The Lucky and the Strong (Tales of Vantoria book 2)

By Robert J. A. Gilbert

"Just because you are a child of God, that doesn't mean you can act like a child!"

O'Mary Saint Isaac is a fairy with a reckless thirst for adventure. Renaud is a battle-hardened swordsman with no time for fun and games. The two could not be more opposite in how they live their faith; while Renaud relies on his strength and his caution, Mary trusts in the Lord to deliver her from danger.

When Mary wanders into the world of Shift, she finds herself with more adventure than she bargained for, and Renaud finds himself with more trouble than he can handle. Lost in a forest and surrounded by an army of ferocious trolls, Mary joins forces with the swordsman and his small band of adventurers. Soon the two are separated from their friends and faced with a desperate quest: to protect a group of helpless children from the marauding enemy. But there is more at stake than just rescuing the innocent and repelling the enemy, because behind this army of monsters lurks an even more dangerous foe.

The Lucky and the Strong is the second book in the Tales of Vantoria series. In this adventure, Mary and Renaud discover how different two people's belief in God can be. Can Renaud protect his reckless companion from the perils of the forest? Will the differences in their beliefs divide them...or bring them even closer together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert J. A. Gilbert
• Release date: Feb 24, 2013

Robert J. A. Gilbert

I am a storyteller at heart.I inherited it from my father who has told stories for as long as I can remember. His stories of his own youth, his travels, and his adventures in Africa as a bush pilot were as inspiring as they were fascinating.At this time I am a writer by hobby. I also design board and card games, write songs, and dabble in a few other creative mediums as well. My biggest love is teaching, and it is through teaching that I have discovered the art of fables, parables, and morality tales. You can read many of these on my blog page.I hope that you find my work interesting and enjoyable. Most of all, I hope that you come away from my writing with more than a smile—I hope you come away with a better understanding of the real message I aim to convey.

Book preview

The sun set quickly behind a tree-lined ridge high in the mountains of Peace. Dusk settled over a tiny cluster of cabins, lean-tos, and camp-trailers gathered in a man-made clearing deep in the forest. Nightfall here was blackness but for the few floodlights that lit the muddy village square.

Only a few months had passed since Castle San Ocro had awakened, but civilization was already returning to the forest. Under the protection and leadership of good King Wenchel, brave men had tamed these wild lands. Roads were cleared and paved. Mines and lumber-yards sprang up deep in the mountains. Homes were built along the streams and valleys.

A month ago, this little village had been nothing but a lumber mill in the forest. Then families joined their fathers, ranchers fenced in their stable-yards, and merchants began traveling the road.

As night closed in on the tiny hamlet, the stars provided a million points of light over the darkness of the forest. Suddenly a shot cracked through the trees. Then another. Lights came on in the cabins and settlers rushed to their windows. The alarm sounded.

We’re under attack!

What is it? The question came from a dozen voices as men reached for their hunting rifles.

Monsters! a scream announced from the edge of town. Then, Run for your lives!

More shots rang out as the shadows swarmed from the dark forest. The firearms did not seem to phase the monsters.

Flee! more voices echoed. Evacuate the village!

A pack of towering shadows merged on the nearest cabin. With ferocious, inhuman roars they set themselves to smashing its walls with massive axes and hammers. The building’s residents fled through a rear window before its roof collapsed. Under the cover of rifle fire, they scrambled into a small van and started its engine.

More engines sounded in the darkness. Headlights flashed on, illuminating the shapes of men, women, and children running toward the road. Then the van swerved to make its escape. Its light beams flashed across a single monster, illuminating its grotesque face.

Trolls! the driver announced, terrified.

The monster blinked in the sudden brightness, then charged at the vehicle, axe raised above its head. A crack of rifle fire sounded nearby, knocking the troll backwards.

Get back to San Ocro, somebody shouted to the van driver. Get help! Then more rifle fire sounded in the night. Flames flared up from the collapsed cabin at the edge of the clearing.

As the driver pointed his vehicle toward the gravel road that led from town, the troll charged again. The driver accelerated. The monster’s hulking frame slowly faded into the darkness behind the red glow of retreating tail-lights.

Part One

CHAPTER 1

Chasing Rainbows

The fine, misty morning found O’Mary Saint Isaac already upon the road. She stopped at the edge of town beneath the old hollow tree in which her pixie friend made home. Waiting at the tree stood a little round man that came to her thigh in height. The leprechaun dressed neatly and kept a small, felt cap atop his red, curly-haired head.

G’mornin’, Sean, she greeted the little man.

G’mornin’ Mary, he returned the greeting cheerily.

Both she and the man wore capes of forest green, though hers had needed far more wool in its spinning. Her light-brown skirt and matching blouse showed no extravagant embroideries. Her shoes were of felt, and looked as though they had touched often upon the earth. These were her travel clothes.

An’ where’s Wendelle today? she asked, more to the air above his head than down to his round, cheerful face.

I’m here, came the tiny reply from the boughs over her head. Mary looked up to see a palm-sized pixie flutter down to hover at her eye-level.

We’re all here, then, Mary stated as she looked from one companion to the next. Her company did well to represent the diversity of the fairy world—the world known to its inhabitants as Jhantz. In the land of sunbeam on leaves and soft dew on forest floor, the pixie folk and the leprechauns lived beneath the benevolent rule of the fairies.

Then we’re off, Mary said with some finality. She took much pride in her position as leader to this small group of adventurers.

Off to where? Sean asked. We’ve only spoken our G’mornin’s.

Mary looked at the leprechaun as though he had said something quite silly. We’re off t’ chase the rainbow, she said as if he should know.

We did that yesterday, the pixie protested above the hum of her ever-whirring wings.

Aye, Sean agreed. That we did.

But did we find it? Mary put her hands upon her hips.

We never find it, Sean pointed out.

Maybe that’s because we spend too much time talkin’ ‘bout it and not enough time walkin’. With that the young fairy strode away into the forest.

Mary delighted in the crackling of last autumn’s leaves as she and Sean walked upon the forest floor. Her worn cloak, wrapped tightly around her shoulders, did well to remind her companions that, despite their stature and grace, not all fairies have wings.

Overhead, Wendelle fluttered this way and that between the low-hanging, leafy branches. Pixies are not known to hold still for long, and though she was not blessed with the beautiful, butterfly-like wings that most of the larger fairies sport, Wendelle made good use of what the Lord had given her. Rarely did the tiny woman pause long enough for her friends to glimpse the wasp-like appendages that spanned from between her shoulders like a great, lace cape.

Sean’s stocky, little frame held no shape or form of wing. As calm and quiet as his pixie friend was not, the little leprechaun was content to remain upon the ground. His legs were the shortest of the procession, and thus it was he who set the pace. Often Mary and Wendelle would traipse ahead, then slow for him to catch up after he called out to them.

The woodlands of Jhantz are relatively safe places for a fairy to roam, but hazards do remain. There are places the little folk are warned not to go, but with Mary being the leader, the trio wandered into them with little regard for such caution.

The rainbow touched down in this direction, Mary led her friends into a high-grassed meadow at the far end of an animal trail.

I don’t think ‘tis safe in this meadow, the leprechaun cautioned.

The tiny pixie whirled past, then looped back to circle Mary’s wind-whipped halo of auburn hair. What’ll your pa say if he finds us here?

Mary surveyed the tall grass. I think he’s the worst of the dangers we’ll see. She stepped quickly across the open field, calling over her shoulder, Press on, then.

The little people exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed her into the meadow.

The grass rose higher than Sean’s little cap. Nothin’s been eatin’ this grass, Mary.

And what’s that s’posed to mean? She looked back from the far edge of the clearing.

Neither hare, nor dare, nor harse, the leprechaun began naming all the woodland creatures he knew, nor the unicorn have been here in recent past.

She only shrugged. Pity. I’m sure the grass is fine.

Indeed, no hare, deer, horse or unicorn had been near to the grass since a terrible viper had made this very meadow its home. As Mary forged her way into the dense shrubs at the far side of the grass, it slithered toward her. She might have seen it approach had she not turned back to help little Sean through the brambles and thick brush.

She pulled aside a long branch that blocked the path and her view. There before her rose the deadly serpent, already positioned to strike. Its upper body rose from the grass, as thick as one of the well-tended saplings in the village orchard. Its cold, cruel eyes met hers. Its mouth opened to show two long, needle-sharp fangs. It lunged down and forward at her.

Mary let go of the branch. She did not have time to drop to her knees, or to clasp her hands together and cry out to the Lord for help.

The bough swung back to its original place with unexpected force, catching the viper in mid-strike. The blow sent the serpent spiraling through the air into the forest. It struck a tree branch and fell to the ground, stunned.

Mary gasped, as did Sean and Wendelle.

Thank th’ Lord! The leprechaun found his voice first.

That was some luck, Wendelle agreed.

Mary blinked, then shrugged. Wouldn’t you know it, she said casually, the Lord fights for us.

With that adventure behind them, the trio pressed on into the forest. Soon their path rose to the top of one of the many ridges that broke the verdant woods into little vales and dells.

Can you see the rainbow? Mary asked Wendelle, whose wings brought her into the treetops for a better view.

Nay, the pixie answered. It must be nearby.

Sean groaned. His feet were beginning to hurt from all the walking.

Mary gasped. Wait! I see another one.

Where? they both asked excitedly.

She pointed. Far off in the distance.

That can’t be the same one, Wendelle said, shaking her tiny head.

Maybe it’s a better one. Mary squinted to get an idea where the new rainbow touched down in the distant, mist-shrouded trees.

I’m tired, Sean said, leaning wearily against her leg.

Let’s go! Mary grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled him to his feet. You can do this, she told him cheerfully, her blue eyes sparkling with a playful enthusiasm poor Sean had never been able to resist. Come on then! She waved to her pixie friend as she charged down the ridge into the dense undergrowth along the base of the slope.

Why do we have t’ keep chasin’ after this rainbow? poor Sean huffed as his larger companion pulled him at breakneck speed through the brush.

Yeah, Wendelle chimed in from somewhere above. What do we get if we find it?

Gold? Sean guessed.

The pixie made a face—too tiny for her friends to see. Who’d want that?

Happiness, Mary answered, her eyes still set determinedly on some place in the distance.

How can a rainbow bring happiness? Sean asked.

Just then they came to the edge of a steep ravine. Here a small stream ran through the forest, cutting the valley in two. On one side stood Mary and her friends. On the other side, somewhere beyond the wall of trees, the rainbow waited.

Mary looked to her left. Then to her right. Some distance down-stream, a large oak had fallen across the ravine to form a makeshift bridge.

Wouldn’t you know it, Mary said lightly, we have a way to cross. She tossed her crimson hair and strode to the fallen tree.

The old timber was rotted in many places and not anchored well in any way. As Mary put her feet upon its spanning branches, the entire tree seemed to tilt as if to spill her and her friends into the river.

Oh Mary! cried poor Sean. I’m gonna’ fall in! He clung to the rotting bark on hands and knees. I canna’ swim!

Mary stood on two feet, hands out and waving madly to keep balance. Oh, Lord, she cried, help us.

The old tree lurched again, threatening to throw them into the ravine. The sound of limbs snapping on the far end of the chasm followed with earth and leaves tumbling down into the rushing stream below. Mary let out a girlish yelp, while Sean just clung even tighter to his section of the log.

Then the sagging tree caught upon a large boulder in the bank—as if it had been placed there for this very purpose—and held fast.

Well wouldn’t you know it. Mary blinked as her platform stopped moving. We’re saved, Sean. Thank the Lord. With that, she stooped to where the leprechaun clung fast to the wood. Grabbing him by the arm, she pulled him to his feet and across to the other side of the stream.

Wendelle appeared above them. There’s a clearing ahead, she instructed, but I think I heard something moving in the distance.

Sean looked nervous. Was it coming towards us?

Mary shrugged confidently. God will save us.

They made their way quickly to the clearing.

Look! Mary pointed up and away. There’s another rainbow. That way—far off.

Another one? poor Sean moaned.

That can’t be the same one. Wendelle followed the direction she was pointing.

What does that matter? Mary asked.

Can’t we finish finding one before we’re off to find another? The pixie put her tiny hands to her tiny hips and hovered reproachfully above Mary’s head.

I don’t think we’re goin’ t’ find anything, Sean said, his voice hollow with fear.

Mary caught the sudden change in the leprechaun. What is it? She looked down at him.

Sean pointed. Look what found us.

A gray shadow lumbered into the clearing from the far side. Movement to their left brought Mary around to watch as a second shape came into view amongst the underbrush at the clearing’s edge.

Wendelle gasped. Wolves!

A low growl from behind sent a shiver up Mary’s spine. She spun to find three more massive predators crouched in the path she had just followed into the clearing.

Oh Lord, Mary whispered with fright, save us!

As she spoke, the great beasts circled closer, cutting off any hope of escape. Then the largest of the wolves let out a ferocious snarl. Before Mary could pray more, the predator dropped to a crouch and pounced.

CHAPTER 2

The Cave in the Woods

The largest wolf lunged at Mary, jaws open and full of teeth. Mary froze.

Something snapped unnaturally in the trees above. A lightning-quick whistle of feather and stone hissed downward through the air, striking the airborne wolf between its massive shoulders. The beast fell to the ground at Mary’s feet, its menacing growl turned to a pained whimper. Mary looked down to find an arrow shaft protruding from its back.

Seeing their leader fall, the other wolves turned and fled. Within seconds the forest was again silent.

Mary looked at the fletch marks on the arrow. She knew whom she would see if she looked up. A shadow fell over her. A shadow indefinite in outline yet all too familiar to her. Wouldn’t you know it, she said, looking up into a familiar face framed within a wind-whipped halo of golden hair. As casually as she could, Mary greeted her rescuer. Hello, mum.

The fairy queen hovered in the sky above the meadow, keeping aloft on a pair of the most magnificent, gold-scaled butterfly-shaped wings. Her fluttering span eclipsed the afternoon sun. In her hand she held a bow, another arrow knocked and ready. She looked down at Mary and her companions with a mixture of concern and rage.

Praise the Lord! We’re saved, Sean cried out.

Praise the Lord indeed. The great fairy scowled at her daughter. Get yourself and your friends back to the village right now!

The adventure was over. Mary followed her mother on foot through the woods. They came quickly out of the rugged region of forest into the calm, tamed woodlands where the fairy folk safely dwelt.

Little Sean strode ahead and Wendelle zipped impatiently here and there. But for the sound of their feet and wings, the journey was made in silence.

Nearly to the village, the fairy queen finally spoke. Mary, I’m disappointed in you.

I’m sorry, mother, Mary said without meaning. She had said it too many times before.

I can understand the little people wandrin’ off like that on their own. But with ye leadin’ them?

Mary was silent. Her mother continued, We were placed on this earth to look after the little folk. Not to lead them into more trouble than they can get into by themselves.

I’ll do better, Mary said. It was another phrase she had said so many times before, it had now lost its meaning.

Mary, her mother said insistently, you’re a grown woman.

Yes, mum.

Your father and I need to know that you can look out for yourself.

Mary said nothing. Sensing the end of her daughter’s attention, the fairy queen fell silent as well. They returned to the palace without exchanging any more words.

* * *

The next day, before the mist had cleared from the meadows, Mary was gone. Her father ordered the palace and village searched, as he had done many days in recent past, but she and her friends could not be found.

Where are we goin’ t’day? Wendelle asked with perpetual curiosity as