‘I do?’
‘Yes!’
Realizing that it could be all night before Nibbler understood what she was hinting at, Charlie repeated her earlier words.
‘You’re my boy …’
‘Uh …?’
‘Nibbler!’
‘What?’ he said with feigned innocence.
Charlie stared accusingly back at him.
‘Ha! Just winding you up!’ The sound of his chuckle carried off into the night sky. ‘Charlie, I’m your boy and you’re my girl.’
Grinning so widely that his lips threatened to split his cheeks, he pulled her into a big hug, let loose a huge whoop, then tugged her inside so they could help Jensen out in his hour of need.
Their K’Changa game, as wild and as raucous as it was, was interrupted some time later when Hotstepper alighted upon the side of the Jade Tower. Bidding Charlie to clamber upon his back, he spread his wings and took flight. The two of them did not go far, and to Charlie’s growing curiosity landed some few miles distant from the trees of Deepforest amidst the grasslands of the Great Plains.
‘Rumbling Hunger,’ said Hotstepper as Charlie slid from his back, ‘has sent a message from the Winged Realm. He has instructed us to bestow upon you one last gift.’
Eyes twinkling Charlie looked around expectantly.
‘No, Charlie,’ chuckled Hotstepper, ‘this is not a physical gift but a spiritual one.’ Raising a paw he pointed up into the sky and there, flying towards them, was a wide formation of Winged Ones. Their scales twinkled and glittered in the light of the late-afternoon sun so that they looked like bejewelled toys made miniature by the distance. As she squinted, Charlie could just about make out some familiar shapes. She could spy Torn Moon, Thief Cutter, Handino and Dancing Moon leading from the front, and a good number more that she did not know by name but recognized from recent events.
‘Oh, wow!’ gushed Charlie, suddenly feeling like royalty. ‘They’re doing a fly-by!’
‘Not quite,’ murmured Hotstepper with a wry smile. ‘Allow me to recount my grandfather’s words.’ When he spoke next it was in a deep voice, reminiscent of Rumbling Hunger’s. ‘Charlie of the Keepers, you have done us and Bellania proud, but do not forget that we are the true Keepers of the Realms and that we are familiar with all the races that populate all the many realms. We know you and we know what the Humans of Earth are like. Thus we know that a seed of disharmony lies buried in your soul, that deep within you lies a fear that Bane, although dead, will one day arise to haunt you and all you hold dear.’
Charlie’s face paled. How did he know that? After all the books and comics and movies and games that she had enjoyed on Earth, a part of her always believed in the age-old plot of the return of the nemesis. How could Bane be any different?
A shadow fluttered over her. Startled, she raised her eyes to see that the Winged Ones had drawn near.
‘How …’ began Charlie, but fell silent as objects dropped from the majestic beasts. She watched with dazed eyes as the shapes plummeted then landed with a splat some metres distant. At Hotstepper’s indication, she hesitantly moved closer until she could see what it was …
‘Poop? Dragon poop?’ she blurted in amazement, once again forgetting to call them Winged Ones.
Hotstepper bellowed with laughter. ‘Yes, Charlie of the Keepers! Poop!’
‘Wh-what?’ Charlie’s jaw fell, not knowing what to make of this bizarre incident.
‘Poop,’ chuckled her winged friend, ‘is our final gift to you.’
‘Er … I don’t get it.’
‘Well, as crude as this gesture is,’ explained Hotstepper, ‘and surely one you should have expected from my grandfather, this gift to you is peace of mind. This, Charlie of the Keepers, is all that remains of Bane. And, Charlie, let me tell you that there is no coming back from that. Bane, the so-called Western Menace, is well and truly gone.’
Charlie gazed first at the splattered mess, then at the Winged Ones wheeling and rolling acrobatically through the sky, then back at the amused face of her companion.
‘So what do you think of your present?’ he asked.
‘What do I think?’ asked Charlie, remembering the cruel giant that had haunted her and her family for so long. Her eyes glinted with merriment. ‘I think that this is what I call poetic justice.’
‘So you approve?’
‘Of course! This is the best ending to an adventure and the best payback for an evil, flesh-eating chump ever! Hotstepper?’
‘Yes, Charlie?’
‘You and Rumbling Hunger are stars!’
‘Ha!’ roared Hotstepper. ‘Well, we try, Charlie, we do try. Now hop on my shoulders and let’s see about getting you back to the party.’
The day blurred into night. The Sylvarisians, in true spirit, partied like only they could. There were impromptu games of K’Changa held on half-finished bridges, hastily assembled restaurants cooked sweets and served pastries on the boulevards, fireworks gusted from towers, and the Winged Ones, not to be outdone, lit the sky with lightning and crazed displays of aerial acrobatics.
Stonesingers shaped the rocky remains of Stowyrms into heroic sculptures to honour the fallen, Treesingers encouraged trees into wondrous shapes, circus performers tumbled back and forth and tiptoed across tightropes. And weaving back and forth across streets and bridges was the long line of floats and dancing troupes that formed the celebration parade. The people cheered and whistled as Charlie, in pride of place, rode on Hotstepper’s back.
The party continued long into the night and was still going strong when the first rays of dawn broke the horizon. The Winged Ones that led the procession spread their wings and took to the skies. They carried Charlie and her friends back to the Jade Tower where a phalanx of guards in ceremonial armour pulled their swords from scabbards to form a sabre arch. Lady Dridif waited for Charlie to dismount. Nibbler jumped down from where he had perched on Rocksteady’s back, then pushed his way forward to stand by Charlie’s side. Reaching out, he took his friend’s hand in his own.
Dridif gave him a thoughtful nod, then turned to Sylvaris’s saviour. ‘Are ya ready?’
Charlie nodded.
‘Then let’s go and greet yer parents.’
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Blood and Fire (Book 3) Page 34
