Fantacy Woods

Chapter Six Gunnar

I'm pretty impressed with the half assed fire I built. The bottle of whiskey is almost empty, so I throw it into the fire. I admire my work, watching the flames as they stretch to reach the dimly lit sky. "This fire is actually pretty lame. The ones Liz and I made in Fantacy were so much more colourful and exciting than this one." I'm talking out loud, but there's no one around. If we were in Fantacy, Liz would be dancing beside the flames. The flames would attempt to mimic her, though they never seemed to get it quite right.

I met Liz at a mortal bonfire party. The fire I had made to tonight was oddly quiet similar. Probably because all the fires in this realm tend to be similar and boring. I had never been to one of those parties before that night, but for some reason I felt compelled to go, like something was pulling me there. I had only been to Disfantia a handful of times before that night. When I first looked at Liz, all of the pressures of being 'Heir to the Throne' melted away at the sight of her warm, inviting smile.

I had only known Liz for about eighteen of the most wonderful months before my mother found out about us. I would sneak off every chance I could to go through the portal to see Liz. When my mother, the evil Queen Anja, got suspicious she sent an evil Triminon – one of her despicable garden gnomes named Kronin – to watch my every move. The next time I brought Liz to Fantacy my mother was waiting for us. I tried to explain to her that I was in love with Liz but she kept telling me that Liz was evil and that Liz would be the cause of Fantacy's destruction. Though my mother was able to do that all by herself.

My mother is capable of creating projections that are exact replicas of herself. She can see and hear everything through the projection. These projections are so realistic that I have never been able to tell if it was her true form or not. I quickly step in front of Liz, at the sight of my mother, to protect her even though I was not sure if it is the real Anja. My mother kept trying to convince me that Liz is only here to destroy our realm. I tried to assure my mother that we were in love and were planning to get married. After that, everything happened so fast, and the next thing I knew Liz was dead; decapitated by my own mother. Not wanting my mother to harm my dear Liz anymore, or turn her into an evil Triminon, I took her body back to her home realm. I placed her body near the edge of the woods where I know she will be easily found.

There is nothing I want more than to see her dance with the flames or hold her in my arms just one more time.

"Caro be seeing many sadness today."

I turn and see the little Egladin staring up at me. "What are you doing here Caro?" I ask a little too firmly.

"Gunnar been telling Caro that if Gunnar was to be thinking of the Liz, Gunnar was to be wanting Caro's friendness. Caro see you being sad. Caro come help you be happy. Caro be bringing Gunnar special berries. Now Gunnar be happy, okay?"

I couldn't help but smile at Caro's efforts, but no matter how many berries he brought me, Liz was never coming back. I sat down next to him and took some berries from his hand. I have to admit it did make me feel a little better but I am nowhere close to happy.

"Time be moving quick." Caro said. "It be sun in Disfantia again and the Fantacy not be changing for 61 more Disfantia suns."

"I've always liked the way time moves here," I reply. "I find it refreshing how new days come and go so quickly."

"I be seeing the prophesied girl in the Fantacy today."

"What was she like?" I ask Caro.

"Gunnar, you be the bringing of the prophesied." Caro replies. "The Lekcie one, she be the prophesied girl."

"Did Anja see her? Does my mother know that the girl is in Fantacy?"

"The Lekcie not be in the Fantacy anymore. The Lekcie be gone so quick, the Queen not be knowing the Lekcie be there." Caro reassured me.

"How did she get to Fantacy?"

Caro laughed. "Gunnar be funny. Gunnar know he be bringing the Lekcie to the Fantacy."

"No," I stated. "The only person I brought to Fantacy today was that crazy bitch who broke into my house."

Caro nodded. "That one be the Lekcie one. When Caro be seeing the Lekcie, her clock be almost done."

"I'm going to go sleep now Caro. You should probably leave." I say as I slowly head back to my house. not sure of what else to do at this moment. 

Did I really bring the only person who can save my realm to Fantacy today? She could have died before she did what she was destined to do. I can't believe that I almost killed all my hopes of one day soon killing my mother and saving my home.