The Quest

Chapter Twenty Five - Taken

Tess walked by Tom's side as they made their way to the next town. He seemed more confident after his last transformation back at the werewolf camp. She shivered at the thought. It had been a couple of days now, and it still terrified her they would come after them.

She was thankful that nothing had come of that night. The wolves had lost interest in them, especially when Tom had gotten up and howled at the moon. She figured they had thought he was going to attack them, and they had scattered.

"We should be at the town in the next couple of hours," Tom announced as he put the map away.

"Good, because I'm becoming tired," Tess skipped to his side, a grin on her face. Tom shared her smile and continued their brisk walk.

Tess lazed from one side of the path to the other, constantly looking at the herbs. She loved talking about the different ways they could be used in different potions. Her favorite subject was the best way to prune them, so you didn't destroy the whole plant. Every once in a while, she'd pull her herb basket out from her little pocket in the air and put herbs in it. She had been excited when she figured out the self storage spell. It also made taking things places a little easier. If she would've known how to do that, she wouldn't have lost her orb.

Tom looked towards his feet as he thought about Tess' star. She hadn't mentioned it in a while, but he knew she still missed it. Perhaps they'd have time to go back and get it soon. They were too far away to try to teleport it to them.

"Tom!" Tess called a good way ahead of him. How had she gotten so far? "Look how big these leaves are?" She pointed at them excitedly before disappearing into them with a scream of terror.

"Tess?" Tom shouted, his heart clenching in fear. He heard her struggling in the foliage as he rushed up to the spot that she had been. He looked down as he heard unintelligible words being spoken.

A small gangly creature stood there, looking into the foliage, laughing to itself. Goblins... what were they doing this far above ground? Tom rushed in after Tess' cries for help without a second thought. "Tess! Where are you!" Tom called. It almost sounded like her cries were coming from all sides of him.

"Tom!" Tess sobbed from his right. He took off in that direction to find her surrounded by a hoard of the gangly creatures. Tess tried to blast them with bits of magic, but she was growing tired. The creatures had placed a bracelet on her wrist, which was now glowing.

"Get away from her!" Tom roared as he rushed to get to Tess' side. The goblins seemed surprised at his outburst, but quickly recovered. They yelled in their nonsense language and ganged up on Tom. Tess began teetering back and forth, exhaustion taking over. Something was wrong with her. She never tired like this.

Tom growled and began forcing his way towards Tess. Goblins grabbed at his legs and began climbing him. He tossed them aside. He was so focused on the creatures overwhelming him he didn't see the one that put him in a containment field. Tom fell back as the wall prevented him from going forward.

He looked around himself from the ground; he was completely surrounded. The goblins made faces at him as they went back to Tess. Tom bared his teeth at them. "Get away from her!" he shouted, banging on the wall, only to be ignored. "Tess!"

The creatures put another bracelet on her other wrist, making her collapse to the ground. The bracelets were draining her energy. "Tess!" Tom called again and again. Tears streamed down his face as the goblins argued about what they were going to do next.

To free himself, Tom shifted. His form filled the tiny circle he was in. Tess! His thoughts raced as the goblins began lifting Tess' now unconscious body. He howled, scaring them for a few minutes before they continued moving her.

The walls of Tom's containment burned a bright blue as he pushed on it with all his might. His heart was pounding with fear. Where were they taking her? He tried howling again, but the goblins ignored him. Tess was no longer in sight.

Tom looked around frantically. There were sigils beyond his reach. If only he could disturb them. He pushed against the field again; it was burning into his fur. Tess! That was the only thought that swirled in his head. He needed to rescue her.