by Joffre White
‘And I have a bullwhip?’ said The One with disappointment.
‘You have something more than that, something much more powerful,’ smiled Cassaria. ‘The parchments on which the ancient Guardian symbols are written. Do you still have them?’
The One rummaged inside his robes and finally withdrew the rolled-up skins.
‘I'm supposed to fight with these?’ he asked, bemused.
‘You have learnt the meaning of the symbols. You know their power. Study them well because when the time comes, your knowledge of them will be vital. You will also have need of this.’
She stretched her arms out over a particular circular rune on the floor and brought her gold bangles together. The centre of the rune began to ripple and liquidise. Slowly, a steel blue, metal tip began to rise up followed by a long wooden shaft until, finally, a spear hovered in the air in front of her.
‘Take it,’ she instructed The One.
He reached forward and grasped the spear as the floor returned to normal and Cassaria dropped her arms to release it into his grip.
‘The Spear of Providence,’ she said. ‘A relic from the Guardians of old. It has their symbols on its shaft. You will need to interpret them for it to release its power and its purpose.’
The One studied the shaft of the spear and saw that there were four intricate markings etched into the wood. The sharp, flat iron spearhead also had the same four symbols engraved into the metal on either side.
He looked at the parchment and then to the spear.
‘You want me to try and decipher it now?’
‘As soon as you can, but whatever you do,’ warned Cassaria, ‘do not utter the words until the time is right.’
‘How will I know when?’
‘I will tell you. Now, we must complete the circle. Join hands with me around the Rune Stone.’
They formed a circle, holding hands.
‘Breathe slowly,’ she instructed. ‘Close your eyes and empty your minds of all troubled thoughts.’ The blue haze around the Rune Stone expanded outwards and around them all. ‘I call upon the Magic of the Guardians and the power of the Rune Stone to protect us against the evils that we go to face. Bring us together and bind us in thought and deed and let it be seen that we have been embraced by its light.’ Then she spoke in the ancient Magic tongue.
There was no bright, spectacular flash, but as the blue haze receded back to the Rune Stone and they opened their eyes, the transformation in their attire was immediate for all to see.
Frog was clothed in robes of the deepest sea blue, while Nadiah's had turned to crimson. The One stood draped in colours of brown and green. Only Cassaria's robes remained an unchanged ice blue.
‘Well, this is different,’ said Frog inspecting himself. ‘I would have preferred green.’
‘These robes afford us some protection, but be aware; we are not immune to Lord Maelstrom's vile Magic,’ said Cassaria. ‘Now it is time for us to leave.’
She lifted the Rune Stone and the Hourglass from the plinth and led them all back through the door, to the now empty room where they sat down on the benches. This time she placed the Hourglass with the Rune Stone in its cradle onto the small crystal in the floor.
A blue haze filled the room and again the ground beneath them gave a shudder as the walls and the floor fell away around them. A warm breeze that rippled the material of their robes lifted them silently. There was no sense of speed, just the sensation of moving upwards.
It wasn't long before there was a slight jolt and the floor and walls reformed around them along with another doorway.
Cassaria picked up the Rune Stone and the Hourglass and led them out through the door, along a passage and to another door. As they followed her through it, they felt the temperature drop and saw that they were now in the small courtyard of a ruined and derelict building. Sand covered the floor and there were only two sections of crumbling wall left standing. It was night-time and the sky was full of stars. They moved out of the shadows and followed Cassaria, until they stood together, looking out. The panorama before them revealed itself under the light of the two, pale, featureless moons. They were now stood on a ridge of sand, some 20 metres high and overlooking a desert plain. The ridge arced away to their left for what seemed two or three miles. To their right at about a hundred metres from them was a break in the dune, a natural entrance on to the plain. Then the ridge resumed, curving back to run parallel with the other side. In the distance, a fortress stood dominating the far skyline, its twisted spires reaching into a black, swirling cloud that hovered menacingly. Spreading out from the fortress, they could see, even at this distance, large scattered fires burning, the flames licking at the sky and illuminating the incalculable army assembled there. Hoards of giant scorpions and indescribably twisted creatures with clawed and pincered weapons were gathered to the right and to the left. In the centre, legions of robed figures waited anxiously. Among them stood the great towering war machines.
‘Dear Lord,’ breathed The One.
‘Those things in the wooden towers,’ observed Frog. ‘They look like giant corkscrews.’
‘The tremors that we felt; that's what he's using,’ said Nadiah. ‘He is trying to burrow into the centre of Aridian itself, tunnelling down so that his army can invade our communities and cities.’
‘Hopefully, we will have distracted him from that mission. The time draws near,’ said Cassaria to Frog. ‘He knows that we are here and he will come for you and the Rune Stone.’
24
Billy goes Bad
High on a balcony of the fortress, three figures stood looking out across the plain.
‘They are here, my sister,’ announced Lord Maelstrom. ‘They think that they can defeat us with Guardian Magic. Well, we have a surprise for them don't we, my little friend?’ He placed a hand on Billy's shoulder.
‘Let me fly, brother,’ said Belzeera eagerly. ‘I can snatch the Stone and soak it in the boy's blood before they know what has happened. Let me be the one. Let me.’
‘Patience! Speed is not of our concern. The weakness of the human heart will be their downfall. Now is the time for you to send out the diversion. Give orders to the Dreden that they are to send a small envoy across the plain. Tell them to deliver a message of choice – surrender or die!’
Belzeera stepped up onto the ledge and produced her wand. She flicked it in the air and floated out, her figure magically suspended high above the ground. With a nod of her head, she slowly spiralled down towards the waiting minions below.
Lord Maelstrom turned to Billy, whose face was white and ghostly, his dark eyes empty and soulless.
‘You know what to do. It is your purpose. This is born of my Magic and when you strike, the power of your actions shall come to me,’ he said as he concealed a small, black dagger in the folds of Billy's robes. Using the darkest of Magic, he touched Billy's head and the boy disintegrated into a small cloud of sand, which settled on Lord Maelstrom's open palm. Then, with glistening black lips, he blew it in the direction of Frog and the others, at the far end of the plain.
‘Go, Earth Child. Bring me my prize. Bring me my destiny.’
He stretched his arms skyward and two bolts of lightning streaked down. His hands grasped the white-hot jagged plasma and he stood there laughing, his robes billowing around him. The air crackled with electricity and below, even the vile creatures of his making cowered and shivered with fear.
Frog, The One, Cassaria and Nadiah looked out at the lightning in the distance.
‘Something dangerous and dark comes this way,’ said Cassaria.
As she spoke, they could see a group of figures moving forwards on the plain. Jagged shards of blue electricity shot out over the Dreden, lighting up the creatures upon which they rode – giant, black scorpions.
‘So it begins,’ she added.
But, at that moment, Frog had something else troubling him. As much as he had tried to take his mind off it, he had been bursting to relieve himself fo
r quite some time. He touched The One's arm.
‘I've gotta go,’ he said with a whisper. ‘Be back in a minute.’
He hurried for the ruins and quickly found a place out of sight where, after struggling with his robes and with a sigh of relief, he managed eventually to empty his bladder. As he turned around, readjusting his clothes, a figure emerged from the shadows.
‘Hiya Chris,’ it whispered.
Apart from the colour of his robes, which were now black, the boy that stood in front of him was Frog's mirror image.
‘Billy? Is it really you?’ asked Frog.
‘Of course it's me. Remember? I'm your best friend.’
His voice was flat, almost monotone and as he took a few steps forward, the moonlight glinted in his eyes and Frog saw the dark empty pupils.
‘Billy, what's happened to you?’
‘Help me, Chris. Help me,’ he pleaded.
He reached out his hand and Frog moved towards him to take it. In the back of his mind, however, he wondered why Billy had called him Chris after everything he had been told. As Billy's hand clasped around his, a warning flashed through his mind, but it was too late. Billy's grip tightened and before Frog could counter-react, Billy had pulled him forward, sidestepped a leg behind him and pushed him back, all in one swift movement.
Frog lost his balance and fell backward to land heavily on the sand with Billy straddling his chest.
‘What are you doing?’ he asked with a gasp.
‘My master's bidding,’ rasped Billy as he brought out the dagger and pressed it to Frog's throat.
On the ridge, Cassaria turned to Nadiah and The One.
‘Where's Frog?’
‘He's had to go to the toilet. He's only over there behind a wall,’ said The One.
‘He was not to be separated, not to be alone,’ she said, looking worriedly at the ruins. ‘Go and get him, time is –’ But before she could finish, they saw Frog step out, Billy behind him, one hand pressing the knife at Frog's throat, the other holding him in an arm lock.
Nadiah brought her arms forwards, hands glowing blue.
‘No!’ said Cassaria. ‘Don't move. Let him tell us what he wants.’
‘Don't hurt him,’ pleaded Frog. ‘Something's taken him over, but he's still my best friend. He's still Billy.’
The One stood captivated by Billy's transformation. ‘It's like looking at twins.’
Billy's face showed no emotion as he and Frog shuffled forwards to within a couple of metres of Cassaria.
‘So much for my Taekwondo training,’ said Frog. ‘Tricked by one of the easiest moves in the book. I can't believe that I was so stupid.’
‘Shut up!’ shouted Billy.
Cassaria took a step forward and Billy increased the pressure on Frog's arm.
‘I don't think that he wants you to do that,’ grimaced Frog.
‘What do you want?’ she asked.
‘The Stone. Give me the Stone,’ Billy demanded his voice now deep and guttural.
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Here, take it.’
She held the Hourglass out with the Rune Stone set into its top.
‘No! You can't,’ shouted The One. ‘He'll kill him.’
‘Take it,’ encouraged Cassaria, holding it out closer to him.
Billy released the grip on Frog's arm and stretched his hand forwards whilst keeping the knife close to Frog's throat with his other hand. The Rune Stone was only a fingertip away from his grasp. Then, several things happened in quick succession; Frog took the opportunity to grab Billy's knife hand, bringing it up above his head, whilst sidestepping and twisting Billy's arm behind his back. His grip on the dagger loosened and it fell to the floor.
Billy screamed with rage. A deep demonic groan, rising into a thunderous roar, escaped from his wide-open mouth.
‘Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!’
Nadiah let loose a shock wave from one of her hands, which hit Billy squarely in the chest. The force knocked him backwards into Frog so that they both fell to the floor. As Billy scrabbled to free himself, Cassaria moved forward. She thrust the Hourglass at Billy so that the Rune Stone was pressing against his chest. His body went rigid as blue light enveloped it.
‘Leave this boy, vile monster,’ she shouted. ‘You want to feel the power of the Rune Stone? Then you shall feel it through him.’
Frog rolled away to one side and The One helped him up and pulled him to safety.
‘Don't kill him. Don't kill him,’ pleaded Frog desperately.
Billy's mouth opened and a green mist poured out. It formed the shape of a face in the air above them, the features becoming quickly recognisable as Lord Maelstrom.
‘I shall have his blood!’ the spectre boomed, then the image distorted and the green vapour streaked out and across the plain towards the dark tower.
Cassaria knelt beside Billy's prostrate body and Frog pulled himself from The One's arms and threw himself down next to them.
‘You've killed him,’ he sobbed, taking hold of Billy's cold and lifeless hand.
‘I have saved his soul, but you must save his life,’ said Cassaria. She took a small flask from her robe and, gently opening Billy's mouth, poured in an amber liquid. The transformation was almost immediate. Frog's features faded and melted away to reveal Billy's true appearance and identity. Colour returned to his face and hands, but he remained in a lifeless coma.
‘You must take him home,’ said Cassaria. ‘Not until he is back in your Dimension can you restore his mind.’
‘Why can't I do it here?’ asked Frog.
‘He cannot take the memories of what he has been subjected to here back into your Dimension. They would drive him insane in an instant. You must take him back to the point of his entry into the Slipstream, to the place that you left. Then and only then can you save him.’
‘And how do I do that?’
‘Through the power of The Chosen. Use it on Billy as you used it on me. Let the light deliver him from evil.’ She stood up and held out the Hourglass. ‘Draw your sword and hold his hand.’
Frog did as he was told.
‘You must be swift. When you have administered the healing to Billy, you must leave him. He will awaken when you have gone and remember nothing.’
‘But what about his clothes?’ asked The One.
‘Trust me,’ said Cassaria. ‘All will be as it should be. Now, place your sword onto the Rune Stone.’
Frog hesitated. ‘How do I get back?’
‘The same way that you came here – free sand. Be quick as time will continue to move faster here.’
Frog rested the flat of the sword's blade onto the Rune Stone. He looked at The One and Nadiah.
‘See you soon,’ he said and the blue light ran down the length of the sword and into his arm, engulfing both him and Billy until, with bright flash, they were gone.
The whirling space and shooting lights of the Slipstream carried them along and spun them into its dark cloak. When Frog opened his eyes, he was back behind the shed in the murky shadows of his own garden. As he sat up, he looked at Billy who lay quietly beside him.
‘Sorry mate. Sorry that I got you into such a mess and sorry that you won't be able to remember how brave and loyal you were. At least I know how much of a true and courageous friend you are.’
He leant over and gently touched Billy's forehead. The familiar glow of Castellion's Chosen reached out from Frog's forehead and into Billy's brow until, after a while, it faded away and Frog could see that Billy was breathing gently and rhythmically. He took comfort to see the peaceful expression on Billy's face, which was almost a smile. He then patted Billy's arm and stood up.
‘I'll see you again my friend. I'm going to fix that evil creep for good. I'll teach him to mess around and hurt my best mate.’ He checked his watch – 17.48. He then turned to the sand that he had spilled onto the ground earlier and plunged his sword into it. The Slipstream opened up and swallowed him, drawing him in until the moment that i
ts darkness clouded his senses.
25
The Battle for Aridian
When Frog awoke, he opened his eyes to find Nadiah kneeling beside him.
‘Welcome back. Are you all right? Is Billy all right?’
‘I'm okay thanks, but I'm not sure about Billy,’ he replied getting to his feet. ‘Where's The One and Cassaria?’
‘Over on the ridge. They asked me to wait here for your return.’
‘How long have I been gone?’
‘Long enough. Come and see.’
He got up, brushed the sand from his robes and followed her. He ducked his head in surprise, as there was a sudden flash of lightning and two silhouettes were lit up in front of him. The sky trembled with thunder and as he reached the ridge, he stood shocked at the view laid out on the plain below.
‘Nice to have you back. How's Billy?’ asked The One.
‘Breathing and looking a lot better when I left him. Where did this lot come from?’
About a mile from them was an army of human and inhuman shapes, covering the plain right back as far as the fortress.
‘There must be thousands of them,’ said Frog.
‘And many more yet to be seen,’ said Cassaria.
‘How did they manage to cover the ground so quickly,’ he asked.
‘Many hours have passed while you travelled the Slipstream,’ she replied.
Frog looked at his watch. 17.48.
‘Three minutes; that's all it was. Three minutes. It's like having an out of control time machine,’ he said, exasperated.
‘Focus on the now,’ she instructed. ‘Take your positions at arm's length to each other. Frog to my left. The One to my right and Nadiah next to Frog.’
‘We're not taking this lot on alone, are we?’ asked The One.
Cassaria did not answer, but placed the Hourglass on the sand at her feet. She brought her wrists together and the bangles glowed white-hot until a beam, like a searchlight, shot up from them into the sky.
As they looked out, figures began to rise up along the sand dunes on either side of the plain. The great Sandspiders of Aridian and their riders filled each horizon, their metal harnesses glinting in the moonlight. The riders sat high on the spider's backs. Each one held a small crossbow in their hands at the ready and Frog could make out racks of long spears and arrows fixed to the harnesses.