Chapter 6, Part iii

Hector blinked to remove the afterimage of the light from his eyes. Tears came away as he did so. Choking back a sob, he looked toward Lilly and saw her body lying inert on the ground. The Mome Raths crowded around her; somebody produced a familiar black robe and knelt down next to her, blocking Hector's view. He saw River rub his hands together curiously, and a light glimmered between his palms. A breeze kicked up from nowhere and surged across the group of excited cultists. Hector was stung, as it reminded him of the time that Lilly had shown him her Gyre after rescuing him from the Jubjub bird; however, River's eyes were devoid of pleasure. He seemed bitter about something.

The crowd eventually pulled itself away, and revealed a solitary figure standing alone and wearing a hooded black robe. “Over here, if you please,” Virchuk said amiably to what had once been Lilly, and pointed to a spot to his side. The husk instantly obeyed and stood like a statue beside him. A roguish smile crossed the Doctor's face. “Now, to the prickly one.”

River, his face still ashen, removed his foot from Burr and stepped out of the circle. Gribley opened the book, but Doctor Virchuk thought better of it and gently took it from the clerk's limp hands. “On second thought, Mr. Gribley, I'd like to do this myself. It's not every day we get such a special guest as an heir to the Aztlav throne.”

An excited muttering swept through the gathered Mome Raths, and Hector heard the word Aztlav several times.

Doctor Virchuk held up his delicate hand for silence. “As most of you have heard, the Aztlav tribe is famous for being the previous owners of this very Borogrove, the Tulgey Wood. Apart from being the royal line that once ruled all Toves in this land now known as New Hume, they were renowned librarians and scholars. Not any more, sadly, but once they were great and powerful. Truly, it is an honor to have such a guest among our numbers. You will make a fine servant for our liegelord, the good Professor Trellis.

“However! Very few of you may know of the Aztlav tribe's distinguishing feature: their remarkably potent Gyres. Legend has it that the Aztlav kings could summon great tidal waves, create raging tornadoes and conjure fierce blizzards that could freeze an entire army solid. I thought that you would appreciate this bit, Sir River.” River made no move to reply. “So, little one, what is your Gyre?”

Burr only stared balefully at Doctor Virchuk.

“Oh! So you don't have one yet, do you? How depressing. Oh well. It's in there somewhere, and we can most definitely root it out for you.” He opened the book to the correct page and placed his thin finger on the spot. “Without further ado: Manxori--”

Suddenly, the not-Lilly thrall delivered a sweeping kick to Doctor Virchuk's ankles that felled him in an instant. The book flew out of his hands; she caught it deftly and with the same smooth movement hurled it into the face of Hector's guard. It took the man completely by surprise and knocked him out cold. Confused but encouraged, Hector seized his chance and scooped up the book, taking off toward a space between groups of stunned Mome Raths. Another group of them appeared from behind a root of the Tumtum tree, and Hector turned as if to run, but they raised their hands in peace.

One of them, a woman with a pinched face who seemed to be their leader, smiled at him. It wasn't a very experienced smile, so it looked more like a scowl, but Hector stopped running. “Hold your peace, good Librarian! I am Chairlady Semmerfish. We have looked for just the chance to strike at our opponents, the Honorable Guild of the Mome Raths. We are of the Sneaky Hand of Banishment, a rival faction. If you give us that book you hold, we can sow much chaos among them for you!”

Hector gave her a blank stare, purely out of shock. However, he suddenly spotted Aric's face in the distance. The man winked dramatically and gave Hector a thumbs-up.

“Here you go,” Hector said, and thrust the book toward the woman. Her face split into a wicked grin and stroked the book eagerly.

“Thank you, dear boy. Come, my colleagues, let us put them to shame.” They leaped over the root and chased after the knot of Mome Raths who were by Lilly and Burr--

“Oh no! Burr!” Hector realized, and started running back toward the group. Aric appeared by his side and gripped his arm.

“Hec, don't go! I talked to the Sneaky Hand, they really have a grudge against the other Mome Raths! They're on our side, I swear! The other Toves and the Jubjub bird are on their way to rescue Lilly and Burr--”

Hector shook him off. “No, you don't understand! They're going to kill Burr!

“What!” Aric shouted, and the two of them charged back into the fray. Hector shoved aside quarreling men, women and de-slithed Toves as he raced to the spot where Burr had been. He stopped in alarm.

In front of him was River, and he was holding Burr in the air by the neck with a single arm. Burr struggled and scratched, but River was too strong. River sneered.

“So you've got friends among us, do you?” he was saying. “Think you can get away? Well, if I can't take your Gyre from you, I'll just have to end your miserable life. Can't have you running around causing any more trouble. It's a pity that you're one of the last of your line. Soon there will be no more Aztlav kings ever again.”

“Burr!” Hector shouted, but without looking, River flicked his hand in Hector's direction, and a huge billow of air shoved him off the ground. He landed painfully on his back and couldn't breathe for a moment. Aric was thrown into a tree with a horrible cracking sound. He fell motionless to the dirt.

“Time to die, little pup,” River said, and raised his free hand. He bared his claws, which burst into white-hot flames, ready to tear Burr's heart from his chest.

But something else happened.

(Graphic 6.6: Held up by the neck by River, Burr's eyes suddenly begin to glow. His fur stands on end. Energy crackles around them, and River stares at him with increasing panic. Suddenly, Burr opens his mouth to roar, and out comes a blinding bolt of lighting which blasts a ten-foot-wide crater in the earth.)

River fell slowly, as if through water, and landed like a rag doll. Burr landed deftly and pounced upon him, claws and teeth bared. River's body turned to stone in response, but Burr lifted his arm in the air and swung it down at him. In mid-air another blast of lightning erupted from his fist and shook the whole earth as he brought it down onto River's chest.

Somehow River survived, shoved Burr off and scrambled to his feet, but he was clearly dazed. His body shifted back to normal, and he turned just in time to see Burr tackling him again. The two fought ferociously, not unlike before, except this time Burr attacked relentlessly and with a renewed strength while River was constantly on the defensive. It was all he could do to block and deflect Burr's blows. When Burr wasn't striking with his fists, feet, claws or skull, he loosed brilliant bolts of lightning that split the air with their thunder. So they continued, each blow like a sledgehammer against quarry stone, and soon River retreated until he was pinned against the Tumtum tree.

River was too exhausted and broken to successfully block Burr's attacks, so Burr took the chance and seized River's throat. Burr's muscles rippled as he flexed his arm. River gave a strangled cough and scrabbled for release.

“How-- how could you – defeat-- me?” he gasped. “I-- gack – trained with the best --”

“Ever played Galum?” Burr asked with a secretive smirk.

River's eyebrows screwed together in consternation. “Galum? No --”

“Is very violent game,” Burr explained, and in two deft movements delivered a concussive blow to River's jaw and then – to Hector's awe – picked River up, lifted him above his head, then threw him several yards. River landed heavily, rolling several times, and came to a stop. He didn't get up.

Burr stood panting, his fur soaked with sweat, with a triumphant, open-mouthed grin on his face. He glanced at Hector, who gave him a thumbs-up. “Good job,” Hector said, still recovering from the sight of the battle.

Burr nodded in agreement. “Yes... It was a good job,” he puffed.

Hector crawled over to Aric and shook his shoulder. Aric slowly rose and shook the grogginess from his head. “Wow... where's River? What happened?” Hector pointed at River, who was still lying where Burr had thrown him. He was breathing heavily, facing away from them, but otherwise he wasn't moving. “I repeat,” Aric said slowly. “What happened?”

“Burr gave River a thrashing he won't soon forget,” Hector explained. He helped Aric to his feet. “And it also looks like Burr found his Gyre!”

Aric nodded approvingly at Burr. “Congratulations,” he said, but then his face turned grim. “River deserved it. But that thrashing he got probably hurt his pride more than his body; we should finish him off right now before he decides to take his vengeance.”

“What!” Hector exclaimed incredulously. Aric pulled a dagger from inside his coat and gripped it tightly.

“Hector, he's far too dangerous. We can't let him live. Either that, or we take away his Gyre – Gyres, sorry – and turn him into a zombie. Which do you prefer?”

Hector shook his head. The sounds of battle still filled the Tulgey Wood as the freed Toves fought the enslaved ones, and while the Mome Raths fought each other. “I won't hear of it, Aric. If we killed or enslaved him, we would be just as bad as the Mome Raths. And besides, you would have to answer to Lilly if you killed him.”

Aric hesitated, then quickly looked around. “By the way, where is Lilly? The last time I saw her was when she and Burr got captured.”

Hector's face fell. Burr appeared at his side and sniffed sadly. “They taked her Gyre away,” he said gloomily. Aric's shoulders sagged.

“They did, did they?... Well, we can just put it back, right? We'd just have to find her before our friends mistake her for the enemy and stick a knife through 'er.”

“Don't talk like that,” Hector chided, then pulled Aric and Burr toward the Tumtum tree so they wouldn't be seen and attacked. They hid behind a root, watching the battle intensify: more than one Mome Rath lay bleeding on the ground, and quite a few Toves, both freed and enslaved. “In theory, yes, I could give her back her Gyre. But I'd need the Manxor Slithe, because I honestly can't remember the words of the ritual. And besides... something seemed strange about her after they changed her. She attacked that man, Doctor Virchuk, without anyone commanding her to do so.”

“Maybe she had not been enslaved,” said a familiar voice from behind them.

(Graphic 6.7: Hector, Burr and Aric turn around and see Lilly behind them. She has a warm smile on her face.)

“Lilly!” Hector gasped. “Lilly! Is... is it really... you know, you?”

“Yes, it is me,” she said, and laughed as Hector threw his arms around her neck. Burr followed suit, and she squeezed them close. “That was the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me,” she said quietly.

“Even more frightening than the Bandersnatch?” Hector asked. Lilly's fur was rougher than it appeared, and it tickled his cheek.

“Even more than the Bandersnatch.”

The three released each other. “But I don't understand,” Hector continued, “I saw them take the Gyre from you. At least, there was that huge flash of light, and then-- And then you were still free to act for yourself? Do you still have your Gyre or not?”

Lilly shook her head. “I do not. I feel... weak. I feel deaf and half-blind. I am missing a part of my soul. Yes, I still am in control of my mind, but I believe that someone else can explain why better than I can.” She motioned with her head toward a shadow by the tree. There emerged from the darkness a silhouette which materialized into Eugene Gribley. The man had lost his glasses somewhere.

“Mr. Gribley!” Hector cried.

“Don't go hugging him too,” Aric playfully warned.

“Hello, Hector,” said the clerk. He absentmindedly tugged at the front of his black vest. “I suppose you want to know what I did to Lilly, so that she would still have her mind. I simply added an extra word to the ritual, so it would take her Gyre but leave her in control of her faculties.”

“Boy, I bet Doctor Virchuk had a fit!” Hector exulted. He grabbed Gribley's hand and pumped it in congratulations. “Good for you! But why did you do it?”

“You were right, Hector,” the man admitted with relief. “You were so right. It's not worth staying with the Mome Raths. They're heartless and evil. You can count me on your side now.”

“And when we get back, you can join our book club! What do you think?”

“I should like that very much.” His voice was firmer than Hector remembered, and there was a gleam in his eye that hadn't been there before.

“You know what? I like you better without your glasses,” Hector said, and finally released his hand.

“Thank you. I think I see better without them anyway.”

Everybody jumped in alarm as there was a sudden cracking, collapsing sort of noise. All turned to see Burr stepping over the root – but his foot had sunk straight into the wood, up to his knee. He twisted around in confusion.

“Ay! What does it to me!”

“The tree is dying,” Lilly said quietly. “The Jabberwock awakes. If we are to stop it, we must stop it right now, for thus said the togom that I met here.”

“There is togom here?” Burr asked incredulously. He finally managed to free himself from the rotting root, and stumbled backwards.

“Yes, there is. She showed me a hole in the tree that leads downward into the beast's lair... we must go there now.”

Hector thought as quickly as he could. “But we need the vorpal sword, and last I knew, Professor Trellis had it. Aric, did you get it back?” Aric gave a worried shrug.

“I actually haven't seen the Professor at all since we got captured. Maybe he--”

Gribley spoke up. “He entered that hole, and he has both the vorpal sword and the Manxor Slithe. You'd better hurry after him!”

“Come with us!” Hector entreated. “You can help us stop the Professor!”

But Gribley shook his head. “No, I'll stay on the surface and keep them from following you. I have some tricks up my sleeve to keep the others at bay.”

“Are you sure?”

Gribley nodded, so Hector nodded in agreement.

“All right. Lilly, where's that hole?”

“It is on the other side of the tree. It would be fastest to cut across the place where they are fighting,” she said, and slowly forced herself to her feet.

“Are you sure?” Everyone winced as an explosion shook the air. “Sounds pretty dangerous to me, and you're in no condition to fight.”

She shrugged wearily. “But I can walk. Let us hurry.”

“Come on,” Aric urged, and together the five of them made their way into the field of battle.

The going was rough. Not only were Toves slinging fire and stones chaotically through the air, but the Mome Raths were hacking and stabbing at each other with strangely shaped daggers and staves. Random explosions riddled the ground with glowing craters, which Aric constantly guided them around.

“Rune-mines,” he explained. “One of the ancient magics. Step on one and you're toast.”

They stayed as close to the massive tree as they could, but suddenly they were spotted by a handful of stray Mome Raths. One of them started drawing in the air with what looked like a curly pencil, but which left glowing purple lines in the air.

“Run!” Aric shouted, and shoved the others forward. Mere inches behind them, the tree bark burst into purple flames. Lilly stumbled, and Aric swung her arm over his shoulders to be her crutch. They hopped over a fallen log and several fallen bodies. The madness, chaos, noise and danger nearly overwhelmed Hector.

There was a group of Toves fighting each other close to the Tumtum tree, so in a split-second decision they danced around them. Hector kept his head down as they charged through an arcane firefight. Suddenly a Mome Rath leaped toward Hector with a curved dagger in his hand. Burr jumped between them and a bolt of lightning ripped through the air and struck the man, who tumbled to the ground in a smoking heap. Hector grimaced but thanked Burr, and they continued. Hector breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Trisha, Tom and the Jubjub bird backed against a mossy boulder: Tom had his trusty slingshot ready, and Trisha had acquired a long, thick stick for a club. The Jubjub bird was ranting about how handsome he was as he flapped his wings and snapped his beak at his foes.

“There, it is there!” Lilly called out, and pointed toward a spot next to a demolished root of the Tumtum tree. Sure enough, there was a black hole in the bark, just tall enough for one person to enter. They rushed toward it, covering their heads as a shower of gravel and dirt pelted them. Just before they arrived at the hole, however, a man resembling a guidance counselor stepped in front of them.

“Not so fast, my friends,” said Doctor Virchuk. A squad of Mome Raths and de-slithed Toves bunched up behind him. In the battle, the Doctor's neat ponytail had come undone, leaving his face shrouded with long gray hairs. “This area is off-limits. And I have a score to settle with you, Lilly of Noosta,” he said, and licked his lips hungrily. He took a step forward, and Burr took a place between him and Lilly. Blue energy crackled between the tips of his fur as he bunched his fists.

To Hector's surprise, the Doctor chuckled. “I'd be careful about killing me, Aztlav prince,” he said, and dramatically produced something from his pocket. It looked like an hourglass, but with six bulbs in a disk formation, and an intricate wire frame around it. “See this? It's a blastoid reflex-discharger, which has been synced to my biorhythm.”

“You villain!” Aric gasped. When Hector blinked in confusion, Aric translated. “If he dies, that thing explodes, and it'll take half the Borogrove with it.”

“Oh,” Hector said. Burr reluctantly lowered his fists, and the crackling stopped.

“That's a good boy,” the Doctor said pleasantly. “Now. Come with us, and nobody has to get hurt.”

“Except for us, you mean,” Aric jeered, and the Doctor gave a light laugh.

“Ah, dear Gerard. So astute, as always. Get them, boys.”

The collected Mome Raths and Toves charged them, but suddenly froze in their tracks, looking at a point above Hector's head. “What is it?” Doctor Virchuk asked, looking at his soldiers. “Why did you stop? Get them, I said!” Then he followed their gaze and looked upward. His jaw fell open in fear.

Curious, Hector risked a glance behind himself.

(Graphic 6.8: The Bandersnatch towers behind Hector and the others. It flares its fronds, and while the Mome Raths are put in a blissful, dreamlike coma state, the heroes escape.)

“When did he get here?” Aric wondered, pointing his thumb back toward the Bandersnatch.

“I'm just glad he did,” Gribley said simply.

Lilly slid her arm off of Aric's shoulders and propped herself against the bark. It was softer than it seemed, and she sank inward several inches before standing upright. “Let us enter,” she panted, and gestured once more to the dark hole. Aric seemed wary, but Burr shrugged and entered. Aric followed.

“Are you sure you're all right?” Hector asked. Lilly waved away the comment.

“I am fine... just tired, that is all. Without my Gyre I feel so weak. But I will be fine.”

“We'll get you your Gyre back soon enough,” Hector reassured her. She nodded gratefully. Hector turned toward Eugene Gribley and took him by the hand. “Mr. Gribley, thank you for all you've done today. And every day. You're a hero.”

Gribley humbly dismissed the compliment, and squeezed Hector's hand. “Mr. Blithe... if something should happen to you or me today, please know that it has been a pleasure to work alongside you... if only for one day.”

“We'll both be fine, just you wait and see.” Hector winked at him, then turned to enter the cave. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Gribley! I'll see you back in Dunberg.”

“See you there,” he said, and with Lilly, Hector entered the Jabberwock's lair.