Dungeons and Dragons is the property of TSR and Marvel with all rights reserved.  This is in no way any attempt to steal their material, as much as it is an attempt to honor one of the greatest cartoons of the 1980’s.

If anyone would like to use any part of the story in their own works they can, all that I ask is that you give credit where credit is due. 

Rated PG: This story contains a moderate amount of violence.

Introduction: Nietzsche once wrote about what befalls a person once they stared into the abyss.  The Young Ones find out in…

 

Dark Reflections

Book One of The Rising Darkness Trilogy

 

By: Sterling Coleman

 

 

If We Must Die

 

If we must die, let it not be like hogs
 Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
O kinsmen!  we must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we’ll face the murderous cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

Claude McKay

 

 

            “Just when you think the Realm couldn’t get any weirder, it comes up with something new to out-weird itself.  Does anybody have any idea when Brunnehilde is going to wake up?” asked Eric impatiently regarding their new companion who was sleeping fitfully.

            “Cool it, Eric!” returned Diana sharply.  “Considering what she went through with those Orcs, a little rest might do her some good.”

            “Uh, I wouldn’t call the tossing and turning she’s been doing for the last few hours resting, Diana,” interjected Presto.  “It looked more to me like she was either fighting or running away from something.”

            “Whatever it was, it must’ve been one heck of a nightmare,” added Sheila.  “And the way she kept crying out for Bobby in her sleep, it had to have been something terrible.”

            The Thief’s statement seemed to carry with it a ring of truth as the others—save for Hank, Bobby, and Uni who were out foraging for food—surveyed their restless guest.  To say that she was a dead ringer for Sheila was an understatement.  The only differences between the two girls were their hairstyles and clothing.  Sheila’s double had shoulder length auburn hair parted on the right side with four long braids—two on either side of her face—draping down her chest.  It gave everyone the impression that she came straight out of an old Viking movie and thus instantly reminded Eric of his favorite Valkyrie.  The girl’s clothes matched Sheila’s trappings perfectly save for the darker colors she wore—mahogany brown knee length boots, a black cloak, and a purple sash wrapped around a short midnight blue dress that seemed to capture the very essence of the Realm’s morning twilights.

            All in all, it had been a long day before Diana had rescued Sheila’s double from a couple of Orcs.  Now her presence only seemed to confuse their situation even more.  Presto and Sheila had gotten to work by bandaging her wounds while the rest of the guys tied her unconscious assailant to a tree and stood guard in the event of another possible run in with the Orcs.

            Once they had finished fighting off their astonishment and completed their tasks, the Young Ones got moving again with Sheila and Diana carrying their charge on a U.S. Army stretcher the Magician pulled from his magic hat.  They circumnavigated their way around the lakes and headed north for the better part of the afternoon until the dimming sunlight of early evening forced them to settle down and camp for the night.

            Along the way Hank picked up the tracks of their pursuers, and made great pains to keep the gang moving in the opposite direction the Orcs were travelling while covering their own tracks in the process.  And while the woods, brush, and rolling terrain didn’t make their trek any easier, Sheila’s counterpart made it all the more difficult.

            On more than one occasion she thrashed about on her portable bed, calling out for Bobby in a voice that mirrored both suffering and tragedy.  Every time she did so, it made Sheila shiver.  It was just simply too weird to listen to the sound of her own voice in such pain and anguish.  Whenever their charge’s cries grew too loud and threatened to give away their position, the Young Ones would try to wake her.  However, their attempts to rouse her only brought silence, as she easily succumbed to the slightest touch.

            Now that they had stopped for the night, the Young Ones’ curiosity about their new guest was more fully aroused.  A thousand and one questions weighed heavily upon their minds as they continued setting up camp, all the while casting an occasional glance at their sleeping companion.

            “Still, it would be nice if she would just wake up and answer a few questions.” insisted Eric as he turned towards his captive audience.

            “Let me guess, like who she is and where she’s from for starters?” yawned Presto.

            “Precisely!  She may look like Sheila, she may talk like Sheila, but she obviously lacks our Thief’s fashion sense.  Besides what do we really know about her?  For all we know, she could be some-thing Venger cooked up to catch us off guard and take our weapons from us while we sleep.  Who better to do the job than a thief, right?”

            “Okay, let’s say for arguments sake you’re right, Eric,” announced Sheila sorting through some berries she had picked earlier that afternoon.  “If she is a creation of Venger or someone paid to look like me, why would Venger’s own Orcs attack her?”

            “Simple, it was a case of mistaken identity,” replied Eric blowing off her question.  “They probably got their wires crossed and thought that she was you.  Let’s face it, these Orcs may be the toughest ones we’ve ever run up against, but they’re clearly not the brightest.”

            “I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” corrected Diana sitting on a nearby rock.  “They’ve been smart enough to chase us halfway across the Realm, in spite of what we’ve done to try and get rid of them.”

            “Yeah, well, don’t mistake persistence for intelligence.  Besides, either way it goes, we’re still stuck with one more mouth to feed.” answered Eric resignedly.

            “Excuse me, but first of all, I am not some-thing cooked up by anyone.  I am a flesh and blood human being.” Came a sharp, dry voice from the part of the clearing where the stretcher was set.

            Everyone turned around to see Sheila’s double sitting up cross-legged in her stretcher, staring angrily at Eric.

            “Second, my choice of attire is a very practical one.  Bright colors do not a good thief make!”

            “Well, excuuuuse me!” replied Eric.

            “As if there’s an excuse for someone like you!” returned the girl evenly.

            “Ooooohh!” winced Sheila and Presto as she handily dejected the uncouth Cavalier.

            “Third, I’m not some extra mouth to feed.  I can fend for myself, thank you very much!”

            “Relax!” calmed Diana as she walked over to their new companion with an outstretched hand.  “Take it easy, we’re all friends here.  How are you doing?  My name is Diana, Oscar the Grouch over there is Eric, and that’s Presto and Sheila,” Pointing to each one in turn as they drew close. “But I guess you probably know who we are, so who are you, exactly?”

            “Exactly?” repeated the girl as she shook Diana’s hand and each one in turn—except for the skeptical Eric who refused to extend his hand and Sheila who was completely blown away by her double’s actions.  Even in anger she still mimicked the Thief.

            “My name is Sheila, Sheila Davenport, but you can call me Shel.  All my friends do and thanks to you guys, I’m doing a whole lot better than when I first came to this world.”

            Sheila went pale at the mention of her double’s surname.  Davenport had been her mother’s maiden name, with McAndrews as her married one.  The Thief wanted to ask her about her family, but decided to wait until she could catch her alone to talk about it.

            “Came to this world?!” asked Presto in amazement.  “You mean from Earth?”

            “No silly, I mean from the Emp—er, Realm in my dimension.”

            “Dimension?!” asked Eric in total disbelief.

            “How did you get here?” asked Sheila before Shel could respond.

            Taking in her surroundings, the girl responded, “In my version of the Realm, this forest is called the Woods Between The Worlds.  By the way, did we cross by any pools of water or lakes while we were moving?”

            “Yeah, a while ago,” replied Presto pointing in the direction that they had come. “Back that away.” 

            “That’s how I got here.  I came through one of those lakes and wound up in your Realm.  Each of those pools is a portal between this world and another just like it.”

            “Wow!” exclaimed the Magician.

            “Great!  Just great!” complained the Cavalier standing up and preparing to go into another tirade.

            “What’s wrong now, Eric?” asked Diana anticipating the griping to come.

            “Oh nothing, it’s just that we free a city, get hounded by Orcs, and rescue Sheila Squared over here.  And all for what?!  Just to go and get lost in another Realm that’s just as screwy as the one we’re in right now?!  Give me a break!”

            “Who says we’re going anywhere, Eric?” asked Sheila.

            “Then why don’t you ask her why she’s here?  Ten to one says that she needs our help to take on some bad guy that her version of ourselves couldn’t handle.  Am I right or what?”

            Shel looked down at her lap, fighting tears that began to well up in her eyes.  “You’re right.  We do need your help.  I don’t know if you have him here, but in our Realm our greatest enemy is a wizard called Kelek.  He’s been able to summon up a horde of demons from the Nether Regions and unleash them upon our Realm.  We’ve united many of the kingdoms in an effort to stop them, but it hasn’t been enough.  Add to that the fact that we’ve lost some in our number—“ She began to sob quietly, continuing to fight back her tears. “We’ve lost you, Diana and—”

            “Bobby?” finished Sheila as her counterpart only nodded in weeping silence.  Presto offered her a handkerchief, which she graciously accepted as she dried her eyes.

            “Gee, I’m—I’m sorry,” said Eric as he backed away.  “I—I didn’t mean anything by it, I just—“

            Diana waved him to silence.

            It took Shel several minutes to pull herself back together again, struggling to continue. “The best we’ve been able to do is hold them off.  However, if you guys could come with me back to my Realm, we can stop his forces of darkness before they destroy everything.”

            “You make it sound like your Realm is home,” noticed Diana taking Shel’s hand inside her own, trying to change the subject.

            “For us, it is.  We gave up on finding a portal about a year ago, and decided to make new lives for ourselves there.”

            “I don’t know.  A demon horde?  That sounds awfully dangerous to me guys,” admitted Presto having listened intently to Shel’s story.

            “Oh?  And fighting Venger, Tiamat, and the entire Orc nation hasn’t been?  What’s the difference between them and taking on a bunch of demons?” complained the Cavalier, “How many did you say there were?”

            “Our best guess is probably a hundred thousand.  Maybe more.” admitted Shel somewhat reluctantly.

            They all looked at her in astonishment.

            “Did—did—did you say a hundred thousand?” exasperated Eric as he finished getting the words out of his mouth.

            Shel nodded her head gravely.

            “Good grief!” cried Presto trying to come to terms with the size of their future opposition.

            “Personally, I’d like to hear what Dungeonmaster has to say about all of this.” confessed Sheila worriedly.

            “Dungeonmaster?” inquired her double.

            “Yeah, Dungeonmaster, DM, short wrinkly little guy about three feet tall.  He has three favorite past times—disappearing when trouble comes, sending us places where there is trouble, and speaking in riddles that only gets us into more trouble.  Let me guess, you have him on your world too, huh?” asked Eric.

            “Had would be a better word,” replied Shel gazing downward again.

            “What happened?” inquired Sheila seeking to console their new friend.

            “He’s dead.  Has been for quite some time.  He was one of the first to fall to Kelek.  If you don’t mind, it’s a long story and I really don’t want to get into it right now.”  She looked over to Sheila.  “Is there any place around here where I could get a drink of water, and maybe some needle and thread?  The only reason those Orcs were able to get the better of me was because my cloak was torn before I came through the portal.  All I need to do is stitch up the tear and I’ll be good to go.”

            “Sure, Presto can whip up what you need,” suggested the Thief. “And Hank said there’s a stream not too far from—“

            “Hank?!” cut in Shel with a look of concern on her face.

            “Yeah, he and Bobby went off to do some hunt—“

            “Bobby!?!” Concern giving way to surprise. “I’m sorry it’s just that I thought this was all of you.  I didn’t know that there were more.”    

            “That’s okay,” reassured Sheila.  “There are six of us in all.”

            “Seven, if you count that stupid unicorn,” added the Cavalier crossly.

            “Shut up, Eric!” cried everyone in unison including Shel.

            Sheila giggled, “I see you’re catching on, if this keeps up, I think we’re going to be good friends.”

            “Me too,” mused Shel smiling for the first time. “Still, I would like to meet them.  At the very least, thank them for rescuing me from those Orcs.”

            “Sure, although Diana is the one you should thank for doing the actual rescuing.  We just came to the party a little late, that’s all.”

            Graciously thanking the Acrobat, Shel rose to her feet and joined Sheila in her search for Hank and Bobby.

            “A hundred thousand strong,” were the only words that escaped Presto’s lips, struggling to fathom the numbers that they would be facing.

            “Okay, can somebody please tell me how we’re supposed to defeat that many demons—without the 82^nd Airborne?” asked the Cavalier sarcastically.

            “I don’t know, Eric.  I hate to admit it, but I’m starting to agree with you.  There’s something about this that just isn’t right,” said Diana a little concerned.

            “Right?!” questioned the Cavalier in almost total disbelief, “I think the word you’re looking for is suicidal!”

            “Maybe, but my gut is telling me that there’s more to this than meets the eye.”

            “Oh yeah, well my gut is telling me that it’s hungry.  I hope Bobby and Hank bring back some real food this time.  Berries for dinner is not exactly my idea of a full course meal.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            “Hank?”

            “Yeah, Bobby?”

            “Do you think we’ll ever get home?”

            “Do you still have Teri’s locket?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Then we’ll get home.  Someday, Bobby, someday.”

            They had had this conversation before, countless times since she left really.  The question and answer may have been phrased differently, but the end result was always the same: reassurance and hope.  In the last few months, Hank began to see his role among the Young Ones evolve from being simply their leader and more into their father figure—especially when it came to matters of the heart.  It was moments like these that both encouraged and frightened the Ranger--encouraging in the fact that he had fully regained the trust of his friends since his trial among the Cloud Bears and frightening in the fact that their intimate details, hopes, and dreams were always laid bear before him.  There were also lingering questions of doubt that he occasionally asked himself—questions for which there were no easy answers.

            ‘Am I saying the right thing?  What if I say the wrong thing?  Or don’t say enough?  What if I don’t know the answer?  What if…?’

            It was these questions that plagued him when these little interludes took place.  Hank looked down at Bobby who was seated next to him.  The Barbarian was rhythmically stroking Uni’s mane, staring absently into the woods.

            “No doubt about what’s on your mind today, pal,” mentioned Hank openly.

            “Don’t mind me, Hank.  There’re just some days that I can’t get being home out of my head.”

            “I know, Bobby, I know.”  The Ranger put a firm but comforting hand on his shoulder.

            The Barbarian looked up at him and smiled.

            “I hope we’re not interrupting anything.” Came a female voice from directly in front of them.  The guys looked up to see Sheila appearing before them as she removed the hood of her cloak.

            “Oh, hey sis!” welcomed Bobby.

            “Mee-lah?!” inquired Uni rising to her feet and greeting her.

            “We were just talking, guy stuff really.  What’s up?”  Hank picked up his energy bow sitting beside him.

            “Our patient.  I present to you, my double, Sheila Davenport,” announced the Thief as her counterpart cautiously appeared from behind a tree.

            “Wow!” said Hank breathlessly.

            “Neat!   You look just like Sheila, er, I mean my sister.”

            Shel stood silent for a second as her eyes immediately locked onto Bobby.  Ignoring Hank who walked over to offer his hand in friendship, Shel ran over to Bobby, scooping him up in a crushing embrace that knocked his helmet off of his head and almost knocked the Barbarian off of his feet.

            Hank, Sheila, and Uni were in shock as Shel wept bitterly, clinging to Bobby as a drowning man would to a life preserver.  The Barbarian did his best to try to console her, but outside of asking what was wrong, there was nothing he could really do.  After a few long minutes, Shel finally released him and fought to regain some measure of composure as she stood to her feet.

            “I’m—I’m sorry,” stammered Sheila’s double.

            “It’s just that he’s been gone for so long. And I really miss him.  And when I saw your brother standing there he reminded me of him and—“ Shel burst into tears again, hiding her face in her hands.  As Bobby recovered his helmet Hank and Sheila took turns consoling her.  Uni, for her part, kept her distance from this stranger whom her better instincts told her was trouble.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            After they returned to camp, Shel relayed to everyone how she and her friends found themselves in their version of the Realm and all that they had experienced as well.  Some parts of her story were consistent with their own—the amusement park ride, meeting Dungeonmaster, and being given the Weapons of Power.  However, there were other aspects of her story that departed from their own—the absence of Venger, the rise to power of War Duke and Kelek, and their group’s decision to stop searching for a way home and settle down in the Realm.

            Considering what she knew of Shel’s life from their conversation while looking for Hank and Bobby, Sheila really couldn’t blame her for choosing to stay in the Realm.  The Thief couldn’t believe that her dad would desert her mom shortly after Bobby’s birth, as Shel’s father had done.  Or that the bank would foreclose on their mortgage and they would be forced to live with their grandparents.  Or even that her mother would turn to the bottle as an escape from the daily despair of being unable to find a job.  Sheila thought long and hard about the grass not always being greener on the other side; and felt thankful for the life that she and her brother had led up until that point.  But what made the Thief worry about her all the more, was the way Shel had become emotionally attached to her brother.

            For the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening, the two were practically inseparable.  At first, she thought it was a natural reaction to the grief that Shel felt over losing her brother.  But as time went by, Sheila became increasingly convinced that their new friend might be obsessed with him.  This situation did not go unnoticed by the rest of the guys, as the Thief became increasingly nervous and worried.

            “Hey, sis,” called Bobby inadvertently bringing his sister back to reality.  “Shel’s going out to get some more firewood, can I go with her?”

            “What about the Orcs?”

            “Hank said it would be all right.  We really hadn’t run into those guys since this morning.  They probably passed us by now.  Can I go, please?”

            “I’ll take good care of him.” smiled Shel putting one arm around the Barbarian’s shoulder.

            ‘Yeah, I bet you will.’ thought Eric suspiciously.

            “Well, okay, go ahead, but don’t stay out too late.” Sheila bit her lip with uncertainty.

            “We won’t,” replied Bobby.  “Come on Shel, Uni, let’s go.”

            “You know, somebody should keep an eye on that girl,” mentioned Eric after they were well out of earshot.  “But it’s a good thing they’re only going after firewood.  Between Uni’s neighing, your brother’s loud mouth, and Shel’s wailing, they would scare all the game away if they were actually hunting.”

            “Yeah, but they aren’t.” returned Sheila walking off after her brother’s party.

            “Where are you going?” asked the Cavalier absently.

            “For a little walk.”

            “Need any help?” offered Diana, straightening out one of Presto’s conjured up bedrolls.

            Looking over her shoulder, the Thief said, “No, I’m just going to follow them and make sure that they stay out of trouble.  You know me, Diana, mothering Bobby as usual.  But thanks anyway.”

            “Sure, be careful.”

            “I will.” Pulling the hood of her cloak over her head, the Thief disappeared into the woods.

            “Do you think she’s being a little too over-protective, Diana?” asked the Ranger, walking over and kneeling down beside her.     

            “No, not really.  I’ve known Sheila longer than you have, Hank, and I really can’t blame her for looking after Bobby the way she does.  My brother, Malcolm, used to be the exact same way with me when I was Bobby’s age.  I understand how she feels.  Especially with Shel running around.”

            “Why?  What’s wrong with her?” asked the Ranger innocently,  “She seems nice enough.  A little too hung up on Bobby granted, but considering that she lost her own brother, it’s perfectly understandable.”

            “I know,”  replied the Acrobat with resignation in her voice.  “Still, there’s something about her that I’m not sure of.  It’s not that I don’t like her, it’s just that there’s something not right about all of this.  But I just can’t put my finger on it.”  Tapping the bedroll with her right forefinger as if to drive home her point.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            Despite the forest canopy, the early evening’s twilight brought forth three full moons that provided Bobby, Shel, and Uni with enough light to aid them in finding some wood for the campfire.  The Barbarian industriously and eagerly filled his arms with more branches than he could carry.  Uni could only watch Bobby struggle with his load, until a thoroughly amused Shel took some of his branches.

            “Well, I guess we’d better be getting back.” suggested the Barbarian. “Between the two of us, we have more than enough wood to keep the fire burning all night.”

            “Bobby, I have something that I would like to share with you.  Have a seat.”  Motioning over to a fallen log, the Barbarian set aside his bundle and seated himself.  Shel followed suit and joined him.

            “What is it?”

            Uni drew close to her master to get a better look.

            “This!” Reaching beneath her sash, Shel pulled out a closed clamshell encrusted with a silver and gold trim along its outer ridges.

            “Wow!”  exclaimed Bobby and Uni simultaneously as their eyes lit up to match the brightness of the ivory shell reflected against the moonlight.

            “What is it?  Where did you get it?”

            “Nyeah,” affirmed Uni curious about the gift’s origins as well.

            Turning the shell towards them so that they could get a better look, “On the outside, it looks like a clam.  On the inside, however, it’s a magical wishing box that can only be used on a night such as this, when the moons are full.  The Queen of the Fairies gave it to me not long after we arrived in the Realm.  She told me that it would grant the wish of the bearer no matter how great or small it is.  Would you like to try it?  I wonder what you would wish for?”

            “That’s an easy one, right Uni?”  Turning to face the little unicorn.

            “Mmmhmm.” Uni gave a demonstrative nod.

            “To go home!”

            “Then make your wish and it will come true.  All you have to do is tap the top of the shell three times, wait for it to open, and when it does make your wish.”

            “That’s silly!”

            “Maybe, maybe not.  Think of it as making a birthday wish.” She rationalized, taking his left hand, opening it, and placing the shell in his palm.

            “Okay, what do I have to lose?” replied Bobby nonchalantly as he tapped the shell repeatedly.

            Uni watched as it slowly creaked open.  As she looked more intently into its center, a small spray of fairy dust hit her and Bobby, shooting out from the opening.  Momentarily engulfing the two, the cloud quickly dissipated after Bobby fell to the ground unconscious and a dazed and stunned Uni staggered off tripping over her own feet into some nearby bushes.

            Retrieving the clamshell, Sheila Davenport stood up and smiled down at the sleeping Barbarian, “As I promised Bobby, your wish is going to come true.  You are going home—but with me!”

            Immediately, Shel felt someone slam into her, driving her to the ground.  As she fought to keep her wits about her, Shel felt strong hands grabbing her arms, restraining her.  Looking up to identify her mysterious attacker, Shel’s eyes met the angry and frantic gaze of her double, whose hood had fallen back from her head.

            “What did you do to my brother?!” screamed Sheila demanding an answer.

            “I’m impressed.  I never figured you for a hand-to-hand combatant.  This could be fun.” replied Shel, coolly musing over the possibilities.

            “Answer me!”

            “I don’t think so!”  Drawing both of her legs up under Sheila, Shel planted her feet in the Thief’s stomach, and monkey flipped her counterpart off of her.  Sheila hit the ground hard and got the wind knocked out of her, as she lost her grip on her opponent.  Rearing back and flipping up onto her feet, Sheila’s counterpart got clear of the Thief and yelled, “Drilka!  Now!”

            Too dazed to react, Sheila fell easy prey to a large glowing net that flew out from somewhere behind her and covered her completely.  Collecting herself, Shel walked over to the Thief in mild amusement as if to study her double’s predicament.

            “Sorry, Sheila,” said Shel, apologizing with mocking pity.  “You can fight the net all you want.  But the more you fight it, the tighter it gets.  Go ahead, turn invisible if you want to, it won’t make any difference as far as I’m concerned.”

            “Shel, why are you doing this?” cried Sheila as she began to struggle with the net, finding that her counterpart’s words were all too true.

            “Because I can.”  She moved away from her fallen victims and over to the bushes from which the net was thrown.  “Nice work, Captain Drilka.  Have your troops zeroed in on the rest of them?”

            Sheila stopped struggling at the sight of her captor.  It was an Orc, one of those that had been attacking them on their way to the forest.  Drilka stepped forward and saluted Shel.

            “What?!” exclaimed Sheila in shock and disbelief.

            “Surprised?” asked her double with great amusement.  “You shouldn’t be.  We were on a standard reconnaissance mission when we bumped into you guys on the plains.  Normally, my scouts don’t take prisoners.  But then I asked myself, who would know more about this Realm than you guys?”

            “At that point, everything boiled down to just bringing you here.  Herding you into these woods was easy.  Keeping track of you while you were here, that was the hard part.  Still, my plan worked to perfection and now I have two prisoners to interrogate for the price of one.”  continued Shel, turning to her officer.  “Well, Drilka?”

            “We are in position, my lady.  The humans do not know that we are there, let alone that we have them completely surrounded.”

            “Excellent!”

            “My lady, what are the rules of engagement?”

            Looking down at her helpless opposite, Shel smiled with a malevolent grin and said, “Take—No—Prisoners!”

            “Noooooo!” screamed Sheila fighting even harder to free herself from the net.

            The Orc saluted again and ran off into the oncoming night.

            "Stop struggling, Sheila,' advised Shel sinisterly. "It's all going to be over before you know it. You have to understand something. Where i ocme from there are only two rules in life: Number One, there will always be a victim. Rule number Two don't be a victim! Nighty-night, Sheila."

            Shel gave the Thief a swift kick to the head that sent her crashing painfully into a sea of darkness.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            “They’ve been gone too long guys, let’s pack up and go after them.” suggested the Acrobat as she prepared to break camp.

            “I’m all for it, Diana, except we’ve got one little problem to deal with.” commented Eric.

            “Oh?  And what’s that?”

            “We don’t know where they are.  They could be anywhere in this forest. And unless you’re adept at tracking people in the dark, the chances of us finding them at this hour are slim and none.” commented the Cavalier plainly.  “I say let’s wait for daybreak.  At least we’ll be able to see where we’re going.  What do you say, Hank?”

            “Well, I say we should—“ began the Ranger.

            “You may not have that much time, my young pupils,”  interrupted a familiar sagely voice.

            The Young Ones turned around to see their teacher and guide, the Dungeonmaster, standing before their campfire warming himself.  The fire seemed to illuminate his red robes as the little old man confronted them.

            “Dungeonmaster!  Are we glad to see you!” exclaimed Presto with much relief.  “What happened to Sheila, Shel, Bobby, and Uni?”

            “Where are they?” asked Diana immediately.

            “Yeah, Dungeonmaster, what happened to them?” inquired Hank jumping in.

            “Patience, Young Ones, patience.  I understand your concern although I am greatly dismayed that you did not heed my warning.”

            “What warning?!” asked Eric curiously as they gathered around Dungeonmaster.  “The only thing you told us to do was to meet you in this God forsaken forest.  And we did!  Unless I missed a board meeting, you never mentioned anything about Orcs at all.”

            “But he did mention something about Shel,” realized Diana.  “Remember guys, ‘Beware the dark reflection of your outer self and seek the bright one from within.’”

            “Wait a minute!  You mean to tell me that Shel is the dark reflection of Sheila?!  That she’s evil?!” asked Presto completely stunned by the impact of this revelation.

            “That is correct, Magician.”

            “Jeez!” said Presto shaking his head in disbelief.

            “I knew there was something fishy about that girl,” opined the Cavalier matter-of-factly.  “But did anybody listen to me?  NOOOOoooo!”

            “Can it, Eric!” shot Diana cutting him off.  “We have enough problems as it is without listening to your bellyaching.”  But inwardly, the Acrobat had to admit that the Cavalier was right.  Realizing her own failure in not listening to her better instincts, she swore to herself for not going with Sheila to help keep an eye on Bobby and Shel. ‘Some best friend I turned out to be!  I felt there was something—No!  I KNEW there was something wrong, and I still let her go off alone!  What the hell was I thinking?!’

            “However, there is much more to this than what merely lies on the surface,” continued their guide.

            “What this time, O Soothsayer of Sorrow?  No!  Let me guess!  There is great danger ahead!” pondered Eric in a mocking voice that almost resembled Dungeonmaster’s own.

            “There is that, Cavalier, and an opportunity for all of you to find home—if you can rescue your friends and survive the ending and the beginning.”

            “The ending and beginning of what?”

            “Of everything.”

            “Oh, great!  Another end of the world mission,” surmised the Cavalier dejectedly.  “By the way, what does this have to do with Bobby and Sheila?”

            “Nothing, directly,” replied the Dungeonmaster pausing as if to consider his next words.  “And yet it involves all of you indirectly, as well as those whom you have met in your travels and those whom you shall meet.”

            “Well, my life is complete, I’m thoroughly confused now!” confessed Eric plopping himself down on the ground, staring into the fire as if it held the answers to their guide’s mysterious riddles.

            “Gee, that’s a first.  You’re always so good at picking up what Dungeonmaster says.  However do you do it?” asked Diana sardonically.

            Eric’s only answer was a dirty look.

            “Cool it, guys!” admonished the Ranger.

            “I am talking about your present and your future, my children,” continued Dungeonmaster in earnest.  “As well as the future of this Realm.  A great evil is coming. It is a darkness that looms greater than any that you have ever faced before—save one.”

            “He Who’s Name Cannot Be Spoken.” said Hank gravely. 

            “Correct, Ranger.”

            “So, its Venger again?” asked Presto absently.

            “One far worse than he.  For while Venger seeks to conquer this Realm, the one I speak of seeks to conquer all Realms and to use this forest to do it.”

            “Where are they now, Dungeonmaster?” asked Hank with his Energy Bow in hand.

            “Back the way you came, Ranger, where the Realms meet.  But know this: Your greatest strength lies not in your weapons but in your hearts, in the love that you have for each other.”  Opening his hands with his palms outstretched before them, Dungeonmaster held two glowing orbs of soft blue light.

            “The love that you have for each other is, in many ways, like the movements of the moons as they cross the night sky.  One may be closer to the Realm, the other two may be farther away.  But regardless of where they are, they are always centered around the Realm itself.”  The orbs burst into streaks of sparkling white light flying all around them, rising into the air, and illuminating the entire clearing.

            “But always remember that no matter how great the evil or what dangers you may face or what trials you may have to endure; as long as you remember your love for one another—your center as it were—your path, like that of the moons, will forever remain true.”

            And with that the streaks exploded into cascading sheets of light that fell to the ground all around them.

            “Wonderful!” observed Eric cynically, rising to his feet.  “Thanks to DM’s light show, the Orcs probably know where we are by now.”

            “Uh!  I don’t think you have to worry about that, Eric.” replied Presto as he spied something out of the corner of his eye.

            “Oh yeah, why not?”

            “Because I think they already know where we are.  Look!”  Pointing in the direction of the surrounding trees and bushes.

            “Look at what?!” cried Eric impatiently, “I don’t see anything except more trees, a few rocks, some Orcs with crossbows hiding in the bushes—Orcs hiding in the bushes?!  YAAAH!”

            “FIRE!” An inhuman scream went up and the air was filled with crossbow bolts and arrows hurtling towards the Young Ones.  However, none of them hit their mark as they all slammed into the descending light, bouncing aimlessly to the ground.

            “Good work, Eric!” commended Hank as he drew an energy arrow from his bow and returned fire.

            “What are you talking about?  I didn’t do a thing, my shield is over by my sleeping bag.”

            The Ranger looked over at Presto in disbelief.

            “Don’t look at me, Hank, I didn’t even have time to twiddle.” replied the Magician.

            “I think we can chalk this one up to Dungeonmaster, guys,” presumed Diana drawing and extending her quarterstaff.  “It seems DM’s light show had a dual effect.  It not only allowed us to see what was going on, but also shielded us in the process.  Take a look at those crossbow bolts and where they’re stopping.”

            “Thank—you—Dungeonmaster!”  The Ranger gave a quick glance back to the spot where their mentor once stood and, as usual, Dungeonmaster was gone.  “Get to your weapons everybody, it looks like we’re going to have to put in a little overtime on this one!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            When Sheila awoke, she quickly realized that the only thing that could even remotely exceed the throbbing pain in her head was the tightening constriction of the net wrapped around her.  Two things further contributed to her discomfort: the noxious smell of the Orcs nearby, and the fact that she was being carried over the shoulder of an Orc like a sack of potatoes.  Wincing in pain as she tried to take in her surroundings, Sheila was barely able to focus on any shapes or images that she passed.

            The Thief groaned as she became more aware of her predicament and all movement stopped.  Her handler set her on the ground and backed away.  Lying flat on her back, Sheila looked up and focused on the image of her counterpart stepping into view.

* ‘Oh God, where am I?  There has got to be some way out of this thing!’ *  The Thief tried to move against the netting but found that it only tightened with every turn of her body.

            “Ah!  You’re awake.  Comfy?”

            “Please—”croaked Sheila hoarsely.  Except for breathing and speaking, she was almost completely immobilized.

            “I’m sorry!  I didn’t hear you.  I don’t suppose you could speak up a little.”

            “Please—”the Thief repeated more dryly.  “Let Bobby go—take me instead—he’s only a child.”

            “A child with a very powerful weapon you mean,” added Shel.  “No!  I don’t think I’ll let him go.  With my brother’s death, there came a new opening for the position of Robert the Barbarian.  And guess what, your brother fits the bill nicely.  When we’re through mind wiping him, he won’t even remember his own name, let alone you and your friends.  But don’t worry, we’re going to have a lot of fun reeducating him.  So, I’m sorry to say that letting him go is completely out of the question.

            “But you, on the other hand, should be more concerned about yourself.  Personally, I wouldn’t give a snowball’s chance in hell for your future!”  She smiled and looked over at Sheila’s bearers.  “Pick her up and get moving.”

            As the Orc began to resume his duty, Sheila cried out in a voice loud enough for all to hear, “You won’t get away with this, my friends will stop you!”

            “Eloquent, but incorrect, my dear.” replied her double evenly.  “Your friends are probably already dead; and unless you behave yourself, you’ll be joining them too.  But in all honesty; regardless of what you do, you’re still going to die anyway. It’s just a question of when and how.”

            “I was your friend—“ began the exasperated Thief.

            “Nope!  You were my sacrificial lamb,” corrected Shel.  “And you offered up to me not only your brother but also yourself as well.  Thanks for making my job so much easier, Sheila.  You really are a true friend!”

            Laughing at her own humor, Shel walked off as the Thief’s handler picked her up and effortlessly hoisted her over his shoulder again.  From Sheila’s vantage point, she strained her neck to locate her brother but was unable to find him.

            ‘Guys, please be alive!  And if you are, hurry!’

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            “Presto!  Duck!”

            The Wizard spun around to see a shaft of light heading towards him and he immediately dropped to the ground.  All he heard above the din of the fighting was the sound of Hank’s energy arrow impacting upon something behind him and a deafening thud as it hit the ground.  He turned around to see what Hank had hit and was more than a little shaken by the unconscious form of an Orc who moments before had been bearing down on him with his sword drawn.  Had his opponent’s blade struck true, the Realm would have been less one magician.

            The Ranger moved over towards Presto, covering him while he regained his feet.

            “How we’re doing, Hank?” asked the Wizard as he stood up.

            “Let me put it to you like this: I’d rather be fighting Tiamat!”  He fired off another energy arrow and dropped a charging Orc that was armed with a spear.  “We could really use a certain Barbarian and Thief right about now.”

            “Tell me about it!” replied Presto trying to cast another spell.

            What started out as a well-planned ambush had quickly turned into a bloody free-for-all. Dungeonmaster’s shield had protected them against the initial onslaught of the Orcs surprise attack. However it did not protect them from the full brunt of the enemy’s charge which came shortly thereafter.  The Orcs attacked in a series of waves that were designed to wear down their opponents.  While the Young Ones were able to stave off the first and second waves, the third and fourth ones really began to take its toll on them.  In spite of the one’s they defeated, by Hank’s guess they were still outnumbered by at least four to one and completely encircled.  As he moved back-to-back with Presto, he quickly scanned the small battlefield to see how his other friends were doing.

            Diana, as usual, was giving it her all.  She had already knocked out five of them with her quarterstaff and had disarmed three more that came at her.  But for all of her effort and fighting spirit, the Ranger could see fatigue beginning to wear on her as two Orcs seemed to pop up for every one Orc she defeated.

            Despite his incessant complaining, Eric was doing his best to hold off the Orcs on his side of the field.  However, even with the power of his magic shield protecting him, the Cavalier was still being driven back by the repeated blows of five Orcs who were using war hammers and clubs to breach his defenses.

            Feeling his arm going numb under their attack, the Cavalier cried out, “I don’t suppose we could bribe these guys into going home and forgetting about us?”

            “Not likely!” returned the Ranger.  “Diana, Eric, pull back to us and form a circle!  Keep Presto in the center!  I’ll cover you!”

            As they obeyed and began to fall back, the Ranger cut loose with a volley of energy arrows in a wide arc that sent the remaining Orcs scrambling into the dark cover of the surrounding foliage.

            Once the Cavalier and Acrobat were at his sides, the exhausted Ranger said, “Presto, before they hit us again, conjure up a smokescreen so we can slip out of here!”

            “I’ll try.” reassured the Magician awkwardly.

            “Just do it!” demanded Hank never taking his eyes from the darkening forest.  ‘As tired as we are now, if they charge again, we’re finished!’

            “Okay, here it goes.”  announced Presto twiddling his fingers over the mouth of his hat.

 “Magic hat, we’re really in a bind.
A way out of here, we really wouldn’t mind." 

            “You have got to be kidding!” bellowed Eric catching his breath.  “What kind of weak spell casting was that?  That rhyme was so lame it hurts!”

            “I don’t know, Eric,” answered Presto.  “Something’s happening.”

            For no sooner had the Wizard finished his spell, a yellowish cloud of billowing smoke shot forth from his hat and quickly enveloped the remaining Young Ones.

            “What’s going on?” asked Diana.

            “I’m not sure.” replied Presto.

            “You cast the spell, dummy, you should know what its doing.  I can’t see a thing.  Hank, can you see the Orcs coming?”

            “No, but I hear something.  It sounds like a—“

            The Orcs charged out of the forest again and began to wade into the smoke as it dissipated around them.  However, much to their surprise, they quickly realized that the enemy they had completely surrounded and so bitterly fought was gone.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            “End of the road, Sheila,” sneered Shel as their little party came to a halt in the clearing where the Young Ones had first found her.  Except now there was a large Orc encampment occupying the area.  Sheila’s handler unceremoniously dropped her on the ground while Shel knelt besides her, smiling joyously.

            “It’s pretty ironic, don’t you think?  It all began here, and its so fitting that it should all end here.  I know that you’re counting on your friends to save you, but you have to face facts.  By now, my forces have already made mince meat out of them.  And let’s say that by some miracle, they actually do survive my little ambush and track us here.  By the time they arrive, we’ll be long gone.  But I promise you that I’ll leave a few of my friends here to keep them entertained.”

            Tears of frustration and anger began to roll down the Thief’s cheeks as she stared into the soulless eyes of her captor.  Sheila was mad!  She was mad at herself for trusting this girl!  She was mad at herself for allowing her brother to go off with her!  But worst of all, she was mad at herself for failing to protect him when he needed her the most!  At that moment, the Thief resolved to do only four things: Get free, get Bobby to safety, come back and kick her…

            “I know it all seems pretty hopeless now, but do try and keep a stiff upper lip,” continued Shel, gently tapping her on the nose with her forefinger.  “It’s going to make breaking you all the more fun!”

            Sheila snapped at her finger through the netting attempting to bite it, but her double yanked it out of her reach and inadvertently fell backwards in the process.  Quickly recovering both her feet and composure; Shel stood over her, calmly saying, “Defiant to the last!  I like that!”  She immediately planted her foot on the Thief’s neck, pressing down on her until she had her victim gagging and choking for air.

            “But as you can see, too much of anything—even a good thing—is not always healthy.  Try that again, and you’ll get more of the same.”

            “What do I do with the boy?” Came a gruff voice from behind Sheila’s double.  Shel removed her boot from her captive’s throat and turned to face an Orc that was carrying the sleeping Barbarian.

            “Take him through the portal.  Once you’re there, tell the others that I’ll be joining them shortly with a little surprise of my own.”  replied Shel, looking down at Sheila as she coughed and struggled to draw air.  “Now go!  The boy will regain consciousness soon and take his weapon with you as well.”

            “As you wish, my lady.” saluted the Orc as he walked off towards the nearest lake, carrying his charge under his arm.

            “Would you like to see where your brother’s going?” inquired Shel in mocking innocence.  “Need to get a better look, Sheila?  Let’s see if this helps.”

            Reaching down and grabbing a fistful of the Thief’s hair, Shel yanked her upright and made her look on.  “After all, you deserve to know where you’re going.”

            As the Orc began to approach the lake, the water began to churn itself into a perfect whirlpool.  Completely undaunted or assuaged by the change in the water’s condition, the Orc marched into the lake with his cargo descending step by step into its depths until he was gone from sight.

            Releasing her counterpart, Shel let her fall to the ground.

            “The same is going to happen to you, Sheila.  So relax and soak up as much of this Realm as you can stand, because you’re never going to see it again.”

            “My lady, something is amiss!” cried an Orc breathlessly as it ran up to her.

            “What?” inquired Shel, forgetting about her counterpart for a moment.

            “A fog is rolling in!”     

            “So what?  So tonight’s forecast is ground fog.  What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” snapped Shel sarcastically.

            “It’s yellow fog, my lady, and it’s rolling in fast!”

            “Yellow fog?” pondered Shel completely confused.  Suddenly, it dawned on her as to who was creating this little distraction.  “Presto!” Angrily cursing his name as she realized what the remaining Young Ones were trying to do. “To arms!” Shel screamed in a high shrill voice.  “To arms!  Gather your weapons!  Prepare for battle!  Captain!”  An Orc slightly more heavily armed than the others came running up and saluted her.  “Take your men and form a firing line around our camp!  Two rows deep!  Nothing gets in, nothing gets out, unless I say so!  I want to keep the lakes at our backs!  Go!”  The Orc saluted again and ran off barking orders in his own tongue.

            “You!” addressing the Orc that had reported the incoming fog.  “I have a special job for you.  Wait right here and keep an eye on her.”  The Orc saluted her as Shel ran off into a nearby open tent.  A few minutes later she reappeared with a spear in hand and wearing a shiny, black mail shirt that loosely covered her torso and arms.

            “So what do you think?  You like?”  Showing it off to Sheila who only looked at her in disgust.  “Dragon scale armor.  Tougher, stronger, and provides more protection than normal chain mail, yet it’s almost completely weightless.  So let your friends come.  We’ll be ready for them!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            At the other end of the encampment, the Orcs scrambled to form a battle line against the incoming fog when from within its depths came a volley of energy arrows that nearly leveled their ranks.  That barrage was followed by a twirling green staff that ricocheted off of the heads of the remaining Orcs like a pinball bouncing off of coasters in a pinball machine.  After eliminating eight of the hapless Orcs, it disappeared back into the fog from whence it came.  A battle cry went up, and the Young Ones charged head long out of the fog, down the bluff and into the disoriented remnants of Shel’s army.

            “I did it!  I actually did it!  I knew that trick from Excalibur would work!” cried Presto triumphantly as he began to conjure up another spell.

            “You did it, alright!” yelled Eric brandishing his shield.  “You took us out of one battle and dropped us into another one!  Thanks, Presto!  Thanks a lot!”

            “Hank, you and the guys take the Orcs!  Leave Shel to me!  We’re going to have a little girl talk!” said Diana racing past the Ranger.

            “Gotcha!” responded the Ranger with determination in his voice, “Eric, Presto, hit’em hard, but stay together!  We’ve got them confused, let’s keep them that way!”

            Reaching what was left of the Orcs defensive line first, the Acrobat pole vaulted her way over them, and slammed feet first into two Orcs who were racing to challenge her.  Quickly regaining her feet; Diana raced through the camp calling out Sheila and Bobby’s name, desperately trying to find them in the fog and confusion.  As more Orcs rose to attack her, they quickly met the same fate as the first two she encountered upon entering the camp.  She had made a mistake and failed her friends.  She was not to be denied saving them now!

            “Diana, over here!”

            The Acrobat whirled around expecting to be greeted by her oldest friend, but only met the gaze of her most hated and bitter enemy.

            Stepping out from behind a tent with a spear at the ready, Shel smiled, “Gotcha!  I knew that trick would work.  Well, well if it isn’t the great Acrobat herself, Diana!  I would say that it’s good to see you again, but I’d hate to be thought a liar.”

            Dropping into a fighting stance, Diana responded, “You’re that and worst!  Where’s Bobby, Sheila, and Uni?”

            “Bobby?  He’s where he wants to be, home. My home that is!  Uni?  Who cares, she’s probably off in the forest, lost and scared as usual.  As for Sheila,” Shel stepped aside so the Acrobat could see an Orc holding her friend inside a net by the scruff of her neck.  “She’s just hanging around as always.  Which leaves you with a very interesting choice to make.  You can either (a) Drop your staff, surrender to me, and take Sheila’s place or (b) Watch your friend die, as my soldier snaps her neck.  Which shall it be?”

            “Diana!” rasped the Thief in a very coarse voice.  “Forget about me!  Save yourself!”

            Seeing both the pain and anguish in her friend’s eyes, the Acrobat did the only thing she could do.

            “I’m sorry, Sheila, I have no choice.”  The Acrobat came out of her fighting stance; and dropped her javelin on the ground.  Her weapon came to rest a few inches from the tip of the Acrobat’s right foot.

            “Very good, Diana.  You’re such a loyal and noble friend,” scoffed Shel, cautiously approaching her.  “And a gullible one too.  Now!”

            Instead of hearing the snap of Sheila’s spine as she expected, Diana looked on in horror as the Orc flung the Thief into a nearby lake, drawing his sword just as she hit the water.

            The Acrobat didn’t think—she reacted!  Diana quickly slipped her foot under her staff and knee-jerked her javelin back into her hands.  Lunging at her opponent with her spear, Shel grazed the Acrobat’s right ribs as Diana failed to sidestep her attack.  Grimacing in pain as she dodged to her right to avoid a second lunge, Diana closed with her opponent and whacked Shel in the right side of her head with her quarterstaff.  As Sheila Davenport collapsed to the ground unconscious, the remaining Orc joined the fray.

            Swinging at her in a downward blow, the Orc soldier sought to expose her wounded side and take advantage of her injury.  Diana, however, blocked his attack and gave her combatant a swift kick to the groin, sending him doubling over in pain.

            With only a second to catch her breath, the Acrobat raced over to the edge of the lake and found Sheila being dragged under in a vicious whirlpool.  Extending her staff outward to try and catch a part of the net, Diana hoped to hook on to something and reel her friend in without getting pulled in herself.  After a few tense minutes, she finally caught onto some of Sheila’s netting and began to retrieve her, when she felt someone tackle her from behind, knocking her into the lake.

            Looking around to see who had grabbed her, the Acrobat was greeted by the mocking smile of Sheila’s counterpart.  Shel wrapped her arms around Diana’s neck; causing her to lose her grip on the javelin, as the water’s current pulled them to the bottom.

            Both combatants were bleeding freely as each sought to aggravate the other’s wound.  Shel attempted to punch and grab the Acrobat in the side where she had minutes ago pierced her with a spear, while Diana tried to punch and kick her opponent in her head where she had nailed her with her staff.  As the two girls battled beneath the waves, the current shifted upward and began to push them to the surface.  Kicking Shel in the face, Diana was able to free herself from her opponent and looked around for both Sheila and her javelin.  Upon finding neither, she swam to the surface.

            Crashing through the waters of the lake; the Acrobat gasped for air as she made her way to shore.  Looking down at her wound, Diana realized that her battle with Shel had only made it worse.  She wrapped her left arm around her side to slow the bleeding and began to call for her friends but got only an empty echo instead.

            While the waters of the lake were quite warm, the Acrobat found the air itself to be cold and bitter, giving her more than a little chill.  In spite of the looming darkness surrounding her, she could still see her breath as she exhaled.  There was an almost eerie silence to the place.

            Springing from the waters of the lake, Shel shattered that silence and attacked her wounded prey before she could make it to shore.  Grabbing the Acrobat’s hair and yanking her backward into the water, Shel leaped on top of her and fastened her hands around her throat.

            Desperately feeling along the bottom of the lake, Diana found a rock as big as her fist and swung with all her might.  The blow connected with Shel’s left temple and sent her sprawling off to the side.  Regaining her footing and completely water logged, the Acrobat waded over to the floating unconscious form of her nemesis and dragged Shel by her cloak to shore.

            A couple of minutes passed before Shel began to regain consciousness, coughing up blood and water.  Summoning up the last of her strength; the Acrobat, cold and battle-wearied, immediately grabbed her nemesis by the collar and screamed, “Where is she?!  Where is Sheila?!  Answer me!”

            Instantly the darkness shattered into a blinding white light, forcing Diana to shield her eyes and look away.

            “Enough!” came a hard voice from overhead.

            As her eyes slowly adjusted, Diana struggled to look up and face the light.  She was barely able to make out the silhouette of a lone figure standing on a bluff overlooking the lake.

            “Who are you?!” the Acrobat demanded in desperate anger.  The only answer she got was a black light flashing before her eyes—and then she knew no more.

 

To Be Continued in Sympathy:

Chapter Three of Dark Reflections

 

DARKNESS

IS

FALLING