Sure enough, moments later Styne emerged from the forest, leading Victor and Fungus.
‘I told you this was a bad idea, Tigris,’ Styne barked fiercely, ‘We need to leave now.’
‘I am fully aware of the situation, Styne, and whilst you have been collecting these two, everyone has packed up and is ready to go.’
‘Good. Then let’s move out.’
The hike back to Sanctuary was much more brisk and sombre than it had been that morning. Master Tigris led the way and just like in the morning, Styne and Tolero brought up the rear, maintaining a constant vigil in case of another attack. The students, under strict instructions, spoke very little and also kept watch over their surroundings. At certain points of the trip Aire, Willow and Brutum each alerted the group when they thought they had seen a shadowy figure lurking in the bushes alongside them. However when Styne and Tolero examined, they could find no trace to indicate a pursuer of any kind.
The group was barely a few hundred metres from Sanctuary’s gateway, when Styne strode to the front. He whispered something to Master Tigris then returned to stand with Tolero. The two adopted a defensive stance and looked back from whence they had just come. Master Tigris meanwhile called all of his students together.
‘Students, a situation has arisen. Guardsmen Styne and Tolero are remaining here for the time being to resolve the issue. In the meantime we have been given specific instructions to return home. You must follow my instructions exactly and not deviate at all,’ Master Tigris said, turning to look at Victor and Fungus. ‘If I say run, you run. If I command you to leave someone behind you must do so. Do you understand?’
The students nodded and murmured ‘Yes.’
‘Good. We are almost home. We are to walk, not run, walk briskly back to the entrance and go immediately inside. Is that clear? Very well. Let’s go.’
The group set off and followed the path through the trees. Up ahead they could see the gentle rise and entrance with its overgrown vegetation. Although only a short walk, it now seemed never-ending. The usually bright and cheerful surroundings now appeared dark and foreboding.
All of a sudden, there was a crunching and snapping from the bushes off to their left. Before anyone knew what was happening, a figure had leapt out and slammed into Master Tigris, sending them both tumbling across the forest floor.
The wind knocked out of him and fighting against the snapping teeth and slashing claws of his attacker, Master Tigris croaked, ‘Run, children, now!’
The students fled as fast as they could. In the midst of the scramble, Rostrum scooped up the hobbling Alae and threw her over his shoulder. She bounced up and down violently, yelping in pain. The huge gates creaked open, painfully slowly, and the thirteen students poured through the entranceway of Sanctuary despite the many protests of Hookbeak.
Before he rounded the bend and fled into the depths of Sanctuary with the others, Gabriel glanced back. Down the path he could still see Master Tigris scrabbling around on the floor with his mysterious foe.
‘Don’t just stand there, help him!’ Gabriel yelled at Hookbeak.
‘I can’t!’ Hookbeak squawked back. ‘I have to guard the entrance!’
‘That didn’t stop you leaving before!’
‘Watch your mouth, cub!’
‘Fine,’ Gabriel yelled impatiently, ‘If you’re not going to help him, I will!’
Gabriel sprinted back out into the woods towards Master Tigris, the calls and protests of Hookbeak falling on deaf ears. Within seconds Gabriel had covered the distance. Once again the same vile reptilian stink filled his nostrils making him want to wretch. He could see that this creature was different to those that he and Seth had fended off earlier. The slit-like orange eyes had widened and it glared down at a steadily weakening Master Tigris with sick pleasure. The creature’s lethal clawed hands pinned down Master Tigris’ arms. His chest was already oozing blood from a series of violent slash wounds. The monster’s arrow-shaped head was inches from the teacher’s. Its fangs were bared and glistening with a sticky yellow substance. Small puddles of the same toxic substance lay all around on the ground, fizzing and steaming. There were also several sizzling patches on Master Tigris’s upper torso and neck. The acid-venom, Gabriel suddenly remembered.
The Reptilian had still not noticed Gabriel approach. Seizing his chance, Gabriel pounced. In mid-leap he reared back and delivered a devastating blow with both of his fists to the back of the reptile’s skull. Its head rocked forward and bounced off the ground in front of it. The unconscious form slumped down on top of Master Tigris, who was wheezing heavily. With effort, Gabriel rolled the scaly, limp form aside and helped Master Tigris to his feet as best he could manage.
His teacher, badly injured as he was, looked at him with half-open puffy eyes. ‘I... told you to... run,’ he managed at barely more than a whisper, ‘But... thank you.’
And then he slipped into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A VERY BAD DAY
Upon the return to Sanctuary, Master Tigris was rushed as quickly as possible to the infirmary. He had been under constant surveillance and administered medication ever since. Unfortunately, he had been slipping in and out of consciousness ever since. Gabriel, Seth and Tamera tried repeatedly during the course of the weekend to visit him, only to be ushered away by the on-duty nurse, who declared that he needed his rest and was not to be disturbed.
Omari had been furious that the Reptilians had struck again. Despite reprimanding Gabriel for rushing to Master Tigris’ aid, claiming it was foolhardy and dangerous, he nevertheless professed how overwhelmingly proud he was at Gabriel’s selfless heroism.
‘You truly are your mother and father’s son,’ Omari had beamed.
However, as a result of these events, Omari had once again been drawn away on official Council business. Gabriel had seen nothing of his grandfather for the remainder of the weekend.
Marina too was filled with awe and admiration when he met her again at Wingtail Lake late on Saturday afternoon and retold his story. She stared at him intently as he had recounted his tale.
On Sunday, Gabriel, Seth and Tamera had met once again in the library. As it turned out there was nothing quite like saving someone’s life to reignite and strengthen a friendship. Unfortunately, the resulting quality of their homework was far from perfect. Instead of focussing on the tasks at hand, they had spent the majority of their time discussing the events of Friday and the possible ramifications.
When Monday morning rolled around, nobody, particularly Gabriel, was looking forward to returning to school. Omari had again already left the house by the time Gabriel had awoken. The walk to school with Seth and Tamera was a much more sombre one than usual. They had still received no word on Master Tigris’ condition and had begun to fear the worst. Rumours abounded throughout Sanctuary to support their worst fears. Nevertheless, throughout most of the student and teacher population of Wingtail Academy, Gabriel was being heralded as a hero, saving their much beloved teacher and colleague from the jaws of death. Throngs of students awaited Gabriel’s arrival at the jetty, all with burning questions that they did not hesitate to thrust upon him.
‘Were you scared?’
‘How many were there?’
‘I heard there was a dozen!’
‘Is it true their fangs were six inches long?’
‘Did they really burn down half the forest looking for you?’
Gabriel was quick to correct them: the first time he had had help from Seth, both times he had been incredibly lucky and had only succeeded by relying on the element of surprise. Still, he admitted to himself privately, the newfound respect and adulation is rather nice. Even the two usually indifferent, older nymph students they sometimes saw waiting for the boat, had actually made the effort to glance over their shoulders to see what all the fuss was about. The Boatman on the other hand had remained as unfazed as ever. As coldly as always he ordered the students aboard the vessel. His tone barely even wave
red when the masses of students all poured onto the boat at the same time and threatened to sink it.
The journey across Wingtail Lake seemed to drag on forever as a result of the vast array of questions Gabriel was bombarded with. He was glad to find Master Scorpiarius awaiting their arrival at the other side to quell the onslaught. His relief however, was short lived.
‘There is no Morning Gathering today. All students are to report immediately to the Assembly Hall, at the behest of Grandmaster Bysonn,’ commanded a sullen-faced Master Scorpiarius. For a fleeting second, Gabriel thought he saw Master Scorpiarius glance in his direction, his stern expression ever so briefly giving way to one of pity. But the change had been so fast that no one else noticed, leaving Gabriel wondering if in fact he had imagined it.
‘You will all follow me,’ Master Scorpiarius continued and he turned on his heel and marched up the long flight of steps. The students obediently followed.
The Assembly Hall lay at the end of a wide corridor with a high arched ceiling, directly off from the entrance hall. The hall itself was long and narrow. Wooden benches were positioned in rows on either side of a central aisle, facing the Grandmaster’s podium which was raised on a small platform in order for him to oversee the entire student body. Lay in front of the rows of benches was a wide channel of water for the merfolk children. The teachers stood in silence at the sides of the hall.
Along with the other students from the boat, Gabriel, Seth and Tamera followed Master Scorpiarius into the Assembly Hall and took their seats on the remaining benches. Almost the entire student body was already in attendance. For several minutes after the three friends were seated, the last few stragglers filtered in and sat down.
Although he couldn’t be sure, Gabriel guessed that the school housed close to one thousand students, all of different races, nationalities and species. It was the first time since Gabriel had joined the school that he was able to see the full student population in all its glory. In the audience, Gabriel noticed both familiar and unfamiliar faces and species: there were yet more nymphs, sprites, satyrs and, for want of a better term, angels (winged descendants of birds as it turned out). A group of pale-faced beings were huddled together off to the left and a few rows in front. They had long straight black hair, similar to those he had seen in Artisan Plaza on his first day. Again he presumed them to be vampires, or Nosferatu, as the species had initially been called (so Master Canis had informed him). There were also a couple of enormous students squatting at the sides of the hall that he thought must be juvenile giants, although quite how they had gotten in the room, he wasn’t sure. He imagined them crawling on all fours and unglamorously squeezing themselves through the doors. Sat on the opposite side of the hall to them was an adolescent centaur, who was having a great deal of trouble trying to balance his rear haunches on the low, narrow bench and was becoming increasingly more frustrated by his efforts.
‘What do you suppose this is about?’ asked Seth.
‘It must be to do with the attack on Friday,’ replied Tamera.
‘But an assembly has never been called because of one before.’
‘A teacher has never been attacked whilst out with students before.’
‘Do you think he’ll tell us how Master Tigris is doing?’ said Gabriel.
‘I doubt he even cares,’ said Seth, ‘Bysonn and Tigris hate each other.’
‘Oh Seth, that’s just idle gossip!’ Tamera chided.
‘No, really!’ Seth insisted, ‘Sattan told me that Cleo told him that Riccus told her that he heard it from Janus that he overheard two sixth graders whispering about how one of their friends had seen Master Tigris and Bysonn arguing about something pretty fiercely last Wednesday afternoon.’
Tamera looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ‘“He told me that she told him that he told her...” Seth, have you ever heard of the word: hearsay?’
‘Yes,’ he said sulkily, ‘tell me, Whiskers, have you ever heard of the term “shove i-”’
He was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps stamping into the hall and up the central aisle. The steady chatter of students immediately ceased. Master Bysonn marched towards the podium with an air of purpose. He mounted the small platform and his massive hands snapped around the podium like a bear trap. He glared out at the assembled crowd with a look of thunder. His muscular jaw clenched tightly, his wide nostrils flared and snorted loudly. For several moments he slowly looked back and forth, left to right over the students, his steely gaze unblinking.
Finally he broke the daunting silence. ‘I have, this weekend, been to see Master Tigris in the hospital, to garner some understanding of exactly what happened during last Friday afternoon and how it all came about,’ he bellowed. ‘Master Tigris remains in a critical condition, despite the best efforts of our medical practitioners, but was nevertheless able to divulge to me his side of the story. Considering what has happened, I have made the decision that any and all trips to the surface are hereby cancelled indefinitely.’
The amassed crowd of students simultaneously began to chatter amongst themselves, voicing their displeasure at the ruling.
‘SILENCE!’ Bysonn roared, ‘I have not granted you permission to speak! I am not yet finished.’ The crowd fell instantly quiet again. ‘By now, I’m sure you have all heard rumours about the events of Friday afternoon. I am sure, also, how you have heard of the supposed heroic actions of one student, championing over the forces of evil to rescue your beloved Master Tigris.’ Bysonn’s voice dripped with contempt. Despite this, however, several students in Gabriel’s immediate vicinity turned to glance at him admiringly.
Bysonn continued, ‘Well, my advice would be not to believe everything you hear! If it weren’t for the actions of that very same student, Master Tigris would not even be in the hospital in the first place!’
The crowd drew in a sharp intake of breath. Once again students all around Gabriel turned to face him. Gone were the looks of admiration, however. What remained in their place were expressions of betrayal, bewilderment and murderous hatred.
‘I-i-i-it’s not true... is it?’ Gabriel stammered.
‘Of course not!’ Tamera whispered reassuringly, although her own shock was clearly evident in the shakiness of her voice. ‘We know what really happened. Everyone who was there can testify as to the real story!’
‘That filthy, rotten snake!’ Seth snarled, ‘How can he possibly twist this to make it your fault?’
All the while, they heard people voicing their newly influenced thoughts and feelings.
‘I knew he looked like trouble from the start.’
‘This is what happens when outsiders are allowed in.’
‘Treacherous mongrel!’
‘Just goes to show nothing from the human world can ever be trusted.’
Up on the podium, at the sound of opinion turning steadily more hostile towards Gabriel, a malicious smile crept across the face of Grandmaster Bysonn. Trying to ignore the increasingly hurtful accusations and cold, odious glares of his peers, Gabriel looked towards the stage. Bysonn was staring right back at him. At that moment, Gabriel hated him more than he had ever thought possible. Bysonn had manipulated the entire crowd as easily as wet clay.
‘Gabriel Millar, report to my office immediately!’ the Grandmaster shouted over the din of the crowd, with a sickening delight.
Gabriel stood up to leave, glaring back at Bysonn as he did.
Tamera grasped his arm firmly. ‘This is just one of his sick, twisted games, Gabriel,’ she said. ‘Don’t let yourself get sucked in; it will only spur him on all the more.’
‘She’s right, man,’ Seth warned him, ‘this is his specialty. You can’t beat him, just take whatever he’s got planned for you and he’ll get bored with toying with you sooner or later.’
Gabriel said nothing in reply. He couldn’t. He felt as if his rage were on the verge of devouring him. How dare Bysonn accuse me of being the cause of Master Tigris’ horrific injuries! How dare he! Gabriel h
ad risked his own life to save his teacher.
‘Has your little adventure left you deaf, Millar? I said report to my office at once!’ the Grandmaster bellowed again.
Gabriel turned and stormed out of the Assembly Hall amidst the continuing jeers and taunts of his fellow students. With everyone present in the Assembly Hall, the corridors were completely deserted. The walk to the Grandmaster’s office was a long and lonely one. Or at least it would have been had Gabriel not been so seething with fury. His fists were clenched so firmly that his fingernails dug into his palms and oozed out warm, thin trickles of blood between his fingers. Yet Gabriel felt nothing. It was as if his sole focus at that moment was his hatred of Bysonn. His mind refused to register or acknowledge anything else. Nothing else mattered.
He arrived at the dark, gloomy passageway leading to Bysonn’s office and made his way along it. Several times he tripped in the darkness over protruding rocky outcroppings on the floor and almost lost his balance. He swore loudly. Finally he reached the imposing doors to Bysonn’s office. Gabriel stood there for some time in the gloom, festering in his fury, awaiting Bysonn.
Sometime later the Grandmaster arrived and eclipsed all light from the far end of the corridor. The gigantic silhouette stood there for what seemed like eternity. His chest slowly expanded and contracted with each deep, measured breath. The air snorted out of his nostrils in loud rasping bursts. Then slowly, the behemoth started down the passageway with deliberate, crunching footsteps that echoed throughout the corridor like the terrifying drum beats of a funeral march. Despite the uneven floor, Bysonn was as surefooted as a mountain goat.
‘Well, well, well,’ Bysonn’s voice boomed in the dark space like an almighty thunderclap, ‘You’ve really done it this time, haven’t you, boy?’
Gabriel said nothing.
‘Speechless I see,’ Bysonn continued, ‘could it be that the celebrity has finally been humbled? Finally knows his place? Unlikely I imagine. Now, inside!’
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