by Jeff Norton
But Henry pulled on Rex’s reins when two red, glowing mechanical eyes appeared in the gloom before him. Had he just led them into another trap?
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE RED EYES moved closer, growing larger and more demonic. There was a sort of creaking and clanking sound, and then into the light stepped the giant, scaly foot of a Triceratops. In the saddle was a man who ducked beneath the cave roof. The clanking sounds came from the beast’s joints. Understanding slowly dawned. It was…it was…
“A mechanical beast!” Henry whispered. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The mechasaur had a patchwork of dino hides for skin, and between the seams Henry saw what looked like the frame of an iron skeleton.
The man didn’t introduce himself. “The only chance you have to survive is in here,” he said, turning his mechanical monster back into the gloom of the cave.
They ducked inside, just as a Pterosaur swooped down, its savage jaw snapping at them. That was too close. The Dino Knights looked round at each other. What choice did they have? The mechasaur’s eyes lit the way with a spooky red glow, and Henry and the knights followed the stranger down a long, winding tunnel.
They rounded a corner and emerged into another cave, brightly lit by a string of glowing glass orbs that hung from the ceiling. Ellie reached out to touch one.
“Ouch!” She snatched her fingers back. “How do they get the candle in there?”
“Magic,” said Torin.
“No,” said Iyla. “Science.”
“That is correct,” said the man, smiling to himself. It felt as though Iyla had just passed some sort of test.
He climbed off his mechanical monster and Henry and the knights dismounted their dinos.
“What is that?” asked Gally, staring at the metal dinosaur.
The man gave his machine a firm whack on the head. The mechasaur’s red eyes faded as it powered down.
“It looks like more science to me,” said Henry.
The Dino Knights looked around the vast cave. Next to the walls lay tools and vices, worktables and discarded metal contraptions. In the centre of the cave sat a cauldron, filled with a green liquid bubbling away over a fire.
“Science is the future,” their new friend said, his voice animated. He was older than Lord Harding, with round glasses, and long white hair that fell onto a grease-stained brown cloak. “Panterra is changing. The land is shifting. Times are moving. The age of the dinosaur is coming to an end and soon it will be the dawn of the machine.”
“I don’t think so,” said Henry. He couldn’t imagine a world without dinosaurs.
“And it will all come from this laboratory,” he said. “From me.”
“But who are you?” asked Torin.
Iyla stepped forward and looked deep into the old man’s eyes. “Salterius,” she said.
“Hello, Iyla,” the old man said with a gentle smile. “You’re so grown-up now.”
“But you went missing!” she said.
“I’m very much found,” he replied.
“Is he dangerous?” asked Ellie.
“No, he’s a genius!” Iyla said. “He used to advise the lord on scientific matters.”
“Until Harding no longer liked what I had to say,” Salterius said. He sat down and pressed a button on a metallic box that sat on the worktable. A small mechanical spider crept over to him, climbed up his leg and hopped on the table. A hose unfurled from its body and squirted hot brown liquid into a dirty mug. “Tea, anyone? No milk, ‘I’m afraid’, but I am working on a mechanical cow…”
Henry put his weapon away and nodded to the rest of the Dino Knights to do the same. He gathered them around and spoke in a whisper, while their dinos lay down against the warm volcanic wall to rest and snooze.
“Can we trust him?” Henry asked.
“He’s a well-meaning man, believe me,” said Iyla. “He used to make things for Brecklan. But one year there was a bad crop of Brecklan Berries and the dinosaurs grew restless, unstable. His wife was killed in a stampede. He started saying to Lord Harding that all dinos were dangerous. He said he could make something better that didn’t rely on taming terrible lizards.”
Henry looked back to the old man sipping tea. A sadness lay behind his smile.
“After that he was ordered to leave Brecklan,” continued Iyla. “No one saw him again.”
Henry turned to the old man. “Salterius?” he asked. “You really think mechanical animals can take the place of dinosaurs?”
Salterius lit up with excitement. “Oh, yes! The benefits of automatic mobile mechanoids are many! I did present a paper to Lord Harding, but he didn’t seem to like it.”
“Let me guess,” said Gally. “Because mechanical dinosaurs don’t need Brecklan Berries?”
“And berries are Brecklan’s main trade,” continued Henry. “The province would lose lots of money.”
Salterius nodded and clapped his hands. A metal pole lowered itself down from the ceiling and he peered through a small eyepiece.
“The Pterosaurs are gone,” he said.
Henry approached Salterius and shook his hand.
“Thank you. How can we repay you?”
“No need!” he smiled. “Just tell Lord Harding and Lady Anwyn that my offer of a mechanized dino-army still stands.”
“If we find them,” said Ellie quietly.
“Find them?” Salterius frowned, and Henry quickly filled him in on the kidnapping.
“Harding and I don’t agree on much, but I would never want harm to come to him or Lady Anwyn,” said Salterius when Henry had finished. “I may have something for you.”
He went to the back of the cave and appeared again with a large weapon. It was made of welded steel, with a wooden butt and a long barrel.
“What is that heap of junk?” said Gally.
Did he always have to be so mocking? Henry thought.
Salterius spun around to Gally and pulled the trigger. A rope net burst from the barrel and wrapped itself around the knight, who shrieked like a baby Brontosaurus.
Henry couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“My net-thrower!” said Salterius proudly. “Excellent for dinosaurs. And humans, of course.”
Iyla and Ellie attempted to untangle Gally from the net.
“Thank you for your help,” said Henry.
He moved to where the dinosaurs were resting. They were sleeping close to each other, tails overlapping, like a pack of giant puppies. Henry roused a warm and sleepy Rex, and couldn’t help noticing his battle scars.
“Stay safe out there,” said Salterius. “Panterra is overrun with beasts now, but it won’t always be that way.”
The Dino Knights followed the path back out of the cave, with Salterius calling farewell. They stepped outside and continued southwards.
After a while, their dinos’ feet began to sink into the boggy ground. They had finally reached the Swamp States.
“What a charming realm,” said Iyla. “I like the way the sunlight ripples off the plumes of gas.”
“Is that what that smell is?” asked Ellie. “I thought it was Gally.”
They laughed. Everyone was tired, but they had to press on. Torin guided the team around the edge of a swamp.
“What exactly are we looking for?” asked Ellie.
“Maybe that,” said Henry, pointing to a stone castle that loomed over the flat swamplands. At the top turret, Henry spotted Avingdon’s Pterosaur perched like a bird guarding a nest.
“Avingdon Castle,” said Torin, staring at the turrets that touched the grey sky.
Even shrouded in spirals of smoke, Henry could tell the castle was going to be impossible to break into.
CHAPTER NINE
AVINGDON CASTLE WAS built on an island entirely surrounded by murky water. Entry could only be made after crossing two drawbridges. As the Dino Knights drew closer, they could see that each bridge was guarded by a platoon of soldiers riding heavily armoured dinosaurs.
“There’s t
oo many of them,” said Gally. “We should quit while we’re ahead.”
“We’re not ahead, Gally,” snapped Ellie.
“And Dino Knights don’t quit,” added Iyla.
“We’ll have to fight our way across,” said Torin.
Henry gulped. He’d trained for a tournament, not for combat. “Okay, so then we ride…”
“For Brecklan!” they responded in unison.
The Dino Knights drew their swords and steered their dinos onto the first bridge. As soon as the guards spotted the knights, they swung their staffs and spears. At first, Rex recoiled at the sight of the weapons.
“Give them a fright, Rex,” Henry urged, coaxing his beast on.
Rex gathered himself, then let out a tyrannical roar, stopping the soldiers in their tracks. But they didn’t retreat. “Now, knock them down like skittles.”
The tyrannosaur swiped his head at the guards, sending them into the moat in an explosion of water. With the first bridge cleared, the knights pressed on.
But the other guards had seen what had happened to their comrades and quickly raised their drawbridge.
“We’re stuck,” said Gally. “Now is it time to go home?”
“No!” the others replied.
“How can this get any worse?” he asked.
A loud screech answered his question. From above, Henry spotted Avingdon’s Pterosaur dive-bombing to attack.
“Iyla, the net-thrower!” Henry called. “Can you catch that Pterosaur?”
“Maybe!” Iyla hurriedly mounted the net-thrower on Conker’s back and aimed it at the sky. As the winged beast barrelled down on them, Henry urged patience. She’d need to release the net at just the right moment.
“Wait, wait, wait…now!”
Iyla pulled the release lever and the net flew up and snagged its prey. The Pterosaur screeched and screamed as her wings caught up in the net and she plummeted to the bridge. The Dino Knights surrounded the captured animal who thrashed in her rope prison.
Henry leapt off Rex and strode towards her. He looked the beast in the eye.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Zia,” he said, holding up his hands. The animal stopped flailing. As she lay there, waiting to discover her fate, something inside Henry awoke: a feeling of closeness with this strange beast.
Henry reached for the netting and slowly pulled it off.
“Are you crazy, Henry?” shouted Gally. “She’ll snap you in two.”
But the Pterosaur simply shook off the rest of the net and let Henry stroke her smooth beak. Henry put his hand on the animal’s neck, felt her grey skin heave up and down with each breath. “Nice to meet you, Zia. I’m Henry.” There was no point frightening the animal any more – no matter how huge and evil-looking she was. It wasn’t the Pterosaur’s fault that she had been set to work attacking the Dino Knights.
Slowly, Henry clambered on her back and leaned forwards, gently wrapping his arms around the Pterosaur’s neck.
“Amazing,” gasped Torin.
“I’m going to fly to the turret. You guys figure out how to get that drawbridge down.”
Zia climbed to her feet, flapping her wings, and launched into the sky. Henry felt the wind whip at his face as he tightly gripped the creature’s throat. He couldn’t believe he was actually soaring through the sky!
The giant dino circled around the castle and descended towards the turret. It was as though she knew where Henry wanted to be taken. As she banked in the air, Henry spotted a vast field on the opposite side of the castle. It was filled with hundreds of Pterosaurs. Each animal wore an iron collar linked to a chain that was staked into the ground.
“Neville’s Air Force,” he gasped. “Queen Ignis was right.”
Zia touched down on the top of the turret. It was a graceful landing and Henry slid off her back. He stroked her neck tenderly and thanked her.
“Can you wait here?” he asked.
Zia squawked in agreement.
Henry ran down the circular stone stairway leading from the roof. It was dark but every now and then he’d see a door leading off the stairwell. He paused, gasping, when he spotted the light of a flickering candle and heard the sound of voices. Someone was here.
“You’re right, my darling, we cannot give in to his demands,” came a familiar voice. Lord Harding!
Henry didn’t waste a second. He bounded into the chamber where he found Harding and Anwyn tied to high-backed wooden chairs. The room had a roaring fireplace and a rectangular hole through which he could see the flock of chained-up Pterosaurs below.
“Henry!” gasped Lady Anwyn. “You came!”
“We all did, my lady,” said Henry with a slight bow.
Lord Harding gave Henry a nod and an approving smile. “Well done, lad.”
Henry didn’t waste a moment. He cut them free with his sword and then turned to lead them out of the chamber. But there stood Neville Avingdon, framed in the doorway. Henry froze to the spot.
“How very cute,” Neville said. “This child has come to save you, Harding?”
“This young man is a Dino Knight,” replied the lord.
Henry didn’t hesitate. He placed himself between Neville Avingdon and his masters and drew his sword.
“The Dino Knights have your castle surrounded. Let Lady Anwyn and Lord Harding go, or we will attack,” he said. He was lying, of course, but hoped he was doing it well enough that Sir Avingdon would not try to test him.
“We’re surrounded, you say? Completely?” said Neville, walking over to the window. “Then I must thank you.”
From inside his cape, he brought out a long staff. Henry wielded his sword but Sir Avingdon simply put the narrow tube to his mouth and blew. A low droning noise floated out through the air.
“Thank you, dear boy!” Sir Neville said again. “I had begun to wonder whether my plan was going to work. I just needed someone foolish enough to take the bait.”
“Bait?” repeated Lady Anwyn, the blood draining from her face.
From outside, Henry heard the clinking sound of chains and the now familiar beating of wings. He rushed to the window to see the entire flock of Pterosaurs take to the sky, each carrying an armed rider on its back.
“Oh no,” said Henry, anger rising inside him. He suddenly understood what was going on. He hadn’t been part of a rescue mission after all. He had been part of a trap. “The Dino Knights are here, leaving Brecklan totally unprotected!”
Henry turned and looked up at the grey sky above the swamplands filled with hundreds and hundreds of Pterosaurs flying north towards Brecklan.
The attack was on.
CHAPTER TEN
“BRECKLAN WILL FALL,” said Sir Avingdon, grinning.
“Don’t be so sure,” said Lady Anwyn. “Our brave knights have a plan, don’t you, Henry?”
Henry turned back to the lord and lady. His plan only extended as far as rescuing them. He hadn’t counted on Sir Neville’s treachery.
“We need to go – now!” he said, heading for the stairwell. Perhaps an idea would come to him on the way up to the roof.
Neville Avingdon laughed. “I hope you Brecks can fly.”
Henry pushed Sir Neville aside with the blunt edge of his sword. Neville stumbled and Henry snatched the strange instrument that he’d used to call the Pterosaurs. Whilst Neville got back to his feet Henry led Harding and Anwyn out of the chamber and they raced up the stone stairwell, two steps at a time. Eventually, they spilled out of the turret, gasping.
Zia squawked, still waiting for them, just as she’d promised.
Lord Harding froze, placing an arm in front of Lady Anwyn as if that would keep her safe. But Henry scrambled onto the Pterosaur’s back. With a wave, he beckoned them to join him.
Anwyn leant into her husband, staring at Henry in a strange way. He just heard her whisper: “Perhaps the legend is true.”
What did she mean? But before Henry could ask, Neville burst out of the stairwell with his sword drawn.
“Get
off her!” he yelled. “She’s mine!”
It was now or never. Harding and Anwyn scrambled onto Zia’s back and Henry tapped her neck gently to signal her to take off.
He looked back at Neville for one last time. “Maybe you should have treated her better. Zia, fly!”
Zia rose into the air, giving a squawk of delight. She glided away from the turret and plunged between the other Pterosaurs still filling the sky around them.
Far below, Henry spotted the Dino Knights swashbuckling their way across the bridge, knocking the last of the guards into the water as they reached the castle. At last, they were through! Above, the great wings of the Pterosaurs whooshed as they flew northwards to conquer his home.
Zia carried the trio down to the Dino Knights who were now at the main entrance to the castle. Torin and Ellie had their swords drawn.
“It’s okay!” Henry called, hopping off the Pterosaur. “She’s with me.”
“And we’re with him,” said Lady Anwyn, gracefully climbing down.
Rex had joined the knights and let out a roar. Was he feeling jealous? Henry stroked his side.
“Henry?” called Iyla. She ran up and flung her arms around him. Henry, embarrassed, returned the hug. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
She pulled away and gave a slight bow to Lord Harding and Lady Anwyn. “And you, my lord, my lady.”
“We may be safe for now,” said Lord Harding, “but Brecklan is unprotected.”
“There is a flying armada of Pterosaurs heading north,” explained Henry. “It was all part of Sir Avingdon’s plan.”
“We saw them in the sky!” Torin said.
“Where is the moustached monster?” said Ellie. “I want to teach him a lesson.” She swung her sword in anger.
“A Dino Knight does not exact vengeance,” said Harding. “But there will be time to deliver justice once Brecklan is safe.”
“We’ll never get back to Brecklan in time to stop the attack,” said Ellie.
“But I can,” said Henry. He walked back to Zia and climbed onto her back. Rex let out a sulky groan and looked down at Henry with large, sad eyes.
