Tess Short's story Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Troublesome Portal 

The Comic-relief Questers: from left to right Lauralas , Lida ,George,  Finn and Eldon 

Lida looked at the handkerchief that they had found at the edge of the mountain, what had happened to Tess? had she been eaten by a troll on this very mountain? or had dwarves kidnaped her? she looked over at George it seemed unlikely. but what had happened to Tess? Their journey couldn’t end here , they had so much ahead of them… 

“So are journey is over?” asked Finn. “ Good I’m going to go home—“ he began, but was grabbed by Lida. 

“Finn, we are not leaving” said Lida. “Tess could be still out there”. 

“or not” said Finn, but he didn’t sound quite as cheery as before. 

“Finn, I’m sure she is still out there” said Lida. 

Finn sighed “I guess your right. But…This is turning into a adventure! and I’m a normal hobbit who doesn’t go off on things like that, with elves or…” he said. 

“Finn you are a half elf” said Lida. 

“But that doesn’t mean I have to act like one” said Finn. “I’m half Hobbit too you know”. 

“Yes, I know. How could I not know? where twins” said Lida. 

“But you said you where the oldest” said Finn. 

“I am I’m one minute apart from you, but we are still twins” said Lida. 

“So your a minute older then me?” Finn said. “So that means I’m younger then you by a minute….that makes no sense”. 

“No wonder you failed the math at school” said Lida, 

remembering their town school, she always sat closest to the teacher’s desk since her chair was so close to the hearth it got hot on winter days, but the teacher had insisted that she sit there, she would say “You are my star student” , Lida wasn’t always quite sure about that though. The teacher always seemed to be listening when Lida was talking about her uncle (of course she wasn’t bragging) , sometimes  she even said “Why doesn’t your uncle come to school sometime for our class sometime , you know I would love to meet him”. Lida would look at her and say “he is a king. I don’t think he has time for such things…” she felt as if her teacher was hiding something but what? 

“I did not” said Finn, interrupting her thought.  

“Yes you did” said Lida. 

“No I didn’t” Finn said. 

“Yes you did” Lida said. 

“No I didn’t” Finn said. 

“Yes you did” Lida said. 

“Yes I did— I mean…I didn’t” said Finn. 

“ha! I won!!” said Lida. “yes! I beat you in a argument! ha!” 

Lauralas looked over at them, and turned back to Eldon. “Where they arguing about being twins, and math problems?” asked Lauralas. 

“It seems like it” said Eldon. He looked over at them, they where saying. 

“I did not say that” 

“Yes you did”. 

“Will they ever stop?” asked Lauralas. Eldon looked at Lida and Finn then turned back to Lauralas. 

“I don’t know…”  Suddenly George popped up from nowhere. “Hi guys” George  said. “W-where did you come from?” asked Lauralas.

“

Long story you see I found a magic portal….but I see you need my assistance somewhere else” said George. 

“wait what portal?” asked Lauralas. but George was already walking up to Lida and Finn. 

“Wearing shoes is better then wearing no shoes” said Lida. 

“No shoes is better then wearing shoes your feet must hurt” said Finn. 

George walked up to them. Lida and Finn hardily noticed him they where too busy arguing. George cleared his throat then shouted “ORCS ARE ATTACKING” 

Lida and Finn turned around “What?” they said. “orcs , are attacking?” asked Lida.

 “Cool” said Finn. 

“Sorry false alarm” said Lauralas. 

“No umm…Lauralas it’s really not” said Eldon.

 “What do you mean…” she said, turning around. in the distance black dots where coming, thump, thump , thump. “George!” said Lauralas.

 “Sorry, I forgot to mention I accidentally brought a whole troop of orcs with me (I thought it was best to tell) . They where mad at me for trespassing and umm…I think I overheard their plans“ he said.

 “And there umm…going to get their revenge” said George, blushing a bright red color. Lauralas looked over the orcs kept coming, there was 10 no 20 no 30! they kept coming until there looked about a hundred. 

then a tall greenish purple orc came up he was wearing a helmet, it had a skull on top of it (probably from some unfortunate hero). he had a Jagged sword. his eyes where seen through the eye-holes of the helmet, they where glowing a blood-red color. Lauralas gulped. “Maybe their just passing by” said Lauralas. “Maybe there not angry at us”. suddenly a arrow shot through the air , and zoomed past Lauralas.

 “No I think their angry” said Eldon. Another arrow shot through the air. 

“Yeah there definitely angry, RUN!” said George. 

“run? Where were on a mountain?” said Finn, looking at the orcs slowly approaching towards the mountain. 

“Come with me to the portal, quickly!” said George and ran towards the wall, but before he went in Finn stopped him,

 “Wait where we will end up?” asked Finn. George looked at him then looked at the arrows… 

“Anywhere but’s just hope it isn’t a dragon’s hoard or a Orge’s den” answered George, and walked straight up to the wall and vanished. 

Finn fellowed him, and closed his eyes as he followed trying not look at the arrows flying through the air. and went into the wall expecting to crash into the wall but surprising nothing happened (well as far as he could tell).

he opened his eyes to find himself spinning in circles, then he quickly closed his eyes again….

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Hope you liked the story!:) 

-Quinley