Fairy Rock

Chapter 38: Leon Finds Richard

Richard takes the last two flaming arrows from his backpack and aims them at the fairy generals. He tries to catch his breath while he strains to hold the bow straight. The sweat from his greasy forehead drips onto his lips, and he spits, getting the salty taste out of his mouth.

Richard straightens the eyeglass on his face to keep the tiny fairy generals in focus. He fires directly at them.

Butch and Baker maneuver out of the way of the fiery arrows as it scrapes pieces of their tiny, white wings off and leaves black marks all over their dented armor.

Richard keels over into a black-grass patch near three dead ogres. His eyeglass flickers a green light, allowing him to hear the fairy general's conversation.

Baker pulls hard on his beard until the skin on his face stretches. "This archer lad is skilled. We would have been dead if he had hit us with that attack."

"He doesn't look like he has much strength left to fight. Before we kill him, let's torture him," Butch suggests.

Butch and Baker lower themselves to the ground, tossing pebbles at him, laughing at his demise.

"How does it feel to lose, human?" Butch chuckles.

Baker spits on the ailing archer. "You look so pathetic right now."

Butch throws a dirtball and hits Richard's braided hair. "After we kill you, we will kill everyone you know."

Richard tries to stand, but his legs and shoulders are too sore to move, and he has migraines. The dusty, windy air blows the eyeglass off his face, making it more challenging to see the bullies taunting him. I can't die here. I must get back up; everyone depends on me. Mom, Dad, Susan, Tevin, and the city of Fairyville. Who am I kidding? None of us should be here. I'm twenty-one years old; I'm supposed to be drinking beer out of a keg at a bar getting drunk, or at a Frat party. If this had never happened, I would have been smoking a blunt before class in my third year of college. Instead, I'm in this dark world, getting spit on by fairies.

The two fairy generals float around him with a purple aura around each of their bug-sized bodies. They mutate and grow seven feet tall. Their muscles bulge out of their bodies as powerful, magical purple light fills the sky.

Butch and Baker flex their pecks and pump out their brown, hairy chests.

"I feel so strong," Butch yells.

"Me too," Baker responds.

The towering fairies stomp on Richard's back and head, digging his body further into the mud.

"Uggh!" Richard screams.

Out of nowhere, black pixie dust comes from the sky and blows into Butch's and Baker's faces, forcing them to cough and gag.

Leon swoops down and screams as a red aura surrounds him. The noble fairy extends his hands, erupting the ground. The mud around Richard turns into a magical barrier, covering the ailing archer and casts him into the air.

The aging fairy struggles to carry Richard as he flies through the black trees, scaring the vultures out of them.

Leon reaches his black straw tent hideout and brings the injured archer inside.

"Ladies, where are you? I found the man fighting Queen Vanessa's troops, and he needs help," Leon says.

The girls circle Richard as the noble fairy removes the barrier around him.

Susan's eyes open wide, and she puts her soft, gentle hands on Richard's face. "It's my boyfriend."

Richard's barely unconscious. He feels weak and unable to speak. Cuts and scrapes cover the bruises on his cheeks.

Susan brushes her fingers against his neck, checking his vitals, and her heart pounds as she hardly gets a pulse from him.

Susan's face floods with tears. "Leon, my baby is dying. Do something."

"I will do my best to heal him," Leon declares.

Richard feels wet lips kissing his cheeks as she rests his head on her lap.

Serenity and Sarah pull Susan up.

"Let Leon help him, okay," Serenity suggests.

"I have a little bit of hemp left to calm you down, Susan," Sarah says.

Leon injects gold pixie dust into the archer's dying body. Richard's eyes are bleary. His vision clears, and he spots the fatherly fairy with a red robe continuing to spray pixie dust on him. Where am I? Who is this fairy that's helping me?

"The man is awake," Leon says.

Susan wipes some black mud off his skin and kisses him again.

"I missed you so much, babe," Susan says.

Richard witnesses his girlfriend's beauty that he has not seen in three years. Her long brown hair, sensational smile, and the smell of marijuana in her clothes instantly bring him tears of joy. "Susan, I can't believe that is it you. I love you, and we must never leave each other's side again."

They caress each other as Leon, Serenity, and Sarah turn away, giving them privacy.

"We still have a problem. Butch and Baker are still alive, and they will find us; be ready to fight," Leon announces.

The sound of trees, timbering gets everyone's attention

"Be ready now. Here they come." Leon commands.

Sarah draws her sword. "Serenity, get ready."

Serenity seizes her blade. "From working in an MMA gym, I'm used to watching fights. I worked there for the paycheck to save money for college. My mother is in one of the prison camps. Now is the time to face my fears and save her. I can no longer wait on Rock to help or anyone. My family, dreams, and everything are up to me and this blade. Now is my turn to help defeat these fairies."