Gummi Venture
Part 3: Tower of Ruin

Greeny carefully released the two gummi bear passengers from his bag of holding under the seemingly perpetual rain. They were on a mostly buried ancient stone walkway, beside an immense fallen stone column which lead up to the once-great spire. The ogre had spent all day, and a couple hours of the night walking and wind-leaping to finally reach the fabled Tower of Ruin in the heart of the Sandibas Desert. A cold night wind buffeted the three of them as they approached the entrance to the tall, foreboding structure. Only one column partially remained upright alongside the sand-worn road leading to the massive doorway. Time had long eroded away the high wooden doors, so rain, sand and whatever else had made the ground floor nearly indistinguishable from the outside world as they made their way to the interior.
“It looks even bigger inside!” Cubbi said and whistled in awe as he turned his face upward to see as far as he could. An immense limestone spiral staircase wound its way up the inner walls, leading much further than the eye could manage into the pitch black above. There were tall, thin open windows here and there to allow some light in, but being dark outside they offered nothing in the way of visibility. High, stacked stone columns helped to hold the heavy steps in place and provide additional interior support for the monstrous building.
“Can you feel that?” Asked the ogre. “That magical presence? The armband is glowing brightly. It’s making my skin tingle.”
“Maybe, a little?” Cubbi said, touching his fingers to his own arm.
“Can we cast the spell you require now that we’re here?” Zummi asked, wanting to get to it and be done as soon as possible.
“No, what we require rests at the top.” The ogre said, pointing skyward.

The trio walked around, further exploring the sprawling ground floor, looking through rubble. If there had once been evidence of a society that built this place, it seemed all but gone now.
“I’ve read that this tower was constructed centuries ago, by an advanced mociety of sages, ah, society of mages.” Zummi told Cubbi and Greeny as they explored. “Back then, history tells us this was in the center of a fertile green valley. I wonder what happened.”
“There was a great tragedy here.” Said Greeny, lighting a torch with flint and tinder from his pouch as he began to more closely inspect some etchings on the tower walls. “This spire was actually made to strengthen a powerful sorceress, built by the gentle folks who used to live here. The people didn’t want to, but they were afraid of her, afraid for their families and way of life, forced to do as she commanded. The tower, the way it was built, and where, was to create a conduit of magical energy, so she could become even stronger.”
Zummi and Cubbi looked curiously at the ogre.
“How do you know all that?” Zummi asked. “I’ve never read any of it before.”
The ogre blinked down at the magician. “What do you mean? I just read it, here on these walls. See for yourself.” He held the torchlight nearer the writing, illuminating a large section of characters etched deep in the stone bricks of the wall.
Zummi adjusted his spectacles and leaned forward, peering more closely before standing upright again. “This is ancient human writing. I’ve seen some of it before, in small part in the Great Gummi texts I’ve collected over the years. You can read this?”
“Huh.” Said the puzzled ogre. “Yes, I can.”
“I sure can’t.” Added Cubbi with a shrug.
“Have you read these words before?” Zummi asked the ogre.
“I suppose.” Said Greeny.
The ogre sat down on a carved slab of fallen limestone, the others followed suit, making themselves comfortable just near the start of the enormous winding staircase. Here the wind and rain wasn’t reaching them, and it was a rather pleasant, if cool temperature in the musty interior.
“I wore myself out, getting here today.” Greeny explained. “We should camp for tonight, and start up the stairs tomorrow at dawn. Sound good?”
Zummi smiled to himself. It was the first time that the large fellow had included Cubbi and he in his plans. “That does sound good. What say you, Cubbi?”
“Aw, I was in the bagworld all day so now I have all this energy being outside again! But I guess I can wait until tomorrow. It’s kinda exciting being here, right? Are we the first gummi bears to ever come to the tower? I bet we are!” The cub exclaimed.
Zummi and Greeny laughed at the boy’s exuberant nature.
“You might be at that.” Said the ogre, a broad smile across his face.
Zummi looked over the big man’s grinning face, and couldn’t help but notice that Greeny no longer felt like the scary monster he had first met in the glen with the others. He had softened somehow, his nature, his very presence around them felt more relaxed.

***

Sir Thornberry, Gritty and Tummi had made decent progress in their journey through the desert. The tracking had become much more challenging with the nearly constant rain and wind, but Sir Thornberry was a determined, stalwart gummi if ever there was one. He sniffed their way forward, and when he couldn’t quite pick up a trail, he looked for other telltale signs, or deduced where they must have gone. He had even gone so far as to limit their sleep to just a few hours the previous night as to cover more ground in better time. He wasn’t sure if they could catch up to the swift ogre or not, but it certainly wasn’t going to deter him from trying.
“How far is this blasted tower?” Gritty griped.
“Not gettin’ tired already, are ya Gritty?” Thornberry asked, a smirk showing on his muzzle. “You’re much stronger than me, younger too, and I could keep goin’ all night!” The old bear chided his friend.
“Why do you think they’re heading to the Tower of Ruin anyway? It must be little more than crumbling rocks by now.”
“Well, there’s nothin’ else out here is why. No one would just cross the Sandibas by going through the middle, so it only makes sense.” Sir Thornberry explained.
Tummi stuck his broad tongue out and tipped his head back, taking a drink from the rain, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “At least we won’t die of dehydration while we’re out here. Although drowning is a concern.” He muttered.
“We’ll be alright. We stay near the tops of the dunes, where the big rocks jut out, just like I told ya.” Thornberry said.
Gritty adjusted the wide leaf that had been lashed to his head. Thornberry had made sure to find a particular broad-leafed fern before they left the forest and pulled some leaves for each of them. They angled water to the center, along the stem and while they were covering each of the gummi bears’ heads, the rain water was angled back and off, or into a waiting waterskin. He had to admit it, they were lucky to have the eccentric old bear along. Despite how silly they all looked, they were practically dry in the pouring rain, at least from the legs on up, allowing each of them to focus on other hazards like sandpits, flash flooding and desert denizens.
“H-hey, look there!” Tummi said pointing off into the distance.
As moonlight made its way down past the cloud cover, the group could see that caught on a pointed rock near the edge of one of the desert streams was an unmistakable blue hat.
“That’s Cubbi’s!” Said Tummi with alarm.
Gritty carefully made his way down to it, hopping from exposed rock to rock, avoiding the deadly shifting sands. The large bear snagged the cap with his fingers before making his way back to his friends some meters above.
Thornberry took in the scent. “Definitely the cub’s. But he hasn’t been wearing it for a while now, maybe a day or more. Can’t smell much else. He didn’t lose it near here, somewhere far upriver would be my guess.”
Tummi’s eyes became glassy. “You don’t think that he…” His voice cut out.
Thornberry put his hands on his hips and frowned. “Of course I don’t think that! What’s the matter with you, lad? Cubbi’s braver and smarter than the lot of us, and he’s got that clever old wizard with him! He’ll be fine, no matter what!”
Tummi nodded his head a few times. “You’re right! Of course he’s okay. Sorry, I shouldn’t worry like that.”
Gritty patted his tubby friend on the back. “It’s alright to worry a little, just don’t give up on them.”
“Anyway, this is a good thing!” Said the old swordsman. “Means we’re on the right track, and the scent is gettin’ stronger! I think we might be approaching the spot where they spent the night last night! We just need to keep going, lads. We’ll find our friends before you know it!”
“And the Ogrelord.” Gritty reminded him.
The older gummi sighed. “And we’ll deal with him when it comes to that.” He said.

***

Greeny had brought a small assortment of food out from his bag while Cubbi and Zummi scoured the area for anything that would burn. They found bits of old tapestries, some dried out cactus parts that had blown in or was growing in the nooks of the tower by the door and started a small cooking fire using the ogre’s flint. The dancing flames lit the ancient tower up with eerie shapes and figures that moved and chased each other over the walls and columns. The three of them sat and ate.
“Is this a good time?” Zummi asked presently.
“Was that directed at me?” Greeny asked.
“You told me last night I could ask you about what you remembered, if I was still interested, which I am.”
“I guess I did.”
“Remembered about what?” Cubbi asked, taking a bite of bread.
“About me.” Said the ogre.
“Oh.”
Greeny looked into the small blaze before them, trying to collect what he could in his mind. It had been a long time, since anyone spent enough time around him to ask about his life and memories.
“There’s one story that I can recall, quite vividly.” He told the gummi bears. “But, I think there’re pieces missing.”
“When you’re ready then.” Zummi said gently.
The ogre pushed an errant bit of cactus back into the small fire with a clawed foot before beginning his tale.
“There once was a human kingdom, in a beautiful, verdant land where the people lived happily. The king who ruled this place with his family was wise and honorable.” Greeny said. “Folks traveled from far and wide to visit this prosperous land, to trade and to settle there. Its people were educated and kind, known to become renowned scholars, artists and philosophers. Outside the kingdom, in the forest some miles away was a large colony of gummi bears, and the two civilizations coexisted. It really was wonderful once, before that all changed.” Greeny’s brow furrowed as he continued to watch the fire, as if he could see the story unfolding within the licking flames.
“She was a sorceress, who commanded a vast army of ogres, and she descended on the peaceful kingdom like a plague. Her home had been far to the north, but many said that she had drained those lands of natural magic and required more. Her hunger to devour magic was insatiable, and so she was drawn to the little kingdom. You see, unbeknownst to the great king and his people, they had built their proud city over a powerful, natural magical source. Perhaps that was why the kingdom had been prospering, the plants and animals always healthy, the people so content. The sorceress saw none of that, only the means to becoming stronger. She and her ogres began to lay siege to the ill-prepared city, burning the people out of their homes, into the forest where their gummi bear neighbors offered them safe haven.”
Zummi and Cubbi continued to listen intently.
“The king had a plan though, and after his narrow escape from the sorceress’ forces, he knew the gummi bears could help him. He knew that while the witch wielded terrible, dark powers, the bears of the forest had their own opposing spells. By their very nature, gummi spells were meant to defend and protect, and even change, but not to destroy. The trick though would be reaching the witch who had already begun construction of her great tower, surrounded on all sides by her army. The ogres worked hard, with the people who weren’t able to flee to safety, who she enslaved. I suppose it had been some years since the people were forced from their homes into the woods… I should have mentioned that…”
Greeny began to look more confused as he tried to focus on details of his story. “Something, happened though, the plan was good but, they, couldn’t have known about the sorceress’ curse…”
Something snapped in the fire and the ogre visibly jumped a bit. He blinked and looked over to his audience, still captivated by the story.
“What happened? Did the plan work?” Cubbi asked.
“The, plan?” Greeny asked.
“From your story!” The pink bear almost shouted at the ogre. “The one you were just telling!”
Greeny tried to recall what he had been saying only moments ago. “I’m sorry, I don’t know.” He said and shrugged.
“Aww, stories like that, the ending is always the best part!” Cubbi complained.
Zummi nudged Cubbi with his elbow. “Cubbi, be polite.” He then turned to the ogre. “It certainly makes for a good stampfire cory, well er, a campfire story.”
“Uh, thanks.” Said the ogre.
“It is just a tall tale isn’t it? Do you recall when you first heard it?” Zummi asked.
“I’m not sure, it feels, real, almost like I was there.” Greeny said, stroking his beard with his thumb and forefinger, thinking back.
“Well it’s gotta be the same tower, and sorceress that you were reading about before. I bet you’ve explored this old place before, read the whole story on the walls. Bet there’s a lot more when we climb up tomorrow!” Cubbi said.
“That might well be so.” Zummi agreed with the young gummi. “You have been awfully familiar with the desert, and the old language here. It wouldn’t surprise me if you were some sort of historian.” The magician said to the ogre.
“Hm.” Said Greeny.
“What is really intriguing is the thought of humans and gummis living alongside one another in peace. That makes it a tale of the Great Gummis! If you memember rore, uh, remember more, I’d like to get it all written down, it sounds like folklore from long ago!” Zummi said, clearly excited by the prospect.
“Could Greeny have been alive for all that?” Cubbi asked.
“No, no, that would make him, uh, I don’t know, a few hundred years old? More?” Zummi explained to the small bear.
“Oh, well, I guess that wouldn’t work then, but if you think about it, he could have been one of those ogres from the sorceress’ army, and then he would know all those things.” Cubbi said.
“I would have never served that monster.” The ogre said, a deep growl in his voice, which caused Zummi to shiver.
“Just an old story, Cubbi, now maybe we should think about getting ready for bed, hm?” The magician said.
“I’ll fetch the bed and whatever else you need.” Said Greeny, getting to his feet.
“How can you guys want to sleep?! I want to hear the rest!” Cubbi said.
“If he remembers anymore of the story he’ll tell us, Cubbi, won’t you Green?” Zummi asked.
“Sure thing.” Said the ogre as he set out the gummis’ bed, untied his cloak and laid it over the top.

Zummi headed to the tower entrance, to fill a few waterskins with rainwater, leaving Cubbi and Greeny near the dying fire.
“Hey Greeny?”
“Yes, Cubbi?”
“What happens, after tomorrow?”
“What do you mean?” The ogre asked, unfastening the axe from his back and setting it down carefully on the stone floor.
“Zummi will cast your spell, assuming he can, and then what?”
“That’s it, I just need your help for the spell. You’ll be free to go after.”
Cubbi shook his head. “I know that already, that’s not what I meant.”
The ogre looked down at the pink bear curiously. “How did you know I was just going to let you go, huh?”
“Because you’re not a bad guy.” The boy said. “I thought I was going to, drown last night, but, you didn’t let that happen.”
“Nobody wants to see something bad happen to a kid.” Greeny said.
“That’s why I think that maybe, you’re a good guy after all.” Said Cubbi.
Greeny said nothing, but smiled under his wild facial hair.
“But what I meant was,” Cubbi continued. “What are you gonna do when this is all done?”
The massive ogre cleared some room on the floor near the fire to lie down. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I, don’t really know.”
“Well, maybe you should start.” Said Cubbi as he climbed into the bed.
“Maybe I will.” Said the giant.

***

In the morning, Zummi woke up first, the ogre and Cubbi waking not long after. They packed up what few items they had out, drank fresh water from outside, had a decent breakfast provided by the pouch and prepared for the ascent.
“No desert to deal with today.” Said Greeny. “I won’t ask you to travel in the bag anymore, unless you want to.”
“I think we’re happy for the exercise.” Said Zummi.
“You say that now, but this tower has thousands of steps. If you get tired, I can carry you, both of you.” The ogre said.
“I might have to take you up on that, but hopefully not yet.” Zummi said and chuckled.

The trio started the climb. Cubbi hummed a tune to himself as he bounded from step to step. Greeny moved methodically, pacing himself carefully, always looking forward. Zummi brought up the rear, feeling each of the high stairs in his joints a little more with each one. Occasionally, a step would shift under the ogre’s weight, causing bits of rock and rubble to cascade off the side of the staircase into the middle void. As they traveled higher, long moments would pass before they could be heard crashing far below. An hour passed, and the ogre allowed a brief break, passing around a waterskin.
“We’ve come a long way already.” Said Cubbi.
“Not as far as you might think.” Said the ogre. “Perhaps halfway.”
“How can you be so sure?” Asked Zummi.
“I just know.”
After a few minutes more, the intrepid travelers got to their feet and continued the trek. Above them, out of sight, a sharp cry rang out and echoed through the hollow spire.
“What was that?” Cubbi asked in alarm.
“Not sure.” Said the ogre.
“We’re not as alone as we thought.” The magician said grimly.

They resumed their ascent, until the sound of buffeted air caused them to crane their necks.
“Get behind me!” Greeny shouted, and the gummi bears quickly obeyed.
The sound became a whoosh as a large, crimson form dived at them. Greeny bowed his head as sharp talons grazed through the short hair atop his green head. He looked up as the thing circled and regained height.
“A gryphon!” Shouted Cubbi.
The large red and black beast screeched at them, its eagle eyes focused on the small gummi bears.
“I didn’t think gryphons came out this far!” Said Zummi, clinging to one of the ogre’s fur-lined leather boots.
“They don’t, usually, but it seems this one’s made its roost here!” Said Greeny, pointing ahead of them on the stairs to a mass of dried grasses, bones and desert shrubbery. Above that, an entire portion of the tower’s outer wall had crumbled away from one of the tall window openings, revealing the stormy skies outside, and the gryphon’s way in.
The gryphon dived again, clearly only interested in the small bears. The ogre was merely in the way, blocking the feathered monster from snatching its breakfast.
“What should we do?” Asked Zummi over the beating of the beast’s wings.
“We just need to prove we’re not dinner, that we’re a threat!” Said Greeny, reaching back to grab his mighty axe.
Suddenly, the creature dived again, this time, using its forepaws ending in cruel ebony claws to grab the ogre by the front of his leather armor. It pumped its powerful wings, dragging Greeny forward on the stairs toward the cylindrical hollow in the center. The ogre tried to dig his heels in, to struggle against the creature’s strength, but the stone steps offered him no purchase.
“Don’t get dragged down with me!” He shouted to the others as he was bodily tugged over the side.
“Zummi, Greeny!” Yelled Cubbi as the two fell nearly out of sight, leaving the pink bear standing alone on the stair.
As the ogre dropped, the gryphon released its grip and climbed back into the air, preparing its next attack. Greeny reached out, grabbing the top of the stone, getting one hand and forearm over it. He looked down to find Zummi still holding on to his boot.
“You alright, old bear?!” He called down.
“For now!” Zummi shouted back.
The gryphon screamed and tucked its wings to its sides as it readied another strike. Cubbi watched it carefully, prepared to dive out of the way when necessary, but instead the monster seemed focused below.
“Zummi, look out, it’s coming after you!” The boy cried.
The magician looked up to see the powerful creature, half bird of prey, half lion, angle its attack towards him. He wasn’t sure what he could do in time. If he let go, he would fall to his death. He tried to maneuver himself around the ogre’s leather boot, to give himself at least some cover but the beast was too quick. Greeny was working to haul himself up, but he couldn’t get there fast enough. The gryphon’s large paws reached forward, dark, curved talons stretched toward Zummi, when suddenly the monster screamed and fell lower than it meant to and struggled to circle awkwardly back into the air. Zummi was shocked, he should be in the beast’s clutches at this very moment.
Greeny was able to pull himself back onto the stairs then, carefully grabbing the purple gummi and bringing him up too.
“You okay?” The ogre asked with concern.
“Yes, but where’s Cubbi?”
The winged terror screeched as it flapped above them, and for a moment, Zummi and Greeny saw something attached to one of its feathery wings. A small pink shape clung for dear life to the extended limb.
“He must have jumped onto it! That’s why it missed me!” Zummi shouted.
“Cubbi, don’t let go!” Greeny called out, using his hand at his mouth to be heard over the monster’s cries.
“I wasn’t planning to!” Yelled Cubbi.
Zummi pointed to the beast. “It’s not flying as well as before. Cubbi on its wing is throwing off the balance!”
Greeny reached over his shoulder and pulled the massive, golden-colored axe free with both hands. “Cubbi, hang on until the gryphon dives again, can you do that?” Greeny bellowed.
“Hope so!” Shouted the boy, who was trying to cope with how his stomach was feeling atop the lurching, flapping beast.
“Stand in front of me!” Said Greeny to Zummi. “I’ll protect you!”
Zummi nodded, moving closer to the edge of the steps.
Despite the annoyance that Cubbi provided the gryphon, it was still focused on its prey. Seeing the plump purple bear standing away from the ogre was too good to pass up and the creature dived at him.
Greeny readied his double-bladed axe. “Get ready to retreat to me, Zummi, and be hasty!”
“I can be quick when I need to be!” The gummi assured him.
“Run to me now!” Said the ogre as the gryphon folded its wings tightly to its strong body and attacked.
Zummi turned, bounded and slid between the ogre’s legs as Greeny began to swing the mighty weapon through the air.
“Cubbi, jump to the stairs!” Called Greeny, who waited just long enough to see the cub leap free of the monster.
As the boy’s small weight left the wing of the Gryphon, it altered its balance again, making it unable to change course. The ogre brought the axe down and around, a sweeping strike that swung like a bat. It caught the beast in the back of the head with the broad side of the blade, and hurtled it into the tower wall as if from a catapult. Zummi dived out of the way as the huge feathery body crashed all the way through the rocky stair and blasted out of the tower, creating an enormous, ragged hole and raining chunks of broken limestone around them.
Stones cascaded down from the creature’s sudden exit, smashing into the staircase and columns, shaking the tower violently. Zummi and Cubbi scurried to avoid the falling debris as the stairs under the heavy ogre began to fall away.
“Jump, Greeny! Jump up here, hurry!” Exclaimed Cubbi.
The ogre leapt, calling on the aid of his wind amulet to land safely on a more structurally sound part of the spiral staircase. The gigantic spire still shook, but seemed to calm down a few moments later. The broken ledge could still be heard crashing to pieces far below. The group collectively caught their breath.
“Look outside!” Shouted Cubbi, pointing through the gaping hole the gryphon had made with Greeny’s help.
The gryphon’s body had been plummeting down through the rainy sky outside when it suddenly seemed to wake up, shaking its head and regaining its senses. It screeched, but made no effort to turn back toward the tower. It appeared that its sense of self-preservation won out over the desire to grab a quick bite.
They watched it fly away, and enjoyed a nervous laugh together as they surveyed the damage around them. Dust fell from the stairs that formed the ceiling high above.
“That was close.” Said the ogre, as he let out a deep sigh.
“I’m not convinced this tower won’t still collapse.” The magician said, looking about them at the holes in the walls, missing chunks of stair and feeling the ominous rumbles the building continued to make in the storm.
“You let the gryphon live.” Cubbi commented.
Greeny fastened the mighty axe to his back again. “It won’t bother us again, it was just hungry.”
“I know, I mean, I’m glad you did.” Said Cubbi.
The ogre smiled down at the cub. “We’re almost to the top. Only a little farther now.”
“Good, I’ll be happy to be done with this place.” Said Zummi.

They reached the height of the ancient staircase, Cubbi and Greeny breathing hard. After the Gryphon incident, Zummi had finally asked, embarrassed, to be carried the rest of the way. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, sitting comfortably in the crook of the ogre’s bent arm. Zummi pointed out more writing on the wall, which he and Greeny began to read.
“Some pictures this time.” Zummi commented.
There were some crude drawings, along with the etched words, depicting a few figures. One was a large, burly man with a curly moustache, next to him was a robed, thin fellow with hair over his face and next to him was a short, female gummi bear. It appeared that there was another figure standing next to them, but it had been scratched out, covered with dozens of deep marks, perhaps by large claws.
“Hey, a gummi bear!” Cubbi said excitedly.
“Osrid, Tulewyn, and Muddi.” Said Zummi, struggling a little with the nearly-forgotten language, as he read the names underneath.
“’Osric, Talwyn and Maddi.’” The ogre corrected him. “I know these names.”
“You do?” Asked the pink gummi.
“Very well. I… believe, they’re the reason we’re here.”
“Why is this one all scratched out?” Cubbi asked, pointing to the fourth image.”
Greeny shrugged.
“Are they the cause of the curse you mentioned?” Asked Zummi.
“I’m not, it’s still foggy.” Said the ogre.
“What else does it say?” Cubbi asked.
“Four heroes, chosen by the king, each with a powerful artifact were sent to stop the sorceress and save the land from her tyranny.” Greeny read. “There’s more but the stone face here has eroded away.”
They moved forward.
“These were the sorceress’ chambers.” The ogre explained. “The magical energy from the earth were channeled all the way up here for her to absorb, or whatever she did with it.”
“You can actually feel it in the air. It is nuch more moticeable.” Said Zummi. “Uh, much more noticeable.”
Just ahead was another heavy set of doors, but these too had mostly fallen and rotted away since they were wooden. Greeny set the magician on his feet as they all moved through the entryway.
“I thought it would be, I dunno, more interesting than this.” Said Cubbi, a bit disappointed as he looked around the large open room.
“It served its purpose I suppose.” Said the ogre.
The room was circular, the domed ceiling above had fallen through in a couple places and rain was getting in, pooling in a few areas, dripping through the stone floor to the tower below. There wasn’t much out of the ordinary at all, certainly nothing to indicate the spells or rituals that must have gone on here. Near the center of the room however were three notable exceptions.
The trio approached three carefully-shaped stone figures clustered in the middle of the chamber. The statues appeared to be surprised, craning their necks around to see something which of course was no longer there. It was a peculiar pose to capture in sculpture, certainly.
Greeny moved to stand before them.
Zummi stood at the ogre’s side, first inspecting the statues, wondering about their shocked expressions, then looking into Greeny’s face. “Statues, of the people depicted on the wall?” He asked.
“Not statues, Zummi. Cursed to become stone.” Said the ogre sadly.
“Who were they?” Asked Cubbi.
“These are the heroes chosen by the king.” Said Greeny, motioning with his large hands. “This was Osric, a powerful but good-natured knight, and here is Talwyn, the most adept mage from the scribes’ sanctum, and this--” He paused when he saw the last figure. “This is Maddi. She was from Gummiton, the gummi village in the forest, and she had quite a temper, so Maddi was just the nickname everyone called her.”
The ogre looked at the floor beside the third stone figure, where he found a pile of rubble. It seemed as though the fourth member of the stone band may have crumbled.
“It looks like there might have been another statue here.” Said Greeny. “I’m not sure what happened to them.”
The purple bear gently touched the ogre’s hand. “I, think that statue was you, Green.”
The ogre looked down at the small bear, as a sense of recognition swept over his face. He was finally beginning to remember the part he played.
“It is you, isn’t it?” Asked Zummi. “It seems impossible but, it must be. Your knowledge of this place, the language written on the walls, what went on here... how could you know all these things unless…”
The hulking ogre suddenly felt very lightheaded as if a heavy fog had been lifted from his mind, and his vision, clearing for the first time in countless years had to completely readjust. He sat down with a massive thud on the floor against one of the columns leading to the roof.
“I, remember.” He said quietly.
“Everything?” Asked Zummi, raising a fuzzy grey eyebrow.
“I, I think so. At least, I remember that night now.” Greeny said.
“Tell us what happened.” Said Zummi.
The ogre took a long inhalation.
“Osric, Talwyn, and Maddi: They were the three chosen by our king to infiltrate the tower and stop the Sorceress, however they could. It was a crazy mission, no telling what might happen but they were the ones to do it.” The ogre explained. “But in order to do that, there were two things they needed: A very good disguise, and someone with a way to sneak in. As fate would have it those things turned out to be me.”
“What do you mean?” Asked Zummi.
The big ogre undid the sack from his belt and held it out in his hand. “With this of course.” He stood up and smirked to himself as he looked at the amazing bit of cloth in his palm. “I had inherited the bag of holding from my grandfather, as he had from his father before him, making it mine, and allowing only me to use it. The council didn’t want me to do it because I was little more than a kid at the time, so I had to volunteer. I would be their way in, letting the others stay in the pouch until I could get them to the tower. But to do that, I had to be invisible, so to speak.”
The ogre got back to his feet, moved over to the statues of his friends and looked them over. His eyes grew distant as the events of the night continued to unfold in his mind.
“One of the gummis, a chief maybe, but a magic-user like you Zummi, had the perfect solution. He couldn’t make me invisible, but he could transform me into an ogre, not for very long, an hour at most before it wore off, but more than enough time for me to get to the tower. Some spies in the King’s army had also procured ogre armor to finish the disguise.”
Cubbi’s jaw dropped open. “So you’re really a human?! No wonder you don’t act like an ogre!”
Greeny continued his tale. “Before we left, the king entrusted three powerful, enchanted artifacts to the team. He had smuggled two of them out of his treasury and the third was from the gummi bears. For Osric, a mighty axe made of dwarven gold, able to sunder stone. Osric, being the capable knight that he was, would be able to wield it just fine. Talwyn was given the fabled wind amulet and cloak. He already knew many elemental spells, so he could utilize the powers of the artifact best. Lastly for Maddi, an armlet that resisted and sensed magics. It also changed its size to accommodate the wearer. This meant that she could ward off the sorceress’ direct attacks, keeping Osric and Talwyn safe to get closer and finish her. Maddi was quick-witted and agile, but she would never take a life as it was against gummi law.”
The ogre sighed softly.
“The plan was going well, at least, it was simpler than expected to reach the tower, talk my way past the guards and get inside. The climb back then just as nerve-wracking as it was today. The sorceress was in her chambers, where we stand now. When I was just outside I let my friends out of the bag and we got ready. I was supposed to wait outside there, as I didn’t know how to fight, would just get in the way. Still, when they charged her, I was too wrapped up in the enormity of it all and ran in behind them. Some childish notion of being a hero I guess.”
Greeny reached out and lightly placed his big hand on the armored shoulder of Osric as he looked into each of the stone faces surrounding him.
“The sorceress was caught completely by surprise, at first. It didn’t take her long to recover. As we had planned, Maddi got close because she was so nimble, and nullified several of the witch’s attacks. Oh you should have heard her wail in horror when her spells did nothing to that frightening little gummi bear.” The ogre grinned for a moment recalling that part.
“Osric and Talwyn had gotten closer too, casting wind magic and swiping at her with the axe, but I think it was then that she noticed me. I was trying to get a few good hits in too as I was still an ogre after all, could probably do some damage. Of course it also made me the biggest target, and she hit me with some sort of bolt attack, got me right in the head, giving me this scar.” He traced the angry pink mark beside his eye that traveled up over his brow ridge. “It hurt so much, like nothing I had ever experienced, burned through me. Anyway I blacked out from the pain almost immediately. When I awoke, the battle appeared to be over. Maddi was putting her bangle over my hand, which saved me from the worst of whatever spell had been cast on me. Osric and Talwyn were kneeling next to me, making sure I was okay. So because they were all worrying about me, they couldn’t see that the sorceress was still alive, pushing herself up from the floor where she had been felled.”
Cubbi made an audible gulping noise as he too looked up at the statues. His eyes were glassy.
“She had one last spell in her, and it was a real doozy too.” Said Greeny. “With her dying breath she cast a curse on us, and though I can’t remember exactly what she said, I caught the gist of it. As long as the tower remained intact, we would stay as its eternal prisoners. It hit me too, but because of the bangle, I didn’t get the entire effect. Apparently even this armband can’t stop magic that powerful, or maybe it was because I already had the ogre enchantment on me, I’ll never know. What I do know, is she turned the four of us to stone, and kept us trapped here, for a long time, centuries it would seem. It wasn’t until the tower finally started falling apart that my own stoneskin prison crumbled away, releasing me.”
Greeny nudged through the remains of his former statue form with his foot.
“For some reason, the artifacts hadn’t been turned to stone with the others so, I gathered them up for safe-keeping, and I’ve been searching the world for the spell that can free them ever since. Sometimes I’d think I found something and come back, but it never worked. I’d scratch reminders into the walls here to make sure I never forgot, but this ogre brain of mine, it gets harder and harder to remember. For twenty-two years I’ve been searching for the key to their salvation. If I can leave this place now, then they can too, or, they could if they weren’t like this.”
“My word.” Said Zummi after everything he had just heard.
Cubbi sniffed and wiped at his nose.
“If I hadn’t tried to play the hero, my friends would never have been distracted, could have finished her then and there instead of… this.” The ogre sobbed loudly. The sound of it echoed around the cavernous room.
Zummi placed a paw on Greeny’s forearm. “You were trying to help, it wasn’t your fault.” He said gently.
“It was, Zummi, there’s no question about that! I’ve beaten myself up for years about it. But maybe, maybe I can find some redemption if I’m able to help them. Lord knows I’ve been trying, and will keep trying. And that’s why you’re here, with the book now.”
“You think I can change them back?” Zummi asked.
“Yes! If one of your gummi spells can transform me into an ogre, there must be one to change someone who’s stone back to flesh!” Greeny exclaimed.
Zummi furrowed his bushy brows and looked to the floor.
“What is it?” Asked the ogre.
“Well it’s just, the transfiguration school of magic… it’s not such a thimple sing, uh, simple thing.”
“I don’t understand.” Said Greeny.
“When we turn a bear into a bird, it’s living thing to living thing, you see? And there’s unliving to unliving like a rock to a cup, but this…” He pointed, then let his paw fall back to his side.
“Well we have to try!” Greeny said, pleading in his voice.
“There just isn’t a spell for it, and it’s much too dangerous to try casting things willy-nilly!” Zummi explained.
“No, please, there must be a way!” The ogre said, begging now, as he dropped heavily to his knees. The tower shook again. “What about a counter curse?”
“Gummi magic doesn’t deal with curses.” Zummi said.
“I, I know.”
“Green, I’m sorry. Look what happened to you when you were cursed while in ogre form, it made an hour-long enchantment permanent! Understanding the magic at work is very important.” Zummi said, trying to provide the distraught ogre as much information as he could.
There was silence in the room, while Greeny thought about his friends, and the gummi bears were unsure what else to say.
Presently, the ogre wiped his eyes with the back of a calloused hand. “You’re right, that makes sense. I’ve waited this long, I can wait a little longer.” He said.
“That’s the spirit! We just need to find a better solution, but I’m sure it’s out there!” The old magician said.
Greeny got back to his feet, as he regained his composure. “Then I just need to find it.”
“And we’ll help you!” Cubbi said excitedly.
The ogre looked down at the pink bear. “Ha! I might take you up on that, after seeing how you handled that gryphon!” He picked the boy up and tossed him in the air with his large hands before carefully setting him down again. Cubbi just laughed.
“We will help, you know.” Zummi said.
“No need to say such things, you don’t owe me a thing. I’m the one who got you two into all this, almost got you both killed.” Greeny said and frowned.
Zummi raised his paw in protest. “We didn’t have a great start, but I understand now why you did what you did, and to be honest, I’m not sure I would have done duch mifferently, I mean, much differently were I in your place. Yours is a noble goal, and I want to help you all I can.”
“We want to help all we can.” Cubbi added.
Greeny grinned under his bristly beard. “You two, you really, I’m really glad to have met you.” He said quietly.
“Me too! It’s been crazy, but fun, and scary too!” Cubbi said.
“Hope not too scary.” Said Greeny.
“Naw!” Said Cubbi as he waved his hand at the very notion. “So um, now what?”
“First things first.” Said Greeny. He put his hand over the pouch and called out the Great Book of Gummi. “Here Zummi, thanks for letting me ‘borrow’ it.”
“You’re welcome.” Said Zummi with a smile. “To be honest, I might need your help carrying this back to Gummi Glen, it’s a big as I am you know.”
The ogre laughed, realizing he was right. “It’s the least I can do. Guess I should get you two home safely now too, huh?”
“And maybe them as well?” Asked Zummi, pointing to the stone figures.
Greeny looked over at his frozen comrades. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like this tower is going to stay upright for too much longer. Certainly not while you make another journey to find help for them. It would be unwise to leave them here, when the floor could collapse at any time.”
“Geez, I hadn’t thought of that.” Said the ogre quickly moving to the statues and opening his bag of holding. He was exceedingly careful as he moved each one inside. “Feels strange, having them with me, I guess I won’t need to come back here anymore.” His face became serious. “Without my notes in the tower, I might forget about them!”
“We would never let that happen.” Said Zummi gently. “And what’s more, they’ll be perfectly safe back at Gummi Glen. Until we find a way to help them.”
“That’s too kind.” Said Greeny.
“What choice is there? Just agree.” Said the purple gummi bear.
“I, can’t thank you enough.” The ogre said.
“It’s alright.” Said Zummi. “We’re becoming friends aren’t we?”
“You’re my first ogre friend!” Cubbi said.
The ogre smiled broadly, and nodded to both of them. “Better get going then.” He said, trying to change the subject before he got too emotional again.
“Shall I carry the book back?” Greeny asked.
Zummi had in fact opened the great book and flipped through to a certain page. “In a moment or two, Green, there’s something I can still do for you.”
The towering fellow gave a quizzical look. “Oh, and what’s that?”
“Well,” The magician began. “I told you I can’t turn stone back into living flesh, but I can certainly remove a simple ogre enchantment, probably even a permanent one.”
Greeny looked at the portly purple bear, and his eyes widened.
“You can, change me back, to how I was, all those years ago?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be how you were all those years ago. You said you’ve been free of the tower for twenty-two years wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“So you’ll be a man of, however old you are now.”
“That… makes sense.” Said the ogre. “But part of me wonders: I’ve been this way for so long, can I go back? Will I even recognize myself?”
“It’s your decision, but I expect that, your body, your mind, everything will feel better when you’re really you again. I can’t even imagine how, being in a transformed state for so long has affected you. We know it’s had some effect already on your memories.”
“True enough. I’m worried that I’ve forgotten more than I’ll ever know again.”
“It’s possible that, when you’re back to your old self, the other memories will return too.” Zummi said hopefully.
“You’re right. I need to know who I truly am.” Said the ogre.
“Oh wow, it’s gonna be weird seeing you, well, not like this.” Said Cubbi.
“Are you ready?” Asked the magician, rolling up his sleeves and preparing himself for the spell cast.
“Oh, almost! I probably shouldn’t have this on anymore!” Greeny said, removing the anti-magic armband. “This axe might just about crush me too.” He said, undoing the monstrous weapon from his back and stuffing it into his bag.
“Okay, change me back, Zummi. Let’s do this!” The ogre practically roared.
Greeny was anxious, terrified, but overjoyed at the prospect of being himself again. However, what if the magic failed to work, or had some unforeseen outcome? And what if it did, what would it be like? Would his new, old body even know how to move and function properly anymore? He stopped wondering about the answer as Zummi cast the spell and Greeny felt a strange warmth flow through him as his body suddenly began to change.