The Serpent of Eridor (21 page)

Karlan's voice seemed to be coming from a long way away as it seeped through the fog in Alex's stunned brain. Alex tried to raise himself a few inches off the floor. Agony gripped him, muscles feeling as if he had been crushed by a bear. Each breath he took sent shafts of pain through his chest as the raw ends of broken ribs grated against each other.

Karlan rose unsteadily to crouching, blood flowing from his chest as he moved. A trail of red marked where he had silently crawled on his elbows to the edge of the lake, legs tightly bound.

Virida's eyes blazed. ‘You fool, Zorrin. All this for nothing. The pact remains intact. Give me the sapphire or die.'

‘Think again,' replied Zorrin. ‘The agreement does not bind Flick or me.'

‘I'm aware of that,' spat out Virida. ‘Nevertheless, I know you would not let them die like rats tortured in agony when you could save them. Release me so that I may collect my crystal.'

‘No,' shouted Tariq, voice echoing around the cavern. ‘Do not release her.' He walked forward to stand in front of Zorrin. ‘We've agreed to die, all of us. We will never let her have the sapphire. If she becomes mistress of it there will be mass destruction. Thousands of lives will be lost.'

‘Tariq is right,' boomed Ikara. ‘We've agreed not to concede to filth such as her.'

‘Exactly,' said Keeko through her orgreeb.

‘I'm prepared to die,' said Alex, hoarsely, gripped by agony so severe that he felt there could be little life left in him anyway.

‘Me too,' stated Skoodle, voice angry as he shouted into his orgreeb. ‘Uncle Toomba, I'm definitely on the way this time.'

‘It's a brave deed you do for Eridor this day,' said Zorrin, his voice resonating round the cavern. He stood proud: sculptured face resolute, black hair cascading down his back, mood streak spitting blue sparks. ‘You'll be remembered in song and legend. Your families will be honoured.'

‘Their deaths will be slow and agonising. Perhaps watching them suffer will change your mind,' said Virida to Zorrin.

‘I sincerely hope not,' said Tariq. ‘Yet if I'm to die, I'm taking one of you with me.'

With a massive swipe of his paw, he belted Karlan in the back. Screaming, Karlan plummeted over the vertical edge of the lake.

A cry seemingly from Virida's soul tore through the cavern. ‘Save him.'

Zorrin pointed at the falling man.
‘Letharto.'
Karlan stopped dropping, hanging helpless in the air, like a boneless cat.

‘The spell is mine, Virida. It cannot be overridden by you. Is there any reason I should not let him die?'

Virida flung herself forward on to her knees, terrified eyes fixed on the figure suspended in space. ‘For mercy's sake. For respect of another wizard.'

‘Not good enough. You didn't show mercy to me. You'll have to do better than that.' Zorrin dropped Karlan another two metres.

‘Wait. I'll break the curse. Your companions will go free if you return Karlan safe to me.'

‘Agreed,' said Zorrin, as he allowed Karlan's body to rise. ‘Although I'm astonished. I didn't think that such a generous spirit was to be found in the evil forces. Why swap him for the power of the sapphire?'

The witch flung back her hair, head held high. ‘He's my husband. The loss of the sapphire is like a knife in my breast, but is nothing compared to the anguish I'd suffer on losing his life.'

Karlan's limp figure was dropped into an awkward heap beside Virida.

‘What will you do with us now that the stone is yours?' she asked, bending over Karlan, long black hair brushing his face.

As Zorrin paused, a soft voice cut through Alex's dazed thoughts.

‘Let me help you up,' murmured Saranak. ‘For you're too weak to stand alone.'

He held both hands out to Alex, who instinctively reached up to him. Saranak's hand closed round his arm, nails digging painfully into his flesh. With a sharp crack he broke Alex's wrist, wrenching the stone from his hand. A wave of pain crashed through Alex's body as he landed on his crushed ribs, fractured arm flailing. Twinkling lights filled his darkened vision.

Saranak held the sapphire aloft. ‘The stone is mine and all its power with it. You're all defeated. It is justice: having broken the pact by such a foul trick, you shall die anyway.'

‘You pledged to be my ally till midnight. Don't you fear breaking your oath?' asked Zorrin.

Saranak smiled mockingly. ‘Possession of the crystal far outweighs the power of any oath, even that of the Rod of Gethsite. Breaking it cannot affect me now.' Saranak strode across to Virida. ‘Touch Karlan,' he said. ‘The power will revive you both.'

Virida placed a hand on Karlan's leg as Saranak put his hand on her shoulder. A surge of life shot from Saranak's arm into the crumpled figures before him, as if an electric cable were pouring energy into them. Their backs arched in spasm as the power surged through them. The magical bonds fell off; Karlan's wounds dried and healed. He rose to standing, head high and proud. Youth infused Virida's face as her hunched shoulders relaxed, the sagging back strengthening.

‘Why didn't it help me?' Alex croaked to Zorrin, his throat tight with pain.

‘You have no magic, unfortunately.'

‘These bonds could be more use elsewhere,' said Saranak, pointing at the ropes binding Virida's feet.

The magical webs flew through the air, landing to form a tangled mass of threads around Flick's and Zorrin's bodies, clamping their arms painfully to their sides, yanking them on to their knees, binding them to the ground.

Saranak's face glowed in triumph. ‘Only the owner of the sapphire can release those bonds. You are permanently – terminally – trapped. Your magic is frozen. Useless.'

The goblin band stepped out of the shadows, Rectoria at the front. She brandished her sword at Zorrin. ‘Not so clever after all, are you? None of you appeared at the jungle exits so we turned back, luckily in time to enjoy your downfall.'

Saranak held the crystal up to the ceiling, palm open, so that all could see his trophy as it shone its brilliance into the cold cave air. ‘With the help of these warriors, victory over Eridor is mine. Zorrin, you are entirely overcome. You have no more weapons.'

‘Wrong,' said a voice from behind him.

Before Saranak had time to turn round, Smuddy Binks launched himself straight at the wizard. His heavy body crashed into Saranak, flattening him. The crystal flew from the wizard's hand, spitting cold blue fire. It fell in an arc towards the edge of the lake. As everyone stared, it disappeared into the depths of the crater.

‘It's fallen down the crevasse,' screamed Keeko from the side of the lake. Nothing can save us now.'

The evil wizards rushed to the edge of the crater and looked down. Keeko stood on the glowing mud peering into the void – while Skoodle sobbed nearby, face in hands. The unearthly light of the blue sapphire would have blazed out from wherever it had landed. Nothing showed against the faint shimmer of the silt lining the lake.

Alex shifted to try and see for himself but intense pain blasted through him, leaving him breathless, rigid in agony, unable to move. Yet the look on the three evil wizards' faces proved that Keeko was right. On one was disbelief, on another rage, on the third terror.

Saranak screamed, an unearthly cry of agony, as his body shrank, becoming old and wizened. His robes fluttered in rags round his bent body. Grey skin tightened over his skull, like a corpse, peeling off his arms in sheets of dry scales. His hair turned thin and stringy.

‘The oath,' he yelled. ‘Quick, give me a task, Zorrin. I need the chance to show you loyalty.'

‘Too late for that,' said Zorrin grimly. ‘Nothing can save you now.'

‘Kill me, Karlan. Don't let the Rod take me alive.'

As Karlan's finger rose, the cavern floor beneath Saranak split. Saranak fell into the fissure, screaming. Karlan's spell bounced off the cold granite in an explosion of purple sparks. The ground closed, leaving only a cloud of dirt where the wizard had stood.

A sob escaped from Virida as she stared at the dust cloud. ‘Gethsite,' she whispered, hand over her mouth. ‘Eternal agony.'

White-faced, Karlan put his hand on Virida's shoulder. ‘We have lost a powerful ally.' He pointed at Smuddy Binks. ‘Your punishment is death.'

As he drew breath to annihilate the badger a faint whistling sound cut the air. Karlan and Virida vanished.

‘What happened?' asked Flick, struggling uselessly at her bonds.

‘Time tear,' said Alex, pulling off the glove of Mazal with his teeth. ‘I still had one from the boat.'

Rectoria laughed, harsh and strident. ‘There's some justice in that. That's how Karlan disposed of your parents.'

Alex stared at her, his mind trying to absorb this monumentous news. Not dead? Alive, but in another time zone? Maybe he could he get there too. Tiredness evaporated. He wasn't going to give up now. However hopeless things were, he would fight to his last drop of blood to get back to his parents. First, he somehow had to save Zorrin. He began to crawl towards Rectoria, every movement white-hot agony.

‘Using time tears shows more persistence in Karlan than I would have believed,' said Zorrin from his knees. ‘They're not easy to find.'

Rectoria snorted. ‘He would never have carried out such a menial job himself. He sent Olip to seek them at the falls of Fernacia. But that's not important now.' She looked at Flick, who was muttering spells and wrestling with her bonds. ‘Only the sapphire or Saranak could have broken the cords that hold you now. Since they're both eternally lost, nothing can release you.'

From the scabbard by her side she pulled out a sword, its blade echoing the silver light of the fireball floating above the tunnel. She brandished it above the helpless figures of the two wizards.

Smuddy Binks rocketed forward. Snarling, Rycant leapt at him – felling the badger with a single blow of a massive front paw. The badger's head hit the floor with a dull crack. Smuddy Binks lay still, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The dog stood snarling over his victim, teeth bared.

‘I'm ready to take my place in history as the one who executed Zorrin. If any of you move, Flick dies too.' Eyes alive with battle fury, Rectoria glared down at Zorrin. ‘No more will you be the scourge of our people. I'll carry your severed head back to them, proof of my victory.' Gloating, she held the sword aloft, revelling in its cruel beauty.

‘What about me?' shouted out Keeko from the top of the crater, Skoodle on her shoulder. ‘What of my fate if I pledge allegiance to you now?'

Lowering her sword, Rectoria turned to view the monkey, her lip curled. ‘Why would I want to be associated with a turncoat like you, so puny, so little to be trusted?'

Jaw set, face rigid, Keeko dumped Skoodle on the ground. He scurried away as Keeko squared up to Rectoria. ‘I saw exactly where the stone fell. I could climb down and get it. Then you would have more power than any goblin in history.'

‘What are you saying?' said Ikara, tone low and dangerous. ‘You can't mean this.'

Keeko's face screwed up with anger. ‘Why not? Loyalty never kept anyone alive. All I've had from sticking with you lot is pain and near-death experiences. I want to be on the winning side. You taste death for me.'

‘We trusted you, Keeko,' hissed Ikara. ‘Makusha asked about a turncoat among us. I bitterly regret how strongly Zorrin denied such a possibility.'

Keeko shrugged, then turned back to Rectoria. ‘Well?'

Sharp claws dug into Zorrin's ankle. He looked down to see Skoodle by his side, his back to Rectoria. Sitting on his haunches Skoodle smiled, first with a twitch of his lips then fully. Blue light poured from his mouth.

A surge of hope pounded through Zorrin as Skoodle disappeared behind him. Keeping his face blank, he looked back at the confrontation between Ikara and Keeko: Ikara furious, body rigid, eyes glittering with cold light, the sides of her neck winging out. Keeko defiant, mouth a grim line.

Something wet and hard dropped into Zorrin's hand. Warmth and power surged up his wrist. With minimal mental effort his wrist bonds severed. Flexing his shoulders lightly, all the others fell away.

He held the sapphire up high. ‘The stone is now mine,' he called out.

The sapphire flashed blue and silver, shards of light cutting into the air around his hand.

‘Your bonds have broken,' said Tariq. ‘It's definitely the Sapphire of Akan.'

Rectoria swung her sword at Flick's neck.

‘
Acier clarus
,' shouted Zorrin.

The blade rocketed towards Flick's throat as she shrank away. With a loud clang it hit an invisible obstruction, throwing Rectoria's stocky body backwards. Screaming, she looked down at her sword hand, now swollen and distorted.

‘You've broken it, ogre brain.'

Face marred with pain, Rectoria grabbed the sword with her left hand and lunged at Alex, who lurched backwards. A dull resounding thud echoed round the cavern as the sword bounced off his chest. Rectoria staggered back with a howl, sword hanging.

‘A useless move,' said Zorrin. ‘The sapphire doubles and redoubles my powers. The acier clarus spell protects my entire band. Not one of you can harm any of us now.' He reached down to touch his sister's shoulder. Her ropes fell to the ground, releasing her.

Rectoria backed away. ‘You have won this round,' she said, hate etching deep lines into her face. ‘But one day we shall meet again. Then it'll be me who is victorious.'

She pointed her sword at the ceiling. From the tip shot a shaft of green light; the ceiling started to crumble. Within seconds a barrier of rock separated the goblin band from Zorrin.

Her muffled voice could be heard shouting, ‘Flee. Meet at the forest rendezvous. Everyone for himself.'

Zorrin turned away from the avalanche. Stony-faced he addressed Keeko, seemingly oblivious to the chaos of falling rubble and choking dust around him. ‘So you want to change sides, do you?'

Wide-eyed, Keeko faced the furious wizard. ‘I… sorry, but—'

‘The sapphire flew into the crater,' said Skoodle breathlessly, as he ran to Alex. Without pausing in his tumble of words, he pushed a flower into Alex's mouth. ‘It landed close by me, so I shoved it into my cheeks. Any hamster can easily store a lump that size, with almost nothing showing.' He pulled the flower out by the stem. ‘Cut the sucking-a-lemon face. Be grateful, or I'll let Toomba have you.'

‘I am, truly,' Alex whispered hoarsely.

Skoodle shoved the flower back into Alex's mouth, creating a mulch of spit and flower juice. As the pool of bitter fluid slid down his throat Alex felt an outpouring of power passing through him, warm, blissful. The pain in his wrist and ribs died. The deep slash on his arm healed instantly, leaving a livid red weal. Alex touched it, amazed.

‘Late-onset birthmark,' said Skoodle. ‘Anyway, Keeko pretended to have seen it fall into the crevasse. I sat on the ground playing the part of the sobbing rodent, nothing visible in my mouth. Then Keeko invented a distraction while I got to Zorrin. She's a great actress.'

‘Played a little too convincingly for comfort,' hissed Ikara. ‘In future I'll have difficulty believing anything that Keeko says.'

Alex sat up, still weak but no longer in pain. An ominous rumbling began. Tremors shook the mountain as the unstable mass of stone shifted. An avalanche of rubble tumbled from the fresh ceiling crack.

‘Back to
Phaedea
before the whole cavern collapses,' shouted Zorrin above the roar of the rock fall. ‘Ikara, get up here. Shrink.'

‘We must take the badger,' yelled Flick, pointing to where Smuddy Binks had been felled. ‘He's buried among those rocks.'

As Ikara swung herself up to the lip of the crater the others ran to where the badger had last been seen. They wrenched rocks aside, heads pounded by a hail of stones from above.

‘The badger can't be alive after being buried under so much rubble,' said Skoodle. ‘We're digging for a corpse.'

‘Maybe not,' replied Alex, grim-faced. ‘Dig on.'

‘I see the tip of his tail. Out of my way,' yelled Tariq.

As the others fell back, his powerful paws ripped away the last of the rocks.

The badger lay bloodstained, one ear badly ripped, back left leg at a bizarre angle. Flick sank to her knees by his side. She put her head on his chest, then smiled. ‘He's alive.'

‘Skoodle, get this flower down him,' said Alex, thrusting one into a tiny paw.

‘Save him as we go. The roof could collapse in seconds,' said Zorrin.

Tariq scooped up the badger, hoisting Skoodle up with the other paw. Skoodle was stuffing a blue flower into Smuddy Binks's mouth as Zorrin yelled, ‘Ventus.'

They were swept towards the fireball-lit tunnel, arriving inside the mouth as the central ceiling collapsed, obliterating the cavern forever.