Part II (Part I):

"Well, that was fun"  Said Dez.  "But now it is time for the third trial.  Are you ready, my Hero?"

Eukidmi sobered up and saluted.  "Yes, Dez.  Where, and for what, do you bid me?"

"Next, you must retrieve the Builders Hammer."

"I see."  said Eukidmi.  "Where is this Builder?"

"In the Forest."

"I see."  Said Eukidmi.  "Could you be more specific?"

  "No.  No one knows where the Builder is at, at any one time or another."  She giggled again. "He wanders the woods, building bridges, and walkways, and shelters, for all the creatures in the Forest.  He is the Path Maker.

"You will need his Hammer to make a way out of these woods.  Take some of this nourishing elixir with you, it will give you added strength when you need it the most.  And with his Hammer, you'll be only one step away from escaping the Forest, and returning to your home."

"What might that "one step" be, fair Lady?"

"Bring me the Hammer and see."  She said, cryptically, as she picked up the Pitcher and poured.

And so Eukidmi wandered aimlessly through the Forest.  Under nooks, and over knolls.  From here to there, and from there, back again.  After traversing several small streams, over a variety of excellent bridges, he came upon an open grassy glen.  A stream flowed by on the far side of the clearing, so Eukidmi walked over and sat in the shade of some weeping willows.  He took out the flask of nectar, and took a sip.  He felt better immediately.  In fact, he thought that he could hear something off in the distance: an even pounding.  Was it only in his head, a side effect from the elixir?  The sound was just beyond hearing.  He 'felt' it rather than heard it.  But it was there, like a heartbeat.  Boo..- -..oom, boo..- -..oom.  Very faint.

Having nothing better to do but fulfill his Destiny, Eukidmi decided to follow the sound.  He walked beside the stream as it meandered through the trees. The pounding grew louder, until it resolved itself into the sharp whack of a hammer.

Eukidmi saw the Builder working on a bridge. The Builder was not a young man any more, but he was big and strong, and looked like he could continue this type of hard labor for many years to come.  He was currently nailing planks over the frame of the small bridge. Eukidmi walked closer and cleared his throat. The Builder stopped hammering and turned towards the sound. "Hello, sonny.  If ya can wait a few minutes, you can cross here."  He said.

"Thank you, my name is Eukidmi.  I have seen some of your work throughout the Forest.  Everything was very well made, and  convenient  too."

 "Thanks, Euk." He said, pointing to himself with the hammer.  "Name's Bill D. Mundi.  Ya know, I think this might be a good time to take a break."  Bill sat on his bridge, and laid the hammer down beside him.

"Can I help?"  Asked Eukidmi.  "I'm a fair builder, why don't I finish the railings while you get some rest?"

Bill looked Eukidmi over, then cocked an eyebrow.  "Okay, Kid.  Give it a shot."

Eukidmi actually was a good carpenter.  He had in mind a certain style railing that he'd seen in a picture once. As he got to work he was pleased to discover that everything that he needed was laid out right within reach. The boards were sorted in such a precise, and helpful way, as to seem almost coincidental. Time passed quickly, and he soon forgot all about Bill, the Forest, and his quests to fulfill the Trials. All of his attention was focused on the bridge, its design, and the use of materials.

When Eukidmi had finished, Bill looked the bridge over, and shook his head in amazement.  "I can't believe it."  He said.  "I am truly amazed.  You reminded me of myself there, the way you got absorbed in the building."

"Well, sir, I enjoyed it. The way you had everything laid out was remarkable.  And this hammer..."  He hefted it in his palm.

"It's not the hammer, kid.  It's the skill, and you got it.  The tools are only that: tools. Without concentration, dedication, and imagination, there would be no bridge here today."

"Do you mean to tell me that this hammer, for example, doesn't really have any special meaning to you."

"Yup.  That's right."

"I could really use this hammer back home."   Eukidmi mentioned.

"Well, son, you earned it.  People and animals who come this way will enjoy this railing for generations to come.  Take the hammer, and good luck to you on your journey."  He began to pack up his other tools, and materials.

Eukidmi was a little surprised at the ease with which he had secured the hammer.  So he said, "Is this your only hammer?"

"Why, no," replied Bill.  "I have a special hammer that I use for special occasions."

"That's the hammer I need!"  Blurted Eukidmi.

"What do you mean by that?"

 Eukidmi explained his strange adventure to Bill. Bill listened attentively.  "You say these Pearl Pitchers produce an invigorating nectar that revitalizes the senses, and strengthens the limbs?"

"That's correct.  In fact, I have some here in a flask."

Eukidmi pulled out the flask, opened the lid, and handed it over to Bill.  Bill took a polite swig, leaned back, and gave a loud hoot up into the air.  "Woooa-Yeh!  I could build three bridges a day with this stuff!  I'll tell you what, Euk, I'll trade you my favorite hammer for one of those extra Pitchers you told me about."

"It's a deal."  said Eukidmi.  "Lets go."  And the two made their way to the Builders house to get the hammer, and then went on to Mi'beli's to get a Pitcher.

Eukidmi left Bill the Builder flirting with Mi'Beli in her Garden.  The Center Stone was back in place, and the flowers seemed brighter than ever.

Bill and Mi'Beli hit it off extraordinarily well. Bill loved her fantastic house, and she put him to work in the Garden: weeding.

Both thanked Eukidmi for introducing them to each other. Eukidmi pointed out that it had been for his own selfish reasons, but they didn't seem to mind.

Back at the farm house, the beautiful Dez I'yur sat in her rocker.  "I see you have the Hammer."  She said approvingly.  "I'm beginning to accept the fact that you have exceptional abilities.  I only hope that you are strong enough to complete the final Trial."

"I am ready."  Eukidmi actually did look slightly more confident and self assured.  "Very well,"  Dez said.  "At the center of the Forest is a spiral maze.  There is only one entrance, and one exit.  Once you have stepped onto the first stone, there is no turning back.  You must proceed forward at all times.  It is a treacherous affair, but with your newly won prizes you should be able to reach the end."

"Isn't there an easier way out of here?"  Eukidmi asked.  He couldn't believe all the rigmarole one had to go through just to get the hell out of a stinking Forest, and it was beginning to bug him.  "Why all these complex secret trials, and confusing journeys. Who's behind all this anyway?  Is it you, Dez?"  He asked.

 Dez smiled.  "You really don't know who is behind all this?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, you will. You will." Dez closed her eyes, leaned back in the rocking chair, and began to sing.  Once again Eukidmi was momentarily transfixed by the melodious sounds, but he was able to snap out of it faster this time.  "Where is this spiral maze?"  He demanded.

Without opening her eyes, or saying a word, Dez pointed to a path that Eukidmi hadn't noticed before.  He filled up his flask with elixir, stuck the Hammer in his belt, and marched off to face his fate.

This path was different from the other paths.  It did not meander, but went straight - like an arrow - into the heart of the Forest. Bill the Builder had been this way a long time ago. His ornate, but functional, handiwork was evident everywhere. Whenever Eukidmi noticed a nail coming out of a board somewhere, he'd bash it in with the Hammer.  He wondered why this path wasn't getting the maintenance it needed.

He thought about taking a quick swig of the elixir. But then, he thought, he might need to keep that energy source in reserve for an emergency.

After seven miles or so, the path opened up to reveal an ancient coliseum of some kind, made from large, hand hewn stones. There were ten rows of seats in a wide circle. The first row was ten feet above the ground all the way around.  It looked like an arena, except for the spiral maze that covered the entire center floor area.

At the center of the maze was a hole.  Eukidmi thought that he could see daylight coming from the hole. It seemed strange. He thought it might be a pool of water reflecting the sky, but the sky was cloudy.

Well, there was no time to waste imagining what was ahead, so Eukidmi entered the arena, walked down the ten steps to the beginning of the path, and stepped onto the first stone.

Immediately, Eukidmi found himself suspended over a great chasm.  The small stones of the path were all that held him up, and they weren't attached to anything!  His first instinct was to turn around and step back onto the stairs, but when he turned around he saw that he was standing face to face with an Ogre. He almost lost his balance. The Ogre was twice as ugly as the Forest Guardian, but thankfully, he didn't smell half as bad. This Ogre was holding a large, sharp, glinting sword in his hairy fist.

 Eukidmi glanced around and noticed for the first time that all the seats in the arena were filled with a wide variety of horrible looking creatures.  They sat silently, watching, waiting.

Eukidmi returned his attention back to the creature at hand.  He struck the Ogre right smack between the eyes with the Hammer, and the crowd erupted, screaming wildly in anger. The Ogre, unshaken, slowly brought his weapon arm up; the deadly sword ready to slice.

It was at this moment that Eukidmi decided to run the other way.  He ran as fast as he could, careful to stay on the floating stone path. The Ogre followed, swiping with his sword, and growling. Eukidmi glanced back over his shoulder just in time to see the Ogre miss a step and tumble, for what seemed an awfully long time, into the depths of the craggy gorge below.

Ahead of him, he noticed a large stone platform with a heavy wooden door standing at the back of it.  He took several steps closer and hopped onto the platform facing the closed door. At that precise moment, a flash of lightening and clap of thunder, creased the sky. It began to rain. A mighty wind kicked up from out of nowhere, and threatened to blow him off the ledge, like a leaf. He grabbed for the door knob and missed.  There was no door knob!  There were, however, nine nails that had been partially hammered into the center of the door. Eukidmi quickly reasoned that if he hammered these nails in the rest of the way, the door might open. Why else go through all that trouble to get the Hammer?

It wasn't an easy thing, to balance on a small ledge in the middle of a thunder storm and hammer in nails, but Eukidmi managed to do it.  Every time the hammer struck a nail, another bolt of lightning would flash above his head, followed immediately by a stentorian thunder.

He hammered in all nine nails, but nothing happened. The door did not swing magically open, and the storm raged on.  He pushed on the door.  Still nothing; not even a budge.  However, the nails popped back out, returning to their original positions.

Eukidmi looked behind him.  The crazed audience of monsters had run amok, and was making its way towards him, across the floating flagstones. They were fighting the wind and rain, as well as each other.  Some screamed as they waved their weapons.  Others screamed as they fell into the abyss. Eukidmi didn't have a whole lot of time to get the damn door open.

 It occurred to him then, that it might take a combination of hammered in nails, to open the door.  He tried several combinations, the first, the third, and the last nail, then the middle, and four corner nails, but nothing worked.  The door was shut tight, the crowd was getting closer, the lightening was blinding, and the thunder deafening.

Eukidmi now realized why no one followed this path very often.

He began to feel the first pangs of panic as he hammered out several simple patterns with the nails, and nothing worked. Then, out of frustration, he struck the door itself, and it swung open. Without hesitation, he stepped over the threshold.

When he turned around, the monsters were all gone and the sun was shining.  The arena looked as it had before: empty and old.  He shook his head in disbelief and closed the door.

Eukidmi now stood in a small, clean, white room; face to face with a giant eye.  It was at least ten feet wide, and seven high, crowding the room.  It seemed to be looking all around at once, and Eukidmi felt as if he were being watched.

"Hello,"  He said.

There was no answer, but the eye did blink. Maybe that's how the thing communicates, thought Eukidmi.

As he stared at the eye, Eukidmi noticed that it was slightly translucent, and that there seemed to be something behind it.  After all, the path did lead right up to the thing.  He took a couple of cautious steps closer.  Yes, he could see water on the other side, behind the eye.  He reached out his right hand and touched it.  It blinked, knocking his hand away.  His hand was wet with tears, but he touched it again, and this time his hand went right through!  When the eye tried to blink, its lid was stopped as it touched his arm.

Eukidmi stepped through the eye, passing over to the other side.

He stood before a clear, still, blue pond, surrounded by trees.

It was a very nice spot. A good place to have a private picnic, or something. He wished that Dez had come with him; he could have basked in the sunshine, and rested, as she sang her sweet songs to him....

 But then, of course, something else happened.

From the center of the pond rose up a Giant. It looked very much like Dez, except that it was huge! In her left hand she held a bell, and the right, a large glimmering jewel. She struck the bell with the Jewel three times and began to twirl around and around. Each time she went around, her appearance would change. Eukidmi caught glimpses of Mi'beli, Bill, the Trolls, various Ogres, and some others that he didn't recognize.

This strange apparition spun so fast that it quickly became a blur, but within that blur, Eukidmi thought that he saw his own features, reflected as if he were looking into the calm waters of a pond.

 (An interesting fact to point out is that the water in the pond remained completely undisturbed during this bizarre spinning episode.)

 Suddenly, Eukidmi heard screams coming from behind the eye. He peered back through the eye, and saw that the angry audience was still pursuing him relentlessly, for no apparent reason.  The first maniac was just coming through the eye, so Eukidmi bashed him in the head with the hammer, sending him reeling back.  But bashing these guys in the head over and over again didn't seem to be the best strategy.  He knew he couldn't keep at it forever, and the mob would surely win in the end through attrition.

So, Eukidmi took another bold step, and dove into the pond.

The water was cool, refreshing, and crystal clear. He opened his eyes to orient himself, and found that he could see for quite a distance.  He saw the legs and feet of the Giant as it stopped spinning. When he looked up through the surface of the water, he was sure that the Giant's features were now, clearly, his own.

The Giant was standing over a hole at the bottom of the pond. There was a light coming from the other side.  Eukidmi had just begun to swim towards it, when he felt, rather than heard, several splashes behind him.  They were coming! Eukidmi didn't take the time to turn around, but swam as fast as he could towards the hole.  Something large and hairy grabbed one of his legs, then the other.  He struggled to paddle forward with his arms.  He looked back to see who had him.  It was an Ogre.  A host of others were diving in close behind.

 Underwater, without oxygen to draw inspiration from, Eukidmi began to feel powerless. Then he remembered his flask. He drew it out, opened it, and began to drink. It was an eerie sensation, drinking underwater, but it worked.  Reinvigorated, Eukidmi kicked himself free of the Ogres grip, and swam frantically through the hole.

As his head passed through the Threshold - it came out the other side - into clean fresh air.  In fact, it seemed as though the world had turned around one hundred and eighty degrees, and the pivot point was the hole.  He had gone down into the hole, but emerged looking up at the sky.  He was in a river that ran alongside the Forest's edge.

He swam quickly to the nearest bank, listening for sounds of pursuit.  He heard none.

He was free.

In his struggle, he had lost the hammer and the flask, but he retained a vivid memory of all the strange events that had transpired. He shook his head, stood up, and tried to get his bearings. The area looked familiar. In the distance he thought that he could see the Threshold Guardian's little shack.  He walked over that way, sure that he would run across the path.

He was a little curious about the Ogre, so he made his way over to the shack.  Sure enough, there was the Ogre, fast asleep. Eukidmi smiled.  He knew that now he could enter and exit the forest at will. He had traveled through unknown territory with only his courage and wits to guide him.  His reward, if there was one, was a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the many mysterious paths' one may stumble down in the midst of the Great Forest. Eukidmi had been standing at the Threshold of the Forest for some time, deep in thought, when he heard his name called from a distance. He turned and saw a small crowd of people coming his way.  At first he thought it was the crazed hoard, but the group quickly resolved itself into Eukidmi's fellow townsfolk. They arrived, and hugged Eukidmi, explaining how worried they were that he had gone away for such an unusually long time.

When they looked towards the imposing Forest beside them, they

cringed, and backed away en-masse.

"What are you afraid of?"  Asked Eukidmi.

"The Forest!"  They exclaimed.

"The Forest?  You've got to be kidding me!  There is nothing to fear from the Forest."  He laughed, then added,  "But there is a lot to learn."

 "We have heard stories of those who go in, but never come out."  Said a boy.  "You haven't been in there have you?"  asked another.  "Why, yes, indeed I have."  Eukidmi said proudly.  "And I’m here to tell the tale."

"Tell us - what have you learned?"  They asked.

Eukidmi paused a moment for dramatic effect. Then, with an air of dignity, he said: "Be secure in the knowledge of who you are, treat others with empathy and compassion, don't expect respect without reason, and follow your path without fear."

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