Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 103: Blindsided

Chapter 103: Blindsided

"They found that king!"

"King?"

"The boy king!"

"The king of Fantasia?"

"Aye, the king that stuck Stoick!"

"There's a reward for his capture!"

"And death if he goes free!"

"Where is he?"

"Ferngully? Ogre Swamp? I don't know – but he's fled north!"

"North?"

"North into Avalon?"

"North into the snow storm?"

"North!"

"Grab your knives!'

"Grab your pitch forks!"

"Arthur is his name!"

Thugs, scoundrels, and thieves emptied from the darkest nooks. Ruber's decree had spread like wildfire. The Otherland turned ravenous. Every predator was awake and hunting for King Arthur and his guardians.

Garrett was disenchanted. 

Blood, guts, glory...meh. Garrett had never benefited from the whole 'mob mentality' thing. He exerted only enough energy to survive, and saved the rest for emergencies. Survival was economical. Survival was smarts. Survival was a dice game – so Garrett played the odds.

And 'playing the odds' meant avoiding mobs. 'Group-work' was general discouraged in the Otherland. As a rule, 'friends' were 'frenemies.' A 'pat on the back' today, turned into a 'stab in the back' tomorrow.

Garrett understood these truisms. So, he stood alone. Let the mobs chase King Arthur if they wished – the reward for capturing Schmendrick was good enough for Garrett. He didn't need to pursue Fantasia's king.

Kayley was furious.

"How can you just sit there?!" Kayley yelled as Rumpelstiltskin and Fifi galloped after the mob. Three ruffians followed. Apparently this corner of Dragon Country was inhabited by scum. "How can you just sit there when King Arthur is in danger?!"

"Simple." Garrett responded. He had quickly learned to answer Kayley's questions; Kayley was a chatterbox and she did not like being ignored. A terse response was usually enough to shut her up. "I just cross my legs, slouch my back, and wait."

"Wait?" Kayley swung against Schmendrick, forcing the wire net to spin. Schmendrick spluttered -- he'd been trying to cast a spell without much luck.

"Wait for what?" Kayley gestured. "For Ruber to come get us?"

"King Ruber."

"For the world to freeze over?"

"Ah, I thought it was snowing."

"For your stupid bird to come back?"

"Aiden is a falcon and yes, he's guiding Ruber's Viking chief to take the magician. I believe the Viking's name is Drago. He should arrive soon. With a dragon."

"Heavens." Devon moaned. "Pray it's not a zippleback."

"Pray whatever the species," Cornwall grumbled. "It eats you whole."