Warriors of the Black Shroud (7 page)

Chapter 13

W
alker and Frankie left the unicorn farm and rode Lightning to the center of the Kingdom. They were eager to find Eddie and show her to him. When they got back to the Palace there was still no sign of him. Astrodor was in the courtyard playing cards with one of the other pages. He had little to do while the king was away.

“Don't worry,” he reassured them. “You never know where Prince Edward is. He pretty much comes and goes as he pleases. He may be back already. Why don't you ask Fussingham? He usually knows everyone's whereabouts. Nice animal, by the way,” he added, looking admiringly at Lightning. “She's one of the king's special herd.”

“Let's go and see if we can find Fussingham,” Walker said to Frankie.

“If you were a real lord you'd help a poor maiden like me get off this beast,” she replied.

“I can't dismount until you dismount,” Walker pointed out.

As he said the word “dismount,” Lightning went down on her front legs so that Walker could step off her quite easily.

“You can now,” Frankie chuckled. “Well done, girl.”

Walker offered Frankie his hand with an exaggerated bow, but she leaped off by herself in a most unladylike manner.

“Can I leave Lightning here?” Walker asked Astrodor.

“Who? Oh, the unicorn, sure,” said Astrodor. “Nobody'll touch a Silverstreak. They're only for royalty.”

When he heard this Walker was both pleased and uncomfortable. He loved the Kingdom, and if he was being really honest he would have to admit that he loved being thought of as special, but he still couldn't see himself staying here and becoming the next king. Even though he realized his parents didn't miss him when he was in the Kingdom, he missed them. He would love to be able to tell his mother about Lightning, and Astrodor and the King and Jevon and all the other people he had met, but he knew if he did she would just think it was his overactive imagination at work.

Grabbing Frankie's hand he ran toward the Royal Apartments, pulling her after him. They then raced each other up the stairs, and as they entered the antechamber they collided with Fussingham, knocking the book he always carried out of his hands and sending his quill pen flying.

“Oh my goodness!” he cried as he gathered up his treasured possessions. “Bless me. You young people—you have so much energy. It always happens when we have visitors from the Outerworld. They just get so charged up. I remember one young boy, it must have been two Eons ago—or was it three? No, I think it was two—”

“Fussingham,” Walker interrupted, “have you seen Prince Edward?”

“Why, no, not for some time,” Fussingham answered. “Let me look in the ‘Comings and Goings' entries for the last few cycles.”

He opened the book and ran his fingers through the pages.

“Well, as far as I can make out, he didn't leave for the Outerworld,” he assured them. “Whenever anyone makes that journey it's automatically recorded in the Book of the Kingdom.”

“If he's still here, where would he be?” asked Walker. “Where does he usually go?”

“I'm afraid there's nothing usual about Prince Edward,” Fussingham grumbled. “One never knows where he might be.”

Suddenly Jevon entered the room with a solemn look on his face.

“Lord Walker, you're back, and just in time!” he said. “Come with me. We must hurry.”

“What's happened?” asked Walker.

“We will know more when we get to the gates. Come quickly,” Jevon urged.

All three ran down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Jevon's own unicorn was there and he yelled “Mount up!” as he raced toward it. The creature fell to its knees and he vaulted on. Walker tried to do the same with Lightning, but he and Frankie got in each other's way as they both tried to get on at once, and by the time they were mounted Jevon was already galloping down the avenue toward the gates. As they chased behind him Walker quickly realized why unicorns from the king's herd were called Silverstreaks. Within seconds they had caught up with Jevon and in no time were ahead of him.

A group of Lightkeepers had already gathered in front of the gates by the time they got there. Lumina sat erect on her unicorn with a stern look on her face. Jevon rode straight up to her, and Walker, who was not quite sure what was expected of him, turned to follow.

“What news, my lady?” Jevon asked.

“Not good, I fear, Lord Jevon,” she replied. “The sentry saw only two returning, one on foot, and the other slumped over his mount. They should be here shortly.”

There was a sudden grinding noise and slowly the massive gates groaned open. Out of the darkness came Eddie, his head bowed, leading Tonar by the reins, with the king's body collapsed over the animal's neck. As they got closer to the gates Eddie stood more erect. All eyes were upon him as he solemnly approached Lumina.

“The king is dead, my lady Lumina,” he said, his voice quavering.

Despite his determined efforts not to cry, tears were now streaming down his face.

“He is indeed, Prince Edward,” Lumina said kindly. “It seems there is nothing we can do for him now, but what of you? Are you injured?”

“I couldn't help him,” he continued, ignoring her question. “I wanted to but there was nothing I could do. The Black Shroud was too strong. The Lances of Light were useless against the darkning bolts.”

A gasp of amazement went through the crowd at this statement.

“The knights were old. In the hands of younger men they may have been more effective,” Lumina suggested.

“No, my lady, I don't think anyone could have fought better against the enemy,” Eddie assured her. “It was so hard to watch. . . . I mean they disappeared one by one, and then the Black Count said he would kill the king and let his body rot in Diabolonia, but I couldn't let him stay there. I had to bring him home. I loved him, my lady. He was so good to me and so wise. After my own father died and my mother left, King Leukos was the one I went to. What will happen to the Kingdom now?”

And then he broke down sobbing. Walker and Frankie both jumped from Lightning's back and ran to their friend. Frankie got to him first and put her arms around him.

“It's okay,” she said. “We're here.”

“The Kingdom will survive, Prince Edward,” said Lumina. “As long as we do nothing foolish, it will survive.”

Eddie ignored her and turned to Walker.

“I was so scared,” he admitted. “I was so scared I couldn't move. I don't know why I'm such a coward, and I really, really try not to be, but it doesn't make any difference.”

“It was brave of you to follow the knights into Diabolonia,” Walker told him. “I wouldn't have had the courage to do that, and if you hadn't the king's body would still be out there.”

“I wasn't brave,” Eddie replied. “I was mad at you and Frankie for going off without me and I wanted to do something that would show you . . . well, I'm not sure what it was I wanted to show you, but something.”

“It's over now, and you're back safely.” Jevon had ridden up beside Eddie. “Give me the king's reins and I will take him back to the Palace. You go with your friends.”

“No, my lord,” said Walker. “We will all go together.”

He took Lightning's reins and brought her up on one side of Tonar. Jevon then dismounted himself and brought his unicorn to the other. When the knights saw this they also got down and joined them, leading their animals. Only Lumina remained mounted and she rode to the front of the group. Slowly and with great dignity, the makeshift procession moved up the avenue toward the Palace, passing silent, somber crowds on either side. They were halfway between the gates and the Palace when they began to hear comments coming from the back section of the spectators.

“Silly old fool. He should never have gone into Diabolonia.”

“What'll happen now? The Kingdom's doomed.”

“You can't fight the Shroud; they're too powerful.”

Once again it was impossible to see exactly where the remarks were coming from, and most of the onlookers appeared to be as shocked and confused by them as the knights were. As the procession approached the Palace the voices stopped, and a heavy silence hung in the air. They entered the courtyard and Lumina turned her unicorn to halt the column.

“Take His Majesty to the Hall of the People,” she instructed the knights. “Lay his body out in a manner that is fitting for a great ruler, and prepare him so that his subjects may pay their last respects and homage to their king. When that is done, return to the antechamber. We must gather an emergency meeting of the Council of Lightkeepers.”

She dismounted, handing her unicorn to a waiting page, and strode purposefully up the stairs to the Royal Chambers. The knights headed toward the Hall on the other side of the courtyard, leaving the three friends by themselves. Walker looked at Eddie. He stood with his head bowed, determined not to look at anyone.

“Eddie,” Walker said hesitantly, not knowing quite what to say.

“Leave me alone,” Eddie muttered under his breath. “Just leave me alone, please.”

“But Eddie,” Walker persisted, “we're your friends.”

“Nobody needs a coward for a friend,” he said.

Frankie stepped forward and once again put her arm around him. This time he tried halfheartedly to shake it off, but she was determined.

“Walker's right,” she said. “We are your friends, and you're not a coward. You said yourself that there was nothing even the king and the knights that were with him could do, that the Black Count was too powerful, so what could you have done?”

“I could've tried,” Eddie answered, “and I should have tried, but I was scared and I couldn't move. That's the point, not whether I could've done anything. If I were armed with a thousand Lances of Light it would've made no difference. I couldn't move. I let fear control me and I swore I would never let that happen again.”

Chapter 14

W
alker could feel the tension in the air as Lumina called the emergency meeting of the Council of Lightkeepers to order. Eddie was at the meeting because he was the only witness to the king's death, and Frankie was also in the antechamber for no other reason than her determination not to be left out.

“Lightkeepers.” Lumina's voice rang out. “Give me your attention.”

The room went silent and all eyes were upon her. Fussingham sat waiting to scribble down every word she uttered, but Luzaro was nowhere to be found.

“We mourn the loss of our beloved sovereign,” she went on. “But as we cope with our present grief we have to look to the challenges that lie ahead. We must decide on two things immediately: how we face any further threats from the Black Count, and who will rule the Kingdom as we go forward.”

She paused for a moment, scanning the faces of her audience. All eyes were upon her.

“We should think carefully about the future of this realm,” she continued. “Maybe we should consider another form of government. Having a king has served us well as long as one as wise and courageous as Leukos held the throne, but since he left no heir perhaps we should ponder other ways of leading our people.”

A murmur of surprise and disbelief rippled through the audience, and Walker saw Jevon go rigid with anger. Lumina continued to speak.

“Ever since our victory at the Battle of Barren Plains there has been peace because we allowed the Black Count to roam freely through Diabolonia. That is his realm as Nebula is ours. I would propose that we do nothing to further aggravate the situation. If the Black Count sees no more incursions into his territory I believe he will leave us alone and we will continue to live as we have, in harmony.”

This time a buzz of agreement ran through the crowd.

“Furthermore, I suggest that we elect a committee of leaders from the ranks of the Lightkeepers,” she went on, “to deal with the future government of the realm.”

“An excellent idea, my lady,” said one of the knights, a pompous fellow that Walker had noticed before, “but only if you will agree to lead it.”

“I would be happy to, Lord Lucata,” Lumina replied, “but only if you also agree to serve upon it with me.”

“It would be an honor and a pleasure,” he responded.

Jevon could stand this no more. He stood up and faced Lumina.

“My lady, are you not forgetting something?” he asked. “This is a Kingdom, and for good reason. We depend upon the Source for everything we hold dear, but the workings of the Source are mysterious, and only a Chosen One can know its secrets. A committee cannot stand before the Source and benefit from its wisdom. That is why King Leukos sent our messenger far and wide for many Eons searching for a Chosen One like himself, and finally we are blessed to have one among us.”

“But this so-called Chosen One, this bearer of the mark,” protested Lumina, “is just a child, and a child of the Outerworld at that. What does he know of the Kingdom and its ways?”

She turned to address Walker.

“Tell me, boy,” she demanded, “do you know the secrets of the Source?”

“No, ma'am,” Walker replied. “His Majesty took me to the Sanctuary and revealed them to me, but said that until I agreed to be king I would not remember them.”

“And my understanding is,” said Lumina, “that you have no desire to be king. Is this not so?”

Walker looked around him at the many faces of the Lightkeepers, as well as those of his friends and Jevon. He thought of his parents and the world that waited for him at home, but he also thought about the king and Astrodor, Eddie, and Lightning. Suddenly everything became clear to him. He could not fail them. He could not fail his friends. What did he have to lose, anyway? How often would a kid from rural New England get to be the king of anything?

“No, Lady Lumina,” he said. “That isn't so. I do want to be king.”

As he said this he suddenly felt like he was back with the king walking down the passages that led to the Sanctuary. It was like watching a movie on fast-forward, but it was also crystal clear, and he remembered everything the king had told him in detail. Then it was over and he was still in the room full of Lightkeepers. His body hadn't moved; only his mind had gone back to the Source with the dead leader.

“You may wish to be king,” Lumina said, “but we must decide if you're fit to be king. You bear the mark, but without the secret of the Source what good is that for the Kingdom?”

“I know the secrets,” he assured her. “All of them.”

“But you just said moments ago that you didn't,” she protested. “Which is it to be—do you or don't you?”

Jevon answered for him.

“Lady Lumina,” he said, “King Leukos promised the Chosen One that he would remember all that he was told in the Sanctuary only when he decided to become his heir, and that is what has just happened. I submit that as the Guardian of the Secrets and Bearer of the Mark this young man is the only one qualified to lead us. The danger is great, and the peril within the walls may be as grave as it is outside them.”

“I am yet to be convinced of the boy's abilities,” Lumina answered sharply, “and I refuse to believe we're threatened by our own people.”

“Not our own people,” Jevon corrected her, “but the Nightangels. King Leukos feared that these agents of the Black Count had infiltrated Nebula and would pit neighbor against neighbor. He said they can take any form, and if they were among us now we might not even know. As you know, my lady, strange things have been happening on the streets. You must have seen and heard—”

“Oh, not the Nightangels again!” Lumina said, rolling her eyes. “His Majesty, great leader though he was, had groundless theories about many things,” she said. “I would need more evidence of this than I have seen so far.”

“My lady,” replied Jevon, “I hope you never will see the evidence you require, because if you do it may be too late.”

His hope was to remain unfulfilled, for no sooner had he said this than the evidence appeared. Shouts and cries could be heard from the streets outside the Palace. A Lightkeeper standing near one of the windows turned to Lumina with horror on his face.

“My lady, something terrible is happening.”

But before she could move toward him to see for herself, there was a shout behind her and suddenly Walker felt an arm around his neck. A hand that was as thin as a skeleton's pressed the point of a dagger against his throat. Then he heard a voice yell “Grab the girl!” He couldn't move his head because of the knife, but out of the corner of one eye he saw a figure grasp Frankie's arm and lift her clean off her feet.

The figure was dressed in the same white clothing worn by all of Nebula's citizens, but his appeared to be several sizes too large for him. He had almost no flesh on his body, mostly just skin stretched tightly over bones; his head was like a skull with hair and bulging eyes that were a brilliant red. He looked monstrous and yet somehow familiar.

“I have her!” the creature said. “She won't get away!”

Suddenly Astrodor ran toward the monster.

“Father, is that you? What has happened to you? Why are you doing this? Please let her go,” he pleaded.

“I'm not your father, you stupid boy,” the creature replied. “Your father died two Eons ago. I merely took his form.”

Astrodor froze where he stood. His eyes were wide with disbelief. Jevon stepped in front of the person holding Walker, and spoke to him in a calm voice.

“Luzaro, release the boy and let's talk about this.”

“You know me as Luzaro but my name is Thoren, Captain of the Nightangels,” replied Walker's captor. “Luzaro, too, met with—shall we say, an unfortunate accident. I took his form hoping to find out the location of the Source but alas, to no avail. Luckily this Chosen One came along just in time, and now he can unlock its secrets.”

At that moment a group of Nightangels armed with swords and daggers crashed into the antechamber. They easily pushed their way through the unarmed Lightkeepers.

“Take the other child and disarm him,” Thoren ordered, “and bring the page as well.”

Eddie raised his sword.

“No, I'll die first!” he shouted, swinging the sword over his head in wild circles.

The Nightangels backed away, watching every move that Eddie made. He edged toward Walker, his weapon flailing over his head.

“Move in and get him,” Thoren ordered.

With their swords held out in front of them four of the Nightangels began to close in on the boy. One of them thrust a sword into the path of Eddie's blade, and there was a clanging sound and a shower of sparks as metal met metal. Eddie managed to hold on to his weapon, but the clash allowed the other three Nightangels to close in. One of them grabbed his wrist and disarmed him, while another put an arm around his neck and pulled him to the ground. He continued to struggle, kicking out at his enemies with all his might, but it was useless, and he was taken captive.

The Nightangels dragged all three of their prisoners into the king's bedroom. When guards were in place at the doorway Thoren released Walker, while still pointing the dagger at his neck.

“Well, Chosen One,” he growled, “your memory returned just in time. Lead us to the Source now that you remember how to get there.”

“Don't do it!” yelled Eddie.

“Silence!” roared Thoren.

The Nightangel holding him slapped a skeletal hand across Eddie's mouth, and the boy gagged. The stench of decay that came from every one of their captors hung heavily in the bedroom.

“What if I don't take you,” Walker said, trying to sound brave and defiant. “What if I tell you to go jump off a cliff.”

“Then you would cause the long, slow, and painful deaths of your friends, one by one, and in front of your eyes,” Thoren assured him. “We have ways of killing that make eternal slavery seem like a pleasant vacation. We would start with the girl first, and since you're such a sensitive soul, I wager you'll give in before we're even halfway through.”

Walker looked at Frankie. She had already tried to bite Astrodor's “father” and had given a hefty kick to his shins, but nothing had any effect. Walker realized that if it weren't for him she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

“So for their sakes,” Thoren continued, “it would be best if you could remember everything that old fool Leukos told you.”

Walker paused for a minute before answering.

“If I take you there,” he asked Thoren, “what's in it for me? What do I get?”

“You get to see your friends live,” Thoren replied.

“I don't care about them,” Walker said. “They're not really my friends. I don't have friends; I've never had friends. No, I've been thinking. If I can't be king I want to be a Nightangel. I've always been a loser, and for once in my life I want to be on the winning team, on the team that has the power. That's the deal. I'll take you to the Source, but you have to do that for me.”

The other children looked at him in stunned silence. Then Eddie pulled the hand away from his mouth and yelled at Walker.

“You traitor; you coward. I wish I'd never seen you and that stupid mark. I wish you'd died—no—I wish you'd never been born. If I ever . . .”

The Nightangel clamped his hand back on Eddie's mouth and roughly shoved him to his knees. Frankie stared at Walker.

“Please don't do it, Walker,” she begged. “Please!”

“Well, well,” chuckled Thoren. “You may be a smarter young man than I imagined. Of course the Black Count is the only one who can make such a decision, but if you help us I think he would be agreeable.”

“Okay,” said Walker. “I'll take you to the Source. No need to bring these three along. They'll only get in the way and try to cause trouble.”

“Agreed,” said Thoren.

He ordered two of the Nightangels guarding the door to join him, and the three of them waited for Walker to lead them to the most secret Sanctuary of the Source.