Ethan Wright and the Curse of Silence (7 page)

Ethan considered for a moment and then caught his breath. “So what now?” he muttered.

“Well, you can take advantage of the next five minutes and find out more about where you are and why you are here … or … you can panic.”

Ethan thought for a moment, folded his arms in front of him, and then unfolded them.

“Can I get back?” he asked.

“Of course you can. Most of the people here use the Oroborus to move between these two planes of existence. But you must be very careful. Spend many years here — go back, and just a few weeks may have passed. Time and space work much differently between all places,” explained MacArthur.

“So who is Wegnel at my home, in Enterom?” asked Ethan, who was now pretending to play along.

“He is me. I have spent many years training in alchemy, and have bonded with the Oroborus. Only an alchemist could survive such a feat. If any other
tried
they may succeed for a short time — but a lifetime here in Alfhemir is only a few years in Enterom. And when one of us dies, we
both
will die. That is what the ingredients in the pouch you brought me are for. With these, I can create an elixir that extends my life so Wegnel and I can act as a gateway between the two worlds. You see, I am nearly seven hundred years old, but I don’t think I look a day older than sixty-five. Not too shabby I think — not too bad at all,” said MacArthur, looking rather pleased with himself.

Ethan thought for a second that he might be going crazy. Maybe he had been drugged long before he drank MacArthur’s tea. Or he could have been knocked out and dragged into the woods of Strahlung by the crazy old man, and this was all just a dream. But then he remembered Auren — and knew his friend would have prevented anything from happening. He reluctantly accepted the alchemist’s explanation for now.

MacArthur unpacked the pouch of poisonous spikes and herbs. He grabbed some other ingredients from a shelf. He placed all the items on the table next to a device that looked similar to a clock. It had funny-looking silver hands that moved horizontally. Other symbols lined up when the hands were in proper position. Ethan had never seen a clock quite like it. He watched MacArthur as he opened a door on the back of the clock and stuffed the ingredients inside.

“What are you doing?” asked Ethan as he leaned forward to see the back of the clock.

“Well, I am placing the items in the clock so they do not age,” answered MacArthur precisely.

Ethan was hopelessly confused. “What exactly do you mean?” he asked.

“It’s an old alchemy wives’ tale, Ethan.” MacArthur sat up a bit taller as he began to recite, ‘“in the clock will save you from time, the ageless items you will store, and age will bother you no more.”‘ And with that, MacArthur latched the back of the clock closed and smiled at Ethan. “If you ask me it’s a bunch of nonsense, but storing an anti-aging elixer in a clock has a bit of poetry to it, I suppose,” he added.

“So let me get this straight …” said Ethan. “I was in a place called —”

MacArthur immediately filled in the blank. “Enterom….”

“Yeah, in Enterom — an alchemist named Wegnel, which is you, threw pepper in my eyes — then I was bit by a snake thing, that is an Oroborus named Dimon, which sent me to another world named Alfhemir, in a city called Tirguard, where I find you … who is Wegnel, but wants to be called MacArthur and offer me pumpkin spice cake?” spouted Ethan, who then stopped to take a breath.

“And?” challenged MacArthur.

“And what?”

MacArthur stood up and moved his now-empty mug onto the table and looked at Ethan. “And now we should probably get you back,” he said. “We don’t want anyone getting worried about you.”

“Worried about me? People should be worried … I’ve been drugged!” exclaimed Ethan.

“No you weren’t, Ethan. I just said that so you’d hear me out. Most people panic and run out to the streets before listening to the whole explanation. Then I have to go and track them down, and by that time …”

“Wait, so you
haven’t
drugged me?”

“Wegnel has his tricks and I have mine. It’s been over five minutes … do you feel like you’re going to pass out?”

Ethan thought for a moment and then shook his head.

MacArthur motioned him over to the chair. Ethan sat down once again. Dimon was brought over to Ethan, and the Oroborus slowly removed its fangs from its tail. Ethan was expecting to see a chewed-up nub, but instead was presented with an array of colors on a plume-shaped tail. Dimon quickly sank his teeth into Ethan’s arm; he didn’t have time to resist or flinch.

“Waking, sleeping, dreaming …” he heard MacArthur whisper. “I will see you again soon … Ethan Wright.”

Ethan winced from the sting and entered into darkness again. Time took him. He felt as if he was falling again. Much like last time, as soon as he could not bear it anymore, he awoke.

Ethan once again felt groggy. He glanced around and realized he was in the old hut with the devices that were half taken apart. He looked to the window and it was nighttime again. He saw Loki on the table, licking his wound. Auren was sitting in the comfy chair starting to doze off. Realizing that Ethan had returned, he jumped with a snort.

“Ethan! You’re back — you ok? That was
so
wild, if you didn’t show up I was gonna have ol’ Wegnel’s neck!”

“Yeah, I’m ok … I’m just a bit tired actually; we must have been out almost all night,” replied Ethan.

Auren looked at him, confused. “Ah … you’ve only been gone for maybe … five minutes — you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, I feel ok, where’s Wegnel?” asked Ethan.

Just then, Wegnel came in with his tattered clothing on and his tufts of hair all about. He looked much different than his other self, indeed. Wegnel spotted Ethan and smiled.

“So you delivered the satchel then, and how did I look? Well I presume, I always hear that I look in much better shape than myself, and I always say that it is because I take such good care of myself and if it were not for me we would both be dead. I always say if he doesn’t stop being so loony all the time he’s going to find himself decapitated. Where do you think that would leave me? I’ll tell you where that would leave me, losing all my marbles that’s where,” babbled Wegnel in his normal long-winded conversation with himself.

“It went fine … Wegnel,” replied Ethan.

“I knew it would, Ethan,” smiled Wegnel.

Auren looked up quickly and said, “Don’t you mean
Wegnel the Alchemist?
”

Ethan looked at him and shook his head, letting Auren know he should drop the subject. For some unknown reason, Wegnel ignored Auren’s comment. He continued rambling about how much better-looking he was than his other self.

“Well, you boys better get going then. Ethan, I will keep Loki here tonight and bring him over tomorrow morning — best if he rests up for now. Fighting lycanthrope is not an easy business you know — having slain many before, Ivy likes to rest afterwards for a day or so,” rambled Wegnel.

“Maybe after she
ate
a lycanthrope …” muttered Auren.

Wegnel shot Auren a dirty look, and the boys took this as their sign to leave. Ethan gave Loki some affection before exiting. Loki nodded his head letting Ethan know he would be fine. The two boys left the hut and headed home.

Chapter 8
Green Goop

That night Ethan lay awake in bed thinking about his experience at Wegnel’s hut. Unable to sleep, he lit the lantern and noticed the old map rolled up on his nightstand. He unrolled it and began to study it carefully. He realized that it had no burn or scorch marks, yet he recognized it as the original and not the copy that Odin had hastily made. As he moved his eyes down the map, he spotted a familiar name.

“Tirguard,” he said to himself quietly. “MacArthur was telling the truth … but this doesn’t make any sense.”

He continued his perusal. There was a large ‘M’ on the map, with a depiction of an Oroborus forming a circle around the ‘M’, and arrows pointing up and down. The top arrow had a large ‘N’, and the bottom had a much smaller ‘n’. Ethan thought this must be a mistake, as the bottom should read ‘south.’ Tirguard was near the center of the map. To the north was a city named Losalfar, and to the northeast was a city called Gilfangir.

There were several other cities on the map, but Ethan was too tired to investigate further. The flicker of the lantern sent shadows of Ethan’s messy hair onto the map. He brushed back his hair and got comfy. He missed the grey and white cat at his feet, and there was still no brother in the bed across from his own. While in Tirguard, Ethan had felt closer to his brother than he had in a long time, though Isaac was still nowhere to be seen. Ethan yawned. His eyes grew heavy and he drifted to sleep with the map clenched in his hands.

***

A massive pressure surge ripped through Isaac, sending him to the ground in agony. A drop of sweat formed at his brow from an exhausting battle. Blood dripped from his nose and trickled from his ears. He knelt despairingly in the mud. With his head drooping, he saw his reflection in a small mud puddle, revealing a tired, pale-faced boy. A sword lay half-covered in mud a couple feet from him. He leaned forward to reach for it. Before he could grasp the hilt, he noticed his reflection had dissipated and was replaced by a small object shining in the puddle. Isaac reached down to pick it up. As he did, smoke plumed and swelled around him, forming a face whose jaws stretched open, enveloping him.

Ethan bolted upright, covered in sweat. He was becoming more familiar with the dreams now and knew he would not get back to sleep. But this time, he did not have to. The sun was peeking through his window, letting him know it was morning. This dream made it further than the others. Ethan wondered if it meant anything. Maybe it meant he was supposed to do something, or maybe it meant absolutely nothing. He could never grasp why this dream in particular jogged through his mind so much. He had often wondered if it were real. One thing he did know is that the dream, whether it was good or bad, gave him a glimpse of his brother, which brought him comfort. That would have to be good enough for now.

Ethan jumped out of bed with a much more focused outlook on the day. He got dressed, stuffed the map in his pocket and went to the study expecting to see Odin, who was not there.

“Odin!” yelled Ethan, but no answer came. He went into the kitchen and started making tea. He preferred licorice tea which reminded him of his brother. When they had gone exploring, they would often chew on licorice root, as he and Auren did now. He finished making the tea and went to the study. He noticed a note on the desk before he sat down.

“
Ethan, went to run errands — will return tomorrow — Odin
.”

Since Ethan had not checked the desk last night, he was now wondering if Odin left yesterday or earlier this morning. Ethan decided he would just wait for Odin. Since he was expecting Wegnel to show up with his cat, maybe he could get some answers from
both
of them regarding Tirguard. Ethan started to get restless as the day wore on. He sat on the front porch to enjoy some of the day. He pulled the map out and started to study it again. Soon, he noticed Wegnel walking down the path toward his house. He shoved the map in his pocket and stood up to greet the alchemist. He saw a chubby feline trailing behind Wegnel; the cat was grunting and snorting as usual. Her belly waddled back and forth as she made her way. Wegnel was carrying Loki in a small partially-open satchel.

“Hello there, Ethan!” greeted Wegnel with a smile. “Wonderful day, simply magnificent I say and I should know how well the day has been going because I have been enjoying it since I woke up this morning.”

“Hey Wegnel, nice to see you,” replied Ethan.

“Here is a special young patient I have for you,” said Wegnel. “He is doing fine fine, he is already trying to walk, and a strong one he is. I have to say, I am rather impressed by this one.”

Loki looked tired, but was content to be with his owner again. Ethan took Loki from the satchel and held him in his lap. The wound looked much better now that it was clean. Wegnel’s green mystery goop was pasted about the area. Loki rested his head on Ethan’s lap and closed his eyes.

“He is very tired, but he’ll be fine, fine I say, he is very strong indeed,” said Wegnel.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” said Ethan with a smile. “He helped save me in the forest … you helped save me in the forest … thank you … Wegnel.”

For once Wegnel didn’t speak. He blushed a bit and flapped his hand, as if to say it was no big deal.

“Do you want some tea?” asked Ethan.

“Oh yes, don’t mind if I do. Thank you very much,” replied Wegnel gratefully.

Ethan brought Loki inside and put him down on a blanket in the study. Loki nodded his head, tucked it back down, and went to sleep. Ethan brought two mugs of tea outside for Wegnel and himself. Wegnel took the mug and held it under his nose.

“Ah, this smells familiar it does, licorice is it? Yes I recognize this from many years ago. Good stuff this is.”

Wegnel breathed in the aroma from the mug and took a sip. Ethan was trying to work up courage to ask Wegnel some questions about what he had seen the night before.

“Wegnel, have you ever been to Tirguard?” asked Ethan.

“Oh yes yes yes … technically … I’m there right now … aren’t I? I mean … I think I am … or maybe not so much … hmm …” said Wegnel, with his nose still buried in the mug. He looked up at Ethan. “Well then, out with it, why do you ask? Maybe you are just curious or maybe you ask for another reason?”

“Well, it’s just that … I met a guard that mistook me for someone else — someone very close to me … my brother, Isaac.”

“Your twin brother if I’m not mistaken, am I? Yes yes,” said Wegnel. “Do you know why the guard mistook you for your brother?”

Before Ethan could speak, Wegnel provided the answer. “Because … your brother was in Tirguard, and he became rather important. Your brother was very important indeed. He had many adventures and saved the city more than once you know. And I say this because I was there, and sent myself word on it often,” said Wegnel.