“Move!” shouted Yas’s mom, ushering them towards the back of the house.
They moved as quickly as they could while trying to support McVale. Behind them they could hear stone grinding on stone. The gargoyle was close, moving faster now. Yas’s mom glanced behind. It was too close.
“Go! Go!” she shouted.
They ran to the back of the house, turned and took a right into a large dining room, facing out to the back lawns. The Gargoyle couldn’t turn as quickly and smashed into the door frame, the wall shuddering under the impact. They ran towards a large dining table, then turned and stopped for a moment, working out which way to go next.
The gargoyle hissed and charged at them. They quickly moved out of the way towards the large French doors. The gargoyle scrabbled for grip on the smooth surface. It smashed into the table, its momentum carrying it forwards. One of the table legs broke under the weight. The creature went down onto all fours to recover, then turned and charged towards them again. Again, they moved out of the way and the gargoyle smashed through the glass and onto the gravel outside.
“Let’s get to the front of the house!” shouted Yas’s mom. “The portal.”
While the gargoyle recovered, they ran back through the house. They reached the front door and looked outside. The werewolf was close by, prowling.
“Crap!” said Sam, as the wolf met his gaze. “What do we do now?”
“The gargoyle!” shouted Yas in alarm, as she saw it emerge back into the hallway. They froze for a moment, trying to decide which direction to run. Then it charged and Yas’s mom pulled them out of the way into the Great room. The creature lumbered clumsily past them, its momentum causing it to crash through the front door.
They ran back down the hallway.
“This is getting us nowhere,” said Yas’s mom. “We need to get outside.”
“And use magic,” said McVale, who had regained her strength and was now able to run unsupported.
They ran out onto the gravel pathway, about halfway into the back garden, and then turned to face the house. The gargoyle crashed through the debris of the broken door while the hound tried to get through at the same time. The two creatures rolled out onto the gravel together, then regained their footing and faced off, growling and hissing.
“What’s happening?” asked Yas, confused.
“I don’t know,” replied McVale, as they backed up further along the gravel pathway. They watched as the two creatures rushed at each other. The hound lifted onto its hind legs, while the gargoyle flapped its wings and had its talons outstretched to try to gain a height advantage. They clashed, the hound scraping on stone as it tried to get a hold on the creature.
Behind them, the water from the fountain had stopped flowing. They hadn’t noticed that the lion statue that had been there had stepped down. There was movement behind them.
“Crap!” shouted Yas, as she caught sight of the lion.
“There’s more?” asked McVale angrily.
“Looks that way,” agreed Yas’s mom, resigned. “Let’s split up.”
McVale moved right with Yas’s mom, while Yas and Sam moved to the left. McVale started to try to form a ball of magic in her hand as defence, but something was wrong. It sputtered and flickered but wouldn’t form. She looked puzzled.
“What do we do now?” Yas called out. She also started to try to form a word net in the palm of her hand. To her relief, the ball started to grow. She figured that McVale was still too exhausted from the transformation to be able to conjure her own.
Her mom looked to each of the creatures in turn. The four of them were trapped, the three creatures blocking their path. The gargoyle and hound were still fighting but moving closer to Yas’s mom and McVale, while the lion was further up the garden, blocking Yas and Sam.
The hound spotted the lion and growled. The lion roared back and charged, colliding with the hound and rolling backwards towards the house. The gargoyle leapt and crashed down on top of the other two also. Jaws snapped and talons scraped. The hound wriggled itself free, cuts now evident along its flank. It was limping. It backed off from both creatures, keeping them in sight, with Yas, her mom, McVale and Sam behind it.
“We need to distract them long enough that we can get back to the portal,” said Yas. “Word nets might buy us some time?”
“No wait,” said Sam. “I think the wolf is trying to protect us.”
“What?” asked Yas, incredulously. “Why do you say that?”
“Wait,” repeated Sam.
The gargoyle made a run towards them. The hound intercepted it, grabbing it on one wing. The momentum enabled the hound to swing it around and send it back the way it came, crashing into the lion.
“I’m sure of it,” said Sam.
“Its injured, though,” said Yas in alarm, pointing at the blood running down its hind legs. She didn’t know how long it would be able to keep up its defence.
“I wonder if we can help it,” said Sam, remembering magic that he had used inside for McVale. He opened his hand and looked at it expectantly.
“What?” asked Yas, wanting more information. “We should make a move now, while we still have a chance.”
“But if its healed,” continued Sam, ignoring her. “Then it can help us get away.”
“What about your dad?” asked Yas.
“I don’t think he’s here,” he said sadly. He looked down at his hand, where glowing words started to appear, and move forwards. “But maybe the wolf is a clue?”
Yas connected the dots and realised what Sam was thinking. “Oh right! The wolf and your dad were shown to us in Alexandria!”
“Yeah,” agreed Sam, focussing on the magic starting to flow from his hand. He shrugged. “It’s a long shot and maybe its wishful thinking... but I have to try something.”
“Come on,” she said, touching him on the arm. She realised that this must be difficult. They’d found McVale. It was only natural that he would be thinking about his dad now. Yas held up her hand and tried to copy the sentiment and feeling of healing. The word ball that had been forming in her hand transformed into a glowing gold network of words. While a standoff was happening between the wolf and the creatures, she threw it forwards so that it opened over the wolf.
The wolf looked around itself, confused. It couldn’t move.
The gargoyle and lion approached, realising that they had the advantage for the moment. They growled.
“Oh, crap,” said Yas, realising she’d made a mistake.
“No, you don’t,” said Yas’s mom, also seeing what was happening. She threw a word ball over the top of the wolf. It exploded on the ground in front of the two creatures. The lion and gargoyle hesitated for a moment. It gave McVale and Yas’s mom time to move around the wolf and push the creatures back further with more magic. Yas stayed back near Sam.
Sam watched as a glow started to emanate from the wolf. It started to blur the edges of the creature, containing it within a bubble of light. Then gradually, there was a change from within. The features started to change.
“What’s happening?” asked Yas, in dismay. “What have we done?”
“I don’t know,” replied Sam. “Its transforming somehow. Like McVale.”
The gargoyle and the lion stopped gnarling for a moment and watched the glowing wolf also. Then the two creatures moved apart, the gargoyle staying near the door, while the lion moved further along the back of the house. Yas’s mom and McVale were in between them and Yas and Sam. They felt as though the creatures were moving to surround them.
“What are they waiting for?” asked Yas’s mom, creating a protective shield next to her.
“I’m not sure,” answered McVale. “Something or someone.”
“Who?” asked Yas’s mom, glancing back at the wolf to see what was happening to it.
The creature was transforming. Where the edges had been glowing, now they were unknitting and reforming. The shape was becoming smaller, clothes replacing wolf hair. The creature turned
to face Sam. Its face was changing too, the wolf’s nose and hair shrinking inwards to become human.
“Dad!” Sam called out and rushed forwards to hug his father. His dad looked up weakly, confused, before collapsing onto the grass.
The gargoyle and lion resumed their attack, moving forwards, stalking their prey. Each time they made a move forwards, they were pushed back by word magic, wielded by Yas’s mom.
“They could be more effective if they paired up against us,” observed McVale.
“Don’t give them ideas!” shouted Yas’s mom crossly, fending off another lurch forwards from the gargoyle. She fought back with word arrows that the creature swatted out of the way.
“I think their job is simply to keep us from leaving,” observed McVale.
“To keep us from...” Yas’s mom started, then the penny dropped. “You mean it’s a trap?”
“Yes,” replied McVale. “My guess is that help is on the way.”
Yas’s mom looked round at Yas, Sam and his dad. Sam had helped his dad up onto his feet but his dad looked lost, a blank expression on his face. He was unlikely to be much use in their fight.
“We need to go,” she said quickly. “You help your dad, Sam. Yas I need you with me.”
Yas nodded and moved over to where her mom was, then she too created a protective shield and started firing word balls at the creatures.
“We need to get back to the portal,” Yas suggested to her mom.
“Yes,” her mom agreed. She moved forwards, firing magic word arrows as fast as she could to force the gargoyle back. It worked, but only for a moment.
‘Whoomph! Whoomph!’ Two portals opened between them and the house. A tall rakish man, Orfeo, came through one. He moved towards the gargoyle.
A tall striking lady, dressed severely in black, arrived through the other. She made her way to the left and along the gravel pathway towards the water fountain, cutting off any means of escape in that direction.
“Well done,” said Orfeo patting the gargoyle, approvingly.
“Who are you?” asked Yas’s mom angrily, looking to Orfeo and then the lady behind her. She could see that their way back to the portal was blocked. Then, an understanding dawned on her. “Ahh, Controllers!”
“I see that you have been able to undo the magic,” Orfeo nodded towards Sam’s dad. “We were hoping you would be able to.”
“What do you want?” Sam’s dad, Peter, asked. He was able to stand freely now, but he was still unsteady.
Orfeo laughed. “The magic takes a while to fade,” isn’t that so Ms. McVale? You’ll find that the mind is still susceptible to suggestion for some time.”
He looked playfully across the garden.
“Mouse?”
McVale looked across involuntarily, about to run off in search of prey. Yas’s mom grabbed McVale by the arm. She regarded Orfeo distastefully.
Orfeo laughed again, clearly enjoying himself.
Yas’s mom took the opportunity to guide McVale away from Orfeo, the two of them walking parallel to the back of the house and towards the right-hand edge of the gardens. She wondered if the Controllers would follow, clearing a route for them back through the broken French doors.
“Smells are still strong,” said Peter, more for himself. “Someone smells of fear.”
“Who?” Sam asked.
Yas’s mom moved closer to the side of the gardens. She glanced around. Thankfully, Peter and Sam were also moving with them.
“Prepare a defence,” she whispered as quietly as she could to Yas, opening her hand briefly to indicate streaks of ink in her hand. Yas nodded and started to form word arrows also up her sleeve. McVale saw and did likewise.
The gargoyle made a move to follow them, but Orfeo tapped it on the shoulder.
“You stay here.” He took some paces to follow them but stayed a little further back. “I don’t know where you think you’re going.”
Yas looked at Sam and indicated down to her hand as subtly as she could. Peter also understood and decided to provide a distraction.
“Why are you afraid?” he challenged.
Orfeo looked at him questioningly. “Me?” he asked. “No, I think you’re very much mistaken. Perhaps its one of the two young people here today? Maybe Sam?” he said, looking at Sam. Then turning his head to face Yas. “Yas?”
“How do you know our names?” Sam asked angrily.
“A little birdie,” answered Orfeo sarcastically. With Peter’s senses still heightened, the suggestion was enough to cause him to look about, sniffing.
Orfeo laughed again. “It never grows old.”
“Dad,” urged Sam gently, to bring him into the present. Peter looked up at Orfeo, annoyed, realising what the man had done.
“Vickers?” Sam asked Orfeo, to confirm his suspicion about who had provided their names. Orfeo just smiled in response.
“I knew it,” said Sam, to himself.
“What do you want from us?” asked Peter.
“Its quite simple, really,” said Orfeo. “We need the two youngsters here to bring us the peacekeepers.”
“The peacekeepers?” asked Yas, remembering that McVale had said the word when she had transformed. “Who are they?”
“Sounds like a hippie rock band,” quipped Sam.
Yas’s mom continued to move further along the back of the house. She could see that their way was still blocked back past the gargoyle. Orfeo was keeping pace with them but a little behind, while the lion moved with them, close to the house. The other lady kept guard near the water fountain, with word balls at the ready should they decide to make a break in that direction.
“Oh, come now,” replied Orfeo, looking at Yas’s mom. “You haven’t shared the information, have you?”
Yas looked at her mom. “Mom?”
Yas’s mom stopped and turned to face Yas.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” she said bluntly. Then, signalling with her eyes to the hedge, Yas could see that a gap was starting to become visible. She gave the slightest of nods back to her mom.
Yas’s mom turned and fired a volley of word arrows towards Orfeo. McVale fired towards the lion, while Yas and Sam also fired word magic as a distraction. They all ran towards the hedge.
Orfeo was taken by surprise. He fended off the first few incoming shots before conjuring a protective sphere around himself. The lion moved backwards, colliding with the wall of the house while trying to avoid the shots. The other lady ran forwards, throwing her word balls, but she had also been caught off-guard and was too far away.
“Idiots!” shouted Orfeo. “Raelinn! After them!”
“Go,” Raelinn called, directing both the lion and the gargoyle to run after the others. She joined them. Orfeo followed.
Yas’s mom had bought enough time for the five of them to duck through the opening in the hedge. There were at least two rows of hedge, running from the front to the back of the property, providing a secluded walkway. They turned right and ran towards the front of the house.
“Stop them!” they heard Orfeo shout from behind.
Yas looked over her shoulder. The lion had reached the opening first and crashed through, struggling to change direction quickly. Vines snapped and pulled apart to then reform, threatening to entrap the creature’s limbs.
Ahead of Yas’s mom, the path ended. A wall of hedge grew up in front of them. They turned left and headed away from the house. Then after another sprint, they reached another turn, taking them back on their original path. The corners gave them some cover from behind.
“It’s a maze?” asked Yas.
“I hope we don’t hit a dead end,” said her mom. That didn’t give Yas the confidence she was looking for.
“I can create a barrier,” said McVale. “Create a diversion.”
“No,” shouted Yas, as McVale dropped to the back of the group and started to wield magic. The sides of the hedges broke away around her and then reformed to create a blockade.
“Thi
nk of the portal, Yas,” said her mom, trying to focus Yas on what they needed. “We need it to be open when we get there.”
There was a crashing sound behind them. Yas glanced backwards to see the lion breaking through the barrier that McVale had just created. Behind them, Raelinn was using magic to re-open the hedge and Orfeo fired word arrows through the gap.
“Incoming,” shouted Peter. He lifted his hand to create a blue shield above them. It flickered and fizzled though and was not completely successful in protecting them.
“Damn it” he muttered, as they continued to run.
“It’s the magic,” said McVale from behind. “It takes a while for your abilities to return.”
The arrows landed around and in front of them, wriggling into the ground and then throwing up new tendrils of hedge at an alarming rate. They had to be careful to avoid being caught. Ahead, a new barrier was growing quickly. It would take them too much time to stop and unknit it.
“Mom?” called Yas in alarm. She glanced backwards and could see Raelinn and Orfeo firing fresh volleys of arrows.
Yas’s mom created an opening to their right, which they dived through gratefully. It took them into another section that was closer to the house. Once they were all through, McVale stopped briefly and did what she could to seal the gap behind them. She ran on again, but the Controllers were able to deal with the obstruction much more quickly. They were closing in and McVale was not able to catch back up to the four of them.
“Keep going!” shouted Yas’s mom in encouragement to McVale. She could see she was tiring quickly.
They could see the front edge of the mansion above them to their right. It was close to where they needed to be. In her mind, Yas asked for an opening just ahead of them on their right. She was relieved to see the hedge unknit to let them through.
More arrows landed around them from their rear, and one caught McVale around her ankle, causing her to trip and fall.
“Ms. McVale!” called Yas in alarm as she heard McVale yelp.
“Yas!” her mom urged.
“But,” called Yas, hesitating for a moment, wanting to go back and help.
“Go,” said McVale, creating a doorway in the hedgerow. She wriggled her ankle free and scrambled quickly through it, just as the lion and Raelinn reached her. They continued past.
The Word Guardians: and the Battle for the Peacekeepers Page 17