The Cursed Sword (The Nine Worlds Trilogy Book 1)

by Debbie Champion

  "Ok that's all very well but have you ever killed a lamb before?" asked Matt peering around the corner of the barn.

  "No, I wasn't going to kill it, he just said a lamb. We can just grab one and give it to Grim alive. He can kill his own dinner thank you," said Alex grinning.

  They both peered into the barn and saw three lambs in a pen towards the back of the barn. They were munching on hay and staring at them. The largest bleated loudly making them jump.

  "Come on let's take that little one," he said pointing to the smallest lamb in the pen.

  "Look there's a rope over there, we can use that," whispered Alex pointing to a coiled rope on the floor in the corner closest to them. They looked around and it all seemed quiet so they entered the barn.

  "I don't think 'sheep rustler' is going to look too good on our CVs," said Matt in a low voice as he picked up the rope from the floor.

  He tiptoed to the pen and the large lamb bleated loudly again. He jumped back in fright knocking over a bucket, which clattered, loudly to the floor. He looked at the door quickly to see if anyone had heard the noise.

  "How do you keep them quiet?" he asked looking at Alex.

  "Gee I dunno let me take a quick look at my sheep handbook which is in my back pocket. Come on hurry up with that rope someone might come," said Alex pushing Matt towards the pen.

  Matt made a loop with the rope, realising that the knot tying skills he learned in Scouts was time well spent after all. He slipped the loop over the neck of the smallest lamb who had come over to investigate. It nuzzled his hand looking for food.

  "Quick open the door," he said leading the lamb to the entrance of the pen.

  Alex undid the bolt and Matt led the lamb out. The others jostled to follow him and bleated loudly when Alex pushed them back in.

  "Come on quickly," he whispered loudly.

  They checked that no one was around and quickly ran towards the trees. The lamb bounded along beside them quite happy to be out in the open. When they reached the riverbank they realised they had a problem.

  "Ok Einstein, this was your plan. How do we get a live lamb back to the waterfall on a snake?" asked Matt stroking the lambs back to keep it calm.

  "Yep I didn't think that far. Do you think Gorvir will eat it?" asked Alex looking up and down the river trying to spot the serpent.

  "Probably, but better the lamb than us. Can you hold it in one arm and hold onto the horn do you think?"

  "Yeah because that will work. I don't see this lamb coming quietly. We'll have to kill it after all," said Alex eyeing the lamb dubiously.

  It bleated loudly and backed away from Alex as though it understood.

  "No way, you can't kill Bob," said Matt standing in front of the lamb protectively.

  "Bob? You named the lamb Bob? Matt you can't name an animal who is about to become someone's dinner," said Alex.

  "I was kind of hoping Grim would change his mind. Look Bob is really cute, look at those eyes," said Matt holding the lamb’s head.

  "Bob's a girl you moron. Come on there's Gorvir," said Alex pointing downstream towards the thick scaly body which was weaving its way through the water.

  "Ok I have an idea, let's tie its legs together and I'll carry it around my neck," said Alex.

  Matt flipped the lamb onto its back and tried to tie it's legs together but it kicked and struggled and bleated loudly in protest. Alex knelt down and helped and eventually they managed to tie the feet together but they were covered in scratches and bruises when they were finished.

  "Lift her up and put her legs over my head," said Alex.

  "That sounds so wrong, rather you than me," said Matt laughing.

  He lifted the lamb up and draped its body over Alex's shoulders. The lamb bleated indignantly and Gorvir reared up out of the water to take a look.

  "There, there Gorvir, it's just a little friend for you to play with later, you might even get to nibble on a leg if you are good," said Alex slipping down the bank carefully and sliding into the water.

  The lamb started to struggle and bleat but Alex held onto it's legs firmly and started to think about warm water surrounding him in a bubble. Immediately the water began to warm up. He was really getting the hang of this and he started to wonder what else he was capable of. He looked over at Matt; he had slipped into the water too and was holding firmly onto Gorvir's horn. Gorvir slunk into the water and Alex gripped on tight with one hand and held onto the lamb's legs with the other. He chuckled to himself and Matt looked over.

  "What?” asked Matt.

  "Could you imagine if someone is watching this and videos us? We would be on YouTube, 'huge serpent, two boys and a lamb swimming along the river. You just couldn't make it up," he said laughing.

  Gorvir made good time heading back and before too long they were back in the lake. The boat was tied to a rock and the girls were sunbathing on a large rock listening to Grim play the violin. There was a fire smoldering and the smell of cooked fish wafted across the lake. Alex's stomach grumbled loudly, he was starving. Grim looked up when he heard Gorvir splash.

  "Ah you are back. Come let me see quickly," he said looking at the lamb dangling around Alex's shoulders.

  "We brought you the most succulent lamb we could find," said Alex struggling to swim over to the rocks with the lamb wriggling around on his shoulders.

  "It certainly looks a handful," laughed Grim, swimming over to help Alex. He plucked the lamb off Alex's neck with one hand, untied its feet and looked closely into its eyes.

  “I don’t believe it,” said Grim turning white. “Mia, is that you?” he asked the lamb.

  He waved his hand over the lamb’s face and sang a haunting melody. Suddenly the lamb started to transform into a woman.

  “Mia, my love, it’s you,” he cried grasping Mia around the waist and swinging her high into the air. She was very plain looking and had mousy brown long hair. She was also naked. Grim drew her down into the water when he saw the boys ogling her.

  “Grim, you found me,” she cried, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I can’t believe you broke the spell.”

  “Mia, Mia,” he crooned into her neck. “My true love, my one and only, at last.”

  “Er can someone explain what’s going on?” asked Alex. “I’m really confused.”

  Grim looked up, tears were shining in his eyes and he looked like he was glowing.

  “You found her. I can’t thank you enough. I am indebted to you forever.”

  “Found who? Who is she?” asked Matt.

  “Sorry, this is Mia, my fiancé. Her mother didn’t approve of our relationship. She made some terrible accusations about me being a womaniser,” he said rolling his eyes.

  Matt looked at Alex and raised his eyebrows.

  “My mother told me that if I ever saw him again she would turn me into a lamb and hide me where he would never find me. She said if I wanted to be a lamb heading to the slaughter then I could be one, literally. I couldn’t stop seeing Grim though. She caught us and placed a spell on me to turn me into a lamb.”

  “I have been looking for her for years, I can’t leave the water for too long so I have had to rely on people visiting me. When they ask for music or music lessons I ask them to find me a lamb. Always in the hope they will return Mia to me.”

  “My love we will have to hide. If my mother ever discovers that you found me she will take me away again. I’m not being turned into a lamb again, it was disgusting,” she said shuddering.

  “Don’t worry my love, I’ll take care of you. She’ll never separate us ever again.”

  Grim kissed Mia passionately and Alex and Matt looked at each other and grinned when they saw the girls faces. They recovered quickly when they saw the boys laughing at them and sat back down on the rocks.

  Alex sat down next to Becca. She handed him a large piece of cooked fish and he ate it hungrily. He heard a splash and looked over at the lake.

  "Thanks Gorvir," he shouted and waved.

  The se
rpent raised her head from the water, gazed intently at Alex and bowed her head majestically before slipping beneath the surface.

  "You ok?" asked Becca.

  "Yep, you? I take it Grim behaved himself? Where's Pete?" said Alex looking around for Pete.

  "I'm here," called Pete from the boat. He had been lying in the bottom soaking up the sun. "All good here, no funny business," he said shading his eyes from the sun.

  "So Grim, sorry to interrupt but how about that piece of music? We fulfilled our part of the deal," said Alex wiping his greasy fingers on his trousers.

  "Yes you certainly did,” he said gazing intently into Mia’s eyes. “Here you go. I composed it whilst you were gone," he said conjuring a sheet of music on thick creamy vellum with a wave of his hand. It floated over to where Alex was sitting and he plucked it out of the air.

  "Er is that it?" asked Alex "Just one side, isn't that a bit short?"

  "What were you expecting a whole symphony? That will do the job trust me," said Grim winking, his arms still wrapped tightly around Mia.

  "Ok that's, er, great then, thanks." Alex gave the sheet of music to Sasha to put in her bag.

  "One last problem guys," said Pete sitting up in the boat. "How do we get back to Dvalin? I don't think this boat will get us there somehow."

  "You'll need a portal," said Grim. "I expect Maggie will be here soon. She visits quite often. I think she's quite a fan of my music."

  "Yeah right, it's all about the music I'm sure," said Matt laughing. Mia raised her eyebrows at Grim and he kissed her passionately again.

  They sat on the smooth, grey rocks waiting for Maggie and Grim played on his violin with Mia tucked up close to his side. The haunting melody echoed across the lake making Alex feel despondent. He was still very far from completing his task and fulfilling the prophecy, he just couldn't see the end in sight. He looked around at the others; they were all lying back in the sun listening to Grim's music. Alex couldn't relax though, he just wanted to get back to Dvalin and finally get the sword so this could all be over. He could feel his frustration building and his fingers started to tingle. He looked at his hands and little sparks of electricity were jumping off the tips of his fingers. He concentrated on his hands trying to channel the energy. The feeling immediately intensified and suddenly a ball of white light shot from the palm of his hand and struck a tree, which was overhanging the waterfall. It burst into flames immediately.

  "What the? Alex!" shouted Becca jumping up suddenly and backing away from him. "What are you doing?"

  "Sorry I was just practicing," he said sheepishly.

  "Practice in your own back yard," said Grim sternly.

  He waved his hand and a stream of water shot up from the lake and doused the tree extinguishing the flames. Alex stood looking guiltily at the smoking blackened tree stump.

  "Hello hot stuff. You need to learn to control yourself," said Maggie appearing on a ledge, which was hidden from sight behind the waterfall.

  "Hello Maggie looking as gorgeous as ever," said Grim standing up and going over to help her off the ledge. He carried her in his arms over to the rocks where the others were standing.

  "It doesn't hurt to flatter a Volva," he whispered to Alex winking. Alex sighed and Mia huffed. Grim quickly pulled her up next to him.

  “Mia? Is that you?” asked Maggie squinting in the sunlight. Mia nodded cautiously.

  “Maggie, please don’t tell my mother, I beg you,” she pleaded.

  “Hmm fine, I never did like your mother, batty old crone,” said Maggie haughtily.

  "Maggie, they need to get back to Dvalin, can you help them?" asked Grim, desperate to change the conversation.

  "Yes I expected they would need a lift back. It will cost you though," she said looking at Alex and grinning. Luckily she was in her transformed human state and actually looked quite pretty.

  "Ok, now what?" he asked dreading what she was going to ask for.

  "Let's just say you will owe me a favour sometime and when I ask for it you can't refuse," she said gazing at him intently.

  "Fine, providing it doesn't involve hurting anyone I agree," said Alex resigned.

  Maggie laughed and clapped her hands together excitedly. "Perfect, come on then gather close, let's get you back to Dvalin."

  They found a flat grey boulder and gathered together closely into a circle. Pete squeezed himself into the middle. "What? I'm not being burned up again," he said.

  Alex pulled Becca and Sasha in tight with his arms and Maggie drew a circle around them with her chalk muttering under her breath.

  “You must come back for our wedding," called Grim, puling Mia close to his side.

  Becca and Sasha looked at each other and shrugged. The boys grinned and gave Grim a thumbs up. Then suddenly they were falling through the hole and before they knew it they were bouncing up and down on Dvalin's floor.

  Chapter Ten

  When the floor stopped undulating and heaving beneath them Alex stood up and saw Dvalin and Sven pressed up against the sides of the room looking horrified.

  "I suppose Maggie thought that would be funny," said Dvalin looking at the mess in his room. The bed, sofa, table and chairs had overturned and there were papers floating up in the air.

  "We got it," cried Sasha jumping up to her feet and digging the sheet of music out of her bag. Dvalin snatched it out of her hand greedily and scanned the page of notes.

  "This will work will it?" he asked looking around at them. "It's not very long," he turned the page over to see if there was more.

  "Grim seemed to think so, come on let's try it now," said Alex moving to the door.

  They all hurried down the tunnel back to the Gyrrdorr chamber and stood in front of the golden door. Dvalin studied the music closely and tried a few notes. After a few attempts he managed to play it without making any mistakes. They stood holding their breath wondering what would happen. When the last note finished reverberating around the chamber there was a loud clicking sound and the door sprung open.

  "It worked, it worked," cried Dvalin excitedly bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

  He grabbed a flaming torch from its sconce in the wall and ran inside the room. The others followed quickly behind. Dvalin stopped and looked around the square shaped stone room confused. It was empty. Both the perfectly smooth dark grey stonewalls and floor were bare.

  "What?" he cried sweeping the torch around the room. "Where is it? What's going on?" He frantically looked around but there was nothing there.

  "How about a hidden door?" asked Sven studying the walls.

  Dvalin and Sven moved around the chamber patting the rock and muttering door opening spells.

  "Perhaps someone got here first and took the treasure," said Sasha.

  "Impossible," cried Dvalin. "There must be something here. It's another enchantment."

  "Dvalin, look we are running out of time. We opened the door that was our agreement. You need to tell us where the sword is," said Alex.

  Dvalin swung around to face him. There was a dangerous look in his eyes and he growled, "No, you need to stay and help me figure this out, then I'll tell you."

  "Oh come on this is ridiculous." Alex shouted. Suddenly the door behind them slammed shut. The sound of it echoed around the room making everyone jump.

  "What the?" cried Matt. "What's going on?"

  He went over to the door and pushed but it was shut firmly. He looked over at Alex and shrugged. "There's no handle this side, I can't open it."

  Suddenly, a squealing, grinding noise echoed around the room.

  "What's that?" asked Becca frightened. She moved to Alex's side and gripped his arm tightly.

  "I have a really bad feeling about this," said Sven looking up.

  Everyone else turned their heads up to see what he was looking at. The ceiling was moving down slowly, grinding against the stonewalls and making a loud crunching sound.

  "Oh come on," cried Pete. "This stuff only happens in the movies,"
he said pushing at the door with Matt with his shoulder. There was no way it was going to budge.

  "Dvalin do something," shouted Alex. "There must be a way out."

  Dvalin looked at Sven. "We should have brought a Volva with us," he said. "She could have created a portal out of here."

  "You should have thought about that before you got us in this mess," snapped Sven.

  "Come on think. If you were hiding your greatest treasure what would you do?" he said, thinking furiously.

  "Guys hurry, this ceiling is coming down really fast," said Matt throwing himself at the door with his shoulder. Dvalin scurried around still pushing at the walls.

  "Wait," said Becca crouching on the floor. "You've already tried the walls, what about the floor?"

  Dvalin fell to his knees and starting to swipe his hands across the floor muttering spells. Sven did the same. The ceiling brushed the top of Alex's hair and he crouched down pulling Becca to his side.

  "God Becca I'm so sorry I got you into this," he said brushing her cheek with his hand. He could see she was terrified.

  "It's not your fault, we are in this together remember?" she smiled at him weakly and he pulled her closer and crushed his lips against hers.

  "Here," cried Sven.

  They all scrambled over to him bent double. The floor just in front of Sven was glowing yellow in a circle. Dvalin placed his hands on the circle and it grew brighter lighting up all of their pale faces. The dwarves chanted together repeatedly. "Syna dyrr, Syna dyrr, Syna dyrr..." The circle glowed even brighter so they couldn't look at it and then suddenly the light disappeared to reveal a hole in the floor and what looked like a slide leading off into the blackness.

  "Quickly everyone down here," said Dvalin pulling Sasha's arm.

  "You sure about this?" asked Pete peering into the hole with a worried expression on his face.

  "Well you can stay here if you like but I don't want to become mincemeat," said Sasha pushing herself down the hole feet first.

  The ceiling was pressing down quickly and scraped the top of Alex's head again, he moved Becca forward towards the hole.