36. Down The Rabbit Hole

“That was how many stages it took to develop him from mentally retarded to omnipresent.”

When the Gem awakens to call a Hero, the world is ill prepared...and its fate is placed in the hands of a 17 year old boy, named Wendell. 

Some will say this is nothing but a tale of fiction.
Let them think as they may. 

After all...I can't fix stupid.

Previously: With time running out and things looking desperate, Deloris is persuaded to use her experimental knowledge to attempt the process of waking Wendell from his coma. The challenge is, who will make the journey into the mind of the Gnolaum… and risk their own mental stability?

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The greatest enemy you will ever face is yourself.

With outposts in our own mind, we carefully craft and construct each brick and bar to our own prison, creating walls of fear and self-loathing. Then, without a thought, we lock the door, sealing the prison…to which we then stand guard, for fear that we might escape.

Alhannah joined Lili in the changing room. It was a cold environment, without windows, pictures and the walls were barren of everything but bright white paint and grey lockers. The gnome removed her shoulder straps and weapons.

“Might as well be comfortable while we’re here, right?” 

Lili remained silent. 

The florescent tubes overhead flickered, the buzz of electricity humming dully.

Jiggling the locker open, the gnome grinned. “I kind of missed being home. The games, the fights, the locker rooms.” She clunked her swords and weapon belt down into the base of the metal container. “It’s nothing like adventuring or fighting live enemies, or seeing the world—but there’s something to be said about meeting an organized challenge. Something that’s been engineered specifically for you…that knows you’re coming…and has prepared just as hard as you have. Something that will beat you, if it can.” She unlatched her bracer and flinched so hard, she nearly fell back over the bench. 

“OW!”

Lili reached out and caught her by the shoulder. “What’s the matter?”

Lifting the metal from her forearm, Alhannah noticed a hole in her armor. But the hole didn’t stop. 

“That’s weird.” 

Whatever had eaten through her outer defenses had also gotten through her shirt and leather glove. She pulled back the last layer of cloth to uncover a black bruise on her forearm, just above her wrist. The skin looked dry and charred. 

“I don’t remember getting hurt…” 

She poked at the surface of the wound and immediately regretted it. 

“ARGH!” Pain like knives raked up her arm. 

Lili started to leave. “Let me get Deloris. She can…”

Alhannah grabbed her arm. “No, I’m alright. It’s just a stupid burn. I’ll look at it later — we need to get you ready.”

Lili nodded warily.

Alhannah pulled off her other bracer carefully and inspected it. “You going to be ok, Lili? This is a lot to ask — hooking up to technology that only hours ago, you were terrified of. You didn’t put up much of a fight.”

Lili clenched her hands to get them to stop shaking. “I didn’t see anyone come to my defense.” 

The gnomes had taken a sheet and cut a hole in the center for her head. Lili pulled the cloth over her head, then grabbed her soft leather belt from her britches to wrap around her. “Not that it would have mattered. I know the mägo is right. Wendell gave his life for me…and I don’t understand why he did it.”

Alhannah smiled. "I've spent enough time with that kid to know it's his nature. There's something special about him."

"He's the Gnolaum," Lili shrugged.

"No," Alhannah shook her head. "It's got nothing to do with the gem in his chest." She paused and looked up at Lili. She waited until the human noticed. She smiled again. "He cares."

"About what?"

Alhannah's smile widened. "Everybody."