by Adam Blade
“We’ll see about that,” said the girl. There was something familiar about her face — but Tom had no time to think where he might have seen her before. The girl was flying at him again.
This time Tom was ready. Their swords met with a clang that sent a shock wave down Tom’s arm. He swung a blow at her, but she ducked out of the way, as quick as lightning. Epos locked talons with the black phoenix, her sharp beak darting at the evil creature’s throat. The air was filled with feathers. Tom saw that Spiros was circling them — but with no real body, there was nothing the ghost phoenix could do to help.
The girl stabbed at Tom, and he locked the blade of her sword with his hilt, grabbed her arm, and pulled her toward him. He held his own blade at her throat, leaning far out over Epos’s body.
“You’ve lost,” said Tom. “You can’t defeat me.”
She struggled, but he gripped her sword arm even more tightly.
“Tell me who you are,” he said in her ear.
The girl stopped struggling and smiled cruelly. “My name is Sethrina,” she hissed. “Surely I remind you of someone.”
Now it was clear to Tom. “You work for Malvel!” he said.
“One day, everyone will work for Malvel,” the girl replied.
“Never!” shouted Tom. “While there’s blood in my veins, I’ll keep Avantia free. Run back to your master and tell him I said that.”
Tom released Sethrina’s arm; he had to go after Elenna. But immediately, Sethrina lunged with her sword. Tom blocked her strike easily.
“Don’t you know when to give up?” he shouted. “You can’t win, and if you’re not careful, it’s your phoenix that will get killed.”
Sethrina smiled wickedly. “Oh, Tom, you don’t want to kill my phoenix, believe me. That would be very bad for your precious Avantia….”
There was a screech and Tom looked up to see Spiros hovering in the air above. Suddenly, he saw that Spiros and the black phoenix were exactly the same size, with identical beaks and talons. Beneath the black phoenix’s layer of grime, Tom could just make out the same red scales as … Then the awful realization hit him: The black phoenix had Spiros’s body!
Sethrina was watching his face closely. “Ah, you’ve understood!” She patted the phoenix’s neck. “Meet Nawdren.”
“That body belongs to Spiros!” shouted Tom.
“Ha!” laughed Sethrina. “Nawdren has nothing to do with Spiros. Or, at least, she never will again!”
Then she lunged at Tom with her sword.
He dodged the blow and aimed his own sword at Nawdren’s beak. If he could distract the evil phoenix, it would at least give him time to help Elenna. He hit the beak with the flat of his sword, as hard as he could. The phoenix drew her head back and screeched in agony, wheeling away through the clouds. Tom heard Sethrina’s cry of anger as she was carried away.
Immediately, he steered Epos in a steep dive down through the clouds.
“I’m coming, Elenna!” he called out, but dread filled his heart. What was waiting for him on the icy plains of Avantia? Would he find his friend in time to help her? If he lost Elenna, would he ever be able to complete this Beast Quest alone?
To be continued…
STORY TWO
CHAPTER ONE
THE LAND OF ICE
THE LAND OF THE ICY PLAINS WAS WHITE WITH patches of blue where the ice was thin. The bitter wind had carved icebergs into strange shapes. Spiros flew beside Tom and Epos.
“We have to find Elenna!” Tom shouted.
The flame bird headed down to the ice shelf, her massive shadow rippling over the land below.
Suddenly, Spiros squawked and dropped away. Tom could see where she was heading — a patch of brown lying in the middle of a frozen lake. Elenna! As he guided Epos to follow, he saw his shield on the ice a few paces away from her.
Epos landed on the frozen surface, her talons sending up shards of ice. Spiros floated to the ground without a sound. Tom leaped off the flame bird’s back and rushed to his friend. The ice creaked beneath his feet. Beside Elenna’s body was a hole in the ice, and Tom could see the water below, lapping at the edges. He knelt down next to Elenna. Her clothes were soaking wet. He didn’t understand: Had she fallen through the ice and then pulled herself out of the freezing water? Surely that was impossible. Her lips were turning blue. Ice crystals, like tiny jewels, had already begun to form on her eyelashes.
“Elenna!” he whispered, then put his head on her soaking chest and listened. She still had a heartbeat. Placing his hand by her open mouth, he felt the slight warmth of shallow, regular breathing.
She was alive!
“Elenna, it’s me, Tom,” he said, shaking her shoulder a little.
Her eyelids fluttered, then she opened her eyes. “Tom?”
“Can you get up?” he asked.
Elenna sat up carefully, then let out a deep shiver. “I … I’m so cold,” she stammered.
Tom knew that if Elenna didn’t get warm soon, she would die. He lifted her onto his back and carried her to the edge of the frozen lake. In the shelter of a tall ice stack, they sat down in the snow. Epos hopped over to them, extending a wing, which burst into low, gentle flames, bathing Elenna in heat. Not for the first time, Tom was thankful to have the good Beasts of Avantia on his side.
When Elenna had stopped shaking, Tom asked, “What happened? Did you catch my shield?”
“Yes,” said Elenna. “As I fell, I thought I was dead for sure. But then the shield came hurtling toward me and I heard your voice. As soon as I caught it, the magic of Cypher’s tear helped me to slow down.”
“But the hole in the ice?” Tom asked.
“Well, I was so close to the ground, and traveling so fast, the shield couldn’t save me completely. I remember seeing the lake coming toward me. I shut my eyes. That’s the last thing I remember. I must have smashed right through the ice.”
“But how could you have come up again?” said Tom in bewilderment.
“I don’t know….” said Elenna.
Then a huge roar burst from behind the ice stack, dislodging a layer of snow, which fell in a fine powder around their heads. There was a series of crunching sounds, as though something large was padding toward them, and Spiros let out a soft call. Tartok stood proudly before them.
“She must have plucked me out of the water,” said Elenna. “She saved my life! Thank you, Tartok.”
The giant snow monster of the icy plains bellowed, ruffling their hair with the force of her roar. Then she turned and strode away into the snow. As she disappeared, a sudden flash in the sky made them look up. Spiros hovered above them, beating her golden wings.
“We have to get going,” said Tom. “If we wait here for too long, Sethrina will find us.”
“Sethrina?” asked Elenna.
Tom explained what he had learned about Seth’s sister and Nawdren.
“So Nawdren is Spiros’s body, separated from Spiros’s spirit to carry out Malvel’s evil!” Elenna exclaimed, getting to her feet. But as she did so, she winced and let out a small cry. “My ankle!” Tom looked down at Elenna’s ankle. It was red and swollen. “I think it’s broken! My body was so cold I didn’t even realize until just now!” she said in despair, sitting back down in the snow.
“Don’t worry,” said Tom. “Epos’s talon can help.” He slid back across the ice and retrieved his shield. At Elenna’s side, he detached the feather. Its magical healing powers had already helped him on previous Quests. Tom held it to her ankle. It warmed in his hand.
“It’s working!” said Elenna.
Tom stared at the ankle. Slowly, the swelling disappeared, and the redness faded to Elenna’s normal skin color.
“Try standing on it,” Tom suggested.
Elenna pushed herself to her feet and gingerly put her weight onto the injured leg. A smile broke across her face. “It’s much better!” she cried out.
They scrambled onto Epos’s back, and the flame bird shook the loose snow from her talo
ns. Spiros flapped her wings, rising high above them.
“It looks as if she’s ready to go, too!” said Elenna.
“We’ll have to be careful,” said Tom as Epos took to the sky. “I have a feeling that we haven’t seen the last of Sethrina.”
But as they followed Spiros, Tom felt ready for anything Malvel could throw at him. It was time to rescue Uncle Henry and Aunt Maria!
CHAPTER TWO
THE UNDERWORLD
GUSTS BATTERED TOM AND ELENNA AS THEY clung to Epos’s feathers, and Tom had to brush the snow and ice crystals from his face to see properly. Spiros was flying through the sky at amazing speed, and Epos was working hard to keep up. Snowflakes sizzled as they met the flames along her wings.
“I don’t know how Spiros can find her way in these conditions,” said Elenna.
“It’s the magic of her All-Sight that’s guiding her,” said Tom.
Spiros squawked urgently and turned in the air, her wings glowing.
“She’s trying to tell us something,” said Elenna.
The ghost phoenix suddenly twisted her glittering wings and began to descend. Epos cut through the wind in pursuit.
“This is it!” shouted Tom, as the air streamed around him. “She’s found my aunt and uncle!”
They flew down more steeply, picking up speed all the time. Tom could feel the force rippling his cheeks. Through an eddying swirl of snow, Tom saw the ice fields below. They were heading straight for them. He felt Elenna tense as she held on to him.
Epos drew in her wings. Her body was almost vertical as it shot to earth.
“Tom, we’re going to crash!” shouted Elenna.
“We have to trust Spiros,” said Tom, gritting his teeth.
She didn’t pull up. It looked as though her ghostly outline would smash to pieces against the ice, but she slid through the frozen layer without a sound.
Tom fought the urge to pull with all his might on Epos’s feathers. “I’ve put my faith in Spiros till now,” he shouted. “While there’s blood in my veins, we’ll follow her to the end.”
The snowy ground rushed toward them. Epos stretched out her talons. A spark appeared between them, then grew into a ball of flame, burning almost white with heat.
Epos hurled the fireball at the spot where Spiros had disappeared. It smashed into the frozen wasteland, showering sparks. Then the ice was gone, replaced by a crater. In the middle of the hole, the fireball sank into a patch of boiling sea. Epos and her passengers dived into the chasm.
We’ll drown! Tom thought. But the fireball bored a tunnel straight down through the water. Elenna cried out in surprise and Tom gasped. Epos plunged after her fireball as the sea closed in behind them. Tom and Elenna were in a tunnel of air created by Epos, deep below the ocean.
They quickly reached the seafloor. Limp weeds lay flat on the sand, and a crab scuttled for shelter beneath a rock covered in bright yellow tendrils. The fireball had spread out around them like a dome, holding back the weight of water. Tom felt the spray dry on his face as the flames warmed him. It was as though they were in another world. Elenna was staring around, her mouth open in wonder.
“This is powerful magic!” said Tom.
“Who would have thought?” Elenna said, stroking Epos’s feathers. “A bird at the bottom of the sea!”
The light dimmed, and the dome of flame above their heads inched closer. Epos let out a warning squawk.
“Hurry, Tom,” said Elenna. “The magic is fading!”
Tom climbed off Epos’s back, and the flame bird hopped aside, revealing something on the seafloor. Tom bent to inspect it.
“Look, Elenna!” he said. “It’s a trapdoor!”
“Where can it lead?” asked Elenna.
The walls of seawater were closing in again, and the fireball burned less fiercely around them.
“There’s only one way to find out,” said Tom.
He seized the chain and yanked on it. The trapdoor didn’t move.
“Try again,” said Elenna. “You can do it.”
Tom thought of his golden breastplate. Its magic gave him extra strength. Still, it might not be enough.
He looped the chain around his waist and clenched his fists under one of the links. He took a huge breath, dug his heels into the wet sand, and pushed with every muscle in his legs. The trapdoor moved a finger’s width. Tom didn’t stop. His kneecaps felt as if they were about to burst apart, and his heart was racing, but still he pulled. Finally, the trapdoor lifted open.
“Quick! Jump in,” Tom shouted at Elenna and Epos. The good Beast plunged into the tunnel. The seawater was splashing Tom’s hair now. Taking the strain on his arms, he pulled himself along the rope toward the open crack. The protective fire around him was almost out. When he was close to the open trapdoor, he let the coiled chain fall around his feet and jumped down. The door crashed shut behind him and he heard the rush of water behind the door. They’d made it!
Tom realized he was lying on cold, wet rock. It was pitch-black. He couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face.
“Tom?” Elenna’s voice echoed around them.
“I’m here!” he said, picking himself up and stumbling through the darkness. His hand closed around Elenna’s wrist.
“What now?” she asked.
“We need light,” said Tom.
The shape of two wings appeared ahead of them, doused in flame. Epos! As the fire grew, their surroundings became clear. Tom stared about him in astonishment.
“What is this place?” gasped Elenna.
“It must be an underworld!” Tom replied.
CHAPTER THREE
THE CAVERNS OF DANGER
THEY WERE STANDING IN A SMALL RECESS AT the edge of a massive cavern. Huge stalactites descended from the cave roof, and great pillars of rock grew from the floor, where pools of sticky brown slime boiled and belched out yellow smoke. A rotting smell hung in the air.
Elenna held her hand to her nose. “This place stinks!” she said.
The light from Epos’s wings cast sinister shadows across the cave roof. Anything could be lurking in wait for them. At the edge of the cavern, a number of tunnels led in different directions. The entrances were like black mouths in the cave walls. It was totally silent, other than the regular dripping of water and bubbling of the slime pools.
“This must be some sort of mine,” said Elenna. “Those tunnels are man-made.”
Spiros was floating in the air beside a tunnel at the far side of the underground grotto.
“She wants us to follow her,” said Tom.
“I’m not sure about this,” said Elenna. “How do we know which path to take?”
“We have to trust Spiros’s All-Sight,” Tom replied. “She wouldn’t take us into danger.”
Tom led the way across the cavern, hopping from rock to rock between the pools. Elenna and Epos followed, the winged flame cawing softly. They reached the spot where Spiros was waiting for them. Tom stared into the blackness of the tunnel entrance. Even he felt a tingle of doubt.
“Let me check the compass,” he said, pulling it from his pocket and holding it up. Elenna came to look over his shoulder. The needle of the compass pointed to Destiny.
“It’s settled, then,” said Tom. “This is the way to go.”
The ghost phoenix turned and drifted into the tunnel. Tom drew his sword and followed close behind with Elenna. Behind them came Epos, lighting the way with her flaming feathers.
The tunnel twisted and turned, and Tom could tell there was a slight downward slope to the cave floor. They were heading deeper underground, farther away from the land he knew. But the Beasts showed no fear, and Tom forced his own heartbeat to slow.
Elenna put her hand on his arm. “Tom,” she hissed. “There’s a light!”
Spiros turned and cawed softly to urge them on. Elenna was right. As well as the glow from Epos’s feathers, there was another source of light in front of them. They pressed on, and soon Tom saw a torch hanging on the t
unnel wall. The lights sent flickering shadows across the passage.
Suddenly, there was a noise from up ahead — a high-pitched squeaking and the sound of something scraping along rock. Tom froze. It was like the scratching of claws.
“What is it?” asked Elenna.
Before Tom could answer, a rat scurried along the tunnel floor. He breathed a sigh of relief. “If that’s the worst we have to deal with, I’ll be happy.”
There were more rats the farther they went, and the stench in the air grew worse. The Beasts didn’t seem to notice, but for Tom it was overwhelming. He tried not to breathe through his nose, but even then he could taste the tang of rotting flesh.
“Was that a voice?” Elenna said.
Tom cupped a hand to his ear. A faint cry sounded through the stillness. “It’s my aunt Maria!” he said. “Come on!”
CHAPTER FOUR
RESCUE!
T OM CHARGED ALONG THE TUNNEL, PAST Spiros. He could hear Elenna’s footsteps close behind him. All the time, the voices ahead were getting louder. He ignored the foul stench in the air and the rats that scurried out of his way.
Rounding a corner, he reached a huge wooden door. Massive bronze hinges attached it to the bare rock of the tunnel. He tried to push it open, but it was locked from the inside.
“Help us!” came a voice.
It was Uncle Henry!
Tom threw himself at the door, but the lock held.
“Can’t you use your magic strength?” said Elenna.
Tom rammed the door again with his shoulder. Nothing happened.
“It must be enchanted with Malvel’s magic!” he said. “Stand back.”
Tom put down his shield and gripped the hilt of his sword in both hands, lifting it over his head. Then, with all the power he could muster, he brought the blade down on the middle of the door.
The wood split open and one of the hinges broke away. The sound of the impact echoed through the tunnel. Epos screeched with surprise.