Lucy and the Magic Crystal (3 page)

We do not fear Mantora,
Hidden in her deep-sea lair;
For Queen Neptuna's army
Is advancing—so beware!

As the courageous friends charged forward, the rumor and noise of their advance spread through the sea. Other creatures came to join them: lobsters, manta rays, dolphins, turtles, and countless small fish, all eager to help. Soon, the mermaids were surrounded by a great throng of brave and loyal friends.

“We'll fight with you,” they cried. “We're tired of Mantora spoiling everything.”

Lucy's heart swelled with gratitude, as she swam through the sparkling waves. The support of all these faithful creatures would give her the courage to face the task ahead. But before she had time to think, Chad called out in a ringing voice, “The time has come. Let the battle begin!”

Looking up quickly, Lucy saw Chad and his brothers charging to attack Mantora's cunning birds. But the Storm Gulls put up a fierce resistance—pecking, darting, wheeling, and scratching the brave cormorants. Then a terrible sight rose from the sea, in front of the mermaids.

Mantora burst above the waves, looking like no other mermaid that Lucy and her friends had ever seen before. She was dressed in a fearsome breastplate that gleamed dully like armor, and her strong arms were bound with heavy, clanking bracelets. In her hand she held a sharp spear, with a dangerous net hanging from it. Her hair was midnight black, and her face—but then Lucy gasped. They couldn't see her face! The evil mermaid wore a long, ragged veil, held in place by a glinting, spiky crown. The veil concealed her features, but Lucy saw two red eyes, flashing with hatred.

Raising her spear, Mantora shrieked, “Powers of the Dark Storm, arise!”

The sky suddenly grew black, and bolts
of lightning flashed near the mermaids. Beneath them, the angry sea seethed and leaped. Dark shapes thrashed in the water, and snaky green tentacles writhed above the waves.

Lucy feverishly took out her crystal and clutched it close to her heart. “Give us strength and courage!” she whispered.

“Get under the water, away from the lightning,” Holly shouted. Lucy and the others plunged into the sea. There was a confused swirl, as the hideous sea serpents attacked on all sides, lashing out against the brave turtles and lion fish. The scorpion fish raged back against the serpents. Shouts and cries and the sounds of bitter struggles echoed through the churning water.

Then the terrifying figure of Mantora sank under the waves, surrounded by transparent jellyfish, which surged toward the young mermaids.

“The crystals!” yelled Sophie. Soon they
were all holding up their crystals as precious weapons in this desperate fight against their enemy.

“Mermaid S.O.S.!”
they cried bravely. At that instant, strange blue rays of light, like freezing ice, shot from the crystals. These cold, piercing beams stung Mantora's jellyfish again and again, until the poisonous creatures fell helplessly down into the depths, as the great battle raged on all sides.

“Oh, good job, everyone,” exclaimed the mermaids. But Mantora was furious.

“How dare you attack my jellyfish,” she screamed. Lurching suddenly toward them with a powerful thrust of her tarnished tail, Mantora flicked her netted spear toward Lucy.
Wooosh!
Lucy was immediately caught in the net, struggling to find a way out from its close-knit ropes. Her heart was beating wildly as she was dragged toward Mantora's terrible clutches. She tried to hold up her crystal, but her arms were pinned by her sides.

“Now you will truly learn to fear me,” Mantora hissed as she got ready to snatch Lucy. But at that moment a tremendous bellow rang out above the noise of the battle.

“WE … DO … NOT … FEAR … MANTORA!”

It was Yerik and the other huge sharks. They burst up from the deep waters, their wide mouths spread in grim smiles that displayed their glittering teeth. Yerik propelled himself toward Lucy, who was still trapped at the end of Mantora's spear. With one swift movement, he ripped the net to shreds and Lucy wriggled free.

“Swim away, little ones,” he boomed. “Leave us to deal with this traitor!”

As Lucy sped up to the surface with the others, she caught a glimpse of a haggard face beneath Mantora's veil. Her dark eyes glowed with fear as she was surrounded by the giant sharks. Mantora gave a strangled yell and tried to hold her spear
aloft. Yerik smashed it with a single blow from his powerful tail.

“Noooo!” she howled. The last thing the mermaids saw was a frantic swirl as Mantora tried to plunge away in a desperate attempt to escape.

Above the sea, feathers drifted down from the sky like dark snow. Lucy could see that the cormorants were still fighting bravely in the howling wind. The rain whipped through the air and glassy green waves rose up like sheer cliffs around the young friends. Suddenly, a small battered boat rode precariously over the top of one of the waves and dashed down the other side. A terrified human face peered over the edge of the boat. Someone had been caught up in Mantora's battle storm!

“That's John Roberts's boat,” gasped Scarlett. “But that's not John in it.”

The mermaids looked up as the faded green boat spun around in front of them. Over its side, a pale young face stared pleadingly into Lucy's eyes, looking sick with fear.

“He's only a boy,” said Lucy. “It must be John's son—Jack!”

At that moment, the wind suddenly dropped and Holly cried out, “Look, the Storm Gulls are flying away.”

It was true. Mantora's crowlike birds were fleeing from the site of the battle. They darted wildly here and there, trying to escape from Chad and his brothers, who were chasing them into the distance. The waves died down again, the sun broke through the clouds, and its golden rays shone once more onto a calm blue sea. Under the water, the serpents sank out of sight, and Mantora was nowhere to be seen.

“Mantora's army has been defeated!” cheered the mermaids. They burst out singing for joy:

Our friends are safe,
The battle's done,
Listen to our victory song!
Our way is clear,
Mantora's gone,
Listen to our thankful song!
We'll reach our home
Before too long,
Listen to our joyful song!