The Little People

“Oh, no! Here I am on this God forsaken planet again,” he thought. “I thought I was finished with this place; is there no sanity in this entire universe. What maniacal mind would do this to me? It is those accursed Bakari, who slink around in their shadowy existence, playing with the lives of people, depositing them here or there and with glee watching to see if they survive or not! I have no choice in this matter; it is no doubt they who have done this to me. How they got their position of power, I’ll never understand, but one thing I do understand is to survival on this world, you cannot stay in one spot too long.”

With those thoughts he oriented himself again to the world of Andora and moved off the pile of rocks on which he was perched and getting his sea legs under him on this world of weaker gravity, started down a meandering road across one of the Great Plains. The primary task at hand now was to reach the forested regions soon. A person could dehydrate in the heat and there was little place to hide if danger should arrive on the scene as it usually did on Andora.

Looking behind himself at regular intervals, he spotted a dust cloud in the distance. Only one or two things could raise that kind of dust. It was either a Groadd on his big poda or Sand hogs.

The Groadd was the largest race of people on Andora. They were originally a group of nomadic barbarians, but had since been consolidated into a unified race that now because of their fierceness and numbers controlled about two thirds of the land mass. They lived by the law of the sword. The strongest ruled; the fittest survived and showed no mercy to either friend or foe.

The Sand Hogs were not animals, at least not by the strict sense of the word. They were a people who build their houses below the sandy floor of the great prairies. The doors were completely hidden by the sand and small vent tubes furnished air to them. Using breathing tubes, they would sometimes lie down in the sand and cover themselves completely either to avoid their enemies or to ambush a prey.

Finding a pile of rocks, he lay behind it and watched the Groadd and poda gallop past. He never tired of watching the graceful poda effortless move at 40 to 50 miles per hour making almost no sound. For someone from earth, the best description of a poda is that it is a cross between a cat and a horse. He had a horse like body with a definite feline head and fur. Having padded feet with sharp retractable claws, he was capable of cruising at 40 MPH with bursts up to 75. They were hard to control, especially the large poda the Groadds rode.

After the pair had passed, Jon came from his hiding and resumed his trek. Eventually, he saw the line of trees in the distance that indicated the forest and knew soon he would be in the forest. Once he had reached it, he enjoyed the coolness of its shade for it gave him a sense of peace.

Traveling through the forest he felt a false sense of security. Somehow in the confines of the forest he forgot about the dangers on this world. Suddenly rounding a curve in the road, he looked up and not 50 feet away at a small stream, the Groadd was watering his poda. As the Groadd saw Jon, he gave a slight tug on the reins and the podas head came up. With his eyes locked on Jon’s, he began slowly stepping in his direction and the rider drew his large broadsword making a menacing metal against metal sound and held it at ready. The poda was measuring the distances between himself and me and moving in such away to bring his rider within easy striking distance with the big sword. Jon was frozen to the ground. his legs were like lead; they simply would not move. Suddenly the poda bolted into full gallop, his body stretching out and the Groadd drew back his sword intending to cleave Jon in half as he passed. How he escaped, Jon doesn’t know but at the last second he sprang out of the way and into the underbrush. The Groadd so sure of his kill and expecting the friction created by his sword slashing bone and body, had swung hard. But when there was only air and no friction, he was overbalanced and it caused him to fall from his poda; a very rare occurrence for a Groadd to have happen.

Jon knew he had but a brief chance to escape and ran frantically through the underbrush, around trees, vines, and, over logs intent only on getting as far from the Groadd as possible before he regained his feet and started into the brush after him. As he struggling through the underbrush, he could hear the Groadd, breaking limbs and small trees as he ran. Then Jon rounded a tree, he ducked under a low limb, and trying to leaped over a fallen log his foot caught on a small dead branch on the log catapulting him headlong toward the base of a tree. “This is it,” thought Jon, “If the tree don’t kill me, I’ll be too dazed to run or fight.” But the collision with the tree never came; instead he fell headlong into a hole that was perfectly disguised from the outside. When he hit the bottom of the hole, he discovered himself in a circular underground room with about 15 little old men all of which had beards. He had accidentally discovered a colony of the Little People.

Many times on previous travels on Andora, he had heard people talk about the little people of Andora, but he never really believed they existed. But here he was, face to face with Little People. They all began to speak excitedly at the same time.

Jon held up his hands and shouted, “Wait. I cannot understand what you are saying.”

On Andora everyone speaks the same language but there are different dialects of that language. However, with patients and care you can communicate with anybody although it may be more difficult with someone speaking a dialect that is not yours. Jon had to stop their excited gibberish and get them to speak more clearly.

Toma, the leader, said, “We are so excited that you, our liberator has arrived!”

“Liberator?” Jon said,

“Yes,” Toma explained, “We have had visions and omens that a Truncheon would come to be our liberator from the Sorcerer. And…and here you are!” he said grinning broadly.

“But…but how do you know I am the one. I’m not even a Truncheon.”

Jon knew that he was an exact copy of the Truncheon, which is the race on Andora that appearance wise, are exactly like humans. They come in all the colors, sizes and shapes as do humans on earth. However, Jon knew he lacked one characteristic that that every Truncheon had, history and knowledge of this society and culture.

Toma continued, “Oh yes, you are the one. You see, we read the stars and the winds and they tell us a liberator is coming and then you fall into our village.”

All the others nodded their heads in agreement with Toma. Then Annun said smiling, “And to confirm the previous omens, I saw an unicorn four days ago.”

With that pronouncement, they all folded their hands in front of themselves and smiled while rocking on their ball of their feet and nodding their heads.

“You see,” said Toma, “You can’t deny the truth. You must accept your destiny in our humble world as it is bound up with our destiny.”

Seeing there was no use to argue with these ancient men, leaders of their society, he decided on a different tact.

“What is the situation of which you are speaking? You said it involves a Sorcerer?” he asked,

Toma smiled and moving closer began his story. “We Little People have always depended on our ability to disguise our whereabouts, but now the Sorcerer may possibly discover our location and we would be at the mercy of the Groadd and any other people. One day we were on the forest floor and after we returned to our village, the Little Princess had stayed on the forest floor when a Groadd saw her. Instead of running for the village, she ran away so the village would not be discovered. He took her and sold her to a troupe of actors. Eventually the Sorcerer discovered her and purchased her. He has made a potion with a lock of her hair and with it he will be able to eventually discover our village. The Little Princess must be rescued and the Sorcerer defeated.”

“Do you have any idea how this is done?” Jon asked.

“No,” responded Toma, “But when the opportunity appears, you will recognize it and know what to do, because you are the liberator.”

Jon had no clue as to how he was to accomplish, this feat, yet for the first time he believed Toma and the other councilmen.

The next few days were mundane even boring at times. Jon helped with various tasks and got to know the people better. Then one of the younger men came running, shouting that Annun had seen the unicorn again. Everybody descended to the forest floor and rushed out to where the unicorn had been seen. When they arrived, Annun was walking toward the unicorn on the far side of the meadow; everyone was excited as we watched the unicorn frolicking.

“Have you ever seen a unicorn?” Toma asked.

“I have never before seen one. In my world, there was the legend of the unicorn, but no one ever saw one. They were myths.”

“Here they are real. I have see the unicorn many times in my 300 years,” said Toma.

“You’re 300 years old!” Jon said.

“Yes, I am actually 314 years old. You see we little people live on average about 250 years. Some of us live 50 to 75 years more. You cannot be on the Council until you pass 250. Only the oldest 15 serve. I am the oldest.”

As they watched Annun and considered their plight and how it was bound up with this unicorn, Toma continued his story, “The unicorn is always a sign to those who see them. They are three different kinds of unicorns. One is the white, one is the gray and one is the black. The white is always a sign of good and peace. See this one is white and that is a good omen for us. The black one is evil. If you see a black unicorn, run from him as quickly as you can. The gray sometimes is good and sometimes is evil. And you are never sure, so you should run from him even more than the black one.”

‘The unicorn in the myths in my world are shy. They are supposed to be seen only by the pure and only in brief glimpses. Here they are not as shy?” Jon asked.

“No, they are shy here also,” said Toma. “You only get a glimpse of them as they run into the forest.”

“Then don’t you think this one is strange because it is making no attempt to run away,” observed Jon

“You are correct,” Toma answered. “I do not know why it is.”

Grabbing Toma’s arm suddenly Jon said, “You don’t think this is the Sorcerer’s work do you?”

“I don’t know,” he mused.

As they watched contemplating the situation, the unicorn suddenly began to change colors. First, it began to darken and continued until it was a coal black, but Annun continued to run toward him as if he could not see the change. It was clear magic was involved!

They shouted to Annun, but he continued to run as if running to a loved one in his family, unable to see what the unicorn had become. Drawn by a magic spell that had fallen upon him.

The head of the unicorn began to grow and the neck extended ten feet. He sat back with his front hooves up off the ground like a small dog begging for food. His chest began to expand and his front legs began to shorten. A long tail grew out of his unicorn tail and wings grew from the back. His hair began to turn into scales beginning at the back of his head and spread down his body. Large claws with sharp talons replaced his hooves and dewclaws formed at the back of his feet. Without warning he threw back his head and bellowed and a geyser of fire erupted from its mouth reaching out fifty feet engulfing poor Annun. We all ran for the village and hoped we could reach it before the dragon did. Once back in the assumed safety of our houses we discussed strategy.

It was known by the Little People that dragons had a weak spot on the right side of their chest. A large differently colored scale about the size of a baseball was his weakness. If pierced deeply, it would kill him. Toma suggested that with a broad sword Jon could slay the dragon.

“Toma,” he said, “Did you see the flame that shot out of his mouth. I cannot get close enough to pierce him.”

“Maybe a spear,” said Toma.

“It would take more strength than I have to launch a spear that far.” Jon said and then jumping to his feet he exclaimed, “I got it! A bow and arrow.”

“A what? Asked Toma. “I’ve never heard of that.”

He was surprised they did not know what a bow and arrow was, but they had never seen one. That meant the dragon did not know either. He explained what a bow and arrow was and how they are constructed. Since the Little People were such good craftsman, they set to work to make a bow and arrow. Building several, finally one was made with the power they needed. Then they fashioned arrowheads, cast in pure gold.

Taking the bow and arrows, Jon practiced but with arrows that had lead heads, not the golden ones. They were reserved for the dragon. Since Jon had bow hunted in his world, he was an excellent marksman. He needed just a little practice to learn the little idiosyncrasies of this particular bow. Finding it to be well built and consistent, in a short time he was hitting the bull’s eye with almost every shots.

The next day they left the village to look for the dragon and because he was looking for them, they would surely find him. Soon he was spotted in another valley near the edge of the woods. With his bow and five arrows, Jon crept closer. He had deer hunted with a bow, but the next five shots would be the shots of his life, not to mention the lives of the Little People.

Moving within 40 feet of the dragon, he took his first shot. He hit him but missed the spot and the dragon swung his head from side to side as he bellowed. Jon jumped behind a large tree as flames, split by the tree roared on both sides of him. The heat was blistering, but he moved closer using the trees for a shield and covering. He took another shot and again hit him in the chest but not the spot. The dragon reared his head back and bellowed sending a fountain of fire thirty to forty feet high. Then pulled his head down to look for his antagonist, but Jon had already left his former spot. Still the dragon shot a flame in the direction he had been.

Moving closer still, he smelled the terrible stench coming from the dragon. If he spotted Jon now, he would burn him to a crisp. John quickly took aim and released the arrow. The arrow as if drawn by a magnet, flew straight and accurate to the magic spot on the dragon’s chest. He bellowed searching for Jon, then sat back on his haunches and looked at Jon. He acted as if his head weighed a ton. He was a pitiful appearance and there was a sadness about him. He opened his mouth as if to bellow again sending flames all over Jon, but instead began to shrink and as he did his body began to turn to ash. Suddenly a wind began to blow, then turned into a violent tornadic wind swirling around the dying dragon; picking up the ash of the dragon forming a great cloud that obscured the place where the dragon had been. As quickly as the wind began, it diminished and in the dragon’s place was the Sorcerer with hands outstretched.

“You will pay for this outrage!” he screamed. You think you are clever in the destruction of the dragon. You think you have power and that you can defeat me, but let me tell you something important.” He sneered, his voice falling, “You, your liberator, your riches, your homes, your children…everything you possess will be mine,” he shouted, his voice rising to a crescendo of words.

He began swinging his hands and arms in a great circle over his head as if reaching out and pulling something to himself.

“You will come to me,” he said in a soothing and hypnotic voice. “Come to your father,” he crooned, “Come to your destiny.”

Not believing what I saw, the Little People began a slow march toward the Sorcerer.

“Come, come!” he cackled.

Jon looked and saw Toma slowly moving toward the Sorcerer. “No! No! Toma!” he shouted trying to stop him. “Toma, why?”

Toma turned and said, “It is a force pulling us. Intellectually I know what will happen and don’t want it to happen, but I am compelled. As he says, it is our destiny at this time.”

“Toma,” Jon said, “Use your mind. Tell yourself that you will go to the Sorcerer later, but now you must take care of business before you fulfill your destiny.”

Toma said the words out loud and suddenly turned to Jon and said, “We must get all the Little People to say this, to believe this so they will stop, too.”

“But we could only get to small number that way. There is not time to go to every Little Person. Too many would be lost. No, we’ve got to kill the Sorcerer.”

“How?”

“With one of these two golden arrows. If it killed the dragon, surly it will kill the Sorcerer.” Said Jon.

Jon quickly drew an arrow and waited for the best time to shoot. The Sorcerer threw his hands up in the air, a perfect X target formed by his hands and legs. Jon released the arrow with a prayer. It was headed dead center of the Sorcerer’s chest and he did not seem to realize it was coming, until just before it hit, he lifted his hand into its path and the arrow disintegrated into his palm. The Sorcerer threw back his head and laughed, "Your pitiful efforts!"

“We’ve got to distract him,” Jon said.

“But how,” asked Toma.

“The mirror,” Jon exclaimed. “I have a mirror in my pouch. Here take it and reflect the light of the sun into his eyes.”

Toma focused the rays of the sun into the face of the Sorcerer. Blinded, he began to move around and try to use his hands to block the bright light. As soon as he was blinded, the Little People stopped moving toward him and looked around as if saying, "Why are we here?" The interruption had broken his spell.

“Keep it in his eyes,” said Jon, “Do not let him escape that beam.”

Quickly Jon placed an arrow on his bow and released. The Sorcerer never saw the arrow coming. It pierced his black heart and throwing his hands up, he fell backward and lay still on the ground. Then a strange thing happened. From the lifeless body of the Sorcerer emerged a pure white unicorn that quickly ran into the forest and out of sight.

The next day, the same unicorn ran into the Little People’s village with the Little Princess on his back. When she dismounted, he turned and ran into the forest, and was gone.

A week long celebration was held in the village. Jon was proclaimed to be "The Liberator," and the story of how Jon had overcome the Sorcerer and all his tricks was added to their oral history.