Chapter 4 - The Creature

Luna something warm and fuzzy next to her and warmth on her face as if the sun was hitting her face. Groaning Luna rolled over feeling stiff and cracked her eyes open slightly and saw a bit of sunlight streaming in from the little window in the room. Closing her eyes she tried to get more comfortable and snuggled up to the fuzzy thing next to her. Why was the bed so hard? And what was the noise outside of her room? Suddenly the things that happened the night before flooded back to her. Luna opened her eyes fully and sat up but not fully awake having had the poison from the flower still in her system. Looking around she saw a thick layer of soot and dust around the room and where she thought was a window was a whole in the wall that had charred edges leading to outside. Luna saw Russ on the floor next to her and passed out asleep. Scanning the room she stood up and walked to the door to see if it was still stuck. She juggled the knob and pulled on it too but it didn't budge! Sighing from frustration she could smell the flower's pollen still and went to pick it up. Looking at the flower she realized it was a nocturnal shade which they used for sleep medicine since it was so potent it was to be handled with care. Luna put the plant on the table and went to crawl under the counter to get to the door to unlock it again for the things she found. Pulling out the boxes Luna picked up the envelope and set them all on the floor. First she opened up the little box and found a necklace that had an emerald hanging on a silver chain. Putting it to the side she opened the bigger box and found a large glass orb the same color as the necklace and a blanket of a sort, along with some funny baby clothes. She picked up the envelope which looked like it had been previously opened but had not been looked at in a very long time. Opening the envelope she saw a paper that she pulled out to see writing on it. Luna decided to read it since the poison still hadn't worn off to were she could do anything much or react to anything. Dear Finders, I have very little time to write this but I have left with you something that is so very precious. ......…..I can not keep her seeing as ...…..and the one who is hunting me also hunts......…... that I have left with you. I will lead them away but I know it is only a matter of time. Please protect her. On her 16th Birthday she shall have come of age and will have her inner magic ...…..during that time. She is the most beautiful and most precious thing to me and my people. She will not only save...…... but she will ........ as well. At a later ......….another delivery will come. But I have left you with the necklace that will help her control ......give it to her on her 16th Birthday. With the later package a guardian will come for her protection. His name is....... He will help. ......…...Please I beg you take good care of my little starlight...…... And let her know that if I could have I would have kept her but they will not allow that. Tell her that I love her, and am only looking out for her as her...... Lastly I will tell you her name which means moon. Her name is ….. Sincerely.... the letter had faded on some of the sentences so she couldn't read everything. Luna wondered who was this letter about? Why did the woman give up the child she could only wonder as she held up the necklace to the sun to look more closely at it. She heard Russ yawn and glances at him. He opened one eye to glance at her she stuck her tongue out at him. She could feel the poison wearing off and the panic coming back in. Sticking the necklace on and sticking the envelope in the bigger box she closed it and put it under her arm as she stood up. Russ stood up as well and as soon as they both were up the door Cracked open. Walking to the door she opened it wide to see the walls chared and the filing boxes flung everywhere. Luna made her way down the hallway and saw that the end of the hallway was blocked off and that everything had collapsed in front of it. Luna could hear faint noises but it mainly sounded like cracks of things settling. Luna made her way back down the hallway and into her father's workshop. It was also covered in soot and dust. Luna went to the back where she saw the package her uncle had given to her mother but it was unopened. Walking over, Luna opened the package to find a cloak, a satchel, some clothes, and some good boots as well and some food in there. Luna pulled each item out and observed they were all her size. Luna put the clothes and everything back into the package as well as the box she had found earlier and went to her dad's back door which led into the bedroom of her parents room. Luna climbed the stairs worried at what she would find at the top of the stairs. At the top the stairs were also a little burnt but not too badly. The door on the other hand was burnt badly. Opening the door she was met with a disaster. The future was thrown everywhere and everything was burnt. The poison had worn off now and full panic had set in. Luna ran to the hallway to search the house for her family calling out their name going from room to room only she found everything the way she found her parents room. Luna went to her room last hoping and praying that they were there. But they weren't. Her room was one of the more wrecked ones. Luna walked to her desk which wasn't burnt as bad like the rest of her stuff was. Luna opened the top drawer where she had stuck the red velvet bag her uncle had given her and her mother's ring she had been given. Luna let out a sigh of relief as she found both untouched by the flames. But she also felt a wave of sadness as she looked at them. But she couldn't find the thing which she had been looking for. She heard something scurry across the room and turned to see a disgusting creature staring at her. "Hello Lass." Luna screamed at it and began to chuck burnt things around her at it. "Oi, hey, stop that." The creature tried to block the airborne things flying at it when a giant thing of black fluff bulldozed into it. Luna stopped throwing things and could hear Russ growling at the thing he had tackled. She heard the creature's breath go out of it as Russ landed on it. "Get this thing off of me!" It gasped. "No! Why would I do that when for all I know you're going to attack me!" Luna screamed as she scrambled to find something in the room to arm herself with. "I'm not going ta do anything. I just want to talk." It gasped under Russ. Russ continued to growl at the thing. Luna found her school book on mythology which wasn't burnt at all to arm herself. "What are in the first place and how did you get here?" The creature let out what seemed to be a muffled somewhat sigh. But more of a grasp than anything. "I am Haman. Son of Basab king of dwarves. And I am the leader of the rebellion know as the Manacomallorca. And I swear on my axe that I will not harm you." The dwarf huffed. "But you literally just told me you have an axe!" Luna said as she held the book up! "But it was stolen so technically I don't." Luna huffed in unbelief. "Then how can you swear on something that isn't even yours and you're the leader of what?" Russ just looked between the two and had stopped growling. "Because it is mine and I just need to get it back and it's Manacomallorca!" Luna lowered the book. "Manawho?" The dwarf starred to pronounce it to her slowly. "Mana…" Luna repeated it back, "co…" she repeated it. "mallor…" Luna put the book to the side. "Ca… now put it together. Manacomallorca!" Luna tilted her head still confused, "Men a coma lorke!" The dwarf sighed, "It's a work in progress." Luna sighing signaled for Russ to get off. The dog happily got off and sat next to Luna but kept an eye on the dwarf. The dwarf quickly got up and brushed off his clothes. "Sorry that I scared you. Didn't mean ta." The dwarf said. The dwarf bowed to her. "Again my name is Haman! And I am at your service my lady!" Luna eyed Haman. "Can you tell me where and what exactly happened to my family and our house?" Haman scratched his long beard that almost touched the floor. "Aye lass, that I can, Goblins are what happened." Luna stared at him. "Goblins!?!" Haman gave her a look, "Aye goblins! Nasty folks really, always out stealing gold and yer weapons. That's what happened to Nimira. I suppose this is your first encounter with me?" Luna, confused, responded, "Yes? And who is Nimira?" The dwarfs' continence turned to that of sorrow and anger, "Nimira is the love of my life who has been taken from me. And I will get her back and when I do I will smote off the heads of those who took her." Hammon said with clenched fists in the air. "Is she your axe?" Luna asked, still confused. "Aye lass! She be my pride and joy! My one and only beauty!" He said with his hands over his heart. "Why are you here in the first place?" Luna asked as she sat on the ground. Hammon came closer but not enough to startle her. "I have come here to stop the war that has been waging in the land. I was told to come here and that I would be able to find something to help. And also because my axe was here." Luna must have hit her head really hard and was in a coma. "What war?" The dwarf smacked his forehead, "Right you're not aware of anything happening outside that disgusting wall the prosaics built." Luna opened her mouth to talk but there was a noise outside of the room. "Hide! Quickly!" Haman said as he went next to the door to hide, flattening himself against the wall and armed with a piece of broken house. Luna grabbed the book off the desk and scrambled to the side of the desk that wasn't visible to the door and Russ was already under the bed which lifted it slightly. The floorboards creaked as something walked down the hallway. The footsteps would stop and then continue as it was looking for something. And it kept getting closer and closer. Luna started to sweat and shake so much her breath started to shake. She had to cover her mouth. The footsteps stopped outside of the room and paused before they slowly started to enter. Suddenly Haman let out a roar and there was a loud crash and someone else crying out in surprise. "Hey, get off of her you Nanus!" Luna's eyes widened. "You aren't gonna harm the lady, not while I'm here ye won't!" Luna heard Hamon smacking something.. "Ouch! It hit my hand!"There was a lot of commotion going on. "What is this thing even?" They sounded so familiar, "Jordan, Kyle get it off! Get it off!" Luna stood up with her eyes wide. "Guys? What are you doing here? How did you even get up here?" Everyone that was in the ball of commotion looked up at her. Jordan had Haman by the beard and his legs and Haman had Bria by the arm. Kyle was trying to pull Bria away from Haman but the arm with his foot on Haman's face but they all paused except Hammon who looked at her confused. "Ye know them my lady?" He asked,  looking between her and the group which he had been attacking. "Yes." Haman looked at the group. "If ye tikes try anything against the lady, I'll smite ye." Hammon let go of Bria and kicked Jordan's hands off him before going to where Russ had fallen asleep under the bed during the commotion snoring loudly. "Oi! Wake yer booty up! We got to go!" Russ yawned and crawled out from under the bed and stretched. The others stared at her as if she was a ghost. "My lady we should gather whatever it is that ye would like to take with ya. So we can go." Kyle stepped in front of Luna. "Go? Go where? Luna isn't going anywhere with you! And what is this my lady business?!?" Haman stuck his hands on his hips. "Yes she is, we gotta get her somewhere safe before them nasty, grotesque things come back!" Russ walked outside of the room down the hall. "Look, even the beast knows what needs ta happen." Haman said while pointing at where Russ went. Bria shook her head. "What and how is this even happening?" Haman smirked, "Oh it's happening lass! And now that ye know what is happening, those things might come after ye all! So all ye gonna have to come with me!" Luna gave Haman a look. "They don't know what happening." Haman looked at them all. "Oh well they might as well come along." He said shrugging. Suddenly there was cackling outside. "Crap the darn goblins are back. Hurry quick go where the beast went. Luna grabbed all the gifts from the night before and followed Haman down the hall and ran up ahead to her parents room "This way!" Luna opened the door that wasn't visible to any eye. Haman whistled "Secret tunnel Aye?!?" Luna rolled her eyes. "Just get inside! All of you!" Everyone ran down the stairs. Luna shut the door with a quiet click and she heard things enter the house. Everyone ran down and went into the workshop of the shop. Luna Shut that door too with another click signaling that the lock was in place. Luna ran to the package in the corner and pulled everything out. Pulling out the box and the satchel Luna stuck the box, clothes, food and gifts in the sactchel. She put on the boots since she was barefoot and also the cloak in a hurry. Haman gave her a good look as she stood up. "Looks good, looks good! Now is there a way out of here to the woods?" Luna nodded. "Wo, wo the woods?" Jordan said as he grabbed Bria closer to him who was shaking. "Yes the woods! What did ya think we were going?" Haman said as he followed Luna down the hall to the herb room. When they walked into the room Russ was already waiting for them next to the hole in the wall. Luna went to the counter and crawled under and grabbed the key after locking the tiny door. The door glowed for an instant then disappeared. Luna crawled out, grabbed some herbs and headed towards the hole that Haman and Russand went through. "Are you really going with him?" Luna nodded, "He knows who took my family. You can stay with the goblins or you can come with us. Your choice." The others watched as she climbed out of the hole onto the grass outside where Haman and Russ were waiting. Kyle followed and stood beside her. The other stood hesitantly. Just then there was a loud bag and high pitched cackling and scurrying.  Bria practically jumped out of the hole to get out. Jordan followed suit and they all ran into the Forest. Luna looked back at where the hole was to see it seal itself making it no longer existent. Luna watched as what once was her home fell to the ground in a giant cloud of smoke as it caught fire again. Turning back, Luna ran into the forest hearing the high pitches of screams of people calling to get water again from the town. Luna and the others ran following Haman as he weaved through the trees. All of them were out of breath but none could stop in case the goblins made it out of the house and were chasing them. The group ran through the trees and over bushes. They had been running for what seemed like hours. Finally the group broke through the Forest into a small clearing with a giant stump in the middle of it with three large mushrooms the smallest one the size of Russ growing from the top. Haman stopped in front of it and knock In a pattern on the top of the smaller mushroom of the three. He knocked one-three-one-one-four-two. A bit of the mushroom opened up on the side revealing a pair of velvet eyes. "Password!" Said a croaky voice. Hammon leaned forward and whispered loudly "wham bam silver." The biggest mushroom of all the mushrooms opened a little door big enough for everyone to crawl through granting the access to go in. "Granted! Please proceed through the door! One at a time though. Can't Have it clogged again."Haman motioned for everyone to enter. Luna entered first, followed by Bria, Haman. Luna heard the twins trying to get the other to go first. "Ladies first." There was a scoff from Kyle, "We both know that's you." There was another scoff but from Jordan this time, "What no? I'm not. You are!" Luna and Bria tried not to laugh at them being stupid, "Oh really! Who was it who freaked out about a spider the other day?" They couldn't hold it in any longer and both started laughing. Haman went back outside, "Both of ye! I don't care who goes first but get yer booties inside!" Soon both of the twins were inside as well as Haman and the door shut behind them. It was dark and cramped in the mushroom but it was just big enough for them to all fit. Suddenly the floor fell from under them and they all started to slide down a tube as if on a giant slide. They all screamed except Haman who was laughing at them all as if he could see them flailing around in the dark. The tube took several turns and Luna could swear she hit her head several times on it. Luna could see some light down towards the end of the tunnel."Here comes the end brace for impact!" Haman shouted over the screaming. Suddenly they all landed on something soft. Luna sat up and saw a bunch of willow branches surrounding them. She stood up and Haman was waiting for her by the edge. When she stepped closer he parted the branches for her and what she saw took her breath away. There was a field with a small town and a waterfall that glistened in the sunlight near it. The huts were everywhere in the trees in the ground and just normal. There were creatures of every kind and age. Some children were playing by the waterfall laughing as they played chase. Russ took off to play with the kids as well. "Wait! Russ!" Haman waved her off. "It's fine my lady. The children will love him. Now welcome to Eldritch!" He said as he waved to all the scenery. Luna stood amazed by it all. Haman sat and smiled in satisfaction at her. "Come on, I'll Show you around." He said as he reached out for her hand. She took it and followed him. "Look, it's the princess!" She heard someone with a high pitched voice say! "The princess has come!" She heard another say. Suddenly she was swarmed by all sorts of creatures. "She's so pretty!" A twinkling voice said. "Look at her eyes! There was the color that the queen's eyes were before she came of age!" Said a flying creature in a shrill voice.  "Oi! Don't swarm! Move along, give her some room ta breath for pete sake!" Haman said while trying to shoo off all the creatures surrounding her. "Haman what do they mean Princess? What princess are they talking about? Because I don't see one." Luna looked around looking for the princess everyone was talking about. Suddenly all the creatures kneeled down. Haman bowed as well. "You are the princess they speak of my Lady." Luna's mouth dropped as she stared at everyone on their knees around her. "Who's a princess?" Luna turned and saw Jordan who made the comment and everyone else behind her. Haman huffed "Ye really are prosaics. Princess Luna is the only daughter of our dearly departed Queen Iris!" Luna stared at Haman. "But my mother's name is Rosemay!" Haman scratched his head and looked down at the floor. "Um well you see that is your mother that raised you yes but that is not your birth mother." Suddenly everything clicked in place. Why she had her eyes changed, why she had dreams, why she heard a woman's voice singing, what her parents were talking about the night before, the door and the letter. The world started to spin around her as all this information pieced together. The more she thought about it the faster it spinned until it came closer to meet her and everything went black again.