"What the Hell..."--Part 1

We travelled in silence for several more minutes before a break in the fog revealed a small, sandy beach in the distance. The darting little lights under the water made one more pass under the boat and towards the beach, where they seemed to gather into a single larger light just under the surface of the water.

As the small boat began to scrape the sandy bottom, I stowed the oars and made to get up and get out into the shallow water in order to secure the craft for the ladies to disembark. Before I could stand up however, I noticed that the larger light began to grow and transform into a humanoid figure of indeterminate sex. The figure reached out to touch the boat with one hand, steadying the craft. It held out the other hand expectantly towards the three of us.

Cerrydwen reached down into her right boot and pulled out a wicked looking, sheathed steel knife that was engraved with runes of some sort. Without a word she handed the knife to the figure. Once the knife was in its hand, it disappeared and the hand moved for her to disembark, which she did, taking a small hop and landing in about two inch deep water. She turned to face me.

“Rusty, you must hand over your weapons before disembarking.”

“Hand over my weapons? Why would I do that?”

“Because if you don’t, you won’t be allowed to tocuh the soil of this place. It is a sacred place, inhabited by an ancient spirit that abhores violence and will not tolerate weapons of any sort being brought onto the island.”

“Where did your knife just go? I can’t afford to lose Diego, he’s the only weapon I know of that will hurt Drake.”

Cerrydwen smiled. “You will not need such weapons here. They will be returned to you when you get ready to leave. Trust me on this one. I’ve been here many times before.”

“OK, but you tell this thing, I will get my weapons back, or else.” I undid the straps that held Diegoe’s sheath to my shoulder and handed the still sheathed Witchbane blade to the creature. As soon as he landed in its hand, Diego disappeared. The creature still held its hand out expectantly towards me however, and did not wave me forward like it had to Cerrydwen.

“What now?” I asked, losing patience.

The Frau spoke from behind me. “Rusty, my dear, your batons count as weapons too, as does my cane. Hand them over.”

Grumbling about walking into a damn trap without any weapons, I triggered the snapping mechanism that sent each collapsible baton into my hands and handed them over to the being of light. They promptly disappeared as the creature waved me on. Mor ethan a little grudgingly, I got up, grabbed the duffle bag containing the urns, and leaped out of the boat, landing next to Cerrydwen. I turned to wait for the Frau.

The Frau was now standing herself. She shifted forward in the now steady boat and handed her cane to the creature. The creature waved her forward, so she stepped carefully over the side and into the shin deep water. I moved forward to catch her from falling, but she waved me away as she caught herself and made her way unsteadily to shore.

Once she was past the creature of light, it collapsed on itself back down into the bigger ball of pure light and then dissolved back into the dozen or so will-o-wisps that had guided us here. They then darted off under the water in several difference directions.

The boat, not anchored by a tie or anything, began to drift away.

Cursing, I started wading after it, only to hear Cerrydwen shout a command. “No, Rusty. Let it go.”

I turned to her, exasperated. “How will we get back to the car?”

“Don’t worry, the boat will be here when we need it. Right now it is needed for someone else.”

“Someone else? Who else knows where the Hell we are, and why would they want to come to this place?”

Cerrydwen’s lips just tightened as she chose not to answer any of my questions. She turned and began walking up onto the beach itself, joining the Frau.

Grumbling again, I followed her. As soon as I touched dry land, I felt an immediate change. A shiver of Magickal energy swept through me, as it left, I felt somehow naked, like a huge void was left in my soul. I stumbled as the wave of feelings left me, falling to one knee. “What the Hell...?”

Both women stopped and turned when they heard me. Cerrydwen, less than sympathic, resumed walking after that glance. The Frau on the otherhand came back to me with that rolling gait of hers and offered a hand to me as she said, “Don’t worry Rusty, the magick of this place is strong. What your are feeling right now is losing your connection to the Shadow. You will not have access to any of your powers that are based on the Shadow or any other connection to another place. It is part of the protection of this place, you cannot get her except by way in which have come.”

She helped me to get up. Rising again, I replied, “I do not like this place at all. I haven’t felt this vulnerable since I was strapped to that rock in the Merlin’s cave.”

She chuckled at that, patted my arm. “It’s alright, if you think you’re uncomfortable, wait until Drake gets here.”

(To be continued...)