A Different Kind of Treasure

A Different Kind of Treasure

by Michael Shimek

The lake was quiet and serene, still like a pane of sapphire glass; not a wave or ripple invaded its surface. Tall grass and reeds encircled the area, sucking up the water for nourishment. Trees from the forest reached up towards the blotted out sky, with small rays of sun seeping through to the mossy floor. Birds and other woodland creatures flew and scuttled around the wilderness. The Luvarian Forest was beautiful indeed, even if it was filled with mysteries that more often than not proved to be dangerous.

         It wasn’t the gorgeous scenery that had brought Jerich Fermish to this isolated spot. No, he was here for one thing: love. To some it might sound corny or too emotional for a man, but a quest for love is the noblest of them all—a lesson and moral taught to him by his now deceased father. In his land of the coasts and forests of Luvarii, the tender emotion was the strongest magic around. In fact, the Luvarii origin was always told through a story of love, love between anything and everything. Its strength created a harmony that powered the world. So it wasn’t too uncharacteristic for him to be on this journey to find his one true love.

         Jerich had fought his way through the dense vegetation, the ferocious animals and creatures, and the traps hiding behind every corner to find this location, this tiny little lake with the single castle tower poking out of a small island in the middle. Green vines and leaves snaked their way up the grey and black stones. Crumbled bricks that had fallen with age partially blocked a small opening at the tower’s base. The tower barely reached three body lengths high, and the width hardly looked big enough for someone to fit inside, but he knew it was his destiny to enter the structure. Even so, Jerich was adamant about continuing forward; with everything he’s had to put up with so far, that lake looked a little too peaceful for his comfort. It didn’t matter. There wasn’t a danger frightening enough to scare him away from finding his destined love.

         “So, what are you going to do?”

         The voice came from behind Jerich, startling him. He would have jumped into his defense stance, but he immediately recognized the voice. “I’m not sure,” he said.

          A floating mist of a constantly changing rainbow of colors whipped around to hover directly in front of Jerich. “Please tell me you can swim, can’t you?”

         “Of course I can swim,” he said. “I’m only thinking, Carl.” Jerich thought the name was odd, one never heard of in his land. But the entity had said it was a name from a life past lived and from a different world than his.

         “Good,” Carl said. “I should hope a hero such as yourself has the ability to swim. You wouldn’t be much of a hero if you couldn’t.”

         He waved the mist off. “Why don’t you leave me alone? Go back to wherever you came from.”

         “And miss this entertaining adventure? I don’t think so. Besides, you’d be plant food by now if it weren’t for me.”

         A slight scowl formed across Jerich’s face. It was true. While hacking away at a carnivorous plant of leafy vines, the colorful mist had appeared. At first only an observer, Carl soon offered some lifesaving advice when Jerich’s fate appeared sealed. The Pliviny constricts even more when its prey struggles and fights for freedom; to escape its clutches, Jerich went limp and easily slid free from the loosening vines. And for the next three days, the apparition showed up occasionally to offer other helpful suggestions; although, his help usually came in the form of cynicism.

         Jerich chose to ignore Carl and focus on the quest at hand.

         Standing at the edge of the lake, with his leather wrapped shoes almost touching the questionable looking water, Jerich began the process of undressing himself. He didn’t want to be weighted down by wet clothing, so he decided to wrap everything up in his waterproof bull hide pack while wading through the water. His shoes, made from the wings of a real dragon, went in first. Then he took off his silk armor, which was made by the Swampland Faerie—friends of the Luvariian people—and as tough as rock and as light as dust, and placed it in the sack next. He slipped out of his soft and cushioned chain-mail pants and put those in after. The last item was his magic-infused sword, which was rather large and stuck out at the top of the pack. With everything ready, he picked up his pack and raised it above his head.

            About to enter the water, he stopped when he saw his own naked reflection on the surface. Dark hair hung down to his shoulders, ragged and dirty from his long travel. Thick stubble peppered his face. His buff body had cuts and bruises scattered about, looking worn from his journey’s trials. Although physically and mentally drained, he could not give up. The end was near; he could feel it.

            Jerich entered the water. The surface rippled out from where his feet sank into the cool lake. Sensing and seeing no immediate danger, he waded out to his waist. Then to his chest. Then to his neck. Finally, the water level began to drop and soon enough he was standing in front of the deteriorating tower.

            Something wet and slimy wrapped around Jerich’s waist, yanking him back into the water. Caught off guard he barely had enough time to take in a full breath before the water enveloped him. He could see the mist of Carl flashing colors above the surface as he sank with whatever latched onto him. Reflexes kicked in. He pulled his sword free from his pack and sliced it through the water. After a few jabs, the creature let go and the tentacle freed Jerich from its clutches. He reached the surface gasping for breath.

            “Thanks for the warning,” he said to Carl as he swam back to the tower, sword and pack still in tow. “Didn’t you see it?”

            “Oh, I saw it. It was of no danger to you; I knew you could handle it. Besides, what kind of quest would this be if I warned you about every little obstacle? There would be no fun in that.”

            The floating spirit had a point.

            Jerich dried off and redressed. Keeping a watchful eye, he returned his attention to the old castle tower.

            “Looks like a tight squeeze,” Carl said, referring to the small, crumbled opening into the tower.

            “I can fit,” Jerich said as he unpacked and redressed.

            “I don’t know. I bet you get stuck.”

            “Thanks for the positive encouragement.”

            Eyeing the opening, Jerich began to think his companion was right. Large blocks had fallen over time to cover most of the entrance. He walked around the structure, but the hole was the only way in. Bending down, he started to crawl and squeeze through the stone and rock. The interior was cold, smelling of death, decay, and evil enchantments. He could only make out a small, stone staircase that spiraled down into the darkness. Scooting farther into the hole, he made it halfway before becoming wedged stuck at his waist. Wiggling, pulling, and pushing had no effect. He waited for the told you so by his follower.

            “Hmm, I wonder how you’ll get out of this predicament.”

            There it was.

            “Well,” Jerich said, “I would love any advice in the situation.”

            “I’m not so sure. This may be how you die: alone, stuck, and so close to the end.”

            Jerich’s ears pricked up. “Carl, are you saying I’m close? Are you saying that you know the end of my quest draws near?” The thought of being close to finding his true love energized his body, pumping him with the strength of four adult-sized sea dragons—rare enough to almost be a myth, sea dragons are considered the most powerful creatures alive.

            After a time of silence, Carl finally spoke. “It is a possibility.”

            Jerich tore at the stones that caged him. His fingernails threatened to pop off from the ferocious digging. Finding a loose stone, he pulled it free from the wall. The tower shook. Rocks fell around him, and he could feel the hole close. Thinking he would be crushed to death, the ground under him gave way, sending him into a free fall.

            With a painful bang against his head, Jerich’s world faded away.

#

            “Hey, buddy. Are you going to ever wake up?”

            Buddy? The word was a new one to Jerich, but then he put a name to the voice.

            “Carl, what happened?”

            He tried to rise, but pain flared throughout Jerich’s body. His legs hurt, his arms hurt, and his back hurt, but most of the pain radiated from a spot on the back of his head. He touched the wound with his hand, and his fingers came back wet and sticky.

            “You fell,” Carl said.

            “And where am I?” he asked.

            “On the bottom of the tower.”

            “Can you tell me where to go? Or offer some light for assistance?” Nothing could be seen, everything was bathed in black darkness.

            “I cannot,” Carl said. “I would also recommend keeping the sounds to a minimum; there are some not so nice things down here that have probably already heard your arrival.”

            Jerich stumbled to stand up and then remained still. He listened for any movement other than his own. Hearing nothing, he fumbled through his pack to find something that would allow him to see. His hand found what he looked for and he pulled out a small amount of powder. He rubbed the powder into his eyes and waited for them to adjust—Night Powder, a mix of ground herbs, allows any creature with eyes to see through the night for a short period of time.

            The darkness slowly brightened up. The walls around him opened into a tunnel. With it being the only way out, he followed his destiny down the path. Cautiously snaking his way around a few turns, the tunnel eventually spread out to form a large cavern.

            Odd formations of spiraled crystals and glowing, furry stalks grew from the stone walls. A black and smooth box about the size of a coffin hovered in the middle of the room, suspended in the air by an unknown magic. The steady rhythm of dripping water echoed throughout the chamber.

            Jerich’s heart raced. A foreseeing gypsy servant of the Spelled Elders had told him that, “Your love awaits/Trapped high in floating magic is truly tragic/Only a kiss will wake.” And here it was, a levitating coffin that contained his goal. Only one last obstacle to overcome before meeting the woman he would forever call his soul mate.

            As the Night Powder wore off, darkness seeped his vision. He looked around for anything to help him see in the dark when brilliant flashes blinked throughout the cave. Little balls of light swirled and flickered in the open area. They moved around in the air, appearing out of nowhere and growing in numbers. Moving towards the hovering coffin, the lights joined together until all of them blinked and flashed as one.

            A large, humanoid figure made entirely of light towered over Jerich, standing in Jerich’s way of true love.

            He unsheathed the sword from his side. Standing his ground, he stood ready to fight. The monster swiped at him with a boulder-sized hand. Jerich jumped and leaped out of the way. Another hand came down from above. He rolled out of the way as the strong creature broke apart the floor with a tremendous crash. He charged the light monster, squinting his eyes from the brightness. Because of his narrowed vision, he missed the arm that barreled into him. A burning sensation sent him flying into the cavern wall. Dazed and burnt, the determined man stood up to face his foe.

            The light demon bellowed a roar of sparks and charged.

            Jerich stood his ground, his sword pointed defiantly in front of him.

            As the monster approached, Jerich began his own charge. An arm swung at him. He dodged the limb and dove under the monster’s legs. Sliding along the floor, Jerich swung his weapon at a passing leg. Slicing into the light, a black liquid spewed forth. The creature howled in pain and fell to the ground. Taking advantage of his fallen enemy, Jerich took his sword and brought it down with all of his strength into its back.

            As the black life force gushed from the defeated light beast, a rumbling betook the underground lair. The tiny lights that made up the monster fell away to fly and twirl towards the floating box. Soon, the box was ablaze with a brilliant light. A staircase made of stone rose from the floor, step by step leading up to the glowing coffin.

            “Well, what are you waiting for?”

            Jerich turned to see the mist of colors next to him. “I don’t know. I think I’m nervous.”

            “Don’t be. This is what you’ve journeyed so far and fought so brave for. Go and meet your love. Remember, though, love comes in all different ways.”

            Jerich was about to question Carl’s last statement, but the spirit disappeared.

            With shaking nerves, he walked forward and climbed the stairs until the closed coffin hovered before him. Wondering how to open the construct, he placed his hand on the lit surface and watched the brightness dim to a low glow. The top slid back to reveal the woman he would grow old with.

            Except that the box didn’t hold a woman, it contained an adult man.

            Jerich blinked in surprise. This was not what he imagined when thinking about what his true love would look like. During his quest, he envisioned leaning over to kiss a gorgeous woman on red and full lips. Her hair was long and blonde, and her body the perfect curvature. Never once did he picture a man. Not once.

            “A bit surprised?”

            “Very surprised,” Jerich said, not having to look up from the man to know that Carl was next to him.

            “Wasn’t what you expected, huh?”

            “Not at all.”

            “Well, are you going to kiss him or not?”

            “But he’s a man.”

            “So? You love him, don’t you? Ever since you started this quest, you were infused with love. It drove you to him. So kiss him, wake him up, and find happiness with him.”

            Jerich didn’t know what to do. He could feel the love in his heart beating stronger than ever before, but he wasn’t sure if he could love another man; it just wasn’t what he had in his mind.

            The stranger’s face was smooth and chiseled. Short, black hair styled the top of his head. A gown of elegant armor hinted at a toned body. Jerich’s mind questioned the situation, but his heart never faltered; this was person he was destined to be with.

            Same gender relationships were not uncommon in his culture or in other lands. The gender of a person never mattered when it came to love. As long as two people felt a deep affection for each other, gender was taken out of the equation. Love takes priority over all.

            His mind was made up.

            Jerich bent down and gently kissed the slumbering man’s lips.

            The man’s eyes opened wide in surprise. Before Jerich could do anything, he was launched backward as the cave heaved. He landed hard on the ground, but he wasn’t the only one who landed on the ground. He looked up into the eyes of the man he had just kissed.

            “Here,” he said, grabbing Jerich by the arm and hauling him to his feet. “We need to leave this place before we’re buried alive!”

            Jerich looked around at the crumbling cavern. It was dark, and the constant shaking hindered his thinking. Dodging falling rocks, he finally saw the familiar glow of Carl through the opening in one of the walls.

            He grabbed the man’s hand. “This way,” he said, leading them to what he hoped would be an exit.

            The two men ran for their lives. The opening led into a tunnel that eventually climbed up into bright daylight. They shot forth from the ground as it gave way, the cave closing after serving its purpose. When the dust settled, all they could do was stare at each other and collect their thoughts.

            “So, you’re the ‘love of my life’ who was supposed to wake me from the sleeping spell?” The man looked at Jerich with questionable eyes.

            “So, you’re the ‘love of my life’ who I was supposed to wake and spend the rest of my life with?” He mimicked the man’s expression.

            They both burst into a chuckle.

            “Anyway, thanks for waking me. I’m Finel.” Finel extended his hand in a formal greeting.

            He took the man’s firm hand. “I’m Jerich, and you are welcome.” He looked around at their surroundings, and guessing from the wooded area, they were most likely still in the Luvarian Forest. He looked back at his new acquaintance and said, “Now what?”

            “I don’t know about you,” Finel said, “but sleeping that long has given me quite an appetite.”

            Jerich felt his own stomach rumble with hunger. “I could use some nourishment. It wasn’t easy waking you.”

            “I bet. Are we in the Luvarian Forest? It looks familiar. If we are, I can pick some herbs, kill some meat, and cook us a meal while you inform me on what I’ve missed while awaiting your arrival.” He paused and then added, “Which felt like eternity, by the way.”

            Jerich could already tell Finel would quickly grow on him. The man reminded him a lot of himself: strong, independent, caring, and a bit more forward than most people. He had finally finished his quest. He had finally found his true love.

            With a huge grin on his face, he said, “That sounds perfect, especially with you doing all of the physical work; I could use a rest.”

END