The Black Dragon

by W. D. Newman

CHAPTER 27

  FINAL PREPARATIONS

  Amos was on his hands and knees, feeling around the patio, talking loudly, completely unaware of the others around him.

  “Oh no, the meat is spoiling! Where is my pot? I know it is here somewhere and I must find it! Where are my potatoes?”

  The big man was groping about, frantically searching for his pot and potatoes. Then, slowly, his eyes seemed to focus and he sat up and stared at the Keeper.

  “Marcus? I’m confused. What’s going on here?”

  Hob, Gob, and Nob were howling with laughter as the Keeper extended a hand to help Amos up onto his feet. “You just experienced the spell of confusion. It’s wearing off now and you should be back to normal in a few more seconds.”

  “That was weird,” Amos remarked. “One second, I was reaching out to touch the staff and I was all tense, ready to grab for Ben, and then I sorta blacked out. The next thing I know, I find myself down on my hands and knees, fumbling around on the patio, searching for some blasted cookware so that I could start preparing my supper. It was crazy.”

  “Is that what it will do to the dragon?” asked Louise.

  “Yes,” Marcus answered, “but not quite so grand and it will not last nearly as long.”

  “Will it last long enough for me to get back inside the tower?” Ben asked, with a worried expression.

  “It certainly will,” said Marcus, trying his best to sound upbeat and positive. “The very instant Zoltan touches the staff we will sound trumpets to signal the catapults. The blaring trumpets, right after the spell, will confuse him even more. We only need for him to be off guard for that one precious second and that will allow us to ensnare him. You will be absolutely safe, Ben.”

  “Do we have enough time to get back to the castle and do a test-run?”

  “A test-run?”

  “Yes. You know, try it out on top of the tower where it will actually happen.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I had hoped we would do. It is now close to morning back on Camelot. It will be daylight by the time we get back and we will run through it a couple of times. After that, you will need to get some rest.”

  “Marcus,” Louise called. She had her hands planted firmly on her hips and she was wearing that stern grandmother face that makes it impossible for someone to tell a lie. “I think you are hiding something.”

  The Keeper raised his eyebrows. “I am hiding nothing.”

  “Okay, then you are not telling us everything. You really do not know if this plan of yours will work, yet you seem very confident that Ben will be okay. What are you not telling us? Out with it!”

  Marcus looked around the room and weighed his options. Everyone was watching him expectantly. He could not speak of the prophecy. Not yet. He was sure that Ben was the one, but it was important that Ben not know of the prophecy. He thought for a moment, and then spoke.

  “You know that I cannot see the future where Zoltan is concerned. That is why we came here; to speak to the oracle whose sight is further than mine and much stronger. The oracle has foreseen the death of the dragon; that is how I know this plan will work, but how do I know that Ben will be safe? I know this because I have seen a glimpse of Ben’s future beyond tomorrow.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “I am positive, Louise.”

  “Then why didn’t you say so? Good gracious, that would have relieved a lot of worry, tension, and stress!”

  “I did not say anything because the events that will take place in Ben’s future must happen of their own accord. It is very important that I not influence his choices in the future that I have seen.”

  “I still don’t understand,” Louise grumbled. “Do you mind explaining?”

  “Louise, if you were walking down a path and came across a venomous snake, what would you do?”

  “What’s that have to do with anything?”

  “Humor me, please.”

  “I would find a stick and then I would kill it.”

  “And if I had seen your future, I could tell you before you went down that path that you would encounter a venomous snake. I also could tell you not to fear, because the snake would not bite you.”

  “So? I’m still not following you!”

  “So, if I told you that the snake would not bite you, then you might not feel compelled to pick up a stick and kill it. You might decide to step right over it and, if you did so, the snake may have bitten you. By knowing your future, you altered it.”

  Lousie thought for a moment. It was all so confusing. Finally Ben spoke.

  “I understand what he is saying, Grandma. It makes perfect sense and I feel much better now. Let’s get back to the castle and get everything ready. We have a dragon to slay.”

  The three dwarves cheered loudly. They never doubted for a moment that Ben would defeat Zoltan.

  “In this future that you have seen,” said Louise to Marcus, “was Ben healthy and unharmed?”

  “Rest assured, Zoltan will not harm him,” the Keeper answered. “I know this.”

  “Well, I still don’t like it,” said Louise, “but if you are positive, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Ben will be safe, then I will allow it. We really cannot let Camelot be destroyed.”

  “Good! Then, let us be leaving; we have much to do when we get back.”

  Back on Camelot, the storm had abated and the morning sun was shining brightly, although it was still bitterly cold. The temperatures were well below freezing and a deep blanket of snow covered the castle and the surrounding forest. After a hasty breakfast, Hob, Gob, and Nob, before going out to inspect the catapults, chains, and anchor stones, left for the stables to tend to their ponies. Amos accompanied them and promised Ben to see him again at noon-day meal. Louise and Casey followed Ben and Marcus to the top of the tower, where Gabriel was waiting for them. From here, the Twilight forest fanned out from the castle in all directions. Under the bright winter sun, the storm’s deposit of snow and ice sparkled intensely on the white-capped Faerie oaks below them.

  “We have cleared away the snow up here,” said Gabriel, “spread a layer of salt to melt the icy spots, dried the stones, and swept them clean. There shouldn’t be any problems with footing. Jonah is stationed in the south tower to sound the horn that will be a signal for Ben to run. I have also brought a stick of the same size and thickness as Merlin’s staff, as you have asked.”

  “Excellent,” Marcus replied, taking the stick and handing it to Ben. “Tomorrow, we will have scouts watching the skies, from all corners of the forest. When Zoltan is spotted, a trumpet blast will alert us to his approach. At that point, you will walk out here with the staff, so that he will be sure to see you when he arrives. I expect him to land in the same place; on top of the castle wall adjoining this tower. When he lands, he will raise up to his full height so that he can see you. It is important that you hand him the staff, so that the spell will be transferred. As soon as you hear the horn from the south tower, you will need to run for the door as fast as you are able.”

  “Where will I need to stand?”

  “Stand here, in the center. Once he lands, you will have to get closer to him to hand over the staff.” Marcus walked to the edge of the tower. “It is about forty feet from here to the door. Come here and hand me the stick. As soon as it touches my hand, Jonah will sound the horn. When you hear the horn, let go of the staff and make for the door.”

  Ben walked toward the Keeper. This was only a practice run and, even though the Keeper assured them that he would not be harmed, he wanted to make certain he could get to the door as fast as possible. When he was standing before Marcus, he stopped and stretched out his arm, extending the stick. Marcus reached for it and as soon his hand touched it, Jonah blasted a long, loud note on the trumpet. Ben let go of the stick, whirled around, and ran for the door.

  “RUN BEN!” Casey yelled. “Faster, faster, faster!”

  Ben made it to th
e tower door in a flash. It had to be the fastest he had ever run!

  “That was soooo slow,” Casey chided him. “Come on, let’s do it again and this time we’ll race.”

  Ben felt his ears heating up. He knew they were turning red and he couldn’t blame it on the cold either. There was nothing he could do but try again, but this time he was going to beat his sister. This time, he was going to beat her in a race if it killed him. He walked back across the top of the tower to Marcus. The Keeper handed him the stick as Casey walked over to join them.

  “Come here, Ben,” said Marcus. The Keeper reached beneath his cloak and pulled out a small flask. “Drink this. It will make you faster.”

  “Really?”

  Marcus nodded and gave him a conspiratorial wink. Ben took the flask and drained it.

  “That tastes like water. What is it?”

  “It is a special drink from Faerie. All of the elfin horses drink this and there are none faster in all of Camelot.”

  “Wow,” said Ben. “Let’s try again! Forget the staff and the horn,” he instructed the Keeper, “just say this; on your mark, get set, go. When you say go we’ll race to the door again. First one through the door wins and the loser has to do the other’s chores for a whole month.”

  “You’re on!” said Casey.

  “On your mark,” called Marcus.

  The two kids lined up, side-by-side.

  “Get set!”

  Ben and Casey crouched low, ready to spring into action.

  “GO!”

  The two kids shot across the top of the tower. Although Casey was faster, Ben got the jump on her and, for the first time in his life, actually beat her in a fair race. He shot through the tower door with Casey right on his heels.

  “Woo-hooooo!” he yelled. “That was awesome! Will you have some of that for me to drink tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely,” Marcus replied.

  “This will be a piece of cake,” Ben beamed. “Let’s go tell Amos and Hob, Gob, and Nob. They will be relieved to hear about this! I want some of that drink to take home with me, Marcus; it will sure come in handy when school starts back. I have P.E. next semester. Come on guys, I’m getting hungry too.”

  Ben disappeared down the staircase. He was in such high spirits that Casey found it hard to begrudge him the win. Besides, it wasn’t really a fair race; he drank a magic potion that gave him speed. There was nothing fair about that!

  “He never has beaten me in a race before,” she commented to Marcus. “What was in that flask you gave him?”

  “It was only water,” the Keeper replied with a smile and a wink, “but do not tell him until after all of this is over. He will need both confidence and courage when he faces the dragon.”

  “Wow, he really did beat me.”

  “Yes, he beat you fairly. Be happy for him too; he will need all the speed he can muster tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I am happy for him. I just not happy about all of the chores I will be doing for him when we get back home.”

  Marcus laughed and wrapped his arm around Casey’s shoulder. “Come; let’s see if we can catch up with our little speedster.”

  By the time Amos and the three dwarves arrived back at the keep, it was well past noon and the dwarves were complaining of starving. Marcus knew they would be hungry and had a grand feast prepared for everyone; there were fresh baked breads and roast meats heaped with steaming piles of potatoes, carrots, and onions. There were hoops of various cheeses and platters mounded with all manner of fruit. While everyone ate, Marcus went over the plans they had laid out for tomorrow.

  “We will have scouts stationed all along the perimeter of the forest. They will be watching the skies and, when Zoltan is spotted, they will sound their horns. Ben will be waiting in the tower alone. If Zoltan sees anyone lurking about he will suspect foul play and we do not want to put him on guard. Ben, as soon as you hear the horns, you walk out into the center of the tower and wait for Zoltan. You will be carrying the staff and he will be sure to see it. The castle wall adjoining the tower is the only place where he can perch. He landed there on his last visit and he will land there tomorrow as well. When he does alight, wait for him to rise up to his full height. If he speaks to you, treat him with respect and act fearful. Answer his questions, but do not provide any more information other than what he asks. When he tells you to bring him the staff, approach him slowly. Do not look into his eyes, but look down and concentrate on listening for the horn blast. Gabriel will be in the south tower with a horn and he will be watching you closely. When he sees the dragon touch the staff, he will sound his horn. When you hear the horn, let go off the staff and run for the tower, just like you did this morning. Can you do that?”

  Ben nodded. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure of himself anymore. What was he thinking? This was a fire-breathing dragon! This was a creature that could swallow him whole or incinerate him on the spot. He swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat and nodded.

  “Good. There are six catapults hidden within the forest, just outside the castle walls. The Faerie Oaks have positioned themselves so that the catapults cannot be seen from above. Hob, Gob, and Nob will be manning crews at each of these catapults. When Gabriel sounds his horn, the Faerie Oaks will part and the dwarves will launch the catapults. Hob, is everything in order and ready for launch?”

  “Absolutely! While we were in Faerie, we left instructions for test shots to be fired using heavy ropes, weighted with sacks of dirt. We did some fine tuning and made some adjustments to the trajectories and the chain lengths. We are confident that we will ensnare the dragon.”

  “How will this work?” asked Louise. She was beginning to have doubts, like Ben, and was thinking of pulling him out of their plans.

  “Each catapult is loaded with an anchor stone; a great slab of heavy granite with an iron ring driven deep into it. There are three other anchor stones outside of the castle. These are located at the base of the curtain wall; just below where Zoltan will land. These stones are colossal; each one is five times larger than any of the stones in the catapults and, they too, have enormous iron rings driven deep into them. A heavy chain, connected to an anchor stone in a catapult, runs across the ground to the anchor stone beside the castle wall. The chain is threaded through the iron ring and runs back into the forest where it connects to another anchor stone in a different catapult. The chains are of such length, that when the stones are launched over the dragon, their trajectories will be cut short, causing them to fall inside the castle wall. That will be six heavy chains, holding the dragon down with a tremendous amount of weight.”

  “I see,” Ben exclaimed, “but will the rocks go through their trajectory fast enough to catch the dragon?”

  “That’s where the spell of confusion comes in,” said Hob. “It will addle him long enough for the chains to snap down on top of him very tightly and once he is secured, we will rush out to throw more chains on him. We have to get his head and his tail immobilized and then we should be able to control him.”

  “Well, it appears that everything is in order,” Marcus remarked. “Let’s get some rest. Remember, our trip to Faerie has robbed you of a night’s sleep.”

  “Hey, you’re right!” said Casey. “No wonder I am so tired.”

  “Jonah will wake you for supper. Sleep well.”

  *****