“I'm not sure I can. I have tried to bring people before.”
“It will work Thomas. Trust me.” Indya seemed pretty sure of herself, but Thomas wasn't. He had already tried several times to cast a spell that would bring Alanna back, but nothing had happened.
“I will do my best.” Thomas tried to think of the words that might bring Indya's husband.
“On his person I have dibs,
On this table put Erin Nibs.”
A blue light erupted from Thomas hand and enveloped the table. In a flash, a bewildered Mr Nibs sat on the over turned bowl of soup.
Mr Nibs blinked a few times and stared at Mrs Ink. “Indya! What am I doing here?”
“Our guest helped fetch you home.”
Mr Nibs turned to Thomas and visibly started.
“Thomas. What are you doing here?”
Indya walked around in front of Erin drawing his attention. “I asked you not to get involved Erin.”
“Yes, but it was just a harmless journal.”
“Harmless?” Indya walked over to Thomas and held up his arm with the dragon tattoo. “Do you call this harmless?”
The old man's eyes bulged. “Oh dear lord.”
“The king imprinted him with this as part of the marriage ceremony.” Every word that left Indya's lips seem to sting Mr Nibs as surely as if he had been strapped.
“How was I to know he would do something like that?” Mr Nibs sounded hurt and defensive.
“This is why I said to leave well enough alone. LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE. Why is it you always feel the need to tinker with things?”
The conversation stirred the fear inside of Thomas. The experiences of this evening were completely unhinging him. He had to wonder if he was losing his sanity. Perhaps he wasn't here, maybe he was really dreaming this entire world. There had to be some explanation for what was going on.
“Excuse me.”
The old couple kept on arguing with each other, almost totally oblivious to Thomas.
“Hello?”
It seemed that they had forgotten that he was in the room all together.
“COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON!?”
That stopped both of them in mid-sentence.
“Well Erin?”
Mr Nibs straightened up and slid off the table. Doing his best to smooth the soup off the backside of his clothing he stood considering his words for a moment.
“I'm sorry Thomas. I'm afraid my meddling may have inadvertently been responsible for that tattoo of yours.” Thomas could tell that Mr Nibs was still holding things back. He seemed to be weaving through what he knew of what was going on, and picking out the bare essentials to tell Thomas.
“That journal and pen I gave you. They are a truly unique set. Once you start writing in that journal, those that you write about on the pages, will be drawn to it. It's sort of an enchanted item. If you express feelings of ...well love... it will cast a spell over the one whom you professed your feelings for, should they ever read it.”
Thomas groaned. So Alanna wasn't really in love with him. She just thought she was. He felt utterly deflated.
Picking up on Thomas expression Mr Nibs continued. “That isn't to say that that person doesn't care for the person using the journal. It merely accelerates feelings that person already has.”
Somehow that didn't reassure Thomas. A lie. It was all a lie. Then a cold realization came over him. Thomas looked down at his tattoo and realized he was doomed. Alanna had been caught in a spell, they were never meant to be together. The moment he went through with the rest of the ceremony he was done for.
“Why?” It was all that Thomas could think to say.
“I wish I could tell you son. I really do. My wife is right though. The less you know, the better, at least for now. I think we have to ride this storm out, and see where it leads us.”
“Even if it's to my death?!”
Mrs Ink looked very sad. “Don't worry Thomas. Things will work out. I promise.” She shot Mr Nibs a threatening glance as she comforted Thomas.
“Now I think it's time that you got going.”
That caught Thomas off guard. “I thought that you said that I could stay!”
“A lot has happened since then Thomas.” Indya got up and started to pack some snacks into containers. “I think it best that you get to Westminster as soon as possible. It may be a good idea to pick up Alanna first. I have a feeling that she will be a big part of what's to come.”
“I can't.”
Both Indya and Erin stopped what they were doing and replied in unison, “Why not?”
“She's been captured by Victor.”
Indya slumped into a chair and the both of them stared at Thomas slack-jawed.
Thomas was fighting back a well of emotions that hadn't fully hit him until he put it into words. It was strange how you could control your feelings about something until you finally said the words to yourself. It was like the words themselves were the key to open the gates to his pent up despair.
“This couldn't be worse Erin.” Mrs Ink stared at Mr Nibs, but Mr Nibs seemed lost.
“That's why I am heading to Westminster. I'm hoping that Edric will be able to help me.”
“All the more reason not to wait.” Indya had finished packing the snacks into a bag of sorts and handed it to Thomas.
Thomas wasn't looking forward to going out into the cold again, but he had to admit that he was worried about Alanna. “If I'm right, I believe it's almost a week before I will get there.”
“A week! You're a magician! It shouldn't take that long at all!”
“I'm a little nervous about using a spell to travel though.”
“Why? You brought Erin here with no problems.”
Erin was still trying to rub some of the remnants of soup from his clothing.
“I just don't want to end up inside of a wall, or in the floor. I've never been to Westminster before.”
“Have faith in yourself. You don't have the time to be hoofing it all over the place. You have the ability, it's time to use it!” Indya put her arm on Thomas' shoulder and was already ushering him back to the entrance hall.
“Now the thing you'll need is space. These spells can be a little unpredictable, so we want to make sure that you have plenty of room.”
Not exactly what Thomas wanted to hear.
Thomas stood in the middle of the entrance hall, all eyes on him, all 54 sets of eyes (give or take).
“You are on your way then Thomas?” The voice came from one of the balustrades. “It was a pleasure to meet you, whether or not you are the real Thomas.”
Thomas sighed. Maybe it was for the better that he left tonight. Thomas concentrated on words that would take him to Edric, not just to Westminster. He would have no idea who Edric was once he got there, so it would be best if the spell took him directly to the person himself. He was having problems however coming up with words that would work for him. Did it matter if it made sense? He decided to try to see if just rhyming was enough.
Thomas gave a perfunctory cough and all eyes were on him.
“By way of banjo and musical flute,
Take me now to Edric Greenshoot!”
A brilliant flash of light lit the room and Thomas disappeared in a hail of banjo and flute music. Both Mr Nibs and Mrs Ink looked at each other. Was something missing from the room?
*****
In a cacophony of flute and banjo music, Thomas appeared ten feet up in the air hovering over a table in what appeared to be a bar. Thomas came crashing down on a pitcher of beer. He was just about to apologize when he looked up and realized he wasn't the only one that had come along for the ride. He just had time to utter, “Oh crud.” as he took in the expression of sheer terror in the eyes of the giant bowl chandelier that had hitched a ride from Mrs Ink's house.
CHAPTER 35
THE CAPTURED AND THE KINDERCOOKS
A cold wind blew from the north, high over the valley and wrapped itself
around the mountain. It swept up the spiralling dirt path that lead up the precarious mountainside. It blew past the Shadowy figure of a creature dragging its prey back to its lair and continued up until it broke against the walls of Mordon Castle.
The castle had stood for thousands of years, fighting off the ill tempered weather that never ceased. It had held against armies hundreds of times over the years that it had stood. Mordon castle had never known defeat, at least, not by any army. Time however has a way of doing that which armies could not. The castle listed now on the edge of the hill, threatening to fall into the void below as the land shifted it closer to the edge. The inhabitants, once righteous armies of kings and queens had changed to dark sinister groups that worked in the Shadows. The rotten souls of the beings that now inhabited Mordon castle seemed to eat away at the soul of a once majestic place until it reflected outwardly the ugliness that was inside. The castle had grown dark.
Victor stood at the windowless porthole that lay open to a view of the trail below. Bowl of seeing in one hand, clutching his robe to his chest with the other, he stood impatiently waiting for the return of the Shadow with his prey. A cold wind swept through the open bay window and tore at Victors robe. Victor shivered, turning away from the window and walked back to his throne. The nights had been particularly cold lately. His joints ached and pained in ways that he had never experienced before, and yet, the weather seemed fitting for what lay ahead.
The seconds ran on into minutes, and the minutes threatened to move on into hours as Victor watched the slow approach of the Shadow through his bowl of seeing. The bowl of seeing. His link to the outside world, and his largest advantage over that so-called head wizard, Edric Greenshoot. Sight, was something reserved for the true master wizards. You had to have an innate ability with visions in order to create something as powerful as the bowl of seeing. True, this was not Victor's creation. He had found it amongst the rubble of the ruined sections of the castle. The way that Victor saw it, if he had not been a great and powerful wizard, the bowl would not have let him operate it. And so Victor became mesmerized by the bowl of seeing, and contemplated his greatness while he waited for his guest to inch her way closer to his domain.
*****
Alanna was conscious of everything going on around her. She was unable to move or transform, but she remained aware of her surroundings. As far as she could tell, the Shadow carried along with it, a dark energy force field that it could control and use to trap its victims. The field carried Alanna silently along, letting her hover just off the ground. It wouldn't be such a bad way to travel if it weren't for the other effect of the dark energy field. It filled you with a sense of dread and terror. Such a feeling of horror that you didn't dare try to move. Alanna was slowly managing to control her irrational feelings of fear. At least now she had an understanding of how the Shadow was able to overpower its victims.
The lightening was getting closer now. They were almost to the top of Mount Rift. Alanna would catch glimpses of the castle as they wound their way up the mountain path. She had the feeling that even without this dark field surrounding her, the castle would still make her shiver. It looked like a bony shell of the great castle of the legends that gave it birth. Something that had stood against the elements for far longer than any structure was meant to.
Inevitably they crossed through the ancient gate and into the compound of the fortress. Alanna was careful to pay attention as they went along. She needed to know where she was going if she was ever to escape this nightmare. Her thoughts slipped momentarily to Thomas. She wondered what he was doing now.
They crossed a drawbridge over an empty moat and crossed into the inner walls of the fortress. The moat had not held water in recent memory she guessed. Remnants of those who had tried to cross the once still waters littered the bottom.
The Shadow passed through gate after gate, and finally started to ascend a staircase that seemed to lead into the sky. Every corner of the castle presented hints of wonders that once adorned the mysterious structure.
Finally they arrived in a large room with vaulted ceilings. There was little question what this room served as. This was the only room of the structure that she had seen, that was fully dressed. Carpets led up to a throne which sat just off the centre of the room. In the throne sat an elderly man with a long black-streaked white beard. His eyes were sunken into the Shadows that fell across his face , cast from his hard features. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of metal striking metal reverberated off the walls.
“Finally!” The man rose from the throne and placed a bowl that he had been holding, onto a pedestal beside where he had sat until a moment ago.
“You took your time Shadow.” The elderly man walked over toward Alanna and placed a hand on her chin, pulling her head up to meet his gaze. “Still, you've done well.”
Against her will, Alanna was able to take in the old man's features more clearly than before. She could see his frightening yellowed, bloodshot eyes staring into her soul. Something behind those eyes frightened Alanna more than the Shadow had. It was as if the being beyond those eyes had long lost morality and reason, and all that was left was a curious crazed and evil entity. Alanna shivered.
The old man chanted silently while still holding her head in place. A beam of light rimmed his eyes, and a bolt shot out and went straight through Alanna. Alanna shook. What had happened to her?
“You may let her go Shadow.” The Shadow backed away and with it, took its dark energy field. Relief almost overwhelmed Alanna as the Shadow left. She had been fighting the oppressive feelings of the dark energy field for a long time, and it had started to wear on her sanity.
As soon as the Shadow had backed a fair distance away, Alanna immediately reached for her ability to change to her dragon form, and found... nothing. She tried again, but nothing happened.
“What have you done to me?” Alanna cried out.
“I have only suppressed your ability to change forms. I wouldn't have been able to dismiss the Shadow otherwise. He does get cranky, and hungry if I tie him to one person for too long.”
The old man settled himself back down into his throne and picked up his bowl.
“My name... is Victor... and you are?”
“Are you serious? You kidnapped me and you don't even know who I am?”
“WHO you are is irrelevant. You are a friend of the boy wizard. A close, personal friend if I don't miss my guess.” Victor's mouth twisted into a wicked smile.
“How would you know that?”
Victor tilted the bowl that he was peering into toward Alanna. “He looks a little cold doesn't he?”
Alanna walked over to where Victor sat and peered into the bowl. There, staring back at her, was the image of Thomas, sitting in the middle of their abandoned camp. He did look very cold. Cold and sad. Alanna's heart fell as she observed a Thomas who looked very much broken. Where was Tretchbolt?
“You see, I know everything.”
“But why are you interested in Thomas? He's just a boy!”
Victor's lips drew back into a snarl and revealed Victor's black teeth. “Just a kid? He defeated the Shadow easily enough, and as a dragon, I shouldn't have to tell you, that's not something to be scoffed at. Also, he battled with a dragon, and not just any dragon, the king of dragons...” Victor paused for dramatic effect, allowing the severity of his words to sink in, “...and won. He is quite resilient. I can't have someone like that interfering with my plans.”
“Stopping Thomas isn't going to help you Victor. Alkamire Aqual will defeat you.”
“So certain are you?” Victor motioned her to the window. “Take a peek into the courtyard, and see if you are still so resolute.”
Alanna stepped over to the window and gawked in open horror at the scene before her. Hundreds of feet below, throngs of dragons in full armour were battling against each other. The fully transformed dragons wore armour the likes of which Alanna had never seen before. They looked as much a weapon as protection.
Blades stuck out from strategic places. The chain mailed tail section ended in a spiked ball hanging off it. These Dragons looked dangerous, and more importantly, organized. Her heart fell. Then she noticed something she hadn't before. Some of the dragons were dark Storm Dragons, but a good deal of them were red! Ganton's army was here!
Alanna turned on her heel and stormed over to Victor. “What is Ganton Blackrock's army doing here?!”
Victor smiled his cruel knowing smile. “Ganton wanted a spot on the winning side, so I obliged him and let him join me. I can be gracious to those who recognize my authority.”
Could Ganton really be so angry as to join with Victor's army? It seemed like the answer was already right in front of her. She realized quickly that Victor was right. Her father and the other Dragon nations were nowhere near ready to face this. They were barely organized as a union, let alone ready for a war. Victor must have picked up on her despair because he continued on with his self congratulatory speech.
“You can see the truth of what I say then. The rest of the dragon kingdom has no idea of the power that I wield right now. They are sitting idly back, discussing the chance of possibly, maybe, doing something. By the time they form any sort of resistance, it will already be too late.” Victor held the bowl up high to accentuate his point. “I know exactly when and where to strike, they will not have a chance!”
Rage took over Alanna. She lunged at the bowl in Victor's hand, sending it crashing to the floor. Ancient glass gave way to worn stone as the bowl exploded into thousands of tiny pieces.
Victor shrieked at the top of his lungs. “You FOOL! You witch! How dare you!?”
Alanna could see Victor shaking in uncontrollable rage. With seemingly great effort Victor reigned his voice in. “It matters not. They still will not be able to withstand my forces. All you have done is moved the date for the attack forward.”
Victor's face was stretched and contorted with obvious hatred. “Now my dear, it is time for you to be shown to your room. I have someone special lined up to take care of you.”
As if on cue, someone stepped into the doorway. Alanna turned to see who had come to escort her away. What stared back at her, left her feeling completely deflated.
“Gatsby Blackrock will be your chaperone for the duration of your stay here.”
*****