Keeper of the Phoenix (16 page)

“How could someone this old hurt anyone?” Ash murmured.

“Sorcery,” Taine whispered. “He looks dead if you ask me. Maybe we should just take Gwaam and go.”

Ash shook his head. “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

The wizard’s eyes flew open. Taine squealed with fright and leaped backwards.

“Master Rover and friend.” Zadoc smiled coldly as he sat up. “How delightful to finally meet you. I have only had the pleasure of watching your adventures in my scrying pool. And setting a few challenges in your path.” He waved to a large ornate bowl of water nearby. The water flickered and Ash saw the dragon … the unicorns … the spider web. Every hurdle until the storm that had sent them to the treetops. Zadoc had caused it all! “Gwaam too has told me who you are. After some stern questioning.” Zadoc gave a harsh laugh. “You look taller in real life.”

The instant Zadoc had awoken, his hair and beard had begun to grow shorter, changing from white to black. The wrinkles that had crisscrossed his face vanished, the skin becoming as fresh and plump as a child’s. His hands too lost their gnarled, arthritic look and became smooth and supple. In seconds, Zadoc had transformed from an old man into a young one.

Ash blinked, disbelieving.

“Clever little trick, don’t you think?”

“Not bad.” Ash sounded braver than he felt.

Zadoc rose out of bed, the quilt falling away to reveal his red flowing robe embroidered with griffins. “Now,
children
,” Zadoc said. “I am glad you have come. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“W-why is that?” Taine stuttered.

“So you may witness the marvellous feats I am about to perform, of course,” Zadoc declared grandly. “First, I must kill both phoenixes and use their blood to make a magical potion.” He opened his hands. “I will then drink this potion. The phoenix’s essence and magic will combine with mine, and I shall become immortal.”

Ash licked his lips, then forced himself to speak up against Zadoc. “We’re not going to let you do any such thing.” He pulled himself up straight and tall. “I’m Gwaam’s Keeper and protector. I’ve come to free him and also the prisoners you hold in your dungeon.”

“Prisoners?”

“Yes, prisoners. My brother and the men you hold below your castle.”

“You mean those pathetic, snivelling creatures in the dungeon? They’re nothing to me. They belong to the goblins now.”

“Why are they here?” Taine asked.

Zadoc laughed. “Because the goblins need workers to help them mine gold. And gold, in turn, builds armies. It buys all sorts of men and machinery to help in the cause. Armies which I will need to conquer Krell and seize power from that pathetic man you call King Tristram. I’ve always wanted my own country,” he finished rather petulantly.

“We want the men released,” Taine said.

“You’ll have to see the goblins about that.” Zadoc curled his lip. “
If
I let you out of here alive, that is.”

“We want the phoenixes too,” Ash said.

Zadoc threw back his head and laughed. “You have audacity, boy, I’ll give you that …
however
, you are in no position to make demands.” Zadoc leaned closer, his poisonous stare boring into Ash’s. “I have already told you what I plan to do with those precious phoenixes. Do you know who I am?”

“You’re evil, that’s what you are,” Taine declared. “Plain and simple.”

Zadoc stepped back and shrugged. “I won’t deny it. It’s the truth, after all. As long as I get my own way, people may call me what they like. Now, shall we begin?”

“I told you,” Ash said. “We’re not staying. Give us the phoenixes and we’ll leave you alone.”

“Have it your way, stubborn boy.” Zadoc waved his hand at the window and chanted a spell.

Nothing happened as result of Zadoc’s incantation, but Ash noticed the sun was almost set. Fear and adrenalin pulsed through his veins, making him bold. “You’ll have to do better than that,” he told the wizard.

Zadoc chuckled. “Patience, boy. Patience.”

Ash heard a low rumbling coming from the roof. Dust fell from the ceiling. Through the window, Ash saw the gargoyles’ stone casings crumble and topple to the ground, revealing the black hairless flesh of the monsters. He stared in horror as the hideous creatures leaped into the sky and flew in through the open windows.

With shrieking mouths and bared claws they advanced towards the boys. Ash wrenched his pack off his back and swung it at a gargoyle. The monster hissed and ducked out of the way before lunging again. Ash summoned his courage and tried again. This time he didn’t miss. He hit the gargoyle with such force it was thrown into one of its companions. Both gargoyles fell to the floor, motionless.

Taine copied Ash, using his pack to knock the gargoyles down. But as soon as one of the ugly creatures fell another took its place.

“The wishing stone,” Taine shouted. “Use it.”

Ash reached into his pocket, searching for the stone. At first he couldn’t feel anything. Then his finger poked through a hole in his pocket.

The stone was gone.

The room was rapidly filling with gargoyles. They flew around shrieking at Ash and Taine, swooping in to bite and scratch their clothes, their hair, their skin.

“Take that!” Taine cried as he knocked one of the hideous creatures to the floor. “Hurry, Ash. There’s too many of them!”

Ash desperately felt inside his other pocket. His grasping fingers touched something smooth and cool tucked into the deepest corner. The wishing stone! “Gargoyles dissolve!” He held the stone up at the gargoyles.

White light burst from the wishing stone. As one, the gargoyles let out an ear-piercing shriek. There was an enormous bang then they were gone.

Ash studied the stone in his hand, now small and black, the magic spent. He let it tumble to the floor where it landed with a dull clunk.

“Well done,” Taine panted, wiping blood from his temple where a gargoyle had scratched him. He looked around, frowning. “Where are the phoenixes?”

“Zadoc’s gone,” Ash said. “He must have taken them. Let’s find him.”

They raced out the door and down the marble stairs in time to see Zadoc dragging Gwaam and Suela by their chained legs, into another chamber. Ash and Taine ran after them. When they burst through the doorway they saw a low table on which sat a golden goblet and a long, shiny golden knife, its handle encrusted with blood-red rubies.

Zadoc had secured Suela’s chains to a metal ring in the stone floor and was lifting Gwaam onto the table. He held the knife over the bird and chanted words in a language Ash couldn’t understand.

Suela screeched. “Help him! Please, help him!”

Ash launched himself at Zadoc. “Stop!” he cried.

The wizard let go of Gwaam and swung his open hand towards Ash. Ash’s whole body was struck by an invisible force that knocked him to the floor.

Taine rushed over to pull Ash back onto his feet. “Need some help?”

“You go low, I’ll go high,” Ash whispered.

“Sounds like a plan.”

The two boys ran at Zadoc, but before they could reach him, the wizard whirled and jumped onto the table, brandishing the knife. “Stop this foolishness right now. I’m warning you.”

He opened his hands at the boys once more. Somehow they evaded being hit by Zadoc’s magic. Instead, the stone floor took the full force of the blasts and crumbled under the impact of each invisible burst.

“Run away before I kill you both!” Zadoc cried.

Although he sounded defiant, Ash sensed the wizard was flagging. It seemed that each blast of magic was draining the wizard of his energy. He began to sway on his feet and seemed barely able to hold the knife up.

“We’re not leaving.” Ash picked up the goblet, wielding it menacingly and trying to strike Zadoc’s feet and legs with it, making him dance along the tabletop. “Get down.”

“Meddling child, you’re making me
very
angry,” Zadoc seethed.

Before Ash could reply, he saw Gwaam bow his head and shudder. In a sudden burst, the phoenix grew larger. He was now almost the same size as a griffin. His dark wings fluttered and rippled with new colours of scarlet, green, orange and purple.

“Look what’s happening to Gwaam.” Taine’s face was alive with excitement. “He must be reaching the final stage of his life cycle. Now he’s bursting into colour.”

Ash stared in shock and wonder. “I know, isn’t it incredible!”

“Boy, I wish Rhyll could see this,” Taine said.

The gigantic bird was utterly beautiful yet also utterly terrifying.

Fully grown, he’d be a match for a griffin any day, Ash thought. And all that from a tiny egg.

“Suela is changing too.” Taine pointed as the female phoenix also began to shimmer with new colours.

“No!” Zadoc shrieked. “You must not change yet or my chance for everlasting life will be ruined.” He muttered an incantation.

“It’s too late. You can’t hurt me now I have my colours, wizard,” Gwaam said. “I will soon be too strong for you, just like the last time I escaped.”

“Your powers don’t endure long,” Zadoc said. “They never do. I shall call my griffins to catch you again.”

Zadoc pressed his fingers against his temples.

“Now, Taine,” Ash hissed. “While he’s distracted.”

The boys grabbed Zadoc’s feet and pulled him down off the table. The wizard tried to resist, opening his hands and shooting blasts of magic at the boys. Each time Gwaam stepped in the way to absorb the force. Zadoc’s magic soon diminished, each blast less effective and less destructive than the one before.

“You’re getting weaker,” Gwaam said. “Your youthful spell is wearing off. Give up.”

Zadoc spread his hands out in appeal. “I won’t!”

“Give up, Zadoc,” Suela said. “The battle is over. You will never win against Gwaam now.”

“No, no, it’s not too late.” Zadoc panted as he continued to fight.

Ash could see the wizard was growing paler and more frail by the second, as if all the energy and magic was seeping from him. And as he grew weaker, the phoenix appeared to grow stronger.

“Then you have brought this upon yourself because of your own stubbornness,” Gwaam said, drawing himself up higher as he absorbed each feeble blast from Zadoc.

“No!” Zadoc cried, collapsing to the floor. “Don’t kill me. You’re right. I am weak, too weak to fight any more. You were my last hope to reclaim my youth.” Zadoc began to cry. His face transformed from young to old once more. His skin lost its colour and vivacity, wrinkling in an instant. At the same time, his hair changed from raven black to white. “I-I’m a helpless old man,” he croaked. “Don’t hurt me.”

“Isn’t there something Zadoc needs to do for your village?” Gwaam prompted Ash as he jerked his head towards the setting sun. “Before it’s too late?”

“Yes, yes!” Ash bent down beside the wizard so he could look him in the eye. “You need to reverse your spell on Icamore right away. Before the sun goes down on the seventh full day of snow. Melt the black freeze your gargoyles blasted my village with and restore it to normal. Not a living creature should be harmed.” Ash shook Zadoc firmly by the shoulders. “Do it.”

“Let me go first,” Zadoc pleaded. “Then I’ll help you.”

“Don’t listen to him, Ash,” Taine said. “He might be trying to trick you. Tell him to say his incantation to break the spell while you hold him.”

“You heard him.” Ash nodded at Zadoc. “Say it.”

“Fine! I’ll do it.” Zadoc sighed. He lifted his hands and swirled them around his head before starting to recite a strange incantation.

“In words we can understand,” Ash said. “So we know you’re doing the right thing.”

Zadoc shot Ash a withering glance. “Very well,” he agreed begrudgingly. “Black snow that I wrought, release the village of Icamore from your frozen hold.” As Zadoc spoke, a cloud of gold dust whirled above him.

“It’s working,” Suela said. “That gold cloud is his magic taking effect.”

“Keep going,” Taine said. “Don’t stop now. Our families and friends need this spell to work.”

Zadoc glared. “Let no living creature suffer and return all to how it was before you descended,” he finished.

“Say it again,” Ash said. “Just to make doubly certain you’ve broken the spell. Go on.”

Zadoc recited the spell once more. Again the gold dust cloud swirled. When he finished his incantation the second time, he fell backwards, clearly spent. “There, it’s done,” he gasped.

Ash glanced at Gwaam. “Can we trust him?”

“Yes,” Gwaam said. “He won’t be bothering us any more. This was his last chance to claim our magic. His powers are now completely depleted. I will make sure he’s exiled so he can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

“What are you going to do with him?” Taine asked.

“I know a tiny, remote and rather rocky island where Zadoc is going to spend the rest of his days. Alone.”

“No, not Echo Island,” Zadoc groaned. “Please, no!”

Ignoring Zadoc’s cries, Gwaam broke open the clasps from Suela’s legs with his strong beak. She stepped free of her restraints, rubbing her sore, bruised legs together.

Gwaam squeezed the clasps tightly around the old wizard’s wrists and ankles so there was no chance he could escape. “Stay there,” he told Zadoc before turning to tenderly nuzzle his mate.

Although Suela had grown and changed, she didn’t match Gwaam for beauty or magnificence. Ash and Taine watched in silence as the birds comforted each other.

Eventually Gwaam looked up. “Children, do not fear me. I won’t harm you. You have shown great bravery today. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

“You’re welcome,” Ash said. “What are we going to do with Zadoc?”

“Suela and I will make sure you and your friends escape then we’ll fly back up here to take him to Echo Island.”

Zadoc groaned pathetically, but no longer tried to fight.

“All done,” Ash said. “Now we need to find Rhyll and the others and get out of here.”

“I hope she managed to free the men,” Taine said, his face full of worry.

“Me too,” Ash replied.

The boys led Gwaam and Suela down the steep steps from Zadoc’s quarters, glancing nervously around to make sure they weren’t being followed by any goblins. When they saw the coast was clear, they ran out of the gate of the Moaning Doom Castle and into the twilight.