“Be careful, Dave!” Sarah cried out.
And even as she did, a worm came at him from the side, thrust forward, and caught him on the right forearm with one of its horns.
Dave cried out, and Reb leaped forward to pierce the head of the monster with his sword.
Dave blinked, gripped his arm, and then weakness seemed to come over him. Josh watched him fall into unconsciousness.
But Volka, the giant, seemed invincible. He picked up boulders that an ordinary man could not lift and sent them into the mass of worms, crushing them. He kept crying, “Hroom, Hroom!”—his favorite battle cry.
And then Beren cried out, “Look! They’re leaving. We won!”
And that was the last of the battle. The worms were driven back into their holes.
Josh leaped over the worm carcasses and knelt beside Dave. At once Sarah joined him, crying, “Dave! Dave!”
Beren came too. He pulled back the sleeve of Dave’s shirt and saw the wound. He shook his head gravely. “We’ll do what we can.” He leaped to where he had left his pouch and pulled a small leather bag out of it. “We’ll have to draw that poison out,” he said.
The Sleepers watched as Beren took out what looked like a rubber bulb. He attached it to Dave’s arm over the wound and began squeezing it. “I hope it’s not too late. The poison works very quickly.”
“He—he looks like he’s dying,” Sarah whispered. She reached out and gripped Beren’s arm. “Don’t let him die,” she begged.
“We need to get him out of here,” Beren said. “Some of you carry him while I pump the poison. I want to get away. Those worms could come back.”
Volka said, “Me carry.”
Fortunately the ceiling of the tunnel rose even farther, and the sides widened. They were able to walk easily now. Only Volka had to stoop slightly. He carried the still body of Dave, while Beren walked alongside doing what he could for the wounded young man.
“There’s light up there,” Josh said.
“Those are the light-bearing stones,” Beren said. “We can put out the torches now.”
They soon found themselves walking by the pale green light that illuminated the passageway. This passage was much easier. The floor was flat here, and there were no rocks to stumble over—and no worm holes.
“The worms don’t usually come this far. We set traps for them,” Beren said.
“How’s Dave?” Jake asked, coming up to look into the pale face of the boy.
“He don’t look good to me,” Wash said. “Don’t you have medicine for worm bite?”
“We do have one other thing that might possibly help. Put him down, Volka, and we’ll try it.” Beren plunged into his sack again and brought out a small glass vial. “Hold his head so he can swallow this.”
When Volka held the boy upright, Beren removed the stopper, put the little flask to Dave’s lips, and forced the medicine down.
Dave swallowed convulsively.
“That may help some,” Beren said. “But we’ve got to get away from here. Sometimes the empress’s guards patrol this area. Not often, but I’d hate to be caught after coming this far.”
The party made their way, for what seemed hours, through a maze of tunnels. Sometimes the ceiling lowered, forcing them to stoop over, and Volka had difficulty squeezing through. At other times they passed through large natural caverns.
“These are sandstone, washed out by an underground river. They weren’t made by us,” Beren said. “Up ahead is the river.”
“That’s good. I’m thirsty,” Jake said.
The large river cut across the tunnel path. It came out of a huge cavernlike space on the left, flowed across, and disappeared into the rock on the other side.
“Where does this thing go?” Josh asked curiously. “It’s a big one.”
“It comes out on the surface, miles from here. But we never advise trying to use it,” Beren said.
“Why not?” Sarah asked quickly.
Beren appeared to be reluctant to say. “Well, there are some bad things in here.”
“Bad things?” Josh demanded. “What sort of things?”
“Blood fish.”
“Blood fish!” Josh echoed. “What are they?”
“They don’t sound good,” Reb said, staring at the water. “I hope they’re not what I think they are.”
“They are fierce predators,” Beren said. “In your world you may not have them. But they tear any living thing to pieces and eat it. I saw a goat fall in once, and in a few minutes all that was left was a skeleton.”
“That sounds like a piranha back in our world.” Josh glanced at the water. “How do we get across then?”
“We’ll have to swim.”
“Well, how do we know those fish won’t get us?” Wash asked, looking apprehensively at the dark water.
“We don’t. We’ll just have to take a chance. They’re usually drawn to blood. Do any of you have any scratches or cuts?”
Several had scratches from the sharp rocks, so Beren took time to bind up all of those. Finally he took a deep breath. “Well, there is no way to go around this river. So let’s go. Hold Dave up as high as you can, Volka. Can all of you swim?”
It turned out that all of the Sleepers could, although Beren said, “We can wade most of the way.”
It would be a chilling adventure indeed. As Wash crept slowly into the ice-cold water, he told Reb, “I’d just as soon be at McDonald’s eating a chocolate ice cream.”
Reb nodded. “Me too.”
Josh was a fiercely brave young man, but he knew that the idea of being devoured alive by vicious fish took all the courage everyone had. “Come on. We’ve got to do it,” he said desperately.
As it turned out, the crossing was not difficult. The blood fish were not active, and Volka stood in the deep part, handing the others across so they didn’t have to swim.
They reached the opposite bank, and Josh took a deep breath. “Well, I’m glad that’s over,” he said. Then he sat down beside Dave. He stared into his white face and said, “I don’t think he’s any better. He looks worse, as a matter of fact.”
“Yes, he is,” Beren said. He looked down the twisting cavernous road ahead and added, “We must go quickly to a friend.”
“A doctor? Do you know of one?” Sarah asked.
Beren shook his head. “But I know of someone else who could help.”
They rose, and the small procession made its way through the winding cave. Behind them, the river and the worms seemed to stir as the darkness closed in.
10
A Desperate Venture
After many twists and turns in the underground passageways, Beren finally led the Sleepers into a large cavern with a high ceiling. As soon as they entered, many of the inhabitants rushed forward to greet him.
“This is my mother,” Beren said. “Mother, these are the Sleepers.”
“My name is Laiona,” the woman said. There was a graciousness about her, and even though she wore rags and her face was lined with care, the Sleepers immediately recognized nobility in her.
“Why, you’d be the true Empress of the Underworld!” Sarah exclaimed. “Isn’t that right?”
Beren answered. “She is the rightful empress, but we have been in hiding ever since Fareena and Lothar overthrew our royal house and killed my father.”
“You must be tired,” Laiona said. “Come. You must eat something.”
“Mother, we have one who has been wounded,” Beren said. “We were attacked by the worms.”
Laiona turned her eyes to where the giant Volka held the limp form of Dave. “Then come quickly,” she said. “How long ago did this happen?”
The rightful empress listened to her son’s report as they made their way to her own compartment and saw to it that Dave was laid on a cot. Placing a hand on his forehead, she studied him carefully and shook her head. “We will do what we can,” she said simply.
Sarah and Josh and the other Sleepers were escorted to another part o
f the cave. Beren saw that they were fed and, as they were eating, said, “When you’re rested, I will show you around our home.”
Later he took them on a tour. It was not what they had expected. He had told them of some of the wonders of the palace, but what they saw was more like a coal mine.
“We found this old mine shaft when we fled,” Beren said. “Those loyal to my family came with us, and we wait here until by some miracle we regain the kingdom.” He looked around at the dismal mine trap and shrugged. “It’s not what we’re accustomed to, but we’re grateful to be alive.”
The Underlings, they quickly found out, were a cheerful, kindly people. Their homes were carved into the sides of the tunnel, and the Sleepers stopped at one, where Beren made introductions.
“This is our former Chief of State, Dokar,” he said. He laid his hand affectionately on the old man’s arm. “He chose to suffer exile with us rather than remain in power under the evil empress.”
Dokar was a small man with the usual pale features of those who lived under the earth, but his eyes were bright and blue. He smiled at them. “You are welcome to the Underworld. Come into my humble abode.”
When the Sleepers were inside, they discovered that Dokar and his family had hollowed out a large room in the solid rock. They had left raised platforms for sleeping purposes, and also the table and chairs rose out of the rock floor.
There was a fire built into one wall, and Josh asked, “What about the smoke from the fire?”
Dokar explained to him the system of vents that had been carved, allowing the smoke to clear out of his home. Then he said, “Here—you must try some of this.” He poured a clear liquid out of a stone jug into cups and passed them around. “I hope you like it.”
Reb, along with the others, tasted it and exclaimed, “Why, this tastes like Coke!”
“What is Coke?” Dokar asked. Then when it was explained, he said, “This is a brew we make ourselves. Some of the ingredients come from the surface. We have a system whereby we can bring in our little necessities—vegetables, occasionally fresh meat—down from the surface.”
The Sleepers listened as Dokar finished describing the lives of the Underlings.
Josh whispered to Sarah, “This is a hard way to live, always trapped in a cave—it’s like being in prison.”
“I suppose it’s not as hard for them as it would be for us,” Sarah answered. She looked around and saw the ragged dress and the pitiful implements and shook her head. “But it’s bad enough after having been an empress to be reduced to this. In fact, it’s awful! We’ve got to do something.”
“I don’t know what,” Josh mumbled. “It looks like a hard situation.”
Soon Beren led the group out of Dokar’s home, and they stopped by the empress’s compartment.
When they entered, Jake exclaimed, “Why, look! Look at Dave!”
The boy was resting, but the deadly pallor was gone from his face. His cheeks seemed almost rosy, and he was breathing evenly.
“That’s great!” Jake exclaimed. “You must be a good doctor.”
Empress Laiona smiled graciously. “We have learned a little of how to treat diseases and injuries, and the young man is exceptionally strong. He will be all right in the morning. I have given him something to sleep.”
“We’re very grateful, Your Majesty,” Josh said. “I was very worried about him.”
Laiona sat down, and when they were seated she said, “I would like to explain what has happened in our kingdom. I don’t know how much Beren has told you.”
“Not very much, Mother. Go ahead.”
“We were deceived by the sorceress named Fareena. She came to us like an angel of light.” There was a sadness in the noble face of the true empress as she went on to explain how Fareena had come promising them many wonderful things.
“Most of all, she spoke well of Goél and claimed to be his servant. We here in the Underworld are cut off from most things on the surface. But we know that Goél is the hope of Nuworld.”
“How did she gain power, Your Majesty?” Sarah inquired.
“She has strong powers, very strong,” the empress said, her lips drawing into a tight line. “She is, as I say, a sorceress and able to do more than we thought. She stole away the hearts and the minds of many of our finest. Even those on the General Council. And when she was strong enough, she and her henchman Lothar drew their strength against us. We had no chance at all,” she said evenly. “It was only through the help of Dokar that we were able to escape. And even so, Beren was taken captive for a while.”
“Many of our people were slain,” Beren added. “And for a long time Fareena and Lothar sought us. Even now they are determined to slay all who are of our family.”
Looking at the Sleepers, Beren leaned forward, his eyes intent. “We have heard of the mighty deeds of the Seven Sleepers. That is why I came to enlist your aid.”
“But Lothar got there first,” Josh said grimly. “How, I wonder, did that happen?”
“The Empress of the Underworld is no fool,” Laiona said. “She is in firm alliance with the Dark Lord. We know that now. She is determined to enslave people. It is my belief that she sent Lothar to bring you to this place to make you captives.”
“What for?” Jake demanded.
“If she could sway your minds and turn you against Goél,” the empress said, “you’d be a mighty weapon in the arsenal of the Dark Lord himself.”
“We would never do that!” Wash exclaimed. “We know who the Dark Lord is, and we would never serve him.”
The empress shook her head. “You think not, young man, but you do not know the power of the evil empress. The Dark Lord himself, I think, gives her some power that I cannot explain.”
Reb said suddenly, “I know what it’s like. When we were at Camelot, there was a sorceress there. I didn’t know it at the time, but—” he hesitated “—she just stole my mind away. You remember, Wash?”
The black face of Wash grew almost tragic. “I sure do, Reb.” He shook his head. “It was like she took you out and she came in.”
“That’s exactly right. And that is what has happened to your young woman Abbey,” the empress said.
“You know about her?” Josh asked in astonishment.
“We have our spy system, and we know a great deal about the empress and Lothar.”
“Can we get to her? We’ve got to save her!” Josh exclaimed. Now he leaned forward. “That’s why we came—to help you and to free Abbey.”
“I fear she’s in a serious condition. We have an agent in her quarters. Her name is Luna. Right now she is in the good graces of the empress, but she is one of us.”
“What about Abbey? What does Luna say about her?” Sarah asked.
“She is well physically, but her mind has been ensnared by the empress. What kind of young woman was she? Tell me all about her. Some minds,” she added, “are more susceptible to the wiles of the sorceress than others.”
She listened carefully as Sarah took it on herself to describe Abbey. And when Sarah ended, she said, “She is exactly the sort that would be most easily swayed. I fear you would not know her if you saw her now.”
“Abbey wouldn’t do anything bad,” Reb maintained stoutly.
“Not on her own, but you must remember your own experience, young man.”
Reb’s face fell, and Empress Fareena said in a kindly fashion, “We will hope for the best.”
“What can we do?” Josh asked. “We’ll try anything.”
Beren said, “I have a plan. It’s risky, but we must try something.”
Beren had led the Sleepers down many corridors, some of them almost impassable. Volka groaned as he squeezed his enormous bulk through some of the tight places. “This place not made for giants,” he mumbled.
“It’s not made for Gemini twins either!” Mat exclaimed. “No good will come of this. I feel like a gopher down in a hole!”
His cheerful other half, Tam, slapped him on the shoulder and grinned.
His face was dark with the silt that had fallen on it, but his teeth gleamed brightly. “Come now, brother!” he exclaimed. “We’ve seen darker things than this. We’ll see some light down at the end of this tunnel.”
“You’d be cheerful if the world was coming apart and the sun was falling,” Mat grumbled. “I don’t care what you say. Here we are, just a handful against a whole army—and a powerful sorceress besides.”
The two argued on, and finally Beren turned and said, “You must be quiet now. We must not be caught.”
“How are we going to get into Abbey’s room?” Jake wondered. “We can’t just go waltzing into the palace. There’s bound to be guards.”
“You’re right, Jake. There are many guards.” Beren’s face was serious. “But there is a passageway that leads directly to the room where Abbey is kept. As a matter of fact, it was my room when I was growing up.” He smiled briefly. “My mother the empress does not know everything. Behind one of the pictures in that room there is a hidden passage. I used to sneak out when I was a child. It was made a long time ago. No one knows when exactly. Even my parents did not know of it.”
“They may have found it by now,” Josh said.
“That may be. That’s just a chance we have to take. But perhaps we can get into Abbey’s room that way and bring her out. Come quickly now.”
As quietly as they could, the Sleepers, accompanied by Volka, Tam, and Mat, made their way through an ever-narrowing corridor. Finally they came to a wooden door.
Holding his torch high, Beren whispered, “This is it. On the other side is the bedroom, part of the royal suite. Your friend is there.”
Handing the torch to Jake, he drew open the door, listened a moment, and then slowly pushed at what appeared to be the back of a large frame. It swung aside, and suddenly the dark cave was illuminated.
Josh was standing right behind Beren. The light hurt his eyes at first, but after he blinked he saw Abbey!
Shoving by Beren, he stepped down into the room. He hardly noticed the richness of the jewels or the walls or the silks but called out eagerly, “Abbey!”
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