Wayne Batson - The Door Within

… Maybe Falon would have some in her treasures! Still… they wouldn’t just let me walk out of there with Gwenne and the others.

Aidan knew there had to be a way. The King of Alleble wouldn’t have brought him this far only to have him fail. So, Aidan looked from one end of the camp to the other. Then, he looked into the mountains and all over the plains. Could he start an avalanche? Nope, no good. The rocks would barely reach the camp. Maybe a fire… the tall dead grass would burn easily enough, but perhaps only enough to let the enemy know his position. Okay, so that’s not going to work, but then what?

There just didn’t seem to be much to work with: rocks, grass, a small stream that wound behind the enemy’s camp. Aidan’s eyes wandered along that tiny stream.

Strangely, it disappeared into a large dark clump of something. Trees maybe? Aidan stared at the huge mass, and he couldn’t tell if his eyes were playing tricks on him or not, but it seemed like it was moving… how strange. Aidan shrugged and hurried back to the caves to talk to Falon.

He sprinted through the tall grass and hurtled up the hill into the caves. Falon lay there, her eyes gleaming somehow even in nearly complete darkness. “See anything useful, hmmm, young Aidan?”

“There are guards all over the place,” Aidan replied shaking his head. “I might be able to sneak in, but I don’t know… there are so many!”

“I wish I could help,” Falon growled. “But even though the moon is veiled in clouds at this hour, it would be enough to finish me.”

“What is that big gray clump beyond the camp?” Aidan asked, pointing toward the horizon.

“That, young Aidan, is a massive herd of blackhorne,” Falon replied. “They graze upon the tall grasses. Mmmmm, what a feast that would be.”

“Blackhorne, huh?” Aidan replied absently, his thoughts wandering. But suddenly, he felt a peculiar prickle on his neck. In a quick, reflexive movement, he swiped at his neck repeatedly.

“Looks like you picked up a stowaway while you were out playing in the grass,” Falon laughed.

Aidan looked down at the floor of the cave, and there, skittering around, blinking frantically, was a rather large lantern spider.

“Yuck!” Aidan exclaimed. “That thing was on me?!”

In that moment, Aidan became very still. Something clicked in his mind. It was like turning the last number of a combination lock.

A memory flittered through his mind, and the pieces of the plan came together all at once.

“Falon!” Aidan nearly shouted. “I think I know how I’m going to rescue my friends! And I think you can help!”

“Tell me, young Aidan,” Falon replied, her enormous ears perking up like a bat’s wings.

After Aidan explained his plan, a wide, mischievous smile spread across Falon’s face. “Mmmm… sounds like a delicious plan,” she said.

“Can you bring me those items from your treasures?” Aidan asked.

“Oh, yesss indeed!” Falon replied, turning back toward the tunnels. “I will make all speed, for the night will not wait for those who tarry.”

F alon returned in moments-apparently, she had been moving rather cautiously earlier, but with Aidan off her back, she was able to hurtle quickly through the tunnels and caverns beneath the mountains.

“Here is everything you asked for,” Falon said, opening a hefty canvas satchel she had flung around her neck. “One Horn of War, quite loud, for I remember the fellow who carried it blowing it like mad when he saw me! Guaranteed to get the attention you want. One clay pot with a lid, large enough, hmmm? One longbow-it is from the Blackwood, the best there is-and a quiver full of arrows. And, of course, the armor and helmet of a Paragor Knight. It may not fit you just right, but it was the only one I could find that wasn’t fouled or much too big. Oh, and this, I thought you might want a sheath for the sword of Valithor. It is heavy, hmmm?”

Aidan was amazed. “This is great, Falon, really. I can’t thank you enough!” he said excitedly.

“Well, young Aidan,” Falon replied playfully, “it is for Sir Valithor that I do this. But if your plan works out the way you described, you will have paid me back many times over, hmmm? Go now, save your friends! I will be waiting…”

“Good-bye, Falon!” Aidan called after her. “I hope we meet again some day!”

“Perhaps.” Falon’s voice echoed, then faded.

Never alone, Aidan thought as he struggled to strap on the Paragor armor. He felt creepy putting on the black-and-crimson armor of the enemy, and the helmet was plainly too big, but it had to be done for the plan to work. The quiver of arrows slid easily over his shoulders, and the War Horn hung around his neck, but he had to carry the longbow in one hand and the clay pot in the other.

Aidan hopped cautiously out of the cave and down the little hill into the tall grass. Immediately, lantern spiders began to blink all around him. Aidan needed both hands for the clay pot, so he put down his longbow. As fast as he could, he meticulously began plucking the black-and-green arachnids from their webs in the grass and putting them in the clay pot. Aidan had never asked if the things were poisonous, but he didn’t want to find out the hard way.

I wonder if anyone who dies from lantern spider bites would glow in the dark? With such thoughts, he continued brushing through the tall grass, grabbing every lantern spider that gave itself away by lighting up. Fortunately, the lantern spiders were numerous, and in a short time he had the great clay pot stuffed with hundreds of unhappy glowing critters.

With stage one completed, Aidan put the lid on the clay pot, picked up his longbow, and ran as fast as he could for the herd. The enemy’s camp was between Aidan and the blackhorne, so he took a long, curving route to get to the animals. As he ran, the War Horn smacked against his armor on the front, and the quiver of arrows smacked him on the back, and worse still, his helmet kept sliding over one side of his face. Even so, Aidan hurried on.

Aidan could smell the large beasts long before he reached them. It was a mixture of thick animal sweat and tons of freshly deposited manure, and it was not pleasant. He wished he had a third hand to pinch his nose shut.

Blackhorne were similar to cows, Aidan noticed, but much, much bigger. Their coats were jet black and extremely shaggy, and all of them had a set of thick horns that protruded from the sides of their skulls and ran backward to a sharp point.

As Aidan got closer, he was surprised at the size of the herd: There were thousands of blackhorne. And even though they were peacefully munching on the dead grass, they looked dangerous. And Aidan was counting on that!

Aidan ran to where the blackhorne were closest to the camp of the Paragor Knights. There he again put down his longbow and opened the spider-filled clay pot. Swiftly, he took out the spiders, one at a time, and placed them atop the heads of the blackhorne. Most of the big, smelly animals didn’t notice the spiders, though a few snorted and flopped their ears around a little. Aidan repeated the process over and over and over again, until the clay pot was empty and well over a hundred blackhorne had little glowing hitchhikers.

Then, he discarded the clay pot, retrieved his longbow, and circled around behind the herd. There seemed to be enough of the tall dead grass. There would have to be, for there was no time to cut and gather piles of grass-no, this would have to do.

Now begins the most dangerous part of the plan, Aidan thought as he reached down and picked up some mud. He smeared the dark, muddy soil on his face and all over the armor. Then, he drew Fury.

Aidan put the blade to his forearm and gritted his teeth. In one swift motion, he ran the sword across his arm, opening a large gash from which blood began to pour. He let the warm red fluid run down his arm and drip on his clothing, then his armor-he even spattered some on his helmet. The wound on his arm would leave an ugly scar, but it would be a scar Aidan would wear proudly… if he survived.