The Winter War, epub

by Priscilla Shirer

  Before Manuel could answer, the cloud that had been protecting the Warriors moved until it was directly over the huge flower. Then, to everyone’s surprise, it started to rain.

  “Ruwach is watering the flower,” said Brianna.

  “It didn’t look like it needed watering,” said Evan.

  The cloud dissipated as the rain filled the flower. Then it disappeared altogether. The rain stopped.

  “The cloud’s gone,” Brianna said. Her shoulders dropped. The Warriors crouched lower, pressing toward the cover of the rock to hide themselves. “Why did Ru leave us? He said he would never leave.”

  All of a sudden, the Bone Breakers on the skypod far above began to screech, the sound echoing off the mountain. The Warriors huddled together, fearful that they had been seen, that the Bone Breakers were raising an alarm. The birds spread their wings and dove right at them, still screeching.

  “They saw us!” Brianna cried.

  Two by two, the Bone Breakers crashed into the water of the giant flower. They screamed in alarm as the flower petals snapped shut, trapping them inside. The Warriors could hear their desperate cries and see the bulges in the petal walls as the birds struggled to get out. But the flower held them fast.

  “Sweeeet!” said Evan. The others echoed his exclamation.

  “Why did they dive into the water?” Finn asked. “Were they that thirsty?”

  “Levi said the Bone Breakers were attracted to the Glass because it was shiny,” said Manuel, excited now that his experiment had actually worked. “This worked just like my pitcher plant. The sun shining on the water made it sparkle. The birds fell for it!”

  “Awesome, Manuel,” said Xavier, giving him a high five. “But now we need to move fast. Before Thayne figures out what happened. Levi, you and Brianna start going up now. We’ll get to the skypod and keep a lookout for the explosion.”

  “Okay.” Levi turned to Brianna. “You ready, Bean?”

  She smiled. He hadn’t called her that in quite a while. “Sure thing.”

  Levi went first. He tucked the pot of water inside his belt and stepped onto the icy path. Brianna did the same with her pot and stepped up beside him. Her boots also sprouted cleats. She turned and gave her friends a thumbs-up.

  “See you guys soon!” she said brightly.

  “You bet you will,” said Ivy, giving Brianna another thumbs-up.

  Xavier waited until they were far enough up the mountain that he couldn’t see them anymore. Then he took a deep breath and turned to his friends.

  “Ivy and Finn, once things start happening here, you need to run into the forest and find the other Warriors who are hiding. Gather them for the attack.”

  “But how will we know when the attack happens?” asked Ivy. “We can’t see the fortress from here.”

  “We’ll signal you from the skypod,” said Xavier. “Just keep an eye on the skypod. Got it?”

  “Got it,” said Ivy. Finn nodded.

  “Cool.” Xavier turned to Manuel and Evan. “You guys will come with me. You ready?” Evan gave him a thumbs-up. Manuel just nodded nervously. Xavier walked away from the rock and raised his staff high over his head.

  “Tannyn!” he cried.

  CHAPTER 36

  Great Balls of Fire

  The huge green dragon appeared in the sky almost instantly, making a wide circle in plain view of the fortress before folding his wings and diving for Xavier and his friends.

  “Run!” Xavier said to Ivy and Finn, who took off for the woods just as Tannyn made a crash landing, sending up an explosion of snow.

  “Now, jump on!” Xavier leapt on the panting dragon before the snow had time to settle. Evan jumped up behind him. Manuel couldn’t leap that high, but Xavier bent down, grabbed his hand, and pulled him aboard right behind him. Manuel threw both arms around a spike on Tannyn’s back. They all braced themselves as the dragon took off again, shooting straight into the air.

  “Lava cannons!” Evan shouted. Fiery balls of molten lava rocketed toward them from the fortress. Tannyn managed to twist and dip to avoid the onslaught, sometimes flipping into somersaults.

  “I think I’m going to be sick!” Manuel said in a strangled voice, hugging the dragon’s spike in terror.

  “Gorp!” Tannyn warbled his battle cry as he flew in corkscrew circles and tumbled into a landing on the skypod. Tannyn could fly like an eagle, but he landed more like a one-legged gooney bird, flopping on his face and skidding almost to the very edge.

  Xavier drew a breath of relief and turned to check on the other passengers. “Everyone okay?”

  “Great,” said Evan, who slid down the dragon’s belly and went over to give him a pat on the head. Manuel was searching the skies wildly, looking green from the unexpected thrill ride.

  “What about the catapults?” he croaked.

  “They’re not aimed at the skypod,” Xavier said. “Not yet anyway.”

  “That’s a relief,” said Manuel. Rather than sliding down the dragon’s belly, he inched his way down the neck, going from spike to spike to keep from falling. Tannyn kept his head low, patiently waiting.

  Xavier went to the edge of the skypod, which was almost level with the rim of the crater. From there he could see the gleaming fortress, the lava moat, and the Forgers frantically launching fireballs from their catapults. Dark smoke billowed from the top of the pyramid and spread across the sky, casting a long shadow over the fortress.

  “We’re safe for the moment,” Xavier announced. “But as soon as Thayne figures out what happened, they’re going to re-aim those catapults at this skypod.”

  “That sounds bad,” said Manuel.

  “No, it’s actually good,” said Xavier. “We will be like a diversion. Take the attention off Levi and Brianna.”

  “And what if we get polarized by fireballs?” said Evan.

  “Pulverized,” said Manuel under his breath.

  Xavier didn’t answer right away. “We have everything we need,” he said finally.

  CHAPTER 37

  Stand Firm

  Finn and Ivy had just ventured into the open to see if Xavier and the others had made it to the skypod when the horrible noise of the Askalons reached their ears. They quickly hid behind trees. But the chariots weren’t looking for them; they were headed toward the flower that contained the squawking Bone Breakers. The two Warriors watched as the Askalons launched ice-webs and snakes at the flower in an effort to make it give up its prisoners. But their efforts only succeeded in freezing the flower and the birds inside.

  While the Askalons were occupied, Ivy and Finn stole back into the woods.

  “That was close,” Ivy said.

  “Yeah. Looks like Xavier made it up there okay. Phase Two accomplished.”

  “Right. Now for Phase Three. Find the rest of the Prince Warriors who went into hiding when the Askalons attacked.”

  “So where are they?”

  Ivy glanced at the snow. She could see tracks—many sets of boot prints leading deeper into the woods.

  “We could follow those tracks,” she said.

  They set off, following the footprints in the snow until they came to two huge ruts that ran straight across their route.

  “Askalons,” Finn said. “See how the Askalon tracks go around the big trees and the boulders?”

  “Yeah, I see that,” said Ivy. “So they must have some sort of radar system that helps them avoid obstacles.”

  “Right.”

  On the other side of the Askalon tracks were large ice-webs hanging between trees, blocking the Warriors’ way. Ivy pulled out her sword and slashed at the web, shattering it. The sound awakened an ice-snake that had been lying under the snow; it reared up and lunged for Ivy, coiling around her boots. Finn quickly drew his sword and smashed it to pieces.

  “Thanks,”
said Ivy.

  “No problem,” said Finn. “Gotta watch out for those snakes. They make a little cracking noise before they strike, like ice cubes in a glass of water.”

  “Great,” said Ivy with a sigh.

  “Hey, if we’re prepared, and we know how they operate, it won’t be as big of a problem.”

  “You’re right. I know.”

  They moved as silently as possible, staying with the human tracks and avoiding the Askalon tracks. Whenever they heard the rumble of an Askalon, they crouched down or hid behind a tree until it passed by. But they didn’t see any other Warriors.

  “Maybe we should call out,” Ivy said.

  “That might alert the Askalons,” said Finn.

  “We’ll never find anyone at this rate.” Ivy stopped walking and leaned against a tree. “Where are they?”

  “Ivy? Is that you?”

  The voice sounded familiar. Ivy and Finn looked all around, wondering where the voice was coming from.

  “Up here!”

  They looked up to see two young Warriors high in the tree.

  “Kalle? Kristian?” Ivy said.

  “Yes, it’s us!” Ivy wasn’t sure which one of them was speaking.

  “Come down!” Ivy demanded.

  The twins scrambled down from the tree. Kalle—Ivy was pretty sure it was Kalle—spoke first. He was the more talkative one. “What are you doing walking around in the open?”

  “We need to gather the Warriors,” Ivy said. “Xavier stole a skypod, and Levi and Brianna are headed up the mountain to blow up the fortress.”

  “What? Blow up?” said Kalle.

  “What do you mean ‘stole a skypod’?” asked Kristian.

  “Well, kind of. He’s up there now. He’s going to let us know when they start attacking.”

  “Who?”

  “The Lava Forgers.”

  The twins looked at each other and then back at Ivy.

  “Lava Forgers?”

  “Yeah, Forgers made of lava. Long story. We got rid of the Bone Breakers, and then Tannyn took the guys up there. He’s a dragon.”

  “We saw the dragon,” said Kalle. “We thought it was an enemy dragon.”

  “No, he’s actually a friend of ours,” said Ivy with a grin.

  “How are your friends going to blow up the fortress?”

  “That’s another long story. Right now we need to gather the others,” said Finn impatiently. “Do you know where they are?”

  “No idea,” said Kalle. “We went up into the tree, and that’s the last we saw of anyone.”

  “We can take down as many of these webs as possible and clear the way,” said Ivy.

  “But the Askalons . . .”

  “They only see movement, we think,” said Ivy. “We should be able to avoid them.”

  “Oh,” said Kalle with a grin.

  “Better if we split up,” said Finn. “You guys go that way. We’ll go this way.”

  “Watch out for snakes,” said Ivy.

  * * *

  Far above them, Levi and Brianna continued on their slow, cautious trek up the icy mountain, searching for the path that was still mostly buried in snow. If it weren’t for their breastplates, they would have been totally lost by now.

  Levi had not spoken five words to Brianna, other than “Watch your step” and “Be careful.” He was not in the mood to talk. He had turned his fear and worry for his dad into determination and grit.

  Occasionally a huge ball of fire would pass over their heads, forcing them to take cover. Bursts of steam hissed above them, the effects of the hot lava escaping from the crater hitting the snow and ice. It was an angry sound, Brianna thought, as if the lava itself were filled with fury. But the cloud ringing the mountain helped mask their movements as they got closer to the top.

  “How much farther?” Brianna asked.

  “Not far to the lava part,” said Levi. “Xavier and I didn’t go any farther than that the last time. But getting all the way to the rim—not so sure about that.”

  “Do you think we can . . . stop for a second?”

  Levi glanced down at her, then shrugged. “If you want.”

  Brianna sat down on a small ledge in the ice. Levi sat beside her.

  “Thanks,” she said, catching her breath.

  “Sure.”

  Brianna pulled the clay pot from her belt to check on the contents. Levi did the same.

  “All good?” Levi asked.

  “Stellar.” She smacked her lips together softly. “This cold makes my lips so dry. I could really use my lip gloss about now.”

  She grinned, but Levi didn’t return her smile. She thought for a moment about what to say.

  “I was sad when my mom left,” she said finally. “It was hard. I felt like I had done something wrong.” She waited, but Levi didn’t look at her or respond. He was staring at his pot of water. “But it wasn’t because of me, or my sisters. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Bad things happen sometimes. We don’t always know why. We’re supposed to help each other through these things. But you won’t let anyone help you.”

  “How can you help me?” Levi asked. “Can you make my father better?”

  “No,” said Brianna. “But I can tell you that I’m your friend, and I am here for you. We all are. And Ruwach especially. And if you want to cry or scream, I will do that with you. Only I wouldn’t recommend screaming right now.”

  Levi cracked a smile. “I keep thinking that if I can take down that fortress, my dad will get better. The Winter will be gone, and everything will go back to the way it was. But now I’m wondering, what if that doesn’t happen? What if we destroy the fortress and it’s still Winter? And Nameless gets my dad . . .”

  “Nameless? Who’s that?”

  Levi let out a breath. “This guy I met, in the In-Between. Turns out he’s the one we were smelling. You know . . . that dead worm smell?”

  “The Empty,” Brianna murmured.

  “Right. The Empty. Anyway, this guy said he was a king who had lost his kingdom and all his power. His crown was all rusted, and his robe was all ripped. I asked him his name, and he said to call him Nameless. But I think I know his real name.” He paused, then said in a low whisper: “It’s . . . Death.”

  Brianna’s face went still. “Death?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wow. And he comes with the Winter in Ahoratos?”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  Brianna was silent for a while. “You know, in the winter, the trees and the grass and everything look dead, but they aren’t. They come back to life again.”

  Levi looked at her. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that what might look like death to you and me . . . really isn’t. Not in Ahoratos anyway.”

  Levi’s eyes brightened for a moment. “Yeah, maybe.” He looked up the mountain, to where they were headed. “My dad told me the battle is already won. I just don’t know if I really believe that.”

  “Well, I believe it,” Brianna said. “We just might not know what victory looks like yet. In this battle, or in any of them. But whatever happens, Levi, I’m right here with you. Like always.”

  Levi looked at her and cracked a smile. “Thanks.” His gaze wandered to the skypod. “Guess we need to keep going then, don’t we?”

  Brianna nodded and stood up, brushing snow off her clothes. “I’m ready when you are.”

  CHAPTER 38

  Out of Hiding

  Ivy and Finn walked through the woods, searching for more Prince Warriors. They were getting tired from all the exertion of shattering ice-webs and slashing at snakes and dodging Askalons. Now the sun was starting to sink, and the forest was getting darker.

  “Prince Warriors!” Ivy called softly as they walked. “Come out. We need to get ready for battle!�
��

  There was no answer. Suddenly Finn stopped and turned toward a large tree with a deep split in the trunk. “Did you hear that?”

  “I didn’t hear anything,” said Ivy.

  Finn stepped closer to the tree, picked up a stick from the ground, and gently poked inside the trunk. A small squeaking noise erupted.

  “Was that human?” Ivy asked. She drew her sword and approached the tree. Finn did the same on the other side. “Come out of there!”

  “Okay! Okay! Don’t shoot!” came the high-pitched reply. Slowly an arm and then a helmeted head popped out of the tree trunk.

  Ivy gasped. “Miss Stanton?”

  Mary Stanton smiled sheepishly. “Hey, guys. Fancy meeting you here.”

  “What are you doing in there?”

  “Well . . . I’m kinda . . . stuck at the moment.”

  Finn helped Mary climb out of the tree, which was a tight space, even for her.

  “Thanks, Finn. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along. I was afraid to call out because of those tank things. They are all over the place!” She looked around to make sure none of the “tank things” were lurking nearby. “Honestly, I’m not even sure I’m supposed to be here at all. I was just in my office—Mr. J. Ar’s office, I mean—at the Rec when that Crest thing appeared on my phone. I just swiped it and . . . well, you know the rest.” She looked up thoughtfully. “I hope everything is okay there without me.”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Ivy said. “They probably don’t even know you’re gone.”

  “Oh?” Mary looked confused, as if she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. “Well, anyway, this is only my second time here. The first time I was here with Brianna. I fell into some sort of snow trap, and she pulled me out, and then we ran into one of those tank things, and that was pretty scary, and so when I saw them today, I just sort of freaked out. I’m thinking maybe I’m not cut out for this kind of work. I think I’m pretty much of a failure.”

  Ivy smiled. “If Ruwach sent you here, then you are supposed to be here.”

  “Really?” Mary’s expression brightened. “Well, I don’t even have a sword yet—”