Part 5 (1/2)
”That may be the case with things out in the wilderness,” Breanna said. ”But maybe the objects in castles would be more interesting, because so much more happens there.”
”Gee, yes,” the boy agreed. ”I'll go find a castle. Maybe I'll find an object that will be used to kill somebody. Thanks.”
”Welcome,” Breanna said with a quirk of a smile as he departed. The boy had a good talent, when he learned to use it well.
They came upon an older woman of about Breanna's height but heavier, who looked confused. Breanna was impatient to get her business done, but didn't like to pa.s.s someone by who might need help. ”h.e.l.lo. Are you all right?”
”I don't know. I thought I was ill, then suddenly I was standing in this forest. I walked, but have not found my way out of it. In fact, I tried to follow this dog, but he seems to be lost too.”
Now Breanna saw the dog. He was of a rusty color. ”True, Rusty?” she inquired.
He wagged his tail.
Breanna got a glimmer. This was not far from the realm of madness, where some who had died appeared. ”Are you from Mundania?”
”Mundania?”
”The real world. Sometimes people come here from there. Animals too.”
”Yes. I am Vanna Jane Morrow Shelton. I live at-”
”I am sorry to tell you that you can't go back, Vanna. This is-this is a weird place. But you can find new friends here. If you will just follow this path behind us, you will come to Castle Zombie. It looks awful, but it's not. Ask to talk to Millie the Ghost.”
”A ghost!”
”It's just a name. She's a nice person. She will help you to get comfortably settled. I know you will like it here.”
”I don't want to impose-”
”Don't worry about it. I'd show you the way myself, but I'm on an urgent mission.”
”Of course.” The woman set off down the trail, looking more confident now that she had somewhere to go.
The dog hesitated. ”You too, Rusty,” Breanna said.
The dog ran after the woman.
But that reminded Breanna of their own objective. ”Say, just where are we headed?”
”To the Demon Realm.”
”The Demon Realm! Do you even know how to get there?”
”No.”
”Then where are we walking to?”
”If we just keep trying, we'll get there.”
Breanna was accustomed to zombies' ways, but still got caught on occasion. ”I prefer to find a shortcut,” she said. ”Do you know one?”
”No.”
”But the Ring is in the Demon Realm?” It was best to be quite sure.
”Yes.”
”Which Ring is it?”
”The Ring of Fire.”
”And what does it control?”
”All demonic creatures, including Com Pewter's kind.”
”Oh, I thought it might relate to the Region of Fire.”
”That too,” he agreed.
”But it's not necessarily in the Region of Fire. Just somewhere among the demons.”
”Yes.”
”So maybe we should get demon help to locate it.”
”Yes.”
”Do you have a particular demon in mind?”
”Demon Professor Grossclout.”
She nodded. ”I know of him. He is said to terrorize demon students. So he's in charge of the Ring?”
”Yes.”
”Okay, let's see if we can find Grossclout quickly. For that we'll need the help of a lesser demon.” She pondered half a moment. ”The only one I really know is the Demoness Metria, because she's always messing into human business. Usually we just want her to go away.”
”Yes.”
”But this time I guess we need her. So I'll see if I can summon her. This time on purpose.” She stopped walking, looked around, then called out, ”Demoness Metria! Are you there?”
There was a faint swirl in the air before her. ”Maybe,” it said.
”We need your help.”
”Too bad,” the swirl said. ”Maybe you should just go ask a stork.”
Maybe the demoness had a grudge about being dismissed before. ”Usually we just want to be rid of you. Aren't you pleased that we want your presence for a change?”
”No, that's boring.”