by Zuheb Alep
“Looks like the danger is here already,” said the Ghost Boy.
“Thanks,” growled Toalla, wiping the dripping blood from his forehead, “but this is my fight. Step away, please.”
The Three Kings did as he asked.
Running down the last flight of stairs, Herman dragged Benjamin and his friends aside, while their Eidoncheirs moved away to join Bana. Ophildar was standing right in front of them, his snow-white fur sparkling in the light.
“Fight me, bear!” he said.
As the Three Kings and the four Eidoncheirs parted ways, Toalla stumbled backwards through the entrance. Ophildar had forced him outside, but the battle wasn’t over yet.
Benjamin slowly followed, making sure to leave a large gap between himself and the maddened king. Outside, the courtyard was flooded with Afghardan creatures, making this day a memorable one in history. They surrounded King Ophildar and the bear Toalla, who both stood in the centre. Rocks of ice were shrouded in seagulls, hundreds of them, and snow lay flat under hares and arctic foxes. The big beasts stood solidly on the ground, prepared for the unexpected.
Everything was quiet for a moment.
Then Toalla sighed deeply. Benjamin saw his face and knew what he was thinking. He had known the day was coming when he must fight; if he won, he would regain his honour, but if he lost he was facing death.
“I can’t bear to watch!” said Kaileena, but Popalunar poked her face out to see what was happening.
Benjamin and Prince Adam stood at the front of the surrounding crowd with their Eidoncheirs, all dearly hoping that Toalla would prevail, while Herman and his Eidoncheir watched eagerly. Lagunar gave the shawl back to Benjamin and was about to summon his sword into his hand when Aloncheir stopped him.
“No, this is Toalla’s battle,” he said, “and his alone.”
A roaring loud enough to signal an oncoming storm, the merging of fire and ice or a major earthquake broke from the two powerful beasts; it shook the strong ground, and Benjamin could feel the vibration in his boots.
Punching with their paws and charging with their heads, the two Afghardans clashed, one regal and the other a commoner. Benjamin found it hard to watch the gruelling battle. Since his adventures had begun, he had seen children kidnapped and soldiers killed, he had met fierce animals and experienced life-threatening perils, but this was by far the worst. He was so anxious about Toalla that he cried at each blow inflicted on his snow-white friend. The fight was a blur of white limbs swinging and thrusting, barely visible against the snow that camouflaged them.
First Toalla seized the upper hand by whacking Ophildar across the face. The king fell backward onto the ground but did not yield; he rose, darted forward and charged with his muzzle wide open, aiming straight for Toalla’s arm. The bite drew blood which dripped down to stain the bear’s fur. Toalla roared in agony but not fear. He gathered all his strength and used his other hand to rip Ophildar’s head away from his bloody biceps then punched him over and over again, so often that Benjamin lost count.
“Keep it up!” shouted Prince Adam.
Every so often Kaileena would peep out with a shriek, then hide her face in Aloncheir’s mane.
Suddenly Ophildar wrenched himself free from Toalla’s devastating punches. He wobbled then regained his balance, eyes flaring red. Jumping high into the sky with his right paw raised, he plummeted towards the bear to deal him a thunderous blow.
Toalla’s knees buckled, but he shook himself to clear the dizziness in his head. Now was the time to regain his dignity. Teeth bared, he looked at Ophildar with hate in his eyes. He had brought wrongdoing to this kingdom, and there would be no peace until he was dead. He, Toalla, would be the one to strike the fatal blow, and he had Benjamin to thank for that. He charged towards Ophildar once more, ramming his head into his enemy’s bloated belly and pinning him down. Toalla showed no mercy; he gripped Ophildar’s muzzle in his strong jaws and ripped away half of it. Then he broke his neck.
The Afghardan king was dead.
Everything was quiet for a moment. Proud of what he had done, Toalla looked around the silent crowd. He had killed their king, and was ready to fight his followers if necessary.
“Anyone else?” he challenged.
Benjamin looked around, but no one moved an inch. Then everything went black.
Chapter 26
Halamaband of the Far North
Benjamin couldn’t remember much. His last memory was of Toalla ripping open the jaw of the Afghardan king; the blood streaming out onto the icy ground was a memory best forgotten. The sound of tearing flesh made Benjamin cringe even now as he heard it once again in his mind.
Then he seemed to have blacked out. Why? He didn’t know.
Now fully awake, he realised that his eyes were covered with a blindfold, his mouth covered in duct tape and his hands and feet bound with rope. Kaileena and Prince Adam were awake and silently screaming through their gags beside him. Benjamin would have liked to join in but forced himself to be calm. Feeling the throb of an engine beneath him, he realised they were in a car. The soft leather seat was comfortable and he could smell pine-scented air freshener.
Hours seemed to pass until, finally, the car stopped. The children grew quiet. Benjamin heard the thump of the car door opening and in another second his bonds were cut and he was being dragged out, flinching at the bitter winter cold. He’d been deceived by the warmth in the vehicle, and almost wished himself back inside it.
His gag was removed and his blindfold torn from his head, enabling him to absorb all that there was to see. He and his friends were standing on a road which curved to the west from the north, in the middle of nowhere, where all that could be seen was snow and blue mountains stretching for miles. Accompanying them were the four humans from the Afghardan court.
“Don’t be scared; you’re safe now,” said an older woman.
“Trust us,” said a man with a kindly manner.
Benjamin looked to the south to find out what they meant, and saw a place he’d hoped he would never see again. Kaileena and Prince Adam were looking at it too, now that they were free of their bonds. Halamaband of the Far North looked exactly the same as it had in the Far South; the buildings, the roofs, the windows, the partitioned areas and the wire fences around it made them think they were back on the other side of the world; yet there was no crevasse nor any sign of the three bridges.
Kaileena and Prince Adam’s reaction to this place was one thing and Benjamin’s another; he realised with horror that he’d been here before, that this was the same place he’d been brought to when he’d been kidnapped five years before.
For a moment time travelled backwards, and Benjamin had a flashback to his younger self being brought gently across the snow by the supervisors with other children around. If he had known he’d be visiting it again five years later, he would have been very scared.
“Why have you kidnapped us?” asked Kaileena.
The human members of the Afghardan court didn’t answer but urged the children along.
“Don’t worry, dears, it will be nice and warm inside,” said the same woman. “There’ll be lovely food to feast on, too.”
Together the three children took hesitant steps forward. They inched across the crunching snow, wishing that they didn’t have to follow these adults. They were beginning to work out why they’d been kidnapped. These people had taken fright at the death of their loyal Afghardan king, and the only explanation was that they were connected with the O.O.H. So they had fled, taking the three children with them, now that Ophildar was no more.
“Oh, no,” said Benjamin, remembering.
“I know,” said Prince Adam. “What’s going to happen to Herman and Toalla?”
“I’m worried and I’m scared!” said Kaileena, her voice shaking. “We were taken at the very moment when Toalla killed the Afghardan king!” She almost burs
t into tears but held them back, embarrassed that the adults might think her weak.
“In dire situations, never show weakness,” her mother had once advised Benjamin and Kaileena. Today, though, she seemed to be doing a very good job of it.
“We may never know what happened to them. Toalla might be executed, and Herman – oh, I hope he’s all right!”
Benjamin didn’t want to think about that. He changed the subject quickly. “Where did our Eidoncheirs go?” he asked.
We’ve vanished, said a quiet voice in his head.
“What? I don’t understand?”
I can communicate with you only through your mind at this time. Popalunar, Juariya and I must hide! There is darkness around. It’s not safe for us. We will guide you telepathically.
“Okay, stay hidden then.”
Juariya and Popalunar had also spoken to their humans. Prince Adam and Kaileena seemed relieved to find that they were not entirely alone.
Then it was right at that moment when Benjamin remembered that the members of the Afghardan Court has no Eidoncheirs. He whispered to Prince Adam and Kaileena of his suspicion.
“If that’s true, then they are not humans,” Kaileena said.
“Or maybe they’re not from this world,” Prince Adam muttered.
“Either way, all the more reason to keep our eyes and ears sharp,” said Benjamin.
While they walked, Benjamin’s pocket started to vibrate and he unobtrusively took out the Unique Compass. The four adults striding in front of them took no notice, so it was safe to read the message. Kaileena and Prince Adam leaned in to watch the magnificent object produce its golden words.
Do not worry about Toalla or Herman; they are alive and well. You three must concentrate on yourselves. Now look to your right.
And they did, to the west where the sun settled faintly on the horizon.
The small golden light that you see on the brown cliff a mile away is the Golden Fountain.
*
Benjamin did not like the way Prince Adam was smiling at him. It was creepy. As they walked into the main building, the warmth there relieved their chilled bodies. The floor was covered in marble tiles while the walls were silver, and the ceiling was painted in opaque panels just like the one in the Far South.
A month after his birthday party, Prince Adam had dreamt about the most beautiful view in the world: the Golden Fountain. Benjamin remembered this and had heard it mentioned elsewhere, too, but he hadn’t really believed in its existence. Now Prince Adam didn’t look anxious any more, like Benjamin and Kaileena; being in this place seemed like the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Benjamin didn’t like this. He remembered a tale Mama had told him about a rich man so fond of his wealth that he would not leave it to his children, but had it buried with him. He wondered if Prince Adam would become like that, and hoped not.
First they were brought to the dormitories. Benjamin and Prince Adam were taken into the boys’ and Kaileena to the girls’. Benjamin expected her to cry and plead to stay with them, but she did no such thing; she put on a brave face and went along.
The boys’ dormitory was deserted when Benjamin and Prince Adam entered. This floor was covered in soft black carpet, matching the numerous sofas around the room. On one side were lockers as tall as trees, with staircases next to them.
“Don’t leave your compass lying around like I did,” Prince Adam said with a serious look.
Benjamin frowned at a man who came in and gave them each a locker key.
“And here’s a card for your room, too,” the man said. “You’ll be sharing this room with two others.” He presented each of them with a set of clothes. “Have a shower in that bathroom, get changed and meet me back here. I will be escorting you and your friend for questioning.”
The water was beautifully hot when they washed, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences they had had for several days. When they’d last had a shower was hard to recall, and they were tempted to stay an extra five minutes. When Benjamin came out, Prince Adam was still in the shower.
It wasn’t long before the pair joined Kaileena outside, all fully dressed in the blue gowns they’d been given. They were taken to an office. A man was there in a uniform which Benjamin recognised, and he fumed at the sight of it. He was one of those who tortured the children.
Prince Adam nudged him to stay calm.
Question after question was asked. The children gave their names, ages, origin and background, and when they had finished they were taken once more along the marble corridor towards the dining hall.
“Remember, don’t trust them an inch,” whispered Benjamin.
Kaileena and Prince Adam nodded, thinking more about the food they were going to eat. They were famished, as they hadn’t eaten since that morning. Many hours had passed since breakfast, and their stomachs ached with hunger.
The dining hall was half-empty. Some of the children were still there, the slow eaters, but meal-time was almost over.
“There are plates over there, and the food is at the buffet. Eat as much as you want, then it’s time for bed,” said their escorts. Benjamin watched as they moved back to the door, but they didn’t leave. They were surveying the children with a smile so fake that Benjamin ached to slap it away.
Prince Adam dragged him to the buffet with Kaileena. They took a tray each and spooned rice and chicken stew into the same bowl. The buffet was filled with food from all over the world, but they thought it would be sensible not to take too much; better to start moderately and see how they felt the next morning.
“I knew we were going to end up in here, somehow,” said Benjamin, sitting down at an empty table.
“So did I,” agreed Prince Adam. “We travelled to the Far North without the Aradian Alliance to protect us. We were bound to wind up here.”
“But we can’t stay here,” said Kaileena. “We have to escape soon!” She was fretting badly.
“Don’t worry, our friends will come and rescue us,” Benjamin reassured. “The compass said all we have to do is worry about ourselves.”
“Yes, worry about making sure no light is taken out of us!” Kaileena snapped.
Benjamin and Prince Adam hadn’t considered that. She was right but Prince Adam changed the subject. “Before we’re rescued, I want to see the Golden Fountain.”
Benjamin put down his fork. “How?” he asked in irritation. “There are fences and gates around this place. If we’re going to see it, then we’ll have to sneak out.”
“I don’t mind if you don’t want to go, but I have to see it!”
“Have to? Why ‘have to’?”
“If you were me, you’d understand. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for so long. Look –” Prince Adam also put his fork down to explain. “I could have gone to see the Golden Fountain any time I wanted. I knew it was in the Far North; the Unique Compass told me when I had it. But I didn’t have time. Now, after all that’s happened, I’ve ended up in here. It’s as if fate brought me to this place without me knowing. It’s my destiny; I’m sure of it.”
Kaileena didn’t know about the Golden Fountain, so Prince Adam recounted all he had seen in the dream, leaving nothing out. When he’d finished, Kaileena nodded. “It’s no mere coincidence. There’s something strange about having that dream and then ending up in the same place, out of the blue.”
Prince Adam smiled, glad that she understood, but Benjamin ignored them. He had a bad feeling about this.
*
Benjamin sat bolt upright at the sound of a shrieking bell the next morning. He had been having a nice dream but he had forgotten what it was about. The bell rang on and on, six times by his count. When it had stopped, a voice called out to him.
“Hello! Are you new?”
“Hi,” said another.
Benjamin turned to the two
boys with whom they were sharing the room. One was as old as himself and the other as old as Kevin; they both had olive-coloured skin and jet-black hair.
“Morning,” Benjamin greeted them.
Prince Adam had his pillow over his face, annoyed by the loud bell. “I was hoping not to hear that in this place, too,” he grumbled, removing the pillow.
“I’m Vince,” said the taller one, “and this is my little brother, Samuel. Would you like us to show you around?”
“The first bell is for breakfast,” said Samuel. “Wash, dress, then follow us. There should be two sets of your new clothes in the wardrobe.”
The next hour was busy. The dining hall was teeming with children, hundreds of them. Kaileena hurried over to them after a long search, accompanied by a small black girl.
“This is Mary,” she said, introducing the others. “We’re sharing a room. There was supposed to be another girl with us, but she didn’t come back from dinner last night.” Kaileena looked troubled, and the reason wasn’t far to seek. Benjamin and Prince Adam exchanged glances and sighed. How long till they would be the ones to go down and not return?
*
First they had the language of the common tongue (English), quite a boring lesson, followed by geography. Prince Adam asked about the Golden Fountain, but the teacher pretended not to hear him. “Afrika is the wealthiest country in the world,” he continued, pointing to the map where resources were known to be in and under the mountains.
Then it was time for a break, and the children rushed outside to play. Benjamin, Kaileena and Prince Adam stood by the wire fence in quiet conversation.
“Remember our original mission?” Benjamin asked his friends. “We came to find Ranjit and Pari, Ruby’s relatives. Hopefully they’re here somewhere.”