Forbidden Places
By Richard LeBlanc
Chapter Fifteen: the desert sands
A week had passed since the travelers had their confrontation with Lithian and their chance meeting with the Queen of Atlantis. Things since then were pretty quiet. Toy maker focused more energy into the devices he created. Lord Arachnid and Nibbles quietly discussed their plan to find and free the legendary spider. Enchanter kept quiet and thought of the reason he was here in the first place - the Dreaming Djinn.
"Are we going to go ashore - or just hug the coast all day?" Arachnid asked lowly.
"If we pull up in the wrong spot - it could be disastrous. Markys said that the boat would take us to where we must be. Let us leave it at that shall we?" Enchanter replied and requested. He looked up and saw the Toy maker was still working on an odd looking device.
"He's been keeping himself pretty busy since we talked with the Queen of Atlantis." Arachnid commented.
"I don't know whether to be grateful - or concerned." Enchanter replied. Toy Maker slowly looked down at the two spying wizards - both casually looked away.
"I see he's still feeling friendly." Enchanter stated.
"This may sound ludicrous - but what if he's right?" Arachnid asked curiously.
"About what?" Enchanter asked.
"Nothing. Forget I said anything. Do you have any idea how much further we will be at sea?" he replied.
"About as much idea as you it seems. Just think of important things for the time being. When things get chaotic - and they will - you may not get the chance." Enchanter suggested.
Up above, Toy maker had finished another device.
"You okay?" Tuly asked hesitantly.
"Seeing the queen just brought back some unpleasant memories." He replied as he put his tools down again.
"Problem?" she asked.
"She's gone again." He commented.
"You - sure?" she asked hesitantly.
"It's the same as it was before. She tried to mask her absence with some enchantment - but she isn't here. She's out there - watching - waiting - planning. And those fools down below - won't hear a word of it." He answered.
"Is there any way you could prove it to them?" she asked.
"Not in a way that she couldn't dispute. She's a crafty one. I'm wagering that she doesn't leave much of a trail - and that what few mistakes she does make - are very hard to notice." He stated as he picked up one of his yet unfinished products.
"So what can you do?" she asked.
"With those two fools protecting her - nothing you need worry yourself with." He stated
"I'm not worried - just concerned." She replied.
"You needn't be. Whatever she is planning - I'll be ready for it. Whether those two will be - that's another story." He replied coolly. He looked up and noticed that the boat was now heading towards the shore.
"Looks like we're nearing our next stop." He stated. With a wave of his hand - all of the components on the table before him vanished. Tuly hopped up and landed on his shoulder.
"Southern point of the main island." She stated.
"You know the area?" he asked.
"I've flown just about everywhere. The desert is a little harsh - but the forest - it's like nothing you've ever seen." She replied. Toy Maker smiled and hopped down to the deck below. Seconds later - the door to the lower deck opened and Markys stepped out. Toy maker looked over his shoulder and scowled at his supposed guide.
"Are we almost there?" she asked.
"You should know - your boat and all." Toy maker muttered as he walked over to where the other wizards were standing.
"Someone's in a mood." She muttered to herself as she followed him.
A few hours later - Toy maker and Tuly were watching Arachnid and Enchanter unloading a great deal of items for Markys.
"You going to help out?" Enchanter asked as he put down a large crate.
"Markys - is there any reason for this display?" Toy maker asked - ignoring Enchanter.
"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.
"This stuff? Where did it all come from - or would you have me believe that it was all below deck?" Toy maker asked seriously.
"Some of it was - the rest I conjured up by way of magic - why? Is that a problem?" she asked curiously.
"Not at all - but if by magic come - by magic go. Why waste their time - and mine - by playing this tedious game?" he replied coldly. Arachnid and Enchanter stopped what they were doing. There was a certain logic to what he was saying.
"It must have slipped my mind. So sorry." Markys replied. With a wave of her hand - all of the items that had been carried off the ships vanished. She looked at her reflection in a small hand mirror and then scowled at the artificer.
"Okay - so what is our next move?" Enchanter asked.
"Well, according to the Elder Librarian - the city that Lokaan is in should be on the other side of those mountains." Markys replied.
"He won't be there." Arachnid stated.
"Why do you say that?" Enchanter asked curiously.
"Common sense - a foreign tongue to you - but I will explain nonetheless. Lokaan ran because he heard we were looking for him. If so - why would he hold up in one place? We are still here - we are still looking for him. Any of this hitting home?" Arachnid sarcastically replied.
"Mind your manners bug. Not everything here revolves around us." Enchanter retorted.
"A humble statement coming from the omniscient - all powerful Enchanter." Tuly remarked.
"What I am saying - or trying to is that he might have forgotten about us." Enchanter stated.
"If the wizard we seek is as powerful and influential as he supposedly is - he most likely has spies everywhere." Toy Maker commented.
"And he does." Tuly confirmed.
"As such - he knows where we are - and how close we are. After all if someone was hunting me." he began as he looked over at Markys.
"I would know." he concluded as he looked over at Enchanter.
"Point taken. So we disregard what the Librarian said altogether?" Enchanter asked seriously.
"Uhm, may I make a suggestion?" Markys asked curiously. They all looked over at her.
"What you say does make a great deal of sense Toy Maker - but there might be some clue as to where he ran to from there. It is the only lead w have - unless you have another idea." She continued. Toy Maker shook his head and stepped back.
"This is your game - lead on." He replied coolly.
"I'm glad you see things my way." She commented with a polite smile.
"How long will it take us to get over these mountains?" Arachnid asked seriously.
"Just long enough to catch the prime baking hours of the desert sun on the other side. Let's get this over with." Toy maker replied as he walked passed the others.
Sometime later, much like Toy Maker had predicted - they had crossed the mountains just in time to catch the desert sun at its zenith. All around them the bizarre creatures of the desert played their part in the food chain.
"How very quaint." Arachnid muttered as he watched several scorpions cornering a lizard. He was about to move when he heard the sound of a loud rattle. He looked down and saw all of the little creatures scurry away.
"That - wasn't a good rattle." He muttered. just then - a sand dune exploded as a giant rattlesnake lunged at him. Enchanter stood before Markys - Toy maker smirked and watched the show.
"Watch out for the fangs! Its bite is venomous." Markys warned.
"I'm not worried about the fangs - I'm more concerned about being swallowed whole." He retorted as he dodged another lunge.
"Nibbles - show time!" he called out. Nibbles hopped out from Arachnid's hood and hissed at the giant snake. Black and green mana flowed from the wizard into the spider. Within seconds - the spider was a little bit bigger than the snake. Everyone watched as the spider pounced at the snake. After a brief struggle - the snake was twitching as the last bit of life left it.
"Good work Nibbles." Arachnid commented. The giant spider slowly shrunk down to its normal side and began to stagger. The effect of the snake's venom was beginning to set in.
"Is he going to die?" Markys asked curiously. Arachnid carefully picked up his wounded spider and waved a an aura of green mana over it.
"No. When I first hooked up with him - I saw to it that he had the power of regeneration. I would be destroyed if anything were to happen to Nibbles." He answered as the spider timidly crawled back into the hood. 
"All he needs is a little rest. After that - he'll be as good as new." He added. On that note they continued on their way across the desert.
Things were pretty uneventful over the course of the next couple of hours. It was around then that a magical sandstorm blew in on them. No matter what any of them tried to do to dispel the effect of the storm - nothing worked.
"I do not like this storm." Toy maker muttered. He used his cloak to shield Tuly from the effects of the storm.
"You ain't the only one. Where did this damn storm come from?" Lord Arachnid remarked.
"Storms such as these are very common - very annoying - but mostly harmless." Markys reassured. Mere seconds later - the group staggered out from the storm.
"Yuck." Enchanter muttered as he brushed the sand from his arms. It was then that he looked around and came to an unpleasant realization.
"That storm sent us in a perfect circle. That's the snake his spider took down." Enchanter commented. The others looked around to see if what he was saying was true. As he said - there was a ravaged snake - but something was different.
"No - the mountains are closer. It sent us further back. This reeks of a wizard's doing." Toy Maker commented seriously.
"Is this when you start blaming Markys again?" Arachnid asked intolerantly.
"You're developing quick wit. Not this time - this spell - it feels - green. But I'm sure that if you and Enchanter looked at it - you could deduce the same." Toy Maker replied seriously. The two looked at the storm - true enough - green mana was empowering it.
"If only there was a white mage with a disenchant spell - if only." Toy Maker began sarcastically as he looked over at Markys. She scowled at the wizard and snapped her fingers. The storm began to die down.
"I couldn't act against the spell while being affected by it." She stated.
"This may sound frightening - but I believe you." He replied. Arachnid smirked and looked over at the ground. There he saw a hand sized tarantula stalking its way towards an unsuspecting wasp. Tuly looked over at the spider wizard and nudged Toy Maker.
"What?" he asked.
"Want to see something interesting?" she asked curiously as she pointed at Arachnid with her wing. Toy Maker looked over and saw Arachnid studying the spider that was about to pounce its prey.
"A spider stalking something - what's so interesting?" he replied.
"Trust me - if you feel the same way I do about spiders - you'll see." She replied. Then - just as Toy maker predicted - the spider pounced. But much to his surprise - the wasp turned and attacked the spider. Arachnid staggered back as he saw the wasp aggressively attack the spider. It was not something that was unnoticed by the artificer.
"When you're right - you're right. That was very interesting - and informative." He commented.
"Away - I must away from this foul place." Arachnid muttered as he watched in horror as the spider was dragged away by the wasp.
"What's the matter Lord Arachnid? Never heard of the Spider Wasp?" Tuly asked. Arachnid looked over at the hawk and glared at her.
"Mind your tone hawk - lest you end up being dinner for my brethren." He warned.
"Hey - keep your lovers quarrel down a bit. Is it just me - or are those cactuses - swaying or moving?" he asked curiously. The others looked over in the distance and saw the swaying cactuses. But they weren't swaying - they were moving.
"Walking plants - I should be surprised." Toy Maker muttered.
"Cactus warriors - this could be trouble." Markys commented.
"How so?" Arachnid asked.
"Their skin is full of venomous needles. If just one touches you - it weakens you - and there are a whole lot of them." she replied seriously. Arachnid stepped forward and glared at the swaggering plant creatures.
"Pointy walking ferns - so what? They chose the wrong time to mess with me." he replied unimpressed. Black mana swirled around him. a small bat appeared before him. it then exploded into a dark wave of mana. It was then that a black fog began to spread outwards from the spider wizard.
"Oh yuck - pestilence." Enchanter commented as he cast necessary spells to protect himself. Toy Maker conjured up two potions to protect him and Tuly. Markys smiled and warded herself against black. They all watched as the walking cactuses walked into the black fog. Some staggered a bit - but they still moved forward.
"Not enough power." Toy maker commented as he fed some of the potion to the sick hawk.
"I'll give them more power." He retorted. A surge of black mana spread outward on the fog. The wave hit the cactuses and knocked many over - but hundreds still came closer. Arachnid began to curse in spider language. He raised his hands into the air and shouted a curse out at the approaching army. Three more waves of black mana spread outward - this time - the cactus warriors fell into the ground and began to decay in the black fog.
"Vile walking fungus eaters - rise up from that if you can." He goaded. None did. The fog began to slowly fade away leaving only the decaying stench of rotted plants behind.
"He sure was in a bad mood." Tuly muttered weakly.
"You okay?" Toy maker asked curiously.
"I'll live." She replied.
"Is something wrong?" Markys asked curiously.
"I do not like this place - bugs killing spiders - it is not right - its all wrong." He replied - clenching a shaking fist. Markys looked over at Enchanter and then made her way over to him.
"I can not say much here - but when we reach Tithian's Pass? We'll talk about this there?" she whispered. Arachnid did his best to compose himself. He nodded his head and then walked on ahead.
"He'll be okay - he's just a little shaken by - what he saw." She said to the others.
"Saw what?" Enchanter asked coyly.
"He saw a spider get slaughtered by a wasp?" she replied.
"If he has so soft a shell - he should have stayed at home." Toy maker replied as he and Tuly made their way passed Markys. Enchanter looked at the others who were walking away.
"When we get to Tithian's Pass - we have to talk." Enchanter whispered.
"About - what we did on the ship?" she asked curiously.
"You can read minds too." He replied with a wink.
"I was hoping that we would get another chance to - talk again." She replied with a smile.
"Just remember." He began.
"I'll be discreet - I swear." She replied happily.
A short while later - the group had traversed across the desert and found themselves at the fringe of a lush forest. Everything looked untouched except for a perfectly maintained pathway that looked big enough for a dragon to walk through.
"You know this has to be a trap." Toy maker commented. Before any could reply the shadow of something large began to make its way towards them.
"This can't be good." Enchanter began. It was then that a dragon stepped out and looked down at them. Its wings were emerald green - had jet-black scales - and had huge green talons that were stained with the blood of past victims. The face of the dragon was that of a panther - and much to their surprise - the dragon smiled at them.
"You - must be the travelers that I have heard so much about." The dragon began softly.
"Perhaps - why?" Enchanter replied.
"Cautious - I understand why. I have heard of travelers that humbled the arrogant Lithian." The dragon continued.
"Traveler. Toy maker dealt with him by himself." Tuly stated. The dragon arched its neck back and then looked at the hawk and the man whose shoulder she was perched on.
"Toy Maker? The man who bested Lithian and sent him swimming home  - the destroyer - is the man before me. I will have to keep my eye on you." The dragon replied with a smile. If the statement was meant to be a threat - Toy maker showed no sign of taking it as such.
"Why?" Arachnid asked in disbelief.
"Argoth - fell when an artificer went unnoticed. And you walk in that man's shadow. My domain will not fall to such ignorance." The dragon replied.
"The brothers - thought only of war. One fought to win - one fought to stop the fighting. My goal - is not theirs." Toy Maker replied seriously.
"A giant that steps on a colony of ants does not look back on what he's destroyed. Do you?" the dragon asked curiously.
"Everyday of my life. I have had enough of this idle chatter. If there is a point to this - make it now. You are putting me in a foul mood." Toy maker warned. The dragon quietly laughed and hopped back.
"We wouldn't want that - would we?" the dragon replied. it raised a hand and looked to the canopy of foliage above.
"The creator walks - from down the mount. The bodies fell - too much too count. Screams of children - they filled the night. The chiming bells - eclipsed the light. He walkith now - through ravaged lands. Their legacy - within his hands. The Toy maker - now walks on high. And where he walks - death will ride." The dragon poetically sang.
"I know the ballad all too well." He replied coldly.
"I'm sure you do. But I must confess - you are nothing like I imaged you to be. From what I heard - I thought you would be - taller. But I apologize. I mean you no insult. But I will tell you - and your friends this - I am guardian of these woods - this land - and all of the creatures that dwell with. Harm the forest - or its many wonders - and you will have to deal with me." the dragon hissed.
"That a threat?" Toy maker asked seriously.
"Threat - no. More like friendly advice. Oh, and there is something else I learned that might interest you. As you were so helpful in humbling Lithian - I will share. The wizard you seek - he passed through here - a day or two ago. While in my domain - he recruited two armies to - convince you to turn away from your quest to find him." the dragon replied.
"Tithian - I respect - your position - now understand mine. I have traveled far to get to this place. I will do what I sought to do. If you choose to oppose me - you will learn that my legacy as a destroyer - is not wholly unfounded." He replied seriously.
"Is that - a threat?" Tithian replied curiously.
"Threat - no. More like friendly advice." He repeated coolly.
"Well said. But as I stated, he has recruited two armies. I would advise turning away - but I see that my wisdom would be wasted. Be at ease travelers - and you as well Toy maker. I will be watching." The dragon concluded as it flew up into the sky.
"You just have friends everywhere don't you?" Enchanter remarked. Toy Maker shook his head and walked by Enchanter without even giving him a second glance.
"Huh. Two armies. I don't know if I am supposed to feel impressed or disgusted. How many armies did we face so far?" Arachnid asked curiously.
"Give or take - three." Enchanter replied. On that note they picked up their pace to catch up with Toy maker.
To be continued...
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