by Adam Blade
BEAST QUEST
BOOK FIVE
TARTOK
THE ICE BEAST
ADAM BLADE
ILLUSTRATED BY EZRA TUCKER
With special thanks to Stephen Cole
To Karen, for all she’s done on the Quest
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Dear Reader
PROLOGUE: BLOOD ON ICE
CHAPTER ONE: QUEST TO THE NORTH
CHAPTER TWO: A SIGHTING ON THE ICE
CHAPTER THREE: ENCOUNTER ON THE PLAINS
CHAPTER FOUR: TERROR BY NIGHT
CHAPTER FIVE: THE EXPEDITION
CHAPTER SIX: THE RESCUE
CHAPTER SEVEN: TORN APART
CHAPTER EIGHT: FURY ON THE ICE
CHAPTER NINE: THE PRICE OF VICTORY
CHAPTER TEN: THE HEALING
Copyright
Reader,
Welcome to Avantia. I am Aduro — a good wizard residing in the palace of King Hugo. You join us at a difficult time. Let me explain….
It is laid down in the Ancient Scripts that the peaceful kingdom of Avantia would one day be plunged into danger by the evil wizard, Malvel.
That time has come.
Under Malvel’s evil spell, six Beasts — fire dragon, sea serpent, mountain giant, night horse, ice beast, and winged flame — run wild and destroy the land they once protected.
The kingdom is in great danger.
The Scripts also predict an unlikely hero. They say that a young boy shall take up the Quest to free the beasts and save the kingdom.
We pray this young boy will take up the Quest. Will you join us as we wait and watch?
Avantia salutes you,
Aduro
PROLOGUE
BLOOD ON ICE
ALBIN TOOK THE LEATHER SATCHEL FROM HIS back and kneeled down beside a small patch of dirt and rock peeking through the ice. Gently, he began to work the rock free, careful not to damage what might be beneath.
As a young boy, Albin had learned the ways of the ice. He knew that the sun would heat the exposed rocks. And that around and underneath the warmed rocks, moss, lichen, and other plants would grow. His father and others could take these mosses and make them into medicine. He had seen wounded men, sick children, and frost-weary travelers restored to health by these plants. And he had felt their healing powers for himself — a few years ago, a deadly fever had threatened his life. The moss medicine saved him.
It was Albin’s first time collecting without the elders, and he was determined not to come home empty-handed. He started in right away, pulling up stones as he went and surveying the ground below. Albin’s cousin, Oskie, walked nearby, kicking roughly at the occasional rock and checking hastily underneath it. But Albin was too focused on his own task to notice.
Underneath one of the larger stones, Albin found something. The bright green lichen on the underside of the rock was among the rarest. The medicine it made was strong — one plant would be able to save many lives.
“Over here!” Albin called to his cousin.
“What is it?” Oskie asked lazily. He was lying on his back nearby, watching the long, wispy clouds in the sky.
“Look at this!” Albin pointed to what he had found. “A healing herb.”
Oskie got up slowly and came over. Together, the boys carefully pulled the lichen from the rock. It came off in long strips that they rolled into tight coils. When they finished with that stone, they turned over another, larger one.
Under the next rock was even more of the healing herb. The boys worked quickly. It was already late in the afternoon, and they would have to return to their village before it got too dark.
As he adjusted to the rhythm of the work — overturning rocks, pulling up the moss, and storing it in the satchel — Albin forgot to stay aware of his surroundings. The first rule of the ice is to always know where you are and what is around you.
Suddenly alarmed, Albin looked up from the rock. He surveyed the hard, icy landscape stretching out into the distance, glimmering under the burnt orange of the setting sun. Satisfied that things were safe, he went back to work.
Finishing with that rock, he moved to the next.
“Oskie, help me turn this stone,” he said to his cousin. But there was no reply. “Oskie?”
Albin turned around to see what Oskie was doing. Expecting to see his cousin daydreaming again, he was surprised to find him standing with a rigid, terrified look on his face.
“What is it, Oskie?” Albin asked.
“There! In the distance —” Oskie stammered, fear in his voice.
On the horizon, drawing near, was a towering creature. Its shaggy fur was thick and dark, and stood out against the white of the icy plains. Blood-red eyes glared at the boys, and its huge, curving claws sliced through the air. Drooling jaws snapped open to reveal stained, yellow fangs.
Albin was too scared even to scream. He slowly backed away, pulling his cousin with him. Dragging his eyes away from the monster’s jaws, Albin saw it wore a glowing collar around its neck. The fur there had been clawed away to reveal raw pink flesh.
The monster stamped one massive paw down on the ice. Sparks seemed to dance around it, and the shockwave jarred every bone in Albin’s body. The cousins tried to scramble away, but the ice was cracking all around them. Huge gaps began to open as the boys tried desperately to get away from the roaring Beast.
Albin was too slow. The monster’s claws swiped against his side, tearing through his thick clothes. He gripped his side in pain and fell to the ground. But the Beast wasn’t finished with him yet. The next blow sent Albin sliding toward a huge crack in the ice.
Oskie flung himself toward Albin. But the ice was slippery, and Oskie couldn’t hold on for long. Together, the cousins went tumbling into the dark abyss under the ice.
CHAPTER ONE
QUEST TO THE NORTH
“OF ALL THE PLACES OUR BEAST QUEST HAS taken us,” Tom said, “this must be the most incredible!” He stared out at the icy plains. They stretched into the distance under a sky of vivid blue.
“It’s so open,” Elenna agreed, pulling her shawl tightly around her. “It looks as if the ice goes on forever.” In one direction, the ice plains seemed to disappear into the horizon. On the other side, snow-capped mountains rose like sharp teeth biting into the sky.
Tom smiled at his friend. Something about the landscape felt magical. Elenna smiled back. Her pet wolf, Silver, pressed up to her, his shiny gray fur speckled with snow. She looked grateful for the warmth of his body against her legs.
“I’ll check the map and see how much farther we have to go,” Tom said. He pulled the well-worn scroll from the saddlebag of his stallion, Storm. The horse stood like a dark shadow against the whiteness all around, and gave a soft nicker as Tom patted his neck.
“We’re close to the northern edge of Avantia. We’ll need to go eastward soon.” Tom pointed to the red path on the map that showed their route. It glowed and pulsed on the parchment paper.
This was no ordinary map. It was a magical map given to them by the wizard Aduro. It guided Tom and Elenna on their quest to rid the kingdom of a deadly threat.
The Beasts.
All his life, Tom had heard stories of the Beasts that dwelled in the deepest corners of the kingdom of Avantia — dragons, sea serpents, horse-men, and giants, just to name a few. Growing up with his aunt and uncle, he used to think they were fairy tales. He’d certainly never seen a Beast. But then he’d never laid eyes on his father Taladon, either, and Tom believed he’d meet him one day.
Now he knew that the Beasts were real. And a dark wizard named Malvel had enslaved them. He was using them to spread terror and destruction
across the land for his own evil ends. King Hugo of Avantia and his wizard, Aduro, had chosen Tom to go on a special quest to set the Beasts free and save the kingdom.
Tom had set off with only Storm, his sword, and his shield for protection. But soon he had met Elenna and Silver, who had joined him on his Quest. Without them, Tom knew he would never have made it this far.
“We’d better get going,” said Elenna, studying the map. Tall and thin, she had messy black hair, large brown eyes, and a smile full of warmth — even in the freezing cold of the northern plains. “Looks like there’s a small shelter for travelers an hour’s trek from here. We can stay the night there before continuing on. I’m so tired I could sleep standing up!”
“Me, too,” said Tom. Leading Storm along by his halter, Tom began trudging across the ice once more. He noticed a large bundle of green leaves sprouting up from the icy ground. “Hey, look at that plant. It must be hardy to survive out here.”
“A lot of plants used in medicine are found in the mountains and gullies around here,” Elenna told him. “The nomads collect them and supply the kingdom.”
Tom fingered the key he kept around his neck, the key that could set the Beasts free. There are so many dangers here, he thought. The nomads won’t survive long without Tartok’s protection. A sharp gust of wind blew up suddenly, making him shiver. He quickened his step. “Come on, the sooner we’re somewhere dry and warm the better.”
Silver yapped suddenly. “He agrees with us,” Elenna joked uneasily. Then she crouched beside him. “Silver? What’s wrong?”
Tom saw the wolf’s eyes narrow. A growl was building in the back of Silver’s throat. “Perhaps he can smell something,” he said.
“Or sense something,” said Elenna, concern in her voice. She looked around, trying to see what was bothering the wolf. The sky had now grown dark and the air was much colder. It felt like a storm was moving in.
A strong gust of wind whipped at their clothes. Instead of dying down though, it only grew stronger. Tiny shards of snow and ice stung Tom’s skin. Elenna’s shawl was almost ripped away by the sudden gale.
“I can’t believe how quickly the weather has changed,” Elenna said. “A moment ago the skies were clear.”
“Not anymore,” Tom shouted over the wind. Now the sky overhead was dark gray and wild with snow. Storm plunged forward, and Tom stroked his head. “We must keep going and reach that shelter.”
“How can we?” Elenna clung to her shawl. “The map’s useless if we can’t see any landmarks!”
Tom knew she was right. Worse still, with the sun blotted out by the snow and clouds, they had no way of getting their bearings. “I think east was this way,” said Tom, turning into the gray haze, trying not to panic. The stinging snow was blowing so hard he could barely keep his eyes open. “Or was it the other way?”
“I’m not sure,” said Elenna as the storm grew fiercer around them. “We have to find shelter quickly or we won’t stand a chance!”
CHAPTER TWO
A SIGHTING ON THE ICE
“WE MUST KEEP MOVING,” SAID TOM. “IF WE stand still we will freeze to death.” Tom had faced so many dangers on his Quest — he wasn’t about to be defeated by a snowstorm. He took hold of Storm’s bridle and led him through the driving snow. Elenna walked at Storm’s side, one arm thrown over his back, hugging him for warmth and support. Silver ran around between them, barking.
“I can’t see a thing!” Elenna shouted.
“Just keep holding on to Storm!” Tom yelled back, but the wind seemed to whip the words from his mouth before they could be heard. Already his body was turning numb. Desperately, he broke into a stumbling run — then gasped as he hit something solid.
“What is it?” Elenna screamed over the wind.
“I’ve led us into a snowdrift!” he exclaimed. Now what? But then Silver pushed past him and started burrowing at the huge mound of snow. Tom felt a surge of hope go through him. “Of course! We could dig —”
“— a snow cave!” cried Elenna. She started to claw at the packed snow.
“Wait,” said Tom, swinging his shield from his back. It was a charmed shield — every time he released a Beast, he gained a new magical power. It could protect him from fire, save him from drowning or falling from great heights, and it could even give him extra speed. But now, he could use it as a shovel!
He began to dig into the snowdrift with the edge of the shield. As the snow tumbled away, Silver helped by working at the drift with his heavy paws. Elenna pulled Tom’s sword from his belt and started chopping at the parts that were too solid to dig into. “It’ll need to be a big cave for all four of us!” she shouted.
“The work will help us keep warm,” Tom yelled back. “Make sure to pile the snow behind us. It will act as a windbreak.”
They continued to dig into the snowdrift, packing down the sides and roof as they went. The snow they piled outside cut down on the wind and kept more snow from blowing in.
At last, Tom and Elenna had carved enough space to form a small shelter that would protect them from the worst of the weather. They crawled inside and sat down, hugging their knees to their chests. It was dark and cold, and they huddled together for warmth with Silver between them.
“Come on, Storm,” Tom said to his horse. The stallion could fit only his front quarters inside, so Tom covered Storm’s back end with blankets. When the horse lay down, he blocked the entrance and helped keep out the blizzard. Storm rested his muzzle on Tom’s shoulder and snorted softly. Tom and Elenna looked at each other.
“It’s the best we can do,” Tom muttered.
They sat uneasily in silence, listening to the wind howling outside.
Eventually, the roar of the storm dimmed to background noise. Once in a while, a strong gust would blow some snow in, but for the most part, they were warm and safe.
“I wonder how long it will last,” Elenna said, her voice trembling with worry.
“I don’t know.” Tom didn’t want to scare his friend, but he knew that storms in the North could last for days, sometimes weeks. He felt a flash of panic — they would starve to death if the storm lasted that long. Was this how Tom’s father, Taladon, had disappeared? A victim of the elements? Tom shuddered at the thought. He had never met his father, who had vanished not long after Tom was born. Tom hoped the Beast Quest would make his father proud. But what if Taladon wasn’t even around to hear about Tom’s triumphs? Tom pushed the thought from his mind.
As the hours passed, Tom felt himself getting tired. The blowing wind began to lull him to sleep. Seeing that Elenna was already snoring softly and knowing that there was nothing he could do about the storm, Tom closed his eyes.
He awoke with a start. How long had he been asleep? He looked around the snow cave. Everyone was gone!
Tom rushed to the cave’s entrance and popped his head out. He was blinded by a bright sun high in the sky.
“Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead!” Elenna said cheerfully. She was kneeling beside Silver, petting her companion. “We didn’t want to wake you because we know you need your sleep!”
“I don’t believe it,” said Tom, patting Storm on the neck. “I was worried the storm might never end.”
“We got lucky,” Elenna said with a weary smile. Tom brushed some snow away from Storm’s legs. “Come on. The sooner we reach that shelter —”
“Actually, I think there might be something closer,” said Elenna, pointing toward a tall spike of ice in the distance.
Shielding his eyes from the blinding glare of the snow, Tom saw what she was looking at — a ramshackle collection of tents clustered in the hollow of the icy peak. Some tents were short and squat, others tapering and tall — but all were protected from the strong winds. It was a good place for a miniature city built from sticks and animal skins.
“What’s that?” Tom wondered.
“Nomads,” said Elenna. “The people Tartok is meant to protect, remember? This must be one of their camps.”
“And maybe they will have hot drinks, dry blankets, and a bed for the night!” Elenna turned and strode off toward the camp, Silver bounding after her. But, suddenly, both stopped dead in their tracks.
“What is it?” called Tom, running over. Storm trotted along beside him.
Elenna turned to him. “We may not be the first ones to come visiting that camp. Something’s been here before us.”
She pointed to a giant footprint in the ice, one filled with water! The deep indentations in the snow clearly outlined pads and claws. It was the footprint of an enormous creature — the first of a trail, leading toward the distant camp.
Elenna kneeled to trace a finger around the edge of the print. She shivered and stood back up. Tom gazed out at the horizon. Empty — or that’s the way it looked.
“The Ice Beast,” Tom whispered, gripping the hilt of his sword.
CHAPTER THREE
ENCOUNTER ON THE PLAINS
TOM, ELENNA, AND THE ANIMALS FOLLOWED the footprints until the snow became solid ice and they disappeared.
“Which way did Tartok go?” wondered Elenna. “Do you think she reached the camp?”
“Since it’s still standing, probably not,” said Tom.
With no trail left to follow, they pressed on toward the camp, skidding and sliding along the treacherous ice. Shallow pools of melted water flared as bright as flames as they caught the rays of the evening sun. Storm wasn’t happy to be on such a slippery surface. His hooves seemed unable to find a grip.
“I know it’s bad,” Tom said to Storm, “but just keep going.” Tom looked up to see how much farther they had to go. He shielded his eyes and squinted — not too far. But something — or someone — was headed their way. “Look there!” Tom called to Elenna. It was a horse-drawn sleigh speeding toward them over the ice, drawn by a handsome blond horse.