by Adam Blade
He struck the ground hard, only his armor saving him from breaking bones. He lost hold of his sword and shield, but a shred of luck was with him as he rolled over and over, his armor clanking and rattling. His leg was free of Trillion’s grasp!
The shooting pains in his leg were intense. He tried to get to his feet, but his ankle gave way under him and he sprawled breathlessly on the ground. He could see Elenna and Silver running toward him from the trees.
“No!” he cried. “Go back!” He spotted his sword and shield nearby, and began desperately to crawl toward them.
His fingers were about to close around the hilt of his sword when a massive shape came bounding toward him. Two huge paws came crashing down on the sword and the shield. Tom looked up. Trillion’s three heads reared above him, the six green eyes filled with malice. A blast of stinking breath almost choked Tom as the heads lowered, the drooling jaws ready to rip him to pieces.
The Quest was lost!
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE GOOD BEAST
WITH A ROAR, TRILLION BROUGHT HIS PAW down on Tom’s breastplate. Tom gasped as he felt the weight of the lion bearing down on him, pressing him into the ground.
But the golden armor held!
The three heads came closer, a paw swiping across Tom’s face. His helmet saved him from serious injury, but his visor was up and the points of the monster’s claws sliced the skin of his cheek, drawing blood.
The middle head loomed closer, jaws gaping.
Then Tom heard galloping hooves.
His horse was coming to the rescue. But Tom knew that Storm was no match for Trillion.
“Go back!” he shouted.
A howl of rage answered him.
Tom twisted around, still pinned to the ground by the evil Beast, and saw with astonishment that it wasn’t Storm.
It was Tagus!
The good Beast was galloping across the clearing, his eyes flashing as he bore down on the three-headed lion.
Tagus struck Trillion like an avalanche, kicking, bellowing war cries, and driving forward with incredible ferocity.
Gasping for breath, Tom managed to roll clear of the two Beasts. Trillion was roaring with pain and fury, and rose up, his claws like knives, lunging at the centaur. But Tagus turned in a moment, bringing his hindquarters forward and lashing out with a powerful double kick that sent Trillion staggering backward.
Tom saw what Tagus was doing. He shouted to Elenna, “He’s driving Trillion toward the lake! We have to help!”
Tom got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his ankle as he stumbled to snatch up his sword. He limped forward, ready to join battle with Tagus. Thrusting his blade, he slashed at the lion’s forelegs, helping to force Trillion closer and closer to the water’s edge.
“I’m coming!” Tom heard Elenna shout. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Storm gallop up with Elenna on his back and Silver loping at his side. Elenna leaned far out of the saddle and snatched up Tom’s shield, throwing it to him as Storm raced past.
“Thank you!” Tom caught the shield gratefully, but the pain in his ankle was so bad that he could barely stand.
“I will not give up!” he hissed under his breath, his sword stabbing and cutting at the lion, his shield defending him from the evil Beast’s ripping claws. “While there is blood in my veins, I will fight on!”
He shouted to Elenna, trying to lift his voice against the noise of the battling Beasts. “Keep back — all of you! Don’t let Storm get too close!” He was not going to risk the horse’s life a second time. And there was something vitally important that he wanted Elenna and Storm to do. “I’ve seen the boots!” Tom yelled. “They’re lying over there, in the grass!”
“I see them!” Elenna shouted back. “We’ll get them for you!”
Hope filled Tom’s heart — but while he was distracted, a paw struck him, knocking him to the ground. Shaking his head, he got to his feet, but the fall had made his injured ankle worse; he could hardly put any weight on it now.
“You’re hurt!” Elenna cried. “I’ll get you to safety first!”
“No!” Tom shouted, his voice rising above the roaring of the Beasts. “I’m fine — and I won’t leave Tagus. Rescue the boots!”
Elenna hesitated, then pulled on Storm’s reins, turning the horse. With Silver close behind, she raced toward the boots.
Tom turned again to the desperate battle, hoping he could survive the pain in his ankle long enough to defeat the lion. But with every step toward the lake, Trillion fought more fiercely, and Tagus was beginning to tire.
Suddenly, Tom’s ankle gave way; he fell to his knees. He needed to be brave as never before. He looked up at Trillion and saw him take another deadly swipe at Tagus. Enough! Tom touched his hand against the golden chain mail, which would give him strength of heart. Slowly, he clambered back to his feet, gritting his teeth as he tried to ignore the pain. Finally, he drew himself up to his full height and raised his sword in the air.
He was ready to end the battle with Trillion.
CHAPTER NINE
NO VICTORY!
THE TWO BEASTS WERE STILL FIGHTING furiously. The lake was only a short distance away, but driving the three-headed lion back those last few paces was going to take every ounce of strength and courage Tom possessed.
“I’m coming!” he shouted, hobbling forward, knowing that he was facing a Beast more evil and vicious than any he had encountered before.
Tagus bellowed as his hooves struck the lion again and again, but the pounding force was barely able to penetrate the evil Beast’s thick hide. With every blow, Tom could see that Tagus was weakening — and the fangs in those three snarling mouths were as sharp and dangerous as ever.
It was now or never! Tom darted toward the lion, coming in behind the three heads, aiming for the huge body. Gripping his sword in both hands, he lunged forward.
The blade sank deep into the fur and flesh. One of the heads turned angrily and Tom threw himself to the ground as a great paw swung toward his head. His sword blow had not injured the lion, merely angered him.
What kind of Beast is this? Tom thought. Nothing seemed to hurt him. How could he ever be defeated?
The massive paw struck Tom a glancing blow on the head. He rolled over, dizzy and half stunned.
Tagus bellowed and grunted as he struggled to beat the lion back.
Then Tom saw a shape looming above him. He blinked, trying to focus. It was Storm. Elenna was in the saddle and Silver by their side, and Elenna was carrying something that gleamed and shone in the sunlight.
The golden boots!
Tom sat up, his head still spinning.
Elenna leaped from the saddle, holding the boots out. “Put them on!” she said.
He reached out, but he was dazed and could barely see straight.
“You’ll have to put them on my feet,” he gasped. “Quickly! Tagus won’t last much longer.”
Elenna knelt down and pushed the golden boots onto Tom’s feet, taking care with his injured ankle.
Tom sat, panting and giddy, waiting for some sign that the boots would make a difference.
“How do you feel?” Elenna asked anxiously. “Can you stand?”
“No,” Tom gasped. Why weren’t the boots helping him? Was the Quest going to fail at the final moment?
But then a tingling began to course through him, bringing with it a sensation of strength and power that seemed to flow through his veins. The pain in his ankle faded, and suddenly he was clearheaded again.
He sprang to his feet. He felt he could leap over the treetops. This was the power of the golden boots! Gripping his sword and shield, he ran toward the battling Beasts. Trillion’s last moment had come. Nothing could save the lion now.
Tom lifted his sword, ready to deliver the final blow. But a few paces away from Trillion, he was brought to a halt by an invisible force. He staggered back, then ran forward once more. Again the invisible wall repelled him. He could not get to the evil Beast.
; What was happening?
A black whirlwind appeared close to the water’s edge. The air was shrill with the howling wind, but then the darkness was gone — and Malvel was standing at the lakeside.
The Dark Wizard was keeping Tom from the monster! Tom beat at the invisible wall with his sword, but he could not get through.
“I warn you, boy — if you achieve victory here, you will regret it!” Malvel called. “It will take you to places you would not choose to visit.”
Tom felt the power of Avantia blazing in him. “I don’t care!” he shouted, hacking at the wall. “I will defeat you, Malvel — whatever the price!”
“Such arrogance in one so young!” Malvel cried.
He made a wide gesture with his arm, and suddenly an image of Aduro appeared. Tom gasped. The good wizard was lying on the ground, beaten and bloodied.
Behind Malvel’s invisible barrier, Tagus and Trillion were still fighting furiously. Silver was scrabbling against the barrier, howling with anger and frustration. Elenna was firing arrows from Storm’s back, but the arrows were bouncing uselessly off the magical force field.
“I warn you one last time,” cried Malvel. “If you defeat Trillion, I will make you pay in ways that you cannot imagine!”
Tom let his sword arm fall as he stared at the image of his good friend. Aduro was a powerful wizard, and yet Malvel had crushed him. How could Tom hope to stand against such evil strength?
CHAPTER TEN
THE LION GATE
A TRIUMPHANT ROAR FROM TRILLION MADE Tom turn away from the Dark Wizard. Tagus was falling back, his strength failing. The great lion was overpowering him. The battle would soon be lost.
“Remember my words!” Malvel called.
“I shall,” Tom shouted defiantly. “But they won’t stop me!”
His sword wasn’t able to break through the invisible wall, but he felt more power rising up through his body, power that was coming from the golden boots. Could they destroy the magical barrier?
He brought one foot back and then let fly with a powerful kick. There was a noise so loud that it sounded like the sky shattering. Malvel let out a howl of rage. The invisible barrier was gone!
Tom ran forward. But suddenly, both sword and shield flew from his grip. Malvel was stopping at nothing!
“Tom! No — get back!” Elenna called. “You’ll be killed.”
“I don’t need any weapons,” Tom shouted, his whole body tingling with energy. “My armor gives me all the strength I need!”
Tagus was down, still kicking, as the evil Beast loomed over him. Tom leaped at the lion, grabbing one of his manes. Digging his heels into Trillion’s shoulders, he heaved backward.
Trillion stumbled to one side, taken by surprise by Tom’s assault, but turned his head quickly, the jaws opening. Undaunted, Tom thrust his arm into the lion’s mouth. The golden armor held! Tom saw the lion’s teeth splintering into shards.
With a roar of agony, the head reared back, blood dripping from the foaming lips, and the lion dropped onto his haunches. All three heads pulled away from Tom, the six green eyes filled with pain, and one of Trillion’s huge paws shot toward Tom with claws unsheathed. Tom knocked the paw aside with a single blow of his fist. Trillion roared again and a vicious light ignited in his eyes. Rearing up, he prepared to bring all his mighty weight down on Tom and crush him to the ground.
But as Trillion lifted himself onto his hind legs, Tom saw his opportunity. Instead of running away from the Beast, he lunged forward, his arms up above his head, pushing against Trillion’s underbelly. The armor had made him so powerful that he was able to force the lion backward.
“I’m stronger than you now!” Tom shouted. “You’ve failed!”
Roaring and snarling, Trillion fell back, his claws useless, his three sets of teeth biting on the air. Again and again, Tom pushed, driving the Beast closer to the lake. He had never been so determined.
Too late, the evil Beast realized his peril. Trillion tried to writhe away, to avoid the water, but Tom was merciless. With a final mighty shove, he sent the lion plunging into the lake.
The water foamed as the Beast thrashed helplessly. But the more Trillion struggled, the deeper he sank, his thick fur becoming waterlogged, his great manes dragging him down.
Tom stood at the water’s edge, unable to tear his eyes away from the dreadful sight as the lion fought to keep afloat. There was terror and fury in the six green eyes as the waters closed over the three heads. A paw broke the surface for a moment, then Trillion was gone. Bubbles boiled, followed by a strange hush. The roaring of the three-headed lion was silenced forever.
Elenna stood at Tom’s side. She rested her hand on his shoulder.
“You did it,” she said quietly. “You defeated the most powerful Beast Malvel has ever sent!”
But Tom frowned. All the evil Beasts he had fought in his Quest for the golden armor had dissolved into small versions of themselves after he had vanquished them. He was expecting the same to happen with Trillion. But the lake’s surface was clear and smooth. He looked at Elenna. “There aren’t any little lions,” he said. “Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know,” Elenna said. “Perhaps …”
Her words were interrupted by a low rumbling sound that made the ground tremble under their feet. The surface of the lake began to shiver. Ripples spread from the place where Trillion had last been seen. The water surged and heaved, and a deep growl shook the air.
Then the waters parted as a vast domed shape rose majestically out of the lake, black as ebony, running with water, shining darkly in the sun. It towered above the two friends, shedding rivers of lake water.
A statue of a huge lion’s head stood before them, its jaws wide open. A causeway had formed between it and the shore, and a path led through the enormous teeth.
“It’s a gateway,” Tom murmured in awe.
“Leading where?” Elenna murmured.
“I don’t know,” Tom replied. “But I have to follow the path. Something is drawing me forward.”
“It could be dangerous,” Elenna warned. “Malvel may have created it.”
Tom looked back. The Dark Wizard had vanished. “That doesn’t matter,” he said. He took his magical compass from his pocket and held it out in front of him. It had been left to him by his father, Taladon, and had already saved his life. The needle pointed to Destiny.
A powerful certainty filled Tom. “I know where Malvel has gone,” he said. He pointed to the open jaws. “He’s beyond the gateway. And I think Aduro is there, too.” He looked at Elenna. “I have to go.”
“You mean we have to go,” Elenna said.
Tom turned and saw that Storm and Silver were right behind them. Not for the first time, he was grateful to have such loyal friends.
Tom took Storm’s reins and strode out onto the causeway, his horse following fearlessly. Elenna walked at his shoulder, her hand in Silver’s gray fur as he paced alongside her.
The air shimmered all around the lion’s jaws, tingling on Tom’s skin and making his hair stand on end. As the four companions paused before the gaping fangs, Tom’s golden armor glowed in the sunlight.
He and Elenna exchanged glances.
“Ready?” Tom asked.
“Ready,” Elenna reassured him.
Then the four friends walked into the lion’s gate, following the path that would lead them to their next adventure.
Tom had a destiny to fulfill. The Quest was far from over.
Copyright
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Beast Quest series created by Beast Quest Ltd., London. BEAST QUEST is a trademark of Beast Quest Ltd.
Text copyright © 2009
by Beast Quest Ltd.
Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Scholastic Inc.
Cover illustration © 2009 by David Wyatt
Cover design by Tim Hall
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First printing, June 2009
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e-ISBN: 978-0-545-29289-4