Mianda and the Tools of Oblivian by Brigitte Stotzka (books under 200 pages .TXT) 📕

diamonds and pearls on its grip. This one she liked more so very carefully she put the sword with the precious stones back in its place.
She decided to keep it the other one. “Firehoof did say I should keep whatever I found and he’s right, who knows, I might need it yet. Let’s see what else is here in this cave”.
Slowly, enjoying the warm water, she made her way back to the shore.
Satisfied with what she had found, she put on her shoes, put the pouch around her neck, and made her way further into the cavern.
A deep dark chasm was in her way. Carefully she neared the edge to take a look at how deep it was. She picked up a stone and threw it into the abyss and it seemed to take forever before it hit the ground.
It was very very deep and no there was no way to cross over. “I have to get over some her” she thought.
She stared at the dark chasm. Feeling down, Mianda began throwing stones into it. The stones were swallowed up by the darkness and then; one or two stones seemed to float. She went closer to take a better look and threw some more stones. They did not fall down.
“Strange” she thought so she grabbed another handful of stones and began throwing them at the same region. And they did not fall into the darkness.
There was a narrow stone bridge, and it had the same colour as the walls of the chasm, and that made it invisible to the naked eye.
“Well” she said trying to sound confident “Let’s go”.
It took all her courage to step onto the stone bridge but she just had to reach the other side so, carefully, she put one foot after the other, trying not to look down. Small pieces broke off with every step she took. She hardly dared to breathe for fear it would cause the bridge to collapse. Struggling to keep her balance she continued to walk across.
“Oh, it’s so far away, but I have to take this slow and easy”
She looked up and could see the end of the bridge. She was going to make it. Yes….the other side of the chasm was getting closer, five, four, three more steps, two more. One step……….yes, she had made it.
She fell down on her shaking knees. Suddenly, she remembered the little egg. It nestled safely in the pouch. She sighed with relief and wondered over her own courage. Then, there was a growling sound, loud and gurgling. What was it?
It was her stomach that had growled. She had only eaten soup before she had fallen asleep but that was hours ago and now she was feeling very hungry and very tired. Still carrying the sword, she looked for a way to get out.
“I’m so dreadfully tired.” She argued with herself. “But I have to find a way out of here first”.
She was so tired she did not watch were she was going. She stumbled against something and fell on her knees, the sword flying out of her hand. Annoyed she picked herself up, grabbed hold of the sword, and went back to see what it was.
It was a large wooden chest partly hidden beneath a heap of stones. Clearing away some of them she saw that the lock on it was rusty and easy to open so she picked up a stone and smashed the lock with it to open it. Curios as she was, she knelt down on her knees to see if anything useful.
Inside were some interesting looking pieces of clothing. Mianda picked one out and tried it on and she found it fitted quite well, so she decided to keep it. She put it aside and checked out what else could be of use. She found a cape, transparent and extremely light in weight and felt soft and warm. She tried it on as well but it was way too big. But that didn’t matter. It still could come of use someday.
“Yes” she breathed. “I’ll keep this. Be a shame to leave something a lovely as this here”.
There was also a shoulder bag in there so she stowed the two pieces of clothing in it. She tried to put the sword in as well and to her surprise, she could slip it in.
“Great, seems bigger inside than it looks, now that will really come in handy” She felt good at having found such useful items so she looked into the chest to see if there might be anything else she could use but there was nothing else. “Ok,” she said out loud. “I suppose this is enough for now”
She checked on the egg in the pouch, gently she stowed it in the shoulder bag as well, then she continued on her way through the cave. After a while of stumbling over rocks and rubble she made out a light way up in the distance. Hurrying as fast as she could because she wanted to get out to get some fresh air. At first she was blended by the bright sun light but it take long before she could see properly again.
Her heart sank as she saw that she was on a narrow ledge and upon looking down she could see the woods, and from up here she could way in the distance, a mountain range known as Heads Mountains.
Tired and hungry, she sat down on the edge of the ledge.
“Oh Boomer,” she sighed bitterly and with a heavy heart “Where are you?”
Chapter 4
Quickly and quietly she made her way down the long corridor until she came to a large sparsely furnished room. The only furniture in here were two chairs and a table and on the other side of the
room there was a large object covered by a dark cloth. Aridne went over to the mirror and pulled away the cloth revealing a large mirror with a silver frame
“Show me mirror, show me what is hidden to me.”
The mirror began glowing, and at first there was a thick swirling fog. Then, the fog began lifting to show the entrance to a large cave somewhere in the mountains.
“Show me inside”.
But nothing else happened. She could not get a look in.
She took a deep breath.
“Why can I not look in?” looking annoyed at the mirror so Aridne waved her hand and the mirror darkened. She looked into it again and ordered the mirror “Mirror, awaken” The mirror began glowing, once again showing thick swirling fog and then to become translucent. This time she stepped through and reappeared in a small chamber deep under the Castle. Sitting on a wooden chair was a tall dark man, apparently waiting impatiently for her because he stood up and asked her “What news have you for me?”
“None I’m afraid, it couldn’t be found, but, I have found a cave.” She explained “I tried to look inside with the mirror but it wasn’t possible so” she paused “There must be something in there, maybe you should go and take a look”
“That farm you sent me, I arrived too late. She was already gone.” He said angry. “What makes you think there is something in there?”
“I know this is a special place but just what it is I don’t know. I will send my men out at once.” Suggested the Queen “Whatever it is, they will bring it back to me. It just might be what we are looking for”
“No, I will leave for this place myself. I feel a presence there.” The man began changing his form becoming a big black bird “I must leave now.” But before he left, he said to Aridne. “But you had better be right this time and I get there on time.”
The cold threat in his voice made Aridne feel a shiver running down her spine. She bowed her head, but before she could answer, he began changing his form. His head began getting larger, his nose began pulling back and his mouth pointy, turning into a beak. He eyes getting rounder and his arms growing longer, feathers began growing out of his skin. Soon his entire body began sprouting black feathers and his legs longer and thinner to become bird feet.
A large black bird stood there now, flapping its wings, screeching. Aridne waved with her hand and the big black bird vanished. A sigh of relief escaped her after he had gone. “That was close” She thought “If I don’t find what he is looking for he will be more than just angry and yell at me”
Aridne returned to the mirror and stepped back into the room she had come from. After having covered the mirror again with the large cloth she then made her way back to the throne room but she thought she had heard a noise so she stopped and listened but the sound did not repeat itself.
Satisfied that no one else was there she carefully opened the secret door, by pressing on a stone and the fireplace lifted again letting her through.
Feeling satisfied with herself, she called for a servant to bring her some fruit to eat. She was feeling a little hungry.
Mianda sat on the ledge, with the cave entrance behind her, feeling very sorry for herself, not really knowing what to do next. The sun would be going down in about an hour or so and she really didn’t want to spend the night on this ledge. Maybe she should go back into the cave and try and find another way out. Firehoof had said they would be waiting for her at the other side. And he and Boomer weren’t here, so this must be the wrong place. While staring at the sun, she saw a dark spot appeared in the light of the sun. She didn’t take much notice of it though. “Must be a bird” she thought.
Mianda looked down at the forest wishing she could be down there right now, instead of being stuck here on this ledge. Then, the sound of wings tore her out of her contemplation, making her look up because the sound was somehow familiar.
Her heart skipped a beat. Was it the same creature that had attacked the farm? She looked around for a place to hide. She knew that the cave entrance was behind her so she turned to run into it as the bird landed behind her. It screeched and tried to grab Mianda with its beak, but she managed to dodge it. Suddenly something huge flew out of the cave, grabbing hold of her, knocking the large bird off its feet. Mianda looked up and to her surprise, it was the dragon, alive and well.
The dragon flew up high and over Cave Mountain in order to shake off the black bird. But, the creature had recovered quickly and has taken on the chase.
The dragon flew down and tried to fly between the trees but he was just too big so all he could do was to fly above the trees. He flew as fast as he could but the bird came closer and closer.
Then, something strange happened. The air in front of the dragon began to glow with a white light. Pulsating and throbbing, and the atmosphere began splitting open, like a rip going through cloth. And it sounded that was as well. Without hesitating, the dragon, with Mianda in his claws, flew through this rip in the air and as soon as they were through the opening closed.
The dragon turned around to see what had happened but he could see nothing. The rip was gone and so was that bird. He began losing height and soon the ground had them back. The dragon set Mianda