“Josh—” She went to him and put a hand on his arm. He flinched, but she said softly, “We all love you, but you’re not here. Wherever you are, Josh, come back to those who love you!”
Josh began to tremble. “Get away from me,” he said harshly.
Sarah knew that all the Sleepers now had their eyes fixed on Josh, longing to see him brought back from wherever he was imprisoned.
“Think of all of our times together,” she pleaded. “How we’ve suffered, yet we’ve rejoiced, Josh. We’ve come so far together. It’s not just your body—it’s your mind that we want. Come back, Josh—”
Josh drew himself up straight, his face pale. His teeth were clenched, and his eyes were wide and frightened. “No—no,” he cried. “I am Josh!”
But Sarah softly continued to plead. “We know you’re Josh. But we want your mind free . . .” She did not show anger, nor did any of the other Sleepers.
She knew that the battle was, indeed, spiritual. She glanced over Josh’s shoulder to see Yanto and three of his fellows hurling all their powers against them. Their eyes were burning, and the room had become a battleground where unseen adversaries threw themselves against the minds of the Sleepers. Sarah felt as battered in mind as she had ever felt in body throughout their entire adventures. Inwardly she cried out, Goél—Goél, help me!
She was aware that the other Sleepers were struggling as well. Dave, who was still weak from his wounding, slumped so that he almost fell. Reb and Jake stepped to his side and held him up, Reb murmuring, “Hang in there, Dave! We’ll ride this hoss!”
Then Josh jerked his arm away from Sarah and said, “I don’t need your love!”
Sarah looked into his wild eyes and remembered the gentle boy that she had known for so long. “Yes, you do need our love, Josh. Everyone needs love. The worst thing in the world is to be cut off from love.”
Josh screamed and fell to his knees.
“Remember Goél, Josh!” Sarah cried. And then, lifting her voice, she cried out, “Oh, Goél, bring Josh back to us!”
“Obviously the leader has become ill,” Yanto said quickly. “We will have him taken away so that we can treat him.”
“Leave him alone!” Sarah’s eyes flashed as she stepped between Josh and Yanto. Then she turned and knelt beside the boy. “Josh,” she whispered, “we love you. We’ll always love you no matter what happens. Come back to us, Josh!”
Suddenly Josh’s body collapsed.
Sarah first thought in terror, He’s dead!
But then his lips moved, and his eyes opened.
And instantly Sarah saw the change. “Josh, you’re back!” she cried. She turned to the other Sleepers. “His mind is back! I can tell by his eyes. He’s back.”
All the Sleepers gave glad cries and rushed to him. Reb and Jake pulled him to his feet and looked into his face.
“You’re right—it’s the old Josh! Are you all right, boy?” Reb demanded.
Josh passed a hand over his face. He blinked and then shook his head as one who had been awakened from a terrible dream. And then a smile came to his lips. He said hoarsely, “It’s good . . . to be back.”
“Obviously the leader needs help,” Yanto cried. “Take him to my chambers.”
Two guards started for Josh, but one found himself almost impaled on the short knife that Beorn had drawn and aimed directly at his stomach. The other found his arm twisted behind his back by Reb Jackson.
“We can do without help from you, thanks,” Sarah said. “Josh, do you know what’s happened?”
Josh straightened up. “Yes. . .” His voice was still hoarse as if from disuse. He looked at Deormi and said, “I was put under a spell by some of your people, Deormi.”
The priestess frowned. “It was not of my doing. What has happened?”
Josh suddenly pointed at Glori, “She delivered me into the hands of our enemies—and she told them to bring me to this place. Then she and that one—” he pointed to Yanto “—tried to turn me away from Goél.”
“It’s a lie,” Glori called out, but her face had turned pale, and her voice was not steady. She looked at the chief magician. “We must do something, Yanto!”
“Shut your mouth, fool!”
But it was too late. Josh said, “She’s a servant of the Dark Lord!”
“It’s a lie!” Glori screamed again, but guilt was written on her face.
Sarah started toward the blonde woman. Before Glori could move, Sarah grabbed the fabric of Glori’s garment and pulled. There was the sound of ripping cloth, and then a gasp went over the room. High on Glori’s chest was the same mark that had been on the chest of the false Josh!
“She’s in the service of the Dark Lord, all right!” Josh said.
Glori whipped a dagger from her belt. Quick as a striking snake she leaped toward him.
But the dagger never reached its target. The knife of Beorn, the dwarf, flashed, and the woman gave a wild cry and fell to the floor.
The high priest gave a signal.
“Watch out for Yanto!” Dave yelled.
“Take them prisoner!” Yanto cried.
Three council members stepped forward, then three more. They did not attack the Sleepers with knives or spears or swords but threw such terrible mental force against them that Sarah felt herself nearly paralyzed.
Josh seemed to be slipping away. He murmured, “After all this . . .”
“Don’t give up, Josh,” Sarah said, panting and struggling with the force of the magicians’ power. “Goél will not let us perish.”
Then a voice said, “In the name of Goél, stop!”
It was the priestess, Deormi. She spoke then in a language Sarah did not understand, and immediately her followers on the council surrounded Yanto and his henchmen.
Sarah watched the tremendous struggle between the powerful council members, but she soon saw that Deormi and her people were stronger. She could almost feel the force of Yanto and his men slipping away.
Suddenly Josh stood to his feet, seeming to have complete freedom once more. He reached out and hugged Sarah as Deormi gave commands and servants seized Yanto’s arms.
“He cannot be bound with cords, but I will bind him,” Deormi said firmly. She fixed her eyes on the chief magician, and after a brief struggle Yanto quieted. He made no objection as the guards led him and his three fellows out of the room.
Deormi turned to the Sleepers. “This has been a hard thing for us. It is never pleasant to find traitors in your midst.”
“No, it is not pleasant.” Beorn, the dwarf, looked down at the body of Glori. “This one was in a high place. She could have been great in the service of Goél, but after he assigned her to this mission she was somehow drawn away, and she chose the way of the Dark Lord.”
Abbey looked at Glori and whispered, “I feel sorry for her. She would’ve destroyed us, but now she is destroyed.”
Silence fell over the room, and then Josh said, “What will you and your people do, Deormi?”
The priestess drew herself up. She was not tall or strong physically, but there was power in her voice as she said, “We will lend our strength to the House of Goél!”
13
Old Friends
The Plains of Dothan, for as many years as men could remember, had been a field, flat as a table, used by wild sheep and cattle. The mountains that ringed it formed a kind of huge amphitheater.
Dave Cooper shoved back his steel battle helmet to clear his vision and said, “Abbey, this reminds me a little bit of playing football for the Cowboys. Those mountains are like the stadium seats, and the plain is about as level as a football field.”
Abbey was wearing a steel breastplate that was somewhat too large. It caught the sun overhead and flashed like silver. Now she, too, glanced at the distant mountains, covered with blue haze. Then she looked at the host gathered for battle and said quietly, “I think this is a little more serious than football.”
Dave’s eyes swept the battle line composed of the fo
llowers of Goél, and his countenance grew tense. “You’re right about that.” He unsheathed his sword, tested it with a finger, and studied it carefully. He had stayed up most of the night sharpening his weapons, as had the other Sleepers. Presumably so had the other warriors who were assembled to stand against the Dark Lord. Now he looked into the distance and narrowed his eyes. “They’re coming,” he said softly. “We’d better be ready. I think it’s going to be pretty bad.”
The Sleepers had returned to Dothan accompanied by Beorn and Deormi’s small army, and Goél greeted them at once. Dave still remembered the relief he felt upon seeing their leader again. Goél was very busy with the captains of the various segments of his army, but he found time to commend each Sleeper and also to warn them that the battle ahead would be more fierce than anything they had yet seen in their service for him.
Now, for several days, scouts had come back, all reporting the same thing: a mighty host was advancing upon the Plains of Dothan.
Dave looked around nervously.
Reb and Jake stood a few feet away. The Southerner had disdained steel armor and was wearing his favorite red shirt, a colorful dot against the duller uniforms of some of the others. He wore his white Stetson shoved back on his head, and now he grinned at Dave and winked. “Looks like the ball’s about to start.” Looking down the line, he added, “And I reckon we’ll be ready for them.”
Jake, too, looked down the line of defenders. “Our ranks look pretty thin to me.”
“Why, shoot, that don’t matter none,” Reb said cheerfully. His eyes were electric blue with the thrill of the coming battle. He was at his best in a fight, and now one would have thought he was getting ready to attend a party. He sidled over to Dave and Abbey and Josh and Sarah.
“Looks like you’re going to get a fight this time,” Josh said. “They’re coming.”
“Let ’em come. We‘ll give ’em the best we got at the ranch,” Reb said. He winked at Sarah and then looked out over the defenders. “Lots of old friends in this fight today,” he said. “There’s Volka.” He pointed toward a giant who was leaning on a battle club as big as a pine tree. “Old Volk will get his share today, I bet!”
“Aramis and Princess Jere have gone back to Atlantis,” Josh said. “They’re having their own battle. The Dark Lord has sent sailors and submariners to attack them.”
“They’ll do all right,” Reb said confidently. “I think I’ll just take a little turn around the troops.”
Dave watched him walk away, stopping to speak to Eena, who headed a battalion of cave warriors, armed with heavy clubs, spears, and sharp knives. Then, farther along, there was a host of underworld soldiers led by Lord Beren.
“It looks like everybody we’ve ever met is here,” Dave said to Abbey. “There’s Captain Daybright and Dawn. And look, there’s King Gavin and Queen Merle. Look at those Amazons!”
“They have as much courage as anyone we’ve ever met in this world,” Abbey said. “And see, Reb’s found Princess Elaine.”
Dave glanced over to where a troop of knights was waiting, mounted on war horses. Gay banners fluttered from the tips of their lances. He saw Reb stop and talk to Princess Elaine, who was herself leading the force from Camelot.
“I guess Reb’s glad to see Elaine. He always was soft on her,” Dave said. “I hope nothing happens to either one of them.”
“Dave,” Abbey said and hesitated for a moment, “I’m not really afraid so much for myself, but you be careful.”
“I’m always careful.”
“You’re not really strong enough to be in this battle,” she protested. “Why don’t you stay back with the archers? You’re a good shot.”
“No, not this time. I’ll be in the front line.”
Abbey’s lip trembled, and she looked very young and vulnerable. “I’ve just found you, and now I’m afraid I’m going to lose you.”
“You’re not going to lose me! We’ll be all right,” Dave said as cheerfully as he could. He lifted his eyes and saw that now the entire horizon was dark. The skyline was filled with troops as far back as he could see. “Those are some pretty mean troops coming at us. The Dark Lord has pulled out all the stops, so the reports say.”
He felt smaller and smaller as the host that opposed them advanced. When they drew closer, Dave saw that there were not only human adversaries but beasts of all kinds, all looking darkly vicious. A troop of snarling wolves was led on leashes by cruel-looking soldiers. These were not ordinary wolves. They were more than twice the size of normal wolves, he saw, and their eyes were red with rage. In the second rank was a row of war elephants ridden by soldiers wearing gleaming armor. Troops of chunky dwarfs were lined up under the command of a large man on a black horse. Wherever Dave looked, he saw strength and power.
“You’d better get back on that rise with the other archers, Abbey. They’re going to hit us soon,” Dave said.
Abbey had taken off her helmet, and he reached over suddenly and touched her blonde hair. “I love you, Abbey,” he said simply, then impulsively leaned over and kissed her.
“I love you too, Dave,” she said, then she walked off to take her place with the line of bowmen.
Abbey found Sarah with the archers. They strung their bows silently, and even as they did so, a trumpet sounded.
A horseman dressed in black armor and a black cloak came galloping out of the enemy host that had stopped two hundred yards away. The hooves of his mighty war horse kicked dust into the air.
He pulled up halfway to Goél’s troops. “I am Maulk, champion of the army of the Dark Lord!” The warrior’s visor was down, and his voice was muffled. He lifted his spear—its tip gleamed—and said, “The Dark Lord offers you mercy. If you will surrender, you will be well treated. If you will not, then you will all die. What is your answer?”
“You well know our answer.”
The voice came from somewhere behind Abbey and Sarah. They looked quickly and saw Goél standing again upon the great flat rock that rose from the surface of the Plains of Dothan. He was wearing his gray cloak as usual, but around his waist was a plain belt that bore the weight of a heavy sword. It was not unsheathed, but Abbey could see the jewels in the handle, glittering in the sunlight.
Goél thrust back his hood. “The hour has struck for the Dark Lord to be answered. Return this answer then. Surrender yourselves to the mercy of Goél before death has his harvest.”
The commander laughed hoarsely. “We heed not your words, Goél. Look at yon mighty host—then look at the pitiful line of weaklings that you have! Is this your final answer?” He waited for a moment. When Goél said nothing more, he wheeled and rode back to the enemy position. He then shouted commands, and the orders were echoed by his officers up and down the mighty battle formation.
A mighty shout arose from the Dark Lord’s warriors, and Josh watched them surge ahead like a great wave of the sea, rolling forward as though nothing could stop it.
“Here they come!” Reb muttered. “For what we are about to receive may we be truly grateful!”
Beorn, who had positioned himself beside him, looked at the boy and smiled. “Let us stand together, my brother,” he said, hefting his battle-ax. “We will see whether this Dark Lord can do as he boasts.”
Then suddenly the air was filled with a flight of feathered darts tipped with steel. They struck the first line of the Dark Lord’s army, and men and beasts were cut down as if by a mighty scythe. The wolves that had been loosed went down biting and snapping at the keen arrows that dug at their vitals.
“Look at that!” Josh cried. “It’s like they ran into a wall!”
“It’s a good thing our archers were there,” Jake said. He waved briefly back at Abbey and Sarah, hollering, “Good shooting, girls!” Then he turned around toward the advancing enemy line. “They’ve got plenty of troops to lose.” He pulled down his battle helmet and gripped his sword.
On and on came the dark and terrible battalions, rank on rank. The arrows took a mighty t
oll, but when one beast or one man fell, another was there to step into his place. Soon the first of their number closed the distance between the forces.
Reb leaped forward eagerly. Josh, Dave, and Beorn were close beside him. A swarthy giant of a soldier, his eyes glittering, cried out and swung his sword. Reb simply ducked under it and with almost a graceful movement reached out and struck with his own blade.
Both sides hacked and slashed, and the cries of the wounded and the dying soon filled the air.
Then the mighty centaurs led by Moonwise suddenly appeared and struck the enemy’s flank, sending them reeling. Many fled in terror as the arrows of the centaurs wrought death and destruction.
The Aluks hit the soldiers of the Dark Lord on their other flank, many of them casting harpoons. These deadly weapons struck among the battle elephants, causing them to rear and panic. They trampled many of the enemy in their frantic efforts to flee.
Still, there was no stopping the mighty wave of warriors and beasts. Slowly Goél’s ranks were forced to give way. And as the Sleepers moved back, they saw they were leaving the bodies of many brave friends who had paid with their blood for their resistance.
Time and time again, the warriors of Goél stopped and dug in their heels and fought for their lives. But then came the strongest attack of all! The Dark Lord brought his own archers into play along with machines that hurled huge stones. The stones and the arrows took their toll, and the Sleepers saw more dear friends fall lifeless to the earth.
As they withdrew, Jake yelled a warning to Josh— two soldiers were about to attack him from behind! Josh whirled just in time to see Jake throw himself at the warriors. Jake managed to deflect the blade of one. But while his attention was taken, the other leaped at him, swinging a huge sword.
Josh knew that his friend was in danger of being felled. He took a step to help, but just then their section of the line came under violent attack. Josh fought like a madman, as did the others, to drive off the assault. As soon as he could, he ran back to where he’d left Jake.
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