“Ashure, you outdid yourself,” Nali said with a smile. “Asahi, let me introduce you to some of the fiercest warriors in the Seven Kingdoms.”
He murmured a greeting to each person, keeping a respectable distance from them to ensure their safety. There were eight representatives from the other kingdoms, including Ashure. He was surprised when he recognized Ross Galloway.
“Ross,” Asahi greeted.
Ross gave him a wry grin and said, “Welcome to Fantasyland, Agent Tanaka.”
After Nali introduced a pair from the Isle of Magic, Isha responded, “Mike wanted to be here, but Marina is due to have their first child any day. My father and I will fight beside you.”
“Thank you, Isha,” Nali replied gratefully. “Ariness, it is an honor to have two such powerful wizards standing with us.”
Ariness bowed. “I have seen what the alien can do, Empress. I will do everything in my power to protect the Seven Kingdoms and beyond.”
Asahi didn’t miss Ashure’s grim nod of agreement, and he wondered what had happened during Ashure’s trip. The unflappable pirate appeared more somber than he remembered.
“Pai has overseen the setup of a camp for us. He and a small squadron of my elite gargoyle soldiers will track the alien. I would like to share with you what we know—and coordinate an attack,” Nali said.
“We will follow your lead, Nali,” Orion replied.
Asahi sat along the outer edge of the group inside a tent. The interior was spacious and provided relief from the sun that had been burning his eyes and flesh. As the alien inside him spread, so did his sensitivity to light.
He silently listened as Nali shared what had happened so far on the Isle of the Monsters with the group around the large central table. Once again, he was impressed by her commanding personality. She relayed the information in a clear, concise tone and answered each question thoroughly. The only thing she had yet to share with the others was his infected state.
He tensed when Ashure walked over and pulled up a chair next to him. He curled his fingers into a fist when the alien particles inside him reacted to Ashure’s presence. The alien appeared to be repulsed by Ashure. Asahi glanced at the sword Ashure was holding. Ashure casually laid the enchanted blade across his lap and sat back. It was then that Asahi realized that it was the pirate’s blade repelling the alien, not the man himself.
“We have a good team,” Ashure murmured.
He nodded in agreement. “We do.”
“How long have you been infected?” Ashure suddenly asked.
Asahi stiffened. “How did you know?” he countered.
Ashure stood up and nodded his head toward the opening. “Walk with me,” he quietly requested.
Asahi rose to his feet and trailed Ashure out of the tent. They walked in silence, heading for the tree line. When Ashure kept going, Asahi glanced at the camp behind them, and then followed Ashure into the forest that surrounded the clearing.
They were on a wide, moss-covered path that led into the densest thicket of the woods. It was a stark contrast to the bright clearing they had left. Out of instinct, Asahi rested his hand on the hilt of Mr. Gryphon.
“Where are we going?” he demanded.
Ashure glanced at him before waving his hand in front of him. “Hopefully to find an old friend,” he said.
“An old friend? Up here?” Asahi warily repeated.
Ashure didn’t answer. Instead, he continued walking. Asahi eyed the sword the other man still held.
“I climbed this mountain when I was nine years old,” Ashure casually remarked.
“Nali mentioned it. It’s a very impressive feat,” he replied.
“This mountain has a magic of its own, you know. You must have noticed when you arrived,” Ashure continued, glancing at him.
“Yes, I noticed,” Asahi wryly responded, trying to understand where the conversation was heading.
Ashure smiled. “It is said that only the worthy can even see this old volcano. Everyone else passes by without even wondering what is here. I certainly wasn’t looking for a mountain. I had stolen a boat from a changeling along the lake—I wanted to pretend I was captain of all the oceans, you see—and I was puttering around with little direction when I saw it: a mysterious mountain shrouded in the thickest fog I’d ever seen. I just knew I had to climb to the top. Of course, I had to get to the damn thing first,” Ashure mused.
“How did you manage it?” Asahi curiously asked. “The Water Sirens nearly pulled me off the boat.”
Ashure chuckled. “I stuffed cotton in my ears. I am, after all, half Sprite, so I knew a thing or two about their tricks. They pushed me around a bit and finally decided to let the mountain do with me what it willed. It is alive, you know, the mountain. The sirens believed a child as naughty as I would certainly be crushed by it. Those slippery beauties love their death and destruction, but who would ever like dealing with the decaying bodies afterward? No one, that’s who,” he said with a flashing grin. “So, they decided I was more trouble than I was worth, and they let me pass.”
“But—the mountain didn’t crush you,” Asahi replied.
Ashure shook his head. “No, the mountain didn’t crush me,” he replied in a low voice.
“Why didn’t it?” Asahi asked, intrigued by the tale of a young boy on a magical adventure.
“Who knows? I talked to it the entire time. Nali says the mountain didn’t know what to do with me,” Ashure chuckled.
“Why did you do it? Why did you climb the mountain? This mountain?” he pressed.
Ashure slowed down until he came to a complete stop in the middle of the path. He idly looked around the forest. Asahi studied the pirate’s expression, trying to discern why the man was telling him this.
“I wanted to find where the Goddess lived,” Ashure finally replied with a shrug, looking
