Wrapping her arms around him, Christine squeaked out, “Thanks!”
“No problem.” Andrew’s face flushed red as he let her go. However she kept ahold of his arm and interlocked her fingers with his.
Raptor held the Stone of Fire in front of herself. She spun her hands together—the same way she had at the fair—and a ball of white fire formed. She shot it into the darkness. The Whisperers gave an earsplitting scream and scattered in all directions.
Andrew saw them for a brief second. They were hulking creatures with inky black skin, but he made out nothing else before the darkness closed in around them again.
“We’ve got maybe a few minutes before they come back.” Raptor headed out at a trot across the thick sand. Andrew kept up, but soon his thighs begged for a respite.
“What did they want with me?” Christine asked Raptor.
“He recognized you weren’t a Keeper and offered to let us go in trade for you. I think he hoped you would tell him about this thing.” Chuckling to herself, Raptor held up the Stone of Fire.
“What’s so funny?” Christine frowned, most likely not finding the Keepers trading her away as a source of humor.
“The Emperor would very much like to go through that portal to Earth. If you haven’t noticed, they are afraid of the white fire and that portal is made of it. They can’t get through. The other half of the portal is made of black fire, which keeps any of the white creatures living here from crossing over.”
“You left the portal open?” Andrew asked through heavy breaths as he struggled against the black sand.
“Didn’t expect to be here this long. We have to get back to it to get home.”
Christine groaned. “Through the Whisperers?”
“Afraid so,” Raptor said.
The sounds of a nearby bubbling river broke the silence. It soon came into view. The water was perfectly clear, like peering through a piece of glass.
Raptor held the light high over her head, but the opposite bank of the river was not visible. The light reflected off several small white creatures in the water. They were disk shaped with fish-like tails. One of them jumped out of the water revealing five pairs of spidery legs on its underside. More of the fish-like animals started to jump out of the water. They seemed to be trying to reach the white fire, but Raptor held it out of reach.
“There it is,” Godlin said. A blood red gem with white lines running across it glimmered under the water. Shaped like an oval and about two inches in diameter on the long end, Andrew felt drawn to the Stone. He leaned in closer to peer at it, studying the striations of color and its gleaming texture.
A roar rose from the darkness in the distance. Everyone cringed.
Gripping her fists at her side, Raptor said, “He’s trying to summon a worm.”
“That mantis thing? He can do that!?” Andrew asked, but his question went ignored.
“Godlin, fire,” Raptor said in a hasty tone, handing him the ruby in exchange for the torch.
Godlin took the Stone and cupped his hands over it. He threw the black fire that formed between them into the water. It hit the bottom and spread in all directions before dissipating. The fish-like creatures scattered and did not return.
“Grab it,” Raptor said. She took the Stone of Fire from Godlin and shoved it into her pocket.
Christine and Andrew hesitated, terrified by the hushed rage of the creatures behind them. The air felt like it was getting colder or maybe it was just himself, Andrew thought, his body quivering with fright.
“Now!” Raptor repeated in a forceful tone.
Andrew leapt into the river and reached for the Stone. To his surprise, the water felt like air. Searing pain coursed up his arm and through his body. He could hardly breathe and could not even manage a scream. Raptor grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him out of the water. The pain instantly retreated, but it left him exhausted.
“Hey stupid, you’re a Keeper, remember?” Raptor asked, a slight grin on her face as relief set in. “Christine! Pick it up!”
Andrew breathed in deeply and flexed his arm. It was dry. “That’s not water,” he said, surprised.
“Different dimension, different rules,” Raptor said. “Christine!” she yelled louder.
“I don’t—” she started to say.
“Do it! It won’t hurt you.” Raptor nudged her to the edge of the river.
Christine stepped into the water and reached down for the Stone. Andrew expected her to flinch, but nothing happened.
Raptor turned to Andrew. “You all right?”
Andrew squeezed his hand closed. “Yeah, just forgot.” Elation swelled in his chest. The pain had been worth it; it had confirmed his wildest hope. He was a Keeper.
“Back across the river, quickly,” Raptor said. She offered Christine a hand and helped her out of the water. She too was perfectly dry.
The group ran across the heavy sand again, but Raptor slowed down, allowing Andrew and Christine to keep up. Just as Andrew thought he could go no farther, Godlin came to a halt. “Incoming!” he yelled.
A tree branch flew into the group, right toward Raptor. She used the torch to defend herself, but she lost hold of it as the branch knocked the torch out of her hands. It landed in the sand, hissing as it went out. A suffocating darkness engulfed them. Andrew felt himself shoved near Christine, then felt Godlin’s and Raptor’s backs mashed up against his face.
A burst of white fire illuminated the area for a split second, casting an eerie light on a ring of large, humanoid figures. They gave a series of harsh whispering sounds as the fire’s light fell on them. The Whisperers stood between fifteen and twenty feet tall. Their leathery skin was not as dark as Andrew had first assumed. It was more a deep blue color than it was black.
“We’re surrounded,” Raptor muttered. She sent out another burst of white fire, but nothing happened. The Whisperers had pulled far enough away to stay hidden by the darkness.
“Can you hit them?” Godlin asked, twirling his dagger in his hands.
“My night vision is pretty much toast,” Raptor responded. Andrew could understand why. Every time she sent out a blast of fire, it blinded him for a few seconds, only to leave green splotches in his vision for minutes after. “Godlin, can you sense them?”
“Barely. Wait,” he replied. Seconds oozed by at an agonizing pace. The darkness prevented Andrew from seeing what anyone was doing.
“Now!” Godlin barked.
Another blast of fire shot out, and this time, several Whisperers went scattering. They had crept much closer this time, allowing Andrew to make out more of their appearance. Planted in the middle of their faces was a wide grin, lined with sharp teeth. At least, he assumed it was their faces. Other than the grinning teeth, it had no other facial features.
“We’re going to die,” Christine whispered.
Andrew felt wet, hot tears drip onto his arm. “No we’re not,” he said, brushing his thumb under where he supposed her eyes to be. The words had not only been to comfort her. He thought he had seen a tree in the distance with the last burst of light. Pointing out to the darkness, he said with growing confidence, “Raptor, shoot there.”
“What? Where?” Raptor turned toward his voice.
“Your hand, give me your hand,” Andrew insisted. His heart started to pound. He hoped he was right.
Raptor reached over and touched Andrew. He directed her hand into the darkness. “There. There’s a tree, in the distance.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, shoot!”
“Here goes.” Andrew felt Raptor move, twisting her hands together and then holding one of them out to release a ball of white fire. It arched out into the distance, right toward a tree.
The trees had no leaves, just a thick gray moss hanging from the limbs. Andrew had a good view of one as the ball of fire smashed into the side of it.
The fire leapt around the trunk and started to climb. A second ball followed the first, hitting higher in the tree a
nd igniting the moss. An ear-piercing scream came from all directions as the tree flared to life. The Whisperers scattered.
“Good job.” Raptor stood up straighter. One of her hands slid the Stone of Fire into a pocket.
Andrew saw a slight grin part her lips in the dim light of the fire. “Thanks.” He puffed his chest out as he beamed a smile.
The entire group seemed to relax in the light. The fire started to grow, leaping to other trees that stood near it. As it grew, the fire produced a low roaring sound, like a semi-truck speeding along a road.
“We have to find the portal we entered through,” Raptor yelled. It was difficult to hear anything over the roar of the flames. Choking smoke filled the air. It had a unique, nauseating smell, like a dead skunk someone had lit on fire.
“Raptor,” Godlin stressed. “Underground. It’s big and moving fast.”
She jerked her head back, her voice rising in pitch, “Freeze!”
The ground between Raptor and Godlin broke open. A large, maggot-like head with massive pincers emerged from the rift. The long, pale white body climbed out from the hole, propelled by dozens of short stubby legs. More of the creature poured out of the tunnel, an astounding twenty-five feet of it before it stopped. The pincers on its head snapped as it heaved itself above the ground.
“Don’t move!” Raptor yelled. “It’s a white worm!”
Andrew had expected the white worm to be a lot smaller and able to fly. This creature seemed more like a caterpillar. He wondered if the young worm had not yet metamorphosed and that explained its appearance.
The white worm crept toward the burning forest. It slid past Christine and Andrew with a noisy rumble and made its way behind Raptor, pausing as it came near her and turning back to the group. Andrew shivered, wondering if it could see the people around it, but it never took notice of them. It must be blind, Andrew thought.
Raptor stood still, but she chanced a glance over her shoulder at the worm. Godlin put his hand on his dagger, but did not move. Andrew stifled a cough. The black smoke burned his eyes and nose. He tried to swallow down the cough, but it kept threatening to come back up.
Christine started to reach a hand out toward him but drew it back in tight to her body again, fearful eyes fixed on the white worm.
Andrew let the cough out in a terrible hack. The white worm larva did not notice. He wheezed in a breath of air and let out another cough, shocked that the creature had not turned toward him.
Raptor noticed his distress. “It’s deaf, just don’t step forward,” she yelled over the bellowing roar of the fire.
Andrew took another breath of the sickening air, but he no longer needed to cough. Relief rushed through him, knowing he would not be the cause of them becoming dinner.
The larva faced the burning forest and then skittered toward the white flames, moving with surprising speed for its size.
Raptor moved over to Godlin, motioning for Andrew and Christine to approach them.
Once everyone came close, she spoke as loudly as she could over the dull roar of the forest fire. “Our way home is past that thing.” She pointed toward the worm.
Christine asked, “Can it sense our movements?”
“It can, but that fire is a lot more attractive than we are. We’re going to swing around it, so it should ignore us. If it turns, you two run for the portal. Godlin and I will deal with it. Ready?”
Grabbing hold of Andrew’s hand, Christine exchanged a knowing look with him. Andrew smiled and said, “We’re ready?”
“Take a deep breath. The smoke will only get worse.”
Andrew filled his lungs with the sickening air. He tried to ignore the horrid taste and the pollution stinging his insides.
Raptor ran in the direction of the forest, giving the white worm a wide berth. Keeping ahold of Christine’s hand, Andrew followed Raptor, his cheeks puffing out as he tried to hold his breath.
The fire cloaked the worm as it tried to climb the tree. Large branches snapped and fell to the ground. The fire would not burn for long. The worm consumed the flames through its segmented skin, its armor plating protecting it as the tree toppled to the ground.
Andrew spotted the swirling portal in the thick smoke. The light from the fire faded fast behind them.
Christine and Andrew were unable to hold their breath any longer, coughing as they neared the portal. Squeezing his eyes shut, Andrew stepped through the portal.
Chapter Six
Andrew reappeared in the small storage room of the haunted house with Christine beside him. Black smoke poured through the portal, but most of it floated to the ceiling, leaving breathable air.
Godlin came through the portal next, followed by Raptor. As Raptor exited, she turned around and stretched out her hands toward the portal. With a snap of her fingers, the portal vanished with a sharp popping sound.
Andrew moved over to the side and threw up. Leaning over, he breathed in hard, gulping down fresh air through his raw throat. He stood slowly, his stomach empty. The rest of the group stood with their backs to him, crowded around the bomb.
“Take the Stone and put it on top, Christine. It should draw out the power,” Raptor said.
Christine pulled the Stone out of her pocket. Then, crouching down near the glowing weapon, she asked Raptor, “And you are sure this will work?”
“In theory,” Raptor replied.
Chuckling nervously, Christine inched toward the cylinder and held the Stone at arm’s length. She placed it on top and waited for it to balance. When it did, she jerked her hand away and leapt back to the others.
The cylinder glowed a brilliant white, trembling and hopping about. The white veins running through the Stone brightened to a harsh radiance, causing it to appear as if some luminescent being would hatch from it.
Raptor clenched her fists together, watching the reaction between the Stone and the bomb. Her eyes darted to Godlin, and then she inclined her head toward a doorway Andrew had not noticed before. A poorly lit “EXIT” sign hung over it, and a push bar spanned across the middle. Raptor surveyed the hallway that Andrew and Christine had used to enter the storage room.
Andrew moved closer to Christine, but his eyes stayed fixed on the bomb. He held his breath, wondering if they should run or find shelter.
Just as he was about to duck and run for cover, the bomb stopped shaking. The light faded away, and the Stone fell off the canister with a small thud. It tumbled across the ground until it collided against a box. It glowed faintly, providing enough light to see by in the small room.
Relief flooded Godlin’s expression as the cylinder faded, and he wiped sweat from his brow.
Andrew let go of the breath he held. “That wasn’t too bad,” he said, hoping he would not jinx their luck.
“That was it?” Christine asked, sounding doubtful.
Shaking out her hands, Raptor strode over to the cylinder. “Like I said, simple. You two did great, seriously.” She shot a quick smile over to Andrew and Christine but then turned back to the hallway.
“What’s wrong?” Andrew asked. “Do you still think it could be a trap?”
“Let’s go home,” Raptor said, ignoring Andrew’s question. “Christine, I need you to transport the Stone one more time. This won’t be as dangerous as what we just did. I promise.”
Christine groaned, holding up one hand. “I hardly even agreed to this first adventure, and I am not signing up for any more. Come on, Andrew. Let’s go home.” She took a step away from the group but turned back when Andrew did not follow.
“Andrew, we talked about this,” Raptor said.
“Talked about what?” Christine asked, glancing between Raptor and Andrew.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Andrew could feel his ears turning red. “Apparently, I really am a Keeper.”
“And?” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot with impatience in every strike.
“And, uh, well, I am going to—”
“Hello, Raptor.” The cylinder spoke
in a harsh metallic voice. Everyone turned toward it.
“Who are you?” Raptor growled. She pointed to the door with the EXIT sign. Godlin moved over to it and slammed a shoulder into it, forcing it open. Pulsing neon lights and joyful music flooded the room, creating freakish shadows to dance across the floor.
“You have my Stone,” it said matter-of-factly.
“Is it supposed to be able to speak?” Christine asked.
“Probably not,” Andrew said. His statement ended in an odd lilt as he felt panic rise in his throat.
A hidden compartment opened on the cylinder with a loud click. Inside, a red-numbered clock displayed fifteen seconds.
A click came from the clock. Fourteen.
“Oh, come on!” Raptor shouted at the cylinder. “Hollywood much?”
Thirteen.
“I will see you soon,” the bomb said.
Twelve.
“Let’s go!” Godlin barked. He held the door open.
Andrew stared transfixed at the clock. Eleven.
Raptor moved first.
Ten.
She came up beside Christine and Andrew, grabbing them both by the shoulders and pushing them toward the doorway. “Now!”
The last thing Andrew saw in the room was nine seconds left on the clock. He jumped in surprise as he stumbled down a small wooden staircase. The lights of the fair were dazzling compared to the darkness of the storeroom. Christine bumped into him as she half-ran, half-fell, down the stairs right after him. He froze, unable to react. He wanted to scream for everyone to run, but nothing came out of his mouth.
“Get down!” Godlin barked and pulled the teenagers behind a large power supply box near the building, putting himself between them and the bomb. Andrew stared at the cartoon pictures of people being electrocuted on the power box. The signs warned of certain death for tampering with it.
The ground shook as the bomb went off with a bang that Andrew could feel in his bones. Unlike the explosions he had seen in the movies, there were no flames, and it did not blow the building to bits. However, the roof now sat cockeyed, and the walls slumped outward.
Stone of Power (Keepers of Earth Book 1) Page 7
