Vedra and Krimon the Twin Dragons (3 page)

T
HE RED-HOT THUNDERBOLT BOUNCED OFF
Tom's shield, hissing and spitting. The magical dragon scale in the shield had saved them! Tom's arm ached, but he kept the shield steady, while Vedra cowered behind him, shivering and whimpering in fright.

Tom saw Elenna clutching on to Ferno, the terrified Krimon squawking behind her as the huge Beast struggled to get clear of the volcano. But as Ferno turned, Tom saw Elenna's bow and quiver of arrows fall, spinning downward until they were lost in the flaming crater.

Epos gave a caw of alarm as she tried to pull away from the fiery mountain. The bird's body tilted as she swung left. Tom felt himself slipping. He had been so intent on keeping Vedra safe from the rain of fiery rock that he was not holding on tightly enough.

“No!” he cried as he slipped from Epos's back. The sky and the mountains wheeled around him. He saw the flame bird above him, her wings beating fiercely.

I've failed
, Tom thought as he plunged helplessly downward through the icy air.

A wild rushing sound filled his ears, like a racing wind. A moment later, all the breath was jolted from his body. Epos had swooped under him, catching him with a triumphant caw.

Tom gasped, dizzy from his rescue. Dazed, he crawled up to sit between Epos's wings. “Thank you!” he shouted. He looked over his shoulder. The green dragon was nodding his head and making chirping noises, glad that Tom had been rescued.

Ferno came swooping close.

“I lost my bow and arrows,” Elenna called unhappily. “I can't believe they're gone!”

“Yes, I saw,” Tom shouted. “It can't be helped. Let's get away from this volcano — then we can take a rest and figure out what we're going to do.”

They flew on until the red glow of the volcano was far behind them. Tom peered down, scouring the rugged landscape for somewhere to land.

“Down there!” he called, pointing to a large flat slab of rock on a low ridge between the mountains.

Epos and Ferno circled down and landed. Tom spotted something at the far end of the slab of rock — something small and curled up. A sleeping animal, maybe.

He jumped down from Epos's back and went over to investigate. Elenna followed. “What is it?” she asked.

“It's a boy!” gasped Tom, stopping in surprise a few steps away from the curled-up shape. “What's he doing here all on his own?”

“Let's find out,” Elenna said, running ahead of him.

“Be careful,” Tom warned. He could hear an uneasy rumbling in Ferno's throat, and Epos was cawing nervously. Vedra and Krimon were staring at the boy and shivering. Something was wrong. The boy was wearing only light clothing, but the wind was raw and cut to the bone. How could he be sleeping in such a remote place as this? It didn't make sense.

“I don't think you should wake him,” Tom said, coming up behind Elenna. “We have to get going.”

But Elenna crouched at the boy's side and shook his shoulder.

“Hey! Are you all right?”

The boy's eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet, his ice blue eyes strangely alert. Elenna stumbled back in surprise at the sudden movement. The boy stared at Tom, a thin smile spreading across his narrow pale face.

Tom looked at him. Those eyes were oddly familiar. As they stood staring at each other, cold threads of mist curled across the barren rock, making Tom shudder.

“My name is Seth,” the boy said, his smile widening as he thrust out a hand toward Tom. “Who are you?”

Uncertainly, Tom reached out his own hand. “I'm Tom, and this is —”

He got no further. The boy's eyes flashed and the smile turned to a grimace as he lunged forward, grabbing Tom's arm with both hands.

Tom let out a yell of shock as the boy half-turned, pulling Tom's arm so that he staggered off balance and was thrown headlong over the boy's shoulder.

He came crashing down on his back onto a rock with a cry of pain. He felt dizzy and disoriented and his eyes swam. He heard Elenna shout something.

He stared up at the white sky, gasping for breath. The boy loomed over him, and now Tom saw that he had a bronze sword in his hand, the point aiming for Tom's throat.

“And now that we have been introduced,” the boy snarled, “I'm going to kill you!”

Tom stared up, helpless, as the blade rose and then plunged down toward him.

T
OM TWISTED TO ONE SIDE AS THE POINT OF
the bronze sword struck the rock close to his head, filling his vision with sparks. Seth grunted with frustration as he stumbled forward. Tom sprang quickly to his feet, drawing his own sword and turning to face his foe, his shield up to defend himself.

“Why are you attacking us?” Tom asked, but Seth had spun on his heel. Bringing his blade up, he lunged forward with a snarl.

Tom used his sword to turn aside Seth's blade so that he could come in under the boy's arm and throw him off balance with a thrust from his shield. But Seth was too good a swordsman to be defeated by such a simple strategy. He bounded back, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

More sparks flew as their swords met with a clash, the noise echoing among the mountain peaks that surrounded them. Tom was aware of Ferno moving closer and of Epos watching with bright, angry eyes.

“Watch out!” Elenna shouted as the bronze sword came slicing through the air at neck height. Tom fended it off with his shield and thrust hard with his own blade. Seth leaped to one side, beating at Tom's weapon, almost smashing it from his grip.

Tom realized that Seth was his equal in strength, and also a very dangerous fighter. He would have to do something unexpected if he was going to win.

Tom risked everything in one big gamble. He let Seth beat him back step after step across the rock. He could hear Ferno rumbling in concern as he gave the impression that he was weakening. Epos cawed and Elenna let out a cry as Tom stumbled and fell onto his back.

Seth yelled in triumph and raised his sword high. But Tom had been faking his weakness. He twisted, scissoring his legs, slicing Seth's feet from under him. Seth fell with a howl and Tom was up and on him in a moment. He kicked the bronze blade out of Seth's grip and stood over him, panting as he pointed his sword at the boy's throat.

“Oh! Well done, Tom!” Elenna shouted, running up to them. She stared down at the grimacing boy angrily. “Why did you do that? We weren't going to hurt you!”

The cold fire faded from Seth's eyes and a look of bewilderment came over him. “I'm so sorry!” he gasped, bringing his hands up over his face. “I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know what I was doing.”

Tom glared down at him. “What are you talking about? You attacked me for no reason!”

“I was half-crazy with hunger and fear,” said the boy. “I'm lost in this terrible place, and I haven't eaten for days. I thought you were a demon coming to murder me.” He wiped his hand over his face. “I am truly sorry.”

Tom frowned, confused by Seth's change of behavior. “You really expect us to believe that you didn't know what you were doing?” he asked.

“Please,” begged Seth, “I've been hallucinating with hunger. I meant you no harm.” He looked so pathetic and frail at that moment that Tom and Elenna exchanged a wary nod, deciding to give him another chance.

“You poor thing,” Elenna said. “Wait there. We have food and water.” She ran over to Epos and pulled down their bag of provisions. Tom, still not quite certain that Seth's story was the truth, picked up the bronze sword and slipped it into his belt before he allowed Seth to get to his feet.

“How did you get here?” Tom asked, eyeing the boy warily as he ravaged through the food that Elenna had brought.

Seth chewed hungrily, speaking with his mouth full. “I was with a hunting party — we were looking for the wild goats that live in these mountains. They make good eating. But a heavy fog came down and I got separated from the others. I've been surviving on rainwater and scraps of plants for days now.” He looked gratefully at Elenna. “I thought I was going to die up here, all alone on this barren rock. You saved my life.”

“You're welcome,” Elenna said. She looked questioningly at Tom.

“I hope you find your way home safely,” Tom said. “But we have to go now.”

Seth gazed at the Beasts. “You fly on the most extraordinary …
birds
… I have ever seen,” he said, his voice amazed. “At least, one of them is a bird, I think — huge though it is. But surely the other is a dragon?” A sudden light of understanding came into his eyes. “These must be two of the legendary Beasts of Avantia. They're
real
! Are you their Master?”

“No,” Tom said, flattered that Seth might think that he could be the Master of the Beasts. “But I am their friend.”

A smile spread across Seth's face. “I always thought in my heart that the legends were true,” he said.

“No one is supposed to know,” Elenna said. “The Beasts should never be seen.”

Seth nodded. “Of course not,” he said. He put his hand to his heart. “Don't worry,” he said. “I promise that I will never tell anyone about what I have seen in this place. On my word of honor!” He looked from Tom to Elenna. “But … I don't know how to get down the mountains from here. If you leave me, I'll die.”

“We can't take you with us,” Tom said. “We're on an important Quest.”

“We have to find the land of Rion,” Elenna added.

“I live in Rion, in a small village beyond the mountains,” Seth said. “Take me close to my home and I promise not to speak of these magnificent Beasts to a living soul!”

Tom and Elenna looked uneasily at each other. Could they trust him? On the other hand, Tom thought, could they be so cruel as to leave him all alone in the mountains?

“You may ride with us,” Tom said, making sure to add: “But only as far as your home village.”

Seth bowed his head as if Tom were King Hugo. “Thank you.”

They went over to where the Beasts were waiting. Tom climbed up onto Epos's back and reached down to help Seth up in front of him. He wanted to keep an eye on the mysterious boy. Krimon looked at the newcomer with curiosity. Seth reached out his hand as if to touch the Beast, but the red dragon belched a little fire and Seth snatched his hand back.

Soon they were airborne again, flying high over the mountains with the cool wind in their hair. Tom saw the landscape begin to change beneath them. The mountains gave way to rugged hills cloaked in snow-laden pine forests. Blue lakes glowed in the valleys and gushing rivers leaped from rock to rock in white waterfalls.

He took out his map. They were beyond the northern borders of Avantia now. For the first time in his life, Tom was outside his kingdom.

Epos turned her head as she surveyed the unfamiliar landscape. Tom could sense that the Beast was as unsure of this place as he was. And looking to where Ferno was flying alongside, the anxious light in the dragon's eyes told a similar story.

“We're in Rion,” Tom called to Elenna. “We must find somewhere safe to land!”

Beneath them stretched a great dense forest of pines. Tom searched for a clearing or open space where the Beasts could set down. Fierce snow-filled winds swept back and forth, making the tall pines bend and sway, and forcing Tom to cling tightly to Epos's back for fear of being blown off.

“There!” Elenna called, pointing down. “We can land there!”

Tom stared down. Yes! There was a clearing in the forest just ahead of them. Elenna and Ferno swooped down, and Epos prepared to follow.

Tom smiled. Aduro would be pleased with them — they had brought Vedra and Krimon to safety without any sign of Malvel.

But then Tom felt Seth shifting in front of him. He looked over Seth's shoulder and saw the boy take a small leather pouch out of his jacket.

“What is that?” Tom asked.

Seth opened the bag and dipped his hand into it. Golden powder trickled from between his fingers. “It's magic!” he said, that familiar cold light burning in his eyes again. “The dark and deadly magic of Malvel!”

“No!” Tom shouted. But he was too late. Seth leaned forward and hurled the fistful of gold dust into Epos's eyes. The flame bird let out a deafening croak of rage and alarm, twisting and spiraling in the air.

Seth laughed and turned, hurling a second handful of dust into Tom's face. Tom tightened his legs around Epos — he couldn't protect himself. The golden powder filled his eyes, stinging badly and blinding him. He clawed at his eyes, horribly aware of the air rushing wildly past him as Epos plummeted headlong toward the ground.