City in the Clouds

by Tony Abbott

  “Quickly now!” Keeah cried. “Ro will soon take flight.”

  “Psss!” Khan whispered soft words into one lizard’s ear. It grunted, dipped for everyone to climb on its back, then lifted from the ground with a great flapping of wings.

  With the kids clutching the groggle tightly, it soared up to join the others.

  “Psss-psss-psss!” Khan whispered. The groggle obeyed, circling high over the city.

  “There it is!” Keeah exclaimed. “The Guardians’ palace has the tallest tower.”

  Below them stood a palace of shiny gray stone. From its top a tower coiled up to the sky. It was the tallest and strangest of all the buildings in the city.

  The groggle landed clumsily on a small street near the palace and the kids piled off. The streets were deserted.

  “The people of Ro are peaceful,” Khan said. “They will likely be hiding.”

  “First things first,” said Eric. “We need to find a cure for Neal.”

  “No,” said Neal. “First we stop Sparr.”

  “Finding the Guardians will help us do both,” said Keeah.

  Julie pointed into the air. “We’d better find them soon. Here comes Sparr’s silver ship.”

  They watched from the corner as Lord Sparr’s airship landed in a large square in front of the palace. Almost immediately, a hatch opened and Lord Sparr himself appeared.

  “Princess Keeah,” Khan whispered, “I will try to find your father and tell him where we are. With my nose, I should be able to sniff myself past Sparr and his chubby guards.”

  The kids wished the Lumpy king good luck.

  Suddenly, the street beneath them rumbled. The stones vibrated under their feet.

  “We’re flying!” Neal said. “Ro is going up!”

  They peered between the buildings to see the foothills slip away below them. The air grew colder. Clouds drifted over the rooftops. Ro was in the air once again.

  “Let’s roll!” Julie cried. “Before it’s too late!”

  The band of friends crept into the first hallway they could find. It was dark and cool.

  “Okay,” said Eric. “Where should we go?”

  Keeah pointed into the darkness. “My father says, when in doubt, head for the center.”

  “Looks kind of spooky in there,” Julie said.

  “I like the dark,” said Neal. “I can actually see better. I hear voices, too. Not Ninns, though. I think this is the way.”

  They followed Neal deeper into the palace.

  Julie turned to Keeah. “Why does Ro become invisible?”

  “To protect the Tower of Memory,” the princess answered. “Everything that happens in Droon is written in the Tower. The Guardians are keepers of the Tower and of the whole history of our world. My father and I hoped they might tell us what happened to my mother.”

  “Do you think they can help debug me?” Neal asked.

  Keeah nodded. “That’s my plan.”

  “Cool,” said Neal. “Then that’s my plan, too!”

  Together, the four friends scurried up a set of steps to another level. They could still feel the city rising higher and higher into the air.

  Strange noises echoed behind them.

  Eric wondered if the Ninns were on their trail. Did Sparr already know they were there? And if he found them, what would he do? Splat?

  “The Guardians rule over the people of Ro,” Keeah added. “They’re the last of a band of knights who have lived since the earliest days of Droon.”

  Suddenly, Neal stopped short and everyone bunched up behind him.

  “What’s the matter?” Eric asked.

  “The hall ends here,” his friend said.

  “Well, that’s dumb,” said Julie. “Why would they have a hall that leads nowhere?”

  Keeah chuckled. “The hall may end, but the way continues.” In the dim light, she pointed to a strange mark on the wall above them.

  “What is it?” Julie asked.

  “It’s an ancient language,” Keeah said, peering close. “I don’t know all the words, but I know this one. It means … the Guardians!”

  Keeah pushed at the wall.

  Vrrrt! It slid aside easily.

  The children slipped through the opening.

  They found themselves in a tall room with a curved ceiling.

  “I should tell you one more thing about the Guardians,” Keeah said. “They are —”

  “Oh, my gosh!” Julie gasped.

  “Whoa!” Eric grunted.

  “I think we found where they keep the dinosaurs!” Neal whispered.

  In the center of the room were two seven-foot-tall lizards with large heads. They stood upright, swishing their heavy tails across the tiled floor.

  Their short upper arms ended in six-inch-long clawed fingers. Their teeth were even longer.

  But the strangest part was that they were dressed in shiny green robes.

  “Let’s … um … sneak back out,” Eric said.

  “Before they see us …” Julie added.

  But Keeah walked slowly up to the creatures.

  “Ah!” said one of the dinosaurs. “Princess Keeah and her friends from the Upper World!”

  “Welcome to the city of Ro,” the other said.

  Eric blinked. “Are you … dinosaurs?”

  “Theropods, actually,” one said. “I’m Bodo.”

  “And I’m Vasa,” said the other. “We’re the Guardians!”

  Bodo pulled a pair of spectacles from his robe and slipped them on. He stepped over to Neal. “You must be Neal, the boy with the problem.”

  Neal blinked. “How did you know my name?”

  The creature smiled. “I was reading in the Tower this morning. I knew you were coming.”

  “Then you know that Sparr is here, too?” Keeah said. “And his Ninns are everywhere.”

  Vasa hissed between his teeth. “Sparr has come for the diamonds. He wants to harness their power for his own evil ends.”

  “Then we must hurry,” Bodo said.

  Vasa put a claw to his chin and walked around Neal. “Hmm. Yes, I see. We must find out exactly what happened the instant you became a bug. You must read what Quill has written about it in the Tower of Memory.”

  “Who is Quill?” Eric asked.

  “Our magic feather,” Vasa said. “All of Droon’s history — all that has ever happened — Quill writes in the ancient language. He writes everything on the stones of the Tower.”

  “And sometimes,” Bodo said with a chuckle, “Quill writes so fast, he gets ahead of himself.”

  Keeah frowned. “What do you mean?”

  It was Vasa’s turn to laugh. “He means that Quill writes what hasn’t happened yet!”

  “You mean … the future?” Eric asked.

  “Oh, yes,” Bodo replied. “But what we need now is from the past.” He scribbled on a small square of paper and handed it to Neal.

  On the paper was a strange drawing.

  “What’s this?” Neal asked.

  “Your name, in the ancient language,” Bodo replied. “And here are the rest of your names.”

  The children took the papers from Bodo. He also gave them small writing tools that looked like pencils.

  Vasa stepped over to Keeah. “But you, Princess, you are here for something else?”

  She nodded. “My father and I were coming to see what you could tell us about where my mother is. We know she is alive … somewhere.”

  Vasa nodded slowly. “Queen Relna was — is — a great ruler, as is your father, King Zello.”

  Keeah breathed deeply and continued. “She fought Lord Sparr at the forbidden city of Plud. She was never seen again.”

  “Princess, you must look for this symbol.”

  “Your mother’s name. Relna. Also this one.”

  “Who is that?” Julie asked.

  “Lord Sparr,” Eric said, though he wasn’t sure why. “Am I right?”

  Bodo and Vasa shared a look at each other, then nodded. “Inde
ed, you are correct, Eric.”

  Clang! Boom! Blam!

  Bodo raised his claw. “Sparr has entered the palace! Go to the Tower quickly. Take these symbols. Read the characters next to them and bring back what you have found out. All your questions will be answered.”

  “But what about you?” Keeah asked.

  “Sparr will not harm us today,” Vasa said.

  Clomp! Clomp!

  “Ninns!” Neal hissed. “We’re too late!”

  “A simple spell will help you escape capture,” Vasa said. He took a book from a nearby shelf and held it open. “Keeah, say these words.”

  Bodo nodded to Keeah. “Only a true wizard, even a young one, can perform spells. Hurry!”

  Keeah began to read. “Bello … gum …”

  Clomp! Ninn footsteps echoed just outside.

  “Pello … mum …”

  “What’s going to happen?” Julie asked.

  “Rello … hum!”

  Fwoot — boomf — pahhh! The room filled with thick blue smoke just as the doors blasted open.

  Light from a dozen blazing torches filled the small room. Ninn warriors entered and grabbed Bodo and Vasa roughly. Then the doorway filled with a dark shape. Lord Sparr entered.

  Eric expected the sorcerer to start screaming.

  He’d toss the kids off the flying city. Splat!

  Sparr strode over to Eric and his friends.

  “My noble warriors,” Sparr boomed. “How does the battle go?”

  Eric blinked. He gasped. Then he looked over at Neal and Julie. He nearly choked when he saw their faces. They were thick and red. Their cheeks were all puffy. They growled with angry looks. Then he looked down at himself.

  “Ungh!” he grunted.

  Eric and his friends were … Ninns!

  Eric tugged at the skin on his arm. It was rough and thick and oily. “Yuck,” he muttered.

  Neal, Julie, and Keeah pinched their skin, too.

  “I’d rather be a bug!” Neal whispered.

  “King Zello and the Lumpies have landed,” Sparr said. “How is our attack going?”

  “Um … really good,” Neal said with a grunt.

  “Good?” Sparr repeated.

  “Lots of Lumpies ran away.”

  “And …” Sparr said.

  “King Zello has fallen back,” Keeah said, groaning in a deep voice as a Ninn might do.

  “And the wizard, what’s his name?” Julie boomed.

  “Galen,” Sparr said with a snarl.

  Eric snorted. “Don’t expect to see him for a while!”

  Sparr smiled evilly. “You have done well. Go gather diamonds with the others.” Then he turned to Bodo and Vasa.

  Vasa hissed as Sparr approached. “You won’t get away with this, Sparr …”

  “Ah, yes, the Guardians,” Sparr scoffed. “Last of the peace-loving knights of Droon’s distant past. You are no threat to me, you … fossils!”

  Bodo narrowed his lizardy eyes at the sorcerer. “Beneath the cloak of invisibility, Ro has prospered for centuries. Beneath the cloak of peace lies great power.”

  Lord Sparr’s face went pale. “We shall see how powerful you are when I use your diamonds to create an invisible army!”

  Then he snapped his fingers.

  Another troop of Ninns wheeled in a long wooden cart brimming with the most dazzling white jewels Eric had ever seen.

  Magic diamonds.

  “Have you found them all?” Sparr growled.

  The Ninn bowed his head. “Not all, my lord.”

  Eric looked at his own hands again. They were big and red and puffy, with six fingers. He started to feel sick. A wave of dizziness came over him. He felt hot and cold at the same time.

  His stomach rumbled.

  Then he felt himself shrinking inside his Ninn armor. He was changing back!

  He looked over at Julie, Neal, and Keeah. They, too, were beginning to change. In a moment, they wouldn’t be Ninns anymore!

  Eric grunted. Even his voice was changing.

  Sparr flashed a look at him. “What is it?”

  “We … um … better check on our groggles,” he said, hoisting up his leather pants, which were beginning to slip down on him. “Gotta give them biscuits or they get mad.”

  Sparr squinted. “Biscuits?”

  “Um, right!” Keeah blurted out, her voice not so deep anymore. “Then we’ll go find those pesky kids. And that princess. You know, the junior wizard. She’s powerful, but we can take her.”

  Eric’s eyes gaped. He nudged Neal. Neal’s foot was turning back into a bug foot.

  “If you find the children, throw them off the side!” Sparr boomed. “Go! We leave Ro soon!”

  Neal grabbed Eric, Julie, and Keeah. They clomped out the door and ran until they were out of breath.

  “Bodo and Vasa could have told us we were on a timer!” Eric exclaimed when they were far away from the Guardians’ room.

  Julie bit her lip. “We need to split up. You guys head to the Tower and find Neal’s cure. I’ll see if I can help Bodo and Vasa. We’ll meet at the front steps in an hour.”

  “Half an hour,” Keeah said. “Ro will disappear very soon. Look.”

  They all looked out a window in the hall. Outside the palace, the sky was turning a deep blue. The moon shone through puffy white clouds.

  “It’s nearly midnight,” Keeah said. “We haven’t much time.”

  “I’ll go with Julie,” Neal said. “My bug sense may help us stay away from Ninns. Real Ninns.”

  “Neal, you’ll be normal again soon,” Eric said, patting his friend on the back. Then he stopped. Neal’s back was as hard as a shell.

  Eric swallowed hard.

  Neal was getting worse. Much worse.

  “Come on, Keeah,” Eric said. “To the Tower!”

  The gang split up. With Ninn footsteps echoing all around them, Eric and Keeah threaded their way toward the center of the palace.

  To the giant Tower of Memory.

  The Tower of Memory was a huge spiral of stones coiling up from the ground.

  Eric and Keeah entered a vast inner courtyard, looked up, and saw it.

  “It’s huge,” Eric whispered.

  Row upon row of rough gray blocks circled higher and higher into the starlit sky.

  “Do you have the papers with our name symbols?” Keeah said, spotting a narrow opening in the tower.

  “Yes.” Eric clutched Neal’s square of paper, along with his own and Julie’s. “Let’s do it.”

  They slipped through the opening.

  The inside of the tower was empty and very quiet. The only noise was a faint scratching sound from above.

  Eric squinted up. There, on the very top row of stones, barely visible in the mist and moonlight, was the magic feather, Quill. It scratched word after word into the stones, writing quickly, then stopping, then writing faster than ever.

  Whenever it filled one stone with the strange words and symbols, another stone mysteriously appeared next to it. Quill filled that one and went on to another. And another.

  “This is so weird,” Eric said softly. “The Tower is building itself. It keeps getting taller.”

  “Quill writes what happens to everyone,” Keeah said. “Everything that has ever happened in Droon is right here.”

  “And some things that haven’t happened yet.”

  Eric turned a complete circle as he followed the rows of silvery gray stones, looking for the strange symbols the Guardians had given them.

  Keeah breathed out suddenly.

  “What?” Eric said, turning to her.

  “My mother’s symbol!” she said, running to the wall nearest her. “And Sparr’s! I see them. That must be it! What happened to her at Plud!”

  She began scratching down the strange words with the pencil Bodo had given her.

  Then Eric saw his own name among the carvings. “Oh, wow!”

  Next to it were Julie’s and Neal’s names. He scanned the lower rows to see
if the names appeared before then. No, they didn’t. But their names were written many times after that. He looked up as far as he could. Their names were still there, curving into the upper rows.

  All the way into the future?

  Would he and his friends do many things in Droon? Eric wished he could read the top row, to find out what the future might bring. He, too, started scribbling down the strange words for the Guardians to decipher.

  Keeah uttered something softly. Eric turned to see her slip quietly out of the Tower.

  He was about to call out to her, then stopped. The hair on the back of his neck stiffened. He knew someone else was in the Tower with him.

  Slowly, Eric turned his head. There, standing in the exact center of the room, was a tall, dark figure. A man.

  Eric gasped to himself.

  The man was Lord Sparr.

  Sparr stood motionless, reading the walls of the Tower and mumbling the words to himself. As he did, tears welled in his eyes, glinting in the moonlight from the Tower’s top opening.

  One tear trickled down Sparr’s cheek. He flicked it away instantly. The teardrop hit the stone floor, hissing on the cold stones. Ssss!

  “Oh, whoa!” Eric breathed.

  Suddenly Quill began scratching on the stones more speedily than before. Eric remembered what the Guardians had said.

  Sometimes Quill writes so fast, he writes what hasn’t happened yet.

  Sparr raised his eyes toward a single spot on the upper walls.

  As Eric watched, the sorcerer lifted off the ground and flew up to the top of the Tower.

  Quill kept scratching faster and faster. He filled one stone after another.

  Eric knew. Quill was writing the future.

  An instant later, Sparr was back.

  Eric could not move, could not breathe. It seemed like hours that Sparr just stood there.

  Then, a strange sound came from the sorcerer. A sound like all his breath leaving him.

  And out of that breath came a single word.

  “Ice.”

  Sparr began to laugh softly.

  Eric felt as if he would explode. He needed to sneeze. Then cough. He felt as if he couldn’t hide a second longer. And yet he had to be quiet. Or Sparr would see him and hurt him. Splat!