The Water Sprite began her story. “There has always been a dark presence in the river,” she said. “My parents warned me about it when they were King and Queen. It was an ancient presence. We didn’t know where it was from, but we knew that it was dark magic. I got it into my head one day that I wanted to rid the river of the dark presence. So I set off. I talked to the wise old turtle.
“The wise old turtle is one of the oldest creatures in the river. Its memory goes back hundreds of years. It told me that there was no way to get rid of the dark magic unless I went inside the dark magic. I asked him how to do it, and he told me that recently the portal had been opened. And now, there was a small area inside the river that I could access the dark magic from. He told me that if I went in, and if I defeated the witch, I would have a chance of shutting the portal down. But he also warned me about the witch’s powers.
“I found the area where the magic was leaking. Now, as you know, we sprites can not cast magic spells in the same way that fairies can. We can only use magic that can help the plants. And in the case of Water Sprites, we can also use our magic to help the river. So I tried as much as I could to protect the river from the dark magic with my little charms. But the current of black magic was very strong. And eventually a whirlpool got created. And I got sucked into the portal.
“When I got to the other end of the portal, I saw the witch. She was in water just as I was, but she seemed to be able to breathe. She was a witch, so I guess she could use magic.
“At first, nobody saw me, and I was able to stay hidden. I noticed that the witch had many helpers. There was a pike fish, and several other creatures attending her. I listened quietly, and I heard them address her. They called her Ambrosia.”
“Ambrosia!” exclaimed King Carlyle suddenly. “It can’t be. It can’t be. I saw her. It wasn’t…” King Carlyle’s voice trailed off, and his voice became very thoughtful. Then he began talking again. “Yes. Yes, it was. She’s changed so much. So many wrinkles. But I guess we’re all a lot older now. Oh, how stupid I was to tell her that I was the King of Castle Tauna. I was lucky to escape with my life.”
“Who is this?” asked John. “Is this yet another relative I’ve not heard of.”
“Ambrosia was the false princess of Castle Tauna,” King Carlyle said. “Before Catherine and I regained our rightful titles. But I thought…” King Carlyle trailed off again. “But what is Ambrosia doing there?”
“I spent several hours observing them before I was found out,” said the Queen of the Water Sprites. “I stayed silent and learned everything I could. Eventually, I was discovered. They wanted to kill me, but Ambrosia forbade them. She said I might be useful because of my magic. And so they simply put a sleeping spell on me. But while I was there, I learned that Ambrosia somehow had entered into the portal in which the ancient monsters were trapped. But she had been working to open the portal up ever since.”
“So that’s why the ancient monsters have been escaping,” said King Carlyle. “It’s not because Midor opened the portal. It’s because ofAmbrosia.”
“Midor moving through the portal was the catalyst,” said the Water Sprite Queen. “The magic barrier needed to open in order for him to come out. But the portal had been designed to shut again once it was opened. But once Midor came out, Ambrosia used her powers to keep the portal open.”
“So if we can defeat Ambrosia…,” King Carlyle began.
“...the portal will be shut once again, and the ancient monsters trapped behind it,’ finished the Queen of the Water Sprites.
“This, then, must be your mission,” said the fairy. “We cannot help you, as we are forbidden to leave this land. But if you can journey back in, you can defeat the witch who is a water sprite.”
[This section is rough because I changed ideas a few times while writing. It will need to be smoothed over in the future.]
“Catherine!” said King Carlyle suddenly. “Catherine can defeat Ambrosia.”
“But…” John began. “But didn’t you just say… Weren’t you just saying…”
“Catherine would never help me,” said King Carlyle. “But if there’s one person she hates more than me, it’s Ambrosia. Catherine will help us to defeat Ambrosia. If I can somehow manage to get her to listen to me before she strikes me dead.” King Carlyle turned to the Water Sprite Queen. “You must come with us to Castle Tauna and talk to Catherine yourself.”
“If you need me to,” she said.
“We will come too,” said the Pixies in chorus.
“I will help as well,” said Benjamin the Mouse.
“I’ve journeyed with you this far,” said Leo the Hedgehog. “I might as well join in the fight as well.”
“Yes, um…” King Carlyle began. “To be honest I’m not sure how much help you small animals are going to be…”
“Don’t underestimate them,” said John. “Remember Fulvio the mouse.”
“Who?” asked King Carlyle.
“Remember the story I told you before?” said John ***POSSIBLY SET THIS UP EARLIER***. “When we were caught by General Graten’s men, and Robert sent for Fulvio for help…”
“Okay, okay,” said King Carlyle, although it wasn’t clear to John that King Carlyle actually did remember. “You can all come with us to Castle Tauna. Now how to get you all there?” King Carlyle turned to the fairies. “In this winged lion body, I’m big enough and strong enough to carry them all. But I’ll need some sort of a basket.”
“Yes, we can provide one for you,” said the fairies.
“Talon always used to tell me magic can’t create matter out of nothing,” said King Carlyle cautiously.
“We can transform the tall grass and the reeds from the river,” said the fairy. “And make it weave itself into a basket.”
“These lion’s paws aren’t very good for grabbing or picking up stuff,” added King Carlyle.
“It’s okay,” said the fairy. “We’ll add a harness.”
The fairies worked their magic, and when they were done, they had created a basket, complete with a harness that was placed around King Carlyle’s body. John, Kolet, Aurora, Leo the Hedgehog, Benjamin the Mouse, and the Queen of the Water Sprites all climbed in. As did Klangor and Starrof. They didn’t say anything, but John was fairly sure that the only reason they were returning to Castle Tauna is because they did not want to be left behind with the Brownies.
The Brownies said that they would not be going. They were going to stay and keep watch over the borderlands.
The Pixies, on the other hand, said that they would be going. But they did not need to ride in the basket. Pixies can travel through the forest just by hopping, they said.
“It’s still several days walk,” said King Carlyle. “Even with the hopping.”
Eventually, the Pixies were convinced to get into the basket as well. And King Carlyle took off and flew through the air.
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