Lord of Monsters

by John Claude Bemis

  The fox’s eyes widened.

  “Besides,” Pinocchio went on, giving a mischievous smile, “they’re monsters. They love destruction! I think it will help ease them into their new role defending our people rather than terrifying them. Don’t you think?”

  A wide smile broke across the fox’s snout. “Yes, darling! Oh, yes! I think they will do splendidly!”

  Sop clapped a hand over his belly as he broke into laughter. “I can’t wait to see the look on those imperial airmen’s faces when we arrive in Venice!” He wiped a finger under his eye patch. “It warms the heart.”

  “So when do we leave?” Mezmer said, reeling with excitement.

  “In the morning,” Lazuli said.

  Mezmer rubbed her hands together. “Your general will be bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to introduce some Flying Lions to my Celestial Brigade. I’ll be ready at dawn!”

  “Glad you’ll be,” Sop said, massaging his stomach, bloated from the feast. “I might need to work this off on our journey.”

  Pinocchio felt excitement swell inside him. They were going. They were finally going.

  Maestro landed on the table between Pinocchio and Lazuli. “Your Majesties,” he said, bowing his antennae. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve begun a new composition.”

  “Have you, now?” Lazuli said, giving Pinocchio a smirk. “A new masterpiece from the Moonlit Court’s renowned musician?”

  “Naturally,” the cricket chirped. “It’s still being refined, but I envision it as a long-form piece about how Abaton’s valiant new rulers, Prester Pinocchio and Prester Lazuli, led their army of Celestial Knights in a daring rescue mission back to the wicked Venetian Empire. I’ll need to tweak it once the details are known, but for now, I wondered if you might like to hear the prelude?”

  Lazuli and Pinocchio smiled at one another. They sat back in their seats to listen.

  Maestro flexed his wings, setting them against one another to draw out the reverberating music. “It begins in Abaton….”

  The fleet hovered over the green lagoon the following morning. The Crescent Port docks overflowed with well-wishers gathered to see the Celestial Brigade off.

  Lazuli and her knights were all aboard the ships. Only Pinocchio still stood down by the moorings next to the cheering crowd, talking to his father quietly.

  “Are you sure you shouldn’t come?” Pinocchio asked.

  “We’ve already discussed this,” his father said. “I’m needed here.”

  Pinocchio glanced across his father’s shoulder to the three high nobles standing at the front of the crowd. There had been quite a discussion, but in the end, all agreed that Abaton would be overseen by a council until the presters returned, with Chief Muckamire acting as the high steward. Geppetto would serve on the council along with several chimera elders from around Abaton.

  Pinocchio suspected that Geppetto and Chief Muckamire were planning some projects that might include a bit of alchemy. The gnomes were quite excited about the possibilities.

  “Besides, son,” his father said. “I’m a wanted criminal in the Venetian Empire.”

  “Well, it’s not as if we’re all going to be welcomed with open arms,” Pinocchio said. “This is going to be a dangerous mission! Facing imperial airmen, Flying Lions, alchemy war machines!”

  Geppetto clapped his hands to Pinocchio’s shoulders. “Don’t try telling me you’re not excited.”

  Pinocchio grinned. “It’s just…Lazuli thinks our powers won’t be nearly as strong once we leave Abaton.”

  “You’ll have Mezmer and her army of knights to help you.”

  “But I won’t have you,” Pinocchio said.

  Geppetto’s face creased into a warm smile. “You’ll manage without your old father. And I’ll be here when you return.”

  “Come on, Your Majesty,” Sop called down from the Lionslayer. “Some of your monsters are getting impatient.”

  Pinocchio glanced up to see the toad gnawing on Goliath’s mushroom cap. “I’m not your chew toy, you big slobbering sack!” the little knight squeaked, batting the toad away.

  Pinocchio began to head for the ladder, but his father held him in place firmly. “You’ve got Riggle,” he asked, “in case you need to reach me?”

  Pinocchio nodded.

  “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “Yes, of course, Father. I’m always careful.”

  Maestro landed on Geppetto’s shoulder and flicked his antennae. “You incorrigible scamp, you know you’re not!”

  Geppetto laughed and pulled Pinocchio into a mighty hug. “Now go bring Wiq and the others home,” he said in Pinocchio’s ear.

  Pinocchio felt a bit shivery as he turned to go up the ladder, with something stuck in his throat that made it hard to talk. But he managed, “I’ll see you soon.”

  Once he was over the Lionslayer’s railing, he found Lazuli at the bow.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  Pinocchio surveyed their fleet. The decks were crowded with sylph archers and the menacing menagerie of monsters. Over on the Lionslayer’s quarterdeck, Kataton rolled his protruding eyes and gave Pinocchio a slow nod. Goliath pumped his fists excitedly in the air. The aleya circled around Wini and her sisters. All eyes were fixed on their presters, awaiting instructions for departure.

  “Shall we launch, Your Majesties?” Cinnabar called from the helm.

  Pinocchio heaved a sigh. He cast one last glance back to his father and then at the Moonlit Court towering up from the steaming jungles of Abaton.

  “All right,” Pinocchio said. “To Venice!”

  A monstrous cheer rose from the decks as the ships soared off, leaving the lagoon and flying out over the sparkling ocean.

  “TO VENICE!”

  ABATON—An island in the southern Indian Ocean inhabited by species not found elsewhere in the known world. Long ago, Prester John united the four elemental races under his rule and established the kingdom of Abaton in relative isolation from the outside humanlands. Geographically diverse, Abaton features volcanic jungles in the northern realms, with deserts, grasslands, and snowcapped mountains to the south.

  ALCHEMY—A branch of human science devoted to engineering and design based on magic introduced into the humanlands from Abaton. Examples of alchemy include: the building of mechanical wings for Venice’s airmen, war machines, and automa. Because human alchemists cannot perform alchemy without elemental assistants, many in Abaton consider the practice theft and a corruption of Abatonian magic.

  ALEYA—A race of orblike, floating creatures who tend to inhabit the jungles of Abaton’s Farrago realm. While often quite shy, some aleya have been known to play tricks on unsuspecting travelers.

  ANCIENTMOST PEARL, THE—The mysterious object that is the symbol of authority for Abaton’s presters. Prester John kept the workings of the Pearl secret from his subjects. It was generally believed to be the source of his long life and his extraordinary magic.

  ARACHNOBAT—A race of Abatonian creatures that are a hybrid of bats and spiders. Their terrifying appearance led many after Diamancer’s Rebellion to claim they were “monsters,” although there is no evidence of any malicious activity by these creatures.

  AUTOMA—Alchemical machines made of wood and gears that resemble humans, act with limited independence, and are used throughout the Venetian Empire as servants and guards.

  CALDERA KEEP—The ancient city of the djinn located in the southwestern reaches of the Caldera Desert. The city is renowned for its obsidian architecture and lava canals.

  CELESTIAL BRIGADE, the—An elite troop of knights who defended Abaton for many centuries prior to Diamancer’s Rebellion. Soon after, Prester John disbanded Abaton’s military.

  CHAMELEON cLOTH—A fabric developed by gnomes that allows whatever it covers to appear nearly invisible. The material assumes the camouflaged appearance of the adjacent surroundings.

  CHIMERA—The most populous race of Abatonians. Chimera are humanoid with features of a p
articular species of mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, or fish.

  CRESCENT PORT—A medium-sized merchant town in Abaton. With its proximity to the Moonlit Court and its large lagoon-harbor, Crescent Port serves as the primary port for Abatonians journeying to the capital on boats.

  DEEP ONE, THE—The colossal sea monster that guards the waters of the Indian Ocean around Abaton and prevents human sailors from reaching the island. The Deep One is one of the four primordial guardians of Abaton and an elemental being of water.

  DIAMANCER—An adviser in the Moonlit Court who led a rebellion in the twelfth century against his king, Prester John. Abatonians today are uncertain what race of creature Diamancer was. Some gnome historians speculate that he was the last of a fifth elemental race known as aethers. Diamancer was cast into an enchanted sleep and imprisoned along with his followers after the rebellion.

  DJINNI (PL. DJINN)—One of the four races of humanoid elementals native to Abaton. Djinn are fire elementals and exhibit magical powers over heat and flame.

  DRAKE—A race of reptilian, fire-breathing creatures that were considered “monsters” and disappeared from Abaton after Diamancer’s Rebellion.

  ELEMENTALS—Magical beings originating in Abaton who draw their powers from the elements: air, earth, fire, or water. The four major races are intelligent humanoids: sylphs (air), gnomes (earth), djinn (fire), and undines (water). Also four primordial elemental beings—the Deep One, the Everwaiting Pyre, Regolith, and the Roc—serve as guardians over Abaton.

  FANTOM—The principal mechanism that allows an automa to function. An alchemy invention originating in the Venetian Empire.

  GNOME—One of the four races of humanoid elementals of Abaton. As earth elementals, gnomes exhibit magical powers over metal, rock, and materials of the earth. Because their flesh has a consistency most similar to clay, gnomes can split apart at will into smaller versions of themselves, as well as fuse back together.

  GRIFFIN—A race of Abatonian creatures with the hindquarters of a lion and the front of a raptor, usually an eagle or falcon. Lacking the powers of speech and high thinking, griffins were domesticated in ancient times by sylphs and are primarily used for transportation by those in the Mist Cities and in the southern plains of Abaton.

  GROOTSLANG HOLE—The ancient city of the gnomes located at the southern edge of the Farrago Jungle where the Plains of Lemuria begin. The city holds the largest number of libraries and historical texts in Abaton.

  HIGH NOBLES—The leaders of the four elemental houses. Within Abatonian society, the elemental races hold a dominant, elite status, particularly those that belong to noble families. The noble elementals select a High Noble to govern their cities and are often called on for governmental affairs at the Moonlit Court.

  HUMANLANDS—All kingdoms and civilizations around the known world, with the exception of Abaton.

  KIRIN—A species of single-horned, horselike creatures often called “unicorns” by those from the humanlands. Their coats have white or silver fur in the front portions, transitioning to scales of iridescent hues along the hind legs. Known for their swiftness, their gentle natures, and their ability to fly, kirin are wide-ranging across all the realms of Abaton.

  MANTICORE—A species no longer found in Abaton. With the body of a lion, a humanoid face, bat wings, and a tail that projected dangerous spines, manticores were considered “monsters” and disappeared from Abaton after Diamancer’s Rebellion.

  MEZMERCURIAN THE FIRST—A legendary chimera knight who led the Celestial Brigade against Diamancer and his rebels.

  MIST CITIES, THE—Built upon an archipelago of floating rock, the ancient city of the sylphs is located at the southernmost tip of Abaton.

  MOONLIT COURT, THE—The palace of the presters of Abaton. First built by Prester John in ancient times, the palace is a sky-high tower of delicate white stone. The name derives from the way light seeps through the palace’s translucent walls.

  NAGA—A species no longer found in Abaton. Naga have a humanoid torso and arms with a snake tail from the waist down and scales covering their entire bodies. Considered “monsters,” they disappeared from Abaton after Diamancer’s Rebellion.

  NAIAD—A race of water-dwelling creatures found throughout Abaton. Lacking the powers of speech and higher thinking, naiads are often considered a delicacy to eat, especially among undines.

  PISCARAY—The ancient underwater city of the undines located off the northeastern coast of Abaton. Most of the buildings are built from living coral, and several quarters of the city have been sealed to accommodate air-breathing visitors.

  PIXIE—A race of minuscule flying creatures found in most realms around Abaton. They become luminous by feeding on air. Lacking the powers of speech and higher thinking, pixies are widely used as a light source both in Abaton and more recently in the humanlands.

  PRESTER—The title given to a ruler of Abaton.

  PRESTER JOHN—The long-lived magician-king of Abaton. Although little is known of Prester John’s origins, the source of his near immortality and magical powers was credited to the Ancientmost Pearl. He protected Abaton from human interference as well as internal and outside threats until his eventual death in the Deep One.

  REGOLITH—One of the four primordial guardians of Abaton and an elemental being of earth. In ancient times, the giant descended beneath the ground under what is today Grootslang Hole.

  ROC—One of the four primordial guardians of Abaton and an elemental being of air. An enormous raptor composed of mist and cloud, the Roc’s current location is known to few in Abaton.

  SLITHERSTEED—Enormous millipedes used for transportation primarily by gnomes and wealthier chimera merchants traveling across the Plains of Lemuria.

  SLOSHING SHROUD—An enclosed cloak made from naiad scales and filled with water worn by undines to allow them to breathe when outside the water.

  SUPERFLUOUS WORM—A race of rare Abatonian creatures with the ability to be bifurcated into separate worms who share the same thoughts and speech. Gnome nobility have used them for centuries to communicate with others in Abaton across vast distances.

  SYLPH—One of the four races of humanoid elementals of Abaton. Sylphs are air elementals and exhibit magical powers over the air. Having no wings, sylphs cannot fly. However, due to their weightlessness and control over wind, many sylphs are able to glide short distances.

  UNDINE—One of the four races of humanoid elementals of Abaton. Undines are water elementals and exhibit magical powers over water. Undines are unable to leave the water and thus are rarely encountered away from bodies of water unless they are wearing sloshing shrouds.

  VENETIAN EMPIRE, THE—Currently the foremost empire in the humanlands, Venice was historically overshadowed by its larger neighbors, including the Byzantine Empire and the pope’s Holy Roman Empire. However, after trade began with Abaton and Venetian alchemists began designing war machines and automa technology using Abatonian elemental magic, the empire grew in wealth and military might, soon conquering the entire Italian peninsula and eventually coming to control nearly all the Mediterranean region. Many human kingdoms around the world (most prominently the Sultanate of Zanzibar and the Aztec Confederation) have pledged allegiance to Venice under threat of conquest. The Venetian Empire is ruled by an emperor who is known as the doge.

  WYVERN—A reptilian species no longer found in Abaton. With long necks, winged forearms, and a powerful tail capable of producing destructive blows, wyverns were considered “monsters” and disappeared from Abaton after Diamancer’s Rebellion.

  I’d like to extend my gratitude…

  To my editor, Rotem Moscovich, whose spectacular story sense and thoughtful guidance brought out all the best parts in Lord of Monsters. Also to Heather Crowley, Martin Karlow, Maria Elias, Dina Sherman, Jamie Baker, Seale Ballenger, Andrew Sansone, and the rest of my extraordinary team at Disney-Hyperion.

  To my agents, Josh and Tracey Adams, for their many talents, enthusiasm, and warmhearted suppor
t.

  To my first readers and faithful friends in Adverb Fight Club: Jennifer Harrod, J. J. Johnson, and Stephen Messer. Also to the writers, teachers, and friends who lent their creative advice and generosity: Tom Angleberger, the Bat Cave crew, Tom Carr, Andrew S. Chilton, Alan Gratz, Greg Hanson, Lois Pipkin, Amy Kurtz Skelding, Sharon Wheeler, and the wonderful Carolinas’ kid lit community.

  To my family—Bemises, Butchers, Bauldrees, Byes, and Gorelys—for being my greatest champions.

  To Jason Leininger Hugh for his special help inventing marvelously gruesome monsters.

  To all the loyal and passionate fans. Every book I write is for you.

  Most of all, thank you to my wife, Amy Gorely, and daughter, Rose. I’m the luckiest.

  John Claude Bemis is an award-winning author, musician, and educator. His novels include The Wooden Prince, Book 1 in the Out of Abaton series; and the Clockwork Dark trilogy, among others. John was chosen as North Carolina’s Piedmont Laureate for Children’s Literature. He lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Visit him online at johnclaudebemis.com.