Trusting Him Through the Darkness(((on hold!)))

Chapter Three

In the morning, Dawn and Dularis prepared to embark on another hard day's work, but first they had to make the mile trek to Tarka's headquarters, located in the Brionic Forest, the largest rebel base in the main island of Thestra. Here, status reports from every island came in by messenger. Then, other reports were sent to the scouts and warriors in the corresponding fields. The Brionic Forest was the largest message field in the history of Lumira, and only the most trusted and longest members of the rebel cult were informed of its existence. Rebels who were captured would die before revealing its location. If the warriors of the Darkness ever invaded it, there would be no hope for the restoration of Lumira. Dawn and Dularis galloped into the forest, where double patrols circulated. On the way, they encountered Nataria, a well-known naiad, who asked to see their rebel passcode. Each member has a unique passcode which told who they were and where they were from.

 

Dawn asked, "Why all the trouble?" as she handed over her card.

 

Nataria replied, "'Tarka is really cracking down on the security here. I'm head over the north side, and so I just do whatever she says. You wouldn't be going to see her?"

 

"Why yes, yes we are, actually... We had a little...well, mishap yesterday," Dularis announced, peering upward uncertainly at Dawn.

 

"Oh Dularis! I am so sorry; I didn't even recognize you!" Nataria fumbled, apparently shaken by the talking horse. "Well, go on ahead, but I must warn you..." She leaned in so the only ones who could hear her faint whisper. "The dryads in the trees have passed on to me that Tarka is in a bad mood this morning. She is definitely in a funk about something, and I don't think your-how shall we say it- report is going to improve it. Just an FYI for you before you head in there." She gestured into a small clearing where, at the edge, a small tree stump served as the entrance to the underground fortress.

 

"Thanks," Dawn mumbled, obviously nervous to see how bad Tarka really was. As they made their way down to see Tarka, halfway down the wide, earthen stairway, a small child came running up the opposite direction, crying.

 

Dawn stopped the little thing and asked,"What's wrong, little boy? Why are you crying?"

 

The little boy replied, through his tears,"Ol' stupid Tarka says I gave her a bad report and she got mad at me." Dawn wondered, Is this a child dwarf? But then the child morphed into Tarka, obviously mimicking her. "Oleus, how dare you come in here and tell me that there was no sign of anyone? Can't you see I am in over my head anyways? Why do I care? Next time, only report to me when something eventful happens!" Her form shrank away and the little boy returned. Dawn thought, Aha... A shape-shifter. Fooled again.

 

But then the little boy said,"I must return to my supervisor. Good luck and farewell."

 

The little boy turned into a mouse and scampered into a barely visible hole in the corner of the stairs, probably leading to a secret passage up to the surface. They continued on their journey, and when they arrived at the bottom, Tarka was ranting and raving at a messenger who was looking like she could curl up into a ball and die of embarrassment. "I don't care if all but one of the forests on Zandir is taken over! Take them ALL over! Commander Tillia has enough recruits and weapons to do it! And if I hear another thing about the gnomes needing..." She paused and noticed two more presences in the room. She turned, and the messenger scampered to a door, opened it, and without looking back, ran. Dawn thought, Oh boy. This is NOT going to be good. Tarka's sickly sweet voice broke Dawn's thoughts.

 

"Ah, Dawn. Dularis. How nice of you to drop in. Anything GOOD to report?" Tarka had that murderous look in her eye. Dawn tried to shrink away, but Dularis nudged her forward so forcefully that she fell on her knees in front of Tarka.

 

As Dawn shakily got to her feet, Dularis said for her, "Well, no, but something did happen..." He trailed off and there was silence as Dawn struggled to gain her words.

 

"Well? Do you have anything to say? Or are you just a mute little cretin lying helplessly before me?" She laughed, an unlikely cackle for a rebel.

 

Dularis asked,"Tarka, are you all right?" The murderous look in her eyes was suddenly gone, replaced by a look of fear. Her voice, the real one, slowly poured out,"Help... Evil spirit... Get out... Please." Then the evil spirit in her regained control.

 

"Your report was terrible, and so you shall suffer." She grinned evilly, but before she could wreak more mental torture with her stinging words and gruelling glances, Dularis suddenly snorted,"Get out of here, evil spirit!" Tarka's body suddenly collapsed in what seemed to be a spastic attack. Then a transparent ghostly image appeared, coming out of her skull, laughing tauntingly, and disappeared into the ceiling, no doubt going to report to its master.