by K J Taylor
‘You’d better hope I don’t destroy the world, then, or you’ll feel pretty stupid,’ said Ambit.
‘I know you wouldn’t do it on purpose,’ said Snarl. ‘If you did it accidentally, I’d forgive you.’
‘You wouldn’t have much time to forgive me in,’ said Ambit. ‘You’d be dead.’
‘Then there’s no point in worrying about it, is there?’ said Snarl.
‘I guess not,’ said Ambit. ‘I just wish it wasn’t on me all the time.’
‘Trust me. I wish exactly the same thing,’ said Snarl, ‘but once we’ve dealt with Northrop –’
‘– we can do whatever the fuck we want again,’ said Ambit.
‘That’s the one,’ said Snarl, ‘but what will we do about Northrop? There’s no way we can make him change his mind. If we got him captured, he’d probably just escape again.’
‘Then let’s just take his sword off him,’ said Ambit. ‘See how he likes it. And then we can go and throw it in the sea. Let’s see him get it back then – the demon king mightn’t have been able to handle it, but the sea doesn’t puke things back up again.’
‘Let’s hope not,’ said Snarl.
‘Anyway, I don’t really care how we stop him,’ said Ambit. ‘Just as long as we do.’
‘We will,’ said Snarl, ‘one way or another.’ But though she tried to sound certain, there was a touch of unease which she couldn’t quite shake off.
The next afternoon, they reached the Second Mountain and immediately saw evidence that Northrop and the others had gone inside. The remains of dead demons littered the ground around the base of the mountain, which was an unusually small one – more of a large hill than a mountain, its top round and flattened. It was clearly a demon mountain, though, its peak emitting a slow plume of white smoke and the sky above it a sickly shade of yellow.
The mountain’s entrance was low as the rest of the mountain, but still big enough for humans to go in. Ambit entered first with the five companions and gang of demons following. Inside they found more dead demons, lying where they had fallen, some on the floor and others slumped up against the walls. Ambit could see the marks where limbs and tails had been cut off, and a few arrows poked out of the hardened remains.
‘Looks like Whitear can still use that bow,’ he said. ‘Pity.’
‘I made sure to hurt her arm,’ said Snarl.
‘Maybe she gave her bow to Rai, then,’ Srawn suggested.
‘I chewed up Rai’s arm even worse,’ said Snarl.
‘Then Whitear must be tougher than she looks,’ said Elyne.
They went up, inside the mountain, through its winding passages. The whole place was eerily silent. They found more dead demons, some fresher than others, but they didn’t see any living creature. It was as if every demon in the Second Mountain had been killed or run away.
‘If I didn’t know better, I’d be worried we were too late,’ said Snarl.
‘Yeah, well, let’s hope it doesn’t become too late while we’re inside,’ said Ambit. ‘I already died once. I’m not up for doing it again.’
Humans and demons exchanged nervous glances.
It didn’t take too long to reach the top level of the mountain. The tunnels soon grew bigger and hotter and the glow in the walls became brighter. Finally, the passage they were following opened abruptly into a great chamber. The moment they entered, they heard the noise – screams and roarings. Ambit hurried forward and stopped when he saw the body half lying at the far end.
‘It’s Rai!’ said Rigby.
The guard captain stirred when they reached her. She was obviously badly hurt. The injuries Snarl had given her had only half sealed up, and more of them covered her arms and one exposed shoulder. Charred demon scratches had ruined her looks.
She looked up vaguely at Ambit. ‘Am I already dead?’
‘No, but looks like you’re working on it,’ said Ambit. ‘Where’s Northrop?’
Rai’s breathing was weak and rasping. She jerked her head toward the entrance behind her. ‘Through there. The demon lord. I couldn’t go on.’
‘Right,’ said Ambit, ‘we’d better get in, then. Anyone want to stay with her?’
‘I will,’ Srawn said reluctantly.
They left her to look after Rai and pushed on and into a scene of total chaos.
Lord Halite’s throne room was decorated in white and blue. Sapphires and milky quartz studded the walls, roof and floor in huge patches, which stood out against the dark stone. Lava glowed through the cracks, adding a tinge of fiery red.
At the far end, Halite himself was an impressive sight. Smaller than the other demon lords, but still formidable, with two very long, spindly arms and three tails. He had two heads, each one crowned with half a dozen horns, and his demon stone was set into one of his foreheads. Only his legs were joined onto his throne and he was busy trying to pull them free the way Phos had. He had every reason to. Arrows stuck out all over his chest and arms, and Whitear was by the entrance where Ambit and the others had come in, busy sending more at him. Northrop was up at the throne itself, hacking furiously at the demon lord’s tails to try and disable them.
‘Get her!’ Snarl shouted at her fellow demons. ‘Stop the archer!’
Growl swung her head at Whitear, knocking her aside. She dropped her bow and fell, and in a moment the five companions were on her, pinning her down.
‘Northrop!’ she shouted, ‘watch out!’
Northrop turned, and gaped in horror at the sight of Ambit. In his shock, he barely managed to avoid a blow from Halite’s tail.
‘What are you doing here?’ he shouted. ‘You’re supposed to be dead!’
‘And you’re supposed to shut up,’ said Ambit. ‘Get away from there, you idiot.’
‘No!’ Northrop turned and brought his sword down on one of Halite’s tails, severing it. The demon lord reeled back, howling in pain.
‘Stop!’ Ambit yelled again.
Northrop ignored him. With spectacular grace he ran up Halite’s leg and onto his cracking stone lap, braced himself against the demon lord’s arm, and pulled the sword back to stab him to death just as he had done to Ambit.
‘Ambit!’ Snarl screamed.
‘Oh, fuck it,’ Ambit muttered, and threw his spear as hard as he could.
Time seemed to stand still. Everyone, human and demon, stood and watched in absolute silence as the sacred spear flew across the throne room like one of Whitear’s arrows, heading straight for destiny.
The spear hit Northrop square in the back, came out the other side, and left a tiny wound in Lord Halite’s chest. The demon lord pulled back in shock, and the motion dislodged the hero. He fell, staring in horror, the sword dropping out of his hands to clatter on the floor.
Absolute silence fell, just as it had the night Ambit died. Northrop lay on his side, groaning, the spear still stuck in him.
In the end, Whitear was the one to break the silence.
‘No!’ she yelled.
‘Oh come on,’ said Ambit. ‘Can’t you people think of something more original than that to say when someone gets killed? I heard at least three people say it when it happened to me.’ He strode forward, to where Northrop lay, and took hold of the spear. ‘Sorry, Northy. Looks like you finally pushed me too far.’
Northrop looked up at him, dull-eyed. ‘This can’t be.’
‘Denial won’t change anything,’ said Snarl, waddling over and glancing at Ambit.
‘’Fraid she’s right about that,’ said Ambit. He pulled the spear out, and stooped to pick up the sword. ‘If it’s any consolation I feel like a bit of a jerk, but you did have it coming.’
Northrop was trying to get up. ‘But you can’t . . . this can’t . . .’
‘I’m not interested in “can’t”. I prefer the other thing that sounds a bit like it,’ said Ambit. ‘Go on, Northy. Dying’s not that hard – take it from me.’
He retreated to a safe distance and looked up at Halite. ‘He’s all yours, my lord.’
T
he demon lord reached down and scooped Northrop up in his huge hand. ‘You killed him,’ he rumbled, his voice lighter than Phos’ had been.
‘Not yet,’ said Ambit. ‘You can wait a bit or finish him off yourself.’
Halite held Northrop up to one of his faces, examining him for a moment before he scooped the hero up in his jaws and ate him in a single bite. A brief crunch signalled the end of the swordsman and Whitear started to scream.
‘Oh, shut up,’ said Ambit, ‘or we’ll let him eat you as well.’
Halite slowly sat back on his throne, and the cracks on his legs started to heal themselves. ‘You saved my life, human,’ he said.
‘You’re welcome,’ said Ambit.
The demon lord looked down at him and the other companions. ‘Why?’ he asked. ‘Who are you?’
‘Well, I was the Chosen One,’ Ambit said, with the beginnings of a grin, ‘but I’m starting to think that might not count anymore.’
‘Chosen One?’ Halite repeated. ‘But . . .’
‘But nothing,’ said Ambit. ‘It’s over. I was supposed to destroy all the demon lords with the help of the eight companions, and now one of the companions is dead and another one’s run off. The prophecy is broken and I’m the one who broke it.’
Halite shook his heads. ‘How can I repay you?’
‘Well, I’d be very interested in any gold or jewels you might have lying around,’ said Ambit. ‘I don’t ask for much.’
‘Of course,’ said Halite. ‘You may have as much as you want.’
‘Oh,’ said Ambit, ‘and these demons here were hoping to see the heart of the mountain, or so Snarl tells me.’
Halite looked at Growl and the others. ‘You helped this human?’
‘Yes, my lord,’ said Growl.
‘Then you would be welcome to see the mountain’s heart,’ said Halite. ‘For as long as you like.’
‘Thank you, my lord!’
Ambit turned to the others. ‘Right, then,’ he said, ‘I think we’re all good now.’
They left the mountain together, humans and Snarl. On the way out, they collected the heap of precious stones and gold and silver nuggets Halite had sent down for them, and Ambit shared them out with the others – except for Whitear, who was looking furious and miserable.
‘Buck up,’ Ambit advised her. ‘You’re free to go where you like now.’
They brought Rai with them as well, Tannock and Srawn working together to carry her. ‘We’ll have to take her back to Lucknow, eventually,’ said Srawn.
‘I say we all go back there,’ said Ambit. ‘There’s good beer and I fancy visiting the demon king again. He’ll want to hear the good news.’
‘What good news?’ said Snarl. ‘Aren’t you being a bit over-confident? The prophecy can still happen without Northrop.’
‘Maybe, maybe not,’ said Ambit. ‘Whitear – take a look at your palm.’
She did, and started in shock. ‘No!’
Rigby looked at his own palm. ‘The bellflower!’ he said. ‘It’s . . .’
The companions checked their palms. They looked bewildered. The mark of the silver bellflower was fading – sinking away into the skin as if it had never been there. Ambit looked at his palm, and the vague silvery shape under the scarring had already disappeared.
‘Gone,’ he said with satisfaction. ‘It’s over. There is no Chosen One anymore and no eight companions either.’
‘But what does that mean?’ Wittock asked in bewilderment. ‘Without the marks, without the prophecy . . .’
‘I’ll tell you what it means,’ said Ambit. ‘It means we’re free.’
‘Free to do whatever the hell we want,’ Snarl added.
‘Free to go where we like and drink as much as we want, and say whatever we think,’ said Ambit.
‘That doesn’t sound very meaningful,’ said Srawn.
‘Oh, I do it all the time,’ said Ambit. ‘Take it from me, it’s great.’
‘Really?’ asked Rigby.
‘You bet,’ said Ambit. ‘Come with me – I’ll show you.’
Epilogue
They went back to Lucknow City, in bits and pieces, taking their time. Along the way, Ambit introduced the companions to his favourite things and before long they had shaken off their bewilderment and started to let themselves enjoy it. Only Whitear left, still looking angry and confused. They found a hospital at Eggwater where Rai could be cared for and after that they were free to make a leisurely journey to the capital. When they found demon country they crossed it freely, saying a polite hello to the demons they met. In Cornplow they found Thorwald and the other refugees from Acornville, all of whom cheered when they heard about Northrop’s death and the end of the prophecy. Thorwald insisted on joining the party heading for Lucknow, and Ambit and Snarl were more than happy to let him come.
Ambit gave him Northrop’s sword. ‘Here,’ he said, ‘it’s better off in the hands of someone who’s not a complete jerk.’
‘Just don’t use it to kill demons,’ said Snarl.
‘Unless they attack you first,’ said Ambit.
‘Gotcha,’ said Thorwald.
This time when Ambit entered Lucknow City, Snarl came too, and the companions were more than ready to warn off anyone who bothered her. Ambit found them a pub where they settled down at the biggest table they could find and let themselves celebrate.
Ambit didn’t feel the need to say much, for once. He started on one of Lucknow’s famous beers and idly listened to an argument taking place at a table at the back of the room, where a vaguely familiar woman with unusual red-brown hair was arguing with a bony man whose hair was a shocking shade of yellow.
‘What d’you mean, you’re pregnant?’ the man was shouting.
‘It was just once!’ the woman said. ‘You’re such a prude, Clemence.’
‘And now you’re pregnant,’ the man persisted.
‘Big deal,’ said the woman. ‘It’s not my fault you and I can’t have kids.’
‘That’s no reason to cheat on me with some creep you met in a tavern!’
‘Oh, it was just one time,’ said the woman. ‘Stop making a fuss – people are staring at us. Anyway, you should look on the bright side. Now we can be parents at last. I mean, you were the one saying it was time to settle down and raise a family. Now we can have the family – never mind about the settling down part.’
‘I can’t believe you’re expecting me to forget about this,’ said the yellow-haired man.
‘I’m not,’ said the woman, ‘but we can still raise the kid together, right?’
The man looked outraged, but the woman had a dreamy look on her face.
‘I hope it’ll have red hair with blue spots,’ she said. ‘That’d be a nice colour combination.’
‘You’re impossible,’ said the man. ‘I don’t know why I even stick with you.’
‘You don’t have to,’ said the woman. ‘That’s the point. You and me, we’re free. We can go wherever we like and do whatever we want.’
Ambit toasted the woman. ‘Damn straight.’
The woman winked at him. ‘Damn straight.’
‘So,’ Snarl said, from under the table. ‘That’s it.’
‘Huh?’ said Ambit, turning his attention back to her. ‘Oh, yeah. That’s it. Done and dusted. And it only took a hell of a lot of time and trouble to do it.’ He looked around at the five companions: Elyne shyly kissing Tannock on the cheek, Rigby and Srawn listening to Wittock practise his telling of the tale of Ambit and Snarl.
‘But you know what?’ said Ambit. ‘It was worth it.’
‘You think so?’ said Snarl.
‘Yeah,’ said Ambit, ‘I just hope we didn’t learn anything from this. That’d be a little too mature for my liking.’
‘We can’t have any of that,’ Snarl nodded, ‘and by this point I’d say it’s not important.’
‘No, not really,’ said Ambit. He stared reflectively into his beer. ‘We’re together, we’re free, and the world didn�
�t come to an end thanks to us. I think that’s enough of an achievement for one lifetime. Just as well we didn’t follow the prophecy, huh?’
‘Very just as well,’ said Snarl. ‘Who would have thought selfishness could achieve so much?’
‘Not me,’ said Ambit. ‘I was always all about trying not to achieve things.’
‘I noticed,’ Snarl said dryly.
‘Anyway,’ Ambit held up his beer, ‘a toast!’
The companions held up their own drinks.
Ambit paused a moment, cleared his throat, and said, ‘To doing whatever the fuck we want.’
‘To doing what we want!’ the companions echoed.
‘Damn straight,’ said Ambit, and drank.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my friend Ingrid Jonach, who did a preliminary edit for me. And thanks to Rochelle Fernandez of HarperCollins, for taking on my latest effort. If enough people like it, I might just have to do a sequel . . .
About the Author
K.J. TAYLOR was born in Australia in 1986 and attended Radford College and the University of Canberra, where she returned to obtain a Master of Information Studies in 2012. She currently works as an archivist.
She published her first work, The Land of Bad Fantasy, through Scholastic when she was just 18, and HarperVoyager went on to publish The Dark Griffin in Australia and New Zealand five years later. The Griffin’s Flight and The Griffin’s War followed in the same year, and were released in America and Canada in 2011. The Shadow’s Heir, The Shadowed Throne and The Shadow’s Heart have now joined them in both Australia and the US.
Also by K.J. Taylor
The Fallen Moon series
The Dark Griffin
The Griffin's Flight
The Griffin's War
The Risen Sun series
The Shadow's Heir
The Shadowed Throne
The Shadow's Heart
The Drachengott series
Drachengott: Wind
Drachengott: Earth
Drachengott: Fire
Drachengott: Water