by Adam Blade
Another spurt of silk whistled toward Tom. Just in time, Tom lifted his shield.
Still crouched beside the gauntlets, the spider lunged at Tom with one long black leg. Tom thrust hard with his sword. The blade bounced off the spider’s skin. Elenna loosed an arrow, but it clattered against Arachnid and fell uselessly into the web.
“His hide is too tough,” Tom panted.
How were they going to defeat this evil Beast?
“Look up, Tom!” Elenna called. “The stalactites!”
The rows of jagged stalactites clung to the cave roof, their sharp points deadly and still dripping with the water that had formed them over millions of years. If a stalactite fell, Tom knew that any of them could be killed instantly.
“That’s it!” Tom gasped. “If I can break a stalactite from the roof, I can use it as a spear!”
He sheathed his sword and reached for a handhold on the smooth wall. Arachnid hissed with rage as Tom began to pull himself up toward the nearest stalactite, his feet scrabbling for a foothold. It was impossible. The walls were too slippery. He fell back to the floor.
The giant spider began to move reluctantly away from the center of his web. The gauntlets gleamed in the dim light. Tom thought of Aduro being lowered toward Malvel’s deadly pit of tar. He had to get the gauntlets or die in the attempt!
Tom felt Storm push him gently with his nose. It gave him an idea. Could he use the stallion to reach a stalactite?
“Here, boy,” said Tom, coaxing Storm closer to the cave wall.
Seeing what Tom was trying to do, Elenna ran to help, with Silver by her side. Tom put his foot in Storm’s stirrup, and Elenna gave him a leg up onto the stallion’s back. Then Tom stood on the well-worn leather saddle and reached up. His fingers brushed the rough, pointed tip of a stalactite. If he could just grasp it —
Arachnid hissed and reared again.
Storm whinnied in terror and jumped forward, despite Elenna’s best efforts to hold him still.
Tom grasped desperately at the stalactite, thrown off balance by Storm’s sudden movement. It was too late! The rock slipped from his fingers, and Tom began to fall.
There wasn’t time to lift his shield above his head to protect himself from the fall. Whistling through the cold air, Tom landed on something soft. He looked beneath him, and his heart thudded in his chest.
He had landed in Arachnid’s web.
Tom could feel the deadly strength of the sticky fibers. He needed all the strength of his magical breastplate to pull himself loose. Arachnid began to move in Tom’s direction, his six eyes narrowing in the pleasure of the hunt. Tom struggled desperately to stay upright as the web rocked beneath him. He stretched out his hand to keep his balance, then pulled it back as the gluey ropes sucked at his fingers.
Another jet of silken thread hurtled toward Tom just as he ripped himself free from the web and threw himself past the spider at the golden gauntlets.
Arachnid shrieked with rage. Tom had only seconds before the spider would attack again. He grabbed the gauntlets and thrust his hands inside them. At once, his fingers tingled with new strength and twitched toward his scabbard. Tom instantly realized that the gauntlets would give him special skills with his sword!
He pulled the sword from its sheath. It felt like a living thing in his hands, ready to do his every bidding. The chain mail tingled around his chest, filling him with courage. With five pieces of armor and the five magical gifts they bestowed upon him, Tom knew he could defeat the spider. He whirled the sword above his head and brought it down on the silken ropes that clung to his feet.
At once, a gap opened between Tom and the spider. But without the web, there was nothing to stop Tom from falling into the bottomless cavern beneath!
The giant spider scuttled to safety at the edge of the web as Tom fell through the hole. For the second time that day, he pulled his shield over his head. Immediately, he felt his fall slowing, and he thanked Cypher the Mountain Giant for the token that gave the shield that particular power. It gave him just enough time to reach out and grab hold of the cavern wall. Quickly, he began to climb back up to Elenna, Storm, and Silver. He had to protect them! Arachnid could attack at any moment.
His heart was thundering in his ears as he hauled himself up. His legs were growing weak from the climb, and he knew that his armor was helping him to make the ascent this time. His breastplate gave him the strength he needed to pull himself upward. His legs, encased in their special leg armor, pushed him steadily on. He could feel his strength and purpose returning as the magic of Avantia wrapped its protection around him. His friends were waiting for him. He wouldn’t let them down!
Elenna looked over the edge of the cavern as Tom pulled himself to the top.
Behind Elenna, Tom saw Silver. And behind Silver, the shadow of the spider was looming, his fangs dripping.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE BATTLE BEGINS
SILVER!” TOM CRIED.
Elenna whirled around. But it was too late. Arachnid had pulled the wolf into his web. Silver struggled, but he was trapped.
“No!” Elenna shouted.
Arachnid’s legs reached for the wolf. Silver snarled up at the giant spider. He bared his sharp teeth and swiped at the Beast with his claws. But Arachnid ignored him. He began to spin ropes of silvery thread, wrapping the wolf up like a parcel. Growling and snapping, Silver fought back. But his struggles made things worse as the web wound more tightly around him. It was no use. He couldn’t free himself.
Tom felt a surge of anger. He couldn’t let Silver lose his life! Then he remembered the stalactites. He ran to the edge of the cave, his leg armor throbbing with magical energy. He leaped up and onto the wall. This time the gauntlets gave him extra grip as he hauled himself up toward the stalactites. He moved across the cave wall, foothold by foothold. Then he stretched himself as far as he could. A deadly-looking stalactite was almost within reach!
By now, Arachnid had almost finished his vile work. Thick threads were wound around Silver’s whole body. The wolf’s growls and snarls were growing fainter.
“Quickly, Tom!” Elenna cried, her voice cracking. She was kneeling at the edge of the web, reaching helplessly toward her wolf. “I don’t think Silver can last much longer!” In despair, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and loosed it at the spider. It clattered uselessly away.
Tom moved farther up the wall until his head touched the cave roof. He was holding on by his fingertips. How could he go on? The armor was giving him magical skills, but it was also heavy, dragging his body down.
Then Tom felt the breastplate fill him with fresh energy and the chain mail give him strength of heart. He could not fail! Grunting with the effort, he gripped the wall with one hand and reached for his sword. It slid swiftly from its scabbard. He swiped fiercely at the root of the stalactite. The jagged rock shuddered, but didn’t come away.
Even with the magical skills of the gauntlets, Tom found it difficult to aim his sword at the right angle from his position near the roof. He twisted his body, reaching his arm as far as he could. Again and again, he hacked at the stalactite, his muscles screaming in agony. Sweat ran into his eyes, making it difficult to see.
Down below, he could see Arachnid toying with Silver, batting him back and forth across the web. It wouldn’t be long before the Beast grew tired of his game… .
Then Elenna screamed.
“Look, Tom!” she said, pointing.
Tom peered into the far corner of the cave. Something else was trussed up in the web. Something that was moaning and wriggling.
It came to Tom in a flash. Etta, Dorina’s friend!
“We’re coming, Etta!” Tom shouted. He hacked again at the stalactite. “Don’t give up hope!”
The wolf had stopped fighting now. He lay still at Arachnid’s feet.
“Silver!” Elenna called, as Storm snorted and tossed his long black mane. “Oh, Silver, hold on!”
Arachnid moaned. The venom on his fangs gleame
d. Tom hesitated. Both Silver and Etta needed his help! But there was so little time.
Even with his five pieces of magical armor, Tom knew that he couldn’t do this on his own. It was time to call upon one of the good Beasts of Avantia. Who might be able to help him?
Then, thinking back to the toys at the fair, the answer came to him: Tartok.
The last time Tom had seen the great Ice Beast had been on the edge of the northern icy plains. He could only hope that the Beast would come to his aid now.
Sheathing his sword, Tom continued to grip on to the cave wall and reached around his back to touch Tartok’s claw, which was set deep into his shield.
Almost instantly, he heard a mighty roar.
The Beast had come!
CHAPTER EIGHT
TARTOK TO THE RESCUE
PART OF THE CAVE WALL CAME CRASHING down, revealing dazzling daylight as the snow monster thundered inside. The ground trembled.
“Tartok!” Tom cried in relief.
Seizing Storm’s reins, Elenna ran beneath a rocky overhang as rocks bounced around the cave floor. Tom clung to his position near the roof as Tartok leaped across the web toward the great spider.
Arachnid screamed and reared. The razor-sharp teeth on his belly glinted in the bright sunshine. He shot ropes of silk straight at the Beast, who shook them off as if they were flies. There was a flash of Tartok’s claws, and an unearthly screech from the spider. Tom gasped. Tartok had slashed into Arachnid’s six eyes, blinding the spider!
“Now, Elenna!” Tom roared. “Save Silver! I’ll cut Etta free!”
The giant spider shrieked and thumped at the cave walls with his legs. Tartok growled and beat her chest. In the chaos, Elenna dashed from her rocky hiding place and leaped across the web, bouncing and staggering on its sticky threads. With her knife, she slashed at the silk that bound the wolf, then dragged Silver away from the web’s deadly embrace to the safety of the cave floor.
“Silver,” Elenna sobbed, throwing her arms around the wolf’s shaggy neck as he gently licked her arm. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Tom whistled for Storm, who cantered from beneath the overhang. Then Tom dropped onto the stallion’s back. Storm whinnied in triumph.
Whirling his sword, Tom turned Storm toward Etta and dug his heels into the stallion’s sides.
Storm cantered across the uneven rocks, bounding over the cracks and crevasses. The cave was shaking as the two great Beasts fought. Arachnid was lunging and snapping, fighting with all eight legs, as Tartok swiped the air with her fearsome claws.
Tom threw himself from the saddle and scrambled across to Etta. The cave walls groaned. Cracks appeared, snaking from the floor to the roof as pebbles rained down from the ceiling. They didn’t have much time. The woman was bound so tightly that all Tom could see was a pair of terrified eyes staring out at him. How would he free her without cutting her with his sword?
Trusting to the skill of his gauntlets to help him, Tom let his sword fly. His aim felt truer than it had ever been. Slash! Slash!
“Thank you, oh thank you,” Etta sobbed as the web fell away from her. “How can I repay you? How —”
“Tom!” Elenna screamed. “The roof is falling in!”
“Take the animals to safety, Elenna!” he shouted. “Go with my friend,” he said to Etta. “She will keep you safe.”
“But wh-wh-what are you going to do?” stammered Etta.
“Fight the Beast,” Tom said grimly.
Elenna grabbed Etta by the hand and ran for the fresh hole in the cave wall created by Tartok’s entrance. Silver raced at her side. The ground shuddered as the Beasts swayed and struck at one another. Even without sight, Arachnid was matching Tartok blow for blow. The spider’s razor-like teeth tore into Tartok’s flesh, scattering red blood on the rocks. What if Tartok was unable to defeat this monster? Tom wondered. If it was too much for a great Beast of Avantia, then what chance did he have?
But Tom knew that every time he faltered, Aduro would be lowered even closer to Malvel’s pit of tar. He had to stay strong, for Aduro’s sake! If he could just return to that stalactite and tear it free …
Tom leaped back onto Storm. Bending low over the stallion’s neck, he galloped back to the stalactite he had tried to break away from the cave roof. Storm skidded to a halt as Tom scrambled to his feet on the stallion’s broad back. He tensed his muscles and once more felt the golden leg armor fill his legs with strength. Then he jumped.
Soaring over the heads of the fighting Beasts, Tom landed hard on the stalactite, the golden gauntlets helping him to grip. The stalactite shuddered, jarred by the impact. Tom could see a crack forming where the calcite spear joined the roof. He drew his sword and hacked at the crack.
“One more blow,” Tom panted, striking madly again and again. “Just one more …”
There was a groan as the stalactite tore away from the roof and fell — with Tom still clinging to it.
With a resounding crunch, the stalactite plunged into Arachnid’s back. The Beast let out a roar of pain. Tom threw himself free as the spider arched his vile black body in agony, hurling himself around the cave, trying to get the stalactite out. But every time the Beast struck a wall, the impact drove the stalactite deeper into his flesh.
At last, the huge spider gave one final roar and disappeared.
In his place, thousands of tiny spiders skittered madly across the rocks. Arachnid had been defeated!
But Tom had no time to celebrate. A huge boom sounded above him, and great chunks of rock began to fall from the walls. Chasms opened at Tom’s feet. Everything was collapsing.
“Tartok!” Tom yelled, pulling himself to his feet. “We must get out of here before it’s too late!”
The great Ice Beast roared.
Tom ran for daylight as the mountain caved in.
CHAPTER NINE
STAY STRONG!
TOM HURLED HIMSELF OUTSIDE, ROCKS cascading around him. The whole mountainside seemed to be falling apart. The noise was deafening. Shocked and bruised, Tom realized that he was standing on the rocky outcrop where Etta had entered the caves. Now a new cave yawned where Tartok had smashed her way inside the mountain, but its mouth was steadily filling with falling rocks.
“This way!” Elenna grabbed Tom’s arm.
But he pulled his arm from Elenna’s grasp. “We have to go back,” he said. “Tartok is still in there!”
Tom threw himself back toward the cave, lifting his shield above his head for protection. Falling rocks bounced and shuddered against the sturdy wood. The rocks were already piled as high as Tom’s shoulder, blocking Tartok’s escape.
“It’s impossible,” Elenna shouted through the noise. “We have to leave, Tom! Etta has gone ahead. I promised we would follow —”
“No!” Tom yelled. “I won’t leave Tartok. She helped me!”
He scrabbled at the rocks, throwing himself again and again at them. But it was a hopeless task. Tom could feel his courage failing.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Tom,” Elenna said. Silver stood at her side. “You’re right. We have to save Tartok.”
Storm whinnied and trotted over to nudge Tom on the shoulder. Stroking the stallion’s neck, Tom stared at the blocked cave mouth.
“With all of us, we can do it,” Tom said firmly.
Tom and Elenna threw themselves at the rocks. They heaved and pulled, pushed and tugged. Silver nosed among the boulders, and Storm pounded at the rocks with his hooves. But nothing moved.
Help me, Aduro! Tom thought desperately. He had never needed the good wizard so much. But Aduro was in Malvel’s grasp. He couldn’t help them now.
Suddenly, there was a shimmer in the air behind Elenna. Tom stared, hardly daring to believe his eyes, as Aduro stepped onto the mountainside.
“There is no time for questions,” Aduro said, holding up his hand. He looked gaunt, with dark circles beneath his eyes. Tom’s heart ached for his friend.
“I have only
a few moments before Malvel realizes I am missing,” Aduro said. “You are doing well, Tom. Better than I could have hoped. Stay strong!”
The wizard raised his right hand and pointed at the rocks. He muttered some powerful magic words and there was a blast of white light. The rocks exploded. Storm whinnied in terror and Silver howled. Tom and Elenna fell to the ground and covered their eyes.
When they dared to open them, they saw that the rocks blocking the cave mouth had been blasted to powder. The entrance was open!
Tom whirled around to thank Aduro. To his horror, he saw the furious figure of Malvel grabbing the good wizard and dragging him away!
“You think you can defy me, Aduro?” Malvel roared. “I have been too patient with you. The pit of tar awaits!”
“No!” Tom shouted as Malvel’s mocking laughter faded and Aduro vanished from sight. What had they done? Was this the end for their friend?
“Oh, Tom,” Elenna choked. “Poor Aduro!”
They heard heavy footsteps. Tartok stepped out of the cave, blinking in the daylight. She was covered in dust, but otherwise looked as powerful as ever.
“Tartok!” Tom cried, overwhelmed with relief. “You’re safe!”
The great Beast growled softly. She stretched out a massive white paw and laid it gently on Tom’s head. Awestruck, Tom gazed into her fierce blue eyes.
The Beast threw out her chest and roared at the sky. Then she turned and walked away from Tom and his friends, climbing the mountainside with ease and grace — back to the snowy lands of the North.
Tom closed his eyes. Then he opened them again and stared at Elenna. She was smiling.
“Well done,” she said. “You’ve conquered another Beast. Arachnid was truly evil.”
Tom stroked his gleaming golden armor. Helmet, chain mail, breastplate, leg armor, and now the gauntlets. There was just one piece left — and one more Beast to fight. He had to stay strong. That glimpse of Malvel made Tom even more determined to rescue his friend before something awful could happen. With his friends, he would complete his Quest. And Malvel’s power over Aduro would be broken.