Vedra and Krimon the Twin Dragons (5 page)

T
OM DREW HIS SWORD AND STEPPED UP TO
the towering holly hedge, a grim determination building inside him. He was not going to be stopped from fulfilling his Quest. “Not while there is blood in my veins!” he muttered as he gripped his sword in both hands.

He swung with all the strength he had. The sword sliced through leaves and branches, sending them flying.

“Good work, Tom!” Elenna shouted. She dragged the twigs and branches away as he stepped forward into the hedge, hacking at it while splinters of wood and spiky leaves flew about.

His muscles ached and he was soon breathing rapidly with the effort of battling the ancient holly — but he could see no end to the tangle of branches. Behind him he could hear Krimon snorting encouragement.

At last, he had to pause as exhaustion overcame him. His sword felt unusually heavy, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders were full of pain. He lowered his weapon, gasping for breath. A feeling of defeat overwhelmed him. “I don't know what's wrong with me,” he said. “I've never felt like this before.”

“We'll get through. It'll just take time, that's all.”

Tom looked at Elenna. “We don't
have
time. It's already getting dark,” he said. “You know what Aduro said — if Malvel puts his spells on the dragons when the full moon is at its height, they will be corrupted forever. They will be evil — and we won't be able to save them.”

A snort made them both turn. Krimon was peering at them with sad, lonely eyes. The orange light at his chest was dim and the green heart of fire had almost vanished.

The dragon extended his long neck and gently took the collar of Elenna's tunic in his mouth.

“What's he doing?” she gasped as the dragon drew back, tugging her along with him and making urgent growling noises in his throat. “Hey! Careful!” she called as she was lifted off her feet and put to one side. “You want us out of the way? Is that it?”

Krimon released her and made a sharp, high-pitched croaking noise.

“Tom!” Elenna called. “Come out of there. I think Krimon has a plan.”

Tom stepped out of the hole he had cut in the hedge. The dragon pushed his head into it. Tom saw his sides expand, as though he was taking a deep breath.

A moment later there was a roaring of fire, and a burst of red flame came pouring from the Beast's mouth and nose. Smoke billowed out of the hole and there was a sharp smell of burning. As Krimon moved forward into the hedge, clumps of snow fell from the upper branches, turning to thick white steam as they hit the flames.

The dragon pushed farther into the hole.

“He's burning his way right through!” exclaimed Elenna. “Good work, Krimon!”

Tom and Elenna followed the dragon into the scorched and smoldering hedge. The smoke made them cough, and they could hardly see a thing as they stumbled along behind the Beast, but it was not long before they were through the hedge and breathing fresher air.

Tom wiped his watering eyes with his sleeve. Beyond the barrier of holly, the forest looked quite different. There were no pine trees here, just endless parades of snow-laden holly bushes, tall as trees and as dense as the bush they had just fought their way through. Paths led through the ranks of trees, thick with untrodden snow.

“There are so many different pathways,” Elenna said. She looked at Krimon, who was staring this way and that as though he was trying to find an elusive scent on the air. The glow on his chest was pale and the ball of fire that floated above his head had gone dim.

Elenna patted the dragon's neck. “Find him!” she said encouragingly. “I know you can do it!”

The Beast ran forward along one of the many paths. The fireball grew even fainter. He turned and ran back, following another path. This time the fireball began to glow more brightly.

“That's the way!” Tom said.

Paths led off to the left and right, and sometimes the main path forked and Krimon had to pause for a moment to decide which route to follow. But Tom could see the orange patch glowing bright on his chest, and the heart of green light shining out strongly. The fireball was throwing out sparks of red and green, bright and fierce.

Tom stared up into the sky. The snow clouds were gone and the sky was clear — pitch-black and sparkling with the cold glitter of winter stars. A deadly chill came creeping through the holly, and Tom was glad of the protective power of his shield as his breath clouded. Krimon did not seem to feel the cold, but he saw that Elenna was shivering despite her cloak.

“It can't be long now before the moon rises,” he said to her.

“But look how bright the dragon fire is,” she said. “We must be
very
close.”

They came to another fork in the path. Krimon hesitated. A sudden burst of flame ignited close to Tom's head. He jumped back, his shield up and his sword ready in his hand.

Elenna gave a yelp of alarm as another flash of fire appeared on the other side of the pathway. Then more and more fires appeared, igniting one by one all along the path.

“They're torches!” Tom said in amazement, gazing at the long lines of bright lights that hung from the holly branches. “Look — they're everywhere.”

“I don't like it,” Elenna said. “It's as if the forest has come alive.” She frowned. “This is dark magic. These lights aren't here to help
us
.” She turned. “Oh!” She backed away from the hedge.

Tom saw a large dark shape among the branches. Red eyes glinted. The torchlight gleamed off of raised claws and bared fangs.

“Get back!” Tom shouted, leaping in front of Elenna. A monstrous creature reared above him.

T
OM RAISED HIS SWORD DEFIANTLY AS THE
creature loomed over him in the torchlight. It was human-shaped and dark green. Its thick, shiny hide was covered in spikes, its claws as long as swords and its eyes like boiling blood. But then Tom realized the creature was not moving. Puzzled, he stepped forward.

“Be careful!” Elenna called.

Tom swung his sword so that the flat of the blade struck the creature's leg. There was a resounding clang. Tom turned, grinning. “It's just a statue!”

Elenna came to stand next to him. “It looks nasty,” she remarked.

They saw that the hedges were filled with many hideous statues, grown over by the holly so that they were half-hidden.

Krimon was still at the fork in the maze, growling and whimpering to himself, his head turning to and fro.

“He doesn't know which way to go,” Elenna said, walking over to the Beast.

Tom stared along the two pathways. They were exactly alike. He walked a little way along the left-hand path. A thick green mist swirled around his ankles, rising from the ground beneath his feet. Sudden, darting pains behind his eyes brought him to a halt.

“What's wrong?” asked Elenna.

“My head feels like it's in a vise!” Tom stumbled back. The moment he reached the fork, the green mist seeped back into the ground and the throbbing in his head faded away.

“I don't think it can be that way,” Tom said, staring uneasily along the left-hand path. “At least, I
hope
it isn't.”

Suddenly, Krimon seemed to make up his mind — and to Tom's relief, he went lumbering down the right-hand path. Tom was sure now that Vedra must be at the heart of this labyrinth.

He stared up at the inky sky. Stars twinkled frostily. The moon had not yet risen — but he dreaded at any moment to see it lifting above the snowy tops of the hedges.

They came to another fork. The left-hand path was narrow and heavily overgrown, but the red dragon pushed his way through, the prickly leaves scratching along his scales, the dislodged snow trickling down with a soft hiss.

Elenna followed, Tom close behind. But the moment Tom set foot on the path, a green mist filtered up out of the ground and swirled around his feet — and the headache returned.

“This can't be the way,” he called. But above the Beast's head the fireball was pulsing strongly. Elenna paused, a worried look coming into her eyes as she saw the mist that drifted around Tom's feet.

“Krimon thinks it is,” she said. “Is the pain very bad? Don't inhale any of that mist!”

Tom winced and tried to hold his breath as the throbbing got worse. If this was the way, then he would have to put up with the pain. “Don't worry about me,” he said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. “Keep close to Krimon. I'll be right behind you.”

Elenna turned and ran after the fast-moving Beast. Tom screwed up his eyes against the pain, covering his mouth with his hand, determined not to give up. A soft, low laugh sounded behind him. He turned. A hooded figure stood at the end of the pathway.

It was Malvel. The evil wizard's laughter rang in Tom's ears. An uncontrollable surge of anger burst through Tom at the sound of that hated voice. With a shout of rage, he ran back along the path, his shield up, his sword at the ready.

“Tom! No!” He ignored Elenna's warning. Malvel was within his reach. He had the chance to defeat the evil wizard once and for all.

Malvel stood at the fork in the paths, his head thrown back as his laughter rang up into the night sky. He pointed and laughed again. Tom followed the line of the pointing finger. The upper arc of the moon had just cleared the tops of the hedges, the moonlight reflecting eerily on the snow. Time was running out!

Elenna caught hold of Tom and forced him to stop.

“What are you doing, Tom? You're going the wrong way.”

Tom thrust his sword in Malvel's direction. “I have to fight him!” he shouted angrily, trying to tear himself away from her.

“Fight who?” Elenna gasped. “Tom? There's no one there.”

Tom stared at her. “Are you blind?” he shouted. “Malvel is standing right in front of us!”

“No, he isn't,” Elenna insisted. “There's nothing there. It must be the headache and the mist — it's making you see things.”

Tom dragged his arm free of her grip, overcome with an intense anger.

“You need to calm down,” Elenna said gently.

Tom realized that he was almost panting with fury. What was wrong with him? Had Malvel made himself invisible to Elenna — or was she right, and it was just an illusion?

He slowed his breathing and the anger started to disappear — and the shape of Malvel faded away to nothing.

Tom looked at Elenna. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “Malvel must be using that green mist to try and control me. But what do I do if I can't trust my own eyes?”

Elenna took his shoulder. “Trust mine,” she said. “Come on — we mustn't let the dragon get away from us.”

They ran side by side along the path. The green mist was gone and now Tom's head felt much better.

Krimon was standing still, facing a great dark door that blocked off the path. The young Beast was keening and wailing softly. The door showed scorch marks where the dragon had tried to burn it, but the glossy wood was unharmed by his fire.

The orange glow was still bright on his chest, and the fireball flared above his head.

“This has to be the way,” Elenna said. “We should look for a key, or some other way to get the door open.”

“But there's no handle,” Tom said, his anger flaring up again. He lifted his sword in both hands, smashing again and again at the dark wood. Splinters flew, but the door didn't move.

He hammered his shield into the wood, pounding with the hilt of his sword.

“Tom, stop!” Elenna called. “That can't be the way!”

Tom ignored her, letting out a howl of rage as he made one last effort, kicking at the door with all his strength. It swung open on creaking hinges. Tom glared at Elenna. “See!” he shouted. “I did it! I knew I could get it open!” Wild elation filled him as he shoved his way through the door. But all that met him was another snow-covered path.

“No!” Tom cried. He ran from side to side, beating at the hedges with his sword. “I hate this place!” he screamed.

Krimon backed away from him as though Tom had become something to fear.

Elenna darted forward and caught Tom's sword arm. “Get off me!” he snarled, wrenching his hand free. He lifted the sword and was about to bring the blade down on her head when he looked into her eyes and realized what he was doing.

With a cry of alarm and horror, he staggered back a few steps. Then he threw his sword down, and fell to his knees.

“I'm sorry!” he gasped. “I'm so sorry!”

Elenna knelt in front of him, her hands on his shoulders.

“Look at me, Tom,” she said firmly.

He gazed into her eyes, his chest heaving and his limbs shaking.

“This isn't your fault,” she said. “Something has been done to you. It's making you behave in this way.” Tom heard fear in her voice. “Tom — I think that the dust that Seth threw in your eyes has put you under an evil spell. You have to fight it, Tom. You have to fight it really hard — if you don't, then Malvel will win.”

Tom could barely speak. He didn't know what to do. This Quest was too hard. Everything felt hopeless.