by carl ashmore
Becky watched; her curiosity spiked. She noticed the campervan was swaying from side to side.
Uncle Percy slid open the side door and, with a majestic roar, Milly leapt out, into Becky’s open arms
Beaming, Becky ruffled her head. Then she heard a high-pitched whine and she knew at once that Milly wasn’t the only Bowen resident to have made the trip. ‘Sabian?’ she cried, lifting the cub out of the campervan and clasping him to her chest.
Uncle Percy tickled Sabian’s chin. ‘I thought you might appreciate some company while we’re gone.’
‘You’ve been back to Bowen Hall?’ Becky asked.
‘I have, indeed,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Maria wants to know if you fancy chicken and chips for dinner? Oh, and she’s making blueberry tart for pudding, which I assure you is a real treat.’
Becky couldn’t believe it. The world of Bowen Hall, Maria, and blueberry tarts seemed such a distant memory.
Uncle Percy entered more coordinates onto the time-pad. ‘Bertha is now set to return to Bowen Hall. When Will, Milly and I have entered the caves, I want you to wait one hour. No longer! If we haven’t returned I want you to press this button here …’ he pointed to a winking amber button, ‘and return to the twenty first century.’
Becky’s eyes moistened. ‘But -?’
‘No, buts,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘You must do as I say. Now, if we don’t return in an hour, it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything bad has happened to us. However, I do need you to return to the Hall. Then, I’d like you to ask Jacob to take you to a pub in Addlebury called The Magpie Inn. I want you to explain everything to Reg Muckle, he’s the landlord. Now Reg is a smashing chap and an ex traveller, he’ll know exactly what to do. Do you understand?’
Becky and Joe nodded.
‘Will you do that for me?’
‘Yes,’ Becky mumbled.
‘You promise?’
‘We promise,’ Becky said.
Reluctantly, Joe nodded.
‘Thank you,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘But I don’t want either of you to worry. We’ll all be tucking into blueberry tart before you know it. Won’t we Will?’
‘Of that I am certain.’
‘I’m scared,’ Becky said quietly.
‘There is nothing to be scared of,’ Uncle Percy replied.
Sensing her upset, Milly curled her head against Becky’s leg.
‘See…’ Uncle Percy added. ‘Milly isn’t worried, and neither should you be. Are you ready, Will?’
Will looped his bow over his shoulder. ‘I am.’
Uncle Percy inserted Edgar’s dagger into his belt. Taking out the Theseus Disc, he approached the gate and slotted it into the hole. Then he inserted the Suman Stone into the disc and waited. For a second nothing happened. Then the key exploded into life. Jets of emerald light spread from the Suman Stone and slithered all around like cracking glass. Within seconds, the light had fed every inch of the gate, turning the dull silver metal misty green.
Becky felt her heart racing.
Joe’s mouth dropped open so much he resembled a fish.
A loud, creaking sound fractured the silence. Slowly, the gate edged open, revealing a long tunnel behind, lit by thin beams of sunlight that filtered in from cracks in the tunnel walls.
Uncle Percy knelt before Becky and Joe. ‘I promise you that we will come out of this alive,’ he said, ‘and with a Golden Fleece. Now, I bet you didn’t expect to do that in your summer holidays, did you?’
‘We would’ve been happy with a day trip to Rhyl.’ It took all of Becky’s resolve not to grab him and not let go. Instead, she placed Sabian on the ground and watched sadly as he and Milly rubbed noses.
Uncle Percy turned to Joe, who wore his bravest face. ‘Joe, I need you to take care of your sister and Sabian for me. Will you do that?’
‘Course I will.’
Kneeling, Will met Joe eye to eye. ‘Do not fear, I swear we shall return. There is still much about archery you have to learn, and I would not miss teaching it you for the King Solomon’s fortune.’
Joe forced a smile and said, ‘Just come back.’
‘Come, Milly,’ Uncle Percy said. Milly obediently padded to his side. ‘Now, remember. If we’re not back in an hour you must leave for Bowen Hall. Get to the Magpie Inn. Tell Reg Muckle everything.’
Becky took hold of Joe’s hand. She clasped it tightly. ‘We will.’
‘We’ll be back in a jiffy.’ Flashing them a parting smile, Uncle Percy entered the gateway. Will followed, Milly at his side.
‘Be safe,’ Becky shouted, as she watched them disappear into the shadows.
There was no reply.
*
Becky and Joe stood there, alone and helpless. Sabian tugged at Becky’s sandals. She picked him up again and pressed her cheek against his. A single thought flooded her mind: What if she never saw Uncle Percy again? She couldn’t begin to explain how much he and Will meant to her. They were her family now.
‘We should follow them,’ Joe said.
‘No,’ Becky replied. ‘For once, let’s do as we’re told.’
‘But they might need our help,’ Joe said. ‘What if they -’ he hesitated, ‘- what if they don’t come back?’
‘They will,’ Becky replied. ‘I know they will.’
‘But - ’
‘No, Joe, we wait. That’s what Uncle Percy asked us to do, and we promised we would.’
A voice came out of nowhere; a hollow, jeering voice. ‘How very principled of you, Rebecca … a quality usually lacking in the youth of today. Bravo.’
Becky and Joe spun sharply round.
Standing before them was a tall man with raven-black hair, a gaunt face and tapered blue eyes. Dressed formally in a navy blue suit and tie, it would be easy to mistake him for a bank manager or an accountant, except he was a pointing a gun at Becky’s head.
‘I like to see obedience in a child,’ the man purred.
‘Who are you?’ Becky panted, although deep down she already knew the answer.
She was staring at the traveller.
‘That is of no matter to you. Let’s just say I’m an old friend of Uncle Percy’s.’
‘You’re no friend of his,’ Becky snapped back. ‘You’re a murderer!’
‘Am I now?’ The traveller replied with a sneer. ‘How very naïve of you. And if I am, what of it? What is a murderer anyway?’ He laughed darkly. ‘Was Winston Churchill a murderer? Was George Washington? Of course they were. They had men killed, many men. Considerably more blood stains their hands than mine … thus far, anyway. No, it seems to me that killing is an essential part of greatness - killing with motivation and just cause. And my cause is certainly just. In fact, show me the truly great man who wasn’t a murderer.’
‘My uncle,’ Becky replied at once.
‘Your uncle is but an ignorant fool,’ the traveller scoffed. ‘Why, even as we speak he is doing my bidding. He’s just too stupid to recognise it.’
‘He’s not stupid,’ Becky cried, her blood boiling. ‘He’s the cleverest man alive.’
‘Clever? Oh, I really don’t think so.’
‘He is,’ Becky shouted, ‘He’s -’
‘He’s my puppet. Nothing more, nothing less.’
‘HE’S NOT!’ Joe roared.
The traveller turned to face Joe. ‘Ah, the other one has a tongue.’
‘Yes, I do,’ Joe barked. ‘And when my uncle comes out of there he’ll kill you.’
The traveller snorted. ‘I doubt that. That would take genuine courage and he’s far too much of a coward. He also possesses an uncommon measure of decency, which would also prevent him doing anything so bold.’
‘Then you should worry about Will,’ Joe said ‘He’d kill you in a heartbeat.’
‘Ah, in that case I have no doubt you are correct. But will he get the opportunity?’
‘He’ll make the opportunity,’ Joe said defiantly. ‘You just see. Your one little gun will be no match for him.’
A tremendous gust of cold, artificial wind blew back Becky’s hair. Terrified, she watched as coils of red and black electrical charge filled the air, followed by a succession of very loud booms.
Four large, grey military trucks appeared. Inside, were row upon row of stone-faced men, each wearing a dark suit, tanned leather overcoat and mirrored sunglasses. Each carried a machine gun.
Becky scooped up Sabian and buried his head in her tunic.
The men leapt from their benches and filed into line, pointing their rifles at the cave. One of them, a huge blond-haired man took charge of the others. Taking powerful strides, he walked over to the traveller.
‘Any problems, Kruger?’ the traveller asked.
Becky’s blood froze as she recalled the name.
Otto Kruger.
‘No,’ Kruger replied in a deep, gravelly voice. ‘The containment area is set up at the time and place you requested.’
‘Excellent.’ The traveller looked down at Joe. ‘You see, boy, I’m not alone at all.’ A mocking smile curved on his thin mouth. ‘And my Associates have plenty of guns...’
And then Becky did something she never would’ve thought was in her. She took a single step toward the traveller, raised her hand and slapped him ferociously across the face.
- Chapter 29 -
Nephele’s Fleece
Uncle Percy and Will heard nothing of the activity outside. They were deep into the caves and moving fast. Milly jogged alongside as if taking an afternoon stroll.
‘Becky knows, does she not?’ Will said. ‘About her father.’
‘Yes,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘She’s a bright girl. I had to tell her.’
A strange expression crossed Will’s face. ‘How much does she know?’
‘She knows he was a traveller, that’s all.’
‘And the boy, what does he know?’
‘Not a thing. Not yet, anyway. I thought it best we wait until he’s older. Becky agreed with me.’
‘He has much to discover,’ Will said. ‘They both do...’
They trekked further into the winding chasm, neither of them saying a word. The further they advanced, the more they became cloaked in a thick, impenetrable darkness. They had been walking for five minutes when Milly came to a sudden halt and growled.
‘What is it, girl?’ Uncle Percy said; looking ahead he could just make out that the tunnel arched to the right.
Will fixed an arrow to his bowstring.
At that moment, the tar-black walls began to shake, the ground shivered.
Uncle Percy glanced anxiously at Will. ‘Is that wind?’
Will had no answer.
And then they heard it: a low wailing sound.
Uncle Percy pulled out two squid grenades as Will took aim.
The sound was growing louder, heading in their direction … an ugly sound; shrill, harsh, like fingernails on a blackboard.
Uncle Percy recognised it at once. ‘TO THE FLOOR!’ he yelled. Using all of his strength, he heaved Milly to the ground, shielding her eyes. Will dropped beside him. A moment later, a dense fog of winged creatures turned the corner.
Bats. Thousands of bats.
Uncle Percy clamped his eyes shut and braced himself.
The maelstrom hit.
Flapping. Screeching. Flailing. Thrashing.
A few seconds later, it was over.
Gasping for air, Uncle Percy opened his eyes and pressed his face softly against Milly’s forehead. ‘It’s over, girl. Everything’s fine now.’ He turned to Will and smiled half-heartedly. ‘Well, something spooked them.’
Will didn’t smile back.
They dusted themselves down and set off again, pushing on in almost complete darkness for a few minutes when, in the distance, they spotted light. Racing over to it, they emerged into a cavern the size of a football pitch with four tunnels leading out. A thick shaft of misty sunlight shone down from a wide fissure above.
Uncle Percy’s gaze tracked a steam to a huge oak tree in the centre of the cavern. His eyes widened. Hanging from the tree’s largest branch was a glittering object that cast a flickering golden reflection like a thousand fireflies on the far wall. The Golden Fleece.
‘It’s really here,’ Uncle Percy breathed, as if he never believed in its existence in the first place.
‘Then seize it.’ Will’s eyes darted from tunnel to tunnel. ‘We must leave this place.’
Slowly, Uncle Percy edged closer to it, moving as though in a daze, his feet struggling to find their natural rhythm. Reaching the stream, he leapt it in a single bound and moved over to the oak tree, where he found himself rooted to the spot, entranced, hypnotized by the Fleece’s beauty. Taking the greatest of care, he lifted the Fleece from its branch. It felt weightless, extraordinary, unlike anything he’d felt before.
Then a very strange thing happened.
The Fleece fizzled with energy. His back stiffened as a power surge slammed his body. At once, visions crashed through his head - abstract, random visions. But he understood them. It was knowledge. Millions of years of knowledge. The knowledge of the ages. His brain screamed, but he couldn’t stop. He needed more. He could see everything - the past, the future. It was he, not the Fleece that had the power.
He dropped it at once.
‘What’s the matter? Will asked.
‘I - I don’t know,’ Uncle Percy said, struggling to catch his breath. ‘I just know I shouldn’t touch it. No one should.’ He slipped off his cloak, dropped it over the Fleece and gathered the bundle in his arms. ‘We must go …’
Then they heard something. A deep, stirring sound. Their eyes flicked to the tunnels. Nothing. They heard it again, louder this time. Where was it coming from? Uncle Percy and Will looked at each other. Then, simultaneously, their heads tilted down. They had their answer. Below.
‘Oh, crikey!’ Uncle Percy exclaimed.
The ground exploded and huge chunks of limestone, soil and rock flew everywhere. Uncle Percy and Will covered their eyes from the blast, paralysed with shock. Gradually, a giant head rose from the ruptured earth. And then another head, then another.
Uncle Percy gasped with shock as a curved talon gripped the earth and pulled its gigantic scaled body into the light.
The Hydra’s nine heads coiled the air like serpents; eighteen fiery red eyes glowered down at Uncle Percy.
Milly roared.
‘DROP THE FLEECE!’ Will shouted, raising his bow.
Uncle Percy let the Fleece tumble to the floor.
‘Now, move away!’ Will added, taking aim at the head closest to Uncle Percy.
The largest of the nine heads, the central head, stared at the Fleece, before looking back at Uncle Percy, its thin top lip curling angrily. Then, with a tremendous howl, it lunged.
‘RUN!’ Will fired, striking the Hydra above its right eye.
Uncle Percy sprinted toward a tunnel. Milly roared again. She sprang at the head closest to her, sinking her long fangs into its neck. The Hydra squealed, its head twisted violently from side to side. Milly held on. The Hydra whipped its massive tail and struck Milly hard, dislodging her grip, sending her crashing against the cavern wall.
Milly landed heavily, unconscious.
Will sent another flurry of arrows. Although each one hit its target, the Hydra ignored them.
Uncle Percy watched as another head lunged, teeth bared. Dodging it, he hurled himself upon the neck. As the head coiled upright, he pulled out a squid grenade, dropped it into the open mouth and leapt free. BOOM. The head exploded into pieces.
Uncle Percy looked triumphant. His expression turned to dismay as another head emerged from the bleeding stump.
The Hydra had regenerated itself.
Will was unleashing arrow after ar
row, but each proved useless. Then the far left head spied him and attacked. As it pounced, he somersaulted over the head and landed perfectly. Aiming above, he fired an arrow into where the heart should have been. Once again, it proved ineffective.
The Hydra repositioned for another attack.
An idea formed in Uncle Percy’s mind. ‘Aim for the eyes, Will,’ he yelled. ‘Blind it!’
Will sent two arrows into the eyes of the nearest head. The Hydra screamed. He trained his sights on the remaining heads. Again and again, he fired each arrow hitting its target. Eye after eye was pierced, until six of the nine heads were blinded. He reached into his quiver again. Empty. He cast his bow aside and drew his sword.
The Hydra faced him, rearing onto its hind legs.
‘Over here!’ Uncle Percy tried to distract it. He threw a grenade at the Hydra’s feet. BOOM! No damage. Uncle Percy pulled out another, when the tail whipped round and caught him off-guard. He crashed into the tree’s trunk and landed badly, blood pouring from his arm. The Hydra refocused on Will. A head swooped down. In one powerful movement, Will severed it, only for it to be replaced almost immediately.
Two more heads attacked; one head knocked the sword from his hands, the next hit him full in the stomach. He fell, winded. A claw pinned him down. Then, slowly, the central head opened its huge jaws.
His vision blurred, Uncle Percy saw the Hydra ready its strike. No. Not Will! He clambered to his feet. Then it struck him: Edgar’s Dagger. He tugged it from his belt and sprinted toward the Hydra. He jumped and landed on its back. For the briefest of moments, the Hydra was distracted.
With all his strength, Uncle Percy ploughed the dagger through the thick, armour-plated skin into its heart. Leaping to the ground, he watched as the Hydra twisted in agonising spasms. Then, with a mighty crash, it fell. One by one, each head became still.
For what seemed an age, Uncle Percy stared vacantly at the lifeless creature. Then, to his surprise, he heard the most unexpected sound.
It was applause.
Slow, mocking applause.
- Chapter 30 -
The Traveller Revealed