The Articulum Part 12 By: Lance Holloway Jamk followed Arna as she led them through the castle. She said she had been in it before, back when she was friends with Sorrora. But that was many years ago. Hopefully her memory is good enough to get them out. Fortunately for them, no trullums have been around. All of them must have been out in the battle. They quickly hopped through the corridors hoping their luck lasts. "In here," Arna said and ran through a huge doorway. Jamk and the others hopped in behind her into what looked like a library. Arna was already at the shelves searching. "We don't have time to read," Metty said. "I'm looking for the passage way. I'm sure I remember it around here somewhere," Arna said scanning the shelves of books. "I found it!" She pressed a small button behind some books. One of the shelves slid forward at one end as if it were on hinges. "Through there," Arna said and ran through. Jamk was the last one and closed the door/bookcase behind him. The passage way was narrow and dark. He followed the sounds of the roomen's hops. Then he bumped into someone. "Sorry," he said. "It's ok," said the rooman. He couldn't tell who it was. The reason they had stopped was because the height of the tunnel had gotten small enough that they had to crawl. Jamk's turn finally came. He squeezed his kangarooish body into the small passage. It was harder to crawl with the large feet and tail of a rooman than as a human. Light eventually found it's way into the tunnel. Ketta and Kelmer were helping the others out of the passage and into the open world. The ground was slightly steep due to the fact that the castle they were just in was perched on top of a mountain. "Now, let's get away from here before anyone notices that we are gone," Arna said and started down the mountain. The others followed without hesitating. Then Jamk heard something in the bushes next to them. "Oh, no! We've already been spotted," he thought to himself. "Hey everybody!" shouted the thing in the bushes. A dragon's head raised up from its hiding place. "Rarguf!" Jamk yelled. "What are you doing here?" "I came with Peten and the others to rescue you," Rarguf said looking at the crowd of roomen and Arna. "Where are they?" "Peten and Turlon? There here?" Arna shouted. She marched over to the dragon. "You let them come here?" "You needed rescuing," Rarguf said. "So the others went in the castle to find you. Of course Vulla and I couldn't fit through the tunnel." "Vulla? She's here?" Jamk asked. He hopped over to the bushes. Vulla poked her head out. Jamk gave her a huge hug. "Vulla! I missed you!" Vulla whinnied. Jamk hugged her harder. He could not understand her at all. "Vulla. At least we are together." She nuzzled him, and he nuzzled as best as his kangaroo snout could. He missed being with her. "Well, we have to go get them," Arna said. "Turlon should not be putting himself in this much danger. No need for all of us to go back in. Jamk, you go in and get him." Jamk let go of Vulla and faced Arna. "I was planning on going," he said. "I'll go, too," Metty replied hopping next to Jamk. Vulla let out a whinny. "Vulla, I'll be careful," Jamk said and hopped back into the castle with Metty. --------------- Peten led the group further down into the castle. He figured the dungeon would be at the bottom. They had gone down many stairs and corridors. Hopefully one will lead them to their friends. As luck would have it. The door at the end of the corridor they were in lead to the dungeon. Unfortunately, all the cells were empty. Except one which contained an unconscious trullum. "Now, what?" Turlon asked. "They must have escaped," Peten said. "We just have to find them." He walked out of the dungeon and retraced their steps. And there was a lot of them. ---------------- Metty and Jamk retraced their steps. Hopefully, Peten and Turlon would be on the same path. Jamk looked in the rooms as he walked down the hall. All of them were empty. Then in one room he saw what he wasn't looking for. Dabb stood in the corner. Stuffed! He quickly shut the door. "What is it, Peten?" Metty asked. "You look horrible." "Nothing. Let's move on," Peten sputtered and hopped away. He looked back to see if Metty was following. She had already poked her head in the room. She stood there for a long time not saying anything. "Come, Metty. We have to find the others," Jamk said. She closed the door and muttered something under her breath. Jamk didn't ask her what she said. She hopped down the hall not saying a word. Jamk followed. Jamk finally caught up with her before she started to go down the stairs. "Metty, we need to be careful." "I am. I just want to get out of this castle as fast as possible," she said. They started down the stairs, then stopped. Jamk heard something. It was footsteps. Lost of them. It sounded like they were coming from the bottom of the stairs. The two of them hopped back up and hid around the corner. As the sound of the footsteps approached, Jamk prepared himself for anything. He saw Metty concentrating on the stairs. The sound drew nearer. Then out walked Peten. "Peten!" Jamk shouted. Then scolded himself for yelling. "Jamk, you're all right. Where are the others?" Peten asked. "They're outside," Jamk said. "We came back in to find you." "Then let's get out of here," Turlon said. The group of them retraced their steps again back to the library. On the way, Jamk explained why they were still roomen and that Sorrora and Arna switched species. He didn't bring up Dabb, but he figured they already knew because as they passed the room where his skin was, they all looked remorsefully at the door. They eventually crawled their way out of the tunnel and joined the others down the mountain side in the clump of bushes and trees. Arna stormed over to Turlon. "How dare you risk your life like that," she said. Turlon glared at her. "I came to rescue my friends," he said. "We are not important to your quest. You could have already acquired the Articulum by now." "I had to do it, and I don't regret it," he said. He took out the black box that was to point out the Articulum. "If you want to know, the Articulum is west of here. We better get moving if I am to make up this wasted time." Turlon picked up his supply pack and headed down the mountain side. "Turlon, wait!" Arna yelled. Turlon stopped and turned around. "We must make a slight detour." ---------------- Swurg sat back in his chair. The negotiations were going splendidly. "So, we have a deal then?" "Yes," Sorrora reluctantly said. "I let you have the Norrom, and you will change me back to human." "Yes, and I will also let your rule part of the world," Swurg said. He thought for a second. "Maybe you can have Room." She glared at him with those kangaroo eyes. Swurg laughed. "Don't worry. You can choose." He stood up from the chair. "Well then. I guess you should escort me to the Norrom." "I guess I should," she said and hopped off of her bed. When she reached the door, the intercom buzzed. She reached over to press the button. "Yes?" "Master," came a trullum's voice. "The prisoners have escaped." "What?" she yelled. "Interesting," Swurg said and walked toward the window. "I guess you don't have what I want after all." He cast his levitation spell and floated out the window. "Swurg, wait!" she yelled hopping over to the window. "You promised!" "So did you," he said and floated away. He could still hear her yelling at him when he reached his elephant. He touched down and patted the elephant on the trunk. "Good, boy," he said. "Let's go call off the attack and follow the Norrom. How does that sound?" The elephant nodded his head in agreement. That was one trait Swurg liked in the messenger. The elephant kneeled so Swurg could mount him, and he lumbered off to the front of the castle. When they approached, the trullums were still holding their ground from the Swurg's lizard warriors. "Soldiers!" he shouted above the battle noises. "Fall back!" The lizards briefly looked confused and gradually backed away from the castle. Relieved the battle was over, the trullums did not pursue them. Swurg waited on the back of his elephant as the troops gathered around him. "Good job, soldiers," he shouted to the lizard men. "But, our prize has left the castle. So, let's move on. Any word from the spy?" The elephant seemed uneasy with that remark. Probably because that was the job he was supposed to be doing. One of the soldiers walked forward. "Sir, they are heading west." "Excellent. West ward ho!" Swurg shouted. The elephant moved forward and the soldiers followed. About half-way down the mountain, one of the soldiers approached Swurg. "Master, if I may ask, when are you going to change us back?" Swurg recognized the lizard as the captain. No one else would dare ask him a question like that. "Oh, are you tired of your new bodies already? Then why not now," Swurg said and waved his hands toward the mass of soldiers. Slowly their reptilian forms shrank and became more human. The soldiers looked overjoyed to have their human bodies back. "Now, let's move on." "But, Master. We have no armor. It was destroyed during our transformation," the captain said. Swurg realized the captain was right. They soldiers were standing around naked. "True. I see your dilemma. What do you want me to do? I can't just conjure up armor." The captain thought about it for a second. "Then change me back into my previous form. At least then I had scales." "Good, choice," Swurg said and cast the spell. The ten foot tall lizard captain looked back at the troops. "Soldiers," he shouted, "you must chose to remain human or have reptilian armor." Unanimously, the army shouted to be lizards again. So, Swurg obliged. He was thrilled they wanted to stay lizards, so his plan would continue. --------------- To Be Continued......