Gabriel Stone and the Wrath of the Solarians

by Shannon Duffy

  Gabriel bit his lip, thinking. “Hold on. Do you think I can go fast enough to get there, raise the anchor, and get back without getting bitten?” While they argued over whether or not Gabriel could make it, Finley hopped across the dashboard, pouncing on the helm controls, eyes wild. Beeping sounds and blinking red and white lights followed his footsteps.

  A holographic image of a pirate suddenly shot up into the air in front of them. Long dark dreadlocks hung down from beneath a black pirate hat. “Ahoy there, me hearties,” he said, nodding and tipping his hat. “Where be ye destination?”

  Finley squealed and toppled off the dash, right into Brent’s arms.

  “Yes!” Gabriel hollered, pumping a fist into the air.

  The pirate rubbed the long braid of hair hanging from his chin. “I not be knowing of neary place named yes, matey.”

  “No, no,” Gabriel said, eyes darting back and forth from the pirate to the crumbling railing at the front of the boat. “Crimson Lake! We want to go to Crimson Lake. Please hurry!”

  The holographic pirate’s eyes shifted quickly right to left as if he were calculating data or something. When they slowed to a stop, he spoke up. “Alas, this ship shan’t pass through Crimson Lake, me lad. Another destination if you will.”

  “We have to go!” Piper screamed. “Or there won’t be a boat to sail.”

  “That not be a destination, Lassie.”

  “Bring us to Crimson Lake!” Brent demanded, tugging at his blond hair as the railing that lined the front of the boat vanished. The buzzing of the locusts intensified, vibrating the glass that separated them.

  The pirate eyed the swarming mass of locusts. “Ye best be hurrying with the location or ye’ll all be at the bottom of Davy Jones’s Locker soon, I wager. Me system be growing askew.”

  “Ya think?” Piper snapped with a stamp of her foot.

  “Just go then!” Gabriel yelled. “Forward—anywhere but here!”

  “Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Belay ye scallywag. Me needs a proper destination.”

  “Wait,” Finley said, waving his arms in front of the pirate. “Bring to Dead Beach!”

  “Dead Beach?” Piper squeaked.

  “Shiver me timbers.” The pirate shifted his eyes side to side again, his hand on his scabbard. After a moment, he added, “Aye, ye landlubber. Off to Dead Beach it tis. Yer death wish be not me business. Batten down the hatches. Smartly now, mateys.”

  Instantly the clickity-clack of the chains sounded out as the anchor lifted, along with the shifting of the sails. Then the rumble of the engine fired up and the ship shot forward. The black mass of locusts rushed toward the windshield in a fast moving blur.

  Gabriel’s eyes widened. “Duck!” he screamed, thinking the glass would shatter on impact. They all hit the deck. The ship jerked wildly to the left, sliding them across the floor in a heap. Finley’s butt landed on Gabriel’s head. Brent’s mass pounded against his side, wedging Gabriel into the corner. Then Piper rounded them up with a final slam of her body.

  Gabriel gasped for air, the wind knocked out of him. Monkey butt was not the cleansing breath he wanted. Gasping for air, he shoved free from the jumble of bodies. He rubbed his head and looked around, inhaling a fresh breath.

  “Yo ho ho,” the pirate said with a belly laugh. “Avast ye nonsense. All be well. For now.”

  Looking out through the glass doors, Gabriel’s gaze fell on the swarm of locusts that were nothing but a black smudge far in the distance.

  Once they agreed the danger was over—at least for the moment—Gabriel told the others about his vision. Well, his interplanetary trip, ’cause it definitely hadn’t been just a vision. As he spoke, Brent and Piper looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Gabriel couldn’t blame them really. What he was telling them was out there—like totally out there. And since the red soil had been washed away, he didn’t have any proof.

  “Seriously, Gabe,” Brent said. “It doesn’t sound like the empress to wanna blow up a whole species. You sure it wasn’t just a bad dream?”

  Gabriel hesitated. They knew he suffered from nightmares, but Gabriel was mostly over that since his last quest in Valta. Mostly, but not totally. “I’m sure,” he said with a scowl. “And it’s not like I’d lie about blowing up a freaking planet. You should know I wouldn’t make up stories about something so serious. I’m not nuts all of a sudden.” He threw his hands up when they didn’t respond. “Yo, I swear it was real, okay? There was even red soil on my feet when I woke up.”

  Piper sighed. “We don’t think you’re lying, Gabe … or making up stories … just maybe confused. Besides, I’m not okay with trying to blow up a whole planet,” she said, frowning. “This isn’t some Star Wars video game you know. And Princess Evangeline is my friend. As long as she’s on Solaria, that’s not gonna happen.”

  “I know,” Gabriel said, forcing back the lump in his throat. “I’m not saying that’s what I want to do. I’m just telling you what the empress said to me. Look, I don’t understand any of it—why she’d even say that—but it was real. Empress Malina did speak to me.”

  Piper stared at him for a long moment, then eyed Brent. “Well, she did communicate with him sorta like that last time. Remember the red tree in the Tandem Wood that she told him about in a dream?”

  Brent gave a slow nod. “And she gave him that special emblem thingy to contact her.” His gaze landed on Gabriel’s necklace.

  “That’s right,” Gabriel said. “See? It really happened.”

  Piper groaned. “Okay, we believe you. But there has to be another way.” She gnawed at her thumbnail.

  “You blow up planet?” a previously very quiet Finley asked. He fiddled with the blue scarf tied around his bicep, clearly feeling as uncomfortable as everyone else.

  Gabriel sighed and shook his head. “I can’t do jack as far as planet explosions go. Empress Malina said to get the wizard, which is obviously Leejor, and the human scientist—Eric—to work on a plan for that. But I’m not gonna say a word to them until we at least try to get the empress and princess back first.”

  “Finley,” Gabriel went on, wanting to change the subject. “What’s Dead Beach like? I mean, is it as creepy as the name sounds?”

  Finley huddled close to Gabriel. “Finley not know. No been ‘fore. But Finley know not far from lake. Me hear bad and Rakur tell Finley no go Dead Beach or lake.”

  “He said don’t go to Crimson Lake, either?” Piper’s mouth gaped open. “That’s just great. If Finley’s leader doesn’t think it’s a good idea, it must be bad.”

  “Yeah, well,” Brent said, “dude didn’t think it was a good idea for Finley to help us when we were here the first time now did he?” He lifted one shoulder. “What does he know?”

  “Probably a lot,” Gabriel mumbled. Helping them had put Finley at risk. Rakur was only trying to help the little monkey, but Finley had been their friend from the moment they’d met him. He even went against the advice of his own leader.

  Finley patted Gabriel’s leg. “No worry, Gabrul. We be good.”

  The group fell into a stressful silence that was broken by a loud stomach growl. “Time to feed the tank,” Brent said, patting his gut.

  Everybody headed below deck and filled up on sandwiches and pop. The weight of having to go to not one but two unwanted places had Gabriel’s mind racing about what was ahead. Just when he had pushed aside those scary thoughts and began enjoying his turkey sandwich, Finley spoke up.

  “When on land, friend need for follow Finley and no talk loud. No wake monter.”

  Gabriel spewed his soda. Monster?

  ***

  Two hours later they spotted land.

  A huge stretch of rocky beach spread out for miles. Billows of fog snaked along the ground. Gabriel couldn’t see any monsters—or anybody for that matter. He shifted his gaze beyond the beach and eyed the small green bushes that sprouted in front of jagged rock cliffs.

  No monsters seemed to be lurking. Maybe Finley was wrong about th
at. Maybe Dead Beach was like an urban legend. Gabriel comforted himself with that thought.

  The Lord of the Rock veered toward shore, then slowed to a stop at least fifty feet away. “Ahoy, mateys,” the pirate spoke up. “Dead Beach ahead. I ne’er thought I’d see the likes of this place. I shan’t go no farther. Get off here, or you’ll be walkin’ t’ plank.”

  Gabriel wasn’t sure how a holographic image could make them walk the plank, but he didn’t feel like finding out.

  “Me no like water,” Finley whined.

  “Can’t you get a little closer?” Piper asked in a sweet voice, then jerked her thumb toward Finley. “For the cute monkey?”

  The pirate planted both hands on his hips with a scowl. “Aaarrrggghhhh, lassie. Get off me ship.”

  “Let’s just go,” Brent said, rushing to the edge. “It’s not that far and the water isn’t rough anyway.”

  He jumped and landed in the water with a loud splash.

  Gabriel crouched low for the monkey to hop on his back. “C’mon, Finley. You’ll be fine. And then you can get us away from that deserted-looking beach.” Gabriel looked over his shoulder and grinned at Piper. “Notice I said deserted, not dead.”

  Finley made a little squeaking sound before climbing onto Gabriel’s back.

  Piper blew out a loud breath, scampered past them, and dove overboard. Gabriel followed with one squealing monkey in tow.

  Within minutes, they dragged themselves up on shore, cold and shivering. Their wet shoes slipped against the large gray pebbles that covered the beach. Seagulls swooped and dived looking for fish, their cawing cries breaking the silence. Brown and green seaweed clung to the rocks at the shoreline and sent a pungent fishy smell wafting up Gabriel’s nose.

  “What now?” he whispered, remembering Finley’s warning not to talk loud.

  Finley slid off Gabriel’s back and shook. Rubbing the salt water away from his eyes, he whispered in the tiniest voice, “Follow me.”

  They trailed behind Finley in silence through the desolated beach. Their only sound came from the shifting and knocking of the beach pebbles under their feet. A frog jumped past Gabriel’s shoe, disappearing into a swirling finger of fog.

  The fog steadily grew thicker, until after about twenty minutes, it swallowed them like a steam room. Piper stumbled, lurched forward, and landed on her knees. “Ouch!” she cried. She rubbed one knee where her blue jeans had ripped open and blood trickled out. “This place sucks.”

  Gabriel reached a hand through the misty haze and helped her up. Finley whipped his head around and held a pointer finger to his lips.

  But it was too late.

  A mixture of moans shot out in a series of varying octaves. Then a whirl of colors whipped around them like a kaleidoscope, twirling in the air. Whatever it was stirred a gushing wind that blew their hair back from their faces. Goose bumps prickled Gabriel’s skin.

  Something was moving around them.

  Groaning.

  Floating.

  A set of blinking eyes sprang in front of them, then disappeared into the thick fog like a phantom. A high-pitched laugh cackled out. Piper screamed. Finley latched onto Gabriel’s trembling hand. They turned in a slow circle waiting for something to jump out at them. Sharp blades shot out from under Brent’s jacket, replacing his hands. He sliced them through the air as he turned. Gabriel’s heart leapt against his ribs. He thought of running, but he could barely see in front of him, and he couldn’t leave his friends behind.

  Eerie silence surrounded them for what felt like forever, but what was probably just seconds. Then something clattered across the rocks toward them, its panting breath mixed with deep, guttural groans. The odor of wet, dirty fur hit Gabriel’s nose, followed by an animalistic grunt.

  Whatever it was that loomed around them rattled the beach rocks as it shifted. Then it eyed each of them through four brown, sunken eyes on its two heads. Its misty image blurred in and out of focus, mingling with the thick fog. Gabriel thought the thing looked like a huge buffalo. Its mass dissolved into a bright ball of light. Then it faded and trickled into the coils of fog as if it never existed.

  Before Gabriel could heave a sigh of relief, it rematerialized inches in front of him. Hot breath shot out and the pungent smell of rotted guts made Gabriel’s stomach churn.

  “Ah!” Gabriel shrieked, jumping back.

  Brent flung a blade through the air, but the creature disappeared before the knife struck. He reappeared a second later with a deep, menacing grumble. Icy fingers trailed down Gabriel’s spine.

  As they backed away, Gabriel realized there were actually worse things than the monster living on Dead Beach that Finley had warned them about.

  There were ghost monsters.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The creature stuck one of its heads forward through the fog and snorted. Hot air blasted from its nostrils. It opened its mouth, looking like it was preparing to take a bite when suddenly a clattering of hooves shot out from somewhere in the fog.

  “No!” a man with a scruffy voice called. “Do not touch them!”

  The beast closed its jaws and spun around, dissolving into the fog.

  Gabriel raised his eyebrows at Brent and Piper while tightening his grip on Finley’s hand. A small sense of relief shot through him, but was quickly replaced by suspicion. Whoever called out either wanted to help them or save them to finish off himself.

  “What’s going on?” Piper whispered.

  A misty image of a man’s head topped off with antlers popped through the fog before them. The rest of his furry dark-brown lower body slid into focus as his hooves clicked against the rocks. The upper half of him was a man, the lower, a moose. Gabriel blinked. He knew this moose-man, but it wasn’t possible. His jaw gaped open. Brent retracted his blades with a gasp.

  “Jasra!”

  Piper squealed and ran to hug one of his furry moose legs. But her hands swooped straight through them—because he was a ghost!

  Of course he’s a ghost, genius.

  Gabriel and Piper had watched Jasra die in battle the last time they were in Valta. Jasra had been helping them fight the war against Duke Malgor and his evil army when he’d been killed by gruocks. That had shaken Piper up so much at the time, she could hardly move. She’d cried over his dead body so hard she forgot to pay attention to what was going on around her. Because of that, a crazed gruock had almost eaten her for a snack—or turned her into a gruock.

  Piper stared at her hands that had swiped clear through Jasra, then back up into his big brown eyes. “Is it really you?” she asked him, tears springing to her eyes.

  Even though it was weird to see an apparition in front of them, Gabriel’s nerves settled a bit. Jasra may have been a ghost, but he was still their friend. Which at least made him a friendly ghost.

  “Well, sweet little one,” Jasra said to Piper. “It is sort of me. I’m stuck here in the in-between, cursed to Dead Beach.” He shook his head and his thick, curly ponytail swayed across his misty, muscular back. “But forget that. Follow me and tell me what you are doing here. Why are you back in Valta?”

  He began to walk away. Looking over his shoulder, he asked. “Or did you never make it home?”

  Gabriel wasn’t sure where Jasra was headed, but he figured anywhere away from that fog bath was good.

  “Yep, we made it home,” Piper answered, falling into step behind their friend. Then she froze, a horrified look washing over her face. She ran around to look Jasra in the eyes and asked, “Wait. Why are you cursed?”

  “Yeah,” Brent cut in. He tripped over a piece of rotted driftwood, righted himself, then lifted a blond brow. “And do you mean you’re stuck here—for like ever?”

  Jasra nodded, and then frowned.

  “How’s that possible?” Gabriel asked, feeling bad for him. “Aren’t you supposed to go to heaven or something when you die?”

  “I call it the ever-after,” Jasra said with a sigh. “I always believed I’d see my mother
there. But instead, the black witch stole my essence—my soul—and doomed me here.”

  “Witch?” Finley asked, his voice breaking. He pressed closer to Gabriel. Jasra didn’t answer right away, just kept walking through the receding fog. It thinned out pretty quickly and soon they reached the soaring cliffs. Jasra motioned towards a cluster of boulders in front of the rock face and told them to take a seat.

  As they did, Jasra pointed a transparent finger at Finley. “Sorry. Finley, isn’t it?” Finley nodded and Jasra continued, “I shouldn’t be complaining and scaring you with stories of witches. I’m happy to see all of you, truly I am. But this is a dangerous place. Not everyone trapped here is friendly, as you have just seen. Souls aren’t too fond of being stuck in this damp place for all of eternity. It makes for foul tempers. But let us focus on other matters. Please, tell me why you’re here.”

  “The empress and princess,” Piper blurted. “They were kidnapped by the Solarians—stupid lizard people from another planet. Prince Oliver asked us to help get them back. But the Solarians want us to exchange Duke Malgor for the empress and princess. Problem is, the duke’s locked up,” she added, filling Jasra in on what had happened since his death. “But we’re not gonna let him out.” She paused to take a breath, and lifted one brow. “We shouldn’t, right?” She bit her lip, looked to the ground, and then searched Jasra’s kind eyes. “But maybe we … should?”

  Jasra smiled and patted her head. Only his hand didn’t really touch her. It just seemed to move across her head in a misty form.

  Piper sighed. “It’s awesome to be able to talk to you again, Jasra. And I’m so sad that you were … ” She gulped. “ ... Killed. But I want you to go to the ever-after with your mom. Why did some witch steal your—your essence?” she asked, rubbing a finger over the rip in her jeans. “I—we want to know. You can tell us. We can handle it.”

  Jasra’s fists clenched. “The black witch gathers strength from our souls,” he answered with a deep rumbling sound in his chest. “It’s our essence that gives her such power. Her name is Caprice.” Jasra looked them each in the eyes, as if settling in to tell them an important story. “You see, there had been a long battle for power between Caprice and her sister Cadence—the white witch. Caprice grew up being jealous of Cadence. And believe me, jealously is a powerful enemy. Instead of enjoying her sister, Caprice obsessed about who was more beautiful and powerful. This hate led Caprice to devise a plan to steal souls and trap them in a vase. She gained unbelievable power this way and overtook her sister. Then she locked Cadence away. With Cadence gone, Caprice didn’t have to dwell on that anymore. If she had her way, I’m sure she’d have killed Cadence long ago.”