Labyrinth Junction

by Hayley Davenport-Smith

  “Where’s he gone?” shouted a deep voice from behind. The odd-looking creatures rode around, looking frantic and confused.

  “He just disappeared!” shouted another.

  The King galloped down the hillside behind them. “What happened?” he screeched angrily. “You can’t possibly have let him escape, you imbeciles!”

  “He just disappeared!” repeated one of the horned beings. “One minute he was running down the hill and the next minute he just vanished, Your Highness!”

  “A Giddle who uses magic?!” screamed the King. “I will not allow it. I don’t care how long it takes; he must be found!”

  King Ados turned his horse to go back in the direction from which he had come. “When he is found I want him brought to the palace immediately!” he shrieked angrily.

  He rode off into the distance with the tall, ugly guard, who Ben presumed was probably his right-hand man. The weird creatures gathered together, looking angry and stern, and Ben could hear them muttering. He used the opportunity to flee towards the woods; the quicker he escaped from them, the better. Besides, he didn’t know how long the magic sweet’s effect would last and how soon he would be visible again.

  The creatures finished their frantic discussion and rode off in various directions, searching for him. To Ben’s relief, he eventually made it to the edge of the wood and rested on a fallen tree until they were completely out of sight.

  Whilst he sat, he thought about his family and wondered if he would ever see them again. His mother would surely be wondering where he was by now. He had gone out to play and she had told him to be back by lunchtime. Ben realised he shouldn’t have run down to the beach, but when he had bumped into Owen and Jacob and they had started calling him names, he had panicked. Jacob was a mean individual with a huge ego. He would manipulate Owen in a sneaky way to serve his evil antics, which wasn’t difficult when Owen was far too gullible! Ben didn’t believe Owen was a nasty child, just easily led and a little silly.

  He thought about how much trouble he would be in when he got home for disobeying his mother. His two older brothers were allowed to go wherever they pleased and had lots of friends, but Ben was forever being told he was too young to be out all day on his own. He also had two little sisters, and they always seemed to get lots of attention because they were young and pretty. Ben blamed everything on being a middle child! He was only twelve years old, but often came across as wise for his years… not in a nerdy kind of way, but in the way he expressed himself and judged grown-up situations. He was of average height for a twelve-year-old, with dark auburn hair and beautiful big green eyes. He was a good-natured, sociable boy who was often told he talked far too much, but despite this he was an excellent scholar who always aimed to please. His dad’s job had recently changed, and the family had relocated to the coast from the city. His brothers and sisters had settled well, but Ben had struggled to make friends. A lot of the other boys in the class kept calling him ‘the new boy’ and belittling him; Ben wasn’t sure whether it was because he was more intelligent than the average twelve-year-old or because he talked too much. He had thought about telling his mother, but felt embarrassed and thought that she might go storming into school to speak to the head teacher. That would only make matters worse!

  As Ben sat pondering, he suddenly felt the tingling sensation return to his fingers. It spread up his arms and legs and then through his whole body. After a few more seconds the tingling stopped and he realised he was visible again. Ben wasn’t sure whether this was a good or bad thing, but he did feel a sense of relief that the sweets hadn’t made him permanently invisible.

  “How did you do that?” asked a voice from behind him. Ben swung around and saw the blonde girl standing in the trees a few feet away. Her bright blue eyes studied him with caution.

  “Where were you hiding?”

  “I came to lie low in the wood,” said the girl gently, as she flicked her long, tousled hair behind her shoulder. “I know all the secret hiding places around here. You haven’t answered my question… how did you do that? You just disappeared!”

  “An old hag gave me some magic sweets,” said Ben proudly. “I think she was a witch!”

  “There’s no such thing as witches!”

  “I saw her with my own eyes!” Ben insisted.

  “Prove it… give me a magic sweet and I’ll see if it makes me invisible too!”

  “The witch told me that they only work on Giddles. Are you a Giddle?” asked Ben.

  “Oh no, I’m not a Giddle. I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never actually seen one. I heard that Giddles are children from Earthlingcragg. Are you from Earthlingcragg?”

  “Well, I must be,” said Ben. “The witch told me I’m a Giddle.”

  “Well, you certainly don’t look like you are from around here,” added the girl as she studied him in detail. “You have brown hair and green eyes.”

  “Don’t people have brown hair and green eyes here?” asked Ben curiously.

  “No,” stated the girl softly, “not people, anyway. All the people have blonde hair and blue eyes like me. Some of the Unicerons have dark hair, but not the people.”

  “What are Unicerons?”

  “Unicerons are those funny-looking small beings with horns on their heads. We call them Unicerons because they remind us of weird unicorn-type creatures. Everyone knows unicorns don’t exist, but Unicerons do! Beware of them… they support the King and they are our enemies! Anyway, how did you get here?”

  “I came through Labyrinth Junction!”

  The girl stared at him with an amazed look on her pretty face. “Labyrinth Junction? Do you mean it’s near here? People have been searching for Labyrinth Junction for years!”

  “I came out of the passageway just up the hillside, the place where you ran past me, but when I turned to go back down it had disappeared!”

  “I’ve never seen Labyrinth Junction,” chirped the girl, “but I’ve heard the tales about it. It’s supposed to be a gateway to other worlds, but people say it never stays in the same place for too long. King Ados and his men have been looking for it for years. They want to make sure it is destroyed so that nobody can enter or leave our land. If anyone sees it, they are to report it to the King immediately!”

  “I need to find it!” declared Ben anxiously. “I want to go home. My mother will be wondering where I am… she’ll be worried.”

  “Well, I’m afraid I cannot help you,” answered the girl sadly.

  Ben looked at her glumly. “Why were you running away from the King?”

  “Because this is his property and we are trespassing on his land. I often come here to play in the woods, but anyone who is found will be punished and locked away on Numblebrook Island Prison. King Ados isn’t a very nice king; he’s wicked and mean. The people here don’t like him, but they are too scared to do anything about it. If he finds you he will imprison you immediately; he detests Giddles.”

  “What’s Numblebrook Island Prison? It sounds scary!” Ben asked apprehensively.

  “It’s a prison on one of the islands in the sky. It’s a miserable place where people are used as slaves. They cannot escape as there is nowhere to go, unless they jump off the island that is, but it’s so high up they would never survive. King Ados imprisons anyone who dares to disobey him, that’s if he doesn’t kill them first.”

  “The sword in his hand had a glowing light around it!”

  “That’s the Sword of Gwyntog. It’s a magic sword. In the wrong hands it can cause great harm. It used to belong to the Moonbeamers when they ruled the land and they used its power wisely, but King Ados uses it to cause nothing but death and destruction.”

  Ben shuddered at the thought.

  “I’m Amy, by the way. What’s your name? I’ve never met a Giddle before. To be honest, I wasn’t sure they even existed!” Amy held out her hand.

 
“My name’s Benjamin, but people call me Ben.”

  “Benjamin Giddle, that’s what I will call you,” she laughed.

  Ben liked Amy immediately. She looked to be around the same age as himself, and was an attractive girl with a huge smile and kind, crystal-blue eyes. She seemed forthright and outspoken, but an honest and likeable type. Although Ben had only just met her, his instincts told him that she would make a genuine and loyal friend who could be trusted.

  “I must find my way home. Do you know anyone who could help me?” he pleaded.

  “Maybe I could take you to the Citadel.”

  “What’s the Citadel?”

  “It’s where the Moonbeamers live. They are the true kings of this land, but evil King Ados’ father stole the crown from them. They were kind and fair and ruled the land well. When King Ados’ father stole the crown, the Moonbeamers were banished to the Citadel. They were told they could live there in peace as long as they did not try to take back the realm. Some say they still possess some of their old magic. They might know where to find Labyrinth Junction… follow me, I’ll take you there!”

  Ben accompanied Amy out of the woods and back onto the grassy slope. He looked up at the islands floating in the sky and wondered which of them was Numblebrook Island Prison. Amy took a long yellow whistle from her pocket and blew into it. To Ben’s astonishment, within seconds a bright green dragon was flying towards them with huge spiked wings. It circled in the air several times, before gliding down and landing a few feet away from them on the grass. Ben stumbled backwards in surprise.

  “Don’t worry,” laughed the girl, “this is Shami, she’s my pet dragon and she’s very friendly.”

  Shami knelt down and Amy patted her gently. Shami licked her hand fondly and blinked her huge, friendly eyes. Amy then held on to one of the dragon’s spikes and swung her right leg over her back. “Hurry up, jump on!” she shouted to Ben. “It will be going dark soon. If we hurry we can just about make it to the Citadel before nightfall.”

  Ben was alarmed and really not too keen on the idea of climbing onto a strange dragon’s back. Other options raced through his mind. If he stayed here he might risk being caught by King Ados’ guards and locked away in Numblebrook Island Prison. He gazed at Amy and the dragon in silence. He was too afraid to stay here alone and Amy seemed like the safest option. With his mind made up, he tiptoed quietly over to Shami and cautiously placed his hand on the dragon’s side, wondering how on earth he would manage to climb onto such a large beast. The dragon’s scales felt rough to touch, and he could feel the movement of the gigantic animal’s breathing beneath his fingers.

  “Here, let me help you up,” shouted Amy, as she reached out her hand. Ben gripped it tightly and she helped haul him up onto Shami’s large, spiked back. “Put your arms around my waist and hold on tight!” she shouted excitedly.

  Before Ben could protest, the dragon spread her enormous wings and rose up into the sky.

  Chapter 3

  The Citadel

  Ben could feel himself rising higher and higher, and was too afraid to open his eyes. The air felt cool and the breeze was fresh on his windswept face.

  “Look at the view, Benjamin Giddle; it’s beautiful from up here,” shouted Amy. She was sitting just in front of Ben, but still had to shout to make herself heard over the sound of the wind.

  Ben slowly opened his eyes and, despite his fear of heights, gasped in awe at the breathtaking view. They were high up in the blue sky, above the floating islands and far above the land. He looked down at the islands and noticed several dragons in many bright colours gliding through the sky.

  “Do the dragons live on the islands?” he shouted nervously.

  “Yes,” replied Amy, “most of them, anyway. Some of them, like Shami, have owners, but they usually go back to the islands at nightfall.”

  “Are they all friendly?”

  “Not the red dragons, they are vicious and live alone. Never approach a red dragon, or you could pay for it with your life!”

  As Shami began to change direction, Ben held on tightly and leaned to the side to keep his balance. Amy pointed towards the hillside below, and Ben saw what appeared to be a fairy-tale white castle surrounded by a wide moat. A huge bridge crossed the water and led to the gigantic, wooden front gates. Guards appeared almost like dots, positioned high on the castle walls between the four pointed turrets.

  “That’s King Ados’ palace; it’s called Cottisham Castle. It’s a beautiful place, but nobody dares to go there as King Ados doesn’t allow visitors. It used to belong to the Moonbeamers when they ruled the land.”

  Ben stared in wonder at the magnificent, majestic palace, until something suddenly caught his eye far above the castle. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to one of the floating islands which was bigger than the others. Two large buildings stood on the island, and Ben was horrified to see people in chains.

  “That’s Numblebrook Island Prison,” replied Amy. “That’s where the King sends anyone who dares to disobey his rules. The Unicerons are his guards, and prisoners are locked in cells at night. During the day they have to do manual work, whatever the King requests. Nobody can escape because of where they are, and most people who get sent to the prison are never seen again.”

  Ben shuddered at the thought. “What a ghastly place! How do they get up there?”

  “The King had a special prison chariot made. He owns a huge red dragon which is under his spell. He uses the dragon to pull the chariot and take prisoners to and from the island.”

  A chill went through Ben, and he prayed he would never have to visit such a vile place.

  They carried on flying for what seemed like hours. They passed over rocky mountains, deep ravines, dense forests and bright blue lakes. Ben’s fear of heights gradually subsided and he began to feel at ease and started to enjoy the journey.

  By the time Shami started to glide downwards, it was beginning to go dark.

  “Look, Ben, we’re nearly there… that’s the Citadel,” shouted Amy, pointing to what looked like a small city built into the side of a mountain. Balconies bowed out and waterfalls cascaded down between stone buildings and luscious green trees. Some of the large balconies contained gardens full of brightly coloured flowers and shrubs. They landed gently on the ground at the base of the mountain outside some huge metal gates, and quickly jumped down from Shami’s back. Despite the fact that Ben had begun to relax during the flight, he felt relieved to feel the ground beneath his feet again.

  “Good girl, Shami,” said Amy. She took something from her pocket, and the dragon took it eagerly. “Ginger apples,” she said. “It’s her favourite treat.”

  Amy was obviously very fond of the dragon, and she stroked her head lovingly as she ate. She then turned to walk towards the gates, where a pleasant-looking Moonbeamer with elfin features sat in a tall sentry box. Ben looked in surprise at the slight haze around him, which shimmered as he moved and spoke.

  “What can I do for you?” asked the Moonbeamer politely.

  “We would like to speak to the senior Moonbeamers if possible,” replied Amy.

  “They have an important meeting tonight and have asked not to be disturbed!”

  “Is there any chance they could just spare us a few minutes? We really need a little advice. Please, it’s very important!” pleaded Amy.

  “As I’ve already told you, they have an important meeting tonight and they have asked not to be disturbed; not unless it’s urgent.”

  “But this is urgent!” stressed Amy. “My friend Benjamin needs to find his way back to Labyrinth Junction and we have no idea how to find it.”

  “Labyrinth Junction hasn’t been seen for years. The Moonbeamers won’t be able to help you.”

  “But I’ve just come from there earlier today!” proclaimed Ben. “One minute it was there and the next minute it had vanished. My mum wil
l be wondering where I am!”

  “That can’t possibly be true… telling fibs won’t help you!” the Moonbeamer snapped, becoming a little impatient.

  “Honestly, I’m telling the truth – why don’t you believe me?” begged Ben as he felt all hope starting to fade.

  At first the Moonbeamer looked unconvinced, but then he slowly started to study Ben with interest. “Well, you certainly don’t look very much like the children from around here. You haven’t got yellow hair, for a start!”

  “He’s a Giddle!” exclaimed Amy excitedly. “Can’t you tell?”

  “Well, I’ve never seen a Giddle before! If that’s the case, you had better come in!”

  Ben’s eyes brightened as the Moonbeamer climbed down from the sentry box and banged on the metal gates.

  “Open up, open up!” he shouted.

  The screeching of bolts being drawn back could be heard, before the huge gates creaked open. The sentry signalled to another Moonbeamer in red clothing and whispered something in his ear. The Moonbeamer studied Ben curiously before gliding off through the large doorway at the base of the mountain, shimmering as he went.

  “He’s a messenger,” said the sentry. “He’s advising the senior Moonbeamers of your arrival.”

  He then turned and called to a pretty female Moonbeamer. “Tia, I need you to escort these two children to the Great Hall; they wish to speak to the senior Moonbeamers.”