by Adam Blade
Elenna didn’t reply.
He turned the corner and saw only rain and mist. His friend was gone! Had Rashouk gotten her?
There was suddenly a loud sound, like rocks crashing to the ground. It came from farther up the path, around the next bend.
“Elenna?” Tom yelled, running toward the sound. Up ahead, he could just about see what looked like a cave, which seemed to lead deep into the mountains. Beside its entrance, rocks were tumbling down. It was a landslide.
“Tom … I’m in the cave!” Elenna’s voice echoed.
Tom could see now that Elenna was standing just inside the cave’s mouth. He hurried toward her, dodging the avalanche of rocks.
“I had to take shelter in here because of the landslide,” Elenna explained.
Tom took her arm. “We can’t stay here,” he said urgently. “Rashouk is a cave troll. This must be his home. That’s why the goat has chosen to stay outside and get soaked rather than come in here.”
As if in answer, a howling wind swept toward them, cutting through the sheet of rain outside. On the wind was a voice, now maddeningly familiar to Tom’s ears. Malvel.
The Dark Wizard said only three words.
“Rashouk is coming.”
CHAPTER FOUR
RASHOUK!
ELENNA STARED AT TOM FEARFULLY AS MALVEL’S voice died away.
“Look,” he said reassuringly, pointing out of the cave. “The landslide has stopped. You’d better get Storm and Silver. Rashouk is coming and we must be ready.”
Elenna nodded and ran around the bend toward the outcrop.
Tom turned back to the cave. Harnessing the magic of the golden helmet, which gave him super-sight, he looked deep into the cave, right up to where the light from outside gave way to pure darkness.
The uneven walls were slimy and crisscrossed with moss-filled cracks and wide dents. Tom wondered if these dents were caused by Rashouk’s fist. Looking up, he could see ledges that jutted out of the rock face, hanging over the ground like the balconies at King Hugo’s castle.
Tom’s heart quickened. Perched on one ledge was a small, silver object with a patch of blue enamel at its edge, glinting in the faint light.
“The amulet piece!” he gasped.
“What are you waiting for?” Elenna’s voice asked from behind him. Tom turned and saw her with Storm and Silver. They joined him at the foot of the wall. “Go and get it!”
Tom hesitated. “What if it’s a trap?”
“If it’s a trap, we’ll fight our way out,” said Elenna, unhooking her bow and arrow. “Like we always do.”
Tom nodded. “Keep watch for Rashouk,” he said. “Warn me if you see anything strange in the shadows.”
He turned back to the cave wall. If he’d still had the power of the golden boots, he could have jumped to the ledge in a single leap.
Tom clenched his fists determinedly. “I’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way,” he muttered and started climbing, slipping his fingers into the moss-filled cracks to pull himself up.
“Hurry, Tom,” Elenna hissed, “before Rashouk comes back.”
Tom pushed on. The cracks and crevices were getting more slippery and dangerous the higher he went. Concentrate, he told himself. You’re almost there.
With one last heave, Tom pulled himself up onto the ledge, feeling a thrill of triumph. He had made it — the third piece of the amulet was in reach, and there was still no sign of Rashouk.
“Silver, be still.” Down below, Elenna was hissing at her wolf. Tom could hear Silver growling. He knew what that meant.
The Beast is near.
He grabbed the amulet piece, feeling a tingle of energy pulse through his hand. The other two pieces of amulet that hung from the leather strap around his neck seemed to vibrate. It was as though the first two fragments knew that another piece had been found. Tom shoved the third amulet section into a pocket in his jerkin.
All around him, the walls began to tremble and he could hear a thudding sound. Thud, thud, thud. Thin clouds of dust dropped from the roof.
Tom drew his sword and perched on the ledge, looking down at his friends. He knew something large and terrible was coming, and he got ready to protect them. Elenna, bow and arrow ready, walked in narrow circles, prepared for the Beast to attack from any direction. Silver walked in step with her, while Storm hovered nervously by the cave’s mouth.
Tom’s eyes searched the cave. The thudding was getting louder. But there was still no sign of Rashouk.
Tom’s eyes met Elenna’s, and she looked up at him questioningly.
“I can’t see him,” he hissed. “I’m coming down.”
Elenna’s face froze in fear. She was looking past Tom now, at the cave’s roof. “Behind you!” she cried.
Tom followed her gaze and felt his heart stop for a moment. Rashouk the Cave Troll hung from two stubby stalactites as if they were vines, his wide, clawed feet dangling from short, muscular legs. He moved across the cave’s roof like a monkey, from stalactite to stalactite. His gray eyes glimmered with evil delight as he came to a stop, hanging right above Elenna, who aimed her bow at him and shot upward. However, as she did so, Rashouk took his ghostly form, and the arrow passed right through him.
Tom slid desperately down the wall, stabbing his fingers into cracks to keep himself from falling, his forearms scraping against the rough rock. He could hear the Beast’s low laughter echoing throughout the cave as the troll took his solid form once again. The Beast then let go of the stalactites and dropped down on Elenna.
“Move!” Tom yelled, almost losing his grip.
Elenna dove out of the way, just as Rashouk fell to the ground. The troll landed so heavily that the entire mountain shook.
“No!” Tom exclaimed as his hand slipped out of the crack where he was clinging. He fell, desperately scrabbling for a handhold, but finding nothing.
“Tom!” he heard Elenna shout. “Use the tear!”
He reached for his shield, which held the tear from Cypher the Mountain Giant that would protect him from dangerous falls, but it was all happening too quickly.
Crash!
Tom hit the ground. Fierce, hot pain shot up his leg. His right ankle felt like it had shattered into a thousand pieces.
Tom slapped his own face twice to stop himself from passing out. Elenna ran to his side, standing over him protectively and firing arrows at the Beast, while Silver stood at her ankles, growling at Rashouk.
But the cave troll didn’t even bother to take his ghostly form and simply batted the arrows aside. His gray eyes gleamed with dark joy as he drew himself up to his full height.
Tom got to his feet, putting all his weight on his uninjured leg. He drew his sword. Rashouk roared and charged toward him, sweeping Elenna and Silver aside with one massive arm. They were sent flying through the air, before hitting a wall and landing in a crumpled heap by the cave’s mouth, where Storm was standing. Tom roared in rage, but then felt a surge of relief as he registered the rise and fall of Elenna’s and Silver’s chests. They were alive.
As Tom raised his sword to do battle with the Beast, Storm gave a high-pitched whinny, reared up on his back legs, and galloped at Rashouk. The cave troll turned to meet him and leaped onto Storm’s back, clasping his hands around the stallion’s throat. Storm bucked wildly, trying to throw Rashouk off, his eyes rolling with fear.
Tom felt a sharp stab of panic as he noticed the Beast’s massive, shovel-like hands. Both ended in wicked-looking yellow claws, and those on his right hand were viciously long. They looked sharp enough to take off Storm’s head.
The Beast was sniffing the frightened horse now, laughing wildly as he did so.
Tom hobbled forward as fast as he could. But how could he defeat this Beast while one of his legs was injured? Rashouk raised his right hand, ready to swipe at Storm with his deadly claws, and Tom forgot his fears and doubts.
He dove toward the troll.
CHAPTER FIVE
BATTLING THE TRO
LL
TOM GRABBED RASHOUK’S MIGHTY ARM AT THE wrist and, using his magical strength, dragged the Beast off Storm. As the stallion bolted toward the cave mouth, Tom gave a cry of pure rage and flung Rashouk at the wall. But the Beast turned his body and landed nimbly on his feet, like a cat.
Rashouk punched the ground, sending fierce tremors through the floor, which made Tom’s injured ankle feel even worse. Black spots danced in front of his eyes as the pain threatened to overwhelm him. Tom knew that he would have to find extra reserves of strength if he was to have any chance of defeating this Beast.
“Watch out for Rashouk’s claws, Tom,” said Elenna, who had Silver at her side. She stood at the mouth of the cave, holding on to Storm’s reins. Her voice was thin, as if she was in pain. Tom vowed to make the Beast pay for hurting her.
The cave troll swiped his right hand down. Just in time, Tom pulled back, and the sharp, jagged nails flew past his face in a yellow blur.
Rashouk was sniffing the air again. Tom could see the thick, coarse hairs inside the Beast’s nostrils quivering as he took in deep breaths. What was the troll sniffing for?
Rashouk took two lurching steps toward him. Tom sprang back and then to the left, changing his angle of attack. Rashouk’s eyes still faced forward briefly, before he once again sniffed the air and turned to face Tom.
He needs to smell me, Tom thought. His sense of smell is stronger than his eyesight.
Rashouk let out a loud roar that made the cave shake again. Tom stood his ground, trying to ignore the fiery pain in his ankle. The Beast stalked toward him. Tom backed up but kept his sword high and his eyes locked with the Beast’s.
He was determined to show no fear. He would not give Rashouk the satisfaction.
“Tom!” he heard Elenna calling from behind him. “You’re almost at the cave mouth. Be careful where you step!”
Tom felt no fear — only excitement. If the cave mouth was close, maybe he could somehow lure the Beast out onto the narrow path and over the mountain’s edge. Not even a Beast could survive that fall.
“Follow me,” he said to the troll. “I dare you!”
Tom took a step backward and Rashouk followed. Tom bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. The Beast was going to fall for his trick.
“That’s it,” he said, taking two more steps back. “Come this way….”
Rashouk’s face was tight with rage. His yellow teeth were bared and his gray eyes narrowed.
Tom looked over his shoulder at Elenna, who stood by the cave mouth with Silver and Storm. The rain still pelted down behind them. “Be ready to get out of the way. I’m going to force the Beast off the mountain’s edge,” Tom said.
“You’re just five steps away,” she replied. “Be careful!”
“Don’t worry about me,” he said, turning to face Rashouk again. “If I fall, I can use my shield. This Beast won’t be so lu —”
There was a flash of lightning, and for a single second, Rashouk’s whole face lit up. His skin looked almost white in the fierce light. The Beast roared, covered his face with both hands, and stumbled backward.
“He doesn’t like the light!” Elenna called out. “It hurts him!”
Hope flooded Tom’s chest. The lightning may have interrupted his original plan, but he could use it to his advantage. He barely felt the pain in his damaged ankle as he charged at Rashouk, who was still staggering backward blindly.
Tom dove at the troll, sliding along the rocky ground. As he passed through the Beast’s legs, he swung his sword out. Rashouk’s skin was thick and tough, and Tom had to use all his strength to make a deep cut.
The Beast bellowed in agony as thick, green blood seeped from the wound in his calf. With a snarl, Rashouk kicked out with his injured leg and sent Tom spinning through the air.
“Not again!” Tom vowed, unhooking his shield. The mountain giant’s tear embedded in it guided him safely to the ground.
Tom turned to fight the Beast once more but saw Rashouk fleeing back into the shadows in the depths of the cave.
He started to hobble after the troll.
“Tom, help!”
It was Elenna.
Tom turned back toward the cave entrance. Elenna still had hold of Storm’s reins, but the stallion bucked and spun in wild circles, dragging her with him. More flashes of lightning were cutting through the dark sky outside, followed by loud claps of thunder. The terrible noise was whipping the exhausted horse into a frenzy of fear.
Tom limped over as quickly as he could. “Easy,” he said to Storm in a low voice. “You’re safe now.”
His voice seemed to do the trick. Storm stopped bucking, though he still walked in swift, ragged circles, his head thrashing from side to side. It made Tom’s heart ache to see his loyal horse so confused and afraid.
He slowly reached out his hand and took a firm grip of Storm’s reins, looping them around his wrist. “That’s it,” he said soothingly. “Settle.”
Storm began to calm down. The cave was almost silent now — not even Rashouk’s footsteps could be heard. The Beast was either too far away, or had found a place to nurse his wound before the next battle.
And there would certainly be a next battle.
And Tom would be ready.
The sky outside the cave was suddenly lit up with lightning again. It was immediately followed by a clap of thunder so deafeningly loud that it made Tom and Elenna jump.
Storm bolted.
Tom was swept off his feet as the stallion galloped toward the cave’s entrance. Storm’s reins were knotted around his wrists! He felt his head slam against a rock in the cave’s wall and warm blood trickle down his neck. His body bounced and cracked against the cave’s floor as he was dragged after the stallion. Tom tried to pull on the reins, but it was no good — Storm continued his mad flight. They emerged out onto the narrow mountain path and headed back toward the outcrop. Still Storm wouldn’t slow.
Beyond the path lay open space — and they were hurtling toward it….
Toward their deaths.
CHAPTER SIX
THE MISSING PIECE
USING HIS REMAINING STRENGTH, TOM REACHED up to put his free arm around Storm’s neck as he heaved himself into the saddle. The darkened skyline rushed toward him at great speed. Any moment now, he and his horse would tumble over the side of the mountain and into that endless drop. Tom gripped the reins with both hands, pulling on them harder than he ever had before. Storm’s head was wrenched back and his front hooves lifted high off the ground. With a second tug, Tom turned the stallion to the right, where his front hooves landed safely on the rocky mountain path.
Tom managed to free his hands from the reins and hugged Storm’s neck. He could hear a quick, rhythmic pounding and couldn’t tell if it was the thumping of his own heart or Storm’s.
“Good boy,” Tom whispered, stroking the stallion’s mane. “You did well.”
He looked back at the cave and saw Elenna running toward them, followed by Silver.
“Are you hurt?” Elenna called.
“Nothing that can’t be dealt with,” said Tom, the pain in his ankle returning with a vengeance. He heard a bleating sound from farther down the path. The mountain goat they had seen earlier trotted up and looked at them with a curious expression that made Tom laugh.
“What shall we do?” asked Elenna as Tom dismounted.
“We need to stay close to the mouth of the cave,” he replied, sitting down. “You saw how Rashouk reacted to the lightning. He doesn’t like the light, so we have an advantage if we stay here.”
Tom felt his injured ankle. Even touching it created waves of pain that made him grit his teeth.
Elenna sat down beside him. “That Beast was horrible, Tom,” she said. “The ugliest ever. I could practically smell the fear coming off Storm and Silver when they first saw him.”
Tom’s head shot up. Smell …
“That’s it!” he said, remembering the way Rashouk sniffed at Storm’s neck and laughed while
he did so. “Rashouk smelled Storm’s fear. That’s how he tracks down his prey in the dark.”
Elenna nodded. “That makes sense. Fear must have been coming off all of us.”
“Well, now we know how we can get close enough to defeat him. We’ll not be afraid of Rashouk the next time we fight him.” Tom undid the jeweled belt he wore around his waist. He had earned the jewels on a previous Quest, and one of them in particular was going to be of great use to him now.
“Is it broken?” Elenna asked, pointing at his damaged ankle.
“Not for much longer.” Tom smiled grimly as he plucked the emerald from the belt. It had the power to heal broken bones. He’d wanted to use it earlier, but he knew that it could take a little while to work, so he hadn’t been able to during the battle. He placed the jewel against his ankle and concentrated. Ripples of energy wrapped around the broken bones, knitting them back together.
The magic was working.
“This Quest will be much easier on two legs,” he said, putting the jeweled belt back around his waist. Standing up, he and Elenna guided Storm and Silver back to the mouth of the cave.
Elenna looked at Tom and pointed to his head, which had been cut open when he hit the wall as Storm bolted. “You should probably fix that. You need to be completely healed if you’re going to take on Rashouk again.”
“Right,” said Tom. He took Epos the Winged Flame’s feather from his shield and placed it against his temple. He felt the cut begin to close up. “I forgot I’d been knocked senseless a minute ago.”
“How could you tell the difference?” Elenna joked.
Tom laughed and they gazed out beyond the mouth of the cave.
“The storm’s fading,” Elenna said after a moment. “We might not be able to use the lightning as a distraction.”
“Then we’ll just have to find another way to defeat the Beast. Won’t we?”
Elenna smiled at him. “Of course! I’m glad we’ve finished half of our Quest and already have the amulet piece.”