Beyond the Cherry Tree (6 page)

It was all clear to Josh now.

‘So as long as the tree is in flower, I can spend as much time as I want. But what if the tree stops flowering in your world while I'm there?'

Bortwig raised his head.

‘Then all clocks start ticking again. Every second beyond the cherry tree is a second away from home. You cannot travel through the Great Tree unless it is in bloom.'

‘How much time do I have before the tree stops
flowering
, Bortwig?'

Bortwig shook his head.

‘I can't be sure. Four, maybe five sunsets. The tree is already
losing its flowers. I will know when the time is near, but that time is not now, Master Bloom.'

‘I'm going, Bortwig'. Josh's mind was made up, but still he had worries.

‘What if I'm wrong?'

‘Wrong?' repeated Bortwig.

‘My destiny, Bortwig. How do I really know if I'm right or wrong? I don't even know where to begin looking for the general. I don't even know where I'm going first. Tell me Bortwig: what lies ahead?'

Bortwig took Josh's hand.

‘I will help you as much as I am destined to help you, but I too don't know the fate of the general or whether it is your destiny to search for him. But I do know one person who can help you find the right path.'

Josh's head lifted and his heart beat faster.

‘Wilzorf,' smiled Bortwig.

‘Who is Wilzorf?'

‘A great wizard. Come, Master Bloom. I will tell you on the way,' instructed Bortwig, leading Josh out of the
comfort
of his cosy living room and out through another small doorway.

Chapter 8

A Vision

B
ortwig told Josh about Wilzorf as he led him along a winding tunnel.

‘The wizard Wilzorf was a great friend of the general’s,’ said the creature. ‘He will have answers for your questions before you even ask them. I’m sure he’ll be
sending
for us.’

‘Sending for us,’ repeated Josh. ‘I thought we were going to see him.’

Bortwig stopped and turned to Josh. ‘Nobody just goes to
see
the wizard Wilzorf.’

Josh shook his head.

‘Nobody actually knows the exact location of the Wizard’s domain. He has lived in isolation for many years.’

They continued walking, Bortwig upping the pace.

‘Then how do we get to see him?’

‘There’s a place,’ explained Bortwig, ‘a place where you go
if you want to see the wizard. Once Wilzorf knows we are at this place, then he will send for you.’

‘Then what?’

‘Then you are taken to see him.’

‘Do you think he might know where Krudon is keeping the general?’ asked Josh, just as the tunnel ended with a large round door.

Bortwig turned. ‘Don’t get your hopes up, Master Bloom. Remember, I’m bringing you to see Wilzorf to try to find the right path. Where that path leads is not for me to say, but it may not lead to the general.’

He faced the door and stood in silence for a moment.

‘Are we going in through that door?’ asked Josh.

‘Just a second. The door will decide when it is time,’ smiled Bortwig.

As Bortwig spoke, the big round door began to slowly turn. When it reached full circle, Josh could see what looked like a shadow appear on the door.

‘It’s time, Master Bloom,’ said Bortwig.

‘What’s going on, Bortwig? Why doesn’t the door open, and what’s that shadow?’ asked Josh, glaring at the shadow, which seemed to mimic him.

‘Don’t worry, Master Bloom. The door will open. But not here, not yet. Soon!’ Bortwig smiled at Josh then pointed to the door. ‘Be brave, Master Bloom.’

‘Not again!’ sighed Josh. Why can’t there be ordinary doors?’

Josh watched in anticipation as the shadow’s hand reached out. He took a deep breath, and then bravely stepped into the shadow. Darkness like no other surrounded him. He could still feel his hand being gripped.

‘Bortwig,’ he called. ‘Where are you?’

There was no reply.

Without warning, he felt his hand being pulled and before he could even scream for help he was flying through the darkness, freezing cold air rushing through his hair and
whistling
past his ears.

Then he found his voice.

‘Aaaaaaagh!’ he screamed as he swooped down, then up again, twisting and turning.

He felt like he was going to faint. Up ahead he could see a dim light.

As he got closer and closer, the shadow tightened its grip on his hand, until suddenly, they were flying over a field. Josh could see figures up ahead, but he couldn’t make them out. It appeared that one was leaning over the other, with a dagger in its hands…

Josh felt a rush of blood to his head, his eyes were blinded by the light; he came to a halt, then everything went calm.

He could hear a faint whisper in his ear. Slowly, it got a
little louder and a little louder again until he jumped up and stumbled against a wooden door. Josh lunged away from the door, almost knocking Bortwig off his feet.

‘Master Bloom,’ called Bortwig, holding a candle in his right hand.

Josh shook all over and looked at the door in front of him.

‘Are you ready, Master Bloom?’ smiled Bortwig.

‘I’m not doing that again, Bortwig,’ he insisted. ‘What was that thing, that shadow, and where did it take me? I was in a field, Bortwig, and there were other people there too, two of them, I think.’

‘The black shadows are nasty spirits, but you travelled with a grey. It wouldn’t harm you,’ explained Bortwig. ‘It was a vision that you saw.’

‘A vision? But it felt real to me!’ cried Josh. ‘What was it for?’

‘The Great Tree has given you this vision, Master Bloom. For what purpose, I do not know. Maybe it is part of your destiny.’

Josh was trembling.

‘After you,’ smiled the tree elf, pointing at the door.

Josh looked at the door.

At least this time it had a handle.

He bravely reached out, turned the handle, and opened the door.

Chapter 9

Arc of Habilon

A
blinding ray of light shot straight into Josh’s eyes as he stepped forward. Holding both hands up to his eyes, he sucked in fresh air for the first time since stepping into the Great Tree. All fear left him and he felt as if he was breathing comfort, familiarity and courage into his whole body.

Josh heard a loud slam and he turned around. Slowly his eyes found their focus as the blinding light dimmed. The door had closed and disappeared into the tree, leaving no trace.

Bortwig was standing in front of him, smiling and
clapping
and doing the strange twitching of his head in joyous celebration.

‘Master Bloom! You’ve stepped beyond the cherry tree.’

Josh turned away from Bortwig, his eyes feasting on this
new world for the very first time.

‘Welcome to Habilon, Master Bloom,’ smiled Bortwig, ‘the land beyond the cherry tree.’

Josh had never seen anything like this before. It was enchanting! Straight ahead were two tall stone columns that formed an arc. Great stone walls curved away from each side of the arc; on its left side rested an enormous sword held by a giant statue of a warrior, covered entirely in moss. This
warrior
was kneeling, but even so, he must have been ten feet tall. The warrior’s right hand rested on the grass below, his palm open.

A row of similar warriors ran along both sides of the arc, standing upright and still against the walls with their swords by their sides. They curved around the lush grass on either side, leading back to two big stone tunnels where the trails disappeared inside, into great darkness, underground.

Beyond the arc were vast forests, and beyond the forests, as far as the eye could see, were snow-capped mountains
reaching
up to touch the skies above.

As Josh and Bortwig walked towards the arc, Josh leaned his head back and looked up at the giant statues.

‘What are they, Bortwig?’

‘They are the Zionn Army, Master Bloom,’ explained Bortwig.

Josh stood in front of them, fascinated.

‘Why is that one kneeling?’

Bortwig smiled. ‘He is Sorkrin, leader of the Zionn Army. He is kneeling before the Arc of Habilon, waiting for his king to call upon his help.’

Bortwig pointed to the centre, where the two columns of the arc met.

‘Do you see that centre point, Master Bloom?’

Josh nodded, his head stretching backward.

‘That, Master Bloom, is where the king places the orb. On doing this, with his wizard by his side, the king can summon the Zionn Army to waken.’

‘What’s the orb?’ asked Josh.

‘An object of great magic, Master Bloom,’ gasped Bortwig. ‘He who controls the orb commands Sorkrin and his mighty army.’

Josh was now standing before the arc, right next to Sorkrin’s hand.

‘They’re giants!’ he gasped. ‘But how can statues be an army?’

‘The soldiers of the Zionn Army are made of stone. They stand motionless waiting for their king’s command.’

Josh looked over to Bortwig who had just stepped beneath the arc.

‘Who is their king, Bortwig?’

‘Their king,’ said Bortwig, ‘is the king of all that is good.
The King of Habilon. Be patient, Master Bloom, for you will stand before the king and know him, and he will know you.’

‘How?’ asked Josh.

‘Come along, Master Bloom,’ said Bortwig, ignoring the question, ‘I want to show you something.’

Josh, too, stood beneath the arc.

‘Do you see that forest in the great distance?’ asked Bortwig, pointing straight ahead.

‘Yes.’

‘That is Feldorn Forest, the home of the tree elves. My true home.’

Josh’s eyes lit up yet again, as they had done so many times on this adventure.

‘Are we going there, Bortwig?’

‘Yes, Master Bloom, we are! There will be cheering on our arrival and great festivities.’

Josh could sense Bortwig’s excitement at the thought of returning home.

‘But what about the tree?’ he asked. ‘Do you not have to guard it? You said you were keeper of the tree.’

Bortwig laughed, ‘I do not
guard
the tree, Master Bloom. The tree has great magic. I
serve
the tree and the tree does not want me to sit by my cosy fire-midgets while you seek your destiny.’

Bortwig led Josh down great stone steps, away from the
arc, and onto a carpet of wild, flowering meadow, which drew the eyes long into the horizon, all the way to Feldorn Forest.

‘I’m hungry, Bortwig,’ said Josh. ‘I’m looking forward to the festivities. Will it take us long to get there?’

Bortwig shook his head.

‘Fear not for your belly. We will not be walking.’

He knelt down in the carpet of white clover that hugged the ground beneath the tall wild grasses.

‘Em, Bortwig, what are you doing?’ asked a bewildered Josh.

Bortwig just waved his hand and pushed his ear into the clover.

After a minute of nothing, he stood up.

‘Won’t be long now, Master Bloom,’ smiled Bortwig. ‘He’s coming.’

‘Who’s coming?’

‘Our transport.’

Just as Josh was about to ask the inevitable question, he felt the ground shudder beneath his feet and he could see the grasses quaking in the distance. Josh stood back and stepped up on to the steps that led down from the arc.

‘No need to be afraid of Mirlo,’ laughed Bortwig. ‘He has smelled me in the distance and now he is coming to take me home.’

As the rapid and vigorous flattening of the meadow
flowers
got closer, Josh strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of what strange thing might be approaching. Suddenly it was upon them and the grass no longer rustled and the ground no longer shuddered.

‘Your transport, Master Bloom,’ said Bortwig, pointing toward the creature, then leaning over and fondly stroking along its back.

The creature snorted and burped and exhaled disgusting wind from its rear end in its excitement at seeing Bortwig. It was like Bortwig’s version of a pet dog, only Mirlo was no dog.

Josh held his nose.

‘Uugh! What
is
it, Bortwig? It smells gross!’

‘He is smelly!’ laughed Bortwig. ‘But Mirlo is harmless and has a kind nature. He is a glykos.’

‘A what?’

‘A glykos,’ repeated Bortwig, climbing onto Mirlo’s back. ‘They’re underground creatures that burrow deep beneath the soil for rich and tasty smaller creatures.’

Josh’s stomach was starting to churn.

‘They rarely come up to the surface,’ continued Bortwig. ‘But Mirlo is an exception. We’ve become great friends.’

Mirlo shook excitedly, almost making Bortwig fall off, then he stretched out a long sticky tongue, reaching it over
his head to lick Bortwig’s face.

When the tree elf and the glykos were finished playing, Josh climbed onto Mirlo and sat behind Bortwig, reluctantly holding onto the wiggly tentacles that ran along both sides of Mirlo’s thick leathery back, just as Bortwig had done.

‘To Feldorn Forest!’ shouted Bortwig. ‘Take me home, Mirlo!’

The creature’s tentacles tightened around Bortwig and Josh’s wrists and soon they were whooshed through the meadow. Flower seeds exploded past their heads as Mirlo dug his head beneath the ground and his two passengers screamed with joyous excitement at their exhilarating speed through the glykos’ tunnels, heading towards the outer regions of Feldorn Forest.