Starfall (The Starfall Chronicles Book 1)

by R. M. Anderson

  At the moment, she knew she had to focus her attention on Thomas. One thing at a time. Back to the present. Rushing to his side, she ripped off a section of her tunic and quickly bound his wound. She sat in the sand and shook him gently, waiting for him to come to his senses.

  When he opened his eyes, the first thing Thomas did was apologize. “I'm sorry Radianne,” he said. “This is all my fault.”

  She stood up and dried her eyes with back of her hand. “How could this situation be your fault?” she asked. “Those creatures just came out of nowhere.”

  “There are some things you have no knowledge of,” Thomas said quietly. “And those were not ordinary Desert Dogs…” his words trailed off.

  “What are you talking about?” Radianne raised an eyebrow. “You're not making much sense.”

  Thomas sat up and flinched. “I will explain on the way there.”

  “The way there?”

  Thomas struggled to his feet. He sighed. “Radianne, your friends are in terrible danger,” he said. “There's no time to waste. There is also something you should know. But we must leave now.”

  -17-

  Sand Trap

  A

  s Thomas led her through the dark and cool desert night, Radianne shivered. Blink sat on her shoulder, his fading energy still giving her a little spark of hope as they pressed on.

  “I have not been completely honest with you Radianne,” Thomas said quietly.

  She turned to look at the Wanderer in the moonlight. His furrowed brow told her she probably would not like what he was about to say.

  “This desert is vast and deeper than you know. Underground…” Thomas began. “Though the main lair of the Snorgs is in The Center of Eustasia, over the years they have formed an intricate underground system of tunnels and caverns throughout our world. They have been working on this for many, many years, and by now they may even have a tunnel system running under Eugladia. I'm most likely the only one outside their circle who knows.”

  He paused and then took a deep breath. “One of the systems sits under this desert. Though the Snorgs rarely surface here, as they don't find the weather to be very agreeable to their health, one of their holding and training caverns is located under this very wasteland of sand.”

  Radianne was trying to take it all in, but some of what he was saying didn't make much sense to her. Tunnels under Eugladia? Holding and training caverns? She opened her mouth to speak, but Thomas began talking again.

  “After I was captured, the Snorgs brought me on a long underground journey from Eustasia to this cavern. It's just one of the many places where Snorg slaves are kept and brainwashed. Once the slaves have been turned dark, they are put through specialized training programs, based on what talents they can bring to the Snorg cause. This is how the Snorgs continue to build their army. One day soon, the ever-growing dark army will be unleashed into our world. This army is more dangerous than any of us can imagine.”

  He paused again.

  “When I was held captive, the Snorgs tried several different tactics to turn me, but to no avail. One of the tactics involved manipulation by a seemingly sweet girl who had taken up with the Snorgs – no doubt she had been kidnapped and brainwashed as well. She was about eleven or twelve and tried to convince me that I had no choice but to join up with the fiends, that theirs would be a cause I would be proud to be a part of one day – that they really meant to bring good and balance to the world. Of course, I knew the truth in my heart, and when I looked into her vacant eyes, I knew that the empty words were nothing but lies and trickery. I’d often hear the girl crying in a cage set near mine, sobbing in the darkness, telling me they would kill her if I didn't join them. There were moments she'd smile at me in the shadows, her face beautiful and seemingly innocent, telling me all would be well when the Snorgs came to rule the world. She was not well in the head. They had changed her. And she tried to lure me in to her beliefs, a tool they used. But it didn't work.

  “The Snorgs tried other tactics too, many others. When those also failed, they realized they had no choice but to keep me tightly guarded until they could figure something out. If all else failed, I was to be brought back to The Center and fed to their pet in the black lake. So, this is where the scorpions come in.”

  Radianne's eyes were wide as she tried to understand all he was saying.

  “Are you still with me?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.” He continued. “The scorpions were placed around my cell, ordered to guard me at all times and sting in unison the instant I tried to escape. But for some odd reason, the creatures took a liking to me. Perhaps I reminded them of the wild life they'd led before they had been taken captive by the Snorgs. Sometimes at night, the scorpions would creep into my cage and sit on my arms and legs, curious and watching. I was too scared to move, so I let them be. We formed a friendship. Over time, I was able to command them to do my will. Their affection and connection with me overpowered anything the Snorgs had done to them. The girl never seemed to notice. One day when she was sleeping and the Snorgs that patrolled were not in sight, I dug out of my prison and managed to escape. The scorpions followed and we fled to a very remote part of the desert, far away from here, where I stayed for some time until I was sure no one was following. No one did. I then came back and took up residence in the cave where you met me. I was always on guard, but I chose not to leave the desert. I wanted to remain close to the lair so when the day came and I had my own army formed, it would be one of the first places I'd attack. I'd try to free all the victims inside.”

  Thomas stopped talking for a few minutes so Radianne could gather her racing thoughts.

  To think that Snorgs could possibly be under their feet at that very instant, she mused. That would explain the bad moods since entering the desert. She wondered, sadly, how many other victims there were. She wondered what had become of the girl.

  One thing really confused her.

  “Why wouldn't they have come after you?” she asked Thomas. “That doesn't make much sense.”

  He shook his head. “I've often wondered that myself. The only logical explanation I can think of is that the handful of Snorgs who run the cavern figured I fled the area long ago with the scorpions. And as they are not fond of the desert, like I said before, they probably didn't feel like coming after me. They are not always very bright and are often very lazy. However…” he suddenly trailed off, and looked away, with a guilty expression on his face.

  “What is it?”

  “I now know that it's my fault Henrick and the Floppersnogs were taken,” he added, quietly.

  “How is that your fault?” Radianne raised an eyebrow. “You didn't hand them over.”

  Thomas shook his head. “Maybe not directly, but it is my fault. I didn't know this at the time, but I'm pretty certain that after I said goodbye to the scorpions and left with you, they went back to the holding cavern. When they were with me the spell over them was immobilized for whatever reason, but after I left, they no doubt felt a magnetic pull back to the Snorgs. I am afraid that with their arrival there they somehow revealed I was in the area again, and the Desert Dogs were unleashed to hunt me down.”

  Radianne frowned. “Well, if that's the case, why didn't the creatures take you hostage then, instead of Henrick and the Floppersnogs?”

  “The only conclusion I have is that when the Desert Dogs saw there were others in my company, they realized it would be better to take fresh captives who might be more easily brainwashed. Perhaps they thought this would please the Snorgs more,” Thomas shook his head. “They couldn't take all of us, so they singled out Henrick and the Floppersnogs. Henrick would make a good addition to the army and the Floppersnogs would too, as they are so cute that no one would suspect them of maliciousness. However, I'm sure the dogs will come back looking for us, or will be ordered to.”

  Radianne was quiet for a few moments. Thomas couldn't have known what would happen when he'd left his cave. It was an unfortunate
incident. She told him as much as they continued to walk, but grew solemn at the thought of the task that lay ahead.

  Into their lair. She knew she was heading toward a very black place. She would have to summon all the courage she had within herself to face the monsters in the darkness.

  With Blink fading as he was, time was also of the essence. He had been a source of light and hope for her all along, but now that his light was fading – his life was fading – she found herself growing despondent again. She hoped Blink's waning light and her goal of saving him would be strong enough to pull her through, but at that moment, she wasn't so sure.

  She knew she had a duty to Henrick and the Floppersnogs as well, and Blink would not want to leave them to be tortured. She could not bear to leave them to be tortured. If only she and Thomas could act quickly to get everything done in time.

  “How much further then? Until we get to this secret Snorg lair?”

  Thomas pointed to a large dune just ahead, where a hole had been dug out in the mound. “It looks like the Desert Dogs tunneled in over there,” he said. “There are many places to tunnel in, but it might be easiest to just follow their trail.”

  Radianne shuddered to think of how close she and her friends had been to the evil Snorgs, all that time, without even knowing it. The fiends were literally right under their feet. She was surprised she and her friends hadn't been discovered long before and was thankful the Snorgs didn't fare well in the desert.

  “How are you Blink?” she whispered. “Are you up for the task ahead? I'm sorry it has come to this.”

  Blink patted her shoulder weakly, sending a little tingle of hope down her spine. “We must do what has to be done. The Creator would not bring us this far for me, or any of us, to perish now. We have to save our friends, and then we can focus on my predicament.”

  Tears sprang to Radianne's eyes at his selflessness. The star was certainly teaching her a lot about sacrifice. Her hand touched him reassuringly.

  She hoped he would survive the ordeal ahead. She hoped they all would.

  They'd arrived. She and Thomas stood at the threshold of the dark opening in the dune.

  “Are you ready for this?” he whispered.

  Her heart thudded in her chest. She reached into the hidden pocket in her tunic, her fingers trailing along the cool, smooth blade of the dagger. She set her mouth in a grim line.

  “Let's go get them.”

  -18-

  Into The Darkness

  I

  t seemed as if the darkness would carry on forever. The sandy and foul-smelling tunnel led them this way and that, ever deeper into the dark and mysterious desert underground. Blink still gave off enough light to help them find their way, and for that, Radianne was once again grateful. Without his glow, they would have been forced to feel their way along the sides of the stinking tunnel. It smelled of death and rotten meat and the strong odor of dirty Desert Dog.

  Radianne's heart beat faster as they progressed deeper into the realm of the unknown. She and her companions stayed silent as they tried to keep their presence undetected. Thomas turned and took her hand for a moment. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  After what seemed like an eternity, a dull light appeared overhead. At the end of the tunnel, Thomas held up a hand as he slowly poked his head around the exit, scanning the area for threats.

  “We're in a long corridor,” he whispered. “There doesn't seem to be anything lurking about at the moment. Let's go.”

  They stepped out from the tunnel and into the dark corridor. The walls of the earthen, sandy hallway were narrow and the path ahead was dimly lit by the flickering flames of candles placed in wall sconces. The light caused their shadows to look gigantic as they walked.

  “There are many corridors such as this, most leading to the main holding and training cavern. I'm sure we will be there in no time at all,” Thomas whispered. “The question is, what will we do when we get there?”

  Adrenaline coursed through Radianne's body as they moved forward. She knew there was no question of what she would do – she would use that dagger if she had to in order to free her friends.

  “The light will always prevail,” Blink whispered in the shadows. “The light will always find a way.”

  Radianne smiled at her friend's encouraging words. She knew in her heart he was right… he had to be.

  The trio turned round a bend at the end of the corridor and walked down another long hallway until they came to a door.

  Thomas grimaced. “This will open into the cavern,” he said. “I'm going to open it quietly. Maybe I'll be able to see something to give us enough warning… so we know what we're getting ourselves into.”

  Radianne and Blink watched silently as Thomas very slowly opened the door a crack. It barely made a sound. He poked his head in and looked around.

  “I can't see much, but it seems pretty quiet in there,” he whispered. “The Snorgs may be in another chamber at the moment. I'm not sure if Henrick and the Floppersnogs have been placed in cells yet, but we can find a place to hide inside until we can get a better feel for things.”

  Pulling his head in, he faced Radianne and Blink. “Are you both ready for this?”

  They nodded.

  Opening the door a little wider, Thomas motioned for them to follow. Stepping cautiously into the shadowy cavern, their eyes searched everywhere at once, scanning for signs of life or danger. It was a giant, airy space that also looked like an arena of sorts. A strange black pond sat in the middle of it.

  Large boulders encircled the perimeter of the sandy arena, and stone stairways were placed at its four corners. These led up to heavy wood platforms reinforced underneath by tree trunks.

  Though it was difficult to see in the dim lighting, Radianne could make out what appeared to be cages or cells sitting on the platforms.

  On the far end of the room, sitting high up on another stone staircase, was a foreboding-looking ebony throne.

  Radianne wondered who it belonged to.

  Thomas seemed to be scrutinizing the dark chair as well. “That wasn't here before,” he whispered. “I wonder what it's all about.”

  There didn't seem to be any movement in the cavern at the moment, so the group cautiously continued forward.

  “If we get up above, we might be able to see if Henrick and the Floppersnogs have been imprisoned,” Thomas said. He crept up the nearest crumbly stone stairway and Radianne followed.

  When they arrived at the top and stepped out onto the platform, they took note of a series of cages on one end. Across the way, on the other side of the arena, sat another cluster of cages. Some of the cells were empty, but some held prisoners.

  None of them were Henrick and the Floppersnogs.

  “Remember, we arrived here not long after the Desert Dogs,” Thomas whispered, trying to reassure Radianne and Blink. “I'm sure our friends will be coming along shortly. Let's find a hiding place and wait things out.”

  They walked along the platform until they came to the end with a cluster of empty cages. None of the prisoners in the occupied cages made a sound, they seemed to be asleep or in a daze.

  The space behind the empty cages was dark and shadowy, a perfect place for hiding for the time being. As long as no one came too close, the trio would likely get by undetected.

  They stepped behind one of the cages then, and leaned up against the cavern wall for support. Blink hid under Radianne's hair so his glow would not reveal their presence.

  Radianne and Thomas could see through the empty bars of the cage to sections of the arena below, and across the way to several of the other cells.

  The two said nothing as they waited for what would come next, but Radianne's thoughts were racing. She'd spotted a Gentle Giant imprisoned across the way. The creature appeared to be asleep at the moment, but Radianne's heart fell as she wondered what torments it had already endured. In another cage sat a fox, and in another, a monkey that looked as if it had come from the Jungle of Vancor.


  Radianne wanted to free them but knew it wasn't the time. She stood with Thomas for what felt like ages. It seemed as if days had passed, though in reality, it had only been about an hour.

  A door on the opposite side of the cavern was suddenly flung open. In marched three Snorgs, pushing and shoving the newest training camp arrivals. Behind the Snorgs trailed several Desert Dogs – the same pack that had snatched up Henrick and the Floppersnogs.

  Henrick was at the head of the group, shoved by two large and nasty-looking Snorgs. One of them prodded him on with a long, jagged stick, as if he were a horse. His hands were tied behind his back and his clothes were torn. Behind him, the Floppersnogs huddled together like one big marching colorful furball. They too were being prodded along by a nasty stick-wielding Snorg.

  “Such luck, such luck!” the Snorg monitoring Henrick growled. Its voice echoed throughout the cavern. “Fine prisoners and morphlings you will be.”

  “Ha!” Henrick sneered back. “We'll see about that, you rotten, stinking pile of trash.”

  The Snorg raised the stick and struck Henrick sharply across the head. He doubled over in pain, and another Snorg kicked him in the legs, causing him to lose his balance and stumble forward.

  “Quiet, you fool!” the Snorg growled. “Or you will pay an even steeper price later.”

  Radianne covered her mouth with one hand to keep from screaming. She felt so helpless watching the scene unfold… it was awful seeing her friends treated in such a manner. She had to restrain herself from rushing out of hiding right then and there.

  Thomas reached for her free hand and gave it a firm squeeze. The touch helped eased her nerves, slightly. She knew she had to stay silent, at least for the moment.