Immortal (13 page)

“N-No, I guess not.”

“You wouldn’t have met me, would you have?” Tristen asked her.

“Well no,” she replied.

“She wouldn’t have met Gabriel and I neither.” Jasper added.

“Staysia, what my son says is true. You did find it for a reason, maybe just not the reason you thought.” Cove said.

“I want him to pay for what he did! And Nox has taken my unicorn, I must get her back!” Staysia said.

“You leave that to me,” said Cove. “Get the map and go to the Sea Child.”

Staysia hesitated. “As long as you make him pay for what he did,” Staysia said.

“I will make sure of it.” Cove said. “Watch out for Nox, Tristen. Once you have the map Mirideous will take you to the Sea Child. Do not follow the map. You will get there much quicker and take Nox by surprise if you let her take you.” Cove instructed, speaking of the sea creature that was waiting outside for them.

“Yes father, I will do as you have asked. We will be on our way to Gnome Hills now.”

“Thank you,” Staysia said.

Cove scratched his head and looked around the floors of the room. Tristen rolled his eyes and shook his head. “The rat?”

Cove shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and shooed them away. “Go on!” he said. Tristen laughed and put his hand on Staysia’s back to guide her out of the room.

* * *

Gabriel watched as the gold light got larger and larger. When he arrived at Cove’s house, he slowly slid down the side of Zenya and walked towards the house. He looked back at Zenya before knocking on the door.

Abbi answered the door. “May I help you?”

“I am looking for Staysia.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Gabriel the Great Beast Tamer, and close friend of Staysia. Is she here,
or has she already gone?”
“I’m sorry. I do not know who Staysia is.”

“She was traveling with a troll.” Gabriel held his hand out about Jasper’s height.

“Oh yes! They just left.”

“Great,” Gabriel sighed. “Well then, I guess I must go find her.”

“I believe they were headed towards he Rock Mass. You can meet up with her there if you hurry.”

A Little Too Late

Staysia rode behind Tristen on Gabriel’s horse. She rode in silence. She wished she had a better understanding of why all of this was happening to her. She didn’t know what she was doing anymore. Everything had changed. Now she was dealing with gods, not just a human. Griffon would get what he deserved, this she was sure of. The cold truth had hit her. Her parents were gone and there was no longer a mystery, there was no plan or nothing left to do.
Why would the Sea Child give me eternity without them?
She thought.
If the Sea Child knows me all so well, then the Sea Child should know I do not wish to go on forever without them. I really don’t.
She felt tired. She closed her eyes and laid her head down on Tristen’s back and fell asleep.

“We’re here!” Tristen’s voice was the next thing she heard.

“Where?” she asked, lazily.

“The serpent is just around the corner.” Tristen replied. He jumped off of the horse and held his hand out to Staysia. “Come here for a moment,” he said. Staysia took his hand and stood facing him. He gave her a hug. “Are you ready for this?”

Staysia looked at the ground. “Look at me, Staysia.” Staysia looked him in the eyes.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked her.

“Yes, I am ready.”

“Alright—” He smiled at her. Staysia smiled back and wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you, Tristen!” she said.
  Tristen brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and smiled.

“Jasper, stay here with Barthesus and the horse. We will be back.”

“I can go with you,” said Jasper.

“No Jasper, I want you to stay behind. When Tristen whistles you hurry and get to us.”

“Okay, be careful, Staysia!”

“I will, Jasper.” She gave him a kiss on his forehead.

“Let’s be on our way then,” she said to Tristen.

They walked side by side into the forest. The forest was quiet. There were no animals wandering around. There were no birds singing. All of the animals were afraid of the serpent. They held their hands on their swords as they neared the rock mass.

“Hiss,” they heard.

“That’s him, Staysia.” Tristen held his hand out in front of her.

“SSSo—here you are, SSStaysia, I’ve been waiting for you.”

Staysia turned to Tristen. “Did you hear that? He knows who I am!”

“Come clossser and sssit for a while. Show your face. I could sssmell your ssscent from a mile away.” The serpent said.

Tristen and Staysia turned a corner and could see the serpent coiled up in a ball. His forked tongue was fluttering on his lips. Tristen got in front of Staysia and held the serpent at point with his sword.

“I sssmell sssomething or,
sssomeone,
rather. Who isss with you? Did you bring me sssupper?”

“No one is with us! We just need to get to Gnome Hills.”

“Thatsss what they all sssay. They all jussst need to get sssomewhere.” He rose his head in the air and sniffed.

Staysia could see his heart throbbing just under his scaly skin. He continued to move his head forward until Tristen and Staysia could no longer see it.

“Wait!” Staysia called as he got closer to Jasper.

“Get over here and show me what you got!” Tristen called.

Jasper sat leaned back in the seat of his buggy dangling his cat’s toy out in front of Barthesus, who struck at the toy, trying to get it in his mouth.

“Hee! Hee!” Jasper laughed. Suddenly, a shadow cast over the face of the creeper. The creeper’s eyes widened. Jasper noticed the shadow and slowly turned his head. He tried to say Staysia, he tried to call Tristen, but could not get the words out. The creeper hissed at the serpent. The serpent laughed loudly. Suddenly, the serpent jerked his head around violently. “Take that!” Staysia screamed. She had struck him with her sword.

“Careful!” Tristen warned, as the serpent’s tail swung around. It was too late. The serpent’s tail hit her in the head and knocked her out cold. “Staysia!” Tristen cried.

“Staysia?” Jasper said. Tristen hurried over to her and checked her pulse. The serpent’s shadow now cast over Tristen as he prepared to finish her and eat her for supper. Tristen held the serpent at point again. He held his sword between the serpent’s eyes. The serpent struck at him. Jasper remembered that the buggy had been equipped with water when he got it. He grabbed the jug of water and hurried over to where Tristen and Staysia were.

He came to a quick stop and threw the water to Tristen. Tristen caught the water in his hands. “Jasper! Look out!” he called as the serpent turned to Jasper. Jasper lifted the reigns and the lizard suddenly spread wings on each side. It wasn’t just a lizard. It was a gliding lizard. The lizard did not just glide. He gained high speed and took Jasper away from the serpent.

Tristen opened the water jug and let it float in the air in front of him. He lifted his hands, and the water began to rise out of the container. A wall made of water was afloat in front of the serpent’s face. The serpent struck, but he could not get past the water. Tristen then pushed the water into the face of the serpent. Water went into the nose and mouth of the serpent. The serpent gasped for air, and soon, his head dropped to the ground. The serpent had drowned.

 Tristen knelt down beside Staysia. “Staysia!” he said. Staysia slowly opened her eyes and put her hand on her forehead. “Tristen,” she said as her eyes came into focus.

“Staysia,” said Tristen. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I think so, what happened?”

“The serpent knocked you out is what happened.”

Staysia sat up quickly and looked around. “Where is the serpent?” she asked. Before Tristen could answer she saw that the serpent was lying on the ground. “Is he dead?”

“Yes, I drowned him!”

“You did? Really? Oh Tristen, you are my hero!” she said as she hugged his neck. Tristen laughed and kissed her on the mouth. Just then, Gabriel ran around the corner. “Staysia!” he called. Staysia pulled away from Tristen and looked left, then right. She spotted Gabriel and came to her feet.

“Gabriel!” she exclaimed. She ran up to him and gave him a hug. Tristen came to his feet and stood watching them with a hand on his hip. He used his other hand to scratch the back of his neck. It was an awkward moment for him. He had just given Staysia a kiss, ultimately showing his feelings for her, and there she was with her arms around Gabriel. Tristen was not the only one who felt uneasy about the situation. For all Gabriel knew Staysia had found someone new; someone who had saved her instead of him.

“I’m so glad to see you! I am so glad you are okay!” she said.

“I am glad to see that you are okay. I see the serpent has finally fallen to his death, serves him right!”

“Yes, thanks to Tristen! This is Tristen, the son of Cove.”

Gabriel and Tristen walked closer to one another, they were both thinking the same thing. They were both thinking,
so this is the man who has won the affection of Staysia.

“Nice to meet you.” Gabriel extended his arm.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” said Tristen.

Gabriel smiled.

“He is the son of Cove, Gabriel.” Staysia said.

“Great, it’s nice to meet you.” Gabriel sounded fine, but inside he was even more crushed. He was just Gabriel and here stood the slayer of the serpent and the son of Cove.

He turned to Staysia. “I am sorry I didn’t make it in time to help you,” he said.

“No, don’t say that. I am just so happy to see you!” She gave him another hug.

Tristen smiled tightly at Staysia. “Well, I guess it’s off to Gnome Hills!” Staysia said.

She looked at Gabriel again and smiled. “I’m so happy you are here!” She rubbed her hands together. “Jasper is going to be so glad!” Tristen whistled for Jasper and he came around the corner on his gliding lizard buggy.

“Gabriel!” His buggy came to a quick stop. “Gabriel!” he exclaimed again. He hobbled over to Gabriel and looked up at him. “You’re here! You’re okay!” Gabriel picked him up and hugged him. He kissed the top of his head.

“It’s great to see you, Jasper!”

“What happened? What did the witches do to you?”

“Oh, she just wined and dined me. I don’t know what she would have done if I’d have stayed much longer though.”

“Yes, she had quite a pretty face though, didn’t she?”

Gabriel was slightly embarrassed. He looked at Staysia briefly and then back at Jasper.

“Yeah, she did,” he said. Staysia smiled to herself as she stared at the ground, before looking up at Gabriel.

“He’s got something to show you! Go on Jasper, show him.”

Jasper got the cat toy out of his buggy and wiggled it in front of Barthesus’s face. Gabriel was beside himself as he watched the creeper playing with the toy.

“I don’t believe it!”

“He did it! He is now Jasper the Great Beast Tamer!”

“Ay Caramba!” said a small but strong voice.

“Who said that?” Staysia asked as attention was taken off of Barthesus and Jasper. They all searched for where the voice was coming from. Staysia leaned over and looked at the lizard. “Did you say something?” she asked.

“Ay, Caramba!” the lizard said again.

“It was your lizard, Jasper! He does speak, he speaks Spanish!” Staysia said.

Jasper knelt down in front of the lizard. “You speak Spanish?” he asked.

“Ay Caramba!” the lizard said a third time.

“Does anyone speak Spanish?” Jasper asked.

“Not me,” said Staysia.

“Nah, me neither,” said Tristen.

“I know some Spanish,” said Gabriel.

“You do? Ask him something!” Staysia said.

“Como te llamas?” Gabriel asked the lizard what his name was.

“Humberto,” the lizard answered.

“Hablo usted Ingles?” Gabriel asked the lizard if he spoke English.

“No,” the lizard answered.

“He says his name is Humberto. He says he does not speak any English,” Gabriel told the others.

“Introduce him to Jasper!” Staysia exclaimed with a big smile across her face.

“Yes, yes, tell him Gabriel—tell Humberto that I like his wings, and also tell him I thank him for getting me away from the serpent in a hurry.” Jasper said. He and Staysia smiled at one another.

“Isn’t this neat?” Staysia said to Jasper.

Staysia met Tristen’s eyes as he stared at her with a glow in his. The kind of glow a man in love would have. Staysia became nervous. She glanced at him and turned back to Gabriel. “Tell him, Gabriel,” she said.