5 A Little Hope

The huge dark room was empty. No source of light illuminated it...it was better this way...

Disaster had happened! Complete disaster! Had there been something wrong with the calculations? No! There couldn't have been! But...but then why were they not here right now? Why were they not here, writhing on the floor right now, with the unimaginable pain they would be given? And if they're not here, then where are they!?

A long, loud scream of absolute anger rang out in the room shaking the dust from the ceiling. This changed EVERYTHING!

* * *

"We're...from a land far, far away." said Alex.

"A land so far it isn't even in the same year?" asked Herm, scornfully.

"Not even the same millennia." murmured Robin.

"What?"

"I never said that." replied Alex to Herm.

The blacksmith narrowed his eyes a bit. "No. No, you didn't."

There was a momentary pause while the Herm continued to scrutinize the five people. The girls shifted uncomfortably in their seat, while Robin had his eyes fixed on the wife, in his mind, just in case she tried to block the exit.

"Why are you helping us?" asked Alex, suddenly. "You invited people you barely know into your home and you're treating them like family. Why?"

Herm looked at Alex as though evaluating him. The blacksmith sighed, broke eye contact, got up, and walked to the window. Looking outside, he addressed the group: "When I saw you people at my door, I saw folk who looked too soft for this world. I saw folk who looked like they needed help. Who needed assurance." He turned to face them. "Sure, your clothes were a bit odd and you had the air of foreigners, but I thought you were sorcerers or something."

"What!?" exclaimed Robin, loudly. "You have sorcerers in this place!?"

Herm focused on Robin for a second. "Yes, we do." he said simply. At this point, Alex thought there was nothing that could surprise him. He had more pressing worries in his mind.

"Anyway," continued Herm, "When I saw you, I saw four children...and a boy wrought with worry about his family. Just hoping to find someone to help him." Alex and Herm's eye's met. "When I saw you...I saw myself."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "I was your in position once, son. When I was your age." said Herm. "I was a kid running around with his desperately sick sister in his arms, begging, pleading for anyone to help him. If a great man hadn't taken sympathy on me and my sister...If he hadn't taken us in and healed her, she would've died and I would've been pigfeed in some gutter somewhere."

Every single eye in the room was focused on Herm now. "Ever since that day, I swore I'd repay the kindness each chance I got. I promised I'd do good whenever I could; help anyone I could. I started believing in you get what you give." Herm took a deep breath. "So, when you ask me why I'm helping you, Alex, it's because I'm passing on the goodwill of the greatest man I ever knew."

There was silence for a few minutes in the room. Alex thought deeply; for all he knew, the blacksmith could be an excellent liar. But there was a certain sincerity in his eyes and voice that Alex knew could not be faked. He thought "Fuck it." and decided to take a chance.

"We don't come from a faraway land. We come from a different world. A world in a different time than yours." said Alex. This time, it was the Fegg's turn of raising their eyebrows. Herm had seen a lot in his time. Done a lot too. But other worlds? He was finding this more and more incredulous. But somehow it made sense. And with magic, was there anything ever fully understood or explained?

"I...believe you." said Herm and his wife nodded slowly. "How did you get here though?"

"That's the mystery. On our world, we're just normal people. We don't have enemies as extreme as this. We have no idea of 'magic' or whatever the fuck this is. We had no idea that different worlds even existed." said Alex.

"We...were playing cards when there was this...flash of light and a loud noise." said Felicia, speaking for the first time. "And suddenly, the flash of light engulfed all of us. Transported us here. We woke up in those hills."

There was silence as what she said was processed by the husband and wife. "Must've been some kind of teleportation magic." said the blacksmith at last.

"How would you know?" asked Robin. "Are you a magician?"

"I...have my own story. But this is not the time for it." replied Herm.

"So, what do we do?" asked Liana, desperately.

Again the heavy silence fell in the room. Distantly, the birds had started chirping to announce the arrival of evening. The wind got a little bit more colder and Alex started worrying even more what he was gonna do with the four outside if it got colder.

"The only logical explanation is what you brought you here was magic. I cannot say what or which...but only that it was magic..." said Herm, half to himself. "Do you agree?"

"I guess so." said Eve. "What else could it be?"

"Exactly!" said Herm snapping his fingers. "Well, if it was magic that brought you here, all we need to do is see a magician to send you back."

For the first time since he opened his eyes in this world, Alex felt hope. A sliver...no, a chance. A proper chance that this nightmare would end. "So, where can we find a sorcerer?" he asked.

"That...is the problem." said Herm. "Theoretically, anywhere in Decimandria. But Lemara is a small town. There are no resident sorcerers here."

The five groaned in dismay.

"But" continued Herm. "there is one sorcerer who visits here every so often. Maybe he can help."

"How often?" asked Alex.

"A few weeks? A month?" answered Herm. "He was here just a couple of days ago, so his return is gonna be long."

"A month!?" exclaimed Robin again. "We can't be stuck here for a fucking month!"

Alex raised a hand to silence Robin. "Aren't there any other sorcerers you know of?" he implored Herm.

"I know of some, but, none that would see you." answered Herm, deep in thought.

"What he means," said Lis, stepping in, "is that there are other countless sorcerers. But they're free folk. They don't usually stay in one place. They go from town to town, earning gold as any jobs or requests come their way. There's no way to track them. The ones who are known are known for a reason. Powerful magicians living in mansions. They won't see peasants with requests like they're some village witch. Even if they do, they'd charge an exorbitant amount of gold."

"And I'm assuming you don't have a whole lot on you." said Herm.

Alex absentmindedly stroked his pockets. He had taken his wallet out when they had sat down to play. He didn't have a single dollar on him. Not that that would be of any value here. "No." he said, slowly.

"I'm willing to help you, folk, but even if I put all the money I ever earned, it wouldn't be enough to cover the gold required just for an audience with those pretentious, stuck up pigs. Our only chance is to see someone less powerful, some unknown free agent who won't charge as much. But, as Lis said, there's no way folk like us can find them unless they find us."

"And so...we're back to square one." said Alex, bitterly.

"Not...necessarily." said Felicia. "At least now we have some way of getting home even if it means....waiting for a month." She said the last part flatly.

"I don't see any other way." said Robin.

Alex was silent.

"The sorcerer, the one who comes to town, owes me a favor. I saved his life once." said the Herm matter-of-factly.

The others raised their eyebrows. The blacksmith grinned. "I guess I'll call in that favor to have you sent home."

Still, Alex didn't speak. "What's wrong?" asked Herm.

"I don't know..." answered Alex. "I guess I thought we'd get out of here sooner. Find a way. Perhaps we're missing something...?"

"Don't worry, it's not the end of the world. We've still got some time to think."

"It'll be fine, babe." said Felicia, gripping Alex's hand. "We'll sleep on it. Maybe something will come up tomorrow."

"That's a fine idea." smiled Lis.

"Yeah, like hoping the moon's made of cheese." murmured Robin sarcastically.

"Tell you what." said Herm looking out of the window at the fast disappearing sun. "You folk are free to stay the night."

Immediately there were polite refusals from the five. "I'm sorry, but you've already done so much for us, we can't possibly-"

"No, no, it's no trouble at all." said Lis insisting.

"Plus, you don't have a lot of choice. Out there? That is where the real bad people are. If you run into them, you're as good as dead." said Herm.

Alex knew they were right. He didn't have a choice. The girls? Robin? They needed a roof over their head. And this couple was as good a bet as any.

"I hate to trouble you both so much. We have no way to pay you either. I...I'm sorry." said Alex apologetically.

Herm put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Ah, son, it's no trouble at all. As I said, I believe in doing good."

Robin laughed, "Well, we can't pay you, but you are scoring big on the karma points."

The couple laughed out loud. "I'm afraid you'll have to adjust a bit. We only have one spare room." said Lis getting up too. "You boys will either have to sleep in the room with the girls. Or would you rather just bunk here in the hall."

Alex thought fast; "No, no. We'll sleep in the room with the girls. I'd hate to bother you anymore. And it'll only be for a few hours; we'll adjust."

"Wait, wha-" began Robin, but Felicia joined in. "Yeah, yeah. It's no problem Mrs. Fegg. We'll be fine."

Herm and his wife exchanged low looks that only Alex and Felicia saw. "If that's what you people are happy with, I have no problems." smiled Lis. "I'll bring you something to eat; you kids must be starving."

"I...hate to intrude on you guys. You're being-" started Alex, but Herm waved a hand. "No trouble at all. I'm just passing on the goodwill of someone else. All I ask in return, is that when you get a chance to help someone, do it."

Alex grinned. "I will." he promised. Then he took the unopened map scroll from his hand and put it on the table. "Let's have a look, shall we?" Saying so, he spread it open.

Alex sighed with disappointment. He noticed the map was woefully under-detailed, barely highlighting the few major cities and the city closest to Lemara. Several cities were marked but unlabeled.

"Sorry for the poor quality." apologized Herm. "I'm afraid quite a lot of stuff in Decimandria is left unmarked here. The map was never really made by some very learned cartographer, so most of the continent's details are either half marked or completely left out."

"You mean there are more cities in Decimandria?" asked Robin, peering over Alex's shoulder.

Herm laughed. "There is a lot to Decimandria. This map doesn't do it justice at all." Herm paused for a second. "To be fair, I doubt any map really does Decimandria justice."

With another sigh Alex rolled up the scroll and handed it back to Herm. "Guess I'll have plenty of time to look at this again if I want, huh?" he asked. Herm winked and wordlessly took the scroll.

The five got up Lis led them through the corridor. Straight ahead was what appeared to be the kitchen. There were four doors, two on each wall, in the corridor leading to different rooms. Alex noticed that one room had an imposing lock on it and looked like it hadn't been used in quite a while with all the dust. But he reminded himself it was not his position to ask why. Maybe it was a storeroom?

The blacksmith's wife opened the door diagonally opposite the locked room. "This is Herm's storeroom for all his weapons." said Lis pointing at the door beside the one she was unbolting. Alex's curiosity about the locked room increased, but he stayed quite as they were led into a small room, a bit dingy. It had one small bed by the corner. Two mattresses neatly folded lay on top of it. There was a small nightstand, and a wall shelf that looked too high for Lis to reach. "This room isn't used a lot. You'll have to excuse the dust." she said a bit apologetically. Eve looked incredulously at her tone. It's not like w're paying guests here. Just freeloaders. "It's totally fine, Mrs. Fegg. Really." said Eve. The woman smiled. "I'll bring some food. You all...try to settle in." she added. Saying so, she left the room.

All five of them looked around. "Well...I guess here we are." said Robin looking around. "How in the fuck did we get here?" he wondered out loud.

"Could be worse. Could be a lot worse." said Alex.

"Yes. Yes, you're right." joined in Liana. "We could've been stuck out there in the hills. In this cold? Brrr!" Eve and Felicia nodded, trying to convince themselves the glass was half full.

"Two of you girls can sleep on the bed. Eve, Liana, you're the two." said Alex, taking charge. "The rest of us will use the mattresses."

"Yeah, me and Alex will take one, you take the other one, Rob." said Felicia.

Robin raised his eyebrows and his eyes narrowed in mock. But before he could say anything, Lis Fegg walked in with a steaming hot bowl in one hand and a lantern with a bright candle in it in the other. She put the lantern down on the nightstand and placed the big bowl on the floor; from underneath the bowl she pulled out a plate of a loaf of bread. "Chicken and onion stew with some bread." she announced, smilingly. "I didn't have a lot of time to do much."

"It's smells amazing, Mrs. Fegg." said Liana. "Thank you."

"You kids eat well and get some sleep, okay? I can't even imagine what you must be feeling like...but try and not think about that. You'll be home soon." said Lis, trying to assure the morose group.

Alex felt a sudden warmth for Lis. "I'm really sorry again, Mrs. Fegg. I...can't thank you both enough for all you've done for us." he said. She smiled, lightly patted him on the cheek, and left.

As the five sat down hungrily to dig in the stew from the one bowl, Robin suddenly held out both his arms as if stopping them. "What if-" he lowered his voice. "What if this has sleeping pills in it?"

"Sleeping pills? In this age?" asked Eve sarcastically.

"Sleeping potion then."

They all looked at Alex. He thought for a second; "If they wanted us knocked out, they could've done that with the drinks. Why spin all this tale? Why tell all those stories?" he aked. He thought deeply for a second more and sighed. "Ah, you know what, you all dig in. All of you are hungry."

"And what about you?" asked Felicia.

"I won't. That way, at least one of us will still have our wits about them just in case this is some elaborate kidnapping."

"If that's the case, then two heads are better than one." said Felicia, putting down her piece of bread.

"Fel, come on." said Alex. "You know it's right my way."

"And there's nothing wrong with my way either." she said a bit huffily.

"Okay, fine. You know what? Don't eat. We'll let these three eat. If they don't get knocked out, the two of us will join in."

Felicia grinned. "Ok." she said, cheerfully.

As the Liana, Eve, and Robin dug in the stew, and Felicia started placing the two mattresses, Alex walked over to the nightstand. It was mostly empty except for a few needles and a roll of some twine. He picked it up. "Bingo!" he thought. He walked over to the door of the bedroom, tied some twine to the handle, then took a few feet of slack, and broke it off. After that, he tied the other end of the broken twine to his toe.

"What're you doing?" asked Eve, looking up at him.

"Making a sensor. If someone walks in through that door while we're sleeping, I'll know." said Alex in a low voice.

Soon the stew was 2/3rd done and the party responsible for it leaned back in satisfaction. "That was the best damn stew I've ever eaten." said Robin in contentment. "I think...I think I'm gonna crash now." He yawned and immediately set the rest of the group off. Alex suddenly realized how tired he was. But he couldn't doze off just yet. Every single person in the room had to be settled in.

As the other four fidgeted around with the mattresses, Alex walked to the sole window in the room, and opened a single one of the double wooden flaps. A gentle breeze played outside, and the hills glowed silver in the moonlight. Alex took in a deep breath. This was beautiful. Even the sk- He stopped dead as he looked up to the heavens.

"What the fu-" he murmured.

"What's wrong?" asked Felicia, coming up behind him.

Alex laughed and turned around. "Decimandria has two moons." he announced to the group.

"What!?" asked Robin, incredulously, rushing for the window. The four clambered up, threw open the other wooden flap, and stared out into the sky. Alex was right. There were two moons hanging in the sky. One was fairly larger than the other and, clearly, brighter. But even the smaller moon looked bigger than Earth's. These two, sitting almost beside each other were...otherwordly...quite literally. They were huge and beautiful. Even the sky shone with a lot more stars than Earth. Constellations made of hundreds of stars shone down at the group of faces sticking out of the window, entrancing them. It was a fantastic site...the two huge moons, the millions of stars...somehow, everything felt worth it.

"Alright, alright, that's enough." said Alex, pulling the window shut much to the dismay of his friends. "Time to sleep." There were a few groans and nasty looks shot at Alex, but all of the acquiesced.

Alex went over to the pot still resting in the middle of the room. The stew, it appeared, didn't have any sleeping agent in it. If it did, it was really bad at it's job. Alex decided to take the chance and not let Felicia go hungry. The two of them ate what remained of the bread and stew while one by one, the rest of the others fell asleep.

Finally, the two of them were ready for bed. Alex loosened up the slack of the twine to the exact inch so he'd feel any sort of tug on the string as Felicia climbed into the mattress. Alex looked at her and her dark red hair lightly falling over her face. He smiled to himself. What a beautiful girl.

He gingerly climbed in the mattress behind her, put his hands around her waist and gave her a light kiss on the back of her head. She snuggled a bit more closely towards his body, and wrapping her hands around his arms, she whispered: "There's no one else I'd rather be lost in Decimandria with."