Chapter 23- Good News and Bad News
Edwin helped Stubby lay Moll beside the Key. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the rats and spiders were still too preoccupied with Slinker to notice what he was up to. Bryony too. In a way he was disappointed she wasn’t going to witness his moment of triumph.
Edwin knelt and clamped his hands upon the Key. Immediately the cold metal responded to his touch, and he felt a tingling sensation as Inglenook’s features came alive.
“Hello young Master,” said Inglenook. “I hope you are enjoying your holiday.”
“Never mind about that.” Edwin found Inglenook’s cheery tone a bit irritating, given the urgency of the situation. “A friend needs help.” He nodded to the motionless Moll. “She’s been bitten by a poisonous spider.”
“Are you sure?” asked Inglenook. “I cannot see a wound.”
“Of course I’m sure,” Edwin growled impatiently. “She told me.”
“But do you know who she is?” asked Inglenook.
“She’s Moll,” gasped Edwin. “And she helped me, so I’m helping her in return.”
“That is very magnanimous,” said Inglenook. “But do you consider it a wise use of magic power?”
“Huh?” Edwin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you refusing to help me?”
“I may never refuse a Guardian,” said Inglenook. “I am merely suggesting that you stop to consider…”
“How dare you refuse me?” spat Edwin. “I’m a proper Guardian. I use the power for good, not like Bryony. But you never question any of her orders.”
“Quickly,” whispered Stubby, cradling Moll’s head in his arms. “She’s fading fast.”
“We’re wasting time!” Edwin struggled to control his impatience with Inglenook. “You have to save her. Before it’s too late.”
“As you wish,” said Inglenook. “But saving your friend will require a lot of power. I may need to re-charge for some time afterwards.”
“I don’t care,” groaned Edwin. “Just do it!”
“Very well, young Master. Now I must advise you to stand well back. I need to create a magic field around the subject, and your proximity may cause a surge of negative feedback.”
“He means we’ll get blown up,” explained Stubby, before Edwin could ask. Stubby gently laid Moll’s head on the ground and then retreated, beckoning Edwin to follow.
As Edwin walked away he saw Bryony racing towards him. She was screaming and waving her arms about.
“Stop! Edwin, don’t do it!”
“You’re too late.” Edwin couldn’t resist a triumphant smirk at his stepsister. “I’ve found the Key. I’ve proved I’m the real Principle Guardian. And now I’m saving Moll.”
“Look,” said Stubby, before Bryony could reply. “It’s started.”
Edwin saw that Moll’s body was enveloped in a soft orange glow. “What’s happening?” he asked, shielding his eyes as the glow intensified.
“I’m not sure,” admitted Stubby. “Looks like… but it can’t be. She’s changing.”
“Changing?” Squinting through his fingers, Edwin could make out a shape in the orange glare: a weird, twisting shape that didn’t look anything like a pretty little field mouse. And then he heard Moll scream.
“What are you doing to her?” Edwin’s narrowed eyes darted to Inglenook. “You’re supposed to be making her better.”
Moll’s screams became louder, filling the Pit with piercing echoes. Edwin could bear it no longer.
“Keep back,” warned Stubby, as Edwin ran towards Moll. “Didn’t you hear what Inglenook said?”
But Edwin didn’t care what Inglenook said; Moll was in agony, and he had to get her out of that magic field before it killed her.
Blinded by the orange glare, Edwin stumbled into a wall of searing heat. He reached out, and felt a sharp pain in his fingers. There was a flash, a loud crackle, and Edwin was hurled backwards by an invisible force.
The orange light died, and Moll’s screams faded into silence.
Edwin sat up and looked around him. He saw Bryony standing a short distance away, with Stubby next to her. Further away he saw the rats and the spiders. He saw Slinker, still held captive in a mesh of webs. But none of them were looking at him. They were all staring at the centre of the Pit.
Edwin followed their gaze, and found out why.
Black smoke billowed from a gaping crack in the ground. But there was no sign of Moll or the Key.
“What happened?” asked Edwin, getting shakily to his feet. “Where’s Moll?”
Stubby edged towards the crack. “I can see something,” he announced, peering down into the swirling black smoke. “I think it’s her.”
“How is she?” Edwin held his breath as he waited for an answer.
“Um…” Stubby backed away from the crack. “There’s good news and bad news. The good news is, she’s stopped glowing.”
“And the bad news?” wondered Edwin.
The only reply was a soft, rasping hiss.
And then a shape came rising out of the crack. It was difficult to tell because of the smoke, but it looked like something long, black and twisting. And then Edwin saw the eyes: two glowing red diamonds piercing the smoky haze with a look of smouldering evil.
Edwin realised he had seen those eyes before. And that hiss was the same one that had caused him so much terror back in the tunnel. He stood and watched as the smoke cleared, revealing the true horror of the beast.
Its serpentine body was as wide as Edwin was tall, and covered in shiny black scales that glinted like polished metal. A ridge of dagger sharp spikes ran up its back to form a deadly looking crown on its snake like head; a head with jaws that looked like they could swallow Edwin whole.
“W-what happened?” Edwin pointed a trembling finger at the monster. “W-where is Moll?”
“You’re looking at her,” hissed the monster, forked tongue flicking as it spoke. “I am Moll.”
Edwin recognised the snake’s voice. It was Moll, all right. A bit hissier, but definitely Moll.
“But what happened?” he cried. “I told Inglenook to save you, not turn you into a monster.”
“On the contrary,” said the snake, her jaws parting to reveal a set of deadly looking fangs. “Inglenook has saved me. This is my true form.”
“What are you?” Edwin couldn’t believe this monster was Moll.
“I am the Terrible Fang,” said the snake, her red eyes burning brighter. “And you, Principle Guardian of Wychetts, have set me free!”