by L. R. W. Lee
Chapter Seventeen
Dragon Riding
“Feels like I’m riding Optimistic!” Alden yelled over the noise of the air rushing past.
No sooner had they taken flight than the boys spotted a flock of vultures circling nearby. In that same moment, the menaces saw them and formed a tight pack to begin dive-bombing the dragon.
Daisy was tough. She banked and turned. Her riders grabbed for purchase on her scales and held on for dear life. She avoided most attacks and occasionally got a clear shot, swatting several pursuers with her tail for a homerun. Unfortunately, there were dozens of them, and they kept coming no matter what she did. “I don’t want to breathe fire. The flames might hit you at this speed!”
The vultures flew at Andy and Alden, trying to unseat them. They nearly succeeded at one point, but Alden pivoted and ducked under Daisy’s wing just in time to avoid a direct hit—right in front of Andy, who sat behind him. Somehow Alden managed to stay on. After righting himself, he yelled, “A little trick I found when riding Optimistic!”
Andy clutched the scales more tightly.
The boys knew exactly when they passed back into the land of Oomaldee. Fog blanketed the sky, making it difficult to see their adversaries coming. The conditions did not slow the birds, however—they seemed able to see Daisy through the haze and continued their unrelenting attacks.
Daisy began to tire. She had been flying for several hours now with no relief from the opposition. She flew lower, trying to shake their pursuers. As she did, Alden exclaimed, “I recognize the landscape! I’ve flown Optimistic over this territory many times!”
“We’re almost to the castle, Daisy! Can you hang on for just a little longer?” Andy coaxed.
“I’ll do my best.” Daisy’s thought came sluggishly as the vultures launched yet another frontal assault.
“Where can we land that Daisy can hide from these attacks?” yelled Andy.
“I know the perfect place. I just hope it won’t upset too many people.”
A few minutes later, Alden directed Daisy down to the cavalry’s training facility. He hopped off as soon as they hit the ground and ran for the stable doors. “Andy, help me slide these open. She can take cover in here.”
Five more vultures took the opportunity to extend their talons in an attempt to gouge out her eyes. Daisy deftly incinerated the birds.
“Way to go!” Alden cheered.
The boys heaved the mighty doors open and Daisy waddled quickly into the large space, then collapsed in the soft sawdust covering the floor. Andy and Alden pulled the doors shut again.
“Are you okay, Daisy?” worried Alden.
“I will be. Just give me some time to rest.”
The training arena was empty. Alden fetched water, and after drinking her fill, Daisy immediately fell asleep. Alden looked her over. Remarkably, despite all of the attacks, the dragon had no wounds. Her scales had protected her. Andy and Alden were not so fortunate. They were sore from riding on those tough plates and had more than a few scratches to show for it.
“Let’s go find Major Cahill and tell him about Daisy, so he doesn’t get a shock when he walks in and sees her,” suggested Alden. Before leaving, he turned and patted Daisy on the head. “Thank you, friend. Now sleep well.”
As they exited the arena, Andy glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at the light gray smoke rings that wafted from Daisy’s nostrils with each breath.
The boys headed toward the major’s office, which was located on the other side of the stable area. “Something’s wrong, Andy.”
“I was thinking the same thing. It’s too quiet,” he whispered back, pulling Methuselah out and extending the blade.
They crept into the stables. The pegasi were in their quarters and quiet. Sneaking around the first row of stalls, Alden led the way toward Optimistic. They had nearly reached the door of her enclosure when they heard someone coming and ducked into the shadows. A large vulture-man lumbered by carrying an oversize bucket of feed in each hand. His muscles bulged under the weight.
As soon as he had passed, Alden whispered, “I’ve never seen that guy before!”
They ducked into Optimistic’s stall. Both Andy and Alden held out a hand for her to sniff and accept them. She whinnied her approval and Alden gave her a hug.
“It’s good to see you!” he whispered. “What’s going on around here?”
Optimistic whinnied again and started pawing at the straw.
“It’s okay, girl. We’re going to figure out—”
Optimistic stomped and pawed at the straw again, tossing her head.
“What’s wrong, girl?”
Andy looked down at her hoof. Under the topmost layer of straw, he saw a piece of paper. “Alden, move her back so I can get that.”
Andy grabbed the paper. Someone had scribbled a short message: “Cavalry captured. Men turned into vultures by Abaddon.”
“That’s Major Cahill’s writing! I recognize it. Andy, this is really bad. He must have had just enough time to sneak that note in here before they grabbed him. What about my mom and the others?” Alden bit his lip.
“Let’s get inside the castle and see what’s going on,” encouraged Andy.
Alden bobbed his head.
“Are there any other entrances? These guys are probably watching the back and the front doors.”
“Not that I know of.”
The boys crept along the row of stalls until arriving at the foyer, where a horse whinnied and a voice yelled, “Whoa, slow up Alexander. We have company.”
Alden and Andy scuttled back into the stable, waiting for vulture-men to come see what the disturbance was. Nothing happened. After several tense minutes, the stone knight hopped down from his horse and introduced himself. “I’m Sir Gawain and this is Alexander. Glad to see you’re still with us. I’m at your service, sirs.”
“Shhh, keep your voice down,” cautioned Andy.
Alden’s eyes grew wide.
“No worries, sir. No one can hear me. Only those in the company of the golden key,” replied the stone warrior.
“What’s up with your friend?”
“Alden, I’d like you to meet Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain, this is Alden.”
Alden stepped forward. “Uh…hi?”
“We’re in kind of a hurry,” Andy pressed. “It looks like King Abaddon captured our cavalry and turned them into vultures.”
“Is that why I’ve been seeing so many vulture-dudes walking around!”
“So, you saw it?”
“Well, I didn’t see him turn anyone into a vulture, but I’ve noticed an awful lot more of those guys around here in the last week.” He paused and then, with a hand cupped to one side of his mouth, confided, “I know this sounds bad, but personally, they give me the creeps.”
Andy laughed. “I’m with you. Out of curiosity, how long have you stood here?”
“Oh, probably 450 years or so. Yeah, da Vinci sculpted me. The King was lucky to keep that kid focused long enough to finish me. He’s got ADHD bad!”
“You do know that he died, don’t you?”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So, you know lots about the castle then, right?”
“Well, sure. What specifically do you want to know?”
“Do you know if there’s another way in besides the back or front doors?”
“Well, now that you mention it…yes, I recall that when da Vinci sculpted us, his workshop was inside the castle, in the basement. These stables had not yet been built. When he finished, we were too big to take up the stairs, so they dug another way out. They brought us around and in through the front door. I stood in the entry hall for many years, until they built these stables. Poor Alexander’s hoofs were killing him, standing in this pose for so long on that hard floor!”
“Do you have any idea where that other door might be?” interrupted Alden.
But the knight was not finished recounting his story. “Oh, I remember the day when
I got my first glimpse of daylight. It was absolutely amazing! The birds were singing—I think they were celebrating us. Good creatures, those birds. I always like to hear them sing.”
“Um, excuse me, sir,” Andy cleared his throat, trying to get Sir Gawain back on track.
“Oh, right. Sorry. Let me see. I remember being rolled sideways up a log ramp. Yeah, those men really had to strain. Scared Alexander a bit when they nearly lost hold and we started to slide backwards.” Gawain turned and patted his horse. “It’s quite a challenge to ride a horse at full speed while tilted at an angle. I don’t recommend it. Oh, and I remember seeing a huge tree in front of us.”
Andy thought for a second. I don’t remember seeing any large trees around the castle.
Alden jumped excitedly. “I know where he’s talking about! When my mom and I first came to the castle, there was a huge oak tree over there.” He motioned in the direction of the northeast side of the castle. “It got sick and they had to cut it down. Nothing but a stump left now.”
“Thanks for your help, Sir Gawain!” said Andy. “We need to see if we can get in that way.”
“My pleasure. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Just stay here and keep listening for any clues that might tell us what Abaddon is planning. And let us know if you see anything else going on.”
“Very well, sir.” The knight bowed and his horse gave a whinny.
“Come on, Alden.” Andy stuck his head out the training center doors. “Coast is clear. You lead the way.”
They made a dash in the direction Alden had indicated. The thick fog helped hide them as they cut across the cobblestone terrace and rounded the side of the castle. They could no longer see the training center as they stopped next to the stone foundation. Andy hoped that meant no one could see them either. “I’ve never seen this side of the castle.”
Alden quickly spotted what remained of the stump and they both started searching for an opening in the wall.
“This is just like trying to find the tunnel under Dragontail watchtower,” whispered Alden.
“I’m guessing they did something similar here,” Andy reasoned.
No sooner had he spoken than Alden’s foot hit an odd-sized rock. He pressed down on the stone and they heard the sound of rock sliding across rock. A small opening appeared.
“Way to go, Alden!”
Andy pulled Methuselah out as they slipped through the opening and into a dark tunnel. The sword’s light allowed them to find another stone that closed the door behind them.
“I wonder where this will take us,” commented Andy, climbing down a short set of steps and starting down a curving tunnel.
The boys walked for a few minutes until the tunnel branched off.
“Which way?” asked Alden.
“Let’s keep going forward. We can always come back and see where that leads if we need to.”
A minute later they reached a wall.
“Looks like this is the end of the line,” said Alden.
“Yep. And I think that’s the stone that will open the door.” Andy pointed at a rock protruding from the wall.
Before depressing it, the boys put their ears to the wall and listened for any sounds that might indicate people on the other side. They heard nothing.
“Okay, here goes.” Andy pushed the stone.
The door slid open and they found themselves in the corridor right outside Alden and Marta’s quarters. No one lurked about.
“Wow! I had no idea this door was here. I always thought it was just the wall at the end of the hall.”
They felt around and found the stone to close the opening.
“My mom and the others—” Alden worried.
“I know.” Andy’s stomach clenched. “Let’s search the castle. We’ll start down here and work our way up floor by floor.”
They tiptoed down the hallway, checking each room. No one was about. Approaching footsteps descending the stairs made them scurry into the shadows as they reached the end of the hall. They held their breath but scowled as Razen hurried past. Andy and Alden exchanged suspicious looks.
A minute later, the whine of the dungeon’s heavy metal door echoed up the flight of stairs followed by a loud bellow before it slammed shut.
“What was that?” Andy whispered then swallowed hard.
Alden shook his head, jaw clenched.
They crept down the flight of stairs. Wisps of green vapor rose from beneath the door, refusing confinement. Andy put an arm over his nose and tried the handle. It was unlocked this time. He put his shoulder to the obstacle and slowly pushed it open. Alden followed on his heels. As the door shut, another loud bellow reached them. That sounds too familiar. Please don’t be who I think it is, Andy worried.
“Come on,” he whispered, trying to silence the fear that sneered at his attempts to ignore it.
The dungeon was dim and had only a few torchlights, but they dared not illuminate the way with Andy’s blade. They inched down another set of stairs shrouded by the green vapor, their nerves on high alert. Andy’s breathing grew labored.
At the landing, they turned left and quickened their pace, scattering the mist that hovered about their thighs. They hurried down a hallway lined with cell doors on both sides, until they reached a corner to the right. Life-size statues of Sir Kay and Sir Gawain stood to the left. The two figures were slashing at each other with drawn swords thanks to the gold key.
“Stop fighting and follow me!” Andy commanded after making sure the coast was clear. He looked back to say something to Alden, but his friend was no longer following. Where’d he go?
A roar from up ahead arrested his attention and his head shot back. The darkness fled from a blast of fire.
“Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!” A blood-curdling scream made the hair on the back of Andy’s neck stand at attention.
I’ll find Alden later.
Andy and company dashed around the corner, Methuselah leading the way.
