Crystal Chronicles- Frozen Myrah- Chapter 2: A typical meeting with an old friend.


Gela awoke to the sound of stressed voices. It was evening already and the sky was rippled with reds and pinks. She rubbed her eyes and stood up yawning. She scampered up to the front of the caravan and stood next to Koroki who was driving the big hairy pompomous as it pulled the caravan forward at a pleasant speed.   

“What’s up?” asked Gela staring at a caravan being harassed by a policeman in a large blue uniform that was far too big for him.

“Don’t know, we’ll check it out.” replied Koroki. As they approached the frantic scene Gela recognised the group as merchants from Alfitra. A large lilty city in the vale of Alfitra.  The caravan was made up of a group of lilties, bold little fighters known through out the land for their stubborn tempers and almost constant high blood pressure. But as they came even closer Gela recognised someone else. Talking to the policeman was a tall male Clavat with a distinct and rather upper class Alfitara accent. Gela’s mouth tweaked slightly into a grin. “Not again,” she thought with a snicker, “what dejavu.” The caravaners listened eagerly to the conversation.

“That is a one thousand gil fine you have to pay.” Commanded the policeman

“What ever for?” asked the clavat looking as if he was trying to look surprised.

“We have had several reports of you selling things to people at ridiculous prices and telling them it has properties it ain’t got. This is taking away peoples right to choose freely whether they really want something or not,” replied the policeman reading the paper with his instructions on it word for word, as though it was a script in a play.  

“You don’t really think it is me selling these items do you?” replied the Clavat giving the policeman the ‘I’m an innocent little girl scout; please buy some cookies’ look.

“Look, I’m just doing my job and I got ere a slip o paper that clearly states a curly haired male clavat wearing … er… eccentric clothes, by the name of Gurdy. Now I already know your called Gurdy and you seem to fit this description pretty well. Now you pay me that fine or I’m gonna have to hall you in for deifying an officer” Stated the policeman.

“May I state that there may be more than one Gurdy in this area and that I’m not the only one who wears these clothes. Why do you think its called mass production?”

“That’ll be fifty more gil for answering back an officer.”

Gurdy groaned and slapped himself in the face, “Oh dear” He murmured.

“Oh dear what!?! Now hand over the dosh or I’m gonna have to arrest you.”

“Oh, dear.” Repeated Gurdy, “this is rather a predicament, you see, I’m quite simply broke.”


“Hey! Gurdy!” yelled Gela at the top of her voice waving. Gurdy and the policeman both turned round to face the new comers. Gurdy was an odd looking clavat. He didn’t dress in a sort of normal clavat fashion but in a kind of red coat decorated with red and black x pattern. His hair was a kind of Bronzy gold colour. Though Gurdy didn’t look exactly threatening, he wasn’t the most trustworthy of folk, in fact he was a swindler, a con man, thief, however you want to put it, though he never seemed to get caught till months later. With the constant hindering of miasma limiting places you could travel to or hide it was amazing that Gurdy managed to avoid attention from the law for so long. Gela wondered that if there was no miasma he would never be caught. His amazing acting ability he put to good use in his business giving him the ability to pull off just about any lie, though it didn’t seem to be helping him at all in this situation.

“In trouble again?” she asked smiling brightly as she leapt down from the caravan, “or is the policeman fining you for the visual pollution of your hair cut?”

“Perfect timing, as per usual” shouted Gurdy back as he strolled casually up to the Meba caravan. Koroki had heard of Gurdy and gave him a dirty look as he smiled at Gela.

“What have you done this time Gurdy?” asked Gela as she shook hands with the Clavat.

“Please, don’t talk as if I’m a criminal Gela,” replied Gurdy shaking his head, “this is just a little miss understanding between me and the officer.”

“In other words you got caught about the banoc.”

“Well, technically… yes.”

“You got ten seconds to gi’me that gil or I’m taking you in!” ordered the policeman. Gurdy gave a pleading look at Gela. Koroki shook his head, an evil grin on his face that might have said, “enjoy jail! Hope you like staring at walls!”

“I haven’t got any money,” sighed Gela solemnly. “Koroki?”

“If I had any money I wouldn’t waste it on him if his life depended on it!”

Gurdy returned a glare at Koroki who he knew had just ruined his plan of getting out of trouble. “What if I said my life does depend on it!” snarled the Clavat quietly.

“Two words, NO-WAY!” replied Koroki.

“KOROKI!” started Gela turning on the boy driving the caravan; Koroki rolled his eyes, “can you please not be so rude to my friends! You know how hard it is to make friends with people outside our village since we’re all isolated by the miasma!” Koroki groaned and spat on the floor ignoring her.

“Shall we go to jail then?” groaned Gurdy losing his upper class accent instantly and holding out a hand as the policeman fiddled with his hand cuffs very unprofessionally.

“One minute, don’t you go any where, I seem to have fastened the cuffs to my belt” stated the policeman as he yanked aimlessly at the cuffs to try and unfasten them, nearly pulling down his pants in the process. Gurdy shook his head and let out a long groan.




“There’s no where for me to run to you idiot!” groaned Gurdy dropping his ‘mister innocent’ act along with his accent which returned to a voice that sounded like he was from the iron mine downs, however had a slight hint of at least a dozen more places.



The Clavatian women felt a deep nagging feeling inside her. There had to be some way to help him! Gela felt her fists clench in anger. There was nothing she could do!... was there? She hated feeling useless… useless like that year when she travelled all alone. She had to rely on the help of others. No. She never wanted to feel useless ever, ever again. Her right hand curled into her pocket. She wormed her middle finger into the thin engraved metal fire ring in her pocket. She concentrated hard. “Come on come on come on!” her mind screamed. She whispered under her breath, barely daring to move her lips. “fraga, fraga, fraga, fraga, fraga!”  she hissed.

The policeman was still wrestling with his hand cuffs when a peculiar smell wormed its way into his nostrils. “hmmm….” he declared sniffing, “bacon?” he then realised he felt a hot pain on his back. His eyes grew wide like a startled rabbit. His head turned very slowly to look behind him. “OH MY GODDDDD!!!!!!!!! I’M ON FIRE!!!!!!!!! PUT IT OUT!!! PUT IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” screamed the man flailing and panicking. The Alfitara merchants leapt to his aid trying to bat the fire away.

Gela grabbed Gurdy’s arm. “Did you, Miss Justice, just set a policeman on fire?!?” spluttered Gurdy in surprise and slight amusement.

“Shut up! If you want to go free let’s run now!” cried Gela pulling the Clavatian man back to the caravan where Koroki sat dumbfounded.

“GELAAAAA!!!!!” roared Koroki.

“Just get us out of here Koroki!” commanded Gela leaping onto the caravan, “Get that pompomous going now!”

“I refuse to drive with HIM on the caravan!” yelled the Clavat pointing accusingly to Gurdy, “He’s gonna get us in trouble!!!”

“Gela! We need to get out of here!” squealed Gurdy his eyes wild with fear as the Lilty merchants drew their spears and began charging at the caravan.

“Leave him Gela! He’s just a common thief!” insisted Koroki angrily. It seemed he had quickly developed an unconditional hatred for the other Clavat.

“Common thief, My! I find that rather offensive!” hissed Gurdy to the other Clavat male.

“Oh I’m soooo sorry, you’re not a common thief. You’re more of a WEIRD thief,” growled Koroki angrily.

“Have we met before?” questioned Gurdy a puzzled look on his face, “I’m getting the impression you don’t like me,”

“GOOD! Cos I don’t like you!” Roared Koroki.

“And why’s that SIR Clavat?” growled Gurdy back, people didn’t usually take such an instant unconditional liking to him….. It usually took at least a day.  

“COS YOUR SITTING TOO CLOSE TO GELA!!!” shouted Koroki. Gurdy stared blankly.

“erm… excuse me?” replied the thief in bewilderment.

“Koroki give me the damn reigns!” roared Gela over the argument as she pushed the Clavat out of the way and sending the pompomous into a speedy gallop away from the attacking Lilties. There was a pause in the yelling of all the caravaners as Gela swerved round a tree and went right off the road.

“Gela, do you even know how to drive?” questioned Narala, who was clinging onto the roof of the caravan for dear life.

“Nope!” declared Gela happily. The whole caravan screamed. The pompmous began to charge straight for a large pot hole in the ground which some liltian workers were busy trying to fill in with gravel. The caravaners screamed louder. Gela sweat dropped, “er… oopsy?” Koroki grabbed the reigns and attempted to slow the raging pompomous. However just on the other side of the pot hole, one of the Lilty workers took out a sandwich. Out of the corner of the sandwich poked a star carrot. Something went click in the pack animal’s brain. The pompomous went full speed ahead forwards for the pot hole, but at the last minute leapt into the air and pulled the caravan straight over the hole. The animal grabbed the lilty’s sandwich as it tore passed and disappeared into the distance.

Meanwhile the Lilty merchants, who had followed in hot pursuit in their own caravan with the policeman, ground to an un-natural halt. “What happened!” cried the policeman. The Lilty merchants peered over the edge of the hole to find their pompomous in a heap at the bottom tangled up in the reigns.


All the caravaners let out a long sigh of relief as the pompomous finally ground to a halt. To their relief they found themselves not far off course and also a good distance away from the Lilties.

“Due to us now being the middle of no where and me having no crystal or caravan in order to travel. PLEASE can I stay with you till you reach a town or something.” asked Gurdy politely, he then gave Gela the puppy eyes, “pleeeeaaase I promise I’ll be good!”  The caravan all gave Gela a pained look. “hmm, looks like I’m pushing it…” thought Gela looking at Narala making strangling motions and vigorously shaking her head. Koroki growled like an over protective dog and stepped slightly closer to Gela. Gela closed her eyes and let out a big sigh. There was a debate busy going on in her mind. One side of it was saying: He is a nice guy, slightly odd but nice. Let him come along. What will he do if he doesn’t come? He’ll die in the miasma if you don’t let him. The caravan will respect your decision, and they’ll understand if you explain he’s an old friend.
But the other half was saying: Why should you let him come? What has he ever done for you? He’ll only get you into more trouble and slow you down. And if he does die, it’s one less swindler in the world, one less person praying off caravans passing by. Anyways, even if you do let him come… the caravan may kill you for it….Finally the first half won and she opened her eyes again.

“Very well. You can come along, but only till the next caravan.”

“What!” yelled Koroki in disgust, “there is no way I’m driving this caravan with him coming along!”

“Your friend is very hospitable isn’t he Gela?” stated Gurdy raising one eyebrow.

Then Gela said something that no one expected, “Alright Koroki, if you won’t drive I will.” She smiled mischievously.

“OH NO!!!! NOT AGAIN!!!!!” screamed Boblind who had been happily eavesdropping nearby.

“Yep, I think I’ve nearly got the hang of it!” laughed Gela her eyes glinting evily.

“You’re mad!” yelled Narala, “you nearly killed us once already!!!”  

“Oh come on. I’m an adventurer! I can handle it! Give me another go and I swear I’ll have mastered it within a minute! Mwhahahahaha!!!!”

“OH MY GOD! She’s not just a pyro she’s also a speed druggy!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!” screeched Narala.

Boblind screamed and ran inside to tell everyone to brace themselves for the crash. Gela sat herself in the driving seat and picked up the reigns. She gave the reigns a quick shake and the pompomous started moving. Soon the caravan was moving smoothly forward. When Gela decided she was ready she sped up. Gurdy had to run to keep up. “See it isn’t that hard!” gloated Gela turning round to Laya who was biting her nails.

“KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD GELA!” yelled Gurdy, Gela swivelled round just in time to dodge a tree.

“Is everyone ok?” asked Gela sheepishly. Laya promptly fainted. “That’s good!” said Gela slowing down. They only knocked over a few trees and swerved off the road once or twice before she got the hang of it.

An hour or so later the ground began to become muddy and boggy. A fowl stench began to ooze from peat bogs that began to become more and more common in the land. Gurdy muttered under his breath as his shoes and the ends of his trousers became caked in mud. Ragged trees rose out of the soggy grassless ground clawing at the sunset. They were entering the marshes of Conal corach.

“So where’s your storm?” asked Narala sarcastically. That moment it began pouring with rain and a thunderbolt raced across the sky. Gela casually glanced at the sun.

“Right on time.” She giggled. Gurdy gave out a frustrated snarl as he was completely soaked. Narala groaned and leapt down off the roof.

“You win this time!” she added as she plonked herself down in the driving seat next to Gela and before long fell asleep. Gela sighed as the rain dribbled down past her. She was sat on a small bench like plank with a little roof over it making it very sheltered. Gela gave a quick glance inside the caravan to check everyone was ok. Koroki had fallen asleep in a chair a small trail of dribble slowly advancing from his mouth. Gela shuddered.  Boblind and Laya were playing under the table with little dolls. Yala was probably in her room mixing dangerous chemicals. Well that was what the smoke seeping from the crack in her door was telling her….  

“….. Gela?” said Gurdy after a few minutes of icy silence between him and the Clavatian woman. Gela ignored him. “You’re angry with me aren’t you…” he sighed. There was no reply, but Gela’s face so clearly said: ‘you think?’ That she didn’t have to say anything. Gurdy let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry Gela. I PROMISE I won’t get you in trouble again,” he said doing his most innocent puppy eyes. Gela crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“Now where have I heard that before?” groaned Gela a frustrated frown creasing her pale face.

“I mean it! I’ll actually TRY this time!” replied Gurdy. He stuck out one of his hands, “see I’ll even shake on it! You have my honour on it”

Gela sighed and smiled. “You don’t have any honour to swear by,” she snickered.

“erm… ok….. Then what would you like me to swear on?” asked Gurdy pleased by the slight smile that had creased Gela’s lips unintentionally. She wasn’t to cross not to still find his mischief amusing.

“How about your wallet? That might hold you by your word,” replied Gela grinning.

“Fine,” laughed Gurdy placing his hand on the pocket in which he kept his wallet and his other hand held up open in front of him like a royal guard swearing allegiance to the king of Alfitara. “I, Gurdy, do solemnly swear upon my wallet that from this day forth to not get Gela Taralia into any more financial trouble or any situations in which she must rescue me in any way, be it fighting off angry mobs or paying policemen,” declared Gurdy in a monotone droning, almost preacher like voice that Gela couldn’t stop herself laughing at it.

“You’re hopeless you know that. But I’ll give you another chance. I can’t stay angry at you anyway, you’re too silly and make me laugh far to easily. And besides, now you’ve sworn on your wallet maybe you’ll actually keep your word!” She took his hand and shook it firmly. She then laughed. “That was bad of you to get me into trouble with the police so early on in the year. Though even I’ll admit it was funny!”



“Hey! Gurdy!” whispered Gela after a few minutes as quietly as she could, she didn’t want to wake up anyone who was asleep. Gurdy was unsuccessfully trying to wring out his sleeves.

“Um, yes what?” asked Gurdy as he shook his hands to try and lose a bit of the water. It didn’t work because it was still raining.

“Want a seat? You can come up here and sit next to me and Narala. We aren’t going to pass any more caravans for a long time, we’re in a swamp, not many pass this way.”

“Thanks, it is very much appreciated!” thanked Gurdy as he pulled himself up onto the caravan. “Hey Gela,” said Gurdy pulling something from his pocket.

“What?” asked Gela keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the road.

“Look what I managed to get!” he snickered pulling out the policeman’s licence and grinning.  

“I don’t believe it, you nearly get arrested for cheating people and you go you steal from the policeman!” giggled Gela shaking her head.

“Oh come on! This is bound to be handy,” he chortled putting it back in his pocket, “a police licence will be handy in getting myself out of trouble, and if not I can always sell it back to him.” Gela laughed and sighed.

“You’re awful you know that!” she groaned, “Please promise not to get me in trouble again!”

“alright… I promise. Like I said: I’ll TRY this time,” snickered Gurdy.

Gela yawned loudly and went back to driving. She envied Narala who was snoring loudly next to her.  

“Tired?” asked Gurdy.

“A little but I’m ok” answered Gela nearly falling asleep.

“I’ll drive for a bit if you want” offered Gurdy.

“You sure?”

“Yer, I once drove a caravan. Can’t remember where I learnt but I can.”

“Ok” sighed Gela. She passed the reigns to the newcomer and almost instantly fell asleep with her head on Narala’s shoulder.