by Victor Kloss
Ben smiled grimly. “We return with an axe and hack our way to the centre.”
Abigail stared at him in horror until Ben reassured her that he was joking.
Ben knew from the images the locket had shown him that the door was below his head height, and it wasn’t wide. He ran his hand over every piece of bark, methodically working his way down the tree. Abigail got on her hands and knees and worked her way up. Examining the bark so closely was making Ben go cross-eyed, and several times he had to stop, blink and retrace his line of sight. Patience wasn’t his strong suit and it took some effort to be slow and methodical, knowing what was at stake. Ten minutes passed and the first feelings of doubt nagged at him. What if this wasn’t the right tree? What if it was just a red herring? The thoughts kept distracting him, putting him off his search. He cursed silently, and cast such thoughts aside.
Ben had been expecting a delighted squeal should Abigail find anything. Instead, he heard a polite cough.
“I might have found something,” Abigail said, her voice tentative, even doubtful.
He heard Charlie and Natalie take sharp breaths and step forwards in their excitement, before realising they wouldn’t be able to see anything.
Ben bent down, surprised to discover that Abigail was only a couple of feet from the floor. She had been far more thorough than he.
“Do you think this could be it?” Abigail asked, trailing her finger, making the very rough outline of a curved door. It was so faint Ben had trouble spotting it, but as her finger ran back and forth, it became more obvious.
His heart jumped and he clenched his fists. “That’s it! – oh, sorry,” he added, when Abigail jumped at his sudden exultation. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she jerked, uncomfortably. Ben promptly removed the hand.
“Is there a handle?” Charlie asked eagerly. He was staring at Abigail’s finger, squinting as if he might suddenly see something.
“Could it be here?” Abigail said.
“Bingo,” Ben said. “I swear, you must have some elf blood in you – your eyes are as good as Natalie’s.”
Abigail smiled shyly, and Ben could tell she appreciated the comment. “I get a lot of practice looking at things when I’m sketching, so I guess that helped.”
The knob was actually fairly obvious, as it protruded a good several inches out from the door, though it was well camouflaged. Ben gently grabbed the handle and turned.
He hadn’t expected it to open, and it didn’t.
“Look,” Abigail said. She was pointing at a small shape engraved into the tree just below the handle. It was a triangle, with three indented circles.
“Honestly, this is getting ridiculous,” Ben said, pulling the locket out from his jumper. “I haven’t done one useful thing yet.”
He gently pressed the locket against the tree. The locket immediately stuck to the trunk, embedding itself into the bark. There was a soft click. Ben put his hand back on the small handle, and turned to Abigail.
“I think you should stand out the way,” he said. “We have no idea what could be protecting the helm inside. There’s no sense in both of us being blasted to pieces.”
Abigail’s eyes widened to goblin-sized proportions, but she backed away with surprising reluctance.
Ben re-focused on the door and took several deep breaths to calm his beating heart, though he could do nothing about the surge of adrenaline making his hands shake and his body sweat. The locket showed him clear imagery of the helm being located inside the tree, but it hadn’t told him what might be protecting it, and he felt bare without his spellshooter.
Ben turned the handle and tensed himself. The door opened with a creak, mimicking the sound of an ageing tree swaying in the wind.
He was fully prepared to be greeted with a long, winding passage that led into some deep, secret, underground network. Instead, he found himself staring at a small cubbyhole, no bigger than a cupboard, hewn directly into the tree. Within the cubbyhole was a beautiful safe, cast in tarnished bronze. There was barely enough space for Ben to get his hands round it, but he managed to ease the safe out, grunting with the effort as he pulled it clear.
Charlie and Natalie’s gasps were a clear indication that they could see the safe now that it had been removed from the tree. It looked seamless, with no obvious lid, and there was a large lock for added security. Ben saw no key, but just beneath the lock was the same engraving that had been used on the tree.
“Is the helmet inside?” Abigail asked.
“Let’s hope so,” Charlie replied. “If it’s just some piece of paper with another cryptic clue, I’m going home.”
“Well, shall we open it, then?” Natalie said, her vibrancy dispelling the hypnotic spell the box had cast.
Ben walked back to the tree and shut the little door. Immediately the locket loosened itself from the bark and fell to the grass. Ben went back to the safe, and gently pressed the locket in the engraved slot. Once more, there was a click, and Ben saw a sliver of a crack materialise, revealing the safe’s lid.
“This is it,” Ben said. He scanned the surrounding field, and the road beyond, noticing Charlie and Natalie doing the same; Abigail kept her gaze fixed firmly on the bronze safe.
If Ben had been anxious when opening the door to the tree, that was nothing to how he felt now. He could feel his blood coursing almost painfully through his veins. Biting his tongue, he eased the lid from the safe.
There was a collective intake of breath.
Elizabeth’s Helm stared back at them.
— Chapter Thirty-Four —
Elizabeth’s Helm
Its magnificence was hard to measure, tucked snugly inside the safe, but Ben made no move to pick it up. Instead, he turned to Abigail.
“The helm is entrusted to you,” Ben said gently. “Can you take it?”
Abigail’ face, filled with a sense of wonder, was suddenly creased with a frown. “Will it do anything to me?”
“Nothing bad,” Natalie assured her.
“And whatever it does won’t happen until you actually put it on,” Charlie added.
Looking somewhat reassured, Abigail bent down and, after flexing her tiny arms, took a firm hold of the helmet.
“Oh my, it’s not heavy at all,” she said, as she lifted it out of the safe, and held it in her arms.
Ben was immediately reminded of Elizabeth’s Boots, in the helm’s simple, but elegant craftsmanship. It was cast in shining silver, as if it had been forged only yesterday. Unlike many knights’ helms, there was a gape for the eyes and mouth, so one could speak and see with ease – two abilities Ben could well imagine Elizabeth needing.
“What do I do now?” Abigail asked.
Both Charlie and Natalie looked to Ben, who gave Abigail an easy smile. “Ideally, you’d put it on.”
Abigail stared at the helm, her pale skin somehow going even whiter. “I’m kind of scared,” she said in a very soft voice.
“Nothing bad is going to happen,” Ben assured her. “Quite the opposite, in fact. Remember what I said? The armour was originally designed for Elizabeth to defeat the dark elf king. Trust me, you’ll be fine, and we are right here with you.”
Abigail nodded. She gulped, and lifted the helmet, but she paused just as she was about to place it over her head.
“It’s much too big,” she said.
“Don’t worry about that,” Charlie insisted, trying to mask his impatience. “It will fit you, trust me.”
It took an age for her to lower the helmet onto her head, and Ben was vaguely aware that everyone, including Abigail, had stopped breathing. Ben watched in wonder as the helmet seemed to shrink even as it was settling on her head, fitting perfectly.
Abigail gasped suddenly, making them all jump. “Oh my!”
“What’s happening?” Ben asked, his voice chorusing with Natalie and Charlie, who asked the same question.
Abigail smiled radiantly, and lifted her arms. “I’m flying,” she said. “I’m flying really fast;
the land below is a blur. Oh my, there is London – I can see Big Ben!”
She pointed to a nearby spot of grass.
Ben watched her intently, as she continued to reel off a running commentary. It wasn’t long before she left the coast of England and was flying over the sea.
“I’m going faster now,” Abigail said. “The sea is just a blue blur way below.”
She went silent, and didn’t speak again for a good five minutes. To Ben, it felt like an hour.
“I’m slowing now,” Abigail said. “The sun is setting, the sky is a beautiful mixture of pink and purple. I can see something in the sky – oh no…" She trailed off, a look of fear puncturing her pleasure. “It’s one of those dark elves, riding a really big eagle.”
She cried out, and threw her arms in front of her face.
“We’re right here,” Ben said. “You’re safe.” He paused, and reluctantly added, “You can take the helmet off any time.”
To his relief, she kept it on, and slowly removed her arms from her face.
“There are hundreds of them, flying in a great big circle,” Abigail said, her fear receding. “They are keeping watch, I think, but they cannot see me. I see a large island below me, and I’m going down, to take a closer look.”
Abigail frowned, and Ben saw her clench a fist.
“Is everything okay?” Ben asked.
“Yes,” Abigail answered, after a moment. Her eyes narrowed and Ben saw a glint of determination in her eyes.
“I need you to stop talking to me,” Abigail ordered, in a tone completely at odds to her normal timid nature.
Ben felt his heart jump, but he obeyed, his own concern mirrored in Natalie’s expression. Only Charlie appeared unaffected, watching Abigail with such interest he would put a hunting hawk to shame.
Abigail bit her lip, and wrapped her arms about her, as if she was suddenly cold. After a moment it was clear anxiety was slowly creeping through her newfound determination.
Abigail gasped suddenly. Natalie stepped forwards, but Ben flung an arm up to stop her. One look at Abigail’s face and he almost went himself. Gone was the pleasure; gone was the determination – there was nothing but fear in her eyes now, and it was swiftly progressing to terror.
Still she didn’t take her helmet off.
Ben hesitated. Should he remove it? She was clearly unharmed, but what was she experiencing?
Abigail screamed violently. Before Ben could reach out and rip the helmet off, she was torn from her feet, and flew a full thirty feet, landing in a heap in the distant grass.
Ben leapt after her, but Natalie was quicker. By the time Ben reached Abigail, Natalie was already trying to pull the helmet off.
“It won’t budge!” she said desperately.
Abigail’s whole body was convulsing, there was spittle coming out of her mouth, and she was groaning.
Ben bent down, grabbed the helm, and pulled. Nothing happened. He tried again, a little harder, making Abigail’s body jerk, but still nothing.
Ben and Natalie stared at Abigail desperately.
“Use her own hands!” Charlie said, collapsing beside them. He grabbed Abigail’s hands, and used them to pull the helmet clear. It came off immediately.
Abigail arched her back and gasped. Her eyes came into focus, and she turned to Ben with a look of great relief. Then she started sobbing quietly.
They made no move to interrupt her. Natalie put a hand on Abigail’s shoulder, but Ben had learnt his lesson and neglected any physical comforting.
It took several minutes, but eventually her sobbing stopped, and she dried her eyes. Without looking at any of them, she started talking.
“The island I saw was Erellia, the dark elf homeland,” Abigail said, her voice barely a whisper. “Of course, I did not know this when I first saw it. I was not scared at first, because I knew I couldn’t be seen. Even so, when I saw the palace, I got this tight feeling in my chest, as if something really evil was about to happen. That is when I told you to stop talking.”
She took a deep breath, and wiped away a stray tear. “The palace was bigger than anything I could even imagine. Ten times that of the grandest palace we have here, and protected by half a dozen walls, each filled with soldiers – not just dark elves, but other things I can’t describe. I sailed over them, and into the open palace doors, which would have fit a dragon.”
She stopped again, and took a collected breath before continuing.
“As soon as I entered, I could feel the evil. It was so strong I felt sick. I floated through a grand hallway, and into what must have been the throne room. It was filled with well-dressed elves, humans and other, unspeakable creatures. They were milling in small groups, and talking in many different languages. There I saw…"
Abigail stopped suddenly, and looked at Ben with surprise and confusion.
“In the corner of the room was a small dome of energy, encasing a man and a woman, who were lying motionless on the floor. They looked very pale and thin, though I could tell by their breathing that they were definitely alive.” She paused again, and then spoke slowly. “I know this sounds really weird, but the man looked a lot like you, Ben.”
Ben felt his body stiffen, blood leaving his face, until his complexion matched Abigail’s. His heart threatened to explode through his chest, as his mind was filled with a single, glorious thought: they are still alive. A heavy mass lifted from his shoulders, making him stand straighter. They are still alive. He kept repeating that wonderful statement, until he realised everyone was staring at him.
He gave a nod to Abigail. “They are my parents. I will explain later. Please go on.”
Abigail looked as though she wanted to ask questions, but continued her story.
“At the back of the room I could sense something so powerful and evil, I was immediately drawn to it.” She stopped, and had to grit her teeth before going any further. “His presence seemed to cover the whole room, and I could feel an incredible aura radiating from him that affected everyone. He was really tall, at least eight feet, and looked very much like a bigger, stronger version of his son, the prince. I know I could have left at this point, maybe I should have, but some unspeakable curiosity pushed me forwards. As I approached, I could hear him speaking to someone next to him. His voice was really deep. He spoke in a harsh language that I didn’t understand, but I listened anyway.” She stopped, and closed her eyes. “And that’s when it happened. He looked right at me.”
Abigail shuddered, and she wrapped her arms around her chest. “His purple eyes locked on to me. He asked my name; I told him. He asked me how I was here. I told him. Then he tried to enter my mind. It was agony. I did my best to resist, but if you hadn’t wrenched the helmet from my head, he would have succeeded.”
Abigail stopped, and looked up at each of them. The fear had finally gone, replaced with curiosity.
“Some of that I understand, some of it scares me, and some of it I found very confusing. Is it of any help?”
“Yes,” Ben replied emphatically. “More than we can possibly explain right now.”
Abigail stood up, and dusted herself off. To Ben’s surprise, she picked up the helm, and held it by her side.
“So now what?” Natalie said, attempting a cheery voice to lighten the mood.
Ben, Charlie and Natalie exchanged glances. They had the helm. They had the Guardian. But though incredibly brave, Abigail was clearly not ready to use her piece of armour any time soon. Ben knew what he wanted to do, but he wasn’t sure Abigail was ready for it.
An awkward silence fell upon them, and it was Abigail who broke it.
“Will I need to use the helmet again?” she asked, a peculiar innocence in her eyes.
“No,” Ben lied, managing to meet her gaze with a reassuring smile.
Abigail looked disappointed. “That’s a shame. Suktar tried to look into my mind. I think, with some practice, I might be able to look into his.”
Ben had rarely been surprised by anything quite as muc
h as that seemingly harmless statement. There was a glimmer of steel in her eyes that Ben had now seen several times before. Perhaps this might work after all.
“You know what we’d like to do?” Ben said. Natalie gave him a warning sign, but he ignored it. “We’d like to enrol you into the Royal Institute of Magic, so you can learn how to use that helm properly.”
Abigail gave him a smile of pure delight. “I’d like that very much. When can I start?”
“We’ll speak to someone on Monday,” Ben said.
The safe was too heavy to take with them, so Ben placed it back inside the tree. Charlie had emptied his rucksack, and Abigail placed the helmet inside.
“What are we going to do with the helmet?” Abigail asked, glancing at the rucksack. “I mean, I guess we need to hide it, right? Until we find the other pieces.”
“Yes, it will need to be hidden,” Ben said.
“I guess I should be the one hiding it?” Abigail asked.
“Technically, yes,” Charlie said. “But we can help you with that.”
“Oh, I’ve got some good ideas,” Abigail said, with an endearingly honest face.
Thoughts of the helmet being stashed under Abigail’s bed came to Ben’s mind. No, that wasn’t fair. The helmet was entrusted to her, so, like Dagmar, it was her responsibility to look after it. Though perhaps with a little help.
The journey through the fields towards the bus stop was a peaceful one as they bathed in that fleeting feeling of accomplishment.
They had done it! They now had two pieces of the armour, as well as three Guardians, including himself. If only he could find his own piece, they would be over halfway there. Still, they had achieved a lot. So why was he not dancing with joy? Something was nagging him at the back of his mind. Something important that he couldn’t place. It was Natalie who eventually reminded him exactly what he was missing.
“You know what day it is tomorrow?” she said, idly stroking a flower.
“I do,” Charlie said. “It’s Saturday today, which means it must be Sunday tomorrow.”
“Very good. And do you know what we’re supposed to do on Sunday?”