by Adam Blade
“Tartok,” he whispered.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TORN APART
HIS HEARTBEAT QUICKENING, TOM LOOKED all around him. The horizon was full of distant dunes, but there was no Beast in sight. Tom turned to see if Brendan had heard the sound. But right now, Albin was the man’s only focus. Tom looked down at his feet and saw an intricate lacework of cracks spreading over the ice with every thump. He caught his breath as the hairline cracks surrounded him.
Tom knew the old stories about Tartok. The Beast was able to shatter ice with just a stamp of her foot! If she came any closer, they wouldn’t stand a chance out on the open ice. As he knelt to examine the cracks, he couldn’t help but remember the chill of the water below….
Tom was jolted from his dark thoughts by a glimpse of movement in the distance — three dark figures on horseback, coming from the direction of the camp. And one of them appeared to be Elenna. He waved to the riders urgently. “Brendan and Albin need help!” he called. He saw the figures lean forward in their saddles, driving their horses still faster.
Elenna was first to arrive beside the upturned sleigh, two older women just behind her — Tom recognized them as Brendan’s wife and her sister. They leaped from their horses and gathered around Brendan and Albin with blankets and dry clothes to keep them warm.
“I realized Albin must have gone after you,” Elenna said, dismounting. “I came with his mother and aunt to bring him back.”
Tom jerked his head toward his sleigh and beckoned Elenna to follow him. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was near. “Can you feel that vibration?” he whispered.
Elenna stood still and looked down at the maze of hairline cracks in the ice. Tom could feel the ground shift beneath his feet — and clearly so could Elenna. She gave him a fearful nod. “It’s Tartok, isn’t it?”
“We have to find her,” said Tom, nodding slowly.
Suddenly, a huge tremor tore through the silence and a large, jagged crack appeared in the ice. Storm snorted, and Tom gasped as he was knocked to his knees.
“The ice field’s breaking up!” shouted Brendan. “Quickly, Tom, Elenna — get over here!”
Tom realized that the split in the ice was threatening to divide them — Tom, Elenna, Storm, and the sleigh on one side, and everyone else on the other. He scrambled up and started pulling at Storm’s harness. “We must release him from the sleigh,” Tom said urgently. “If it falls through a gap in the ice, he won’t stand a chance!”
Elenna joined him, wrestling with the buckles. Brendan tried to come over to help — but the split opened wider. The ice creaked and groaned as it was torn apart. It sounded like the moan of an animal in pain — as though the ice were alive!
Brendan teetered on the edge of the divide, but just managed to fall backward to safety. One of the horses bolted and nearly trampled him as it leaped across the split, skidding onto the other side. Elenna caught hold of its bridle and hushed it, slowly bringing it back under control.
“It’s no good!” Brendan shouted over to Tom and Elenna. “I can’t reach you now.”
Tom undid Storm’s last buckle and turned to see that the brilliant turquoise split was now as wide as a river, stretching in either direction as far as the eye could see. The blue water almost looked beautiful — even though it was deadly. “Don’t worry about us,” said Tom. “Albin needs to get back to the camp before the ice gets any weaker.”
“Head due east, to the foothills of the great ice mountain,” Brendan shouted over. “You will reach Jennal’s clan before nightfall. They will give you shelter. Will you explain to them what I want to do?”
“We’ll try our best,” Tom yelled back. “Now, don’t waste any more time on us — go!”
“The horse’s name is Shah,” Brendan’s wife called out.
Shah, a stout bay pony, had calmed down now. He pressed his muzzle against Elenna’s neck and snorted softly. She turned to Tom. “Are we going to the other clan now?”
“We will,” said Tom quietly. “But first we must find Tartok.”
“I wish we had Silver with us,” Elenna said, swinging herself up into Shah’s saddle.
“He’ll be able to protect the camp from any invaders,” Tom reassured her. “Come on.” He turned Storm toward the snow dunes. “It’s time we met face-to-face, Tartok,” he said. “As long as I’m alive, I’ll fight the evil of Malvel.”
Then, with a huge creak and boom, a fresh crack opened up in the ice right beside Shah. The pony snorted in fear and reared up, striking out with his front legs. Elenna gasped and threw herself forward, her hands clutching his mane, her feet slipping from the stirrups. Before Elenna could sit up in the saddle there was another loud crack.
Whinnying in alarm, Shah shot forward. Elenna grabbed the reins. “Whoa! Steady, boy!”
But the terrified pony plunged onward, his hooves throwing up clouds of snow as he galloped toward the distant dunes.
CHAPTER EIGHT
FURY ON THE ICE
TOM RAN OVER TO STORM, AND SWUNG HIMSELF onto the horse’s back. “Go, boy!” Tom shouted, pressing his heels against Storm’s sides.
They raced across the frozen inlet after Elenna. They came to another crack in the ice, but Storm didn’t hesitate — he gathered himself and leaped forward. Tom felt the air whistle past him. It was as if they were flying! Storm’s front legs reached out and landed safely on solid ice at the other side.
“Faster, boy,” Tom urged — they were gaining, but not quickly enough. Elenna disappeared out of sight behind one of the snow dunes.
Her scream cut through the crisp arctic air like a knife.
“Elenna!” Tom yelled. “Hold on, I’m coming!” Storm’s hooves thundered across the tundra. What had happened to Elenna to make her cry out like that?
A terrifying roar sounded from close by, together with the sound of shattering ice.
Tartok, thought Tom, fear and panic rising up from his stomach.
As Storm galloped around the side of the snow dune, Tom saw the Beast standing ahead of him in a narrow valley. The huge, shaggy monster was facing away from him — and standing over Elenna. Tartok’s legs were thick with bulky muscles.
Storm skidded to a halt just a few strides from the monster. Elenna lay on her back, a trickle of blood seeping from her forehead. Was she … could she be … dead? “No,” he breathed. “No, she can’t be —”
Tartok swung around to face him.
Even sitting high on Storm’s back, Tom felt like an ant in the Beast’s hulking presence. With one step, she could squash the life out of him. Her fur was dark. Her eyes were redder than a blacksmith’s fire and her claws looked sharper than daggers. Her hideous face was scrunched up with anger and hate, and around her raw, welted neck was Malvel’s golden collar. It glowed with an evil energy.
Tom remained still, assessing the situation.
Tartok growled and stamped a paw down on the ground. Sparks seemed to jump up from the thick ice, leaving hairline cracks etched in its surface. Clearly, she was going nowhere.
Tom climbed down from Storm’s back. He wanted to make sure Elenna was okay, but first he had to free Tartok. There was no time to waste.
As if sensing the danger, Elenna regained consciousness. “What happened?” she asked groggily, opening her eyes. “Shah threw me and then —” Elenna gasped as she saw Tartok. The Beast roared, thumping her chest. The collar around her neck glowed brighter. Tartok pulled at it as if she were trying to get rid of it.
“Elenna, quick,” said Tom, while the Beast was turned away from him. He pulled the wooden shield from his back, took careful aim, and slid it across the smooth ice toward her. The shield whizzed past Tartok’s legs, and Elenna struggled to catch it.
Tartok roared again and brought her yellow claws swiping down — just as Elenna pulled the shield up over her head for protection. The claws wedged deep into the wood and wrenched the shield away. Tom watched in horror as Elenna stared up wide-eyed at the Beast.
Before Tom could do anything, Tartok turned and threw the shield back at him. He ducked and it whistled past, slicing into the snow. Running over the ice to reach it, he tried to pull it free, tugging on the wood with all his might. At last it came loose, but Tom couldn’t stop himself from tumbling backward with it onto the snow.
An ear-splitting roar made him turn in terror. The shaggy bulk of Tartok lunged toward him, claws reaching for his throat.
CHAPTER NINE
THE PRICE OF VICTORY
TOM GASPED AS TARTOK CLOSED IN. HE DOVE aside as the Beast’s claws ripped through the air. Sliding on the ice across the narrow valley, he crashed into the steep snow bank on the far side.
“Tom, look out!” Elenna yelled. Tom turned to find Tartok lunging toward him for a second time. He swung his shield up to protect himself. Tartok’s huge paw smashed into it with enough force to knock Tom halfway through the snow dune. He heard Storm whinny with fear. His shield arm ached with pain. With a pang of terror, Tom knew Tartok was only just getting started.
“Elenna, take Storm and get out of here!” Tom shouted quickly. The Beast stamped a huge paw down on the ice and snapped her jaws.
Then with a deep, splintering crack, the ice gave way! In an instant, she had vanished through a narrow, jagged hole into the freezing depths. Tom leaped back, almost falling in himself.
Dazed, he watched the water churn and bubble in front of him.
“Tom,” cried Elenna. Storm had come to her side and she was leaning on the horse for support. “Draw your sword. Now’s our chance to end this.”
But as she spoke, the water exploded upward in a freezing fountain. With a roar, Tartok’s head broke the surface.
Elenna ran over, trying to get the Beast’s attention.
The snow monster was bobbing with her head and shoulders above the surface of the water.
Tartok turned on instinct to snap at Elenna — giving Tom a clear view of the locked collar around the creature’s neck.
“Do it, Tom!” cried Elenna, jumping back out of the Beast’s reach.
Tom pulled the key given to him by the King from around his neck, and slipped it into the lock. Tom tried to turn the key, but it wouldn’t budge. As Tartok swam away from him, roaring with anger, Tom gripped the key with all his strength.
He threw all his weight backward, bracing his feet on the ice and snow. His shoulder burned with pain as Tartok dragged him toward the edge of the ice. Tom knew he was losing his grip. He needed to act quickly, before he plunged into the freezing water. He summoned all his strength, and twisted the key one last time.
The lock unclasped and the collar broke apart in a haze of golden light!
“Yes!” he shouted, tumbling backward. He placed the key back around his neck — and Tartok sank into the water without another sound.
Tom waited tensely for her to resurface, but the water that had swallowed her remained still. The warm sun disappeared behind gray clouds, and the temperature started to plummet once again.
Then Storm reared up in fright as the ice was smashed open beneath Elenna’s feet — and as Tartok pulled herself out, Elenna fell into the shimmering deep.
“No!” cried Tom in horror.
But Tartok dove straight back into the water, and a few moments later she returned — holding a spluttering and shivering Elenna in her arms.
“Put her down!” Tom shouted.
Tartok placed Elenna gently on the ice at Storm’s hooves. Then she swung around to face Tom. Her eyes were no longer red, but a glittering, icy blue. For a long moment, Tom and the Beast looked at each other. Tom drew in his breath. Even though he knew she was free of Malvel’s spell, her sheer size and power terrified him.
Tartok stared at the boy who had freed her, and then abruptly turned on her heel. With a powerful and yet graceful stride, she disappeared into the distance.
Tom gazed after Tartok and felt flush with pride. Another Beast had been freed from Malvel’s evil spell. Tom knew how lucky he was to survive this Quest. He’d come face-to-face with the kingdom’s most powerful creatures and lived to tell about it — so far, at least.
Tom shook himself free of his thoughts. Elenna was shivering violently on the bank, teeth chattering so hard she couldn’t speak, her skin blue with cold. The cut on her forehead looked black, surrounded by a purple bruise. Tom pulled off his coat of furs and wrapped it around her.
“C-c-cold,” she said faintly. “I know,” he said. “We need to get you warmed up.”
Elenna clutched his arm. “You set Tartok free?” “Yes. Now try to rest.”
“I hope Shah finds her way back home,” Elenna whispered. “I — I promised I’d take her back.”
“You will,” he said. “We’ll find her and everything will be all right, you’ll see.”
Tom tried to smile, but inside he was starting to panic. He had given the blankets on his sleigh to Albin, and there was nothing else there of use. Soon night would fall — and without shelter or protection, soaked wet like this in the deathly cold — could Elenna survive the night?
CHAPTER TEN
THE HEALING
A LOUD WHINNY MADE TOM LOOK UP. STORM was standing at the top of the snowy rise, staring out toward the east.
“Storm!” Tom exclaimed.
Storm whinnied again, tossed his mane, and stamped one of his front hooves on the ground. Tom had a feeling that the stallion was trying to draw his attention to something.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” Tom told the shivering Elenna, and quickly climbed up the dune.
From there, Tom could see down onto an ice field. There were figures on horseback towing sleighs, moving over the plains. They must have blankets and shelter. “Well done, Storm,” Tom said. These people were his only hope of saving Elenna.
“Hey!” he yelled. “We need help! Please, can you help us?” But even as he shouted, he knew that he was too far away. The people would never hear him. Tom looked down the slope and knew it was too steep for Storm. “Stay with Elenna, boy. I’m going to get help!”
When he’d set Tagus the Night Horse free, Tom had placed a sliver of the Beast’s horseshoe in his shield. That had given him the power of speed and swiftness — and he needed it now.
Tom jumped onto the shield and rode it down the steep side of the snow dune. But once he’d reached the bottom, he found he wasn’t slowing down. In fact, he was picking up speed! The shield’s powers were working! Soon he was racing across the frozen ground on his shield toward the people crossing the ice. The wind was bitingly cold, especially in just his woolen tunic, but he was too intent on reaching the strangers to really notice.
“Please, somebody help!” he yelled when he was finally close enough for them to hear.
The people stopped. They looked at Tom in surprise as the shield slowed down and he jumped off it.
“My friend fell into a split in the ice over in the dunes. She will die of exposure unless I can …” Then he gasped in surprise — one of their horses looked very familiar. “Hey, that’s Shah. You found Shah, he belongs to Brendan’s wife!”
“He was running wild,” a man explained. “We thought he must have escaped from Brendan’s camp. We are on our way there now.”
“But, first, a small detour.” A woman with a weathered face and long black hair gestured for Tom to sit beside her on her sleigh. “It sounds like your friend needs help quickly.”
Tom jumped aboard. “Are you from the clan camping in the east, in Rolaz?”
The woman barked a command at her horse and they sped off. “We were. But the land is not safe anymore. My name is Jennal, clan chief. I wish to ask Brendan’s clan if we may join with them in Avantia.”
Tom would have laughed at his good luck if he weren’t so worried about Elenna.
They soon reached the valley where Elenna lay trembling. Jennal made her warm and comfortable with dry clothes and thick, woolen blankets, and her herbal treatments brought a healthy color back to Elenna’s cheeks in
minutes.
“I told you it would be all right,” said Tom, squeezing his friend’s cold hand.
She squeezed his fingers back and smiled.
Elenna was soon warm and comfortable on a sleigh, and Tom was riding Storm alongside Jennal.
The ice fields were cracked all over from the damage Tartok had done while under Malvel’s evil spell.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Jennal said, noticing Tom’s concern. “In time, the ice will mend itself and all will be right in the northern plains. Until then, we can take an older route that is still passable.”
It was true. The split that had cut them off from Brendan and the others would soon refreeze. With Tartok no longer breaking up the ice, the channel from Avantia to Rolaz could be traveled once again.
Night gathered over the desolate plains as the clan sped onward. Then, at last, they approached the wooden fence that marked the edge of Brendan’s camp. Silver came racing out, yapping and barking with delight. Jennal’s people looked alarmed for a moment.
Tom quickly explained: “It’s only Silver, Elenna’s pet.”
Silver ran straight up to where Elenna lay on the sleigh and started licking her face and nuzzling her ear, his plumy tail wagging hard enough to fall off. Elenna laughed weakly. “It’s all right, Silver, I’m feeling much better already.”
“And so is everyone else, by the sound of it,” said Tom. He could hear excited voices.
“Tom, Elenna!” cried Brendan, leaping the fence with a flaming torch in his hand. “I thought the split in the ice could not be passed!?”
Tom jumped down from Storm to greet him. “We took an older route.”
“Is Albin feeling better?” Elenna asked.