Stealth the Ghost Panther (5 page)

T
OM AND
E
LENNA CREEPED THROUGH SHIFTING
light and darkness as clouds scudded across the face of the moon. The city streets were empty, but Tom knew that every corner, doorway, or abandoned market stall could conceal Stealth.

He lugged aside a barrel full of trash to peer into the corner behind it, but he only disturbed a rat, which scuttled quickly away. On the other side of the street, Elenna was peering down a stairwell into the doorway of someone's basement.

“Nothing here!” she called softly to Tom.

His sword at the ready, Tom led them farther away from the palace. All the while, he was alert
for the flash of emerald eyes or the sound of evil snarling. But there was no sign of the Ghost Beast.

Suddenly, Tom heard the sound of a door crashing open. Loud voices echoed in the still air, and the thud of footsteps came rapidly closer.

Elenna tugged at Tom's arm. “Quick — hide!”

Tom led Storm into the mouth of a narrow alley. Elenna and Silver followed and pressed themselves against the wall. Peering out of the shadows, Tom saw a group of men and women burst into the street from around the nearest corner.

Their clothes were filthy and ragged. Tom could make out Stealth's claw marks on some of them. All of them held weapons — knives, hammers, and mallets. Their eyes seemed to glow with rage as they stumbled past the mouth of the alley. They banged on closed doors or pulled up cobbles from the street to throw at shuttered windows. Tom caught a glimpse of a man peering out from
one of the houses, wide-eyed with terror, before slamming the shutters closed.

Tom felt sick as he watched them go. The citizens had been happy until the claws of Stealth had changed them. He tightened his grip on his sword, more determined than ever to find the ghostly panther and defeat him.

Elenna put a hand comfortingly on Tom's arm. “Maybe they'll be all right again,” she suggested. “Just as soon as Stealth is dead.”

They emerged from the alley and went on with their search, but the city was silent again and Stealth had not reappeared.

“This is hopeless,” Tom said at last, halting beside a large inn on a street corner. “It will be dawn soon, and what will we do then? It could be dangerous to stay in the city in daylight.”

“You mean it's not dangerous now?” Elenna's mouth twisted in a wry grin. “What's the matter with Silver?” she added. The wolf had raised his
muzzle and was sniffing the air, his hackles rising. “Can you smell something, boy?”

Suddenly alert, Tom spun around. At the same instant, a loud yowling split the silence. A huge black shape launched itself from the roof of the inn. Silver's warning had given Tom the seconds he needed to leap out of the way.

Stealth landed on the cobbles, panting lightly as the gaze from his emerald-green eyes locked with Tom's. His gleaming white fangs were bared in a snarl.

Tom heard an answering snarl coming from Silver's throat. The wolf's fur was bristling, his muscles tensed to leap at the fierce panther. Stealth towered over them, claws unsheathed, ready to strike.

“Elenna, keep back,” Tom warned. “Don't let Silver or Storm come near.” He thought with horror,
What would happen if
we
were turned to evil?

“Silver!” Elenna's voice was commanding. “Silver, come here. You can't help.”

The gray wolf let out a whine of protest, but he obeyed Elenna and followed her.

Tom was aware of his friend leading Storm and Silver farther down the alley beside the inn, but he kept his gaze fixed on the Ghost Beast. He had never seen anything like it before.

Stealth's green eyes sparkled like gems. His claws glittered. His huge ears swiveled back and forth, twitching at the slightest noise. But what turned the blood in Tom's veins to ice was the Beast's three tails, slashing through the air like whips.

Around the panther's neck was a thick leather collar, from which hung a scrap of silver. Tom's heart beat faster as he spotted it. The last piece of the Amulet of Avantia! If only he could get the fragment, his Quest would be complete. His father would no longer be a ghost.

Tom knew he couldn't risk coming within range of Stealth's claws or his three lashing tails. Raising his sword, he sent it whirling through the air in a shining arc. Stealth crouched to leap at Tom, but before he could take off, the spinning sword sliced through one of his tails, and fell clattering to the cobbles.

Blood as black as night spurted from the wound, and Stealth let out a howl of rage and pain. Tom's eyes widened as the Beast shifted into his ghostly form: His body changed into churning black smoke, outlined by shimmering scarlet light.

No!
Tom thought.
Stealth is changing into his ghostly form to hide himself from me. How can I defeat a Beast I can't see?

Tom darted forward to retrieve his sword. Immediately, the panther changed back into flesh and blood, giving a terrifying snarl.

“You don't scare me, Stealth!” Tom called out bravely.

Stealth crouched on the cobbles, ready to spring at him. Tom was caught between the Beast and the wall of the inn. His sword lay out of reach, almost underneath the paws of the Beast.

An arrow whipped through the air from behind him, striking the panther between his green eyes. Stealth tossed his head with a snarl of fury, giving Tom the chance to grab his sword and scramble back, out of range.

“Thanks, Elenna!” he shouted as another arrow struck the Beast in the shoulder.

Stealth bared his teeth menacingly. Tom could see how hungry he was for revenge. The huge Beast leaped into the air, his vast black shadow enveloping Tom. At the last second, Tom jumped aside.

But he didn't have his magical leaping power anymore. As his feet hit the uneven cobbles, he stumbled and fell awkwardly onto his side, knocking the breath out of his body.

Must move away
, Tom thought, half-stunned.
Must get up …

But his body wouldn't obey him. Unable to move, he watched with horror as Stealth stretched out one paw, his deadly claws bared, ready to attack.

“N
O!”
E
LENNA YELLED.

Before the Beast's claws could scratch down Tom's arm, he saw his friend pull another arrow from her quiver. “Don't get too close!” he gasped.

Elenna loosed the arrow. It struck Stealth on the back of the neck and stuck there, quivering. The Ghost Beast snarled and twisted his head, his jaws snapping as he tried to grasp the arrow and pull it out.

Elenna ran forward and grabbed Tom by the arm, hauling him to his feet and back out of range.

“Thanks!” Tom panted.

Shivers ran through Tom's body as he realized what would have happened if his friend hadn't been so quick. He would have been turned to evil…. Avantia's last hope would have been gone.

“We need a different plan,” he said to Elenna. “I can't risk getting near those claws.”

Elenna nodded, but didn't reply. She was still watching the furious Beast, her bow raised and another arrow notched on the string.

Tom remembered how he had swung himself through the air to escape from the store back in Stonewin.
That's it!
he told himself.
I need a rope!
If he could lasso Stealth and climb onto his back, the Ghost Beast wouldn't be able to reach him with his claws.
And then I can rescue the piece of the amulet from his collar
, Tom thought.

Glancing around, he saw a pile of barrels stacked up beside the wall of the inn, bound together by a piece of rope. Tom sheathed his sword and darted
over to them, tugging desperately at the knotted coils.

Behind him, Tom heard a delighted snarl, and glanced over his shoulder to see that Stealth had finally wrenched the arrow out of his flesh. His gleaming teeth splintered the shaft and he tossed the scraps away.

I've got to get this rope loose now!
Tom thought.

Stealth crouched again, snarling as he prepared to leap at Tom. At the same instant, the knot gave way and Tom pulled the rope free from the barrels.

Tom quickly twisted the rope to form a noose. As Stealth pounced, Tom ducked, and the huge panther leaped over him, whipping around as he landed to face Tom again.

Tom tossed the noose into the air and began to circle the panther. The Ghost Beast lashed out at him, but he was too big to maneuver himself properly in the narrow alley.

“Move back,” Tom instructed Elenna. “We need more space. If we have to fight, we'll fight fair.”

With his gaze fixed on the panther, he heard Elenna leading Storm away and the patter of Silver's paws on the cobbles. Tom followed them, walking backward, circling the lasso over his head. Stealth stalked along the alley after him, his tails raking along the walls on either side.

As he emerged from the end of the alley, Tom realized that in their search for Stealth, he and Elenna had traced a circle through the city. They had arrived back in the main square, not far from the palace gates. Glancing up at the palace, Tom spotted the one lighted window, with King Hugo, Wizard Aduro, and his father, Taladon, all watching silently.
They've never seen anything like this
, Tom thought.
I only hope I come out the winner.

Stealth had emerged from the alley, too, and was patiently prowling across the square toward Tom.
Circling the lasso, Tom tried to judge the best moment to strike.

“Tom, be careful!” Elenna's voice had a warning note.

He realized that Stealth understood what he was trying to do. The Beast was circling one of his tails above his head, making a lasso of his own.

If he catches me, I'm done for
, Tom told himself.
It's now or never!
He had to lasso the Beast before the Beast lassoed him first. And he could see that Stealth's body was gradually beginning to fade into its ghostly form.

I've got to catch him before he changes!

Tom sent the rope arcing through the air toward the panther. At the same time, Elenna fired a volley of arrows at the Beast's back legs. Stealth's head snapped around and he bared his teeth at her. The Beast had turned half-ghostly, but Tom could just make out enough of him to aim.

“Yes!” Tom's triumphant shout echoed across the square as the noose fell perfectly over the Ghost Beast's head.

Tom pulled the rope tight around Stealth's neck and ran to his side. Distracted by the struggle, it was clear that Stealth could no longer concentrate on becoming a ghost, and he returned to his full form. Gripping the panther's collar in one hand, Tom vaulted onto the Beast's back. Stealth struggled to wrench the rope out of Tom's hands, but Tom held it fast.

Stealth swung his head around, his fangs snapping at Tom, but every time he turned to get closer, Tom was carried out of reach on the Beast's own body. The rope burned his hands as he clung to it, trying to stay on the ghost panther's twisting back.

Sitting astride the Beast, Tom drew his sword again, gripping the rope with his other hand. He managed to scramble to his feet, but almost lost
his balance as Stealth reared up on his hind legs, in an effort to shake Tom off. The panther's coal-black fur was as slippery as ice under Tom's feet. But he somehow clung to the rope and climbed up Stealth's spine until he was in reach of the collar.

With a single stroke, Tom sliced the collar through. It clattered to the ground, the piece of amulet ringing on the cobblestones of the square.

Stealth let out a final roar of pain and anger.

At the same instant, a fierce gust of wind blew through the square. A whirling reddish-purple cloud began to form in front of Tom, and a scream of rage echoed through the air. “Nooooooo!”

Tom recognized the voice.
That's Malvel!