“Wait!” Charla yelled, as Zanderella rose up into the air. “How are we going to get out of this valley?”
“You have a dragon.”
“Yes, but, he can’t fly!”
“Every dragon can fly.”
“Wait!” Ben said. “I really can’t fly.”
“Then you’d better learn quickly,” said Zanderella. She added, “Come visit me, Ben Taylor. Morton can tell you where to find me. I live with my father Zane and my sister Zinder.” Before Ben could respond Zanderella disappeared, taking the metal box with her. Ben stood silent, the name Zinder resonating in his ears. He had just met his mother’s sister and his grandfather’s brother.
19 A NEW STUDENT
The sun was high overhead before Ben mastered flight. He was battered from hitting the cliff walls and the valley floor. Perched on the highest point of the island, Ben looked down into the valley. Charla sat between Brina and Jared and the three were deep in conversation. Gill and Arno were off by themselves, but close enough to overhear what the other three said. Charla held the Mer King’s crown in her lap. It took a moment for Ben to realize what it was she held. He had forgotten the crown and its importance with all that had happened since dawn.
Ben leapt off the cliff and glided down to land rather awkwardly inside the cage close to Brina and Jared. His voice, when he spoke, did not sound like his own. It was deeper and somewhat scratchy. “I think I’m ready.” Ben said. “I will take Brina and Charla to the sea, and retrieve one of the boats before coming back for the rest of you. Jared will be able to take Gill and Arno home.”
“Jared’s not going home,” Charla announced.
"Brina and Charla think Lea Waterborn might welcome a human student at her school,” Jared said with excitement. Gill and Arno drew closer.
“We are agreed,” said Charla, looking at Brina. “Jared belongs at Fairwaters.”
“Ben, you can carry Jared to the school on your back,” Brina said, his voice still weak. “The Watcher will want him to be blindfolded so that he does not know the way to the school if he is not accepted.”
“Why?” said Charla hotly. “Lea Waterborn can erase his memory. He doesn’t need a blindfold.”
“I don’t mind wearing a blindfold,” Jared said soothingly.
“He will be accepted,” Charla stated firmly. “And I still don’t think a blindfold is necessary.”
Jared’s brother was listening intently, “Why would he not be accepted. Jared is as capable and brave as anyone you can name. Your school would be lucky to have him. You will know what a real hero is like with Jared there.”
“He is a good choice in my book,” Ben said softly. Then he said more loudly, “Who wants to be the guinea pig so we can see if I am able to carry someone and fly?”
“Guinea pig?” Gill said, clearly not understanding.
“I think it has something to do with being first,” said Jared as he stepped forward.
Ben knelt down and Jared stepped on his front leg and hoisted himself over Ben’s neck to sit just in front of his wings. Ben was surprised at how light Jared was. Ben hardly noticed there was someone on his back as he leapt into the air. Soon all the prisoners were on the outside of the cage.
“Are you ready?” Ben asked Charla and Brina.
Charla looked down at the crown she held in her hands. Then she walked over to Gill. As Charla placed the crown in Gill’s hands she said, “It would be best if the Mer King receives this back from your people. You might be able to negotiate better terms for peace that way.”
A look of surprise, but also of great pleasure was clearly written on Gill’s face. He smiled at Charla and said, “Thank you changeling. You have a friend among my people - Someone besides my brother, that is, for he is your truest friend. Should you ever have need, call, and I will answer.”
Ben knelt so that Charla could climb up. The tired mermaid could not make it up on her own, so Jared stepped up and gave her a boost. Ben picked Brina up in his front claws and rose into the air. The humans watched as Ben disappeared from their sight with the mer Lushakans.
It did not take long to reach the ocean. Ben flew low over the water. Charla dove from his back into the waves. Ben skimmed the water and gently released Brina. He watched with concern as the mer disappeared beneath the waves like a sack of potatoes. Ben circled around overhead until he saw two mer tails break the surface of the water. Charla raised her head and shouted up at him, “See you at Fairwaters. Fly south until you see twin islands then turn east. The next island you see is the one you want.”
“I’ll be there waiting for you.” Ben shouted back
“I wouldn’t count on that,” Charla replied, the last of her words fading as Ben flew towards the stream where the boats were anchored. He picked up the smallest of the two boats. It was not easy flying with a boat, but Ben did not have far to go. Ben gently dropped the boat into the waves. Soon Gill and Arno were sailing for home, taking the Mer King’s crown with them.
Ben was flying over the forest towards the heart of the island to pick up Jared when he saw a treg returning to the valley. A loud challenging cry tore through the air. Ben wondered what new threat had arrived until he realized that the voice was his own. He was shocked by the sound. It was similar to the sound he had often heard in his dreams.
Two tregs were in the valley when Ben reached it. They had Jared cornered. He was keeping the tregs at bay with his spear. Ben landed nearby, unsure of what to do; however, instinct took over and fire erupted from within. The fire surrounded the closest bird. The other treg made a quick escape and rose to sit on a ledge at the far end of the valley.
“Are you hurt?” Ben asked. Jared’s shirt was torn and covered with blood.
“Just a scratch,” replied Jared, his voice shaky.
“Wait here,” Ben said, “while I destroy the control panel.
Ben tore the roof off the control panel. It flew through the air, hit the ground and broke into pieces. Ben was surprised at how very strong he was. He took a deep breath and flame melted the monitors and control panel. Soon there was nothing left that could be used to control the tregs.
Ben picked up his gym bag and a piece of cloth that could be used as a blindfold. Then he stopped long enough for Jared to climb on his back before flying out of the valley. He flew overhead for a moment and watched as the remaining treg dropped down beside the dying one. Ben felt a brief moment of pity for the living bird at the loss of its brother, until he saw it tear the eye out of the dying treg and swallow it.
The trip to Fairwaters did not take long by dragon wing. The sun was sinking from the sky when Ben sighted the island. He dropped down in front of the cave that led into the school. Jared slipped off, still blindfolded. The illusionary snake appeared.
“What’s that? It sounds like a snake?” Jared spoke fearfully. He raised his hand to rip the blindfold off.
Ben grabbed his hand and said, “Leave the blindfold on until we’re inside. Trust me. This snake is just an illusion.”
“Wow, it sure sounds like the real thing. Does it look as real as it sounds?”
“I thought so when I first saw it, but now that I’ve seen the real thing, it’s not quite so impressive, though it would still send me running if I hadn’t been this way before. Well maybe not,” Ben thought, “a dragon can probably take on a snake and win the battle with ease.”
Ben transformed into his human form. As a dragon, he was too big to walk into the cave and go through the corridors. He took Jared by the arm and guided him until they stood in front of the carvings on the back wall.
Ben traced one of the carvings. The door did not open. He tried another. It still did not open. He tried several more. Jared stood by his side anxious to take the blindfold off. Ben had only just begun to trace another carved image when the wall began to move.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” a voice said. “A person could wait forever for you to get it right, Ben Taylor.”
Charla came out of the cave and put her arm around a blindfolded Jared to lead him forward. Ben followed them in with a look of surprise on his face. As soon as the door closed Charla tore the blindfold off Jared and gave him a hug. Jared winced and it was then that Charla noticed the ripped and bloodied shirt.
“Jared…” Charla began, clearly alarmed.
“It’s nothing. Just a scratch,” Jared assured her.
“I am taking you straight to the healer. Then it will be nothing. Now it is something.” Charla stated. Charla took Jared’s hand to lead him down the corridor. Over her shoulder she talked to Ben, “What took you so long?”
“How…?” Ben began.
“I took a shortcut.”
“If there was a shortcut why didn’t we take it before?”
“The shortcuts are underwater, and you couldn’t hold your breath long enough.” This last sentence seemed to have a note of accusation in it, as if it was Ben’s fault that he could not breathe underwater.
“Couldn’t we take the same shortcut on the surface as below?”
“No, the doors are hidden under the sea.”
“Doors?”
“Something like what brought you to Lushaka. It is how off-worlders usually get to where they need to go. It’s faster and safer too. No tregs. Without the doors it would take months to get to the other side of Lushaka. We were lucky the problem was close to the school this time.” Then Charla added, “You have the same kind of doors on earth, I’m sure, but yours are likely not underwater.”
Charla continued to hold Jared’s hand until they reached the cavern where several students were practicing. Just before they stepped through the door Charla let go of Jared’s hand. Charla was not yet ready to confront the prejudices that would make it a challenge to have a human as a special friend, but she vowed to herself that one day soon she would have the courage to hold Jared’s hand in front of everyone. She was determined not to let prejudice dictate who she would be friends with. At the same time Charla acknowledged to herself that just a few days ago, she would have been the most vocal critic of anyone who showed up with a human friend.
“Lea Waterborn is waiting. She wants to hear a report from each one of us. I’ve told her Jared was coming. Ben could you go to Lea Waterborn and tell her that Jared has been hurt, and that I am taking him to the healer? You remember how to get to the Watcher’s office, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Ben stated. In moments he was climbing the steps that led to where the watcher’s office was. He paused at the top of the stairs to watch mer students in their human form practice several of the things he was learning how to do at Fairhaven. Among other things, some were climbing rock walls, others were climbing rope, some were fencing and others were doing archery.
Meanwhile Charla and Jared found the healer.
“This is Jared,” Charla said. “He has saved my life many times and I’ve brought him here so he can become a student at this school.”
“But he’s human,” the healer blurted.
“He is, but he is different than other humans,” Charla said.
“No, I’m not different,” Jared stated, offended. “I am just the first one you have gotten to know.”
The healer did her work in silence and Charla and Jared were soon on their way. When they arrived at the Watcher’s office, Lea Waterborn said, “Welcome to Fairwaters, Jared, courageous and faithful friend to human and mer alike. True friends are the best of all the Guardian’s gifts. May you find some true friends within these walls.”
Charla smiled. The Watcher’s welcome of Jared assured her that Jared would not be sent away immediately. The Watcher would give him a chance to prove himself. Charla reached over and squeezed Jared’s hand.
“Be seated and food will be brought.” Lea Waterborn said. At the mention of food Ben realized he was hungry, very hungry. Images of what would satisfy his hunger were disturbing. They included a whole cow, a few fat sheep and a horse, hooves and all. Ben shook his head and replaced the images with hamburgers, pizza and pecan pie. When the food arrived it was eggs, sea cucumber, sea slugs and seaweed and other things that Ben could not name. Ben sighed, as he pushed the images of his favorite foods out of his mind and picked up some of everything. Ben continued eating long after everyone else was satisfied.
“Now that almost everyone’s hunger is satisfied it is time to speak. We will begin with Brina. It is clear that you have been water-starved. Tell me all that has happened to you since you left here four days ago,” Lea Waterborn demanded.
Brina told his story. When Brina finished speaking, Lea Waterborn said, “You did well, Brina. As hard as it is to be away from water in your human form, it is that much harder when you are in your true form.”
“When the others were asleep Morton brought me water.”
“It is hard to believe that the Watcher of Zargon was held captive here on my world and by Zork, no less. Well that explains why that area of Lushaka became fuzzy to me. It also explains why I lost contact with the Watcher on Zargon.” Lea Waterborn was silent for a moment and then said sadly, “This would have never happened when Morton was in his prime.” Then looking up at Brina the watcher said, “Brina, you are truly worthy of being a Chosen of the Guardian.”
“I did very little but sit in a cage and wait to be rescued or eaten,” Brina said.
The Watcher paused and then said, “Charla, it is your turn. I am particularly interested in why you disobeyed me.” There was a frown on the Watcher’s face.
“I only planned to follow Brina and Ben as far as the Island. I would have come back if Brina hadn’t been taken by the tregs.”
These words caused Brina to grunt in disbelief. Charla gave Brina a dirty look and continued with her story. “When Brina was taken away, I was sure that you would want me to do something to save Brina. I sent Ben to…” Charla stopped. She knew there was no way to tell her story in a way that would not get her into trouble. The Watcher had said Ben was not to go to the human community and she had sent him there partly because she did not want to be in the company of a human. Finally, she said, “Watcher you were right, I was not ready. I could not maintain my human form when I was afraid. I did not have wisdom when I needed it.”