The Serpent of Eridor (20 page)

‘Touching,' sneered Karlan.
‘Mort—'

Flick's hand slammed down in a karate chop, breaking Karlan's wrist. Face contorted in agony he grabbed his arm, knees buckling. Flames appeared at Flick's feet. As the inferno licked up her body, her foot lashed up, kicking Karlan in the chest, sending him flying backwards. A second kick smashed Virida on to the ground, splitting her scalp, concussing her. The fireball travelled up Flick, leaving her untouched.

‘It's the spell combusting,' whooped Zorrin. ‘It wasn't love. He'd hexed her.'

‘Kill them,' yelled Tevo.

The cavern filled with noise. Hollering furiously, Tevo's warriors abseiled down the walls. The angry pack charged at the small group in the middle.

‘Death or dishonour,' screamed Rectoria.

Without a glance at Karlan's agonised figure, Flick ran across to join Zorrin and the others. ‘I'm so sorry.'

Zorrin hugged her. ‘Already forgotten.' He pointed at Karlan and Virida. ‘
Inertia wizii.
' Pale ropes spun round their feet, binding their arms to their chests. ‘Guard them,' Zorrin called to Saranak. Nodding agreement, Saranak pulled them to sitting, using their bodies as a living shield from the goblin pack. Tevo's troops surged forwards, hunger for blood in their eyes. Zorrin's group swung to face the oncoming marauders.

‘Aliano,'
shouted Zorrin.

The group was wrenched upwards, high above the angry pack. Snarling wolves and foxes screamed at them in fury.

‘The goblins will use crossbows or throw some axes. We'll need these.' Zorrin muttered a few words under his breath. A bow and some arrows materialised in front of each of them.

Tariq shot into the pack of wolves below. With a yelp, one of the wolves keeled over and lay still. The roar from the enraged pack doubled.

‘Tariq one, wolf pack nil,' yelled Skoodle waving his tiny bow in the air.

‘Duck,' shouted Alex.

As Zorrin's body dropped, an axe whistled past inches from his left ear.

Taking aim, Keeko shot an arrow into Tevo's shoulder. The goblin fell to his knees, clutching his body as blood seeped through his fingers, saturating his shirt.

‘Attack,' he screamed as Flick grabbed another arrow. ‘It's a flesh wound. Fight the filthy sons of tainted earth.'

‘Deflecto,'
called Karlan from where he lay, barely conscious.

Flick's arrow took a right-angled bend from its flight path towards Arnak's heart, landing on rocks nearby. Alex took aim at Rycant.

‘There's no point,' said Zorrin, grabbing his arm. ‘They'll all miss now.'

‘Deflecto,'
Flick shouted.

Two crossbow shafts heading for Tariq veered away, ricocheting off the roof above him, clattering to the floor.

‘Kind of Karlan to remind me of that spell,' said Flick.

‘What now?' asked Keeko.

‘The feathers,' replied Tariq, watching an axe fly past Alex.

‘No. The eagles won't help us here. It's too dark and enclosed for them,' said Zorrin.

‘We're in a mountain. Call on Makusha,' said Ikara looking down at the angry hoard below the air cushion. ‘Use a stone.'

Zorrin pulled a black stone from his pocket and held it on his open palm. ‘Makusha, we need you.'

Ikara felt it first, her snake's senses so much more acute than any goblin or human. Her inner ear sensors detected the changes in air pressure as the first of the tremors vibrated through the cavern, building rapidly. Within milliseconds they could all feel it.

The vibrations in the rock sent spasms through Tevo's impaled shoulder. ‘What's happening?' he asked, struggling to rise.

Rectoria pushed him back down. ‘Stay still, otherwise the arrow may shift and kill you. A corpse cannot be a leader.'

A small earthquake was surging through the mountain. Enormous fissures slashed across the walls of the cave as the ground groaned and shifted. A vast split appeared in the cavern ceiling, zigzagging down the wall, extending crazily across the floor to the very heart of the lake. Boulders cascaded from the raw edge of the fault as it gashed its way through the body of the mountain.

The animals crouched, terrified. Unsure whether to fight or run, they stared at the goblins for guidance. Tevo lay still, white-faced, jaw muscles clenched, clutching his wound. Unable to think, he offered no lead.

‘We'll get crushed,' cried out Keeko.

‘Hunch over to protect the smaller ones,' called Zorrin, as deadly jagged rocks cascaded from the ceiling.

‘No. Get us down. We need to run for it,' yelled Alex.

Zorrin swung towards him, glaring a warning. Though not understanding, Alex formed a scrum with Tariq, Flick and Zorrin.

‘I'll pretend to try and make a spell,' whispered Zorrin, his voice normal through their orgreebs. ‘Once I announce I've failed then bolt, but go no further than the dark shadows.'

Zorrin raised his head and cast his arms about wildly, shouting bizarre words. His waving and gesticulation became increasingly frantic. Alex and the others watched him, sweating. From the floor of the cavern Rectoria stared – the animals by her side trembling, hair on end.

‘It's not working,' screamed Zorrin. ‘Get out. Save yourselves. Meet in the forest.'

The air cushion dropped to the floor. As soon as their feet touched down, they sprinted for the walls.

‘Retreat instantly. Meet at base camp,' barked out Rectoria.

Without hesitation the animals bolted for the tunnels. Only Rycant stayed by her side.

‘Well?' asked Rectoria, glaring at the dog.

‘How are we to move Tevo?' growled Rycant. ‘If he stays here, he may die.'

‘If we move him, he will definitely die. I will remain with him. If the fates have it that Tevo or I are saved, we shall meet you again in the forest. If not, you must take over and lead our band to victory. Now go.'

Rycant barked once, then galloped away through the hail of boulders, treacherously hoping that both goblins would perish. The thundering rhythm of his paws seemed to say, ‘New leader, new leader.'

‘So you do love me,' said a weak but triumphant voice from the floor. ‘Despite the present mortal danger, you still stay by my side. Such is the stupid heart of a female.'

‘You misjudge me. I remain here to make sure that you do die. The arrow missed your heart and lungs. You bleed now from an artery whose flow could be stopped quite easily. Your breathing grows tight because of blood in your chest, not because of any piercing of the lung.' Rectoria's tone was unemotional as she squatted beside him, ignoring the rocks falling around them.

‘Why do you let me die?' asked Tevo, struggling to rise. ‘The band needs me to lead them.'

‘Rubbish. They need a leader, certainly, but not you. I'll head the band superbly.'

Tevo groaned. ‘Tell me where to press. Give me some chance that I might crawl out of here like a dog, yet alive.'

The crack in the roof forked and extended above them. A huge boulder landed inches from Tevo's head, throwing up a cloud of thick dust.

Coughing racked Tevo. ‘If you stick to this course, we'll both die. Help me, and we both may yet be saved.'

‘Perhaps I should do something for you.' Rectoria reached across Tevo's chest. ‘I'll shift the arrow.'

Beads of sweat stood out on Tevo's white face. As she grabbed the shaft, his body stiffened, but he remained silent.

‘Your bravery does you credit. This is will be worse than horrendous.'

Both hands wrapped round the wood, Rectoria leaned on the shaft with all her body weight. Tevo grasped his battle axe convulsively as white-hot agony scorched through his chest.

Rectoria let go. ‘That's better. It should bleed more freely now. You'll die more quickly.'

‘You malicious harridan,' spat Tevo through clenched teeth. ‘I curse you. May your own death be painful and drawn-out. May your every plan turn to dust.' He paused for a moment, then spoke slowly and deliberately, emphasising each word. ‘May you lose your most beloved possession.'

Rectoria gasped, horror-struck, blood pounding through her veins. ‘Not Tarran. You can't curse him. He's your son also.'

‘Even so. Yet I would have him join me in death. Losing him would cause you such… ' But he had no more words. He lay still, sightless eyes on the crack elongating above them.

Rectoria stood up, shaking, as Rycant reappeared out of the dust.

‘Why are you here?' she asked sharply.

‘Worried about you. Why are you shaking?

‘Tevo's dead.'

‘And you mind?'

‘Not about him. He invoked a goblin's curse. Tarran will die.'

‘So will we if we don't leave. Get to the tunnels. Tell me more in the forest.'

Hunched over, back battered by rocks, Rectoria ran to the tunnels. Close to the floor, concealed in pools of darkness, several pairs of eyes watched her and Rycant sprint for safety.

Running footsteps gradually faded. For several minutes the cave remained filled only with the noise of falling stones, gradually ceasing. Zorrin rose and padded to the centre of the cavern, followed by the others.

‘We'd better redip our heads,' said Alex as they met at the edge of the lake. ‘Dry seems to equal no light.'

‘That's going to be difficult,' said Tariq. ‘The water level's falling.'

Zorrin picked up Keeko by the legs and dunked the tip of her head in the lake. ‘The crack must have extended across the base of the lake. Luckily we'll get light from the wet sides. Nonetheless, I'll mark our tunnel.' Pointing, Zorrin shouted,
‘Flamate Orbitus.'

A huge ball of fire appeared hanging in mid-air, hovering above the entrance to the tunnel. White and silver flames danced and flickered as it rained blue shafts of light.

‘Stunning,' said Keeko.

Flick lit a palm fire. Lavender light shone through her fingers, casting shadows on the ground like fat lilac snakes. ‘We'd better get searching.'

The task looked hopeless. Although the tremors had subsided the colossal cavern remained filled with rubble, the air thick with dust.

‘If Hypnos wanted to hide the crystal in a place almost impossible to get to, don't you think he would have hidden it in here?'' asked Ikara, sliding the tip of her tail into the shimmering water.

‘Brilliant,' said Zorrin, watching the lazy fall of the water level. ‘Where better to hide a blue crystal than in water? Even if someone had worked out that it was in the lake they would never have found it.'

The last of the water drained out, leaving a vast irregular crater lined by a thin coating of shimmering water, a jagged fissure carved across the base.

Zorrin squatted down to peer over the sides. ‘That may be why Makusha caused the lake to crack and empty. He may have guessed that the sapphire could be there. Keeko, you'll need to go down first. The sides are too steep for anyone else. We'll lower Ikara to you once you've reached the bottom.'

Keeko vaulted over the side. Agile hands soon found a route down the wall. She paused on a ledge.

‘I can take Ikara from here,' she called back up.

‘This is not only a bad idea, it's a seriously mad idea,' said Ikara as Tariq picked her up by the tail.

‘Remember Virida's curse,' said Alex.

Ikara sighed. ‘On my way.'

Lying flat on his stomach, arms fully extended, Tariq dangled Ikara over the edge until she hung just above Keeko.

‘Drop,' shouted Keeko.

A shimmer of green and gold plummeted downwards. Keeko caught Ikara's head, but the weight of the falling snake flattened her. They landed in the sprawl of red-tipped brown fur and golden-green scales.

‘Thanks a whole heap,' said Ikara, gingerly stretching her neck. ‘My head is safe, but I bruised my tail, and there's a lot of it.'

‘My body is totally crushed. I'll see if my tail's still attached once I can find it.'

‘You go left, I'll go right,' said Ikara, as she unwrapped herself from Keeko.

They squelched stickily through the silt that had collected on the rocky bottom over many years. Hundreds of small slits fissured the rocks, interspersed with masses of tiny pools.

‘By the way,' called Keeko to Zorrin. ‘What exactly does it look like?'

‘No idea,' he replied. ‘Could be any size or shape: free or even set in something, like a ring or dagger handle.'

‘Helpful,' murmured Ikara.

‘We'll carry on looking up here in case our lake theory is wrong,' said Flick.

Footsteps retreated from the edge as the pair in the lake worked in silence, Keeko poking gloomily under rocks and in pools of glowing water. Ikara, less patient, swept mounds of silt aside with her tail. Finally they met at the opposite side, empty-handed.

‘With my luck, it'll have gone down the central crevasse,' said Ikara, washing herself off in a large puddle.

‘Maybe,' said Keeko, sitting down on a rock covered in bright orange weed. ‘However, what I know for sure is that we aren't destined to find it.'

‘What do you mean?' asked Ikara.

‘That legend. We have to assume it's true if we believe that the stone exists. It said that a human would find it, not a snake or a monkey.'

‘Mutt head. You could have said earlier. We need Alex,' said Ikara, looking perkier than she had all day.

‘Why bother?' asked Keeko, tossing pebbles into the crevasse. ‘He couldn't scale the sides. Neither you nor I could catch him. It would take a whole raft of monkeys and snakes to give him a soft landing.'

‘I can get him.' Ikara closed her eyes and concentrated. She started to swell until she was almost as large as Hypnos had been.

Keeko stared at the enormous snake. ‘Awesome. I didn't know you could do that.'

‘Only found out myself a few months ago.' Ikara slithered around to the far side of the lake then slid her head over the top edge.

‘Alex,' she boomed out.

‘Why didn't you puff up when we were fighting Hypnos?' asked Tariq, wandering across to her. ‘You could have defeated him single-handed. Or even no-handed.'

The vast green eyes surveyed him coldly. ‘First, it takes time. We were a shade short of that. Also, Hypnos wouldn't have stuck to strength only in serpent-to-aqualate combat. A few spells and I'd have been a pile of minced snake, although an impressively large one. So listen.' She explained what Keeko had said.

Alex looked at the steep, jagged sides falling to the silty bottom far below. ‘You're joking, right?'

‘It'll be simple,' replied Ikara. ‘Slide down me. When you've finished the heroic finding thing, I'll hoist you back up.'

‘Any other choice?'

‘Nope,' said Skoodle.

Alex placed a hand on Ikara's head, ready to climb on.

‘Hang on. Leave me behind,' said Skoodle, scrambling out of Alex's pocket. ‘No point in me going down there. A hamster's not destined to find it. Legend fact.'

‘OK.' Alex held Skoodle out to Zorrin.

Zorrin made no move to take Skoodle. ‘No, he should go too. He's proved valiant and resourceful. Another set of eyes might help.'

‘Great. Flatter me into submission.' The small cream body slid back into Alex's pocket, tiny claws holding tightly on to the edge of the cloth. ‘But don't crush the resourceful one.'

Alex swung a leg over Ikara's neck, mounting her like a horse, encircling her with his arms, hanging on tightly. He closed his eyes for a second to steady himself, then took a deep breath and loosed his grip.

‘Too fast,' yelled Skoodle. ‘Slow down.'

‘Can't. Mudslick.' Alex shot off the end of the tail, landing face down in a pile of silt. ‘You OK, Skoodle?'

‘Filthy and I smell of stagnant mud. Otherwise fine.'

Brushing down his bruised body, Alex got to his knees.

‘Start fulfilling the legend, human. Get looking,' Ikara rumbled from above them.

Alex scrambled his way round the base of the lake, scraping around in the thick silt, almost suffocated by the smell of rotting fish and bits of dead animals. He rooted beneath bushy green pond plants, dug in small pools, checked behind hundreds of rocks, looked under a clam shell, dug underneath several sheep skulls and peered into fissures – all to the accompaniment of a constant barrage of advice from Skoodle and Keeko. After a complete tour of the lake bed he'd not found the crystal.

Alex peered over the edge of the deep chasm carved through the bottom of the lake. A ghostly light cast up by shimmering water at the bottom lit the sides. Nothing was caught on the ragged edges. ‘After all that, it's not here.'

‘It can't be very large or set in a dagger or anything biggish, or it would've have been very difficult to pass it on secretly so often,' said Skoodle, brow furrowed. ‘Yet if it's fairly small, any currents from Hypnos swimming around might have swished it away. He would have had to put it somewhere secure.'

‘Like where?' asked Alex.

‘The clam shell on the other side of the lake. Clams don't live in fresh water but Hypnos might have brought one in from the sea if he needed one.'

Alex half ran, half stumbled round the irregular sloping wall of the lake until he reached the clam shell wedged between two rocks.

‘Put me down,' whooped Skoodle. ‘I want a clear view of history being created. Open it. Prove I'm a genius.'

Placing Skoodle on the ground, Alex picked up the shell. ‘Looks disappointingly ordinary.'

‘Maybe so. Get on with it.'

Alex flicked it open. Cushioned in the pearly interior lay a blue crystal, lit by a supernatural internal fire. ‘We've found it. It's stunning,' he yelled.

A cheer rose from the others.

Tariq arrived at the edge of the lake first. ‘Quick, bring it up,' he called. ‘Let's see it.'

‘Come on, Skoodle,' said Alex, reaching down.

‘Give me a minute. There is a puddle here. I'm dry as a desert.'

Skoodle scurried to a small pool and began to drink.

*

The crystal felt oddly warm in Alex's hand. As he gazed down into its magnificent depths he began to feel very strange: palms sweaty, his head dizzy. He felt invincible.
I've found it
, he thought.
So it's mine. Why should I hand it over?

Into his brain leapt a passage that Zorrin had read out from his parents' netbook. ‘The essence of the Sapphire of Akan steals into the mind, stealthily taking over free will and reason. It eats the soul, leaving a hollow shell.'

‘It's getting to me. I've got to get rid of it,' he yelled at Skoodle. ‘I'll come back for you.'

He bolted across to Ikara, who swung her head down.

Alex climbed astride the vast nose, eyes closed to avoid staring into her huge green ones, clutching the sapphire in one hand. Ikara swung him upwards. Sliding off the scaly head, he walked unsteadily across to Zorrin and held out his hand. The stone lay on his palm, spitting light.

‘There's no doubt it's the Sapphire of Akan,' said Zorrin, as he reached forward to take it.

A blow like being hit by a tree trunk flung Alex backwards in a sickening, wrenching fall.

‘You're forgetting the pact with Virida,' said Karlan, tone heavy with pain but triumphant.