****
“How long have they been gone?” asked Hob, peering out the window at the two stones that marked the beginning of the trail to the oracle’s cave.
“They should be back by now,’ Louise answered. “I hope nothing has happened.”
“There they are!” Hob exclaimed. “Look! They still have Merlin’s staff and it looks as if it has been mended too! I wonder why Ben is carrying it.”
Louise glanced out the window. Marcus was coming down the path, toward the two gate stones, with Ben and Casey behind him. Hob was right. Ben appeared to have the wizard’s staff in his possession and was using it like a hiking stick. Hob made a dash for the door and everyone followed him out onto the lawn to meet them.
“What did the oracle tell you?” asked Louise.
“Who fixed the staff?” Amos inquired.
“What did the oracle look like?” Gob questioned.
Marcus held his hand up to quiet everyone. “Gabriel and Jonah, I need for you to return to the Twilight and make sure that the final preparations are complete. Do some trial runs with the catapults and then anchor them in place and hide them. Position the Faerie oaks so that they are completely concealed from the castle wall and towers. We will join you in a few hours.”
Gabriel and Jonah hurried back to the lodge and out into the open square. The Faerie oak trembled, sending faint vibrations down to its deep, widespread roots. The vibrations traveled through the ground, across the meadow, to a small group of white horses that were grazing on the tender spring grasses. Two of the horses lifted their heads, turned, and gazed toward Mount Gazafar. With a quick ninny, and a swish of their tails, they were off, racing across the fields to answer the beckoning call of the Faerie oak. Their masters needed them. There was urgency in the call. There was a pressing need for speed.
Once Gabriel and Jonah were on their way back to the Merlin tree, Marcus led everyone to a room at the end of the west wing of the lodge. In the center of the room, a large horseshoe shaped table faced the exterior wall of the room. This exterior wall opened to an outdoor patio where a beautiful fountain of water trickled down a pyramid of smooth round stones and pebbles. The afternoon shadows were growing long. The westerly sun and the warm spring breezes, accompanied with the musical tinkling fountain, had a calming and soothing effect on everyone present. It was exactly what Marcus what hoping for. He asked everyone to take a seat at the table and to listen.
“We have spoken with the oracle and he has answered the question I put to him. I asked him, very simply, how we could defeat Zoltan. His answer, though lacking in details, was very simple too.” Marcus paused and glanced at Louise who was staring at him intently. “His answer,” Marcus continued, “was that Ben would be the one to destroy the dragon.”
Everyone stared at the Keeper, not quite believing what they had just heard, while Louise quickly stood and smoothed her dress. She glared at the Keeper.
“Come along children. We are going home.” Casey hopped up from the table and ran to her grandma. “Come on Ben, move it!”
Ben, however, ignored his sister and remained at the table with a thoughtful expression on his face. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and began rubbing his chin. Casey hated it when he did that because it usually meant he was thinking about something foolish.
“Not yet,” he answered, “there’s got to be another way to beat this dragon.” He looked at the Keeper for confirmation, but Marcus sadly smiled and shook his head.
“No, Ben, the oracle has seen a future that is hidden from me. To defeat Zoltan, you must face him and, somehow cast a spell of confusion on him; of that, I am certain. I suspect that he will be less wary with a child presenting the staff to him and you will be able to catch him off guard.”
“What does the spell do?”
“The spell slows your reflexes and makes it difficult to think and to move. It is a very weak spell and will only addle him for a second, maybe two, but that may be the critical time we need to ensnare him with the catapults and chains.”
“How close do I have to be to the dragon to cast the spell? Can I hide in one of the castle towers and cast it from there, without him seeing me?”
“I only wish you could. The spell being a weak one must be cast head on and in close proximity. Remember, the oracle said that you must face the dragon and cast the spell.”
Ben thought for a moment. He looked over at his grandma and sister. Louise was gripping the back of a chair with white knuckled fists and Casey was latched onto her arm. He looked at Amos and his three dwarf friends. Amos sat silently, studying him intently. Hob, Gob, and Nob sat on the edge of their seats staring at him with open admiration. There was no doubt in their minds that he could slay the dragon. Ben turned back to the Keeper.
“How do you know that I can even cast a spell? I’m not a wizard, or a magician, or anything like that!”
“There is our problem. I am afraid you cannot cast a spell. It is impossible.”
“No it isn’t,” said Hob.
“Yes, it is,” the Keeper insisted. “Ben does not possess the ability to perform magic.”
“Oh, but he does,” Hob insisted. “Gabriel and I have seen him.”
“When and where? Please explain.”
“Last summer,” Hob answered, “when we were seeking the witch, Ben used magic to defeat her.”
“That was not Ben’s magic,” Amos pointed out, “but the witch’s own magic that was cast back on her from the spell catcher.”
“That’s it!” Marcus shouted. The Keeper jumped up from his chair and slammed his fist down on the table. “That’s it! I cannot believe I did not see this. You are a genius Hob!”
“Would someone tell me what’s going on?” Ben cried.
“What Hob is saying is that you actually can cast the spell, Ben. You do not need magic. You have the staff of Merlin and there is a spell catcher on the end of the staff.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Venus said the staff was now yours. That means if I cast a spell at you while you are holding the staff, the spell catcher on the end of the staff will catch the spell. As long as you are holding the staff, the spell catcher will hold the spell. If you lay the staff down, the spell will be released, but if you touch someone with the staff, I will bet the spell will be transferred to the person you touch. That is what happened with the witch; you were wearing a small spell catcher on a necklace when she tried to turn you into stone. When she grabbed you, her own spell was transferred back onto her.”
“So, you’re thinking about casting the spell of confusion at me while I am holding the staff, and then sending me out to touch the dragon?” Ben asked incredulously.
“That’s exactly what I’m thinking! It’s brilliant. Zoltan will not see it coming. All you will have to do is wait for him on top of the tower. When he lands on the wall, you walk forward, kneel down, and present the staff to him. The minute he touches the staff you run for the tower and we will launch the chains from the catapults.”
“That sounds too dangerous,” said Amos. “I do not like the idea of Ben getting that close to the dragon.”
“Amos is right,” Louise agreed. “It is just too risky.”
“No, it is not. I would not do anything that would jeopardize Ben’s life, Louise. You know that. This will work. The dragon will not harm him, I promise.”
“How do you know that?” asked Casey. “You’ve said yourself that you cannot see the future where Zoltan is concerned.”
“Yes, but I know this dragon. He will want to take the staff and then play with Ben, like a cat with a mouse. He is vain, prideful, wicked, and evil. He will want to see Ben cower in fear, but he will not have a chance. With me casting the spell, I can make it as powerful as possible. This will work, I tell you!”
“Can we try it out now?” Ben asked.
“Absolutely,” Marcus answered. “I think we must. Amos,
you are the largest person here. Will you help us with this test?”
“Sure,” the big man answered. “What can I do?”
“You and Ben come with me outside and stand beside one another. Ben, bring the staff.”
Out on the patio, Louise watched over her grandson and fretted. Merlin’s staff was taller than Ben and, standing there beside Amos, she was reminded of the story of David and Goliath. Against impossible odds, David, a child himself, had slain a giant with a small stone and a slingshot. Ben had greater resources available to him than a small stone and a slingshot, but he was going up against a fire breathing dragon.
“Okay,” said Ben. “What do we do now?”
“After I cast the spell at you,” Marcus answered, “I want you to hand the staff to Amos. Amos, when Ben hands you the staff, reach out and touch it. After you touch the staff, I want you to try to catch him.”
“Is that all?” Amos asked, while scratching his head. “That shouldn’t be too hard.”
“We shall see,” Marcus replied, with a twinkle in his eye. “Ben, as soon as he touches the staff, I want you to run back inside. Got it?”
Ben nodded and held the staff out in front of him. The Keeper stretched his arm out, his hand open and his palm facing Ben. He whispered something and then lowered his arm.
“It is done.”
Ben turned to Amos and held out the staff. Amos did not like magic and this made him very nervous, but he knew he had to do it. It wasn’t just Ben’s life that was in danger; it was everyone’s. Slowly he reached out toward the staff, extended a finger, and touched it.
Ben snatched the staff back and ran across the patio, back into the lodge. He expected Amos to snatch him up almost immediately, but once he was inside, he turned around and was shocked at what he saw.
*****