them. Lyn was nice. She had been close to Kim too, Arn knew. But Dav whirled around on her the second she was near them.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Everyone¡¯s just finished, and that¡¯s the end?¡±


    Arn could see that Lyn was near to tears. She looked like she didn¡¯t know what to say to Dav.


    "I don''t like it either, you know," she said. "But it''s getting dark. What are they supposed to do?"


    Dav was being too hard on her, but he wasn¡¯t thinking about anyone except Kim.


    ¡°Can we keep looking in the morning?¡± Arn said, before Dav''s mouth ran away on it''s own.


    Lyn nodded.


    ¡°Of course. Why don¡¯t you both come over to the library tonight? We can talk.¡±


    That wouldn¡¯t do at all, Arn thought.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to keep looking for a little bit longer,¡± Arn said.


    Dav jumped at it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not giving up.¡±


    Lyn stared hard at Arn. She probably knew that Dav wasn¡¯t thinking straight.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be inside by sundown?¡±


    It was probably a fair request. Even on a good day there would be a decent chance Dav would just keeping looking all night long if nobody stopped him. He''d probably try getting any Bonewalkers or Ashmen that showed up to help him.


    His faith in everyone being reasonable if you could just calmly explain what was going on was legendary.


    One time a Bonewalker archer was stuck in the shadow of a tree near the potato patch, and he''d ended up with three holes in his robe from arrow shots before Kim had dragged him away.


    "Has anyone ever tried talking to them? What do they want? How do you know they''re not willing to listen if you don''t try?"


    Kim pointed out that the holes in his robes kind of answered his question. Dav frowned but didn''t keep arguing with her.


    He was easily the smartest villager by a long shot, but he would probably have been killed ten times over if Kim and Arn weren''t always looking out for him.


    Arn solemnly promised Lyn that they wouldn¡¯t do anything dangerous. He felt bad about lying to her, but at the same time he agreed that everyone was giving up too easily. None of the others could really understand just how lost Dav was going to be without Kim.


    He pulled Dav away down the path before he could say anything that might make Lyn suspicious.


    Dav gave him a dark look.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be thinking the same thing as me,¡± he said.


    Arn nodded slowly.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Arn said. ¡°Yeah, we have to go.¡±


    They stared at the outline of the player house on the other side of the village. It was a black square against the orange sky. It looked¡­ unfriendly.


    The sun was getting low, and the sky was turning from orange to red. It was almost time.


    They went round to the player house by the long route, so that nobody could see what they were doing without actually following them.


    The player house was three floors high, and it didn¡¯t look like anything else in the village. It didn¡¯t look like anything else, period. It was made of shiny granite and sandstone covered in runes, and bricks, and had strangely colored windows. There were bright lights inside.


    It was the weirdest place in the whole village.


    It was also totally out of bounds. Off-limits. Forbidden. If any adult caught them in the player house they¡¯d be in serious trouble. It was the one rule everyone followed, no exceptions.


    ¡°That place is dangerous,¡± the adults had taught them from day one. ¡°Players made all sorts of traps. Touch the wrong thing and BOOM, you¡¯re gone.¡±


    There was no way Kim would have just gone in there on her own.


    Kim was cautious. She was sensible. She wasn¡¯t very much like Dav at all, but she seemed to really believe in him. She trusted his strange mind, even though she spent half her time keeping him safe from it.


    Arn wasn''t even sure if Dav noticed. He was too busy watching spiders at night, or trying to see if he could talk to Bonewalkers through the windows. He had a thing about them.


    They¡¯re smarter than Ashmen, he said. They use bows and arrows. Those are complicated tools, they don¡¯t just shamble around bumping into walls!


    Everyone just nodded to keep him happy, but Kim knew him well enough to stop him from actually doing things that might get him killed.


    So for her to just walk into the player house for no good reason, without telling anyone? It didn''t fit.


    But then again, neither did her disappearing.


    But nobody, ever, went into it. If Dav and Arn went in there at night, they¡¯d be all alone.


    Which might be good.


    Or really, really bad.


    They looked behind them, but nobody was following. Everyone was probably inside by now.


    ¡°You ready? She has to be in there,¡± Dav said. He sounded like he was trying to make himself believe it.


    The house only had one door. It was iron, but everyone knew about the button. One push and the door would open up for a few seconds. Nobody had ever actually gone inside, though.


    When Dav pushed the button, the door popped right open with a loud bang.


    Arn hoped nobody had heard it.


    Dav clapped him on the back.


    ¡°Go, Hurry!¡± he said.


    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t touch anything!¡± Arn said.


    He went inside, and Dav came in behind him, then the door slammed shut.


    It was a pretty boring room, to be honest. All wood walls, a few more doors. Nothing very special at all.


    Dav was all business.


    ¡°Up the stairs,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look up there.¡±


    There was a wooden door right in front of them, and they could see stairs going up behind it. Arn grabbed the handle.


    But the second he did it, there was a SLAM sound that echoed through the house. He jumped back - was it a trap?


    They looked all around. It didn¡¯t seem like the house was going to blow up.


    ¡°It came from there,¡± Dav said and pointed.


    Looking through the peepholes in the door, the stairs went down.


    ¡°There are more rooms down below,¡± Arn said. Nobody had ever even guessed that. How far down did the house go?


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Dav said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Are you nuts?¡±


    Dav''s look made it pretty clear that he was going downstairs now, no matter what Arn did.


    ¡°You heard the noise,¡± Dav said. ¡°There can¡¯t be anybody else in the house. It must be her! She probably got trapped. Plus look - there¡¯s already mobs.¡±


    Arn could see a spider outside of the door.


    They were stuck for the night.


    ¡°Maybe we should just stay right here,¡± Arn said. ¡°We could tell the council about the sound.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to go down the stairs. Who knew what would happen way down there? Would they even be able to get up again?


    ¡°Be my guest,¡± Dav said. He threw the door open and walked straight in.


    Arn waited while Dav went down the stairs. He was halfway expecting something awful to happen.


    But Dav just turned around and looked back at him.


    ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    Nobody else was going to take care of Dav. It was up to Arn. Plus what if Kim really was down there?


    So he started going down the stairs.


    They went a long way. Longer than any stairs anyone had ever seen in the village.


    ¡°This is nuts,¡± Arn said. ¡°This isn¡¯t a house, this is practically a mine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible,¡± Dav said. ¡°What do you think is down there?¡±


    ¡°Probably something waiting to eat us, is my guess,¡± Arn said.


    They could see the bottom of the stairs. It was just solid rock, but it was brightly lit. It definitely wasn''t dark down there.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Arn said.


    Dav stopped and looked back at him.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Arn said.


    There was a noise. It was¡­ weird. A rushing sound, like wind. But also kind of like a thousand voices yelling.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be good. I don¡¯t think we should¡­¡±


    But Dav had already started going again. It was something strange and new. Whatever it was, now Dav was going to need to see it. Arn didn¡¯t doubt that for a second


    He stood still, not sure if he was really going to keep going. If Dav was just going to run towards everything dangerous, what was he supposed to do?


    When Dav got to the bottom, he stopped and stared.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Arn yelled down at him.


    ¡°You have to see this,¡± Dav yelled back. He was grinning. It was the first time Arn had seen him smile all day.


    The room was lit up with torches. The floor was polished, glimmering stone. There were chests lined up all along the walls. In the center of it was a shiny black square, with a shimmering, glowing sheet of light in the middle of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Underworld portal,¡± Dav whispered.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Underworld pretty much the worst place in the world?¡±


    All Arn could think of was stories about horrible Gray Walkers, and screaming rocks, and fire, and monsters.


    ¡°We need to take a look,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°No way. Not going to happen.¡±


    Dav rolled his eyes.


    ¡°We could be the only villagers to see the Underworld. For real. Ever. You want to raise potatoes every day for the rest of your life and think about how you could have seen something nobody has ever seen, but you were too scared?¡±


    ¡°I think I could live with that. I mean, if it meant that I could grow old, you know, instead of being set on fire by a screaming Underworld monster.¡±


    Dav shook his head.


    "What if Kim went through it somehow? We¡¯re just going to take a look. Anyway, it¡¯s the only time you¡¯ll ever see this in your whole life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Arn said.


    But it was too late. Dav stepped into the whirling light, and his whole body started to swirl and shimmer.


    Then he was gone. All Arn could see through the gate was the wall on the other side of the room.


    It was a little creepy, being all alone in the house. He¡¯d actually feel a little bit better having Dav beside him.


    Plus who was going to rescue Dav when he did something crazy because it was too interesting not to do it?


    Arn sighed and stepped into the portal. It felt like he was¡­ wiggling.


    The room got blurry. And red. Everything was very red all of a sudden.


    Something grabbed him and pulled.


    When he could see clearly again, Dav stood in front of him, holding on to his robe.


    Arn¡¯s mouth fell open.


    They were somewhere else. Somewhere horrible.


    His feet crunched on the red ground as he stared upwards. Lava was falling from the sky. Long streams of it. But there wasn¡¯t any sky, there was just rock.


    They were near a cliff edge.


    Down below, far below, was more lava. More lava than he¡¯d ever seen before. It was bigger than a lake - it just went on and on and on.


    He could feel the heat even from way up here.


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Arn said. ¡°This is no good. We need to go back. Right now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a bit smelly and hot,¡± Dav said. ¡°I agree. But isn¡¯t this amazing?¡±


    Then he started walking away.


    Arn followed behind him, and together they crunched across the rocks and stared right over the edge of the cliff.


    ¡°I think this might be worse than being outside at night,¡± he said. ¡°I really think so.¡±


    There was something off to the right. Arn pointed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Dav started walking towards it, trying to get a better look.


    ¡°Come back,¡± said Arn. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ yeah, it¡¯s a fortress. A real Underworld Fortress. Come and look!¡±


    It was just like the pictures in the library books. The fortress was blocky and dark, and sat on high pillars that went right down into the lava below.


    It looked about as scary as anything he''d ever seen.


    ¡°You know this is where things like Firethralls and Void Demons live, right?¡± Arn said. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡±


    Dav kept walking along the edge of the cliff. He seemed to be looking for something.


    ¡°There!¡± he said.


    He was pointing down a long hill.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bridge,¡± Arn said, sticking his head out to look.


    ¡°That¡¯s how we could get out to the fortress!¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Are you crazy? We should go back!¡± Arn said.


    There were terrible monsters in the Underworld. Going near an actual fortress was a really bad idea.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Dav said. ¡°I just wanted to see as far as I could. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something on the bridge.¡±


    There was. It was moving. Something gray.


    ¡°It looks kind of like a Bonewalker,¡± Dav said. ¡°That''s incredible. I think it¡¯s a real Gray Walker!¡±


    ¡°We should go back,¡± Arn said again. He was trying to sound calm, but he was starting to get worried. Dav was getting too interested in this place. He didn¡¯t seem to understand that the danger was real.


    But Dav stared down at the thing on the bridge for a moment longer, then sighed and turned around.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just that there¡¯s so many new things to see. Plus I was hoping maybe she was here...¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± said Arn. ¡°We can talk all about it back in the village.¡±


    Arn turned to go, and almost smashed straight into a creature that was standing behind him.


    Arn gasped. It was a Beastman. There was no doubt about it.


    It must have walked up so quietly that they never even heard it.


    The thing had a pig nose, and a weird scrunched up face, and its leathery skin was loose and greenish. It looked halfway dead, but it had bright, smart eyes that were staring into his own.


    ¡°Not safe here,¡± the Beastman grunted.


    Arn let out a little scream and just about started running back towards the portal, but Dav walked up and stood in front of the Beastman.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for a lost friend,¡± he said to it. ¡°We aren¡¯t doing anything bad.¡±


    The Beastman shook its head.


    ¡°No friends. Not safe. Bad things here,¡± it said. ¡°Things don¡¯t like men from above.¡±


    The Beastman was scary to look at, but at least it didn¡¯t seem to be ready to attack them.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Arn said. ¡°We¡¯re going back now.¡±


    But Dav had other ideas.


    He held out his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dav,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m a villager, What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The Beastman stared at his hand.


    ¡°Grem,¡± it said. ¡°Name is Grem. Dav must go.¡±


    Arn grabbed Dav and started pulling him towards the portal.


    ¡°Thank you Grem,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving right now. The Beastman is giving us helpful advice.¡±


    The Beastman nodded, then said, ¡°Pakmog.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Call ourselves Pakmog. Don¡¯t like that other name.¡±


    Arn nodded.


    ¡°Fair enough. Pakmog it is.¡±


    They had started moving towards the portal, but Dav stopped, and said. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Arn said. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything. We need to go.¡±


    ¡°Someone was yelling,¡± Dav said, and walked back over to the edge of the cliff.


    ¡°There¡¯s nobody yelling!¡± Arn said, ¡°And if there is it¡¯s probably nobody we want to meet! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°There, right there!¡± Dav said.


    He was pointing out at the fortress again.


    Now Arn could hear something too. It sounded very far away.


    They couldn¡¯t hear the words, but it was a voice. A person¡¯s voice.


    There was an arm waving out of a window way, way out in the fortress. It was halfway down to the lava.


    It looked like it was wearing a villager robe.


    ¡°There¡¯s a villager down there!¡± Dav said. ¡°It¡¯s Kim! It has to be!¡±


    It did sound like a girl¡¯s voice.


    Grem the Pakmog walked up to them.


    ¡°Too late,¡± he grunted. ¡°They see you.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± said Arn.


    But before anyone could say anything else, there was a huge explosion right beside them. A big chunk of cliff fell away and tumbled down to the lava below.


    They got up off of the ground, and Arn saw the Floater Demon floating towards them.


    It was disgusting. It was a huge, flabby red and gray bag with drooping tentacles. It had eyes too, and they looked angry.


    Another fireball flashed out of a mouth on the end of one tentacle. Probably it was a mouth.


    Arn grabbed Dav¡¯s arm and pulled him out of the way. The fireball exploded where he had been standing, and made a smoking hole in the ground.


    ¡°Run!¡± Arn said.


    For once Dav didn¡¯t ignore him. They both ran as fast as they could back toward the portal.


    Just before they ran into it, the Floater Demon spit another fireball at them.


    It slammed into the portal.


    The shining magic doorway disappeared.


    All that was left was a big black square.


    There was no way home.


    Then two more Floater Demons popped up from down below, and floated up above the cliff, staring down at them and shrieking.

 Chapter 7 - Underworld

    They were surrounded. Floater Demons on three sides, and a rock wall and a dead portal behind them.


    The Floaters all made horrible noises, and drifted closer.


    They could see that Arn and Dav were stuck, and they were waiting until they were close, so they could all shoot deadly flames at the same time.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Dav said, ¡°We should have gone back¡­¡±


    But before Arn could say anything, they were grabbed from behind by rough, hairy hands.


    It was Grem.


    ¡°Hurry,¡± he grunted.


    The Floater Demons all screamed in anger when they saw what was happening - when they saw the two villagers turn and start running towards the rock wall with the Pakmog. They shot fireballs, all of them at once.


    Grem jumped down a tiny black hole in the rocks.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± he yelled again as he fell.


    Arn didn¡¯t wait. There was no time at all. He jumped. They were going to die for sure, otherwise.


    Behind him there was a huge explosion, and the rock around them shook. Arn slammed into the ground, and something fell on top of him. It was Dav.


    They looked up, and saw that there was a crowd of Beast¡­ of Pakmog now. They were all over, and they were all staring at him.


    Arn pushed himself up, and wondered if things were any better now. None of the Pakmog looked very friendly. He could hear the shrieking of the Floaters, but he and Dav were in some kind of cave. They were safe. Sort of.


    ¡°Um¡­ thank you,¡± Arn said. He hoped they understood what thank you meant.


    The Pakmog in front of him had to be Grem. He was pretty sure of it. It was a little hard to tell them apart.


    ¡°Not all hate men from above,¡± grunted Grem. ¡°But you in trouble now. Gate to world above gone. Not safe here for men from above.¡±


    Dav was brushing the dust off of his robes, but he looked up when Grem spoke.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said. ¡°We can¡¯t go back until we help the villager in the fortress.¡±


    ¡°We what?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her down there,¡± said Dav. ¡°It might be Kim. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s Kim.¡±


    Arn held out his hands.


    ¡°You saw the Floater Demons, right? What are we supposed to do? Go out there and politely ask them to let us go in?¡±


    ¡°Has anyone ever tried, I wonder?¡± said Dav.


    Grem looked at Arn.


    ¡°He hurt head?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Arn. ¡°That¡¯s just the way he is.¡±


    The Pakmog started making grunting noises, talking to each other.


    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by Floater Demons,¡± Arn said. He wasn¡¯t sure if Dav really got that.


    ¡°And the portal is gone, right?¡± said Dav.


    So there was no way home. Arn looked around. The cave was dim, but there was a tunnel with light coming in at one end. That was probably the way outside again.


    ¡°There¡¯s no water here,¡± said Dav. ¡°There¡¯s no food. If we stay here, we¡¯re going to starve.¡±


    Arn nodded.


    ¡°We need to find another way home. That means another portal.¡±


    Arn could see where Dav was going with this.


    ¡°Do you know where any more portals are?¡± he said to Grem.


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°Men from above make them.¡±


    ¡°Players make them,¡± said Arn.


    Grem shrugged.


    ¡°All same to us,¡± he said. ¡°You want to go home, you go there.¡±


    ¡°How far away is it?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°Long way,¡± said Grem. ¡°Much danger. Many things hate men from above.¡±


    ¡°If we rescue that villager, then we can all go home,¡± said Dav.


    Grem started talking to the other Pakmog again. They sounded excited. Or angry. It was kind of hard to tell for sure.


    Dav leaned in to him and whispered, ¡°We need to get Grem to show us the way.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to do that?¡±


    ¡°We ask him? It can¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Arn wasn¡¯t sure about that. There was no way to know what was going to make them mad. Dav seemed to regard everyone as a possible friend.


    Which was nice in a way, but so far the results hadn¡¯t been great.


    Anyway, villagers didn¡¯t talk to Pakmog. Plus Pakmog certainly didn¡¯t go showing people around the Underworld like it was some kind of tour full of Interesting Places To Visit. None of it made any sense, but Dav wasn¡¯t much for worrying about how things were supposed to go.


    He just shook his head at Arn.


    ¡°Grem helped us. He could have left us behind with the Floater Demons.¡±


    It didn¡¯t look like they had a lot of choices, anyway.


    Dav walked up to Grem, and all of the Pakmog turned to watch.


    ¡°Say, Grem,¡± he said. ¡°We were wondering¡­¡±


    The Pakmog rubbed red dirt all over Arn¡¯s face. The skin on his hands was loose and felt like rough leather. Arn wanted to wrinkle his nose at the smell, but he didn¡¯t dare. Grem was staring at him very seriously. Another one was working on Dav. Clouds of dust were swirling all over, and Dav¡¯s robe was a dirty red mess.


    He turned around and spread his arms out, showing himself to Arn.


    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡±


    Arn frowned.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like a Pakmog. Not at all. Neither do I.¡±


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    It was ridiculous. They looked like villagers covered with dirt. Grem grunted and slammed something down on Arn¡¯s head. It was a helmet. The kind some of them wore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look like man from above,¡± he said. ¡°That what matter.¡±


    He put another helmet on Dav.


    ¡°You think nothing will attack us if we look like this?¡±


    Grem made a sound like a laugh.


    ¡°Far away maybe. Up close, not so much.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± said Dav. ¡°This is just so that Floater Demons and such won¡¯t look twice at us when we¡¯re walking around.¡±


    ¡°They come close, you hide,¡± said Grem.


    ¡°Now that I can do,¡± said Arn.


    The Pakmog all stared at them as they left the cave with Grem. It seemed like he was the only one who could speak to villagers. Dav started walking towards the bridge that went out to the fortress.


    ¡°Not that way,¡± said Grem.


    Dav stopped and looked at them.


    ¡°The villager,¡± he said.


    Grem spoke slowly. ¡°Out there, many bad things. Dav does not know. Grem does know.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him there,¡± Dav said.


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Man out there not alone. Maybe not man now. Many not men out there.¡±


    Arn tried to figure out what Grem was saying. It didn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡°You mean there are more villagers out there?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes. Bad things, for sure. Dav and Arn go away from there. Or else they come back, not Dav and Arn.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about,¡± said Arn, ¡°But I think we should listen to him.¡±


    Dav stared out at the fortress.


    ¡°No,¡± he said carefully. ¡°I¡¯m not just going to leave her out there.¡±


    Grem made a growling noise.


    ¡°Bad idea,¡± he said.


    Dav shrugged.


    ¡°Probably. But I can¡¯t do it. I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    Arn sighed.


    ¡°Sorry Grem, I guess you can forget about us for now.¡±


    ¡°You go with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, no, but I guess I have to.¡±


    He stared at them both. It was hard to read his scrunched, leathery face, but his eyes didn¡¯t seem angry. They might have been amused.


    ¡°Men from above stupid,¡± he grunted. ¡°But more fun than standing around in cave.¡±


    Dav laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°You see?¡± he said to Arn. ¡°Grem gets it!¡±


    Grem grunted out another sound sort of like a laugh.


    ¡°Dav and Arn die, but will make good story for cave. Fun to tell over and over!¡±


    Arn stared hard at Dav.


    ¡°Great,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m really happy to hear that.¡±


    Grem turned to go back into the cave.


    ¡°You wait,¡± he said.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably going to give them a chance to come out and watch us get killed trying to get into the fortress,¡± Arn said. ¡°Good times for the whole family.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to help us,¡± Dav said. ¡°He was going to show us the way to the next gate, right?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re being way too optimistic,¡± Arn said.


    When Grem came out three more Pakmog were following him.


    ¡°This Raga, Moho, and Prag,¡± he said, pointing to them.


    ¡°Are they here to watch?¡±


    ¡°Watch? No, they come. They fight.¡±


    ¡°Fight?¡±


    ¡°Men from above soft, easy to kill. Pakmog not so much,¡± Grem said.


    One of the others grunted and pulled out a bright golden sword. He stabbed at Arn, who jumped away. All of the Pakmog made their grunting, laughing sound. But instead of looking worried, Dav broke out into another smile and went up to them, grabbing their hands and thanking them and patting them on the backs. The Pakmog looked like they didn¡¯t know what to do about him.


    ¡°Why would you all fight for us?¡± Arn said to Grem.


    ¡°Bored in cave,¡± said Grem. ¡°Never have fun. Make good story, have good fight. All good. Show them¡° - he nodded at the fortress - ¡°still know how knock heads together.¡±


    ¡°Them?¡±


    Grem made a long Pakmog noise. It might have been words. Then he switched to villager.


    ¡°Gray Walker. Firethrall. Void Archon. Your names. Take our home, keep us out.¡±


    ¡°Your homes?¡±


    ¡°Fortress,¡± said Grem. ¡°Our home. Pakmog make them.¡±


    Arn and Dav and the four Pakmog stopped at the edge of the bridge.


    ¡°So,¡± said Dav. ¡°How do we get in?¡±


    ¡°See bridge?¡± said Grem. ¡°We walk on bridge. Go to door. Walk through door.¡±


    Dav looked disappointed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°I thought we were going to sneak in or something.¡±


    Grem pointed at the edge of the cliff. There was nothing there except for the long, long drop down to the lava.


    ¡°Go look. Dav find sneaking place, Dav tell Grem.¡±


    Arn sighed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go, okay?¡±


    The Pakmog were looking excited. They grunted at each other, and their eyes were bright. They all had their swords out.


    ¡°Dav and Arn stay back,¡± said Grem. ¡°We go first.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we have swords too?¡± said Dav.


    Grem grunted something at the others. One of them - maybe it was Raga - shoved his sword into Dav¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Ah, okay,¡± Dav said. He tried to swing the sword. It fell out of his hands and clattered onto the ground.


    ¡°Great,¡± said Arn. ¡°Now they know we¡¯re useless, they don¡¯t just suspect it any more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s harder than it looks,¡± said Dav. He stared down at the sword, clearly worried.


    Grem picked it up and tossed back to maybe Raga.


    ¡°We help look for man from above. Dav job thinking what do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°Men from above smarter than Pakmog. Now, anyway. Pakmog know that. We not stupid. You tell us where go. We fight. We find man.¡±


    ¡°I think it was a girl, actually,¡± Arn said.


    Grem shrugged.


    ¡°Wait, how did your people make the fortresses if you¡¯re¡­ you know¡­¡± Dav said.


    Grem pointed at the rotten-looking greenish skin on his head.


    ¡°Bad magic. Keep us dumb. Stop us taking home back.¡±


    Then he clapped Dav on the shoulder hard enough to nearly knock him down.


    ¡°Men from above brains still good. We help you, you help us. Maybe works.¡±


    Dav smiled.


    ¡°I like the way you think,¡± he said to Grem. ¡°I think we might have a chance!¡±


    Grem grunted a laugh again.


    ¡°No, you probably die. We probably die.¡±


    Dav blinked at him.


    ¡°Oh. Okay.¡±


    But the Pakmog didn¡¯t seem worried. They looked like they couldn¡¯t wait to start.


    ¡°Enough talk, we go,¡± said Grem. ¡°You follow.¡±


    Arn and Dav followed the Pakmog across the bridge. There was no sign of the Walker they had seen earlier. There was no sign of anything or anyone. The fortress was a huge gray pile of stone in front of them. The entrance was black - there was no light to be seen.


    ¡°Do we just¡­ go in?¡± said Arn. Everything seemed like it was just too easy.


    ¡°Shiny man from above brain get better idea, he let Grem know.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± said Dav. ¡°I think we¡¯re good. This is all working really well.¡±


    The Pakmog all went inside without even looking back. Arn followed after them, thinking about how he should have just stayed in the library all night. He could be reading, relaxing, and not walking into a fortress full of monsters at all.


    But Dav just walked behind the Pakmog like there was nothing in the world to watch out for. He actually stopped for a moment and poked at the filthy bricks, scratching them with his fingernail.


    ¡°Look at this! It¡¯s actually a different color underneath all the soot!¡±


    ¡°Really? What color?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ gray I guess. But it¡¯s a much lighter shade of gray!¡±


    ¡°Sshhh!¡± Grem said. Everyone stopped and looked around.


    ¡°What is it?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Grem said. ¡°Grem wants Dav not talk so much.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Dav. ¡°Alright.¡±


    He looked disappointed.


    They all the way into the fortress now, and it was dark all around them. Arn looked back at the doorway. The bridge stretched way out behind them. He sighed and turned to follow them all deeper inside.


    Without warning, there was a huge explosion. The whole fortress rocked, and they all ended up sprawled out on the floor.


    When the rocks stopped shaking, Arn pushed himself up off of the floor.


    ¡°Oh no no no,¡± he said. ¡°What just happened?¡±


    There was so much smoke in the air that they couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Dav crawled back towards the entrance, where there was still a little bit of red light.


    ¡°Part of the bridge is gone,¡± he yelled at them. ¡°It just blew right up.¡±


    Arn looked through the smoke and dust at Grem.


    ¡°Is there another way out? Another bridge?¡±


    The Pakmog shook his head.


    ¡°No way. No bridge. Just lava.


    They were trapped in the fortress. There was no escape. There was nothing except the lava, far below.


    Dav crawled back to them.


    ¡°I guess we go forward, then,¡± he said.


    One of the other Pakmog muttered something.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Rude words. Mean that pretty obvious.¡±

 Chapter 8 - Allies and Enemies II

    There was a long hallway stretching down ahead of them, and a stairway at the end.


    There was a Floater Demon somewhere, too. They could hear its screechy hunting noises.


    ¡°Do you think it knows we¡¯re here?¡± Arn said.


    Grem shrugged.


    ¡°We find out,¡± he said, and started walking down the hall with the other Pakmog.


    Dav and Arn followed behind them.


    When they came to the stairs, they all looked around.


    ¡°Which way Dav¡¯s brain say go?¡±


    Dav stepped forward and leaned over the stairs, trying to see.


    ¡°I guess¡­ down?¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s the direction that the girl was in.¡±


    ¡°Good thing big brain here to help us,¡± muttered one of the Pakmog.


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Arn. ¡°Do you all speak our language?¡±


    ¡°Some Pakmog learn,¡± said Grem. ¡°Teach others. Not much else to do in cave. Prag pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Dav said. ¡°There are all sorts of things I want to ask everyone!¡±


    The Pakmog all stared at him, and said nothing.


    ¡°Pakmog don¡¯t like talking Men-from-above speak,¡± said Grem. ¡°Grem get job.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Dav. He looked disappointed again. ¡°Well, I say we head down, and see if we can make it down to the level where that window was.¡±


    Two of the Pakmog walked in front with their swords held up. Arn and Dav were in the middle, with Grem and the last Pakmog behind them.


    There was a sound.


    ¡°What was that?¡± said Arn.


    The gray walls were too close, and there was barely enough light to see what was going on. He wanted to turn around and run, but there was nowhere to run to.


    Nobody said anything. They came to the bottom of the stairs, and there were more halls running out in every direction.


    ¡°That way,¡± said Dav.


    There was another sound. It was a dry rattling noise.


    Like bones rubbing together.


    ¡°Walker,¡± grunted Grem.


    ¡°Where?¡± said Arn. He was whipping his head back and forth, trying to look in every direction at once.


    ¡°All over,¡± said Grem.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That way,¡± Grem pointed, ¡°That way. That way. All over. Can hear them.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we see them?¡±


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°They waiting.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Until we trapped. What Grem would do,¡± he said.


    Dav sighed.


    ¡°Then we just keep going in the right direction, I guess.¡±¡±


    Grem nodded.


    The walked down the hallway together. There was another intersection coming up and they could see more stairs.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± said Dav. ¡°We can head down again.¡±


    They went past a window. On the other side of the bars they could look up at the remains of the blown-up bridge. There was a huge gap now, much too wide to jump across.


    There were more sounds, but they still couldn¡¯t see anything.


    When they got to the next set of stairs, they stopped.


    ¡°I think this might take us low enough,¡± said Dav. ¡°Should we¡­¡±


    But before he could say anything else an arrow shot past his head and stuck in the wall.


    One of the Pakmog grunted something loud and hard, and suddenly dark skeletons ¨C Graywalkers - Arn recognized them from a book in the library - started pouring down the corridors on all sides, and coming down the stairs as well. There were archers with them, who shot more arrows that only barely missed them.


    ¡°Down!¡± Grem said. ¡°Hurry!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can fight those!¡± Arn yelped.


    ¡°No fooling,¡± Grem grunted as he pulled Dav down the hall. ¡°They bad news. Go.¡±


    Two of the Pakmog stayed behind, blocking the stairs to let them go.


    Arn could hear the sound of steel hitting steel behind him. The Pakmog were fighting the Graywalkers.


    Dav stopped looked back up the stairs.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave them there!¡± he said.


    Grem made a growling noise and grabbed him again, pulling him down the stairs.


    ¡°Argue later, go now!¡± he said.


    Arn followed without a word, listening to the sound of the fighting on the stairs up above.


    ¡°What if there are more of them down here?¡± Arn said quietly.


    Grem shook his head but didn¡¯t look back at Arn.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Dav said, poking his head around the corner, ¡°I think it looks empty. Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°I think maybe is as good as we¡¯re going to get.¡±


    Grem grunted and walked out into the hallway like he wasn¡¯t worried about anything.


    ¡°Which way?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± said Dav. He put his finger on his lips and turned around and around. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Any time now be good,¡± Grem muttered.


    ¡°That way!¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°Yes. No. Probably. Yes, I definitely think it¡¯s that way.¡±


    Grem grumbled again but hefted his sword and moved slowly down the hallway.


    The sounds from the fighting were getting fainter as they moved away.


    The hallway was long and dark, with dim red lava light coming in through a few narrow gaps. Now and then they could hear the Floater Demon crying out, but it seemed to be far away.


    ¡°Hello?¡± came a voice from down the hall.


    It was a girl¡¯s voice.


    They all stopped. Dav stood still and stared intently down the dark corridor.


    ¡°Kim?¡± Arn tried to yell softly, which is impossible, so he just gave up and spoke right out loud. ¡°Say something again so we can find you!¡±


    There was a pause.


    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Kim,¡± said the girl.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Dav. ¡°Are there more villagers down here?¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The voice down the hall hesitated again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. It¡¯s just me, I think.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Arn said to Dav and Grem, and he started moving again. ¡°Keep talking!¡±


    ¡°What should I say?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Ama,¡± said the voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re not from the village?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°But I think I might not be from your village. I don¡¯t know your voices.¡±


    They were walking past dark doors, with buttons beside each one, to open them. It was obvious when they got to Ama¡¯s door, just from the sound of her voice.


    Arn reached out to push the button, but Grem grabbed his arm and shook his head.


    ¡°What if trick?¡±


    Dav looked worried.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not a trick?¡±


    Grem stared at him again. Arn didn¡¯t think Grem really knew what to do with Dav. His mind was about as different from a Pakmog¡¯s as was possible. But Grem seemed to recognize that Dav¡¯s brain worked by some kind of strange magic all its own.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he grunted, then took two steps back and held his sword at the ready. ¡°Arn open door, see what happen.¡±


    Arn gave him a worried look, but then turned around and pushed the button. He stepped back as the door swung open.


    A girl walked out. She stopped and stared at them all. She was clearly no adult ¨C the Pakmog towered over her too. She wore the robes of a Woodsmith.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said. When she saw Grem she jumped and looked worried. She was very pale and thin.


    ¡°I¡¯m Arn, this is Dav and Grem,¡± Arn said.


    For once Dav looked like he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. He couldn¡¯t keep the disappointment that she wasn¡¯t Kim off his face.


    She nodded at them, but moved over beside Arn. She seemed to be watching Grem fearfully.


    ¡°How long have you been in there?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no night or day. It feels like a really long time.¡±


    Suddenly her face spasmed into sadness.


    ¡°I just want to go home,¡± she said. But then she shook her head and looked like she was pulling herself together. ¡°Is there a way out of here? Is it even possible?¡±


    She looked so lost that Arn couldn¡¯t help feeling protective. He put his hand on her arm and she looked up at him hopefully.


    ¡°Definitely! We just got here from our village not very long ago. There was a gate,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    She looked hopeful.


    Dav nodded eagerly.


    ¡°It stopped working, and the bridge to get there is broken now, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not going to be a huge problem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±,


    Arn wanted him to shut up. She didn¡¯t need to hear the whole thing right away. But Dav seemed to think everyone would regard everything as an interesting puzzle instead of a terrible situation.


    Dav pointed at Grem.


    ¡°Grem here, he knows about another gate. He¡¯s showing us the way!¡±


    She stared at the Pakmog with worried eyes.


    ¡°He helped us. We wouldn¡¯t even be here without him,¡± Arn said.


    She looked at Arn for a moment, then nodded, but pulled herself against his side and wrapped her arm around his.


    Grem grunted.


    ¡°Way back across broken bridge. That important thing too.¡±


    Dav looked sheepish.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true. The other gate is across the broken bridge too, it sounds like. We came in here to try to save a friend of ours. She¡¯s down there somewhere.¡±


    He waved vaguely towards the floors below.


    ¡°I think Dav might be able to figure a way out though,¡± Arn said when he saw her expression. ¡°He has a way of looking at the world. Sometimes he makes surprising things happen.¡±


    Ama still seemed worried, but she looked like she was willing to trust Arn at least.


    ¡°Should keep looking for other man,¡± Grem said.


    They were all too aware that there could be a crowd of Graywalkers running down the hall towards them at any moment.


    ¡°Right!¡± Dav said, then looked at Ama. ¡°But you should come with us!¡±


    She smiled a little.


    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s nothing else I needed to do today.¡±


    But she kept her arm wrapped tightly around Arn¡¯s while they walked.


    They moved down the hall again with Dav and Arn on either side of Ama. She was definitely too thin, like she hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time. She limped a little when she walked, but she kept pace with them - her face was determined.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡± he asked her.


    She sighed.


    ¡°One of our council talked me into coming through a gate with him. To explore. I don¡¯t know why I said yes. Turns out it was a bad idea.¡±


    Arn nodded.


    ¡°I know how you feel. I followed Dav here through our own gate. It¡¯s been going about as well as I thought it would.¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡± Grem hissed at them.


    They all stopped.


    There was a voice. It was softly calling something that sounded like ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Kim! I can hear her!¡± Dav said.


    There were gaps in the wall of the corridor that let in the red light of the Underworld. They had been avoiding them so nobody could see them, but now Arn stuck his head out of one and looked down the outer wall of the fortress.


    ¡°There she is!¡± he whispered, but he stopped Dav from trying to look as well.


    ¡°She¡¯s there. I saw her sticking her head out. It looks like she¡¯s one more level down.¡±


    Dav pointed ahead.


    ¡°Stairs. Let¡¯s go down.¡±


    Grem frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like it. Too deep. Harder get out again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already in it this far. Should we go back? Maybe if we ask nicely the Graywalkers will let us go?¡±


    Grem grumbled something in Pakmog, but he started moving towards the stairs, very carefully.


    The stairs went up and down, but they were empty.


    ¡°Grem not like this much,¡± he said. ¡°Bad place. Feels not good.¡±


    They all stared downward into the dark.


    Arn pushed Dav.


    ¡°Lets go. She¡¯s right down there. I saw her.¡±


    They were so close now that he wanted to just get it over with - find Kim and then think about how to get out again. Plus part of him wanted to show Grem that villagers weren¡¯t always afraid. He squeezed Ama¡¯s arm and let go.


    Dav gave him a strange look, then they both moved into the stairwell and started walking down.


    Which was exactly when everything started happening.


    There was a loud bang, and then a clatter of steel and bones.


    Arn whirled around but Grem was already fighting. Ama stood behind the Pakmog, staring wildly around at the Graywalkers that nearly surrounded them. They were thinner than Pakmog, but taller, and carried wicked-looking swords and bows. Now that he had a chance to really look at them, their faces were terrible. They didn¡¯t look like skeletons of people at all, once you were up close.


    He jumped back up the stairs and grabbed for her.


    And nearly lost his arm. A Graywalker slashed its sword at him, and he only pulled away just in time.


    ¡°Grem!¡± he yelled. ¡°Take care of Ama!¡±


    ¡°No fooling!¡± the Pakmog growled. ¡°Thank you for smart words!¡±


    Then the skeletons started pouring into the stairwell, cutting them off from Grem and Ama completely.


    Dav grabbed Arn and pulled him.


    ¡°Run!¡± he yelped.


    But Arn jumped back towards Ama again. If he could just find a space to grab her...


    But instead one of the Graywalkers spun around and moved to attack him.


    He had to run.


    He didn¡¯t want to. Grem and Ama were right there on the other side of the skeletons. But there was no way to reach them.


    He turned and ran down the stairs two at a time, following Dav, and feeling like an idiot.


    I never should have let go!


    They pounded down the stairs, and he could hear the clatter of skeletons right behind them.


    There was no time to look when they reached the bottom - the whole place could have been swarming with hostile mobs and they would have run right into the middle of them. But the Graywalkers were right on their heels, so Arn and Dav leapt out of the stairwell and into another hallway.


    ¡°Right!¡± Arn yelled, and they flew down another dark corridor lined with doors.


    Except one. One door was wide open, and light was streaming out of it.


    That seems really suspicious, Arn thought.


    But what choice did they have? With a good solid door between them and the skeletons, they could at least be safe for a little while. That was all that mattered right now.


    A villager leaned out of the door.


    ¡°Kim!¡± Dav yelled out.


    It was her. Kim¡¯s mouth dropped open when she saw the crowd of Graywalkers behind them.


    ¡°Run!¡± she yelled.


    No kidding, Arn thought, but he didn¡¯t have any spare breath to say it out loud.


    Then she yelled ¡°Don¡¯t come in here! It¡¯s a trap!¡±


    But they were going to be caught if they didn¡¯t go into the room.


    They both ran straight in, and Arn turned around, slamming the door shut just as a terrible gray form of loomed in the hall behind them, its sword held high to strike.


    The door shuddered as the blade fell on the wood.


    Dav grabbed Kim, and even though he was panting and out of breath, he laughed roughly.


    ¡°I knew we could find you!¡± he rasped.


    Arn leaned over, trying to catch his breath and calm down.


    They had Kim, but Grem and Ama were still out there, with skeletons all over.


    He was frantic. He couldn¡¯t just hide behind a door! But there was nothing he could do. The Walkers would have him the second he stepped outside.


    With a hallway full of skeletons right outside the door, Grem and Ama might as well have been a million miles away.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come!¡± Kim said. She looked stunned at seeing them. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I knew it was you when I saw villagers out there across the lava. If anyone was going to find their way here, it would be you.¡±


    Dav shrugged.


    ¡°I had to try to find you.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t smiling, though. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head.


    ¡°I should have stayed hidden. It was stupid of me. I should have let you think I wasn¡¯t here. Now you¡¯re trapped too!¡±


    She looked like she was going to cry.


    ¡°What?¡± Dav said. ¡°We¡¯ll think of something. Don¡¯t worry!¡±


    He looked at Arn, like he wanted him to agree and tell her the same thing.


    But Arn was staring across the room, into the corner.


    Another villager stood there, watching the three of them.


    It was Ren the Cleric. From the village. From home.


    He had a big, blocky face and a booming voice. Arn could remember him making the whole village stop talking with one loud word of command. The Council members were all supposed to be equal, but Ren had always seemed like the most equal of any of them.


    Dav¡¯s mouth dropped open when he saw him.


    ¡°Dav,¡± Ren said and shook his head. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised to see you here.¡±


    ¡°Ren?¡± said Dav. ¡°What¡­ How did you get here?¡±


    Ren smiled and shrugged.


    ¡°The same way as you. But I hear the portal is out of order now.¡±


    He nodded at Arn, who wanted to feel hope for the first time since the portal had disappeared. It was an adult. One who actually knew about things. If anything was going to get them home, this should have been it.


    But something felt wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you two got mixed up in all of this,¡± Ren said.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a little village in here!¡± said Dav. ¡°I never would have guessed that there were so many of us in the Underworld.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Ren said, ¡°Normally there aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°To start with, neither of you is supposed to be here at all.¡±


    Dav looked sheepish, but Arn was frowning.


    ¡°What about you?¡± he said. ¡°Why are you here? In the Underworld?¡±


    Why was Ren here in the Underworld? How did that make any sense at all?


    Ren sighed and gave Arn a hard look.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Maybe I¡¯ll tell it to you later, after they put the bridge back together and re-light the portal.¡±


    ¡°Re-light it?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s really not that big of a deal. You just need or some kind of flame like a torch. You light the rim of the portal, and it opens right back up.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing!¡± Dav said. Arn could see that he was ready to sit down on the floor and start asking Ren all sorts of questions about portals.


    But Arn thought he had questions that were more important right now.


    ¡°Who is putting the bridge back together?¡± he said. ¡°And why did they blow it up?¡±


    Ren looked at him blankly.


    ¡°I think you can work that last one out on your own, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Arn stared back at him.


    ¡°It was so that we couldn¡¯t get out,¡± he said. ¡°So that we couldn¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°Spot on,¡± said Ren. ¡°They keep the bridge wired up with TNT just in case.¡±


    Arn didn¡¯t think Dav was getting it, not at all. He still looked excited.


    ¡°Dav, Arn, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Kim said again. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come.¡±


    She still looked like she was going to cry.


    There was a bad feeling building up in Arn¡¯s stomach.


    He had to say it out loud.


    ¡°Ren brought you here, right?¡± he said.


    Her look said it all. She didn¡¯t need to answer.


    Ren nodded at him.


    ¡°And people call Dav the smart one,¡± he said.


    With that he hit a button on the wall beside him, and another door opened up.


    Graywalkers flooded into the room.

 Chapter 9 - Neutral Parties

    They were surrounded right away.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Kim said again. ¡°I thought maybe you could get here before they knew. It was stupid. I was just so scared.¡±


    ¡°Wait, hang on,¡± Dav said. He didn¡¯t seem worried about the looming skeletons at all. He just stared at Ren. ¡°You took Kim into the Underworld? You kept her here? Why?¡±


    ¡°Normally she would have been back before anyone even knew she was missing,¡± Ren said. ¡°But some¡­ other events slowed things down.¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°Actually it works out pretty nicely. You two went into the player house, and found Kim stuck in a trap. You¡¯ll be heroes! I mean we¡¯ll still have to punish you, but nobody¡¯s heart will really be in it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not actually Ren,¡± Kim whispered.


    Arn stared at him.


    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t tell the story the way you want?¡±


    Ren smiled at him.


    ¡°You will.¡±


    Then he whispered some kind of sharp, hissing words, and his eyes blazed with orange fire.


    ¡°There! Kim gasped. ¡°That¡¯s him for real!¡±


    But just as fast as it came, the fire was gone.


    Ren said more hissing, crackling words to the Graywalkers, then he turned and left the room.


    The skeletons crowded around Arn and Dav, pushing them towards the door.


    Dav looked stunned, and Arn tried to grab his hand, but they were pushed apart and into the hall, and on into two separate cells across the hall.


    When the iron door clanged shut, Arn was alone in a dark room. Only the red glow through the little window in the door let him see anything at all.


    The door was solid as a rock. There was no point in posting guards - they were trapped beyond hope of escape.


    There was no sound at all except for the cry of a Floater Demon somewhere outside, now and then.


    No sounds of fighting.


    Did that mean that Grem and Ama and the others were caught, too?


    Or worse?


    I shouldn¡¯t have run after Dav. I left her behind at exactly the wrong time.


    He stood in a corner, and stared at the dark walls.


    Tap tap tap.


    It was a sound. Arn realized he must have fallen asleep there in the dark. But now there was a sound.


    Tap tap tap tap. Scritch scritch scritch.


    He stood up straight, and looked out into the hall through the door panel. There were no skeletons. As far as he could see, it looked empty.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he said. ¡°Hello?¡±


    There was a pause.


    Kim¡¯s room was right across the hall.


    Her face appeared in her door panel.


    ¡°What?¡± she said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise? There¡¯s a tapping noise.¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    Arn tried to look down the hall towards Dav¡¯s cell.


    ¡°Dav?¡± he said. ¡°You there?¡±


    They waited, and eventually Dav¡¯s voice answered.


    ¡°Hello, yes? I¡¯m here. That was probably me you heard.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°I found an iron bar in here. I was trying to knock a off a piece of brick.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s a weird kind of brick, right? I¡¯ve never seen it before. I thought it would be interesting to have. You know, look it over once we get home.¡±


    Arn didn¡¯t know what to say to him. It never seemed to occur to him that anyone would actually, really do anything bad to him. His mind was in a different place, trying to find out everything he could.


    There was just no point in worrying about it. Kim was actually grinning a little.


    ¡°I missed that,¡± she said. ¡°Everything always seems like it¡¯s going to be okay when Dav is puttering around exploring.¡±


    "How did Ren get here before us, I wonder?" Dav said.


    "That noise. In the house," Arn said. "Now that I think about it, it sounded like a door. There must have been another way in."


    "How long has he been coming here?"


    There''s no answer to that, Arn thought, that isn''t bad news.


    ¡°That.. thing. The thing that looked like Ren. What was it? What are they going to do to us?¡±


    ¡°There was another villager in Dav¡¯s cell,¡± Kim said. She looked serious again. ¡°He was there when I got here. We didn¡¯t get a chance to talk much before they took him away. Down that way.¡±


    She pointed down the hall.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°I think they made him into¡­ whatever Ren is now. They brought him back but didn¡¯t put him in the cell. He walked past me though, and his eyes were¡­ like Ren¡¯s eyes. Fire. He looked at me¡­¡±


    She shuddered.


    How many of the villagers back at home were already like Ren?


    It was the obvious question, but neither of them wanted to ask it out loud.


    Noises. Yelling.


    Arn blinked awake. He¡¯d fallen asleep again.


    But the noises were still there.


    He went over to the door. The noises were louder, but he couldn¡¯t see anything.


    It sounded like fighting.


    He didn¡¯t even dare hope that they might still have a chance.


    Then two gray skeletons with bright swords walked right past his cell. They didn¡¯t even look his way, but he stepped backwards.


    The smell of them was dark and dusty, like old bones and sulfur.


    When they were gone, he moved back and saw Kim¡¯s face across the hall again.


    ¡°What is that noise?¡± she said.


    Arn didn¡¯t know, but it was getting louder. Nearer.


    Kim and Arn looked at each other.


    Then suddenly there was a loud, snarling yell and a crash of steel.


    Gray bones flew past the cell door and skittered down the hall.


    A green-gray face popped up in front of him, staring into the cell. Arn jumped backwards again from shock, but his heart suddenly leapt up with hope.


    It was a Pakmog.


    It yelled something back down the hall to someone.


    ¡°Arn or Dav, that you?¡± said a voice.


    It had to be Grem.


    Was Ama with Grem? Was she okay?


    Dav answered before Arn could say anything.


    ¡°Oh, hi Grem!¡± Dav said. He sounded relaxed.


    Bad things only happen to other people, Arn thought. That really was Dav¡¯s attitude, but it wasn¡¯t conceited. He just didn¡¯t seem to get that anyone was really serious about hurting him. Not when there were so many more interesting things to do.


    Arn wished he could believe that.


    ¡°Dav,¡± Grem¡¯s voice grunted. ¡°Where Arn?¡±


    ¡°Down here!¡± Arn said. ¡°I¡¯m in the next cell.¡±


    He was afraid to ask about Ama. He didn¡¯t want to hear the answer.


    But then the door popped open, and when Arn walked out he was looking at three Pakmog. And Ama. She stood behind them, staring at him with wide eyes.


    He felt like a burst of sunlight let loose inside of him. He rushed up to her, walking right past Grem.


    ¡°You welcome for big rescue,¡± Grem said, staring after him. ¡°Was no problem.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± Arn said to her. ¡°I thought you¡­ It didn¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°I thought you two were goners,¡± she said. ¡°There were like a dozen Walkers after you.¡±


    Dav came up to them with Kim beside him.


    ¡°It was a little worrying there for a bit,¡± he said. ¡°But I never really doubted that Grem would come through.¡±


    One of the other Pakmog grumbled something.


    ¡°Sorry, I mean all of you,¡± Dav said.


    Then he looked like he thought something more was still needed.


    ¡°All the Pakmog together? The Walkers never stood a chance!¡±


    The Pakmog nodded. They liked that.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Arn said. He didn¡¯t want to stop looking at Ama.


    She smirked.


    ¡°We ran,¡± she said.


    ¡°Run long way,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°I thought we were lost. We were somewhere deep inside the fortress, way down near the lava.¡±


    ¡°Pakmog not forget way so easy,¡± Grem said. He sounded a little proud. ¡°Or else be lost in caves.¡±


    ¡°They were going to leave,¡± she said, and shot Grem a dark look.


    Grem shrugged.


    ¡°Dav and Arn probably dead,¡± he said.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not dead,¡± Dav said.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°No. Lucky you,¡± said Grem.


    ¡°I said we had to at least look,¡± Ama said.


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°She said and said and said. Pakmog decide, leave her there or else go look for Dav and Arn.¡±


    Even though she was thin and pale and still wobbled a bit when she walked, Ama had stood up to three huge Pakmog and made them do what she wanted. Arn wondered what she would be able to do when she was healthy again.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Dav said to Grem. He looked interested. Like he assumed Grem had a plan in mind.


    Grem stared back at him.


    ¡°We go. We try, anyway.¡±


    Kim went over to a gap in the wall that looked outside.


    ¡°The bridge is still broken,¡± she said.


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°That big problem.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Dav said. ¡°Where¡¯s the other fellow? There were four of you.¡±


    ¡°Raga,¡± Grem said. ¡°He probably dead.¡±


    Dav pointed out that they thought he and Arn were probably dead, too.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s okay,¡± Dav added, looking hopeful.


    ¡°Raga have good story if he not dead,¡± Grem said. ¡°But Raga probably dead.¡±


    ¡°You think everybody¡¯s probably dead,¡± Arn said.


    But there was still the problem of where to go.


    The Pakmog started arguing. They grunted and snarled at each other for a long time. Or at least it sounded like arguing. It might have sounded the same if they were planning a surprise party.


    The four villagers stood together and watched.


    ¡°Can you think of anything?¡± Kim said to Dav.


    ¡°They know this place better than we do,¡± Dav said. ¡°I can¡¯t see any way across.¡±


    They stared out at the lava and the cliffs. It was a long way down.


    Arn had his arm around Ama. The running had finally caught up with her. She had been weak when they found her, and now she was having trouble just standing up on her own.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down for a bit?¡± he said.


    She looked like she was going to do it, but just then Grem turned to them.


    ¡°We go,¡± he said.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Out. Up. Out.¡±


    ¡°Up?¡±


    ¡°Up.¡±


    ¡°Can we rest a bit?¡± Arn said. ¡°Ama is really weak.¡±


    ¡°Arn think Gray Walkers say, you have nice rest before we come back?¡±


    He had to admit this was true.


    ¡°Put your weight on me,¡± he told Ama. She leaned into him, looking thankful for the support, and he did his best to take her weight. Together they moved as fast as they could following the others.


    It was a long, slow walk down the hallway until they got to the stairs again.


    ¡°What if there are Walkers?¡± Arn whispered to Grem, while they all stopped and listened.


    ¡°Pakmog fight them,¡± Grem said quietly.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Find way up. All way up.¡±


    ¡°All the way?¡±


    ¡°Up, outside. Way up high.¡±


    Dav looked worried.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we be stuck? I mean if we were way up high and they knew where we were?¡±


    ¡°You bet. Stuck bad.¡±


    Ama shook her head.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s stupid. Then why should we go that way?¡±


    Grem frowned at her.


    ¡°You think Grem trick you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ no,¡± she said.


    But she still didn¡¯t look like she really trusted them.


    She¡¯s been down here for days, maybe longer, Arn thought. Surrounded by enemies.


    ¡°Grem hasn¡¯t lied to us once,¡± Arn said. He felt like he had to say something. ¡°We¡¯d already be dead - or worse - if it wasn¡¯t for him.¡±


    ¡°Grem¡¯s people are amazing!¡± Dav said. ¡°They¡¯re probably the most interesting thing we¡¯ve seen in the Underworld.¡±


    Grem might have looked a little happier - it was hard to tell - but Arn didn¡¯t thinks he understood what a big compliment interesting really was, coming from Dav. He¡¯d have to explain it, if he ever got a chance. At any rate Kim didn¡¯t keep pushing it. They all moved up the stairs together, Pakmog ready for anything and Villagers ready to run.


    ¡°I think maybe they don¡¯t know we¡¯ve escaped yet,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°For sure,¡± said Grem. ¡°But when they find out, they be real mad.¡±


    They moved slowly along, listening for something chasing them, or something sneaking after them. But there was nothing - it was so quiet that the noise of their breathing was loud, and the sound of their feet on the rough stone bricks echoed now and then.


    Ama put more and more of her weight on Arn. He was worried about her, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking at her face again and again too. She looked back at him once, and smiled a little bit. It would almost have been nice if they weren¡¯t looking for a way out of this place.


    ¡°This way,¡± Dav said again and again, leading them up the stairs so many times that Arn lost count.


    Eventually they were outside, way up high at the top of the fortress. Brick paths stretched out in all directions, but straight ahead was one little tower with a staircase leading up. It would be as high as they could go.


    ¡°Nobody,¡± Dav said. ¡°Nobody at all. They really must not know we¡¯re gone yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Arn said. ¡°It feels weird. Dead. Why didn¡¯t we run into anything at all?¡±


    Kim pointed away into the distance. There was movement on the broken bridge. Something was going on down there.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re all outside fixing it?¡±


    That didn¡¯t seem very likely to Arn.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± he said to Grem.


    One of the Pakmog - Moho - had already gone head and climbed the stairs, and stood at the top of the tower.


    ¡°Hurry now,¡± Grem said. ¡°We wait at stairs.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Kim said. She was trying to look in all directions at once, watching out for danger.


    ¡°We wait. Moho do his thing,¡± Grem said, but he wouldn¡¯t say anything else.


    Moho stood, outlined against the lava streams, with his arms held up high. Then he¡­ barked.


    That was really the only word for it. It was like a bark, but incredibly loud. All the villagers jumped at the sound. Dav looked around at Grem, but Grem shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to explain. That was obvious.


    There was a long, wailing shriek from nearby.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Floater Demon!¡± Ama said. She started trembling. ¡°They¡¯re horrible!¡±


    It sounded very close.


    ¡°We should get down again,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°No,¡± said Grem.


    His voice didn¡¯t allow for arguing.


    Moho barked again, and the noise echoed back from the rocky sky of the Underworld. The crying of the Floater Demon was even closer. Then they saw it. It rose up over the edge of the fortress, and it was looking right at them.


    It was awful. Floater Demons were flabby, jelly-like, pasty grey-red balloons with tentacles. They quivered, and their nasty little eyes were full of hate.


    They¡¯re like living snot, Arn thought.


    But instead of screaming and shooting fire at them, it just floated towards Moho. He stood, waiting, until it got to him, but its mean little eyes never stopped looking at the four villagers.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Ama said, staring at it. She was trembling.


    Arn didn¡¯t know, and he didn¡¯t know what to say. So he just tried to look confident for her sake.


    Moho stroked one of the thing¡¯s tentacles. Its beady little red eyes stared at him, but it didn¡¯t attack.


    Dav was staring at the monster, open-mouthed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ amazing!¡± he whispered.


    Arn thought it looked like a nightmare, but if it was going to give them some hope of getting home, he wasn¡¯t going to insult it.


    Then Moho gave Grem a nod.


    ¡°Okay, looks like we good. Can get carried,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Carried?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Dav said. He looked like he was going to start giggling. But both Ama and Kim both stared at the Floater Demon with looks of pure disgust.


    Grem and the other Pakmog pushed the villagers up the stairs to stand at the top with Moho and the Floater Demon. Grem looked at Arn.


    ¡°You grab,¡± Grem said. ¡°Hold on. If Arn fall, Arn not just probably dead.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to¡­ it¡¯s going to carry us?¡±


    ¡°That what Grem just say,¡± said Grem.


    ¡°Won¡¯t it try to kill us?¡±


    ¡°Not now,¡± Grem said. ¡°Not this one.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Dav said.


    Arn didn¡¯t think Pakmog could sigh, but Grem looked like he¡¯d do it if he knew how.


    ¡°Dav want talk and talk, or go?¡± he said slowly. ¡°Sometimes Pakmog do things they want. Sometimes they do things Pakmog want. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Dav said. ¡°Now I get it! But he¡¯s right, we should go.¡±


    With that Dav walked forward and grabbed hold of one of the thing¡¯s flabby white tentacles. He didn¡¯t even look worried.


    After all, Arn thought, nobody would ever lie to Dav.


    ¡°How hard should I hold on?¡± Dav asked.


    ¡°So you not fall,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt it?¡±


    The thing had shuddered when Dav touched it, and made a low growling noise. Grem shrugged.


    ¡°We probably know if you do.¡±


    Kim looked like she wanted to throw up, but she forced herself to stand beside Dav, and wrapped both hands around a tentacle.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ ugh. It feels like something rotten,¡± she said.


    Arn looked at Ama. She gave him a half smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the worst thing I¡¯ve been through, I guess. But I don¡¯t know if I can hold on.¡±


    That¡¯s what Arn was worried about too. She wasn¡¯t strong, after all. She was pale and thin and had enough trouble just walking on her own. He grabbed a tentacle - it shivered under his fingers - and then held out his arm to her.


    ¡°You grab on with both hands, and I¡¯ll hold on to you too, so you don¡¯t fall.¡±


    I really, really hope I¡¯m actually strong enough to do that, he thought. But he didn¡¯t want to ask Grem to do it for him.


    Suddenly there was a noise from down below.


    ¡°They here,¡± Grem said. ¡°Hold on, we go.¡±


    Arn¡¯s stomach lurched when he saw.


    A swarm of Gray Walkers had emerged from the fortress, and they were charging towards them. A tall figure walked behind them. There was no doubt about it - it was Ren. Or at least the thing that looked like Ren. Arn thought he could see the flicker of orange where it¡¯s eyes should have been.


    The three Pakmog all jumped for a tentacle just as the Floater Demon started going up into the air.


    Ama gasped, and started to slip right away.


    Arn held on to her with one hand, his arm tight around her waist.


    She was slipping down, though.


    Her face looked up at his.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said weakly, and dropped downward even farther. Her hands were both around the thing¡¯s tentacle, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to stop the sliding.


    They were already high up in the air. When Arn looked down, the skeletons were all over the tower, and some of them were shooting up at them. One arrow whizzed past his shoulder. But he didn¡¯t care about that. He only had one hand to hold on to the Floater Demon, while the other one was trying to keep Ama from falling.


    Now they were over the lava.


    ¡°Hurry,¡± he gasped.


    Dav saw what was happening, and he reached out with one hand to grab Ama¡¯s robe as well. It helped a little.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we can hold on,¡± Kim said in a tiny voice.


    Grem said something to Moho, and the Floater Demon started moving downward.


    ¡°We go down, but not good. Too close.¡±


    ¡°Hurry,¡± Arn said again.


    He was losing his grip on Ama. Dav looked worried for once too. All four of the villagers were starting to slip, and it was still a long, long way down to the ground. Ama looked up at Arn again.


    ¡°I wish I could have met you in a better place,¡± she said.


    He didn¡¯t like the sound of her voice. It sounded like she was saying goodbye.


    So he didn¡¯t say anything at all. He growled in the back of his throat and forced his fingers into the flesh of the Floater Demon so hard that he thought they might break. Pain flared through his hand, and the Floater Demon¡¯s tentacle shivered.


    He kicked out one leg and wrapped it around Ama. It felt like he was holding up both of their weights on nothing more than one hand. He wanted to scream with pain, but it would have taken too much energy, so he just held on and waited, barely even remembering to breath.


    When his feet hit the ground he didn¡¯t even look. He just let go. Ama fell with him, and they slammed into the ground hard. It knocked Arn¡¯s breath out, and his foot twisted against the blocks with a sharp burst of pain, but he didn¡¯t care at all.


    Made it, he thought.


    He¡¯d honestly thought the two of them were going to plunge downwards and be smashed to bits on the sharp red blocks. But instead they lay there together and he could tell from Ama¡¯s breathing that she was still alive too.


    Dav came pumping up to them.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he said.


    He looked really worried.


    ¡°Let¡¯s never do that again, alright?¡± Arn said, staring up at the sky of rock and lava.


    Kim helped Ama up, and Dav pulled Arn to his feet. The Pakmog didn¡¯t let anyone stop though.


    ¡°Go!¡± said Grem, ¡°We go now or we not go.¡±


    They looked to where he was pointing. The bridge was almost finished. There were only a few bricks left to go, and there was already a crowd of Walkers waiting to cross it. Arn couldn¡¯t see Ren, but he would be there somewhere.


    But they could only move as fast as Arn and Ama. Kim had her arm around Ama¡¯s waist. Arn staggered forward, trying to ignore the shooting pain in his ankle.


    ¡°We¡¯re holding you all back,¡± Ama said. ¡°You should just go.¡±


    But nobody said anything. Dav moved in alongside Arn and grabbed him, taking his weight, and together they all moved towards the dark cliff walls.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Kim said.


    Grem looked back at her impatiently.


    ¡°Where Kim think? Same place everyone go. Portal.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that where they expect us to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They right.¡±


    Grem looked like he thought the conversation was over.


    ¡°But wait,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°No waiting,¡± said Grem. The Pakmog all kept moving.


    ¡°You said the portal was closed! Why are we going there?¡±


    ¡°Ah, probably because of me,¡± Dav said, panting. The Pakmog were almost running now, and the villagers were staggering along together, trying to keep up.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes, um¡­¡± Dav said, and tried to catch his breath. ¡°I told them how we heard about turning it on again.¡±


    ¡°Can you do that?¡± said Kim.


    ¡°Dav better hope he can,¡± Grem grumbled back at them.


    Then Grem said something in a raspy Pakmog whisper. He sounded surprised - probably for the first time since they had met him. Surprised and unhappy.


    All the Pakmog crouched down, hiding. The villagers did too.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Dav said curiously.


    Grem pointed.


    Three Walkers were already coming towards them. They must have been on this side all along. They were heading straight towards them.


    Grem said something to one of the others.


    ¡°Moho help us,¡± Grem whispered.


    Moho jumped up and yelled something loud, then started running away along the bricks. The Whither Skeletons stared at him for a second, then started chasing him. He sped away from them, with the creatures close behind.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Kim said.


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°More rude words. Not really matter.¡±


    He stood up.


    ¡°Hurry, we go,¡± he said.


    ¡°What about¡­ Moho?¡± Dav said, staring at the Pakmog running away into the red mist.


    ¡°Moho pretty fast. Might not die,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not same for us,¡± Grem said. He pointed at the bridge.


    They were finished. Skeletons swarmed across it. There must have been dozens. Two archers shot arrows in their direction.


    ¡°Maybe too late,¡± Grem said.


    Arn and put his arm around Ama again, and tried to stand up with her so that they could run together. Instead he almost fell flat on his face. Pain shot from his ankle.


    No way. No way am I going to lose now.


    He grunted and pulled himself up, and staggered forward, trying to drag both of them along on his one good foot. It wasn¡¯t going to work. Grem could see it too. He jumped forward and scooped Ama up.


    Arn¡¯s eyes locked with Ama.


    ¡°I hope we make it,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d like to...¡±


    But he didn¡¯t get to hear what she wanted to do. Grem started running, and one of the other Pakmog picked Arn up like he weighed nothing at all. Dav and Kim ran ahead of them.


    They reached the empty Underworld Portal and everyone looked at Dav.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± said Kim.


    Dav stared at the empty portal, thinking. An arrow thudded into a block beside them.


    ¡°This where we use Dav¡¯s brain,¡± said Grem.


    Two more arrows slammed into the ground, one of them right by Kim.


    Dav shook his head.


    ¡°I thought we¡¯d have more time!¡±


    He pulled something out of his robe. It was the iron bar that he¡¯d found in his cell.


    ¡°We need flint. Somehow we make a spark with flint and this. I don¡¯t know how and I don¡¯t have any flint!¡±


    ¡°We really need to hurry, guys,¡± said Kim. ¡°They¡¯re coming. Right now.¡±


    Ama shifted around in the arms of the Pakmog who was carrying her. She pointed.


    ¡°There. Can find some in that stuff. Dig!¡±


    Grem dropped Arn roughly onto the ground and jumped over to the gravel blocks. He started tunneling into them so fast that his arms were a blur.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got like ten seconds maybe,¡± said Kim. She sounded very calm now, like she didn¡¯t think they were going to make it.


    Grem grunted and held up a shiny gray rock.


    ¡°This it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Dav shouted and grabbed it out of Grem¡¯s hand.


    He ran up to the portal and held the two items together.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°Well?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They make a spark. I need to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Too late,¡± said Kim.


    Arn looked around. They were nearly caught. There was no time left at all.


    Grem gave an angry grunt and grabbed the flint and the iron from Dav. He spread his arms wide apart and brought them together with a loud SMACK. The flintstone shattered into a thousand pieces.


    But at the same time, some bright orange sparks shot out from between his hands. One of them touched the shiny black surface of the gate, and there was a humming noise.


    The gate glowed with shimmering light. It was working.


    ¡°Walkers!¡±


    There was time to celebrate. A crowd of Graywalkers was on them. Grem whirled around and grabbed Kim, shoving her into the portal. She shimmered and was gone.


    ¡°Go!¡± he growled and pulled out his sword.


    Arn turned to grab Ama from the Pakmog who was carrying her.


    He never got a chance. Prag jumped out of the way of two skeletons who slashed their swords down at him, but ended up right in the middle of even more of them.


    Arn saw Ama¡¯s eyes ¨C they were wide, and staring right at him.


    Then someone grabbed him hard from behind and dragged him into the portal.


    ¡°No!¡± he yelled, and tried to pull himself away, back towards the flashing swords of the Pakmog and the crowd of Walkers.


    But instead, everything sparkled with shimmering light as the Underworld faded away.

 Chapter 10 - Empty

    Arn fell backwards onto the floor, right on top of Dav, and then jumped up again.


    He stared back into the glowing misty light of the portal.


    Gone. Just like that.


    He¡¯d lost her again. How stupid could he be?


    He had to go back. His ankle wasn¡¯t quite as bad. He was sure he could carry her now.


    He stepped into the shimmering mist again.


    But before the portal could start to take him, something hit him hard in the back and he fell face-first onto the floor on the other side.


    ¡°No,¡± Kim said.


    She had pushed him.


    ¡°I have to go get her!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a dozen Walkers between you and her. They¡¯re probably already running the other way.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t just let her go. There was no way.


    ¡°Kim¡¯s right,¡± Dav said. ¡°What would she do if you suddenly came through again and she saw?¡±


    He knew the answer. She might try to come to him. Right into a swarm of mobs.


    ¡°She¡¯s safest if you let Grem and the other Pakmog bring her,¡± Kim said. ¡°Plus you can¡¯t run anyway.¡±


    Arn made a disgusted sound. He hated that they were right.


    ¡°Then we should go. Now. Warn everyone.¡±


    There was nothing they could do in here. He moved towards the stairs and Kim started to follow him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Dav yelled.


    He looked serious. It was a strange expression, for him.


    ¡°Who can we trust out there?¡±


    ¡°We¡­¡± Arn said. But then he stopped.


    Kim¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°Nobody,¡± she said.


    Dav nodded. He pointed at the Underworld Portal.


    ¡°We need to close it. At least for now. To give us time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving her out there,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Fine. After she gets here.¡±


    ¡°If she gets here,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Either way,¡± said Dave. ¡°We need to be able to close it.¡±


    Arn spread his hands wide.


    ¡°How? With what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait,¡± Kim said. ¡°There could be mobs here any second. Or Ren. We need to run!¡±


    There wasn¡¯t anything they could do.


    ¡°We saw a portal get closed, so we know it¡¯s possible,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°It got blown up! By a Floater Demon!¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Right, but all it took was a spark to turn it back on again.¡±


    Kim groaned, and walked over to the chests that lined the walls.


    ¡°Good!¡± Dav said when he saw. ¡°See what¡¯s in there. Let me know if anything looks useful.¡±


    ¡°How will I know?¡± she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just look!¡±


    He frowned, but then went back to walking around the portal, looking up and down at it.


    Arn made an angry noise, limped over to a chest, and threw it open.


    ¡°Dirt!¡± he yelled. ¡°Gravel! Rocks!¡±


    ¡°Can we fill it up with rocks?¡± Kim said. ¡°You know, put something in the way?¡±


    Arn brought an armful over to the portal and tried to set them down in it.


    They slid off onto the floor on the other side.


    ¡°No good,¡± Dav said. ¡°Keep looking!¡±


    Arn turned to a chest while Kim kept going through the ones on the other side of the room.


    ¡°Rocks!¡± she said. ¡°More stupid rocks!¡±


    There was a sudden humming sound from the Underworld Portal.


    ¡°Someone is coming through,¡± Dav said.


    Arn grimaced and hurried through the chest.


    Leather pants, a torch, more rocks, some coal, it¡¯s all useless junk!


    He looked back at Dav.


    ¡°Nothing here,¡± he said.


    Dav pointed at the portal. The purple light was shimmering.


    ¡°Get ready to run.¡±


    Kim threw open another chest, while Arn got ready to grab her and try to run for the door.


    ¡°I can see someone,¡± Dav said.


    Please be Ama, Arn thought.


    There was a shape in the portal. It was just a dark outline, but then it suddenly solidified into a body, that jumped out into the room with a deep snarl.


    ¡°Run!¡± Arn yelled.


    ¡°Wait!¡± said Dav.


    Arn had already reached Kim and was ready to pull her towards the stairs, but he looked over at the portal.


    Grem the Pakmog stood in front of Dav, staring down at him. He was panting, like he¡¯d been running.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°They coming,¡± he said.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°All them. Run. Now.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ama?¡± Arn said.


    Why wasn¡¯t she with Grem? Was she alone now?


    ¡°She with Prag. We get split up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±, Arn yelped.


    ¡°Prag good guy, she okay! Need to run now!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Dav said quietly. ¡°You two, keep looking while I think.¡±


    Grem looked like he was going to hit Dav.


    ¡°You no hear? Too many come!¡±


    ¡°I heard. What if they come? Where will we run to?¡±


    ¡°Far away,¡± Grem said.


    Dav shook his head and walked away from Grem, staring intently at the Portal.


    ¡°We can¡¯t. Leaving the village, it¡¯s not so easy. We¡¯re stuck.¡±


    Grem looked around at them again.


    ¡°Then Grem waste time,¡± he muttered.


    Dav ignored him.


    Arn was standing in front of the portal again, looking into the shimering light.


    Grem turned to him.


    ¡°Grem see Arn¡¯s idea. Bad idea. You go back, you get caught.¡±


    Arn whirled around to Grem, and stood face to face with him for a second. The Pakmog stared back.


    ¡°If we close the Portal, there¡¯s no way to find her,¡± he said.


    ¡°Arn forget Grem talk about other portal? That where they go!¡±


    Understanding dawned on Arn¡¯s face, and he turned back to Dav.


    ¡°The chests,¡± Dav said to him.


    Kim was already looking.


    ¡°Keep talking to me,¡± he said to them.


    Grem looked at them like they were crazy.


    ¡°Nothing here,¡± Arn said, when he opened the next one. ¡°More garbage.¡±


    ¡°Wheat, bread, it¡¯s all food,¡± Kim said and slammed the lid shut.


    The humming from the gate started again.


    Too long, we took too long! Arn thought.


    He threw aside the worthless trash in the chest and slammed it shut.


    Grem hefted his sword.


    ¡°You run, Grem slow them down,¡± he grunted.


    Kim threw open the very last chest.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Arn said, and moved towards the stairs.


    Maybe we can hide. Probably not. But maybe.


    ¡°Buckets!¡± she said. ¡°Iron! Rocks! There¡¯s a bucket of water, too!¡±


    ¡°No more time!¡± Grem said. The light of the portal had started to wiggle and wave. Something was about to come through.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Dav yelled. ¡°The water! Give me the bucket!¡±


    Kim ran over to him carrying the sloshing pail.


    There was a shape in the portal. It was adult-sized.


    Dav leaned forward and poured out the bucket onto the shiny black rocks, right at the base of the light.


    And just like that, the portal was gone.


    The water splashed out onto the floor.


    Grem let his sword drop and grunted in surprise.


    Kim let out a whoop of joy.


    Arn slumped back against the wall and stared at Dav.


    ¡°How? Why water?¡± he said.


    Dav looked pleased. Like he¡¯d just performed a very clever trick for everyone.


    ¡°Well it was a lucky guess, really. But it seemed like the right answer.¡±


    Arn looked at him, waiting. He knew Dav wouldn¡¯t be able to stop explaining.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s what turns the portal on, right? Fire. What puts out fire?


    ¡°Water,¡± Kim said. She stared at Dav admiringly.


    ¡°Good guess,¡± Grem said. ¡°What happen if wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Dav said. ¡°Well then I guess we would have had to run. Fast.¡±


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°That good guess too.¡±


    Up the stairs, they all stood in the little wooden room, looking out the door of the player house. It was morning. The sun was bright.


    ¡°Too cold here,¡± Grem muttered.


    ¡°Do we talk to the council?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°What else can we do?¡±


    ¡°How do we know they¡¯re not - you know?¡±


    ¡°Changed?¡± Dav said. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Grem know,¡± said Grem. ¡°Pakmog eyes not so easy fooled with magic.¡±


    They stared out at the day some more.


    ¡°We should go,¡± said Kim.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± said Dav.


    None of them moved.


    ¡°What happening?¡± said Grem. ¡°Why we not go?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said Arn. ¡°I think we¡¯re a little worried. How many of the people we knew¡­¡±


    ¡°Not people Arn think they are?¡± Grem said.


    ¡°It¡¯s been bothering me too,¡± said Dav.


    Grem pushed the button, and the door opened with a slam.


    ¡°Only one way know,¡± he said.


    He pushed them all out into the daylight.


    There was nobody around, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise. People didn¡¯t come out to the player house very often.


    ¡°Which way?¡± Grem said. ¡°In those things?¡±


    ¡°Those are trees,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Weird things,¡± said Grem, frowning.


    ¡°The village is around on the other side,¡± Kim said.


    She walked to the corner of the house, then stopped and looked confused.


    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± she said.


    The village was deserted. Normally once the sun was up people couldn¡¯t wait to get out of the houses and into the sunshine again.


    Mak¡¯s potato farm was empty. He was always the first one back to work. He¡¯s been tending his plants for as long as anyone could remember.


    Arn looked in one house after another.


    There was nobody.


    Kim walked out of the library, and her face was pale.


    ¡°There¡¯s nobody here. Nobody at all.¡±


    They went to every house. They were all empty. They looked everywhere, even out to the very edges of the village.


    The went to Ren¡¯s house too. Carefully. But there was nothing worth seeing there either. Everything in his chest was ordinary and boring.


    So they headed out to village woods, hoping they might find a clue.


    Which is where Dav discovered something. They could leave the village now. It used to be that once you got far enough from the village, going any farther felt worse and worse until you couldn¡¯t take another step. Now they could walk out as far as they wanted.


    Dav was almost excited about it. He stepped back and forth over the last blocks, the ones that used to mark the far edge of the village.


    ¡°Nothing at all,¡± he said. But then he looked up at the deserted houses and frowned.


    ¡°Just like the village,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Wait, wait, this might be good,¡± Dav said, ¡°If we can leave the village, then so could they!¡±


    She stared back at the empty houses. There was a little bit of hope in her eyes.


    ¡°You really think they might be out there?¡±


    ¡°Where else could they be?¡±


    Grem muttered something in Pakmog, and Kim poked him in the arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened any more than we do, okay?¡±


    He shook his head but didn¡¯t argue.


    ¡°Someone took them. Or made them go,¡± Dav said. ¡°That¡¯s what it has to be.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t safe here,¡± Kim said. ¡°Ren knows where the village is. He¡¯ll probably be back.¡±


    ¡°Everyone might be out there,¡± Arn said, ¡°But Ama is definitely still in the Underworld. We need to find the other portal. I¡¯m going even if none of you are.¡±


    He stared at them like he expected them to start arguing, but they just nodded.


    Eventually they all sat together in the middle of the empty village.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask you,¡± Dav said to Grem. ¡°How did you know? About the flint?¡±


    ¡°Know?¡±


    ¡°You made a spark. It started the Underworld Portal.¡±


    Grem grunted.


    ¡°Grem get lucky. Old Pakmog plan. Things not working, hit them.¡±


    Dav looked annoyed, but Kim snorted and started laughing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s suppose everyone really did leave,¡± Arn said. ¡°Or were forced to. Where would the go?¡±


    Nobody had an answer.


    ¡°What about Grem?¡± said Kim.


    ¡°About Grem? What?¡± said Grem.


    ¡°Can you tell us anything? Can you¡­ I don¡¯t know. You can sense things we can¡¯t, is all.¡±


    She waved her hands around at the village, then dropped them, looking unsure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what else to do...¡±


    Grem stared at her and grunted again, then stuck his nose up in the air and snorted a few times. He stood up and turned in a circle, sniffing loudly at the air.


    ¡°Maybe smell man from above. Maybe two, maybe more. Go that way.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said, and shrugged. ¡°Pretty old, maybe nothing.¡±


    Arn stood up.


    ¡°Wait, what about Ama¡¯s village? Where the other portal is? That¡¯s the only way I¡¯m going,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Lucky us,¡± Grem said, ¡°Same way.¡±


    Everyone stared at Grem for a second.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°I tell you already. We don¡¯t get lost so easy. This is right way to go. Other door to above is that way.¡±


    Arn looked out into the forest. There was nothing obvious about that way, but Grem must have had some kind of sense of direction that villager¡¯s didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a lot more than we had a minute ago,¡± Dav said. He jumped up and looked off in the direction Grem had pointed.


    ¡°That¡¯s our direction. Let¡¯s go see if we can find anything useful to take. Torches, flint, whatever. Oh, and food, probably.¡±


    Grem came back with a whole armload of food.


    ¡°Found all this,¡± he said. ¡°You eat this, right?¡±


    They divided it up, but Grem shook his head when Arn offered him some bread.


    ¡°Pakmog eat anything,¡± he said.


    ¡°Anything at all?¡± Dav said.


    Grem stared back at him.


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    It was already past noon, but they weren¡¯t hungry. They all had one more look around, but the village was empty. Nobody could argue about that.


    After a while, they drifted together again, staring out at the forest.


    ¡°We can walk in those things?¡± Grem said.


    ¡°I think so,¡± said Arn, ¡°I¡¯ve never been in them either.¡±


    ¡°Looks cold,¡± Grem said. ¡°Too cold all over here.¡±


    He looked at them all.


    ¡°Grem find Ama. Find village men. Then Grem can go home where not so cold, okay?¡±


    Dav clapped Grem on the shoulder in a friendly way. Grem stared at Dav¡¯s hand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you home too, but before then I¡¯ve got about a million questions I need to ask you, okay?¡±


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Dav ask, maybe Grem answer. Maybe Grem tell him stop talking, okay?¡±


    Dav looked like he was thinking about it.


    ¡°Good enough,¡± he said.


    ¡°It would make sense if the other portal was at Ama¡¯s village, right? She said she went through one there,¡± said Arn.


    Kim smiled at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find her,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s go find everyone.¡±


    Arn looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Lots of daylight left. Shall we go?¡±


    Grem pointed at the forest.


    ¡°In those things. Trees. We go that way.¡±


    Arn took one last look back at the village. But there was nothing to see - it was just a bunch of buildings. The only reason they meant anything was because of the people who lived in them.


    So they followed Grem into the forest, and then there was only the wind blowing into the empty doorways.

 Chapter 11 - Wanderers

    Mat kept staring at the Ashman.


    Jak threw another piece of coal at it. The rock thumped off of its shoulder, but it never even flinched.


    ¡°Sky¡¯s getting brighter,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    But Mat kept his eyes wide open, looking into the mob¡¯s blank face.


    Eventually he had to give up.


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t win a staring contest with them,¡± he said.


    ¡°Too bad. You thought maybe we could awkward them to death?¡±


    Mat reached into his robe, grabbed a piece of coal, and threw it.


    It bounced off the Ashman¡¯s chest and plopped into the water.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Nothing else seems to work.¡±


    His legs were starting to hurt. They had been standing on the block pillars since the sun went down.


    Finding them was lucky. They had almost been mob chow last night.


    When they came to the edge of the cliff Mat thought it was all over. Three mobs - one of them a sleek and vicious Prowler - were almost on top of them, and there was nowhere left to run.


    But it was only a short jump down onto two pillars of green mossy rock that stood in a small pond below. So Jak had jumped. It wasn¡¯t like there was a choice. Mat followed.


    The Ashmen had stared down at them for a while, and then two of them had wandered away.


    Standing and waiting, Mat watched the stars for most of the night. It was still strange to actually see the night sky up above, them instead of through a window.


    Inside, where it was safe.


    But there was no more inside. Not for now, anyway. Not until they could find a village. They had been lucky last night. And the night before.


    They had even been lucky when their village was suddenly invaded by a huge swarm of mobs, and fires had broken out everywhere, and everyone had run away into the night. Mat had a feeling that if they kept hoping for good luck, then eventually it was going to run out.


    ¡°There!¡± Jak said, pointing.


    It was the sun. Just a bright little sliver of it peeking through the trees. The last Ashman began to swirl and dissolve in the breeze right away.


    ¡°Three,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Three nights. That¡¯s three more nights than I thought we¡¯d make it through.¡±


    Jak was big and tough, but he wasn¡¯t much of a thinker. He just shook his head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll find a village today.¡±


    Mat wasn¡¯t feeling so sure. They had been walking through the forest for two solid days. The trees were taller than anything he¡¯d ever imagined, and the ground was thick with mushrooms and bushes and mossy rocks. But they¡¯d never even seen a hint of a village. They hadn¡¯t heard a single voice apart from each other.


    And the chickens. The stupid chickens clucking and flapping everywhere.


    What worried Mat was how thick the forest was. There could be a village just a few dozen blocks away and they might walk past without ever knowing it. You couldn¡¯t see anything. They needed to get up somewhere high, so they could see what direction to go.


    After the Ashman was finally blown away, Jak didn¡¯t even look at Mat before he jumped down off of the pillar and splashed into the pond below.


    ¡°Come on, time¡¯s wasting!¡±


    Mat walked along behind him, wiping bits of pond scum off of his robe.


    ¡°What if there¡¯s nobody else left?¡± he said.


    Jak frowned.


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Nobody except us?¡±


    ¡°Nobody. Anywhere. We just lucked out and every village is empty and burned now.¡±


    Jak waved it away with one hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Then what happened to our village? Why wouldn¡¯t it be happening to everyone else?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a happy thought. Mat imagined looking down on the world, and seeing little dots of fire everywhere that the villages had been. Plus two lost villagers hiking through the empty land.


    ¡°There¡¯s just no way. You¡¯ll see. We¡¯ll find a village soon.¡±


    ¡°What if we don¡¯t? Where do we go?¡±


    Jak sighed.


    If Mat could have picked anyone from the village to get lost in the forest with, he would probably have put Jak near the bottom of the list. He¡¯d never once seen Jak in the library. He was always talking to the blacksmiths and the farmers and herders. Never to the librarians or the clerics.


    Mat and Jak had managed to live in the same village for nearly their whole lives, almost never being in the same place at the same time. Jak was as near a stranger as was possible for a villager, and it was hard finding things to talk about that they both cared about.


    So of course it had been Jak he¡¯d run into, deep in the woods. It was Jak who had grabbed him, and pulled him down next to a bush. Together they had waited until sunrise to go back and see the ruins of the village. Mat had to give him that much. He seemed to have the right ideas about how to stay alive when they were stuck outside all the time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jak said. ¡°I guess we find somewhere else to live? Maybe up high in the mountains?¡±


    Which sounded awful.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Mat said. ¡°We could...¡±


    But Jak held up his hand to interrupt.


    Mat looked all around them, expecting to see a Prowler creeping towards them, or a spider waiting to jump.


    ¡°That smell,¡± Jak said.


    Mat sniffed. He couldn¡¯t smell anything, and shook his head at Jak.


    Jak rolled his eyes and pointed.


    ¡°That way, I think. It¡¯s smoke.¡±


    Tim¡¯s stomach dropped.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    Jak jumped down another mossy cliff face and headed off into the woods, while Mat scrambled to catch up.


    It¡¯s almost as if he likes being stuck outside, Mat thought. It was a weird idea. A villager¡¯s place was in the village. It didn¡¯t even make sense to think of a villager apart from a village. They were part of the same thing.


    But Jak didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable at all. The only thing Mat wanted was a nice solid door between him and the mobs. But Jak almost looked like he was having fun when it was time to find somewhere to hide away for the night.


    I guess you never know. Some people have talents they never get a chance to use.


    But what did that make Jak? An outside-of-the-village villager? There wasn¡¯t even a word for it.


    The forest stopped very suddenly. One moment they were in the trees and bushes, then they walked out onto a wide green plain.


    There were mountains not too far away on the other side of the plain. They were tall and grey, with snow at the peaks. It would be the perfect spot to scan the horizon for villages.


    Except that they had found one.


    Or what was left of one.


    ¡°Burned,¡± Mat said.


    The nearest house would have only been a few dozen blocks away, when the village was there.


    But now it was just cobblestone foundations, and a few scattered bit of glass. Two small fires still flamed and smoked.


    Jak frowned. It looked like he was seriously thinking about what Mat had said for the first time. What if it was all gone, all of it? What do two wandering villagers do when there¡¯s no village to go to?


    ¡°Should we...¡± Mat staid. He was going to suggest heading for the mountains to get a better look around across the plains.


    ¡°Food,¡± Jak said, interrupting him. He started walking.


    Their footsteps crunched loudly on the silent paths between where the houses used to be. They looked in every ruined building, and found a few carrots. The farms were just dirt ¨C everything was gone.


    Hooray, more carrots, Mat thought. He already had a bunch in his inventory. But he took another handful from Jak.


    The place was creepy. Everything was too quiet. It seemed like even the chickens were avoiding it.


    They both kept looking around, like they were expecting something to be sneaking up on them.


    When he was sure they had looked everywhere, Mat said, ¡°We should probably keep going.¡±


    Jak nodded quickly. It wasn¡¯t like him to be scared, but Mat got the idea that he wanted to get out of there as fast as possible too.


    He pointed at the mountains.


    ¡°We should be able to see all over from up there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mat said.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to get far, far away from the dead village.


    But as they passed the last house, Jak grabbed his arm.


    ¡°What...¡± he started to say, but Jak hissed at him to be quiet and pointed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Something was in the trees. It looked like something wearing clothes.


    ¡°Is it a Bonewalker?¡± Mat whispered.


    Sometimes they could last through the day, if they were in the shade.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jak said. ¡°You want to find out?¡±


    Mat shook his head and pointed over to the other edge of the village.


    ¡°That way?¡±


    They started walking away as quietly as they could.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s one of the villagers?¡± Mat said.


    Maybe someone ran into the woods. They could be hiding, too scared to come out, he thought.


    Jak sighed and stopped.


    ¡°What?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to look.¡±


    Mat wished he hadn¡¯t said anything at all. He had a weird feeling about this.


    But he couldn¡¯t just stand there while Jak went back.


    They stopped at the far edge of the village again, staring into the woods. Whatever it had been, they couldn¡¯t see it any more.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Jak yelled, and Mat jumped at the sudden noise.


    They waited, listening.


    ¡°Anyone there?¡± Jak yelled. ¡°We¡¯re villagers too!¡±


    There was a sound, like someone stepping on a branch. Then nothing.


    ¡°We¡¯re not dangerous,¡± Mat said loudly. He felt like he had to say something. ¡°We have food.¡±


    But nobody answered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Jak said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    Mat couldn¡¯t have agreed more.


    ¡°We should go,¡± he said.


    They both turned and walked away, heading towards the other edge of the village and the mountains in the distance again. Mat kept looking back at the ruined houses, but nothing moved. Nothing was following them.


    But they both walked quickly, all the same. They didn''t talk about it, but once they went out onto the grassy plain they put the village far behind them before they slowed down again.


    They reached the mountains before noon.


    ¡°It looks a lot higher than it did before,¡± Mat said.


    The rocky grey cliffs were so tall that they disappeared into the clouds.


    ¡°That''s what we want,¡± said Jak. ¡°Get us way up there so we can look for another village.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure. I''ve never climbed up anything like that before, is all.¡±


    Jak grinned.


    ¡°Me neither. Should be fun.¡±


    Mat wasn''t sure about that. It was too easy to imagine slipping and falling from way up there. It was a long, steep climb. But Jak was already scrambling up the rocks, looking for the best path.


    After what seemed like an hour they had made it up far enough that Mat didn¡¯t want to look down any more. There was enough space to climb. But only just enough. He followed behind, letting Jak pick the best way up. It was weird. Jak was a Farmer, so he would have spent his life growing potatoes, or wheat, or something. Looking down at the dirt, taking care of the plants.


    Now it wasn''t an option. There was no farm to worry about. But Jak looked and moved like he''d escaped from the village, and not been forced to run away from it.


    Mat sighed and kept climbing. All he''d ever wanted was to live comfortably in the library. Tend the books, talk with the other Librarians. He liked doing that. He''d been looking forward to it.


    He''d read nearly every book in the library. He''d often wondered what other villages might have ¨C books that he''d never seen, filled with things that nobody in the village knew. In fact he''d thought long and hard about that ¨C what if it was possible to trade books with other villages?


    It was a crazy idea, but he''d always had a notion that once he was in charge, he''d have to see if there was some way to do it. Now he was out here in the middle of nowhere without a single book to call his own. He wasn¡¯t like Jak. That much was for sure.


    He banged his knee against a rocky point and flinched.


    ¡°I guess we''re living the kind of story that they write about,¡± Mat said.


    Jak frowned down at him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Doing this. Climbing mountains, running from Ashmen.¡±


    He pulled himself up over a ledge and rubbed his knee.


    ¡°It''s a lot less hungry and sharp, is all. When you''re just reading it.¡±


    ¡°You hungry?¡±


    Mat sighed. Jak''s mind just didn''t work the same way as his.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said. ¡°I could eat. When can we stop?¡±


    Jak pointed up at a ledge above them.


    ¡°When he get there,¡± he said. ¡°We should...¡±


    Jak stopped talking, and stared back towards the plains below.


    Mat didn''t look. He didn''t want to see how far down it was.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Someone''s following us. Three someones.¡±


    Mat forced himself to look over his shoulder, down to the ground below. Whoever they were, they had come out of the woods and were heading straight towards the mountains, and they were obviously going to end up right below Mat and Jak.


    ¡°Mobs?¡± Mat said. He knew Jak¡¯s eyes were better than his.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯d say villagers.¡±


    ¡°Was that them in the woods? Why did they wait until now to follow us?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Mat stared at the little group. It made him feel dizzy, looking way down there. He gripped the blocks tighter so that he wouldn¡¯t slip.


    They weren¡¯t moving very fast, but one of them was walking ahead of the other two. That one looked like he or she was impatient, Mat thought. Like they wanted to catch up but they were being slowed down. The other two moved along much closer together.


    ¡°One of them needs help moving,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°You think they¡¯re hurt?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He stared harder, watching the two figures ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They¡¯re just walking slowly. I can¡¯t see why.¡±


    Jak made a frustrated noise.


    ¡°If we go back down now, then we¡¯re not getting to the top today.¡±


    The sun was probably halfway down to the horizon now.


    Mat looked across the grassland. There was no obvious place to spend the night. They would be exposed anywhere out there. Easy targets for any anything that might see them.


    ¡°We could just keep going,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Leave them behind?¡±


    ¡°You want to spend the night out there?¡± Jak nodded down at the ground.


    ¡°No... but if we leave them out there... there''s no safe place for them.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Do you think...¡±


    ¡°No, you''re right. We should go down and see who they are at least.¡±


    He dropped from the rock he was on and landed on Tim''s ledge with a thud. Mat had to give Jak that much. He wasn''t a thinker, but he did listen to people.


    ¡°You''re a good climber,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°I always looked up at the mountains and wondered what they were like,¡± Jak said. ¡°They were right by the village but we could never get to them.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think?¡±


    Jak grinned and lowered himself down the rocks to the next level spot.


    ¡°Look at that!¡±


    He pointed at the horizon. Past the plain was the forest they had spent nearly three days wandering in. The trees seemed to go on forever.


    ¡°Looks lonely,¡± Mat said. It was just empty wild land going on forever, as far as he could see.


    Jak shook his head.


    ¡°It''s amazing. Up here I feel like we''re bigger than the whole world!¡±


    Mat couldn''t see it, but he wasn''t going to argue. At least someone was enjoying this.


    When they were about ten blocks from the bottom, Jak held up his hand to stop. The three villagers ¨C they were definitely villagers ¨C were nearly there too. The sun was getting low. Night wasn''t far away.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Jak yelled.


    The girl who was walking ahead of the other two was wearing a Librarian robe with Mapmaker colors. She was tall and thin, and looked annoyed.


    ¡°Why are you waiting up there?¡± she said loudly. ¡°We''re not mobs.¡±


    Jak shrugged.


    ¡°I don''t know you. I just wanted to talk first.¡±


    ¡°You mean there''s a chance you''re going to go back up and leave us here?¡±


    The girl sounded like she was used to giving orders. Jak frowned.


    ¡°She sounds pushy,¡± he muttered to Mat.


    Mat had to agree. She was standing with her hands on her hips, like she was already figuring out how to make them do what she wanted.


    ¡°I''m sure you''re fine,¡± Jak said. ¡°But we don''t know you. We just wanted to see who you were before we came down.¡±


    ¡°Well this is who we are,¡± she said. She spun around with her arms out. ¡°There you go. Satisfied?¡±


    The other two had joined her now. The slow villager was an old man in Cleric''s robes, and he was being led along by a girl wearing Leatherworker colors.


    ¡°I''m Ell,¡± the tall girl said. She pointed to the other two. ¡°That''s Pru.¡±


    The girl who was leading the old villager gave them a wave.


    ¡°This is Bren,¡± Pru said.


    The old villager didn''t even look up at them.


    ¡°Bren?¡± said Jak.


    ¡°That''s what he called himself, I don''t know.¡±


    The old villager ¨C Bren, which was easily the strangest villager name Mat had ever heard ¨C didn''t seem to notice any of what was going on. He just stared at the ground.


    ¡°You don''t know him?¡±


    ¡°We...¡±


    Ell looked like she wasn''t sure how much to say.


    ¡°We found him. He''s probably from another village or something.¡±


    ¡°Or something?¡±


    ¡°He''s confused. But we wouldn''t have made it out here without him. He... he taught me some things that have kept us alive.¡±


    ¡°Are you from that village?¡±


    Jak pointed over towards the ruined houses.


    Ell shook her head.


    ¡°No, we thought that was your village. It''s not?¡±


    ¡°We didn''t find anyone there. It''s empty.¡±


    Ell stared back at what was left of the village.


    ¡°How hard did you look?¡±


    ¡°We looked, okay? There''s nobody.¡±


    ¡°Nobody in the woods? Sometimes people run there to get away.¡±


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Jak said. Now he was annoyed. ¡°We know that. That''s how we got away, but thanks for the advice.¡±


    ¡°We thought you might have been watching us from the woods,¡± Mat said. The he realized he hadn''t introduced himself yet. ¡°I''m Mat, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Watching you? We came out of the woods and saw you climbing the mountain. We never saw the village until then.¡±


    ¡°Oh. There was something in the woods. Maybe,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°It didn''t feel right. It was probably just a mob,¡± Jak said.


    Ell stared at them like they were idiots.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she said.


    Jak shook his head.


    ¡°We''ve run from enough mobs. You want to go poke it with a stick, be my guest.¡±


    Ell looked like she was considering it.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be dark soon,¡± Pru said. She spoke more quietly than Ell, and as far as Mat could see in the evening light, she had a softer look.


    ¡°So have you decided to come down yet?¡± Ell said.


    Jak snorted, but Mat had already decided.


    He jumped down the rocks quickly, going from block to block without much hesitation.


    I¡¯m getting better at this, he thought.


    He was a little bit proud of hitting the ground with both feet and a solid thump. Jak whumped down beside him, and they all stared at each other for a moment.


    ¡°So,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°You said you¡¯ve been out for three nights,¡± Ell said. ¡°How have you been staying away from the mobs?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t much older than either of them, that was obvious, but she looked like she had already assumed that she was in charge. She didn¡¯t have an unkind face, exactly, but she looked like she was working on what kind of use they would be.


    Jak snorted.


    ¡°Mainly we¡¯ve found places the mobs couldn¡¯t get to.¡±


    ¡°The other night we had a Ashman almost in arm¡¯s reach the whole night long. It just stared at us until the sun came up,¡± Mat said.


    Ell didn¡¯t look impressed.


    ¡°Well you¡¯re here, so I guess whatever you were doing must have worked,¡± she said.


    ¡°What about you? What was your amazing plan?¡± said Jak.


    Ell smiled for the first time. It wasn¡¯t exactly a friendly smile - it was more like she thought she¡¯d just won even if Jak couldn¡¯t see it yet.


    ¡°I learned a trick,¡± she said.


    ¡°A trick.¡±


    ¡°Ell, stop playing with them,¡± Pru said.


    The sun was almost touching the horizon.


    ¡°Mobs will be out soon,¡± Jak said. ¡°If you¡¯ve got a trick you¡¯d better get it started.¡±


    Bren, the old villager, spoke for the first time. He had a creaky voice and he never looked up at them when he spoke.


    ¡°He¡¯s right child. We¡¯re not here to play games, just get on with it.¡±


    Mat could see her roll her eyes in the dim red light.


    ¡°Fine, whatever. Over there.¡±


    She pointed to a small indent in the cliff face. It wasn¡¯t quite a cave, but it was a few blocks deep. But Jak wasn¡¯t going anywhere just because she said so.


    ¡°Over there what?¡± he said. He backed up a few steps and gave Mat a look.


    Mat realized he was getting ready to run, just in case. They didn¡¯t seem dangerous. Pru seemed nice, at least. But on the other hand he¡¯d learned to trust Jak¡¯s instincts about staying alive. He took a step back.


    Ell looked at them both and rolled her eyes again.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, and stalked over to the almost-cave on her own.


    Then she did her trick.


    Jak actually gasped out loud.


    Mat just looked at her blankly for a moment, then said, ¡°Wow.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Maker

    Ell smirked at them. She pulled another block of wood out of her robe and laid next to the other two.


    ¡°You''re making... a wall,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°Villagers don''t make things,¡± Jak said.


    Ell ignored him and kept building.


    Pru and the old man went over to the other side of the wall, into the little almost-cave, and sat down with their backs against the stones.


    ¡°You get used to it,¡± Pru said, ¡°But it was the weirdest thing I''d ever seen, the first time.¡±


    ¡°How did you learn how to do that?¡± Mat said.


    He was almost dizzy thinking about what it meant. If a villager could make things, it would change everything. They could fix broken walls. Or even burned houses.


    Could they make a house? From nothing? Where did you even start?


    Ell didn''t answer ¨C she just nodded at the setting sun.


    ¡°It''s going to be dark soon. You might want to be on this side of the wall?¡± she said.


    Mat walked quickly over into the gap in the wall. He had so many questions that he didn''t know where to start.


    ¡°Jak?¡± said Pru. She stood up and went to the gap in the wall. ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    When Mat looked around, Jak still hadn''t moved.


    ¡°Villagers don''t make things,¡± he said again.


    ¡°Well, I''m a villager,¡± Ell said. ¡°And I just made this wall. So, maybe you''re wrong?¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°It''s not right. I don''t trust it. I don''t trust you.¡±


    Ell pulled a stick out of her robes.


    ¡°Then you''re probably really not going to like this,¡± she said.


    She jammed it in a crack in the rocks. Then she took out a lump of coal and slammed it into the top of the stick, and did something with her hands. The coal burst into flames, and it lit up the inside of the little cave with a friendly glow.


    ¡°You can make torches too?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°I can do quite a few things now,¡± Ell said.


    The she looked at Jak with exasperation.


    ¡°I can see an Ashman, Jak,¡± she said. ¡°The mobs are out. You''d better decide pretty quick where you''re spending the night.¡±


    ¡°Jak,¡± Mat said. ¡°I think we should trust them. Come inside.¡±


    ¡°Inside?¡± Jak said. ¡°I don''t know what that thing is, but it''s no house.¡±


    ¡°It''s safe,¡± Ell said. ¡°Alright? It''s kept us safe for... what, ten nights now?¡±


    ¡°You''ve been outside for ten nights?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°We''ve been safe for ten nights.¡±


    She paused and then pulled two more blocks of wood out of her robe.


    ¡°There''s more Ashmen, Jak. They''re coming this way. I need to finish the wall. Are you in or out?¡±


    There was a funny light in her eye. Like she was really interested in seeing if Jak would choose to stay out there with the mobs. Mat didn''t doubt for a second that she would leave him out there.


    ¡°Jak,¡± he said. ¡°Get inside now. Please.¡±


    Pru went to the gap and stuck her head out.


    ¡°I know Ell seems a bit bossy and mean sometimes,¡± she said. ¡°But she wants to help. We''re going to find lost villagers, all the ones who are wandering outside now.¡±


    ¡°Find them and do what?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Build a new village,¡± Pru said. ¡°We can really do it, with what Ell can do.¡±


    ¡°Mean?¡± Ell said. ¡°I''m not mean.¡±


    ¡°Jak, you need to either come inside or run, right now,¡± Mat said.


    The nearest Ashman was heading straight for him.


    ¡°Jak,¡± Ell said. ¡°This wall is going up. Now. Choose.¡±


    Jak looked behind at the Ashman, then at the warm yellow light of the torch. He made a disgusted noise and walked into the gap in the wall.


    Ell quickly placed the two blocks in place, then a last one on top.


    They were inside.


    Sort of.


    It wasn''t exactly a house. There was no roof, it was just open sky. But they were safe. The Ashman hissed and shuffled on the other side of the wall, but it couldn''t get at them.


    In fact is was actually strangely cozy, Mat decided. Walls, torchlight, people ¨C it reminded him of home. Even if it was a bit crowded.


    ¡°Is he from your village?¡± Jak said to Pru, pointing at Bren.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°No, we found him wandering in the woods. He... he must have escaped from another village,¡± Pru said.


    She looked at Ell.


    ¡°What?¡± Ell said, then she sighed. ¡°Oh all right, fine. He''s different. We don''t really understand who he is or where he''s from. But he''s the one who... he taught me to make things.¡±


    Jak looked suspicious.


    ¡°Taught you? Why did he do that? How did he do it?¡±


    ¡°It''s just something he can do,¡± she said.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Mat said, looking at Pru. ¡°Did he teach you, too?¡±


    She shook her head and looked embarrassed.


    ¡°No, only Ell. I don''t know. She''s probably a better choice anyway.¡±


    ¡°But you''re the one taking care of him,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°It''s okay! Ell is keeping us safe at night, so I don''t mind.¡±


    Jak stared down at Bren.


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± he said.


    The old man looked up and Jak and shook his head.


    ¡°A village,¡± he said in his creaky voice. ¡°A big village. Bright lights, lots of people. So many villagers. Crowds of them.¡±


    He stopped talking, and looked like he had forgotten them all while he was staring at something that only he could see.


    ¡°He''s like that,¡± Pru said. ¡°He gets lost inside his memories, I think.¡±


    ¡°Crowds of villagers,¡± Mat said. ¡°That would have to be a really big place.¡±


    Ell nodded.


    ¡°I think that''s why he taught me,¡± she said. ¡°If we can find the right spot, we can make somewhere like that. Build our own village. The biggest, safest village.¡±


    Jak snorted.


    ¡°Make a village?¡±


    Ell pointed at the wall.


    ¡°I made that,¡± she said.


    ¡°A village is a lot more than a wall or two. It''s houses. Roofs. Doors. Paths and torches and blacksmiths and windows and libraries and... oh forget it. It''s just stupid. You can''t build a whole village.¡±


    ¡°We''re not the only ones out here, you know,¡± Pru said. ¡°We''ve seen other people. Outside. Frightened. They ran away from us.¡±


    ¡°And you''re going to make a place for all the wandering villagers?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°They''re out there,¡± Ell said. ¡°Lost. Maybe the mobs are finding them right now.¡±


    She looked frustrated and held up her hands up for them to see.


    ¡°I can build things. I can actually do that. So I''m going to find them and bring them together. All of them.¡±


    ¡°We can make them safe again,¡± Pru said quietly.


    Jak shook his head.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right about this. Villagers don¡¯t make things.¡±


    Bren made a sound like a laugh. When they turned to look, he was staring up at them with strangely bright eyes.


    ¡°Villagers are going to have to learn some new tricks,¡± he said. ¡°Or else they¡¯re not going to have any homes any more.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    They ate in silence, listening to the sound of the Ashman bumping at the wooden walls outside.


    ¡°I would give anything for some bread,¡± Mat muttered. It had been carrots for days and days.


    Pru held out a potato.


    ¡°I have this. Want to trade?¡±


    It was better than nothing, so he crunched on that instead. Jak didn''t want to trade anything though, so he and Ell just ate what they carried. Bren took a potato from Pru and ate it with his eyes closed, looking half asleep.


    Mat wanted to hear more about the ten nights that they had all managed to survive outside ¨C it was a terribly long time. He wanted to hear more about the other villagers they had seen too. Why did they run away from Ell and Pru and Bren, he wondered?


    ¡°Tell me about...¡± he started.


    But Jak interrupted him.


    ¡°What is that noise?¡±


    Mat suddenly realized that he could hear it too. It was a thumping sound.


    Thump... thump... thump...


    It just went on and on.


    ¡°I''ve heard that before,¡± Ell said. ¡°It sounds like... I don''t know. It''s familiar.¡±


    Bren raised his head again, looking like he was listening.


    ¡°Building,¡± he said.


    ¡°That''s it!¡± Pru said. ¡°That''s the sound when you put things together.¡±


    ¡°Who''s building outside at night?¡± Ell said.


    Bren didn''t answer. His head drooped down again, and they weren''t sure if he was actually asleep now.


    Jak shook his head.


    ¡°I don''t like any of this. There''s too many weird things going on. This whole thing is creepy.¡±


    They all listened to the sound.


    ¡°It doesn''t sound like it''s getting any closer,¡± Pru said after a while.


    It went on and on all night long. Now nobody seemed to want to talk, in case somebody ¨C or something ¨C noticed them. Mat stared up at the sky, watching the stars wheel overhead until he finally fell asleep.


    When he woke up Jak and Ell were already arguing about where to start searching once they got back outside. He groaned and sat up.


    ¡°Let''s just get going, okay? There''s only one direction we can head right now anyway.¡±


    ¡°Fine with me,¡± said Ell.


    Jak thumped on the wooden walls.


    ¡°How do we get outside again?¡±


    Ell pulled something silver and shiny out of her robe.


    It was an axe.


    ¡°Don''t tell me you can use that too?¡± Jak said.


    She grinned at him. She obviously liked surprising them with the things she could do.


    ¡°Watch this,¡± she said.


    Jak shook his head while she cut at the blocks to open a gap in the wall again. As the blocks popped free she picked them up and stored them away in her robe.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Pru said. ¡°Something is out there. Look at the village.¡±


    They all leaned into the gap to look. Where the dead, burned village had been there was now... something else.


    ¡°I don''t understand. What is that?¡± Mat said.


    It was long and grey. They couldn''t see any of the burned houses. Jak shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of that, whatever that is.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a wall,¡± Pru said.


    Bren nodded.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Are the villagers... are they back?¡±


    They looked at Bren, but he didn''t seem interested.


    ¡°We should go see,¡± Ell said.


    ¡°I don''t like the look of it,¡± Jak said. ¡°Whatever that is, it''s no village.¡±


    ¡°Well it was a village, and now there''s something else there,¡± Ell said. ¡°We should find out what.¡±


    ¡°We should just get away from here,¡± Jak said. ¡°This whole place is wrong on every level.¡±


    Mat agreed with him, but Ell was determined. After she took down the wall and stored it all away in her robes, she stalked off on her own. It looked like she was prepared to leave them all behind, so they ended up following her until they had spent half the morning trudging back across the plains towards the new not-a-village wall.


    ¡°We should just leave them,¡± Jak said quietly to Mat.


    Mat kind of agreed. They weren''t going to get anywhere following Ell like this.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, ¡°But I¡¯m more worried about Pru and Bren. Let¡¯s just go with it for now.¡±


    Jak shook his head and sighed, but he kept walking.


    Ell finally stopped once they were nearing the village ¨C or what had been a village once. Mat had no idea what it was now.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± she said, pointing.


    Someone was on top of the long grey walls.


    ¡°They''re watching us,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°Is it a villager?¡± Pru said.


    ¡°Who else could it be?¡± said Ell. She started waving at the distant figure.


    It didn''t wave back.


    After a few moments someone else joined it on top of the wall. Both figures stood still, just watching the villagers.


    ¡°They don''t seem very friendly,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°They''re not villagers,¡± Jak said. ¡°I don''t know what''s going on, but they''re not villagers.¡±


    ¡°Who else could they be?¡± Ell said. She looked like she thought everyone else was being stupid.


    Bren had been shuffling along beside them all morning, but he finally stopped and it seemed like he was really looking at where they were going for the first time.


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Not good. We should go.¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± said Ell. ¡°Why? Look, they''re just villagers. They''re probably worried that we''re dangerous. All we have to do is...¡±


    She never got to finish her sentence.


    ¡°Look!¡± Jak said.


    Something was coming. Three somethings. They came around the edge of the wall, walking side by side, obviously heading towards the villagers.


    ¡°They''re...¡± Mat said, squinting to see them.


    ¡°Bonewalkers,¡± Jak said flatly.


    ¡°What?¡± said Ell. ¡°That''s stupid. It''s daytime.¡±


    ¡°They''re Bonewalkers,¡± said Jak. ¡°I don''t know why they''re not falling apart in the sunlight.¡±


    ¡°They can''t be,¡± said Ell.


    Bren sighed.


    ¡°Gray Walkers,¡± he said. ¡°We should go.¡±


    Nobody argued, this time.


    ¡°Wait, wait,¡± Pru yelled.


    She was nearly dragging Bren along with her, and they were falling farther and farther behind.


    Jak saw what was happening and held up his hand.


    ¡°We can''t lose them. Wait!¡± he said.


    The Walkers had disappeared again. It looked like nobody was coming after them now. Mat sat down on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Villagers didn''t run.


    Gray Walkers were Underworld things. Monsters from the books. Why there were actually walking around and doing things in the sunlight was unimaginable.


    ¡°I don''t think they''re chasing us,¡± Ell said. She was bent over with her hands on her knees, panting.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jak said, ¡°But I don''t want to give them a chance to decide differently.¡±


    ¡°Bren can''t climb the mountain,¡± Ell said.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Jak said. He pointed. ¡°We head along the edge of the cliffs. Try to find a way around.¡±


    Ell looked like she wanted to argue with him, but it was obvious that there wasn''t anything else they could do.


    When Pru and Bren caught up, they headed out together, slowly going along the edge of the cliffs and leaving the village behind as fast as they could. Mat kept looking back nervously, but it seemed like they were really in the clear.


    ¡°What was going on there? What was up with that village?¡± he said, not talking to anyone in particular. ¡°Why were the Walkers there?¡±


    Jak shrugged, but Pru looked at Bren.


    ¡°Do you know anything about it?¡± she asked him.


    The old villager shook his head.


    ¡°We just need to stay away from them,¡± he said.


    But he stopped walking and sat down heavily on the ground, then pulled a carrot out of his robe, and started to eat. He looked like he¡¯d forgotten about all of them. Mat realized that his stomach was rumbling. They hadn¡¯t eaten anything in hours.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry too,¡± he said, and took out one of his own carrots.


    Pru nodded, and even Ell sat down on a rock and started to eat. But Jak just snorted and shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to scout ahead,¡± he said.


    ¡°Try not to get lost,¡± Ell said without looking at him.


    He headed up along the edge of the cliffs without replying.


    ¡°Your friend wants to be the boss,¡± Ell muttered around a mouthful of food.


    ¡°We were never really friends,¡± Mat said. ¡°We just ended up together. After.¡±


    That didn¡¯t seem like enough though. He felt like he had to defend Jak at least a little bit.


    ¡°Jak¡¯s really good at being outside,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s got some kind of sense for which way to go. We should listen to him.¡±


    Ell shook her head.


    ¡°We need to find a place to start building,¡± she said. ¡°I''ll listen to him if it helps us do that. Otherwise we¡¯ll go our own way.¡±


    ¡°Why not just find a new village and see if we can stay there? That¡¯s what Jak and I have been trying to do.¡±


    Pru sighed.


    ¡°Bren told us,¡± she said. ¡°There are no safe villages. We need to make one, somewhere there¡¯s never been a village before. Somewhere nobody knows about.¡±


    Mat¡¯s heart sank when she said it.


    It sounded too much like the idea that had been stuck in his head for days ¨C of villagers wandering alone outside in a land with no safe places left.


    ¡°How does he know a thing like that?¡±


    The old man didn¡¯t seem to hear them. He never even looked up.


    ¡°He¡¯s been right about everything he told us,¡± Pru said quietly.


    ¡°As little as that¡¯s been,¡± said Ell. ¡°But he knows things. And he gave me this.¡±


    She pulled out her axe and waved it front of her.


    ¡°I can build. We can make somewhere new.¡±


    ¡°Even if you can do that, how do we find all the lost villagers?¡±


    Ell smiled at him. Her teeth were bright white.


    ¡°We need to go find them,¡± she said.


    Pru put her lunch back in her robe again, and looked up at the mountains.


    ¡°Bren said we¡¯d have to find people who could go out and look for them, and bring them back.¡±


    Ell nodded.


    ¡°I can build,¡± she said, ¡°but I need searchers. I need people who can find as many villagers as possible. Before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    She stood up.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we can¡¯t waste time. They¡¯re out there. Right now. Wandering.¡±


    She stared at Mat.


    ¡°You said your friend is good at being outside. That¡¯s someone we can use, but he annoys me. He wants to be the leader. That can¡¯t happen because I need to do this, and I need to do it as soon as possible.¡±


    Pru sighed and stood up.


    ¡°What she means is that she needs someone like Jak. We need him and more people like that. To be searchers.¡±


    Mat couldn¡¯t help noticing the him-shaped gap in what they apparently needed. He stood up too.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we...¡± he said.


    ¡°Shh!¡± Ell hissed.


    He was just about to say something rude to her in return, but then he heard it. There was a slapping sound.


    Slap slap slap slap.


    It was getting closer. Something was getting closer. They all looked at each other.


    ¡°We should...¡± Ell said.


    But then Jak came pumping around the edge of a rock wall, running as fast as he could.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just Jak,¡± Pru said.


    ¡°Run!¡± Jak yelled. He stopped in front of them, panting with exhaustion.


    ¡°Run,¡± he said again as he started to catch his breath. ¡°They¡¯re coming. Saw them. From the village.¡±


    Mat¡¯s stomach jumped and he leaped up onto a rock so that he could see in the direction of the weird new village. It was much farther away now, but the crowd of things heading away from the village could only be one thing ¨C the Gray Walkers. Headed right towards them.

 Chapter 13 - Intersection

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer Bren can go on,¡± Pru panted.


    She was struggling to help the old man keep moving.


    Jak looked back.


    ¡°We¡¯re already going too slow. They¡¯re catching up.¡±


    The crowd of Gray Walkers coming after them were definitely closer. They didn¡¯t seem to be running, they were just marching along together, making no noise, and never stopping even once.


    To make it worse, the sun was past noon. They had to think about what they were going to do when the night came.


    ¡°Just keep going,¡± Jak said. ¡°Fast as you can. I need time to think.¡±


    Ell stopped dead in her tracks.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re catching us.¡±


    Jak whirled around on her.


    ¡°And what? You want to get it over with?¡±


    ¡°No, but we can¡¯t beat them. Not like this.¡±


    Mat glanced nervously at the creatures. They were close enough now that he could see their weapons ¨C shining gold swords. He could see them swinging and glinting in the sunlight.


    ¡°We can¡¯t beat them by fighting them, either,¡± he said.


    ¡°No,¡± said Ell. ¡°But if we stay together, we¡¯re finished.¡±


    Pru looked frightened.


    ¡°Ell, you can¡¯t. We need Bren.¡±


    Ell shook her head.


    ¡°Not Bren. But someone. Someone has to try to lead them off in another direction.¡±


    Mat realized that he was the only one who didn¡¯t have a real role. They needed Jak, whatever Ell thought. Bren had to stay for some reason ¨C something to do with making the new village. Pru took care of him. Ell was the builder.


    What was Mat?


    Nothing much.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just build us another shelter?¡± he said. He was really hoping the answer was yes.


    Ell shook her head angrily.


    ¡°And then do what?¡±


    Jak kept glancing over towards the crowd that was coming after them. He looked like he was hoping to see something that might give him an idea.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t help anyway. They¡¯re out in sunlight. They don¡¯t fall apart. They could just wait. Or set it on fire.¡±


    Ell looked at Mat.


    ¡°Someone needs to lead them away from us.¡±


    Jak stared at her like she was insane.


    ¡°Let them catch Mat?¡±


    ¡°He can run. He might get away. We won¡¯t if we¡¯re all together.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Jak said. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re getting closer,¡± Pru said.


    Jak grabbed Bren.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help him. You all get going.¡±


    They ran on and on, but they weren¡¯t fast enough. The Gray Walkers never stopped coming and never got tired. The villagers couldn¡¯t do that. They had to stop now and then and have a quick rest. They couldn¡¯t just run forever. And every time they did it, the group following them got a little closer.


    It went on like that all afternoon. Mat''s legs burned from the running, and the others were all breathing heavily. Bren stumbled as he moved along. They could see what was ahead of them now, too. They had nearly reached the end of the grassy plains that they¡¯d been running along all day. It was almost dusk and the sky was turning orange.


    The sun was low, and it reflected and twinkled on the water that stretched out in front of them. They were heading towards a sandy beach, and after that there was nothing but water. It looked like it went on and on forever. To the left was the rocky cliffs stretching up high. To the right, more open plains and more sand and more water. Not even a tree in sight.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to go,¡± Pru said. She sounded exhausted.


    ¡°Keep moving,¡± Jak said. He was nearly carrying Bren.


    ¡°We¡¯ll think of something,¡± Mat said.


    He saw the way Ell looked at him and he knew what she was thinking.


    He didn¡¯t want to do it. But once they reached the water there was going to be nowhere left to run. It was going to be night soon. The mobs would be out.


    They were all out of luck no matter what happened. But if he did that ¨C if he tried to lead the Walkers away into the the night ¨C then the others might have a chance. Jak would think of something. He could give them that chance. He could do that much for them. He kept going, but he already knew what he was going to do.


    They all stopped on the sand. It was squishy and soft. Mat thought it would be the nicest thing in the world to just lie down on it and fall asleep. But that wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    Jak was scrambling up the rocks of the cliff.


    ¡°We have to go up,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we can find somewhere safe to spend the night.¡±


    ¡°I can hear them!¡± Pru said.


    It was true. The clank clank clank of their swords swinging and clattering against their bones was getting louder.


    ¡°Just start climbing,¡± Jak growled. ¡°Maybe they can''t do that.¡±


    He jumped up onto a rocky ledge and motioned for them to follow up.


    Mat ran up to the rocks, and looked back to see the Walkers. They were so close!


    He¡¯d left it too late. His only choice was to run right at them. That might make them follow him.


    He hoped it would, anyway.


    He pushed Bren up for Jak to grab, and then helped Pru and then finally Ell up onto the cliffs.


    Ell turned to look down at him.


    ¡°It was my choice, tell Jak,¡± he said.


    She suddenly looked embarrassed and couldn¡¯t meet his eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to be like this,¡± she said. ¡°There''s just no other way.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said. Then he turned around and got ready to run. They weren¡¯t very far away at all. He was definitely going to run right through the middle of them. There was enough room. That should give them a surprise, anyway.


    He heard someone yelling. Maybe Jak saw what he was doing.


    Doesn''t matter now.


    He ran.


    Something flitted in front of him, and then whatever it was, it hit a Walker, which flashed and vanished.


    Mat had no time left to worry about it.


    He was nearly at them. They were tall. Taller than a villager. He could smell them. Dust and sulphur.


    Something else buzzed past his shoulder and another one of the Gray Walkers flickered and was gone.


    He stopped dead in his tracks, and looked around.


    What¡¯s happening?


    He turned to look and someone ran past him. Whoever it was, they had a sword. He saw the bright silver-blue flash of it raised high.


    The stranger leapt into the middle of the mobs ¨C right where Mat had been heading. He twirled around, and with two fast slashes, two more of them were gone.


    There were only three left.


    Another something whirred past him ¨C he hadn''t seen anyone near the beach, he was sure of it. But that was the direction they were coming from. Another Walker was gone, and now there were only two.


    ¡°I hate these things,¡± the stranger muttered.


    He stabbed hard, twice, at one of them. It blocked his sword, forcing it to clang away so hard that it nearly flew out of his hand. The Walker raised its sword, and the stranger jumped aside and rolled under the blade''s swing. He popped up behind it and stabbed it in the back.


    One left.


    Mat felt like he should do something, but there wasn''t anything obvious that he could do. He stepped back a little so he wouldn''t be in the way.


    ¡°Look at you, all alone,¡± the stranger said to the last mob.


    The creature didn''t respond. It just shuffled forward, swinging blindly.


    The stranger jumped away from it and readied himself to attack after the sword whizzed past him again. But before he could move there was a thwack... thwack as something hit the creature twice, still from coming from behind Mat.


    Arrows. It could only be arrows.


    The last Bonewalker flashed and was gone.


    ¡°Rapid fire!¡± yelled the stranger. ¡°You''re getting better.¡±


    ¡°Practice, practice,¡± said a voice ¨C a girl¡¯s voice.


    Mat finally felt like it was safe to turn his attention away and look over at the source of the mysterious arrows. A villager stood outlined against the setting sun. She was holding a bow. He couldn''t see her face in the glare, but the way she was standing somehow looked smug. She was wearing dented armor.


    A villager wearing armor!


    ¡°I''m Rab,¡± said the stranger. He had walked right up beside Mat.


    ¡°Mat.¡±


    The swordsman was wearing armor too. It was even more scratched and dented than the girl''s but it shimmered. It was obviously protected with magic of some kind.


    ¡°We''ve been watching your group for a while. Looked like you could use some help,¡± Rab said.


    Mat nodded.


    ¡°That''s the least you could say.¡± He pointed up at the cliff, where he could see the others staring down at the scene below with their mouths hanging open. ¡°I was trying to...¡±


    ¡°I saw what you were trying to do. Pretty brave.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t feel brave.¡±


    Rab smirked.


    ¡°That''s the way it goes. This is Nem.¡±


    The girl ¨C she wasn''t all that old ¨C stood beside them now. She was thin and fierce-looking, and held her bow over her shoulder and she was looking at Mat with a strange expression.


    ¡°Can you use a weapon?¡± she said.


    ¡°A weapon? Like a sword?¡±


    ¡°Or a bow. A pointed stick. Whatever.¡±


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    ¡°I don''t know. I''ve never tried.¡±


    Jak had been making his way down the cliff again, and he finally thumped down onto the plain beside them.


    ¡°Whoever you are,¡± he said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The swordsman ¨C Rab ¨C nodded.


    ¡°It''s not a problem. Helping villagers is what we''re trying to do.¡±


    Ell had lowered herself down to the ground again as well. Pru was slowly helping Bren back down.


    ¡°I''m Ell,¡± she said. She nodded at their weapons. ¡°You can use those. Really well.¡±


    She was obviously surprised to see someone else with an ability like hers.


    The girl, Nem, nodded.


    ¡°It''s a long story,¡± she said. ¡°But it really makes all the difference.¡±


    Mat pointed at Ell.


    ¡°She can build things. Walls and torches.¡±


    Rab''s eyebrows shot up and he looked at Nem.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± he said.


    ¡°I can make more than that,¡± Ell said. ¡°Thanks for the help, really, but we need to be setting up for the night. You¡¯re welcome to join us, obviously.¡±


    It was definitely almost night. There was only a sliver of sun left setting going down across the water.


    ¡°Actually we thought you should come with us,¡± Nem said.


    ¡°With you? Where?¡± said Ell.


    ¡°We have a place,¡± said Rab.


    ¡°A village?¡± said Pru. She looked excited.


    ¡°Well, no, not exactly. But it¡¯s safe. More or less.¡±


    ¡°But we need to get going right away,¡± said Nem. ¡°We don¡¯t want to have to fight mobs all the way back.¡±


    Rab nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s more villagers with us. Quite a few actually.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been sort of picking them up as we went along,¡± Nem said.


    Ell looked like she approved.


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s more than I hoped for. How many?¡±


    ¡°I guess... twenty?¡± Rab said. ¡°Unless more have come while we were away.¡±


    ¡°How would more come?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been to a few villages that are still standing,¡± Rab said. ¡°We left word about where to head to reach us.¡±


    ¡°West of here,¡± Nem said, waving her arm across the plain, ¡°From what we¡¯ve heard everything up north where you came from is gone. Wrecked. That¡¯s why we were heading along the cliffs.¡±


    ¡°Looking for the wanderers,¡± Nem said. ¡°Like you.¡±


    Ell looked like she was about to start clapping and cheering.


    ¡°That¡¯s fabulous! I¡¯ve been looking for people just like you!¡±


    ¡°Looking for us?¡± Nem said.


    ¡°We thought we were looking for you,¡± Rab said.


    Mat shrugged.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± he said. ¡°I think we can help each other.¡±


    ¡°Ell can make things,¡± said Pru. ¡°She''s going to start making a new village.¡±


    ¡°Have you actually made a house before?¡± said Nem, frowning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can make a house,¡± Ell said. She looked like she didn''t doubt it for a second.


    Rab and Nem looked at each other.


    ¡°That... that might be a really good thing,¡± Nem said.


    ¡°We can keep the mobs from spawning with torches,¡± Rab said, ¡°But I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do when the food runs out.¡±


    ¡°Can you make a farm?¡± Nem said.


    Ell hesitated and looked up at Bren. The old man was watching all of them from the edge of the cliff where Pru was holding on to him. Bren nodded. Ell looked confident again.


    ¡°I can build. Bren there -¡± she pointed at him - ¡°He¡¯ll make sure I know how.¡±


    Rab and Nem both looked at the old villager but before they could say anything Pru gasped.


    ¡°Mobs!¡± she shouted.


    Two Ashmen were shuffling towards the group.


    Jak jumped into action.


    ¡°Up!¡± he said. ¡°Up the rocks, fast!¡±


    But Rab looked at Nem.


    ¡°You want to take care of it?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer him, she just fired two quick shots with her bow ¨C thwap, thwap ¨C and the mobs flashed and stopped for a moment, then kept coming.


    ¡°Tough ones,¡± she muttered.


    Two more arrows flew and the mobs vanished.


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about mobs at all!¡± Mat said.


    Rab shook his head.


    ¡°Yes and no. We only have so many arrows.¡±


    Nem was already running to collect the ones she¡¯d shot.


    Rab hefted his sword.


    ¡°After that it¡¯s up to me, and I¡¯d rather not spend all night fighting, if it¡¯s all the same to you.¡±


    The mobs were getting thick across the grassland. Thicker than usual, it seemed like.


    Ell looked impatient to get going.


    ¡°I agree,¡± she said. ¡°And I can¡¯t wait to see your place. We can finally start putting things back together again.¡±


    As they climbed slowly up into the mountains, Rab leaned in to Mat and said, ¡°Who¡¯s in charge? Is it Jak or Ell?¡±


    ¡°If you asked I think they¡¯d both say it was them.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Well if she can build a house to keep everyone safe and a garden to feed them, then I¡¯m happy to let her be the boss. Taking care of everyone is a lot of work.¡±


    ¡°Jak¡¯s pretty good at being outside,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°I noticed. We need villagers who aren''t afraid to be out here. We need them badly.¡±


    Eventually they reached level ground, and could walk again, on a dirt path that had tall rocks on either side, and started heading downhill. It was impossible to see anything about where they were ¨C the path was surrounded by rock on both sides, and twisted and turned so that they could never see where they were headed.


    ¡°This place must be well hidden,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Not so much,¡± said Nem. ¡°We¡¯re just taking the fastest route. It¡¯s actually pretty open to the plains on the other side of these mountains.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to be too secret,¡± Rab said. ¡°People need to find us. But I was excited when we found the spot. We¡¯re almost there, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    Ell stomped along impatiently while Pru trailed them all, helping Bren. Mat had dropped back and tried to give her a break, but she just shook her head.


    ¡°We have a way of doing this that works,¡± she said. ¡°Plenty of practice. But thanks.¡±


    She gave him a shy smile.


    Pru seemed a lot more confident when she was busy taking care of someone. Whenever Bren was asleep she kind of faded into the background and just did whatever Ell told her to do.


    But give her someone who needs help and she does whatever she has to, no matter how hard it is.


    He had to admire that.


    Rab walked ahead to catch up with Nem, and Jak and Mat trudged along together silently for a while.


    ¡°This has been a busy day,¡± Mat said. ¡°Yesterday there was only the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯re seven, and there¡¯s twenty more up ahead,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°You sound worried.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of people to feed. To keep safe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than not finding anyone,¡± Mat said.


    His vision of walking through an empty land was fading. Now there were villagers. Lots of them.


    Of course that made things a lot more complicated too, but it was definitely better than not finding anyone.


    Jak shrugged.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky. Maybe somebody else from the village made it there too.¡±


    Mat tried not to get too excited at the thought.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up.¡±


    Jak nodded grimly.


    ¡°Anyone is better than nobody.¡±


    ¡°Even Ell?¡±


    Jak snorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. It doesn¡¯t seem natural. But if we can¡¯t find a village then building one will do. For now, anyway.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the alternative?¡±


    ¡°We keep going until we find a village that will take us in. A real village. They said they¡¯d been to some.¡±


    He nodded towards Rab and Nem.


    ¡°Why didn''t they stay at those, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°I plan to find out. But one way or another we need somewhere for tonight.¡±


    Nem dropped back towards them again.


    ¡°Are you watching out for those two?¡± she said, pointed behind to Pru and Bren. They were following along as fast as they could.


    ¡°We won''t leave them behind,¡± Mat said.


    Nem was the strangest villager he''d ever seen. She carried her bow and a quiver full of arrows like she¡¯d been using them all her life. Her hair was a mess, like she hadn''t even worried about taking care of it in days. But her eyes were bright. She was looking at them both like she was still evaluating them.


    ¡°How long have the two of you been away from your village?¡± Mat said.


    She shrugged.


    ¡°I haven''t counted. It''s been a while.¡±


    ¡°You said you''ve been to other villages,¡± Jak said.


    Nem nodded again.


    ¡°Three now. All of them over that way.¡±


    She pointed in the direction of the mountains.


    ¡°There''s more grassy plains on the other side. We came over some other kind of hills, then through a long tunnel, but I think we started out way over there, too.¡±


    She pointed back in the direction Mat and Jak and the others had come from.


    ¡°Whatever is going on, it''s villages up that way that are getting burned.¡±


    Jak frowned.


    ¡°Why didn''t you stay at them? At the villages you found?¡±


    She gave him a sour smile.


    ¡°We tried to at first. Thing is, not everybody is ready to take in new villagers.¡±


    Mat didn''t like the sound of that.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Too many people, not enough food. That''s what they said, anyway.¡±


    ¡°So that means...¡± said Mat.


    She nodded.


    ¡°We weren''t the first. Sounds like there have been a lot of lost villagers.¡±


    ¡°That''s terrible,¡± Mat said. ¡°They just turn them away?¡±


    ¡°Truth is, I think they''re afraid.¡±


    Jak snorted and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Afraid of what?¡±


    ¡°Not enough to eat, maybe. Or maybe what they might be letting in.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    But suddenly Nem looked like she thought she''d said too much.


    ¡°We can talk about it later. We''re almost there.¡±


    She trotted ahead to catch up with Rab and Ell.


    Mat and Jak looked at each other.


    ¡°What did she mean?¡± Jak said. He looked like he thought Mat might have an answer.


    ¡°I don''t know. But there''s something strange going on.¡±


    Not that they needed anyone to tell them that. What they''d seen at the village full of Gray Walkers was more than enough to make that clear.


    Nem was kind of like Jak, Mat realized. She seemed almost at home out here. Outside. Away from the village. He never stopped feeling lost, feeling like he wanted to run into a house and shut the door, but Jak and Nem didn''t give him that feeling. Pru seemed more like Mat. He''d seen her looking all around, like she was hoping to suddenly see the light of a torch somewhere in the distance.


    Though from what Nem said, even if that happened, they might not be able to stay. Of course, if a village wouldn''t take them in, they had Ell now. Making a village seemed like a crazy idea, but then again just about everything that they were doing was nuts. So maybe making their own village was a good crazy thing to think about doing.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Mat heard Rab said as he and Ell disappeared around another bend in the path ahead.


    He heard Ell make a surprised noise.


    Nem grinned back at him and Jak.


    ¡°We¡¯re a little bit proud of this,¡± she said.


    Mat glanced back at Pru and Bren again but she seemed to be getting along without too much trouble. So he jogged a bit and turned the corner with Rab.


    They were at the top of a long slope.


    At the bottom of the slope there was a thin, grassy bit of land going out into the water. It ended in an island. Not a huge island - it was probably about the size of a village. There was a hill covered with trees in the middle.


    Torches lit up the whole thing, so that it glowed bright in the darkness.


    ¡°Look at that,¡± Jak said. It was the first time he''d heard Jak sound impressed with something.


    Nem was still grinning.


    ¡°No dark spots, so no mobs spawning! We knew this was the perfect spot as soon as we saw it.¡±


    ¡°It''s amazing,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°Where did you get all the torches?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Same place that we''ve been getting food. The burned villages.¡±


    There were villagers on the island. Mat could see them sitting together in little groups.


    He almost wanted to cry.


    There were no houses, true. But it was basically a village apart from that.


    Pru came up behind them, leading Bren. Mat could see the look in her eyes. He knew how she was feeling.


    ¡°I can''t believe it,¡± she said. ¡°I thought...¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mat said. ¡°Do you think Ell will be able to do what she says?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. There was no doubt in her voice. ¡°This is it. This is the place we''ve been looking for.¡±


    Bren was looking at the island too. It was the first time Mat had seen him interested in something.


    ¡°Are you coming?¡± Ell yelled at them. She was standing with Rab at the bottom of the slope, watching them all.


    On the far side of the trail of land leading out to the island, there was a swamp. Mat could see mossy trees in the last dim orange light of the sunset.


    ¡°We should hurry,¡± Pru said.


    Mat wanted to start running down the slope and out towards the light and safety of the island, but he couldn''t do that. He couldn''t leave Pru behind taking care of Bren. So he walked along slowly beside the two of them until they were all at the bottom of the hill.


    Ell looked impatient to get out to the island.


    ¡°Okay, lets go,¡± she said the second they were all together.


    But before they even started moving Rab held up his hand for her to stop.


    ¡°What?¡± she said, staring at him.


    She looked a bit offended that he was telling her what to do.


    ¡°Um, let''s just wait here for a second, okay?¡± Nem said.


    ¡°You want to give the mobs a fair chance at catching us?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°No,¡± Nem said. ¡°We just have to do one more thing.¡±


    Rab suddenly yelled out towards the swamp.


    ¡°Rezab!¡±


    Pru jumped at the sound. Jak suddenly looked suspicious and he stared hard at Mat. Mat knew that look.


    Get ready to run.


    That''s what it meant. But if this was all somehow... what? A trap? What then?


    He wasn''t going to turn and run away. There was no way he could leave Pru and Ell and even Bren behind. On the other hand, what could he do?


    ¡°Rezab!¡± Rab yelled again. ¡°Getting kind of dark out here. Can you hurry?¡±


    There was a splashing sound out in the swamp.


    Something was coming towards them.


    Jak took a step backwards.


    Mat knew he was getting ready. He just didn''t know if he was going to follow.


    I''m not just leaving them behind.


    He could see that the villagers on the island were watching, too.


    What is this?


    Then he heard the sound. He''d only read about it, but he knew what it was the second he heard it. Laughing. Something was laughing to itself. Cackling, even.


    A witch emerged from the swamp, headed straight for them with a nasty smile on her face.

 Chapter 14 - Witches

    Ell gasped and Jak took another step backwards.


    She was an old, old woman. In a lot of ways she looked like a villager, but she was dressed in strange rags, and wore a floppy black hat on her head.


    She had a thick leather belt around her waist, and glass vials hung from it. They tinkled against each other as she moved. Mat had read all about witches, and their potions. They had terrible poisons, and other things. They hated everyone.


    Pru was frozen with fear, her eyes were wide and shocked. Jak looked like he had realized that nobody was going to run. So instead he growled at Rab.


    ¡°What''s going on? What are you trying to do?¡±


    Rab held up his hand.


    ¡°Relax, everything''s probably fine,¡± he said.


    ¡°Probably?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Let''s find out,¡± said Nem. ¡°This is Rezab. She''s a witch, you can probably tell.¡±


    ¡°How do things look, Rezab?¡± Rab said.


    Mat realized they weren''t worried about the witch at all. The horrible creature ¨C half villager, half mob ¨C stared at each of them, one at a time. Her eyes glittered in the darkness. She didn''t look friendly. Not at all. Her eyes met Mat''s, and he felt a chill go through his whole body.


    When she came Bren, she went right up to him and stared hard. Pru moved away from the two of them, looking panicked. Bren didn''t even seem to notice her. He was looking over at the lights on the island.


    The witch made a weird noise. It sounded like she was sniffing him.


    ¡°You,¡± she to Bren in a gravely voice. ¡°I''ve heard about you.¡±


    Bren didn¡¯t say anything.


    Then she turned away from them and started walking back into the swamp.


    ¡°Just villagers,¡± they heard her say. Then she started laughing again.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Ell said. She sounded horrified and she was staring at Rab and Nem like she didn''t trust them any more.


    Nem waved it all away with one hand.


    ¡°We can explain later. She was just letting us know if you were really villagers, or... something else.¡±


    Pru still looked terrified.


    ¡°What does that mean? What something else?¡±


    Nem didn''t get a chance to answer.


    ¡°Ashmen!¡± Jak yelled.


    There were three of them. Everyone''s attention had been on the witch, and none of them had noticed the mobs shuffling towards them.


    Rab pulled out his sword, and Rem grabbed her bow. There wasn''t enough time, though. The first Ashman was already reaching towards Pru.


    ¡°Run!¡± Ell shouted at her.


    But Pru wasn''t going to leave Bren behind. She started dragging the old man along with her.


    They weren''t going to make it.


    That was when something flew out of the darkness and smashed against the nearest Ashman. There was a loud hiss and the mob groaned, then flashed and disappeared. A screechy voice yelled some words that Mat couldn''t understand. He looked and saw the witch standing in the swamp with her arms up in the air.


    The last two Ashmen stopped where they were, their arms swinging. Then the witch turned and walked into the swamp, and disappeared.


    They all hurried along the little path of land that led out to the island. Mat thought the near-miss with the Ashmen had spooked even Rab and Nem, so there was no more delay. Rab walked along behind Pru and Bren, looking backwards now and then to make sure they weren''t being followed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her do that,¡± he said.


    ¡°Do what?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Help out like that. Help anyone.¡±


    He shook his head and kept walking. When they reached the island the villagers were waiting for them. They didn''t exactly look happy. They stared at the newcomers like they were hoping for good news, or maybe the faces of people they knew.


    ¡°We found five more,¡± Rab said loudly, and the villagers watched him.


    They were all looking at Rab like he was the head of their council.


    Since he and Nem are the only ones who can protect them now, I guess he kind of is, Mat thought.


    Rab and Nem introduced them to everyone. There were more people than in Mat and Jak''s old village ¨C way more. There was Zem, a tall Tanner who looked like he was as old as Bren, but he was sharp-eyed and lively. Mat shook hands with Lil, a nervous Baker who kept glancing over at the mainland like she expected to see mobs streaming out to attack them. She looked like she was relieved that Rab and Nem were back on the island again. After that Mat and Jak exchanged nods with Kru, a blacksmith who gave them a serious looking over before he shook their hands.


    Then they were all introduced to the cluster of old folks and children who sat together in a circle near the trees at the center of the island. There was Urn and Olo and Rin and Sam and Iri and Bru and Den, and a couple of others, and Mat had no idea who was who when they were done. Pru moved off to sit with them right away, and brought Bren along with her.


    I guess I''m just going to have to talk to them all one by one until I actually learn their names, Mat thought. But it was good to see Pru settling in with them so fast. She looked less worried when she had people to help.


    But then there were even more people ¨C a shepherd named Bil who smiled nervously, a fisherman named Rog who just sighed and nodded, a toolsmith named Mor who grinned and shook Mat''s hand until he had to pull it away, a blacksmith named Mit who came from the same village as Bil, apparently.


    Mat was just about dizzy as they kept getting introduced to more and more people. But he noticed that Rab was talking about Ell and Jak ¨C and even Mat for some reason ¨C as if they could help everyone. That was obvious enough in Ell''s case, but it made him nervous. What good could he possibly be?


    ¡°They all survived out there on their own for a long time,¡± Nem said to the villagers. ¡°We''re going to start changing things now! The new village begins tomorrow!¡±


    Not that anyone had any idea what she was talking about until he gathered them all together and told them about Ell.


    ¡°Nem and I can defend us all from the mobs, but Ell here is special,¡± Rab said.


    Ell looked like she approved of that. She smiled around at the group, who were all watching her carefully.


    ¡°She can build,¡± Nem said. ¡°Houses, gardens. The same way we can use these.¡±


    She wiggled her bow.


    ¡°That means the real village can finally start! The new village. Safe from mobs. Safe from anything else that wants to attack us.¡±


    They got Ell to show them how she could make a torch, and she showed them all the silvery, glittering axe that she carried. Jak still frowned, but everyone else looked stunned.


    ¡°That''s... amazing,¡± Kru the blacksmith said. ¡°How did you manage to learn to do that?¡±


    Ell glanced over towards Pru and Bren, but she just said, ¡°It''s a long story. I''ll tell you all about it tomorrow.¡±


    A wave of talking and laughing swept across the villagers. It was like everyone suddenly had a huge weight taken away from them. They almost sounded like a normal bunch of villagers again.


    ¡°When will you make a house?¡± shouted someone.


    Ell smirked at him.


    ¡°Can it wait until tomorrow? It''s been kind of a long day.¡±


    Rab nodded.


    ¡°I think one more night isn''t going to be a problem,¡± he said. ¡°Why don''t we all just relax for once?¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Nobody seemed to mind that at all. It was nearly a party ¨C everyone spent a long time just eating and chatting. They all left Jak and Mat and Ell and Pru and even Rab and Nem mostly alone, which was fine by them. It was good to finally sit down and not worry so much. By the time people started drifting off to sleep even Mat had eaten three more carrots.


    Filthy disgusting carrots, he thought. He was probably never going to eat another carrot again after this.


    But then Mat realized that he was wide awake. His body was tired, but his mind kept racing, so eventually he got up to go for a walk. He found Pru down by the water as well.


    ¡°I can''t sleep,¡± she said.


    ¡°Join the club. I think I''ve spent too many nights watching out for mobs.¡±


    ¡°So this is our new village?¡± she said.


    He shrugged.


    ¡°Looks like it. If Ell can do what she says, and Rab and Nem can protect us, then why not?¡±


    They walked along together until they reached the path back out to the mainland, where they found Lil, the Baker standing by the water.


    ¡°You not tired either?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing. ¡°Up on the mountains. The moon.¡±


    The moon was peeking over the mountaintops now. It was a big yellow-white circle, like always. But in front of it they could see the outlines of three figures watching the village.


    ¡°Walkers?¡± Pru said.


    Mat looked harder, squinting.


    ¡°Maybe two of them. The other one... I''m not sure. Could be a villager. Or someone. Not a mob, anyway.¡±


    Lil laughed. It sounded like panic.


    ¡°I knew they would come back. That''s what I''ve been saying. They''re not going to leave us alone.¡±


    Pru shook her head angrily.


    ¡°Why would they want to...¡±


    She stopped like she didn''t want to finish the sentence.


    ¡°Maybe they''ve been waiting,¡± the girl said. ¡°Waiting for us all to be in one place.¡±


    Mat didn''t like to think about that, but there was no denying that they were being watched.


    ¡°We should tell... who?¡± Pru said. ¡°Rab and Nem? Ell? Jak?¡±


    ¡°All of them,¡± Mat said.


    Lil didn''t say anything, she just kept staring up at the figures outlined against the moon, standing with her arms crossed tightly like she was cold.


    ¡°They know we''re here,¡± she said again. ¡°They''re going to come for us.¡±


    Mat didn''t like the tone of her voice.


    ¡°Then maybe we should be waiting for them,¡± he said angrily.


    Rab and Nem had shown them they didn''t have to just give up. Ell being with them meant they could actually make things. They didn''t have to run and run.


    Pru nodded.


    ¡°When they come, we have to get the children and the old ones on the other side, out by the water,¡± she said.


    Mat felt like she was already in charge of taking care of everyone who needed help.


    They left the girl there, staring at the mountains. Mat told her to come and let them know if anything else happened. When they left she looked more confident, like having a job made her a little less scared.


    Then they ran back to find the others. Rab, Nem, Jak, and Ell all looked grim when Mat and Pru woke them up. Jak just shook his head and glared towards the mountains.


    ¡°I can''t do anything!¡± he said to Rab and Nem. ¡°You two can fight, Ell can build things. I''m useless here.¡±


    Rab sighed.


    ¡°You have authority. People listen to you,¡± he said. ¡°We need you to keep them calm, and ready to do what we need.¡±


    Jak kept frowning. It was obvious he wanted to do more than just that.


    ¡°We need to build a wall,¡± Nem said to Ell. ¡°Stone, wood, whatever. We need to block the path out across the water.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they were just watching us to make sure we were staying away,¡± Ell said. ¡°We don''t actually know what they wanted.¡±


    ¡°And if you''re wrong?¡± Mat said. ¡°If they bring more Bonewalkers, or Ashmen, or whatever, then what are we going to do? We''re stuck out here in the water.¡±


    ¡°These two can fight,¡± Ell said, pointing at Rab and Nem. ¡°We saw them do it.¡±


    ¡°Not against dozens of them,¡± Nem said. ¡°We tried that before and we only just barely made it. If there''s too many, we can''t stop them.¡±


    Ell frowned, fuming.


    ¡°So everyone just sits outside? Gets shot at with arrows? If we build a house then we can get behind some doors like normal. After that I''ll build whatever else we need. A wall even.¡±


    Nem was glaring at Ell. The two of them looked ready to jump at each other.


    ¡°We only get one chance to do this right,¡± Nem said. ¡°If they can''t get out here then they can''t do anything. If there''s no wall then they can just keep coming until we lose.¡±


    Ell rolled her eyes.


    ¡°How many of them do you think there''s going to be? You took care of like eight of them back there.¡±


    ¡°There can be a lot more,¡± Rab said. ¡°Trust us. We''ve seen it. And they might have worse things than Bonewalkers.¡±


    Ell shook her head, but Pru put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Please, Ell,¡± she said. ¡°We can''t keep anyone safe if we can''t keep them away from us.¡±


    Ell looked around for support, but it was obvious what they all wanted.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she said. ¡°Fine, I''ll get it over with.¡±


    ¡°We need to build a house too,¡± Mat said. ¡°It''s not like we don''t want one.¡±


    Ell just ignored him.


    ¡°Let''s go,¡± said Nem. ¡°We need to find the best spot.¡±


    She and Rab led Ell away, grumbling.


    ¡°She''s going to argue with everything if it''s not the way she wants it,¡± Mat said when they were gone.


    ¡°She''s the only one who can build things,¡± Pru said. ¡°She kept us safe this long.¡±


    Jak and Mat went around the island waking everyone up and getting them together in one place. Soon they were all sitting in groups around the torches, looking out towards the mainland. Everyone kept as close as they could to the light, and their faces were lit up in the dark. Little circles of faces, looking lost in thought.


    Probably remembering their villages, Mat thought. They had jobs and things to do there. Now what were they? What was he? A villager with no village. It was just... nothing.


    It wasn''t like they could do anything. They were just trapped here on the island. He understood how they felt, but he kept a smile on his face and tried to look confident.


    ¡°Ell is already building the wall,¡± Jak said. ¡°We''ll keep them out if they come, don''t worry.¡±


    Mat hoped that was true. He wondered how long they had until the sun came up. At least then they''d probably be safe for another day. Maybe.


    The wall was solid wood, four blocks high, and went right out into the water.


    ¡°I think it might work,¡± Rab said.


    Ell nodded, staring at what she had made. Mat thought he could see some pride in her eyes.


    Nem pointed out into the water.


    ¡°It goes right up to neck level,¡± she said. ¡°One more step and you''re underwater.¡±


    ¡°Nobody''s getting around it,¡± Ell said.


    Rab and Nem looked at each other for a second, but then nodded.


    ¡°It''s a good wall,¡± Rab said. ¡°I think we''re as safe as we''re going to get.¡±


    ¡°You''ve been all the way around the island?¡± Jak said. ¡°There''s nowhere else to get across to us?¡±


    ¡°All the way,¡± Nem said. ¡°But we''re going to need a door or something in the morning.¡±


    ¡°That I can do,¡± Ell said confidently. ¡°It''s actually a bit like a house, since there''s no other way out here.¡±


    Mat had to admit it was true. But it still wasn''t the same as having a real roof over your head.


    ¡°Are you going to start working on the first house tomorrow?¡± he asked her.


    Ell shook her head.


    ¡°I''m not tired. Now that this is done, I''m going to start working on it. Right away.¡±


    Nem pointed at the big grassy patch where most of the villagers were sitting.


    ¡°What about there?¡± she said.


    Ell just stared at her coldly.


    ¡°I''ll decide where,¡± she said.


    ¡°Not too long now,¡± Mat said. ¡°The sun will be up. Maybe we''ll be...¡±


    ¡°Something moved,¡± Jak said. ¡°I''m sure I saw something.¡±


    The night was still very dark, and even the moonlight didn''t help much when they stared out across the water. The mountains were only dark shapes, with the stars above sparkling their little bits of light.


    ¡°I don''t see...¡± said Mat.


    ¡°There!¡± Rab said, pointing.


    There were shapes moving. They could all see it now. Gray Walkers. More of them. A lot more than the ones that had chased them before.


    Dozens of them. Heading down the hill, straight towards them.


    Other things moved with them as well. Dark and stumbling things that didn''t move as smoothly as Bonewalker archers. Something seemed off with them - they didn''t move like Ashmen either.


    ¡°Great,¡± said Nem, taking her bow off her shoulder. ¡°That''s just great.¡±


    ¡°So many,¡± Ell said. It was the first time Mat had ever heard her sound uncertain.


    ¡°Will the Witch help us?¡± said Jak. ¡°She got rid of the other ones.¡±


    Rab shook his head.


    ¡°I really don''t know. I wouldn''t count on it.¡±


    ¡°You could try,¡± Ell said sharply.


    Nem snorted and walked over to the other edge of the wall.


    ¡°Rezab!¡± Nem yelled out into the dark, across to the swamp. ¡°Could use a little help here!¡±


    They listened, hoping for something, but there was no answer.


    ¡°Witches,¡± Rab muttered.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°We''ve got the wall,¡± said Rab. ¡°We hope that''s enough. Nem and I will take care of anything that gets around it.¡±


    ¡°Can''t we do anything?¡± said Jak.


    ¡°Just stand by us. We''ll let you know if we need anything.¡±


    ¡°Ell should go be with the villagers,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± said Ell. ¡°I can...¡±


    ¡°I mean go keep them organized,¡± said Jak. ¡°Keep them calm.¡±


    Ell glared at him for a second, but then nodded and headed off.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± said Jak. He pointed up at the top of the mountains. Something was glowing orange.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± said Nem.


    ¡°What?¡± said Jak. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Two bright orange lights came swirling over the peaks and headed downwards. As they reached the crowd of mobs, their glow revealed a mass of Ashmen, and Gray Walkers, and some kind of lumpy shambling creatures all swarming across the little strip of land that led out to the island.


    They hovered over the mob army. Waiting.


    ¡°Firethralls,¡± said Rab. His voice was flat. ¡°Two of them this time.¡±


    ¡°Fire,¡± Nem said, and shuddered. ¡°The wall isn''t going to last.¡±

 Chapter 15 - Allies and Enemies III

    The first Ashman came over the top not long after. It must have been climbing on top of the crowd behind the wall.


    ¡°Get it!¡± shouted Rab.


    Nem rapid-fired two arrows and the Ashman flashed and was gone.


    Another one came up behind it.


    Rab jumped forward and slashed at it and it disappeared.


    Two more were already on top of the wall.


    It went on and on. They managed to keep up, and after a while not one single Ashman had managed to get to their side.


    But then with a whistling rush, arrows slammed into the ground on all sides of them


    ¡°Across the water!¡± Mat shouted.


    They could see the Bonewalker archers in the glow from the Firethralls. They were firing from the beach, across the water to the island.


    ¡°Stay close to the wall!¡± Jak shouted.


    ¡°Grab those arrows!¡± said Nem. ¡°I''m running low!¡±


    ¡°Can you use these?¡± Mat said, pulling them up out of the ground.


    ¡°Yes!¡± she said, grabbing them and firing at two more Ashmen while Rab hacked at another. ¡°This is perfect! They''re going to give us all we need!¡±


    Mat and Jak stayed close to the wall, calling out every time they saw another Ashman arm waving in the dark. Every now and then they risked grabbing for more arrows, and once Jak got shot straight through the arm of his robe for it.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± said Mat. ¡°Don''t lose your arm!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Jak. ¡°I''ll do my best.¡±


    Then without any warning there was a loud whooshing sound, and a WHUMPF WHUMPF against the wall from the other side. Bright orange fire shot up into the night.


    ¡°That''s it,¡± said Jak. ¡°They just lit the wall on fire!¡±


    ¡°I guess we were doing too well,¡± said Nem.


    But the Ashmen kept coming, burning. They didn''t even seem to care. They piled up over the wall, spreading flames all along the top. Rab and Nem could barely keep up with them. It seemed like every minute there were even more of them.


    The wall was crackling and sparks were shooting up into the sky. Mat could feel the heat of it even though their side wasn''t burning yet.


    ¡°It''s not going to last,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rab said as he slashed at another burning Ashman.


    ¡°What do we do if it falls?¡±


    Rab was too busy to look back.


    ¡°Dunno. I can''t do everything. Find somewhere we can take everyone. Up high maybe. Get going!¡±


    Jak slapped Mat on the shoulder and said, ¡°If the wall goes, bring them all back to the trees!¡±


    The he ran off towards the crowd of villagers.


    Mat could hear him yelling orders, but there was no time to listen to what was going on behind him.


    More mobs were crowding up against the flaming wall. He could hear the bones clattering and the groans of the Ashmen on the other side. There was a loud cracking sound from inside the wall.


    Whenever she got a chance Nem was firing out into the mass of mobs on the shore while arrows whacked into the ground all around her.


    It''s a good thing they can''t aim very well, he thought. He kept grabbing every one of them that he could reach so she wouldn''t run out.


    The wall creaked and snapped again. Then it finally collapsed. It just crashed down in a heap of burning rubble.


    Suddenly they were all staring at a crowd of Ashmen and Bonewalkers, with both Firethralls whirling behind them.


    Fire and arrows rained down towards them instantly.


    ¡°Run!¡± Mat yelled. He was ready to grab Rab by the robe in case he didn''t start moving. But they all turned and started running without another word.


    Mat didn''t know what they were going to do now. He didn''t think anyone did. He just hoped Jak had come up with some kind of plan.


    We didn''t even last ten minutes, Mat thought.


    All of the villagers were crowded together in the middle of the island, under the trees on the hill. Mat and the others ran up to them, and stood in front, shielding them from the mobs with their bodies.


    The mobs surged forwards towards them. Mat turned around to see the villagers. As far as he could tell, everyone was there. There wasn''t anything left to do.


    Jak moved in beside him and they looked at each other.


    ¡°Doesn''t look good, does it?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°It''s looked better,¡± Jak said, and barked a laugh.


    Nem scrambled in the dirt and found an arrow, and fired it at the mob army. Then she threw her bow on the ground.


    ¡°This is useless,¡± she said.


    Rab looked at her and then at Jak and Mat.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I''ll keep going, but I don''t think it''s going to help.¡±


    The arrows had stopped falling. The mobs were all standing still now. The Firethralls flew over their heads, coming towards the villagers.


    This was it. Everyone knew it. This was the end.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± said Ell. She looked at Rab and Jak like she couldn''t believe they didn''t have a plan.


    Rab grimaced and then looked out at the Firethralls.


    ¡°I''m going to try to get them,¡± he said. ¡°Both of them.¡±


    Nem picked up her bow again and sighed. Then she rooted around in her robe and held out two potion vials.


    ¡°Healing,¡± she said. ¡°The last two I have left.¡±


    Rab took them.


    ¡°I''ll run out first,¡± Mat said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I''ll try to distract them. I''ll run right into the crowd. They''ll probably attack me. That''s when you go.¡±


    Great, he thought. I¡¯m back to this again. Seems like all I¡¯m good for.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nem growled, ¡°I''m not giving up either.¡±


    She notched an arrow.


    "Try to get right through them and out the other side," Rab said to Mat. "You might be safe over there."


    But Jak held up his hand for them to stop.


    ¡°What''s that noise?¡± he said.


    Mat could hear it too. Getting louder. Rumbling.


    Something was moving on the other side of the mob army. A lot of things.


    Then suddenly there was a line of flashes behind the Bonewalkers and Ashmen, then the flashes turned into explosions. Huge explosions. Mobs in threes and fours flew up into the air, and flickered and disappeared.


    Both Firethralls whirled around and headed back towards whatever was happening. They hissed something loud enough that Mat and the others could hear it, and the whole army turned around to face the other way. The villagers were staring at their backs.


    ¡°What was...¡± said Jak. He was still holding a bunch of arrows he''d picked up in his hand, like he''d forgotten about them.


    The Firethralls all spit flame, and voice ¨C a person''s voice yelled something from out in the dark.


    Suddenly arrows flew towards one of the creatures.


    A lot of arrows, in fact.


    It flashed and was gone instantly.


    There was another shout, another flurry of shots, and then the second one was gone.


    The Ashmen and Bonewalkers suddenly looked less like an army and more like a crowd. Many of them turned towards where the explosions had come from, and started shuffling that way, leaving the villagers behind without another look. Others started wandering away into the night.


    Something ¨C they couldn''t see what - was happening over on the far shore. Arrows flew into the middle of the mobs and there was the sound of shouting and metal hitting metal.


    ¡°Swords,¡± Rab said.


    Now Mat could see them ¨C a bunch of figures were hacking their way through the mobs. Behind them, more shapes that looked like people came, firing arrows one after another.


    They were all riding horses.


    ¡°Are they... is it players?¡± Nem said.


    Mat didn''t know. But what else could they be? Who else could do all that?


    Rab hefted his sword.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said to Nem. ¡°Whoever they are, we can work from this side, right?¡±


    She nodded. The two of them ran off, suddenly looking like they were ready for a fight again.


    It only took a few more minutes, and the last of the mobs was gone.


    In the sudden silence, the riders and the villagers looked at each other without saying a word.


    Three riders trotted their horses forward towards Rab and Nem, who were nearest to them. Jak went forward right away to stand beside the two of them. When she saw what they were doing, Ell pushed through the crowd to stand with them as well.


    After a moment Mat decided that he should probably be there too, so he walked out to the others.


    The riders were wearing armour. Shiny, iron armour on two of them ¨C much nicer and newer than Rab and Nem¡¯s, but their leader was dressed in something else. It had a strange, mirror-like sheen.


    It has to be pure Electrum, Mat thought. He''d read about it in books, but had never imagined he''d actually see it. It reflected the moonlight in little shimmers.


    They all stopped and let the horses come to meet them.


    The rest of the riders ¨C it looked like there were about ten of them ¨C waited in a line near the water. Mat started counting.


    Thirteen of them. They destroyed all those mobs in just a few minutes, he thought.


    He really wanted to see the rider''s face. He wasn''t sure what a player would really look like. But when they got closer, they looked like villagers.


    Just ordinary villagers. Riding horses. Defeating a whole army of mobs.


    Doing a lot better than we''ve been doing, Mat thought.


    The one in Electrum armour held up his hand.


    ¡°Looks like you''re safe now,¡± he said. ¡°That was the biggest Underworld breakthrough I''ve seen in a long time. Good thing we got here when we did.¡±


    ¡°I''m Jak,¡± Jak said. ¡°This is Ell, Rab, Nem, and Mat.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°I''m Dom,¡± the rider said. He didn''t introduce the others.


    ¡°How did you find us?¡± said Ell. She was looking at their horses and armour and swords like she couldn''t believe her eyes.


    ¡°You''re lucky,¡± Dom said. ¡°Those Firethralls were making enough light that we could see something was happening from way out there.¡±


    He waved into the distance.


    ¡°But what was making those green flashes?¡± he said. ¡°I''ve never seen a mob make light like that.¡±


    ¡°Green?¡± said Mat. He couldn''t remember anything like that, but he hadn''t had time to look around much.


    ¡°Well it doesn''t matter,¡± said Dom. ¡°It caught our attention.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think we can thank you enough,¡± Jak said. ¡°We were almost finished.¡±


    ¡°We could see that. But you did have some defenses.¡±


    He pointed at the smoldering remains of the wall.


    Ell nodded.


    ¡°I built that,¡± she said loudly.


    For some reason Mat was glad she was there to show the riders that they weren''t the only ones who could make things and use tools.


    ¡°Did you?¡± Dom said. He didn''t exactly sound impressed. ¡°I saw someone firing arrows too.¡±


    Nem nodded cautiously, bow in hand.


    ¡°We thought you might be players,¡± Rab said.


    Dom stared at him like he''d said something very strange.


    ¡°Players? Have you ever seen a player?¡±


    They looked around at each other. One by one they all shook their heads no.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Dom said, like he was explaining the very obvious. ¡°Nobody has. They¡¯re from stories. Or maybe history, but it doesn¡¯t matter. There''s only us.¡±


    The other two riders jumped down off of their horses. The clank of their armour as they hit the ground was very loud in the night.


    They stood beside Dom. He pointed at Rab.


    ¡°How did you learn to use that sword? Who taught you?¡±


    His voice sounded different now. Not exactly angry, but definitely like someone who expected a good answer.


    Rab frowned at him.


    ¡°Taught me?¡±


    ¡°You couldn''t just learn it on your own. You met someone who gave you the ability to use it. Who was it?¡±


    Rab snorted a laugh.


    ¡°I didn''t catch his name. He and his friends weren''t very talkative. Not to us, anyway.¡±


    Jak stepped up beside Rab.


    ¡°We''d probably already be dead if it wasn''t for Rab here. Why do you care who taught him?¡±


    Dom didn''t even look at him.


    ¡°Explain yourself,¡± he said to Rab. ¡°What do you mean? Who taught you?¡±


    He didn''t sound friendly at all now.


    Rab stared back at him.


    Then Nem spoke up.


    ¡°It was Umbrals,¡± she said. ¡°They... they shot some kind of magic at us in the swamp. Then he could use the sword. And I could use this.¡±


    She hefted her bow.


    ¡°Umbral Shades,¡± Dom said and frowned, looking like he was at least considering it.


    ¡°We were going to be attacked by a Firethrall. Maybe they were trying to help us. We don''t know.¡±


    Dom nodded slowly.


    Ell started to speak, but Nem interrupted her.


    ¡°Her too,¡± she said, pointing at Ell. ¡°They met an Umbral in the woods. That''s how they stayed alive. After that she could build a shelter at night.¡±


    Ell shot Nem a strange look, but didn''t argue. She just gave a short nod.


    ¡°And the armour?¡±


    ¡°Found it in a ruined village,¡± Rab said.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± Dom said. It wasn''t a request. He turned around and walked away down towards the water with the other two.


    ¡°I''ve got a bad feeling about this,¡± Mat said quietly.


    All of the villagers were watching without a word. He wasn''t sure what he should have expected, but if they had just rescued a whole village, shouldn''t the riders look... happy or something? Instead they were just looking at everyone like they hadn''t decided what they were going to do. Yet.


    Jak looked at Nem. ¡°You don''t think we should tell them about...?¡±


    He nodded his head in the direction of the other villagers. Bren would be sitting with them somewhere.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± she said. ¡°I didn''t like the way he was looking at us. It was like a wolf staring at sheep.¡±


    ¡°You don''t actually think they''re looking for... him? Do you?¡±


    ¡°Where did you find him? You never told us,¡± Jak whispered to Ell.


    ¡°Pru saw him in the woods,¡± Ell said. ¡°He was all alone. It was just before sunset, the same day our village was attacked. She was the one who wanted to take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± hissed Rab.


    They were coming back again.


    ¡°You have a lot of people with you,¡± Dom said, pointing at the crowd of villagers. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to build houses,¡± Ell said. ¡°Or I am, anyway. And farms.¡±


    ¡°A new village,¡± Mat said.


    Dom nodded. He didn''t look like the idea was strange to him.


    ¡°It''s a good spot,¡± he said. ¡°Only way onto the island is that little spit of land.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Mat said. ¡°I mean thank you, really, we all owe you. All of you. But who are you?¡±


    Dom smirked and pulled off his helmet.


    He really was just a villager.


    ¡°Third Scouting Group, from the Iron City,¡± he said, pointing back to the riders near the shore. ¡°We were on a bit of reconnaissance up this way. We heard rumours that there have been some clusters of Underworld attacks.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Firethralls?¡± Rab said.


    ¡°Them, yes. And other things. I''m guessing you''re from a village that was swarmed?¡±


    ¡°More than one,¡± Nem said. ¡°I think we have people from five different villages here.¡± She looked at Jak and Mat. ¡°Seven now, I guess.¡±


    Dom looked shocked.


    ¡°That bad? I don''t think anyone guessed. It''s a good thing we''re here.¡±


    ¡°You can help us?¡± Jak said.


    Ell nodded.


    ¡°That would be really great,¡± she said. She looked relieved. ¡°Even one house was going to be a lot of work, honestly.¡±


    But Dom shook his head.


    ¡°Sorry, no. What with you and these two -¡± he pointed and Rab and Nem - ¡°you''ve already got more help than a lot of people. What we need right away is to find the source. The breakthrough that little army came out of.¡±


    Ell''s face fell, but Jak spoke up right away.


    ¡°I think we know where it is,¡± he said. ¡°We just came from there yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Dom said. ¡°That would save us a lot of time and work.¡±


    He turned around and waved at the riders on the shore, then made some kind of signal to them with his hand, and pointed at Jak.


    ¡°We''ll need you to come with us,¡± he said to Jak.


    His friendly attitude had disappeared again. There wasn''t any room in his voice for Jak to say no.


    Nem frowned at him.


    ¡°Where is the Iron City? What is the Iron City? Who are you people?¡± she said.


    Dom frowned back at her.


    ¡°We''re the people who just saved you, remember? But don''t worry, we''ll bring your friend back once we''re done. Then we¡¯ll answer any questions you like.¡±


    He put his helmet back on.


    The other two riders with him had already gotten back on their horses. One of them put a hand out to Jak.


    ¡°Grab,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°You can ride with me.¡±


    Nem looked at Jak.


    ¡°Do you want to go with them?¡± she said.


    Rab stepped up beside her.


    ¡°He''s not going anywhere unless he agrees,¡± Rab said.


    Dom sighed and turned to Jak.


    ¡°It looks like your friends are willing to fight for you. You''ve seen what we can do. We need you to show us the way to that breakthrough so we can get rid of it. What are you going to do?¡±


    Jak looked just as annoyed at Dom''s attitude as the rest of them, but he shook his head.


    ¡°I''ll come,¡± he said, and let the rider pull him up onto the horse.


    Dom jumped up onto his own horse, and the three of them turned and started to head out across the water right away.


    Mat realized that the sky was growing orange. Sunrise wasn''t far away now.


    Jak looked back at them as he rode off.


    ¡°Just get everyone organized, okay?¡± he said.


    Then he let them carry him away.


    Mat turned to the others.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s safe.¡±


    Nem was still frowning and watching them.


    Rab kicked at the smouldering remains of the wall.


    ¡°This would have worked, you know. If it was stone,¡± he said.


    Ell came up beside him.


    ¡°I can do stone. I have a pick. It takes longer than wood.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole day to get ready,¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Maybe more,¡± said Rab. ¡°They said they¡¯re going to get rid of that... Underworld breakthrough, is that what he called it?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t trust them,¡± said Nem. ¡°We should be ready just in case.¡±


    ¡°In case what?¡± said Ell. ¡°We¡¯d be dead if it weren¡¯t for them.¡±


    She looked like she thought Nem was being silly.


    ¡°In case whatever,¡± Nem said. ¡°In case we don¡¯t like what they want us to do. Or tell us to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you think that might be?¡± said Ell, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°You saw the way he looked at us. Whatever the Iron City is, they¡¯re strong. Way stronger than us. They look like they¡¯re used to telling people what to do.¡±


    Ell just shook her head.


    ¡°If they¡¯re that strong then we¡¯d be smart to be with them,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Her tone of voice was like an adult lecturing a small child. Nem¡¯s face went red.


    ¡°One way or another,¡± Rab jumped in, ¡°We¡¯re going to need the wall here tonight, so we should do that first, right?¡±


    Mat actually agreed with Nem, but he was distracted by the crowd of waiting villagers ¨C they were all watching. Probably wondering what was going on. All they had seen was Jak get taken away by the riders. He let everyone keep arguing for a few moments then spoke as soon as he saw an opening.


    ¡°We should tell everyone what¡¯s happening. About all of this,¡± he said.


    Ell looked like she¡¯d forgotten about the villagers completely, but Nem and Rab nodded.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ell said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them.¡±


    Before any of them could say anything she turned and stalked away towards the villagers.


    Nem looked at Rab, but he just shrugged and followed Ell.


    Ell clapped her hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. All their heads turned to look and the group fell silent.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± she said loudly. ¡°Listen up, please!¡±


    Nem rolled her eyes again.


    ¡°Those villagers who helped us ¨C the ones wearing armour ¨C they came here from a place called the Iron City. We don¡¯t know where that is yet, but you all saw what they did. I don¡¯t think I have to tell you what would have happened if they hadn¡¯t found us.¡±


    Several of the villagers shuddered, and one of the children started crying.


    Lil called out, ¡°Where did they take Jak?¡±


    Ell gave her a sharp look.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to that,¡± she said. ¡°Jak has gone to take them to the place where the Underworld mobs came from. From what I understand they¡¯re going to get rid of it.¡±


    They all looked relieved and a few even started smiling and talking to each other in relief.


    ¡°People! Attention please!¡± Ell said, and they slowly went quiet again.


    ¡°We agreed to let Jack go with them because he could help them,¡± she said.


    Well that¡¯s kind of a lie, Mat thought. At least she didn¡¯t say that she was the one who agreed to let Jak go.


    Rab spoke up, and Ell stared at him coldly but she didn¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to build a new wall,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll make it with stone this time. Ell can do that.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Once they get rid of the breakthrough from the Underworld and we have a good stone wall up, then I think we¡¯re going to be pretty safe,¡± Rab said.


    Ell jumped in to talk again.


    ¡°After that I¡¯ll get the first house started. A real house,¡± she said.


    Everyone looked happy about that. A proper house again, finally!


    But before anyone could say anything else, there was movement on the far side of the crowd. People started muttering and craning their necks to see what was going on.


    Pru pushed through to the front of the villagers, leading Bren along behind her.


    ¡°Bren needs to speak,¡± she said in a small voice.


    ¡°Louder!¡± someone yelled.


    ¡°What is it, Pru?¡± said Ell. ¡°You¡¯ll have to speak up so everyone can hear.¡±


    Before she could say another word, Bren straightened up from his usual crouch. His eyes were bright and clear. For the first time Mat felt like he was really looking at them all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a voice that carried across the crowd easily. It wasn¡¯t his creaky and confused voice at all now. He sounded like a man who knew exactly what he was doing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry everyone,¡± he said again. ¡°I thought there was more time. I need to leave, right away. I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°Bren,¡± Ell said. She sounded shocked. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    He shook his head and held up his hand for her to be quiet.


    ¡°This is a good spot for a village, and you''ve got enough people. But I need to leave before they come back.¡±


    ¡°The riders? Those villagers?¡± Ell said.


    Bren nodded.


    ¡°They''re searching for me. You saw the way they looked at those two.¡± He pointed at Rab and Nem. ¡°They''re going to line us all up for a good look once they get back here.¡±


    ¡°Why do they want you?¡± Pru said. She looked like she wasn¡¯t sure how to talk to Bren any more. She was used to him being a frail old man. It was as if he''d dropped an act, and now they were seeing the real him for the first time.


    ¡°I''m sorry I didn''t say anything,¡± he said to her with a kindly look. ¡°I thought I was far away from them at last. I guess not.¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake again. We should have kept going north when we found that burned village. That was stupid.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± he said. ¡°What matters is that I have gifts for you all.¡±


    ¡°Gifts?¡± said Pru.


    Bren gave her another smile.


    ¡°I know what you should get,¡± he said to her. ¡°Apothecary. You''re a healer, dear.¡±


    Pru blinked.


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°That''s what you do. You want to take care of people. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Well... no,¡± she said. ¡°But look at me.¡± She raised her arms to show off her brown Leatherworker robe. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Those are your old colors dear,¡± he said. ¡°I can give you your new ones.¡±


    He reached into his robe and took out a glass vial filled with a glowing blue liquid.


    ¡°Drink it,¡± he said to her. ¡°Drink it, and you''ll be a maker too. A brewer of potions, a maker of things which heal. Or hurt, if you need to.¡±


    She took the vial and stared at it.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°My gift,¡± he said. ¡°This is why they want me. I can make makers.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Potions and Lies

    Ell stared at Bren.


    ¡°You''re going to let them all do it?¡± she said.


    He nodded.


    ¡°Of course. It''s not a treasure to keep locked away. It''s something so precious that we have to give it to everyone. It''s the only way we can have a future.¡±


    Everyone was watching Pru, waiting for her to drink the potion.


    She popped the cork out, and held it up.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said in her small voice. ¡°Here I go...¡±


    She swallowed the whole thing in one gulp, then looked around nervously.


    ¡°It doesn''t taste like anything. What do I do now?¡±


    Bren took some sticks and coal from his robes.


    ¡°Try making something,¡± he said.


    Pru stared at them like she''d never seen them before.


    ¡°I... I think I get it,¡± she said. She slowly took them, and twisted a lump of coal against the end of a stick. There was a small clicking sound, and the torch erupted into cool flame and light.


    She gasped.


    Bren just nodded.


    ¡°There you go,¡± he said. ¡°Just that easy.¡±


    ¡°It''s like... I don''t know. It''s like another place in my mind opened up,¡± Pru said. ¡°I can sort of see how things might make sense together. In new ways.¡±


    She just kept staring at the torch she''d made, looking amazed. All of the villagers started talking at once. Most of them sounded excited.


    Ell frowned.


    ¡°Is this really a good idea?¡± she said. ¡°I mean Pru is fine, she''s a good person. But giving it to everyone? What if they want to make things wrong? Or make dangerous things? We can''t just let anybody make anything!¡±


    She stared at the rest of the villagers, then looked back at Bren.


    ¡°We should only let people we trust do that,¡± she said.


    Bren shook his head.


    ¡°That''s where the Iron City went wrong. They''re like that,¡± he said. ¡°That''s why I needed to go.¡±


    Mat thought about it.


    ¡°You''re different?¡± he said.


    Bren nodded.


    ¡°They thought I was too precious and that what I did was too dangerous. They treated me well enough. Everyone treated me like... something more important than a regular villager.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you leave?¡± Ell said.


    ¡°It didn''t matter. I was still theirs, not my own. They weren''t going to allow the rest of the world to have me.¡±


    He waved his hand around at the island and the villagers.


    ¡°People need the gift. They have a right to it! You saw what happened here. It''s the only thing that can save them.¡±


    He reached into his robe and pulled out another vial of blue liquid. He held it out to Mat.


    ¡°You''re a bookish one. A librarian through and through. There''s power in that. You''ll be able to make enchantments once you practice a bit. You''ll give your people magic they haven''t even dreamed of.¡±


    Mat took the vial and considered it.


    ¡°I can make a library?¡±


    ¡°You can. That and more.¡±


    It was almost too much to imagine. Pru looked up from her torch and gave him a little grin.


    ¡°Drink it,¡± she whispered.


    Mat didn''t feel anything, just like she had said. It didn''t even have a flavor.


    ¡°Okay. So do I do the torch trick now?¡± he said.


    Bren nodded and gave him the materials.


    He looked at the stick.


    I guess it makes sense, he thought. The coal can sort of twist on here, and then...


    The torch lit up in his hands. He stared at it for a moment and then laughed.


    ¡°That''s it?¡± he said. ¡°That''s all? It''s just that simple?¡±


    Bren nodded.


    It was too easy. He thought about the walls Ell had made. The blocks would kind of slot together, really you could make them into any shape at all.


    Anything.


    He felt dizzy.


    ¡°It''s so easy,¡± he said. ¡°It so simple and you can make anything. Anything you can think of.¡±


    Pru gave him a little smile.


    ¡°Right? It''s kind of frightening. There''s so many possibilities. I already feel lost thinking about it.¡±


    Bren nodded again.


    ¡°That''s it,¡± he said. ¡°You''re a maker. Who''s next?¡±


    He handed them out to every single villager ¨C telling them about the things they would make as well ¨C axes, doors, windows, walls, forges and anvils and potion stands and glass for windows and beds and swords and arrows and wells and on and on. They all drank them eagerly, and before long everyone had forgotten about anything else. They were all talking about what they might be able to make. Bren pulled out some simple tools; stone axes, shovels, picks, and handed them out.


    About three minutes later there was a hole in the island with villagers digging away at the bottom and laughing as they piled up the dirt into weird shapes.


    Ell just stared at them all and shook her head.


    ¡°Great, so they can all just make any stupid idea they come up with,¡± she said.


    ¡°They can build,¡± said Mat. ¡°Isn''t that a help to you?¡±


    ¡°If they listen,¡± she said. ¡°But if it''s just a disorganized mess then what''s the point?¡±


    Mat thought that she was the one missing the point, but he let it go.


    Bren grinned at them all ¨C it was the first time they''d ever seen him smile.


    ¡°Good, good,¡± he said. ¡°But there''s one more thing.¡±


    He gestured for Mat and Rab and Ell and Pru to come over to him. Everyone else was too excited to even notice.


    ¡°One last gift,¡± Bren said.


    He held out another vial. This one glowed bright green, brighter than any of the others.


    ¡°What is it?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°This is the rarest potion. It allows you to make Makers,¡± he said.


    He held it out towards Ell.


    Nem gasped.


    ¡°Not her!¡± she said.


    If Ell¡¯s look could have actually hurt Nem, she would have dropped dead then and there.


    ¡°Not me?¡± Ell said coldly.


    Bren held up his hand.


    ¡°Enough, stop that,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t pick who can make makers. If someone has the ability, I can see it. That¡¯s all. Ell is the only one here who can do it.¡±


    He held it out again, and Ell took it from him eagerly.


    ¡°This is precious,¡± he said to her. ¡°I¡¯m entrusting you with a power that can save villagers everywhere. It¡¯s not for you to keep for yourself.¡±


    Ell held the vial up and looked into it.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said, and drank it down without another word.


    She looked around.


    ¡°I don''t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°Put together an idea,¡± Bren said. ¡°What kind of villager? What can they do?¡±


    Ell''s eyes lit up with excitement.


    ¡°In your inventory,¡± Bren said.


    She put hand in her robe and pulled out a vial. It glowed blue. She looked at it curiously.


    ¡°I was thinking about a swordsman, a fighter,¡± she said.


    Bren nodded.


    ¡°Well done. You should give that one to Jak.¡±


    She stared at it a while longer and then nodded.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she said. ¡°I''ll do that.¡±


    Nem muttered something to Rab. Ell gave her another angry glare but didn''t say anything.


    But there was no time to relax.


    ¡°We''re leaving,¡± Bren said nearly right away. ¡°I need to keep going, before they find me. There are more villagers out there. We''re taking the gift to everyone. Everyone who needs it, everyone who wants it.¡±


    He gave Ell a look when he said it, but she just nodded grimly at him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± said Nem. ¡°Do you know about the Deep Witch?¡±


    Bren gave her a strange look.


    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± he said.


    ¡°We''re supposed to be looking for her,¡± Rab said. ¡°But we don¡¯t even know what she is or where she is. And we¡¯ve been busy helping everyone.¡±


    ¡°Who told you about the Deep Witch?¡± Bren asked again.


    ¡°His name was Yob,¡± Rab said. ¡°He helped us, but he didn''t make it.¡±


    Bren shook his head.


    ¡°That''s too bad. I knew Yob,¡± he said. ¡°He learned a lot of strange things from the Umbrals. If anyone was going to find her it was probably him.¡±


    ¡°He gave the job to us,¡± Nem said. She stared fiercely at Bren.


    Bren sighed.


    ¡°He thought we could stop the Underworld breaking through,¡± he said. ¡°It started when we were younger, down south. But it¡¯s just gotten worse and worse. That¡¯s how the Iron City started. It was a lot like this once.¡±


    ¡°Were you in the same village with him?¡± Nem said.


    Bren nodded. ¡°He wanted to know what the Umbrals knew. They know a lot. People didn''t like it much though.¡±


    He looked Rab and Nem up and down.


    ¡°If Yob thought you could do it, then I guess I should trust him,¡± Bren said. ¡°But I don''t know how you''re going to get to her.¡±


    ¡°Who is the Deep Witch?¡± Rab said.


    Bren shrugged.


    ¡°Probably only Yob knew that for sure. All I know is, she''s somewhere inside a Stronghold in the old player lands. South past the Iron City. Nobody can get in, though.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± said Rab.


    ¡°It''s buried. Deep underground. But worse, it''s protected. Nobody has ever gotten through to it.¡±


    ¡°We''ll find a way,¡± Nem said.


    Bren gave here a crooked smile.


    ¡°Maybe you will,¡± he said. ¡°I guess Yob trusted you.¡±


    ¡°Past the Iron City isn''t much to go on,¡± Mat said. ¡°Not to actually find it.¡±


    ¡°It''s about two days walk after the Iron City,¡± Bren said. ¡°In the swamps. I''ve never been there. That''s all I know.¡±


    ¡°Why is the Deep Witch buried away down there? Who did that? Was it players?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°I wish I could tell you more,¡± Bren said. ¡°Maybe she really does know how to stop the Underworld from breaking through to the Overworld. It was Yob''s thing. He was always a strange fellow. He probably fit right in with the Umbrals.¡±


    Bren was adjusting his robe and checking his inventory while he talked. Mat wanted to keep asking more questions, but it was obvious that he was getting ready to go and wasn''t going to wait around to have a long conversation.


    But then Bren grabbed Mat''s arm and pulled him away from the crowd, over to where they could talk privately. Pru watched them but didn''t come along.


    ¡°I was hoping to find another,¡± Bren said quietly to Mat. ¡°That girl...¡± - he nodded towards Ell - ¡°she has the talent, but I don''t trust her.¡±


    Mat grimaced.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°She''s never done anything bad,¡± he said. She had worked hard to keep Pru and Bren safe, after all. He felt like he should say something in her defense.


    Bren just shook his head.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°This power... it''s meant to be shared freely. But some people need to say no, just to show that they can. I hope you''ll try to make sure she doesn''t keep it for herself.¡±


    Like it or not, Mat knew what Bren meant.


    ¡°We will. But if you keep making more villagers who can make Makers, eventually it won''t even matter what she decides, right?¡±


    Bren sighed and they started walking slowly back towards the others.


    ¡°That''s what I''m hoping. It''s why we need to go. I need to find more as fast as I can.¡±


    ¡°You should take more people. To protect you,¡± Mat said. ¡°I''m sure you could find someone who will come along.¡±


    ¡°No. It''s going to be just the two of us. Three was too many. Pru will do. Easier to stay hidden.¡±


    Mat felt a flash of annoyance at Bren.


    Pru doesn''t even get a chance to say yes or no?


    ¡°You could take someone else,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe ask for volunteers? Pru could do good things here, taking care of everyone.¡±


    Bren looked down at the ground.


    ¡°I know she could,¡± he said. ¡°I''m sorry, but I need her. I¡¯ll teach her some potions on the way. This is important. It matters for all of the villagers everywhere. All the ones who don''t even know what''s happening yet. And I''m old now. Too old for this.¡±


    Suddenly his face sagged down and he looked tired enough to fall asleep right there. Mat remembered how old Bren had looked the first time he saw him.


    He might really be the oldest villager I''ve ever met.


    He was having trouble walking, and Mat helped him along back towards the others. All the energy he¡¯d been showing seemed to have left him again.


    When they got near to Pru she went to him right away. He wanted to ask her what she thought about it being just her and Bren, but there wasn''t a chance. She didn''t seem worried anyway. She took the food that they offered her and put it in her robes. Everyone gave some of what they had.


    All the same, Mat was surprised when Ell took out her shiny iron axe and held it out for Pru.


    ¡°You''ll need this,¡± she said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± said Pru.


    ¡°I''ve got a stone one too. It''s not like I can''t make more. I want you to have it,¡± Ell said.


    ¡°Thanks Ell,¡± Pru said. She looked like she was blinking back tears. ¡°If we come back this way I''ll visit.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to visit,¡± said Ell. ¡°You have as much right to live here as any of us.¡±


    Mat nodded. He agreed with Ell about that much.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Bren said in his creaky old man''s voice, looking at Mat. ¡°I just remembered one more thing. The library. That should interest you.¡±


    ¡°The library?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°In the Stronghold where the Deep Witch is. Yob said it has the greatest library in the world. Just sitting down there in the dark. Thousands of books taken from everywhere. More knowledge than even the Iron City has.¡±


    ¡°How could he know that unless he had been there?¡± Nem said.


    ¡°I don''t know. It''s just something he told me once. You know as much as me now.¡±


    Then suddenly they were going. Mat gave Pru a hug, which surprised her at first, but she hugged him right back.


    ¡°Be careful out there,¡± he said to her.


    She nodded.


    ¡°It''s okay, I''m with Bren,¡± she said, then grinned. ¡°I think he might be more dangerous than he looks.¡±


    ¡°Nobody asked you if you wanted to go.¡±


    He was happy that he finally got a chance to say it out loud.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind. Not at all. By the time we¡¯re done every village everywhere will be able to protect themselves. I want to make that happen.¡±


    The last they saw of Pru and Bren was when they turned a corner around the mountains, heading towards the distant forest.


    Mat turned to Ell, Rab, and Nem.


    ¡°So... I guess we build?¡±


    Nem nodded, but looked off in the other direction ¨C where the riders from the Iron City had taken Jak.


    ¡°We can work on making a house for tonight, but we shouldn''t do much more.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± said Ell. ¡°Everyone can just have fun, now that they can all do it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look happy about that.


    ¡°The Iron City riders were suspicious when they found three of us who could make things,¡± said Nem. ¡°What do you think they''ll say if suddenly everyone is building houses and gardens?¡±


    Rab smiled.


    ¡°I''d like to see their faces,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don''t trust them. I don''t think they should know what we can do,¡± Nem said.


    Mat agreed.


    ¡°All we need is a house for now. Once they''re gone we can build whatever we want.¡±


    Ell shook her head.


    ¡°They''ll find out. You saw how they are. They''re going to be back.¡±


    ¡°Well we can''t spend our lives worrying about what the Iron City thinks,¡± Rab said. ¡°Once we''ve got some time on our own, we can build things up enough that we''re safe from anyone.¡±


    ¡°Safe from other villagers?¡± Mat said.


    Rab shrugged.


    ¡°Safe from whatever,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, plus somebody please get them to fill in that hole, okay?"


    They sent four strong villagers out to the mainland with Ell to cut wood, while the others argued about what the first house should be like. Before long they came back with more wood than Mat had ever seen in one place before.


    Even Ell looked proud of how much they had.


    ¡°It''s amazing how much you can get done with a bunch of people all working on it,¡± she said.


    They let her organize the plan for the first house. She had the most actual experience making things, after all. She pointed out where to put the blocks down, and where to start making the beams that marked the corners and the door frames. She built a workbench for them, and even made two nice doors.


    By noon they all took a break and ate in the sunshine. Most of the villagers were relaxed and happy now that they could see the house taking shape. For the first time they almost looked like a proper village. Everyone was just standing in scattered groups, talking and laughing.


    He was sitting with Rab, sharing a loaf of bread that someone had given him. It was the first non-carrot he''d eaten in days and he was staring at the sky and smiling while he chewed.


    Nem walked up to them and sat down. She was the only one who didn¡¯t look all that happy.


    ¡°They said there are no players. Only us.¡±


    ¡°Oh right,¡± Rab said. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about that.¡±


    He shrugged.


    Mat felt the same way. He¡¯d never seen a player, and the stories made them sound like more trouble than anything else. They built amazing things, but they didn¡¯t worry what anybody thought about it. Players were just weird mobs, sort of like witches. Though a lot smarter than mobs, obviously. Maybe even smarter than villagers.


    ¡°That sounds like a good thing,¡± Mat said.


    Nem just frowned.


    ¡°Players made things, is my point. Villagers didn¡¯t. Now the player are gone and villagers are starting to make things.¡±


    ¡°Put it that way, it does sound strange,¡± Rab said.


    ¡°It''s connected to what''s going on, I bet,¡± Nem said.


    ¡°Something got all the players, and now it''s coming for us?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°Maybe. I don''t know.¡±


    Mat thought about the empty world he''d been afraid of. He knew that much wasn''t true now ¨C there were still villages and villagers, and maybe even something like a regular life again. But that didn''t mean things were fine now. Something was very wrong, somewhere.


    He looked across the water at the mountains and the distant trees.


    Pru was out there. She was giving up everything so Bren could help all the villagers who didn''t even know they were in trouble yet.


    Now that Mat knew that, he didn''t think he''d be able to feel the same way about just sleeping safely behind a closed door all night.


    ¡°They¡¯ll have houses soon,¡± Nem said, looking at the other villagers. ¡°They¡¯ll have swords and bows and everything else. More stuff to keep them safe than we ever had.¡±


    Rab sighed.


    ¡°I was starting to feel kind of comfortable,¡± he said to her.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But now we know where to find the Deep Witch.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rab said. ¡°I hear you. Can we at least spend one night in the new house?¡±


    While they sat quietly eating, one of the children ¨C Iri, a very young Toolsmith - suddenly stood up and stared away into the distance.


    ¡°Listen!¡± she said.


    Everyone looked at her and fell silent.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ell said.


    ¡°Can''t you hear it?¡± said Iri. She cupped her hand behind her ear. ¡°There! Again!¡±


    Everyone shook their heads.


    ¡°It''s like... boom... boom boom...¡± she said.


    They all looked over in that direction. It was where the riders had headed off with Jak.


    ¡°Well,¡± said Rab. ¡°I guess they''re taking care of the Underworld mobs.¡±


    He hoped that was what it meant.


    Jak''s out there too, while I just eat bread wonder what''s happening, he thought.


    By the time the sun was going down again, the house was nearly finished. The roof wasn''t done, but nobody cared. Nobody even mentioned it. After everything that had gone on, most of the villagers looked like they needed a good night''s sleep. Mat felt the same way. As it got dark, he went inside the house with Rab and Nem and Ell to be with everyone. The solid thunk of the door closing was like music to him. It meant things were finally getting back to normal, and he ended up falling asleep almost as soon as he sat down.


    Someone was shaking him.


    ¡°Wake up, wake up!¡±


    Mat''s eyes opened and he stared around, confused.


    Oh right, he realized, we have a house!


    The sky was already bright blue. Normally most people would have been up while the sun was still rising, but instead the floor was covered with still-sleeping villagers.


    Rab and Nem were standing over him.


    ¡°Get up!¡± Nem whispered loudly.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± he said groggily.


    ¡°It''s Ell,¡± Rab said. ¡°She''s gone.¡±


    ¡°Gone? Where?¡±


    Nem snorted.


    ¡°We don''t know, but I''ll give you three guesses.¡±


    Nobody else was outside, and there was definitely no sign of Ell.


    ¡°She must have headed out before the sun was up,¡± Rab said.


    ¡°That''s crazy,¡± Mat said. ¡°She''d be dodging mobs all the way. You sure she isn''t somewhere on the island still?¡±


    ¡°We looked,¡± said Rab.


    ¡°She probably figures she can make it all on her own.¡±


    ¡°You really think she went... where? To find the riders? To join them?¡±


    Rab shook his head.


    ¡°I think she''s heading for the Iron City.¡±


    ¡°So she can be the most special villager ever,¡± Nem said bitterly.


    ¡°She would like that,¡± said Mat.


    Then he noticed something on the mainland.


    ¡°I think there''s something over there,¡± he said. It was a little flicker of blue light on the beach.


    They crossed the land bridge and found the last glowing blue vial ¨C the gift for Jak ¨C stuck carefully into the sand. They could see footprints heading away down the beach, too.


    Mat picked it up and stared at it.


    ¡°This means she really left us,¡± he said.


    Nem snorted.


    ¡°Everything Bren said ¨C about being treated better than other villagers, about being so important that they wouldn''t let him go. That didn''t sound like a bad thing to her at all. It sounded like the best thing.¡±


    ¡°She must have been planning to leave all day,¡± Rab said.


    He looked back over at the village.


    ¡°We''ll have to tell everyone. Of course, we don''t actually need her now, anyway,¡± he said.


    ¡°That''s probably why she left,¡± Mat said.


    Rab cleared his throat and looked at Nem.


    ¡°You know we''re going to leave too, right?¡± she said to Mat.


    Mat nodded.


    ¡°You''re going to look for the Deep Witch in her Stronghold. Down south.¡±


    ¡°We have to go,¡± said Rab. ¡°But we''ll come back up this way if we find anything useful. Anything that can help.¡±


    Mat looked at the village.


    ¡°Jak will be the leader,¡± he said. ¡°He''ll be good at it.¡±


    He was a bit surprised to hear himself say it, but it was true. Jak wasn''t a deep thinker, but he worked at things, seriously and hard. Plus he was good with people, and definitely more confident than Mat.


    More than anything else, he seemed to fit right in to this strange new world of villagers just wandering around all over the place. He was exactly the kind of villager they needed right now.


    ¡°It will work better without Ell here,¡± Nem said.


    ¡°You''ll be on the council too,¡± Rab said.


    Mat smirked.


    ¡°Not if I''m heading south with you two,¡± he said.


    Nem frowned then gave him a serious look.


    ¡°It''s dangerous out there. You finally have a village again. Why would you want to leave?¡±


    ¡°It''s the library Bren talked about,¡± Mat said. ¡°I spent all last night thinking about it. I want to see what I can bring back here. If it has more knowledge than anywhere else in the world, then we need it. It can''t all belong to the Iron City.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don''t mind,¡± Nem said, looking at Rab. ¡°We probably need someone like you anyway. Neither of us was ever much of a reader. You''ll know things.¡±


    ¡°Even if we can''t find the Deep Witch, there might be answers in that library,¡± Mat said.


    Rab pulled out his sword and held it out to Mat.


    ¡°Okay with me,¡± he said. ¡°But you''ll have to do more than just library work.¡±


    Mat stared at the glittering Electrum edge.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said, taking it by the handle.


    He gave it a few test swings.


    When they went back to the village, people looked more annoyed at what Ell had done than worried.


    ¡°She was a bit pushy anyway,¡± said Bil. That seemed like the general opinion.


    By the time the morning was over the roof was almost finished.


    ¡°There they are!¡± a voice yelled. Mat turned to look.


    The riders were coming over the top of the hill and down the path towards the village.


    Everyone stopped working and tried to look like regular villagers again.


    Building things? Who, us? Why would you think that?


    He waved at the figure of Jak riding at the front of one of the horses, with the Iron City man behind him. Jak waved back and Mat could see him smiling.


    Why am I not surprised? Mat thought. It was just like Jak to end up in front. All the same Mat didn''t expect to feel so relieved at seeing that he was still okay. When they crossed over to the island Jak brought the horse right up to the crowd and jumped off casually.


    ¡°They showed me how to ride,¡± Jak said. ¡°It''s not as hard as it looks. We need to find some horses.¡±


    He thanked the Iron City man and then whistled when he looked at the house.


    ¡°Nice job! You''re nearly finished.¡±


    Dom got down off of his horse and nodded when he looked over their work.


    ¡°Well done,¡± he said. ¡°That was pretty fast work for one person.¡±


    He looked around suspiciously.


    ¡°Where''s your builder?¡± he said. ¡°I need to talk to her and the other two. The two who can use weapons.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Mat said. ¡°She headed out with some of the others to look for a good iron deposit. They might not be back for a couple of days.¡±


    Dom stared at the house again.


    ¡°I''ll send some riders out to bring them back,¡± he said. ¡°I need to talk to her. Which way did she go?¡±


    Nem stepped up in front of him.


    ¡°She''s doing village work right now. We can answer any questions you have, okay?¡±


    Dom stared down at her.


    ¡°Why don''t I believe you?¡± he said. Then he looked over at the villagers and pointed to Kru the Blacksmith.


    ¡°Well?¡± he said. ¡°Are they telling the truth?¡±


    Kru stepped away from the crowd and walked up to Dom and the other riders.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Kru said. ¡°In fact it''s worse than you realize. Bren was here. Hiding in the crowd. He''s headed off that way with the woman who was taking care of him. Just the two of them.¡±


    He pointed in the direction that Bren and Pru had gone.


    Nem gasped and Mat''s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°What''s the matter with you?¡± shouted Rab. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Kru looked at Rab blankly.


    ¡°Why didn''t you tell us yesterday?¡± Dom said to Kru.


    Kru shrugged.


    ¡°I was keeping an eye on him,¡± he said. ¡°I was going to go after them if you weren''t back today. They can''t have gone far yet.¡±


    Dom didn''t look impressed.


    ¡°You should have said something,¡± he growled.


    Kru shook his head.


    ¡°We''re not under your authority,¡± he said. ¡°It was my call. Anyway, there''s more.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Dom said.


    ¡°Bren found another one with the Maker ability here. The tall girl in Librarian robes. Ell. He went ahead and gave her the gift. She has the same talents as him now.¡±


    Nem stalked over to Kru, looking like she was going to attack him.


    One of the Iron City riders stepped in her way and grabbed her.


    ¡°Let go!¡± she shouted.


    Dom never even looked at her.


    ¡°Where is the other one now?¡± he said.


    ¡°Gone too, but I''m less worried about her. She''s probably headed for the Iron City.¡±


    ¡°You had two of them? And you just let them go?¡± he said to Kru.


    ¡°And if I¡¯d gone after either of them, you wouldn¡¯t know about any of this,¡± said Kru.


    Dom sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°We''ll send a party to find her. The last thing we need is her getting away from us now.¡±


    He turned and barked orders to the others. Three of the Iron City riders jumped onto their horses and rode off without another word.


    ¡°That''s all?¡± he said to Kru.


    Kru shook his head and pointed around the village.


    ¡°They''re all makers now. Every last one of them.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Aspirations

    Dom turned on them angrily.


    ¡°Bad idea to lie to us,¡± he said.


    ¡°Bren is helping the villages,¡± Nem said. ¡°I don''t see why you''re so upset with him.¡±


    The other riders had gotten off of their horses and stood behind Dom, frowning at them all. Kru just stood there with them like he had been part of the conversation all along.


    ¡°You don''t know what''s going on,¡± Dom said. ¡°You don''t have a clue. We''re not your enemies. Everything in the Underworld is.¡±


    Mat snorted.


    ¡°Twelve men chasing down one old man. That''s the good guys?¡±


    Dom shook his head.


    ¡°I don''t have time for this. I was going explain why you need the Iron City''s help. We have agreements with villages now. We protect them from the Underworld.¡±


    Rab frowned.


    ¡°Agreements. I''m guessing you get something too?¡±


    Dom waved his hand to the south.


    ¡°The villages need us and we need the villages. You send people to tell us what''s happening. In return we offer you our protection. You saw what we did to that bunch.¡±


    He looked at Jak.


    ¡°Tell them about the Underworld Nest,¡± he said.


    Jak nodded.


    ¡°It''s gone. They used the TNT. And they have enchanted weapons. There''s nothing left there now. There''s just dirt and rock.¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± Dom said. ¡°That''s the Iron City''s protection. We''re the only thing that''s keeping the Underworld out. If they can grab Bren...¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°It''s too awful to think about,¡± he said. ¡°They''re strong enough the way they are now. If they can start making things, enchanting weapons, making potions? We won''t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°And all we have to do is whatever you say?¡± Nem said.


    One of the riders made an angry noise.


    ¡°You''ve lied to us, stolen from us, and that''s after we saved you all!¡± he said. ¡°We''re the ones who should be wondering if you''re worth helping!¡±


    ¡°That''s enough,¡± Dom said to him.


    ¡°We didn''t steal from you,¡± Nem said. ¡°Bren doesn''t belong to you.¡±


    Kru looked at her seriously.


    ¡°You''re wrong not to trust the Iron City,¡± he said. ¡°They''re working for everyone.¡±


    Nem snorted and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You just walk in acting like you¡¯re in charge of everything and tell us we should trust you?¡± she said.


    Jak held up his hand.


    ¡°Look, can we have some time to think about it? Talk about it? As a village, I mean,¡± he said.


    Dom shook his head.


    ¡°Like I said, I don''t have time. We need to go after Bren, right now,¡± he said. ¡°You can talk to Kru if you have any questions.¡±


    ¡°What is it you''d want from us?¡± Jak said. ¡°Tell us that.¡±


    ¡°If you decide this is where you will make your village, then you would be our eyes out here. If anything happens, you send someone to tell us,¡± Dom said, climbing up onto his horse.


    ¡°Anything? Like what?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°Anything strange. Whatever we should know.¡±


    ¡°That''s all?¡± Rab said.


    ¡°No, of course not. Since you''re all makers now, we will want iron, gold, tools, whatever you create. People too, if we''re short. Not all of it, just enough so that we have what we need.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Nem said. ¡°A comfy pillow? Maybe a bunch of cakes?¡±


    Dom stared at her.


    ¡°The Iron City protects the villages. If you aren''t with us, then you''re on your own. You''ll be an outlaw village. No help from anyone, ever.¡±


    He turned his horse and rode away from them. The other riders jumped up on theirs and together they rode away across the water and headed off after Bren and Pru.


    Kru sighed.


    ¡°I''m not staying either. The Scouting group will be back sooner or later. You can tell them your decision then,¡± he said.


    Rab and Nem both whirled around on him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Rab said. ¡°You''re from the Iron City too?¡±


    Kru nodded.


    ¡°I work on my own. I look for wandering villagers, find villages. I''m sort of a scout as well. I''m looking for things from the Underworld.¡±


    ¡°You mean Firethralls, Gray Walkers? Things like that?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Things like that,¡± Kru said. ¡°But they look like people. Just like you and me.¡±


    ¡°We met one of those,¡± Nem said. ¡°It travelled with us. It looked just like a little girl, until it turned into a Firethrall.¡±


    ¡°Where is it now?¡± Mat said. ¡°How did you get away?¡±


    ¡°We killed it,¡± Rab said, and wiggled the sword at his hip. ¡°It wasn''t easy.¡±


    Kru nodded.


    ¡°They told us their story. I''m honestly impressed with how they''re watching out for them now.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Jak said.


    ¡°The witch,¡± Rab said. ¡°They can tell.¡±


    ¡°It took some time to convince Rezab to help us,¡± Nem said, ¡°But they hate things from the Underworld more than they hate being around villagers.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Mat. ¡°That''s what the business in the swamp was about!¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you about it,¡± said Rab, ¡°But things have been kind of busy.¡±


    ¡°We had to make sure you weren''t one of them,¡± Nem said.


    ¡°This is exactly the kind of information I look out for,¡± Kru said. ¡°Witches don¡¯t usually cooperate. We¡¯ve never been able to get them to come anywhere near us. But if it¡¯s possible, then we need to start working on that.¡±


    Rab gave Kru a hard look.


    ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°You''ve been watching us this whole time? Were you ever going to tell us the truth?¡±


    ¡°If I thought it was a good idea,¡± Kru said. ¡°I wasn''t trying to trick you. Really I''m trying to help too, in my own way.¡±


    ¡°What about when we were attacked then? Why didn¡¯t you help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no warrior.¡±


    ¡°So you would have just died like all of us?¡±


    Kru looked away.


    ¡°I had my own plans. That¡¯s all I¡¯ll say about it.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°You should finish the house. Build your village. You have everything you need, right?¡±


    ¡°I mean what about the Iron City?¡± Jak said. ¡°What happens now with them?¡±


    Kru waved it away.


    ¡°They have a lot of things to worry about,¡± he said. ¡°You''re not going to be high on the list.¡±


    Finishing the roof on the house took the rest of the morning. Some of the villagers spent the time experimenting with making things. It was obviously going to take a while before they could make everything they wanted. Kru even gave them a few helpful tips, which seemed to make Nem trust him a little bit more.


    After lunch Iri came running up to Jak and Mat holding a pile of something in her hands.


    ¡°Look!¡± she said. ¡°There''s a whole bunch of iron ore on the other side of the island!¡±


    ¡°Well done,¡± said Jak. ¡°Maybe we won''t have to start climbing up into the mountains for a while yet.¡±


    Iri grinned and ran off to show the others.


    Jak''s smile faded after she left, though.


    ¡°I''m glad they''re going to start on the garden,¡± he said. ¡°But all I can think about is a wall. A real one. Maybe all the way around the island.¡±


    ¡°You think that could stop the Iron City if they wanted in?¡± Mat said.


    Jak shook his head.


    ¡°Not a chance. I saw what they did to the Underworld Nest. They''re good, and they''re way stronger than us. For now anyway.¡±


    ¡°So why the wall?¡±


    ¡°Suppose the witch, what was her name? Rezab? Suppose she finds one of those things trying to sneak in here? How can we keep it out?¡±


    Mat nodded. He had a point.


    ¡°You can start work on your library soon,¡± Jak said.


    Mat sighed and looked over at Rab and Nem, who were showing some of the bigger villagers how to use the basic swords that they''d made.


    ¡°About that...¡± he said. He didn''t really want to say it out loud. It was going to make it too real. But what else could he do?


    ¡°What is it?¡± Jak said. He was half smiling.


    ¡°You already guessed?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°I saw the way you were talking to Rab and Nem,¡± Jack said. ¡°You''re going with them?¡±


    Mat shrugged.


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    ¡°Part of me just wants to help build the village. But part of me... one of us should actually see the Iron City. I need to go that far, and maybe I can help them along the way.¡±


    Jak laughed.


    ¡°What''s funny?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°It seems backwards, don¡¯t you think? I should be the one going out to fight monsters.¡±


    ¡°They need you here,¡± Mat said. ¡°You''re going to be their leader. It''s obvious.¡±


    With Ell sneaking away, and with Rab and Nem gone, Jak was obviously the Council head. Mat thought he''d be good at it, too.


    But when Mat thought about just sitting down in the library, while everyone else worked to understand what was happening, to save the wandering villagers, to make the village safe, he knew he wouldn''t be able to enjoy it. He had to do something. Even if it was cold and hungry and uncomfortable.


    ¡°I''m looking forward to making this place as big and as safe as we can,¡± Jak said. ¡°The Island City, we''ll call it. By the time you get back we''ll have our own high-level armor.¡±


    He looked determined, and Mat believed him.


    ¡°There''s one other reason I want to go,¡± Mat said. ¡°I''m going to bring back books for the library from the Stronghold, if we find it. All the plans and recipes and formulas I can. Everything I can get my hands on.¡±


    Jak nodded.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°You''ll be our own Scout.¡±


    Mat realized it was kind of true. Just as long as he actually made it back alive again, anyway.


    ¡°Then you can write a book about it,¡± Jak said.


    The thought kind of cheered him up.


    Kru left as soon as he was finished eating. He waved goodbye to everyone, but then he grabbed Mat and Jak and Rab and Nem and took them out past the new stone wall out to the mainland. He seemed to want a private word with all of them.


    ¡°Where are you going now?¡± Rab said.


    Kru pointed north, in the direction he and Jak had come from.


    ¡°Up that way,¡± he said.


    ¡°Are you okay on your own?¡± Mat said. Kru was another one of the villagers-without-a-village who didn''t seem to mind it very much.


    It''s a whole new kind of villager, he thought. Though calling them villagers didn''t make much sense.


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± Kru said.


    Mat believed him.


    ¡°You''ll come back this way again?¡± Rab said.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Kru said. ¡°If I find some more lost villagers with nowhere to go, I''ll bring them here.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± said Nem. ¡°This won''t be the kind of village that says no.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± Kru said. Then he dropped his voice to nearly a whisper, even though nobody else was anywhere near them all.


    ¡°Look,¡± he said. ¡°There could be somebody else from the Iron City here, watching us. Watching me. But I know you''re looking for the Deep Witch and I wanted to give you some advice.¡±


    ¡°How did you know about that?¡± Mat said. Nem looked angry and suspicious again. Jak and Rab just stared at him.


    ¡°Knowing things is my job. It¡¯s what I do out here,¡± Kru said. ¡°But take this as a lesson. Don¡¯t talk about things you don¡¯t want everyone to know if there¡¯s anyone around who can listen.¡±


    Jak looked like he was thinking about every conversation he¡¯d ever had with anyone on the island. Villagers loved to gossip, but Mat had never had to think about there being someone who seriously shouldn''t hear.


    ¡°What is it you want to tell us?¡± said Rab.


    Kru frowned for a moment, then said, ¡°You should work with the Iron City, but be careful. The Council is... too much like Ell. Once they find her and take her there, she¡¯ll probably fit right in.¡±


    ¡°They just want to be the boss?¡± Nem said.


    ¡°They don¡¯t see the big picture,¡± Kru said. ¡°They haven¡¯t been outside in ages. They don¡¯t hear anything except what they want to hear. We can¡¯t stop the Underworld if we don¡¯t understand why and how this is happening.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re against the Iron City?¡± Nem said.


    ¡°No!¡± said Kru. ¡°They''re right about Bren. And Ell now, too. If the Underworld takes them, we¡¯re all doomed. Imagine a Void Archon that can make things! Tools. Traps. It would be horrible.¡±


    ¡°Then you think we should leave all the villages defenseless?¡± said Rab. ¡°Nobody can make anything, and they just have to run away into the night when the Firethralls come?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m out here,¡± Kru said. ¡°That¡¯s why the Iron City¡¯s protection matters!¡±


    ¡°Stupid,¡± Nem said. ¡°You need to work with Bren. And Ell too, I suppose. Protect them while they give the maker gift to everyone!¡±


    Kru just shook his head.


    ¡°Whatever happens, they can''t be out on their own,¡± he said. ¡°If we lose them to the Underworld just one time, everything is over. The risks are too high. We have to control them.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling us this?¡± Mat said.


    ¡°So you''ll understand what I say next,¡± Kru said.


    But before Kru could say anything, Rab jumped in.


    ¡°Who is the Deep Witch?¡± he said. ¡°Why did Yob want us to find her?¡±


    Kru just shook his head.


    ¡°Never heard of her until now,¡± he said. ¡°But if she¡¯s connected with the Stronghold, then that¡¯s interesting, for sure. The Iron City thinks there¡¯s some really important player creations down there, since it¡¯s protected so well.¡±


    ¡°How well?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Aegisite, for a start. Ridiculous amounts of it. We call it the Aegisite Stronghold,¡± said Kru. ¡°Diamond tools cut through it, but very very slowly. Explosives do nothing.¡±


    Rab''s face fell.


    ¡°So they''re trying to get in?¡±


    ¡°Have been for a long time. Last I heard they were twenty layers deep, but it can''t go on forever.¡±


    We''re too late, Mat thought. The Iron City is going to get in there first.


    Kru sighed.


    ¡°But it doesn''t matter,¡± he said. ¡°Because right now, something else is going to get in before we do.¡±


    ¡°Something else?¡± said Nem. ¡°What? Who?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know. Nobody does. But something is tunneling in, deep underground.¡±


    ¡°Another place like the Iron City?¡± said Nem.


    ¡°No,¡± said Kru. ¡°No, it won''t be that. It''s far stranger.¡±


    ¡°Strange how?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°The tunnels are just... water. A few scouts managed to get down there and back up again. That''s what we think they were trying to tell us, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± said Nem.


    ¡°Most of them didn''t come back. The ones who did are crazy. Their minds are scrambled. It''s hard to understand them, but it seems like the tunnels are full of water.¡±


    ¡°What would be doing that?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows. But whatever it is, they''re getting closer all the time, and faster than we are. Sometimes you can feel rumbling from deep below, even in the Iron City. Nobody knows what they¡¯re using.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you think we should just give up,¡± Nem said.


    Kru frowned at her.


    ¡°No, that''s not what I''m saying at all. I''m saying you can''t just go there and expect to walk in. Plus there''s not much time left.¡±


    ¡°Tell us where it is, then,¡± said Nem. She looked at Kru defiantly.


    Kru sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°The Aegisite Stronghold is south of the Iron City, about a two day walk. Deep in old player lands. Be careful down there. Don¡¯t mess with anything you don¡¯t understand. Lots of traps around,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s just practical advice.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Nem. ¡°What else?¡±


    Kru gave her an annoyed glance.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, believe it or not,¡± he said. ¡°Second of all, it¡¯s deep below the glass tower. You¡¯ll know it if you see it.¡±


    ¡°Glass tower, got it,¡± Rab said.


    ¡°And like I just said,¡± said Kru, ¡°You''re not getting anywhere near it. Not that way.¡±


    ¡°What do you think we should do, then?¡± said Rab.


    ¡°I don''t know. Maybe you''ll find your own way in. You probably won''t, but Bren trusted you, and I''m sure he knows more than he ever told us, so I''m helping you.¡±


    Mat looked at Rab and Nem.


    ¡°What can the three of us do that the Iron City can''t?¡± he said. It sounded silly just to say it out loud. The Iron City had everything, the three of them didn''t have anything. Literally.


    Kru shook his head. ¡°They keep doing the same things over and over. They don''t listen to anyone. If we just leave it to them, we''re probably going to lose.¡±


    ¡°It still sounds like you''re saying don¡¯t go there,¡± said Nem.


    She looked like she was twice as determined to go now.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying be smart,¡± Kru said, frowning. ¡°Don¡¯t do what doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you on their side?¡±


    ¡°I am. And what they need right now is for people not to listen to them once in a while,¡± Kru said.


    Nem would have kept arguing with him until the sun went down, but Kru was obviously getting ready to leave. He adjusted his robe and checked his inventory one last time.


    He gave Jak a nod.


    ¡°I hope you''ll agree to cooperate with them,¡± he said. ¡°Even if they¡¯re like Ell.¡±


    Jak nodded back.


    ¡°We''ll listen to whoever comes here,¡± he said. ¡°But they''re not going to own us.¡±


    Kru sighed and turned to go.


    ¡°Just be careful, alright?¡± he said. ¡°Villagers fighting villagers is the very last thing any of us needs.¡±


    The he looked at Rab and Nem and Mat one last time.


    ¡°But you three can¡¯t wait,¡± he said. ¡°I don''t know how much time is left, but it isn''t a lot. Good luck.¡±


    They got to spend one more night in the new house.


    Mat had strange dreams all night ¨C in the last one he was wandering through a maze of water and darkness, but sometimes it was all shining metal and bright light. Someone was yelling instructions at him, telling him how to get through the maze but every time he made another turn it was wrong and they yelled at him again. He was annoyed and wanted the voice to shut up, but they just wouldn''t stop.


    He woke up before dawn, frustrated and with a head full of confusion.


    Nem was sitting up in another corner of the house, sorting through all of the Bonewalker arrows they had collected and putting them carefully into her inventory. She looked over at Mat.


    ¡°You should rest,¡± she said. ¡°This might be the last comfortable night for a while.¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°I can''t. I''m done sleeping.¡±


    She heaved a sigh.


    ¡°Me too. We need to get going. Do you want to just go as soon as the sun is up?¡±


    Mat looked around at the sleeping villagers. There was nothing for him to do here. He knew what he was going to do ¨C what he was going to be good for ¨C but he couldn''t do it sitting here in the house.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°You can practice with the sword while we walk. Kill some plants.¡±


    He pulled out the new iron sword that Mit the Blacksmith had made.


    With all the other things the village needed, there wasn''t enough iron to make any armor for him, and there was no time left to wait around for more, so he was still just wearing his robes.


    Hopefully I can get some armor in the Iron City, Mat thought. With a name like that, they''d better have a little bit to spare.


    Before they left, Rab and Jak talked for a while on their own. Mat guessed that it was about the villagers ¨C since Rab had basically been head of their council until now. Mat would probably have felt left out, if he hadn''t been so anxious to get going.


    But then Jak came over and slapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Part of me wishes I was going instead of you, you know,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mat said. ¡°But they need you here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jak said. ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    He was grinning, though. Mat thought he''d probably enjoy being head of the council almost as much.


    On their way past the swamp, Mat saw something moving in the trees. He stopped to stare, and realized that it was the witch, peering out at them. Her weird raggedy clothes nearly blended in with the plants.


    Should you wave at witches? Does that make them mad?


    He decided to take a chance, and gave her a little wave.


    She didn''t react at all, so Mat turned to go. But just as he started to turn he saw her hand move, and a bright green flash shot up into the air.


    Rab and Nem both jumped turned around, looking ready to fight.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Rab said, drawing his sword.


    Mat waved his hand at them to relax.


    ¡°Rezab was watching us,¡± Mat said. ¡°I think she was saying goodbye.¡±


    Rab tried to see her, but she had already disappeared into the moss and trees.


    Nem just shrugged and kept walking.


    Before the forest closed in behind them, Mat took one last look back at the village.


    Some of the villagers were laying down a line of stone bricks. He could see Jak with them, pointing and giving orders.


    They¡¯ll have a wall all around the whole island before very long, he thought.


    But who ever heard of a village surrounded by a wall?


    On the other hand maybe it could be a safe place for all the villagers. All the ones who didn''t want to do whatever the Iron City said, anyway.


    He was excited to see the Iron City, but more than anything else his mind kept turning to what Yob had said about the dark and deserted library in the Aegisite Stronghold, with its thousands and thousands of books collecting dust in the dark.


    A new village ¨C the Island City, like Jak had said. One thing it was going to need was a library. A library worthy of a city, filled with every bit of knowledge from everywhere, including how to craft anything that could be crafted.


    He imagined setting them all up again, in their own library, with Librarians quietly walking up and down the stacks, and people sitting in corners learning everything they needed to know and more. He could see himself finally sitting down with a pen and an empty book, and starting to write the history of the Underworld Invasions.


    But that was in the future. For now he needed to be able to tell everyone what was happening, and more importantly why it was happening. They needed to know how to stop the Underworld from breaking through into the world.


    But for that, they would have to find a way in to the Aegisite Stronghold. Somehow. And then find the Deep Witch. Whoever she was.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Nem yelled back at them. ¡°You coming or what?¡±


    He and Rab both turned and jogged to catch up with her.

 Chapter 18 - Iron and Glass

    Grem slashed at the Bonewalker one last time.


    With a groan it flashed and disappeared.


    ¡°Five,¡± Dav said.


    Grem grunted and sat down.


    ¡°That good thing to know,¡± he said.


    Kim looked all around.


    ¡°I think we''re clear,¡± she said. ¡°I can''t see any other mobs at all.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± Dav said. ¡°We should try to make some distance.¡±


    ¡°Dav welcome,¡± Grem muttered.


    ¡°Thank you, Grem, really,¡± Dav said. ¡°We¡¯re all just tired.¡±


    ¡°And a bit grumpy,¡± said Kim.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Grem said. ¡°That big news, Grem not notice it.¡±


    Like usual, they had spent last night in a cave, lit up by torches. It was cramped and nobody had gotten enough sleep. Except for Grem.


    It turned out that Pakmog snored.


    Four nights. Four nights of tossing and turning and sticking their fingers in their ears.


    Last night, Arn had just about decided to give Grem a kick and wake him up so that they could all share the pain. He¡¯d only stopped because he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what would happen if you kicked a Pakmog when he was asleep.


    Everyone was grumpy over breakfast. Even Dav, who could usually find an interesting rock to talk about, chewed his bread silently and stared at the ground.


    This was the fifth day that they had been looking for any sign of where everyone from the village had gone ¨C where they had all disappeared to.


    ¡°Grem have good feeling,¡± he had said, sounding as close to cheerful as was possible for him. ¡°Still smell men, maybe stronger. Maybe they closer.¡±


    ¡°The world just goes on and on,¡± Kim said. ¡°I never thought about how big it is. They could be anywhere.¡±


    Arn stared at the ground, too. It was hard to be excited about another long day of stomping through the woods, not hearing any voices and not seeing any people at all. He was feeling lost and weird without the village. At least when they had been stuck in the Underworld, there was a village to try to get back to. Now there was just the wide world.


    That¡¯s probably why nobody had noticed the mobs who were standing in the shadows under a cliff. They were getting careless.


    So it was probably good that Grem could sleep, anyway.


    It wasn''t like they could fight the mobs. They¡¯d all be long gone now if it weren¡¯t for Grem.


    The cliffs led to mountains, and they spent most of the morning going around those. Then there was a river, so they had to find a way around that.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kim yelled when the sun was high up in the sky. ¡°I¡¯m tired, and I¡¯m hungry. I want lunch.¡±


    ¡°Grem see something strange,¡± Grem said.


    Arn flopped down on the ground and pulled a loaf of bread out of his robe.


    ¡°It will be there after I eat,¡± he said.


    But Dav was still Dav. He ran over to Grem and looked where the Pakmog was pointing.


    ¡°That¡¯s... very odd,¡± Dav said.


    Arn was still grumpy.


    A weird-looking cloud would be interesting to Dav, he thought. The rest of us are more interested in lunch and sitting down for a while.


    ¡°Great,¡± said Kim. ¡°Is it anyone we know?¡±


    ¡°No, really,¡± said Dav. ¡°It¡¯s like, a shape. But it has to be huge. There''s something shining on top of it.¡±


    They both sighed and got up again.


    They were looking down a slope to grassland that went far out into the distance. Dav squinted.


    There was something there. Something shiny, like metal. There was definitely a bright light at the top.


    ¡°It¡¯s what?¡± said Kim. ¡°A triangle?¡±


    ¡°Grem not know. Look sort of like fortress, from far away.¡±


    ¡°We should...¡± Dav started to say.


    Three arrows were suddenly sticking into the ground beside them.


    Whack whack whack.


    Just that fast.


    Then something brushed past Arn¡¯s head and stuck into the ground in front of him.


    Whack.


    ¡°What?¡± said Kim.


    Grem whirled around, pulling out his sword.


    Another arrow appeared without any warning, but this one was sticking out of Grem¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Run,¡± he grunted, and grabbed Kim with his good arm and started running down the slope without another word.


    Dav and Arn looked at each other with wide eyes, then ran.


    He heard someone shouting behind them.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Dunno,¡± Dav panted, ¡°But they¡¯re not friendly.¡±


    Another arrow whisked through the air past Arn¡¯s shoulder.


    Grem, he realized. They¡¯re aiming for Grem.


    ¡°Close up behind Grem!¡± Arn shouted.


    Dav didn¡¯t argue. He¡¯d learned how to do that much, with everything they had been through. He just sped up and fell in beside Arn, so that they were between him and whoever was shooting.


    ¡°Why?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°I think they¡¯re trying to get Grem.¡±


    ¡°You think they won¡¯t shoot us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t thought about it very carefully. He just wanted to protect the Pakmog, since Grem had taken care of them so often. Of course it wouldn¡¯t mean anything if whoever it was didn¡¯t really care, and just shot them instead.


    But there were no more arrows. He heard more shouting, and then a sound. Like thunder. Rumbling.


    He looked back.


    ¡°Horses!¡± he yelled.


    There were horses chasing them. Grem¡¯s head turned to look.


    ¡°See men on those things,¡± he said. ¡°They wearing armor!¡±


    Dav and Arn were both panting and getting slower. Villagers weren¡¯t meant to just keep running forever.


    ¡°Men on horses?¡± Dav gasped. ¡°That¡¯s how players get around!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know!¡± yelled Grem, ¡°But they catching us!¡±


    Arn looked again. They were getting closer. The horses were way faster than them.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    Kim pointed. She was half-running and half being dragged by Grem. There was a dark opening in the ground ahead, going down into the rocks below.


    ¡°Cave!¡± she yelled. ¡°Go in!¡±


    ¡°Mobs!¡± Arn yelled back.


    ¡°Maybe mobs!¡± yelled Grem. ¡°Men for sure!¡±


    There was no arguing with Grem¡¯s logic. The riders were even closer now.


    ¡°Go,¡± yelled Dav. ¡°Just go in!¡±


    They all jumped into the cave entrance without even looking to see if anything was waiting for them.


    They collapsed in a heap, gasping for breath, but Grem jumped up.


    ¡°No stopping!¡± he growled. ¡°They still coming!¡±


    The sound of the all the horses was very, very close. Grem pushed them ahead of him, herding them down into the darkness of the cave. They could hear shouting from outside.


    ¡°We keep going,¡± Grem said. ¡°So deep they scared to come. Grem know how caves work.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything!¡± Kim whispered.


    ¡°Pakmog eyes good,¡± Grem said. ¡°Grem tell you if bad thing coming.¡±


    ¡°What about cliffs?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Grem probably see those too.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± said Arn.


    But he could hear voices. It sounded like they were in the cave. The men were coming. So there was no choice. They had to go deeper.


    It was so nice and sunny out today, Arn thought. He already missed the sun.


    They shuffled deeper into the cave, moving as fast as they could.


    ¡°Good,¡± Grem said. ¡°Goes deep, this good.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± muttered Arn.


    The sounds of the men chasing them weren¡¯t as loud now.


    ¡°Do you think they gave up? Can we stop?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°What we do? Go up again?¡±


    ¡°Is there another way?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Lots of caves go up again, other places,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know about this one,¡± said Arn.


    ¡°Grem know caves. We go back, men there for sure. You listen to Grem.¡±


    It was still pitch black as far as Arn could see. He tripped over a block and fell to his knees.


    ¡°Not so flat here,¡± Grem said. ¡°Watch out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the warning.¡±


    But there was something... the darkness wasn¡¯t total now.


    ¡°I think it must be lava,¡± Kim said.


    They came on it around two more corners. There was a big pool of lava in the cave floor, lighting up a slightly bigger chamber.


    With a Night Spider beside it, staring at them.


    They were common enough mobs at night of course, and they hid away in places like this during the daytime. They didn¡¯t attack unless you bothered them, but they were known for having nasty poisonous bites.


    They all walked along the far wall of the chamber, keeping their eyes on the mob. It turned to face them, and its weird green eyes watched them, but then it turned around again, going back to whatever it was a Spider thought about all day.


    ¡°Oh Grem!¡± Kim said suddenly. ¡°Your arm!¡±


    ¡°It okay,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°No it¡¯s not!¡±


    The arrow still stuck straight out of his upper arm. They could all see it in the lava light.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Arn said to Dav.


    ¡°I...¡± Dav hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. ¡°


    ¡°Grem know. Pull it out.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Dav looked lost.


    ¡°How Dav think pull arrow out? Pull arrow. Out.¡±


    Kim poked at Grem''s arm, and he growled.


    ¡°Won''t it hurt you?¡± she said.


    ¡°Hurt a bunch. Make Grem mad. But Grem not stupid mob, not attack anybody.¡±


    ¡°Can you maybe kneel down?¡± Arn said. ¡°So we can pull it straight out?¡±


    That seemed like the best idea to him. Grem made another unhappy noise but got down on his knees and held on to a block.


    ¡°Pull hard,¡± he said. ¡°Go fast.¡±


    ¡°Is it safer that way?¡± Dav said.


    Arn had never seen Dav look so worried about trying something new.


    ¡°Just want it done. Hurry up,¡± Grem said.


    Arn wrapped his hands around the shaft of the arrow.


    ¡°You take the top,¡± he said to Dav.


    Dav grimaced and got in beside Arn.


    ¡°On three,¡± Arn said. ¡°One... Two... THREE!¡±


    They both yanked as hard as they could.


    The arrow flew out of their hands, high up in the air and Grem yelled loud enough to hurt their ears. He puffed out his chest and raised his arms up, looking like he was about to attack Arn and Dav.


    Then the arrow fell to the ground again. Or it would have, if the Spider hadn¡¯t been in the way. The arrow thwacked into the mob point first, and it jumped and whirled around, suddenly staring right at them all again and hissing.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Stupid MEN with stupid ARROWS!¡± Grem yelled, rubbing his arm.


    ¡°The Spider!¡± Kim shouted.


    They all turned to look. It was coming towards them, still hissing angrily.


    ¡°It''s going to attack us!¡± Dav said.


    ¡°You think?¡± said Grem.


    They were all backing away but it kept coming. They could see the white points of it¡¯s fangs in the lava light.


    Grem growled and pulled out his blade. He ran towards it and met the mob halfway to the lava pool. His sword slashed back and forth, and the spider hissed and spit, trying to bite him. It was fast - it dodged his swings almost as quick as he made them.


    But then it jumped, high up into the air, straight for Grem''s head. The Pakmog was fast too though ¨C he knocked it aside, and when it fell to the floor he gave it a huge kick, which sent it flying straight into the pool of lava. The was a flash of flame and a disgusting smell, and the thing was gone.


    Then Grem sat down hard on the rocks and rubbed his shoulder.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°That probably good thing. Grem not so angry now.¡±


    They set out again after Kim spent some time looking at Grem''s arm.


    ¡°It''s not looking too bad,¡± she said.


    ¡°Pakmog tough,¡± Grem said, nodding. ¡°Take more than stupid arrow to really hurt Grem.¡±


    The cave went on and on and on, but didn''t seem to be going much deeper.


    ¡°You not see men with those horse things before?¡± said Grem as they scrambled along in the dark.


    Dav shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of that. It¡¯s not something villagers do. I can¡¯t even imagine how you¡¯d get near them in the first place. But it can¡¯t be players. Can it?¡±


    Grem grunted.


    ¡°Those guys are trouble,¡± he muttered. ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°I see light again!¡± Kim gasped.


    ¡°You bet,¡± said Grem. ¡°Daytime light, we near above.¡±


    ¡°You sound disappointed,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Cave feel more like home,¡± Grem said. ¡°Never have walls around mean never know which way to watch out.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Dav said. ¡°It¡¯s like a villager without a house to stay in at night. You¡¯re always exposed.¡±


    In fact there was a huge opening. As they got near to it, daylight streamed in, and they could see clouds and blue sky.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± said Kim. ¡°No offence Grem, but I need to get out of here.¡±


    But before she started to run he held up his hand.


    ¡°Not go,¡± he said. ¡°First we sneak.¡±


    ¡°Sneak?¡±


    ¡°Grem¡¯s right,¡± Dav said. ¡°Maybe those men, or players, or whoever, know about this opening. Maybe they¡¯re waiting.¡±


    ¡°Dav think same thing Grem think,¡± Grem said. ¡°That first time.¡±


    Dav grinned at him.


    ¡°You want to do the sneaking?¡±


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°Grem extra good sneaker, you see.¡±


    He dropped down to his knees and crawled up the rocks to the surface. He was very slow and careful about it. In fact he was so slow that Arn eventually sat down to wait.


    ¡°He¡¯s taking forever,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°I guess that''s the thing about good sneaking,¡± Arn said. ¡°It has to be really, really sneaky.¡±


    ¡°What do we do if they''re out there waiting for us?¡± Kim said.


    Dav shook his head.


    ¡°I seriously have no idea.¡±


    But once Grem had slowly ¨C very very slowly ¨C poked his head up into the daylight and looked all around, he motioned to them to come up.


    ¡°Look good,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Can''t see men. Can''t smell men trying to hide.¡±


    ¡°So should we go?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Look like Kim decide,¡± Grem said.


    She was already climbing up onto the grass.


    ¡°What is THAT?¡± she said.


    They all scrambled up after her, and found themselves on an open plain of grass, with wild flowers all around them.


    Plus something else. They all stared up in amazement. It was huge. It went up way, way higher than any building they had ever seen. It was a pyramid. Arn had seen pictures in the books. But those were usually made of some kind of stone.


    This one looked like glass and metal. Mostly sparkling blue glass. It was like a huge jewel. He''d never heard of anything like that before. It didn''t look like it belonged there at all. At the very top, the point shone brightly with some kind of light.


    ¡°I guess this is what we saw before,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°What is it?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°That not normal thing?¡± said Grem.


    ¡°Not even close,¡± said Kim. ¡°I think it''s a player building.¡±


    ¡°Lots of player buildings,¡± Arn said, pointing.


    ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± said Kim. ¡°Look at them all.¡±


    They were dotted all across the plain. The blue pyramid was just nearest of them. Arn could see what looked like houses, but bigger and more complicated houses than any village had ever had. They were more like the player house back home, but these ones made it look like a tiny little hut. They were huge, long places with rows of columns that shone in the sunlight, the color of every kind of stone in the world. There were rows of trees and things, and big square and circular lakes in front of them.


    But nearer, just past the pyramid, there were tall, square buildings that stuck up into the clouds. They crowded across the horizon, as far as they could see.


    ¡°I need to go see this,¡± said Dav.


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Dav not know what place is like, probably shouldn''t poke his nose all around. Maybe something bite it.¡±


    But Dav was already heading out towards the pyramid.


    Arn sighed and looked through his robe for something to eat. They were probably going to be there for a while.


    ¡°Dav stop!¡± Grem yelled.


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Dav yelled back. ¡°I think there''s something like a room at the top!¡±


    Grem growled angrily and started running.


    ¡°What''s he...¡± Kim started to say and then gasped.


    Grem caught up with Dav and nearly jumped on top of him. He wrapped both of his arms around the villager and pulled him down to the ground.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Dav yelled.


    Arn wasn''t sure what was going on, so he ran to catch up with them. What was wrong with Grem? It wasn''t like him to suddenly get mad for no reason. He listened to Dav sometimes now, even though he still thought there was something wrong with his head.


    But then he saw it. Dav had been staring up at the glowing lights on top of the pyramid, and hadn''t even noticed that he''d been walking towards a cliff.


    Arn caught up with them just as Dav was dusting his robe off and peering down over the edge.


    ¡°Sorry Grem,¡± he said. ¡°I promise I''ll listen next time.¡±


    Arn looked over the edge too, then instantly stepped back, feeling dizzy. It went a long way down. A long, long way. There was something birdlike flapping through the air down there.


    ¡°Hope so,¡± Grem said. ¡°Like I say, this place looks not safe.¡±


    ¡°It''s a crevasse,¡± Dav said. He was staring into the gap again. ¡°I''ve read about them. They really do go a long way down!¡±


    Kim tiptoed up beside him and leaned out to look down.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she said. ¡°No thanks. Too deep for me.¡±


    ¡°Which way do you think?¡± Dav said to Grem.


    ¡°It maybe stop over there,¡± Grem said, pointing.


    ¡°Great!¡± said Dav. ¡°You lead the way, okay? I promise I''ll listen to you, but I need to go see this!¡±


    ¡°We still sneak, okay? Grem not know if maybe men are looking for us still.¡±


    It was a fair point, Arn realized. This time there might not be a cave just waiting for them to hide in. And those men ¨C whoever they were ¨C would attack Grem if they saw him again. Arn didn''t doubt it for a second.


    ¡°He''s right,¡± Arn said. ¡°We need to keep Grem safe. Even if it means we don''t get to see everything we want to.¡±


    Dav nodded glumly.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said. ¡°I''ll be good.¡±


    But the pyramid was a bit disappointing. They walked all the way along the bottom without finding a single door, or any kind of opening. There was just the smooth metal and glass walls. They couldn''t see anything inside. Dav poked at everything and would have spent the whole day there if they had let him.


    He even got Grem to try hitting the shiny surface with his good arm. It made a deep BONG sound, but other than that, nothing happened at all. Dav probably would have spent the rest of the day walking around it, looking for some kind of clue about how to get in, if they had let him.


    But finally Grem grunted and pointed at the sky.


    ¡°We find place for night soon,¡± he said.


    Kim pulled Dav away from the pyramid, and he came along looking sad.


    ¡°Maybe there''s some place we can stay in those huge buildings,¡± she said.


    ¡°There could be doors. And torches!¡± Arn said.


    It would be amazing to actually spend the night inside again. It had been so many days now. He had never even imagined spending so many nights outside, unprotected.


    ¡°Plus there might be other things,¡± Kim said, looking at Dav. ¡°Books. Things players made.¡±


    He grinned at her.


    ¡°I know, I know. That place just seemed special. It doesn''t feel like it fits here, if you know what I mean.¡±


    Arn wasn''t sure that he did, but he was still imagining finding a nice safe room with a strong door. Suddenly that was the only thing he cared about.


    It wasn''t a long walk to the first of the tall, square buildings. They got there before the sun had gone down much farther in the sky. But just like the pyramid, there were no obvious doors anywhere, only the tall, blank walls looming over them. They wandered down the brick paths between them, looking for anything they could recognize. It was all so strange that even Dav wasn''t sure what anything meant.


    ¡°They have to be houses, or buildings anyway,¡± he said. ¡°And that means there''s a way in.¡±


    ¡°You see way, you say so,¡± Grem said. ¡°But this another place where something bite Dav''s nose if he not careful.¡±


    Kim pointed down the path towards the far distance.


    ¡°I see trees,¡± she said. ¡°That''s the way out. Maybe.¡±


    Grem looked like he approved of that, at least.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Place give Grem the creeps.¡±


    Arn''s vision of a nice safe room to spend the night in was fading fast.


    ¡°I just wish...¡± he said.


    Suddenly an arrow thumped into the ground in front of them. Grem whipped out his sword and shouted for them all to come to him. Nobody hesitated. They stood around Grem, looking in every direction at once. They waited for the men on horseback to come charging around a corner at them.


    But nothing moved.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Dav shouted. ¡°Don''t attack us! We''re not dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Dav speak for himself,¡± Grem muttered, still looking all over.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± a voice yelled back. It sounded like a villager. It might have been a woman.


    They looked at each other, and Arn shrugged.


    ¡°I''m Arn, this is Dav, and Kim, and Grem.¡±


    There was silence.


    Kim spoke up.


    ¡°Don''t worry about Grem, he''s friendly.¡±


    Grem frowned.


    ¡°Depends,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not sure who talking.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± yelled the voice.


    Then another voice spoke up. This one was definitely a girl.


    ¡°Are you from the Iron City?¡± she said.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± said Dav. ¡°I''ve never heard of it. Where is it? What''s it like?¡±


    The voices were quiet again. Arn got the impression that this wasn''t the kind of answer they were expecting.


    ¡°Are you going to the Village of Peace to see the Brother?¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± said Arn. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    There was no answer, but he thought he could hear the two of them arguing in low voices from somewhere nearby. The echoes made it hard to figure out where the sounds were coming from.


    ¡°Try anything funny and you''ll regret it,¡± said a voice behind them.

 Chapter 19 - Tall Buildings

    Grem and the others whipped around to look.


    A villager wearing what could only be iron armor had stepped out from around a corner, and she held a bow pointed at them. Her armor was very strange, but also very pretty. It shimmered with colors.


    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± said Dav. ¡°Is that enchanted?¡±


    He instantly started walking towards her for a closer look.


    She pulled back the arrow she had ready.


    ¡°Stop!¡± she said loudly.


    Dav stopped, looking puzzled.


    ¡°What?¡± he said. ¡°I''ve never seen it for real before. Can I have a look?¡±


    The girl frowned. Dav''s instant assumption that everyone was a friend was having the usual effect. She looked at Arn like she expected an explanation from him.


    ¡°That''s Dav,¡± he said. ¡°He''s harmless, honestly.¡±


    The girl did a double-take when she finally got a good look at Grem.


    ¡°What is that?¡± she said. ¡°Why is there a mob with you?¡±


    ¡°Pakmog,¡± said Grem.


    ¡°This is Grem,¡± said Kim. She went over to stand beside him. ¡°He''s not dangerous either.¡±


    ¡°Actually he''s the opposite,¡± Dav said. ¡°We''d probably have been killed a dozen times by now if it wasn''t for Grem.¡±


    ¡°It looks like a monster,¡± the girl said.


    ¡°Pakmog,¡± Grem said again. ¡°You see me yell and hit things? How good do mobs talk?¡±


    The girl shook her head.


    ¡°Just stay there, okay?¡±


    ¡°We''re trying to find some people,¡± Arn said. He felt like he had to do something to try to cut the tension. ¡°Friends. Our village.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± said the girl. She didn''t seem surprised or impressed.


    ¡°And you are?¡± said Kim.


    ¡°She''s Umi,¡± said the other voice.


    The other villager walked out from behind the corner of the building. She was older, and had a serious face, but at least she wasn''t pointing anything at them. She was wearing enchanted armor too.


    ¡°And I don''t trust anyone wandering around with some Underworld mob,¡± she said.


    ¡°It''s from the Underworld?¡± the first girl said. She stared at Grem with disgust.


    ¡°It''s a Pakmog, just like it said,¡± the woman said. ¡°I''ve never seen one before, but there are drawings.¡±


    Dav sighed.


    ¡°Grem''s fine, really. He''s friendly. Well, mainly. Once you get to know him.¡±


    ¡°I''m Ala,¡± the older villager said. ¡°Even if that''s true you''re not going to find a whole lot of people who will be happy to see it.¡±


    ¡°Grem not an it,¡± Grem said.


    It was the first time Arn had ever seen Grem look offended at something.


    Ala shrugged.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± she said.


    ¡°Our whole village,¡± Kim said. ¡°We were stuck in the Underworld, and Grem helped us get away. But when we got back, everyone else was gone. The village was empty.¡±


    ¡°There''s a lot of that going around,¡± Umi said.


    ¡°Plus another villager,¡± Arn said. ¡°Her name is Ama. She might be with another Pakmog. He helped us too.¡±


    ¡°A lot of villages have been destroyed by things from the Underworld,¡± Ala said. ¡°A lot of people are looking for new places to live.¡±


    She frowned at Grem again.


    ¡°Grem not burn anything,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Is your village near here?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Umi said. ¡°But we''re not bringing... him there.¡±


    ¡°Our village wasn''t burned or anything,¡± Dav said. ¡°It was just empty.¡±


    ¡°All we want is to find everyone,¡± Kim said. ¡°That''s the only thing we care about. Plus Grem wants to go back to the Underworld once we do, right?¡±


    Grem nodded. He was still watching Umi and her weapon.


    She slowly lowered it and looked at Ala.


    Ala nodded.


    ¡°We did see something a few days ago,¡± Umi said. ¡°It was a big group. Off in the distance. They were all heading that way.¡±


    She pointed.


    ¡°Do you think it could have been our people?¡± Kim said.


    Ala shrugged.


    ¡°Sure, it''s possible. But there are a lot of villagers on the move, so maybe not.¡±


    ¡°Why would they have left?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± said Ala. ¡°If they weren''t attacked by the Underworld then really there''s only the Iron City or the Village of Peace. The Iron City is big on making plans and telling people where to go. Who knows? Maybe they thought they were in danger.¡±


    ¡°Someone made them leave?¡± said Mat.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Ala said. ¡°The Iron City might have wanted them. Or wanted them to live somewhere else. The Brother, on the other hand... the Village of Peace takes in villagers too. They tried to get us to join them once.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you don''t trust them,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°We don''t have anything to do with any of them,¡± Ala said. ¡°We take care of ourselves.¡±


    Arn looked at her glowing armor again. She looked like she could, that was for sure.


    ¡°How did you get all that?¡± he said. ¡°How did you learn to use it?¡±


    Ala sighed.


    ¡°You must be from way out in the woods,¡± she said. ¡°You''re in the old Player lands. You can find things like this. We have enough so that nobody is going to tell us what to do. And they''re going to be unhappy if they try to attack us.¡±


    But Dav was staring at her like she had told him something amazing.


    ¡°What other things can you find? How do you find them? Are they in all these buildings?¡±


    Kim smirked.


    ¡°You''ve done it now,¡± she said. ¡°That''s all he''s going to be thinking about.¡±


    Umi shook her head, but she didn''t look annoyed. She walked over to Dav.


    ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°Have a look if you want. But don''t go poking around in old Player buildings without someone who knows what they''re doing. There are a lot of traps and other things.¡±


    Dav nodded but Arn didn''t think he was listening at all. He was already crouched down beside Umi, running his fingers over the armor plate and staring at the shiny reflections that twirled around on it in response.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± he said.


    ¡°Your friend here would probably fit right in with the Iron City scholars,¡± Ala said. ¡°They spend all their time trying to understand Player creations.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± said Dav.


    Now he was staring at her like a starving man staring at sudden food.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°I don''t know. Never been. But that''s what I''ve heard.¡±


    Grem looked suspicious.


    ¡°Village of Dav''s? That very weird village.¡±


    But Dav stood up and he had a new look on his face. One Arn had never seen before.


    ¡°I think I need to meet them,¡± he said. ¡°I really do.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like the Iron City is where we should look,¡± said Kim.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± said Ala. ¡°But your friend here -¡± she nodded at Grem - ¡°might be a problem.¡±


    ¡°A lot of people have gone to the Village of Peace too,¡± said Umi.


    ¡°What is that, exactly?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°Another village,¡± Umi said. ¡°It''s where the Brother lives. He takes in wandering villagers.¡±


    Ala pointed.


    ¡°Up that way, two or three days walk.¡±


    ¡°Do they study the player creations too?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Not from what I''ve heard. But I haven''t heard much,¡± Ala said. ¡°Nobody ever comes back from there. It''s pretty big now, they say.¡±


    ¡°Village of Peace?¡± Grem muttered. ¡°Weird name. Not sound like something Villagers say.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of weird things going on,¡± Umi said, giving Grem a significant look.


    ¡°Do you have enough food?¡± Ala said. ¡°Whichever way you go, its a few days walk.¡±


    Arn got the feeling that the conversation was ending. Ala and Umi obviously weren''t going to be inviting them to spend the night inside. Not when Grem was with them.


    Kim looked around at the others.


    ¡°I think we''re okay,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for your help.¡±


    ¡°How do we find the Iron City?¡± Dav said. ¡°What do we look for?¡±


    Ala half-smiled.


    ¡°Just go through the desert,¡± she said. Follow the sky cart tracks, then past the glass tower.¡±


    ¡°Sky cart?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°You''ll know when you see it,¡± Umi said.


    ¡°Listen!¡± Grem said suddenly.


    They all looked around ¨C even Ala and Umi.


    ¡°What?¡± said Umi.


    ¡°Horses,¡± said Arn. He could hear the rumbling of hooves. They were getting louder.


    Kim moved in next to the Pakmog and put her arm around his. She looked at Ala.


    ¡°We need to hide Grem. Please. Those men are trying to kill him.¡±


    Ala and Umi looked at each other.


    ¡°Sounds like scouts from the Iron City,¡± Ala said. ¡°They will attack anything from the Underworld.¡±


    ¡°Sound like big jerks,¡± Grem muttered.


    ¡°Please,¡± said Arn. ¡°If you won''t help, then tell us now so we can run!¡±


    It sounded like the riders were nearly on top of them. He expected to see them coming around a corner of one of the buildings any second.


    The two villagers turned away and spent a few moments whispering fiercely to each other. Then Ala turned around to face them.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°It''s my call. This way.¡±


    She went up to the nearest tall and shiny building and did something complicated with her hands ¨C they moved back and forth, like they were pushing buttons, but there was nothing there. Then without a sound a door opened up.


    ¡°Inside!¡± she said. ¡°Hurry!¡±


    They ran in without another word ¨C Kim pushing Grem ahead of her.


    ¡°I go! I go!¡± he grumbled.


    Ala slammed the door shut again.


    They were in a room. It was a very weird room. There were glowing blocks in the ceiling, and the walls seemed to be made of metal, but it wasn¡¯t iron.


    ¡°This is totally a player building, isn''t it?¡± Dav said, staring around with wonder.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± said Ala. Now that they were inside she seemed to be watching them, interested in their reactions to everything.


    ¡°What''s this?¡± Dav said. He pointed at one wall. It was covered with strange blocks ¨C they were moving, with bits clicking in and out again every now and then.


    ¡°That''s... well it''s a secret. But it lets us talk to people.¡±


    ¡°Talk with clicky blocks?¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Like I said, it''s a secret. I''m going to get in trouble for telling you that much.¡±


    But Dav was already wandering across the room. He found a pile of maps on a table and started flipping through them.


    ¡°Incredible!¡± he said. ¡°This is the whole area around here? We had one map in the village, but you''ve got dozens!¡±


    Kim looked over his shoulder.


    ¡°There,¡± she said, pointing. ¡°Put that one at the top.¡±


    ¡°Two maps!¡± Dav cried. ¡°They connect! You can see where everything is! Do these all connect? You could see the whole world!¡±


    ¡°Well, not that much,¡± said Ala, who was watching him warily. ¡°But it''s very useful.¡±


    Umi had disappeared through another door when they came in, but now she came back into the room again.


    ¡°They rode past,¡± she said. ¡°They''ve headed off towards the desert.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Ala said. ¡°We can wait here a little longer, and then you can go outside safely again.¡±


    ¡°They won''t come back?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°Probably not. They¡¯re likely heading for the Iron City.¡±


    ¡°What else is there in here?¡± Dav said. He was barely even listening to anyone.


    ¡°Food!¡± said Ala. ¡°Feel free, in that chest over there.¡±


    Arn was pretty sure they were trying to distract them from asking any more questions about this place, but he and Grem didn''t need to be told twice ¨C they headed straight over and started digging through the chest. It was stuffed with bread and cake and meat. It was more food than they''d all seen in one spot for a long, long time.


    Dav didn''t move though.


    ¡°I mean, can I look at some other things? The player things?¡±


    Ala shook her head.


    ¡°Sorry. Really. I''m not kidding. I sort of wish I could, but I''m going to get in trouble for bringing you in this far. Especially with him here.¡±


    She nodded at Grem.


    Dav''s face fell.


    ¡°There''s just so much, I can hardly believe it. I need to see more.¡±


    She sighed.


    ¡°You should go to the Iron City. You sound like the kind of villagers they''re looking for. But I''m sorry, no. We stay safe by making sure nobody knows what we have and what we can do.¡±


    Dav kept trying to convince her anyway, but she wouldn''t budge.


    In the end he took a chicken leg from Kim and sat in the corner, staring at the clicking wall blocks and looking lost in thought.


    ¡°It almost night,¡± Grem said. ¡°Good idea if we sleep here.¡±


    Ala looked like she was going to argue with the Pakmog, but when she opened the door outside, it was true. The day was almost gone, and it was getting dark.


    Apparently villagers were still villagers at least. You didn''t just leave someone outside at night.


    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± she said and pointed at the floor. ¡°You sleep right here, okay? If anyone tries to go any farther then there will be trouble. We can call for more people if we need them.¡±


    ¡°Okay by me,¡± Grem muttered. He flopped down on the ground, rubbing his arm, and fell asleep nearly right away.


    So in the end, they all spent the night in the strange player building.


    Umi and Ala slept by the door that went further in. They weren''t going to let anybody take one more step into the building.


    ¡°We can''t thank you enough!¡± Kim said to them.


    Once morning had come, the two women had loaded them all down with enough food to keep them going for days. Arn felt like they were sort of apologizing for not letting Dav see anything else.


    Dav still looked like he wanted to just run straight into the building past the two of them.


    But they were probably happy to see them go. Arn thought Grem''s snoring had kept Ala and Umi up most of the night as well.


    ¡°You''ve seen what happens when you have Grem with you,¡± Ala said once they were outside again. ¡°I don''t think it would be smart for you to head to the Iron City. Not all of you anyway.¡±


    She pulled out a map.


    ¡°We''re here. The Village of Peace is north, up this way. Past the swamp and the jungle.¡±


    ¡°They won''t attack Grem?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Honestly I have no idea,¡± Ala said. ¡°But I doubt it. They don''t have fighters, as far as I know. Your people could be there. Maybe.¡±


    ¡°And if not, then we know where to look,¡± Arn said.


    But they obviously couldn''t go to the Iron City with Grem. Arn wished he had some idea what to do about that, but at least they could avoid worrying about it for a while.


    Dav pointed south, back where they had come from.


    ¡°There''s a whole bunch of big player houses down that way,¡± he said. ¡°Would anyone be mad if we looked in them?¡±


    ¡°Wrong way,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°I know, I know. I''m just asking.¡±


    Umi shook her head.


    ¡°No, but you''d need to be really careful. Watch out for trigger plates on the floor, tripwires, things like that. Don''t push any buttons. You never know what might happen in those places. They''re not safe.¡±


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°Weird places, like Grem think. We stay away.¡±


    Dav looked like he wanted to do nothing more in the world than head straight down south and start exploring.


    But instead he sighed and said a polite thank you to Ala and Umi.


    ¡°We would have been caught if it weren''t for you,¡± he said. ¡°Or worse. I really appreciate your helping us.¡±


    Ala nodded.


    ¡°You''ve seen some of our secrets. You can thank us by not telling anyone.¡±


    Kim looked serious.


    ¡°Not a word. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Grem promise too. We Pakmog not big jerks.¡±


    He gave the two of them a significant look.


    Ala smiled a little bit.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± she said. ¡°We will keep that in mind.¡±


    They left the tall buildings behind them, moving carefully and keeping an eye out on the horizon for any sign of horsemen.


    ¡°Villagers riding horses,¡± Dav said. ¡°Whoever they are, they are doing things nobody has ever done before.¡±


    There was a real sound of admiration in his voice.


    ¡°They tried to kill Grem,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°I know, I know. But I''m sure I could explain to them that he''s friendly. Make them understand.¡±


    ¡°They didn''t seem like they wanted to talk,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Grem not going to that place,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Kim said. ¡°We''re not going to abandon you.¡±


    But they all knew that if their people weren''t at the Village, then the Iron City was the only thing left. Arn thought about that as they started walking into the swamp.


    We can''t just say ¡°okay thanks bye¡± to Grem. But what are we supposed to do?


    He really hoped they didn''t have to make that choice.


    The swamp went on all morning, but just past noon they came up against a wall of green.


    ¡°Those things trees?¡± Grem said.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Arn.


    ¡°They''re huge,¡± said Kim.


    ¡°It''s a jungle,¡± Dav said. ¡°I''ve read about them.¡±


    ¡°Is there even a way through?¡± said Kim. ¡°I can''t see anything in there.¡±


    The trees were huge and wide, and covered with vines. But worse, the ground was covered with dense plants ¨C vines, bushes, smaller trees, just an absolute mess of leaves and branches.


    ¡°I don''t see that there''s any choice,¡± said Dav. ¡°It''s fascinating. Sometimes there are old temples in the jungle, the books say.¡±


    ¡°What in those?¡± said Grem.


    ¡°Treasure. Or that''s what I read, anyway.¡±


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Nobody leave treasure lying around. They make sure anybody try to take it, they have big problem.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°If Grem have treasure, that what he do.¡±


    ¡°The books do mention traps,¡± Dav said.


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°We stay away from those things,¡± he said.


    The jungle slowed them down. They spent most of the afternoon pushing their way through the bushes and climbing up and down vines when they ran into cliffs. Grem went at the front, his muscles clearing the way as much as he could, but there was no way to do it fast. Now and then they saw speedy little animals running away from them, but they were so fast that it was hard to get a good look.


    Arn thought they might have to spend the night there.


    But all this stuff will probably slow the mobs down too, at least, he thought.


    So there were probably worse places to be.


    Grem held up his hand.


    ¡°Man watching us,¡± Grem said. ¡°Following us.¡±


    They looked all around. The jungle was so thick that they couldn''t see more than a few blocks in any direction.


    ¡°Where?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°I can''t see anything,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°Smell man,¡± Grem said. ¡°Hear man sometimes. He over that way.¡±


    Of course, Grem used the word ¡°man¡± to mean just about anyone from the Overworld who wasn''t a Pakmog. So there was really no way to know what was actually following them. Only that it was somebody.


    Grem pointed to his right.


    ¡°How close?¡± Kim said.


    Grem shrugged.


    ¡°Not too far,¡± Grem said. ¡°But he stay away on purpose. Just watching.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± said Dav.


    ¡°Dav have fancy brain, he tell Grem.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know. I guess we just keep going. You tell us if he gets any closer, okay?¡±


    Grem nodded.


    ¡°He sneaky, but not too sneaky for Grem. I tell you.¡±


    Arn didn''t think he''d be able to sleep knowing that whoever-it-was was out there in the woods, being sneaky.


    They set out their torches when the sky grew dark, but they didn''t see or hear a single mob all night long.


    But just like he thought, Arn didn''t sleep a wink. He kept looking up, expecting to see a face staring in at him from the leaves.


    He didn''t think Grem was sleeping either. The Pakmog didn''t say anything, but Arn glanced over at him a few times, and his eyes were never shut. He was just watching the woods.

 Chapter 20 - The Brother

    In the morning they ate a quick breakfast and starting pushing on through the trees and vines again. They didn''t talk much that day ¨C it seemed like getting out of the jungle was the only thing on anyone''s mind.


    The going was just as slow as the last day, and by the time the sun was going down they were all sore from climbing up and down again and again, and pushing branches and leaves out of their way the whole time.


    ¡°Is the man still there?¡± Arn finally said to Grem.


    Grem grunted.


    ¡°He there. Farther away maybe. Grem think he know we know.¡±


    Arn really wasn''t looking forward to another sleepless night staring out into the dark forest.


    So he was relieved when Kim pointed and said, ¡°Look! I think there''s a gap ahead. We''re nearly through.¡±


    When they finally walked out of the trees at last, the sun was almost down and the sky was going orange.


    ¡°Oh!¡± said Dav. ¡°I think we might be in luck. Look at that!¡±


    There were houses. Real, proper village houses. And paths, and torches, and gardens.


    ¡°It''s a village!¡± Kim said. ¡°A real one!¡±


    There were villagers too. It was obvious that they were heading inside for the night, but some had stopped to stare at the strangers who had just stumbled out of the jungle.


    ¡°That big village,¡± Grem said.


    It was true.


    ¡°The houses,¡± Dav said. ¡°I''ve never seen so many.¡±


    Arn finally realized what he was seeing. There were rows of houses. Dozens of them. He could see a blacksmith''s shop in there as well, and there was the tall spire of a church a little farther down. But mostly it was all houses and gardens.


    ¡°How many people live here?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°More than one hundred, just now!¡± said a friendly voice.


    There was a villager walking towards them. He had heard them talking. When the other villagers saw him, they went back to their evening business.


    ¡°Welcome to the Village of Peace!¡± the man said. ¡°I''m Zem, Council Head.¡±


    ¡°One hundred?¡± Arn said. ¡°That''s nuts.¡±


    Zem laughed.


    ¡°That''s a justifiable opinion,¡± he said. ¡°Sometimes I feel the same way, but we do our best.¡±


    He stopped when he finally got a good look at Grem.


    ¡°Well well,¡± he said. ¡°Look who you have with you!¡±


    ¡°This is Grem,¡± Kim said, and went to stand beside him.


    Arn nodded.


    ¡°Grem isn''t a dangerous mob,¡± he said. ¡°He''s helped us. Saved us.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn''t have made it here without him,¡± Dav said. ¡°He''s...¡±


    Zem held up his hand.


    ¡°If you can vouch for him, and if he agrees to be peaceful, then he''s welcome here,¡± he said.


    He looked at Grem.


    ¡°What?¡± Grem said. ¡°You want Grem say he not attack anybody? Sure, nobody attack Grem, he do same.¡±


    Zem nodded and smiled.


    ¡°Good enough,¡± he said. ¡°I''m going to be very interested to hear your story.¡±


    ¡°I''m Dav,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Welcome Dav,¡± said Zem. ¡°But it''s getting dark. Maybe we should go inside? I''m guessing you''ve been outside for far too many nights.¡±


    ¡°That would be amazing,¡± said Kim. ¡°Oh, also I''m Kim.¡±


    ¡°This way then, this way,¡± said Zem.


    Arn introduced himself as they walked to the nearest house. It was empty, but Zem came in with them. When he shut the door Kim flopped down on the floor and sighed.


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± she said, ¡°No idea at all, how good it is to hear a door slamming shut.¡±


    Zem looked around at them all.


    ¡°You know what?¡± he said. ¡°I was going to start asking you all sorts of questions, but I can see you are exhausted. All of you. How about I leave you alone and come back in the morning when you''re all rested?¡±


    Arn and Dav looked at each other.


    ¡°We really can''t thank you enough,¡± Dav said. ¡°But we''re looking for the people from our village. They all went missing.¡±


    ¡°We''re looking for a blackmith name Cab, and a librarian named Lyn,¡± Kim said, ¡°And...¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Zem said, laughing. ¡°We have quite a few new arrivals. You can look for yourself in the morning! If they''re here, they''re not going anywhere tonight!¡±


    Grem frowned.


    ¡°That it? Welcome, here a house, go to sleep?¡±


    Zem shrugged.


    ¡°These are tough times for villagers everywhere. For everyone, I''m guessing. Here at the Village of Peace we''re putting things back together again. We are making things the way they are supposed to be. So yes, it''s nighttime, and you''re tired. Feel free to go to sleep.¡±


    Dav looked at Grem.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Seems weird, but villagers not like Pakmog. If Dav think okay for sure, then Grem okay.¡±


    Dav nodded.


    ¡°I think it''s probably okay,¡± he said.


    Zem smiled again.


    ¡°Great,¡± he said. ¡°But I''ll go now while it''s still safe. We can talk in the morning!¡±


    He left them alone.


    ¡°Dav really think okay?¡± Grem said when Zem was gone.


    ¡°I don''t know. But if they were going to stab us all, they could have done it already,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Too right,¡± Kim said, yawning. ¡°Personally I''m done being scared. I''m going to sleep for once.¡±


    Arn was so tired that he fell asleep to the sound of Grem''s snoring.


    A roof, Arn thought, staring up. I''m finally inside again.


    He realized that he must have slept through the whole night without waking up even once. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. He looked over at Dav and Grem, and their eyes were still closed. Grem''s snores had dropped down to a dull rumble.


    Where''s Kim?


    He couldn''t see her anywhere. He sat up. She was definitely not there.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± he said. ¡°Wake up! Kim''s gone!¡±


    Dav sat up, rubbing his eyes.


    ¡°Maybe she went outside,¡± he said. ¡°She always was a morning person.¡±


    Before Grem could say anything, the door flew open and Kim ran inside with a strange expression on her face. She slammed the door shut again and stared at the three of them.


    ¡°Out for a walk?¡± Dav said.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Most of the village is here,¡± she said. ¡°I found Oto, and Cab, and Erg, and some of the others.¡±


    ¡°That''s great!¡± Arn said. ¡°We should find Lyn and apologize. We kind of lied to her the night we left to look for you.¡±


    Dav nodded, but Grem stood up.


    ¡°What wrong?¡± he said.


    Kim stared at them for a moment, as if she didn''t know what to say.


    ¡°They''re not the same,¡± she said. ¡°You''ll have to come and see.¡±


    She looked like she was about to burst into tears.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dav said. ¡°What does...¡±


    ¡°Just come with me,¡± Kim said. ¡°I want you to see.¡±


    Dav and Arn looked at each other.


    The Pakmog growled.


    ¡°Grem right. Feel like something weird here,¡± Grem said. ¡°Doesn''t feel like villager place.¡±


    Arn pointed out the window.


    ¡°It couldn''t be more villager. Look!¡±


    A farmer was tending to his garden across the way. He was bent over, working on rows of wheat.


    ¡°Just come with me,¡± Kim said.


    She led them down the path, towards the center of the village. There was a flat plaza lined with polished white stone, and a well in the middle. Villagers stood in little clumps, talking quietly with each other.


    ¡°There''s Cab!¡± Arn said. They had all known the Blacksmith since they were little. He knew an amazing number of stories that he used to tell all the children inside at night.


    ¡°Cab, we''re so happy to see you,¡± Dav said. ¡°When we got back to the village, everyone had disappeared!¡±


    The Blacksmith turned to them and looked confused.


    ¡°Dav? Arn? Good to see you,¡± he said. ¡°Do you need to trade anything? I have blocks of iron to trade for coal, and also some torches.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Arn said. ¡°No, no, we don''t need to trade. We''re looking for everyone else from the village.¡±


    Cab looked around.


    ¡°Everyone is here. Where else would they be?¡±


    Dav frowned and glanced at Kim.


    ¡°Cab,¡± he said. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you remember coming to this village? Do you remember our old village?¡±


    The Blacksmith shook his head.


    ¡°This is the village. Before...¡±


    His face went blank, like he was searching for something that was on the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°Things were complicated before. It was like a bad dream,¡± he said. ¡°But that doesn''t matter, now does it?¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°If you know anyone who needs to trade, just send them my way! See you later!¡±


    He waved and started walking off towards the workshop.


    Dav and Arn and Kim all looked at one another.


    ¡°Grem guess he not like that before,¡± the Pakmog said.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°They''re all like that,¡± said Kim. ¡°I don''t know what''s going on! Is it magic? Are they under a spell?¡±


    Grem sniffed the air suspiciously, then turned in a circle, sniffing carefully all the way around.


    ¡°Smell some magic, for sure,¡± he said. ¡°But not really strong.¡±


    ¡°There''s something very strange happening here,¡± Dav said. ¡°This doesn''t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Ala and Umi said nobody ever comes back from the village,¡± Kim whispered. She looked terrified.


    ¡°I think we should leave,¡± Arn said. ¡°I think we should get out of here right away.¡±


    ¡°Arn think of good plan,¡± Grem muttered. ¡°Grem agree with it.¡±


    But then a voice called out to them from across the square.


    ¡°There you are! I wondered where you had all wandered off to!¡±


    It was Zem. The Council head was grinning as he walked over to them.


    ¡°Maybe we run,¡± Grem said in as near to a whisper as a Pakmog could manage.


    But now Kim looked angry.


    ¡°What have you done to everyone?¡± she said loudly, stalking towards him.


    ¡°Done?¡± said Zem. ¡°We haven''t done anything to them! They''re villagers living in a village. Just the way they are supposed to be!¡±


    He waved his arm at the other villagers. None of them even looked over at him.


    ¡°Everybody is safe,¡± he said. ¡°Everybody is doing their job. That''s what I said last night!¡±


    ¡°Have they forgotten everything that happened?¡± Dav said.


    Zem shrugged.


    ¡°Maybe they wanted to forget. A lot of bad things have happened.¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t like that!¡± Arn said. ¡°We talked to Cab, he¡¯s from our village. He''s different. He doesn''t even sound like his old self.¡±


    ¡°His mind was different,¡± Dav said suddenly. He was frowning.


    Zem sighed.


    ¡°Look, I realize that some of this seems strange, but I hope you''ll look at the big picture here. Do you see a terrible place full of trapped villagers who want to leave?¡±


    The sun was shining down, and the villagers were all going about their day without even looking like they noticed anything strange happening near them.


    ¡°It looks nice,¡± Dav said. ¡°But what happened to their minds?¡±


    ¡°I understand what you''re saying, but we value peace and quiet here,¡± Zem said. ¡°Everyone has been terrified, lost out in the world. We''re making a safe new place. Can we talk inside at least? I''d rather not get people upset.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Great, this way.¡±


    He led them down a path away from the center of the village.


    ¡°Who''s we?¡± Dav said. ¡°You keep saying we.¡±


    ¡°The rest of the council. And the Brother.¡±


    ¡°And who''s the Brother? We keep hearing about him.¡±


    Zem pointed to another building. It looked like a house, but didn''t have a single window. Arn had never seen a village house without windows before.


    ¡°He lives in there.¡±


    Zem smiled a little.


    ¡°Honestly, he''s a bit of an oddball. Not much for socializing. But he''s the one who started all of this.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Just another villager, but I guess he''s a pretty unusual one. He can make things.¡±


    Dav stopped walking.


    ¡°What? How? How can he do that?¡±


    Zem shrugged.


    ¡°It''s his talent, I guess. He built most of the houses himself. Like I said he''s a strange fellow, but none of this would be here without him.¡±


    ¡°But you''re the council head?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°The Brother isn''t big on council work,¡± Zem said. ¡°He spends his time worrying about how to fix the world.¡±


    ¡°Fix the world?¡± Dav said. ¡°How does he plan to do that?¡±


    Grem snorted.


    ¡°One villager going to fix world?¡±


    Zem stopped in front of a square house and opened the door.


    ¡°I know how it sounds, but look around you. I think what he''s done so far speaks for itself.¡±


    Dav shook his head.


    ¡°I want to meet The Brother,¡± he said. ¡°I need to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Zem said. ¡°That''s where I''m taking you! You can judge for yourself once you meet him.¡±


    Grem growled.


    ¡°This all really weird,¡± he said.


    Zem nodded.


    ¡°I understand that, honestly. But at least give The Brother a chance to explain,¡± he said.


    He pointed into the house, and they walked in.


    The door slammed shut behind them.


    Grem whirled around and tried to open the door. It wouldn''t budge.


    ¡°We''re locked in!¡± Kim said.


    The house was totally empty. It was just a square room with two little windows, not even big enough for anyone to climb out of.


    ¡°Grem tell you! This place feel wrong! Should have run!¡±


    Dav was already looking out one of the windows.


    ¡°You''re right, Grem. We did it again. I did. We should be listening to you about things that are dangerous.¡±


    ¡°What are they doing out there?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Zem walked over to the Brother''s house. Maybe he''s going to talk to us after all.¡±


    ¡°Through the window?¡± Arn said. ¡°I don''t think that''s a good start to the conversation.¡±


    Grem started throwing himself against the door to see if he could smash through it. The whole house shook every time he slammed against it, but the door didn''t move at all. He pulled out his sword and slashed at the door, which didn¡¯t appear to do much either.


    ¡°No good,¡± he muttered. ¡°Dav and Arn and Kim look around, maybe find tricky way out.¡±


    Nobody argued. They all started searching for secret switches or loose blocks or anything at all.


    There was nothing.


    ¡°What are they going to do to us?¡± said Kim.


    ¡°That''s what I''m worried about,¡± said Arn. He looked at Dav.


    ¡°I know,¡± Dav said. ¡°They''re going to try to make us like the others. Take away our memories, or whatever it is they''re doing.¡±


    Dav lived for his mind. Arn thought that might be the most terrible thing in the world for him.


    ¡°They come now,¡± Grem said, looking out of the window.


    The three villagers looked out the other little window.


    The Brother didn''t seem like anyone special. He was wearing the robes of a Weaver, and he looked no different from anyone else.


    At least until he got up close.


    Zem looked very serious now ¨C a complete change from his friendly smiling manner with them before. He was carrying something blue and shiny.


    But none of them could look away from the Brother.


    His eyes were weird. They had a shiny, reflective glow to them.


    ¡°Is he like Ren was?¡± Arn said. ¡°Is he a Firethrall or something?¡±


    ¡°Ren''s eyes never looked like that,¡± said Kim.


    ¡°He not same as not-men in Nether,¡± Grem said. ¡°They not so easy to fool for Pakmog. This guy different.¡±


    ¡°What is he then?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°I guess we''re going to find out,¡± said Arn.


    ¡°Hello everyone,¡± Zem said. His voice was a bit muffled from outside. ¡°Sorry about this. You''re probably upset. I don''t blame you.¡±


    ¡°The Brother isn''t a villager!¡± Dav shouted through the window. ¡°What is he?¡±


    Zem shook his head.


    ¡°You''re not the first one to say that,¡± he said. ¡°But he''s just a very gifted villager, that''s all.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± yelled Arn. ¡°Look at him! He''s something else!¡±


    Zem held up the shining thing in his hand. It was a blue crystal of some kind. Light streamed out of it.


    ¡°You''re just upset and afraid,¡± he said. ¡°You''ll feel better soon. Nobody is going to be mad about it. Everyone is confused and frightened when they''re out in the world.¡±


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°The Brother gave us this!¡± said Zem. He looked at it proudly. ¡°This is the takes away the fear and the confusion! It brings villagers home again, home to the lives they lost!¡±


    The Brother hadn''t said anything at all. He stared up at them with his strange eyes.


    Grem pointed at him.


    ¡°Grem see you, thing!¡± he yelled. ¡°Pakmog not forget!¡±


    The Brother just smiled, then said something quietly to Zem that they couldn''t hear.


    Zem set the crystal on a short rock pillar that sat in front of the house.


    ¡°Once you''re done we can go to back to the square and you can be with everyone!¡± he said. ¡°You''ll all finally be home, so look forward to it!¡±


    With that he turned around and went to stand with the brother.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± said Arn.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± said Dav. ¡°I don''t know.¡±


    ¡°Shiny rock glowing more,¡± said Grem. He was watching it and growling under his breath.


    Arn felt something happening. His mind was getting slower. It was like he was dropping off to sleep, even though he was wide awake.


    Dav grabbed his head with both hands.


    ¡°My mind!¡± he said. ¡°It''s draining away! I can feel it!¡±


    Kim went up to him and put her arms around him. They all knew it had to be worst for Dav.


    ¡°We''ll still be together,¡± she said. ¡°At least there''s that much.¡±


    ¡°Not feel so different yet,¡± Grem said.


    Arn could feel it getting stronger. The light was shining in both of the windows, but he was having a hard time remembering why he was afraid of it. It was just a bright light. Nothing to worry about.


    But part of him was fighting it too.


    No, I can''t let it take me!


    It was so hard to push back against it. So much easier to just let go.


    Then the light went out, and there was a loud crash from outside.


    Arn''s mind came flooding back again in an instant.


    What was that noise?


    Grem shouted something in the Pakmog language. He sounded excited.


    Arn realized he was sitting on the floor. So were Dav and Kim. But Grem was staring out of the window and yelling at whatever was going on. He didn''t sound angry. He sounded excited.


    There was definitely some kind of shouting and banging out there.


    He struggled up to his feet.


    I need to see what''s going on...


    Then the door flew open with a huge crash.


    A Pakmog stood in the doorway. Another Pakmog. Grem rushed up to him and the two of them started talking ¨C or the Pakmog equivalent, anyway. It sounded like they were arguing, but he had a sense of how they talked now, and they Grem definitely sounded happy.


    ¡°Dav! Arn! Kim!¡± Grem said. ¡°Prag find us!¡±


    Prag?


    The Pakmog with Ama. Arn pushed himself up and moved to the window to look outside.


    The blue crystal sat on the ground, and it was broken. Shattered bits were all around.


    Zem lay on the ground, holding his head and looking like he was in agony.


    Arn couldn''t see the Brother anywhere.


    ¡°Where''s Ama?¡± he said. ¡°Is she safe? Where is she?¡±


    Prag looked over at Dav.


    ¡°Ama safe,¡± he growled. ¡°Prag busy now.¡±


    Arn remembered that some of the other Pakmog could speak to Villagers as well, they just didn''t like to do it.


    I guess he had to start, Arn thought.


    Kim was taking care of Dav. Whatever happened had hit him the hardest. His hands were on his head, and the two of them were talking quietly to each other.


    Then without another word Grem pulled out his sword, and the two Pakmog rushed out the door.


    Arn followed them. He trusted Grem, but seeing two angry Pakmog with swords running down the path of a village was a worrying sight. He wanted to know what was happening.


    They didn''t go far.


    The Brother''s house ¨C the house with no windows ¨C wasn''t far away. The Pakmog started smashing at the door, trying to get in. When it wouldn''t open both of them started slashing it with their swords. It took four or five huge blows each, and then it shattered. They both ran inside.


    Zem was still lying on the ground, groaning.


    There was a crashing noise from inside the Brother''s house.


    Then suddenly Arn''s head was filled with confusion again. This wasn''t like the crystal though ¨C his head was just filled with noise and snow, and he could hardly see. His head was buzzing, and he fell down to his knees and started crawling towards the Brother''s house.


    Zem yelled in pain, but Arn needed to see what was happening in the house. It was all he could do to keep crawling across the path towards it. He could hear Pakmog yells and growls, and a deep booming noise.


    Then a beam of light shot out of the door and set a nearby tree on fire.


    I should probably stay away from that, he thought vaguely. But he kept crawling.


    When he got to the door he crawled inside.


    It was hard to understand what was happening There was smashed glass and water everywhere. Grem was holding onto something huge that was trying to get away from him. Prag was fighting it with his sword. The thing was fighting back. With... long arms. Dozens of long green arms that were slashing back at Prag. There was water and broken glass everywhere.


    Grem bellowed and threw himself on the thing, doing his best to hold it down.

 Chapter 21 - Outfitted

    Grem bellowed and threw himself on the thing, doing his best to hold it down.


    Then another beam of light shot out from the creature and caught Prag on the shoulder. He bellowed with pain and stabbed hard with the sword. The thing made a short, loud shriek and then flashed and disappeared. Instantly, the confusion in Arn''s head disappeared as well.


    Both Pakmog dropped to the floor, breathing heavily.


    Grem looked over at Arn, who was on hands and knees in the doorway.


    ¡°That thing,¡± Grem said. ¡°That thing was Brother for real. Prag kill Villager, did nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Arn said. ¡°What was it?¡±


    Grem shook his head.


    ¡°We tell Dav, maybe he know. Strong thing though.¡±


    Prag nodded.


    Arn pulled himself up off of the floor and held onto the door frame to keep from falling over.


    ¡°Can you tell me where Ama is now?¡± he said to Prag.


    Prag let out barking Pakmog laugh.


    ¡°She have good eyes. Find way to this place like Pakmog. She in trees out there.¡±


    He waved his arm out towards one edge of the village. Arn turned without another word and stumbled down the path towards the trees.


    She came walking out of the woods and raised her arm when she saw him.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she yelled.


    Arn couldn''t stop smiling when he saw her.


    ¡°It''s all good,¡± he said. ¡°Prag and Grem killed the Brother.¡±


    The two of them stood staring at each other for a moment, then then she walked closer, brushing leaves from her robe. She looked stronger than when he''d last seen her - healthier, more confident. The frightened girl from the Underworld was gone.


    "I wouldn''t have got far without Prag," she said, but her eyes never left Arn''s face.


    "I''m glad you were with him," Arn said. He wanted to say more but the words stuck in his throat.


    She nodded and looked down at her feet for a moment. When she looked up again she was smiling too.


    "I... I''m glad you''re okay," she said quietly.


    "Yeah," he said. "You too."


    They stood awkwardly for another moment before heading back to the others together.


    When they got back to the Brother''s house, Dav and Kim were there. Dav still looked woozy, but he was talking, which was a good sign as far as Arn was concerned. Quiet Dav was the thing you needed to worry about.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± he was saying. ¡°I''ve read about things that live in the ocean, I can''t recall what they were called now...¡±


    He shook his head and looked frustrated.


    ¡°I hope this wears off!¡± he said. ¡°I still feel like my head is full of fuzz!¡±


    Arn felt the same way, and Kim nodded too, so she must have been feeling it.


    ¡°I''m sure it will,¡± Arn said. He hoped it would, anyway.


    ¡°They make villagers stupid,¡± Grem said. ¡°Just like Archon magic do to Pakmog.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Dav said. ¡°I don''t know. It doesn''t seem like quite the same thing. The villagers here are... less, I guess. Like they''ve had something taken away from them.¡±


    ¡°Look who I found,¡± Arn said. He motioned to someone outside.


    Ama walked in, and Kim squealed with delight to see her. Dav looked happy too, and Grem just nodded.


    ¡°You see! Prag good guy, Grem tell you.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t have got far without him,¡± Ama said.


    ¡°She pretty tough,¡± Prag said.


    They could all see that she looked better than she had in the Underworld. She must have been eating regularly.


    ¡°How did you find us here?¡±


    ¡°We talked to a few people,¡± Ama said. ¡°It sounds like everyone goes either here or to that Iron City place.¡±


    ¡°Good place to search, not know which one though,¡± Prag said.


    ¡°Then we met a Witch,¡± Ama said.


    ¡°A Witch?¡± Kim said. She looked horrified.


    ¡°She attack us right away!¡± Prag said, ¡°Say, go back to Underworld you no belong here!¡±


    Ama laughed.


    ¡°Prag jumped on her and held her down. It made her crazy. They really hate the Underworld. But I tried to talk some sense to her. I explained where we had come from, what we had seen, why Prag was there.¡±


    ¡°Ama talk to Witch good enough she listens,¡± Prag said.


    It really seemed like Ama had managed to impress the Pakmog.


    ¡°Well, I don''t know about that. I said something that changed everything. I still don''t really know why.¡±


    ¡°What did you tell her?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°When I told her about them changing villagers, and about how we were looking for more villagers who knew about it, and how you were with another Pakmog, she suddenly stopped struggling.¡±


    ¡°She look like she have big surprise,¡± Prag said.


    ¡°She told us to come here,¡± Ama said. ¡°She pointed the way, and promised not to attack us any more if we let her up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well that''s the thing. She just said, maybe we can use you, girl.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t sound very friendly,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°They''re not,¡± Ama said. She shuddered. ¡°I still don''t like them, but when Prag let her up, she cackled and said, You might be immune to their talents, Underworld thing, you might have a place here for now.¡±


    They picked Zem up from the ground and stood him up again.


    ¡°Why you help water thing?¡± Grem roared into his face. ¡°He hurt your own people!¡±


    Zem shook his head.


    ¡°It''s too late,¡± he said, laughing. ¡°The Iron City will be at peace soon, too. What you did here doesn''t matter at all!¡±


    Dav and Arn stared at each other.


    ¡°The Brother is gone,¡± Dav said. ¡°He can''t use whatever magic that was on the Iron City.¡±


    Zem just kept laughing.


    ¡°Wait and see,¡± he said. ¡°Doesn''t matter now at all. The Brother''s will is done. There will be peace in the villages again!¡±


    Prag growled and said something in Pakmog. Grem shook his head.


    ¡°Prag want do bad things to Zem,¡± Grem said. ¡°Grem think it not help.¡±


    Arn could understand how Prag felt, but he had to agree with Grem.


    ¡°He''s harmless,¡± Dav said. ¡°He can''t do anything.¡±


    ¡°We make sure,¡± Grem said. ¡°We put him in there.¡±


    He pointed to the square house where they had all been trapped while the crystal sucked away their minds.


    The door only opened from the outside. They pushed him in and locked it.


    Zem never stopped giggling to himself.


    ¡°That magic must have done things to his mind as well,¡± Dav said. ¡°Maybe he''ll get better in time.¡±


    Kim and Ama both nodded.


    ¡°He''s just another villager,¡± Ama said. ¡°Whatever did this, it was too strong for him.¡±


    Arn and Dav headed out right away to try to talk to the other villagers again. Everyone was hoping that they might go back to normal.


    But it was no use.


    "Mak!" Dav shouted, running up to the farmer. "It''s us! Dav and Arn!"


    The old man turned to look at them with blank eyes. His face showed no surprise at all.


    "Do you need vegetables?" he said. His voice was flat and emotionless. "I have potatoes, and carrots."


    "Mak, it''s us," Arn said. "Remember what you used to say about Dav? That he''d probably get us all blown up or something?"


    "Blown up?" Mak said. He frowned slightly. "I don''t... I grow things. Would you like to trade?"


    Dav grabbed the farmer''s shoulders.


    "Please, Mak! You have to remember!"


    But there was nothing in the old man''s eyes except confusion. Whatever the Brother had done to his mind was still there, like a wall between him and his memories. He clearly knew who they were, but only part of him was there.


    "It''s good to see you Dav," he said again. "Do you need any vegetables?"


    They tried again with Lyn the Librarian but it was just the same. Worse, if anything since Dav had been much closer to her.


    They trudged back towards the rest of the group, lost in their own thoughts. The others were sitting together on the ground, and just nodded sadly when Dav and Arn shook their heads. Nobody needed to ask for the details.


    ¡°So what are we supposed to do?¡± Arn said.


    ¡°We need to warn the Iron City,¡± Ama said. ¡°We don''t know what they are planning to do.¡±


    ¡°Water thing dead now,¡± Prag said. ¡°Zem crazy. Maybe nothing happen.¡±


    ¡°What if something does?¡± said Dav. ¡°We can''t let that happen to anyone else!¡±


    ¡°We should go there. Tell them what happened,¡± Ama said. ¡°They should at least know they''re in danger.¡±


    ¡°They see Pakmog, they attack. For sure,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°For sure?¡± Prag said.


    ¡°Just like the witch,¡± Kim said. ¡°They have a real issue with the Underworld.¡±


    ¡°Umi and Ana said things from the Underworld were burning villages,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Prag not burn anything.¡±


    ¡°That''s the problem,¡± said Arn. ¡°They don''t listen. They started shooting the second they saw Grem.¡±


    ¡°We''ll have to go alone,¡± Dav said. ¡°Without Grem or Prag.¡±


    ¡°Brave plan,¡± Grem said. ¡°But Dav and Arn not last one night alone. Take two nights to get there. That big problem.¡±


    Dav covered his eyes with one hand, looking like he was searching for any kind of solution. But he never had a chance to speak. Grem jumped up and whirled around, sniffing.


    "Man coming from trees," he said. "Now we see who he is."


    Something was definitely moving in the forest as the edge of the village. They could see black clothes and hear it muttering as it pushed its way through the foliage.


    What finally emerged was a Witch.


    Arn looked at Ama, who shook her head.


    "I don''t know that one," she said. "But let me try to talk to her."


    With that she walked forward and held up one hand in greeting.


    "Hello," she said. "We were told to come here by another Witch. It looks like the Pakmog managed to destroy the thing that was running this place."


    The Witch just stared at them all one by one. She looked disgusted when she saw Grem and Prag.


    ¡°Feh,¡± she muttered. ¡°Things we have to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± said Arn.


    She stared at him with icy cold eyes.


    ¡°I want those things gone,¡± she said, pointing to the two Pakmog, ¡°But I''m told I have to abide them for now. So I will tell you what I am charged with and then I will leave!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Grem said. ¡°What she say?¡±


    Dav ignored him and walked toward the Witch.


    ¡°Answer Arn''s question,¡± he said. ¡°What do you want? What is your purpose here?¡±


    The Witch gave him a smile that had no laughter in it.


    ¡°You''re the clever one,¡± she said. ¡°I heard about you. I''ll tell you this much, the Iron City says it is pledged to banish the Underworld. What is happening is an abomination.¡±


    She pointed at the Pakmog again.


    ¡°They do not belong here!¡±


    ¡°So you need to save the Iron City, to banish the Underworld,¡± Dav said.


    The Witch cackled a dry laugh.


    ¡°If only it were that simple. Rotten to the core! They seek a greater power, greater than we have! They seek the Deep Witch and the gift only she can give!¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand what you''re saying to me,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Stupid villagers!¡± the Witch said. ¡°The Underworld owns them all! They dig and burrow for them! For that reason the Nylocs try to stop them!¡±


    ¡°Nylocs!¡± Dav said, and slapped his forehead. ¡°That''s what those things are called! That''s what the Brother was.¡±


    ¡°Can''t let them make the villagers even stupider!¡± the Witch laughed. ¡°Have to stop them, have to stop it all!¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Wait, so can we...¡± Dav started to say.


    ¡°Enough!¡± the Witch yelled. ¡°It pains me to speak to you!¡±


    She pointed at the Brother''s house.


    ¡°In there you will find the maker gift! Look in the chest! Take that power! The Nylocs have a Mindveil Crystal in the Iron City now, a Great one! They study it! Soon it will detonate and that will be the end of all of them.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Just destroy it, boy,¡± the Witch said. ¡°It looks like the one you saw, but larger. You will find explosives in the blacksmith''s shack. Take them. Use them.¡±


    ¡°What about Witch?¡± Grem said. ¡°Easy say, go do thing. Witch should help.¡±


    She snarled at the Pakmog.


    ¡°I won''t justify myself to you! But if I could go then I would. The Underworld powers would know it the moment I set foot there. Can only be stupid Villagers and stupider Pakmog.¡±


    ¡°Really charming, this one,¡± Arn muttered to Kim.


    The Witch glared at him.


    ¡°We will do what we can,¡± she said, ¡°You destroy the crystal. Not much time left now. You must hurry!¡±


    The Witch turned and started to walk away.


    ¡°Wait,¡± yelled Kim. ¡°How do we even get in there? You think they''ll just let us walk in and start poking around in their secrets?¡±


    The Witch stopped, and turned around to them again.


    ¡°Under the Blacksmith, villagers! Take the tunnel, that is the way the crystal went in to them! Destroy it!¡±


    ¡°How much time do we have?¡± Dav said. ¡°We need more information!¡±


    ¡°If I knew I''d tell you, boy,¡± the Witch said. ¡°Not long, that''s all I know. May be too late already.¡±


    Then she made a disgusted sound, like she''d said as much as she could possibly stand to say to them, and walked back into the jungle. In an instant she had disappeared into the trees.


    ¡°Well,¡± Kim said to Ama. ¡°You were right about Witches.¡±


    ¡°Lovely creatures,¡± Ama said. ¡°I can''t imagine why we haven''t made friends with them already.¡±


    ¡°In the house,¡± Dav said to Arn. He looked like he had something on his mind already. Arn thought he might know what it was.


    ¡°She said it was in a chest,¡± Arn said.


    The chest was hidden behind the smashed tank that had held the water and the Nyloc. It was covered with sticky slime now. Grem pulled it open without a word.


    It was filled with potions. They were all softly glowing with blue light.


    ¡°Pretty things,¡± Prag said, peering over their shoulders.


    ¡°I wonder,¡± Dav said, holding one of them up. It was just an ordinary glass vial, with the shining blue liquid in it.


    ¡°How do we use it?¡± Kim said.


    ¡°From what I''ve read about potions,¡± Dav said, ¡°You just drink them.¡±


    ¡°Dav ever drink thing like this before?¡± said Grem.


    ¡°I''ve never even seen one.¡±


    Prag looked at Ama, but she shook her head.


    ¡°I guess none of us know for sure,¡± Arn said.


    But Dav was too important to be the first to try, and Arn wasn''t going to let Ama or Kim do something like that. Anything at all could happen.


    He knew it had to be him.


    He grabbed the vial from Dav''s hand.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Dav said.


    Before anyone could say anything else, Arn pulled out the stopper and swigged the whole potion down. It tasted pretty much like water. There was maybe a hint of something else, something bubbly, but that was all.


    He held up the empty vial.


    ¡°There we go,¡± he said. ¡°So what''s this power the Witch was talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Maker power,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Can you make anything?¡± Dav said.


    Arn looked around the room. Nothing looked any different.


    Well, except maybe...


    ¡°Grem,¡± Arn said. ¡°Can I borrow your sword?¡±


    The Pakmog frowned but didn''t argue. He handed the golden sword over.


    Villagers didn''t use things like swords, of course. But it felt different in his hand now.


    It felt like part of his arm.


    If he just stabbed with it...


    He stabbed the wall in front of him, then pulled his arm back and brought the sword down again in a sweeping slash that left a gash in the wood.


    His arm felt longer with the sword. He could use it just like it was his own arm!


    Something lit up inside of his head.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°It''s obvious.¡±


    Dav was looking at him very strangely.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he said.


    Arn looked at the shattered blocks on the floor. He picked up two pieces of wood.


    ¡°They go like...¡±


    He twisted them just right, and they clicked together.


    ¡°That!¡± he said.


    Dav''s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± he said.


    ¡°Normal,¡± Arn said. ¡°But I can see some things differently now.¡±


    Dav stared at him again for just a second, then grabbed another potion out of the chest and drank it without hesitating.


    In the end even the Pakmog drank one each.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Grem said, piling up another block of dirt. ¡°Grem make thing. Easy to do! Grem make his own fortress!¡±


    Prag had already built a wall that went across the entire village path.


    ¡°Look!¡± he said to Grem, pointing. ¡°Stupid Firethrall try to shoot fire, we build wall, laugh at them!¡±


    ¡°This changes everything,¡± Dav said.


    Instead of building he was carefully looking for every kind of block he could find, and examining them all one by one. ¡°Some of them work together, some don''t. We can start by making a list...¡±


    He was already lost in thought.


    Kim and Ama both tried building too, but after talking to each other quietly they had walked away deeper into the village, promising to be back soon.


    ¡°This is going to make everything easier,¡± Arn said. ¡°We can defend ourselves. We can make shelter for the night outside.¡±


    ¡°No more poor Arn no house!¡± Grem laughed.


    Arn grinned.


    ¡°Arn can make his own house,¡± he said. ¡°And any Ashman that tries to get in had better watch out!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± said Prag. ¡°Villagers fight too, not just Pakmog!¡±


    We might need to, he realized.


    ¡°I hate to interrupt your thoughts,¡± he said to Dav.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Dav said, standing up. ¡°The Iron City. We can''t just sit here and play with blocks.¡±


    ¡°We don''t know how much time is left,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°The Witch said there was a tunnel in the Blacksmith''s.¡±


    ¡°You bet!¡± Kim said.


    She and Ama were standing behind them all.


    They were wearing armor.


    Dav and Arn stared at them in shock, but Grem and Prag nodded like they approved.


    ¡°Good,¡± Grem said. ¡°You find good armor.¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of it,¡± Ama said. She pulled out a sword and showed it to them. ¡°These, too.¡±


    ¡°Plus the tunnel,¡± Kim said. ¡°Ama found it right away. There was a pressure plate, it opens up a hatch, and there''s a ladder going down.¡±


    "And this," Ama said, holding up a dark red block.


    "That''s TNT," Dave said. "There was some in the council house back home. It''s really dangerous."


    Ama nodded.


    "We found a pretty worrying amount, but I think it''s safe as long as it stays in our inventories. I think."


    In the end they all had armor, and swords. Ama had a bow and a quiver full of arrows as well.


    ¡°I''m a Fletcher after all,¡± she said. ¡°And I''m probably the first one who can actually use the weapons she makes.¡±


    She looked slightly ferocious now. Arn remembered how thin and sickly she had been when they found her in the Underworld.


    But she''d kept going anyway, and then found her way back to them alone with a Pakmog, lost in the world. Ama was obviously no weakling. But she smiled and helped him put on his armor too.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she said. ¡°But you should get Prag and Grem to teach you how to use your sword. They''ve been doing it for a long time.¡±


    ¡°For sure,¡± he said. Not that there was any time to do it now. They needed to get going. Arn was just going to have to hope that they could scare everyone away without a fight.


    He looked around at them all. Two Pakmog and four villagers, all covered in shining armor and weapons. Even Dav managed to look like he belonged in it.


    I''d be scared of us, he thought. I just hope that''s all we''ll need.


    They''d loaded up most of the TNT into the inventories of the Pakmog. There seemed to be an excessive amount of the stuff, but they took every last bit of it. For some reason they felt a little more secure with Prag and Grem holding on to it.


    Ama stomped on the pressure plate that was hidden beside the blacksmith''s forge. A piece of the floor flipped up, and they could see a ladder going down into the darkness.


    ¡°We go,¡± Grem said.


    It was a long way down, and very dark. Arn stepped on Prag''s head twice along the way.


    ¡°Sorry again!¡± he said the second time his foot clanked against the Pakmog''s helmet.


    ¡°Villagers eyes not very good,¡± Prag muttered.


    ¡°It''s true,¡± Dav said from above. ¡°I hope there''s some light down there!¡±


    ¡°See torch light,¡± Grem said.


    Arn couldn''t see anything yet, but he did his best not to step on Prag again.


    At the bottom there was a little room, with one torch and just enough space for them all to crowd together.


    ¡°How long is the tunnel?¡± Kim said. ¡°The Iron City is days away from here.¡±


    ¡°Must be long tunnel,¡± Grem said.


    They all looked at it. It was exactly one block wide, and they could see the flicker of a torch far, far away in the distance.


    ¡°I''m not looking forward to this,¡± Kim said. She''d never liked the dark much.


    ¡°If we don''t want hundreds more villagers to end up like them¡± - Dav pointed upwards - ¡°then we need to get there as fast as we can.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, let''s just go,¡± Kim said.


    ¡°Grem go first,¡± the Pakmog said. ¡°Look for things in dark.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°Prag last,¡± said Prag. ¡°In case things follow us in dark.¡±


    ¡°That good plan too,¡± Grem said.


    Kim made another disgusted noise but didn''t complain any more. Arn settled in behind Grem as they headed out into the dark.


    The tunnel went on and on and on, stretching endlessly into the gloom ahead. Now and then there was a torch stuck into the wall that gave them a tiny bit of light, but soon they walked in total darkness again until the next one, each brief pool of illumination only serving to make the darkness feel deeper when it returned.


    They slept and ate sitting down right where they were. Other than their own voices, the only sound was their feet scraping on the rock, the hollow echoes bouncing off the close walls and making the passage feel even more confined than it was.


    Arn felt like he was stuck in some kind of dream that would never end until the tunnel just... stopped. They were facing a solid rock wall, its rough surface rising up before them as a final barrier to their progress. The stone looked ancient and unmovable, with no hint of a hidden passage or alternate route.


    ¡°What now?¡± Grem said. ¡°Dav have plan?¡±


    ¡°I sort of thought there might be a door or something,¡± Dav said.


    ¡°There was a hidden switch at the other end,¡± Ama said. ¡°Everyone, start feeling around...¡±


    ¡°Sssh!¡± said Kim. ¡°Listen!¡±


    They all stopped talking.


    There were muffled voices. It was obviously two people talking, but Arn couldn''t make out the words. They sounded close.


    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± Kim whispered. ¡°They might hear us too.¡±


    ¡°Feel around for a switch or something,¡± Arn said.


    They all quietly started poking and prodding the floor, the walls, and the roof of the tunnel around them.


    ¡°Grem think there something...¡± the Pakmog said.


    Then a square of light opened up underneath him, and he fell straight down into a room.


    ¡°That hurt,¡± they heard him say from below.


    Arn waited for a villager to start yelling, to sound the alarm and bring the whole of the Iron City down on them. But there was nothing.


    ¡°There nobody here,¡± Grem said, as softly as a Pakmog was able, which wasn''t very much.


    ¡°I think they''re going to suspect something if they see two Pakmog walking down the hall with us,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Prag said. ¡°So we just run and yell until we find crystal thing.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know how big the Iron City is,¡± Dav said, ¡°But there''s probably a lot more of them than there are of us.¡±


    Grem shook his head and said something long in Pakmog.


    ¡°I tell Prag about horses and arrows,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay, not good plan,¡± Prag admitted.


    Dav looked thoughtful.


    ¡°The Witch said that this is how they got the crystal in here in the first place, right?¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± said Ama. ¡°So if they were sneaking it in, they can''t have taken it very far.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Grem said. ¡°But that only guess.¡±


    ¡°I think it''s as good as we''re going to get,¡± said Arn.


    ¡°We should go,¡± Dav said. ¡°I mean us villagers. Maybe we can walk around and look for it.¡±


    ¡°You mean we hide?¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Just for now. We''ll come back when we find it.¡±


    ¡°And if we don''t,¡± Arn said, and pointed up at the gap in the ceiling. ¡°You can make it out again that way.¡±


    ¡°What for we here then?¡± Prag said. ¡°Should have stayed away.¡±


    ¡°If we can''t smash the crystal,¡± Dav said, ¡°We''re going to have to try that TNT. Then we might need your help really, really badly.¡±


    ¡°Prag,¡± Ama said suddenly. ¡°Can you smell it?¡±


    Prag shook his head.


    ¡°Prag not smell crystal smell, no,¡± he said. ¡°But maybe open door.¡±


    Dav and Arn looked at each other, then carefully opened the door a crack. Outside was another long, gray hallway. There was nobody there.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Arn said, and waved to the Pakmog. They all spilled out into the hallway.


    Prag and Grem stuck their noses up into the air and started sniffing deeply. They grunted a few words back and forth at each other.


    ¡°That way,¡± Grem said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± said Kim.


    ¡°Pretty sure,¡± Prag said. ¡°Something that way, smell sort of like thing in village. Smell magic too, pretty strong.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Dav said. ¡°We go that way. You two wait in there.¡±


    He pointed to the room again.


    Grem and Prag both looked like they wanted to argue, but started shuffling back into the room again.


    ¡°Hey!¡± yelled a voice.


    Everyone''s heads snapped around to look.


    A villager in armor was standing at the end of the hall, staring at them with his mouth hanging open.


    ¡°You''re...¡± he gasped. ¡°Oh no! The Underworld! They''re inside the City!¡±


    With that he turned and ran away, yelling at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°I think our plans just changed,¡± Arn said.


    ¡°No kidding!¡± Grem said. ¡°We go back, in room now!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Dav said.


    ¡°What? We caught! Time to run!¡± Prag said.


    ¡°No,¡± Dav said again. ¡°This is our only chance. If we leave it might be too late.¡±


    ¡°He going to come back, with plenty of others,¡± Grem said. ¡°We leave now or we fight whole city.¡±


    ¡°Take Ama and Kim,¡± Arn said. ¡°It can be just me and Dav. They might let us go. We can talk to them.¡±


    ¡°They see us all,¡± Grem said. ¡°Too late to pretend!¡±


    ¡°We''re not going anywhere,¡± Kim said, and Ama nodded.


    There was more shouting from the other end of the hallway.


    Prag growled.


    ¡°If we do this, we go now!¡± he said.


    Dav looked around frantically at them all. He obviously wanted to send Kim back into the tunnel, but they were out of time.


    ¡°In that case, run!¡± he said. ¡°You two, keep smelling!¡±


    They started running down the corridor, with the Pakmog sniffing loudly the whole way.


    There was a long set of stairs ¨C they ran up it. They could hear more yelling from behind them.


    The walls changed into smooth white and gray stone. There were no torches at all now ¨C the light came from glowing panels in the ceiling, like they had seen in the tall building where Umi and Ana had taken them in.


    Then going through an arched passage, they came to a huge hallway ¨C it was longer than a whole village but there was no one else in sight. It was lined with strange, exotic plants that seemed to glow with an inner light. Towering columns supported the high ceilings, and the air felt cool and crisp.


    Dav ran his hand along a smooth white length of wall.


    "If this was made by villagers, then these people are way beyond us," he said. Then he gave a growl that sounded like a noise a Pakmog would make. "And it''s all going to fall apart if we don''t get this right. Let''s go."


    Grem pointed and they ran up another set of stairs, and now they were in a short hallway lined with doors, and with a window at one end.


    ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± Kim said.


    They were staring out at the Iron City. A long window showed them more buildings, all of them bigger than villager houses and made of gleaming stone. They could see a street below, with clusters of villagers talking to each other. None of them seemed to be in a panic. Yet.


    The group paused and stared out at everything. Even the Pakmog seemed impressed.


    "Looks a lot like a fortress," Grem said. "But shiny and with trees."


    ¡°There''s no time,¡± Dav said. ¡°Which way?¡±


    Grem sniffed again and pointed at a door.


    ¡°That way for sure,¡± he said.


    Arn threw open the door and they all ran inside.


    It was a big room, with another window at one end, looking out over more of the City.


    The room was lined with benches, and filled with tables. All over every single surface were mysterious objects ¨C glowing vials, blocks that flashed with lights, plus tons of strange objects Arn had never seen before.


    A villager in Librarian''s robes was bent over a table, working on something. He didn''t even look up at the noise of them all running in and slamming the door shut.


    ¡°Have you seen this yet?¡± the Librarian said. He was so intent on what he was doing that he must have thought they were someone else. ¡°This Runestone device that Lem put together is astonishing. It can turn on and off depending on how much light it gets! Look, I''ll wave my hand over this part...¡±


    He stopped talking when he turned to face them


    He was staring at two at two huge Pakmog who were looking at him like he was some kind of strange new mob.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± the Librarian said.