Legend of the Woods

Episode 15, The Granter of Wishes.

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And now, Episode 15, The Granter of Wishes.

Abby wished to be back at the Homestead. The girls held hands, waiting for something to happen. Clarisa felt the evil presence before seeing them; she opened her eyes. The Moochers crept out of the woods onto the Twisted Path, their spindly black frames as deep as a shadow at midnight. When they grinned, their teeth shone amazingly white and sharp like wolves’ teeth.

“Oh God, Abby, look.”

Abby screamed and closed her eyes, “Take us home, take us home, take us home.”

“You have to wish sweet girl,” a voice said.

“What,” Abby said.

Abby found herself standing in a world where everything was fluorescent green. Different shades of green and slight shadows helped distinguish beings and things from the world around them. The terrible jittering sound the Moochers made seemed closer.

“You have to wish,” the voice said again.

“I did wish.”

“Yes, but that was a wish to take you to the Homestead. You just asked three times for me to take you home.”

“Oh, I, I, mean the Homestead. Where are you? Am I dead? Did the Moochers already get us, and this is just the afterlife?” Abby said.

“I am everywhere, but if you wish to see me, I will present myself in a way you can comprehend.”

“Wow, I wish I could see you. What about my sister? Isn’t she scared and in danger from the Moochers?”

“No, my dear. Now that I understand your wish and your words, you are already safe and away from the Moochers.

Before Abby, there appeared a thin, youthful woman with wings. Like Brevlodar, she was short, a bit taller than the gnomes.

“Are you an angel or a fairy?”

“I believe in his book; your grandfather calls me a fairy; we are the Crane. We defend the helpless in the woods of the Mystic Realms.”

In her mind, not aloud, Abby wished Clarisa could be here. Wherever here was.

“Well, I am far from helpless, but thank you so much for helping us,” Clarisa said.

“Wow,” Abby said and then giggled. As she laughed, the wispy tendrils of fluorescence that floated everywhere glowed a little brighter.

The relief in Clarisa’s heart at the sound of Abby’s giggle caused Clarisa to laugh.

The entire space around them lit up like the morning sun.

Crane breathed deep and sighed. “Thank you for that. It has been so long since I heard the songs of joy. The Gremorians, in their haste to shelter the helpless creatures of the Woods from the storm, separated us from them. So we no longer hear their joy or have anything to do.”

“Garr is trying to wake them now,” Clarisa said.

“Good, good, that will be wonderful. I should get you to the Homestead. Hold on.”

“Wait, you said we are the Crane, how many is We? Do you have your own name?” Abby asked.

“We don’t have time for my real name child, why don’t you name me?”

“Oh, well then, may I call you Lisa? You are as beautiful as my mother; her name is Lisa.”

“I would be honored to share your mother’s name. Now hold on, here we go.”

Suddenly, Clarisa and Abby were on the Twisted Path again. Their eyes open wide, staring at the approaching Moochers who reached out toward the girls. The girls screamed again; a green haze clouded their vision, the dark, clawed hands of the Moochers close enough to touch them.

“What’s yooos all screamin at?” Al said.

Clarisa and Abby opened their eyes and stopped screaming. “It worked, it worked, it worked,” they cheered.

“Yae yae, it worked, nows go aways ya buggin me. Disturbin my peace and alls dat.”

The girls hugged Al, “It is so good to see you Al. We’ve been on so many adventures,” Abby said.

“Mmma,” Clarisa kissed Al on the cheek, and the two girls ran for the house screaming, “Mama, Papa, we are back.”

In the Garden Lisa Crane and Al stood looking at one another.

“Well, hellows doll face, Hows abouts yous N me do lunch at my place?” Al asked.

“Oh, you silly gnome, flattery will get you know where with me. But soon, the battle will come. If you prove yourself worthy, we can fly together.” Lisa Crane said.

“Oh boys, hubba hubba.” Al said.

As they ran Abby thought about the book in the barn. (A record of the odd folk and creatures of Frilarium Farms and the surrounding lands. By Poddarius Frilarium VI). “Wait, Clarisa, I want to get Grandpa’s book from the barn so I can read more about the creatures and things we have come across.”

“We need to see Mama and Papa; come with me; we will get the book later.” Clarisa turned and ran toward the door that led into the kitchen.

Abby hesitated, looked after her sister then to the barn and back to her sister. Then she ran to the barn. In the office, Abby grabbed the book bag hanging on the office chair and slung it over her shoulder. At that moment, the ground shook, and she tripped and fell just outside the office door. The shaking shook the tire swing off the hook that kept it against the wall. It swung over her head, startling her.

Across the expanse of the Mystic Realm, the ranging Moochers, who have roamed outside the Realms of Darkness since the end of the last cataclysm, recognized that a passage from the Dark Realms was now open. The tides of darkness were rising and they were happy. In the bushes, near the edge of the farm, where the flowers were a deep dark red and the inch long thorns were sharp as needles. In those bushes next to the fence, near the drive, an old withered Moocher lived. He usually hid and only came out on moonless nights to scare those he could threaten, screeched with joy. He watched the young girl run into the barn all alone. Exhilarated with the thought of rejoining his brothers in the darkness, he crossed the open field and entered the barn. Rolling to the side Abby was able to sit up; as she did, a dark silhouette appeared in the barn door.

“A Moocher. Oh No,” She screamed.

As she stood, using her walking stick.

“Where did you come from?” Abby said looking at the walking stick. The little lions head winked.

The Moocher was coming at her quick, now. She screamed. Looking at the walking stick, she said, “I wish you were a real lion of the Mystic Realm.”

Then she dashed back into the office and shut the door. As the door closed, she observed wisps of green fluorescence circling about the walking stick. So she set it down before the door and ran around behind the desk. The door flew open, the screeches of the Moocher sending chills down her spine. Then between Abby and the Moocher, a monstrous florescent lion-like beast with wings and a fiery tail appeared. The Moocher stopped and attempted to back out of the room. The lion roared, and the Moocher ran.

Inside the house, Clarisa hugged her mother. They kissed and their eyes moistened with tears of joy.

“Where is Abby?” Lisa Frilarium asked.

“She is right here,” Clarisa turned to look for her sister. “Oh, Abs, I told you later. She went to the barn for the book. We saw so many things while we were traveling. She wanted to look them up in the book.”

Lisa and Clarisa headed for the door to go get Abby. Halpus, Heydrick, and Rosie followed. As they exited the home, the ground shook, and the screeches of Moochers in the distance reached their ears. As they stepped off the porch, they saw the Moocher cross the field and duck into the barn.

“Abby,” Clarisa said as she ran towards the barn.

“Clarisa, wait,” Lisa said and followed her.

“Moochers,” Halpus said and disappeared.

“Al, Moochers in the Barn,” Rosie said as she ran after Lisa and her daughter.

Heydrick looked to the East, toward the wheat field. Darkness rose like a funnel cloud. “Oh my,” he said.

Halpus materialized in the barn, the lion roared, and the Moocher from the bush ran into the tire swing, stumbled, and fell. The great beast with the fiery tail pounced upon the shadowy Moocher, and with a squeal, it was devoured.

Behind the beast, the tiny Abby strolled forward. “Wow, I sure hope you are in this book. What is your name?”

The beast turned its fiery tale slashed the ropes supporting the tire swing. The tire bounced and rolled into the wall.

“Abby,” Lisa screamed! “Halpus, help my daughter.”

Halpus looked between beast and Lisa. “Looks to me she has all the help she needs.”

The beast sniffed, shook its mane, roared, then licked its lips. It eyed Halpus and walked out of the barn.

“Wait what is your name,” Abby demanded.

Lisa and Clarisa backed away; Rosie watched Al run across the drive from the Garden. Heydrick stared at the darkness rising up from the east. The lion-like beast eyed the mother and daughter and turned about; it appeared to be looking for something.

“How did I get here?” Boomed the beast’s voice, his florescent green shifting to fiery red flames and back again.

“I wished that my walking stick was a Lion of the Mystic Realm,” Abby said. As she walked out of the barn, her mother ran to her and hugged her. Trying to put Abby behind her.

The beast sniffed, stepped toward Abby and her mother, and sniffed again.

“You are a Frilarium; since when does the power of wishes reside with the Frilariums?”

Abby giggled. “Oh no, not me, I just wished. Lisa Crane granted the wish.”

“What, a crane granting wishes for a Frilarium?” The beast sniffed, turned about, and sniffed some more.

“Halpus, do you see this over here?” Heydrick asked, pointing to the darkness gathering over the wheat field. “What is it?”

“I don’t know, I will be right back,” The Millipede said; he disappeared; a florescent green trail lit up the path he took and slowly faded to nothing.

“Where is the Crane? What happenstance has you granting wishes to the Frilarium girl?” The lion said in his deep voice, sniffing the air, moving toward the Garden, and sniffing some more.

“Wow, dats a big kitty,” Al said.

Rosie giggled.

“What do you know about this Gnome?” the lion said. He stared at Al and turned fiery red, then slowly faded back to green.

“I knows what I seens. Da Lady of da Cranes, she poofed da screamin girls into da garden. Dats all I know, big kitty. I sure hopes it ain’t hungry.” Al said, nudging Rosie with his elbow.

Rosie giggled again.

The Lion looked at her hard and sniffed.

“Here I am, Chertan, my noble friend. It is so good to see you again.” Lisa Crane said to Chertan the Lion.

“Where are your folk, My lady? Why are you here?”

“The Gremorians, in their haste, created great chambers to shelter the helpless during the storm. I believe a deep sleep has come upon them as they have not released the little creatures of the woods and mist. Abby and Clarisa Frilarium tell me that Garr is now trying to wake his brothers. My folk are relaxing in the gardens at the Middle of Nowhere until I call them back.”

Abby stepped away from her mother and sister toward the Beast and the Fairy.

“Abby,” her mom said, reaching out to stop her.

“Hi, I’m Abby; this is my sister Clarisa, and my mother, Lisa. How did you know I was a Frilarium?”

“Ho ho, little one. What a treat you are. I can smell it on you, the Frilarium scent.”

“Moochers!” Halpus appeared amid the group. “Moochers in the Wheat!”

“Wo, whats you yellin abouts glow worm?” Al asked.

“The Straight Path! It is there. It dissects the wheat field. And Moochers. Hundreds of Moochers are huddled together upon the rocks in the center.” Halpus said.

“The tides of darkness rise,” Heydrick said.

“A portal to the Dark Realms must have been opened,” Chertan the Lion said.

“It must have been the storm and floods. The earthquake was the portal opening between Realms,” Lisa Crane said.

“Oh boys, is dat the battle yous talkin bout?” Al asked.

“Yes Al, your chance to prove yourself in defense of the Realm.” The Lady of the Crane said.

“HUMMMM,” the lion half purred, and half growled. “Only the daughters of Poddarius can turn the tides of darkness. Little Miss, I pledge myself and my pride to your cause. What would you have me do.” The lion turned and sat before Abby and Clarisa.

To Be Continued

Next up, Episode 16, The unchaining of the Gate of Gort.

You can find Episode 14, Waking the Slumbering Giants. Here.

Begin the journey here

Episode 1, Frilarium Farms.

© 2022, T. Mark Mangum

I am T.Mark Mangum. From an early age, I was hooked, addicted to the imagined, unfathomable worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Conan, the Lord of the Rings, and many others. I love writing fiction tales. I love writing in multiple genres. However, my favorites are Sci-fi and Fantasy fiction. I am a father of six; we have two cats and two dogs. Tabletop gaming is a passion.