by Dean Lorey
Charlie smiled slyly. “So you admit he still has it.”
Fury erupted over the shadowy face of the Queen of Nightmares. Then, like an ocean wave erasing footprints on the sand, her look of rage was replaced by an unreadable expression of calm - but Charlie knew that, underneath, there lurked a terrible anger.
He had wounded her.
“Play as many games as you like, Charlie Benjamin. You will perish playing them - but not before I have drained your life force to fuel my destruction of your world.”
“I’ll find the way out. Trust me.”
“There is no escape! The Slumber is sealed tight! Your portals do not work here!”
Charlie knew that much was true. He was in the Slumber in mind only - not in body - so there was no way to physically escape through any portal he knew of.
Unless…unless there was some other kind of portal.
He looked past the shadowy presence of the Queen of Nightmares to the radiant oval just behind her. It looked so familiar. In fact, he thought it looked just like—
A portal.
“Step aside,” Charlie said.
“And why would I do that?”
“Because I think that’s a portal behind you - a portal back to my body - and I’m going to step through it and then I’m going to kill you.”
The Queen of Nightmares laughed, but Charlie detected a note of hysteria. “Go ahead and try, Charlie Benjamin.”
Summoning his courage, Charlie walked forward. “You know what I think? I think you have no way to protect that portal. This isn’t really you - it’s just the shadow version of you.”
“We are connected. We affect one another. My strength is her strength, and hers is mine.”
“I think you’re powerless. You’re like the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz - all bark and no bite - telling everyone to ‘ignore the man behind the curtain’. You’re not the Fifth, you’re just her shadow, and to walk right through you and into that portal, all a person needs is the simple belief that they can.”
Charlie stepped right up to her.
Suddenly, the Queen of Nightmares roared and swiped at him with a massive, shadowy hand. The open palm hit him with the force of a truck and knocked him backwards on to one of the bridges that led to the platform.
“It doesn’t require belief, boy!” she shrieked. “It requires fighting!”
Charlie staggered to his feet.
“OK then…let’s fight.”
Violet, Theodore and Brooke battled their way through the Queen of Nightmares’ lair. The shimmering, organic hallways - which had been so carefully crafted by the Shellweavers - were now black and slick with monster blood.
Violet’s axe flashed against the incoming tide of creatures as Theodore and Brooke summoned portals underneath the ones that approached from behind. The two Nethermancers were like gunslingers in a shoot-out - fast, accurate and very deadly.
“Above you!” Theodore shouted, glancing over his shoulder to see a flock of Netherbats swooping towards Violet. But before the Banisher even had a chance to respond, Brooke opened a portal in front of them and the bats sailed harmlessly through it and into the Nether.
“Dang, Brooke!” Theodore exclaimed as he opened a portal around a leaping Dangeroo. He quickly snapped it closed, slicing the monster in half. “You’re like a portal-making machine now!”
She laughed. “I may look like a frog, but my portals are as pretty as a princess.”
“You got that right!”
They advanced steadily, slaying every creature that swarmed their way - Netherstalkers, Hags, even Darklings. Soon they were within sight of the throne room.
“Almost there,” Violet said, covered in black ichor, chest heaving. “Charlie should be close…”
Inside the throne room, the Queen of Nightmares heard Charlie’s friends approach. “They are stubborn creatures,” she growled. “Like you, Edward.”
“What would you have me do, my lady?”
“Destroy the sword.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then destroy them.”
Pinch found her answer curious. “Why don’t you just touch them and put them into the Slumber? The more humans you have there, the stronger you will become.”
“I could, but I won’t - because I want to see them die. Or, to be more exact, because I want to see you kill them.”
“After all I’ve done for you, you’re still not sure where my loyalties lie?”
She shook her head. “If you were truly loyal, you would rid yourself of that hideous weapon.”
“This weapon is the only thing keeping me alive! Without it, eventually I’ll do something you don’t approve of - like Barakkas, Slagguron and Tyrannus - and then you will destroy me.”
She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “I can’t do to you what I did to them. I created them to begin with, you see - which allowed me to uncreate them. With you…I have no such power.”
The fight outside the throne room drew closer…and it didn’t sound like the creatures of the Nether were winning. The cackling of Hags was abruptly turned into a spurting gurgle; the song of the Silvertongues was silenced by the snicker of an axe blade.
“Destroy the sword before they arrive,” the Queen of Nightmares hissed, “and I will let you drink from me. You cannot be transformed while you hold it. You cannot be made magnificent.” She leaned down to whisper in Pinch’s ear. The Sword of Sacrifice vibrated angrily in his hand, centimetres from her vulnerable body, desperate to taste her alien flesh. “We are family now, Edward. Here we stand, at the moment of our greatest triumph. Open a portal to the Netherforge and drop the sword into the Core. Let me transform you. I will let you drink until you have had your fill. I will give you enough blood to become…astonishing.”
Astonishing.
That sounded good, but Pinch was wracked with indecision. Even though the world of humans had rejected him, he knew that if he wanted to wield the sword, he would have to return to that world and pray that it embraced him. On the other hand, the world of monsters had welcomed him and it would take only one more sip of the blood of the Fifth to be transformed permanently. The choice was not a moral one - Pinch had left morality behind long ago - he was now only concerned with being on the winning side, whatever the cost.
“Rid yourself of the weapon,” the Queen of Nightmares purred, “and join me for ever. Become my most special baby.”
“Don’t do it, Pinch,” another voice said and Pinch looked up to see Theodore enter the throne room. “She lies - you know she does. Take the sword and kill her with it.”
The Queen of Nightmares glared at Theodore. “Do not listen to him. Destroy the sword and then destroy them. All of them.”
“You can’t trust her, Pinch,” Brooke said, stepping up behind Theodore. “This doesn’t have to end badly. You can be a hero today. Kill her now.”
“I…I don’t know,” Pinch replied, trembling.
The Queen of Nightmares spoke then, her voice kind and soothing. “When their world despised you, I took you in. I welcomed you as one of my own. I made you my son.”
My son. That sounded nice.
“Kill her!” Violet yelled. “Kill her now! You’re the only one of us that can wield the sword and do it!”
“Join me, son,” the Queen of Nightmares said, her voice as loud and clear as a church bell. “Join me and rule the world of humans by my side. Seek your vengeance against them! Claim your power! BECOME THE MONSTROUS THING YOU WERE BORN TO BE!”
“You’re right,” Pinch said with sudden finality, turning to her. “You took me in when they did not. I’m sorry to have ever doubted you. I’ll love and protect you forever…Mother.”
And, with that, Pinch roared in fury and ran towards Violet and the others, the Sword of Sacrifice held high above his head, shining brightly.
Violet reacted instantly. She rushed towards Pinch, axe raised. Her weapon was clearly no match for his and her Banishing skills were nowhere near t
he equal of a Double-Threat’s - but thoughts of doubt did not cloud her mind. She was a weapon of destruction, as Theodore liked to say, and had only one goal in mind.
Stop Pinch.
As the two of them neared each other, time seemed to slow. Violet knew she was only going to get one shot at this before Pinch took her out. As he brought the Sword of Sacrifice down towards her, she leaped into the air and leaned back, almost parallel to the ground, her legs pointing straight at her wild-eyed opponent like a spear.
Then they made contact. Violet’s feet slammed into Pinch’s ribcage so hard that she heard bones crack. Pinch flew backwards from the enormous force of the blow, missing her with the blade by less than a hair’s breadth. He tumbled helplessly across the throne room, end over end, sword flashing crazily, then began to arc back down…straight towards the Queen of Nightmares.
“No!” she screamed as Pinch, still gripping the Sword of Sacrifice, slammed into her, mistakenly hacking off her upper left arm.
It fell to the floor with a wet thump, spasming and jerking. Pinch landed next to it, the force of the impact knocking the weapon from his hand. The blade slid across the glossy floor before finally coming to rest in the very centre of the chamber.
“What have you done?” the Queen of Nightmares shrieked, staring in shock at her missing arm as Pinch crawled away, horrified. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, YOU FIEND?”
Back in the Slumber, Charlie raced towards the colossal shadow version of the Queen of Nightmares. He was in terrible pain from her last attack and already he could feel the supernatural force of the Slumber greedily sapping away his will to fight. But he knew that his only chance was to keep coming after her and hope that he found a weakness. As he neared her, she pulled back two of her massive hands, preparing to strike him once again…and then suddenly she collapsed to the ground, eyes wild with pain and confusion.
“What’s wrong?” she gasped as her upper left arm disappeared. “What’s happening to me?”
Something bad, Charlie thought gleefully as he ran towards her. Bad for you, good for me…
Then he leaped up over her prone body and sailed, headlong, into the enormous, silvery portal beyond.
Charlie sat up in the throne room of the nautilus shell to find it in utter chaos. The Queen of Nightmares was clutching at the protruding bone of her missing arm, shrieking furiously, while Pinch wailed in sorrow.
“I’m so sorry, my lady! It was an accident! I never meant to do such a thing!”
“Then fix it!” she screeched. “Get rid of the miserable sword before it causes more harm!”
The sword.
Charlie saw it in the middle of the vast throne room, shining brilliantly. He leaped to his feet and ran towards it.
“Charlie!” Violet shouted. “You’re back!”
Pinch, seeing Charlie, scrambled after the weapon as well.
No… Charlie thought. Don’t let him get it!
But the traitorous man was much closer to the blade than Charlie. With a cackle, Pinch dived for it—
—and promptly disappeared into a portal that had snapped open right in front of him.
“Bye bye, Pinch,” Brooke said, slamming closed the portal she had just opened. She turned to Charlie. “You can thank me later - now get that sword!”
Charlie did. His fist closed around the beautiful black hilt of the weapon and instantly, he felt its energy flow through him like a raging river. Holding the blade aloft, Charlie turned towards the Queen of Nightmares, fire in his eyes.
“This ends now.”
“You think so? Let’s find out!”
She raised her three remaining arms. With quick flicks of each hand, she summoned Fire, Air and Earth Golems inside the cavernous throne room.
“Destroy him, my babies!”
They swivelled their brutish heads towards Charlie.
“Charlie, watch out!” Brooke yelled and began to run towards him, but Violet yanked her back.
“Let him handle this - it’s his fight now.”
“But we can’t just sit here and do nothing!”
Just then, a portal popped open in the throne room and Pinch leaped through it, returning from the Nether.
Violet smiled grimly. “Who said we’re going to do nothing?”
As Charlie waded into his fight against the Golems, Violet, Brooke and Theodore closed in on Pinch. Even though it was three against one, Pinch was a Double-Threat, which made victory against him by no means certain.
“Get out of my way!” Charlie shouted, swinging the Sword of Sacrifice at the Air Golem. Instead of passing through the massive creature, as soon as the blade made contact, the Golem disintegrated with a howl - its death cry sounded like the high-pitched shriek of a hurricane.
Wow! Charlie thought. This sword is pretty awesome!
He spun around and swung at the advancing Earth Golem. It collapsed against the might of the blade like a sandcastle falling to an incoming wave. Then, with a sideways leap, Charlie turned to the Fire Golem and brought his weapon crashing down. As soon as it connected, the Fire Golem exploded in a blast of embers that reminded Charlie of cinders swirling up a fireplace.
“Don’t get too pleased with yourself,” the Queen of Nightmares hissed. “You’ve only just begun to fight!”
Her long, crimson hands began to flick rapidly - an orchestral composer conducting a symphony of death - and Golem after Golem sprang to life in the throne room, thundering towards Charlie. He swung at them with increasing confidence, destroying every single one with just the briefest touch of the blade, as he advanced steadily towards the Queen.
“Edward!” she screamed. “Get rid of him!”
“Of course, my lady!” Pinch yelled back, as he fended off Violet’s attacks while dodging the many portals that Theodore and Brooke threw beneath him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Charlie slay the last of the new Elemental Golems that the Fifth had summoned.
“EDWARD!” she shrieked. “HE’S HERE! HELP ME!”
Purple fire exploded across Pinch as he summoned a portal directly underneath Charlie. Leaping to avoid it, Charlie flung himself forward - but he didn’t clear the portal completely. He tumbled into it and, grasping wildly, managed to snag the nearest leg of the Queen’s massive throne, stopping his fall.
“Charlie!” Violet yelled. “Hang on!”
The Sword of Sacrifice grew heavy in Charlie’s hand. He looked down to discover that he was hanging above the magma well in the Netherforge. Even from this distance, it sucked at the Ancient Weapon with violent force.
“Close the portal, Edward!” the Queen of Nightmares screeched. “Cut off the boy’s arm! Do it now! End this!”
Pinch began to snap the portal closed - when Theodore punched him so hard in the face that he collapsed to the ground.
“That portal doesn’t close till I say it does!” Theodore yelled, then leaped on to Pinch’s chest and began to pound him.
Charlie, meanwhile, struggled to hold on to the sword - but it was a losing battle. The Nether Core sucked at it with an almost human desperation and the Ancient Weapon slipped lower and lower in Charlie’s sweaty hand until he was only clinging to it with the tips of his fingers. The Queen of Nightmares walked to the edge of the portal and stared down at him, a triumphant smile on her face.
“You’ve lost, Charlie Benjamin. It looks like the Sword of Sacrifice will now claim at least one more sacrifice.”
And then Charlie lost his grip on the wondrous weapon.
The sword that they had all fought so hard to obtain fell down through the chill air before finally crashing into the well of bubbling blue magma that led to the Core of the Nether.
It bobbed there momentarily…and then was gone.
“No…” Charlie gasped. “It can’t be…”
“Oh, but it is,” the Queen of Nightmares replied, her purple, jewel-eyes glittering with hate. She leaned down and caressed his trembling hand - the one that still clung desperately to her throne. “Now it’s
time to send you back to the Slumber.”
“Sure,” Charlie replied. “Right after I send you to the Core…”
He reached up with his one free hand and grabbed the Queen of Nightmares by her silvery hair. Letting go of the throne, he yanked her with him through Pinch’s portal and into the Nether, where they both fell, tumbling end over end, towards the well of the Netherforge far below.
CHAPTER TWENTY THE CORE OF THE MATTER
Charlie and the Fifth hit the magma with the force of a meteorite, sending great sheets of the bubbling blue liquid high into the air. The Queen of Nightmares wailed in agony as it boiled her alive.
“IT HURTS! IT KILLS!!!”
She scrambled to escape, but Charlie clung to her tightly and they were both quickly pulled under by the irresistible draw of the Nether Core. Even though the lava didn’t hurt Charlie, he couldn’t breathe and his lungs desperately ached for air. The Queen of Nightmares thrashed wildly in his grip and he could see chunks of her alien flesh ripping away as they plunged deeper and deeper into the well.
So this is how it ends, Charlie thought. I’m going to drown here…but at least I’ll take her with me.
Down they hurtled as Charlie’s lungs screamed for oxygen. The Queen of Nightmares spasmed in his arms while the magma tore at her - but soon her struggles became less violent.
Will it kill her? Charlie wondered. At least before it kills me?
He doubted it. He could feel himself ready to pass out from lack of air, which he knew would give her an opportunity to swim back up through the lava and possibly escape.
And then his arm touched something—
The Sword of Sacrifice.
He reached out and grabbed it. The blade energised him instantly and - with his last remaining breath - he let go of the Queen and then plunged the magnificent weapon straight into her terrible black heart. As soon as he did so, she exploded in a geyser of green blood, putrid flesh and wicked dreams; the only thing that escaped was her final shriek of agony, which bubbled up through the magma and into the endless night of the Nether.
The Fire Golems descending on the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm suddenly exploded into clouds of cinders and were blown away. In Prague, the Water Golems hurling themselves out of the Vltava River were vaporised, leaving behind only mist, which soon dissipated. The German capital of Berlin, under siege from a horde of thundering Earth Golems, abruptly fell silent when the monsters crumbled like ancient ruins, falling to the ground in great heaps of sand. And Air Golems - viciously dismantling the Eiffel Tower in Paris - vanished like wisps of smoke in the strong wind that swept across from the River Seine.
