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Description
Taran and Gurgi began traveling along the forest path, dodging many strange creatures. Gurgi was well knowledgeable about the Forbidden Forest; he knew how to pop pimply purple flowers called Gloops, which has pus that were excellent as healing remedies. Gurgi could climb around thorns of Snackerhorns, tall-beanstalk-like trees that at the very top produced the sweetest fruit Taran ever tasted. Gurgi also made sure they ate plenty of onions as to detour Mandros, snappy little spiders that devoured human flesh. Thanks to Gurgi, they could carry on safely.

“So what is so special about Taran’s snake?” Gurgi finally had the chance to ask after the end of a long day of traveling.

Taran was continuing putting the campfire together, throwing loose sticks into the small, but ever-growing flames. “Well, his name is Nen-wen. And he’s an oracle.” he whispered the last part.

“Ooo! Gurgi want to know why!” he exclaimed.

“Sshh...” he hushed. “You see Gurgi, Nen-wen knows how to defeat the Horned King and where the Black Cauldron is.”

“Black Cauldron missing.” Gurgi said confused.

“Not exactly. Nen-Wen knows where it is. If we don’t find him soon, the Horned King will figure out how to extract that important secret. It was my job to bring him to the Lake of Secrets...” Taran said sadly.

Gurgi patted his back, “Don’t be sad, Gurgi and Taran will find Nen-Wen.” He nuzzled under his arm. Taran smiled and watched the little ball of fur fall fast asleep. Taran scanned the area with his eyes; feeling somewhat safe enough, he closed his eyes....

Taran was bound in chains, his soul torn apart, his army fallen and his armor dented and tossed in a scrambled pile in a corner of his dungeon cell. Taran felt lonely and could hear rats scurrying between the dungeon crack and droplets of water fall in perfect time. Taran sighed, there was no hope....

Suddenly, a beautiful voice echoed against the walls. It was singing something very familiar... Taran recognized it right away:

“To the Goodness he will rise,

Striking the evils when it cries

Brave and true through and through

From the Hillside to the Sea

My true love he will come to me”

It was a fair tune a lovely lass would sing to the warriors who went to Battle. Anyone who sang the song had one true love they were waiting for to return. Taran had not known such a sweet lass, but he lightly blushed. He fidgeted with his chains, trying to break away, but with no success. Suddenly he heard the voice sing again, but this time, something quite different...

“Close your eyes and you will see

The sword shall be your key

You shall win the fight right from the start

Use it well with good intention in your heart”

Taran woke up, finding Gurgi snoring still and the campfire dimming out. Suddenly, Taran felt a small rock go plop on his head.

“Ouch!” he rubbed his head. “Who’s there?” he got up, waking Gurgi and holding out his staff. Giggles.

“I can hear you! Show yourself! I am not afraid!” he trembled. Gurgi looked around, hiding behind Taran.

Zoom! A small figure crashed into Taran’s nose, knocking them both over. Taran shook his head. “What the-”

Taran looked down and picked up a small fellow with little wings, that glowed of a light orange and twinkled of some sparkly dust.

“Who are you?” Taran asked the mystic creature.

The little creature was short, no bigger than Taran’s thumb; he was quite older, with little wrinkles around his eyes and wearing pointed shoes of orange and well-fitted peasant robes that were the same matching orange. His wings glittered brightly and he was bald, with a snout-like nose. As if the creature were still seeing stars, he finally focused on Taran and yelped. He tried to fly away but Gurgi got hold of his wings.

“Wait! I won’t hurt you!” Taran said.

“You mean, you don’t have splooza?” asked the flying creature.

“Um, no. What’s splooza?” he asked Gurgi.

Gurgi laughed. “Splooza be sticky. It makes fairy wings not fly.” he explained.

“Laugh all you want! If I get splashed with Splooza again, I’ll be buried in snow by winter!”

“Wait, you’re a fairy?” asked Taran.

“Weren’t the wings a giveaway buddy?” said the fairy with sass, crossing his arms.

Taran felt a little silly and coughed to clear his throat. “Well, allow me to introduce myself! I’m Taran and this is Gurgi.” Gurgi waved, letting the creature go from his grasp.

“Well don’t get too comfy, the Forest isn’t safe right now. I’m Doli. So why are you out here anyways? Isn’t it a bit strange for you two to be wandering out alone?” he said crossly.

“We are trying to reach the Horned King’s Castle! Someone very important is trapped there and I need to save him!” Taran began to explain about Nen-Wen and Gurgi nodded with him reassuringly. The fairy listened closely.

“Hmm, sounds like you need some more help... I shouldn’t be helping a human... but...if it means stopping the Horned King from finding the Cauldron, well, we Fair Folk just might be able to help.” He said with hopeful eyes.

“How can you help us?” Taran asked.

Doli looked at Taran and began to fly. “Well you are going to need to follow me, and goodness knows we are going to need to shrink you just a bit-”

With a splash of fairy dust, Taran and Gurgi slowly began to shrink. When they were small enough, even the ants seemed like the size of real people. The world around them seemed so huge.

“Wow...” Taran said in wonder. Doli rolled his eyes.

“You’ll get used to it, it isn’t so glorious after a while my lone adventurer. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to get squashed by feet. Oy! Now then, I am going to take you to the Fairy Folk Queen. She’ll be able to help you get to the Castle in no time!” Doli cried.

He led them to a hollow log with mossy coverings and small flowers blooming off the moss. “In you go!” Doli exclaimed and pushed them in the log. Gurgi and Taran began sliding faster and faster, yelling in merriment as they descended below the ground, until Taran crashed into a pile of leaves, with Gurgi falling on top of him. Doli flew in gracefully.

“Follow me boys.” he waved behind his back. Taran and Gurgi began running after him because he was such a fast flier. Luckily they could see where they were going with Doli’s light guiding them.

Finally, there was a small opening after all of the darkness and Taran could not believe his eyes. There was a grand waterfall and luschious flowers blooming everywhere! Darling little fairies were flying about around Taran and Gurgi, waving as they flew by. Many of them were playing with dew, making baskets from blades of grass, and munching on berries. Taran had never seen such a beautiful place.

“You all live here? Underground? It seems so... happy.” Taran said with a smile.

“Better down here than up there! The Horned King banished us from going back up there. We lost many of our Fair Folk. We loved King Odgar, but the Horned King wanted no happiness and good bearing of fruit that we Fair Folk possess. We are a good kind of magic. When we could not help him find the Black Cauldron, since we refused to commit to such a task, we were banished underground. Luckily over the years, we have made the best of it.”

Taran looked at Gurgi, feeling very sad for the Fair Folk; then they walked up to a shining throne right next to the waterfall. The throne was made of diamonds and rubies, blinding Taran almost, but in a flash he saw a most elegant fairy. She had long lavender hair that glimmered in the light, with the largest wings that sparkled alongside her throne; with a wand made of silver and diamonds and eyes a lovely shade of orchid that fluttered along with her wings. She was lean and pure as a royal fairy ought to be.

“Hello Taran and Gurgi, dwellers of the World above. I believe you have come for my assistance?” she said with a soothing voice.

Description
Taran and Gurgi began traveling along the forest path, dodging many strange creatures. Gurgi was well knowledgeable about the Forbidden Forest; he knew how to pop pimply purple flowers called Gloops, which has pus that were excellent as healing remedies. Gurgi could climb around thorns of Snackerhorns, tall-beanstalk-like trees that at the very top produced the sweetest fruit Taran ever tasted. Gurgi also made sure they ate plenty of onions as to detour Mandros, snappy little spiders that devoured human flesh. Thanks to Gurgi, they could carry on safely.

“So what is so special about Taran’s snake?” Gurgi finally had the chance to ask after the end of a long day of traveling.

Taran was continuing putting the campfire together, throwing loose sticks into the small, but ever-growing flames. “Well, his name is Nen-wen. And he’s an oracle.” he whispered the last part.

“Ooo! Gurgi want to know why!” he exclaimed.

“Sshh...” he hushed. “You see Gurgi, Nen-wen knows how to defeat the Horned King and where the Black Cauldron is.”

“Black Cauldron missing.” Gurgi said confused.

“Not exactly. Nen-Wen knows where it is. If we don’t find him soon, the Horned King will figure out how to extract that important secret. It was my job to bring him to the Lake of Secrets...” Taran said sadly.

Gurgi patted his back, “Don’t be sad, Gurgi and Taran will find Nen-Wen.” He nuzzled under his arm. Taran smiled and watched the little ball of fur fall fast asleep. Taran scanned the area with his eyes; feeling somewhat safe enough, he closed his eyes....

Taran was bound in chains, his soul torn apart, his army fallen and his armor dented and tossed in a scrambled pile in a corner of his dungeon cell. Taran felt lonely and could hear rats scurrying between the dungeon crack and droplets of water fall in perfect time. Taran sighed, there was no hope....

Suddenly, a beautiful voice echoed against the walls. It was singing something very familiar... Taran recognized it right away:

“To the Goodness he will rise,

Striking the evils when it cries

Brave and true through and through

From the Hillside to the Sea

My true love he will come to me”

It was a fair tune a lovely lass would sing to the warriors who went to Battle. Anyone who sang the song had one true love they were waiting for to return. Taran had not known such a sweet lass, but he lightly blushed. He fidgeted with his chains, trying to break away, but with no success. Suddenly he heard the voice sing again, but this time, something quite different...

“Close your eyes and you will see

The sword shall be your key

You shall win the fight right from the start

Use it well with good intention in your heart”

Taran woke up, finding Gurgi snoring still and the campfire dimming out. Suddenly, Taran felt a small rock go plop on his head.

“Ouch!” he rubbed his head. “Who’s there?” he got up, waking Gurgi and holding out his staff. Giggles.

“I can hear you! Show yourself! I am not afraid!” he trembled. Gurgi looked around, hiding behind Taran.

Zoom! A small figure crashed into Taran’s nose, knocking them both over. Taran shook his head. “What the-”

Taran looked down and picked up a small fellow with little wings, that glowed of a light orange and twinkled of some sparkly dust.

“Who are you?” Taran asked the mystic creature.

The little creature was short, no bigger than Taran’s thumb; he was quite older, with little wrinkles around his eyes and wearing pointed shoes of orange and well-fitted peasant robes that were the same matching orange. His wings glittered brightly and he was bald, with a snout-like nose. As if the creature were still seeing stars, he finally focused on Taran and yelped. He tried to fly away but Gurgi got hold of his wings.

“Wait! I won’t hurt you!” Taran said.

“You mean, you don’t have splooza?” asked the flying creature.

“Um, no. What’s splooza?” he asked Gurgi.

Gurgi laughed. “Splooza be sticky. It makes fairy wings not fly.” he explained.

“Laugh all you want! If I get splashed with Splooza again, I’ll be buried in snow by winter!”

“Wait, you’re a fairy?” asked Taran.

“Weren’t the wings a giveaway buddy?” said the fairy with sass, crossing his arms.

Taran felt a little silly and coughed to clear his throat. “Well, allow me to introduce myself! I’m Taran and this is Gurgi.” Gurgi waved, letting the creature go from his grasp.

“Well don’t get too comfy, the Forest isn’t safe right now. I’m Doli. So why are you out here anyways? Isn’t it a bit strange for you two to be wandering out alone?” he said crossly.

“We are trying to reach the Horned King’s Castle! Someone very important is trapped there and I need to save him!” Taran began to explain about Nen-Wen and Gurgi nodded with him reassuringly. The fairy listened closely.

“Hmm, sounds like you need some more help... I shouldn’t be helping a human... but...if it means stopping the Horned King from finding the Cauldron, well, we Fair Folk just might be able to help.” He said with hopeful eyes.

“How can you help us?” Taran asked.

Doli looked at Taran and began to fly. “Well you are going to need to follow me, and goodness knows we are going to need to shrink you just a bit-”

With a splash of fairy dust, Taran and Gurgi slowly began to shrink. When they were small enough, even the ants seemed like the size of real people. The world around them seemed so huge.

“Wow...” Taran said in wonder. Doli rolled his eyes.

“You’ll get used to it, it isn’t so glorious after a while my lone adventurer. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to get squashed by feet. Oy! Now then, I am going to take you to the Fairy Folk Queen. She’ll be able to help you get to the Castle in no time!” Doli cried.

He led them to a hollow log with mossy coverings and small flowers blooming off the moss. “In you go!” Doli exclaimed and pushed them in the log. Gurgi and Taran began sliding faster and faster, yelling in merriment as they descended below the ground, until Taran crashed into a pile of leaves, with Gurgi falling on top of him. Doli flew in gracefully.

“Follow me boys.” he waved behind his back. Taran and Gurgi began running after him because he was such a fast flier. Luckily they could see where they were going with Doli’s light guiding them.

Finally, there was a small opening after all of the darkness and Taran could not believe his eyes. There was a grand waterfall and luschious flowers blooming everywhere! Darling little fairies were flying about around Taran and Gurgi, waving as they flew by. Many of them were playing with dew, making baskets from blades of grass, and munching on berries. Taran had never seen such a beautiful place.

“You all live here? Underground? It seems so... happy.” Taran said with a smile.

“Better down here than up there! The Horned King banished us from going back up there. We lost many of our Fair Folk. We loved King Odgar, but the Horned King wanted no happiness and good bearing of fruit that we Fair Folk possess. We are a good kind of magic. When we could not help him find the Black Cauldron, since we refused to commit to such a task, we were banished underground. Luckily over the years, we have made the best of it.”

Taran looked at Gurgi, feeling very sad for the Fair Folk; then they walked up to a shining throne right next to the waterfall. The throne was made of diamonds and rubies, blinding Taran almost, but in a flash he saw a most elegant fairy. She had long lavender hair that glimmered in the light, with the largest wings that sparkled alongside her throne; with a wand made of silver and diamonds and eyes a lovely shade of orchid that fluttered along with her wings. She was lean and pure as a royal fairy ought to be.

“Hello Taran and Gurgi, dwellers of the World above. I believe you have come for my assistance?” she said with a soothing voice.