Part 3:
Our group of eight – the QCP trio plus Colin, Gen, Dale, Rick and me – began the voyage.
A strange, brief journey to a place I had wished to forget.
We instantly traversed the distance between dimensions.
Materializing in the same sugary landscape as my previous visit.
Arriving in a different part of the confectionary forest.
But with trappings that were all-too familiar.
Gumdrops, chocolate trees, garish colors.
A painstakingly demented candy creation.
Everything was the same.
Including the wretched creature who ruled over the land.
She stood waiting for us, hands on her hips, posed triumphantly atop malt ball boulders.
“Welcome … all of you.”
The witch crooked a finger my way.
“Found others to fight your battle? I, too, have gained allies.”
Three figures strutted out from behind the malt balls.
One of them instantly caught my eye.
His huge frame last seen in a prior, far-away battle.
“Krenderen,” Criss Sallis spit under her breath.
The mountain giant!
Despite falling from a deadly cliff, he now seemed quite healthy and alive.
Not a hair of his bushy beard out of place.
His barrel-chested physique as massive as ever.
A strange, brief journey to a place I had wished to forget.
We instantly traversed the distance between dimensions.
Materializing in the same sugary landscape as my previous visit.
Arriving in a different part of the confectionary forest.
But with trappings that were all-too familiar.
Gumdrops, chocolate trees, garish colors.
A painstakingly demented candy creation.
Everything was the same.
Including the wretched creature who ruled over the land.
She stood waiting for us, hands on her hips, posed triumphantly atop malt ball boulders.
“Welcome … all of you.”
The witch crooked a finger my way.
“Found others to fight your battle? I, too, have gained allies.”
Three figures strutted out from behind the malt balls.
One of them instantly caught my eye.
His huge frame last seen in a prior, far-away battle.
“Krenderen,” Criss Sallis spit under her breath.
The mountain giant!
Despite falling from a deadly cliff, he now seemed quite healthy and alive.
Not a hair of his bushy beard out of place.
His barrel-chested physique as massive as ever.
Next to Krenderen stood an average-sized man with slicked hair.
He wore a fancy suit and flashed a vicious, vacuous grin.
I felt sure I’d seen him before.
“We know that foe,” Colin said.
“We do?”
“From the Alphabet. It’s the letter C.”
“That’s C?” Dale asked.
“In human form. I’d know him anywhere.”
“But … wasn’t he the meanest one? Aw, geez.”
“Do not fear. He isn’t half the man I’ve become,” Colin replied with surprising nerve.
The final member of the witch’s team was much smaller.
Scuttling.
Like a little, ugly gargoyle.
The witch addressed him as Nizzik, scolding with him, “Hurry up, say your part!”
“You have entered this realm without invite,” he said, “making you trespassers by decree."
The witch's eyes burned, her head twitched.
“Trespassers," she repeated.
“In this domain, that means death."
She grinned, then nodded at her servant.
“As such, now choke on misery’s bitter taste!”
The witch shook in convulsions – I saw Uubiquatus clasp his hands and whisper – and the world rippled madly out of focus.
Our surroundings dissolved and the quake shook me to the ground.
Fighting for balance.
Gathering my wits.
Finally glancing up and seeing the scene revert back to normal.
I rose slowly, and found I was now alone.
He wore a fancy suit and flashed a vicious, vacuous grin.
I felt sure I’d seen him before.
“We know that foe,” Colin said.
“We do?”
“From the Alphabet. It’s the letter C.”
“That’s C?” Dale asked.
“In human form. I’d know him anywhere.”
“But … wasn’t he the meanest one? Aw, geez.”
“Do not fear. He isn’t half the man I’ve become,” Colin replied with surprising nerve.
The final member of the witch’s team was much smaller.
Scuttling.
Like a little, ugly gargoyle.
The witch addressed him as Nizzik, scolding with him, “Hurry up, say your part!”
“You have entered this realm without invite,” he said, “making you trespassers by decree."
The witch's eyes burned, her head twitched.
“Trespassers," she repeated.
“In this domain, that means death."
She grinned, then nodded at her servant.
“As such, now choke on misery’s bitter taste!”
The witch shook in convulsions – I saw Uubiquatus clasp his hands and whisper – and the world rippled madly out of focus.
Our surroundings dissolved and the quake shook me to the ground.
Fighting for balance.
Gathering my wits.
Finally glancing up and seeing the scene revert back to normal.
I rose slowly, and found I was now alone.
The witch also stood by herself.
For a moment we gazed at one another.
Cheerful hate in her eyes.
I took a step backwards and tried to look brave.
A hand clasped me on the shoulder.
Uubiquatus!
“Relax, friend; you shall not face her alone.”
“What happened? Where is everyone?”
“She cast a Spell of Division to scatter us. To remain alone with you and your lion. I altered the spell, so that I might stay.”
“And Dale? My brother?”
“Your companions are fine, fear not.”
At the time, of course, I did not know where everyone else went.
Later, I learned Dale had been sent off with Elena.
Rick with Colin.
And Genevieve with Criss Sallis.
But just then, it was me and my self-appointed protector.
A pacifist purple hero with non-violent tactics.
For a moment we gazed at one another.
Cheerful hate in her eyes.
I took a step backwards and tried to look brave.
A hand clasped me on the shoulder.
Uubiquatus!
“Relax, friend; you shall not face her alone.”
“What happened? Where is everyone?”
“She cast a Spell of Division to scatter us. To remain alone with you and your lion. I altered the spell, so that I might stay.”
“And Dale? My brother?”
“Your companions are fine, fear not.”
At the time, of course, I did not know where everyone else went.
Later, I learned Dale had been sent off with Elena.
Rick with Colin.
And Genevieve with Criss Sallis.
But just then, it was me and my self-appointed protector.
A pacifist purple hero with non-violent tactics.
“I recognize what you are,” the witch sneered. “A neutered spirit; a breathless vessel.”
“This vessel,” Uubiquatus said, “brims wide with life’s warm whisper."
“Oh really?"
“And that whisper carries certain knowledge – even of you, Dresda Kul-Vayn.”
“You filthy spirit! You dare? Come here and SPEAK MY NAME? I shall use your tongue as my waist-sash!”
She bellowed and cursed like never before, manic arms jerking with rage.
Thick clouds darkened and scowled.
The land trembled.
A burning spark crackled to life beside her.
The spark flashed to a blaze and kept growing!
A roaring wall of flame soon hurtled our way.
Searing heat swelled and spat and spun.
In an instant, the firestorm engulfed us.
“This vessel,” Uubiquatus said, “brims wide with life’s warm whisper."
“Oh really?"
“And that whisper carries certain knowledge – even of you, Dresda Kul-Vayn.”
“You filthy spirit! You dare? Come here and SPEAK MY NAME? I shall use your tongue as my waist-sash!”
She bellowed and cursed like never before, manic arms jerking with rage.
Thick clouds darkened and scowled.
The land trembled.
A burning spark crackled to life beside her.
The spark flashed to a blaze and kept growing!
A roaring wall of flame soon hurtled our way.
Searing heat swelled and spat and spun.
In an instant, the firestorm engulfed us.