The Prologue The Summons
For hours, the great wings had beaten with effortless ease and relentless monotony, as the colossal, copper form had carved a pathway through the hostile skies, but as it passed above the menacing forest of Timor, its wing beats slowed. The creature had travelled many miles and was growing tired.
The burden it carried in its terrible claws no longer struggled. It hung limp and lifeless. The creature cautiously altered its killing grip before driving its talons deeper into its victim’s flesh. There was the faintest of groans, followed by silence.
Once again, only the thud of wings and the whining of the wind disturbed the eerie peace of the malevolent skies.
………………………………………………………….
Many miles to the east, Queen Crudelitas heard the news of the creature’s successful hunt and smiled.
Whilst, in the Hall of Time, standing before the dark, depths of the Eye of the Gelan, the mighty Gelan Lord, Chilmea, plucked a single feather from a shimmering pinion and floated it across the skies. He sighed and summoned the wolf, Ismowd, to his side.
Fi in Danger
The journey became more and more tiring. They were making such slow progress! By the time they neared the middle of the river channel Chari was exhausted and Justin was very tired. Rain began to lash down again and the wind strengthened. A sudden gust almost overwhelmed them. Somehow they managed to regain their course. The rain poured down even more angrily. The vicious wind shrieked and howled, until the howls merged into a continuous agonising wail.
Waves cracked against the sides of the little craft and Fi was steadily losing her baling battle, as more water was spewed back than she could throw out of the boat. The pounding seemed unending. The packs and lantern, waterlogged and useless, swooshed across the bottom of the boat as the waves swooped towards them, in a ferocious, foaming attack. Chari nearly lost her oar and Fi felt tears of fear trickle down her cheeks. She remembered Timor Forest and her dread of deep water. Ismowd glared at Justin and just growled.
The boat pitched and heaved, listing first one way, then the other. The next moment, it pitched even more violently and Fi was flung forward into the bottom. As she struggled to sit up in a pool of water, the boat seemed to stall and the bows were lifted high above the river. Everyone tumbled towards the stern, Fi colliding with Ismowd, who yelped in pain, when she crashed into him. Incredibly, both Justin and Chari kept their oars, though Justin only narrowly avoided crushing Chari as they both ended up in undignified tangle in the bottom of the boat. Finally, the river dropped the little craft. It plunged downward and water cascaded in over the bows. Everyone was drenched! It was as if some gigantic, malevolent hand of fate was intent on destroying them.
The Quest creaked and groaned as the battle to stay afloat and reach the bank continued. Minutes passed, the creaking increased until it seemed to war with the screeching of the wind. Sheets of rain pummelled the hapless craft. Only Justin’s determination kept the Quest on course for the bank.
Frighteningly, above the roar of the wind, the little boat seemed to scream. There was a sickening splintering, as the top section of the stern was ripped away to be swallowed by the hungry waters! The terrifying noise finally shattered Chari’s concentration and she dropped her oar which was immediately seized by the greedy river and swept away. Chari cried uncontrollably, they were nearing the bank, with another big effort they might have reached it! Instead, the boat spun out of control. Instinctively, Fi jumped up to untie one of the spare oars to give to her sister. At that moment another swell hit the Quest and Fi was tossed head-first into the tumbling, icy water!
She struggled violently in the seething river, but the current and the weight of her clothes dragged her down through the black depths. She fought her way up screaming hysterically, only to succumb as the icy fingers pulled her inexorably downwards. Death beckoned.
“Do something!” screamed Chari and stood up.
“Chari, sit down!” bellowed Justin, in alarm. Throwing down his oar, he ripped off his cloak and boots. He was an excellent swimmer,- he knew he would need to be.
“ I’ll rescue her!” he yelled. Even as he shouted at Chari, a golden flash launched itself into the treacherous depths.
The Kidnap
Justin knew that his mother would pursue them relentlessly. He needed to lose her before returning to Chari at the Lake of Moons. The night, the unicorn’s speed and stamina gave them a slight advantage, especially as the moonlight was bright; yet only when they reached more cover would they have a chance of escape.
He felt his spine prickle with fear. He had bundled Gloria in front of himself, but now his back was fearfully exposed to talons or Crudelitas’ arrows. He was certain that if his mother got within range, she would never miss. Would she allow him to die quickly? He wondered ghoulishly. Unlikely, he thought miserably.
He urged the unicorn onward faster still. Critically the safety of some woodland was a long way off.
Gloria was enjoying herself, the trials of the castle forgotten, just like the doll she had dropped in the struggle by the Watergate. Riding astride the wonderful beast with its magical horn, she felt immense power and pride. It was so beautiful. She was determined to have such a creature herself when she returned home.
They raced on, gradually pulling away from the winged pursuers. They neared the woodland. Fatefully, the unicorn stumbled. Justin desperately hauled the animal up whilst somehow preventing Gloria from toppling to the ground. The damage was done. Frost was lame. He gallantly cantered forward. In vain: Justin knew that the race was over.
He flung himself from the unicorn’s back and dragged Gloria with him. “We will have to make for the woods!” he yelled. “We may be able to hide there!” Gloria began to protest and Justin, tired of her tantrums, picked her up and tossed her up over his shoulder. He shouted at the unicorn to flee. He could hardly bear to think of the revenge his mother might take on such a marvellous beast.
He raced towards the trees, hampered by Gloria who was heavier than she looked and his own fatigue. Gloria continued to struggle and kick. Seconds later Justin heard the familiar beat of wings behind him. He dumped Gloria on the ground. They were so near the trees. “Run!” he yelled at the child and with the confusion above, she did as he bid, hiding in the bushes nearby.
The birds whirled overhead making his retreat impossible; remarkably none attacked. It seemed as if they were awaiting a command. In that instant, amid the blazing torches, the unicorn reappeared and despite his lameness launched himself forward. His silver horn slashed and stabbed at the Talon Schreechers above. Infuriated, the creatures waited no longer. They attacked, dropping their torches to the earth as they wheeled in towards the maddened animal.
“No!” cried Justin whipping out his dagger and leaping and lunging towards the nearest Schreecher. On the ground several torches began to smoulder.
“Cease, this uproar!” commanded a voice from above. Crudelitas had arrived. She held a silver arrow aloft and placed it against the bow whilst balancing herself on Copperlite, using only her knees. This time she didn’t waste words. She aimed and fired the arrow. It flashed through the air seeming to tear the dark apart…
Justin and the Chimaera
The chariot careered madly across the night sky, whilst the girls clung on desperately to the leather straps. Chari’s nerves were in shreds. Fi just shut her eyes and prayed.
Gloria, however, stood up defiantly, and just managed to look over the side of the chariot. In the distance she could still glimpse a flickering row or torches. She knew the Earl’s men were in pursuit, so she smiled. The glowing chariot with its flaming axle must be easy to see in the night sky, she thought contentedly.
Justin fought to control his fiery steed, but his arms were aching with the effort and casting an anxious glance behind he could see that the Earl’s men were gaining. If they caught them, the stallion might become a target for an arrow and he certainly would, he thought nervously. Fi and Chari might also be in danger! After everything they had gone through he could not bear to think of that. He must get them away. Critically, he was far from the waterfall; the stallion was becoming very tired and the chariot was creaking ominously. He was amazed that they was still airborne and knew it couldn’t be long before they would be forced to land.
He made a reluctant decision. They wouldn’t try to cross the Tempus at the waterfall or anywhere else, they must attempt to reach the much nearer mountain range of Hell’s Teeth. He wouldn’t have chosen Hell’s Teeth and a journey across Dragon Realm as a route, unless he no longer had a choice!
He turned the stallion to the east. At least that would confuse the Earl’s men.
Ten minutes later, as they neared the foothills to Hell’s Teeth he realized that even if the stallion succeeded in reaching the mountains, it would be unable to climb high enough to clear the first ridge trailing the chariot. It no longer fought for its head, its wing beats had slowed becoming more laborious and it began to lose altitude. Justin decided to land. This was hazardous, because of the dark, but the light from the torches in the axle made it possible. Once they had alighted on the ground he would cut the chariot free and see if the stallion could be persuaded to carry them into the mountains. If not, they must escape on foot and there was only one place left to hide, one place the Earl’s men dare not follow.
The landing was extremely bumpy and as the chariot finally skidded to a halt, the axle broke with a shattering crash. Somehow, the girls crouching in the front of the chariot tenaciously hanging on to the straps, managed to stay in the chariot. Shaken and bruised they clambered out as Justin leapt from the stallion’s back to join them. The grateful stallion closed its wings then began to graze.
“Quickly, the Earl’s men will be here in a few minutes. We will have to ride!” Justin gasped.
He handed the stallion’s reins to Fi, loaded Gloria onto the horse’s back and gently helped Chari up giving her an encouraging smile. He mounted the chariot to withdraw the sword and scabbard, climbed down to wipe the sword on the grass and used it to cut the stallion free from the chariot. He attached the scabbard to his belt and forced the sword into it. Finally, he pulled one of torches from the axle. He handed it to Fi, then, hauled her up in front of himself behind the stallion’s wings. He took the reins and kicked the stallion fiercely. It leapt forward, its wings beating frantically. Refreshed by the few moments rest it soared into the air. The Earl’s men thundered into the clearing. Arrows whistled about the stallion’s body, but in seconds, the horse was beyond reach, a trail of flames, marking its journey through the dark.
However, the stallion was nearly exhausted, so within a few moments its wing beats slowed and the exhilarating ride became more desperate as the flight became increasingly erratic.
They succeeded in crossing over a tiny wood which gained them valuable time, yet despite this, the stallion finally dropped to the earth. All Justin’s urging couldn’t keep it in the sky any longer.
It landed awkwardly, nearly tipping the youngsters onto the ground. Somehow everyone managed to stay on its back, although Fi dropped her torch. Fortunately, it was no longer needed, as across the clearing a fiery glow could be seen; it was coming from a massive cave entrance. The stallion whinnied piteously and Justin knew that its race was run.
Everyone dismounted. “We must reach that cave, before the Earl’s men arrive. They’ll not follow us in there!” Justin shouted, as he indicated the entrance. “Run, I’ll follow you!” The girls ran.
Justin patted the stallion gratefully, he was sorry that he had had to be so brutal on the journey; all he could do for it was to leave it to be rescued by the Earl’s men. He backed away steadily towards the cave keeping his eyes focused on the dark wood. He had almost reached the cave when the Earl’s men came crashing through the undergrowth, covering the ground between themselves and him at an alarming rate. He had just enough start and scrambled through a curtain of arrows as he dived into the cave mouth. The Earl’s men halted their pursuit to wait, none dared to venture into Hell’s Throat.
Breathing heavily, Justin looked down at two anxious faces and one disgruntled one.
“I don’t like it here!” said Fi. “It’s spooky!”
“Would you rather be out there!” snapped Justin, between breaths and seeing Fi’s eyes water, he apologized and gave her a hug. In a moment Chari was in his arms also and crying into his shoulder. He dropped a kiss on her hair; he could hardly imagine what the two girls had suffered during the evening, his own feelings had been so terrifying when he had seen Chari being dragged towards the stake. He thought he was used to cruelty and evil. He was wrong! It still had the power to affect him deeply. He breathed sharply, for he knew that the evil had barely begun! But what choice had they? To go back would mean death for all except Gloria, to go forward and on into the cave system gave them some chance.
Fed up, Gloria suddenly decided that she was returning to the Earl. She ran back towards the cave entrance. Even before Justin had time to react, she had stopped, confronted by a great golden shape with bared teeth. Ismowd had returned. Gloria backed towards Justin who grabbed her by an arm and held her fast.
How Ismowd had found them no-one knew and as Fi gave the wolf a hug Chari noticed that his bandage had gone and he appeared to have no obvious sign of injury,
It was puzzling, but unimportant. She was just glad to have him back. Like Fi, she felt safer with the wolf to guide them. She stroked Ismowd’s golden head and smiled.
Seeing her smile, Justin wished he felt like smiling, but he didn’t. The gaping mouth of Hell’s Throat hungrily awaited them!