by Kevin McLeod
Chapter 11
The boys watched as the large ship crashed out on to the waves and began to sail out to sea. Oars appeared and soon the ship was moving quickly away from the Cove. There was lots of activity on board, and creatures of all shapes and sizes could be seen walking around. Two enormous beasts at the front seemed to be guiding the ship. As the oars came out and the ship moved to deeper waters, the giant beasts dived, and were gone.
‘Where’s Granddad?’ Peter asked Elder Sanderson.
‘He must still be in the caves, which means the witches have escaped,’ Sanderson replied looking at Arto, who turned and went to speak to the leader of the Vikings.
‘We must follow the ship and trust that Jacob will find us before it is too late,’ the Elder continued. ‘We cannot allow those children to be taken without a fight.’
‘Our friends are probably on that ship,’ George said, staring out at the ship in the distance.
A roar overhead made them all look up as the dragons and the eagle sped into the caves.
‘They are going to help your Granddad,' Arto said returning from his talk with the Viking. ‘Don't worry your Granddad will be with us soon enough. The Vikings are agreed that we must keep chasing the witch ship. We cannot allow them to get back to their world.'
‘We can’t let them take Charlotte and James, we just can’t,’ Peter said.
Just then shapes emerged from the cave flying fast, heading straight for the Longship. The gryphon let out a cry to let them know it was friends who approached. The gryphon landed on the boat, and Granddad got off and spoke to the gryphon before turning to face the boys. Peter ran across and hugged him close. Jake barked and bounced around trying to join in. Granddad reached down to stroke his head. George smiled at the reunion and his relief that Granddad was ok. The dragons were too large to land on the Longship so got as close as they could before the Vikings and Elders jumped off. The eagle landed near the boys, and the knights got off joining the others.
Granddad filled everyone in on what had happened in the caves including the sad news of the death of the Viking and the gryphon.
‘We must ensure their death is not in vain, we have to stop that ship,’ Granddad said, looking at each of the group in turn until his eyes met Peter’s.
‘This Longship is faster than their ship even in the storms that their magic will cause, and we will catch up to them before too long. When we do we must be ready to fight, and save those children.’ He paused then continued.
‘For now, though I need to speak to Peter alone. There are a great many things I have to try and explain, and not much time to explain them.'
Everyone moved away apart from George who was reluctant to leave.
‘Granddad I would like George to stay too, he deserves to hear everything you have to say.’
Granddad looked at George then back to Peter and nodded. George moved up so that he was sitting right next to Peter, facing Granddad.
‘Where to start, that is always the hardest part,’ Granddad said almost to himself, stroking Jake, staring at the ground.
‘Some of what I am about to say you may find hard to believe, but maybe not so hard with everything you have seen tonight. Still, it is only fair to warn you.'
‘I don't think you could shock us any more than we are already,' Peter replied.
‘The first thing is always the hardest to explain or to say so I am just going to say it. Please don’t ask any questions until I am finished as time is short.’ The boys nodded in silent agreement.
‘Good; I find just saying it is the easiest way so I will. My name is Jacob Thorsten, and I am Viking. I am over five hundred years old and was at one point immortal. I am the Viking warrior who fought the dragons, and I am the Viking who has battled these witches before. I am the one who faced Tolldruck, and I am also the warrior who gave up their prize for love. For the love of your Gran to be precise.' Granddad paused and stared at the boys who were looking at him wide-eyed and speechless.
‘This Longship is mine and has been with me since I arrived here to rid the Cove of dragons. The sail that you brought me was passed down through my family for centuries, and was with your mother to keep safe until I needed it again.'
‘There is a deep magic within my mansion; a magic which, with the help of the Elders, has been perfected over many years and through many failures. This magic allows us to call upon our friends and the guardians to join us and fight side by side when the evil returns.’
‘I suspected the witches may be back and started making plans, and getting organised. I had thought about cancelling your holiday but then your mother would have come to the Cove and placed herself in danger.’
‘What about me? Did you not worry about me being in danger?’ Peter asked looking slightly hurt.
‘Of course I did Peter. However, your story and your legacy are just beginning.'
‘Legacy, what do you mean legacy?’
‘You are my first male descendant, there are things about yourself that you do not even realise yet,’ Granddad continued.
‘It was always my intention to tell you everything one day, and train you so that you could take my place to guard against the evil that threatens this world.’
‘Me? You mean me? There is nothing special about me. I can’t use a sword the way I watched you doing. I can’t lead Vikings and gryphons or use magic.’
‘You can do a great many things you are unaware of just now, and it’s my job to train you.’
‘What about me?’ George asked. ‘I want to help as well, and I want to get our friends back then make sure these witches never return.’
‘You are finding bravery George, and I suspect you will always have a role by Peter’s side, but it is Peter who is my heir.’
‘We can talk more about this when we have rescued all the children and banished the witches. For now, though we need to take care. There is a storm coming,’ Granddad said, pointing into the distance where the witches' ship was closer now and was surrounded by dark clouds as lightning cracked across the sky.
‘I must talk to the others. Stay safe boys, and stay near Arto or me at all times.' With that Granddad stood up and walked across to the Elders. He said something to Arto who nodded and came to stand close to the boys.
‘You know what this makes you, don’t you Peter?’ asked George.
‘No, what?’ replied Peter.
‘The Viking’s Apprentice,’ George said, staring out to the storm.
