Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers

by Philip Caveney

  'My good friend the jester,' said Aaron. 'I trust you are a happier man now that you know you can be funny. I have a gift for you also.' He produced an old leather-bound journal, which he pressed into Sebastian's hands. 'As I promised, here is my account of the fateful history of this cursed city. Take it and give it to your Mr Peel with my best wishes. And tell him to heed its warning well.' He studied Keera for a moment. 'And who is this delightful creature?'

  'Er . . . oh, this is Keera,' said Sebastian, tucking the notebook carefully into his pack. 'From the village of the Jilith. She's my, er . . .'

  'His mate,' said Keera, putting as much emphasis on the word as possible.

  Aaron nodded approvingly. 'She is a vision,' he said. 'Little wonder you hold onto her so tightly, Sebastian. I sense there may be wedding bells when you get to Veltan . . .'

  Keera giggled girlishly and Sebastian felt his face reddening.

  'Wedding bells?' he cried. 'Er . . . oh well, there are no plans to . . . to . . .'

  But Aaron had now turned his attention to Max. 'And my dear Mr Buffalope,' he said gravely. 'I hope you were not too disappointed to discover that I wasn't a flesh-eating monster!'

  Max looked surprised by the remark. 'I can't think what you mean,' he said. 'I was the one who kept telling everyone that you would turn out to be a nice old chap. It was these two who were worried.'

  Sebastian and Cornelius gave him looks of sheer disbelief.

  'Well,' said Aaron, 'time waits for no man. It only remains for me to bid you all a fond farewell.'

  Sebastian leaned closer to whisper, 'Those ropes on the floor . . . Cornelius tells me they're fuses.'

  Aaron smiled. 'Does he now? Well, he's an observant fellow, isn't he?'

  'But why would you—?'

  'Goodbye, Sebastian. And good luck.'

  'But, wait, you can't—'

  'Goodbye, Sebastian.' Aaron's expression was firm. It was clear he would entertain no more talk on the matter.

  Sebastian and the others turned to leave. They followed the trail of children down the long flights of stairs, Cal tagging onto the end of the line at the next level.

  Max was making very hard work of it, his hooves slipping and sliding every few steps. 'I shan't be sorry to say goodbye to these blooming stairs!' he announced at one point. 'I take my life in my hooves every time I venture down them.'

  Finally they reached the ground floor, found the entrance door open and stepped out into the brilliant sunshine. Sebastian was one of the last ones out and he found Phelan waiting for him. He turned to slam the door shut behind him, but Phelan lifted a hand to stop him.

  'We're to leave it open,' he said. 'Aaron's orders.'

  'What?' Sebastian stared at him. 'But if we do that . . . tonight, when the sun goes down . . . the Night Runners . . .' Realization dawned on him. 'Oh,' he said.

  'It's his last project,' said Phelan, his voice expressionless. 'We can't kill the Night Runners with swords or spears, but if they're blown into tiny pieces – even they won't be able to walk around any more. Aaron means to take as many of them with him as he can. The black powder is his own invention. It's powerful stuff.'

  Sebastian made as if to turn back but Cornelius reached out a hand and grabbed the hem of his tunic.

  'Leave it, Sebastian,' he said. 'It's Aaron's choice. Let him end it as he sees fit.'

  Sebastian sighed. 'It seems such a waste,' he said bleakly. 'That man has a mind like no other. Think of what he could achieve if he were only to live a little longer.'

  'Destroying large numbers of Night Runners may be his greatest achievement,' said Cornelius. 'At any rate, it's what he has decided to do and it's not for us to question it.'

  Phelan walked up to the head of the column, where he joined Salah and Olaf. They began to lead the way through the abandoned city. Phelan and the older children stayed out in front, while the youngsters walked together in the middle and the adults brought up the rear. Everyone who could handle a sword held it out, ready for any trouble.

  But for much of the way, trouble seemed to be in short supply. Phelan cut expertly back and forth through the streets and alleyways, and apart from the odd flapping flock of scraws, there was no sign of life. After an hour they were well on their way to the river.

  Keera kept looking up the column to see if Salah was all right but she was too busy chatting to Phelan to take much notice. 'How quickly that child has changed,' she commented. 'It is as if she has become a woman in the blink of an eye.'

  Sebastian smiled. 'She seems very close to Phelan,' he admitted. 'I wonder how Joseph will react when she doesn't come back to him.'

  'I don't think he was expecting her to return,' she said. 'He is an old man nearing the end of his days. Sending her on this adventure was his way of telling her to start her own life.'

  'And what about your father?' asked Sebastian.

  'What about him?'

  'Well . . . you are going back to him sooner or later . . . aren't you?'

  She smiled enigmatically. 'That's really up to you,' she said.

  'Oh, but Keera, you know that I already—' He broke off suddenly because a strange thing had just happened. Keera's lovely face had fallen into shadow – yet the sky was cloudless; it was as if the light was somehow beginning to fail. She asked him if everything was all right, but he looked around in dismay. The column had come to a halt and everybody was staring at each other, trying to fathom what was happening.

  Then Cornelius gazed up at the sky, holding one hand to shield his eyes. 'Shadlog's breath!' he cried.

  Sebastian turned to look and was astonished to see a huge black disc moving across the face of the sun. He had to avert his gaze immediately because the sight threatened to sear itself permanently into his vision. 'What's happening?' he gasped.

  Cornelius scowled. 'I've seen something like this once before,' he said, 'as a boy in Golmira. I think it's called an eclipse – when the moon passes across the face of the sun. If this is what I saw then . . .' He looked around decisively. 'Phelan, get moving!' he snapped. 'Fast as you can!'

  Phelan didn't waste time asking questions. He quickened his pace and everyone followed. The darkness was gathering by the moment. Sebastian saw that Cornelius was looking anxiously at the buildings around them, and then he sensed, rather than saw, something moving in the shadows. A terrifying sound reached him – a high-pitched giggle that he recognized only too well. It was as though the blood in his veins had suddenly turned to ice.

  'RUN!' bellowed Cornelius as the last of the light slipped away and they were plunged into darkness.

  CHAPTER 27

  RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

  They came scrambling out of every doorway, those gaunt, pale creatures with their flapping cloaks and long bony fingers, and the sound of their frightful cries filled the air. Sebastian saw them coming and, still holding Keera's hand tightly, put his head down and started to run. But he soon realized he couldn't go too quickly: the small children in front of him couldn't run fast and he was in danger of trampling them in his haste.

  Without a word, he released Keera's hand and grabbed the nearest child, a little fair-haired girl, tucking her under his arm and running along with her. Keera took the hint and grabbed a tiny boy, and even Cal threw a girl across one brawny shoulder. Max galloped alongside a couple of small children and urged them to scramble up onto his back. Cornelius, hampered by his size, could only shout at the children around him.

  'Run!' he roared. 'Run like you've never run before! We have to make it to the—'He broke off with a grunt of surprise as something leaped out of a window and came flapping towards him like a huge bat. He met the attack with a quick swing of his sword and the creature shrieked and tumbled away minus its head.

  Sebastian kept up the pace. He was aware of movement on either side of him and held up his sword, ready to fight off any attack. 'How far to the river?' he yelled.

  'Not too far!' Phelan shouted back. 'Just keep— Argh!' He stopped to fend off a Nigh
t Runner making for Salah. Flailing his sword at it, he sent it tumbling aside.

  As they turned down a narrow alleyway, Sebastian glanced back into the darkness and was dimly aware of a series of dark shapes following in their wake, some racing along the ground, others clinging to the walls. He glanced down at the little girl he was carrying. She looked surprisingly calm, as if this was something she encountered every day.

  'We'll be fine,' he assured her and she just nodded.

  But immediately a Night Runner was lunging down at them; at the last moment Max accelerated and tossed the assailant aside with an almost casual flick of his horns. On his back the two children shouted jubilantly.

  'Thanks,' Sebastian cried.

  'Don't mention it,' said Max, sounding surprisingly calm.

  Sebastian sensed rather than saw something leaping up behind him and braced himself for an impact; but the creature swooped effortlessly over his head and came down upon a small boy, throwing him forward onto his face. The creature shrieked triumphantly and prepared for the death blow, but in that instant Sebastian saw Cornelius reach into his belt. The little warrior's hand came up and something flashed through the air – something spinning end over end as it sped towards its target. The dagger struck the Night Runner between the shoulderblades with a dull thud, forcing it to release its grip. It leaped aside, leaving the boy sprawled on the ground. Cornelius was there at once, helping him to his feet, and they ran on together.

  Sebastian's heart was thudding in his chest and the child under his arm was beginning to feel heavy. He glanced at Keera and saw she was still running beside him, her sword at the ready; then he realized they had reached the place where the stones of the city met the green of the jungle and he began to hope that they might make it to safety.

  Perhaps they won't follow us beyond the city, he thought; but it was a vain hope. Still the creatures came on, cackling and gibbering. They followed their quarry out of the city and along the narrow trail that led to the river. Now they were bursting out of the dank vegetation on either side, their white faces staring, their mouths hanging open in anticipation. Sebastian saw Max swing his head hard to one side, flinging two more Night Runners back into the undergrowth. His heart was hammering, his breath laboured, and the child he was carrying felt like a ton weight.

  We're not going to make it, he realized desperately. They'll overrun us, here on the trail. But then, up ahead, he saw the place where the trail opened out onto the riverbank and there, further to the right, was the great hulking shape of Aaron's ark; they all swerved towards it.

  Suddenly there was a flash of light, so bright they thought at first that daylight had returned; the Night Runners stopped in their tracks, shielding their eyes. But then the light turned yellow, and far behind them they heard the great roar of an explosion. The following shock wave seemed to shake the ground beneath them. Turning, Sebastian saw a huge column of fire and smoke billowing up above the tree tops, accompanied by bright orange flames rising high into the sky.

  'Aaron!' he cried; and he knew that the old man was gone. A succession of images flashed through his mind: Aaron sitting on his golden throne, lighting a tallow candle as the Night Runners came creeping up the staircases, the dull sound of their feet on the stone steps. He would have waited till the last possible moment, Sebastian thought, until the flapping, groping shapes were all around him and pressing in for the kill . . . and then he would have lit the fuse.

  For a few moments everything seemed frozen. The great tower of flame lit up everything with a strange red glow. The Night Runners were all looking back as if they knew exactly what it meant; and then Cornelius rallied the children with a yell.

  'To the ark!' he bellowed, and they obeyed without hesitation.

  Sebastian was relieved to see that the gangplank was already in position. Phelan ushered Salah onto it. Reluctantly she obeyed him. His friend Olaf stood beside him, sword raised, and now the younger children were all scuttling up, threatening to knock the flimsy wooden board loose. Sebastian helped the little girl he'd been carrying along, then Keera's child and then Cal's.

  Now the adults turned at bay: the Night Runners, sensing that they were close to losing their quarry, came on with renewed ferocity. They were fully visible in the red glow and a terrifying sight they made, white faces contorted, fingers clawing at the air. Sebastian pushed Keera towards the gangplank.

  'No, not without you!' she yelled.

  'You must do as I tell you!' he shouted. 'Please!'

  She turned to climb into the ark, but had taken just a few steps when a Night Runner flew straight at her. Cal saw it coming and flung himself in the way. He and the Night Runner collided and went tumbling down the riverbank towards the prow of the ark. Keera hesitated, looking down.

  'Keep moving,' Sebastian yelled, and then had to lash his sword at another Night Runner. The curved blade traced a deadly arc and the Night Runner's arms went tumbling to the ground, but it kept on coming till a second swing cleaved it in two at the waist. It struck the earth with a thud and Sebastian was horrified to see that its mouth was still opening and closing.

  'Phelan, get aboard!' yelled Cornelius. 'You too, Olaf.'

  'But who'll launch the ark?' cried Phelan.

  'Will you just do as I say?' roared the little warrior; and the two boys turned and raced up the gangplank. 'Max, you're next!'

  Max looked doubtful. 'I'm not sure that thing will take my weight,' he said. He butted a Night Runner clear over the heads of its comrades. 'Maybe I should hang on until last.'

  'You go NOW,' cried Cornelius. 'That's an order.'

  'Yes, Chief.' Max began to walk up the gangplank, which sagged dramatically beneath his bulk. Under different circumstances it might have looked comical, but Sebastian found himself wondering what would happen if the wood snapped in two.

  But soon Max was stepping onto the deck of the ark and turning to look anxiously down at his comrades. Now there were just three men left on the riverbank.

  'Sebastian, your turn!' said Cornelius.

  'What about Cal?' asked Sebastian. He looked around frantically and saw the big warrior beside the water, struggling with three Night Runners. They had him pinned to the ground and one was kneeling triumphantly on his chest, leaning forward to deliver the death bite.

  'NO!' Sebastian didn't hesitate. He ran down the bank and lashed at them with his sword, spilling them left and right. One went somersaulting over Cal's head and crashed into the shallow water. It turned, baring its teeth, preparing to spring straight back at Sebastian; but suddenly a long olivegreen snout shot up out of the water. A huge pair of jaws snapped around the Night Runner's waist and dragged it below the surface. Sebastian stared at the ripples on the water, then leaned over to help Cal to his feet; but the big warrior seemed dazed. He stared at Sebastian stupidly.

  'Come on!' Sebastian urged him. 'We can still make it to the ark.'

  But Cal shook his head and stood there looking at Sebastian, a curious expression on his face.

  'What's wrong?' asked Sebastian; and then something slammed into him, knocking him sideways. All at once a Night Runner was sitting astride him. Its arms shot out and its long taloned fingers clamped around Sebastian's wrists, pinning them to the ground. Sebastian struggled to throw the creature off, but then froze as he realized that its features were horribly familiar. It was Galt's face that stared down at him, but the warrior was hideously transformed. His once ruddy cheeks were sunken and white and his beard was matted and filthy. The eyes, though, were unchanged. Galt

  opened his mouth – wide, impossibly wide – a mouth that bristled with misshapen yellow teeth and from which a long tongue lolled.

  'Galt!' yelled Sebastian. 'No! It's me – your friend!'