Jack Staples and the Ring of Time

by Mark Batterson

  It was too late to move without being seen, but if Alexia stayed still, then what? She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think. Moving slowly, she stood on her toes and readied herself to spring. Silently slipping a stone into her sling, she let it drop to her side. Had the old hag placed her here so she could be eaten? The thought infuriated her.

  Alexia had no more time to think. The first of the beasts had arrived. To her left was an Oriax with the arms and tail of a monkey and the body and head of a tiger. Before it moved to the next branch, another arrived on her right. This Oriax had the wings of an eagle and the body and head of a wolverine. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see even more of them arriving below.

  This is the end, she thought.

  And then the lightning came. Out of a clear night sky, bright bolts exploded all around her.

  Chapter 16

  WHERE THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE

  Arthur watched in absolute terror as the Shadule carried Jack away. All around, lightning exploded, throwing debris high into the air. It was so close he could feel the electricity flowing along his skin.

  Not allowing himself to think further, he stood and squeezed his eyes shut. Then, screaming at the top of his lungs, he ran and dove on the Shadule’s back. As he slammed into the creature, it stumbled to the ground, and Jack slipped from its arms. Arthur landed on top, with his face pressed against the Shadule’s clammy skin.

  With a viper’s speed, the Shadule melted away and bonelessly whipped around, its mouth open wider than should have been possible as it readied for a deadly attack. Arthur was sure he was about to die when an arrow flew past his head and pierced the creature’s shoulder.

  A moment later a bolt of lightning struck again. It was so close that both Arthur and the Shadule were flung high into the air before landing in a rainfall of dirt and debris.

  Arthur’s ears rang loudly as he struggled to his feet.

  “Run!” Arthur heard Wild scream.

  Wild leaned heavily against the side of the wagon and was bleeding from multiple wounds. His right arm was badly burned, yet he had somehow managed to nock another arrow. Arthur didn’t wait to see what happened next. He knew their only hope was to find Mrs. Dumphry. Stumbling into the night, he screamed for help.

  Jack opened his eyes groggily. He was lying on his back staring at a lightning-streaked sky. His leg throbbed from a wound he had no memory of receiving. As he rolled onto his side, he saw a strange black-winged creature. It was facing a wild-eyed boy holding a bow and arrow. I know that boy, Jack thought. That’s Ethan Wild!

  As Ethan loosed the arrow, the creature moved fluidly to the side, letting it fly past.

  “Run!” Ethan yelled at Jack, loosing another arrow.

  With fear and adrenaline surging through him, Jack struggled to his feet and ran. And though his leg burned like fire, he made himself keep going. Lightning struck all around, shattering earth and setting trees ablaze.

  As Jack ran, a beast that looked to be part monkey and part hawk flew out of the trees above him. When it saw Jack, it screeched loudly, flapped its wings, and sped toward him.

  This must be a nightmare, Jack thought as he ran. But nightmare or not, Jack Staples still ran.

  The tree shook violently as lightning struck the earth below. Alexia clung to the trunk, somehow managing to stay on her branch. It’s not possible! The thought pounded through her head. How can lightning strike when there is no storm?

  The two Oriax that had been on either side of Alexia were gone, each killed by one of the bolts. Yet many more creatures were arriving in the surrounding trees. One of them, part gorilla and part vulture, spotted Alexia, and leaped at her from a nearby branch.

  Although fear surged inside her, she also felt bone-deep rage. The old woman thinks she can kill me this easily? I’ll show her! Clearing her mind of all distractions, Alexia gave herself to the trees. This was her true home. She’d lived in the trees longer than she’d lived anywhere. If these beasts thought they could come into her home and kill her, she would show them just how wrong they were.

  As the Oriax swung toward her, Alexia dropped a stone into the fold of her sling and ran down the length of the branch. As she reached the end, she turned and leaped outward, swinging the sling around even as she flew backward through the air. In one fluid motion, she loosed the stone and spun around to grab hold of the branch of a nearby elm.

  Although her stone struck the Oriax in the face, she’d missed the center of its vulture head. The beast shrieked, then looped its gorilla arms around the branch and shuffled toward her. It dove at Alexia as she stepped off the branch and dropped. When the Oriax landed, it looked around in confusion, its blood-red eyes searching for the girl who had been there a moment earlier. Alexia was now hanging from the branch by one arm, her hand gripped just between the Oriax’s feet.

  When the beast looked down, she swung the sling with all her might, and this time her stone struck true. As the Oriax fell from the branch, Alexia crawled back up, then turned and vomited out everything that was in her stomach.

  Lightning continued to strike, and all around the forest, entire trees burst into flames. As Alexia searched the surrounding trees, she gasped, almost losing her balance. Mrs. Dumphry was standing in the forest, surrounded by Oriax. At least fifty of the beasts were running, hopping, slithering, and flying at her from every direction.

  The old woman spun and leaped about like an acrobat, streams of white-hot flames exploding from her palms and crashing into the beasts. Dead Oriax lay scattered all around, yet for every Oriax that went down, two more came to take its place.

  Alexia didn’t have time to continue watching—an Oriax with the head of a pig and the body of a squirrel climbed steadily toward her. As she scanned the surrounding trees, she spotted four more of the beasts hunting her. Alexia slipped another stone into her sling and ran through the trees.

  Arthur ran blindly, screaming for Mrs. Dumphry, though his screams were lost among the crackling booms of lightning. When he finally saw his teacher, she was surrounded by Oriax.

  Arthur watched in wonder as spiderwebs of flame exploded into the beasts. The fire was coming from Mrs. Dumphry! As she spun, for just a moment she spotted Arthur, and when their eyes met, her expression shifted from determination to shock.

  The world suddenly flashed a brilliant white, and Arthur had the distinct sensation of flying, just before he slammed into something solid. Lying flat on his back, the sky spun around him as the rain of lightning ceased. Arthur blinked up at the night sky and felt a sticky wet substance dripping from his face. When he touched his left eye, he was surprised to find his hand covered in blood.

  “Where is the Staples boy? I told you to stay with him!”

  Arthur tried to focus his good eye on Mrs. Dumphry. Her hair was out of its bun and hanging wildly around her shoulders, and her face was streaked in grime. “The creature with the”—he cut off, trying to make his voice work—“with the white eyes. It’s got Jack!”

  “Where?” A look of horror crossed his teacher’s face as she bounded to her feet.

  “At the wagon,” Arthur croaked. Mrs. Dumphry picked up her skirts and ran.

  Jack stumbled through the forest, running as fast as his wounded leg would allow. From high up in the trees, the strange creature that was a mixture of monkey and bird flew toward him.

  “You cannot hide from me, child,” a voice rasped from behind. “I have known your smell since before Time was born!”

  Jack turned to see the milk-eyed creature slithering behind him. His leg screamed at him to stop, but adrenaline and fear pushed him forward. The forest blazed as whole trees burned brightly. Between the flying beast above, the slithering creature behind, and the fire all around, Jack was quickly running out of options.

  “You belong with us,” the creature called. Jack didn’t look back, but he could hear its voice clo
se behind. “You cannot run from your destiny! You are the Child of Prophecy!”

  Jack dropped to the ground as the monkey-headed beast swooped down and missed him by a hair. He tried to stand again, but his leg protested and he collapsed. As he struggled to rise, Jack knew it was too late.

  A split second before the flying beast arrived again, the milk-eyed creature streaked through the air, knocking the beast aside. “Mine!” it screamed. “The Child of Prophecy is mine!”

  Jack struggled to his feet as the creature picked up the flying beast and flung it against a nearby tree.

  Rounding on Jack, the creature’s great wings unfurled from its body as it glided toward him. In the light of the blazing trees, Jack could see it clearly for the first time. Its skin was pale gray, its ears overly large and pointed, and its head more oval than round. The wings looked as though they were a second layer of skin, and as they grew, the creature turned from pale gray to ghostly white.

  Exhausted and in immense pain, Jack stayed pressed to the ground. Whatever this creature wanted, Jack was simply too tired and in too much pain to try to stop it.

  “Get away from him!” a voice screamed from somewhere high in the trees.

  Jack looked up to see Alexia swing around a branch, her crimson cape billowing behind her. As she landed on a lower branch, she launched herself at the creature. Somersaulting in midair, she sent a stone flying at its head. The creature, moving almost lazily, swatted the stone aside and snatched Alexia out of the air with one arm, slamming her to the ground.

  Dazed and winded, Alexia lay on her back, gasping for breath. Keeping its feet rooted, the creature bent its body low so it hovered over her. Its great wings were fully extended; it snarled in rage, opening its mouth wide.

  As it was about to attack, the winged creature met Alexia’s eyes and suddenly shrieked in fear. All grace vanished as it flung itself away and scrambled to its feet. “No!” it cried, pointing an accusing finger at Alexia. “It can’t be! It’s not possible!” it rattled as it took another step back.

  Alexia struggled to sit up. Jack crawled over, groaning every time he placed weight on his wounded leg. He grabbed Alexia’s hand and squeezed tight. She squeezed back.

  “Who are you?” the creature snarled.

  Still holding on to Jack’s hand, Alexia stood, pulling him up to stand beside her. Jack gritted his teeth to keep from passing out from the pain, but managed to stay standing.

  “This can’t be,” the creature moaned as its milky white eyes shifted back and forth between Jack and Alexia.

  “Shadule!” a voice roared. “Leave now or die!”

  When the creature turned to face Mrs. Dumphry, wariness entered its eyes. Jack’s teacher was hunched and very pale, and though her voice had been firm, she looked frail and weary beyond words. As it studied her, the creature grew bolder.

  “You!” It took a fluid step toward her. “You thought you could hide her from us,” it rasped. “She changes everything! Two children, where the prophecy speaks of only one.”

  “Enough,” Mrs. Dumphry said firmly, calmly. Her voice was the same as when she spoke to an unruly pupil. Yet as she extended both hands toward it, the creature halted its menacing approach.

  “You don’t have the strength to face me,” it rattled.

  “You, of all the Assassin’s creatures, must know who I am. Or does the worm think itself a bird?” Mrs. Dumphry stood up straight as a hard look entered her eyes. “Come closer, little worm, and see how weary I am.” Her voice was mocking. “You are only alive because I have use of you. Go back and tell your master what you saw here. Tell him the Last Battle is near. The scales are coming off, and the Author’s army grows stronger every day. The Great Awakening will not be stopped. Tell your master of the second child. Tell him that together, these children will destroy him and all of the Shadow Souled once and for all!”

  “We know the prophecies as well as you!” the creature croaked as it turned its milky eyes on Jack and Alexia. “The child will bow before the Assassin and destroy the world! One or two—it changes nothing.” The creature’s wings began to beat as it rose slowly into the air. “And the child will be the end of the Awakened!” Keeping a wary eye on Mrs. Dumphry, it rose, then disappeared into the night sky.

  Everyone’s eyes stayed glued to the sky. Mrs. Dumphry stood perfectly still, scanning the heavens. Arthur had also arrived and was now standing beside Mrs. Dumphry, squinting upward with his one good eye. After a moment Mrs. Dumphry began to sway, and with her eyes still on the sky, she nodded, then looked at Jack and Alexia. “We are safe now. The Shadule is gone.” When she finished speaking, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

  Chapter 17

  THE WAR OF TIME

  When Mrs. Dumphry collapsed, none of the children moved. All three stared at her, not knowing what to do. After a moment, Jack turned to look in the opposite direction.

  “Something’s coming,” he whispered, trying to stand up straighter. Alexia gritted her teeth as Arthur stumbled over to stand next to them. He’d found a large stick and was gripping it tightly. All three children stood shoulder to shoulder, Alexia in the middle. Whatever was making the sound was coming from the direction of the wagon.

  Keeping his eyes glued to the forest in front of him, Jack spoke softly, “Thanks for trying to save me.”

  “You’re welcome,” both Alexia and Arthur said at the same time. They shared a look as Alexia nodded to Arthur, who immediately blushed and looked away.

  All three were the worse for wear. The wound on Jack’s leg had broken open, and Alexia was covered in scrapes and bruises. The left side of Arthur’s face was so bruised and swollen that his eye was completely shut. Besides this, all three were covered in dirt and mud. Bending stiffly, Jack picked up a large rock lying at his feet.

  Whatever was coming was close now. Alexia stepped forward and began swinging her sling. Jack tensed as a large branch was pushed aside. In the light of the burning trees, Ethan Wild appeared, limping slowly toward them. His chest and neck were badly burned, and a long gash went from his left shoulder all the way down to the elbow of his right arm. He had to use his staff to keep upright. As his eyes landed on the group, he stopped and leaned heavily against a tree.

  “I thought you’d all been taken or were dead by now.” He let out a long breath. “Where’s Mrs. …” His eyes darted to Mrs. Dumphry, lying unconscious on the ground. He stumbled over, almost falling in the process. “Tell me what happened,” he demanded, placing a hand on her forehead. Mrs. Dumphry had no obvious wounds, but she did look quite pale.

  “You’re Ethan Wild,” Jack said slowly. “You’re the boy who went mad! I thought you were in an asylum somewhere.”

  He glanced at Jack irritably. “I go by Wild now, but you haven’t answered my question.”

  Alexia’s sling continued to spin, and the fierceness hadn’t left her eyes. “Where were you? The beasts attack, and you only show up now?” she snarled.

  Wild stood tiredly. “Put the sling down, girl.”

  Alexia whipped her sling around, sending a stone smashing into Wild’s thigh.

  “Ow!” he yelped. “What was that for?”

  “You’re lucky I didn’t aim for your head.” Alexia’s tone was menacing. “Answer the question!”

  Wild shot her an angry look as he rubbed the bruise already forming on his thigh. “What does it look like I was doing? I was trying to stop the Shadule,” he said angrily. “Just ask them,” he said, pointing to Jack and Arthur. “If I hadn’t been there, these two would be dead! As it is, the thing nearly killed me.” He motioned toward his wounds.

  Both Jack and Arthur nodded, but Alexia barely acknowledged them as she let loose another stone, this one flying toward Wild’s stomach. He was ready this time, swinging his staff around to deflect it. Wild didn’t stop his whirling staff but sped it up until it became a blur.
Even using only one arm, he was quite good.

  Arthur took a step back, and Jack sat down, the pain in his leg too much to continue standing.

  “Listen to me.” Wild tried to control his voice. “You are going to have to trust me. If you don’t, the Dark Servants will find you and it will be too late. We need to carry Mrs. Dumphry to the wagon and get out of here. She will be fine in a few hours, but she needs rest.”

  “I killed six of the Oriax, and the creature is gone,” Alexia retorted, “and don’t think you’re safe either. Unless you want to get hurt even more, you’re going to answer our questions.” Alexia glanced at Jack who quickly nodded in agreement.

  “You killed six of them?” Wild said incredulously.

  “That’s right. And if you think your staff will save you, think again.”

  “We don’t have time for this,” Wild responded, growing more and more impatient. “We need to get out of here before they come back.”

  “Then you had better start talking! The Shadule”—Alexia struggled with the name—“said something about prophesies, and it seemed to be scared when it saw me.”

  Wild almost dropped his staff. “You talked to it?”

  Alexia took advantage of Wild’s shock and let loose another stone, striking him hard in the hand. Wild screamed, dropping his staff. “Will you stop doing that?” he shouted.

  Alexia had another stone in the sling before he could so much as look at the staff. A crazy look entered her eyes as she swung it. “Tell us what’s going on! Why do they want us? What prophesies?”

  “And my mother”—Jack was surprised at the anger he felt—“what’s happened to her?”

  “And mine? And the town?” Arthur said boldly, stepping closer to Jack.

  Wild cast an anxious glance at Mrs. Dumphry, who was still unconscious.