by Adam Blade
Would Tom have to risk his own life to retrieve the golden gauntlets?
CHAPTER THREE
SPIDER IN THE NIGHT
COME ON,” ELENNA SAID, GENTLY PLACING A hand on Tom’s shoulder. “We need a good night’s sleep if we’re going to face Arachnid.”
Tom fetched Storm from his tethering post. They followed Dorina to her house, in a side street near the marketplace. Tom settled Storm in Dorina’s stable, then followed Elenna and Silver into the house.
The air inside smelled of beeswax and lavender. The furniture looked well polished and the windows gleamed.
“I hope you will be comfortable,” said Dorina, showing them into her spare room at the back of the house.
Two fat, hay-filled mattresses lay on wooden beds, scenting the room with a clean, grassy smell. The view from the window looked onto the small yard and stables beyond. Everything was shrouded in darkness.
“I could sleep for a week,” Elenna groaned, flopping onto one of the mattresses. Silver curled up underneath the bed and settled his silvery head on his paws.
“There will be supper on the table later,” said Dorina. “If you wish it.” She bowed her head and left the room, softly shutting the door behind her.
Something about Dorina’s story worried Tom. After fighting ten Beasts, his instincts were starting to tell him when things weren’t right.
“Do you think Arachnid has got Dorina’s friend?” he asked, kicking off his boots and sitting on his own mattress.
Elenna looked surprised. “The spider is supposed to live in the forest high up on the mountainside,” she said. “Not in the caves near the town.”
“I have a feeling that Arachnid is closer than everyone thinks,” said Tom grimly. “Remember what Dorina said about the webs in the town? And the way the food disappears every night? And yet no one ever sees this spider. It’s a long way down to the town from the mountaintops. Isn’t it more likely that the spider has moved closer to his source of food, and set up home in the nearby caves?”
Elenna looked uneasy. “You may be right,” she said.
Tom thumped his hand on the mattress. “We have to find Arachnid,” he said. “We have to defeat him and rescue Dorina’s friend. Before it’s too late!”
“Hmm,” mumbled Elenna sleepily. Her eyes were fluttering and closing.
Tom wanted to go straight to the caves. But watching Elenna, he remembered how little they had slept in the past few days. She was already breathing peacefully, curled up on her soft hay mattress. It wasn’t fair to drag her out into the night — not now.
Tom felt too tense to sleep. Instead, he settled down beside the window. He would keep watch. If the spider came in the night, Tom would be the first to know.
Tom woke suddenly. His neck was stiff, his arms wrapped around his knees. With dismay, he realized that he had fallen asleep on the floor by the window.
The weak moon shone into the room, filling it with a soft, misty glow. Everything was still and silent. But Silver was growling softly, his eyes bright in the moonlight. Tom glanced at Elenna, still fast asleep. Then he saw a pulsing light coming from the saddlebag on the floor.
Tom stood up stiffly and reached for his bag. He pulled out the magical map. The red path showing them the way to the mountains seemed to be glowing with extra urgency. They were running out of time.
Silver was still growling. His body was tense, ready to spring.
“Shush, boy,” Tom whispered. Then he noticed something strange about the moonlight. It was as if the moon were shining through a veil of some kind. With a shiver of disgust, he saw a thick spiderweb had been woven across the window.
With a mounting sense of horror, Tom gazed around the room, swiveling slowly to take it all in. Every surface was covered with gauzy webs. He backed away from the window — and found himself entangled in a prison of clammy, silken threads.
“Arghh!” Tom yelled in shock, lashing out.
Elenna sat up in bed, startled by Tom’s yell. “Yuck!” she exclaimed, tearing at the thick, sticky ropes that twisted over her sheets and blankets.
“Arachnid has been here,” Tom said urgently, pulling on the four pieces of golden armor. “In this room with us, Elenna! There’s no time to waste. We have to leave for the mountains at once!”
He showed Elenna the map. Wide awake now, Elenna pushed her way through the webs surrounding her bed.
“This is awful,” she whispered, her face pale. “We have to do something.”
The floor was tacky underfoot. Tom grimaced in disgust as he reached for the lamp beside his bed and lit the wick. Quietly, they tiptoed out of the bedroom, with Silver padding silently beside Elenna.
There was no sign of a light beneath Dorina’s door as they creeped past. Webs hung from the polished banisters and formed thick curtains over the walls. There was something beautiful about the way they twisted and spiraled, glistening softly in the lamplight — and yet something deadly, too. They brushed at Tom’s cheeks as he and Elenna hurried down the stairs.
“I’ll leave some money in thanks,” said Elenna in a low voice. “I don’t want Dorina to think that we left in the night like thieves.”
She took two candles from the pantry, and left a small pile of coins.
“At least the townspeople are still asleep,” Tom whispered to Elenna as they led Storm out of his stable. “No one needs to know about our Quest. We can leave the town and climb the mountains by daybreak.”
Just then a hand grasped his shoulder. Tom cried out.
“What are you doing?” Dorina asked, her eyes wild and frightened as she pulled a thick woolen blanket around her shoulders to ward off the night chill. “Where are you going?”
“We have urgent business,” Elenna said.
“The spider came in the night,” Dorina whispered. “You saw its webs. We are all lost unless you find it and kill it.”
Tom gasped. How did she know about their Quest?
“You are going to find it, aren’t you?” Dorina said to Tom. Her eyes were huge in the moonlight. “I watched you in the town square today. You were looking for something. You are not ordinary travelers. I can see that by your armor. Please — tell me. I must know!”
Tom had to tell her the truth. “We are,” he said. “We think it’s in the caves. But swear that you will tell no one!”
“I swear,” Dorina said fiercely. “The tunnel Etta used is blocked now, but there is another entrance to the caves farther up the mountain. The path is dangerous, but keep your back to the mountainside and you will make it. And take this; it will help you.”
She pushed something cold and hard into Tom’s hand. It was a shard of glittering blue crystal.
“Go,” she said, backing away. “And may the Beasts of Avantia be with you!”
CHAPTER FOUR
A LONG WAY DOWN
TOM EXAMINED THE CRYSTAL AS STORM BLEW softly over his shoulder. It was certainly pretty, reminding him of a sapphire.
“That’s not protection,” Elenna snorted, slinging the saddlebags over Storm’s back. “That’s jewelry.”
As he put the crystal in his pocket and gave Elenna a leg up onto Storm, Tom had to agree with her. He had more faith in his shield and armor than in a shiny piece of blue glass.
The candles and the red glow from the map lit their way out of the town. Thick silver webs were draped everywhere. Several unwary rats and mice struggled, caught in the silken tangles. Tom tried not to think about the size of the spider that had spun them.
The road out of town was straight and well surfaced. But as they approached the bottom of the mountain, it began to change. Soon, even Tom was struggling in his magical leg armor, and Storm lost his footing several times on loose shingle. Tom shifted his shield onto his back and used his hands to steady himself, skirting puddles that gleamed in the moonlight. The sky was getting lighter. Sunrise wasn’t far away.
The road dwindled to a track, growing steeper with every passing minute. Tom was glad of his
golden helmet. He could see the dangers underfoot, as well as the mountain track that twisted ahead of them.
They reached the rocky outcrop marked on the map just as the sun broke over the horizon.
“This must be where Etta entered the caves,” said Elenna, stooping down and peering into the dark hole in the mountainside. “I can see the rocks blocking the way.” She shuddered. “How terrible to be trapped down there.”
“The map is showing us the other entrance,” said Tom, showing Elenna the glowing red line. They looked up the mountainside to where the path snaked out of sight.
“Is that the only way?” Elenna said in dismay.
Dorina had warned them the path was dangerous. But it looked impossibly narrow, and to the right was a sheer drop.
“We’ll be fine,” Tom said.
Storm tossed his head nervously. Undeterred, Tom took the stallion’s reins and led him forward.
Elenna hung back. “Tom,” she said in a choked voice. “I can’t do this.”
Silver nuzzled Elenna’s hand comfortingly.
“You and I have fought ten Beasts,” said Tom. “You can walk this path, Elenna. Trust me.”
Hesitantly, Elenna began to follow him.
They reached the point where the path wrapped itself around the edge of the mountain. There was no turning back now.
“It’s a long way down,” Elenna said, looking over the edge.
There was barely room for one person to pass, and in places, the path had crumbled away.
“You go first. Keep your back to the mountain,” Tom instructed. “You can lean into it and use it as a support.”
They took turns to move down the path. Elenna slid along with her back to the mountain and her eyes straight ahead. Silver picked his way behind her, as sure-footed as ever. Seizing Storm’s reins, Tom clicked his tongue. “Come on, boy,” he said. “We can do this!”
Tom inched along the path, leading Storm and trying not to look down. But he felt the path disintegrating. Stones bounced away and disappeared over the edge of the mountain. He moved a little faster. More stones fell.
“The path is collapsing! Run, Tom!” Elenna shouted in front of him.
Tom ran. Storm whinnied in terror, racing close behind him. Stumbling and slipping, Tom could feel the path crumbling behind them. Could they make it before the path fell away completely?
Tom’s feet suddenly met air. His heart crashed in his chest as he grabbed at the mountainside. But the stones came away in his fist. There was nothing he could do. He was going to fall!
Instinctively, he let go of Storm’s reins. He could hear Elenna scream as he plunged over the edge. Then her voice was snatched away in the wind. The mountainside was racing past in a blur. Tom wrestled with the shield strapped to his back and pulled it over his head. The gift from Cypher — a single tear from the giant’s eye — that was set into his shield protected him from falling. At once, he felt himself slowing. He angled the shield so that he could float close enough to the mountainside to find something to hold on to and stop his fall.
At last his hand closed around a spur of rock. Tom closed his eyes. Thank goodness! he thought. Opening his eyes again, he looked up at the path overhead. It was a stiff climb back to the others. Steadying himself with his feet, he slung his shield back over his shoulder and began to make his way up. The golden breastplate pulsed strength into his chest and his legs, helping him.
Elenna was waiting for him, tense and white-faced. She helped Tom to pull himself over the edge and back onto solid ground, where he collapsed in a patch of scrubby grass.
“I thought you’d gone forever!” Elenna burst out when Tom had got his breath back.
“You can’t lose me that easily,” Tom said.
Elenna laughed in relief. Then she looked more serious. “There’s no way back,” she said. “I pulled Storm across just in time. The path has completely disappeared.”
It was true. Where the path had been was now a yawning chasm.
“We’ll worry about that after we’ve defeated Arachnid,” Tom said.
He thought about the golden gauntlets. Would the spider be guarding them in his web? Tom shivered, but he knew that he couldn’t lose heart. Only by winning all six pieces of the armor could he save Aduro from Malvel’s evil clutches.
It was now or never.
The Beast was waiting.
CHAPTER FIVE
ARACHNID’S LAIR
TOM STOOD AT THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE. THEY hadn’t had to walk much farther to find it. It looked narrow and gloomy. Storm shifted restlessly, sniffing the stale air within.
“Are you ready?” Tom asked Elenna over his shoulder.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” said Elenna, stroking the top of Silver’s head. She took the candles from her pack and a flint from her pocket. With a steady hand, she struck the flint and lit the wicks. Then she passed a candle to Tom.
Tom held it above his head and led the way. Storm and Silver followed, with Elenna bringing up the rear, holding the second candle. It wasn’t long before they’d left the daylight behind.
The cave floor sloped sharply. Skidding on the loose stones, Tom put his hand out. The walls were slippery and sparkled dimly under his fingers. Tom realized that they were studded with blue crystals.
He could hear Storm snorting nervously and Silver whining as they descended.
A cold gust of wind suddenly blew out the candles. Even though he was wearing his magical helmet, Tom could see nothing. Would they have to continue their journey in darkness?
As Tom’s eyes grew used to the gloom, he stared at the walls of the tunnel in surprise. They were glowing!
“The crystals, Tom!” Elenna whispered, reaching up to touch the blue gems. “They’ve taken the light from our candles and are reflecting it back at us!”
They are protecting us after all, Tom thought.
The path took them around a narrow corner and into a vast, echoing cave. Tom stared in amazement at the space around them. Vast stalactites hung from the roof, and stalagmites grew up from the floor. The air was damp and cool, and filled with the sound of dripping water.
Tom felt a chill in his bones. He was sure the Beast was close.
He stepped farther into the cave. There was a rasping hiss from somewhere in the gloom. Then something whisked through the air toward him and grasped his waist. Looking down, Tom saw a thick rope of spider silk had wrapped around him. He tried to pull against it, but the thread grew tighter, constricting his breathing.
He was right. Arachnid was in the cave!
There was another hiss. A second jet of silk landed on Elenna with deadly accuracy.
“Help!” Elenna screamed, struggling to free herself.
Silver growled and seized the web with his teeth, but it only made things worse.
“Struggling will make it tighter,” said Tom, trying to remain calm. “Stay still.”
Elenna stopped struggling and steadied her breathing. She tried instead to soothe her frightened wolf. Silver growled softly.
Storm tried to back out of the cave.
“It’s all right, boy,” said Tom, holding the reins tightly.
The stallion calmed a little, but pawed the ground with his hooves.
Elenna carefully freed herself from the sticky web. It was difficult to untangle and clung to her hair and clothes.
There was another hiss, dark and deadly-sounding. Tom was ready this time, leaping out of the way as another jet hurtled toward him. He looked around. Where was Arachnid?
In the darkest part of the cave, a ghastly sight met his eyes. Sitting in the middle of an enormous web that stretched right across a cavern was a gigantic spider.
Arachnid was the size of a barn. Eight hairy legs protruded from his body, waving lazily in the air. Thick saliva dripped from his long, sharp fangs, and he watched Tom carefully with six evil eyes. The Beast opened his jaw and moaned. The putrid smell of death filled the air.
Silver barked ferociously as Tom
tried to see what lay beneath Arachnid’s web. The cavern looked dark and bottomless.
“Look beside the spider,” said Elenna in a low voice.
The golden gauntlets were sitting in the heart of the web. They were the same burnished gold as the rest of Tom’s enchanted armor, and were molded in the shape of two paws with long talons arching over each finger.
Without meaning to, Tom took a step forward. His feet crunched on something and he looked down. Scattered on the floor were piles of leathery old spider skins that Arachnid had shed. Then he realized in horror that the giant spider was drawing him in, tugging with deadly purpose on the sticky silk around his waist.
Arachnid reared back furiously. For the first time, Tom saw the spider’s most deadly weapons. On the spider’s underbelly were rows and rows of sharp teeth. The spider’s monstrous legs were whirling, gathering in his web — and his victims.
They were going to be eaten alive!
CHAPTER SIX
THE GOLDEN GAUNTLETS
THE GIANT SPIDER LET OUT ANOTHER HIGH- pitched moan that echoed off the walls of the cave. The sound chilled Tom to the bone. Then the Beast brought his long legs back down to his web. Tom felt behind for his shield and pulled it across his body to protect himself from further jets. Then he drew his sword and slashed through the web around his waist.
Thanks to his magical helmet, Tom could see every hair on Arachnid’s ugly body. He also could see himself reflected in the spider’s six eyes. The Beast was watching Tom’s every move.
Tom readied himself for the spider’s attack. But Arachnid didn’t shift. He was guarding the treasure that lay in the heart of his web.