Part 1:
Cold ground crunched beneath his feet as Rick sprinted in terror.
The braying of the giant kept him at top speed whenever his stamina started to flag.
“I was told to take all prisoners alive, but you? I shall rip limb from limb!"
My brother ran merely for time, time to figure out a plan to avoid dismemberment.
Options seemed scant.
He crouched behind some straggly bushes and palmed a handful of dirt.
“Tell me you are not hiding. Tell me you are not that pathetic! I almost pity you.”
Krenderen lunged and Rick flung gravel at his eyes, sending the big man recoiling in a fit of growls.
The chase started up once more.
“I shall wring your neck like one of my hens!”
The braying of the giant kept him at top speed whenever his stamina started to flag.
“I was told to take all prisoners alive, but you? I shall rip limb from limb!"
My brother ran merely for time, time to figure out a plan to avoid dismemberment.
Options seemed scant.
He crouched behind some straggly bushes and palmed a handful of dirt.
“Tell me you are not hiding. Tell me you are not that pathetic! I almost pity you.”
Krenderen lunged and Rick flung gravel at his eyes, sending the big man recoiling in a fit of growls.
The chase started up once more.
“I shall wring your neck like one of my hens!”
The terrain led to an outcrop of rock that formed a natural ledge.
Loose stones lay strewn about the area.
The climbing grew tougher, the grade steeper.
And the giant halted his pursuit.
As Rick approached the ledge, he learned that his enemy had changed tactics.
“I grow tired of this chase, little man. You are an insect. And I do not punch insects, I swat them!”
Krenderen assumed a triumphant pose, his arms spread before him.
Just as before, he clapped his hands together and unleashed invisible ripples of intensity.
Loose stones lay strewn about the area.
The climbing grew tougher, the grade steeper.
And the giant halted his pursuit.
As Rick approached the ledge, he learned that his enemy had changed tactics.
“I grow tired of this chase, little man. You are an insect. And I do not punch insects, I swat them!”
Krenderen assumed a triumphant pose, his arms spread before him.
Just as before, he clapped his hands together and unleashed invisible ripples of intensity.
Rick dove for cover but was too late.
Blasts of force pummeled his brain.
Knocking him out.
But the wave affected much more the Rick.
For the ground shuddered!
And the massive outcrop tipped forward as silt and stones began to slide.
The last thing Rick heard, before passing out, was the wailing cry of the giant.
Then darkness.
Later, he saw a familiar face.
“Rick? Hey, wake up. It's me."
“Dale?"
“They sent me to find you. Well, actually, I volunteered."
Blasts of force pummeled his brain.
Knocking him out.
But the wave affected much more the Rick.
For the ground shuddered!
And the massive outcrop tipped forward as silt and stones began to slide.
The last thing Rick heard, before passing out, was the wailing cry of the giant.
Then darkness.
Later, he saw a familiar face.
“Rick? Hey, wake up. It's me."
“Dale?"
“They sent me to find you. Well, actually, I volunteered."
Rick's mouth opened but no sound came out.
He'd realized where he sat.
Upon a rocky archipelago, a narrow strip of the ledge that had stayed firm.
“They’re all worried about you. I told ’em you’d be OK.”
“Just barely.”
“You should see the other guy. That is, if anyone could see him."
“What do you mean?"
“Half the mountain is on top of Krenderen, best that anybody can figure. Swept him right off the side.”
He'd realized where he sat.
Upon a rocky archipelago, a narrow strip of the ledge that had stayed firm.
“They’re all worried about you. I told ’em you’d be OK.”
“Just barely.”
“You should see the other guy. That is, if anyone could see him."
“What do you mean?"
“Half the mountain is on top of Krenderen, best that anybody can figure. Swept him right off the side.”
“Can you get us down? Like right now?”
Dale blinked them back to the ground.
“Good show,” Renee said. “More to you than meets the eye, eh?”
“Like I said before – you belong here.” Del added.
“Did you study geology?” asked the Lark as she gave him a hug. “How did you know?”
“Just a lucky break,” Rick replied. “Will we … try and find him?
“We can’t waste resources. He brought it on himself,” she said.
“I never saw Krenderen as evil,” Del mused. “Don’t feel guilty. These things happen in battle.”
We boarded the Levitation Ascent Disc for the next part of our journey.
Del pushed some buttons and the LAD lifted upwards.
The ride was smooth and easy and Rick did not seem to enjoy it all that much.
I reached out and took his hand.
Accident or not – my brother had saved us all.
We rose higher and higher in the chilly mountain air, still in search of the King of Clouds.
Dale blinked them back to the ground.
“Good show,” Renee said. “More to you than meets the eye, eh?”
“Like I said before – you belong here.” Del added.
“Did you study geology?” asked the Lark as she gave him a hug. “How did you know?”
“Just a lucky break,” Rick replied. “Will we … try and find him?
“We can’t waste resources. He brought it on himself,” she said.
“I never saw Krenderen as evil,” Del mused. “Don’t feel guilty. These things happen in battle.”
We boarded the Levitation Ascent Disc for the next part of our journey.
Del pushed some buttons and the LAD lifted upwards.
The ride was smooth and easy and Rick did not seem to enjoy it all that much.
I reached out and took his hand.
Accident or not – my brother had saved us all.
We rose higher and higher in the chilly mountain air, still in search of the King of Clouds.