by Jim Eldridge
Immediately, other goblins joined in, jumping on top of the four goblins and the trapped Jack, until Jack could feel himself suffocating beneath a mound of goblins.
‘Bring the chains and shackles!’ someone yelled.
Jack heard the rattle of metal, and felt cuffs being clamped into place over his wrists and ankles. Then, as the goblins rolled off him, chains were dropped on his body and wrapped around him.
It was done quickly and securely – the goblins obviously had lots of experience at chaining up their captives.
Jack felt himself being hauled to his feet, and then he was standing, looking the same as Milo had done, chains wrapped around his upper body, pinioning his arms, along with metal shackles on his wrists, and more shackles on his ankles. These ankle shackles had a length of chain between them, which let Jack walk with small steps, but not run.
Oddbit had been chained and shackled the same way, and was standing looking miserable.
Big Rock was still lying on the ground; chained and shackled, but with a gang of goblins sitting on him to keep him down.
Jack was aware of the leader of the goblins, Govo, standing looking at the scene, a broad smile on his face and a poster in his hand. It was the same poster that Govo had shown to Lord Veto, and now Jack could see it up close. There were three pictures on it: Milo, Big Rock and Jack.
‘Now we’ve got all of you!’ Govo cackled happily. He turned to one of the goblins and ordered: ‘Send a messenger eagle to Lord Veto and tell him we’ve got the lot, and we’re putting them all in the mine.’
CHAPTER 8
The goblins led the chained and shackled threesome into the mine, and down a series of dark tunnels. The tunnels were lit with candles, but the light from them was dim. The whole mine was gloomy.
‘I’m sorry,’ mumbled Big Rock. ‘I got you caught.’
‘It wasn’t your fault, Big Rock,’ said Jack sympathetically.
‘Yes it was,’ grumbled Oddbit. ‘You told that big lump of rock that we’d get captured if we tried to mount an attack, because we were outnumbered – and that’s exactly what happened!’
‘Big Rock was doing what he thought was best. He wanted to save Milo. I don’t blame him for being a good and brave friend.’
‘No, but I blame him for letting us all get caught.’
‘You didn’t have to come with me,’ Jack pointed out. ‘You could have waited for reinforcements.’
Oddbit shook his head.
‘An Elf and Safety Police Ranger is brave at all times and does his or her best to save people in danger, regardless of the danger to himself or herself,’ he recited. ‘That’s the first rule of the Ranger Code.’
‘Okay,’ shrugged Jack. ‘It’s a good code. But now we’re all caught.’
As they shuffled along the tunnel, they heard the sound of digging up ahead: the clang of metal pickaxes on rock, and earth being shovelled. They reached the end of the tunnel and found they were in a large cave, although the rock ceiling was low. As with the tunnels, this cave was lit by candles fixed to the walls. Four people were hitting the cave walls with pickaxes, while two more were shovelling up the fallen rocks and putting them in trucks. All of the figures had shackles on their ankles, and the shackles were attached by chains, so that all six were chained together. They could move to work, but not to run.
There were ten or so goblins guarding the prisoners, armed with clubs, so that even if the prisoners made an attempt to escape they’d be easily stopped.
‘Stop work!’ called one of the goblins who’d escorted Jack and the others.
The prisoners stopped digging and shovelling. Jack saw that Milo was one of those who’d been swinging a pickaxe. Four of the other prisoners were elves, and the remaining prisoner was a tall, thin man with a very long beard.
‘Ten-minute break!’ called the goblin.
The goblins attached chains to the shackles on the ankles of Jack, Big Rock and Oddbit, linking them together. Then they removed the chains that held their arms to their sides. Immediately, Big Rock began to swing his huge arms and tried to kick at the goblins, but as he did so he pulled Jack and Oddbit over.
‘Stop, Big Rock!’ called Milo.
Big Rock stopped, scowling, but Jack could see that the troll was so upset he was close to tears.
‘Don’t worry, Big Rock,’ he whispered. ‘We’ll find a way out of this.’
Jack, Oddbit and Big Rock shuffled together to where Milo and the other prisoners were sitting down on heaps of rock.
‘So, they caught you, too,’ said Milo with a sigh.
‘It was his fault!’ said Oddbit, pointing at Big Rock.
‘No it wasn’t,’ countered Jack quickly. ‘It was one of those things.’
One of the elves glared at Oddbit.
‘I might have known you’d be caught, Ranger Oddbit!’ he snapped in a sour tone. ‘First you were late joining the posse, and now you’ve let yourself be caught by these criminals.’
‘That’s not fair!’ protested Jack. ‘Oddbit was only caught because he was obeying the first rule of the Ranger Code. And anyway, he was on his own. There were five of you, and you were all caught.’
The elf looked uncomfortable.
‘You are right, young man,’ said the elf awkwardly. He looked at Oddbit. ‘I apologise for my comments, Ranger Oddbit. It’s just that I had hoped you would be able to come to our rescue. I see now that is impossible.’
‘I am sorry too, Captain Odo,’ said Oddbit. ‘For being late in joining the posse, and for letting myself get captured.’
‘When everyone’s finished apologising, is there any good news?’ asked Milo.
Jack hesitated, making sure that the goblins couldn’t hear, then he whispered to Milo: ‘Robin’s still out there. And we’ve sent a messenger pigeon to Princess Ava asking for help.’
‘Great!’ exclaimed Milo happily.
At the sound, the goblin guards jerked round and gave them suspicious looks. Quickly, Milo added loudly: ‘… to see you all again! Now we can work down here together, in company!’ Then he lowered his voice to a whisper and asked Jack: ‘I guess you haven’t turned into Thud yet?’
‘No,’ said Jack unhappily.
Turning to Big Rock, Milo asked: ‘I don’t suppose you can break these chains?’
Big Rock shook his head.
‘No,’ he said. He pointed at the chain fixed to his shackles. ‘They put extra strong chain on me.’
Milo sighed.
‘Well, I guess that’s it then. Until Princess Ava turns up with reinforcements, or they let us go.’
‘They don’t let you go,’ groaned the tall man with the long beard miserably. ‘I’ve been here for five years.’
Five years! thought Jack with horror. Five years trapped in a mine, digging and shovelling. This was worse than being kitchen boy at Veto Castle! We have to get out of here, he thought.
CHAPTER 9
The break ended, and they began working, switching jobs: taking turns on the pickaxes and the shovelling. As the trucks were pushed out of the mine by other prisoners, also chained, Jack shook his head, curious.
‘I thought we were mining for gold,’ he said. ‘But so far all I’ve seen is rock.’
‘The goblins pick out the gold from the rock in a sorting shed,’ said the man with the long beard, whose name was Tom. ‘They don’t trust us prisoners to touch the actual gold.’
They worked and worked. Jack wasn’t sure how much time had passed, all he knew was that his body ached and – despite all his attempts to turn into Thud – he stayed as small Jack. It looked as if Robin was right: he was never going to turn into Thud again.
Jack was just wondering when they’d be given their next break, when Govo, the goblin leader appeared.
‘Stop work!’ he ordered.
Jack and the others gratefully laid down their tools, but Jack was instantly alert for trouble as Govo pointed to him and Big Rock and snapped: ‘Take those two up to the top!’
‘I don’t know,’ said Jack. ‘But it won’t be anything good.’
A load of goblins held on to Big Rock while others unshackled him, and then re-chained him to Jack. Big Rock let out a growl, and Jack saw that he was about to launch an attack.
‘Easy, Big Rock,’ he said. ‘Let’s see what they want with us first.’
Jack and Big Rock, chained together, shuffled upwards through the tunnels, with the goblin guards prodding them with clubs. Govo led the way.
As they stumbled out of the cave, Jack saw where the sun was in the sky and realised that they’d been working all night, and now it was morning. A nasty cackling laugh made him turn, and he saw the figure of Lord Veto standing there, with his orc, Warg, beside him. Warg was also smiling evilly.
‘Here they are, my Lord!’ announced Govo, gesturing at Jack and Big Rock. ‘The other two.’
‘You’ve done well, Govo!’ nodded Veto. ‘No sign of the other troll? The one they call Thud?’
No, unfortunately, thought Jack bitterly.
‘No, my Lord,’ said Govo. Then he added triumphantly: ‘But we caught their horse!’
‘Take your hands off me!’ raged an angry voice, and Jack and Big Rock saw Robin being dragged towards them by half a dozen goblins.
Lord Veto laughed even louder than when he’d seen Jack and Big Rock.
‘Excellent!’ he chortled. ‘That’s almost the whole gang of them!’
Robin resisted, shaking his old head and digging his hooves in, but it was no use – he was dragged right up to where Jack and Big Rock stood, chained and helpless.
‘What do you want done with him, my Lord?’ asked Govo.
Veto shrugged.
‘He’s no use to me, and he doesn’t look like he’d be much use in the mine. Too old to pull trucks. I suggest you eat him. It looks like there’s some meat on him.’
‘Yes!’ yelled one of the goblins holding Robin. ‘Horsemeat is really tasty!’
‘You can’t eat him!’ shouted Jack, horrified.
Lord Veto turned and sneered at Jack.
‘You’re in no position to tell anyone what to do, kitchen boy!’ he snarled. He waved his hand towards Robin. ‘In fact, take him and cook him now. I shall join you in a celebratory lunch! It will give me great pleasure to eat one of my enemies!’
And with that he gave another loud laugh, and Warg and the goblins joined in.
‘No!’ shouted Big Rock and Jack together, as Robin was dragged away towards a hut that had the word “Kitchen” over the door. Robin struggled, trying to break free, but there were too many goblins holding him, on his back, and hanging onto his mane and tail, stopping him from fighting back.
As he watched his struggling friend being dragged towards the kitchen, Jack felt tears come into his eyes.
Then he realised … they weren’t tears. They were … hard. Like transparent shale. And a tingly sensation was starting to go through him.
He also realised that he was no longer looking up at Lord Veto, but down at him.
GRRRRRAAAARRRRRR!
Jack had meant to shout out Stop!, but instead it came out as a deep slow roaring sound. Everyone turned towards Jack. Or, rather, where Jack had been. Because now, in his place, stood a huge troll who simply broke the chain around his ankles. That chain had been too strong for Jack, the small, thin boy, but for Thud the Wrestling Troll, the chain snapped as if it was paper.
Lord Veto and Warg and Govo and the goblins stared up at Jack, their mouths open, stunned. As did the goblins who had been dragging Robin towards the kitchen.
“Where did that Troll come from?” yelled Lord Veto.
Thud reached down and grabbed Lord Veto up in one huge fist, and Govo, the goblin leader in the other.
‘Help!’ yelled Lord Veto in a panic.
Warg leapt into action, throwing himself at Thud and grabbing him round the waist.
Thud kicked out, but Warg hung on grimly.
Big Rock, now free of being chained to Jack, but still shackled, grabbed Warg by the back of the neck and tried to pull him off Thud; but the orc had now got a firm grip of his long arms around Thud’s waist. The other goblins had recovered after their initial shock and now joined in, jumping on Big Rock and Thud and climbing up the huge trolls, determined to topple them both by weight of numbers. Thud could feel himself being dragged down as more and more goblins climbed up on to him … this was it … he was being brought down!
CHAPTER 10
The goblins who had climbed up him began to beat him with their clubs and Thud heard a ringing in his head … Then the noise changed from a ringing to what sounded like trumpets blowing, and the sound of hooves.
And then he realised that the noise wasn’t inside his head – it was real! It was here!
With a sudden effort, Thud shook off the goblins hanging from his shoulders and head, and saw that a small army was drawing closer to them, soldiers in armour mounted on horseback, with a banner flying at the front of the column: the flag of Princess Ava of Weevil! The sound of trumpets and the clatter of hooves panicked some of the goblins, but a desperate shout from Govo stopped them from running away.
‘We must protect our gold!’ yelled Govo.
Meanwhile, Lord Veto had wriggled free from Thud’s grip.
‘Run for the carriage, Warg!’ he shouted.
Lord Veto and his orc ran as fast as they could towards their purple coach. Thud saw them scramble aboard, and Warg shouted at the two yellow horses, and the coach raced off, throwing up dust.
Big Rock was busy, picking up goblins and banging their heads together and throwing them unconscious on the ground, then picking up another pair and doing the same.
By now the column of mounted soldiers had reached the mine head. The first two to dismount were Sam Dent, the wrestler, and a smaller figure wearing a wrestler’s leotard and a mask.
‘Princess Ava!’ called Robin.
‘The Masked Avenger!’ corrected the small figure.
‘Of course,’ Robin apologised. ‘My apologies, your Highness. Er … your Masked Avengerness.’
‘Where’s Milo?’ asked Sam.
‘In cave,’ said Big Rock, pointing to the cave entrance with one hand, while with the other he picked up another goblin, turned him upside down and bashed his head on the ground, knocking him out.
‘He’s with the other prisoners!’ added Robin.
Sam gestured for some of the soldiers to follow him, and they disappeared into the cave entrance.
The other soldiers, led by the Masked Avenger, joined with Big Rock and Thud in taking on the goblins. While the soldiers used their weapons, spears and clubs, it was the three wrestlers who dominated: Big Rock and Thud using the strength and power of their troll bodies, and the Masked Avenger leaping and cartwheeling like a whirlwind, her leg sweeps knocking goblins down like skittles, and her powerful punches and kicks leaving a trail of unconscious goblins in her wake.
A shout from the caves made them look round, and Thud saw Sam Dent and Milo hurry out, closely followed by Odbbit, Captain Odo and Tom.
‘The other rangers are chaining up the goblins who were underground,’ called Sam.
‘And I think we’re nearly done here!’ called back Robin, as he kicked out with his back legs and knocked another two goblins out cold.
It was Thud who saw Govo. The goblin leader had crept into one of the huts, and was now sneaking out, a large sack over his shoulder. As the goblin leader tried to scuttle away, some small pieces of metal fell out of the sack he was carrying and onto the ground, and lay there glistening. Gold!
Thud let out an angry growl and jumped forward, one of his huge hands grabbing hold of the sack and jerking it back sharply. The sack split open and the gold poured out onto the ground.
‘No!’ wailed Govo, and he turned and knelt down, and started to scoop up the fallen gold with his hands.
Oddbit and Captain Odo appeared beside the
goblin, grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him to his feet.
‘You won’t need that where you’re going,’ snapped Captain Odo. ‘You’re going to jail for a very long time.’
Suddenly Thud became aware that the things he was looking at from a high point were getting closer. He was shrinking. The rocky glassiness over his eyes was fading and becoming … clearer.
He looked down at himself.
Normal hands and feet. Normal body, for a small, thin boy.
‘Great stuff, Jack!’
Jack turned and found Milo beaming at him.
‘We did it!’ said Milo. ‘We beat the goblins!’
‘Thanks to Thud,’ smiled Big Rock. His smile grew even wider as he looked at Jack. ‘Thud great Wrestling Troll.’
CHAPTER 11
It was all over. The battle was won.
Jack and Milo sat on the steps of the caravan and looked at the broken wheel, still waiting to be fixed, propped against a rock.
Big Rock sat on the grass, chewing on little pebbles of sweet granite.
Robin the horse moved slowly around, grazing contentedly on the grass.
Oddbit and Captain Odo and the rest of the Elf and Safety Police Rangers had gone, taking with them Govo and most of the goblins, all chained and shackled to make sure they couldn’t escape. The rest of the captured goblins had been put into a prison wagon and been taken to Weevil by the Masked Avenger and Sam Dent and the Weevil army, where they would be made to put their energies into repairing homes and public buildings that needed work done. The gold had been impounded by the rangers and taken away to build much-needed hospitals and schools in poor areas. Everything was good.
‘But Lord Veto got away,’ sighed Jack.
‘This time,’ nodded Milo. ‘But one day we’ll get him and put him where he ought to be. In jail.’
‘That won’t be easy,’ said Jack. ‘He’s got powerful friends.’
‘He’s got crooked friends who think they’re powerful,’ countered Milo. ‘Like Govo and his goblins. But we beat them. And one day, we’ll catch up with Lord Veto.’