by SJB Gilmour
Contents
Copyright
Title
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Extras
About The Author
Armies Of Nine ©
Book Three of The Adventures of Sarah Coppernick ©
By S J B Gilmour.
Copyright © 2012 by S J B Gilmour
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright holders.
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
General digital release ISBN: 978-0-9871084-8-7
Cover art by Tom Hermann: http://tommiart.blogspot.com
Any and all correspondence regarding this publication to:
S J B Gilmour.
1187 Glen Huntly Road, Glen Huntly, 3163, Victoria, Australia.
First published in 2012 by S J B Gilmour.
Armies Of Nine ©
Book Three of The Adventures of Sarah Coppernick ©
Chapter One
Waking up in the jaws of a dragon was not a pleasant experience. What made it worse for Sarah Coppernick, was that this dragon was flying several hundred metres over the Congo jungle. Unsurprisingly, the Golden Mane werewolf gave quite a start when she opened her eyes.
‘Hold still!’ Cexil muttered. The old slateback dragon was straining to retain his balance now she was wriggling in alarm. He began to descend quite rapidly towards a small clearing in the jungle. Unfortunately, his eyesight was horrible and he missed the clearing and landed clumsily in a swampy patch beside the Congo river.
Sarah didn’t wait for Cexil to let her go. She wrenched herself free, leaped out of the swamp and gave herself a hearty shake, sending a spray of muddy water over a very surprised bunch of werewolves and sorcerers. As her friends gathered around Sarah, the old dragon backed away to stand well clear of the group.
Many of the werewolves were still a little groggy. Wolfenvald had required an enormous amount of energy to keep Sarah from destroying Conundrum Gate prematurely — so much so that it had to borrow strength from every werewolf alive to do it. Luckily, wolves rarely hold a grudge and they were all quite happy to see her alive and well. She had certainly fared better than Cexil. He had a large number of chipped and broken scales, and his left wing had a nasty tear in the membrane that must have hurt awfully. Despite his injuries, his red eyes were full of concern for Sarah.
Her Aunt Roberta was there, along with Uncle Robert. Scattered about were also the members of Black Pack Mannix and Brown Pack Fergus. Her most favourite uncle in the whole world, Uncle Benjamin was also there. The werewolves all began wagging their tails and several of them rushed forward to nudge her and lick the dust and ash from her face, flanks and ears.
‘About time you turned up, young lady,’ Miss Angela Harding said in a crisp tone without looking up.
Sarah turned around painfully to face her teacher and Benjamin’s beautiful assistant. She was crouched beside the prone form of Oliver Cromwell. She placed a damp cloth on his forehead and sighed to herself. When she stood up to face Sarah, her expression was severe.
Uh, oh, thought Sarah. She shut her eyes as the enormity of everything that had just happened sunk in. She had fought sorcerers, killing a number of them. She had then gone to Conundrum and tried very hard to blast Conundrum Gate into atoms. Just as she had been about to put an end to the cause of so much trouble and grief, Wolfenvald had stopped her. In the process, the headquarters of The Sorcerers’ Guild at Conundrum Gate had been destroyed. It was then that Sarah had discovered within herself such enormous power that she could scarcely believe it. Only Wolfenvald had been able to stop her from destroying The Gate and she didn’t realise how much effort that had taken until now. Wolfenvald had called on the strength of every werewolf alive and had stood like an impassable wall against her rage.
She glanced around at the lush growth around her. It was as though the explosion she and Melanie had caused which had destroyed the temple had never happened. All that was left of the temple itself was a pile of rubble. That pile was now completely enclosed in a giant shimmering containment orb that would keep anything and everything from interfering with the ruins. Sarah knew who had created that orb! Like all sorcery, the sorcerers who had used their powers to restore the jungle to its past glory had left signatures — enchanted scents that she could detect. James and Angela had built the containment orb to protect what was left of the temple. James had then regrown the surrounding jungle. With the exception of the ruins themselves, all the damage Sarah and Melanie had caused was gone.
Sarah assumed her human form, sat on the moist ground, and rubbed her eyes. She looked at her teacher nervously. She could tell something else had happened to Angela — something important, but she had no idea what it was. Also, much more worrying, she had never seen her teacher quite so angry with her before. Angela had been mad at Oliver many times, and Benjamin a few times as well, but she had never been anything other than patient and caring for Sarah.
‘Easy,’ James said as he stepped into the clearing and put one hand on his cousin’s shoulder. ‘Angela,’ he said firmly, ‘you can’t blame her for trying. I’d have done the same thing if I’d been there. You would have too.’ He grinned at Sarah and nodded negligently over his shoulder at the jungle. ‘It was nothing,’ he said with a shrug. ‘You should’ve seen it when Krakatoa blew up. Now that was hard work to rebuild.’
‘James this is serious!’ Angela snapped. ‘I could have been killed! You know what it’s like being forced back through a portal. The more powerful the portal, the worse the expulsion. I used everything I had to get to Conundrum. I’m lucky I woke up at all!’
‘But ye did, girlie,’ Black Coat healer Sheila Freeman growled at her in her heavy Scottish accent. ‘I’m the healer who brought ye out of yer little nap.’ She glanced at Oliver Cromwell who was still unconscious. ‘Shame I canna get that lump to wake up now too. I’d like to know what the devil’s going on!’
‘My Second is correct,’ a large Black Coat male werewolf said, padding forward. His accent, also Scottish, was nowhere near as thick. ‘Let her be.’
Angela drew in a sharp breath and glared at Mannix. She was about to retort furiously when another male also stepped forward to stand in front of Sarah protectively. This male, a Brown almost as big as Mannix, was much less serious than the Black.
‘I can’t believe I’m actually agreeing with this old skirt wearer,’ Fergus muttered half to himself, his tongue lolling out and his huge grey eyes glinting with mischief, ‘but Mannix is right. She didn’t do any real harm,�
� he said calmly. ‘Conundrum’s always been ripe for a renovation. Now they’ve got the perfect chance to make the place nice and airy.’ He was obviously better at being diplomatic than Mannix.
Mannix snarled at Fergus. ‘It’s a kilt, laddie, and I’ll have you know I wear it with pride!’
Fergus just grinned mischievously.
Angela paused and glared at the surrounding werewolves in cold fury. She shrugged her cousin’s hand off her shoulder. The air around her was shimmering and sparks flickered up and down her body. Overhead, thunder rumbled in the tropical sky. With an almost superhuman effort, she managed to get her temper under control.
‘Alright,’ she said firmly to the werewolves. She knelt down next to a very sore and now quite nervous Sarah. ‘Dear, how are you feeling?’
Sarah rubbed her eyes again. She did not feel very well at all. Every muscle in her body ached and she was now feeling quite embarrassed at being the centre of attention like this. She glanced up at Fergus and flashed him a grateful grin. The huge werewolf padded forward and nudged her affectionately.
‘I’m sorry,’ she mumbled. ‘What happened?’
James sprawled down next to her. ‘We don’t really know, kiddo,’ he admitted. He waved at Cexil. ‘Hey there, Cexil!’ he called. ‘What happened?’
Cexil shambled forward. As he neared the group, he blinked at the prone form of Oliver Cromwell warily. He craned his head down to sniff him. When he realised just who was lying there on the forest floor, he gave an indignant snort. He turned to James, blinking again.
‘I don’t know how or why, but the Golden Mane here returned to my dungeon. She broke through the enchantment holding me there as if it were nought. Then she climbed the tower. I’ve never seen so many goblins killed in such a short time by such a small beast,’ he remarked with admiration. ‘When she got to the top, there was another explosion. That’s when I flew up to follow her. By the time I got there, it was all over. She was falling. With these old eyes, I was lucky I caught her. Once I had her, I flew clear of the island and got away as fast as I could.’
‘We figured as much,’ James said with a nod. ‘What’s the place look like now?’
‘And where is it?’ Angela demanded.
‘Perhaps I’d better show you,’ Cexil told them. He reached out with one claw and waved at a half-barrel of water the werewolves had been using to drink and wash from.
‘Abeos,’ the dragon commanded and there, on the surface of the water appeared a quite blurry image of a flat island several kilometres across. In the middle of it rose the tall tower known as The Nonagon, which led up to Conundrum Gate. The ancient fixed portal could only be operated by using the two combined pieces of The Star of Planes. Sarah had one piece of the The Star, while her best friend Melanie Hazelwood, had the other.
Around the base of The Nonagon was a great circular field that appeared quite plain. Beyond that was a huge maze, full of bustling, monstrous crabs the size of elephants. Also shown in the image Cexil produced, was another surprise. A few hundred metres across some very nasty-looking water indeed was a second, smaller island Sarah and many others in the group also recognised as Oliver Cromwell’s island home, complete with the tower he’d hidden for so long.
‘That’s the best you can do?’ Angela asked the old dragon.
‘I’ve just the ticket fer that,’ Sheila said. She padded up to Cexil and yipped a small spell at him.
An enormous pair of bi-focal glassed appeared on the dragon’s snout. He blinked several times, finally after centuries of having shocking eyesight, able to see more clearly. The image on the surface of the water shimmered and then became much sharper.
‘Hold that scene for a bit, will you old boy?’ James asked him. He quickly withdrew a small sketchbook and made several sketches.
‘That’s Cromwell’s place! Where is it?’ Angela asked.
‘The Atlantic Ocean,’ Cexil replied, blinking again. He grinned at Sheila. ‘My thanks, Black Coat!’ he told her sincerely.
Sheila shrugged. ‘Just don’t fly unless ye fasten them on somehow,’ she told him bluntly. ‘We saw ye land, old lad and it weren’t a pretty sight!’
James finished sketching and put his sketchbook away. He looked around at the group. ‘Okay lads and ladies,’ he told them all. ‘Right now, he’s dead to the world, so it’s safe to talk, but when he does wake up, it might be an idea if we don’t let on that we know what he’s been keeping secret.’
‘Agreed,’ Mannix growled. ‘I do not trust that necromancer.’
James turned to Sarah, beaming. ‘Well done, kiddo! Well done! While you were stripping Conundrum Gate of Cromwell’s disguise, we were here.’ He waved at the werewolves and then to the unconscious master necromancer Oliver Cromwell. ‘One minute, we’re all here getting ready to go to Jilde to rescue Mel—’
‘Mel!’ Sarah blurted.
‘I’ll get to her in minute,’ James promised her. ‘Anyway, we were all about to head off when all these guys collapsed like dogs on dope.’ He waved at the werewolves around him again. This brought several whines and barks of affronted protest. He grinned at them cheekily. ‘Then Cromwell here starts weeping blood and he passes out. Whatever hit him must have hurt like buggery ‘cos he’s out like a light.’
Angela nodded. ‘We figured something was wrong at Conundrum, so I tried to force my way there to find out what was going on. Whatever you were up to sent me back through my own portal.’ She looked over to Cexil. ‘I don’t know how you found us, but thank-you,’ she told the dragon simply.
Cexil smiled softly. ‘My pleasure, friends of Amixo!’ he told her.
Sheila padded up to the injured dragon. ‘I may have done yer eyes a favour, but the rest of ye dunna look so good old chum,’ she assessed. ‘Why don’t ye be a good lad and let the doctor fix ye right up?’
Cexil smiled again at the werewolf. ‘I’d be most grateful, Madame!’ he replied with great relief. ‘Marzdane’s administration was fair and I was treated with respect. Mautallius is cruel. I have suffered much.’
While Sheila most unceremoniously climbed all over the dragon, treating his injuries, Cexil peered at James through his new glasses.
‘I think I better alert The Wings about all this,’ he said. ‘Also, I should not be here when Cromwell awakens. Your secret may not be safe if he sees me here.’
James nodded at the old dragon. ‘Go find Siouxanne,’ he advised. The bald sorcerer produced a bucket of Mexican flame tree beans from his satchel. ‘Give her these and she’ll know you’re with us and on the level. Show her what you showed us. She’ll know what to do with the information.’
Cexil nodded and carefully picked up the bucket with one massive claw. When Sheila had finished healing him, the old dragon nudged her affectionately and then turned to Sarah and Angela. ‘The last time we met, things were different. I’m sorry for the way I behaved toward you.’
Angela smiled in understanding. ‘It was a different time. We’re friends now and that’s all that matters.’
Cexil bowed his great head once more, smiling. Then he vanished.
Sarah looked around at everyone. ‘I’m sorry too. I... I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble.’
‘No harm done,’ Fergus said as though the massive event was of little note. Like most werewolves, Fergus was quite relaxed when there was no sign of immediate danger. He wagged his tail and grinned at Sarah, his pink tongue lolling out happily.
‘Here at least,’ added Mannix. He glanced at the surrounding jungle James had re-grown, and allowed himself to whine briefly in a moment of confusion. Black Coats are very serious werewolves and like things to be in order as much as possible.
‘Perhaps an explanation would be appropriate, however, young lady?’ Angela said archly.
Sarah nodded. ‘I was so close,’ she told them. ‘I could have destroyed The Gate right there, but Wolfenvald stopped me.’
‘Not just Wolfenvald, young Golden Mane,’ Mannix told her. ‘It took the
combined strength of every werewolf alive to restrain you.’ The large Black shook his head briefly in awe. ‘We are fortunate you are not our adversary.’
‘That’s something I don’t understand,’ James said to him. ‘What happened to you all?’
Mannix regarded the bald botanist seriously. ‘Wolfenvald is more than a mere forest planet. It is the embodiment of every werewolf who has ever lived. When it calls, we must obey. As it gives us our power, it can take power from us, should it need to.’
He glanced at Sarah and wagged his tail ruefully. ‘The power of the Golden Mane is great. Wolfenvald itself could not restrain her alone. It took power from every werewolf alive in order to keep her from destroying The Gate. Every werewolf in every part of the universe gave his own power to prevent something terrible from happening.’ He allowed himself a tight grin. ‘Just imagine how powerful she can be if Wolfenvald lends its power to her when she needs it! She’s young, but Wolfenvald has all the experience she could ever need. In time, when her powers have reached their peak, no living being will be able to withstand her.’
Sarah felt embarrassed but went on bravely and told the gathered sorcerers and werewolves how she had gone from Wolfenvald to the Ottispuschenshuffen Brothers’ shop in Neroland. She explained how she had fought and killed the huge beastmaster N’butu and then gone to Conundrum Gate.
‘Now what happened to Mel?’ she demanded when she had finished.
‘She’s safe,’ Angela told her. ‘She was hurt, but Apollo healed her. She’s on Jilde.’
Sarah sighed with relief. ‘Good,’ she replied. ‘She’s okay though, isn’t she?’
Angela nodded. ‘She’s okay for now. My Master intervened,’ she said ruefully. ‘He doesn’t normally do that, but these are not normal times. Melanie is alive and well, but I’m afraid we won’t be seeing her for a while. I didn’t see it at first, but my Master explained a little to me. We’ll have to let Mel be. She’ll have to research the origins of The Star of Planes all by herself.’