by Adam Blade
“Oh yes,” Tom said, “I almost forgot.”
“Are you sure your head’s fixed?” Elenna teased.
Tom grinned and felt a thrill of excitement shoot through him as he reached for the amulet piece in his pocket. Elenna was right — they were halfway to completing this Quest.
He rummaged in his pocket and found … nothing. All he could feel was his own leg beneath his clothes.
Panic made his chest tighten. “It’s gone!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE SMELL OF FEAR
“IT MUST HAVE FALLEN OUT WHILE YOU BATTLED Rashouk,” said Elenna despairingly. “We have to find it!”
“There’s no time,” Tom replied firmly. “The amulet piece is here somewhere — but right now, there’s a Beast that needs to be defeated and we have to be ready.”
Elenna’s face clouded with concern. “But … we don’t have a plan.”
“Let’s think about what we know,” Tom said, pacing outside the cave. “We know that Rashouk prefers darkness to light.”
Elenna nodded. “So we have to lure him out of the shadows and into the light — he’ll be weaker then.”
“Yes,” Tom agreed. “We also know he can smell fear. That he loves the smell of it. Maybe we can use our own scents to lead him out of the cave?”
“Maybe,” said Elenna, looking over at Storm and Silver, who stood quietly by the cave mouth. “But Storm and Silver have calmed down. So have we. We can’t fake fear … can we? How can we make ourselves smell scared?”
Tom stopped pacing as he thought hard. How were they going to pull this off?
Outside, the rain was easing up, and the clouds were clearing. Slivers of sunshine glimmered through the misty sky. It might not be lightning, but it was still light, and a potential weapon they could use.
But how to get the cave troll to leave his lair? Tom asked himself. No solution came to him and reality began to intrude. He heard the howling wind that circled the mountains.
And the bleating of the mangy mountain goat.
That’s it! Tom thought to himself.
Elenna grinned. “Do you have an idea?”
Tom smiled. “The goat,” he said, walking out of the cave. “If we can somehow use his scent, we can trick Rashouk into coming all the way out here.”
Tom looked down at the ground. For his plan to work they needed more than just the goat’s scent; they needed something to disguise their own smells, so that they wouldn’t dilute the goat’s scent of fear. He heard Elenna follow him onto the path. Storm and Silver started to trail after them, but Tom turned around and pointed at the ground. “Stay here,” he said. “We’re not going far.”
Their four-legged companions seemed to understand. Storm stood proud and calm, while Silver lay on his belly — watching them closely.
“What are you looking for?” Elenna asked Tom.
“Something to cover our scents,” he replied. “The goat’s smell of fear has to be strong enough to lure Rashouk out of the cave and into the light, where he will be at his weakest. We can’t afford to cover the goat’s smell of fear with our own scents.”
Elenna’s nose crinkled in disgust. “I don’t know about this.”
“It’s the only way,” said Tom, scanning the ground again.
He heard Elenna’s footsteps pause.
“Will this do?” she asked.
Tom looked up, just in time to see a handful of mud hit him squarely in the chest. Elenna was grinning at him.
Tom rubbed the mud into his clothes. “It’s a start,” he told her.
Soon, Tom and Elenna were not only throwing mud, but also crunching up some pungent-smelling leaves growing nearby and rubbing them all over their bodies.
“Let’s hope this works,” Tom said as they finished. He went to the goat, which was back beneath the outcrop. Tom approached as slowly and gently as he could. The goat didn’t bolt. It simply kept its eyes on Tom with the same curious expression as before.
“I won’t hurt you,” said Tom, as he got closer. “I promise.”
As firmly as he could, Tom took the goat by the flank and pulled it toward the cave mouth. The goat resisted, twisting its neck and trying to nip at Tom.
Tom was surprised by how strong the goat was — but its struggles showed that the wiry animal was afraid. And if it was afraid, then it was giving off a scent that would lure the cave troll from his lair.
“I hope this is enough to draw Rashouk out,” said Tom. He kept a hand on the goat’s neck. The animal had stopped struggling, but its eyes were still fearful.
Tom and Elenna stood side by side, facing the shadows. Storm and Silver stood just outside the cave. Tom hoped the scent of the goat’s fear was curling through the air, deep into the cave, luring Rashouk from his hiding place.
He heard thudding footsteps. The sound startled both Storm and Silver, who inched farther back. Tom glanced at Elenna, whose jaw was set in a determined line.
The cave troll was coming back.
“This time we’re ready,” Tom muttered, as Elenna reached for her bow and arrow.
It was time to defeat evil.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A NASTY SURPRISE
THE FOOTSTEPS STOPPED AND STARTED. EVERY time they paused, Tom could hear a frantic sniffing sound.
Rashouk was following his nose — all the way to the mouth of the cave.
“Come on,” Tom whispered. “Come out to where we can fight you.”
With a rasping roar, Rashouk tore through the shadows of the inner cave. Small rocks covered his bristly skin. The sharp fingernails of his right hand scraped along the walls, sending clouds of dust drifting through the air. Closer and closer he came, not seeming to care that he was headed toward the light outside.
Tom felt a quiver of excitement. His plan was working! Any second now, the cave troll would step into the light and be blinded.
“Get ready,” he told Elenna.
But as Rashouk got closer to the cave’s mouth, he did not reel back in pain from the light. He just kept coming forward. Tom’s excitement was replaced by confusion. How could this be? He looked up. Dark, heavy clouds had filled the sky beyond the cave. Swirls of damp fog blocked out the golden light of the sun.
He turned back to Rashouk. The Beast’s nostrils quivered and flared as he sniffed the air. His fearsome gray eyes shone with glee as he stalked forward, swiping at the air with his razor-sharp claws.
Tom looked at Elenna hastily. “When I say ‘now,’ jump out of the way.”
The Beast raised his deadly claw.
“Now!” said Tom.
Elenna leaped to her right as Rashouk’s clawed hand came down. Tom jumped to the left but tripped over the mountain goat, which was still standing beside him.
Rashouk raised his clawed hand again, his eyes fixed on the goat, which was paralyzed with fear.
“No!” Tom cried. But he was too late. The Beast’s arm came down, his cruel yellow nails cutting into the goat’s right flank.
The goat did not utter a sound. Instead, its white coat appeared to darken and Tom heard a strange crackling sound, like water freezing over. The goat now stood completely rigid, its eyes never leaving the cave troll. Tom didn’t understand. The goat had survived the attack — why wasn’t it running away?
Then Tom felt his stomach flip over as he saw the goat turn completely gray. He understood the crackling sound now. Rashouk had turned the innocent animal to stone.
Elenna’s voice pulled his gaze from the goat. “Watch out, Tom!”
He looked at Rashouk and saw that the Beast’s arm was raised once more. Tom just managed to roll out of the way as the clawed hand came crashing down, the impact forceful enough to send three cracks shooting across the ground like lightning splitting the sky.
Rashouk gave a roar of a rage. He had struck down so hard, his nails had gotten stuck in the rocky ground.
“The nails,” Tom muttered to himself. “I have to chop them off.”
He charged
at the Beast with a furious cry, his sword held ready.
The cave troll ripped his hand free, throwing up earth and large, jagged rocks that went flying in every direction. Some shards of stone bounced off Tom’s body as he ran forward, but he ignored them. Nothing would stop him from defeating this Beast.
Rashouk’s claws, now free, slashed sideways, swinging so low that Tom had to throw himself to the ground to avoid being scratched. He had no intention of being turned to stone. But that wasn’t the only thing he had to worry about — he had lured the Beast right out of the cave, onto the mountain path, and either one of them could easily fall over the edge.
But it will not be me, Tom vowed.
“Get Storm and Silver away,” he called to Elenna as he leaped to his feet.
Tom swung his sword to distract Rashouk as Elenna, dangerously close to the edge of the path, darted around the Beast, and led the stallion and the wolf away from the cave and up a rocky incline to safety.
Tom stood facing Rashouk, keeping one eye on the troll’s deadly nails. The Beast’s fingers twitched and flexed as he sniffed the air. Tom couldn’t understand Rashouk’s thoughts like he could the good Beasts of Avantia, but he understood the troll’s intentions. He wants to turn me to stone right now.
Tom stood, his shield raised. “Try it,” he said. “I dare you.”
But it wasn’t the Beast’s right arm that moved. It was his left — and Tom gasped as his sword and shield were knocked right out of his hands and clattered to the ground.
Oh no.
There was no time to reach them. Rashouk’s right arm swung down and Tom dove toward the Beast, ducking beneath his clawed fist to land in a ball at the troll’s feet.
Tom jumped up and wrapped his arms around Rashouk’s wrist, twisting hard. Immediately, the Beast tried to shake Tom off. Rashouk then lifted his arm and slammed it against the side of the mountain, crushing Tom. Dust and pebbles rained down on both of them, making Tom’s eyes water.
But he did not let go. The Beast’s arm was as thick as a small tree, and Tom had to use all his strength to keep his fingers locked together as the cave troll tried to dislodge him.
Roaring in frustration, Rashouk swung his arm left and right, down and up. As Tom’s feet left the ground, he was briefly raised so high that he was sure he could see the whole of Avantia.
The dark sky and the distant scenery blurred and slid past him as Rashouk swung around. Tom let go of the troll’s arm and somersaulted through the air to land on a ledge that jutted out of the mountainside, above the Beast’s head. From this position, Tom slammed his fist into Rashouk’s skull, leaving shallow dents. I may not have my sword, Tom thought, but I still have the strength of the golden breastplate.
“Come on, Tom!” cried Elenna, from the incline higher up in the mountain. Silver and Storm howled and neighed encouragement.
Rashouk staggered back from Tom’s forceful blows and then reached up to swipe him off the ledge. As the yellow nails came hurtling toward Tom, he slammed his fist into the Beast’s thumbnail — and it came off completely.
Rashouk howled and reeled away in pain while Tom dropped down from the ledge and landed neatly by his fallen sword and shield. One of the deadly nails had been taken care of, but there were still three others.
He scooped up his weapons and turned to face Rashouk once more. He was going to finish this Beast right now.
“For my father!” he cried, racing forward and swinging his sword up at Rashouk’s wounded right hand.
But his blade did not connect with the deadly nails. Instead, it seemed to pass straight through the Ghost Beast.
Rashouk has taken on his ghostly form, Tom realized. The Beast began to laugh, and Tom turned to face him again. The troll was still monstrous in size, but now Tom could see right through him. He could see the outline of the mountains and the statue that had once been a live mountain goat. Tom gazed at the Beast, who looked triumphant.
This Quest was far from over.
CHAPTER NINE
WRESTLING A GHOST
RASHOUK SQUATTED ON THE GROUND AND TOM knew the Beast was preparing to charge at him.
Elenna was climbing down from the incline.
“No!” Tom called. “Stay with Storm and Silver.”
Elenna stopped halfway down. “But you need my help!”
“If Storm bolts again, he’ll go right over the edge. We can’t let that happen.”
With a wild roar, Rashouk barreled along the ground at great speed. Tom held up his sword and shield, even though he knew both would be useless against a ghost.
Thunk!
It felt like a stone wall had slammed into Tom, and he was sent tumbling back along the mountain path. Rashouk had shifted into his solid form at the last moment.
Tom got to his feet, tightening his grip on his sword. He saw that Rashouk was once again back in ghostly form. The Beast seemed furious that Tom was showing no fear. With a roar, the troll charged again. Tom lunged to meet him, slashing at the Beast’s claws.
Tom felt nothing but a rush of cold as he passed straight through the Beast. Then there was a powerful hand on his back. Rashouk — flesh and blood once more — pushed him forward like an arrow from a bow, toward the edge of the mountain path and over the side.
Tom was dimly aware of Elenna screaming as he felt his body plummet downward. With a yell of determination, he stabbed his sword into the mountain rock, burying the blade almost to the hilt. He hung there for a moment, catching his breath as his legs dangled above low-hanging clouds that obscured the ground below.
Relief washed over him. He had survived and could afford a smile — but he would need to come up with a different method of attack if he was going to defeat this Beast.
Tom freed one hand from his sword and swung up to grab at the edge of the mountain path. Yanking the blade out of the rock, he scrambled back up to safety.
Rashouk had his back to Tom. The troll was advancing toward Elenna, who still stood on the incline, bow and arrow raised. Elenna began firing arrows, but it was useless, as Rashouk was in his ghostly form. Tom was certain that the cave troll would soon become solid — and there was no telling what damage he would do to Elenna and his other friends.
Tom stepped toward Rashouk as lightly as he could, hoping the Beast’s hearing was as bad as his eyesight. The troll’s transparent hide began to shimmer. He was becoming real again. This was Tom’s chance!
But Rashouk was ready for him. He spun on his giant heel and swept his arm across the ground, flipping Tom into the air.
Time slowed down as Tom’s body spun and turned. Down below, he could see that Rashouk was readying his deadly hand to scratch him and turn him to stone.
Tom had to strike first.
As he fell, he readied his sword. When Rashouk’s hand came upward, Tom brought the side of his blade hacking down, slicing off two more of Rashouk’s deadly nails. Only the nail on his smallest finger remained intact.
The Beast roared in agony. Elenna loosed three quick arrows at Rashouk, while Tom landed neatly on his feet.
Well done, Elenna, Tom thought. The Beast is so mad with pain and anger, he doesn’t know who to attack first. He’s not thinking about changing back into ghostly form now. We’ve almost won!
Rashouk turned to face Elenna. At the same moment, Tom dropped his sword and shield and sprang forward, grabbing the troll’s hand.
Using every ounce of his strength, Tom wrenched the Beast’s arm back and forced the troll to scratch himself with his own jagged yellow nail.
Rashouk screamed as the nail made contact, tearing his gray skin. Immediately, the Beast fell still and silent. Tom heard a loud crackling sound that bounced off the mountain walls. Rashouk’s whole body stiffened as his hide became a darker shade of gray.
The Beast was turning to stone. His own evil magic had been used against him. The transformation started at his head, bleeding all the way down his neck, his chest, his shoulders, his arms….
His arm
s!
Tom released his grip on the Beast’s wrist just as it hardened to rock.
Rashouk still loomed over him — monstrous, but a statue.
The third Ghost Beast had been defeated.
CHAPTER TEN
THE NEXT QUEST
“WELL DONE, TOM!”
Elenna came down the slope and ran over to him. Storm trotted by her side and Silver circled Tom’s ankles, yelping happily.
“See,” she said. “I was right! It doesn’t matter that you’ve lost some of your special powers. You’re still the bravest person I know.”
Tom picked up his sword and shield. He sheathed the blade. It felt good to put it away for a while. “I have three brave friends,” he said. “I just follow their lead.”
Silver howled happily as if in agreement. Tom patted his head. “Glad you’re all right, boy,” he said. He turned to pet Storm, but saw that his stallion’s eyes were fixed on something beyond Tom’s shoulder.
The statue of the Beast.
“It’s over now, Storm,” Tom whispered. “We’re all safe.”
But Storm reared up and bolted, before either Tom or Elenna could reach out and stop him.
Hooves clattering on the hard ground, Storm pounded toward the statue of Rashouk, not slowing for a second. He skidded to a halt and fiercely kicked the stone cave troll, sending it toppling to the ground.
Tom laughed as Storm cantered back to join them.
“That’ll teach Rashouk for messing with us!” Elenna laughed.
Tom stroked Storm’s flank. “Well done!” he said.
“Should we leave the Beast here?” asked Elenna.
Tom looked closely at the troll’s face, frozen in an expression of rage.
“No,” he told her. “There’s always a chance Malvel could reawaken Rashouk. We can’t take the risk.”