Seth smiled and rubbed away a small section of the wall, exposing a completely clear surface. He pressed his eyes against it. “Excellent.”
Sarah poked his shoulder. “What do you see?”
“The arena,” he replied. “They’re waiting.”
“Who?” Sarah whispered, stretching up to see for herself.
“Evil,” he muttered.
“Let me see,” Sarah demanded, tugging on his arm.
“What do you think, brother?” Seth asked, running his hands across the smooth, cold surface. “We have two distinct advantages—youth and the element of surprise.”
Liam stabbed his scepter into the stone floor. “Let’s do this. Stand back, everyone. We’re going to break through.”
Sarah and the golems cleared the area. Seth pressed his lips to his scepter and spoke into it softly. It began to tremble and he thrust it into the wall as hard as he could.
The wall bowed and rippled like a pool of water. Cracks began to form, creeping across the stone slowly, riddling the surface with thousands of spider-like cracks and weakening it.
“Take out the wall!” Liam ordered.
Sarah turned to see the golems leaning forward and preparing themselves. They charged the wall in their gorilla-like gait, hitting it at full speed with their shoulders, the rest of them following close behind. The granite exploded, sending shards of rock scattering across the arena. Their momentum carried them all the way to the enemy’s encampment before the sound of screeching tires, crunching metal, glass breaking, and blaring horns caught their attention.
They were suddenly standing in the middle of an eight lane super-highway with traffic flowing in both directions.
Sarah turned toward the oncoming traffic and screamed, just before being knocked to the ground by Number One and Two. A tractor trailer was careening out of control toward them. It broke hard, spewing white smoke from its tires as it fishtailed and slid onto its side. One and Two crouched low, preparing to defend Sarah with their lives.
But it passed harmlessly through them. It flickered and wavered, the image ghostlike as it slid across the highway behind them.
“It’s not—it’s not real,” Sarah murmured, checking herself over to make sure she was still alive. “What’s happening?”
Across the arena, a gang of cowboys had built a huge bonfire alongside two fallen, bullet-ridden rain-making machines. They laughed and howled as they cooked a buffalo on a makeshift spit, using books as the fuel for the fire.
Hundreds of characters and creatures were escaping their worlds, moving into the library confused and bewildered. A bride, complete with gown and veil, wandered aimlessly between the bookshelves while a group of tuxedoed men followed after her. A flock of Canadian geese honked and fluttered overhead. Airplanes emerged from the thick gray smoke of the bonfire and soared across the arena, up toward the domed ceiling, passing through it harmlessly.
Seth approached Sarah and handed her a small wand. “You’ll need this. Be ready for anything.”
Sarah stared down at it, confused. “But I don’t know how to use this. I can’t do magic.”
“Point and shoot,” Seth said. He turned back toward the mayhem. “It’s as simple as that. You have it in you. I know you do. Tell the wand what you want it to do and it’ll do the rest.”
“Father!” Liam’s voice suddenly boomed, sending the hairs on the back of Sarah’s neck on end.
Cato approached from the hazy smoke of the bonfire with Jeremy at his side. Several warriors stood behind him, ready for battle. He snapped his fingers and a circle of flame roared across the arena, encircling them.
Jeremy eyed the remaining ninjas standing proudly at the top of a nearby stairway. He lifted his scepter and launched a barrage of stone that knocked them away. “You weren’t invited to this party!”
Liam and Seth moved closer, each brandishing a sword and wand in either hand.
Cato drew his wand and twirled it over a pile of dust and rubble. “Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust—return the beast to me!”
A small tornado began to appear, twisting and twirling—dirt and dust forming into something recognizable. A large figure in the sandy turmoil began to moan and move, lifting its head from the ground. Sarah squinted her eyes, trying to see who it was.
There sat Number One. He was beaten, sliced and swollen, but it was him.
Sarah spun around, knowing Number One was right behind her. But he was gone. A wisp of smoke drifted from where he’d been standing only moments ago. She gasped.
“One!” Sarah yelled. She clapped a hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Liam pulled her close.
“How?” she mumbled.
He was shackled by the wrists and ankles. His clothes were shredded and torn where he’d been lashed. There were bleeding slashes across his face and back.
Sarah stepped forward. “Leave him alone!”
“Oh, I can’t do that lass,” Cato said with a hearty laugh. He strode toward One and kicked him in the stomach. “He’s me bargainin’ chip, ya’ see.”
“Leave him out of this!” Liam roared.
Cato scoffed. “Fair enough. I’ll trade his pathetic life for the use of me lass.”
“I won’t help you!” Sarah screamed. “No matter what you say or do, I’ll never do it!”
Liam looked him in the eyes. “She’s not going with you.”
“She is, me son,” Cato said. “That child and her brother will make me the most powerful bein’ in the universe.”
“So that’s it? I’m just a tool for you to use?” Sarah cried.
Cato glared at her, his eyes never wavering from her own. “You are simply ah’ means ta’ an end—ah’ weapon ta’ administer justice ta’ the simple minded and lesser creatures that make up this plane of existence. That golden tongue of yours—that talent—that’s what I need. The woodworms can traverse any land and any world no matter how far away they may be. Me reach will be infinite. God-like!”
“You’ll have nothing left,” Sarah argued. “If you keep taking and destroying there will be nothing left to rule.”
“It’s all part of nature, me darlin’ child,” Cato hissed. “I only made ya’ ta’ serve me self and when I’m through with ya’, I’ll wipe the slate clean. I’ll begin again. I’ll build and I’ll destroy. It won’t end until I say it ends.”
Cato drew his sword and held it to One’s neck. “I'll make it quick for ya’, Sweet-pea.”
“Please! No!” Sarah cried.
“Please, who?” Cato said with a wry smile, sliding the sword’s edge across One’s throat. Blood trickled down his neck.
“Please,” Sarah sobbed into her hands. “Dad.”
“I can’t hear ya’, lass!” Cato shouted.
“Please, Dad!” Sarah shrieked. “Please stop!”
“Did ya’ hear that?” Cato asked, letting the sword drop from One's throat. One collapsed to the ground at Cato’s feet as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.
“Me baby girl called me Dad,” he said, pretending to dab at the corner of his eye with the handkerchief. “She finally said it. All for this soulless lab-grown reject’s life. Quite ah’ lot ta’ learn still, but I think we’ll finally be ah’ real family.”
Cato grinned and raised his sword over One, preparing to stab it downward.
CHAPTER 39
A WOMAN’S VOICE THUNDERED ACROSS the library. Sarah turned to see her mother poised at the top of a nearby staircase in a red and black silk gown bejeweled with emeralds. A thick, red mist swirled and wrapped around her body, slowly pouring into the arena.
Cato froze and stared up at her curiously. “I see ya’ got ah’ new look, Cadence Moonfall.”
Sarah did a double take. There was that name again. Why was he calling her that?
“Leave the golem be,” Sarah’s mother ordered, her voice rich, sultry and with a slight accent as she descended the stairs.
Cato pointed his sword at Sarah’s mother before tapping it o
n the ground several times. “Ya’ haven’t changed ah’ bit, love. Your eyes—they betray your identity. There’s no spell in the world strong enough ta’ change those beauties. Remove your wicked veil. Show me daughter your true form.”
True form? Sarah moved closer, enthralled by the outfit that her mother wore. What was she doing here, dressed like that?
“I won’t debate me daughter’s heritage,” she snapped, getting closer with each seductive step. “Ya’ take up weapons against the innocent? What ah’ terrible creature you’ve become.”
Sarah looked to Liam and Seth, concerned about what her mother had just said. And why was she talking with that accent? They shrugged back at her.
Cato cleared his throat loudly. “Enough of this charade, Cadence,” Cato spat, stepping away from One. “We've got ah’ bit of unfinished business ta’ settle, don’t we now?”
Seth moved in closer. “You’re surrounded, Cato. You’ve lost.”
“That’s Dad ta’ ya’, lad!” Cato bellowed, swishing his wand at Seth and releasing a ball of lightning. Seth caught it in the chest, crashing backward into the perimeter wall of the arena.
“What are you doing?” Jeremy roared. “Don’t leave the ring!”
Cato turned to Jeremy. His eyes were strangely red and glazed over. Sarah’s mother’s seductive tendrils penetrated the wall of flame and spun a web of mist up and around Cato’s body, curling around his chin and gently stroking his cheek. The mist had parted the protective ring of fire, allowing Cadence entry.
Sarah's mother was within reach of Number One. She reacted swiftly, leaping to One's side. Cato tried to grab her by the arm but failed. She latched onto One and the two of them disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke. Cato stomped furiously within the dissipating fog, launching a barrage of energy bursts in every direction as he searched for her.
“I think we should get this over with,” Liam said, waving his scepter and pacing the arena. “Just the four of us.”
Cato whispered something to Jeremy and then nodded. “I’m sorry, lads, but we’ve decided we’d rather have ah’ fifth join in the fun.”
Liam stepped in front of Sarah. “She’s not part of this.”
“No, no, no. Not the golden goose, lad,” Cato laughed. “We’ve invited ah’ mutual friend.”
“And who would that be?” Liam asked.
Cato reached behind his back and drew a book, waving it in the air. “Ah’ friend of ours from ancient history. He claims the two of you performed ah’ wee bit of selective surgery on him. Ya’ took somethin’ that didn’t belong to ya’ and he’s ah’ might put off. We’ve enhanced him ah’ tad. Made him temporarily resilient ta’ your magic, ya’ might say.”
Liam swallowed audibly. Sarah wasn’t sure what Cato was talking about, but he seemed to know.
Cato began to read as Liam and his team took a step back. The arena filled with flickering bright light as a portal cracked open within their blazing circle. He leapt through and returned moments later. The snake children scattered, apparently knowing what was coming.
“Sarah, call the worms,” Liam ordered, taking a fighting stance with his wand raised.
The ground rocked and swayed as two massive hands reached from inside the portal and stretched it to an ominous size. A monstrous foot stepped through, sending shockwaves across the arena. A beast emerged from the portal, towering above them at nearly three hundred feet tall—heavily muscled and snorting as it tried to acclimate itself to this reality. It doubled over and vomited, splashing both armies with yellow, infested bile. It was here. It was real. It was a Cyclops.
Sarah gasped as she caught sight of its vacant, infected eye socket. It flailed its arms wildly, unable to see them, knocking chandeliers and shelves to the ground. Suddenly, it leaned over and vomited again, this time atop the remnants of the bonfire encampment.
“Rise, beast!” Cato’s voice boomed. “I, Cato, command thee ta’ rise!”
The Cyclops wiped its mouth and stood and inhaled deeply. Its nostrils flared as it took notice of them for the first time. It growled—a low throaty rumble like thunder. “Where am I?”
“I’ve brought ya’ ta’ face the thieves who stole your most precious treasure,” Cato replied. Sarah couldn’t help but notice the faint look of fear in Cato’s eyes as he tried to command it. This creature was clearly more than he was confident handling.
“Why should I believe you? You sound no different than any other human. Perhaps it is you who stole my eye and seek to deceive me,” the Cyclops snarled, leaning down toward Cato and Jeremy to sniff them. “You smell peculiar. Reveal your secrets, man who calls himself Cato.”
Liam waved for Seth to join him behind the stolen eye prison. He signaled to Sarah for her to move as far away as possible.
“I am no man,” Cato said, clutching his scepter. “What ya’ smell is the scent of immortality. Ya’ smell power not unlike that of the gods. I assume you’re wise enough ta’ avoid angerin’ those responsible for breathin’ three-dimensional life into your beastly lungs.”
“Very well, man who calls himself Cato,” the Cyclops said. He rose to his feet again and turned toward Liam and Seth. “I can smell my eye. Give it to me. Give it back to me!”
“Do as ya’ please, beast, but don’t ya’ touch the wee witch. She belongs ta’ me,” Cato said.
The Cyclops grunted his understanding and reached for the makeshift prison, fumbling around for it before finding it. He lifted it to his face and inhaled deeply. He growled and fought to put his eye back into his diseased, pus-filled socket. When he found it impossible to replace, he cast it across the library in frustration, where it bounced and tumbled through the aisles destroying all it impacted.
Liam, Seth and their team readied their weapons. Sarah moved a few paces behind the whole group, crouching in fear.
The beast took one enormous step toward them and dropped to one knee, lowering his face to the ground. He sniffed the small army, pausing over Sarah and inhaling more deeply. “This female?”
Sarah scrambled behind Liam, clinging tightly to his arm as it grinned evilly at her. “How did you ever steal his eye?”
“A sleeping spell,” Liam replied, raising his scepter again.
“Can’t you do it again?” she asked.
“We don’t have time or the necessary ingredients.”
The beast rocked its head back and forth and snorted. “She smells awfully delicious.”
A hush settled over the arena as the monster started toward Sarah. A shrill voice echoed from the distant stairs on the far end of the arena. The Cyclops stopped and looked towards the sound, snarling and snorting at the air.
“Jon!” Sarah cried out. He was standing alongside Grandpa who was twirling his walking stick. Sarah started to run toward them, but stopped as the Cyclops blocked her path.
“Even better!” the Cyclops bellowed, snatching up Sarah and trudging off toward Jon.
“Stand down!” Liam shouted to the guards. “No magical weapons! You’ll risk hitting her!” He brought his scepter back over his shoulder. “If our magic is ineffective, then brute force it’ll be.”
Liam sprinted across the arena and rammed his scepter deep into the Cyclops’s leg. It screamed in agony and swatted him aside like a bothersome insect, the battle scepter still embedded in this fleshy leg. Seth jumped into the fray, thrusting his sword into the opposite leg. It roared again, kicking Seth across the arena. It reached down and pulled Liam’s scepter from his leg and tossed it aside.
“Sarah!” Jon yelled, running beneath the Cyclops.
The creature listened intently as Jon joined the battle and chuckled. “Brave for such a puny human.”
Sarah screamed for help as the guardsmen wailed away at the monstrous creature with their swords while Jeremy and Cato heckled them.
The Cyclops pressed Sarah to its nose, licked its lips and inhaled deeply. “I’ll have to savor you. It is a rare day indeed when I am able to sample the flesh of a witch.”
Sarah bit down on the flesh of his finger, but it did nothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flurry of flying creatures. Squirries.
They streaked across the Cyclops’s face, scratching and nipping at his ears and nose. He swatted at them like pesky mosquitoes, inhaling the strange pixie dust that they were sprinkling as they fluttered around him. He staggered forward, his balance shifting.
The Cyclops sucked in a deep breath and blew as hard as he could, knocking the squirries away and clearing his head of the intoxicating powder.
Jon circled the beast, retrieving Liam’s scepter and furiously kicking at its ankle on each pass. The Cyclops sniffed, recognized Jon’s scent and spit a disgusting mouthful of saliva at Jon. “I’ll be sampling your flesh next!” he roared.
“No you won’t!” Jon shouted up at him. “I’m a dragon slayer! Now release my sister!”
Suddenly, the earth began to tremble and quake. The Cyclops froze, trying to keep its balance while still clutching Sarah.
“Boose?” Sarah squealed, struggling to free herself from the Cyclops’ powerful grip.
The Cyclops crouched to the ground, wrinkled his nose and then stood petrified. He groaned and turned to run.
“It’s Boose!” Jon cheered, scrambling out of the way of the Cyclops. “Boose!”
The earth below the Cyclops feet erupted violently—an explosion of stone and soil. His foot sank up to his kneecap in Boose’s open jaws and he let out a howl of pain.
Liam pulled his guardsmen back. Jon and Grandpa distanced themselves. Jeremy and Cato crept toward the shadows and watched in shock as the Cyclops’s leg was being devoured. It wailed and howled as it was drawn downward into the earth, Boose tugging and pulling vigorously.
The Cyclops leaned backward, barely staying afoot and still clinging to Sarah. She managed to reach into her waistband and draw the universal wand, aiming directly at its wounded eye socket. “Please magic wand, help me!”
A burst of light emitted from the wand and struck the lesion directly. Nothing happened. The Cyclops pulled her to his open mouth and she panicked, jamming the wand into its infected eye socket. He howled, falling to one knee and spilling Sarah to the ground. She staggered to her feet, shaken but able to retreat to a safe distance.
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