The Throne of Frost

by J. S. Skye

  Flurry ran to the edge of the forest at the top of a cliff. He had nowhere left to run. The clouds had become dark, as if a thunderstorm was coming. The shadow creatures surrounded him and clawed at him. If not for his plan, they would have ripped him apart, but Flurry was no fool. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the glowing gemstone he had taken from the cave. Flurry held it up above his head. The blue glow changed to pure white. The light radiated brighter and brighter. It was so intense that Flurry had to shield his eyes from it. A shockwave came forth from the crystal, which resulted in bloodcurdling screams. The creatures were all destroyed by the light.

  Flurry opened his eyes. He looked around and saw scorch marks on the ground where the creatures once stood. Steam rose up from their black silhouettes. Flurry put the crystal back into his pocket and turned to head down the path, but he slipped and fell off the cliff. Luckily, the cliff was not too steep. He slid through black mud, down and down, until he came to a stop at the bottom of the slope. Flurry had arrived at the outer boundary of the forest.

  He looked at his mud-covered clothes and sighed with frustration. “That figures. I save everyone, and then I have to be the one to get covered in mud. How am I going to get this mud out of my clothes?” Flurry muttered to himself.

  “How about washing them?” came a familiar and welcome voice.

  Flurry looked up and saw that Drizzle stood a few yards away with Vallidore and Chingu.

  “Well done, my friend! Well done indeed!” praised Vallidore.

  Chingu simply nodded in approval. Drizzle ran up and helped Flurry to his feet. “You know, even though it worked, it was still a pretty bad idea.” Drizzle winked.

  Flurry smiled and rejoined his friends. They all climbed up onto Vallidore’s back, and away they went. They were very near to Ursadoom, and Vallidore was making good time. It would not be long before they arrived.

  Noah, on the other hand, was still traveling a seemingly never-ending path. The sun was hot, and its rays beat down on him. The intense heat rose up from the sand. Noah thought it looked like oil, from a distance. Despite how hot it was, Noah had the advantage of being a plush lion. He had no need for food or water, and he did not sweat.

  He held the wood staff tightly in his paw. The lion pushed forward throughout the day and into the early evening. The sun had reached the horizon when he spotted something large up ahead. At last! Noah could see a magnificent city in the distance. He pressed on with renewed vigor. He had made it! Before long, Noah approached the walled-in city of massive proportions. A palace sat on a hill at the center of the stone metropolis.

  Noah wanted to ensure Flurry’s safety and be able to keep his promise to their mother. He would never be able to face her again if anything happened to Flurry. He would have been frantic had he known what Flurry did in Kraeburne forest. Luckily, he was not there to witness the horrors of that place.

  Noah reached the outer walls of the city, where two very large lion-like creatures stood guard. Though they resembled lions, they were much larger, and their bodies were covered with armor plating. They also had bumps and horns that protruded from their heads in various places. They did not speak to Noah, nor did they acknowledge his presence in any way. The gates to Gargarin were wide open for anyone to come or go as they pleased.

  After he entered the city, Noah saw a vast marketplace with vendors of every kind. It was quite diverse, with different types of animals and people. He saw dwarves, elves, and humans in the mix with creatures he did not recognize.

  Noah pushed through the crowds of merchants and consumers, and shifted his gaze up at the palace. He knew he would have to go there and meet with the king. Noah set off toward the king’s hill as swiftly as he could, for he had important business to take care of.

  Nightfall had come. Flurry and Drizzle stood at a distance with Vallidore and Chingu. They peered down at the fortress of Ursadoom. The air was so cold and crisp that they could see their own breath.

  “We’re here,” Vallidore informed his companions. “Unfortunately, I believe we’re too late. The polar bears are awake and are prepared for battle. This calls for a change in plans.”

  Vallidore and Chingu walked off a short distance to discuss strategy. Drizzle shivered a few feet away from Flurry. Flurry felt fine; the cold never bothered him. He only wore the winter coat because his father made him do it. Despite Flurry’s opinion, the region was quite cold. In fact, the land looked like a solid piece of cracked ice. The ground was completely barren. The only feature to the landscape was that of the fortress which overlooked a cliff down into a canyon. It was a long way down if anyone were to topple over the side.

  Vallidore returned. “We have to stall them.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Flurry asked in a tone of disbelief.

  “Yeah! We can’t even get into the fortress,” Drizzle added.

  “I believe there’s a way in. Chingu mentioned that Jack has a strong negative reaction to you.” Vallidore looked right at Flurry as he spoke.

  “Me?” Flurry replied.

  “Yes, you. Why is this?”

  “How should I know?”

  “Well, I believe that if you try to get his attention, he won’t be able to resist coming out to get you. When he opens the gate, Chingu and Drizzle will sneak inside. They’ll let me in later, at the appropriate time.”

  “Oh no! I’m not doing that! Jack will kill me!”

  “We’ll be there to protect you,” Vallidore tried to assure the teddy bear cub.

  “Fine, but I don’t like this plan!” Flurry replied begrudgingly.

  After going over their plans in great detail, Flurry was ready to go. He hustled down the slope and across the frozen plain. As Flurry stood outside the main gate, he realized that he had not even been detected by the guard posts up high on the fortress walls. “Man! They must really be busy to not see me,” Flurry said to himself.

  Flurry looked around and saw Drizzle and Chingu, one on each side of the castle entrance. They were both spread flat against the wall and ready to sneak in when the gate opened. Vallidore watched from a distance but was ready in case anything went wrong.

  “Hello?” Flurry shouted. He could hear his own voice echo. “Hello?” he called out again. He waited, but still no reply. Flurry decided to shout louder. “Hey! I’m talking to you!” Still nothing but silence.

  Flurry paced back and forth. He looked at the frozen ground and kicked at the snow. He wondered what he would have to do to get someone’s attention. Flurry played with his coat pockets to pass the time. He was too bored to stop fiddling around with them. The little cub opened and closed each pocket over and over.

  From the castle lookout, a polar bear guard, in his Roman-like armor, saw a light from afar. It came from the crystal in Flurry’s pocket. It acted like a strobe light going on and off, as Flurry kept opening and closing his pocket. The polar bear guard summoned his master. Jack came to the lookout. “What is it? This had better be good!”

  “What’s that?” asked the bear. He pointed to the bright flashing light in the distance.

  Jack looked out over the wall but could not make out what the pulsating light source in the distance was. He was about to ignore it when he heard humming. “That voice! I know that voice!” Jack ran back up to the wall and shouted down from above. “Who goes there? It better not be who I think it is!”

  “Oh, hi, Mr. Meanie Pants! It’s me, Flurry!”

  Jack was instantly an emotional wreck. There was something about Flurry that got under his skin. “You! I still haven’t rid myself of you yet?”

  “Nope!” Flurry answered.

  “Away with you! I’ll deal with you later! I have a kingdom to conquer tomorrow. If you’re lucky, maybe you can be among the slain.”

  “Looks to me like you’re hiding.”

  “I’m not hiding!”

  “Yes, you are!”

  “No, I’m not!”

  “You’re the one in a fortress, not me.”


  “Be quiet!”

  “No, you be quiet!”

  “Ahhh! I’ve heard enough!”

  “You just don’t like it that I’m so cute, and you’re not. Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee.”

  Jack shook with rage. Flurry’s giggle was the last straw for him. He could not take it anymore. “That’s it! I have an opening in my schedule! I guess there’s always room to destroy you!” Jack stormed off and shouted an order to his polar bear followers. “Someone go get that pest, and throw him in the dungeon! I’ll deal with him in the morning!”

  The gate opened. Nearly a dozen polar bear warriors rushed toward him, decked out in their shiny armor. Flurry felt proud. He had accomplished his part in the plan. When the polar bears were about to seize him, Drizzle and Chingu slipped into the fortress undetected. Vallidore was pleased with what he witnessed from the ridge. Their plans were off to a good start. Now it was time for phase three.

  CHAPTER 7

  THE BATTLE AT URSADOOM

  Morning came, but it brought another overcast day. The sun could not be seen, and the cold wind whistled through the windows. Fall sat up and shivered at the sound. She pulled her blanket aside, got down from the bed, and went out into the main hall. She had spent the past night with the other bear cubs in the same room they had all been in since the night of the storm. It was hard to believe that this was the third morning since she and Flurry came to Mr. and Mrs. Kringle’s house.

  A tear dropped from her eye as she thought about her brother. She probably would have broken down and cried if she had not been distracted by the noise outside. Fall ran up to the nearest window and peered out at the company of warriors, both humans and elves, gathered together.

  “What’s going on?” asked Boaz, as he came out of the room and rubbed his eyes. He had been roused from his sleep by all of the chatter beyond the walls of the hall.

  “I don’t know, but I see many men in armor, carrying weapons,” Fall answered. “I think I see Mrs. Kringle! She’s carrying a bow. She has a dagger, and arrows strapped to her waist, too. I wonder what’s going on.”

  “Whatever it is, it can’t be good,” Boaz replied.

  “She’s coming! Quick! Act normal!” Fall and Boaz ran to the middle of the room, and pretended like they had been playing with a deck of cards when the lady entered.

  Catherine called for all of her house guests to join her in the main hall. After everyone was awake and gathered together, she made her announcement. “Everyone! Listen up! My scouts have reported that Jack and his polar bear army are preparing for battle at this very moment. I won’t lie to you; it’s highly probable that we’re going to be under attack soon. Our home will be a prime target. You’ll not be safe here. So gather only what you can carry. My husband and I will be leading two separate battle groups soon. We need to relocate all of you now.” Catherine’s voice was stern, and her words were taken seriously. Everyone jumped up, gathered their things, and followed her out of the set of double doors.

  “Wait! Where’s Caboose?” Fall asked Boaz.

  “I have no idea. I gave up on him yesterday,” Boaz replied.

  “Oh no! I hope he’s okay.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine. Let’s go!”

  Boaz, Honja, and Fall walked out together, and the doors were closed and locked behind them. The house was now empty and silent, except for the faint sound of footsteps that could be heard from the main stairway. Caboose was still on the search for Flurry. He arrived at the banquet hall and saw that it was empty. “Oh! So everyone’s hiding again! Okay, here I come, ready or not!” Caboose diligently looked under couches and inside drawers.

  Daylight entered through the open window of the dungeon where Flurry had been locked up. It was very small and unpleasant. The room was without a bed, blanket, or comfort of any kind. Flurry sat in his cold, damp cell and tried to think of a way to escape. While he plotted, his thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the dungeon door being opened. Two polar bear soldiers came down the steps, followed by the evil red panda himself. Jack held Flurry’s crystal in his paw.

  “Well, now that I’ve had a wonderful night’s sleep, it’s time to deal with you. I want to be sure that I’ve rid myself of you before going into battle. It’s good for morale.” Jack snickered. “Oh! I must thank you for handing this over to me.” Jack held up the crystal, but for some reason it did not glow. It looked like an ordinary stone in Jack’s grip. “I’m not sure how you got this without being turned into ice, but it clearly has power that I can utilize for my own purposes. So, tell me. How does it work?”

  “It won’t do you any good. It only works for me,” Flurry answered.

  “Really? What makes you think that?” Jack skeptically replied.

  “Uh …‌ I don’t know. Just a guess.”

  “No matter! I’ll find a way to use it, and if not, it’s no loss to me. I don’t fuss over spilled milk. The important thing is that I’ll finally be rid of you, after all of these years.” Jack placed the crystal down on a table and approached Flurry’s cell. “Now, where were we? Ah yes! I believe I was about to have you ripped from limb to limb.” Jack clapped his paws and shouted, “Guards!”

  Flurry was confused about how or why Jack acted like he knew him. That simply could not be possible. In the middle of his thought, the polar bears came toward Flurry’s cell, unlocked it, and dragged him out.

  “Let go of me! Put me down!” Flurry shouted and struggled against the strength of the brutes.

  “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. I don’t think so!” Jack replied, amused that Flurry would expect them to comply.

  “If you don’t let me go, you’ll be sorry!”

  “The only thing I’m sorry about is that I didn’t do this sooner.”

  “Chingu, would you like to help me out?”

  Jack was startled by Flurry’s statement. He spun around and beheld Chingu as he descended the steps toward the villain. The young warrior approached. He looked calm and sure of himself.

  “Get him!” Jack ordered the guards.

  “But what about this one?” they inquired about Flurry.

  “Throw him back in his cell!” Jack shouted. After the guards tossed Flurry back, Jack pushed the two bears out ahead of himself to confront Chingu on his behalf.

  Chingu was truly a magnificent warrior. He drew his sword and quickly dispensed with the henchmen.

  “What good is having an army if they can’t fight?” Jack muttered to himself. He drew his sword and sprinted up the steps at Chingu. As Jack came near, Chingu’s sword glowed its radiant blue.

  Jack shouted, “Fine! I’ll do this myself!” Their swords crossed. The clanging of their blades echoed throughout the stone walls of the dungeon. Their duel led them up the steps and out onto the battlements.

  Flurry tried to find a way out of his cell, but it was no use. He was locked up tight and wondered if he would ever get out. Flurry heard someone enter the dungeon. They approached the door to his cell. Flurry listened to the sound of his cell’s lock being manipulated. The door swung open. Drizzle stood there with a smug look on his face. “Yep! I figured out that puzzle lock all by myself. You’re welcome!” Drizzle informed the freed captive.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever! We have to get out of here! Let’s go!” Flurry replied, dashed over to the table, and grabbed the gemstone. It instantly lit back up again. Flurry shoved it down into his coat pocket and ran up the steps with Drizzle. When they exited the dungeon, they noticed that Jack and Chingu continued to battle with each other while Jack’s army stood down below and spectated.

  “Now’s our chance!” Drizzle shouted. He grabbed Flurry by the arm and led him down the steps to the main gate. “We have to get this gate open so we can let Vallidore in. Give me a hand.”

  “You mean paw?” Flurry sarcastically replied.

  “Not now, Flurry! You know what I mean!” Drizzle answered.

  Flurry and Drizzle pushed as hard as they could on the lever which would activate the gate. The m
echanism that worked the gate ran on a series of weights and pulleys. The lever activated a winch that would raise the gate on its own. It was no use; the cubs simply did not have the strength to do the job. They continued to try. Flurry and Drizzle both pushed on the release lever, but they were unable to make it budge even an inch.

  They panted and grunted. Before they could make another attempt, one of the polar bears glanced in their direction and spotted them. He shouted, “You two! Hold it right there!” The ferocious bear bustled toward them. The beast roared and attempted to snatch them in his mouth, but missed. The cubs jumped down and darted in opposite directions.

  Flurry was inspired. He ran back over to the lever and climbed up on it. The cub taunted the bear. “You’re too slow! I bet you can’t catch me!”

  The burly bear leapt at Flurry, but the cub had the enemy right where he wanted him. Flurry jumped away from the lever, and the polar bear struck it with his head. The collision released the lever, and caused the gate to open.

  “Yay!” the cubs shouted in unison. Jack heard their voices, and turned to look down at them. Chingu took advantage of the opportunity and struck Jack right in the jaw with the handle of his sword. It looked like Chingu might win, but Flurry and Drizzle were in big trouble. The other polar bears glared right at them, and immediately sped toward them. Flurry and Drizzle made a hasty retreat, but they were cut off and surrounded by Jack’s army.

  Fear overtook Flurry and Drizzle. Their legs shook with terror. A polar bear opened his mouth wide and proceeded to chomp down on Flurry. As the bear’s teeth began to close, Flurry saw his life flash before his eyes. Then something happened that nobody foresaw. Another animal with golden fur jumped into the polar bear’s mouth, and lodged a wooden staff between its teeth. The bear was unable to close his mouth. The guard frantically tried to remove the staff and staggered off in pain.

  “Noah!” Flurry shouted.