Gikkiebokkers book1

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For my beautiful wife Nicola

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The Gikkie Bokkers Book One

by Jason Conway

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The Gikkie Bokkers Book One Copyright © 2016 by Jason Conway Illustrations by Jason Conway

The moral rights of the author have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval without permission in writing from the author.

ISBN-13: 978-1490960760 ISBN-10: 1490960767 Visit the Gikkie Bokkers on www.gikkiebokkers.com

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Acknowledgements I could not have written this story without the inspiring wit and creativity of my best friend John Haverty, and the constant support of my beautiful wife Nicola Haverty Conway.

I want to thank my Mom and Dad, Gerry and Angela Conway for their constant support and finally to my lovely sons Robert & Jayden for their boundless optimism and love.

From out of the darkness, a void of despair, The faintest of lights can mend and repair, A glimmer of kindness, mercy and compassion, Can re-ignite the fires of love to set alight new passion, For what we see in others is a reflection of ourselves, To forgive eternally will bring us back from hell, No matter the darkness or how foul the foe, With love as your ally all negativity you will overthrow.

As I looked upon the face of evil no more I cried, I wish not to see, For to truly vanquish it I finally understood That the evil I dreaded was also within me.

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Irish Slang Dictionary and note from the author: Because Ireland is relatively small most people know or will have at least a good understanding of slang even if it’s only at a local level. Most of the slang in book one is Dublin slang and may appear odd at first glance. I’ve included a few short translations for you the reader to give you a good grasp of how some people in Ireland like to express themselves.

“Me Aul Skin!” - A term of affection between men but can also be sarcastic which all depends on the tone of voice the phrase is being uttered in.

“Da!” or Daa” - Short for Father or Dad, pronounced as “Baa” like a sheep but with a “D” instead of a “B”.

“Me Aul” or “My Aul Mate” - Slang for “My good friend”.

“Meself ” - Means “Myself ”.

“I’ll burst Ya!” - Is slang for “I shall beat you up badly”.

“Bush Tucker” - Breakfast, originally an Australian phrase for food you would eat in the wild.

“Oim” - Short for “I am”, also you shall read instances of “Oive” which mean “I have”.

“Howaya” - “How are you?” Or “Hello”.

“Bogi” - Pronounced “Bojeee” short for Boginold, Hugo’s trusted best friend and Butler.

“The Craic” - Means having great fun, usually in a social venue like a party.

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Table of Contents Chapter 1

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The Great White Hunter

Chapter 2

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The Ballad of Hooknose

Chapter 3

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Outwitted by a Gikkie Bokker

Chapter 4

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A Careless Deed

Chapter 5

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The Relentless Foe

Chapter 6

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Unexpected Allies

Chapter 7

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Bushwhacked

Chapter 8

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Family Heir Looms

Chapter 9

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Adventures on Bokwana Island

Chapter 10

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Expert Marksman

Chapter 11

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Gikkie Bokker Gardens

Chapter 12

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Tell Tale Tattler

Chapter 13

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No more mister nice guy

Chapter 14

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Needle in a haystack

Chapter 15

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Dark fist of the All-Mighty

Chapter 16

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Friend or Foe?

Chapter 17

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Taking Responsibility

Chapter 18

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Cleaning Up

Chapter 19

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The Future 9

Chapter 1 - The Great White Hunter ‘The Great White Hunter, or so they said As the beast charged, away he fled.’

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Whatever manner of beast it was, it’s dark eye sockets pointed directly at the child. With a deafening roar the creature exploded into a frightening gallop towards him.

‘GET OUT OF THE WAY!’ Shouted Reginold.

The child spun around on his heels heeding the warning and sprinted for his life. He did not turn his fair head back once, gingerly sprinting like an Impala in and out of the dense foliage - trying to negotiate with split second timing when to dodge a tree stump or mass of vegetation at the last moment - in hope it would put the deadly creature off its pursuit.

‘THE ANTHILL, it’s on your left of the big tree - climb up it and jump onto the tree, DO IT NOW!’ The child fixed his steel blue eyes onto the Ant mound. It had a perfect slope to climb off and up onto the large Tree. With no hesitation, he leapt up the Anthill and jumped at the tree grabbing the first small branch that came to hand.

‘SMMMAAAAAASHHH!!!’

An explosion of old clay and stones whipped past the child’s face stinging his eyes. The child could only guess that the beast had collided into the Ant mound. Not taking a chance, he clamboured up into the tree higher and deeper until he appeared out of the dark green blanket of leaves into the sun. The beauty of the massive expanse of jungle and his fathers’ encampment relaxed the child. He felt safe. His heart beat stopped pounding in his ears so he could let some of the sound of his

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surroundings into focus.

He was up much higher than he expected. It was the tallest tree in the vicinity, so high up all the commotion below him was very faint. He straddled a large branch edging over as far out from the massive trunk as the branch would let him and peered down. Where the ant mound used to be was a crater covered in dust and huge footprints. His older companion Reginold came into view. Looking up he spotted the child.

‘Come on down, that thing just vanished we need to get out of here!’ shouted the man, hunting rifle in his hand.

‘I’m going to get a bigger gun and come back for it!’

‘NO! Stay where you are!’ An older and deeper voice boomed.

‘I’m scared Dad, it tried to eat me!’ The child whimpered.

‘It’s OK Son. We don’t know where it is. Get as far into the branches as you can and hide there. Don’t make a sound, it will be alright’ The child’s father let out a controlled smile, doing his best to encourage calmness in his son.

‘Reginold we need to be quiet, something that big could not have gotten far into the jungle. It’s still nearby. Lets climb the tree and stay put until nightfall’ ‘I’m not staying till night time. I’m getting the biggest gun I have and I’m going to hunt this thing down! Now are you with me or against me?’ snarled Reginold.

‘Get a hold of yourself man. Take a look at what it did to the Anthill.

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Until you’ve got a bigger weapon to defend yourself we’ve got to stay put and don’t raise your voice again your giving us away!’

‘Nonsense! I’ve never backed down from any beast I’d rather...’

His voice trailed away frozen with shock and the colour drained from his pale thin face.

‘I think I’ll join you in the tree!’

The child’s father looked in the direction Reginold was facing. The dark eye sockets had appeared in a clearing of vegetation twenty yards from them. Without a word both men raced up into the tree. The more powerful man made a beeline towards his son. There was curiously no sound just the quiet rustling of branches, disturbed from the climbing of the men. Finally both reached the top of the tree were the child was.

‘We’re going to stay here for a while until that thing loses interest and leaves us alone, so just stay quiet and you will be fine pal’ The tree started to shudder but not from a great impact. It was like the tree was being swayed or pushed from far below. They all looked down. The dense formation of branches and leaves prevented them from seeing the ground directly below them. The leaves started to tremble and sway, the noise of branches bending and snapping was getting louder. Both men could scarcely entertain the thought until they heard a deep laboured breath from below them. The child felt strong but gentle arms quietly embrace him carrying him gently away from the sounds towards the opposite side of the tree trunk but it was too late.

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With no warning a huge set of jaws with four enormous tusks erupted out of the dense branches followed by familiar dark eye sockets.

‘Yeeaaaarrrgh, this is not possible!, what on god’s earth is this thing?’ shouted Reginold.

The child was so close he could make out small black eyes with yellow pupils deeply recessed into the sockets. Fixated by the shocking sight, the child felt his body being grabbed firmly and heaved onto the furthest branch away from the terror that his father could place him.

‘Make your way back to the camp Son, I’m going to lead this thing away from you, GO!’ The terrified child clamboured down the tree as fast as he could.

He looked back one last time to see an impossible sight. It looked to him like a giant Hippopotamus but more angular, meaner and muscular scaling up the tree trunk after Reginold and his Father - destroying large branches with ease to get towards the men. The child knew time was against them. He had to get to the camp and call help. He refused to entertain the notion of what could happen otherwise.

The child raced along the trail though the jungle and back to the encampment. Exhausted and out of breath he only had to look at one of the man servants for them to realise something really bad was happening.

‘It’s going to eat them!’

The child cried. The whole encampment was around him by now.

A young tall man was the first to take action.

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‘Come with me now little Hugo!’ They both made their way to the man’s tent.

‘No gun will stop this thing! it destroyed a whole hill just to get to Dad and Reginold’ ‘This will stop it!’ said the man, taking out a huge dark rifle almost as tall as he was. It was the only one of its kind.

‘Now tell me where they are Hugo’ the man boomed.

‘Follow the camp trail straight back to the biggest tree in the clearing, you’ve got to hurry it will kill them!’ the child sobbed.

‘Stay here I’ll be back with your father really soon my little one’ The tall man smiled and then sprinted out of the camp towards the trail.

Moments later the sound of gun shots echoed around the camp, the little kid startled with fear for his father ran out of the tent towards the camp entrance. The tall man had found the boy’s father and Reginold but it was they who were running to the tall man turning around occasionally to shoot at what was just out of view. The child focused his eyes on his father who met his gaze while running, while time seemed to slow down.

‘Please don’t let it be the last time I see him’ the boy prayed aloud. His father was his world. Then a storm of dust and roaring exploded from behind his father. The beast was right behind them. The whole camp started to panic and run to safety. A portly trail guide, blinded with fear, collided into the tall man sending

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the large gun flying into the air and landing on the ground in front of Hugo. Everything moved in slow motion.

‘Shoot it Hugoooo!’ shouted Reginold to the child.

‘We’re all going to die if you don’t shoooot iitt noowwwww!’

Reginold fell to the ground. Little Hugo looked at his father who had stopped and grabbed Reginold. He slung him on his shoulder and regained the sprint. The beast was busy tossing tents and supplies into the air to get a clean bite out of the two men and was a breath away from swallowing them both whole. Now the men were almost upon Little Hugo. The snout of the massive beast tripped up his father. Both men came to a skid smashing into the ground in front of Hugo. The child had watched how Reginold would reload and cock his own hunting rifle on the trip and guessed the weapon on the ground in front of him was the same. Without asking any questions Hugo picked up the giant rifle, cocked the massive bolt action with both small hands and took aim. The gun wobbled slightly and Hugo did his best to keep it level. The beast saw the child in front of him and corrected it’s gallop to smash into the young boy.

‘Hugo pull the trigger now’ shouted his father in desperation.

Hugo pulled the trigger. The kickback from the gun sent him flying backwards landing awkwardly on a rock, the gun lying silent on the ground beside him. The whole earth shook. The giant beast came to a skidding halt. It’s massive snout with protruding fangs hung over little

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Hugo like two large stalactites. There was no sensation of breath from the beast. Hugo was deaf from the roaring and the massive gunshot to tell otherwise. His eyes met the yellow orbs in the dark sockets looking down on him. A little tear dripped out of the beasts left eye and splashed onto Hugo’s forehead, then the yellow lights refusing to break the stare faded into nothingness...

Forty four years later....

Lord Hugo MacNiadh - one of the last great Big Game Hunters of the early twenty first Century picked up another shot glass of Whiskey and paused for a moment before he downs it in one go. He had drunk two already to numb the pain in his backside. It was from an old hunting injury, that he remembered getting very well, and resolved that this was his last drink before he retired for the evening.

‘Here’s to you ya Narkey Aul Mad Hippo!’

His gravelly Dublin voice growled as he held up his glass in salutation to a framed black and white photograph hanging on the wall behind the bar in his study. It was an old photo of a group of mostly middleaged hunters, with himself in younger days kneeling down at the front of the group, with a large double-barrelled hunting rifle resting on his arm. In front of him lay an enormous hippopotamus with its eyes shut.

Young Hugo had a satisfied grin in the photograph and all the men were beaming with pride behind him... except one very obvious man on the far left side of the photo.

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‘Daa could you ever see the good in what I did?’ He sighed.

‘If I hadn’t pulled the trigger, that mad beast would have killed a lot of people. You told me to pull the trigger. Who was in the wrong? I still don’t get it’ He mumbled to himself. A long time had passed since that photo was taken. Hugo’s mousey brown hair had turned to white grey and the worries of the world seemed to have carved a furrowed brow on his forehead. Although in good shape for his age, the injuries and adventures had taken their toll. Hugo’s barrel like legs creaked him upright and he let out a small sigh of effort.

‘Fifty Two years old and bored to tears. What would you have me do now Daaa?’ He said turning away from the photo.

‘Perhaps a little visit to your nephew’s house in Wexford would be on the cards for tomorrow Sir!’ The voice gently but clearly came from behind where Hugo was standing. Boginold Slicktache, Hugo’s Butler and trusted aid for over forty years had entered the room. Boginold stood over six and a half feet tall with a slim frame and was immaculately dressed in the old style black butler uniforms of the nineteenth century. His costume was topped off with an almost sculpted jet-black sharp moustache.

His presence conveyed an air of quiet authority and restraint.

‘Pardon my unannounced entry but I cannot ignore the state that you are in any longer. Although I am your butler, I am also your friend and

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wouldn’t mind seeing you smile for a change instead of lingering in your bar with whiskey as your soul companion!’

‘Wasn’t always like this was it Boginold?’ Hugo sighed.

‘Indeed it was not Sir’ quipped Boginold his perfectly manicured eyebrow raised in gentle amusement, as if he could tell exactly what memory or deed Hugo was talking about.

‘However I thought that due to the sheer amount of gallivanting you’ve done throughout the last forty years retirement would have become appealing to you’ Boginold put away the three empty shot glasses and closed the huge burgundy curtains in front of the massive Bay window.

His tall bony frame and glossy slicked back hair silhouetted against the glass as the last rays of the suns light poked through the window.

‘It should be, I’ve nothing to complain about. I’ve everything I’ve ever wanted in this house and far more wealth than I deserve!’ sighed Hugo, his stocky frame now fully upright and walking slowly over to Boginold.

‘So what’s missing? I’m more restless than a monkey covered in honey with a nappy full of Killer Ants strapped to its arse’ Hugo uttered the remark with no expression.

‘I see that at least talking about it has mildly resurrected your bizarre humour’ smiled Slicktache.

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Boginold waited for a moment for a response. Not long ago he couldn’t even hope to catch up with the razor sharp wit and pace of humour of Hugo but recently it had slowed to a near stop.

‘It would please me no end Sir to see you rediscover that spark you’ve not had for so long. Vinnie and Claudia always have had a soft spot for you and this weekend would be the perfect occasion to celebrate the purchase of their house in Grandane and new way of life for them both, and because of your experience in the wild you could show their children the magic of the outdoors’ ‘The best Stout in the world they say’ distantly mumbled Hugo under his breath.

‘Pardon Sir?’ ‘Grandane allegedly makes the best pint of Stout anywhere Bogi’ and a small smile curled under Hugo’s grey moustache.

‘It’s very fortunate then that I’ve made all the necessary arrangements for you to set off on a journey down there first thing in the morning then’ a genuine smile formed on Hugo’s face.

‘Wouldn’t have a clue what to do if it wasn’t for you me aul pal. You might just be right. I miss them both and their kids. I haven’t seen them since they were toddlers. Besides, I’d like to put Grandane’s claim to the test. I’m going to settle down for the night. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning my friend’ Hugo patted Boginold on the shoulder affectionately with his massive

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paw like hand and left his study to retire for the evening.

A golden glare of light no bigger than a fist glowed through a small gap in the thick ornate curtains of Hugo’s bedroom. Dawn had come and Hugo awoke gently, the golden light gently tickled his eyes. A few moments later there was a knocking on Hugo’s door.

‘Come on in Bogi” shouted Hugo. Boginold entered the bedroom with a tray full of traditional Irish breakfast. The smell of sausages, eggs and bacon glide up Hugo’s hairy nostrils, ‘Ah yes proper Irish Bush Tucker, gizit over here me dear Bogi’ Hugo clasped his hands in glee.

‘There is no rush Sir. Everything is ready and we can leave at whatever time you see fit to’ said Boginold in an upbeat yet restrained tone. Hugo eagerly tucked into his breakfast and then requested his old style black dial phone on the small table beside his bed.

‘Howaya Claudia’ shouted Hugo.

‘Just lettin ya know that Bogi and meself will be headin down to Grandane in a bit, is that ok?’

Boginold heard the soft voice of a woman responding through the earpiece of the old phone. He wondered why Hugo always had an affinity for such old contraptions with so much modern technology available. Hugo put the phone down and smiled to himself the second time this morning. He was suddenly aware that he hadn’t expressed or experienced happiness in a long time.

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‘She will have tea and cake ready for us Bogi, and Vinnie is gonna bring me out for a pint in the evening, happy days eh?’

‘Happy days indeed Sir, shall I go get the car?’

‘Yeah lets head off now pal and eh, let’s take out the Bentley for a change. I miss driving in the aul dear’ ‘Of course Sir, we will be there in just under three hours’ Hugo finished the last of his breakfast, got up and was dressed in no time. Boginold picked up the tray. The two oddly shaped frames exited the bedroom and made their way down the huge winding staircase through the spacious open lobby. They made their way onto the gravel path outside the mansion. The Bentley was already there.

Hugo grinned. He saw a mass of old leather suitcases in the open rear boot. Boginold’s style was always to over prepare for any event. He knew Hugo of old. Hugo was always unpredictable and could set off with the best of intentions to get to Wexford and could very well end up in London or New York. This time Boginold sensed that Hugo would definitely go straight to Wexford and meet his old friends. Boginold ushered Hugo into the plush leather passenger seat and then got into the driver’s seat himself. Both men loved the car. Hugo didn’t want to sit in the back, the car had a faintly musty smelling leather interior mixed with old leather polish cleaner and a beautiful nineteen thirties style dashboard carved in wood and brass. The open top Bentley was given to Hugo’s father; Henry MacNiadh, as a one of a kind gift by the Royal

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Society of Gentlemen Adventurers.

Hugo’s ancestors were all involved in exploration, adventure and the study of animals for as long as he could remember. Hugo was the only family member who deviated from this profession. Boginold cherished his time in what he considered a masterpiece of automobile engineering. He let the clutch up gently and pressed down on the accelerator pedal initiating a very satisfying rumble from the V8 Engine.

Boginold smiled to himself and away they went!

They drove along the Oak tree adorned pathway taking them through the beautiful grass lawn with forest on either side, past the Hugo MacNiadh carved stone water fountain and finally up a gentle ramp and out of the remote controlled Brass gates. Hugo’s belly felt a long awaited tingle of adventure electrify him. He was on his way.

‘Aahhh! The minute you get out of Dublin the scenery turns lush green and the air Bogi, it’s got an energy to it, pure class, feels like me lungs are gettin a massage’ Hugo took another deep breath in.

‘Yes Sir’ agreed Boginold.

‘It’s been too long. I suspect we won’t be able to recognise Bobby and Oisin when we see them. They took to you the minute Claudia introduced them to you’ Hugo smiled at the memory.

‘I’ll always have time for them they are the closest thing to family I have along with you pal’ smiled Hugo.

‘Thank you Sir’

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Boginold replied with warmness in his voice untypical of his demeanour.

Boginold was a man who’s position masked his abilities, an ex Irish Special Forces soldier and expert marksman. The great hunter, Reginold Newt-kicker, taught Hugo how to shoot and, in time, Hugo surpassed his tutor. It was Boginold who refined Hugo’s skill even further. In fact, Boginold was disappointed Hugo never entered the Olympics such was his ability.

Boginold had turned his back on hunting. He began to see that all life had value and to kill anything other than in self-defence upset him. They had argued many times about this yet remained good friends. Hugo on the other hand had stopped hunting more out of boredom than morality, but decided years ago to only kill animals that were threatening the safety of humans. Hugo was only interested in a challenge. He was not only an extraordinary marksman but also a natural born fighter. Tough as old boots, stocky and powerful with an unbreakable jaw, he had once wrestled a fully-grown male lion to the ground when his gun jammed.

He thrived in environments that would terrify anyone else.

Hugo forgot more than most adventurers would have learned in a lifetime. It was domestic life that terrified Hugo. He always felt way out of his depth in relationships. When he was with anyone in the hunting fraternity he was the funniest person in the room, reducing people to tears with his stories and adventures, but the shyness he had on a one to one level was equally powerful. To that end he had never married. He

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began to think to himself as the lush green scenery rushed by, if he had something wonderful and powerful to fight for, or someone to protect how more enriched his life would be.

Visiting Vinnie and Claudia’s family would be a start. He could use that positivity to help him find whatever it was that needed his protection. With that thought Hugo eased back into his seat, inhaled fresh country air and nodded off to sleep.

Later the car’s motion changed suddenly, the terrain got rougher and Hugo awoke, his eyes focusing slowly on a forest road that became more luminous green by the minute.

“Not long now Sir” said Boginold. Hugo, now fully awake, bathed his eyes in the splendour of his favourite county’s majestic scenery.

The spectrum of colour was incredible. As they travelled along ‘Trees Road’, so named locally as the road was cradled in a complete arch of trees for over a mile with the branches nearly interlocking before drooping down slightly to form an almost storm proof canopy over the road. Hugo remembered sheltering there as a child on many an occasion after a good fishing session with his friends. Then Hugo smiled for he was aware of what was coming next. It marked for him the official entry point into both his childhood and trips down to Wexford. They turned gently at the end of ‘Tree’s Road’ and they were greeted by what Hugo saw as a long lost friend - the start of Grandane Bay. The Bentley glistened golden in the sunlight as it drove along a massive, yet gentile

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bend around a large Hill on their left. To their right the road side was finished off by a small stone wall and beyond that a gentle slope of grass leading right down to the glossy gold light speckled shoreline which greeted an enormous Bay with its tide far out.

The blue sky reflected in its many puddles, light dancing, constantly changing rapidly along the shoreline as they drove along the long stretch of open road overlooking the start of the Bay. Hugo used to collect shellfish along this part of the shore, bucket loads of them and sell them to his friend Diarmuid the farmer in Grandane Village. Hugo wondered if Diarmuid still lived in the same house beyond Grandane Village almost across the road from the famous Grandane Inn. That would be a bit of luck he thought to himself, two birds with one stone came to mind.

Hugo was whisked off to boarding school before he was anywhere near old enough to be allowed into the Grandane Inn. It always had a sense of mystery to it and he looked forward to putting its claim of serving the best Stout in the world to the test.

‘Slow down Bogi I want to take this all in’ His old friend slowed the car to a gentle cruise, in spite of the attraction of tasting this legendary pint he felt a huge sense of nostalgia travelling along the now winding road that overlooked the Bay. His view was occasionally masked by trees and old ruins on the corner bends off the road but the Bay itself stretched nearly to the horizon and always came back into sight. The road became narrower and even

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greener, broken old stone walls, brambles, hedges and oak trees became denser and more frequent. Modern Ireland was way behind them. They were almost at the new house.

The road finally veered to the left, rising up a hill leading up to Grandane Village leaving behind the start of the Bay. Hugo felt elated.

He knew when he got past Grandane Village they would be veering back gently in the direction of the Bay and then the rest of the unfolding scenery. He remembered everything that was to come, the small Garda station at the top of the hill - run by Detective Barney Jibblets, who Hugo did his best to avoid as a child especially when he was taking apples from the orchard in the church beside the station. Hugo used to shoot the apples off the trees with his catapult and when Father Flash Harry came running out after Hugo and his friends, Hugo would deliberately trip up his friend the portly Tucker O’Murphy to save the rest of his mates. Tucker always got a severe telling off but never seemed to mind too much as long as Hugo would buy him a bag of chips for penance!

Hugo also remembered Saint Crabby O’Barnacle’s Primary school for boys with its rusty iron gates constantly in the shadow of the hill and Old Maura Mac Winklepicker’s sweet shop at the end of the village.

All of these places were nearly the same as he remembered them. Old Maura’s sweet shop had a small gas pump and coffee stall added to it but that was the sum change in forty-five years.

The Bentley cruised past Maura’s shop and left the village behind,

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the road turning gently to the right towards the Bay once more. They both noticed the road was now ageing the further they drove becoming more worn and cracked and bumpier and the foliage and trees became denser heralding the start of a forest enclosing the road. They would not have a clear view of the Bay or Grandane Beach until they drove a good deal past the Grandane Inn. That spectacular sight was to wait until Hugo met Vinnie and Claudia’s family and before that came Grandane Forest - Hugo’s playing ground. All of his escapades started from here, tree houses with secret stashes of apples and hens eggs. He used to use them as currency to buy an assortment of fishing rods, slingshots and mechanical gadgets. To the young Hugo’s delight Diarmuid the farmer thought him carpentry and how to repair old cars.

He refined this skill to make elaborate traps for troublesome animals in darkest Africa. His mind was like a sponge and he soaked up anything that could possibly assist him in becoming the world’s greatest hunter.

The canopy of trees in the forest broke suddenly revealing lush green farmland overlooking the Irish Sea to their left. To their right, some small old stone walled thatched roof cottages with the occasional field of sheep and cattle interspersed in between the old wooden fences dividing property. The landscape was undulating, one moment the Bentley could see out past the farmland to the Sea on the left and the next moment the car dropped like a roller coaster on a steep decline the horizon vanishing and only a hundred yards visibility to the next hill.

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To the modern motorist this would seem almost nightmarish - old roads, dense green rolling hills looking like a plate full of multiple scoops of green and brown ice cream, not knowing what lay ahead on the next hill. Yet this terrain was what Hugo thrived on, something out of the ordinary, a brief glimpse of Grandane Bay and the mountains beyond to their right. Hugo sat upright and stretched out his legs.

They descended below the Hill line once more and the old road flattened out escorted on both sides by old stonewalls densely covered in brambles and hedge. The Bentley passed an old cottage and gently slowed down.

‘We are here Sir’ The Bentley dipped down a gentle slope and turned right into a large pebble stone path off the right side of the road leading up to a set of large dark oak double gates. Boginold stopped the Bentley, got out and walked over to the gates to open them. Getting back into the car, Boginold started to drive up to the house. Hugo was so excited that his barrel like frame jumped out of his car door, with the car moving, and ran back to close the gates behind him. Boginold didn’t have time to raise his eyebrow!

‘Sir there are no rogue Hippopotami bounding around the Grandane area, and I would advise against performing acrobatics like that at your age’ quipped Boginold. Hugo grunted but then smiled to himself ‘Just me childhood coming back to me Bogi, now let’s meet the folks

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I can smell the cake from here!’

Boginold drove up the path. The freshly cut-grass lawn on either side of them lead to a small but sturdy wooden bridge over a small river.

Flowers of all different kinds adorned dark green bushes and trees on the bank obscuring the house. To their right was another smaller wooden bridge which was only for walking across, that lead into a vast lawn of grass and flowers. They passed the lawn driving to the end of the path with a beautiful old style mansion at its end, not nearly as big as Hugo’s in Dublin but certainly vast to the ordinary person. Hugo saw shapes through the lower windows moving in his direction then the large dark walnut front doors opened revealing two very long lost friends. Hugo once more climbed out of the Bentley to Boginold’s chagrin and ran up to his two old friends... A good-looking couple in their mid-twenties embraced Hugo both at the same time. Dwarfed by his stocky frame they hugged him tightly, Hugo’s shovel sized hands gently patted them both on their backs as a Cheshire cat smile turned his white moustache upwards at the corners of his mouth.

‘I see you need to cut down on the pies me auld Pal’ ‘Bogi you molly coddle this man way too much, stop feeding him rich man’s food’ laughed the young man. He was a slim framed, soft-featured young man with blond hair and a warm smile. He was holding onto Hugo affectionately by the hands.

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‘Mister Vinnie Mac a Nurney’ Boomed Hugo.

‘Vinnie me aul frames just fine my lad now let me past your skinny arms so I can give your lovely wife a hug’ Hugo turned fully to the attractive woman who was hugging him like a gleeful daughter who had just received the best Christmas present ever and picked her up in a bear like hug. Claudia Mac a Nurney did not get a chance to say anything - the start of her sentence squeezed out of her

by Hugo’s giant cuddle.

‘Boginold!’ shouted Claudia playfully.

‘Tell your pet to let me go, do you have a remote control that will switch him off?’

She giggled. Hugo bellowed out a laugh and put her down gently.

She had long flowing blond hair waving over a soft pretty round face with big Green eyes and a small but pointy nose. Claudia was like a fairy in a young children’s book but with a sturdier but very feminine figure, kind but with a fierce spirit and a determined will she was the daughter he never had.

‘How have you been you old Grey Bear?’ She teased.

‘Been bored and Boginold’s been tryin to poison me with his cooking!

So the thought occurred to me to sample some of yours, if it’s good enough I’ll sack Bogi’ He turned to Boginold smiling and winked playfully. Boginold stepped out of the car and did not even blink, his composure effortless

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and aloof but he allowed a hint of a smile to Claudia after a brief moment.

‘As you can see, Master MacNiadh has not changed at all save for the need of a little holiday now and again’ quipped Boginold, the couple smiled warmly and lead their two old friends into their new house.

‘So how are Bobby and Oisin? The little munchkin’s must be big enough to do the gardening by now’ asked Hugo after taking a huge swig of his tea.

‘They went out to Grandane Beach an hour ago with Diarmuid, we’re expecting them back soon’ said Claudia.

‘Diarmuid?

Diarmuid O’Weirdaun the same man who thought

me how to get up to all sorts of mischief when I was a wee tadpole?’ asked Hugo.

‘Yep’ Vinnie replied ‘He’s never lost his passion for invention, most of the water supply and electricity would not be working properly if it was not for our Diarmuid. Since we moved in he built us a waterwheel at the end of the river for the kids and a tree house overlooking the main bridge, it’s camouflaged very well. Claudia bakes him apple tart every Sunday to thank him, he won’t accept any kind of payment other than her cooking’ Hugo turned his head to Boginold and said...

‘Ya see Bogi, he doesn’t even ask for payment. I built you a house on my estate and your still the only man I’ve met who can burn water’ He

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said playfully. Vinnie broke into a chuckle, Claudia smiled at Boginold who twitched his moustache.

‘The house is greatly appreciated and judging by your portly frame my cooking seems to be doing you no harm at all Sir’ They all started laughing. Boginold could not hold it in any longer he started to smile and finally laughed gently. They all talked eagerly about times gone by, and the adventures Hugo would bring Vinnie on when he was little. As time went on Hugo felt himself lift in spirits increasingly, the feeling of belonging to something important came back again. His train of thought was broken suddenly, by the ringing of the doorbell.

‘That’s the brats Hugo’ said Vinnie ‘better go out and greet them, I’ve said nothing about your arrival to them at all’ Vinnie winked. Hugo smiled and left the kitchen, hurrying over to the hallway door, opened it slowly saying...

‘Anyone seen two escaped knee high convicts answering to the name of Bobby and Oisin?’

He looked down and saw two very surprised five year olds with sparkling blue eyes and wavy blonde curls.

‘Uncle Huuuuggooooooooooooo!!!’ They both shouted running into his outstretched arms.

‘I think this calls for lemonade and cake, look at the size of you both!

I’ll be bringing ya out huntin with me soon’ He joked.

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‘Oh! And I heard Diarmuid made you a tree house, you’ve got to tell me all about it’ The afternoon passed quickly for Hugo. The fun of walking through the garden chasing his nephews around and being chased in return filled him with warmth and a sense of fun he had missed for years. The air alone seemed to electrify Hugo’s lungs. He felt as fresh two hours into playing with Bobby and Oisin as when he had got out of the car.

Boginold observed the whole scene from the Bay window with Claudia.

‘Bogi I’ve never seen you smile so much it is actually quite a nice thing to see! You should do so more often’ said Claudia.

‘My dear to see Hugo charged up the way he is now gives me no small amount of pleasure. He has been kind of off recently it’s like he has lost his sense of direction’ ‘Yes, well he seems to have found it here’ said Claudia.

‘You can of course stay as long as you want the both of you. Vinnie is preparing two rooms upstairs and the longer you stay, the more you’ll notice that things hardly ever change around here. Time itself seems to have overlooked this place. We are so grateful to you and Hugo for finding this land and building our home. It’s changed the way we look at life. Everything is rosier and calmer than the city but it’s more than that, it’s like well, someone is looking over us all the time watching out for us’ Boginold could see the truly grateful look on Claudia’s face.

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‘Please believe me it’s our privilege to look after you both. Your Vinnie is like a son to us and we would have been lost without him on a myriad of financial matters. He is the greatest accountant I have ever met and utterly honest with it, a trait I seldom witness in members of the financial professions’ a wry grin passed over Boginold’s face in jest.

Claudia smiled back.

Boginold was a man of few facial expressions and to see a smile, no matter how small, on his mouth would instil a sense of giggling in the observer - such was the strict dry composure of the man.

‘I think the kids need to wind down Bogi. I’m going to get Vinnie.

Why don’t we all walk down to the beach? I bet Hugo will love to reconnect with the place’ And with that Claudia ran upstairs to get Vinnie. Boginold looked out again at the chaos in the garden. Hugo was knee deep in the river with Bobby and Oisin on either of his shoulders dancing in the water.

Smiling some more Boginold got up off his chair and made his way out to Hugo and the kids to get them ready for the walk to the beach.

It took all of Hugo’s willpower to walk past the Grandane Inn without going in and ordering a pint.

‘It’s a blessing and a curse to have the only pub for miles right beside your house’ He mumbled to himself.

Hugo still had Bobby and Oisin on his shoulders with Vinnie and Claudia at either side of him. The pub was immediately next door to

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the right of the Mac a Nurney’s house so any trip to the beach would involve a test of Hugo’s willpower.

The pub had not changed since his childhood save for a lick of paint.

Fuchsia pink with dark emerald green window ledges and a hefty oak door. The living quarters were an old but perfectly maintained slab stoned bungalow, attached to the pub itself with a beautifully laid out garden. As each season passed the garden would radiate with the different colours of every wonderful flower in Ireland. How Brianag and Eimhir managed to upkeep the entire premises at their age was a credit to them he thought.

It was five o’clock in the evening, so the pub was far from open yet.

Hugo recalled that his father Henry would be beckoned in occasionally at any time for the odd drink. The sisters would be in the pub early preparing for the evening’s work and would spot Henry walking past the pub on his way to the beach. Such was their hospitality and kind demeanour that Henry could never refuse their invitation.

Hugo

remembered them being very pretty and kind but was never let into the pub. A long time had passed since his childhood and Hugo began to worry that this would be his last time to see the sisters, so resolved to himself he would spend a good bit of time with them over the next couple of days.

Hugo passed the test, he managed to pass the pub without dropping in and the group walked a little further up the old road passing by

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Diarmuid the inventor’s house. As with everything else in Grandane very little had changed except for a little more overgrowth of moss and vines along Diarmuid’s stone garden walls.

‘I hope I get to meet Diarmuid at the pub tonight, the auld git started me off on the road in life’ He thought to himself. They were all very quiet on the walk as if everyone knew that Hugo was taking everything in and needed some quiet reflection time. Grandane was so beautiful people would never say much along the path to the marshes and beach, the fresh sea caressed air mixed with all the wonderful smells of flowers and grass producing a feast for the nose. Vinnie was the first to break the silence, ‘We were thinking of doing some shopping in Dublin and were wondering if you’d like the time in Grandane to yourself” “Ahh thank you kindly Vinnie. I tell you what how do you fancy taking up temporary residence in my Mansion and give me a call when you’re done?, No time limit on your stay my mansion is yours for as long as you need it. I will give the staff a call and tell them to expect you. Make yourselves at home for as long as you like’ ‘Well! I, Err yes that would be amazing, Hugo I don’t know what to say!, I’m a bit taken back, thankyou!’

Vinnie was amazed and smiling to Claudia in his response, ‘Well say you won’t leave for Dublin until we have a pint in the Grandane Inn’ said Hugo.

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‘Well yes of course wow your first twenty pints are on me’ Claudia joked. The banter flowed easily after their arrangement and everybody laughed and giggled their way along the narrowing road until it was simply a dusty path.

The old haunted church ruins came into view on their left separated by a small field of cows and long bumpy grass mounds. They could hear the eerie sound of the wind being funnelled through the broken tombstones and old moss covered ruins creating a low pitch howl. The site was impressive but nothing compared to the wonderful majesty of the great Bay to their right. It had the appearance of an immense multilayered cake that was flattened out for miles ahead of them, starting out with wavy long grass fading out into a vast expanse of marsh filled with all kinds of wildlife.

Various depths of mud and many varieties of plants, reeds, willows and flowers created great bands of differing colours finally merging into a wonderful soft light blue coloured Bay of still water complimented by the soft distant warble and hooting of ducks, geese and cranes.

‘I wonder to myself why I ever left here Vinnie, it’s paradise.

I suppose every man has got to make his way in life. Times seemed to be a lot tougher when I was young compared to the way it is now my friend, that’s why it’s all the sweeter to come back to this place now and savour it, does anybody come up here anymore? It seems more deserted than I remember’

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‘Well!’ responded Claudia ‘it’s like every year less and less people dropped by to view the place.

It’s a protected reserve now but I’ve never seen one tourist or park ranger on the land and ..’

‘Tell Uncle Hugo about the bushes Mummy!’ interjected Bobby ‘Yes Honey’ Claudia smiled ‘I’ve seen strange movement in the brambles running up from here all the way to our house, sometimes I think it’s a large cat or some rabbits it’s just like, well the colours of whatever it is are natural but the movement is all wrong and…’

‘Tell him about the lights I saw Mummy’ chirped Oisin. Claudia and Vinnie smiled at each other.

‘Yes my love’ beamed Claudia.

‘In the evening, before it’s completely dark, I’ve seen a few pairs of glowing lights closely together and bobbing around in the fields around here and as close as the Pub. They’re not animals eyes reflected in headlights or anything like that, it’s strange. Don’t get me wrong, I never feel scared out by it, just curious. It doesn’t seem to be like anything I would know’.

‘Hmmm’ mumbled Hugo.

‘The lights shining sound like it could be swamp gas. A lot of people confuse them with flying saucers. It’s only methane gas igniting. Some people call it Willo the Wisp but the movement you described has got me

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very interested. It may be an undiscovered relation of a cat or badger?

I’ll be sure to take a stroll along here over the next few days’ ‘When we come back down from shopping can you stay with us a little longer please uncle Hugo?’

This time the intrusion was from both children.

‘Why err sure of course as long as it’s alright with your mummy and daddy!, you know you’ve always to get permission from them’ Vinnie and Claudia both smiled at Hugo, nothing needed to be said.

The path before them split into two, Straight ahead led up to a large hill with a cliff face overlooking the sea with an old ruined house precariously near the cliff edge, that trip was for another day. The group chose the path that veered off to the left up a small path with two small ponds on either side of it, and gently inclining up to a small sandy hill overlooking the beach. Vegetation was rich right up to the crest of the hill with long wavy grass surrounding the ponds but once the group got to the top of the hill their eyes had to refocus on the beach itself. The view took Hugo by surprise. As a child he knew the beach was fun to be on, but as an adult who had more than his share of chaos and action and who now sought tranquillity this was a gift from heaven! They walked down the hill onto the sand dunes and onto the beach itself. A mile of unspoilt beach guarded on the left by the hill with the haunted church and sheltered from the winds on the right by the cliff face with it’s old abandoned house. From where Hugo stood he could just make out that

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the shoreline extended far beyond the guarding cliffs and hills either side of the beach. If he had a mind to he could have a little climb and walk along over the hills on either side and get to a rocky shoreline of ancient volcanic stones of bizarre shapes.

‘I could definitely camp out here at some stage but all of this walking has got me fierce thirsty. Vinnie my aul mate how about tonight we go for that pint of that beautiful Stout that I’ve been waiting to sink for over forty years’ Vinnie smiled at Claudia and she beamed back at him.

‘Sounds like a plan, the Mother of all pints is at the bar just waiting to be drunk by you and it’s on me!’ smiled Vinnie.

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Chapter 2 - The Ballad of Hooknose ‘A drunkard and a blagard Through the Inn he would stagger A man in despair, a man in pain Hooknose Johnny was anything but sane’

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Old musty wallpaper and stale drink, anywhere else and the smell would be intolerable, but here in the Grandane Inn it felt nostalgic. A single small room with a bar added to the right hand side with small old wooden tables on the floor and a few leatherette sofa’s along the walls - it was exactly the way Hugo remembered it when he sneaked a peek into the pub as a child, and then got reprimanded by his father.

Hugo noticed an intricately designed coat of arms hanging over the fireplace. From where he was standing in the crowd he could just make out the form of two women in battle armour joining swords over a gate under the moon. He’d never come across such a beautifully designed coat of arms. Hugo’s focus was interrupted...

‘Grab a stool and I’ll bring you over the best pint you’ll ever have’ said Vinnie.

Hugo nodded with a slight smile still busy taking in his surroundings.

With the exception of Hugo and Vinnie, everyone else looked like they were in their sixty’s or older. Hugo thought that the place would not last much longer as it was a style of pub long forgotten in most places in Ireland. Standing behind the bar were two elderly women, very slight and slim in stature but with an elegance and grace in the way they carried themselves. They’re eyes smiled the minute they saw Vinnie as he walked over to them having some friendly banter. The atmosphere was very lively and chatty. Hugo was distracted by all the red-cheeked faces that everyone had, as they drank and laughed. The pub was the

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hub of all the craic in the village.

An old man brushed past Hugo mumbling to himself. He thought him familiar looking. Hugo took a few small steps towards him as the old man’s back faced away from him ‘My Thoughts are safe! They’re in my Locker! For I am the Guardian of the Gikkie Bokkers!’

The man mumbled. Hugo puzzled by what he heard, was about to pat the man on the back when Vinnie returned with his pint.

‘Ah thanks Vinnie, listen who is that auld chap over there with his back facing away from me?’

Vinnie cast his eyes over at the old man, ‘That’s Mad Old Hooknose Johnny! He’s a little off centre if you know what I mean, up until a year ago he was perfectly fine and then he started to babble all weird kinds of nonsense about fairies and monsters.

I feel sorry for the guy, obviously lost all his marbles’ Hugo sipped his pint and paused, the Stout was like nothing he’d ever drank before, more like creamy milk smooth and cool. It was indeed the best pint he had ever had.

‘I think he was the priest who used to chase us out of the orchard when I was a little divil. Did he go by the nickname of Flash Harry?’

‘Yes He did, said mass in record time so He could go for a pint’ said Vinnie with a smile.

‘That’s right but since he went mad people just came up with a name

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and it stuck. He left the priesthood a few years after you left for boarding school, very sad really’ ‘Holy spuds I hope I wasn’t the cause of it’ chuckled Hugo.

‘Every evening he comes up here and tells tales of forgotten lands, ancient evil, demons and warrior women. I’ve got to tell you Hugo it’s entertaining stuff but it’s all the more sad that he does not utter it in jest, it’s like it really happened to him’ ‘Alright then Vinnie me aul buddy, I gotta hear one of his tales. I overhead him a little and he’s already got me hooked’ Vinnie smiled broadly and gestured for Hugo to lead the way over to Aul Hooknose, who by this stage was sitting by the fireplace surrounded by a group of large farmers enthralled by his conversation.

‘They will never be trifled with again!’ shouted Hooknose. The fire flickered light upwards and it cast funny shadows and highlights across the old man’s lean craggy features.

‘No more unbidden will trespass unto their lands for what they guard cannot be shared!’

A huge man stepped forward interrupting Hooknose.

‘Now what exactly do ya mean by that aul Johnny?’ asked one of the huge brutes. Hooknose Composed himself ‘They created the magic juice you crave in this place. Feel blessed that you consume such miraculous beverage without fear of any consequences whatsoever’

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The group sneered at each other, a silent way of mocking the old man.

‘Oh dooo tell uss mooorrre old fool’ bellowed Blather O’Toole the drunkest of the group.

‘I’m a fool, yes you’re right, but not for the reasons you’re dull wit gives you credit for!’ snapped back Hooknose. The group roared with giddy laughter... ‘alright then’ smiled the biggest of the group... ‘tell us why we should be blessed’ Hooknose sank his shot of whiskey in one go, wiping his lips dry he straightened up to his full height.

‘Down by the Bay, when the moon is full, stray not ye mortal unto the sacred pool, for what you seek may be seeking you, a fearsome beast who never rests, respect their land I do not jest unless you want your heart ripped from your chest, they harvest the magic along their shores, to conceal their might from you and yours, venture not along their Bay or for certain the Spungle will make you pay, so rejoice in the Stout that you do now consume, it’s the only place in the land - this very room that blesses you with long lived health, HEED MY WORDS LEST THE SPUNGLE USE YOUR SKIN FOR A PELT!’ A rapturous round of applause filled the room. ‘well said old man yer tales are getting beder by dadaye’ the largest farmer drawled sloppily slurping from his pint.

‘Now tell me why is a priest renouncing his faith to tell us tales of

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leprechauns and Spirits?’

The pub fell silent. Hooknose cast his eyes down towards the ground sheepishly with a distant stare.

‘It’s none of your business so leave me be’ he whispered. The hulk of a man stepped towards Hooknose. At nearly seven feet tall his bulky frame towered over the slight old man.

‘I don’t like tha way yurr talkinn to me, I’m taken noo abuse from a failed man of the cloth’ the brute snarled.

‘Leave him alone Blather he’s harmless’ said one of his slightly smaller companions.

‘Ah noooo, let’s find out why he really went mad. Tell us old man, why isn’t Holy God not powerful enough to protect you from Goblins?’

The scoundrel pulled on Hooknose’s ear awkwardly. Hooknose Johnny squinted his eyes watering with the pain of a massive hand squeezing his ear. Suddenly a howl of pain blasted the room. Old Hooknose opened his eyes slightly to see why the pressure on his ear was released. Lying before him in a heap on the ground lay the massive farmer, his right arm was twisted and braced tightly backwards completely vertical from his body and his face grimaced in pain.

Hooknose opened his eyes fully and followed the direction of the hulk’s arm towards the brutes’ hand. A startled look flushed across Hooknose’s face when he realised what had happened. The farmers’ hand was twisted and braced by a hand even more powerful than his

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own. Hugo stood over the man, half the size of the brute and yet had him in an old fashioned Judo wristlock applying huge force onto the bully’s arm.

‘Now that’s a nice evening’s banter me auld skin let’s not ruin a great yarn so late in the evening, best be headin off home for bed don’t you think?’ uttered Hugo in a gentle but very powerful manner.

‘Ye ye Yess oil be goin home now, if that’s alright with you Sir’ whimpered the giant.

‘Att a boy, up ye get and no more from you unless you want to act the big man with me and I’ll happily oblige’ smiled Hugo.

‘No need Sir I’ll be on me way’ The huge frame was pulled up from the floor with one hand by Hugo and ushered out the door. No one moved for what seemed like an age.

The former priest looked up at Hugo gratefully, ‘You’re a kind man Sir, will you let me repay you with a shot of whiskey?’ Hugo smiled graciously at him ‘Ah no it’s alright this delightful pint is all I’ll need but I’m enthralled by your story, care to speak some more? I’m very interested’ Hooknose’s eyes darted around the pub suspiciously, ‘I’ve lost my way. I should speak no more of it amongst these people but for your kind deed I’ll say more outside by the road side’ Hugo beckoned Vinnie to stay put in the bar while he was lead outside by the former priest onto the old roadside path directly outside the pub.

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The summer air and faint rumble of the nearby sea made Hugo feel very at ease.

‘You’ve got to be selective on who you’re telling your stories to my friend, not everyone has an open mind in this world’ Hugo gently suggested.

‘But you do! I know it but to what end do you keep it open for?’ retorted Hooknose.

‘Well I err, I’m just curious. Is there any truth to these tales? My friends in the house next door have said they’ve seen unusual looking creatures running up and down the brambles and hedges along this old road path’ ‘Gikkie Bokkers!’ shouted Hooknose.

‘What is that? Is that an old way of saying it’s a load of old cobblers?’ countered a very puzzled Hugo.

‘It’s not a swear word Hugo MacNiadh!’ admonished Hooknose.

Hugo was puzzled for the second time! He hadn’t introduced himself by name to the old man.

‘Do you remember me old man? asked Hugo curiously.

‘Why yes of course I do. You’re that bleedin messer that always robbed our orchard and who tripped up your portly friend so he would be the sacrificial lamb! Hopefully you have grown accustomed to some shame for your deeds of old’ Hugo was kind of glad the man formerly known as Father Flash

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Harry remembered him but also felt far more guilty than he expected to be by being confronted by his past actions.

‘Believe me Sir I’m sorry for that, err, listen I’m sorry but what name do you go by now?, The locals mentioned a few names but they can be a careless bunch and I don’t want to be rude’ ‘My name is Harry!’ the man shouted out proudly.

‘Harry Corbett! Not Hooknose Johnny or Flash Harry, just Bleedin Harry! And you’ll do well to be mindful of it lest I be less forthcoming with information!’

Hugo stood before him. The man who seemed so weak in the pub had, for a moment, regained the commanding presence he once had.

‘Well then let it be known to all that from this day forward I shall address you as Harry with the utmost sincerity and respect’ Hugo goodnaturedly offered.

A faint smile briefly lit up Harry’s eyes. Hugo could sense that the old man was worn down by many an evening of jeering gossip from the men at the bar.

‘Why would you go into that place to get an earful of slagging Harry?

Do you have no respect for yourself anymore?’

Harry’s face turned down again the same way as when he was challenged by the ruffian in the pub.

‘I’ve lost everything and yet I fear I’ve forgotten half of the things I valued and loved in my past. Lost am I on the border of two worlds but

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with access to great power!’

Hugo stood back a little puzzled. The man was clearly troubled and he did not want to pry further for fear of hurting him but his curiosity egged him on to persist. If there was an undiscovered creature out here he wanted to be known as the man who found it. Hugo looked into Harry’s eyes.

‘Listen it’s like this. I am an explorer. I’ve seen every shape and form of beast on this earth and yet, just when I am in the throes of boredom, right under my nose arises the possibility that something else has eluded me. Is there any truth to the tales you tell?’

‘Gikkie Bokkers are not to be trifled with! The land they inhabit is sacred. They toil in the sacred Lakes under the moonlight. Smaller than a child but more fearsome than a bag of badgers they will have you ripped apart if they catch you on their land!’

Hugo couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer and cut the conversation short - half out of excitement to get down to the Bay and see if he could spot this new species of animal and half out of feeling embarrassed at holding down a conversation with an obviously disturbed man.

‘Harry my friend I must go for now I’ve things to do, but if you are in the area over the next few days we’ll share a pint. In the meantime take a few coppers for your troubles’ Hugo took out a few coins from his pocket and placed them into Harry’s spindly hands.

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Harry looked puzzled for a moment but thanked Hugo for the change and walked back into the pub. Hugo felt a deep sadness for the man.

Why would he walk back into that bar leaving himself open to ridicule?

Hugo put it out of his mind and walked briskly back to Vinnie’s house without even letting him know where he was going.

The walk tool only moments and Hugo opened the boot of his car.

He took out a flashlight, a pocket flask full of whiskey and his favourite hunting rifle. Then he doubled back down to the pub.

‘Hugo I got worried for a minute where are you heading off to?’

Vinnie was outside the pub at this stage more curious than worried.

Vinnie knew Hugo was no man to be messed with and never worried about his safety but, it was more out of concern for other peoples safety he expressed concern.

‘Pardon me my boy I’ve got an urge to go out for a brisk walk and see if I can locate the little beasties you and Claudia have been talking about, shan’t be long’ Vinnie looked mildly concerned ‘Well err ok then but really I think they’re just badgers or wild rabbits and I don’t want you wasting your time Hugo’ ‘No time is ever wasted once you’re here my dear Vinnie, the whole place is like a tonic for me. Don’t wait up. I’ll let meself back in late tonight!’ And with that Hugo walked up the inclining old road up towards the Bay.

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Hugo thread the same ground previously in the day except this time he stopped on the path directly positioning himself between the beach to the left of the path and the Bay to his right. The fresh beach air mingled with the fresh water Bay air giving his nose a cool fresh wave of relief from the warmth of the evening. Hugo took out his pocket watch. It read 11.30pm. Even at this hour the summer in Grandane was unlike any other place in Ireland. It really was another world down here he thought to himself. He looked carefully for any tracks and tell-tale signs of animal movement but other than the odd bird footprint there was nothing obvious presenting itself.

Hugo sighed, then started to peer across the marshes to his right hand out to the Bay beyond. It was massive. Directly past the grassy marshes lay a series of glistening pools and lakes interspersed with small grass covered islands then far away on the other side of the Bay lay a mistcovered shoreline. Every now and then, a break in the mist revealed a dense forest beyond which lead up to a large mountain that towered over the forest. It looked to Hugo as no mountain in Ireland ever did.

Hugo had been to the Alps and to Tibet and climbed the largest of them all - Mount Everest. Yet this mountain seemed to his eyes as equally massive, a trick of the moonlight he thought to himself. Ireland had no mountains size-wise that would remotely hope to compare with any continental mountain.

Hugo walked right to the base of the peninsula’s end, under the

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shadow of the large hill with the derelict house, and began to recall the poem that Harry had muttered.

‘Hmm, by the lakes under moonlight they collect Stout or something like that’ He muttered to himself.

He stopped walking and sighed again.

His surroundings were

spectacular and almost otherworldly but there was nothing out of the ordinary as far as the local wildlife was concerned. He walked and waited, then walked and waited some more. Time passed slowly.

‘Ah Harry you aul divil you’ve got a great imagination. If I ever need to hear a good yarn I’ll seek you out’ Hugo smiled resigning himself that nothing was amiss and turned around to set back for home.

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Chapter 3 - Outwitted by a Gikkie Bokker ‘Do you think that they are clever Or indeed that you know better?

Try and find one and soon you will see An enigma for sure, the Gikkie Bokkers may be’

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The air was getting cooler and Hugo was grateful that he was returning home. The walking seemed to be having a great affect on him he thought to himself. He felt sprightly and lighter, like his belongings weighed less. It was that thought that made him stop suddenly! He knew that he had brought his whiskey flask and a flashlight. He had them on his large leather belt that he kept his hunting items on, around his waist. He looked down at his waist to check them. The belt was bare of any item.

Hugo looked behind himself to see if he accidentally dropped them but they were nowhere to be seen. He also noticed a faint smell of Stout on his clothes but wondered why he was only noticing it now.

His great frame changed in form from that of relaxation to anticipated battle! It was a learned habit that served him well over the years. His old mentor, Reginold, thought him that if he was in the wilderness and he encountered anything out of the ordinary in any way, it usually heralded something bad.

‘Tedium is a blessing and the unexpected a grim herald’ was the saying. He had constantly reminded Hugo that ‘anything out of the ordinary you encounter in the Jungle Hugo is either man made or a disturbance caused by something looking to have you for breakfast!’

Hugo had already relied on this several times and it had saved his life.

At this particular moment he knew he was overreacting and was more concerned with being either forgetful or being the victim of a hoax.

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So he relaxed and sulked off on his way past the pub and back home.

The next day Hugo awoke from a very restless sleep. During breakfast he didn’t say much, which worried Vinnie.

‘Did you find anything of interest down by the Bay?’ asked Vinnie.

‘Nah no tracks of anything bigger than a Heron, but it’s such beautiful place it kind of made up for it’ replied Hugo.

‘So what’s up Hugo? You look very much down in spirit’ said Vinnie.

‘I think someone was messing with me last night. My whiskey flask and flashlight were taken from me on the way up or down to the Bay - I can’t tell which - and without me noticing anything!’

‘Well wow that would take someone very skilful to get one up on you’ said Claudia sitting beside him.

‘Well I tell ye what’ said Hugo ‘I’m gonna drive back to Dublin and get some supplies I forgot but I’ll be back this afternoon and I’ll speak to that Harry Corbett fella again and get to the bottom of it’ Boginold who was sitting across from Hugo raised an eyebrow.

He knew that Hugo was up to something.

‘Sir shall I accompany you? It will make travelling less boring’ Hugo shrugged his shoulders ‘Nah Bogi me auld pal I’m not depriving you of a rest. Enjoy your stay. I won’t be long’ ‘Very well Sir’ smiled Boginold curiously.

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Hugo couldn’t wait to get some hunting gear. He was following a hunch, a feeling that there was more to his experience on the Bay than was immediately apparent to him. Getting up to Dublin took him no time at all. All he could think about was the hunch he had. It was very intense. He quickly ran into the mansion and took his prized hunting Rifle off the wall in the hall. It was the double-barrelled monstrosity he had used to kill the freak Hippopotamus as a young boy. Below the rifles wall mount on the floor was an ornate chest full of hunting provisions. Hugo grabbed the heavy chest with one arm and placed it in the boot of his car then set off back to Grandane.

When Hugo returned from Dublin the house was empty. Hugo went into the kitchen and picked up a note on the table.

‘Gone to Wexford town with Boginold and the kids. He wants to buy them some fishing gear. We will be back for dinner at six. Lots of love Claudia xxx’ Hugo smiled and went outside to unload the contents of his car.

Just before six in the evening Vinnie, Claudia, Boginold and the children returned. To their surprise there was a small tent set up in the middle of their lawn. Everyone got out of the car and went inside to the kitchen. To everyone’s huge surprise there was a full lavish dinner set out for everyone.

‘You’ve been very busy Uncle Hugo this smells lovely’ said Bobby.

‘Think nothing of it me aul flower. I’ve cooked a little of every dish

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I can think of - just to give you a sample of the kind of stuff I used to eat on me travels around the globe’ Claudia’s eyes lit up...

‘Jeepers Hugo; Chinese, French, what looks like African cuisine where did you get all this?’ Hugo smiled bashfully ‘I got it in Dublin Pet, just a little treat to give you all before you head off to Dublin tomorrow morning’ ‘Well, a very big thank you pal is all I can say’ said Vinnie with a big appreciative smile.

‘Boginold do me a favour and head on up to Dublin with everyone tomorrow. I’ve got some deep exploring of the Grandane countryside to do and I’d like you to have a bit of a rest without me hanging out of you for a change!’

‘Well’ said Boginold.

‘Thank you for the offer I’ll certainly take you up on it. Just ring me if you need me for anything. I’ve planned out a grand tour of Dublin for everyone over the next few days’ ‘You’re really sure something’s out there Hugo?’ enquired Vinnie.

‘Just call it a hunch. It may be just a local species of Rabbit or Fox but sure the fun is in the exploring’ “Please don’t shoot anything Uncle Hugo!’ pleaded Oisin.

‘Ah it’s alright my little pet. I’d never harm a thing again! Those days are over. I bring the rifle just out of fondness for it. It saved my life once you know’ Little Oisin smiled

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‘Thank you uncle Hugo’ ‘Just one thing before we leave tomorrow Hugo’ said Vinnie.

‘You won’t get into trouble here like you used to do as a kid, will you now ya aul rascal?’ He said teasingly.

‘Ah no Vinnie. I got the tent over for a bit of fun. I suppose I’m recapturing some of my old adventure days. This place has a lot of nostalgia for me’ Vinnie looked Hugo in the eye and smiled, knowing whatever Hugo was up to he had no chance of stopping him once he decided to make his mind up.

The morning came and went. Hugo said farewell to everyone and set off on a walk over to the beach for a few hours. All that was on his mind was the Bay and what happened to him the previous evening. He was simply passing time till the pub opened and he could see Harry again. On his way back to the house he saw an old man with white hair and farmers clothes come out of his garden. Hugo quickened his pace towards the old man. He seemed familiar.

‘Holy Mary Mother of Jasus! Diarmuid it’s really you’ shouted Hugo.

The man instantly smiled ‘Hugo my child. How are you keeping? I’d recognise that frame anywhere. It’s been too long. What are ye doing back in Wexford?’

Hugo embraced his old friend, ‘Ah just tracking down some local fauna and having a rest. How are

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you? You still up to no good inventin mad machinery?’ taunted Hugo good-naturedly.

‘Ah yes well I’m off to a farmers guild meeting shortly but if ye have sum time later on in dah evening oyl show you my latest top secret invenshun!’ A mischievous look of glee swept over his face.

‘Perhaps tomorrow. I’d want nothing more than to catch up. I’ve just got an errand this evening’ said Hugo. Diarmuid looked briefly puzzled ‘Strange to do errands so late in da eveninnn, hmm well once you’re free drop over to me house and I’ll entertain ya’ Diarmuid then smiled again and embraced Hugo and went on his way leaving Hugo to restlessly pass the time till the Grandane Inn opened.

That evening Hugo went to the Pub. Brianag and Eimhir greeted him warmly as he was the first in the door.

‘Hugo my love! We didn’t have time to speak to you last night, as it was so busy. We never thought we would see you again after all these years!’ said Brianag.

‘Yes my fine fellow we’ve heard around that you’ve become quite the adventurer in your manhood. We are hardly surprised at that as you were such a scallywag back in the day hee hee heee’ giggled Eimhir.

Hugo’s composure melted when they both spoke to him. They were two of the most lovely, softly spoken elderly ladies you could ever meet and yet he knew they were very strong characters. Fiercely independent and razor sharp witted they needed to be to hold court over the villagers

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every evening in the bar.

‘Ladies I’m on a bit of an adventure right now. Do you think Harry Corbett will be in soon?’ enquired Hugo.

‘He’s in most evenings’ said Eimhir.

‘He’s become kind of famous over here these days with all his fairy tales and strange poems’ added Brianag.

‘I need his advice on something but aside from that I’d love for him to get some help, talk to someone - anything just to bring him back to his senses. He’s a faint glimmer of the man I once knew!’

Hugo’s face saddened a little while uttering those words. He could never bear to see sadness in people and would often go to great lengths to cheer up even strangers he met on his travels.

‘Nobody can help Harry unless he asks for help himself. The first step to peace is always the most difficult because you have to let go of your fear of looking good all the time!’

Hugo paused shocked for a moment, staring at Brianag. He was not expecting such a profound answer.

‘So you mean as long as he is clinging to his own pride and insisting that he is fine he will always be in the same predicament?’ offered Hugo.

‘That’s about right dear Hugo’ said Eimhir.

‘Harry lost the love of his life a few years after you left for boarding school. Since then, he clings to his tales of Goblins and Fairies.

Perhaps all he needs now is time and friendship, especially since he has

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met your acquaintance’ Hugo felt flattered and a little guilty. He felt sorry for Harry, but was still determined to get to the bottom of were his missing equipment went to. Before Hugo could reply to the sisters Harry entered the Pub. ‘Harry, I’ll buy you your first drink. I’ve got to tell you something’ Hugo ordered a bottle of whiskey and ushered Harry over to the fireplace.

‘Harry, I brought some equipment with me last night when I went out for my walk along the Bay. I could not find your creatures and to top it off I got this weird smell of Stout on my clothes and my equipment’ Harry interupted suddenly.

‘Your Flashlight and Whiskey flask went missing!’

Hugo’s pallor whitened.

‘Are you part of this joke pal’ Hugo demanded.

‘Not at all. They’re awful little feckers for nicking things. Best to leave them alone or next time they’ll make off with your rifle!’

Hugo was amazed, how could the old man know what happened to him. Save the pub and its occupants there was nobody within five miles of where Hugo was.

‘Ok my good fella, humour me for a moment! Escort me down to where the Gikkie Bokkers dwell and I’ll pay you very well for your valuable time!’

Harry paused for a moment.

‘I’ll help you not see them! You’re meddling in things, which are

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far above your understanding. However, come with me now while the moon is full and I will show you their tracks!’

Harry grabbed Hugo’s arm and lead him out of the Grandane Inn and onwards up the old path to the Bay. Hugo was annoyed. He had been down this path before and was positive that nothing had escaped his notice. Harry suddenly beckoned Hugo to stop just a few yards along the old road path.

“Hmmm yes here and here ha ha. Well you’re a lucky man master Hugo, they must like you they seem to be playing games with you!’

Hugo was getting very annoyed, ‘Harry you’re looking at my footprints. God forgive me I’m sorry I bothered with this’.

Harry did not move his gaze from the ground. Hugo peered down looking in the spot Harry was staring at. The road was nearly as bright as day under the moonlight and instead of seeing his lone footprints from last night’s walk He saw a new set of very odd footprints - clearly imprinted in the dusty old road - trailing behind his own that he had made the previous evening.

‘What on earth made those?’

He gasped. Hugo examined them closely. They resembled nothing he had ever encountered before. They had the rough form of a rabbits’ foot (only much larger) but the toe prints resembled a lions and with clear hints of large claws. On the heel imprint was a large talon mark like

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a flesh-eating dinosaur. Hugo followed the prints silent and shocked.

It was like nothing he had ever seen before. The most shocking thing was that the prints seemed to follow his own. They led all the way up and around where Hugo had walked and all the way back to his Garden Tent! Harry accompanied Hugo right up to the tent. He sniffed his nose, looked down in front of the tent and pointed to a mound of earth in front of the tent entrance. Hugo dug into the mound of earth with his brawny hands.

Something caught his attention and he paused for a moment.

‘You are having a laugh old man!’ shouted Hugo.

‘Who is filming this? What kind of mad joke are ye playin on me?’

Hugo pulled out the whiskey flask and flashlight and waved it in Harry’s face.

‘I am not jesting. You are messing with dark forces and you’re better off leaving things be. Just forget about this and just enjoy your holiday!

They will leave you well alone now, I’ll see to that’ pleaded Harry.

‘You’ve got to be joking me! I’m not going to be made a fool of by a bleedin Wexford Gremlin, name your price! I want you to be my guide!

Take me to the Bay so I can see these mad lookin yolks!’

‘Hugo MacNiadh. You can throw your toys out of the pram all you like. I’ll be showing you no more of what I’ve sworn to protect!’

Harry stomped his foot and folded his arms. Hugo realised a new approach was in order.

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‘Right little man, forget it. I’m not interested anymore. Here is a hundred quid. Thanks for your time. I’ll be on me way. It’s obviously nonsense and a big hoax. Well done. Now you’ve had your fun so I’ll see you around pal’ Harry froze. He clearly wasn’t used to having people brush him off so suddenly.

‘What do you mean a hoax? It’s the gospel truth I swear that what I guard is real, as real as you are right now standing before me’ ‘Codswallop!’ retorted Hugo.

‘You spin me tales of rabid rabbits collecting Stout on the Bay then play pranks on me stealin my equipment for a cheap laugh and you want me to believe ya. No thanks pal I’ll be on my way’ Hugo was very good at pretending to appear offended, ‘Ah alright then. I’ll take you there right now. I’ve never been accused of being a liar and I’ll be damned if I let that scurrilous accusation settle on me!’ protested Harry.

‘So it’s settled then. I’ve a thousand quid for you for the trouble.

Wait here and I’ll get it for you along with some provisions for the journey ahead’ Hugo stepped into his tent and came out a moment later decked out with night vision binoculars, a fancy camera, and various other items.

He also handed a large envelope to Harry.

‘Now lead on my good man and don’t disappoint me’

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Chapter 4 - A Careless Deed ‘They drank from the lake, without permission, And now for their sins, they must pay admission.

Laughing and joking they’re off they’re rockers, But now they must pay the Gikkie Bokkers, so Respect them and theirs and you will be alright, And you won’t get visits in the middle of the night.’

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Hugo walked triumphantly alongside his newly acquired chaperone, smirking to himself at outwitting Harry. He wondered how the old man was going to show him something new in a place he had already thoroughly visited a night before. Harry led Hugo to the view of the Bay directly opposite the Hills leading to the Beach. Harry beckoned Hugo to be still. Then he took out a strange glimmering amulet made of silver and gold from beneath his shirt. He angled the amulet to face the moonlight full on. Hugo noticed that the amulet was ornate with engravings - two women warrior figures brandishing swords on either side of what looked like an entrance or gateway underneath a full moon.

Hugo remembered that this looked very similar to the coat of arms in the Grandane Inn. Harry spoke out loudly. It was as if he was back on the pulpit in his old Church...

‘My motives are pure, my faith is unshaken cast forward the gate lest I am forsaken!’

Hugo did not know what to do. He stood still as if expecting nothing to happen. Would he burst out laughing and take his money back? It was his most prominent thought. What he saw next stopped him in his tracks. The very foundations of Hugo’s sensibilities were rocked!

The Amulet started to sparkle. Thousands of tiny star shaped lights flowed along the curves of the amulet gently building up in intensity and joining each other to form a steady white glow around the whole trinket.

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Then there was a flash of white blue light engulfing the whole road they stood on illuminating everything as far as the old haunted church behind them in the distance.

Harry stepped off the road and took what looked like an almost suicidal step into thin air over the marshes to his right hand side. Before Hugo got a chance to reach for Harry the very air that surrounded him rippled and vibrated finally forming what looked like a hole in the air itself. The amulet cast off one last huge wave of light that engulfed the whole view of the Bay and dazzled Hugo’s eyes so brightly that he was forced to shut them tightly. It took a full two minutes before Hugo could regain his sight. Squinting from the eyestrain, he instinctively fleeted his eyes in the direction of were Harry was standing. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Harry and Hugo were standing amongst some reed beds in the marsh about one hundred yards from the road trail where the old man made the amulet glow ‘How did we get that far away from the path?’

He murmured to himself still squinting his eyes a little. Then his eyes refocused. Shock set in. Hugo may as well have been on another world.

The layout of the Bay was exactly as he remembered it but the form it now took was astounding! Every colour was richer and deeper. The air smelt of Stout. There were odd sounds carried on the air by hundreds of hidden creatures singing, chirping, buzzing and croaking. Strange yelps and birdlike chirps filled the air. It was quite unlike anything Hugo had

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ever heard.

‘Wow’ thought Hugo to himself. He was in awe of all of the lakes and pools!

The lakes were filled with a jet-black liquid with a creamy milky white froth collecting along their shorelines. The pools were completely still with a faint aura of blue emanating from the strange liquid. The moonlight broke through the cloud cover and turned the lakes into a dark blue mirror. Every now and then Hugo could just barely make out faint pulses of yellow light fleeting along the lakes, making deep buzzing sounds and vanishing after a few seconds. Littered amongst the lakes and pools were grassy islands with small trees half covered in mist. The temperature was very humid. Grandane had great weather for Ireland but this felt tropical.

Hugo took his cap off wiping away some sweat from his forehead.

In the distance, on the other side of the Bay, was a very old sailing ship.

It seemed stranded along the shoreline. Its masts were broken and it was turned almost completely on its’ side. Hugo thought it strange that this ship was not there the previous evening. There was no way he would have missed seeing it. It couldn’t have beached overnight for the wreckage looked like it had been there for a very long time. The amulet seemed to have concealed it from the outside world, but why?

Harry was silent. He was simply walking ahead of Hugo right up to the shoreline towards one of the large pools. Hugo followed. The shoreline

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was bathed in blue moonlight with the black liquid reflecting back the light. It turned Hugo and Harry’s faces pale blue. Harry shouted aloud ‘Witness the wondrous miracle of this land’ ‘It’s a bleedin miracle there’s any of this stuff left’ responded Hugo.

‘How can you hide a whole Bay full of Stout from a nation of Irishmen?’ Hugo asked dumbfounded.

‘I’ll explain in a moment my boy, but for now, follow me!’

Harry walked around the Bay and up onto a nearby small grass island with a steep hill overlooking the first of the lakes and beckoned Hugo to follow. The soil along the shore was soft and spongy. It felt almost alive. Hugo stepped onto the small island, skipping over a stream of Stout onto long dense grass and made his way up to Harry. Both figures were now standing just below the crest of the hill. Harry turned to Hugo.

‘What you see here does not get shared with anyone Hugo. Please understand that this place is sacred to them and those of us that protect them. The cost of revealing this place to the outside world of men would mean catastrophe!’

Hugo nodded back in compliance not sure what to expect now.

‘Good my lad, now be silent and peer slowly over the hill! Don’t make any sudden movements!’

Hugo amazed at his surroundings was still doubtful he was going to find anything more than a strange breed of badger or rabbit beyond the

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hill. He put his cap back on and peered over the hilltop.

‘Harry what are ya bleedin playin at!’ Hugo demanded.

‘There’s nothing here!’

‘What? That’s most unusual. They always come along this part of the shore at this time of the evening’ Harry seemed genuinely puzzled.

‘I should have known not to follow a mad man’s ramblings. Listen me aul matey, I’m very grateful you brought me here. It’s truly astounding.

That lightshow was amazing, but it’s time for me to go’ Hugo Snorted.

‘No wait, don’t go yet, they will be here any minute!’

Harry pleaded his eyes watering. Hugo said nothing and just grunted to himself in frustration. He leapt down off the hill and landed on the shoreline of a nearby pool of Stout.

‘What about the money? I do get to keep it yes?’ pleaded Harry.

‘Yeah keep it. I’m sorry Harry. This has been amazing. I was just expecting more on the local wildlife front! Tell ya what, I’ll take a swig of this stuff home with me for some nostalgia!’

Harry’s eyes widened.

‘NNOOOOOOOO, do not touch it!’

Harry leapt from the hilltop and landed just behind Hugo. The former Hunter was astounded at the feat he had just witnessed but had already in one swift movement taken out his water canteen, emptied it and dipped it into the Stout along the shoreline.

‘There’ said Hugo. ‘No harm done’ a broad smile came across his

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face.

Fixing the canteen to his belt he stood up and took a step away from the lake. There was a small rustling noise in the bushes at the marshes end. Hugo thought he could make out two faint glowing orbs of light peering out from them. They were only there for a second and then vanished with a slight rustle of leaves. Hugo closed the canteen cap on his flask full of glowing Stout and turned around away from Harry.

‘Come on my friend, we can have a sneaky swig of this at the bar’ Hugo chuckled and took one step away from the still terrified Harry towards the marshes to get back home. Then a huge deep booming sound came from far away across the lakes.

‘Dhuuuummmmmnnnnn!’ Hugo froze in his tracks.

‘Harry, are you not telling me something?’

Hugo uttered slowly and cautiously, raised his eyebrow and turning his head over his shoulder to see Harry’s face.

‘DDHUUUMMMMMNNNNNN!!’ the sound was getting louder.

‘We are the walking dead, it’s only a matter of time before we are punished!’

Harry gibbered almost uncontrollably, ‘DDHUUUMMMMMNNNNNN!!!’

The booming sound gradually increasing in intensity and this time accompanied by the sound of hundreds of strange animal calls and noises. Then one last boom erupted that rocked the swampy ground the

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travellers stood on. Hugo expected another huge pounding sound but to his surprise there was now nothing but silence. Harry however was laying on the soil his eyes shut tight and crying.

‘It’s come for me’ He gibbered.

‘The Dark Fist of the All mighty is at hand!, pray your end is swift, He will show us no mercy!’

Hugo was getting very worried. They were trapped in a place that defied all logic that had no way out and an incomprehensible madman as a guide. Hugo was about to speak when there was a huge snapping and crackling sound - like that of a hundred wooden planks being snapped in half all at the same time! Then an earth-shattering howl bellowed out from behind the trees on the other side of the Bay. The sound penetrated deep into Hugo’s chest such was its’ power.

Hugo was terrified and he turned around fully to face the far away shoreline and forest. He saw the tree canopy being rustled and it moved in an unearthly manner. Strange flying creatures that nested there broke into terrified flight. Then out of the highest point of trees, he thought he saw something shoot upwards out of the forest like a rocket. Hugo instinctively tried to anticipate where the object would next come into view, a natural talent he possessed which aided him in his hunting days, but this time, instead of plotting what he was throwing or firing he was applying the technique in reverse. He did not have to wait long.

Something resembling a missile was coming into view high above

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him. In a high arc of motion it was gradually getting bigger and bigger.

Hugo strained to see it in more detail. Then it dawned on him what was coming their way! The object picked up speed getting closer and closer until Hugo clearly saw it’s form. A massive tree still complete with roots and soil moving so fast it’s branches were forced back giving the tree the look of a giant arrow was hurtling towards them at terrifying velocity!

‘Harry get up, get up now!’

Hugo grabbed Harry by the leg and flung him onto his shoulder like a rag doll, then jumped as far as he could away from the grass mound where he was standing.

‘BOOOOOM!!’

There was a massive explosion of shattered wood with countless numbers of sharp splinters and branches flying towards him. Hugo hunched up and faced away from the explosion to protect Harry. Hugo’s bulky back took the full force of the exploding tree trunk fragments.

He roared in pain but never a man to feel sorry for himself, got off the ground with Harry still on his shoulder and ran as fast as he could towards where he thought was the incline up to the old road path. Harry came to his senses.

‘Uh Hugo, climb up there and jump out onto the road’ He commanded desperately.

‘Where? I don’t see the road yet’ snapped back Hugo.

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‘Trust me’ Harry took out his amulet once more and it glowed fiercely, this time as if the ornamental relic was picking up on the terror in its owner. A ripple in the air right in front of Hugo flashed with yellow light rays coming out of it. Hugo could barely make out the old road path behind the rays of light and without saying anything else leapt into the rippling portal amidst one last deafening roar of rage from whatever had flung the massive tree at them.

Hugo fell onto the dusty path with Harry slumped on top of him. The rippling air of the portal into the strange lakes vanished with a huge green-blue flash.

‘Alright Harry. I believe you. No more messing around. I’m sorry I doubted you, thank God that’s over with’ Hugo gasped for breath and slowly got to his feet. He then helped Harry up. Harry seemed to be briefly stunned and in a stupor from the force of the explosion, but his countenance changed rapidly.

‘No Hugo it’s not over. May God forgive you for what you’ve done!

I told you to not to take anything from the lake. You wouldn’t listen.

Now we’re both marked for eternity, so run for your life!’

Hugo was not taking any chances anymore. His carelessness had landed not only himself but also a harmless old man into serious danger.

From what though, He was still unclear.

Hugo winced with the pain of hundreds of splinters in his back but

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did not let the pain slow him down. He sprinted up the road dragging Harry along with him back to his nephews’ house.

‘What was that thing that hurled the tree at us Harry?’ Harry was panting and wheezing, chasing after Hugo and blurted out.

‘It’s called a Spungle! Its’ an ancient creature, that is much older than the Gikkie Bokkers. It is fiercely territorial and impervious to mortal man’s weapons, and you’ve gone and angered him!’

Hugo was ashamed of his actions but said nothing in reply. He raced into the garden, picked Harry up with one arm and placed him into the passenger seat of his open top Bentley car. Then he hopped into the driver’s seat, started the ignition and sped down the path out onto the road towards the direction of Dublin! He didn’t know why he was running, but knew that he was scared and needed to think – at a safe distance from where they had just been. Why was it so bad that he had taken a canteen of the contents of the lake? It was obviously serious but he couldn’t bring himself to ask Harry about it yet. He had always taken a small token of earth or water from wherever he went on his adventures around the world.

They drove in silence for quite some time. Every now and again, Harry would reach over and take another splinter from Hugo’s back.The strange old man eventually nodded off mumbling to himself leaving Hugo to do his best to blot out the pain in his back. He started to breathe a little easier and prayed to himself that the worst was over.

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Chapter 5 - The Relentless Foe ‘The magic of twilight, the stillness of the air, They’re in through your skylight, they just couldn’t care, Through the landing they creep while all living things are asleep, As quiet as a mouse, not even a peep.

Respect to the Gikkie Bokkers you failed to send, You knew the outcome, now it’s your end.’

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It takes the average automobile two and a half hours to get from Grandane to Dublin. Hugo’s custom Bentley with its’ supercharged engine took only forty-five minutes! Hugo didn’t concern himself at all with speeding cameras or indeed any checkpoints. He had something more menacing on his mind. During this time, the two passengers didn’t utter a word. Instead, a worried scowl was fixed on both of their faces.

Hugo activated the house gates by remote control in his car and parked outside the mansion entrance.

Without speaking to Harry, he jumped out of the car and sprinted over to the garage, opened the side door and disappeared. Harry was emotionally exhausted and could only look on and wait to see what Hugo was up to. Five minutes later Hugo reappeared with a set of massive chains and a giant lock slung over his shoulder. Hugo walked sternly passed the car, with Harry still inside and at this stage whimpering silently. Hugo wrapped the massive chains around the wrought iron front gates and locked them. Returning to the Bentley he drove upto the front doors of his mansion and beckoned Harry out of the car and escorted him into his study.

‘Alright Harry just what exactly are we dealing with here?’

Hugo asked while pouring Harry a shot of whiskey. Harry sighed closing his eyes.

‘The Spungle is an ancient warrior from a race that has no weaknesses.

Magical beings throughout time have sought them out and gained favour

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with them in return for their services as protectors and warriors’ Hugo thought deeply.

‘So being warriors, surely they have some sort of code of honour?

This I know from the many races that I’ve met on my travels throughout the world. If we can reason with it, surely you must know a way of communicating with it?’ Harry opened his sad tear soaked eyes looking straight into Hugo’s.

‘If it were any ordinary Spungle perhaps there would be a chance but this one lost its mind many years ago, driven mad by a restless evil. It answers to no one and will not stop until it gets its talons on us’ Hugo was getting frustrated at Harry’s constantly depressing diatribe.

‘Harry I don’t see it finding us here, and even if it did reach us, I’ve got an arsenal of weaponry to take anything out on this planet - real or magical!’

Harry’s sorry looking frame just stared blankly back at Hugo looking more exhausted by the minute.

‘Gaelic warriors fierce and of old, paid tribute to the Spungle race to master their strength so bold, for the Spungles wrath they knew too well, would send their enemies to the pits of hell!’ Hugo sighed.

‘Harry, please speak in plain language. How did you get that magic amulet thing around your neck and who on earth was dim enough to put you in charge of it?’ Harry’s eyes filled with tears.

‘I’ve forgotten who I am and what task I’ve been given. The true

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path to life from me has been hidden’ ‘Ah Jasus Master Yoda will you snap out of it!’ demanded Hugo standing over Harry his brow creased in frustration.

Silence was Harry’s reply. Hugo’s face softened finally realising that the old man before him was in serious need of help. Hugo remembered the Flash Harry of old in his childhood being a truly intimidating and powerful character. Whatever set of events transpired to cause the poor man’s increasing insanity must have been substantial. Even stranger though, who entrusted the old man with such a powerful artefact? Hugo went upstairs and returned after a few minutes with some blankets and a pillow.

‘Harry there is a large sofa in the next room across the hall, take these with you and get some sleep. I will be upstairs – I doubt I will sleep much tonight anyway. We will return to Grandane tomorrow and I promise whatever I can do to put things right, I will’ Harry said nothing and just stared blankly at the window overlooking the massive garden. Hugo nodded, sighed and left the room.

Hugo sat down with a fresh drink. He dialled a familiar number.

‘Bogi me aul mate, listen to me carefully. Something’s going on in Grandane that’s very strange. I’m not explaining anything right now as it’s complicated and I don’t know where to start’ Hugo took his shirt off and started plucking some more splinters out of his back while talking.

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‘Please keep Vinnie, Claudia and the kids away from Grandane for at least another week, and stay away from the mansion too. Money’s no object, so I’ll cover everything. Is that clear Bogi?’

‘Yes Sir, of course. I’m at your disposal night and day. I will take good care of them’ ‘Thank you Boginold. I’m sorry to put you out but I’ll explain fully once I’ve sorted things out. I’m heading to bed I’ve, emm’ ‘Is everything alright Sir?’ ‘Yes I’m fine pal’ sighed Hugo relieved after plucking out the largest splinter he could reach.

‘Just look after them and I’ll ring you tomorrow evening’ ‘Very well Sir. Good night and I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Do take care of yourself’ Boginold’s demeanour always had a soothing effect on Hugo. A butler in profession but for Hugo, he was in actuality his most respected mentor and best friend. Hugo finished plucking the last of the splinters out of his back and walked up the massive staircase to his bedroom.

Upon entering his bedroom he would usually be accustomed to the feeling of comfort and ease but tonight he wondered how he was going to clean up the big mess he had caused. If the Spungle was really after them then surely someone would have noticed it. Without having actually seen it, Hugo could only guess that it was enormous considering the feat of strength it displayed amongst the Magical Lakes.

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Hugo flicked on the television. One of the channels had the news on but nothing out of the usual was happening either near Wexford or Dublin.

He was too tired to work out a solution to his predicament. Hugo lay on his bed but was restless. He changed his mind, grabbed a blanket and went back downstairs to the study. He sat himself in an easy chair and stared out the window for a while. He could hear Harry’s laboured breath in the next room. He too was a bit restless. After a while, Hugo shut his eyes and fell slowly asleep.

A few restless turns in the chair and Hugo opened his eyes slowly.

He checked his old clock on the desk. It was almost two o’clock in the morning. The moonlight was shining through the window, which cast rays of light along the room. Hugo relaxed looking at the spectacle of dust dancing around in the beams of moonlight. He noticed the room was darker than it should be. A spindly shadow of an old familiar frame was standing at the door.

‘Harry? What are you doing up at this hour? Get some sleep. We’ll be travelling early tomorrow!’

Harry walked forward silently his lean frame and craggy features enhanced by the shadows.

‘I see clearly now. You’re sent from the Elders to test my resolve.

Well I’ll put things right. You’re a Gikkie Bokker in disguise and I’m going to peel your human costume off with my knife and end this test.

I’ve suffered enough in your defence!’

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Harry took a kitchen knife out of his back pocket. Hugo could see the shining of the blade as the moonlight hit it.

‘What the devil are ye talking about? Harry, get a hold of yourself!’

Hugo was more disappointed with Harry than frightened. He had been in countless scrapes over the years and combat of any kind was second nature to him. Harry then shouted ‘Enough! Toy with me no longer you scoundrel of a Gikkie Bokker!’

With that, Harry leapt onto the chair with the knife raised high above his head. Hugo just stood up and caught Harry’s knife arm. With a light tap on the side of Harry’s face, with the first two massive knuckles on his hand, Harry’s legs buckled from the ancient Judo technique. Hugo caught Harry before he fell over and placed him on the chair he had just vacated.

‘Now Harry whatever demons are tormenting you this is your final chance to remain calm so I can get us out of this mess!’

Hugo took out some smelling salts from the drawer and placed the open bottle under Harry’s nose. Harry slowly regained his senses and seemed a lot calmer. Harry’s head was almost resting on Hugo’s shoulder, his head peering out the moonlit window. Harry’s face whitened to the shade of baking flour.

‘Yeeeaarrrggghhhhh!’ shouted Harry.

‘What is it now Harry!’ bellowed Hugo, expecting an answer.

Harry said nothing but pushed Hugo off his feet to the floor, the sheer

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strength of the move took Hugo by surprise. Halfway into the fall Hugo saw a massive shape blacken the window frame then a thunderous roar penetrated the mansion. Both Harry and Hugo terrified ran upstairs.

They got to Hugo’s bedroom and stood looking at each other – confused and frightened. There was a loud smashing noise then the entire top half of the bedroom was obliterated.

The sky was blotted out by the vast amount of dust and debris flying through the air. The same roar boomed out once more - twice as loud now that there was no more roof! Hugo and Harry unharmed other than the fierce ringing sound in their ears from the roaring and carnage, staggered to keep their feet. Harry grabbed Hugo by the hand and dragged him out of the wreckage of the bedroom just before the floor of the wrecked bedroom collapsed. Running down the long corridor of bedrooms Hugo glanced back briefly over his shoulder in terror. The mansions roof was being systematically scraped off by a set of massive dark fur covered hands. Whatever this thing was, it stood taller than the mansion. Hugo took over from Harry guiding the old man down the massive staircase just before the entire hall roof was obliterated. Large thumping footprints echoed around the wreckage.

Hugo knew he had to get to his rucksack, which was hanging on the wrecked front door wall, in order to get his car keys. With a bit of luck the Bentley might still be intact. Otherwise, it was just a matter of time before they were completely exposed to the monster. Hugo sprinted

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over to the front door and grabbed his bag and reached for the door handle. The entire door fell forward with glass shattering everywhere.

Harry was right behind Hugo. The creature seemed to be at the back entrance to the mansion and was busy destroying the remaining section of the roof. There was no point in talking to each other as the noise of the creature roaring drowned out everything. Hugo grabbed the bag off the fallen door and they both ran outside, leaping into the Bentley in one motion. Hugo got the keys from the bag and started the car engine.

The howls stopped. Hugo turned the car round to face the Mansion gates and had to break suddenly. The creature landed with an earth shattering boom onto the gravel path in front of the Bentley ‘Pray to your God poor Hugo, we are at our end!’ shouted out Harry.

‘Shut your yap and keep your head down’ retaliated Hugo going into reverse gear and speeding backwards into what was left of the wrecked mansion.

Hurtling backwards, Hugo got a brief glimpse of the massive hulking form of the beast. It was at least eighty foot tall, barely humanoid in physique, with two massive legs, and four huge muscular arms. Hugo could make out massive fingers on each hand tipped with elongated sharp claws like a great cat.

In fact the whole form resembled a hybrid between a mighty gorilla and a great lion. That’s all Hugo could make out with pieces of rubble and wood smashing around the car still hurtling backwards. The Spungle

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hurled a mighty clenched fist at the car making a massive crater in the floor of the mansion ruins, and knocking off the front licence plate of the car in the process.

Finally, the Bentley sped out of the house in reverse and tilted nose up down a small decline out into the back garden. The Bentley screeched to a halt and revved up like it was its last act on earth to perform. Hugo had no time to guess which side of the ruins the Spungle was about to leap from so instinctively chose the right hand path around the wrecked house and accelerated like a formula one car along the path. ‘Crash!’

The Spungle erupted out from the ruins choosing to tear through the path made by Hugo’s Bentley. It saw the car and adjusted its’ course to try and grab it lunging with all four massive arms. Hugo had other ideas. With Harry a gibbering wreck screaming incoherently, Hugo pulled a three hundred and sixty degree skid just avoiding the Spungles massive grasp.

The Bentley then corrected its course and sped off towards the mansion gates, which were untouched by the Spungle which must simply have walked over them. Hugo pulled out his rifle from the back of the car and with one arm took careful aim at the massive lock he placed on the gate earlier. From over two hundred yards away from the gates he pulled the trigger. The padlock exploded into a shower of sparks and the gates opened slightly from the force of the explosion. The Bentley was travelling so fast that it smashed open the gates fully and skidded onto the main road with the gigantic creature right behind in outraged

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pursuit.

‘You defy the Spungle but it’s just delaying your end’ whimpered Harry.

‘If ya don’t have anything good to say then zip your trap!’ countered Hugo.

‘Where do you intend to go?’ asked Harry.

‘We’re going back down to Wexford to whatever end and we will do it down in Grandane’ Hugo looked into the mirror, the Spungle was a hundred yards behind them galloping on two powerful hind legs and four arms all pounding the ground loudly desperate to get its’ claws into the car.

Hugo was doing nearly two hundred miles an hour, ignoring every traffic light he thought to himself the only thing favouring his predicament was there would be no cars on the roads at this early time of the morning. Hugo could clearly see all the detail on the Beast in his rear view mirror. Topping off its strange fur covered humanoid shape was a massive humanoid head with furrowed brows and two intense raging red eyes buried deep in dark sockets. With small pointed ears, a small cat like nose and two huge fangs larger than a full grown man protruding from its’ dark lips framed in a rugged jaw. The fur was angular and tufted at its’ extremities, perhaps a very dark brown or black and seemed to emit an eerie metallic sheen when touched by the moonlight. Its’ face was very expressive, like a man’s which only added

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to its already formidable appearance.

The chest was expansive and barrelled shaped complimented by huge shoulders to accommodate the four giant arms. Each hand could grab an entire small house if it cared to and huge white claws capped every toe and finger. It seemed to be custom built for combat, and showed no signs of tiring.

Hugo pressed the accelerator full down and flicked a switch to engage his custom designed engines turbo boost. He had never intended to use the feature and it was just an add-on he asked for in jest to show off to his friends in the hunting club. The switch injected a special concoction of nitrous oxide and jet fuel, which massively increased the engines already vast power. The engine roared into life surprising even the Spungle. Flames shot out of twin exhausts three feet behind them.

The Spungle went out of sight but Hugo was taking no chances. He kept the turbo boost on, and he figured it would last another five minutes before it returned to its’ normal maximum speed. He prayed it would be enough to discourage the Spungle.

‘Harry I know you’re terrified but please, is there anything that can be used as a weapon against this thing?’

Harry turned his head to face Hugo sadly.

‘Even if there was, I’d face the Spungle to atone for your actions’ Hugo looked Harry in amazement.

‘Ah Harry, will you lose the martyr attitude and wake up? We have

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thirty more minutes to reach Grandane and when we do I haven’t the foggiest notion of what to do next. We may as well drive into the sea for all the good it will do’ Hugo was greeted by silence. The Bentley sped on its’ way. Thirty minutes passed quickly.

Harry was muttering to himself some

unintelligible prayers and nonsense. Hugo was running into a dead end he could see no way out of the situation. If only there were someone else who knew how to use the amulet that was not mad perhaps.

‘Ah damn’ He shouted smacking the steering wheel in frustration.

How could he get into so much trouble so fast? Hugo had met plenty of impossible situations before and always turned them around at the last minute. Where was the magic formula for this one? This situation seemed almost concocted by a higher power to humble him and teach him a fatal lesson.

‘Harry who gave you that amulet? Is there anyone else who can use one thats not barking mad?’

Harry was just about to speak when the conversation was interrupted, by an all too familiar roar. The Spungle was still out of sight but it did not comfort Hugo one bit. Then the engine cut out! Hugo laughed nervously to himself, what else could he do? All avenues of action were exhausted. He resigned himself to defeat as the car coasted to a halt just outside Vinnie’s house.

Hugo got out of the car and took out a picture of his father from

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his wallet. He smiled warmly reminiscing about the times they shared together. He was preparing to see him again. Harry got out of the car and stood beside Hugo. The Spungle came into view in the distance growling.

‘I bare you no ill will Hugo MacNiadh, you are not a bad man’ said Harry in a much calmer voice.

The pair had gone past the point of being terrified. They were amazed to even have lasted this long with such a beast pursuing them. Harry already knew what the Spungle was capable of, but Hugo was about to find out.

The Spungle spotted them and with an evil grin skidded on its’ back legs to slow down its massive momentum. As it judged the distance perfectly, the ancient creature bore down on them.

‘Farewell my crazy friend’ smiled Hugo putting a comforting arm around the trembling Harry, as the gigantic frame of the creature blackened out all the light around them, until their tiny frames were eclipsed in darkness.

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Chapter 6 - Unexpected Allies ‘What am I supposed to do?

It comes down to only me and you, No more fighting, please I cry Alright my friend, let’s give it a try.’

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The Spungle growled triumphantly at it’s quarry. The rumble of its’ voice shook the earth of Grandane. It’s massive frame coiled up preparing to strike at the two helpless forms in front of it with four massive claw adorned fists. Then it’s gaze diverted past the men and it froze in its tracks. The rumbling ceased. Hugo and Harry opened their eyes wondering why such an unstoppable force of violence had suddenly become silent. The Spungles features softened looking almost humble. The fiery light in its eyes fading as it bowed its head slightly.

Hugo was afraid to move in case he was being toyed with like a young lion would with its prey. He simply had to turn his head around and see what was having this affect on the Spungle, what had he got to lose at this stage? To his amazement, two elderly ladies stood outside the Grandane Inn, each with glowing amulets around their necks. Two piercingly sharp voices entered Hugo’s head ‘Remember your old commandments and who you pledged your loyalty to, your sorrow eclipses your reason but your heart so pure still remains true!’

Hugo knew the sound was coming from the elderly women - their frames darkened into silhouettes by the glow of their amulets. The women stepped forward. The Spungle bowed fully now and got down on one of its massive knees. Harry seemed to awaken from his panicked state.

‘Sisters please forgive me. I tried to put it right but everything went

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wrong!’

‘Calm yourself. Go inside Harry, everything will be just fine’ The voice came from Brianag. It sounded like her but it seemed much younger somehow. Harry nodded humbly and walked briskly into the Grandane Inn. Both women gestured to Hugo to come over to them.

‘Your mind is too full of questions and confusion. Come with us for some refreshment, we have some explaining to do’ This time the voice came from Eimhir and it came from her body and not inside his head. As Hugo walked he felt the Spungles eyes follow his every move, a deep but controlled growl was thrown in his direction.

‘You’ve nothing to fear from him once we are here. Please come inside and bring all your belongings from your car’ said Eimhir.

Hugo went into the Pub with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

The Grandane Inn’s fireplace was illuminated, and a lively fire danced in the hearth. Hugo instantly recognised the Coat of Arms over the fireplace. It was exactly like the Amulets the sisters and Harry wore around their necks. No one spoke for some time.

‘Hugo you have a history and heritage far deeper than you realise.

Tonight is not the time to delve into detail as you’ve been through too much to digest everything that has happened to you’ Eimhir’s voice was quiet and gentle.

‘All I wanted to do was to see for myself one of the creatures Harry

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spoke of in his poems and instead I get King Kong on Road Rage throwing trees at me and wrecking me house’ said Hugo who was complaining like a spoilt child.

He took a sip of the small shot glass Brianag offered him. It contained a strange green almost luminous liquid that smelt of roses. Hugo instantly relaxed.

‘That’s better pet’ comforted Brianag.

‘I can understand the chaos I’ve caused and am sorry for it but why is such a powerful magical amulet in the hands of a disturbed old man, no good can come of it!’

Eimhir smiled politely back at Hugo.

‘Harry is a guardian of the Sacred Lakes, as well as the creatures you are looking to get a glimpse of. He will remain so until he casts down the amulet. We cannot interfere’ Hugo took another sip of the glowing elixir and sat on a stool in front of the fire, ‘And who made you guardians or are you the masters of the lakes?’

‘Ha ha, we are more like gardeners these days’ chirped Brianag.

Eimhir smiled at her.

‘Yes we used to be very sprightly young things but we’ve been through a lot these last few years and we’ve had to step back from our responsibilities. Harry used to do a great job, a very powerful Guardian he was but..’

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‘But what?’ enquired Hugo eagerly.

‘Hugo we are guardians for a reason. This land you are on has been the source of a conflict far older than the arrival of the Gikkie Bokkers.

A great evil is constantly at work trying to escape the sacred Bay. We are charged to prevent people entering it but more importantly, to prevent what dwells in it from escaping!’

Hugo was enthralled.

‘You are talking about that Spungle thing outside the pub right?’

Brianag’s face became serious.

‘There are far more dangerous things than an unsettled Spungle lurking near the lakes!, We have already cast a spell to hide his form from the outside world until he returns to his realm’ Hugo was getting extremely worried. The more he heard and tried to understand, the greater he became aware of just how much trouble he was in.

‘How do I make amends? I want to know everything. I’ve got so many..’ Eimhir interrupted him.

‘It’s for another time my dear. Right now what is important is for you to place that canteen full of liquid back into the sacred lake you stole it from!’

Hugo sheepishly nodded his head.

He did not know how Eimhir knew this but her words went through him. ‘STOLE’ yes no matter what way Hugo tried to manipulate and

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twist and justify his actions it all came back to a very simple fact he had stolen something and that choice had massive consequences for everyone. He assumed that he could get one over on Harry and that no one would know. How wrong he was.

‘And we need to return it now Hugo’ said Brianag sternly. Hugo got up from his stool at the bar and waited for the two elderly ladies to come around from behind the bar to escort him out together.

‘Stay here Harry you need to rest and we will talk in the morning!’ both sisters spoke together. Harry nodded his head and sat back down near the fireplace.

The walk to the Bay was very pleasant in the early morning. Hugo felt he was not being punished anymore. It was more like being guided like a child to do the responsible thing. The giant thumping footsteps of the Spungle could be heard as it escorted them from behind. Hugo turned occasionally to steal a glimpse of the creature. It had an almost regal composure about it. Harry referred to ‘it’ as a ‘He’ so it was definitely - at even one stage in its life - sentient. Though elderly, both ladies possessed an aura of great power and the giant creature seemed to sense this. Hugo felt compelled to open his mouth, he had so many questions.

‘How did the Bay come by all this liquid?’

‘The Gikkie Bokkers are very inventive. They make use of whatever they come across. Two hundred years ago, an old carriage full of Stout

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lost its way in a fierce storm and it overturned. Some of the wooden kegs of Stout fell into the Bay. Some kegs opened and the liquid mixed with the salt water in the Bay. The Gikkie Bokkers learned how to brew and harvest it’ Their answer filled Hugo’s mind with even more questions. How long have these creatures been here before their discovery of the Stout?

How was the shipwreck, which just came into view on their journey to the Sacred Lake, concealed from the outside world?

‘What about the shipwreck over on the far side of the Bay, were did it come from?’ Asked Hugo. Brianag smiled.

‘That ship ran aground even before the Gikkie Bokkers discovered the Stout. We don’t venture out to it as it’s too close to the Spungles village and it’s too difficult to control him on that side of the Portal’ ‘You mean there’s more of yer man?’

Hugo sneaking a nervous look at the their massive chaperone.

The elderly women faintly smiled but it turned into a look of sadness they were unable to hide, he sensed there was far more depth and scope to what was happening around him now and how sensitive this magical place was to outside forces. Before Hugo could ask another question they reached the same spot as Harry had lead him to the previous night overlooking the Bay. His elderly guardians said nothing, and their amulets simply glowed. The same ripple of air and flashing vortex of energy opened the portal into the Sacred Lakes. Everyone stepped into

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the rippling portal and vanished from sight. A brief blinding flash later saw everyone emerge onto the other side of the portal, ankle deep in marshy grass.

‘You’ve got to empty your canteen into the exact location you took it from. Do you remember were that was?’

Eimhir’s eyes were serene yet extremely sincere.

‘Ah yeah! It’s the first of the larger lakes at the end of the marsh near a load of brambles!’

He replied politely. The walk seemed to take a lot longer than he remembered. Maybe it was because he was tired and had been through so much or perhaps he had the chance to become aware of more detail in his surroundings. Either way, he was taking in a wondrous spectacle - a beautiful environment with amazing lush vegetation and an eerie glow emanating from the lakes, which was heightened by the cloud cover reflecting back some of the moon light.

Hugo reached the shoreline of the first lake. As soon as he reached for his flask full of stolen liquid, the Spungle growled deeply causing a group of small odd looking creatures to break into a bat like flight out of the long grass beside the group. Hugo froze as a single bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. He glanced at Brianag.

‘Go on Hugo, it won’t harm you while we are here’ Hugo wiped the sweat off his brow and opened the canteen emptying it straight into the Lake. The Stout splashed into the lake, glowing

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and fizzling for a few seconds. It seemed like the whole lake came alive with a series of yellow orbs of light speeding around the entire circumference of it at immense speed, gradually slowing down and gently fading away. The Spungle roared and triumphantly glared at Hugo, and with one gigantic leap, propelled its humongous bulk into the air. Leaping high above the visitors it landed almost half way across the first lake with a gigantic splash of magical Stout, causing large waves to lap up and down along the shoreline. It’s growls and grunts faded away slowly as it waded across the lakes to the far side of the Bay, eventually disappearing from view amongst the forest overlooking the far shoreline.

Brianag and Eimhir smiled brightly at Hugo.

‘Now it’s time to go Hugo, you’ve learned a lot about actions and consequences today my dear. You are welcome to stay in Grandane and come and go as you please but you must leave this Bay for the Gikkie Bokkers alone. Our power to protect you from the Spungle has been exhausted and not all Gikkie Bokkers are friendly - they don’t take kindly to visitors’ Hugo realised after a moment that the ladies were talking to him using their thoughts but this time it was far more pleasant than when they confronted the Spungle.

‘I’ve never even seen one! I’ve been through so much and saw miraculous things but my eyes haven’t spotted one yet’ protested Hugo.

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‘And you’re not likely to see one anytime soon my dear!’ smiled Eimhir. They both spoke to him again with their minds.

‘Over half a century you’ve been on this earth and still so much has to be shown to you - but only if you learn to control your impulsive nature.

You would do well to emulate your fathers way of being’ ‘What do ya mean? What has he got to do with all this and what are you not telling me?’

Hugo was getting agitated.

‘Heed our words Hugo’ they both replied.

The sisters glanced quickly at each other, as if checking with each other if they had said too much too soon.

‘Hugo please remain in Grandane there will be time to explain everything, there is a lot of history you’re not aware of yet that affects you, and we are still weak and recovering from past events’ Hugo cut them off from speaking.

‘What are you recovering from? Drinking a load of that funny gargle?

If you are privy to anything to do with my old man speak up now!’

The sisters said nothing. Hugo sensed that they wanted to tell him more but he knew from their actions with the Spungle that they were not to be trifled with and they were very much in control of this strange situation.

‘I’m sorry Ladies. I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m a little sensitive about my Da. I know you mean well and you saved my bacon. I’ll get

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back to my nephews house and rest up, just please let me talk to you again tomorrow evening’ The sisters looked at each other, they seemed to be getting weary.

‘Very well Hugo we shall talk tomorrow, now it’s best we get going now concealing a Spungle takes a lot of effort and We grow weary’ The elderly guardians gestured for Hugo to turn back and head to the portal. Hugo buried his emotions deeply when it concerned his father.

Marching out of the shore and into the marshes some buried emotions fleeted in and out of his mind. He was part of something here and it was concealed from him. Perhaps there was more to his fathers’ history than he knew. Confusion, excitement and sadness all rolled in waves smothering his rational mind. He passed one last mound of brambles and grass before the portal.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted two glowing orbs looking at him from within the mound of foliage. If this was what he suspected it was, then he may be gazing on it for the last time. Without Hugo actually thinking of what to say words leapt from his mouth and he heard himself saying - ‘I’m so sorry!’ The orbs of light flickered briefly almost in acknowledgement and there was a gentle rustling of branches and grass. The two glowing lights vanished but the rustling sound of little footsteps took longer to fade away.

Hugo took one last look at the Bay in all its magnificence and followed the Elderly Guardians out of the Portal back into the ordinary world.

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Hugo was expecting to see the other side of the road when he exited the portal but instead of the almost familiar flash of light leading onto the path he found himself plunging into darkness. Hugo was nowhere he was floating in blackness. There was no sound, no feeling of inertia betraying a sense of his environment. Out of the blackness appeared two distant orbs of light. What was it? It looked like the orbs he had seen a few minutes ago. Was this a Gikkie Bokker? It was too far off in the distance to make it out properly. As he forced himself to relax, he became aware of a faint noise in the distance. It sounded like steam spurting out of a broken pipe. It was getting louder.

The orbs of light were changing too, they were not yellowy white like what he saw in the bushes nor red like that of the Spungle - but seemed mostly yellow with the odd trace of black at the centre. The orbs moved together but erratically as if whatever they belonged to was looking for something. The noise level was also increasing. It was not steam. It was being made by something alive and the more closely it got to Hugo, the more it sounded like hissing.

Slowly but surely Hugo was making out more detail but was powerless to act. He was simply floating in limbo with no perception of up or down, left or right. The hissing was occasionally interrupted by what seemed to be a woman’s voice but like it was arguing with itself.

One moment it sounded high pitched like a little girl and then it sounded deeper like a man. Hugo was more curious than anything. Suddenly

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the chattering ceased. The orbs of yellow light froze momentarily then increasing in size they seemed to have spotted Hugo.

The chattering started again. This time it was more excited and rapid.

Hugo started to panic. The orbs moved closer and instead of the random swaying aimlessly to and fro they made a beeline straight towards him.

The sound got louder. Hugo could sense something in the chattering - it was language of some sort. It was spoken too fast to clearly make out any one word but there was something familiar about it. Then Hugo recognised it. ‘Ancient Gaelic’ he thought to himself, the kind that his father would teach him as a young boy. It was a game they played together. He used to think of it as their own private language – words only they spoke to each other. Now he heard it spoken by something else and it was no longer strange. He could make out some of it. The sound grew louder and louder. The orbs seemed only feet away and the sound escalated from a random hissing and cackling to an ear-piercing screech! ‘iiiivvvve founnd hiiiimmmm!!!, the heir of Alastair is herrrre!’

Hugo could feel an icy breath on his face the large yellow orbs unblinking barely a foot away from his own eyes, he felt surrounded by a massive blanket of silk. Something was flowing past him.

Just then, an icy pain darted through his chest. Hugo roared. The pain in his chest felt like it had been burst open. A huge encompassing howl of delight pierced the blackness. Hugo thought for a moment he

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could almost make out fangs and blue lips smiling perversely. Hugo felt his faculties fading, his eyes twitching and his body going limp in the void. Then a gasp was heard, from the hideous being echoing throughout the darkness.

He could hear another sound - this time it was comforting. It was the deep booming voice of a man, something akin to a powerful priest - dispensing faith from a pulpit, strong but serene, powerful and comforting. It spoke in Ancient Gaelic too.

‘Torment him no longer, foul trickster of the earthly senses. You will not steal his mind like you swindled mine! Your prison beckons you.

Be gone you formless fiend and face your Nemesis!’

The crone like chattering screeched one last cry and this time it had fear in its voice. Everything went utterly black.

Hugo awoke lying on his back in his bed at Vinnie’s house. He remembered nothing of how he got there. He felt oddly refreshed, in spite of his vision but troubled at how he could not account for the lost time. He felt his chest where the pain was in his dream. Yet there was no mark or trace of injury. Was it a dream? Did it happen at all? He was determined to get to the bottom of all this. He knew there was a great deal that Eimhir and Brianag were not telling him. He would have accepted their plea to not delve any further but they also mentioned his father. He had to know what all the effort was about to keep the truth from him. So many things started to fall into place - his father

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never letting him into the Grandane Inn, elderly guardians of a magic land revealing smidgeons of information about his father and a torturous vision of a hideous entity speaking Ancient Gaelic accusing him of being an heir to a person called Alastair. He hoped he was not going down the same path as mad old Harry so he resolved to get to the bottom of it.

He wanted a holiday and an adventure to rekindle his spirit and thus far all he was doing was causing chaos and he seemed to be woven into events over which he had no control. He lifted his bulky frame off the bed and went downstairs to make breakfast. All he knew was that he had to be at the Grandane Inn that evening and he would know more then, he had to ask more questions. At the back of his mind was the urge to prepare for battle and load up on as much heavy hunting rifles as he could. He laughed to himself at such a silly notion the thing that pursued him was larger than a small building and could swallow a car in one go, what use would rifles be?

Hugo passed the time repairing what he could of his badly wrecked Bentley. It relaxed him and gave him time to collect his thoughts. Going over all the information he had in his head – from what he had already learned and what he thought he needed to know, he formalised a plan.

He would simply show up at the Grandane Inn that evening and listen to whatever the sisters had to say. He wouldn’t say much at all and would let them do the talking. No doubt, they would have much they wanted to clear up with him. The conversation would take its own course after

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that. The day passed soon enough and Hugo changed his clothes and left for the Pub. There were a few unfamiliar faces hanging around the entrance to the pub, holding pints of lager in their hands. Hugo thought they looked familiar, maybe even from his old hunting escapades but matters were too important to exchange pleasantries. Inside the Pub was jammed packed full of people. They were strangers, mostly in their late twenties, wearing hunting gear. Hugo knew it was open season on the other side of the peninsula, but this end was protected land – a wildlife sanctuary.

Hunting down this end was strictly prohibited. The merry group were loud and greatly outnumbered the elderly locals. Brianag and Eimhir were not there. Instead, to Hugo’s amusement, was the solitary figure of mad old Harry who was busy serving pints behind the bar and getting very flustered from work he was not accustomed to. Hugo waded through the bar and sat in front of Harry.

‘I’d never thought I’d see the day when a priest was serving demon drink behind a bar’ Hugo chuckled. Harry sneered at him, nearly spilling a pint over the counter.

‘Hugo! It’s Eimhir and Brianag! They are exhausted and are in the back recovering’ ‘Recovering from what?’ asked Hugo. Harry moved closer to Hugo and spoke as low as possible.

‘Last night facing down that beast drained them of energy and they

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were already very weak from the previous time!’

Hugo’s eyes popped open wide ‘It’s been out before? I’m amazed what happened last night wasn’t on the news. How did it go unnoticed back then? What happened?’

Harry looked very sad.

‘It was a very long time ago Hugo and very complicated. Sit and drink for a moment. We shall talk soon. I’ve asked for help for behind the bar and I won’t be long once it comes’ Hugo noticed that Harry was a lot calmer, almost as if being with the two elderly sisters, and facing the Spungle, had restored some of his faculties.

Hugo blankly stared into the pint Harry handed him. The door of the pub opened and in came a tall gangly man with a quiff of jet-black hair topped off with a large moustache. His face was ragged and weatherbeaten. He wore an old check shirt with rolled up sleeves revealing very powerful forearms and a set of tattoos. His presence quietened the loutish din of the younger customers. The older regulars smiled in comfort at him, this was definitely the help. The tall man went straight behind the bar and boomed out amicably ‘Harry me boy I’ll be serving now, you can take the rest of the night off!, thanks very kindly for all your help!’

Harry nodded amiably, and went over to Hugo.

‘Come with me Hugo!’ said Harry gesturing to the front door.

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Outside the Grandane Inn was noisy. The young men on the hunting trip got a stern look from Hugo. They were unwanted company, and they left awkwardly and in a rush back inside to the bar.

‘Harry what’s going on with Brianag and Eimhir? Are they trying to avoid me?’

‘No not at all, but they will need time to heal’ ‘Hmm, healing implies that they were injured; what are you leaving out of the story Harry?’

‘Nu Nuh Nothing!’

The bearlike frame of the world’s greatest hunter was getting roused.

‘Right then, tell the sisters when you see them next to arrange a time to talk at their convenience. In the meantime, you’re coming with me to the Bay!’ All traces of Harry’s calmness vanished in an instant. Looking straight into Hugo’s eyes with fear he reverted back to his maniacal self, Hugo spoke before Harry had a chance to explode, ‘I’ll not be cheated out of seeing the little fur-balls! My entire house was eaten by a hairy freak, your two lady friends made mention of my Dad, teasing me about his past and saying nothing of substance and then not showing up to tell me the whole picture. You owe me little man, bring me this one last time to that magic Bay and we’ll part amicably!’

Harry stood motionless a look of despair on his face, he finally replied.

‘Hugo there is more to all of this than your seeing right now. Brianag

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and Eimhir are the only ones who can tell you were your Father went those long years ago!’

Hugo snapped!

‘I’m tired of all of you talking loads and saying nothing. Either tell me straight out what happened to him or bring me to the Bay. Its your choice but if ya refuse me I’ll take an amulet myself and go there and don’t dare try to stop me!’

Harry went into a loud panic.

‘Your just a child compared to what awaits you out there! Your Father was a far more cautious and wiser man than you are now and he still fell in battle!’

Hugo cut Harry short.

‘Fell in Battle?’

He snarled grabbing Harry by his sweater lifting him off his feet with a single arm.

‘Ah no noo don’t be so hasty he loved you and did everything to protect you and others from what was unearthed’ Hugo paused for a moment and then let Harry go, he gave up.

He would ask no more questions of the old man. Every question he asked resulted in an increasingly more bizarre answer leading to more questions.

‘Forget it Harry! No more stories. Bring me over to the Bay and show me them and I promise that’s the last you’ll see of me there’

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‘Your equipped to hunt judging by your belt and provisions’ Harry pointed to Hugo’s backpack and hunting belt (which was indeed equipped with torchlight and various pockets full of gadgets).

‘Do you see a gun on me anywhere?’ snorted Hugo.

‘Err no. Well in light of the suffering you’ve gone through, some of it my fault, I’ll take you there but it will be tomorrow evening. It is the last night of the full moon. It will give Brianag and Eimhir more time to rest and you can ask them all the questions you want upon our return.

Once again I must warn you. Take and disturb nothing and be silent.

Meet me at this same hour tomorrow’ Hugo nodded, patting Harry on the shoulder and went back to his Nephews house. Once the two figures left the Grandane Inn and parted ways, a skinny elderly figure of a man peered his head around the corner of the Pub’s entrance.

‘Well Yardal! What do you think of that little conversation eh?’

The voice was creaky and well spoken - a soft upper class English accent masked an underlying menace of evil.

‘Ioid saye if ya did a bih of old fashioned detective work ya might discover a new huntin ground me lord!’

A smaller and stockier man emerged from around the corner to join his master.

‘Yes my good man, a most promising lead for us to embark upon.

Yardal return to the hotel and get ready some provisions, looks like

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we’re going on a hunt!’

A sly grin formed on the old man’s face.

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Chapter 7 - Bushwhacked The Sacred lake of stout is beautiful and serene, but after midnight should never be seen, A heaven by day, a hunting ground by night, Believe me don’t go there unless you want a fight, They come down to drink by the shores of the bay, But it’s your untimely end you’ll meet if you ever delay, All the village may cry.. “The papers said it was a shocker, Another attack by a Gikkie Bokker”

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Hugo awoke in the early hours of the morning. It dawned on him that he would be too restless during the day waiting for the meeting with Harry and his final view of the sacred Stout Lakes. He got out of his bed, changed his clothes and went downstairs. Getting into the mildly repaired Bentley, he set off for his Dublin home. The Spungle had destroyed the mansion, but his utility shed and workshop were still intact as far as he could remember. He would salvage what he could from them to fully repair his car. He also desired his best camera - as he wanted to get a good snap of the Gikkie Bokkers. If he could achieve that then everything he had gone through would have been worth it. Hugo reached his grounds around breakfast time. The Bentley barely made it over the gentle ramp up on to the front lawn of the house. Hugo was bracing himself for the bomb site that he had left but he was pleasantly surprised, half the house was rebuilt.

‘What on earth?’

He smiled and gasped at the same time. It must have been Boginold.

No doubt he had organised a team of builders to do the work and said nothing to him about it. He must have returned to check on the house and saw the damage.

‘Well done me boyo’ He chirped and entered the almost fully repaired kitchen.

There was an odd smell of Stout everywhere. He was prepared to forgive anyone for drinking on the job if they did this kind of Spartan

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work. Only a full day had passed since the Spungle attack. Boginold must have employed hundreds of men to achieve so much in such a short space of time. Hugo smiled and began to make breakfast with the provisions in the fridge looking forward to repairing his car. The strange thing was though, there were no men working on the site. It was odd.

Toying with the car was great fun. Hugo had spares for everything even a full body shell replacement. By mid day the Bentley was fully repaired. Hugo made a cup of tea and unboxed his prized camera that he used to bring with him on hunting trips. Placing it in his rucksack in the passenger seat of the gleaming Bentley he took a big swig of tea from his cup with one hand and called Boginold on his mobile phone with the other.

‘Boginold? Hello, ha ha how are you doing my friend’ What’s it like babysitting an entire family?’

‘Greetings Master Hugo we are having a most pleasant time. Vinnie and Claudia send their regards to you and the little ones are having a wonderful time of it. May I be so bold as to enquire where are you now?

You had me most worried with your last phone call’ ‘Boginold I’m fine and I’m back in Dublin for the evening. I’m making one last visit to Wexford and then returning for good. I miss ya me aul buddy. Wexford’s been dull without ya!’ He smiled to himself.

‘Well I’m delighted to hear that all is well. Shall I bring the gang back to the mansion?’

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‘Err no Boginold, the team of builders you hired did an incredible job rebuilding most of the house but it’s still not safe enough for the kids to run about in’ Hugo chuckled but here was silence on the phone.

‘Boginold are you there, can ya hear me?’

‘Yes Sir I do, but you have me puzzled. It’s like this, I’m afraid I’ve hired no builders to repair the house, did it need some repairs? I assure you I left the house in pristine condition before we left for Wexford together. You were with me when we departed, don’t you remember?’

Hugo’s complexion whitened for a moment then returned to its rosycheeked pallor and forced a smile to not alarm Boginold.

‘Ah I‘m just pulling your leg me auld pal, the house got err damaged in a thunderstorm so I’ve hired a few builders to remodel it a bit’ Despite his efforts he still came off as nervous and bumbling.

‘Most peculiar Sir, however I’m sure your builders have done an admirable job. When shall I bring back you’re in laws master Hugo?’

Hugo grew stern faced.

‘Em, I tell ya what; I’m paying you quadruple time to look after them for another few days, I’ve er underestimated the scope of work that will need to be done over here, what do you say Matey?’

‘Sir of course I will do it. I quite fancy overtime and I very much relish the idea of visiting the Alps. Those extra funds will come in just fine’ Hugo was relieved.

‘Ata Boy Boginold, I’ll ring you when I return from Wexford as I’m

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about to leave now’ ‘Take care master Hugo. Enjoy your time down there, good bye for now’ Hugo placed the phone slowly in his pocket.

Confusion and frustration overcame him, who rebuilt the house and so quickly? He started walking up and down in his workshop and was thinking hard. There was a smell of Stout in the house, the same smell he had noticed when he was made a fool of by a Gikkie Bokker that he never saw, and it was also present during the Spungle attack. He decided to act rather than to work himself up any longer. He jumped into his fully repaired Bentley and drove off through his grounds towards his mansion gates. He was deep in thought – thinking of who he could ask about this most peculiar situation when he noticed a slight rustling of bushes to his left hand side just before he reached the main gates.

Something was going on and he felt he was being toyed with. The Bentley sped out of the mansion gates towards Wexford.

An old black Rolls Royce slowly pulled up outside the gates, keeping Hugo’s Bentley just in view. It was the old hunter and his stocky servant.

They had been watching Hugo with interest.

‘Yardal it’s time to have some fun’ It was the well-spoken man dressed in hunting gear not to dissimilar from Hugo’s, ‘Is everything in order?’

‘Yes me lord, I’ve set up the hunting tent hidden amongst the boulders

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on the beach just out of sight of the Bay. You’ll be able to spy on them from the biggest sand dune’ ‘Oh Yardal my good man, I intend to do far more than spy. You heard Hugo’s crazy companion. If there is a sliver of truth in his ramblings, we could bag an as yet to be discovered piece of wildlife and I fully intend to be famous for killing it’ He said menacingly to his servant ‘Then I’ll get one up on that scoundrel Hugo. Imagine it Yardal; I trained him, yes for years I treated him like my own then he turns his back on his profession. Pah! Swearing that he will hunt no more and that killing is wrong except in self-defence, what a load of nonsense.

He’s the greatest marksman who has ever lived but he’s lost his edge.

Curse that Boginold Slicktache for filling his head full of morality. All those years of hard toil on his behalf went down the drain. He’ll kick himself when I get to these creatures first’ Yardal was taken aback by the anger in his masters voice but he yelped back in compliance his soft English country accent shaking slightly with fear.

‘Yes Lord Reginold. We had bettur get goin. That car of his packs sum power under its bonnet’ Nothing more was said and the Rolls Royce sped off in pursuit of Hugo’s car.

A sense of ease came over Hugo as he pulled into Vinnie’s house for what he felt for sure would be the last time. Whatever knowledge Eimhir

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and Brianag had they were prepared to share it and he was sure Harry would be passing on to his Amulet bearing companions how angry he was the previous night that none of his questions were answered. He really hoped he would get a sense of finality and peace about his Father, or at the very least see a bigger piece of the picture. He tried to blot out Harry’s half answers. They lead nowhere. His father falling in battle? What on earth was he talking about? He thought to himself, Henry MacNiadh and Hugo were inseparable. He idolised his father.

He couldn’t even recall a time when he was not by Henry’s side. How could a man who always tried to show him that violence was never the answer be in a battle and over what? He checked himself just in time before he lost his temper, peace came over him as he thought about visiting the Bay again. He didn’t care about the Spungle. He thought he would get a few good shots of the Gikkie Bokkers with his camera and then be on his way. Perhaps some fur samples and a mould of their footprints would be a great bonus. He would love the attention in the media but he decided that he would never tell anyone of the magical nature of the Bay or the sacred Stout lakes. His line would be to take credit for discovering a new species of animal and cash in on the fame.

The whole Bay was a protected sanctuary reserve so he knew there would be a limit to visitors there which meant he would put himself in a position where he was always to be the single point of reference for all tourism for the creatures. That way they would be known without being

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disturbed. He smiled to himself getting out of the car and making his way down to the Grandane Inn. He was early, just in time for a quick pint before he would make history.

The Rolls Royce’s elderly frame took longer than Reginold had expected to reach Grandane.

‘There’s his car parked at his relatives house, good!, He must be in the pub! Drive directly to the beach Yardal!’ Reginold curled is moustache in anticipation.

‘Remember when I follow them to set up a small camp on the Bay itself but keep your distance. Take the large binoculars in our camp on the beach with you and keep an eye on me at all times, but do not interfere with anything. We may only get one shot at these things everything must go tickity boo my friend!’

Reginold’s dull companion shifted awkwardly in his seat ‘Yes Sire, I’ve taken care of evereeee-tin, I’ve even brought the taxidermy stuff so you can stuff one of them and mount it in a glass case’ Hugo waited expectantly for Harry on the stool nearest the door right next to the window. He would spot him coming from a good distance away. Smiling to himself he wondered what these creatures would look like. Sipping the pint poured for him by the new barman, Razzer Magintey, he decided not to engage in too much banter with him. He was polite but standoffish. The man must have known Harry and the sisters for a good while. Harry was very comfortable around him the

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previous evening and Hugo wasn’t sure how much the man knew about what was going on. He appeared to be a very amiable man but Hugo decided to take no chances and settled into polite chitchat with him to pass the time away. Before he sunk the last of his pint Harry’s face appeared in the window. Hugo got a mild fright.

‘Creepy old man’ he said under his breath.

‘I’ll see ya tomorrow night Razzer. Thanks for the pint, have a great evening’ Hugo went outside and took Harry’s hand and shook it heartily.

‘All right Harry sorry I’ve been a bit of a narkey git. I’ll behave meself tonight, are ya ready for a walk to the Bay?’ Harry looked at him sternly.

‘Yes Hugo, remember what you promised, you swore..’ Hugo cut him off mid sentence.

‘Yeah, Yeah I get it. I’ll behave. Come on old man I’ve brought some provisions with me and a flask of your favourite whiskey which will not be going anywhere but your way’ Harry smiled politely. He seemed a little more in control of himself tonight. They both started walking up to the Bay along the old road.

The moon seemed at its brightest, the air was fresh and their talking was complimented by the sound of Grandane frogs calling each other in the distance. Harry retraced their steps for the last time, gesturing for Hugo to stay in the same spot. Then, taking out his amulet, Harry uttered the

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spell.

‘My motives are pure, my faith is unshaken cast forward the gate lest I am forsaken!’

The Amulet began to ignite around his neck. With a flash of light the rippling portal shimmered into view in front of them. Hugo and Harry leapt in and reappeared on the other side, exactly in the same spot as before. Hugo took in a deep breath of the sweet air and listened to the chorus of strange flying creatures swooping and rolling right above their heads. There was a peace around the Stout lakes like the whole Bay was a living thing in itself and it knew that all the chaos of the last few days was over. Walking through the marshes he noticed even more unusual plants and strange mushrooms that glowed. He knew that if he visited the sacred lakes a thousand times than a thousand times he would see something new as there was so much richness and life there.

Hugo looked at Harry. He was a full head height shorter than Hugo and he was saying nothing just looking ahead at the hill of grass overlooking the first of the larger lakes.

‘Harry I’ve brought a camera with me. Can I take a few snap shots of them?’

Harry didn’t move his head to acknowledge the question, a moment later he responded.

‘I’m not happy Hugo that you’re going to do that, but I’m not going to stop you as long you don’t show them to anyone. You’ve had a hard

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time down here already and I really do wish that you can make peace with all of this and come out of the Bay a wiser man’ ‘Well I’ll be the wiser once I speak to your two guardian friends, they’ll tell me everything right?’

Harry again didn’t move his head, simply stepping onto the base of the Hill and looking upwards.

‘That depends on what they’ve been allowed to tell you’ Hugo looked puzzled.

‘You mean there is someone else in charge of them? How far does this rabbit hole go Harry, I mean were does all of this end?’

Harry kept gazing at the Hill in front of them pausing for a moment.

‘You’ll know well enough after tonight my boy, here we are. Do what you must and come back down to me when you’re finished’ Hugo patted Harry on the shoulder.

‘Thank you Harry, I’ll be a couple of minutes’ With that, he left the former priest and climbed up the hill stopping just below the top and got out his camera. There was silence. Harry was expecting at least a gasp of amazement from up on the hill but there was no sound from Hugo at all. He decided to fold his arms and simply wait for Hugo to do whatever he planned doing. Time passed and Harry grew concerned.

‘You’re not going to be too much longer, are you Hugo?’

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Harry shouted out from the base of the hill, there was no reply. Harry turned around and looked up to where Hugo should have been, but there was no sign of Hugo anywhere.

‘HuHugoooo! What on earth? Where are you?’

Harry shouted out with more conviction. The former priest bolted up the hill onto the crest and stared into the beyond. Two hundred yards away was the mischievous figure of Hugo marching deep into the lakes.

‘Hugo you scoundrel! Come back this instant. Are you never satisfied?’

His voice carried across the lakes with authority.

‘Ha Ha Ha.. SUCKER!’ Hugo chuckled to himself coming to a halt and turning around to face Harry.

‘Harry your pullin me leg for the last time, there was nothing here, no Gikkie Bokkers!, I’m gonna grab one of those flying thingamajigs and take some snaps of it instead. It’s an undiscovered animal too so at least I won’t leave here empty handed!’

Harry slid down the hill in Hugo’s direction and proceeded to briskly march as fast as he could while allowing for the soft soil and dense foliage in places.

‘Hugo I beg you, take your photograph’s and come back with me now’ There were sweat beads pouring down Harry’s face. The Lakes were

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emitting heat, which only added to the tropical environment.

‘I’ll drop back when I’m ready! Go back to the portal and I’ll meet you there shortly’ Harry was halfway to Hugo by now.

‘Don’t venture any further into these lakes I warn you’ Harry’s voice was by now trembling. A large flotilla of clouds passed overhead that covered the entire Bay in darkness.

‘Ah relax old man, I’ll be only a little while longer’ He took his flashlight off his belt and switched it on. The clouds partially reflected the glow of the Lake giving some light but Hugo was deeper into brambles and tall grass and it was getting difficult to see the ground.

‘Hugo MacNiadh for the last time come back or I swear you’ll never know a thing about why your father vanished!’

‘Vanished?’ Hugo froze. His lip started to curl up into a snarl.

‘You told me that he fell in battle, now you’re telling me he vanished, and that there were Gikkie Bokker things along the Bay – and none of it is true. Why am I to believe you now? No wonder you’re an ex priest, you’ve no Integrity!’

‘Integrity?’ Harry shouted back.

‘You talk to me about integrity and you’re the one who has never obeyed any of our instructions. You smile and say you will and that you are sorry and then blatantly go against your word as soon as you possibly can. You are clearly not the man Lord Henry MacNiadh had

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so much faith in as a child. You’re not capable of taking on his mantle, and you’re not ready for the burden of this place!’

Harry was nearly foaming at the mouth with rage. Hugo noticed a rustling of grass and hedges to his left but was too angry to turn away from Harry’s outraged glare. The two men were now face to face, glowering at each other.

‘You’re no man to be telling me how to conduct myself. I’ve walked over this entire Earth and I didn’t just hunt, I’ve helped people too!’

Hugo protested. Harry looked right back him disappointedly.

‘How? by shooting unruly animals? You’ve spent most of your life filling creatures full of lead. Henry spent so much time educating and training you to be more than that. I baptised you and was never far away from you if you landed in trouble! We had so much hope for you’ Hugo paused in amazement. He was not the religious type but that religious act counted for something. At the very least it signified love from his father but he could not believe his father had never told him about any of this. He wiped a tear from his eye. Hurt and confused Hugo lashed back, distracted by more rustling and a faint trace of movement coming closer on his left he poked a finger into Harry’s chest, ‘you’re in danger of a flat nose pal, quit talking about me Daa or I’ll burst ya!’

Harry was scared but full of resolve.

‘That Reginold scoundrel got his claws into you at too early an age.

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You preferred to take the quick and easy path he laid out before you instead of looking more deeply at things like your Father encouraged you to. Hugo life – all forms of life - are not play things, just because something can’t walk upright and doesn’t speak your language does not make it fair game!’

‘You are missing dispensing wisdom from the pulpit aren’t ya? Well bugger off and leave me be. I’ll be a few more minutes as long as you don’t torment me any longer alright pal?’

Harry had had enough and snapped grabbing Hugo by the arms with surprising force.

‘You’re coming with me now or I swear I’ll curse you for the rest of your earthly days!’

The tension between the pair was transforming into full-blown fury, Hugo’s breathing became more like a Bull snorting.

‘Get your hands off me pipsqueak!’

Hugo grabbed Harry by his collar about to thump him on the face with a massive paw like fist when a massive crackling boom erupted around them. The nearby mound of soil and brambles that the rustling noise was coming from exploded into dust. A small dark shape flew upwards so quickly it was a blur. Out of the explosion it flew emitting a yelp of pain and landed behind a small outcrop of rocks twenty feet away.

Hugo did not know whether to turn to face the sound of the explosion or to look over at the strange creature that was hurled out of the bushes.

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Hugo’s hunting skills kicked in. His reflexes were on overdrive.

Seconds felt like hours to him his senses tuning into his environment to trace the source of danger. The sound he knew was from some sort of firearm; a massively powerful one yet very old, something familiar in its noise and then the smell was unmistakable. It was a custom doublebarrelled blunderbuss gun using old gunpowder. Only one man used such a weapon - but it was impossible. It could not be happening here!

He couldn’t be here.

‘Be still you little Scallywag!’

A raspy old English accent shouted out from behind an old tree trunk just to Hugo’s right hand side.

‘Reginold what the hell are you doing? Put that bleedin gun down.

You don’t know what you’re going to wake up!’

The old man stepped fully from behind the tree trunk aiming his massive gun in Hugo’s direction.

‘Get your pudgy mass out of the way!’

Hugo realised Reginold was aiming beyond them but showed no regard for Hugo or Harry’s safety. Harry was curled up in a foetal position on the ground his hands over his ears crying. Hugo turned his head quickly towards the rocks were the wounded creature was. There was a shivering mumbling and sobbing noise coming from it.

Whatever it was it sounded very young and terrified. He could not make out the creatures shape in the gloom as he stepped into Reginold’s

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path.

‘I don’t know how you sneaked your way into this place but you’ve no idea how much danger we are all now in. Put that gun down now, your life depends on it!’

Hugo saw the hatred in Reginold’s eyes. The old man squinted taking aim once more. Hugo had to duck out of the way. ‘BOOOMM!’ Hugo felt the massive lead shot whizz over his head making a burn mark on his hunting cap. The mound of rocks where the creature was hiding exploded into shards of singed rock. ‘Drat!’ snarled Reginold, walking briskly towards Hugo.

The creature was now visible, bathed soft blue in the re-emerging moonlight. It was not much larger than an adult hare. It had muscular cat like legs with long claws on large paws covered in a down like soft white fur. The body was slightly bulbous and patchy dark brown with a white patch of belly fur. Four white fur covered arms with large hands and long claws protruded from its muscular shoulders topped off with an almost rabbit like head but with two huge yellow fangs protruding from its mouth. The eyes were luminous yellow and black like an owl with angular tufts of fur forming an intense brow above the eyes. Its nose and snout were more angular like a Doberman Pincer dog with two appendages just above the nostrils, topped off with small glowing yellow eyeballs that looked around independently of the two larger eyes.

It was an amazingly odd looking creature, vicious looking in form but

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helpless and afraid quivering in a small crater of debris left over from the blast of Reginold’s massive weapon.

‘Ahh! There you are my little hunting trophy!’

Reginold grinned walking slowly towards the creature. Hugo stood up from the ground and placed himself between the creature and his old mentor.

‘Give it up Reginold. You’re digging yourself deeper into trouble every minute you’re here. Leave the poor thing alone!’

‘Not likely my good fellow!’

Reginold reloaded his antique weapon and aimed it once more at the creature stepping over the gibbering frame of Harry. The little creature came too, out of its pain, and jumped into the air with a loud squeak and landed on top of Hugo’s powerful shoulders. Holding onto his head and shaking with fright, it’s claws retracted as if it meant Hugo no harm but even still it’s grip was uncomfortable and Hugo winced slightly.

His old mentor stood directly in front of him, the old man’s gun just a foot away from Hugo’s face.

‘Either help me shoot the creature or get out of my way because I may just shoot you if you hinder me’ Reginold snarled. Hugo felt the four furry arms clinging onto him even tighter like the loving grip of a child. He paused thinking to himself intently. ‘This was a mad situation’.

‘So Hugo! Are you with me or against me?’

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His old tutor snarled at him. Without a hint of warning, Hugo raised his flashlight over his head and flung it with tremendous force at Reginold.

The flashlight slammed into the old man’s gun forcing it to knock against his head.

‘Against Ya!’ shouted Hugo. Reginold fell stunned on top of Harry.

‘Come on Harry run for it!’

Hugo dragged Harry by the arm from underneath Reginold and they ran off into the mist of the lakes with the creature still gripping Hugo’s head.

‘My amulet, it’s gone!’ shouted Harry.

‘Forget about it for the moment. Just keep your voice down. We’ve got to find somewhere to hide and will you please tell me what on earth this thing is on top of my head!’

‘It’s pretty obvious it’s a Gikkie Bokker, a young one at that. So are you satisfied now after all this commotion that you’ve not just found one but it seems to like you too?’

The creature grabbed a branch off a nearby tree they passed and tried to wipe away the footsteps that they were leaving in the soil while still perched on Hugo’s head.

‘Well ten out of ten pal for the effort, I’m impressed!’ smiled Hugo amazed at the young Gikkie Bokkers intelligence.

‘We will head over to the wreckage of the shipwreck on the far shore.

I think I can navigate us over there and we can hold up in there until that old fart loses interest’. Harry rolled up his eyes in disbelief.

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‘For someone so bright, you really don’t cop on very quickly do you?

He can’t get back on his own. Only somebody wearing an amulet can reopen the portal and I’ve dropped it!’

‘Alright then. I suggest that we hold up at the shipwreck and I’ll fashion some weapons or something useful and I’ll try to get us out of this mess. Just let’s get to safety first then we can decide what to do and how to get this thing off me head! We need to check it for injury too and see if there is anything we can do for it’ ‘There is no safe place in these lands once you’ve trespassed! We are blessed to be alive and you’re bringing us closer to the Spungles domain!’ Hugo stopped for a moment.

‘You’ve got a point. How come we’ve not heard from it after all the chaos?’

‘I don’t know Hugo but just pray it stays that way!’

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Chapter 8 - Family Heir Looms ‘From generation to generation things pass, Precious items from days past, Are we worthy of them to receive?

Time will tell, it’s a mystery.’

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The old man opened his eyes, his face half submerged in marshy soil smelling of fine Stout. Slowly he got to his feet and opened his water flask emptying the contents over his face to cool himself. ‘Ouch!’ He winced and touched his cheekbone. His custom blunderbuss left a large bruise on his face when it smacked against him. He scanned the nearby ground. The weapon was just in front of him. Staggering over to the huge blunderbuss he picked it out of the Stout saturated soil.

‘I’ve found the amulet they were talking about Master!’

Reginold whipped around pointing the gun in the direction of the voice.

‘I thought I told you to stay put over at the portal entrance! Yardal you stupid fool, don’t mess this up for me!’

‘I’m sorry Sir Oil nevur do tha again!’ Yardal sheepishly bowed.

‘Hmm well you’ve actually done well despite your bungling. You’ve got the amulet so we can get home regardless of what happens out here, but I’m going to bag that creature, it actually exists, did you spot it?’

‘Yes oof course Sir oive spotted it with me telescope and it will look lovely stuffed on your wall!’

‘It will make me richer than an oil tycoon Yardal. Now listen to me one last time, get back to the camp at the entrance of the portal and bring the amulet with you and stay there for the love of God! They will have realised it is missing by now and come looking for it’ Reginold’s steely blue eyes pierced into Yardal’s dull black eyes. His master meant business and everyone and everything was expendable

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including him.

‘Sir oil not let yuudow-unn’ ‘Good Yardal, good. Now take off and don’t venture into this place no matter what you hear!’

Yardal said nothing just bowed his head and skulked off towards the portal with the amulet in his hand.

It hadn’t always been like this. Reginold had been good to him over the years and he had made a good living from being his manservant. He could have worked elsewhere, but he had grown fond of the old man.

Over the course of the last year he had noticed that the old man had become more impatient and short fused with him and his other servants.

It all seemed to start after his master saw his former protégé in the newspapers claiming he had retired from hunting. He had trained the young Hugo very well. Perhaps he felt that all of his efforts had gone to waste – a waste of a tremendous talent. Yardal was fond of Hugo too.

It seemed so odd that events had conspired to put them against their old student. After all, they had been on countless hunting expeditions together and were once very close indeed, especially since the day that Hugo’s father had vanished. Yardal paused for a moment to take in the view. He dipped the amulet into a small pool of Stout cleaning off the soil. The amulet sent several charges of energy through the pool making it ripple. He had never seen such a wonderful piece of jewellery. The moon emblem over the two female warriors was gently pulsating with

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light. He started to walk again with the strange warble of furry flying creatures in the distance. It was so relaxing that he did not want to ever leave the place. Finally he came to the small camp he had set up and he took out his binoculars and tried to spot his master. Way off in the distance amongst patches of mist and glowing Stout he could just make out the skinny figure of Reginold, slowly weaving in and out of small bushes and rocks tracking down his quarry.

‘This is very strange, we should be seeing loads of them by now! the Bay should be alive with their singing and merriment’ said Harry.

Hugo looked around the ground they stood upon.

‘There’s loads of footprints and they are all heading over towards the far shoreline. We’ve not long to go before we get to the shipwreck.

Where are they going off to Harry? I don’t want to bump into a load of angry Gikkie Bokkers’ ‘They never miss their evening collection of Stout, something strange is happening. Hugo we are best to hurry into the ship’ They were only a hundred yards from the shipwreck. It was hundreds of years old. The sails were wiped away by storms. The entire body of the vessel was cracked in two and tilted almost sideways along the shore.

Still slightly submerged in the frothy Stout there was no way of getting on board on their side of the wreck. The young Gikkie Bokker raised its eyestalks and craned its head into the air, taking a slight sniff

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of the mist rolling in from the shore. It squeaked faintly and started to tremble. Hugo wished it would jump down from his shoulders but was afraid to upset it any further. The creature seemed to read his mind and it jumped off him and landed gingerly onto the ground.

There was a slight rumble and a faint but deep grunting off in the distance. Hugo surmised the young creature must have heard it before him and it worried him. The sound seemed to be carried from over the lush hills overlooking the shoreline just before the forest. Amidst the deep grunting, Hugo could make out a fainter sound of high-pitched yelping and chanting. He looked down at the small creature. It looked like a small boy who had done something bold and was not sure how to tell it’s parents, then it looked right up at Hugo with its large owl like eyes and pointed at the ship and uttered a strange gurgling noise.

Hugo did not know what to make of it. It sounded like a language, a conversation even, but was uttered too fast to make anything out. The Gikkie Bokker spoke again, only this time, a bit more slowly.

‘Onaruuuve Plomok!’

It was still pointing to the shipwreck.

‘Harry do you know what it’s saying?’ asked Hugo.

‘I’ve lost the gift! I used to speak freely amongst them but the language left me since I lost my faith. They barely tolerate my presence here’ It was just another sentence leading to more questions than answers thought Hugo to himself. Before Hugo could reply, the young Gikkie

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Bokker interrupted him.

‘Leetzz goe!’ Hugo smiled.

‘Well done pal, Harry I hope ya understood that, he wants us to follow him to that shipwreck’ Harry bowed his head sadly missing the old alliance he once had with the creatures. The rumbles and grunts grew louder. The young Gikkie Bokker leaped into the frothy Stout and swam incredibly fast up to the boats cracked hull. Then it looked back at Hugo and shouted again...

‘Letz Goe!’ and then dived underneath the Stout vanishing from sight leaving glowing ripples of energy in its wake.

‘I guess we go for a swim Harry. There must be a hole in the hull or we are in big trouble!’

The sound of a loud howl tore through the air and deep-thumping noises followed it.

‘That Spungle thing is on the loose again. Come on Harry, we need to go for a dip in the Stout’ With that Hugo waded into the magical liquid and made his way to the spot that the Gikkie Bokker had vanished from sight. Harry followed slowly behind him. Hugo disappeared under the Stout but Harry hesitated. How could he be sure where he was swimming to, as the liquid was black, save for a few wisps of energy streaking throughout? There was no visibility at all. Suddenly Hugo’s hand shot

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out of the black liquid and grabbed Harry’s arm pulling him underneath the surface. Seconds later they both emerged inside the ship’s hull.

‘Give me a second Harry. Hopefully this thing still works especially after its been lashed against my old teachers skull’ Hugo fiddled with his torch and it finally lit up. They were in what looked like the ships store room, full of old wooden barrels and damaged chests. The air was very humid and the aroma of Stout was very strong.

Suddenly the torchlight failed plunging them back into darkness.

‘Ah damn, I can’t see what to hold onto to get us out of the Stout.

Where did that little fella run off to?’

As if reading his mind, two orbs of white light appeared a short distance away from him and the familiar sounds of light footsteps plodded along in his direction.

‘Little fella, I don’t suppose you can fix torch lights by any chance?’

Hugo asked sincerely, facing towards the glowing eyestalks of the young creature. He heard a little murmur and some breathing then he felt little hands gently take the broken torchlight out of his hands. After a few seconds the creature spoke out loud...

‘MokMok Quibble Bee Beep’ The slanted storeroom lit up once more while the Gikkie Bokker held the repaired flashlight.

‘How did it do that?’ asked Hugo.

Harry was too busy hanging onto an overhanging broken plank of wood

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trying to pull himself out of the Stout to notice. Hugo grabbed the nearest floorboard and pulled himself onto the floor of the room. He felt somewhat disoriented looking around.

He was level but the room was nearly diagonal. It would be a chore to navigate through the leaning ship but he felt the need to explore. The Gikkie Bokker handed Hugo back his flashlight and gestured towards the open door in the corner of the room, then with one jump hurled itself through the opening into the dark.

Hugo sighed. Even with his strength, it would be difficult to climb the slippery floor. The door frame was more like a window ledge because of the angle it was above Hugo and Harry. They both could hear the pitter-pattering of small paw like feet scurrying around in the dark.

With a small squeak of delight from the creature a long thick ships rope emerged from the opening above them.

‘Excellent work little fella!’ smiled Hugo, climbing up first onto the next level.

It was much dryer and cooler than the pool below. He offered his stocky hand to Harry who gratefully accepted its grip pulling him up onto the floor beside Hugo.

‘Amazing, this level barely looks damaged at all, this must be the living quarters’ The area was covered in cobwebs and dust but was structurally sound. ‘I think he wants us to follow him again’ offered Harry pointing

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to the creature.

‘I think we are safe here little guy where are you bringing us now?’

Hugo said softly like he was speaking to a child. The creature was tapping its foot insistently, egging them both on to follow him up another level. ‘Ah okay then little fella, lead on’ The little Gikkie Bokker walked them up a small flight of stairs into a large cabin.

‘This is the Captains quarters, it looks brand new. Harry have you ever seen such a sight? A museum curator would love to get hold of this ship, it’s a fine place to be resting up in’ The room was immaculate. There was no dust just the furniture and loose items collected by gravity down to one end of the wall and slightly tipped against the floor.

‘We have come so far but we will never find our way back. The Spungle will surely eat us if we venture outside’ Hugo ignored Harry and began to search the room. He came across an ornamented set of bookcases built into the far wall. Most of the books were tipped out of them. Old paintings still clung onto the walls, some of which had portraits of people who seemed familiar to Hugo.

Hugo riffled through the books, mostly naval books and natural history.

‘Definitely an explorer of some kind’ muttered Hugo to himself.

He turned his attention to the large mahogany study desk near the door entrance. Old papers and a golden sextant were on the tables’

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edge. He opened one of the desk drawers and rummaged through it.

‘My God’, gasped Hugo.

‘The Captains Log!’ He held a thick leather covered book in both hands.

‘Forgive me Harry. You’ve done your best to explain about this place in your own way but I’ve got a feeling I’ll learn a few more things about here from this!’ Hugo smiled warmly.

‘You’re just going to stay here and read a book?’ asked Harry.

‘Well yeah, that plonker of an old hunter will soon lose his way in the lakes. It’s a bleedin maze out there. All we have to do is to sit tight and emerge at dawn. I’ll be able to backtrack our steps and we can collect the amulet and get out of here!’

‘And what if that man you know has possession of the amulet? How do you propose to take it from him? What if he has already used it?’

‘Then we are rightly stuck here’, countered Hugo.

‘That old Buzzard was never a match for me. He got me unawares last time. I’ll give him that much, but that’s because I let my guard down. I won’t be letting that happen again, believe me!’ Hugo winked.

The little Gikkie Bokker was sitting down in the far corner of the room away from the two men. It seemed to be taking in everything that they were saying. It watched them both intently, like a child would look at an animal in a zoo. It had a small but amused smirk on its mouth, Hugo noticed the creature smiling at them.

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‘You know what I’m saying! Even just a little bit, don’t you little fella?’

The Gikkie Bokker looked directly at Hugo and nodded its head sheepishly.

‘I’d love to find a way of talking to you some more. This is a lovely home you’ve got and we have plenty of time to have a chat, so I suppose let’s start by introducing myself, I’m Hugo, HUUGOOOO!’ He, good naturedly, patted himself on his chest.

‘What’s yuuur naaaame?’

Harry threw up his eyes in disbelief, the little Gikkie Bokker scurried over to Hugo and pointed at its own chest.

‘Fluke Fluke!’

It chuckled in a high-pitched voice.

‘Pleased to meet you Fluke Fluke!’ Hugo smiled warmly.

‘The man with the gun, did he hurt you?’

The Gikkie Bokker placed one of its talon wielding paws on the book and opened it for Hugo tapping on the pages.

‘Me ok Hugo. Read, yip yip, Hugo read!’ it squeaked.

Hugo glanced at the book contents, forgetting that he was talking to a different life form and there it was right before his eyes. The page read: My travels to Bokwana Island and the Rescue of the Gikkie Bokkers, by Alastair MacNiadh. Hugo nearly fell over from shock.

‘Jasus, Mary and Joseph. It’s impossible! It can’t be! It seems that

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this is me great great Granda’s Ship!’

The creature jumped up and down with glee, shouting...

‘Gikkie Bokker, Gikkie Bokker, Bokwana, Alastair! Read Hugo, Read, Alastair!’

Hugo nodded completely forgetting who was speaking to him.

‘It’s gonna take some time little fella. Jeepers, I’d love a cup of tea and warm apple crumble. You don’t have any food on ya Harry?’

Harry looked at Hugo in disbelief.

‘You are obviously out of your mind you great lump of a fool! we are not at an Inn you know?’

‘I’ll be mindful of that advice ya lanky stretch of misery’ Hugo chuckled.

Throughout their banter, Fluke Fluke had vanished. He re-emerged with a small silver teapot and a small wooden box full of tea bags. Hugo looked on at the creature in astonishment. The Gikkie Bokker placed the kettle in Hugo’s hand and placed all four of its hands onto the kettle.

‘Lumenar-brom-scald’, it muttered to itself.

Its eye stalks and owl like eyeballs illuminated the gloom. The kettle started to heat up rapidly, steam fuming up from the spout.

‘Fluke Fluke what can I say? Wow and thank you short stuff!’

He felt like pinching himself. Desperately thirsty, he placed some tea bags from the wooden box into the kettle and rested it on the floor.

He would work out where Fluke Fluke got the supplies some other

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time. Before he brewed his first cup of tea Fluke Fluke vanished from sight and came back a moment later with a plate full of strange food and handed some to Harry and Hugo. It looked like a cross between a giant wild mushroom and a loaf of bread. Hugo cautiously took a bite from one of them. His taste buds came to life instantly. It had the consistency of soft pastry and tasted like an apple and rhubarb pie. The two men tucked eagerly into their meal.

‘Gundaahh!’ uttered Fluke Fluke waving one of his arms as if he was saying farewell and he climbed up out of the cabin window into the night.

‘I guess he is off to bed. I’ve got a lot of reading to do. Find a book to read Harry and chill out. I’ll look after everything in the morning, I promise. There really isn’t anything to be worried over’ Harry’s face softened with a faint smile.

‘There is so much of your father Henry in you. As long as your heart is pure and unselfish, the way of the righteous will be opened up onto you, Good night Hugo’ He plucked a book randomly off the floor and made himself comfortable. Hugo finally relaxed sitting back against the wall eager to learn of his ancestor’s travels to a place called Bokwana Island.

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Chapter 9 - Adventures on Bokwana Island ‘Foreign lands, strange places we see Is it fiction or fantasy?

Shipwrecked and stranded are we Not alone, in time we see.’

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Wednesday June 1st - 1803, two hundred nautical miles off the coast of New Guinea.

The weather has been unusually bad the last few days. In fact it has been so bad as to hinder my navigation. These stretches of water have always born me safe and easy passage over the years. Faith has dealt me an awkward hand to play with. The one time I bring my dear Bobbert and Emily with me for a holiday, the elements turn on me.

They’re putting up a brave face God bless them but the weather has turned these waters into a Pandora’s Box of sharp wind and enormous waves. I’ve had no time till now to enter anything into my journal. If the storms continue one more day I shall double back on my course and bring the children to the north coast of New Zealand and give them a proper holiday. For now, I’ve got to do everything on the ship. It’s too dangerous to let the children out on deck. I pray tomorrow will bring us good fortune and better weather.

Thursday June 2nd – 1803, three hundred and twenty nautical miles from New Guinea.

The storm has passed thank God. My compass is giving erratic readings. It must be something to do with the strange clouds above us. They appear highly charged with electricity and emit a strange luminosity no lightning or thunder, not even a shred of turbulence. The air is deathly still. It’s midday and there is a mist forming on the water. I

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give thanks to heaven that we are through the worst. I’ve let the children go on deck and play around. I’m going to send a letter to my dear wife Miranda. I love her and miss her so much. I hope the sails will pick up some more wind later in the evening. From our current position I reckon we will be in sight of the strange island the natives in New Guinea spoke about. I think they called it Bokwana. It’s a strange name and does not match their language. It doesn’t fit. It’s as if another tribe or race gave the name to them. The elder tribesmen spoke of a dense green jungle full of dangerous lizards and poisonous spiders surrounded by a golden sand beach. In these parts, that isn’t unusual. They used to banish criminals to a prison there. As long as I keep the children on the beach under my watch and trusty rifle to hand, I’m sure it could be a great little holiday for them. In the meantime, I’d better return to the deck and spend some time with Bobbert and Emily. My dear Miranda, I know you hate expeditions I think I’ll bring you to London for a week long shopping trip when I return.

Friday June 3rd – 1803, Badly off course.

The strange weather is affecting my compass badly and the cloud cover is too dense to use my sextant. At least the wind has picked up but I am not sure where we are heading. I’m taking a shot in the dark and letting the winds guide me. I’ve been up and down these waters many times and I have never encountered such strange weather. The glowing

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clouds fascinate Bobbert and Emily. Eerie light from them is cast off onto the many fog banks. It’s as if we are sailing through multi coloured candy floss. I feel the ship moving more quickly through the water I’ll check up on deck and hope for a sign of land.

Saturday June 4th – 1803, location unknown.

The storms have started again with greater ferocity. My dear Miranda what have I done? Please forgive me. I never meant his trip to turn out like this. I have locked the children in their cabin for safety and prepared the life raft. When I finished sorting out the ship, I will take them out. If this is my last entry know that I love you Miranda and I’ll do everything in my power to protect our children.

Wednesday June 8th – 1803, location unknown.

I’ve just awakened and am lying down in a straw and green palm leaf bed next to a golden beach. Our children are tucked in beside me and are not harmed in any way - not even a bruise. I can see our ship wrecked on the rocks no more than three hundred yards away. The provisions from the ship surround me and I am utterly unawares as to how we have come to be here. I have no knowledge of doing any of this – the bedding and shelter. I have no idea where we are. Perhaps I bumped my head. I shall rest and hope we can all remember in time.

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Thursday June 9th – 1803, location unknown.

We are still none the wiser on how we got here. The beach is truly paradise but I am hesitant to venture into the jungle behind us for fear of this being the island the natives were speaking of. There are strange footprints like a cross between a large tabby cat and a flightless bird littered all around us, they have been here since we arrived I’ve just been too occupied to investigate them till now.

I’ve been letting on that this is all a big adventure game for the children and thankfully they have gone along with it. I’ve heard off in the depths of the jungle the sound of drums and I think the squeals of animals. There are definitely people on the island. I am preparing a camouflaged shelter for us to hide in until I find out what we are dealing with.

Friday June 10th – 1803, The Island.

I was too late. The natives have found us and brought us to a city of wood they have constructed in the middle of the island. We are being treated surprisingly well. I say natives but they’re features have more in common with myself than any tribal race I’ve ever encountered.

With western features and blue eyes they look like they were prisoners that were supposed to be sent to the prison island of Van Daymens.

Whatever ship they were on was blown drastically off course and they landed here. They have been here for some time. The city of bamboo

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shacks and bridges are quite well made. Everyone goes about the daily business in an orderly fashion. We are held up near the centre of the city and Bobby and Emily think this is all part of our holiday. Thank goodness the natives are civil enough not to alarm them. They speak a broken style of English and I am communicating with them with no difficulty. I was brought before their leader - an enormous bald headed brute who told us we were to pay him tribute as we trespassed his lands.

I had no choice but to agree and brought before him some gold currency I had on the ship. This has to be Bokwana Island. It exactly matches my notes I took down from the natives in New Guinea. I thanked him for giving us shelter and I am to meet with him tomorrow evening for a longer chat, in the meantime we are free to wander around the wooden city.

Saturday June 11th – 1803, The Island.

I feel like a dog on a leash right now. I am let go everywhere except the large wooden dome at the centre of the city. I am not mistreated in any way - it’s just I can feel the eyes stare into the back of my head when I pass people. I’ve just talked to their leader, the big bald brute of a man.

He calls himself ‘Iron knuckles’ and people seem to like and respect him. He confirmed my question about the Island’s name. It is indeed Bokwana Island. He said they were all once convicts in transport on a ship, which ran aground on this Island. He also recounted what I

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had seen at sea, strange glowing clouds and unpredictable weather. I explained to him that I am simply an explorer and suffered the same fate as his people. He said they had tried to get off the Island hundreds of times but the weather kept bringing them back so they gave up and have done amazingly well thriving in the lush environment. I am concerned that we may be unable to leave and I don’t know how I am going to tell this to Bobbert and Emily. He escorted me personally back to my hut.

I noticed that all the people had vanished from the village and there seemed to be a commotion inside the walls of the central wooden dome.

Before we left he asked me sternly to let him know if we came across any unusual foods or vegetables, anything out of the ordinary and to bring whatever we came across straight to him. I’m not sure of what to make of his request and just politely nodded. I’ll try to investigate the place at some stage I need to know what I am dealing with here.

Sunday June 12th – 1803, Bokwana Island.

I sneaked out my hut early this morning.

The chanting and

screaming was still coming from the wooden dome. I managed to peer through a small crack in the wall. Everyone in the city seemed to be jam packed into the place. Inside the dome was a gladiatorial arena similar to what the ancient Romans used for entertainment. What I saw utterly shocked me to my core. There were twenty or more of what I’ll refer to as gladiators laying unconscious on the sandy arena ground

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with four conscious fighters standing over them ferociously attacking something that was hidden from my vantage point. Whatever their foe was, it had created a whirlwind of sandy dust around itself obscuring its form and making it difficult to attack or see. The remaining four warriors were always looking below their own eye level like they were attacking something close to the ground. I had to hide for a moment as two spectators passed close to the opening in the wooden wall. During this brief disruption, a huge roar and clap erupted in the arena. When I looked back through the opening, all gladiators were on the ground motionless and a solitary figure no more than three feet tall stood above the fallen warriors panting and exhausted. It was silhouetted with dust but looked like a large house cat standing upright on its hind legs. The more I focused on the little beast, the stranger it seemed. It had four arms ending in sharp talons and amazingly bright owl like eyes with strange appendages on stalks protruding above its sabre toothed snout.

I feared that one of the natives put something funny in my food. I must have been hallucinating but I was clearly in charge of my faculties.

The creature, it’s head hanging sadly gazed directly at me. My heart pounded and I sweated profusely. I could not divert my gaze from it.

The eyes had a sad child like quality. In spite of the damage it had just caused, I sensed that it did not intend to harm anything. I can only guess that they are forcing the creature to fight but I swear the creature is sentient. It has feelings and intelligence. Before I had time to react,

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four large men put the non-resisting creature in shackles and lead it away. I sprinted back to our hut for fear of being discovered and made it back just in time. It was only then that I realised that this creature must have made the footprints in the sand when we came to on the beach. I need to rest and process our situation here, there is much more to all this than meets the eye.

Monday June 13th – 1803, Bokwana Island.

I decided to visit the ship and see if I can repair it. I don’t feel threatened so far but the more I learn about this Island the more menacing it seems. I am doing it covertly. The sails are torn to shreds and I know that I won’t be able to repair the ship unless it’s with the approval of Iron Knuckles. I can see no way out of here without some help.

Tuesday June 14th – 1803, Bokwana Island.

Bobbert and Emily told me that while I was away some strange creatures similar to what I saw fighting in the arena were looking into our hut. They said that they were friendly and gave them a gift. When I examined what they had received it made me laugh. They were holding a bunch of what appeared to be glowing carrots. Why we would need these was beyond me but the children took them with good grace. I hid them away, despite Iron Knuckles demand that I bring anything unusual before him. Surely they could have spotted glowing vegetables on an

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Island by now, so I am wondering where the creatures got them from and why they gave them to us. The kids are laughing and loving all of this.

They think it is a big adventure. I can’t get the poor creatures sad eyes staring at me out of my head. I wish to free it. Why is it imprisoned – allowed out only to fight - if it can defeat more than twenty fully grown men in ferocious combat? What hold does Iron Knuckle hold over it?

Friday June 17th – 1803, Bokwana Island.

The situation is very serious, yet it would be considered adventure if it were to be recounted in a book. Iron Knuckles summoned us all to his huge wooden hall. He accused us of stealing sacred possessions and demanded we give them to him otherwise he would torture us. He locked up my children in an iron cage guarded by ten large dogs until I brought him the vegetables. I went back to our hut and brought the glowing vegetables before him. There was chaos in his throne room. All his servants lost their composure and tried to grab the glowing carrots.

Then I found out why he was called Iron Knuckles. The giant of a man proceeded to punch the rebellious servants in the head repeatedly with his massive hands making a large cracking noise as his fists struck them. It was not long before they were all laid out on the throne room floor concussed. Iron Knuckles then stood over the glowing carrots, his piercing blue eyes concentrating totally on them oblivious to us.

My poor Bobbert and Emily were in hysterics. He paid no attention

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to us still motionless. Finally, he lunged at the carrots with both hands and proceeded to devour them. With every bite he took he seemed to be getting drowsy, I’d even dare to say drunken. Whatever essence was in the glowing carrots it was potent! Iron Knuckles began to start glowing himself. Suddenly he stopped eating and clumsily stood upright looking at me with an evil smile. As he lapsed into a drunken unconsciousness he set his dogs on me. I fled, and ran down a tunnel exit behind Iron Knuckles Throne, that lead into a small garden just outside of the city.

As I emerged I was face to face with nine of the strange creatures just like the one I saw in the arena. They dispatched the pursuing grizzly hounds with ease. I tried to explain that my children were trapped in the cage in Iron Knuckles Throne Room and that I would have to go back.

They were very friendly to me chirping and whistling in a most delightful manner as if reassuring me. They made me rest in a clearing and gave me some fruit they picked off a tall tree while two of the creatures set off in the direction I was running from. Shortly after the two returned with my beloved children for an emotional reunion. During our rest I began to notice subtle differences in their appearances. They all seemed young, childlike in fact. Their fur was soft and shiny like a cats and each creature had different patterns on their fur. The leaders fur was mottled like a Hawks plumage and it was talking constantly to its companions in a beautiful chirping sound, soft and gentle. I find it hard to describe. It’s as if they were more than one voice coming from

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the same creature, very complex vocalisations as intricate as a magpie’s and more splendid than a Golden Oriole. It seems they were planning something and we were to be involved.

After a few minutes we were lead into a camouflaged entrance to an underground chamber, which lead to a large underground garden. We all found out where the creatures got the much sought after glowing carrots.

The whole underground cave system beyond the entrance chamber had glowing vegetables of all kinds sprouting out of the walls and soil.

The creatures started to collect a large amount of the vegetables and placed them in our hands. Two of the smaller creatures began to pantomime what they wanted us to do with the carrots. We were to place a single carrot at the entrance of as many village huts as we could. We slipped back into the city that evening amidst the roaring and chanting of another gladiatorial tournament.

When we finished, our nine furry companions lead us into a tunnel.

The tunnel lead into a dungeon underneath the arena. Inside the dungeon was the creature the Islanders used to fight, covered in manacles. On the far side of the dungeon lay the reason why the creature with all its prowess submitted to the Iron Knuckles will. The islanders had constructed a device from wood and scraps of metal from shipwrecks.

It resembled a large lidless upright coffin with a glass case inside it.

Inside the glass case were a dozen large silver eggs placed on a bed of straw and hanging over the glass case was a set of heavy iron spikes

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attached to a lead weight with a rusty clock strapped to it. The gearlike workings of the contraption were protected by thread like tripwires to prevent tampering. The eggs obviously belonged to the creatures and Iron Knuckles had made a booby-trapped device to ensure that the manacled creature would provide entertainment to his followers.

I went over to the shackled creature and found the keys to open its chains. Once freed, it looked at me gratefully and then ran over to the machine. Its companions joined it but were in a panic as to how to disable the device. My Bobbert and Emily joined them and beckoned me over to help. I fought the urge to flee the place and went over. I figured out that the set of spikes could only travel as far as the base of the coffin like device if activated. If we were to dig a hole underneath the device and got the creatures to claw out the bottom of the coffin, the eggs would drop into our hands and the spikes would only fall as far as the bottom of the coffin. We nodded our agreement and the whole process took under five minutes – the eggs were free. We slipped out of the dungeon with the creatures leading us out of the city and onto the shoreline. A loud roar and many voices shouting at the same time signified that the Islanders had noticed the disappearance of both the eggs, the creature and the rest of us. The roar of outrage from the villagers shook the leaves in the trees overhead. Somehow these miraculous creatures brought us to the rocky outcrop west of the beach were our wrecked ship was but it was no longer wrecked. By some miracle the entire ship was repaired.

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The large hole in the hull was patched up with local wood and the sails made from stolen villagers clothing and canvas coverings. There was no time to stand and admire the wonderful handy work - we were ready to leave! Boarding our ship, we cast off with the help of a favourable wind. The Islanders had gathered on the beach. Flaming arrows and spears and old flintlocks drunkenly aimed in our direction fell just short of the mark and we sailed to freedom!

Monday June 20th – 1803, Clear Waters.

Some divine unseen hand is guiding us. As precarious as our arrival to that God Forsaken Island was, our departure has been nothing but Serenity. Ten creatures in total guided us onto our repaired ship and there were twenty more on board waiting to take care of us. Bobbert, Emily and myself are convinced that these creatures are mere children. There is something about their mannerisms that is common to all younglings, whatever species of animal it is, but these creatures are incredibly intelligent - on par or higher than humans in fact. They repaired our ship with incredible ingenuity, from basic raw materials from the Island, in a space of a few days. That would have been a feat for a hundred men to achieve. The winds and stars are guiding us now and I am going to endeavour to amass a wealth of knowledge about their language and culture. I so desperately wish to speak with them and learn from them.

In the meantime, they help me run the ship by means of gestures and

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mime, much to the amusement of Bobbert and Emily.

Wednesday June 23rd – 1803, Clear Waters.

All is going well. I know exactly where we are and Bobbert has taken on the role of creating a list of words, which he is taking down from the creatures as he communicates with them. Emily sings with them in the evening just before bedtime and it sends her off to a gentle sleep. She came up with a name for them, which when she utters it even quietly, makes the creatures laugh out loudly. She calls them the Gikkie Bokkers! Emily states quite proudly, and matter of fact, that she has collaged this name from various places she has visited accompanying me on my worldly travels. I simply melted with joy at how she is turning out. Miranda, you will be so proud of her when she recounts our adventures to you. It’s nearly time for me to man the ship. The creatures and I take shifts to guide it through the luminous waters. In the meantime, I now list the start of the dictionary that our son Bobbert has taken upon himself to create, based on his interactions with the henceforth named: Gikkie Bokkers.

Words & Phrases Gikkie Bokkerease BaahRupeUngarFilafle = Thank you very much (They say this all the time - they are very polite) Skurr-Mick-Blupop-Slobok = Please be careful (Every time I go near

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the edge of the boat or climb up something really high they shout it out) Aaruu-Nubur-Nubur = I like you (They say this with utmost affection after nearly every sentence and then give us gentle hugs) Mok-Mok-Quibble-Bee-Beep = Make it glow brightly (They have magic powers! They can make Daddy’s watch stop and start again and can make stones they collected off the beach glow brightly and become hot, they also have great fun making Daddy’s compass go berserk but they know when to stop messing just before Daddy gets cross) Mak-Mak-No-Blumurr = Don’t move, be still (They say this when they comb Emily’s hair just before bedtime as she is an awful fidget) Plok-Mok = Take this (They say this when they are teaching me how to fix bits of the ship and hand me tools, they taught me how to use a sextant last night!)

Onaruve-Plomok = Let’s go (Every morning after waking me up they beckon me out of the bed with one of their furry arms in a “Let’s go” style of wave) Gundaahh= Goodbye (They say this waving to us with a hanky they stole from Daddy pretending to be sad and then crying, then burst out laughing . After this they often roll on the floor. It’s as if they have been reading old romantic novels and find it very funny that anyone would say goodbye. It does not seem to be a word they use or at least not in the context we would) OgorrCanalupe Plomok = I need to go (When we play together and their

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leader calls one of them they say this to me) Huba = OK (After any instruction or advice given to them by anybody on the ship they will say this) Spondu-Lee = Excellent (That’s all I can come up with right now but it fits their mood when they say it, I suppose it could also mean Success) Spak-Ak-Spak-Ak = Attention (They have only said it twice and in a serious tone. They said it to Daddy to warn him of a series of large whirlpools we needed to steer away from that just appeared out of the blue, and to me when I was about to walk into a loose sail rig that was swinging in the wind) Buk-Buk-Mill-EE-UPP = A big fight (They use this when they recount their own stories and smack a closed fist into one of their open hands, I really looks as if they are talking about a big battle of some sort but they keep pointing to us when they say it)

Saturday June 26th – 1803, Clear Waters.

We have been sailing far faster than I could have hoped for. Some force is working to guide us back home. According to my maps, we should be just reaching the Indian Ocean but we are past this and already nearly past the South African Coast! I am not questioning our progress any longer. I’ve already seen too much strange phenomena and if we get home sooner then all the better. The waters are picking up in turbulence so my diary entries will be more infrequent. I shall write

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another extended diary when I reach home for now if anything unusual occurs I shall recount it.

Wednesday June 30th – 1803, near Morocco.

The voyage is extremely successful. At this rate we will reach London in less than a week. I’ve thought seriously on how we should handle all of the knowledge we have gained. In fact, I mean never to retell our tale to anyone except my own trusted offspring. I could not bear it if these creatures were to be made a sideshow exhibit and the subject of testing. They are sentient beings with feelings but I cannot bring them to London. They need a remote wilderness to thrive in and make their own. I do not know anymore about the eggs they brought with them except that they are very protective of them. It’s not clear to me how long they lived on that island. My feeling is it could not have been long, as they appear to be the first batch of eggs. They are simply guarding the eggs and are waiting for them to hatch. What lay them is also unknown to me. Judging by the size of the Gikkie Bokkers I would reckon a full-grown one may be equal to the size of a grown man. I will be sitting with Bobbert and Emily tomorrow to see if there is somewhere sheltered we can let these creatures settle in peace.

Thursday August 1st – 1803, passing Morocco.

We have agreed to settle them somewhere along the Irish coastline.

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An island or coastal area that is too rocky for civilisation to bother with will be the ideal. I got Bobbert to mime what we were going to do and as best he could he acted it out with Emily and our guests seemed to understand the plan. The winds are getting rough again so I am off to the deck to pilot our way to Ireland.

Sunday August 4th – 1803, French coast.

We are in the middle of a great storm, which is still growing in strength. I’ve requested even the Gikkie Bokkers go below deck - with the exception of their leader - until we can navigate through. Our plans to locate them have to be delayed we are simply going to head for the most peaceful waters we can find.

Monday August 5th – 1803, Ireland.

The winds had a mind of their own, our rudder broke and the sails were damaged in transit but the weather guided us into a sheltered Bay sandwiched between a sandy beach and cliff on one end and a forest leading to mountains on the other. It’s as if our Father in Heaven had heard our wishes.

Our boat is damaged and ran aground with the force of the wind washing up onto the shoreline of the Bay. We are all safe and accounted for including the eggs. The Gikkie Bokkers are unloading some supplies that I’ve given them as a parting gift from our lob sided ship. I’ve been

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around splendid Ireland quite a few times but this place is new to me.

Oh how I missed such a magical place so relatively close to London, I do not know. I will set up camp soon and I will let my dear Bobbert and Emily say their farewells to these incredible creatures.

Tuesday August 6th – 1803, Ireland.

Last night was a wonderful evening with incredible surprises. We danced around the campfire with the Gikkie Bokkers laughing and singing. Our noise attracted two incredible but strange women that were passing by. They wore incredibly beautiful attire. The creatures hid but as our conversation unfolded, they showed themselves to the women.

I feared they would panic at seeing the creatures but instead they were very comfortable around them. They were equipped with what appeared to be battle dress. Both wore a scabbard with a silver sword in it and a beautifully engraved long bow hanging on their shoulder. One had fiery red hair and the other jet-black. Both had faces of a porcelain beauty not unlike my beautiful Miranda, almost fairy like in their prettiness. Their eyes were black as night and the emerald attire they wore was unlike anything I’ve seen on my travels, almost glowing with delicate golden Celtic inscriptions adorning every part of their dresses but on closer inspection the dresses were not that at all. It was armour they wore, beautifully delicate and refined but definitely designed for battle. They wore ankle high boots made of the same material, yet for all this armour

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they made no sound as they moved around.

At first they spoke in some form of very old Gaelic to each other but upon seeing that we meant no harm they conversed in our language.

They introduced themselves as Brianag and Eimhir to us but I got the impression that those names were anglicised versions of a much older name they were not sharing. I sensed they meant us no harm and were just curious about us. They said that they were guardians of this whole area and nobody comes here unless it is ordained by the Resplendent Ones. I never felt the need while I was there to question them on anything such was their commanding presence. They seemed regal from head to toe not royal because of some birthright but by the way they carried themselves and interacted with us. The Gikkie Bokkers took to them instantly. The women spoke softly in Gaelic to them and they gathered around them like little Cygnants huddling up to mother Swans. After a while of conversing with the creatures, the women told us they were expecting an arrival of non human like beings for them to look after. The creatures wanted to flourish in this new land, safe and at peace. They could not co-habitate with the modern world. They would be happy in this new land, with the female guardians watching over them. It was foretold by higher powers and they would look after them from now on. ‘Everything happens for a reason’ was what they both told me, in a manner in which I could feel their voices pass right through me. They said to us that we were welcome to come back to

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these lands in friendship at anytime. We thanked them and we had one last emotional goodbye with our furry friends.

This morning we decided to leave the ship here and make our way to Dublin. We would say that we were washed ashore somewhere further down the coast than here. Brianag and Eimhir guided us out of their lands and gave us three well-equipped horses to get us to Dublin. We would get the ferry to England and then home to London. We are going to need plenty of rest, but I swear we shall come back to this magical land in friendship to see our dear friends and learn from them. We have been given a gift of knowledge that is so precious and delicate that we are all honoured to be part of their lives. I will leave some more space in the diary to write in anything that I may recall later, but for now, we shall let all questions rest and rejoice in our imminent return to London and a reunion with our most lovely Miranda.

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Chapter 10 - Expert Marksman ‘The remnants of chaos they look over, protecting the lakes with power like no other, guarding things that are right in front of you, but invisible to man because of his point of view. Befriended by all and blessed with a task, gentle creatures at heart but when angered amass, they strike with great power when forced to fight, for nothing can withstand the vigour of their might. Heed my warning my careless friend, lest you meet a ghastly end.’

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‘BAAADOOOOM!’ A huge noise startled Hugo from reading the last entries in Alastair’s diary with its force shaking through the cabin awakening Harry too. Before the two companions had a chance to speak, an all too familiar howl of wrath pierced through the ship.

‘Oh no, it’s back and it will finish us off’ shouted Harry.

‘We’ve done alright so far pal. Just stay here and I’ll see what’s happening outside’ With that Hugo jumped to his feet and climbed up towards the cabin door and slowly climbed out of the Captains quarters. It was very strange to be on a ship’s deck tilted so heavily to the left. Hugo could almost reach out with his hand and touch the Stout lapping up against the left side edge of the ship. The sound was coming from the other side of the ship, overhanging the shoreline, nearer to the start of the forest. There were high-pitched screams and chirps in amongst the roaring. There was definitely more than one creature on the rampage. Hugo climbed up slowly to the top of the ship, creeping towards the edge, holding onto the wooden railings and ever so slowly and carefully peered over them.

Directly below him was the Spungle in full wrath and surrounded by Gikkie Bokkers who looked like they were trying to calm it down.

The Spungle was having none of it. It knew there were intruders amongst the lakes and it seemed to be arguing with the young Gikkie Bokkers about what should be done with them. It was getting angrier as each moment passed. Hugo could definitely make out that the Spungle

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was using some form of language but it looked more and more like the mighty beast was going to raise a massive fist and pound one of the young Gikkie Bokkers into dust. One of the young creatures had what looked like a crossbow with a glowing carrot strapped to the front of an arrow in it. It was trying to aim at the Spungles mouth. To what end?

Hugo couldn’t fathom until he cast his mind back to Alastair’s diary – the incident with Iron Knuckles eating a glowing carrot and then passing out struck him suddenly. Hugo realised what was going on, they were trying to sedate the Spungle to calm it down. ‘Pawthwang!’ The Gikkie Bokker fired the glowing carrot projectile at the Spungles mouth but the carrot just bounced off its massive skull annoying the Beast even more.

The Gikkie Bokker took another carrot from a pouch in its tummy and reloaded but had to jump out of the way of an enormous fist that pounded a crater in the very place it had stood in.

Hugo had to act! Waiting any longer would surely mean the demise of one or more of the Gikkie Bokkers. With one swift movement, he took out his hunting knife from its scabbard and slashed at a nearby rope.

He held on with both hands to the rope and swung out over the Spungles head and let go. He hurtled through the air and landed on the shoulder of the Spungle. It turned its head to meet Hugo’s dead on staring at him with hellish red eyes. Opening its massive jaws revealed the most intense array of sharp teeth since the dinosaurs walked the earth. It was obviously intent on impaling Hugo with its fangs! Hugo never

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returned the gaze. Instead he ran down the length of one of the Spungles arms to its amazement and jumped off landing on the ground near the fallen crossbow. Hugo had no time to dawdle. The Spungle had already lifted its massive leg ready to stomp him under the earth he grabbed the crossbow took aim and ‘Keeerang!’ The crossbow mechanism broke.

Hugo jumped out of the way of the mighty foot and was knocked into a bush ten feet away. The Spungle roared with frustration and turned to pounce on Hugo. Landing directly in front of the fallen man it seemed to savour the chaos.

Hugo came too just in time. Something was pushing into Hugo’s backside in the bush. He reached around and realised he had landed on the glowing carrot, which must have dislodged from the Spungles last attack. Without thinking, he stood up face to face with the Spungle who had now crouched down to bite him and threw the carrot directly into the giants’ mouth. The carrot bounced off one of the Spungles fangs and flew directly down the beasts’ throat. The massive hulk froze for a moment, taken back in surprise at Hugo’s speed and accuracy. It rose up to its full height and gave a big gulping noise as it involuntarily swallowed the carrot. The Spungle then came to its senses lifting its four arms as one about to strike Hugo from the earth.

‘This will make a grand trophy. Why was I bothered with the little furry freaks when I’ll take you out instead my gigantic friend!’

Hugo couldn’t believe it. Even the Spungle turned its head around to

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see who was speaking.

Hugo’s old mentor Reginold was right behind the Spungle taking aim with his freakish rifle.

‘Get out of the way you eejit. That thing is about to fall over!’

Hugo was shouting at his former friend. The Spungle turned halfway around to smash the elderly hunter to oblivion, but just before one of its huge claws was about to tear Reginold apart, its eyes rolled up into its sockets and it toppled over on top of Reginold landing in a plume of dust and remained motionless. The carrot had taken effect. The Gikkie Bokkers looked on in amazement leaving Hugo to run over to the unconscious Spungle to see what was left of Reginold.

Hugo never hated Reginold, he simply did not follow the path of hunting anymore but Reginold had taken it personally. All he could think of right now was how he could save his former mentor. He looked around the massive bulk of the fallen creature looking for a telltale sign of a foot or rifle but he could see nothing. Hugo felt a lump in his throat. He did not want to see his old teacher die. Hugo climbed up onto the Spungles chest and looked around. Listening carefully, he heard a small whimper and then spotted an old hunting boot protruding from underneath one of the Spungles massive hands. Reginold was lucky to be alive even the Spungles hand must surely weigh more than a car. Hugo climbed down off the Spungles chest and walked over to the trapped Reginold. The young Gikkie Bokkers rushed over and

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lifted the Spungles hand off the old man. Hugo could do no more. The kind of damage done to Reginold was beyond his skills to heal. Four of the Gikkie Bokkers sprinted out of sight over a hill after being given instructions by one of the slightly larger ones.

Harry managed to clamber down to the group and walked over to Hugo to console him.

‘He was a narkey aul buzzard but I never meant for him to go out this way’, sobbed Hugo.

‘There may still be time Hugo if they can get him to a healing pool but it needs to be done quickly’ Harry consoled Hugo putting his hand on his shoulder. He welcomed the comfort.

Hugo saw the old Harry the strong willed and powerful man he knew as a child and wished to himself this would be the start of the former priest finding himself and reclaiming a part of himself that was lost.

‘We need a stretcher and bandages. Are the other Gikkie Bokkers gone to bring back help?’ asked Hugo. There was a shriek and roar like a cross between an Eagles screech and a Lions mighty roar from behind the hills overlooking the shoreline.

‘Err I think whatever they have summoned is about to arrive’ said Harry grimly.

Suddenly a series of fiery spears flew out of the forest over the hills and landed around Hugo pinning him in a circle of flame. With another

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unearthly roar, two huge seemingly adult Gikkie Bokkers leaped from out of the shady trees covered in golden and silver battle armour landing right in front of Hugo.

The four young Gikkie Bokkers closely followed the adults. It seemed as if the little ones were pleading with the adult creatures to be lenient with Hugo.

‘Synar Chro elnd Mil MilUlthu’ shouted the remaining Gikkie Bokkers bowing in front of the adults.

A most impressive sight were the adults, much taller than Hugo and very powerful and muscular. They were more lion like than catlike, with ferocious eyes like a giant owl and equipped with retractable talons as long as steak knives. They bore light golden battle armour and carried a silver scimitar in their two front most arms and an amazing semi circular shield with serrated edges in each of the other two hands.

The whole ensemble resembled a cross between two giant owls, with an upright lions body encased in Ancient Gladiatorial armour.

Both adults took account of the chaos surrounding them then walked over to the trapped Hugo. One of them matched the description of the leader of the young Gikkie Bokkers that Alastair spoke about with the hawk like patterns on its fur, but much larger. The other one matched the description in the diary of the youngling who was forced to fight at Iron Knuckles arena on the Island. Both adults ignored Harry as they took down the fiery spears freeing Hugo.

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‘Ah thanks pal it was getting a bit warm in there. Thanks so… uggh’ One of the adults grabbed Hugo by the throat and lifted his massive frame right off the ground growling like a big cat.

‘Eldenederazulos!! Nartresparunforthu!’ it boomed at Hugo.

‘Harry what is he saying?’ Hugo groaned.

‘Basically, you’re trespassing and according to the Elders Law you are in big trouble’ Harry did his best to translate and put a comforting hand on the adults shoulder speaking softly...

‘Marumel!, Nonmelnar Tresparunthu Synar’ The adult looked at Harry and pointed at Harry’s neck ‘Elle venulu-Minarsyg Natvoidenocror?’

Harry looked at were his amulet should have been.

‘Err it was a mistake Synar, that old man was hunting us and your children We never meant to trespass here. I lost my amulet in the rush to escape. Hugo is not armed and is not a hunter anymore’ Hugo knew Harry was losing his composure but he was still far calmer than when he first met him. It seemed the further Harry got into the land of the Gikkie Bokkers the more relaxed he became.

The adult known as Synar Chro let go of Hugo who stumbled to the ground panting for air. Then the other adult, who Hugo reckoned was Mill Mil Ulthu, took out a telescopic set of poles with canvas and ropes from within one of its shields and proceeded to make a stretcher. The

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younger Gikkie Bokkers all helped to move Reginold onto the stretcher while Synar Chro took out a set of ropes from his shield and proceeded to tie up the unconscious Spungle.

It was all done in a matter of minutes. Hugo looked at Harry like a child who had done something naughty expecting a serious reprimand.

Harry spoke before Hugo had time to.

‘I know you’re feeling guilty. Telling you so will not help our fate.

You’re not solely responsible for all of this. That old hunter drove us here and when he heals, if he heals, he will have an audience with the Elders’ ‘Well then, what happens to us now?’ asked Hugo.

Mill Mil Ulthu looked at Hugo and snarled and before Harry could reply took out another set of ropes from his left hand shield and flung them over Hugo with such a force it knocked Hugo off his feet.

‘I guess I’m off to see the elders then’ groaned Hugo.

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Chapter 11 - Gikkie Bokker Gardens ‘To this land they came and explored, old traditions - all ignored Power and strength they do display In the gardens rich and gay.’

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‘It’s not my fault either Hugo, I’m doing what I can to tell them you’re not a threat, just be patient’ ‘Well I’m getting a royal pain in me arse hanging upside down from a roasting spit Harry. Can you speed things up a little before they eat me?’

‘Er well no they won’t eat you, you maybe impaled for trespassing or banished to the Spungles Village but I’m sure I’ve never heard of them eating anyone - so far’ ‘Just do something will ya me arms are falling asleep!’

Hugo was getting used to the view upside down but his whole body ached from being tied up. Synar Chro and Mill Mil Ulthu carried Hugo and were followed by the other young Gikkie Bokkers with Harry bringing up the rear. They were deep into the forest amongst all bizarre plants and small creatures. Suddenly the gloom lifted and they walked out from a clearing in the forest onto a large incline leading up to a plateau. The sound of their footsteps was interrupted by a hurried pitter-patter of smaller feet running directly under Hugo and stopping in front of the adult Gikkie Bokkers. It was Fluke Fluke the youngest of the Gikkie Bokkers. He began to plead with Synar and Mil Mil, who stopped and sighed in frustration, but Fluke Fluke would not give up.

He was giving an intricate mime of everything that had gone on since Hugo saved his life.

‘Atta Boy you tell em me auld little fur-ball’ encouraged Hugo.

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Synar looked at Mil Mil and they both sighed once more. Quite surprisingly they set Hugo down and freed him. Without a word both adult warriors pointed to the top of the plateau and gestured for Hugo to follow them. Everyone else followed with the younglings carrying the crushed Reginold onto a path leading up towards the plateau.

Hugo was too tired to talk and Harry was busy chatting to the warrior Gikkie Bokkers. Hugo remembered Harry said he had lost his gift of speech with these creatures a long time ago but as time went on he seemed to be getting his gift back. At the start of his encounters, he could not even communicate with Fluke Fluke, and yet there he was in full-blown conversation with the two warriors who at first appeared frosty to Harry but over a few minutes began to warm to him.

After a few minutes hike they were on top of the plateau. The sight was incredible. Just over a low but vastly wide stone wall lay a vast set of ornate gardens; illuminated by glowing stones and crystals, adorned with bright sparkling water fountains leading up to another forest at the direct base of a large pointed mountain. The sheer size and luminescence of the gardens amazed Hugo.

‘How on earth do they hide this from the world? I would say it has something to do with the Stout in the lakes and these gardens. Look at the base of each garden. Every single one has a small canal leading into the forest and then up onto the mountain’ Harry nodded knowingly.

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‘You are very observant Hugo. I would say that’s just about right.

You should ask the Elders about it, if they decide not to execute you that is’ smiled Harry teasingly.

Synar and Mil Mil commanded everyone to rest at the first glowing fountain. The youngling Gikkie Bokkers layed Reginold down into one of the clear water pools, submerging him except for his face. The old man let out a large sigh of relief. Light blue pulses of energy gathered around him bathing him with light.

‘El frailum sufrenunor alive!’ uttered Synar to Hugo.

‘What is he saying Harry?’

‘Synar said that your companion will be fine with rest and is lucky to be alive’.

‘Unauruuv otom Stasun Replen’ ‘What’s he saying now?’

‘Hugo calm down. We are all to take a rest here while they figure out what to do next’ assured Harry.

‘I’m going to do a bit of reading Harry. This Diary is incredible.

All the years you guarded these things and you never thought once to explore the ship?’

Harry’s eyebrows raised in mild amusement.

‘Well consider I was a man of the cloth, submerging under a lake full of Stout to whatever ends would not have been appropriate’ Hugo let out a small chuckle.

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‘That’s true Harry. On that subject Harry why did you leave the priesthood?’ ‘ I fell in love with an Angel and I … I lost everything Hugo. I went mad, lost my mind, and to you I owe a lot’ ‘What do you mean Harry? You don’t owe me anything’ ‘I’ve looked at myself over the time I’ve been here with you and I’ve started to recover... my memory, my strength, it’s all coming back. Your methods shall we say were unorthodox but I remain grateful none the less’ Hugo smiled back warmly.

‘Well your welcome, although I am unsure of what my contribution has actually been – save the chaos! I’m going to finish reading this diary. It helps me understand their language a little and their origins.

We still have to get out of here. I’ve caused enough mess so get some rest. There’s not much left of my ancestors book to read and I’ll let you know what I find in it’ Harry walked over to the young Gikkie Bokkers and was practicing his re-found speech skills, while Hugo rested on the edge of a clear water pool reading the diary. Synar and Mil Mil talked to each other in deep gruff growls and guttural rhythms. Hugo wondered what was to be done next. The Spungle was still restrained on the shoreline below them, but seeing as they had such formidable help in the arrival of Synar and Mil Mil even the mighty Spungle seemed not to be the threat it used

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to be.

Harry spent a good fifteen minutes at least talking to the younglings.

He spoke in particular to Fluke Fluke who he took a shine to from the offset. Minute by minute, Harry realised he was seeing the man he always was. Joy went into his heart, which had been empty for so long.

He left Fluke Fluke and his companions to play amongst themselves and went before Synar and Mil Mil. It had been a long time since he had spoken to an adult creature and he could not tell Hugo anything more about them. The oath he had taken long ago prevented him from saying anything further and the more of his faculties he regained the stronger his bond to his oath became.

‘Harry I’ve just finished my ancestors diary. Alastair said he has written more books. Each generation was to have a diary to keep record of the culture and goings on of the Gikkie Bokkers, but I was never let in on this. I don’t know where the other diaries are. That really upsets me Harry, why was I never told?’

Harry lowered his gaze to the ground sheepishly ‘Hmm that’s a matter for your father who I’m sure was about to tell you but circumstances got in the way. It’s excellent Hugo that other diaries were written but I was never exposed to these books. Where do you think they could be?’

Hugo started to pace gently feeling a rush of excitement.

‘They’ve got to be in my mansion somewhere’ He stood up and

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looked Harry straight in the eye with hope.

‘And now Harry, do you remember why my father went missing? Is it any clearer to you now? Has your madness passed enough for you to see clearly?’

Hugo’s heart went soft as he spoke. His father had always been the centre of his world and he had been so lost since he vanished. He could not hear another set of mystical abstract nonsense from his companion, but he had to ask the question.

Harry looked at him sternly but then softened.

‘The truth is Hugo that yes I do know, but I remember now that I am not permitted to speak of any of this, it’s..’

Hugo grabbed Harry by both arms.

‘You’ll tell me now or I’ll be very upset and it’s not going to be pleasant for you I guarantee it’ ‘Hugo, Please! I know I’ve been elusive on your Father’s fate but it is not my story to tell. You are going to have to speak to one of the Elders.

But first you are going to have to learn to speak their language. They’re not going to speak yours. There are reasons you’ve been sheltered from all of this but it’s not going to be for long. Rejoice in your ignorance because once you know everything, believe me, you’ll wish you were back in your mansion drinking shots of whiskey!’

Hugo placed Harry back down on the ground and let go of him sighing.

‘Hmm alright then the spider’s web is getting bigger and bigger.

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I need to get hold of the rest of the diaries. I know they are locked somewhere in my mansion, I just have a hunch. I’ve come this far and I’ll keep going. I have to know the truth. There will be more translations of their language, it says so in Alastair’s book. Come with me. I’ll need you to do your best in translating to those warrior things’ Hugo guided Harry over with him to face the adult Warriors. Synar Chro and Mill Mil Ulthu stood serenely before the two companions.

There was no anger or ferocity in their faces simply an expressionless gaze. Hugo took a deep breath and thought about what he was going to say. Every time he opened his mouth he offended someone. It had resulted in him being strangled by Synar before.

‘Er, ok, Synar my friend. It’s like this, I’ve read my ancestor’s diary and it mentions more books of knowledge about your species. I want to learn how to speak your language so I can communicate with you properly. I also need to know about my father Henry. You must know of …..’

Synar grabbed Hugo with two hands and brought Hugo close to him. They were face to face. The former hunter looked upon the face before him. It was ferocious and noble there was a depth in its eyes, of serene intelligence and integrity. The eyestalks on top of the mighty warriors snout extended gently and touched Hugo’s forehead. There was a blinding flash in Hugo’s mind. He felt paralysed and on a fast roller coaster crashing about. It was like being hit by wave after wave

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of energy. He was overcome by blinding pain. The waves were actually information but they were hurtling too fast to grasp all of it. Information and stories, actual events – there was so much going on. He could feel his mind being overloaded and he could not bear the pain. He let out a scream and then Synar released him from his grip. Hugo fell over limply into the arms of Mil Mil Ulthu moaning half unconscious.

‘That was too long Synar. He is no amulet bearer and he can’t filter out all your power!’ Harry shouted sternly at Synar.

The warrior said nothing and simply walked past Harry. He kept moving further into the garden and sat down near a statue of what looked like a Spungle and started to meditate. Mil Mil gently placed Hugo onto a step in front of another statue, which looked similar to the one Synar was meditating at. After a few seconds Hugo came to.

‘Err Wha? Uurr why am I lying down at a statue of a Spungle? Me head feels like a squashed watermelon. That bleedin furry bag of claws wrecked my buzz altogether. What the hell was that?’

Hugo fell silent. His eyes glazed over briefly, then his focus returned.

“Be still Hugo”.

‘Harry he spoke, they spoke to me all at once. It was like all their voices combined into a single one. It was the most intense thing I’ve ever felt but I’m trying to make sense of it. They know I want to find out about my father and they want me to get hold of the diaries. They say there is more knowledge in them that I must learn and understand,

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and then we can communicate better. Speaking with their mind – one mind - is too dangerous. They have decided to let me go Harry, and are giving me an escort to assist!’

Harry smiled proudly.

‘You are growing my friend, but I sense that our predicament is not over. We will need to get hold of those diaries quickly. Do you know who is coming with us?’

‘Synar, Mil Mil and Fluke Fluke, that youngster comes in very handy.

They said he has more knowledge of the outside world than the others so they will escort us to Brianag and Eimhir’s house and we will leave Reginold with them to heal and rest. It will be late at night when we emerge from the portal so we will not be seen. They have sensed a man lurking around the marshes who is making his way back out of the portal and he is wearing your amulet. That’s why Synar and Mil Mil are coming with us. We’ve got to get it back. It must be Yardal van Hooligan, that’s Reginold’s butler. They are never apart. He’s not a bad man but he is most likely panicking like crazy right now and probably going to get police or who knows who else to get them involved. To him, right now, Reginold is dead or missing. He will panic’ ‘Then let us be on our way Hugo. I will return the amulet to the Elders and be as much help as I can in communicating with them on your behalf, just to give you a chance to learn the language’ Hugo nodded his agreement. Hugo and Harry followed Synar and

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Mil Mil down and out of the gardens. They were carrying a sleeping Reginold back onto the pathway leading down to the forest and the shoreline. Fluke Fluke jumped onto Hugo’s shoulders affectionately.

They passed the mighty Spungle who was still resting peacefully on the beach and walked along the marshy paths intertwined amongst the lakes.

‘Have you ever been past the gardens and gone to the mountain?’

Hugo asked Harry.

‘Yes a few times. It’s coming back to me - a most unearthly place, majestic, beautiful, full of song and merriment’ ‘What’s the huge door at the base of the mountain? Is that were the Spungle lives?’

‘No Hugo, the Spungle lives in a village at the bottom of the valley on the far side of the mountain’ ‘Ah right but you still didn’t answer my question fully. Why is there a door the size of a three story building at the base of the mountain with a set of paths up to it the size of an airport runway?’

‘I can’t remember fully. It’s like the Elders are hiding it from me.

I’m not ready to remember it”.

‘Could it be to keep everyone out? The mountain is built up like a fortress!’

‘I would say Hugo that right now it feels to me like they are keeping something in! It feels of more of a prison to me than a home, yet that’s

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only at the base. The mountain above it has nothing but love and joy emanating from it, can’t you sense that?’

‘You’re right, there is a warm feeling I get when looking at the mountain. It’s far stronger than the strange buzz I get when I was at my closest to the gate, another thing to ask the Elders when I see them no doubt. I’ve read in the diary that Alastair met two Celtic Warrior women when he was stranded here. His description mentions their names and it’s Eimhir and Brianag. Are they ancestors of the old ladies in the Grandane Inn?’ ‘Hugo those two elderly ladies are Eimhir and Brianag! Please ask me no more for now it’s slowly coming back to me but there is so much to process, so much emotion and chaos, I need time to make sense of it’ Hugo was amazed. He thought carefully about what Harry had said. His great ancestor, Alastair, had met with these ladies in 1803.

They were at least a few hundred years old - perhaps older. How was it possible for them to survive? It must be some sort of magic. The land was obviously precious and sacred before the arrival of the Gikkie Bokkers as these women were already protecting something. Why were Eimhir and Brianag told by higher powers to expect and welcome visitors that fateful morning of the shipwreck? Who told them anyway?

Why did they follow that instruction? Whatever the case, the land was worth fighting for and keeping safe. Now poor Hugo felt he was free falling in chaos, the more he knew, the more he knew he didn’t know.

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He didn’t know where he fitted into the picture so he decided to do whatever was asked of him to the best of his abilities and let fate guide him.

Fluke Fluke started to chirp and sing, even bringing a small grin from the two adult Gikkie Bokkers. Harry was coming ever more closer to his old self. His walk, no longer a nervous gait, transformed into a more confident stride and Hugo smiled at such a sight. It brought back fond memories of his childhood, constantly playing cat and mouse with Harry in the orchard robbing all the apples from underneath his nose. He yearned to get his hands on the diaries but had no idea where they were located. He was hungry to learn more and be a part of this fascinating world. He grew sad at the thought that all of this was hidden from him but was beginning to understand that the path he had chosen as a hunter in his younger days had cast him on a path away from this part of his family history. He couldn’t be a part of the Gikkie Bokkers world, he would have tried to destroy it. When you hunt, you kill. You don’t ask questions of what you are hunting or try to get to know it. He was humbled by this revelation and somewhat ashamed. The little troop soon enough came across the small encampment that had been setup by Reginold and Yardal at the portal entrance. The portal was activated by Synar Chro and they all stepped through to the waiting world - unawares of the actions taken by Yardal.

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Chapter 12 - Tell tale tattler ‘Telling tales, good or bad Think twice or you’ll wish you had.’

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He had seen it all - absolute carnage from across the Bay. His powerful binoculars spotted Reginold sneak in around the shipwreck to take Hugo and his companions by surprise, only to be walk right underneath a toppling Spungle who crushed him. Utter panic gripped him. His master was dead. There was a portal leading to another world.

He hadn’t a clue as to what the creatures he saw were. He was going to let the whole world know what was going on – even if he didn’t fully understand it himself. He fled with the amulet. As he approached the original entry point, the portal opened. He fell awkwardly out of the glowing portal onto the old road path. Running as fast as he could past the Grandane Inn to his masters’ car, he sped off to the local police station a mile down the road at the start of the village.

Sergeant Barney Jibblets sat at the front counter, a cup of hot tea in his hand and a newspaper in the other. He was simply passing time on his shift. There had barely been any crime in Grandane Village.

He yearned for a bit of adventure, after forty years in the Garda Police Force He had never had any, yet he treasured his job. A large portly gentleman, who was well respected by all members of the village, even Hugo liked him as a child. He cast a blue eyeball over his reading glasses at the scruffy bulk coming through the station door.

‘Excuse me officer oive an incident to ree-port’ Barney put his newspaper down eying up Yardal who smelt of Stout and was covered in muck.

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‘Of course, what is the nature of this incident?’

Barney always gave an individual the benefit of the doubt upon first meeting them. He had met all sorts of people in his career over the years. Tolerance had always gotten him through many situations in the past, and was a vital tool dealing with people.

‘Well moie master Reginold Newt-kicker haz been attacked boie a large aniimaal and has been crushed to death’ ‘Really?’ countered Barney.

‘And where has this incident taken place?’

‘It’s dowun on the marshes across from der beach out on da Bay!’ Barney straightened until he was fully upright.

‘Sir with respect there is nothing larger than a Heron lurking around that Bay and unless your companion is very small in stature I find your account inconsistent with common sense’ Yardal lost his composure.

‘Oil tell uuu-nowuuu, oil havyur badge for incompetinz you tubby toime wastor!’

Barney walked around from behind his counter and poked a big finger into Yardal’s chest.

‘Listen up me boyo. We do things differently down here in Wexford than what you might be used to. The next words out of your mouth best be something like a sincere apology or I will give you time and space to think about what you said’

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Yardal gulped.

‘Err well Oimsoree, but you’ve got to believe me. Something strange is going on over at the Bay. Look what I found on my way out of there!’

Yardal produced the amulet.

Barney sighed.

‘Your name please’ and took out his notebook.

‘Moi-name is Yardal Van Hooligaun, head servant of Lord Reginold Newt-kicker and Oim soree dat Oive offended you but my master is in trouble and Oi need yur help’ By this stage Barney’s colleagues Detective Bill Stump and Officer Borris Mac Tool came out of their little office to see what the commotion was.

‘Ok boys get your gear on. We are heading out on an expedition’ The young Borris looked puzzled and quietly responded to Barney.

‘Sorry Sir but I overheard this looper and he’s full of it. Why are we going?’

Barney paused for a moment then spoke to Yardal.

‘Please go outside and we will join you in a few minutes’ Then he turned to Borris after Yardal exited the room.

‘Did you see that artefact he has? It’s more likely he stole it from his master after beating him up and is concocting some baloney tale to cover his tracks. We’ll go with his story to see what He really is up to.

It won’t take long and we’ll find out what his game is’

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Borris and Bill smiled and got their jackets and went outside after Yardal. To their surprise there are four other people outside along with a very smug looking Yardal.

‘Pardon me officers, these are moi assistant butlers. I called them from the local bed and breakfast to help us out. They’ve got a set of boots each and flashlights to lend us a hand’ Barney looked each one in the eyes. They could barely pass as the manservant type but he sensed there was more to this than met the eye.

‘Very well Yardal. We will head down to the Bay, but on our way We will check each house along the old Grandane road to see if the neighbours have seen anything out of the ordinary. We are walking down so feel free to leave your car here and stay behind us. I would ask that you don’t interfere or I’ll throw you all into jail for obstructing justice’ Hugo was enjoying the walk back from the portal. Fluke Fluke was still on his shoulders chirping and Harry and the warrior Gikkie Bokkers walked ahead of them, carrying Reginold on the stretcher. Their armour seemed to have disappeared the moment they exited the portal. Hugo still would not fancy his chances against either one of them. He read about Mil Mil Ulthu as a youngling fighting in the arena on Bokwana Island and that was impressive enough at just under two foot tall. What an eight foot plus adult was capable of scared him and He didn’t want to find out.

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They were curious beings. He was so full of questions. Where did they come from? Hugo could not settle on the idea that they were native to the Island. Something just didn’t fit and he hoped all his questions would be answered if he could find the diaries.

‘Harry, what’s going to happen when Reginold gets better? He will blow the lid on all of this!’

‘Eimhir and Brianag will have a talk with him. Just trust in their goodness and the power of an honest conversation. The results might surprise us all’ The party reached the Grandane Inn. The two ladies were at the entrance and were ready to take Reginold into the sitting room. Once satisfied that the old man was comfortable on their sofa, they started to talk to the adult Gikkie Bokkers. They spoke old Gaelic too quickly for Hugo to get a sense of what was going on. The Gikkie Bokkers seemed to understand and replied back in their own language. Their tone was soft and gentle. It was still deep guttural but there was no growling like every other time Hugo had heard them converse. The only words that He could make out from the conversation was ‘Morro Riganis’.

Every time the ladies uttered it all the Gikkie Bokkers grew increasingly grim. Within a few minutes they finished their conversation and the two warriors left the room going outside. Brianag and Eimhir then stood before Hugo and Harry sternly.

‘You’ve been having dreams haven’t you Hugo?’

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The voice was spoken by both ladies and went directly to Hugo’s mind. It hurt like a cold knife but the pain was less than the first time that He heard it from the sisters when they confronted the Spungle.

‘Yes I have, something wailing and hissing at me. It hurt me from my dream and my chest still aches from it. Why can’t you speak out loud? It’s uncomfortable to communicate like this’ ‘Tell me Hugo is it more uncomfortable than the last time that We spoke like this?’

‘Err no, it isn’t. Actually it’s much milder but it still hurts!’

The two ladies looked at each other and smiled. Eimhir spoke first out loud proudly.

‘Good! He is building a resistance to it. He is finding his power.

Soon He won’t feel anything other than a mild annoyance every time it utters its poison’ Brianag looked proudly at Hugo.

‘You’re doing very well Hugo. The evil fears you, it fears your growing power!’

Hugo stood before them very puzzled.

‘Ladies what are ye on about? Trust me, if I’m growing more resistant to evil nobodies more happy about it than I, but once I get those diaries and talk to the elders I’m splitting from here this is all too much for me!’

The two ladies looked disappointed and Brianag replied softly.

‘Hugo you’ve seen a small piece of these creatures and the sacred

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land. You can see how precious and delicate it all is. It’s your destiny to inherit this world and your almost ready to take on a great mantle of responsibility. But for all of this there is love. All we do and all we believe in, is based on love. Your father protected this place with his life and so did his ancestors. The same blood is coursing through you and it is expected that you will do the same’ ‘That may be so Brianag but I ain’t no martyr. I don’t fit in. I am a highly trained hunter. Granted, I no longer hunt for sport, but it is still a part of me. I’ve kind of gotten attached to my life and I don’t see why I’ve got to disrupt it to protect a bunch of Muppets who live in a drunkard’s fantasy land’ Eimhir entered the conversation.

‘You are being churlish now. You’d best get out of here and retrieve Harry’s amulet. Firstly, you must find your ancestors diaries and absorb the contents. Then you will go directly to the elders for an audience.

Synar will lead you there. Hopefully, along the way, a man will be formed and take the place of the child I see before me now!’

Hugo stood motionless. Nobody ever dared, in his adult life, to speak to him that way. He was being told off. He said nothing and went outside to the warrior Gikkie Bokkers with Harry following silently behind him. When he was out of earshot he vented.

‘I’ve never been spoken to like that. I’m not some little spoiled kid.

Who do they think they’re talking to?’

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Mil Mil interrupted the conversation with a growl. Stopping in his tracks, He looked at Synar then a short conversation urgently went on between the two of them.

‘What’s going on Harry? What are they saying?’

‘They are sensing something! Hide over here! Get behind that wall!’

Harry pointed at over across the road to Diarmuid the farmers house.

As Hugo rushed over and crept behind the wall, Synar and Mil Mil leaped into the air and landed on top of a nearby telegraph pole looking out in the direction of the village. They both shouted down at Harry.

Fluke Fluke clamboured up the wooden telegraph pole to see for himself the spectacle. He took one look and screeched in fright leaping back onto Hugo’s shoulders.

‘Easy little fella! What are they so spooked over?’

‘They have spotted a group of people walking into houses on the way up to here. They are nearly here, just over the hill. We’ve got to hide’ Fluke Fluke bent over his head upside down in front of Hugo’s head then rubbed his two eyestalks over Hugo’s face. Hugo’s mind filled with white light then cleared revealing a vision of the old familiar shape of Barney Jibblets. He was walking into houses and questioning the locals with two assistant Garda. There were five plain clothed strangers following them. The vision stopped. Fluke Fluke released Hugo, jumping off of him and went over to the adult Gikkie Bokkers. Hugo grabbed Harry by the shoulder and ushered him into Diarmuid’s garden

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knocking on the farm door porch desperately. A few seconds later, the familiar form of Diarmuid opened the porch door bleary eyed and confused.

‘What the Divil? Hugo? Ah well, I suppose it was going to come to dis eventually, where are the others?’

Hugo looked at Harry confused. Surely he didn’t mean his furry companions? Then Diarmuid shuffled past them and called out.

‘Alright ye furballs ye can come in. Just don’t break anything like ye did the last time!’

Two mighty warrior frames with a small companion sheepishly stepped out from behind the garden wall and walked up to Diarmuid.

‘Come on in and tell me everythin. Goin by the way Hugo was a whipper snapper years ago, oid saye he’s got himself in ta truble again’ Diarmuid’s old style Wexford drawl was very disarming and relaxing.

Hugo was utterly confused now. He seemed the only one not privy to the existence of the Gikkie Bokkers.

Everyone went inside to the hall and Diarmuid ushered them through to the back of the old farmhouse out the backdoor and into the farmyard.

Without a word he took out a golden key and got down on his knees on the ground clearing a mound of hay with his hands revealing a trap door and opened it with his key. Fluke Fluke lent a hand in opening the door, which when opened, revealed a set of stone steps leading deep underground.

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‘Ye best be all gettin in I’ll join ye all once I’ve talked to our visitors’ The front door was being knocked upon. Everyone quietly walked down the steps leaving Diarmuid to close the trapdoor on top of them all covering it back up with straw. He dusted his hands and then set of into the house to answer his door. Barney and his companions stood outside the farmhouse front door staring sternly at Yardal and his companions.

‘This is the last house Yardal. So far nobody’s seen nor heard anything out of the ordinary. Are you sure you wish to proceed with the investigation?’

Yardal sighed impatiently ‘Oim tellin yuuu something is going on and these villagers are all in on it. Finish talking to the owner and oil bring yuu to where my mastur is lying on da Bay, your wastin toime!’

Barney masked his frustration and restrained his rage at the impatient stocky man. All would be revealed once they got to the Bay but He was taking no chances. Slowly but surely He was narrowing down, what was in his mind, Yardal’s motives. An amulet like the one hanging around Yardal’s neck looked like it should be housed in the National History Museum. There was no way he obtained it by accident. Nobody had seen anything so far and Barney knew Yardal would have no way out of the Bay so the truth would finally be revealed. Barney did not respond to the scruffy man and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door was opened by an old whitish haired man.

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‘Ah Barney what can oiduu fur ya?’

‘I’m sorry Diarmuid. We are looking for anything out of the ordinary.

A man may be missing in suspicious circumstances, do you mind if We come in? It’s just routine Diarmuid I won’t keep you long’ Diarmuid smiled back.

‘Aye yur allrioute. Please come in but oid be grateful if those gentlemen in the plain clothes stayed outside’ ‘Of course my friend, I’ve just to ask a few routine questions and I promise to be on my way’ Far below ground the air was damp and cold. The steps went on for ages and the gloomy dark was illuminated by the Gikkie Bokkers glowing eyes. Finally they all walked out onto a large old stone floor.

Hugo fumbled around in the gloom until he found a light switch. There was a buzz of electricity and the place was bathed in light. They all stood in an area the size of a large garage. It was full of old electrical dynamos with mechanical equipment of every description. There were some components underneath white sheets. They all walked silently into the main area. At the centre of the room on the floor was a huge double door attached to a set of massive steel linked chains coming down from the stone ceiling. Hugo spoke first.

‘Diarmuid you’ve never changed, if anything your madder than when you thought me mechanics’ he chuckled to himself.

This would be, in any other circumstance, paradise for him. He loved

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tinkering around with stuff like this. To be here now, with no sound to indicate if the Gardai were leaving or not, was unsettling.

‘Harry how does he know the Gikkie Bokkers? Is he a guardian too?’

Harry thought for a moment ‘No Hugo, he is quite reclusive. I very rarely see him. As far as I know your friends Claudia and Vinnie are the only people who have regular contact with him’ Hugo smiled ‘It’s probably Fluke Fluke on his adventures about the village, curious minds are attracted to each other it seems’ Synar and Mil Mil sat down next to the base of the stairs and meditated with Fluke Fluke joining them shortly after. A few moments later the trap doors were opened up and the soft footsteps of Diarmuid echoed gently down the stairwell. The old man took his time increasing the anticipation of what was to come but finally reached the hallway into the workshop.

‘Well they are on their way onto da Bay. I tried my best te talk them out of going but Barney is determined to go down there. He is being lead by a fool with an amulet around his neck! Would anyone care to explain how he has one?’ Harry’s face turned white.

‘That fool, whoever He is, will get everyone killed! Hugo we need to go and stop them!’

Hugo replied sternly...

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‘Harry we will just cause more chaos if we go after them. Eimhir and Brianag and the elders want me to get those diaries. There’s a reason for that. The ladies are too weak to help any more. They’re healing Reginold and talking to an Elder will probably kill me if I share my mind with them again. I need to do what they have said. If we can get to my car we can get to my mansion in under an hour. It’s got modifications to it that Diarmuid would be proud of!’

Diarmuid raised a curious eyebrow.

‘Oil be fascinated to take a look later but it will take Barney’s men less than twenty minutes te reach the Bay!’ Hugo let out a deep breath.

‘So we are stuck. If it’s all over, let’s just go after them and explain.

They will lock us up in a mental asylum. Seeing as how I am mostly to blame for this, I’ll take the brunt of the consequences!’

Diarmuid looked at Hugo with amusement.

‘You may be tinkering with your pet car but Oive been messin around with something slightly larger an a wee bit faster! With a bit of help from your luminous eyed friends We may be able to get to your Mansion, get the books yur talkin about and get back to stop the Gardai and those thugs from getting too far into da Bay’ All eyes followed Diarmuid who shuffled across the stone floor to the far side of the workshop. The old man pulled a large trip switch.

The hum of electrical power surged around the room and the massive

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steel trap doors in the centre of the room were pulled open by large steel chains. Diarmuid moved to another large switch box and pulled a large wooden lever and a deep rumble of huge gears echoed underneath the room. Hugo stood in amazement. A smile of wonder flashed across his face. Slowly and steadily a sleekly shaped mass of sculpted wood and metal was being raised out of the floor.

‘Diarmuid ya built an aeroplane, ya mad git!’

Hugo laughed out loud half with amazement and half with pride.

‘It’s a flying machine me boy but I’ll need your fur-ball’s help with it. I’ve never been able to get a power source to last enough time te get it airborne for longer than fiuve minits’ The gears came to a halt. The contraption was in full view of everyone. Constructed from varnished wood curved like a boats hull with the front resembling some top secret spy plane, the curvaceous hull blended sleekly into a set of slightly swept back delta shaped wings, two smaller wings protruded from the front of the craft just behind the main cockpit angled downwards. The rear of the craft had two slightly tilted vertical tail fins. In the roots of each wing was another cockpit with a windshield and a final spare cockpit located on a small spine directly behind the main cockpit - a total of four cockpits. The entire craft was at least forty-five feet long and a work of fine art. There were no hard corners or bumps on the vessel. At the rear of the craft were four pods with propeller fans facing backwards, spaced evenly along

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each wing root. The vessel tilted slightly downwards and rolled out on steel landing gear gently onto a smaller platform that came out of the steel doors and finally came to rest.

‘Everyone get in, except your two larger furry friends. Oive seen what da little one can do to charge up some of my contraptions but this will need far more power to work. Hugo and Harry, you get in behind the main cockpit and Harry me boy tell Fluke Fluke to join me and get the other two big ‘uns to charge up my engines then they can jump into the wing compartments!’

Everyone was taken aback by Diarmuid’s directness but scrambled as fast as they could into the requested positions. Fluke Fluke jumped into the main cockpit and shouted out at Synar and Mil Mil. ‘Mok-Mok-Quibble-Bee-Beep’ Hugo recognised the language form reading Alastair’s diary. Synar and Mil Mil placed their open hands onto each engine and uttered to themselves some form of incantation different to Fluke Fluke’s.

It must have drawn great power as the moment both warriors finished the incantation the engines growled into life with a deep pulsing rhythm.

Synar and Mil Mil leaped into their compartments on each wing with Diarmuid smiling to himself in satisfaction.

‘Now me boyo’s get ready. This thing takes off really fast! Just as well as we’ve next to no time to save da day!’

The old man laughed almost maniacally to himself then pulled a

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remote control from his pocket and pressed a large red switch. The far wall on the other side of his workshop slid down into the ground revealing a large tunnel venting upwards into the open. The platform Diarmuid’s craft was on rotated directly toward the opening.

‘Eirigh Linn!, they called me mad now look who’s laughing eh?, ha haa har’ Diarmuid shouted and pulled back two large throttles in his compartment. The engines boomed out a deep roar and the craft hurtled off the platform and soared out of the launch tunnel into the open air forcing everyone back into their seats. The craft slashed through the low cloud cover creating a whirling vortex of water vapour and disappeared from sight into the heavens like a rocket. They were air born!

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Chapter 13 - No more mister nice guy ‘Through the daylight they sleep Nair a sound not even a peep, But when the dusk will fall and night will come, They erupt from their slumber, with a growl and a hum.

Woe betide you my friend for it will mean your ghastly end, If respect to the Gikkie Bokkers you fail to send.’

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Barney lead Bill and Borris back out of Diarmuid’s house and walked directly over to Yardal, poking him in the chest again.

‘That was the last occupied house before we reach the Bay, and that man we just talked to has not heard any commotion going on around here. Are you sure you’ve got nothing else to add to your story?’

Yardal was getting nervous.

‘Just pleez come with mee to de place. You’ll see what’s going on and then yuud betur be ready to take actshun!’

Barney looked down at Yardal who was a full head height shorter than him. For once in his entire career, he was unable to sum up a person.

Yardal had him unsure. Yes the man was scruffy and awkward and rude at times, but when he talked about his master it sounded genuine enough.

Then there was the amulet, which looked like it was priceless in value, and had not been explained as to how it was acquired. Where did this person get hold of that incredible artefact? He decided to press on and let Yardal lead him down to the Bay. After a short walk the party all stood at the entrance point to the Bay. Yardal, slowly taking out the amulet again, slipped in and around the Gardai from behind. Barney looked out over across the Bay with his binoculars. His colleagues were looking closely for any tell tale signs of a disturbance in the environment that could lead to a body. They said nothing for a full minute. Then Barney took the binoculars away from his face and let them hang loose

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around his neck. His brow furrowed and his shoulders hunched forward.

Borris and Bill looked at him and stepped back. They knew he was getting angry.

‘Yardal I see no sign of any disturbance. Unless you can show me in the next minute a body you are in very serious trouble’ His voice went straight through Yardal who was now fully behind the Gardai ready to make his move.

‘Oh Oil show yeuu his body allright, just allow me to take you to the very place riot nowwww!’

He squeezed the amulet and shouted out awkwardly.

‘Moie motives are purre, moie faith is unshakin, cast forward the gate lest Ioye am forsakin!’

The Portal opened with an explosion of light. Yardal looked behind him beckoning his servants to help him push the Gardai into the portal first. The stunned Officers were taken by surprise, blinded by light they stumbled into the vortex with the bulky Yardal and his four cohorts tripping over themselves after the Gardai. All the chaos stopped and the men vanished from sight from the world. An instant later all eight men fell out of the portals flashing vortex of energy and landed awkwardly on top of each other.

‘You bleedin shifty git. I’ll strangle ya for your messing. What trickery is this? You’re in for a night’s sleep in jail for this!’

Barney was furious and grabbed hold of Yardal. Bill and Barney

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stopped his other servants from interfering, rugby tackling the four menservants back to the ground. But Yardal made no sound in reply.

He was quiet and still, limp and barely breathing, Yardal’s head servant Larrymond Underling was half way across Yardal’s legs. Barney and his colleagues looked confused.

They didn’t tackle the men that hard so why were two of the party unconscious? Borris was the first to speak.

‘Did you see that Barney? That scruff bags amulet was glowing when he pushed us into the light. He was the closest to the amulet and that skinny fella was nearest to him. It must have given them a nasty electric shock!’

Bill looked around in amazement.

‘I’m afraid that’s the least of our worries! What do you make of it Barney? Where the hell are we?’

Barney stood up fully leaving the unconscious Yardal and Larrymond lying on the ground.

‘Well it looks like the Bay might have done a million years ago. Why is it so hot and what the hell are those things flying around?’

Barney pointed to a swarm of strange flying creatures bigger than a pigeon but with two massive eyes and covered in fur.

‘That eejit injected us with something! We’re not seeing things right!’ shouted Bill.

Suddenly the motionless Yardal and Larrymond exploded out of their

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unconscious state into one of bizarre animation. They were violently shaking on the ground in convulsions then opened their eyes and screamed out aloud in terror.

‘Morro Riganis! Wrath of the black sun, let us keep our souls, we beg you, yeeaarrgh!’

The convulsions ceased and the two men collapsed. Their three companions cradled the pair’s sweaty heads in they’re hands. Three Wexford policemen; tall, rough and proud, afraid of no man were starting to get nervous.

‘Well wherever we are it seems pleasant enough apart from those fruitcakes. Whatever has just gone on it can’t get much worse’ sighed a bewildered Bill.

He placed a comforting hand on Barney’s shoulder and nervously chuckled and wiped the sweat rolling down over his eyes.

‘Dooooooommmmmmm’. A gigantic deep pounding sound came from across the Bay. Everyone froze.

‘What the hell was that’, shouted Borris.

The sound of snapping ropes and a series of huge growls from far away made the earth below them tremble. Barney grabbed the amulet off the fallen Yardal’s neck and tried to remember what the scruffy man spoke out loud to materialise the portal of light.

‘Err, my thoughts are pure… err’ A huge roar caused ripples in all the nearby Stout Lakes, echoing

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throughout the Bay and resonating in everyone’s chest.

‘Oh my God Barney, remember the next bit quick!’ pleaded Bill.

‘I am forsaken? Ah damn! I can’t remember, let’s start again, me thoughts are pure, err..’

Across the Bay, a being as old as the rocks on the shore had awakened.

Realising that it had been bound in ropes, it had partially freed itself and was struggling to get free.

As it wriggled, it fell back to the ground again and again. It sensed the intruders and wanted to get to them. A restless chaotic river of rage bubbled up from within the beast. It looked around for something to use as leverage against itself to snap the remaining rope around it’s body and legs. A nearby tree stump, the width of a large dining table, was just behind it. The creature moved from side to side like a snake undulating over to the massive tree stump. It grabbed the tree stump and ripped it from its roots with massive power then pried open the last few golden rope threads finally freeing itself with a triumphant roar. Too many had trespassed and been let off leniently.

The beast would bring back it’s quarry and punish everyone before bringing the remains back to the Elders on the mountain. The massive beast stood upright flexing it’s hard as steel muscles. Sinew and tendons cracked and snapped with its incredible power. It grabbed the tree trunk roots and flung it into the air towards the intruders. It then set forth slowly in the same direction shaking off the affects of the glowing Bokwana

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carrot. There would be chaos and pain. It would set an example for all eternity to those who would dare venture forth into the sacred lands of the Gikkie Bokkers.

‘It’s no bleedin good, let’s just run away!’ shouted Borris.

‘Exactly where are we going to run off to Boris’, countered Bill.

Barney looked behind him.

‘Look, as far as I can remember we fell from over there about ten feet away. Lets run over there now I’m sure this jewellery will do something.

It started to shine when we got close to this spot on the outside, so maybe it will do it for us to exit. Just keep trying to remember what that plonker said to open it’ With that Barney sprinted over to where He guessed they all materialised from with everyone only a few steps behind when a huge shadow fell over them all. ‘Keerash!’ A massive tree trunk smashed into the ground separating Barney from his companions and the panicked servants. The branches and roots contorted from the impact, and resembled a large claw like hand stabbing into the ground.

It had neatly created a barrier that proved impossible for Barney’s colleagues and Yardal’s servants to get across.

‘Barney keep going. Get that piece of jewellery working and get help. I remember what he said’, Bill shouted out encouragingly.

‘It’s... my thoughts are pure my faith is unshaken, cast forward the gate lest I am forsaken!’

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Barney repeated the words holding the amulet to his chest. The portal opened emitting light directly behind him. Suddenly the entire earth shook to its foundations. The Spungle had traversed the Bay and was fully recovered. It was seething with rage as it leaped over a hundred feet across the last of the lakes and landed just behind the twisted tree trunk remains.

Looking at Barney with glowing red eyes it snarled and picked up Barney’s terrified companions with one of its hands. Then it grabbed Yardal, Larrymond and the remaining three servants with its other hand leaving two free hands to destroy the tree trunk. It raised its mighty arms above its head and turned the tree trunk into splinters with one earth shattering blow leaving no obstacle between it and the petrified Barney.

The portly police officer trembling with fear stumbled backwards into the portal out of the domain of the Spungle narrowly missing a gigantic fist creating a deep crater were he just stood. On the other side of the portal in the ordinary world, Barney could still hear the Spungles roar of frustration such was its force.

The terrified policeman got to his feet and ran for his life down the road, sprinting past the Grandane Inn and Diarmuid’s house he came across Hugo’s car and hotwired it desperately. He sped off towards Wexford town having no idea what to do next other than feeling the need to be amongst people and shelter. He had just witnessed the most hellish spectacle in his life. He had just lost his two closest friends

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along with Yardal and the other menservants.

He had no idea if things were going to get any worse. Taking a few deep breaths, his breathing finally slowed a little. His heart was still pounding but gradually became more regular and controlled. He decided to go to the only place that he could imagine that would stand a chance of helping him get his friends back whatever condition they would be in, Talon Hill Barracks. It was the Irish Army base just outside Wexford town. That thing would pay dearly for attacking his friends. He had no idea what he would say, but worst case he would just do what Yardal had done to him. Barney was surprised at the sheer speed of Hugo’s Bentley.

He reached Wexford town in little over ten minutes flat then drove up the steep hill to the Barrack’s entrance. He got out of the car and spent a long time pleading with the lone soldier at the guard post to get an audience with a senior officer. Finally the young soldier got on his intercom and spoke to his Superior Officer. After a minute he put down the phone and asked Barney to walk up to the large central building in the courtyard and walk through the main doorway and wait to be seen.

Barney wasted no time and drove right up to the building parking awkwardly and getting out of the car. Inside the reception area was deserted. Barney looked at the clock on the wall, three o’clock in the morning. Thank God there was nobody on the road when He drove to this place. He made a mental note to speak to Hugo about the car. He didn’t feel like he was speeding, but he arrived so fast. There was no

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time to think about that now. After a moment he heard the sound of some creaky wooden doors opening in the distance, then the shadowy outline of a man in uniform appeared down the hall from him.

‘What can I do for you Sergeant?’ asked the still silhouetted form striding towards him.

Barney was the one used to asking that question. He found it unsettling to be at the other end of the request.

‘Barney Jibblets of Grandane Garda station! I could urgently use your help Sir! I need to ask for men and vehicles to be deployed in Grandane, at the Bay’ The figure finally came from out of the shadows and walked right up to Barney. He was an enormous man and was a full head height taller than the huge Barney.

‘I’m on my way to an out of hours military exercise near Grandane Forest. You can drive me there. All of our vehicles are out of the barrack’s and you can explain on the way’ Barney appreciated the man’s directness.

‘Well thank you very much. You’re not going to believe this, but please bear with me. There’s some very unusual phenomenon occurring, over past Grandane Village, in the middle of the Bay. I’ll try to explain from the beginning, but people may have been killed’ The massive soldier stood seven feet tall, with short grey hair and green

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eyes and a fresh bright face. He instantly treated Barney’s request seriously. Taking only a cursory glance at Barneys rank and insignia he said...

‘My name is General Andrew Drake and you’ve gotten my attention’ he ushered Barney out of the building and into the car.

‘Hmm some sort of custom Bentley! Not quite the standard vehicle for a Garda is it now? And err, ah yes, hotwired too I see’ smirked the general.

‘I’ll drive if you don’t mind Barney’ Barney sheepishly replied ‘Yes Sir. I had no choice but to commandeer it General Drake’ The General did not reply. An intense look came across his face as he drove up to the lone soldier on guard at the gate and gave him instructions.

‘Barney was there any unusual activity pertaining to lightning or other strange atmospheric phenomenon this evening?’

Barney’s eyes opened wide in surprise ‘Well yes there was General, and ..’

General Drake swiftly cut across him.

‘And by chance any extremely large noises, so loud they cause shockwaves through the ground?’

Barney looked shocked.

‘Well yes there was. It all came from around the Bay area. You won’t believe me when you see what’s caused them. You’re just going

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to have to come with me but please bring heavy weapons! I reckon it will be the only thing that stops this beast’ Sitting awkwardly in the car, Barney noted that Drake’s accent was American. His rolled up sleeves bore the insignia of some style of Special Forces unit.

‘Barney we’ve been monitoring the area you are speaking of for over two days. Our satellites have picked up some bizarre energy patterns of unparalleled power coming from there. By now you’ve guessed I take it that I am not Irish. I’ve been flown in to investigate what’s going on here by higher authorities. I’ve cart blanche access and power at my disposal. We will find the source of this power and isolate it!’

Barney’s head was spinning with confusion. He did not know what to make of it. For all the points General Drake just made he did not mention his friends and what help they would be given.

‘General, my friends, the men. They’ve been attacked and taken prisoner or worse by well… it’s not human and it’s not any animal you have ever seen. And it’s massive. A scruffy manservant came into my station giving me a story about his master being killed by a vicious animal. We followed him down to the Bay and he used a strange amulet that glowed very brightly and it opened up something in the air that he pushed us through to, and when we came out the other side we were set upon by this … well it was like the Devil himself appeared. And it took my men and the man servant and his companions!’

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Barney shut his eyes expecting ridicule from the American but General Andrew Drakes face was taking everything Barney had just said in intently.

‘We have not encountered any unusual wildlife since we got here but infrared scans of the Bay area have picked up very strange heat signatures of non human origin. I am taking your account seriously and I will do my best to get your men back but my orders are firstly to neutralise anything that has the potential to disrupt United States Satellites and affect the flight patterns of the local airspace, and that has already occurred’ The Stern General pulled out a black and white photograph from his breast pocket.

‘This is a view one hundred and fifty miles above Wexford. Thirty minutes ago we picked up an incredible surge of energy from every detectable wavelength maxing out the satellites sensors. Our network monitored ten air flight control centres from Europe who had planes overflying the vicinity receive calls from their pilots reporting massive sensor failure for the duration of the episode. Was your encounter with this man with the amulet around thirty minutes ago?’

Barney’s jaw dropped in amazement.

‘Yes it was. That’s incredible but you’re going to need some serious hardware to do battle with what’s alive beyond the entrance this amulet creates!’

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Barney instinctively handed over the amulet to Drake.

‘Well do you think this is sufficient enough to be of help?’

General Drake pulled off the main road to Grandane Village and Steered through a dark opening in Grandane Forrest. Driving through a hidden opening it revealed another dirt road just as wide. Sitting and waiting were thirteen heavy M1 Abram’s battle tanks in single file surrounded by at least one hundred heavily armed American soldiers getting ready for a military exercise. Barney looked in disbelief at the sight.

‘Yes Sir, this should be more than enough’, He spluttered in awe.

As they drove past the M1 Tank formation they turned into a large hidden base camp. Barney counted ten Scorpion light scout tanks from the Irish army creating a perimeter around a large camouflaged battle tent with another fifty soldiers, this time of Irish origin, planning a battle manoeuvre. General Drake stopped Hugo’s custom Bentley car and got out. He walked into the middle of the crowd of Irish soldiers, every one of whom stopped to give him a salute.

‘Gentlemen! You’re exercise has been cancelled. I am about to reveal to you your actual objective. This is highly classified and is above top secret! Recounting the forthcoming events in public or even with army personal outside of our battle group is prohibited. Our reconnaissance division has traced dangerous emissions of energy from a location deep into the marshes of Grandane Bay. Your real assignment is to track

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down the emissions, assess the danger and if necessary engage and destroy the energy source! You have five minutes before we roll out.

Follow in behind captain Blavatsky’s Abram’s tank division. All further orders will be disclosed en route! That is all for now gentlemen!’

‘Yes Sir!’ Everyone saluted energetically and scrambled into their assigned vehicles leaving Drake to walk back to Hugo’s Bentley.

Drake sat in beside Barney and started up the engine smiling at him.

‘And you my friend are leading us there!’

Every Abram’s tank started their ignition simultaneously creating a loud din. Seconds later this was accompanied by the ten Scorpion light battle tanks starting their engines. The entire force moved as one as it thundered down the concealed dirt road out onto old Grandane Road ready for battle. Barney did his best to keep his heart beat under control, as impressive a sight as the armoured convoy was he was very unsure if it was enough to face down the demonic creature that he had barely escaped from.

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Chapter 14 - Needle in a haystack ‘From far and wide they came to see, The Gikkie Bokkers who lived by the sea.

Their beautiful fur coats, their long sharp teeth, They looked in earnest hoping to meet.

“I can’t see any”, they all grunted, Not realising that they were the hunted.

So if down by the sea you hear a rustle, Don’t move an inch, not even a muscle.’

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The clouds above Wexford were being torn to shreds and spat out by the powerful engines of Diarmuid’s flying machine.

‘Hugo, we are only five minutes away from your house, if it’s still in de same place your Father built that is’ Hugo was looking down at the Irish landscape sweeping by rapidly below him wondering how Diarmuid had managed to hide his latest bizarre invention from the world at large.

‘Yeah it’s in the exact same spot, well what’s left of it is. By the way, how do you know Fluke Fluke? He’s very crafty in the art of concealment’ Diarmuid smiled at Fluke Fluke affectionately.

‘Aye Yeah, he is very handy allriote at hidin away but he hasn’t quite grown into his feet yet. A bit clumsy he is, always getting tangled up in some bush or piece of machinery. That’s how I came across him. He was out playing in my field wundaye and saw my combine harvester and tried to jam a stick into its blades to see what kinda sound it would make. The little fur-ball got sucked into the blades. How he survived I don’t know, but all he was missin was a few shreds of fur and his pride.

I brought him indoors and took care of him for two days and we’ve been friends ever since. Would never have spoken to anyone about him, even you Hugo, except for the present circumstances’ Hugo laughed to himself.

‘Yeah he is quite a character. He was following me around the Bay

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for ages and I never spotted him, and when my mansion got wrecked I reckon himself and a few of his buddies repaired part of my house too on the quiet!, I really think that he...’

Harry interupted him. ‘Hugo me boyo, do you have any idea of where your ancestors diaries are? We really are fighting time here!’, Hugo thought deeply coming back to the present moment.

‘Harry me aul mate it’s part of the adventure isn’t it? I’ve no idea, but my first guess is to look into the library. We should all look there first, I mean why would it be anywhere else?’

Dublin crept into view and Diarmuid flew his craft underneath the cloud cover steadying the machine as best he could through some rough turbulence.

‘Just one thing gentlemen!’ everyone looked over at Diarmuid expectantly wondering what his next words would be.

‘I’ve never landed this thing before!’

‘What?’ shouted out Harry confused.

‘I thought you said you - flew this thing for five minutes before it ran out of gas’ Diarmuid smiled faintly’ ‘Aye that’s half riote, it flew fer fiove minutes allriote but I wasn’t in it! that wud bee just plain crazy now wudin it?’

Hugo laughed out loud.

‘Harhar Diarmuid you’re the best, you’ve never changed. Just try

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land short of my house will ya?’

Diarmuid’s craft was just over house height approaching the mansion walls when he cut the engines and extended the landing gear.

The deep pulsing rhythm of the engines came to a halt and were replaced by a gentle whistling of air – which was streaming along the now gliding aircraft. Then Diarmuid tilted the nose of the craft up steeply and extended the wing flaps to slow the plane down. The aircraft landed heavily onto Hugo’s drive way at over a hundred miles an hour. Everyone held tightly onto their seats while Fluke Fluke closed his eyes and Harry yelped letting out a high-pitched scream. Diarmuid pressed hard on the wheel brakes while black smoke came streaming out from the undercarriage from the friction. They were slowing down but not enough.

The craft was only twenty feet away from Hugo’s front door.

Mil Mil Ulthu jumped out of his passenger compartment and ran along the wing up out onto the nose of Diarmuid’s aircraft and slipped off.

Synar shouted in concern and scrambled after him vanishing from sight.

Everyone else in the plane was screaming with concern for the two creatures, then looked ahead expecting immediate impact and shut their eyes tightly. A massive screech of grating metal with a surprisingly gentle deceleration occurred. The nose of Diarmuid’s aircraft ended up just resting against the mansion doors.

Everyone got out of their compartments trying to locate the two

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Warrior Gikkie Bokkers. The smell of burnt rubber was overpowering.

Steam and smoke obscured the view beneath Diarmuid’s aircraft.

‘Well we’ve made it. Can anyone see were Mil Mil and Synar have gone to?’

Fuke Fluke slid down the nose of the craft and vanished into the smoke. After a minute he chirped and yelped for joy. Everybody had vacated the aircraft and was standing down on the pathway and started to look around for the Gikkie Bokkers. The smoke finally cleared enough for everyone to see Synar and Mil Mil sitting down with their backs against the front undercarriage of Diarmuid’s aircraft, smoke streaming from their soot covered feet and Fluke Fluke hugging them both with glee.

‘Ha Ha, well dun me boys, yur a lot tougher than I gave ye credit for’ laughed Diarmuid.

Hugo looked on in amazement at their bravery ‘The mad gits they saved our bacon, let’s bring them into the house.

Harry, lend us a hand!’

Harry looked at the two creatures who were already rising to their feet and he smiled proudly at them.

‘Hugo these creatures are far more robust than you would think, lets go inside for we have very little time left’ Inside the nearly completed mansion Hugo made tea then walked over to the library and started his search with Harry right behind him.

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‘This is where all my family’s photo albums and educational books are. There were never any diaries but I hadn’t been looking for any.

Lend us a hand and see if you can communicate what we are doing to Synar and Mil Mil’ Harry nodded his head without a sound and made his way over to Synar and Mill Mil, who were wiping themselves off from all the dust and soot. Before Harry got to speak, the adult Gikkie Bokkers stood upright to attention, their large Owl like eyes glowed fiercely and they howled like wolves under a full moon. Harry stopped in his tracks.

He couldn’t recall ever hearing this before, even if his memory was returning to normal. It was like some sort of ritual. The Adult creatures seemed like they were preparing for battle extending their razor sharp claws on all four hands but then they stood motionless. A deep humming sound filled the room and the Gikkie Bokker warriors looked like they were preparing to attack an as yet unseen foe.

‘Hugo get in here!’ shouted Harry.

‘I’ll be with you in minute. Who is making that howling noise?’

Harry threw up his eyes in the air ‘Damn it Hugo get over here now!’

Synar and Mil Mil had frozen, almost like they had been hypnotized.

Hugo rushed in to the room to see Fluke Fluke desperately tugging on both Synar and Mil Mil’s arms trying to bring them out of the trance.

Suddenly the Warriors fiercely lit eyes dimmed to a pleasant glow and they slowly returned to life, they looked at each other then faced Harry

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and spoke in unison.

‘ElrysianThular, beck nomonul mire castaj ininvadreer!, Vrool Gala alarmir nardreganos!’

Their voices seemed more powerful than ever.

‘What are they saying Harry? Is it Wexford? Has the crap hit the fan down on the Bay?’ Harry turned to face Hugo and Diarmuid.

‘I’m not sure. The adults speak in a different manner to the younglings and it’s harder to understand. It is very formal and I think it means..’

The Warriors did not waste any more time. They both grabbed Harry and Hugo pulling both men’s heads closely to their foreheads - as if they were about to savage the men’s faces but instead stroked their eyestalks over the men’s foreheads. Both men screamed and the room around them faded to black. Hugo knew all too well where he was, the black void was very familiar but this time Harry was floating next to him.

‘Harry whatever you see just remember you’ll wake up from it no matter what, do you understand?’

Harry turned his face to meet Hugo’s.

‘I know where we are. This is the dark ether in which the spirit world communicates. The Gikkie Bokkers are half way between both worlds.

Comfortable in both their spirits are immensely powerful but they use this medium for important messages. This is not a place any mortal should linger’ Hugo turned his head to face Harry.

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‘Well I had a vision in here that was horrible. I met some evil creature with a disgusting Hag like screeching voice and I’m glad it ended!’

‘Hugo, that was not a vision.

What happens here is a direct

communication with a spiritual entity, be it good or evil!’

‘I see. She spoke of things happening or happened. It was difficult to say for sure if it was present or future events. How long does it usually take to happen?’ asked Hugo curiously.

‘I get the impression we are being held in the dark ether while Synar and Mil Mil are communicating with another being’ Hugo smirked.

‘You mean they’ve put us on hold?’

Suddenly the darkness was flooded with soft white light. Then the vast expanse of Wexford appeared before them moving slowly as if Hugo and Harry were soaring Eagles. They could make out the Bay, as they seemed to be moving in closer to the ground. Moving along even closer now, practically gliding with their feet off the dirt track and moved up towards the Bay. They both gasped at the scene before them. It was a convoy of American and Irish Army tanks that were being escorted through the portal by an old acquaintance of Hugo in Hugo’s own car accompanied by a huge American General. Hugo and Harry had no time to converse as they were swept further into the Gikkie Bokker kingdom up over and around to the far side of Gikkie Bokker Mountain flying down into a large dense green valley with a large set of village

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huts in the centre of the deepest part with a Spungle lighting a fire under a huge cauldron.

Placed waist deep in the soil forming a circle around the massive iron cauldron lay the semi conscious forms of Yardal Van Hoolligaun, Larrymond Underling, two unknown Gardai and three other man servant people Hugo just about recognised from his youth.

‘Oh my God. That thing is going to eat them, as stupid as they were for trespassing they don’t deserve this’ ‘Silence Hugo I fear there is more to come!’ commanded Harry.

They passed over the Spungle Village soaring higher up now and circled around to the front of Gikkie Bokker Mountain and straight towards the massive doors.

Both men’s hearts pounded instinctively feeling utter dread in the pits of their stomachs. They came closer to the main giant pathway leading up to the doorway at the base of the mountain and glided over a troop of slow moving warrior Gikkie Bokkers. They were guarding a single Elder even larger than Synar and Mil Mil and dressed in gold and silver shawls heading towards the giant walkway. As they approached the massive doors a faint hissing noise and distant chanting sound came to their attention. It was getting louder with every passing second. It grew into an all too familiar ancient Gaelic chant, transforming into the same violent ramblings Hugo had witnessed in his first encounter with the dark ether when he met that hideous witch like being who stabbed his

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heart. The doors vanished in a ball of fire and lightning amidst the crone like wailing and shrieking of a hideous voice. The two companions stood amongst a ravaged landscape full of dead beings strewn across the land as far as the eye could see, both human soldiers and warrior Gikkie Bokkers. Everything was deathly still.

A tall lone figure, wearing a white shawl, with long jet-black hair was walking amongst the carnage combing its hair and singing softly to itself. Its face hidden from view, the figure stopped walking and tilted its head slightly - as if becoming aware of the two overhead spectators.

It turned its torso slightly and reached a long bony pale arm up towards the two observers and pointed its long spindly fingers directly at Hugo.

Turning its head turned slowly, its face was obscured by beautiful shiny black hair. A low hissing noise came from beneath the meticulous hair rising in tone to full speech. This time the crone spoke in Hugo’s mother tongue!

‘I shall make you watch the downfall of mankind, witness the undivine spectacle of the torture your father endured and will feed from your weeping for eternity’ The crone burst into hideous laughter but the voice seemed to be coming from within the creature not from its mouth, if it had a mouth.

‘Come here so I may gaze upon your vile face’, the creature commanded.

Hugo’s veins felt ice cold he felt his body floating slowly down to the

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vile sounding creature, it’s cackling drowning out his thoughts. Hugo stopped moving. The hideous corruption of a woman’s form appeared to become aware of another presence.

It looked out into the distant landscape moving its head awkwardly tilting it from side to side. Flexing its long bony fingers it seemed to become agitated. The same deep voice that Hugo had heard at the end of his first encounter with this witch, bellowed out aloud from the heavens.

‘You gaze upon his face to conjure fear but behold! You witness instead the face of your nemesis! The bloodline of Balor is within him. Your twisted trickery slips over him like water over ice. Flee your earthly husk and sink back into the gloom and await your ordained faith!’

The ground shook with the last words and the vile woman’s shape contorted and hunched down like it was being burned by fire, then erupted into flames and vanished leaving an awful screaming echo through the landscape. Hugo and Harry awoke at the same time gasping for breath and collapsed onto their knees on the floor in shock. It took a second to regain some level of composure.

‘Harry we need to stop the army going any further into those lands.

Let’s get the diaries and get back there!’

Harry was still recovering from the encounter. Synar and Mil Mil helped Hugo and Harry to their feet. Diarmuid was the first to speak.

‘Hugo, Oive searched your library from top to bottom and there are

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no diaries of any kind. Are you sure they exist?’

Hugo took a deep breath and responded.

‘Yes, they have to be. I need some water. I’m going to the bar. I’ll get you all a drink, we all deserve one!’

Hugo staggered out into the hall past the front doors to the other side of the ground floor into his Bar. Everyone walked behind him concerned. Hugo took a water flask out from the bar and poured everyone a drink.

‘When I think about it, no wonder my Da never kept the diaries in plain sight. Being the only one who took an interest in hunting just would not have worked out back then, but my aul Henry would never have given up so easily on me. He would have put them somewhere not too obvious but so that they could be accessed easily enough when I proved worthy to see them and understand their importance. He must have them somewhere about the mansion, that’s of course if the Spungle didn’t rip them to shreds when he attacked here’.

Synar and Mil Mil looked around at the room then crouched forward slowly walking around Hugo they seemed to be interested in the wall behind him.

Hugo paid no notice.

‘But I suppose it’s over by now. We could be here all night. Why bother going back to the Bay now. You saw what I saw Harry, a procession of those Gikkie Bokkers going to the mountain. They must

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be unleashing that Banshee creature on mankind and us’ Harry looked at Hugo incredulously.

‘How can you say that? The Elders or anything living in the Bay would never open that door. I lost everything Hugo, my beloved wife to be fell to that evil Crone and it’s wearing her face as a trophey!’

The room went silent. Harry astounded himself with his words, the last piece of what was hidden from his mind had just been revealed to him. He sank to his knees and sobbed.

‘Oh my dear God my sweet Anna, what have I done?’

Hugo walked over to him placing a consoling hand on his shoulder.

‘What else do you remember? How did it happen?’

Harry wiped away his tears and was still sobbing.

‘I’m remembering now, she, I…, I brought her to these lands after knowing her for years, to propose to her. I gave up my role as Parish Priest to pursue her. I brought her to the sacred lands to show off if I am honest. I wanted to impress Her. It was utter carelessness on my part.

We were not even near the Mountain Gate. I brought her to a picnic spot in the Gikkie Bokker Gardens and she was overwhelmed by her surroundings. I, a man of my age was showing off like an adolescent boy in front of a grown woman. I asked her to settle and rest as I wanted to ask her a question and she playfully challenged me to a game of hide and seek. If I managed to find her then she would listen to my question and respond quickly!’

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Everyone huddled around Harry with great concern.

Harry smiled faintly, his eyes gazing into distant space as he recalled the event.

‘She intended not to make it easy for me. From her footsteps I guessed she ran off towards the base of the mountain wall then strolled out onto the stone path. That leads up to the sealed off entrance gate wall that surrounds the mountain door entrance. I was not far wrong’ Harry continued, his chest heaving with laboured breath as if every remembered event caused him pain.

‘After counting to one hundred very slowly, I began my search. I expected to encounter her hiding under one of the large pillar wall lamps near the first gate. I could hear the faint sound of laughter echoing from that direction but when I reached that spot to my horror the gate had been opened. I remember running through the gate looking for her and I spotted her at the other end of the walkway standing in front of the last gate. It was just before the huge walkway to those doors. I called to her but she did not turn her head. She was singing softly to herself. Oh dear God Hugo, it was the same song that creature was singing to itself when we saw it in the dark ether walking amongst the dead!’

Everyone looked quite grimly at Harry. Even the Warrior Gikkie Bokkers showed emotion in their eyes.

‘Without turning to face me the last gate opened by itself, and my Anna walked slowly through to the other side. I was running. I had

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caught up with her and grabbed her hand to make her face me. She was in a trance. She came too out of her stupor and smiled at me confused but full of mischief. She asked me why I had brought her there. I said the place was magical and I wished to bring her back into the garden and talk to her. She smiled and asked me what was the question that I was going to ask her’ Everyone in the room stared intently at Harry waiting for the reply.

‘Oh Anna, she looked upon my face with such a lovely expectant smile and before I could even begin my sentence a great force picked her up off the earth like a ragdoll and sucked her into the giant entrance!’

Hugo frowned looking puzzled.

‘Who opened the gates and the giant doorway entrance?’

Harry stared at the floor hopelessly.

‘I do not know who or what opened the gates. It was an illusion.

Those giant doors did not open. My Anna just vanished from sight the moment her screaming body hit the doors. Now I remember her screaming. How could I forget these happenings? The elders! They must have hidden the memories from me!’

Hugo placed his hand onto Harry’s shoulder half consoling him, half keeping the old man upright.

‘Perhaps it was to protect you. That’s a horrific loss to live with Harry. I suspect they’ve been keeping you at a distance so your memory would come back slowly, so you could process it piece by piece. If we

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all manage to survive this you need to confront the elders about it’ Harry smiled gratefully and placed an arm on Hugo’s shoulder.

‘Hugo We need to act now and get to the elders. The Gikkie Bokkers can easily protect themselves from anything but they too are few in numbers and if anything gets near those gates that’s human they will have no resistance to the Banshee creature that dwells under the mountain and we may face the apocalypse’ Hugo gently escorted Harry out of the house and back into the flying machine, placing the old man carefully into the seat and fixing his harness.

‘Harry, the apocalypse you’re talking about, was that the battle that the Spungle was driven mad with, fighting off that witch?’

Harry sighed.

‘Yes it was, it affected us all, the Spungle the most. He lost everything, not just his loved ones. His whole species were wiped out by that evil creatures dark magic’ Hugo leaned into Harry intently.

‘He? It has an identity?’

Harry looked up at Hugo with great sadness in his eyes.

‘Eireannos Hellwrath! The dark fist of the almighty! He was once known as the most powerful warrior that ever lived! His tales amongst the beings in this land are legendary that is why he is still permitted to live in his village, despite his madness. Ah Hugo, there is many a tale to

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be told about his quests and battles. If the worlds end does not come too soon perhaps I can recount a few tales to you. Alas, but we are no closer to finding your diaries. I fear we are all simply waiting for Armageddon now, it’s just all a matter of minutes before our world comes to an end’ Hugo felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head

around and Synar Chro was standing below him reaching up to get his attention.

‘What is it Synar? Jeez I wish you could speak my language’ Synar tilted his head and eyes towards the door entrance beckoning Hugo back inside. Hugo climbed down off Diarmuid’s flying machine and followed Synar inside. On his way into the house he noticed that Fluke Fluke was under the landing gear taking instruction from Mil Mil Ulthu.

They were both busy making repairs to the landing gear for takeoff and Hugo wondered why they were bothering, considering the hopelessness of their predicament. Hugo was ushered by Synar back into the bar room. Diarmuid brought both of them over to the painting on the wall behind the bar counter.

‘Beautiful picture Hugo. Do you notice anything familiar about the painting? I don’t know all that yeev been through but I do certainly remembur something familiar about that boat in da painting!’

Hugo peered at the framed oil painting.

‘That’s been hanging there all my life Diarmuid. It’s just a painting’

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‘Look at it again Hugo’ ‘Holy spuds, it’s Alastair MacNiadhs vessel. That’s the one Harry and myself were inside! How did you know about the boat?’

Hugo was amazed, Diarmuid winked back at Hugo proudly.

‘The little furry one brought me there once as a reward for helping him fix a broken washing machine he had in his cave. After I had fixed it he sang a lovelee little tune and a big glowing door opened up over de Bay. He took me through it and that very boat was at the far end of the shore. It’s got to have sum meeening to it Hugo!’

Hugo examined the painting. As lovely as it was there was nothing out of the ordinary about the picture, except, on closer inspection Hugo could make out the signature in the lower left hand corner.

‘Fluke Fluke! That little critter can paint? Look Diarmuid, he signed it himself’ Diarmuid rubbed his chin thinking deeply.

‘Hmm it wouldn’t surprizzze meee Hugo but there has to be more to it than that’ Hugo took the painting off the wall to examine it more closely.

‘And I think I know why it says Fluke Fluke on it’ said Diarmuid in a more excited tone.

‘Stop looking at the painting itself Hugo. Look what is behind it on da wall instead!’

Hugo looked over at the wall that he just pulled the painting off of.

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before him, in the very place the oil painting hung, was a small black iron safe that had been built into the wall. They both looked at it. Synar towered his head over both their shoulders to see the safe.

‘Look at that dial Diarmuid, have you ever seen the like of a safe dial like this one?’

‘Nah Hugo that’s fairly unique as safes go. It only has a small part of the alphabet on it and no numbers at all!’

Hugo could feel the urgency seep back into his bones. He was so close to turning things around, a glimmer of hope was presenting itself to him.

‘Diarmuid my hands are still shaking from the vision I had. Can you do me a favour and dial in the word Fluke Fluke on the safe knob?’

Diarmuid creased his brow thinking to himself then did as Hugo requested. It worked! The safe unlocked with a loud snap like something inside the lock was broken. Both men and Synar the Gikkie Bokker, froze expectantly. Diarmuid took a deep breath and opened the safe door, inside was a set of old paper scrolls on strange parchment and three small leather bound books. Diarmuid took them all out with both hands and placed them onto the bar counter.

‘Diarmuid me boy, you’re the greatest. That guess was pure luck!

Let’s hope we have got what we need to avert disaster at the Bay. I’ll read these on the way over! Let’s get into your aircraft, we’ve stayed too long as it is!’

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The three figures sprinted out of the mansion and clamboured up into the aircraft. Fluke Fluke and Mil Mil leaped up onto the craft and into their pods. Diarmuid activated the engines. Roaring into life Diarmuid steered his aircraft around facing the direction of the front gates. Pulling back on both master throttles, the sleek hand crafted aircraft began hurtling down the driveway. Pulling up steeply at the last moment they narrowly avoided the front gates and soared into the air like a falcon swooping after its prey, punching a vortex outlined hole into the clouds above the mansion. They were on their way back to Wexford and whatever they would find there.

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Chapter 15 - Dark fist of the Almighty ‘5 miles to go, it’s closing in fast Last of my bullets got to make them last With blinding speed around me it passed, Friend or Foe? We will soon know.’

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The General had seen a lifetimes worth of incredible adventures as a young man, performing missions in places both spectacular to look at and full of mortal danger. He was truly astounded at what he had just witnessed! Never before had he been rendered speechless in his life and the portly framed Irish Policeman sitting beside him in Hugo’s commandeered Bentley had done just that.

Taking out a piece of jewellery hanging from around his neck, Detective Barney Jibblets, had summoned by means of a poetic incantation the strange phenomenon that Drake’s intelligence officers had reported to him from United States Satellites orbiting above the Atlantic ocean. Drake’s entire battle group had crossed over through the vortex of light onto the marshes leading up to the Stout Lakes and had come to a halt.

It was not because the General had ordered them to stop but from the shock of what lay before them. It was a vast series of lakes made from what looked like Irish Stout, leading up to a great dark forest with a massive sharp mountain overlooking it all. There were strange flying creatures singing and warbling strange guttural noises darting in and out of bushes and trees and pulsating energy orbs streaking along the edge of the lakes. General Drake stepped out of Hugo’s Bentley without saying a word to the expectant Barney. He walked behind the car and stood in front of the leading M1 Abram’s Battle Tank.

A helmeted soldier appeared out of the top of the Tank Turret saluting

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the General.

‘Captain Blavatsky, perform an electromagnetic sweep of the area.

We need to pin point the strongest source of the electrical disturbance and hand me down a comms unit. We will need to stay in constant contact’ ‘Yes General, right away Sir!’ With that the Tank Captain disappeared back down into his battle tank.

Drake had time to walk back to Barney.

‘I know you’re looking for your companions and believe me it’s important to me too but we do not know what we are dealing with.

Everything must be done slowly, carefully and by the numbers. Once I’ve pin pointed the source of the electromagnetic spikes I will send half my battle group in the direction of whatever devastated this area’ The General pointed to the shattered tree trunk and mangled roots with massive foot imprints in the marshy soil just in front of the car, the exact spot that Barney summoned the portal vortex to escape the Spungles wrath.

‘General I’m truly grateful. Two of the best men on the force were taken and they’re also my best friends. Five other civilians were taken too. I pray you’ll have enough time to rescue them. The thing I saw it must be over eighty feet tall and it was agile - like a cat, please warn your men!, this things not from this world’ ‘General Sir!’

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Captain Blavatsky shouted over to the General from the top of his battle tank.

‘What is it Captain?’

‘General Sir, all our instruments are going ballistic, all sensors are overloaded. We are in the middle of a massive cloud of energy. The readings are off the scale. It’s like we are sitting in the middle of a large nuclear reactor! Our portable comms units are also down! Sir the only communication we can muster is from tank to tank and we need to stick close together the signals so bad!’

‘Very well captain, send five scorpion light tanks ahead of us in single file across to the far side of the largest lake and keep four Abram’s two hundred yards behind them, two on either side of the lake to provide heavy artillery support and get ten men to follow up behind each Abram’s, and Captain! Prepare for the unexpected!’

‘Yes General, right away Sir!’ Blavatsky disappeared down into the heavy tank.

‘Barney, your coming with me, ever been in an Abram’s before?’

Barney looked nervously at Drake.

‘Err no General, this will be my first and hopefully my last!’

General Drake smiled and walked off to the tank nearest the portal entrance with Barney walking timidly behind him.

Yardal slowly came to his senses. His vision was blurred and his eyes swollen from a massive impact, his body was numb. As he regained his

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faculties he wondered why he was standing upright instead of lying on the ground. He tried to turn his body around but could not move his torso. He painfully turned his head to get a glimpse of his surroundings.

Everything was dim. There was a smell of smoke and ash. His focus came back slowly. He looked down where his feet should have been but found himself waist deep in something resembling a termite mound.

The cloud above him cleared a little, letting the moonlight break through and illuminate his surroundings. His captured companions were all half buried in mud mounds just like his forming a circle around a large iron cauldron the size of a small house. His head assistant Larrymond Underling was closest to him and, like everyone else, was unconscious.

Yardal craned his head around to get a better look at where they could be.

The moonlight grew stronger and gently bathed his surroundings in silvery blue light. They were all at the central lowest point of a large forest valley. A huge mountain with intricate paths and beautiful organic ornamentation towered over him, faintly decorated with small pin pricks of light moving back and forth along the many paths and trees. The mountain appeared to be populated and busy. At the very top of the mountain Yardal could make out a gigantic white marble pillar as sharply pointed as a wasps sting so high that the clouds were swirling around it.

He could not keep his head tilted up at the incredible sight for long,

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his injuries forcing him to slump forward with only the solid mud mound preventing him from falling completely over. He looked up slightly one more time and tried to take more of his surroundings in.

The moonlight cast silvery blue rays along the rounded contours of what Yardal thought were massive wood and stone huts, with intricate carved wooden inscriptions adorning the walls.

The closer Yardal concentrated the more beautiful the buildings became. But there was nobody around. All the huts seemed deserted for a very long time. He got the impression of vast loneliness and abandonment. There was no sign of disturbance or war. It was as if whoever had lived there simply deserted the place in a panic. There was a sigh from Larrymond. He was beginning to stir. Moments later Borris and Bill the Gardai awoke and immediately began to struggle against the rock hard mud they were trapped in. Yardal’s three hired thugs followed soon after. They were starting to panic and whimper out loud. The notorious Osbourne brothers were much feared around the streets of Dublin. But here, trapped in the Spungles domain, they were like tiny fruit flies trapped in a massive spiders web waiting to be consumed whole.

Yardal hired them at Reginold’s request as extra muscle in case they had a run in with Hugo but had never liked their attitude. He certainly didn’t trust them. To see the shaven headed brutes cowering in terror was mildly amusing if it were not for Yardal’s own predicament.

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‘Where is that thing gone? Yardal did you see where it went?’

‘No oive no idea where it is Bill sir, and I can’t remember how We got here either!’

Borris stopped struggling taking a look around the area.

‘I’d advise that we keep our voices down. It’s obviously put us here for a reason - I mean, look at that giant pot. I think we are on the menu tonight. Everybody try to free a hand or two, we’ve got to squirm our way out of this!’

Nobody needed to hear Borris’s request a second time, one look at the massive iron cauldron in the centre of the group gave them sufficient sense of dread to take action.

‘You plonker! This is your fault. You knew more than you were telling and now look at the mess we’re in. If I get out of this pile of mud my last act on earth will be to throttle you to death before that beast comes and gets me!’ One of the Osbourne brothers bellowed out at Yardal.

‘Keep your voice down. That thing could be nearby. Just keep concentrating on breaking free and we can all play the blame game later!’ countered Borris. It was too late.

A deep growling din echoed from within the valley.

‘It’s bleedin here! We’re all gonna be eaten alive!’ cried out the smallest Osbourne brother.

‘Shut the hell up and keep trying to break free. It’s nearly here.

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Oh sweet mother of divine Jasus! Prepare yourselves lad’s it was nice knowing ye!’ shouted out Bill looking directly upward.

Towering over them making no sound was the colossal frame of the Spungle. Without even a breath it studied each man buried into the ground, it’s face incredibly showing signs of curiosity rather than anger.

It leaned down over the prisoners studying them more closely as if trying to recall something familiar about them. It then rose up again to its full gargantuan height and ripped off some branches from the nearest tree and placed them into the cauldron.

Everyone was whimpering and sweating profusely. Each terrified man peeked out of one eye in the direction of the giant beast. It turned around slowly and picked up something from the ground behind it and then turned back to face it’s prisoners. Everybody’s hearts pounded erratically almost nonsensical with fear expecting to be carved up and eaten. The giant creature placed a large wooden bowl in front of each prisoner and placed some contents from the cauldron with a massive ladle into each one. The concoction smelled like a rich country soup, almost pleasant to the nose. Each man opened his eyes fully in disbelief but dared not utter a word.

‘Err, are we being fattened up or what?’ whispered Borris to his good friend Bill.

‘Well I tell you what, if there is half a chance to buy some time to get on this creatures good side I‘m taking it’ uttered Bill quietly.

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With that Bill leaned forward and grabbed the large wooden bowl in front of him and took a small sip of its contents.

‘Borris, this is like your Ma’s country veg soup. Are you sure this thing hasn’t been spying on her taking down notes on her cooking?’

Everyone stopped shaking with fear. What had they all got to lose?

They were convinced that they were going to be eaten anyway. They all started to tuck into their own bowls of soup eagerly. The Spungle was silently standing over them all. A small smirk formed on its mouth like that of an owner looking at a favoured pet that had done something very funny and cute.

None of them knew what would happen next, all that they knew for certain was that they were all alive and they prayed silently to themselves that they would remain so. Bill spoke first.

‘Well I don’t know what’s going to happen but I enjoyed that, if it could release me from this mud trap I could take my gun out and try to startle it, it might give us time to escape’ Everyone stopped eating and looked over at Bill then looked up at the monstrous hulking creature then burst out laughing.

‘Aha super cop is on the scene. I’m sure that thing is quaking in its furry boots that you’ve got a side arm on ya! ah ha ha haaaaa. Will ya give it a rest? We’ve got no choice but to remain as its guests. That gun would be like a mouse fart against that thing ha haa!’

Borris was in convulsions at Bill’s simple optimism. The Spungle

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raised a tufted eyebrow as if mildly amused by the conversation.

‘And what’s going to happen next Bill? Do ya think there’s any chance it will just run off and leave us here to figure a way out to escape? ha-ha!’

The Spungle bellowed loudly as if startled by something. The group fell deathly silent, it’s calm face slowly and horribly contorting back into a violent browed scowl. There was a faint glow in its red eyes and its mouth formed an evil snarl fully revealing its massive array of fanged teeth. Everyone was waiting for the moment it would explode.

They covered their ears and waited. There was a flash of light that illuminated the clouds at the far side of the Bay. It was the same eerie glow they had seen when the portal entrance was opened. Somebody was entering the lakes. Everyone knew the massive creature realised there were more intruders. The beast was ignited with rage and fury and it spun its head around in the direction of the portal entrance at the other end of the Bay. Quick as a flash it exploded into a gigantic sprint like a Tiger pounding after its prey, sprinting up the steep valley with unearthly grace. Its roars were still deafening even when it was out of the sight of the prisoners. They stared at each other in confusion and fear. Finally the beast could be heard no more. Bill spoke slowly and very cautiously.

‘Well yes – now there obviously is a chance to escape. Keep up struggling against the mud, my legs are beginning to get loose I’ll be

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free in a moment’ Everyone silently fidgeted and squirmed as fast as they could and were free in a matter of minutes. Borris looked around the deserted village. The craftsmanship of ornamental detail on the huge wooden sections of the village huts was incredibly beautiful. The desolation of the village puzzled him. The rest of the group followed Borris taking in the view. Each hut had a large set of oak double doors with a glass porthole at the top of it to let light in. Bill climbed up the slightly slanted walls of one of the huts to peer into its giant window. The glass seemed to be made of some kind of solidified lightly coloured amber resin, almost like solid tree sap.

‘Borris, they have a little city here! This place has beds and a table and a cot for a baby. How’s this possible? Is this thing living here or has it killed everything in the village and taken it for itself?’

‘Bill I haven’t got a clue, but it definitely doesn’t make any sense.

That thing doesn’t look very civilized does it? Yet this place is like a scaled up village from a kid’s fairy tale. Sure we left our sense behind us at the station. We should never have tagged along with that looper over there!’

Yardal returned Borris’ admonishing glare but said nothing.

‘Lads can we stop playing through the keyhole and just get the hell out of here!’ It was one of the Osbourne gang shouting over at Borris and Bill with great frustration. Bill paused for a moment and then

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climbed up to the roof of the hut that he was looking at.

‘Good idea!, I reckon we follow the creatures’ tracks but hide in the brush of course. We can camouflage ourselves to make sure that we are not spotted!’

Stulch Osbourne, the smallest of the three brothers stared at Bill as if he was looking at a mad man, shouting in his inner Dublin accent.

‘Ye wha? Are ya mad? why would ya follow that thing? It would of eaten us if it wazint disturbed!’

Bill shouted back at Stulch.

‘Think about it little fella. It must have sensed somebody else coming through the crazy lightshow We went through and it’s gone off to attack them. So all we do is track its prints, which is easy enough. After it brings back whoever else has come through to the village we will be quietly slipping by, right behind its back and escape!’

Stulch relaxed a little and nodded gently in approval.

‘Yeah that’s not a bad idea, deadly buzz man I’m with ya!’

‘Good man, it might even be my friend Barney coming back to help us. There is an army barracks near enough Grandane. That creature might be from hell but I doubt it will take on a tank shell chucked swiftly into its gob!’

The three Osbourne brothers smiled sneakily at each other reassured

by Bill’s reasoning. Borris smiled and shouted out loud to gather everyone together.

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‘Well then lads, let’s get going, we all know how fast that thing moves it won’t be long before it catches whoever is heading through the entrance’ The group of newly freed men marched briskly out of the village with Bill and Borris leading the group tracing the massive tracks of the Spungle.

General Drake’s M1 Abram’s battle tank trundled up the very same hill that Hugo and Harry had stood upon to get a view of the Gikkie Bokkers and came to a rest. The American General opened the top hatch and looked out over the Bay. Strategically the view was vital, it offered him the widest sweeping view of the entire Bay. A mile out into the Bay along a narrow marshy path were five Scorpion light tanks in a staggered line with their commanders peering out from their gun turrets with infrared binoculars. The light tank formation was flanked on either side by two M1 Abram’s heavy battle tanks staying two hundred yards back to provide cover. All tank commanders were confident that no matter what they encountered it would not last long in such a massive crossfire of artillery.

Ten heavily armed soldiers marched behind each M1 Tank looking carefully in every direction not knowing what to expect. General Drake picked up the receiver of his tanks built in comms units.

‘Captain Blavatsky can you read me over?’

An uncomfortable moment of silenced passed, then a crackling hiss burst from the General’s ear piece.

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‘Yes Sir, the signal is very weak I’d say we are at the limit of our comms range is there any way your battle group can move on up into the bay to get nearer to us? Over’ The General frowned intently scanning the area for another vantage point that he could place his heavy tank on. After a moment he spotted another hill barely a hundred yards behind Captain Blavatsky’s battle group around the same size as the one his tank was perched on. The general smiled.

‘Blavatsky we are in business. I will be following up on your position with the remaining battle group for support. I will relocate to the hill one hundred yards to your south east just behind your two escorting Abram’s tanks, over’ Another pause followed then after a few seconds Drake’s earpiece cackled to life with static and a reply.

‘You’re getting fainter Sir but I got the message! Looking forward to your guidance General! Over and out!’

The General smiled in satisfaction and shouted into his mouthpiece.

“Beta Battle Group, form up on my lead. We are heading into the Bay and falling short two hundred yards behind the scorpions. The energy readings grow even stronger into the Bay. We may encounter hostiles. You’ve seen the tracks in the earth we’ve been tracing. Draw your own conclusions as to what created those tracks and be razor sharp and ready boys!’

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The General’s earpiece erupted in affirmative replies and the remaining five M1 Abram’s roared their engines into gear and powered off towards the rest of the battle group.

Barney was seated behind the driver of General Drakes tank. To the Generals’ left hand side, the portly Garda peered over the drivers shoulder to view the computer display, which showed the outside world through infrared vision. Everything was tinted green on the display but the dark was turned to light. There was no difficulty navigating through the gloom thanks to the tanks sensors. As they got nearer to Battle Group Alpha the screen started to jump and wash over with static.

‘Damn sensors! General Sir, I advise we navigate manually looking out of the turret. We can’t drive using our sensors anymore Sir!’ Drake looked concerned.

‘Very well Private, I’ll man the turret. Follow my directions. We are not far off from Battle Group Alpha!’

The General picked up his comms piece and shouted into it.

‘Battle Group Beta - all tank Commanders, man your turrets and manually guide your drivers. Sensors are failing, follow my hand signals as well as my intercom while it lasts’ The General received an enormous reply of affirmatives from his battle group. Barney noticed that everyone treated the general with enormous respect; not because of his rank alone, there was something else. All of his men in their various units must have been through hell

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and back with him as the sincerity of each soldiers voice was genuine to the point it moved Barney. Battle Group Beta reached its destination, flanking Battle Group Alpha with the General once again positioned on a hill overlooking the Bay. Barney was expecting at least for the battle group to be challenged by the ferocious beast that he had encountered but there was no sign of it. In fact the Bay was eerily silent save for the pleasant chirps of the strange flying creatures high above the battle group. Barney timidly looked at the General not knowing what he would do next.

‘Gentlemen stop your engines, everyone!’ He commanded loudly through his mouthpiece.

Within seconds the whole battle group shut down creating utter silence.

‘Detective have you been this far into the Bay?’ Drakes steely blue eyes pierced directly into Barney’s.

‘Err, no General Sir. We never made it this far but this is the exact direction the beast made off with my companions’ Drake appeared in deep thought and remained silent. He furrowed his brow and wiped off the sweat on his face from the tropical heat.

‘Going by what you have explained to me about what happened when you encountered the beast I’d be confident that We are being lead deliberately out of the Bay and into that forest!’

Barney squinted his eyes in concentration back at the General.

‘What do you mean General?’ Drake took off his comms receiver

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and sat back into his seat raising his arms over his head and placing his feet on the dashboard of the tank.

‘Your destructive friend has more intelligence than your giving it credit for. Its leading us into an unknown area that we can’t see from our vantage point and my guess is it’s waiting to attack us on more favourable ground. Our problem is that very same ground it wants us to travel to is emitting even higher levels of energy than the lakes.

Our sensors are showing the energy generated by the lakes is being channelled up through that forest up onto the hills above it and into that strange mountain!’

Barney’s face grew grave awaiting Drake’s reply.

‘Yes Detective, our mission dictates that we not only head right into the beasts path but we must find a way to defeat it and get to the mountain top and secure that giant transmitter. That’s my orders and I must obey them!’

Barney was astonished. Even with all the firepower at their disposal, nobody knew what lay ahead, or what they would need to conquer it.

‘General I’ve seen this thing use a large tree trunk as a projectile that could take out one of your tanks. I pray that I’m wrong but don’t underestimate what this thing can do!’

‘Barney I’m ordering this tank around to escort you to the portal entrance. I’d like you to stay there and view as best you can the forthcoming battle! It will take place, if it does not go well I’m ordering

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you to reopen the portal and get into the tank and head straight for the barracks and do not stop for anything or anyone! Is that clear Detective?’

Barney gulped, for forty years he instilled fear and respect into the local village. He never knew what it was like to be at the other end of a stern command before.

‘Yes General Sir, I won’t let you down!’, General Drake climbed out of the tank without a word walked towards the closest of the remaining four tanks. Barney’s tank reversed direction and headed back towards the portal entrance.

He had deep respect for the General even though he feared his actions were misguided. He sensed no malice in the man and prayed to himself that the whole situation would turn out well. Every now and again the tanks video display would crackle back into life and show the entire battle group in formation slowly closing in on the forest. The tanks driver and fire officer were too busy to talk to Barney, making him feel even more isolated and afraid. All he could do now was to follow orders and wait for events to unfold. Taking an old photo print out of his breast pocket he smiled. The old photo had both Borris and Bill with their arms around Barney in the Grandane Inn having a laugh. If anyone could retrieve his friends safely it would be General Drake. He huddled down back into his seat and tried his best to put everything out of his mind. The Comms unit crackled back to life.

‘General Sir, We are entering the forest now. There is a long path

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leading uphill to a plateau just visible in the distance. Our sensors are going wild with energy readings as we move closer to the path’ Drake smiled in reply...

‘Very good Captain Blavatsky, arm all heavy weaponry and prepare for combat. Battle Group Alpha - converge on the path and await arrival of Battle Group Beta!’

‘Affirmative Sir, moving out, over’. The video display dimmed to blackness losing signal again.

As Barney’s tank stopped at the start of the portal entrance and turned around to face the Bay with Barney closing his eyes and praying for the best. Battle Group Alpha came to a halt at the start of the path and Captain Blavatsky scanned the area with his infrared binoculars. The tanks comms unit came to life.

‘Captain - status report - over’ ‘Sir We have stopped at the start of the path. It’s very wide and will take our entire battle group. There is no sign of hostiles and Sir you should see the path! It is made of diamonds and white marble – surreal and very beautiful!’

Drake countered.

‘Don’t get distracted Captain. There is a massive hostile force hiding here and I believe it’s aware of our presence’ ‘Of course Sir, scanning the area and no sign of ..........’.

The comms went dead. General Drake’s face grew stern.

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He roared into the comms unit.

‘Battle Group Beta, step it up and follow up on Battle Group Alpha’s location move it out gentlemen, we’re going to war!’

The comms erupted in a round of quick fire affirmatives from the remaining tanks. Drake had to hold onto his seat his tank took off so fast. With comms acting up again Drake climbed into the tank turret and looked out. Everything was still very quiet and there was no sign of action. Drakes Beta Battle Group finally reached the forest and got sight of Battle Group Alpha in formation at the start of the great path.

The comms units activated again.

‘General Sir, there is a huge power spike and it’s moving. Can you hear me? It’s moving and it’s at the top of this path. I just can’t see it yet but we can feel its footsteps. We are awaiting orders, over’ ‘This is General Drake. Comms seems fine for the moment and I’m heading over to your position. Once I’m in visual range keep in contact visually and man the turrets. Just follow my hand signals if a fire fight breaks out, over!’

‘Affirmative General, over and out’ Both battle groups merged slowly at the base of the giant path forming a large semi circle around the entrance and came to a halt with all guns pointing upwards towards the end of the path far away.

‘Battle Groups Alpha and Beta! We are merging! prepare to follow my lead up along the path. Use of live rounds approved but fire on my

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order only, over’ The General positioned his tank at the head of the entire battle group with Captain Blavatsky’s tank closely behind the Generals. Drake could now feel the massive concussion in the ground from something pounding the earth above them.

‘General Sir what are we facing here?’ Blavatsky asked the General very sternly.

‘Captain I have no idea but look around you and what you are witnessing, just don’t discount any possibility. From the sounds that we are hearing its massive and can move fast, and there’s something else, can you feel a buzzing noise in your head like a busy hornet’s nest?’

‘Yes General Sir. All our men have reported it and as we get closer to the mountain the more intense it grows, some are even reporting that they can hear a woman singing!’

Drake examined the situation intensely, the pounding noise beyond the path was now accompanied by low-pitched growls and grunts. He was puzzled. Was his whole battle group having hallucinations?, was the energy from the giant spire on the mountain top affecting their minds?

He had heard of this type of warfare before – messing with men’s minds.

He took a moment to think.

‘Captain I’m suspecting that if we venture further towards the mountain our judgement may become compromised. I can’t let that happen. Everything will fall to pieces if we proceed. We need

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specialised equipment; aircraft, satellite targeting and greater numbers of men as well’ Captain Blavatsky nodded...

‘Sir I will follow you anywhere without hesitation what do you want to do?’ Drake returned his captain’s gaze with a grateful smile then became serious again.

‘I need someone in higher authority to make a decision. I can’t call this one. There is far too much going on that needs to be examined in greater depth!’

Captain Blavatsky started to look ill and his face was turning white with his eyes glazing over.

‘Captain, are you alright?’

‘Err yes Sir. The voices in my head are getting stronger!’

Drake looked puzzled.

‘Can you make out what they are saying Captain?’

‘She’s is asking us to destroy the spire on the mountain’ ‘She? Something isn’t right. The creature that Barney warned us about is not confronting us but making an awful big racket at the top of that pathway. It sounds like it’s in distress rather than angry and now we are all hearing voices. This is all wrong. I’m ordering us all to retreat.

There are conflicting forces surrounding us and we have no clue what is actually happening. Captain, mobilise our battle group we are all pulling back right now!’

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Blavatsky said nothing. His face was still pale and he went back into his tank. Drake rubbed his head. The hornets’ nest noise was getting worse and he was himself beginning to hear a faint chanting of a woman’s voice in his head that was also growing louder. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

‘Thank God we’re pulling back just in time before somebody does something irresponsible!’

‘Kaboooom!’

Captain Blavatsky’s tank’s main gun boomed into action letting loose a high velocity shell at the far away spire on the mountaintop.

‘What the hell was that? Blavatsky what the hell do you think you are doing?’

Drake shouted at the top of his voice over the rumbling echo of the fired gun then looked desperately high above his head. The tank shell soared in an arc high above them and was perfectly aimed in the direction of the spire. It was starting its descent, gathering more and more speed on a collision course with the giant spire. Time slowed down. Drake could not take his eyes off the fiery trail the shell was making in the air and could not close his eyes to the impending impact. He took a deep breath and began preparing himself deep down to mobilise every ounce of his strength to take action, but he did not know what action to take.

Nothing on earth prepared him for a situation like this. He felt paralysed by what he was witnessing. Behind him his whole battle

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group were following the trail of the air borne shell in the same manner with looks of sheer horror on their faces. The shell finally met with its target. There was a tremendously loud crack of thunder as the shell exploded into a massive fireball against the top of the spire creating huge shockwaves rippling outwards from it. The spire itself glowed fiercely bright white and emanated a huge deafening almost musical chime with waves of lightning and energy flowing from it directed downwards into the ground. The entire earth shook with misdirected energy. Everyone looked at Captain Blavatsky’s tank. Twenty soldiers pulled the Captain out of the tank turret and brought him in front of General Drake. The Captain was cowering before Drake his face deathly pale.

‘What happened General? Who fired? Why would someone do such a thing?’

Everyone looked at each other then at the General in confusion.

‘Captain Blavatsky... John! What do you mean? Can you remember anything from the last few minutes?’

It was hard to hear anything with the massive rumbling and strange chime being generated by the colossal spire.

‘Sir I, Oh my God! No, me? I did it? How? Yes, I did. Oh no. Her voice. She made me do it. I had no choice. She took over. I could not control my own actions. What have I done?’

Drakes face grew incredibly grim.

‘She?, Men we are all getting out of here. I’ll bring Blavatsky with

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me, form up at the portal entrance, we are leaving!’

The rumbling tanks and eerie chimes were drowned out by a massive roar. Half in pain and half in rage, there was almost a human quality in its cry but the sheer scale of the voice was utterly inhuman.

‘General incoming!’ cried out Blavatsky pointing to the end of the ornate pathway.

Far away and at the very top of the visible pathway stood a figure silhouetted against the mountain. It was almost black but with two pulsating red eyes, a muscular frame and what appeared to be four arms.

It stared down at the tanks and soldiers. The creature leaped without a sound high into the air propelled by its massive legs almost gliding towards the battle group. Even at this distance everyone could see the massive fangs being drawn, before it made contact with the ground.

Drake held its gaze. The creature had nothing but hatred in its eyes, a massive seething fury that was going to be directed towards the General and his battle group.

‘Mobilise! Get out of here men now!’

It was too late. The creature raised two of its arms high above its head in mid flight as giant claws projected from its fingers and slashed at Captain Blavatsky’s battle tank connecting with the front of the tank the moment it landed with split second precision. The whole front of the tank fell off - cleanly cut in half. The shocked soldiers inside fled the wrecked vehicle just in time as the demonic entity picked up the rest of

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the tank wreck and crushed it with all four of its massive arms and flung the mangled remains at the nearest scorpion tank. The light tank was knocked over like a child’s toy, soldiers fleeing from its carcase to the end of the battle group joining the foot soldiers.

‘May God forgive the actions I am about to take - I’ve got to protect my men! Battle Group fire at will! Use all available weapons at your disposal and don’t stop till that thing is a mound of dust!’

The whole battle group erupted into action. Every heavy gun and rifle was brought to bear on the giant creature. The General heard a loud maniacal crone like cackle from within his head. It was a hideous mocking laugh - directed at him - as if his order had been exactly what the hideous voice had wanted all along. It was too late! Every last man and vehicle was pouring firepower into the giant creature. The entire forest was illuminated. Flashes of light lit up the area as the beast reeled back with the combined force of all the heavy artillery and machine guns hitting it all at once. The beast dropped to its knees turning its back on the battle group. Everyone stopped shooting without order believing the creature to be dead. The moonlight became obscured by a dark cloud overhead shading the forest in gloom. Drake and his men could see the beasts outline only twenty yards from them, smoke and flame was coming from its body. Nothing moved. Even the men seemed to hold their collective breath. The General broke the silence.

‘Battle Group, move out! Move out! We are leaving, get the hell out

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of here now!’

All infantry and machines mobilised accelerating at maximum speed away from the fallen beast through the marshy paths intersecting the Lakes and were heading directly for the portal entrance. The hideous laughing inside everybody’s head was easing as they put distance between themselves and the giant pathway to the mountain. Drake’s comm’s unit reactivated and burst into life.

‘General what was that thing? are we being invaded by alien’s?’

‘I have no idea. Just head towards the entrance and everyone contact the Abram’s with our friend Barney in it. He needs to re-open the portal!

This is way over all our heads we’ve got to get word to the President!’

The din of all the engines was mighty and earth trembling but another sound that was deeper and more menacing now eclipsed it. Drake turned his head around facing were they had left the fallen beast. The great creature was now standing up slowly, deliberately, coiling, flexing and stretching its massive limbs as if shrugging off a deep sleep. It raised its head looking directly at the General and smiled mockingly as if the creature had expected more of a battle from the Geenral. Bearing its massive sabre teeth, the General’s pallor turned ashen white as the creature rubbed the exploded shell cases and bullet fragments off its body and exploded into a sprint directly after Drake’s Abram’s.

‘Battle groups, keep moving but engage all weaponry behind us, that thing is still alive! Fire at will and get to the portal entrance at all costs!’

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The giant creature outstretched all of its arms extending its giant retractable talon’s to their full length from its finger tips, gleaming in the now reappearing moonlight it knew what to expect from the tanks.

With unearthly precision it seemed to know exactly when the soldiers would fire their heavy weaponry at it, timing it’s slashes to perfection as it swiped at the approaching shoulder launched missiles that were unleashed at it from every capable foot soldier and turret commander deflecting the blast waves away from its body with the grace of an elegant dancer. The movements it made mesmerised Drake, this creature knew battle, more than that it lived for it! Nothing alarmed it or slowed it down, it read every move the soldiers made and adjusted accordingly.

It was only a matter of minutes before they were all going to be torn apart, yet something was in the back of the General’s mind. The creature was attacking only the vehicles, there were a few loose foot soldiers who were knocked from their vehicles and it did not touch them, despite having machine gun fire pouring into its frame it simply ignored the stragglers focusing on the tanks only. Drake sensed the creature became calmer the deeper into battle it went. There was intelligence and intent in its actions, this was far worse than he had ever imagined.

Drake knew and was at peace with sacrificing himself for his country, as were all his men, but if the beast managed to go beyond the portal after finishing his battle group off would it stop there or relentlessly attack the outside world?.

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It had already withstood a series of heavy artillery bursts that would have levelled an entire city and seemed the fresher for it. The creature surged forward in a blinding burst of speed and grabbed Drake’s tank with one hand, pulling it to a stop. The whole battle fleet skidded to a stop desperately trying to turn around to bring their full firepower to bear on the creature and protect their General. The creature towered over Drake’s tank leaning down slowly it brought its huge head down to face the General’s face directly. The creature’s red eyes dimmed to a yellowish hue and it looked calmly upon the General’s face. Second’s turned to hours for the General. The beasts’ head was bigger than the tank itself but there was a human quality about its face that was not there when they first encountered the creature. It had an almost grateful look about its face as if the battle was a game.

The silence and stare between man and beast was broken by another onslaught of gunfire directed at the creatures’ head. Armour piercing bullet shells simply bounced off the creatures’ head like rain drops hopping off the ground in a storm. The creature slowly looked over the General at the rest of the remaining battle group who had formed a semi circle around the creature. Its face was calm and without a word it reached past Drakes tank and grabbed the next nearest Abram’s shaking all of the tank crew out of the vehicle. Then it raised the tank high over its head and swiped a low right hook at the remaining tanks, uplifting the entire semi circle of vehicles into the air in all directions. The battle

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group lay in ruins. All vehicles were smashed and mangled in a chaotic circle around Drakes tank and the creature. Soldiers rushed dazed out of the wreckage pulling their companions from the steaming mess of steel desperately reaching for their side arms and nearby missile launchers scattered around the ground in a last ditch effort to protect their General.

Drake leaped out of the tank standing directly in front of the creature.

‘Whatever you are, you can blame me for all of this. I am in charge.

Please as one warrior to another please leave my men alone! Do what you want with me, just let them go!’

The creature seemed to struggle to understand like something was blocking it from fully comprehending what was going on. The bullets still came at the beast and it was completely ignoring the minute projectiles bouncing off its hulking frame.

Drake signalled for all his men to ceasefire. There was silence. Drake felt dizzy, his left hand felt wet, he looked down towards his hand and saw a bullet wound in his left breast leaking blood all over his uniform, a stray bullet had rebounded off the massive creature and pierced The General’s heart. Drake looked up at the Beast about to speak, then his eyes rolled up into his sockets and he fell limp to the ground.

The great Beast struggled with itself, it was doing it’s utmost to remember what strange emotion it was feeling. Sacrifice!, somewhere in it’s being it remembered this act, the tiny figure of a human so frail and weak dared to stand before the creature, to protect it’s own kind even

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in the face of certain death. The creature calmly stood fully upright and looked around at the carnage amongst the lakes then turned around to face the mountaintop with its great spire. The spire was unharmed despite all the energy it emitted in vast waves when it was struck by captain Blavatsky’s tank shell, but there was a vortex of dark cloud directly above it sweeping out over the lakes.

The creature looked gravely at the dark cloud which descended from the spire top over the mountain and was flowing downwards towards them at an alarmingly fast pace. If it had time the tortured Beast would have attempted to help the fallen soldier but some part of the creature knew deep down that there was something evil approaching that was about to envelope the remaining soldiers and itself. A dreadfully familiar cackle echoed over the approaching cloud - like the dark vapour was carrying an invisible entity along with it. It finally reached the creatures’ feet and swept around it and washed amongst the soldiers. The hornet like buzzing and laughing went through everyone’s bones deep inside their heads.

‘Kill it! Kill the filthy beast and plunder this land, go on take it all!’

Every soldier looked at each other and then to the fallen General.

For a moment their senses rebelled at the thoughts being placed in their heads but the urge became stronger and stronger, slowly but surely fear turned to hate, fists began to clench, teeth began to gnash and hearts started to have dark thoughts all accompanied by a mocking laugh on

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the air.

The beast turned back around and faced the soldiers its face was becoming gradually more evil and contorted. It too was struggling with a desire to carry out violence. It looked down on all the soldiers. It had turned an entire battle formation of tanks into piles of scrap in a matter of minutes and now an urge swept through it to finish off the intruders. The beast, known as Eireannos, was trapped in its own mind.

The rage was surging through it, its heart and mind were noble and full of honour but the evil force that seeped out of the pillar was driving its will. The countenance of the mighty creature was being transformed into a hideous snarl, it’s eyes tearfully betraying it’s true emotion and it’s will twisted and controlled by an unseen force. It raised its arms above its head extending its massive talons once more to drive the final killing blow to the intruders.

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Chapter 16 - Friend or Foe? ‘Ferocious are they but with a gentle side, Should you encounter them, Make sure you hide, Should anyone ask you to tell Say you don’t know as you tripped and fell.’

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A sharp bright burst of blue light and rippling shockwaves of energy burst out to the West. The portal had been opened. The beasts’ gaze was drawn away from the soldiers and towards it. To its confusion, an all wooden flying machine occupied by a rag tag crew of humans and Gikkie Bokkers swept out of the light vortex and sailed calmly past the great Spungle beast at its own head height.

The Spungle spotted the all too familiar face of Lord Hugo MacNiadh sitting in the open top passenger compartment giving the great beast a playful wink then blowing a raspberry at it before accelerating higher into the clouds. The Spungles composure was completely unbalanced.

Hugo’s irreverent humour completely enraged the great beast, boiling over with fury already from the dark mist it exploded into a gallop after the flying machine leaving the General’s men completely bewildered.

Hugo looked around and below him. The soldiers were fleeing towards a battle tank near the portal entrance and a small group of men one looking very similar to Yardal Van Hooligaun were following behind just out of sight of the soldiers.

Unfortunately for the men the Spungle was on a direct collision course with them.

‘Diarmuid we need to subdue those soldiers. We can’t let them leave the Bay without reasoning with them, they’ll bring more people with them and that evil witches vision will come through!’

Diarmuid looked below him, the lakes were right underneath them.

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‘Aye Hugo I reckon we will put the magical properties of that lake to da test! What do you think?’

‘What do ya mean Diarmuid?’

Shouted Hugo over the loud humming of the engines.

‘Just hold on lad, We are going to arrange a nice bath for those men below us!’

Hugo had no time to question as Diarmuid took the flying machine into a steep dive directly towards the nearest lake and pulled a red lever in his cockpit. Hugo felt the electric whirring of a motor open something in the fuselage of the flying machine. Hugo did his best to see what was going on. He looked at a wing mirror bolted onto the nose of the flying machine, which showed the underneath of the aircraft. Diarmuid had opened a bomb Bay door beneath the craft and a large scoop like an earth mover projected out of the aircraft. Diarmuid brought the aircraft out of the steep dive just in time. The scoop ploughed into the lake surface funnelling in a large amount of liquid then retracted underneath again and the aircraft tipped it’s nose upwards and shot back up into the sky piercing the clouds scattering the remaining dark mist into evaporating puffs of faint cloud.

‘Diarmuid what possessed you to install a bomb Bay and scoop on your flying machine?’

Diarmuid laughingly replied with almost maniacal enthusiasm...

‘Ha ha, aye well your little furry man beside me here managed to

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convince me to fit one. It was to water my crops better but this is the first time I’ve tested it and I’m delighted it seems to have the passed the test! One more thing to do before I consider it a success!’

Once again Diarmuid piloted the craft into a steep dive then turned tightly around to track down the escaping soldiers. Bearing down on them he took careful aim then pulled a green lever on his dashboard. Then he pulled up suddenly accelerating high above the clouds. Diarmuid’s flying machine let loose a deluge of liquid directly over the soldiers. The fleeing militia stopped suddenly looking upwards wiping their heads to see what had splashed down and soaked them from above. Suddenly they all dropped to their knees in a swagger, broadly grinning like they were breathing in laughing gas then fell face first onto the marshy soil.

Barney got out of the tank looking on in amazement at the unfolding events. There were people falling down everywhere. He spotted Bill and Borris with Yardal’s companions sprinting towards them stepping over all the unconscious soldiers.

Barney ran over to the group and was embraced by Borris and Bill.

Yardal and his henchmen ran past them and Yardal snatched the medallion off Barney’s neck and tried to recite the incantation to open the portal vortex. The three Gardai stepped in front of Yardal’s henchmen and lifted the three thugs off their feet with a series of massive uppercuts.

‘You’re not going anywhere my friends. We are all staying put until we tend to these soldiers’

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Yardal looked over his shoulder and laughed out loud.

‘You’ll never get me you dim witted Irish Policemen. I’m taking my story to the press and going to get rich!’

Reginold’s scruffy servant smacked into what felt like a brick wall.

Tank driver Heink Lazowskey had leaped out of his tank turret close to the portal entrance and shoulder blocked Yardal with his six foot seven inch frame completely knocking the wind out of Yardal’s lungs.

‘You’re going nowhere little fella’ warned the massively built American soldier.

Barney beckoned the remaining tank crew and his fellow police officer friends over to him.

‘Lad’s I know who is piloting that flying machine and I also know one of the passengers. They are completely mad but I’d swear on the Bible that they are honourable men and they are doing whatever they are doing for a reason. I want more than anything to leave right now but I’d rather leave knowing what they’re up to. It seems to me that there is more going on that any of us realise. Considering Yardal started off this mess, it is only fitting that they stay to see it through. We can’t abandon the rest of the men here’ Everyone nodded agreeably and Heink took charge.

‘I’d request we go over and tend to my battle group. Most have injuries and the sooner that we can get them ready to leave this place the better. I’ll start with my General so please look around at the wreckage.

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There are first aid kits in every tank and we need to make use of them’ Heink had a commanding presence and everyone ventured out onto the marshy Bay picking up as many first aid kits as they could and tended to the unconscious soldiers.

Heink rushed over to his general who was motionless on the marshey soil amongst a sea of wreckage from the battle.

‘I can’t save him, we need to get him to a hospital, this man is worth a thousand of me, I’m not letting him pass away in this place’ Barney walked over to console Heink who was in tears of grief, the Garda felt compelled to take out the amulet and place it on General Drakes chest as if an unseen hand had guided him to place it there.

Suddenly Barney’s eyes glowed a gentle golden colour and his facial features softened and he began to utter a gentle incantation which appeared to come from within his body instead of his mouth.

‘Aye Ou Ouuule, telepin infrasheile, alas no morgrilim sheim, abar hale hunour brell lam godor!’

The Amulet sprang from Barney’s grip and attached itself to Drake’s chest wound and evaporated into thin air leaving Barney confused and dazed falling over backwards onto the ground. Heink turned around from the fallen body of his general to help Barney. The moment Heink turned around to face Barney, Drakes body began convulsing and shaking. Barney came to his senses and got up off the ground quickly rushing over with Heink to examine the re-animated General.

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‘He’s breathing Barney, He’s alive!!, I guess this place ain’t all bad after all!’

Barney was speechless and took off his overcoat and placed it onto the General still in shock at what had happened.

‘I’m lost as to what I just saw Heink!, Our only way of getting out of here has vanished into your General’s chest but he is alive and that matters most to me!, I’ve got a feeling your General will be just fine, we had better tend to everyone else as quickly as we can’ The massive Heink nodded enthusiastically overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of his General coming back to life. Both men stood up and surveyed the carnage around them. Thankfully most of the soldiers wounds were superficial requiring nothing more than antiseptic cream and bandages. As they worked they looked out into the Bay. The Spungle creature was bounding after Diarmuid’s flying machine readying itself to make a giant leap at the aircraft. Heink put a hand on Barney’s shoulder.

‘That thing chose not to kill us. It could have done so a dozen times over without blinking an eyelid. I don’t understand its motives! We blasted it to bits and it didn’t faze it all. I actually think it enjoyed it’ Barney stopped and faced the American.

‘Heink from what I could see all hell broke loose when somebody fired off a shot at the spire on top of that mountain over there. Did you hear that voice laughing at us when all the chaos was going on?’

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‘Yes I did. The creature was very protective of the spire like it was vital in some way. That tank shell didn’t put a dent in the spire but it interfered with the energy contained in it in some way. I ain’t no scientist but I am a God Fearing Man and my parents always told me to trust your heart and my heart tells me that creature is more of a guardian than an evil beast. We are meddling in this place and haven’t a clue what is going on. Forces are at work that we can’t even comprehend. The General’s last words were for us to get out of here. Once he regains his senses I will be a lot happier. We can’t do much without him’ Both men went to work on the wounded letting go of the fear that the Spungle could return at any moment. The crew worked nervously and quickly until they had assembled the battle groups together near the entrance to the portal. The wounded were graded into categories and the less injured waited for orders. All they needed now was for the General to regain consciousness or the Spungle to return. They hoped for the former to happen first.

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Chapter 17 - Taking Responsibility ‘Saying you are sorry isn’t enough, Don’t even try to be rough and tough Say what you did - loud and proud, Stand and be counted - they know you lied.’

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‘Yippee We did it me boyo!’ shouted out a delighted Diarmuid at the top of his lungs.

Hugo was highly impressed by what he had witnessed. He had always respected Diarmuid as an intelligent man but never gave him credit for being so daring and courageous. Hugo chuckled to himself as Diarmuid levelled out of the ascent and turned the flying machine gently around to head directly for the Elder’s procession.

They had made great time flying from Dublin to the magical Lakes and managed to subdue a small army and prevent them from leaving the Bay until they could be reasoned with but the real work now began.

They had to face down the Gikkie Bokker Elder and get him to turn back from the giant gate before he unleashed whatever dwelled underneath the mountain. Peace needed to be restored somehow. Hugo could just make out a small group of creatures arriving at the main wall cordoning off the entrance to the massive mountain doors. They had very little time to reach them. Diarmuid reduced his altitude preparing to descend for a landing that would block off the Gikkie Bokkers from the mountain gates and let Hugo do the talking.

His flying machine descended through the low bank of cloud extending its landing gear. As the craft slashed through one last cloud ready for a landing approach it found itself directly in front of Eireannos, the enraged Spungle. Diarmuid and Hugo screamed and Fluke Fluke shut his eyes. Synar Chro and Mil Mil Ulthu held on tightly expecting

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the worst. The mighty beast leaped straight up into the air and swatted Diarmuid’s flying machine with one massive hand. The craft spun wildly out of control and plunged into the last Stout Lake at the base of the mountain wall gates, sending out a shock wave of magical Stout interwoven with energy waves.

Blackness embraced everyone. The gentle lapping of waves sweeping over his face gradually revived Hugo. The craft was upside down and Hugo was outstretched on the left hand wing thrown out of his compartment. He craned his head over the liquid Stout and scanned his surroundings. He saw Synar and Mil Mil already pulling Diarmuid and Harry out of the Stout onto the shore. Then to his horror he saw the limp figure of a young Gikkie Bokker lying out on the rocks behind them. He shrieked with sadness, placing his legs firmly against the wing of the wrecked aircraft. He used it to kick himself off the craft and into the Stout lake swimming powerfully through the liquid.

His legs started to sprint the moment he felt them make contact with the bed of the lake. He hurried over to examine Fluke Fluke. His little furry body was drenched soaking wet by stout and his belly was bloated and bulbous.

‘The poor aul thing’s drowned and it’s all my fault! I’m sorry little fella, no harm would have come to you if you had never met me!’

He sobbed over the little creature. Synar and Mil Mil walked over to Hugo and looked down at the little body. Mil Mil placed his foot on

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Flukes Flukes belly much to the outrage of the weeping Hugo.

‘Get your stinking paw off him, don’t you have any respect for your dead?’ He pleaded.

Mil Mil looked calmly at Hugo for a moment then turned his gaze back onto the limp form of Fluke Fluke and pressed down gently on his belly with his foot. There was a loud ‘pharp!’ noise and Fluke Fluke’s belly deflated rapidly. The little creatures’ eyes opened widely and Mil Mil gently lifted his foot off Fluke Flukes belly. Fluke Fluke sat up and gave out a mighty belch. Hugo looked on in joyous surprise.

‘You’ve had too much of the magic water me little fella! Better out than in furry guy me ma used to say harhar!’

Diarmuid and Harry had joined the group limping over slowly to Hugo and smiled with relief only to be knocked off their feet by a huge shock wave made from a giant foot stomping into the ground behind them. The Mighty Eireannos stood over all of them, glaring directly over Hugo it furrowed its brow and snarled deeply. Hugo looked up at the Spungle and raised himself to his full height.

‘Come on then pal, take me out I dare you, do you think I’m afraid of you after all the things I’ve gone through! You are just a giant bully!

Come on hair bag give me your best shot!’

The Spungle clenched all four of its massive fists and gritted its enormous sabre teeth ready to pummel the defiant Hugo into dust but was startled by a loud screech from an unlikely source. The tiny frame

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of Fluke Fluke, the youngling Gikkie Bokker, leaped off the ground next to Hugo and landed on one of the Spungles fists, then propelled itself off it landing on top of the Spungles head.

The mighty Eireannos looked in amazement at such daring, completely phased by the tiny creature’s actions. Fluke Fluke crawled down the Spungles face and connected his front two eyestalks against it’s temple. The giant creature lurched back in shock as the minute Gikkie Bokker shared its consciousness with him. The creatures’ fierce demeanour vanished. A look of confusion at first gave way to a look of fear and dread. Hugo and his companions looked on in amazement at such a brave act of daring. The joining took over a minute, with the Spungle staggering around in circles roaring out in pain and sadness.

Fluke Fluke finally let go of the Spungle dropping off exhausted into the waiting arms of Synar. The mighty Eireannos fell to its knees sobbing like a child. Hugo and his friends could not help but be moved by its emotion.

‘Harry can you communicate with this thing? We need its help to get to the Elder!’

Before Harry could utter a word a massively deep but gentle voice spoke out from where the Spungle was kneeling.

‘NO!’ Everyone tried to look around the gigantic beast to see who was speaking.

The voice spoke again.

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‘There is no need to. I know what you wish to do and my time of clarity is fading!’ Harry’s eyes lit up!

‘Eireannos you are still alive! You’ve returned!’

The great beast turned its head around towards where Harry stood its face was relaxed and tranquil.

‘No my friend, the resplendent ones have helped me find myself by sharing some of my pain with the youngling! I pray that he will recover but I am only able to last a short while before my mind becomes clouded again. Morganis must be contained and I only have moments before I lapse back into darkness!’

The great beast known to Hugo as the Spungle stood upright its demeanour completely different to the last encounter Hugo had with it.

It took a small step over to Hugo and looked down on him.

‘Hugo when the youngling shared its consciousness with me I saw what has happened to you and your friends. You have to convince our Elder to keep the gates closed at all costs. It takes great energy to contain the evil that dwells in the mountain, but this land and its life are drained from a past battle. The Aeos Shee, with the exception of a few, remain dormant on the mountain and the Siabhra are still recovering. Your companion will teach you more of this if we survive! These beings are responsible for containing the evil you’ve had a brief glimpse of, but with most of them injured our power to protect this realm and yours from the Morganis is bordering on the hopeless! You must stop the

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Elder at once!’

Hugo had to shake his head and wipe the sweat off his face, thinking he was dreaming after hearing the Spungle speak in a clear gentle voice but he finally came to his senses.

‘Well what do I do now? How are we to get over to the mountain gates with that contraption in pieces?’

Eireannos walked past Hugo without saying a word and stepped into the Stout lake, picking up Diarmuid’s upturned craft with one hand he let it hang above the liquid surface draining it of all the magical Stout.

‘Hugo step into the vessel I will cast you into the air towards your destination!’ Hugo took one look at the wrecked flying machine and gulped nervously.

Diarmuid’s flying machine was in bits with all the engine pods ripped off with the force of the crash leaving just the shell and a portion of the landing gear.

‘It will be enough!’ said Eireannos placing the craft right side up on the shore.

‘Ioim goin with ya!’ shouted Diarmuid.

‘And I also!’ protested Harry.

Eireannos grabbed the three men and placed them into the aircraft and twisted his powerful body readying himself to hurl the flying machine wreck into the air. A second before Eireannos released the craft Fluke Fluke jumped to life and leaped onto the craft hanging awkwardly out

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of one of the wing tips. The two Warrior Gikkie Bokkers Synar and Mil Mil gasped with concern and with blinding speed leaped onto the craft after Fluke Fluke. Eireannos had no time to adjust his mighty throw.

Too committed to stop he hurled the craft into the air as accurately as he could in the direction of the Elder Gikkie Bokkers procession. The vessel felt to all its passengers as if it still had engines such was the speed they were being propelled at. Everyone held on tightly as the craft briefly skimmed over a low bank of mist obscuring their view of where they were heading. The craft cleared the bank of mist revealing the rapidly approaching pathways leading to the protective walls built around the mountain doorway. Hugo could make out the form of Gikkie Bokker warriors escorting a lone elder Gikkie Bokker in shining silver and gold shawls through the last gateway in the protective wall, which lead out onto the main great path leading up to the massive doors.

Hugo took his ancestors diary out of his satchel grasping it for comfort. He prayed he could remember enough of it to help him speak with the elders. Grasping it with both hands he felt a wave of power flow through his body that was both strong and comforting. He suddenly became aware of the sensation that he was being watched from above by someone. It felt almost like the comforting feeling he had as a child when he played in the forests of Wexford under the loving watch of Henry his father.

The crafts momentum slowed down. Now it’s arc of flight was

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dipping towards the ground more steeply.

‘Harry what am I going to say and how am I going to say it to this Elder thing? Does it speak our language?’

Harry looked across the aircraft to Hugo’s compartment with a look of fear on his face.

‘Let’s just worry about landing in one piece for the moment shall we?’ His knuckles were white from gripping onto his seat.

The craft skimmed over the first protective wall scraping the top of some ornate railings, leaving a comet like trail of sparks behind it. Then rebounding from the impact it soared over the second wall clearing it by twenty feet. The nose of Diarmuid’s craft tipped upwards slowing the craft to a dangerously slow speed. The vessel dropped out of the air and collided directly with the third protective gate wall smashing it open amidst an explosion of sparks and wood chippings leaving everyone to duck into their crew compartments to save themselves from being beheaded. The craft skidded and spun violently out of the gates throwing its passengers off into the air. Hugo and Harry landed nearly on top of each other skidding to a halt in front of the Elder Gikkie Bokker. Synar Chro landed right behind them gracefully on his feet, followed up by Mil Mil Ulthu landing softly with Fluke Fluke in his arms.

The Warrior troop guarding the Elder unsheathed their silver swords from their ornate scabbards and beared down on Hugo and Harry.

Mil Mil and Synar propelled themselves like missiles straight past Hugo

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and Harry rugby tackling the Elders guards to the ground. Hugo looked up in pain straining to see the commotion still recovering from his rough landing. Synar and Mil Mil were defending Harry and himself from a vicious attack from the other Warrior Gikkie Bokkers. The sight was spectacular. The Elders warrior guards were heavily armoured compared to Synar and Mil Mil and seemed to be determined to kill Hugo but his companions were too skilled.

Without even using weapons they evaded the warrior guards attacks and disarmed them one at a time with an unearthly grace. The confrontation was over in seconds but seemed to last for much longer in Hugo’s excited condition. The Elder Gikkie Bokker came forward walking through it’s still standing but completely disarmed troop of guards. Standing a full head’s height taller than all the other adult Gikkie Bokkers it Placed a comforting hand on each of it’s guards’ shoulders as it passed them, then it stood directly in front of Synar and Mil Mil. There was a moment’s pause then both warrior Gikkie Bokkers bowed silently before the Elder.

The Elder stood over them calmly. Synar and Mil Mil then stood up and started to pick up the fallen weapons they had taken off the Elders warrior guards, handing them back to them issuing a polite bowed salutation to each warrior guard. Synar and Mil Mil then walked slowly back before the Elder and kneeled again. The Elder was the first to speak.

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‘Vrin Morganis Ocultid necril embedreer, Frenukaard inspllelok soar! Imilth ton qune passeron dimilth terranavar Resplendreer?’

Hugo looked at Harry who was slowly picking himself up from off of the ground.

‘Err Harry what do I do now? I knew they would start speaking Swedish, it might as well be Swedish for all I know how do I talk to his royal furriness?’

Harry gave Hugo a cold stare.

‘Keep quiet I need to concentrate. The language is very old and highly formal’ Hugo shrugged his aching shoulders and stayed quiet. Synar stood up first as Mil Mil gently placed Fluke Fluke on the ground beside him.

Standing upright but with his head bowed low and his right top hand placed on his chest where a human’s heart would be Synar spoke aloud in his deep voice.

‘Ahar Vrool Gala! Ilgadren Ilvoosh ulbugunseeranosmarn, ultum kulenar funnel Morganis vloomenispyre!’

Hugo rolled his eyes up in the air.

‘This is hopeless, I haven’t a clue what’s going on’ ‘Will you be quiet!’ Harry admonished him.

Hugo sighed feeling very jittery and impatient.

‘Hugo, Synar has begun greeting the Elder and I think he has said we are worthy companions of his and we must not interfere with the gates!

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Sort of, I think!’

Hugo had a look of no confidence and time was too short. Just as he was about to speak Fluke Fluke interrupted the conversation.

Synar joined him quickly and all three Gikkie Bokkers were speaking simultaneously, a low toned barrage of guttural words mixed with more regular human sounding speech sprinkled with the high-pitched chirps of Fluke Fluke. The Gikkie Bokkers stood in front of Hugo and Harry but the Guards were surrounding them in a ring of protection. Hugo was getting annoyed.

‘Something’s weird Harry. Since I’ve been holding onto my ancestors’ book I can almost feel the tone of the conversation but not the words.

It’s getting clearer but we have no more time, how long do you think it will take the soldiers to regain their senses and make off back through the portal?’

‘Hugo I have no idea. Diarmuid’s actions were exactly what we needed to make this happen but nobody’s ever done it before. It could be days or it could be minutes’ Hugo looked at the heated conversation going on in front of them and made a decision.

‘Well I’m not being kept in the dark anymore!’

Hugo took hold of the nearest warrior guard’s arm and initiated a sharing of consciousness.

‘No Hugo! You can’t keep doing that!’ shouted Harry.

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It was too late. Hugo felt the shock of instant white light followed by a strange floating sensation. Time seemed to reverse an instant like he was being brought back to the start of the conversation that the Gikkie Bokkers were having. This time with this share he could do more than feel and see what they were speaking about, he could understand their every word.

‘Vrool Gala! My Father these are my worthy companions. They mean no harm. They have come to ask that the gates not be opened. Please do not interfere with the gates!’

The elder known as Vrool looked deeply into Synar’s eyes, ‘Synar my son the companions before you are not the issue, there are warriors of earth trespassing in our lands. You know as well as I our numbers are reduced to mere caretakers of our domain, we cannot face them. We must keep the Morganis entombed and it takes all our energy to do so!’

Mil Mil Ulthu joined in, ‘Please Father I beg you do not direct any harmful manna from the spire to the earth dwellers. She has found a way to extend her influence beyond those doors if you permit even a small token of her essence to be directed at the trespassers it will not end there!’

Vrool paced gently back and forth ‘My Brave Mil Mil I have seen it from afar, my very presence away from our temple weakens us even further, but I have no intention in

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releasing her evil. You misinterpreted my vision! This is worrying. My thoughts are clear and not open to interpretation - this can only mean one thing’ Both Synar and Mil Mil replied together - ‘THAT SHE NOW HAS THE POWER TO INTERFERE WITH OUR VISIONS!’ Fluke Fluke entered the conversation.

‘I am sorry Grandpa for playing outside the Lakes but I felt her power too. If the men of Earth awaken she will reach inside their minds again to get them to weaken the Spire and turn us all against each other, even Eireannos was changed!’

Vrool Gala the elder Gikkie Bokker stroked his whiskers. He resembled an older and larger version of Mil MilUlthu. He had the same hawk like pattern on his fur and the same intense owl like eyebrows.

Hugo guessed that Vrool must have been the youngling Gikkie Bokker his ancestor Alastair had recounted fighting in the gladiator arena on Bokwana Island and Synar and Mil Mil his sons. Vrool looked over past Fluke Fluke straight at Hugo. He felt the need to walk over to the Elder Gikkie Bokker.

‘Lord Hugo MacNiadh your joining with our consciousness is not taken lightly by us! It has consequences! Depart this sharing immediately and we will speak through a different medium!’

Before Hugo could respond the bright aura around everyone dimmed and he felt light headed and weak, then his vision faded to blackness.

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Reawakening in a seated position he found himself surrounded by both men and Gikkie Bokkers, he rubbed his eyes refocusing on his surroundings. Vrool picked him up gently to his feet. Fluke Fluke scurried over to Hugo and chirped brightly.

‘Hugoooo, he will speak your sounds, yes he can!’

The little furry creature jumped up and down with excitement. Hugo looked intently at Vrool who stood over three feet taller than him. The Elders eyes stared right through him like there was nothing that he could not know about Hugo, then the Elder spoke.

‘Vlur Gin janaher nu Balorglaros, my name is Vrool Gala, I greet you in your tongue of Earth!’ Hugo stood amazed.

‘Consider this an honour extended to you for the sake of your ancestors, all who are blessed save one, otherwise I would utter not the foul language of the oppressors!’

Hugo could not divert from Vrool’s gaze.

There was more to the creature than it’s impressive stature. It had a spiritual holy aura and it glowed with benevolent power. Fierce and pure, it’s voice spoke within Hugo’s mind as well as outwardly to his ears, much in the same manner that Brianag and Eimhir had done.

‘I have to speak in your tongue as further sharing with us would be harmful to you. Sharing with a being of our kind a single time grants you a developing gift of vision that you will be aware of in the coming days, to share twice on the same day strengthens this power but to share

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a third time in succession can kill you!’

Hugo’s heart sped up. He had shared three times so far this evening without thinking that there would be consequences.

‘Err well I’ll not do it again I had to get here and warn you to stop opening that door. Things are nuts in the Bay at the moment and we do not want you to unleash whatever is in the mountain!’

Vrool responded.

‘Hugo our shared vision was interfered with by the entity that dwells inside that mountain. More worrying still is that a vision occurred near the portal when you entered the first time! And then when I shared my vision with my son’s, the Morganis corrupted it and they saw the gate being opened by me unleashing the darkness. My vision actually instructed my sons to return to the Temple to assist me in prayer. She has extended her power to reach beyond the mountain and completely manipulated my message leading you all to believe that I would do the very thing I swore never to do! There is a problem here with what is actually being shown or said and what is being interpreted from it. In order to restore calm and peace in our lands, we must first clear up all misconceptions. I speak for us all. We must all be clear and free going forward or we are doomed to fail before we even begin. She is able to manipulate and play on weaknesses, so it’s time to clear up the past’ Hugo creased his brow once more in deep thought.

‘Ok so it tricked us all to come here but why? How could I open the

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doorway?’

Vrool’s eyes pierced into Hugo’s ‘Hugo the Morganis did not intend for you to open the doorway. Our remaining warriors would have slain you the minute you trespassed here if they sensed your motives and believe me all of us have this gift! You are a pawn Hugo. The Morganis has constructed an elaborate hoax to trick us into battle that would ultimately release her. She saw you as the key to starting her plan. You felt drawn to Harry the moment you met him. You felt driven to explore the lore that he so foolishly revealed amongst the beings of earth!’ Vrool glared over at Harry.

The old man was shaking with fear, his madness was passing and he felt the consequences of his past actions catching up with him.

‘Yes Harry! Irresponsibility can catch up with you like a lightning bolt. It always haunts you until the moment you face it directly. It can be masked and hidden but it’s like planting a tree seed in a garden path. No matter how strong the foundations of the path the seed will eventually grow and break through the path until it blossoms to a tree. As much as Hugo was the pawn this calamity could not have started without your reckless behaviour. Of all people you should know that the Morganis uses negative emotion as a medium to conduct its thought’s. As a guardian you were trained to do battle with this and you have already succeeded on many an occasion!’ Harry wept away tears of shame.

‘Forgive me Vrool for my evilness I - ’

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Vrool interrupted him. ‘Harry you are not evil. That is just a word. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. There are actions and consequences. You haven’t walked these lands for a long time because you clung to your interpretation of events. Cast your mind back to when your belief in everything we stood for lapsed’ Harry couldn’t avert his gaze from Vrool. He felt incredibly alone and bared to the world. His mind and all its hurtful thoughts of loss and anger felt like dark leeches squirming around exposed to sunlight after someone had lifted the dark rock that concealed them.

‘Vrool you know what happened to me so why should I say it?’ He trembled before the imposing creature.

‘Harry its time to sort this out once and for all. It is indeed time for peace. Its time to face your past – there can be no peace without completion. I am not the one who needs to know it, you are! You need to speak out and release the blackness that you cling onto, until then it will hold you within its power. You must understand that it was you that created it, therefore only you can let it go!’

Harry trembled and fell silent for a moment. Summoning up his courage he then spoke out loud.

‘Yes, I’ve defended this realm many times from all manner of danger.

I became arrogant!, I believed I could not be harmed, but I never thought I could harm anyone else by being this way. Then I invited my dear Anna to the gardens thinking I was invincible and I proposed to her. I

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spoke to Hugo about this, I don’t need to repeat it I..’, Vrool walked over to Harry, towering above him.

‘Yes your right Harry you don’t need to repeat it, you need to feel it!

Face it down in this instant. What really happened?’

Harry did his best to compose himself.

‘I proposed. She said she would accept if I could catch her and I let her out of my sight thinking all would be well. But she ventured towards the lair of that twisted fiend and it took her, Vrool it took her dear face to wear as its own. I lost her, I condemned her to being a mask for the queen of the Banshee’s!’

Vrool looked unmoved locking Harry into an intense stare.

‘And what happened next? There’s more you know this!’ Harry’s face became angrier.

‘Then I resented you all for letting me be part of this order, for accepting my pledge to protect this realm and I blamed you for the loss of my intended. I renounced you and your kind vowing to never thread on these lands again, and.......’

Vrool held onto Harry to keep him upright. The old man seemed to lose all power in his legs.

‘Harry if this is your last act on earth you will face it, you know what it is now let it out!’

Harry tilted his head up to meet directly upon Vrool’s face. With a shameful look and tears in his eyes he let it out.

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‘It was really myself I was hurting all along because it was my responsibility to protect these lands and my ego would not allow me to be wrong. I blamed you for the actions that I had taken. I twisted the truth. You warned me to keep outsiders away from this place and I swore an oath to uphold law and order here and instead I became reckless. I’ve tortured myself ever since, rambling on in a pub becoming a crazy old man. I clung to the false belief that I was righteous, fooling myself into thinking that I’m right about what really happened but that gave me no comfort. If this is what’s it’s like to feel righteous you can keep it!’

Harry fell completely limp with exhaustion into Vrool’s arms.

Hugo stood dumbfounded at the spectacle. Slowly moving his eyes upwards from the collapsed Harry’s limp frame he noticed Vrool’s penetrating stare was now directed fully at him.

‘Hugo your pain is more masked by the passing of time. You hold onto interpretations of events that beg to be recounted under the full light of reason. This alone will be a big ask of you - yet the full events of your father’s fate have not been disclosed to you, events that need to be faced in order to rebalance your spirit’ Hugo looked at Vrool defensively, trying to anticipate the Elder’s motives, but all he could see in its eyes was a look of concern and respect. It took the old hunter off guard, disarming his anger and suspicion instantly.

‘Then share with me like you can with your friends, use your magic

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on me and make me forget it all!’

Vrool’s stature seemed to increase as he approached Hugo.

‘Hmmm, Hugo magic is a very relative word. This cannot be done in an instant and as a way to hide your pain. It simply makes it fester and grow until it overcomes even the most powerful magic. There is no pain but the pain that we invent for ourselves. By way of his Guardian’s pledge, Harry allowed himself to face his way of being over past events.

He will heal over the next few days and awaken to the world the way it really is. He held onto his pain for so long. The process takes courage.

I can guide you through this process if you let me!’

Hugo sensed Vrool relaxing his focus on him. There was an aura of peace and caring about the Elder. No one moved or spoke for some time.

The next move was Hugo’s.

‘Vrool, there are gaps in my memory surrounding my father. I need to see what happened to myself as a young boy and I need to know what is going on with my father. Harry in his mad aul state gave me bread crumbs of information about him and it’s just made me more frustrated.

As long as you promise me that you do nothing to alter me in any way when you’re helping me then I freely ask of you to guide me through this confusion!’

Vrool bowed his head in acknowledgement.

‘Son of Henry! Our protector! Begotten from the bloodlines of Balor, I accept your request of me, prepare yourself!’

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Vrool relaxed his gaze even more, delivering the limp form of Harry into Synar’s arms he then walked over to his troop of guards and spoke very softly. The guards formed a circle around Hugo and Vrool, blocking out Hugo’s vision of his companions. Vrool stood an arm’s length away from him and spoke out loud with a powerful voice that also penetrated into Hugo’s mind.

‘Son of the Realm of Earth to be one with ones thoughts one must truly be alone. You came from your mother and were born perfect and whole, life is pure and free around you. Pain and opinion, ego and pride created a stained curtain obscuring your reason which created a veil over your pure self. Now Hugo, let your pure self speak without interference from any other influences. Now tell me what happened?’

Hugo strained to bring forth all of his memories to the surface but nothing came out. He was struggling with clarity. Fearing to speak out aloud he tried again, still nothing.

‘Err nothing’s happening. Am I doing something wrong?’ Vrool was quietly patient.

‘Hugo, don’t expect anything to happen if you don’t speak out loud!

Nothing happens if you don’t share it out for all to hear, now Hugo try again’ Hugo looked at the unmoving glare of Vrool and the motionless guards, he felt incredibly awkward.

Wishing he could see his companions, he closed his eyes and prepared himself again. There was no sound almost as if Vrool had blocked the

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surroundings from interfering with Hugo’s concentration. Feeling that he had nothing to lose he started to speak.

‘Well I suppose it began for me when I was five. My father brought me on holidays to Africa. He was an explorer and I loved to travel with him. We met up by sheer accident with his old friend Reginold, a great hunter. My father never believed in killing animals, but there was respect between the two men. Reginold never crossed the line to show me how to hunt, my father had spoken to him at length about it, until that day!’

Vrool stood unmoved, silent yet attentive, Hugo continued after taking a big gulp and sighing.

‘We were in a part of the Jungle that was known to be particularly dangerous. Reginold thought it unwise that I could not protect myself if necessary. My father said that he was there to protect me and didn’t want a kill on my hands. Reginold backed down. They both had an argument when my Father caught him showing me how to use his hunting rifle.

It got very heated but they finally patched things up and they brought me out into the Jungle along an old trail that lead to a small lake with a waterfall. Along the way we disturbed a gigantic Hippopotamus. It wasn’t any Hippo you’d see in any picture book, it was evil looking, unnaturally massive and fast it chased us all into a tree’ Hugo paused for a moment. The guards and his surroundings save for the owl like eyes of Vrool Gala were all fading away. He felt himself lifted into the air as his surroundings completely melted away revealing

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the all too familiar environment of the African Jungle. Hugo looked up into the sky. Vrool’s eyes were peering down on him, his only connection to the outside world.

‘This is the place. It’s like I’m really here!’ The tranquillity was broken by a group of noisy hunters that Hugo did not recognise, dressed in old style khaki hunting shirts and shorts much like his father wore.

They were coming from the direction that Hugo remembered that the giant Hippopotamus came from.

‘Something isn’t right here. Where did they come from? I am deeper into the Jungle than I remember!’

There was a burst of movement in a bush just in front of the party of hunters. A tiny baby Hippo scurried out in front of the hunters.

‘There’s the little one! Fella’s I’ll bag it for myself. My wife could use a good coat or a bag! Har har!’ The tallest of the party drunkenly roared out.

The terrified creature accelerated into as fast a gallop as it could but the drunken group were rapidly catching up with it.

‘Your mine now ya tubby pipsqueak!’

The lanky man’s frame was bearing down for a killing blow with his hunting machete but a massive shape burst out of the jungle foliage immediately to the man’s right hand side. A massive gaping tusk adorned mouth engulfed the tall man before he could even utter a surprised scream. His pursuing accomplices skidded to a halt in shock and started

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rapidly preparing their own hunting rifles to fire. The massive beast was too swift. With a vicious snap of its vast jaws the creature flicked it’s snout across the remaining hunting party sending them all hurtling into the air. Their bodies smashed against a group of trees, bouncing off the trunks with the impact and fell lifeless onto the ground. The beast let out a triumphant roar then switched direction to catch up with the baby Hippo. ‘Oh my God! That thing had a child. It may have been vicious and enormous but it was still a mother protecting its offspring!’

Hugo muttered to himself quietly his vision so intense he was afraid to talk any louder in case he alerted the giant Hippo to his presence.

‘Ah Hugo what are you thinking? This is a vision, calm down pal’, he reassured himself nervously.

He glided along the jungle path past the dead hunters. Moments later Hugo drifted over the gigantic rogue Hippo. It had caught up with its baby and greeted it gently nudging it playfully with its snout.

The young Hippo snuggled enthusiastically up to its parent. Hugo was curious as to what would happen next. A terrifying monster from his past was showing tenderness to its child. Hugo had no time to ponder any further on what would happen next. His body floated higher above the giant Hippo and it’s child revealing a clearing in the jungle on the other side of the creatures.

Then Hugo saw the familiar form of his father Henry and his friend Reginold talking to a much younger version of himself. The giant Hippo

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sensed them and galloped off through the bushes to attack. The baby Hippo stayed hidden but was crying out desperately after its parent.

Hugo witnessed the Hippo chasing everyone up to the giant tree and then climbing up after everyone with its freakish strength. Instead of a feeling of relief that the great beast was on its way to be dispatched with Reginold’s rifle he felt sorrow well up in his heart. He was beginning to realise the creature saw them as part of the same group of hunters that were trying to kill it’s baby. By the time Hugo witnessed his younger self-pulling the trigger of Boginold’s enormous rifle, he was holding his breath. He had to avert his eyes from the sight of the giant Hippo collapsing dead at his younger self’s feet.

He kept his eyes shut firmly allowing for more time than he thought he needed to be sure the vision had passed. Opening his eyes he found himself floating directly in front of the fallen Hippo, it’s eyes staring down on top of him. There was no younger Hugo; he was now directly part of the vision. Standing exactly in his younger self’s footsteps, the tears of sorrow dripped down off the fallen beast and splashed onto Hugo’s face. He shivered and grimaced his face, straining to force back his sadness but he could no longer hold back the tears.

‘Release me!’ Hugo shouted out at the top of his voice but Vrool’s eyes were nowhere to be seen.

He could not bear to be part of the vision anymore but he found himself lifting up off his feet and soaring back into the air towards the

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jungle again. He wondered who was controlling the vision, Vrool or himself, he could not tell. The dread of seeing the great beasts eyes looking down on him in sorrow began to fade and a deeper unexpected dread supplanted it. He is being taken towards the lone baby Hippo.

‘Oh no I shot the Hippo. I’ve condemned its baby! I can’t watch this, Vrool make this stop please!’ The vision remained.

The young Hippo was exactly where its parent left it, shaking and looking around in all directions crying out in despair. The grief choked Hugo deeply. He began to notice how he was clutching the memoirs of his ancestor. They gave him a sense of peace when he clutched them the last time and he held them tightly to his chest praying that no harm would come to the young beast. He was feeling differently now. The sensation that he was in a vision was no longer with him, his feet felt rooted to the ground and he was no longer floating. Standing in front of the baby creature Hugo wondered did it see him?, He wished he could reassure it. Surely such a creature could raise itself considering it is destined to become a mighty beast. But the thought held no comfort for him. There was a rustling of branches and footsteps nearby. More hunters! A man looking very similar to the first lanky hunter who tried to kill the baby hippo leaped out into the clearing directly in front of the terrified creature.

‘Look that’s the baby they said they spotted and were going after.

Its mother must have killed them. I’ll carve its skin off and show it to

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its mother before I pull the trigger. That’s what you get for killing my brother!’

A group of five hunters appeared from out of the brush behind the lanky man. They eyed up the baby Hippo then closed in on the animal machetes in hand raised to strike. Hugo was aware of a massive rush of rage coursing through his veins. His heart pounded and a fire ignited in his belly.

‘Get your stinking hands off that creature or I’ll rip your puny spines from your backs and whip you to death with them!’ His booming voice transcended time and space, and reason.

The hunters stopped in their tracks startled. Hugo was surprised they heard his voice! But they could see nothing. Looking around in every direction they shrugged off the surprise and refocused on killing the young Hippo. Now cornered against a tree it’s eyes completely dilated black with fear it let out a cry of desperation! Shaking and unsure of where to turn.

‘I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN, CONSEQUENCES BE DAMNED, LEAVE-IT-ALONE!’ He felt the ground securely beneath his feet and dived at the baby Hippo.

His body slammed into the beast. Both Hugo and the creature were in shock. He wrapped his arms around it and held on tightly, half reassuring it half protecting it. The hunters paused for an instant in surprise but, committed to hatred, they raised their arms for a killing blow undeterred

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by Hugo.

He closed his eyes, awaiting his end, but a feeling of warmth, the same as when he clutched his ancestor’s diary engulfed him.

‘NOT THIS DAY SON, I’VE WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU!’ The voice pounded the attacking hunters like a giant wave slapping them from above, slamming them to the ground in a mass of tangled arms and legs.

‘Dad, you’re here! Ha ha haaaa!’

Tears were streaming from his eyes. Hugo looked to the sky in thanks.

Vrool’s eyes formed from out of the clouds beaming down at Hugo. His entire surroundings illuminated into complete whiteness as his vision came to an end. Hugo opens his eyes slowly, finding it hard to focus.

His eyes strained in the silver blue moonlight of the Gikkie Bokker Gardens. The Gikkie Bokker Guardians were still forming a protective ring around him and the grinning face of the mighty Vrool nodding in approval was towering over him.

Hugo could feel the life flow back through his body. Still sitting down he noticed that he had his arms wrapped around a sleeping baby Hippo.

He smiled to himself and gently placed the creature onto the soft grass and slowly got to his feet.

‘Most unexpected Heir of Alastair! and most Inspiring!, No living thing has ever sacrificed itself with no comfort of protection or resurrection and certainly not even in the spirit world has any entity ever

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broken through a vision and crossed the sea of time to alter past events!’

Hugo shrugged off his weariness still trying to make sense out of what had just happened.

‘Well don’t expect me to do it again because I’ve no clue what I did in the first place! I just tried to protect an innocent creature!’

Vrool gestured to the guards to disperse and leave for the mountain.

Diarmuid and Fluke Fluke tried to rush over to Hugo but Vrool stopped them with an intense stare.

‘We are not finished our sharing! He will join you in a few moments; in the meantime I’m impressed with your craftsmanship Diarmuid.

I’d be most grateful if you could lend your services in repairing our damaged wall gates!’

Diarmuid sheepishly nodded his head in agreement and Fluke Fluke merrily lead him over to the damaged gateway. Vrool turned his attention back on Hugo.

‘Now Hugo, what have you learned from your sharing with me?’

Hugo wiped his sweaty face and exhaled deeply.

‘I only saw as a child an evil creature hell bent on killing me, my father and my old friend. I had no way of knowing it was driven to protect its baby from a bunch of idiots intent on killing it too!’

Vrool grinned.

‘Yes so you know there was a separate point of view yet both you and the creature were trying to protect your dearest yes?’ Hugo looked

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intensely at the baby Hippo sleeping on the grass in the Gikkie Bokker Garden.

‘Well yeah we were both in the right and I did what I did to protect my loved ones as much as it did for its baby. I happened to win but I could have died too, it was really close!’

Vrool stepped closer to Hugo placing a consoling hand on Hugo’s shoulder.

‘You were very brave that day, you protected the ones you loved, tell me who was right and who was wrong?’

Hugo thought for a moment and took a deep breath.

‘Neither! We were both right for protecting ourselves, and also both wrong for killing! I have to deal with what I did, that’s life. It could have been me who died just as easily as that creature. How did I manage to save that baby Hippo? I mean that was in the past. I would have thought the poor aul thing would have died and that was that! I interfered in the past and brought it into the present. How was that possible?’

Vrool turned away from Hugo rubbing his whiskers with a long talon on his hand deep in thought.

‘That Dear Hugo is a question even I cannot answer. No creature, nor entity I have ever encountered has performed such a feat! It is for all my power something I have regarded as impossible until now!’

Hugo walked closer to Vrool eagerly.

‘That voice! I heard my father. He saved me from being chopped to

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pieces, he is still alive isn’t he?’ Vrool turned around to face him.

‘Yes Hugo he still lives but not in this dimension’.

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Chapter 18 - Cleaning Up ‘Its time to make amends and sort things out, It’s not the time to roar and shout, Ignoring this advice - some would say Will be your doom at the end of the day.’

Vrool started to walk along the garden path dipping his talons into the

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glowing pools of water in a nearby ornate fountain, Hugo followed.

‘Harry spoke of a great war with terrible losses, even that Spungle thing was involved, was my father part of this? I mean, what the hell is the Morganis?’

Vrool turned to face Hugo with a stern look on his face.

‘The Morganis is in your words a Banshee. It is a spirit that takes the form of a woman, but this creature is no common Banshee, she was their queen! I have encountered Banshee’s in this land that are simply messengers of a coming death or a herald of some important event. Their purpose on Earth is grim but to some a necessity. We respected their role and did not interfere with them, but their Queen was not content with being a mere messenger. She desired more. She studied the dark arts with a view to controlling people’s hearts and minds by way of trickery and over the ages grew terrifyingly powerful. The acquisition of that power was gained at a price. The application of her power increased her selfishness and spitefulness until the dark magic, which she summoned, took hold of her and transformed her into the Morganis. Whatever shred of decency and honour she may have had was drowned by pure evil.

She is the embodiment of fear, hatred and deceit!’

Hugo was soaking up Vrool’s words, eager to make sense of all that had happened.

‘She must be powerful to be able to battle a Spungle. Did she cast my father into an unknown dimension? If so, how did you manage to

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imprison it under the mountain?’

Vrool sighed composing himself for an in depth reply.

‘Ah Hugo, so many questions and so much has happened. We still need to collect the soldiers and remove them from our lands but I’ll do my best to quickly explain while we ask for Eireannos’s help, please follow me!’

Vrool gestured to Synar and Mil Mil to follow him.

‘Err Oive nothing to bee fixin your gate with. Your going ta have ta give me sum tuuuls and Oim not stayin neer that spookey door’ Diarmuid shouted over at Vrool. He paused and looked over his shoulder back at Diarmuid.

‘You give yourself too little credit’ The Elder waved his upper right arm in the air, clasping his fist then opening it stretching his fingers to their fullest extent. The supporting pillars on either side of the damaged gate began to emit a deep rumbling noise then a large vertical slab lifted upwards on both pillars revealing a hollow with ornate crafting tools of every kind. Diarmuid hurried over to the nearest pillar and walked inside.

‘Oiveeveree thin oi need. They are a bit small for mee hands but you’ve got the mightiest set of tools oive seen but oim afraid oim not stayin heeere that mad hag could eat meee brain!’

Vrool rolled up his eyes with impatience.

‘Diarmuid I need your help. My guards are back at our Temple in

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prayer to keep the Morganis entombed and the rest of my people are recovering from battle. I’ve no one to spare but I would never leave you in danger. The Morganis is not all powerful! I am now aware of how she has tried to escape and with the help of the Siabhra I’ve blocked her powers of influence. Besides, Harry will need someone familiar to talk to when he awakes, do what needs to be done to the gates we will be back shortly’.

Diarmuid felt at ease and delved into the first pillar opening, merrily routing amongst all the supplies.

‘All riot. I’ll take care of Harry when he wakes up. He looks so peaceful over there and its the first toime in yeeers oive seen him without a care in da world!’

Hugo broke into the conversation.

‘Pardon me Vrool but what are the Siabhra?’

The Elder’s eyes smiled with joy as if recounting a very fond memory.

‘The Siabhra are a race of immortal guardians, great warriors and priestesses. With the help of the mighty Eireannos they entombed the Morganis under the mountain. That battle cost them their youth and Eireannos his entire race! This realm and the world of man owe them for all the suffering they have endured. The battle we know as Terunnill-vath-doom, a conflict that has no equal in sorrow where man and creature stood side by side against the Morganis. It has affected every living thing on mother Earth including your race. You will learn more

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of it as time passes, for now Hugo I shall briefly speak of your father and our race as I have urgent need of your help if you choose to give it.

Please do not interrupt me as painful as it is for you to hear about it. Just know that I was there when the events happened and I did my best to save him!’

Hugo’s eyes widened to pools intent on soaking every word the Elder was about to utter. At last the truth would be revealed to him.

‘Hugo our race is known as the Aeos Shee. Unlike some in this realm, we are not native to your world but through love and respect the mythical beings in this land have adopted us. My people have no knowledge of our past. We seek constantly to learn more about ourselves. Your ancestor, Alastair MacNiadh, freed us from slavery and provided us shelter until the Siabhra adopted us. The land we are now on is a holy place. The mountain is sacred and a Temple was built on it. We lived in hiding from the world in peace but then the queen of the Banshee’s transformed into the Morganis! Through deceit and trickery she captured a great deal of the sacred land until Eireannos and the Siabhra destroyed her army.

She vanished for years but plotted all this time against us. This realm was not enough for her. She seeks to plunge the world of man into oppression too. She resurfaced and caused a terrible war across both realms involving your race, all memory of which the Siabhra has erased from your minds. Morganis has tricked and fooled your race

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into fighting amongst itself for years. The most terrible wars of the last one hundred of you Earth years have been orchestrated from afar by her vile mind. We have blocked her power but the damage has been done.

She has left the people who rule your world with a legacy of hate and mistrust on a level never before witnessed, it will be very difficult for your race to rise above the hate!’.

Hugo walked along with Vrool like a child accompanying its father taking every scrap of information in. They were accompanied by, the very silent and solemn, Synar and Mil Mil. The Gikkie Bokker gardens they were passing through were spectacular. Relaxed and feeling no sense of danger Hugo was only letting in their full beauty now. Vrool was taking him on a different route around the base of the mountain instead of back out onto the forest looking out onto the Bay. He did not dare to interrupt the Elder as he continued to speak.

‘The last battle we fought was nearly the end of us all! Your father played a pivotal role in containing the evil. The Morganis had warped the minds of a vast army of men and fiends at its disposal and your Father rallied the hearts and minds of a select few brave men and woman against them. We, in our small numbers, along with the forces of Eireannos and the Siabhra joined them in battle. But we underestimated her power!

We vanquished her army after a great battle and all seemed well until we directly faced Morganis herself. She had found a way to influence the minds of Eireannos’s great race and they all turned against him.

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Eireannos did his best to defend himself passively but was forced to kill a great number of his own kind. With all his might he finally broke through the ranks of his possessed warriors and struck a mortal blow at the Morganis and hurled her ghastly form into the giant chamber built to contain her underneath our temple mountain! Releasing her control of Eireannos warriors Morganis resurrected almost immediately as her carcase hit the chamber floor. The dark magic she had learned would not let her die. She seemed even more powerful and attempted to fly out of the chamber before Eireannos could shut the doors on her. The Siabhra cast a mighty spell to hold Morganis still until Eireannos could slam the doors shut, but Morganis was growing in power with every passing second. She began pushing back against the Siabhra’s spell and was seconds from escaping her prison. Knowing all would be lost if she emerged, your father hurled himself at the Morganis catching hold of her and pinning her to the ground!’

Marching briskly past the last of the gardens, they arrived at the far end of the bottom of the mountain. The mountain formed a natural plateau overlooking a great green forest of a valley below them. They walked along a small footpath leading down into the centre of the valley, to a dense patch of trees. Vrool had paused for a moment and composed himself. His recounting of the tale was deeply upsetting him.

‘Eireannos was already committed to slamming closed the doors.

When he saw what Henry had done, he tried to drag the doors open a

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little to free Henry from the Morganis and escape, but it was too late!

The doors were built to be shut forever and Henry and the foul creature became trapped together for all time. When Eireannos turned around to survey the carnage his heart and mind snapped. Morganis had infected the minds of his warriors one last time and turned them against each other. The cost of the victory was too great. His kind were always few in number and nothing could ever harm them, except for each other.

He rushed back to his village in terror looking for his loved ones but they had destroyed each other. From that moment onwards Eireannos never spoke a word. Retreating inwards, he vanished from sight only returning occasionally to ward off intruders. On each return he became less and less of himself, reverting to a savage like state. When our young Fluke Fluke joined with him and shared minds, I too shared his sorrow. For an immortal to realise loss is a madness that no mortal can understand. I cannot share unless it is asked of me. Fluke Fluke’s actions have revived something in Eireannos. I pray to our resplendent ones that he recovers fully. Our numbers are too few and we are all weary guarding this realm’ Hugo could no longer contain his concern for his father and interrupted Vrool, nearly stumbling down the steep path to the bottom of the valley.

He was in awe of what he had been told.

‘Forgive me Vrool but how is my father still alive? I’ve heard him twice so far since I arrived in these lands and he saved me on the last

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occasion’ Vrool sighed without slowing down or turning to face Hugo.

‘The Siabhra collapsed from exhaustion from facing down the Morganis so weakened by their efforts the immortals could not die but they did become old. They had fought the hardest of all of us, two against thousands and a vile corrupted Banshee queen! To this day they are still recovering from the battle but days after the battle they began to sense Henry’s presence under the mountain. After a few weeks they regained enough strength so that they could communicate with Henry.

He had said to them that the power of the magic they had used to contain the Morganis had flowed into him transforming him from the inside out into an immortal. The Morganis had tried to kill him a hundred times until it realised that he could not die and so it fled into the depths of the mountain chamber. Henry was growing in power. To this day he is still pursuing the Morganis. He is trying to kill her from inside the mountain. She could extend her power across any chasm. Our magic spells prevent her from doing this, at least we thought they did. Another option must now be explored to contain her for eternity. I have been working on a series of ten spells that will utterly suppress her. In doing so I will also condemn your father. There is no way to release him safely. To open the base of the mountain will only set her free. Don’t be surprised if he tries to contact you again Hugo, now that he knows you are here’

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Hugo stumbled to a stop nearly falling over in shock, speechless and confused.

‘I’ve seen the diary of Alastair. He has passed a few diaries down from generation to generation. Everyone was involved with this world except me. Why? I am up to the job. Why did he conceal everything from me?’

Vrool stopped this time signalling for Synar and Mil Mil to carry on ahead of him.

‘Hugo, think for a moment. You decided to become a hunter at an early age. Your father knew, as did I, that if you were exposed to our world we could be in danger of you accidentally revealing it to the world, not from you directly but from your peers and friends. Henry did his best to steer and advise you away from hunting but Reginold had your ear too and what he offered sounded more seductive to you. That’s not a judgement Hugo, just a statement of what had happened. I fear if you had been at your Father’s side during the battle the Morganis would certainly have exploited you as a weakness against him, so for that alone I am thankful that you are here now instead of then!’

Vrool started to walk again, straight past Hugo down along the path after Mil Mil and Synar. Hugo was motionless and was making sense of what was told to him.

‘And what now? What happens next?’

The Elder stopped along the path nearly at the base of the valley

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without turning to face him and sat down abruptly. He bowed his head looking down at the grass below him and began to stroke it with his arms savouring its touch.

‘Now I plead with Eireannos. If he is still in control of his senses I am going to ask him to help us move the unconscious soldiers. Your friends are over at the start of the marshes tending to them right now.

After that, I will channel the power of the lakes into the spire at the top of our mountain to wipe the memories of every outsider who has been affected by these events and leave them as far away from the portal entrance as I can. I pray I can muster enough manna to do this. The creation of the ten spells of concealment has drained me. I will utter the first of the ten spells. I have not considered what action to take after this’ Vrool stood up slowly and walked off towards the largest group of trees at the centre of the valley. Hugo followed swiftly doing his best to catch up with the Elder. Before Hugo could utter a word, Synar and Mil Mil appeared from out of the large group of trees smiling. A short distance behind them, emerging from out of the giant tree canopy, came the great form of Eireannos, looking calm and moving slowly and gently behind the warrior Gikkie Bokkers.

‘Father our ally is with us once more. The Dark Fist of the Almighty has returned!’

Mil Mil was beaming with pride as he spoke.

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‘I am a faint shadow of myself, I do not deserve that moniker. I fear it will take much time for my power to return. I feel like a youngling seeing the world anew!’ The forest trembled with the deep resonance of his voice.

‘Just get back to work will ya?’ Hugo could’nt resist interrupting the gigantic creature with his irreverent humour.

Eireannos looked briefly confused but then ignored Hugo and walked over to Vrool Gala.

‘You are known as Vrool. We have fought together have we not? You are a powerful warrior with a pure heart. Forgive my lapse of memory.

It comes back to me in small pieces. Synar has explained to me what needs to be done. I cannot link to your thoughts yet. I will need the earth man to follow me to reassure their companions that I mean no harm!’

Hugo nervously stepped right upto Eireannos.

‘I always thought that if I ever got this close to you that it would be the end of me big fella! Err I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you, I’ve been reckless and foolish. Can we draw a line in the sand and start over? What do ya say Godzilla?’

Eireannos stood silent expressionless towering over him. Finally he looked down at Hugo.

‘Who is Godzilla? Is he one of your warriors?’

Hugo dared not crack amother joke but the temptation to laugh out loud was so strong it took all his strength to suppress it.

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‘Err yeah, he is a mighty warrior from my clan. Very big and err very strong, bad breath, scaly skin, lots of emotional baggage, you’d get on great with him!’ .....There was no reply. Mil Mil walked up to Hugo and whispered into his ear.

‘He has little memory of what has happened with you I’d advise you not to bring up your recent past with him’ Hugo looked up at the great humanoid beast and gulped!

‘Err yeah good idea lets let sleeping dogs lie shall we?’

The great warrior beast stretched out his arm extending it into the trees and dragged out a massive net, the size of a fishing trawler, glistening in the moonlight as if it were made from silk.

‘This will contain the earth warriors. I will take care of transporting them back out of the portal. Vrool, you will need to summon the lakes combined energy once more and void their memories. After that, I must meditate so please do not disturb me once I depart here. I will come when I am ready’ Vrool nodded respectfully about to reply but was interrupted by Hugo.

‘Err, excuse me big guy but you are going to have to bring me with you. There is bound to be a few people on the Bay coming too right now and I can be of use to you, I can reassure them that everything is ok’ The giant looked down once more at Hugo. A very minute trace of confusion crossed its face as if he briefly remembered how he had

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behaved with Hugo in the past.

‘Well said little man!’

Without announcing his intentions, he grabbed Hugo and sat him on his shoulder. The startled Hugo desperately hung onto the dense fur of the giant Eireannos.

‘Stop!’ commanded Vrool.

Eireannos halted immediately and turned to face the Elder.

‘Place him down we have some unfinished business and you need to be a witness to it my old friend!’

Eireannos complied and placed the shaken Hugo gently onto the ground. Vrool looked at Hugo with his piercing eyes.

‘Your history has been altered heir of Alastair. Over two hundred years ago when our city was finally built, the evil escaped. Many men died alongside us to contain the evil. We created a spell to erase the knowledge of the battle and blessed the descendants of our Allies with health and wealth. Through the power of these lakes we cultivated the spell. We will use it once again. This time we will use it to erase our captives’ memory. Hugo MacNiadh - STEP FORWARD!’ The ground shook with his voice. ‘DO YOU FREELY ACCEPT THE REIGN OF MY INFLUENCE IN THIS WORLD AND PLEDGE TO PROTECT OUR PRIVACY AND GUARD THE TEN SPELLS OF THE ENTOMBMENT OF EVIL?’ ‘Er hold on a minit, wha?’

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Hugo felt huge pressure on his shoulders. He sensed that he was being watched by unseen beings. His forehead was sweating profusely now. He had a conflict going on in his head. Of all the things that he had gone through, why should he bother taking a pledge to protect the creatures? Why not go home and rejoice in one last great adventure before retirement? But Hugo felt another presence. His father was there with him. His heart filled up with a warmness that he had not felt for a very long time. He knew he had caused chaos as soon as he had arrived and was prepared to make amends but there was more. He became aware of how much love his father had for this magical place.

To study and care for these creatures, as well as befriending them and protecting the legacy his ancestors had created was truly an honour.

Then it dawned on Hugo, this was the thing that he yearned for, a task, a calling, something to belong to, to protect, to treasure and honour. He came to his senses resolute and determined.

‘Er, yes of course, sorry.... I DO, IN ALL SINCERITY I SWEAR IT FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART’ He boomed.

Time seemed to stand still and even the gentle noise of the breeze flowing through the trees faded away as if the very earth itself had taken a huge but gentle sigh of relief at what had just been sworn by Hugo.

Vrool materialised a new guardian amulet into his clawed hand and placed it around Hugo’s neck. It was glowing brightly. All of Hugo’s injuries and pain vanished.

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‘You are now entrusted not only with our protection but also of the care of Eimhir and Brianag, they are still recovering from the wounds of battle but will still need tending to’ Hugo responded proudly ‘I will move them to my mansion in Dublin. I may just try to convince Reginold to stay with me there too, He is or more accurately was more like me than I care to admit’ Vrool laughed.

‘Then you will be delighted to know that he also has accepted the task of protecting us’ ‘What?, how did that come to pass?’ asked Hugo in amazement!

‘When we cured him of his injuries we shared with him our visions. He has spoken to Eimhir and Brianag at length and they have communicated this vision to me moments after you took our pledge.

I have accepted his pledge and have communicated it back to Eimhir and Brianag. Evil may have awoken but our guardians are in greater numbers and are growing in strength. Everything happens for a purpose heir of Alastair’ Hugo smiled with joy and stepped forward and hugged Vrool.

‘No Hugo not yet!’ Vrool pleaded but it was too late.

There was a flash of white light and Hugo was knocked off his feet and landed unconscious against the massive clawed foot of Eireannos.

‘Not again’, sighed Vrool masking a slight smile from Eireannos.

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‘He will be fine I have urgent need of you now my old friend!’

Vrool picked Hugo up and placed him next to a fountain of glowing water and then spoke to Eireannos.

‘Ancient Warrior King, true dark fist of the almighty. I have need of you to cast the spell of forgetfulness across this realm and out into the world of the dwellers of Earth. Join your power with me as I summon the elements!’ Eireannos stomped the ground and the earth shook loudly. The great spire above them on the mountaintop vibrated with the massive force.

Vrool uttered an ancient incantation and Energy spikes ran along the shores of all the lakes. Each lake began to glow emitting tentacles of energy which amassed from all the shores rushing towards the base of Gikkie Bokker Mountain. A massive beam of white energy exploded and shot up high through the air out of the massive high tower at the very central top of Gikkie Bokker Mountain, shooting through the clouds and then enveloping the entire area in white light.

‘There my friend, it is done. I’ll tend to the heir of Alastair, treat him well when your path’s cross again!’

Hugo found himself floating in the dark ether again. The ether was more energetic this time. He felt his body in freefall. There were swirls of energy and flashes of lightening in the far distance. Then he realised what he had done.

‘Ah Hugo, ya bleedin muppet! You accidentally joined with him.

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That’s the fourth time. He told me three times could be fatal, am I dead or what?’

There was an echo this time in the void. Then he felt cold air flow over his face refreshing him.

‘No Hugo you are very much alive my little fella!’

A voice so reassuring that it could only have come from one person.

‘Dad! Where are ya? Are you alive? It’s you isn’t it?’

There was silence and then another flashing vortex of energy.

‘Hugo little lad you are going to be fine. I’m so proud of you. The pledge you have taken, it’s a great honour. There is still so much you have to learn but you’ve taken your first step into the light. Forgive me for concealing so much from you, but there was so much at stake!’

Hugo’s eyes ached to get a glimpse of his father but there was only the void.

‘Dad how do I get you out of that mountain? Tell me I’ll come and get you, I promise!’

Hugo felt as if Henry was right in front of him, he even smelled the old tweed jacket his father used to wear.

‘Son I’ve little time to talk. Listen to me carefully. The oath you’ve taken has unlocked all of the diaries of our family relating to the ‘Aeos Shee’. Its what you’ve come to know as the ‘Gikkie Bokkers. Read them all. You’ll need the knowledge. There will be testing times ahead of you. I am searching for the Morganis beneath the mountain. My pursuit

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of her keeps her unbalanced and delays her plans. I’ve destroyed her again and again but the dark magic always revives her. What keeps her alive is also keeping me from dying. It’s vital you protect these lands from intruders. The Aeos Shee are the only beings along with our bloodline and the appointed amulet-wearing guardians that are fully immune to her evil. She can influence everyone, and everything, outside that group. It’s imperative that no outsiders trespass. You’ve already seen the consequences. I must go. I’ve picked up her trail. I love you Hugo. I swear I’ll find a way to contact you again! Farewell my son and good luck!’

Hugo cried out in the dark with pride and sorrow in equal amounts after his father.

‘I’ll save you Dad. Trust me, I’m getting you out of that place if I have to dig you out myself. I love ya Dad!’ The vortexes of energy started to multiply. The darkness was being filled with maelstroms of twirling energy finally filling Hugo’s vision with white light. Once again, time seemed to stand still. When he came to, Hugo found himself lying on a bed in Brianag and Eimhir’s Inn. ‘Please don’t tell me this has been all a dream, I couldn’t handle that very well!’

The two sisters smiled warmly sitting next to Hugo’s bed. Eimhir got up and went into the next room leaving Brianag to tend to Hugo.

‘You’ve been through an awful lot dear Hugo and yes it’s all really

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happened my dear’.

Hugo noticed that Brianag seemed younger and spritely. She had fewer lines on her face and her eyes seemed larger and brighter.

‘Eimhir and yourself, you’re the Siabhra aren’t you? How old are you really?’

Brianag smiled at him almost shyly.

‘Ladies don’t discuss such things, how are you feeling?’

Hugo shrugged his shoulders.

‘All right, then where is me baby Hippo?’

He could hear laughter in another room. Eimhir playfully shouted out into the room.

‘Little Alice is out the back garden. Did you know how much shopping I’ve had to get to keep her happy? Very fond of cabbages is our little Alice!’

Hugo shrugged his shoulders and stretched his arms.

‘So you’ve named her too, Alice is a cute name. I promise I’ll look after her, she ain’t goin to no zoo!’

Eimhir came back into the room with a full Irish breakfast placing it on Hugo’s lap.

‘Your lucky to be alive. Reckless people have lost their lives joining with a Gikkie Bokker more than two times. Vrool has told me you’ve done it four times. Do you have a death wish or do you want to become one forever?’

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Brianag countered before Hugo could reply.

‘Don’t call them that name. They are called the Aeos Shee!’

Eimhir giggled back creasing her nose.

‘Well I am very much fond of the name, it’s very endearing!’

Hugo sat up suddenly.

‘The soldiers, the police, Yardal and his servants, what’s happened to them? Are they taken care of?’

Eimhir sat down next to Brianag beside the bed.

‘Vrool and Eireannos summoned the great spires energy and cast it out onto the magical lakes and the realm of Earth. All involved that should not have been have no memory of what has passed save seven outsiders, they are being counselled by Vrool as they have been exposed directly to the dark magic. How they choose to behave and act after Vrool has spoken to them is another matter. Vrool has extended his spell of forgetfulness until he is satisfied that the seven are at peace with what shall be asked of them, Ah!, two have been released, the ones known as Yardal and Larrymond’ Hugo relaxed a little but was still thinking hard.

‘And what about that Spungle thing, Eireannos! How are you going to explain away him wrecking an entire battalion of soldiers and tanks?’

Eimhir replied.

‘Your little Gikkie Bokker, er, Aeos Shee friends have been very busy mending them and setting back everything in place. You see time

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has no meaning in our realm. You can enter into our world at one point in time and leave it before the time you first arrived, that’s if Vrool commands it so. The lakes possess immense power. The Aeos Shee can cultivate it. Think of the great Spire as a gigantic magic wand that does Vrool’s bidding. Eireannos brought the entire battle group along with most of the soldiers back to their barracks protected from detection thanks to Vrool’s spell. Someone high up in the army was following the energy of the amulets, so Eireannos gave them something to chase as a diversion, he summoned a giant ball of energy with his refound power and blasted a piece of the beach at Grandane making it look like a meteorite impact!, very impressive it was, hopefully everyone involved will think the impact caused all of the unusual energy readings that attracted the outsiders’.

Hugo scratched his head awkwardly ‘Wow, Er, most of the soldiers?, are some of them dead’, Brianag smiled and touched Hugo’s hand reassuringly, ‘No Hugo they are not dead but as I have said some have been affected by the magic of our sacred lands and we need to hold onto them for a little while longer to let them readjust to what happened to them. Your friend Barney has also been exposed along with a few others, Vrool is taking care of them now, Hugo your head is a little muddled up from sharing so many times with the Aos Shee, slow down a little’ Hugo relaxed and started to tuck into his breakfast.

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‘I hope Diarmuid is alright. Last time I saw him he was knee deep in mad looking tools trying to fix Vrool’s broken gate! How is Reginold, is he alright?’

Eimhir and Brianag rolled their eyes upwards in mock frustration.

This time they both spoke to him through their minds.

‘Hugo all is well. Reginold will be able to speak with you soon once he is fully recovered. He has instructed Yardal and Larrymond to take care of his newly acquired mansion overlooking our Bay. Remember he is a guardian like you now. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you meet him. Diarmuid is still in our realm, helping Vrool and his friends to reconstruct the damage done by the soldiers. Hugo, there is one thing that needs your attention above all else!’

Brianag took out his ancestors’ secret diaries from the cabinet next to the bed.

‘Your heritage Hugo. Learn it well. You will have need of its knowledge soon enough I fear, they can only be read by you alone’ Hugo took the books and clutched them tightly to his chest.

‘Will I ever hear from my father again?’

The sisters became teary eyed.

‘Hugo we are certain that you and your father will have further communication. Now is the time to rest. You need to be trained in how to use your Guardian Amulet and in time we need you to seek out Eireannos. He has vanished. We have dire need of him in the upcoming

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struggle. Morganis is growing stronger. She managed to trick us all and extend her power temporarily beyond our realm. Vrool is alerted to this and the magical ten spells need to be cast fully to permanently subdue her. However, we need Eireannos’s power to initiate the remaining spells as we are still drained from the last battle’ Hugo eagerly sipped his last drop of tea and wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin.

‘He said to Vrool that he was going off to meditate after he cleans up.

He doesn’t want to be disturbed and will return when he is ready. So I’d best be gettin ready to go after him just in case he never returns’ Eimhir stood up and looked sternly at Hugo.

‘Oh no you’re not going anywhere! You are staying put! Imagine what people will say if you walk around Grandane Village looking the way you do!’

‘What’s da madder with da way I luk?’ retorted the offended Hugo.

‘Well Vrool declined to mention the consequences of sharing visions with Gikkie Bokkers! No more than two joinings in a short space of time! otherwise.. well, erm...’

‘Otherwise what?

Hugo grew very serious.

‘Otherwise What?, well I suppose I’d best be showing you’.

Brianag reached over to the dressing room counter and picked up a small ornate vanity mirror and placed it before Hugo’s face.

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‘Otherwise Hugo, you start to gain the features of a Gikkie Bokker!’

Hugo looked into the mirror and had to grab onto the edge of the bed to prevent him falling off it with shock.

‘Those furry little freaks. What the hell have they done to me? Bunch of jacked up Muppets on steroids! I’ll be havin serious words with that Vrool character. What am I goin to do now?’.

Hugo’s face had white whiskers growing out of the side of his cheeks and his nose was elongated and wet. Fangs protruded from his mouth.

Then he noticed that his hands were covered with a soft down like fur and his fingers ended in small sharp claws. The sisters laughed out loud together! They had tears rolling down their faces!

‘It’s ok Hugo, you’ll be eating these twice a day for the next three days to reverse the effects!’

Eimhir reached under the bed and took out a luminescent carrot and waved it in front of Hugo’s nose, when Brianag added in a very giggly voice...

‘But don’t take too much of them, I think a little bit of fur on ya suits you quite handsomely, ha ha!’

Hugo rubbed the top of his scalp pretending to be offended but could not help joining his newly found allies in laughter.

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Chapter 19 - The Future ‘What does the future hold?

The time has come to be brave and bold, Choices - for better or worse we make, Only to realise we create our fate.’

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Yardal and Larrymond couldn’t believe their luck, having no chores to do and been giving full reign over their Master Reginold’s newly acquired house overlooking Grandane Bay. ‘Can you remember anithin about last night? I’ve lost me memory, nuthin makes sense!’

Larrymond looked back at Yardal pouring his glass of wine with a puzzled look on his face.

‘Well, to be honest, all I remember is waking up here with the letter from Reginold being delivered to the door by those two old ladies who run the pub. It must have been some booze up last night!’

He chuckled to himself greedily emptying the last few drops of wine into his glass.

‘Did ya know that this place was haunted Larrymond?’

Yardal’s servant replied nervously, ‘Now don’t you go on about anything like that you know I’m nervous about stuff like that!’

Yardal just laughed good humouredly, as they both sipped their wine trying to plan out the next two weeks activities free of their master.

‘You know Larrymond, Oi am havin truble remembeerin what oive been up to the last few dayz nevur mind what appened last niote and Oi can’t seem tu remember anything of that at all!’

Larrymond nodded eagerly in approval.

‘Yes I’ve been feeling the same. I just can’t place myself the last few

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days and I’m very sore like I’ve fell of a truck or something!’

Yardal finished his glass about to reach for another bottle when he noticed the chandeliers above them were shaking gently, then he noticed the glass in his hand vibrating.

‘Err, Ireland doesn’t av earthquakes, does it?’

Larrymond stared nervously back at him shaking his head.

‘Err no it doesn’t, what’s going on?’

Both men got up from their plush leather sofas. They attempted to look out the Bay window to see what could be causing the gradually increasing vibrations, but they fell to the ground pushed off their feet by a great invisible force. Suddenly a loud voice hissed above them.

‘On yuurrrr KNEEESSS worthless maggots!’

The room rumbled and manic screeches echoed around the room.

‘YUUUU WILLLLL FERREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MEEEEEE AND MY KIND. FIINDD A WAYYYYY. YOUR REWARDS WILL BE ENDLESS! FIINNDD A WAYYY!’ The shaking stopped and Reginold’s two servants collapsed onto the lush carpet floor limp. Yardal was first to awaken and nervously laughed.

Thinking to himself that he had drank too much wine he slowly got to his feet and looked around for Larrymond. Then Larrymond screamed out loudly looking over at Yardal in terror.

‘Look Yardal, look at your face, we need to get you to a doctor!’

Yardal walked slowly over to a mirror.

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‘What’s wrong Yardal, did I cut myself?’

He nervously approached the mirror. His wine reddened face faded to pale white. There were massive fangs protruding from his gums, serpent like with a forked tongue slithering in and around his teeth he screamed in terror at his own face. Larrymond fainted once more, the terror overcoming his senses he fell awkwardly to the floor amidst the hissing mischievous laughter that shrieked throughout the room.

In the mirror on their dressing table the reflection of the room turned black as night as if in a dark dream. Then two blood red eyes appeared out of the darkness. Yellow and black slits opened, flickering open and shut quickly and glowed fiercely for a brief moment illuminating the darkness blood red before vanishing accompanied by a Banshee like scream and hiss.

‘Curse You Reginold! You may have become an Ally to the heir of Alastair but I have your lowly servants and shall use them as pawns to bring about your demise! You!, the collection of dirt and slime known to men as Yardal, savour your last few hours for I shall bring forth the ruin of all mankind and sit upon the throne of the never ending dead, feeding upon the souls of men for all eternity. Soon my minions will rejoice, for mankind is my key to giving mother Earth back to the loving arms... OF THE DEAD!’ Yardal screamed in terror, tears streaming from his eyes. The darkness in the mirror seemed to revel in his fear. Laughing and cackling with a

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hideous malice, the laughing strengthened and seemed to come from an army of crones.

‘Please, Pleeese, let me go. Stop it. I can’t take anymore of this. Oil do anything you want!’

Falling to his knees exhausted by terror he could speak no longer.

The laughing stopped. A soft gentle woman’s voice, tender and caring, caressed Yardal’s ears.

‘That’s better my sweet child, I shall let you go in time. You’ll sit at my right hand side once victorious and have power and wealth beyond your comprehension, but firstly you need to be versed in the dark arts.

Rise my child and please, come closer to me, I won’t harm you!’

The shivering head servant of Reginold rose up to his feet slowly and shuffled his shivering body towards the mirror. No light was being cast from it. The air became deathly cold with a mist rising up from the carpet floor but the softly spoken words entranced him. He felt like a child being called to safety into the arms of its loving mother, safe and warm, yet ice was forming on the wooden window frames.

‘That’s it my little dear creature, no harm will come to you’ Yardal felt sharply cold tears flowing down onto his cheeks that turned to tiny shards of ice as they fell off his chin onto the floor. The mist engulfed him, caressing his body like a chilled shawl. He smiled nervously as if waiting to be embraced.

‘AT LEAST NOT UNTIL I’M FINISHED WITH YOU, YOU

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PUTRID PIECE OF FILTH!’ As the smile disappeared from Yardal’s face he had no time to scream.

A long pair of bony white bare arms reached out from the blackness of the mirror and grasped his hands pulling him head first into the blackness.

The mist was sucked in along with Yardal leaving the room as quickly as it had appeared. The darkness faded from the mirror leaving no clue to what had just happened. Larrymond’s limp body gently came too.

Slowly sitting up he surveyed the room looking for Yardal.

‘Yardal, Yardaaal!... Where are you? I’m not putting up with your sense of humour anymore. I am scared, lonely, sore and tired. No job is worth this. You are a strange strange strange man. Did you put something in my drink? Do you hear me Yardal? Stop this messing. You can tell the boss why I am going. I’m leaving!’

The carpet started to undulate as if waves were forming on it. Ripples flowed around his body and he noticed he was sinking slowly into the carpet then he could hear Yardal. His voice bellowed aloud.

‘Yurr not quitting on meeee yet old bean, har har har! We are in this together’ Larrymond struggled to rise up from the floor but the more that he struggled the more he sank deeper into the carpet. It was like quick sand.

Every time he struggled, he just sank deeper into it.

‘Oh no, dear God help me, no! Yardal get me out of here, help meeee.

Noooooooo!’

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The wine red carpet swallowed Larrymond’s body completely as the waves began to gently fade away till the carpet became still. Silence filled the room creating a tense vacuum with the absence of the terror that had just unfolded. Not even their wine glasses remained. The house timbers began to creak and moan, getting deeper and louder. The groans transformed from the contorted noises of warped wood under stress to a malevolent growl. One last voice uttered its victorious chant of evil.

‘The selfish nature of man is setting me free. So easy are they to manipulate with promises of wealth and abundance. The world is now mine to rule once more!, No one can stand in my way!”.

THE END TO BE CONTINUED ..

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APPENDICES Youngling Gikkie Bokker Dictionary (Adults known as Aeos Shee speak differently)

BaahRupeUngarFilafle = Thank you very much Skurr-Mick-Blupop-Slobok = Please be careful Aaruu-Nubur-Nubur = I like you Mok-Mok-Quibble-Bee-Beep = Make it glow brightly Mak-Mak-No-Blumurr = Don’t move, be still Plok-Mok = Take this Onaruve-Plomok = Let’s go Gundaahh= Goodbye OgorrCanalupe Plomok = I need to go Huba = OK Spondu-Lee = Excellent Spak-Ak-Spak-Ak = Attention Buk-Buk-Mill-EE-UPP = A big fight

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