赤裸裸的滑稽故事

The Dark Queen stared down at Alice, her smile widening as she listened to the gasps of air Alice desperately took. As she scratched at the roots with her nails to no avail.

She was tempted to let her die here. To watch the life slowly fade from her body. But it would be much more satisfying to absorb that irritating creature and use her soul to fuel the tearing of the ley line.

So enraptured by the idea of watching Alice die was the Dark Queen that she didn\'t notice the soft ethereal glow until it was too late.

The sword came down on the root with power and no hesitation. The Dark Queen howled in pain as the root shriveled and curled back toward the tree.

Alice sat up and took a deep breath as she pulled the remnant of the root from around her throat.

Ashleigh stood between Alice and the Queen in her Valkyrie spectral armor.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Alice nodded her head.

"Peachy," she whispered. Her throat aching.

She quickly got to her feet and summoned two weapons, a machete and a sickle.

"I guess the time for talking is done?" Alice asked.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Ashleigh smiled. "She almost had you out pretty quick."

"Sucker punch," Alice grumbled.

Ashleigh grinned.

"But now," Alice continued, dragging her sickle down the length of the machete. "She\'s got my full attention."

Ashleigh let out a soft chuckle.

"What about you?" Alice asked. "You already used that power to get us through the monsters, can you really use it again so soon?"

Ashleigh took a deep breath.

"Lily wants to do this…." Ashleigh replied. "But it would be best if we could do it quickly."

Alice nodded.

"Then let\'s get this done."

The Dark Queen turned her attention back to the two women. She knew that Ashleigh\'s powers drawn from Lily would be a problem. And though she loathed to admit it, Alice was also a problem.

She had significantly increased her strength by absorbing so many of her creations. But she couldn\'t move, not yet. She was so close to tearing open the ley line just a few more minutes. After that, the roots deep inside the mountain would pull the boundary apart, and the power would flow freely.

A few more minutes, that\'s all she needed. Once the power was free, she would be filled with it. She smiled. A few more minutes.

***

Myka snuck away as Ashleigh argued with the Dark Queen.

The pulsing from the ley line was getting stronger and more painful. He knew that they didn\'t have much time left. So, after instructing Alice to keep the Queen\'s attention, he followed the direction of her deepest roots.

He had thought it was strange. The tree she was a part of was definitely collecting the power from the room and deep within the mountain. But the actual pulsing of the ley lines was further back, deeper down.

And then he could hear the movement. It was faint and distant, but it was there. Roots traveled against the dirt and stone layers of the mountain that smashed together to keep them from their goal.

Those more extensive, older roots behind her, the ones that led outside of the tent. Those were the ones that were going after the ley line. Those were the ones he needed to destroy.

His hunch was correct. Further back in the giant circular room, there was a hole in the ground, and those thick roots were already deep inside it.

Myka set down his pack, searching for the charges. He set two between the roots at the top of the hole. But he wanted to put one deep down inside, as close to the breach as possible. But there was no way he could go down and make it back up in time.

\'Myka…\' a soft whisper came to his mind.

He felt his heart jump. At first, he thought it was the Queen again, but this voice was different. Softer, friendlier.

\'Myka…\' she called again.

\'Who are you?\' Myka called back.

\'Listen carefully, listen for something you can use… something to get the charge near the breach.\'

\'Who are you?\' Myka asked again.

\'I was a friend of your greatest grandmother,\' the voice replied. \'My name is Lian. But, unfortunately, I can only speak to you because of how close the ley line is to breaching your world. You must stop it.\'

He wasn\'t sure how exactly he knew, but he knew their connection was gone. He could ask nothing more nor hear any further instruction.

"Listen carefully…" he whispered, looking around the area. "Listen for what?"

Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing that could help him. Mushrooms, crystals, lights, bodies. But nothing that could help him to climb down into the hole.

"Alright, listen…" he said again.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He tried to listen, to hear anything that might be useful. He heard the pulse, the sound of the fighting within the tent. He listened to the glittering bells of Ashleigh and the soft tones of Alice.

And then, very faintly, he heard something else. A soft thrum, a rippling in the water. He stood and followed the sound. Shortly he came upon several bodies, the slaughter left behind by Alice and Ashleigh.

But among the dead, he found one still drawing breath.

It was one of the frog creatures. It was weak. The sound of ripples on the water was slowly beginning to fade. Myka looked carefully at the creature. Something told him that it looked back at him with consideration as well.

That was when he realized this one didn\'t sound like they all had before. That sharp, unnatural, discordant rhythm was gone. Now, its sound was a part of nature\'s song once more.

Myka suddenly remembered what the Queen had said about his power. About not just listening to what nature has to say but making it listen to you.

He licked his lips nervously. Something told him that if he focused and told the frog creature to take the charges to the bottom of the hole. It wouldn\'t have a choice.

But that wasn\'t what he wanted.

Myka kneeled forward, close to the creature. He swallowed and then spoke.

"You\'re dying," he whispered. "Very soon."

The frog said nothing, but Myka could feel his response. It knew already.

"I would like to ask you a favor…." Myka continued. "I want to stop the monster that has done all of this…that is destroying the natural order. Will you help me?"

Silence, the creature didn\'t respond.

In the distance, Myka felt a change in the sound of the women fighting. Ashleigh, her twinkling brightness was fading.

Myka turned back to the creature.

"Please, we need to hurry! Please help me!"