Warriors of the Black Shroud (12 page)

At first nothing happened except that the constant stream of black streaks bursting from the Warriors stopped for a moment, but this was to be short-lived. A roar came from the Black Count.

“You are beyond help, Chosen One,” he bellowed. “Your mark cannot protect you here, and you will be our prized captive. When we enter the Kingdom you will lead us through its gates in chains.
That
is your destiny; for
that
you have been chosen!”

The barrage resumed with more ferocity than before, and the bolts kept coming closer. One landed just a few feet from them, causing everything to shake and sucking up dust and rubble from all directions, but the walls held firm. Frankie pushed as close to Walker as she could.

“I'm sorry I brought you here,” Walker said to her. “I never should've.”

“I made you bring me here,” Frankie reassured him. “I wanted to see the Kingdom, and I'm glad I did because it's a really cool place. We just tried to do stuff we probably should have left to grown-ups.”

“Well, we did get through when they couldn't,” he reminded her. “Not that it did us much good. I suppose I started to believe that I really was a Chosen One and that nothing bad could ever happen to me.”

“It's scary to think we may never see our parents or the Outerworld again,” Frankie said. “With that time-difference thing, do you think they'll even know we're gone?” And at that point she did a very un-Frankielike thing. She began to cry.

Then Walker did a very un-Walkerlike thing. He put his arms around her to comfort her, and holding on to each other they waited for whatever was going to be their fate. He felt Frankie's sobs shake her body, but as they huddled together he was suddenly aware of a strange light coming from the other side of the wall like the very beginning of dawn, and he could hear a low humming sound.

“Something's happening!” he cried. “Something that has to be good, 'cause there's light. Stay there, everybody. I'm going to go see.”

“Not without me, you're not,” Frankie declared, and she grasped his hand firmly.

Not even bothering to argue, he cautiously led her along to where the wall had collapsed. They gingerly peered out, and what they saw was the most amazing sight either of them had ever seen.

Chapter 22

I
s it true what this page tells me?” thundered Lumina. “Did you allow those foolish children to go by themselves into Diabolonia?”

Jevon looked her squarely in the eye.

“Those very brave children went into Diabolonia to make contact with the citizens of Litherium,” he told her.

Astrodor was standing to one side of Lumina. He looked uncomfortable now that Jevon knew he was the informer. When Jevon had been taken to the Chamber of the Lightkeepers, he had expected to confront Lumina and the others immediately, but this had not been the case. He'd been kept waiting in the adjacent hallway for a long time, always in the presence of two knights. Although he wasn't handcuffed or shackled, it was clear to him that he wasn't free to leave, and he waited as patiently as he could until he was finally brought in front of Lumina. She was seated on the old king's throne and she was not happy.

“Not only was this against my specific command,” she continued, glowering at him, “but children, Jevon! You allowed children to do this! Have you lost your mind?”

“No, my lady,” he replied. “On the contrary, my mind tells me that it's likely the Warriors of the Black Shroud are incapable of identifying targets as small as children and because of this they have the best chance of reaching Litherium unharmed. It is vital for the survival of this Kingdom that we join with the citizens of the Sister Cities to defend ourselves against the Black Count, because I am convinced that there is no peace to be had with him.”

Lumina got up from the throne and walked over to the nearest window. She stood there looking out over the Kingdom and then turned to face Jevon.

“My lord,” she said, “I pray that you are wrong. My greatest hope is that we can come to an agreement with the Black Count that meets both our needs.”

She paused for a moment.

“I look at you, Lord Jevon,” she continued, “and all the other fine young Lightkeepers assembled here, and I have to remind myself that I am the only one left in the Kingdom who has ever known war and its horrors. They called me the Warrior Princess even though I was not of royal blood and never carried the mark. I earned this title because there was no fight so fearsome, no skirmish so brutal that could make me back away. But after the Battle of Barren Plains, which the Book of the Kingdom will tell you was a great victory, I vowed I would do everything in my power to make sure that no mothers mourned daughters, no wives lost husbands, no brothers wept over brothers because of me.”

All eyes were upon Lumina with one exception: A knight standing next to a window suddenly cried out, breaking the silence that descended when she finished speaking.

“My lady!” the knight cried. “Something very strange is happening!”

Everyone rushed to the windows and stood openmouthed.

“What's going on?” someone asked.

Lumina looked out of the window and then turned to Jevon.

“Lord Jevon,” Lumina said with a troubled look on her face. “I fear your children are in extreme danger. The Chosen One has summoned what you see before you. He has invoked an ancient command that only works in times of utmost peril.”

“If this is true, my lady, then we must go to their aid with all speed!” cried Jevon. “Allow me to lead as many knights as will join me to rescue them.”

Lumina sighed.

“Go, my lord,” she said, “and may your mission be successful. Save those foolish children.”

The first thing Walker and Frankie saw as they peered out into Diabolonia was a glow of light some distance away, but they couldn't make out where it came from. All they knew was that it was getting closer, and the humming sound that accompanied it was getting louder. This was almost drowned out by the only other noise they could hear—a roaring, both angry and fearful, that came from the direction of the Warriors.

Walker realized that the bombardment of darkning bolts had stopped, and this had given him the courage to move into the open to get a better view. Then he could make out what it was that shed the life-giving light. He could see birds—hundreds, no, probably thousands of birds. They were the same ones that drifted on the air currents above the Kingdom, but now they drifted no more. They were in a tight
V
formation, a vast glowing triangle, and they were led by a creature much larger than they were.

“I cannot believe my eyes,” whispered Frankie in awe.

When Walker had spoken the Ancient Cry of Peril, every animal in the Kingdom, every bird circling above, every dragon below, all the creatures within the walls had felt impelled to come to his assistance. As the knights who had joined Jevon in the rescue mission rushed to their unicorns, they found them pulling against the reins that tethered them as they tried to break free and gallop to the Chosen One's assistance. Walker's own unicorn, Lightning, had done what only a Silverstreak of the king's herd was able to do. She'd spread the wings that until now had lain hidden behind her shoulders, and with a whooshing sound she took to the air. It was Lightning that Walker and Frankie saw now, leading the enormous flock of silver birds. She spotted the two friends by the wall and started to spiral down. She landed beside them and folded her wings back into her body. Walker threw his arms around her neck.

“Lightning, you came to rescue us!” he yelled. “You are the most wonderful unicorn in the Kingdom.”

Lightning pawed the ground with her hooves and blew through her nostrils as if in agreement. The birds she had been leading had not landed with her, but had continued on their flight path. Walker and Frankie turned to watch along with the children, and what they saw they would remember for as long as they lived.

The Warriors of the Black Shroud had assembled in lines that went on as far as the eye could see. Walker gasped when he saw how many of them there were, but the birds flew calmly on. As they reached their targets they wheeled down, circling each Warrior, flying so close that their silver wings brushed against them.

On the ground dogs, dragons, and strange little furry creatures Walker hadn't seen before ran fearlessly toward the Warriors. The dragons blew clouds of light from their nostrils while the little creatures that looked like a cross between a rat and a hamster swarmed up the enemy's legs as the dogs nipped at the Warriors' ankles.

The monsters began to stumble around, banging into one another, unable to find a way to escape. It was as if the light from the birds and animals actually caused them pain. Deafening claps of thunder crashed above their heads, and in a vain attempt to defend themselves some tried to shield their sightless faces with their arms, while others pointed their fingers toward the attackers, but the shafts of darkness they shot out evaporated as they struck the radiance of the massive flock of birds.

Then one by one the Warriors began to disappear in exactly the same way that Eddie had disappeared. They just vanished, leaving no trace, no hood, no cape, nothing. It was as if they had never existed. Many fell in the chaos that ensued, giving the animals and birds the chance to swoop down on their sprawling bodies. Those who did get away ran as fast as they could. It was amazing to see such huge creatures fleeing for their lives, and despite what Walker had thought, they moved with incredible speed and were gone. Only one was left, the largest and most fearsome of the Shroud. In front of him stood the Black Count, turning his sightless head from side to side as he realized the disaster unfolding around him.

“Come back, you cowards!” he roared. “Obey your master now!”

But none did, and the remaining Warrior bent down and picked him up like a baby, and he, too, ran into the farthest depths of Diabolonia.

“That was awesome,” whispered Frankie.

When the last Warrior disappeared all that was left was an empty, barren landscape illuminated by the birds' wings. The surviving children jumped up and down with excitement, and then Walker noticed them looking up into the sky. He followed their eyes to see what the birds were doing now.

The main body was heading home, but two groups had peeled off. One now hovered over their heads, while another, larger formation flew in the opposite direction, away from the Kingdom. Frankie saw it too.

“Where do you think they're going?” she asked.

“I don't know,” answered Walker, “but I think I'm going there too.”

Lightning whinnied and dropped to her knees, waiting to be mounted. He leapt on her back and began to urge her forward.

“Hey!” cried Frankie. “Not without me!”

“You stay with the children and get them back to Nebula,” he told her.

“You're going to leave me all alone?” she yelled.

“All alone?” Walker snorted. “Look around you, Frankie. You've never been less alone in your whole life.”

He was right. Now that the enemy had fled, several of the animals had gathered around the delighted children. Frankie was surrounded by the strange little furry creatures, several dogs, and two small dragons. One of the birds had landed on her shoulder.

“I'll see you back in the Kingdom!” he shouted as Lightning moved forward.

“Walker Watson!” Frankie cried out. “That is so totally not cool to leave without me! I'll get you back for that, you see if I don't.”

Walker's only response was to wave at her and smile as Lightning began to gather speed.

“Follow the birds,” he told the unicorn.

She had no saddle or reins, so he had to hang on to her mane with one hand while he gripped Eddie's sword with the other. Faster and faster she went, until suddenly her wings unfolded with a wumping sound and they were airborne. Walker could feel the beat of her massive wings as they went higher and higher, and then he saw the birds ahead of them.

Lightning quickly caught up with the birds and they regrouped to fly in formation behind the speeding unicorn. They were so close, Walker could make out their every detail. They had alert eyes like a hawk's, but without the sharp, hooked beak. Their feathers looked as if they had been beaten out of thin metal and then polished to a mirror finish. They seemed delicate but strong, graceful yet powerful.

The unicorn and the birds began to lose height and by the light they shed Walker could make out the reason for their descent. Below them was a line of men and women, all going in the same direction that the Shroud had fled. They stumbled forward, their feet shackled, and on either side of the column were Nightangels with whips. They cracked them in the air before bringing them down on the shoulders and legs of their prisoners as they tried to drive them faster into the Outer Wastes. Then Walker saw something that filled his heart with joy and fear at the same time.

At the head of the column were two Warriors of the Black Shroud and several Nightangels armed with spears forged out of black metal. They were guarding one special prisoner—Eddie.

The Nightangels were aware of the birds above their heads and urged their captives on even more harshly. With Walker hanging on for dear life, Lightning swooped down on the Warrior guards. This time the Warriors' aim was true, and darkning bolts flew within inches of Walker's face, but there was no sucking sensation, and the noise the bolts made was different. A scary thought occurred to Walker—maybe now the Shroud were shooting to kill, not capture.

Lightning ducked and weaved with amazing skill, avoiding the bolts often by a hair's breadth, and almost tossing Walker from her back several times. She flew so close to one of the Warriors that Walker almost brushed against him and would have done so but for the fact that her light caused the monster to reel back. She wheeled around and once again Walker nearly fell off. He thrust out the arm that carried the sword to balance himself and he heard a roar come from the Warrior. The sword had sliced through the creature's shoulder, but there had been no jarring sensation when it did—in fact, no sensation at all. But as he saw the blade penetrate the Warrior's body, its glow of light spread like fire, and the beast began to crumple before disappearing in a cloud of dust.

The other Warrior, sensing its partner's fate, lumbered toward them. Lightning flew straight up until she was high above its head and then plummeted down. She tried to get behind the enemy, away from the deadly bolts, but the monster swung around and Walker looked straight into its featureless metallic face. Walker knew what he had to do. He rammed the sword into its head, and there was a groan from the Warrior, followed by a shower of dust cascading to the ground.

Lightning landed and folded her wings back into her body. The Warrior guards were no more, but the Nightangels were still a threat, and they began to charge, their spears lowered. Walker leaped from Lightning's back.

“Keep them away from me while I free Eddie!” he cried.

Lightning pawed the ground and then let out a long, loud whinny. At the sound of it the birds that had been hovering overhead swooped down and flew among the Nightangels. The birds had talons and sharp beaks with which to fight, and they attacked mercilessly. Lightning used her stubby horn to butt each Nightangel that charged at Walker, or sent them sprawling with a kick from her strong hind legs. This allowed Walker to weave his way through to Eddie until he was face-to-face with his friend.

“Quick, get me free!” Eddie said, holding out his bound wrists. They were fastened together with a thick rope that was easy for the sword to cut through, but the shackles around his ankles were another matter. They were made of the same black metal that formed the Nightangels' spears and there was no way that Eddie's sword would be able to cut through them. As Walker was bent over trying to see how they were fastened, Eddie suddenly yelled out.

“Look out! Behind you!”

Walker swiveled around to see that one of the Nightangels had evaded Lightning and was running at them full tilt. Instinctively Walker raised the sword to defend himself and it made contact with the enemy's spear. This time he felt the blow, and a jarring sensation rippled through his body. He had deflected the Nightangel's stroke, but only for a moment, and already his opponent was preparing himself to make another thrust. Walker tried to get up, but stumbled and fell.