by Adam Blade
Tom looked at the compass again. Now the needle rested firmly over the word Destiny.
Pocketing the compass, Tom drew his sword. Its blade reflected the red sky, flashing like a tongue of fire as he approached the courtyard. He lifted his shield, his muscles flexing as he prepared to do battle. Then he stepped out into the open, his boots ringing on the cobbles. Elenna was at his shoulder, an arrow poised on her bow, her eyes gleaming.
“Keep me covered,” Tom said to Elenna. “But don’t put yourself in danger.” He moved into the center of the courtyard, keeping his eyes fixed on the prowling Beast. Kaymon paced back and forth, her feet thumping and her claws rattling on the stones. The evil Beast’s yellow eyes were filled with malice.
Lifting his sword, Tom closed in.
Kaymon paused, her throat rumbling with a low, menacing growl.
“This is for Silver!” Tom shouted as he rushed toward the Beast.
Kaymon crouched low, growling as Tom came at her. Then she flexed her mighty leg muscles and leaped right over Tom’s head! Tom thrust his sword up high, slicing the air, but the Beast was out of range.
Tom turned swiftly, his shield up and his sword ready.
The Beast landed on the stone steps that led to the battlements. Howling, Kaymon leaped again, high above Tom’s head. But this time, in the middle of the leap, the shape of the Beast swelled — and suddenly, there were three hounds in the air.
They separated and came crashing down onto the cobbles with a noise like an avalanche. Tom spun around. The three hounds had surrounded him, their eyes burning with sinister satisfaction as they moved slowly forward, their menacing growls filling the courtyard. Tom turned, trying desperately to keep all three Beasts at bay with his flashing sword. But as he turned to confront two of the hounds, the third leaped forward behind him, one great paw reaching out, claws gleaming.
Using the power given to him by the golden boots, Tom sprang over the hound’s head. Jaws snapped at his heels as he soared through the air. He twisted in midleap, his feet striking high on the courtyard wall. He flexed his knees and kicked out, the force sending him flying across the courtyard above the howling Beasts.
“For Avantia!” he shouted, striking down at them with his sword as he sped over their heads.
“Well done!” Elenna called.
Tom felt full of energy and strength as he landed on the cobbles, the golden chain mail giving him extra strength of heart in battle. The hounds pounced, but before they were able to sink their fangs into him, he leaped high again, turning a somersault in midair.
One hound jumped up, razor-sharp claws raking and teeth gnashing. Tom stamped hard on the hound’s muzzle, bounding high again and backflipping before he came plunging down to the ground.
The hounds howled with rage. Tom watched as they came for him. He intended to make another leap, hoping they would crash into one another. But he left his jump a moment too late.
One of the hounds reached out with a great paw, and the curled yellow claws struck Tom on the wrist, knocking his sword out of his fingers. The steel blade clattered as it hit the cobbles. The hound’s paw reached out again, the dreadful claws catching the sword and sending it skimming across the courtyard, out of Tom’s reach.
Ignoring the pain in his wrist, Tom gripped his shield and watched the three hounds pad relentlessly toward him.
They were unstoppable!
Tom braced himself as the hounds lunged toward him, their teeth dripping saliva and their twisted claws reaching for him. Would he survive?
CHAPTER EIGHT
BRAINS AGAINST BRAWN
THE THREE HOUNDS POUNCED AS ONE. BUT Tom sprang straight up into the air, and the hounds crashed together, howling and yelping.
Tom plunged downward, landing with all his weight on the head of one of the hounds. He used the Beast’s huge head as a springboard, leaping sideways this time, and cartwheeling over the hound’s back.
He landed hard, skidding across the cobbles, using his shield to protect him from injury. Then he retrieved his sword and crouched with his back to the wall, ready for the next attack.
The three hounds turned to him, their eyes brimming with hatred, their hair bristling like wire along their backs.
While there is blood in my veins, he thought, it is my destiny to confront these evil creatures — and defeat them.
But it was still three to one! For every set of deadly fangs Tom avoided, two more were ready to take their place.
An arrow flew from Elenna’s bow. It skipped on the cobbles close to the front paw of one hound. The Beast turned, her eyes fixing on Elenna, her jaws slavering.
Tom had to stop the hounds from attacking Elenna! I must trap them, he thought. He dashed along the wall and bounded through an open doorway. Then he slammed the door shut, hammering home the bolt before racing across the room and leaping through another door that led into a long corridor.
Glancing back, he saw the hounds smash open the first door. They fought and struggled to get in through the entrance. At last, they forced their way into the room, snarling and biting at one another.
Tom’s plan was working. In the narrow confines of the castle, there wasn’t room for three massive hounds.
Tom could see Elenna beyond the doorway. “Shoot at them!” he called. “Don’t let them out into the open again! I want them to chase me!” “It’s too dangerous for you!” Elenna shouted. “No, it isn’t!” Tom yelled back. “If they want to catch me inside, they’ll have to change back to single form. Then I have more chance of winning!”
Moments later, an arrow sped in through the doorway, grazing the flank of one of the hounds. Well done, Elenna! Tom thought. He raced along the corridor, looking over his shoulder. Driven on by Elenna’s arrows, the three hounds all tried to push through the second doorway. They were snapping and growling and thrashing about as each tried to get into the corridor ahead of the others.
“Come and get me!” Tom shouted. “If you can!”
The three mouths opened wide in howls of rage and frustration, the dreadful din echoing along the corridor. Tom laughed as the creatures merged together once more. He’d done it!
A moment later, one huge Kaymon came thundering down the corridor with death in her eyes. Tom noticed that the Beast was panting heavily, her chest heaving as though her heart were pounding fit to burst. Thick saliva drooled from her fangs, and her twisted claws scratched deep grooves in the stonework as she tore forward.
Tom swept the tapestry aside and ran down into the dungeons. His heart hammering, he slipped into the shadows at the foot of the winding staircase. Howling, Kaymon came hurtling down in pursuit. As the Beast passed him, Tom dodged back up the stairs. Kaymon turned at the sound of his feet, but lost her balance and tumbled over. She got up slowly, panting hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She was tiring, her body too huge for all this chasing.
As Tom ran into the corridor again, he heard claws scrabbling on the stone staircase behind him. This was not going to be easy! He raced along the corridor and stumbled back into the first room.
Elenna was there, an arrow to her bow.
“Keep out of sight,” Tom gasped as he ran past her. “Let her pass you. Shoot at her from behind if she looks like she’s giving chase. She’s tiring. I think her heart could give out!”
“Good luck!” Elenna said.
Tom headed out into the courtyard and made for the steps that led to the battlements.
As Tom arrived at the top of the battlements, he saw Kaymon at the foot of the steps. The great Beast was clearly in trouble — her mouth hanging open and her red tongue lolling. There were flecks of foam at her lips.
“Come on!” Tom taunted. “Don’t give up now!” Kaymon let out a howl that made the stones under Tom’s feet tremble. Gathering all her remaining strength, the Beast mounted the stairs in three leaps. Tom ran as fast as he could. Elenna was down in the courtyard, firing arrows that skipped on the stones, narrowly missing the gasping Beast as she cam
e careering along the battlements toward Tom.
Tom raced to the gatehouse and leaped onto it. He stared down at the drawbridge that spanned the weed-choked moat and looked back over his shoulder — Kaymon was still chasing him, her chest heaving and her breath ragged. Tom jumped from the battlements. He knew that the token of Cypher the Mountain Giant, a tear from the Beast embedded in his shield, would protect him from the fall.
He could hear Elenna shouting encouragement from the courtyard as he dropped through the air.
He came thudding down on the rotting timbers of the drawbridge. They groaned beneath his weight. He ran to the far end of the drawbridge and looked up, his sword at the ready.
Kaymon was on top of the battlements, roaring as she stared down at him.
“Follow me, if you can!” Tom shouted. “Or are you too tired?”
With a ferocious snarl, Kaymon leaped off the castle walls. She plunged down toward the drawbridge, roaring and slavering.
Her tremendous weight landed heavily on the rotten drawbridge. With a crack, the wooden planks collapsed. A long splinter of wood flew through the air toward Tom. He ducked, but the sharp edges of the splinter grazed his cheek, drawing blood.
The massive hound fell into the moat, sending up a torrent of slimy green water. Tom stood at the edge, watching as the evil Beast floundered, gasping and straining to keep her head above the foul waters.
He felt a moment of pity, but it passed. Kaymon was nothing but evil.
Elenna appeared at the gateway. Carefully avoiding the hole in the drawbridge, she ran out to Tom.
The light was fading from the Beast’s wicked eyes as the weeds tangled around her body, pulling her down. As the huge head slipped under the thrashing water for the final time, Tom saw the waters begin to spin, as if an invisible stick were stirring the moat water.
Faster and faster the whirlpool spun, and then a hole opened up at its center.
“Look!” cried Elenna, pointing to blue sky and snow-clad mountains that had appeared at the bottom of the hole. “It’s Avantia! We’ll be able to get Tartok home!”
A sudden fear filled Tom’s heart. The gateway to Avantia would stay with them for only a few precious moments.
Where was Tartok?
CHAPTER NINE
SHADOW PLAY
TOM TURNED AT THE SOUND HUGE FEET beating a path across the moor.
“Tartok!” he shouted in relief, seeing the great, shaggy ice beast racing toward them. Storm was galloping in her wake.
“Here she comes!” Elenna cried. “And she’s carrying Silver!”
Tom saw the limp shape of the wolf in Tartok’s arms. “She must have understood that it was time to come to us,” Tom said.
The good Beast came to a halt and crouched so that Elenna could examine Silver. The wolf was weak but still alive, and he even managed to lick Elenna’s hand as she leaned anxiously over him.
“The wounds are all healed,” Elenna said, checking Silver’s fur. “But I think he’s still exhausted from the ordeal. He can’t even stand.”
Tartok looked at Tom with her huge, kind eyes and snorted softly.
“She wants to take Silver back to Avantia so he can get well again,” Tom said, grateful once more to the ruby in his belt, which allowed him to understand Tartok.
“Yes,” Elenna said. “That’s a good idea.” She threw her arms around Silver’s neck. “We’ll see you very soon,” she said, hiding her face in his thick gray fur.
Tom looked down into the moat. The whirling water was beginning to slow and the gateway was shrinking. Soon it would be gone and Tartok would be trapped here.
“Elenna!” Tom warned gently. “We don’t have much time!”
Elenna stepped back. “No, of course,” she said, wiping her sleeve across her eyes.
“Tartok!” Tom called. “Jump!”
Still cradling the injured wolf in her arms, the ice beast lumbered to the edge of the moat. She looked over her shoulder, grunting her thanks, then leaped into the gateway.
The water churned as she disappeared; then the spinning waters came to a halt, leaving only slowly spreading ripples.
“I hope he’ll be safe,” Elenna murmured, staring down into the water.
Tom rested his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure he will,” he said. “Aduro will make him fit and well again in no time. You’ll see.”
Storm thrust his head between them, nuzzling up against Elenna’s face.
“I missed you, boy!” Tom said, stroking the stallion’s long nose and patting his neck. “You did well, helping Tartok to look after Silver. But I have another job for you, Storm. You’ll have to take us to our next Quest. I’m sure Aduro will soon tell us what it is.”
Just then something caught Tom’s attention: a bright glint that shone up from the surface of the moat, close to where he had last seen Kaymon.
“What’s that?” he asked, walking to the water’s edge.
“It’s the diamond from Kaymon’s collar,” Elenna said.
“Yes, it is!” said Tom. “I think I can reach it.” He crouched, leaning out over the stagnant water, while Elenna held on to his belt to stop him from falling.
The diamond was just out of reach. He drew his sword and with the point gently edged the jewel toward himself. At last he was able to pick it up. He rubbed it on his tunic, cleaning off the slime.
“Another jewel for my belt!” he said. “I wonder what it will do?”
“Fit it in place and we’ll soon find out,” Elenna urged him.
Tom set the diamond into his belt.
“Well?” Elenna asked. “Do you feel anything?”
Tom shook his head. “I feel exactly the same,” he said.
A few moments passed and Tom was just beginning to wonder if anything would happen at all, when the diamond let out a single blinding pulse of white light.
Tom rubbed his eyes. “What just happened?” he gasped.
He blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, and when he looked at Elenna it was to see her staring openmouthed at something behind his back.
He turned. The high sun cast his shadow at his feet. But something odd was happening — the shadow was moving on its own. Even as Tom stood gazing down at it, the shadow picked itself up out of the grass and stood in front of him with its hands on its hips, its head turning slowly. “Er … hello there …” Tom ventured. The shadow jumped back, as if startled to hear Tom’s voice. Then it doubled over, its hands on its knees.
“He’s laughing!” Elenna gasped. The shadow straightened up again and ran lightly toward the moor.
Tom grinned. “Thanks to Kaymon’s diamond, I think we have another companion on our Quest!”
The shadow leaped into the air, soundlessly clapping its hands. As he ran ahead, Tom watched, laughing. With their new friend, they’d be more than ready for Malvel’s next challenge.
Also Available
THE DARK REALM
#13: TORGOR THE MINOTAUR
#14: SKOR THE WINGED STALLION
#15: NARGA THE SEA MONSTER
#16: KAYMON THE GORGON HOUND
#17: TUSK THE MIGHTY MAMMOTH
#18: STING THE SCORPION MAN
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Beast Quest series created by Beast Quest Ltd., London.
BEAST QUEST is a trademark of Beast Quest Ltd.
Text © 2008 by Beast Quest Ltd.
Cover illustration © 2008 by David Wyatt
Interior illustrations © 2010 by Scholastic Inc.
Cover design by Tim Hall
First printing, July 2010
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eISBN 978-0-545-30063-6