Max Stone and the Lost Star of Zirdon

by Declan Clarke

  And here they were so many of the Swaveb Tribe floating down the Zagger Zee River in small sail-boats gathering to fight against these dangerous lizard creatures - fighting to get their planet back.

  Mar-Hoc-Seia saw the worry on his friend’s face. ‘What ails you Sey-Mar? You seem troubled.’

  ‘It’s… well it’s all this.’ Sey-Mar turned his old head and pointed to the flotilla of small boats that sailed up the Zagger Zee River’

  ‘So many of our tribe are sailing behind us. And to what? What are we sailing to?’

  ‘But we do not have any choice old friend, we talked about this, we must do what we can to save Zirdon. Even if that means we have to fight.

  Sey-Mar smiled at his friend ‘I know old friend, I know.’ He squinted his tired eyes and took a closer look at the bird on his friend’s arm.

  ‘Ah yes, of course, Jay, a wonderful bird.’ He fished a Moldovan nut out of his pocket and gave it to the bird. The Takuon Bird took the nut and disappeared in a flash of blue and white feathers. It settled in the comfort of a nearby tree to eat its prize.

  Sey-Mar continued ‘I fear The Kaemon will not be frightened by an army of farmers and miners even with our pitch forks and axes. I fear that we may be travelling in haste.’

  Yan-Ho, a much younger member of the Swaveb Tribe and a miner by trade, disagreed.

  ‘But we have to do something, Sey-Mar. Mar-Hoc-Seia is right; we can’t just let them destroy us, we have to fight them, however we can. And besides, the Tigral Tribe will be with us.’

  Sey Mar smiled kindly at the younger tribe member.

  ‘I know we must, I know of course. But it still worries me that so many of us travel to one place, so many of us’

  Mar Hoc-Seia nodded his agreement, understanding the concern of his friend.

  ‘But what choice do we have? They know that the Lost Star has returned and will do everything in their power to seize it. Seize it and destroy it. Once they do, all on Zirdon will die and they travel to another planet to do the same. We simply must do something’

  Yan-Ho on the other hand was looking forward to the battle. As a miner he spent long days in the dark tunnels cutting out Kerlang stones so that he and his family had a warm city to go to in winter. Now, as he saw it, winter was approaching and he and his tribe would surely die as snow and frost covered the ground so they could not reach the refuge of Elgonze. He knew that, no matter what the cost, they had to try, they had to do something. He held his miner’s axe in his belt and even though the reptile soldiers stood almost three times his height he would stand with a brave heart do what he must.

  Mar-Hoc-Seia looked at his two friends. ‘We can only hope that Altusa of the Tigral Tribe has strength enough to bring their army of Fight-Cats, to bring his warriors from the hills. We will have our part to play Sey-Mar, we must help this brave earth boy to replace the Lost Star. To finish what his grandfather began.’

  They each lowered their heads and watched the water pass them. The sail-boats were gathering speed now as the water of the Zagger Zee gathered pace. They were about to pass through a mountainous pass, where the cliffs hung high overhead.

  It meant they were coming close.

  Now that the Kaemon Klann knew the Star had returned, they would leave no stone unturned in trying to find it. They desperately wanted to destroy the Star and all of Zirdon so that they may travel to another planet and wreak more havoc.

  High up in the cliffs their passage was watched by DRÄÄGNOS. KRÄÄXOR had banished him as General of the Army and he was now sent to run errands for his leader.

  He blamed the puny earth boy for his misfortune and he would take his revenge. He was sorely tempted to start an avalanche and sink the tiny little boats right there and then. But he held back. His leader had told him that no harm was to come to any of the furry little creatures as they gathered. He wanted them all in one place so that his mighty army could slay them in one glorious battle. The name of the Kaemon Klann would be feared throughout the universe as word of his power and strength travelled before them.

  DRÄÄGNOS didn’t dare cross his leader again. He had lost command of his army to STRÄÄLUS, that snivelling dog, and he felt the shame of it burn inside him. If he disobeyed a direct order, worse would befall him.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ‘FOR ZIRDON!’

  Altusa summoned his army of Tigral warriors, all mounted on their Fight-Cats, eager for battle. With the Star back on Zirdon, new hope rushed through their veins, new strength for the battle ahead. Max clung tightly to Boctamus on the back of Mannuk. The army moved out and sped across the open plains towards the crossing of the Zagger Zee.

  As the army thundered across the open space, herds of grazing dinosaurs scattered, worried at so many sabre-toothed tigers advancing at one time. Max looked at these and saw that they were indeed straight from his dinosaur book at home. There were the large beasts with heavy armour, along with smaller animals that moved as fast as gazelle or antelopes.

  As the river came into view Altusa called out. ‘Look, the Swaveb Tribe’, he pointed to the flotilla of small boats that sailed the waters of the Zagger Zee.

  They sped down towards the banks of the river where they met friends of the Swaveb tribe as they tied up their boats and stood on the banks of the river.

  Altusa jumped off the back of Srana, his Fight-Cat and saluted Mar-Hoc-Seia warmly.

  ‘Greetings old friend, glad you have made it’

  ‘Greetings Altusa’ replied Mar-Hoc-Seia, ‘it is a truly great sight to see you and your warriors of the Tigral Tribe.’

  Boctamus helped Max down from Mannuk, clutching the precious box tightly under his arm.

  ‘Max!! You made it and I see you have brought quite the army with you’ Mar-Hoc-Seia smiled.

  Max smiled at the old alien who he noticed was holding a club. He also saw that Yan-Ho held an axe and that all of the Swaveb Tribe held a weapon of sorts, be it club, axe or shovel. And Max thought to himself, they looked quite ferocious.

  ‘We have seen no sign of the Kaemon Klann’ Mar-Hoc-Seia said to Altusa ‘ have you?’

  ‘None’ he replied, ‘although I suspect that they may be lying in wait for us.’

  ‘Wise counsel’ said Mar-Hoc-Seia, ‘how do you think we should proceed?’

  Altusa thought for a moment, and then called to his son, Tomac. ‘Go with caution and see what lies ahead of us.’

  In a blur of Lothius’s white fur, Tomac was off, bounding across the bridge and off into the distance. They all held their breath as they watched him crest the small hill. At the top he paused for a few moments, crouching low and then came back down.

  When he returned he spoke to Altusa.

  ‘They have formed their army into a circle around the Stone of Azul’

  ‘So they lie in ambush for us then’ said Altusa ‘how many did you see?’ he asked.

  ‘I guess there are nearly 200 of them father, but more may lie in wait behind the Stone.

  Altusa surveyed his own army, perhaps three hundred strong with almost as many of the Swaveb tribe. ‘So we outnumber them.’

  ‘That may be so’ said Sey-Mar who had just joined the group ‘but they are bigger and stronger than us? It is madness to fight them. We of the Swaveb Tribe are not meant to fight’ the old farmer was wringing his hands in worry.

  ‘They are bigger and meaner than us so the balance may be theirs’.

  Mar-Hoc-Seia stood beside his friend, ‘but they fight out of fear of their leader, Sey-May.’

  ‘And’ said Altusa ‘they do not fight for Zirdon. We will ride to meet them.’

  Altusa called Max to his side. ‘You are the only one who may return the Lost Star to its rightful place and what we ask of you is a nearly impossible task.’

  ‘I’ll do it’ Max said without hesitation. Altusa placed his hand on Max’s shoulder, smiling at the bravery of the earth boy.

  Without any more words he mounted Srana and held a hand out to Mar-Hoc-Seia and pu
lled him onto the back of his mighty Fight-Cat.

  Max climbed onto the back of Mannuk behind Boctamus while Yan-Ho paired up with Tomac. Each of the Swaveb tribe teamed up with a Tigral warrior.

  Max could see the worry written all over their faces. Being so close to the huge Fight-Cats was a daunting prospect but they held their nerve; they were here to fight for Zirdon.

  Once they were all mounted Altusa gave the order to move out.

  The Fight-Cats bounded over the distance to the top of the hill

  ‘Just over this hill, Max, lies the Stone of Azul, the rightful home of the Lost Star,’ Boctamus called back to him as the wind rushed by. Max felt butterflies in his stomach, not knowing what lay ahead but he was determined to be brave.

  They covered the distance quickly, the Fight-Cats stretching their legs at full run.

  When they reached the top of the hill Max drew his breath. There before them stood the full force of the Kaemon Klann army. As Tomac had described, they formed a tight circle of three warriors deep around the Stone of Azul.

  The Stone itself was huge and towered high into the sky forming a sharp peak at the top. It glittered a faint blue in the afternoon sun and it was speckled with sparkling Kerlang stones and multicoloured gems giving it a magical air. Max could easily see why they held it in such high respect.

  Once the soldiers of the Kaemon spotted the Tigral warriors and their mounts at the crest of the hill they hissed and snarled. They looked like a brutal bunch with their sharp jagged blades drawn and their huge reptilian tails swishing. Max swallowed hard trying not to let fear get the better of him.

  Altusa sat proudly on the back of Srana and called to Max, Boctamus, Tomac and Yan-Ho: ‘We shall meet them head on, face to face, and draw their army from the Stone to the battle field. This will create a space at the back and it is there you must try to gain entry and return the Lost Star.’

  They shook hands, reaching across the backs of the mighty Fight-Cats and bid each other well in the battle.

  Tomac led the way and he and Yan-Ho, along with Boctamus and Max, moved to the back of their army and circled around off to the left.

  Altusa turned to face his army, knowing they would be nervous in facing such a vicious foe. He stood high on the back of Srana, Mar-Hoc-Seia still behind him, and drew his sword. He called to his warriors summoning their courage.

  ‘Today’ he cried in a voice full of pride, ‘today we fight for Zirdon.’

  A great cheer rose from the Tigral and Swaveb tribes.

  ‘Today, brave warriors of the Tigral and Swaveb tribes we fight a great battle for our homes, for our families. WE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.’

  He thrust his sword high into the sky, the sun bouncing off the blade ‘Today’ he shouted at the top of his voice ‘we will drive these lizard dogs from our home and forever banish them from Zirdon!!’

  The warriors cheered loudly shouting their battle cries.

  Altusa launched ahead pushing Srana forward and cried into the air ‘ AIIIEEEEE’

  As one they charged down the hill while the Kaemon Klann hissed and roared.

  Altusa drew his bow and this was a signal to the other Tigral warriors to draw their bows. They advanced further and as one released a shower of silver-tipped arrows that formed a dark cloud over the Kaemon Warriors. It rained down upon the lizard warriors and many of the Kaemon fell to the ground under the attack and many more were wounded. But still the Kaemon army did not move.

  High up on a rocky outcrop on the Stone of Azul KRÄÄXOR, leader of the Kaemon Klann, watched as the Fight-Cats raced forward carrying the warriors of the Tigral and Swaveb Tribe on their backs. He was impressed with their show of numbers, but he had a surprise in store for them - one they would never have expected and would send them scurrying back to the hills.

  He turned to DRÄÄGNOS, now stripped of his army command after his failure to catch the fleeing earth boy, and stood at his leader’s side waiting for his every command. KRÄÄXOR spat out an order.

  ‘Release the wretched creatures,’ he barked. DRÄÄGNOS nodded and waved his sword as a signal to the soldiers below. Suddenly, hundreds and hundreds of Screechers poured from their hiding place behind the Stone of Azul.

  They rushed past the Kaemon warriors who held their circle formation. Some of the Screechers paused to inspect the bodies of the fallen Kaemon warriors to see if there might be a meal, those with silver-tipped arrows sticking out from their necks, but the snarls and hisses of the Kaemon Lizards made sure they kept moving forward, towards the army of Zirdon.

  The flood of Screechers filled the air with their frenzied screeching and rushed forward to attack the advancing army.

  They hunted in tight groups of about twenty. They split up and each group rushed a Fight-Cat.

  First they circled the sabre-toothed tiger and their riders, probing for a place to attack. Two or three darted forward snapping their jaws full of needle sharp teeth and then fell back into the group. At first the Fight-Cats were confused by the heckling and the sheer numbers of them, but the trained Tigral warriors calmed them.

  The Screechers filled the air with their impatient shrieks, three or four leaping at the back legs and tails, another two or three snapping forward around the paws of the mighty Fight-Cats, snatching mouthfuls of fur as they lunged and snarled.

  Altusa was quick to act and gave the order for the Fight-Cats to regroup, perhaps five or six of them forming closed circles, improving their odds and making sure they covered each other’s backs. All around the battle field, tight groups of the Zirdon army banded together to face this unexpected foe.

  ‘Hold your position’ commanded Altusa, and the order rippled from group to group. The Screechers had not expected this - they were more used to hunting single prey animals and never faced such an organised sea of predators.

  And then Altusa broke from his group and burst forward into the ring of Screechers that surrounded his group of Fight-Cats. He exploded into them with his blade drawn and the sharp edge finding the scrawny neck of the first Screecher he came across. Mar-Hoc-Seia swung his club covering their back and Srana, well Srana was magnificent.

  ‘ROOAARRR’ she cried as she snapped her powerful jaws at every creature in front of her. She strode confidently and proudly into the centre of the band of Screechers, and they were terrified. They scattered before her jaws and deadly claws. Once he and Srana had inflicted maximum damage Altusa gave the order and they retreated to the tight band of Fight-Cats.

  Each of the groups followed this tactic, bursting forward into the sea of Screechers and returning to the safety of the group.

  Many Fight-Cats fell after the wave of Screechers and several of the Tigral and Swaveb tribe members were lost in the frenzy of the attack.

  But they pressed on, encouraged by their leaders Altusa, Mar-Hoc-Seia and Srana, who slaughtered Screechers all round them. Srana celebrated each fallen Screecher with a ‘RROOARR’ that echoed around the battle field.

  The other Fight-Cats raised their voices and their spirits in return. It sent chills down the backs of the Screechers.

  Soon the tide turned and Fight-Cats learned that a single snap of their powerful jaws, or one sweep of their giant paws was enough to take down a Screecher. The Tigral Warriors focussed their blade strikes at the side of the Fight-Cats, and the Swavebs swung their clubs or axes at any Screecher who leapt at their backs.

  The Screechers saw dozens and dozens of their kind sliced and snapped so decided to pull back. Now they were less sure than before. The Zirdon Army grew in confidence and soon the air crackled with the sounds of crunching and snapping and of the mighty roars of the Fight-Cats. The Screechers began to scatter and small pockets of them faced the much larger Fight-Cats so they soon lost their appetite for the attack.

  From high above, KRÄXOR watched closely and gave the order for his army to advance. STRÄÄLUS, now at the head of the Kaemon army on the battle field, raised his sword high above his head and gave the signal to attack.


  The Kaemon warriors rushed forward and the Screechers scattered before them.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  BEATING HEART OF ZIRDON!

  Max clung tightly to Boctamus while he and Mannuk circled the battle field. Tomac, Yan-Ho and Lothius powered ahead. All eyes of the Kaemon warriors lay on the Army of Zirdon that rushed towards them. When the Screechers had been released, Tomac had wanted to turn back to help out his father and the Tribe but Boctamus had called ‘NO’ to his friend.

  ‘We must replace the Lost Star, Tomac’, he called over the noise as the Screechers poured from behind the Stone of Azul.

  Tomac agreed, although he did want to help the others. ‘You’re right Boctamus, we have to press on.’

  ‘We have to find that opening’ his friend said as they skirted around to the back of the giant stone and searched for the home of the Lost Star.

  On the battle field the silver swords of the Tigral Warriors clashed with the jagged blades of the Kaemon Klann as the two armies collided in the warm afternoon sun.

  The Lizards hissed and snarled as they swung their blades at the Tigrals, trying to avoid the mighty jaws of their Fight-Cats.

  The Tigrals held their sharpened blades with both hands and took careful aim, delivering small deep cuts, slicing and wounding the Lizard Dogs.

  The Kaemon had no such finesse - they swung their blades as clubs and hacked and chopped, spinning wildly in the heat of the battle.

  Altusa’s blade was strong and true and he took out many a Kaemon warrior with just three deft strikes. First he cut to the side of the head, drew his blade back over his head and then struck to the other side, dazing and wounding the warrior. Once in this position he drew his sword upwards in a deadly uppercut, finishing off his enemy.

  Mar-Hoc-Seia protected his back and as a lizard warrior tried to attack he raised his club in defence. This was all Srana needed as a signal and she spun around sweeping her strength through her paw and sent the lizard to the ground.