‘Nobody has ever lived in the Silver Castle,’ he said, noticing their surprise. ‘But we keep it here as a reminder of our captors, the Council of the Axis Lords.’
‘And the Isis Crystal is here?’ said Tommy.
Laser Wolf nodded. ‘It appeared in the castle around fourteen years ago, along with a written statement explaining what it was and warning us never to touch the box in which it is kept. Look—’
Laser Wolf pointed ahead. A plain grey box lay on a small platform near the back of the hall. The Axis Lord led them towards it and raised his arms to prevent them from going any further.
‘The Isis Crystal is inside this box,’ he said.
‘So… we can take it?’ said Tommy.
‘Why do I get the feeling it’s not that simple?’ said Darcy.
Laser Wolf pulled a red paisley handkerchief from his pocket, and dropped it. It floated down, drifting from side to side. The moment it touched the box, it turned to dust with a violent hissing sound.
‘Nobody has been able to open the box,’ said Laser Wolf, ‘as doing so would mean instant death. The box cannot be opened safely without the key.’
‘So where’s the key?’ said Tommy.
‘Nobody knows. It could be disguised as anything. It is probably not even inside the city. We can safely assume that the key was forged around fourteen years ago, as that is when the crystal appeared here. And it is possible that the key is multifunctional, in that it will also work to unlock other Axis objects.’
‘Maybe Moonstone has the key,’ said Martin. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s in the city now, just waiting for her chance to open the box.’
‘Well,’ said Laser Wolf, ‘That may be. But I have one more thing to show you. And when you’ve seen it you may be a little more positive about your chances. Follow me.’
Chapter 11: The Planet Simulator
A bald man in a shabby cloak was sitting beside a blank canvas. His studio was dark and filled with objects covered with grey sheets.
‘Iddo!’ said Laser Wolf. ‘You have guests!’
The man froze for a second before standing up slowly. He had a tangled white beard and purple eyes.
‘It’s you,’ he said quietly. ‘I knew you would come.’
‘Yes,’ said Laser Wolf, ‘it’s them.’
The teenagers had removed their Deceiving Necklaces and their appearances were human again.
‘This is Martin King, Darcy Williams and Tommy Walker, and their associate Levanté.’
‘A pleasure,’ said Iddo. He turned to the four visitors. ‘So, are you ready?’
‘Ready for what?’ said Martin.
‘To see your paintings, of course.’
Darcy cast a bewildered look at Martin. She looked uncomfortable in the damp cellar and Martin squeezed her hand gently.
‘Come with me,’ said Iddo. ‘Your paintings are possibly the best I’ve done.’
‘Our paintings?’ said Tommy.
But Iddo said nothing more; they simply had to follow as the little man led them through a narrow tunnel, down a flight of stone steps and through a steel hatch.
Once they passed through the hatch, they found themselves in a wide hall that looked almost like the inside of a cathedral. The hall was illuminated by hundreds of candles.
‘I keep my best work here,’ said Iddo.
Iddo waved an arm towards the candles. The flames became brighter until the hall was filled with light. They followed Laser Wolf and Iddo towards a huge wall on the far side.
The wall was covered from top to bottom in gilt-framed paintings. Some were landscapes and others were portraits, but they all had a ghostly look about them.
‘Look,’ said Iddo, smiling.
Martin glanced at the painting to which he was pointing.
It was a painting of Martin. It showed him opening the grey box that contained the Isis Crystal as Darcy, Tommy and Levanté watched. A faint glow from inside the box was shining on his face.
‘How is that possible?’ said Martin.
‘Iddo has a very peculiar gift,’ said Laser Wolf. ‘Iddo paints the future. Or, at least, possible futures. Some of his prophecies come true, while others fail. But, you see, this is how I knew that you were coming.’
‘Martin, Darcy, Tommy, Levanté,’ whispered Iddo. ‘The strongest vision I have ever experienced.’
Iddo pointed to another canvas, which showed what looked like a desert. ‘This painting is also important.’
‘Show them,’ said Laser Wolf.
Iddo touched the canvas with one hand, holding out the other to Martin.
‘He wants you to link hands,’ said Laser Wolf.
They hesitated, but Martin took Iddo’s hand and held his other hand to Darcy. Tommy took Darcy’s hand.
Suddenly, the candlelit room disappeared. They were standing in a vast, sweeping desert. Thunderclouds covered the sky, blotting out the sun.
‘Where are we?’ breathed Darcy, staring at the isolated landscape. Dusty sand dunes stretched as far as the eye could see.
‘This is the city of London next year,’ said Iddo.
Tommy picked up a handful of sand. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘All life on Earth has been destroyed,’ said Iddo. ‘This is the future XO5 will create if you do not stop him.’
Iddo clapped his hands and the desert disappeared; they were back in the hall.
‘If you know all of this,’ said Martin, ‘do you know where the key is to open the box?’
Iddo shook his head. ‘I know only what I paint. But remember these two paintings. One of the paintings must come true, and the other must fail. It is all down to you.’
Martin looked at the paintings again. He suppressed a shiver.
‘Let us go,’ said Laser Wolf. ‘You have seen what is necessary.’
*
Laser Wolf had invited them back to his home. They sat in his luxurious living room, drinking a strange but delicious beverage called warmia.
‘This stuff tastes amazing,’ said Darcy.
It was a hot, sweet drink—it tasted like buttery toffee with a dash of spice.
‘I’m glad you like it,’ said Laser Wolf.
Levanté screwed up his face as he took a sip.
‘You don’t like it, Levanté?’ said Laser Wolf.
‘I don’t suppose you have any coffee?’ he muttered.
A young girl, perhaps a year younger than Martin, entered the room, and when she saw the guests she immediately cast her purple eyes shyly to the ground.
‘Come in, dear,’ said Laser Wolf. He turned to Martin and the others. ‘This is my daughter, Fire Opal. Well, say hello, dear.’
The girl began to speak, but they didn’t understand what she was saying. She was speaking an alien language.
‘Your translator isn’t switched on,’ said Laser Wolf.
The girl said something else and left the room.
‘Her translator’s broken,’ explained Tommy. ‘She’s gone to find another one.’
‘You can understand her?’ said Laser Wolf, astonished.
Tommy grinned. ‘I’ve got a special power.’
‘Ah. Axis Dust?’
Martin nodded.
‘Interesting,’ said Laser Wolf. He turned to Martin and Darcy. ‘What are your powers?’
‘I can create and control fire,’ said Darcy. ‘And Martin can fly.’
Fire Opal entered again and bowed in front of the guests.
‘You must be hungry,’ she said. ‘Follow me and I’ll show you where to get food.’
Martin and the others left the room with Fire Opal. She led them down several corridors and into a small room.
‘This is the kitchen,’ said Fire Opal.
‘It’s a bit small,’ said Tommy.
The girl smiled, and pointed to the only thing in the room—a large white machine.
‘This is a Sustenance Machine,’ she said. ‘It can make any food you want to eat.’
‘Rea
lly?’ said Darcy. ‘How does it work?’
‘It’s a combination of molecular breakage and—’ Fire Opal broke off, blushing. ‘Oh, I see, you want to know how to use it. Just walk up, press the green button, and tell it what you want to eat.’
Darcy approached the Sustenance Machine and pressed the green button. She paused for a moment to decide what to order.
‘A… bacon sandwich,’ said Darcy.
The machine activated with a low hum; there was a flash of light and a bacon sandwich appeared on a plate inside the small hatch. Darcy reached inside and took it out. The delicious smell of the bacon filled the tiny kitchen.
Darcy took a bite. ‘That’s the best bacon sandwich I’ve ever eaten,’ she said. ‘But maybe that’s just because I’m so starving.’
Fire Opal smiled at them. ‘What do you think of the city?’
‘Amazing,’ said Tommy. ‘It’s such an awesome place.’
Martin nodded. He only wished he could have visited without the looming threat of XO5 to stop him from enjoying it fully.
‘Well,’ said Fire Opal, ‘there’s something else really cool you should see.’
The girl led them upstairs to her bedroom. It was decorated in pink with a large green sofa and various stuffed toys. She picked up a box filled with yellow helmets from a shelf and handed one them one each.
‘This is called a VDS, or Virtual Domain System. It was invented by a scientist in the City of Serenity about fifty years ago.’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘It allows you to visit different worlds.’
‘So it’s like… virtual reality?’ said Tommy.
The girl nodded. ‘Come on, put the helmets on.’
They all put on their yellow helmets and Fire Opal activated the VDS console.
Instantly, they were transported to a silvery landscape. Metallic grey trees jutted out from a frosty floor, and the sky was white.
‘Where are we?’ said Darcy.
‘Right where we were,’ said Fire Opal. ‘We’re still sitting in my room in the city. But what you are seeing is the planet Hope, one of the Axis Planets.’
‘So this is where Falcon came from,’ said Martin.
They walked through the silver woods. A group of furry red creatures scuttled through the undergrowth. Darcy paused as they entered a small clearing in the forest.
‘Listen,’ she whispered.
They could hear a faint noise; the sound grew louder. It was singing.
‘It’s the trees,’ said Fire Opal. ‘All the trees sing on Hope.’
Martin began to feel strangely drowsy. They lay in the leafy grove for a few minutes, listening to the singing trees.
Then Fire Opal activated the handset that she was carrying and the landscape dissolved. Now, they were sitting in a small boat in the middle of a glassy lake.
‘This is Planet Axalos,’ said Fire Opal. ‘This is another one of the planets on the Axis Belt. In fact, it’s the planet where my ancestors were from.’
‘It’s so beautiful,’ said Darcy.
Martin had never seen anything like it. They drifted along inside the boat beneath the pink sky. A winged creature that looked like a golden pterodactyl soared through the reddish clouds. An overpowering calm fell over all of them.
‘I love the VDS,’ said Fire Opal. ‘You see, I was born in the city and I will die in the city. The VDS has given me a way to see my home.’
Tommy was staring at Fire Opal with a strange look on his face. Fire Opal smiled at him, reached out, and held his hand. She whispered something in his ear. Tommy squeezed her hand and smiled.
Suddenly, the tranquillity was broken; something shot out from the water. Fire Opal screamed. It looked like a giant dragon; it was scaly and clawed.
‘What is that?’ shouted Martin.
‘But, but—this isn’t in the program,’ spluttered Fire Opal.
She grabbed the control from her pocket and stabbed at a yellow button. But nothing happened.
‘I can’t get us out,’ said Fire Opal, ‘the fast-return switch isn’t working. Someone must have tampered with the machine.’
The dragon glided over their heads, swiping at them with its long claws. They were stranded in the middle of the lake, with no way of getting back to land or switching the VDS system off.
‘Lovely day,’ a voice boomed.
‘It’s her,’ said Martin. ‘It’s Moonstone. She must have changed the program.’
‘There’s no way for you to escape,’ said Moonstone. ‘The VDS is directly linked to your minds. When the dragon kills you in the VDS you will also die in the real world. You should have known better than to meddle in the affairs of an Axis Lady.’
Darcy tried to shoot fire at the dragon but nothing happened.
‘My power doesn’t even work in here!’ she said.
The dragon breathed out a jet of fire, which narrowly missed the boat. Martin and Darcy hugged one another as the dragon made one final swoop…
The world around them suddenly vanished, and they were once again sitting in Fire Opal’s bedroom. Gasping, they ripped the yellow helmets from their heads.
Laser Wolf was standing by the VDS machine. Fire Opal ran to him and hugged him.
‘Oh, thank you, daddy.’
‘It was lucky I came upstairs,’ said Laser Wolf. ‘A few seconds more and you would have been done for.’
‘It was Moonstone,’ said Martin quietly.
‘I should have known,’ said Laser Wolf. ‘The city is in peril. Look.’
He pointed at Fire Opal’s window. Outside, the storm had broken into the city.
‘The Sky Projector has been disabled,’ said Laser Wolf. ‘Someone working for Moonstone must be inside the city.’
‘It must be Slater,’ said Martin. ‘Who else could it be?’
Martin collapsed. A vision flashed through his mind—Martin picked up a gun—it was cold—and pointed it at Moonstone. Her face was blurred, but he somehow knew that it was her. Sweating, his finger tightened on the trigger…
The vision ended and Martin opened his eyes again.
‘Are you all right?’ said Darcy.
‘Yeah,’ said Martin. ‘I think… I think I just saw the future.’
Before he could explain any further, there was an explosion outside. They ran to the window. A meteor had fallen from the sky and destroyed the Mathematics Centre.
‘We need to do something,’ said Tommy. ‘If we wait any longer Moonstone is going to wipe out this whole city.’
Martin suddenly smiled.
‘What are you smiling at?’ said Darcy
‘I’ve finally worked everything out,’ he said. ‘I know what to do next. Come on!’
‘Where are we going?’ said Darcy.
‘To the Silver Castle.’
*
They stood around the grey box in the Silver Castle, the box which contained the Isis Crystal. Outside, they heard the incessant crash of meteors.
‘Why did you bring us here?’ said Tommy.
‘I am going to take the Isis Crystal,’ said Martin.
‘But you can’t!’ said Darcy. ‘You saw what it did to the handkerchief!’
‘Maybe you haven’t realised this,’ said Martin, ‘but I’m not a handkerchief.’
‘This isn’t the time for jokes,’ said Darcy. ‘If you touch the box you’ll die.’
Martin shook his head. ‘No I won’t.’
‘Please, Martin,’ said Darcy, ‘don’t touch it.’
‘I have to,’ said Martin. ‘We need the crystal.’
‘No!’ Darcy shouted.
But before she could stop him, Martin had reached out and grabbed hold of the grey box. He didn’t turn to dust. Instead, Martin opened the box and took out a shimmering crystal. Then he dropped the box back onto the platform, laughing.
‘Don’t ever do that to me again!’ Darcy shouted, punching Martin on the arm. ‘I nearly had a heart attack!’
As soon as she had calmed down, Darcy peered at the crystal. It was a
perfect cuboid, and it shone with dozens of different colours.
‘So that’s the Isis Crystal,’ said Levanté. ‘So much fuss over something so small. But how did you know the box wouldn’t kill you?’
‘I didn’t know for sure. I just had a hunch. Remember what Laser Wolf said, about the key being made around fourteen years ago? Well, it wasn’t around fourteen years ago. The key was forged fourteen years ago exactly.’
‘How do you know?’ said Tommy.
‘Because I’m the key.’ Martin paused. ‘Laser Wolf said that the key might be multifunctional. Well, remember what happened when I touched Harvey Longfellow’s telescope. My touch unlocked it. I guessed that the same thing would happen when I touched the grey box.’
Darcy smiled. ‘You’re a genius, do you know that?’
‘A genius indeed,’ said a female voice.
The hairs on Martin’s neck bristled. They all turned. But it was a friendly face.
‘Kara?’ said Martin. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I have come to help,’ said Kara. ‘Michael Slater told me you had gone into the city. I wanted to come to offer my assistance.’
‘Well, thanks,’ said Tommy.
Kara’s eyes landed on the Isis Crystal.
‘So that is what all the trouble has been about. It is very beautiful.’ She reached out a hand towards the crystal. ‘May I?’
But at that moment Laser Wolf strode into the Silver Castle. He was breathless; he had obviously been running.
‘You… you retrieved it!’ he said, delighted. ‘I realised where you must be going and I came to stop you. But you did it!’
He looked at Kara, and his eyes darkened. He stepped in front of Martin and the others, stretching out his arms to protect them.
‘What are you doing?’ said Martin. ‘It’s OK. This is a friend. Her name is Kara. She’s here to help us.’
Laser Wolf did not move.
‘Do you remember that I said someone working for Moonstone was inside the city?’
‘Slater,’ said Martin. ‘I said it must be Slater.’
Laser Wolf shook his head.
Martin King and the Space Angels (Martin King Series) Page 9