Chapter 3. Bright Pink Lipstick
Nothing happened—at first. Then everyone gasped when hundreds of long, thick, snake-like arms started to appear—zipping quickly through the trees. The hands latched onto trunks and other solid objects. Seconds later, the trunks bent away, as if they were being pulled. Several were ripped from the ground and disappeared in the forest.
The sharp whip of leather bands reached Jacob’s ears and he looked at Matt in fear. The ground trembled again. With a roar, huge, magnificent beasts crashed through the trees, propelled forward by the strength of their grip on the trunks near the entrance. Their legs seemed to struggle to keep up. Hundreds of much smaller creatures clung to the scales on their sides. Molgs rode on top, bearing bull whips, which they flicked at the beasts, causing more ear-splitting roars and ground tremors as the beasts reared up on their hind legs and landed again.
“Sindons!” one of the Makalo men shouted. “Kenji, they’re here!”
The Sindons pulled themselves to a location only twenty yards from the canyon wall. The beasts were amazing. Thirty feet tall, at least, and they resembled hippos—their jaws stretching as they roared, with teeth at least four feet long flashing in the light. Their four thick legs were sturdy, and they each had at least ten of the long arms on their chests.
The army holding onto the sides of the Sindons jumped to the ground and formed around a Molg which appeared to be the leader.
This Molg was incredibly large—over six feet tall, maybe seven, with swords strapped to his back. He had six-inch-long teeth growing downward and out from his jawbone. His face had bright red diagonal streaks across it—paint. He pulled out a sword, lifted it in the air, and the army around him roared in excitement.
“There’s no time to finish!” Kenji called. “Put the planks on top of each other. Jacob, seal them together!”
The group of Makalos ran to Kenji’s side and lifted one slab on top of the other. Jacob jumped forward and sealed the edges of the wood, finishing right as the first line of the army charged, passing the huge Molg and the Sindons.
“Everyone, carry the wood over to the entrance!”
With much grunting, the group raised the boards, pulling them to the mouth and covering the tunnel just as several of the Molgs reached the other side. The creatures raced forward and pushed, trying to get through. The wood shuddered and shifted several inches.
“We can’t hold them, Kenji!” one of the Makalos yelled.
“There’s no choice. Use your Rezend!”
The Makalos’ left ring fingers began glowing blue and the wood shook. Jacob prayed his work wouldn’t be undone. Matt joined the Makalos in holding up the sheets of wood, and Jacob watched helplessly, not knowing what to do. The panel started to tremble violently as forces from both sides pushed against it.
With a grunt, a huge Molg, at least six feet tall and much, much bigger than the one Jacob had fought in the cave, squeezed through. He fell to the ground in his rush, and the Makalos slammed the wood back into place before more could come through.
Jacob’s jaw dropped when the Molg got to its feet and stared him in the eye. It roared, lifted a huge ax, and rushed forward. Jumping back against the canyon wall, Jacob wrapped his arms around his head to protect his skull against the advance. Right before the Molg could swing his ax, two Makalo men stepped into the path of the Molg, holding large sticks, joining the fight.
Kenji yelled through the noise, pointing at each Makalo as he commanded them: “You, stop the Molg! You, hold the board down. Jacob, get over here! Seal the panels!”
Jacob ran for the canyon entrance. He could hear Matt and the Makalos fighting the Molg behind him. He pressed his palms on the wood where people weren’t already touching, willing the heat in his hands to go through both layers. The Makalos struggled to keep the thing in place.
The wood shook, knocking almost everyone to the ground, and Jacob realized something he wished he’d thought of earlier. The panels wouldn’t be effective unless they were attached to the walls of the canyon!
But now only Jacob and two other Makalos were holding the wood in place. His legs started shaking, barely holding him up now. One, two more Makalos joined him. Then there were five.
Jacob yelled when his legs were whipped out from under him. He fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. The Molg started dragging Jacob away from everyone and he fought for air, unable to do anything.
Matt jumped forward and hit the Molg across the head with a board. With one swipe of its hand, the Molg knocked Matt several yards away, then grabbed Jacob’s shirt, lifting him off the ground and closer to its face.
Jacob kicked and punched as hard as he could. He squirmed, trying to get away, but was unsuccessful.
Suddenly, the Molg released Jacob and fell backward, revealing Matt, wielding the Molg’s ax. He dropped to his knees, gasping. “It’s not dead,” he said. “I knocked it out.”
Jacob jumped to his feet. Makalos were unconscious everywhere, and those who weren’t, struggled with the panel he had formed, trying to keep it in place.
Racing to the tunnel, Jacob pulled dirt and loose rocks away from the board, trying to find a solid surface on the canyon wall. His hands throbbed—he doubted they’d ever be normal again. The barrier shook so violently, some of the Makalos were forced to let go, and the wood slipped. Jacob helped lift it back up again, scrambling to continue pushing debris aside. Finally, he moved enough dirt out of the way and found solid stone.
He warmed up both surfaces, hoping it would work. What happened then made him and everyone else jerk away. It was like the snapping of a Lego. A huge flash, and the wood suctioned onto the stone, stilling the vibrations. Jacob, seeing spots before his eyes, jumped forward and sealed as much of the rest as possible.
All the edges now in place, the group hesitantly pulled away. A roar of frustration on the other side let them know they’d been successful, and all the Makalos cheered.
At Kenji’s instructions, one of the men stretched out his hand. The Molg disappeared as the Makalo began to pick it up. Jacob sighed in relief. How awesome that Makalos could shrink things! The man held the Molg—still unconscious—in his open palm.
Kenji had Early bring him a cage, much like the one he’d used on the Rog when Jacob first came to Eklaron, and put the Molg inside. Then he had four of the strongest men set up camp near the entrance, and called September, one of the Minyas, to come stay with them in case they needed to send for help.
Jacob’s legs almost refused to carry him anymore, and Kenji ordered Butch and Matt to help him walk by offering their shoulders as support on either side. They hurried back to the village. No one said anything. Even Matt had nothing to say, though Jacob was sure he had a lot of questions after seeing a Molg get shrunk.
Kenji thanked the group, asking them to go home to their families, then invited Jacob and Matt to the top floor of the tree. They found Brojan there, watching through a telescope.
Brojan sighed in relief, turning to Jacob and Matt. “That was . . . alarming. And a close call. Good work, boys. I doubt that is the last we’ll see of this army, but at least the entrance will stay sealed this time.” He passed a hand over his eyes. “All the creatures were united in the attack. Even the female Lorkon from the forest came. She only stayed for a moment, however, before going back to her manor. It appears the rest have given up and are now heading back to Fornchall.” He motioned to the telescope. “Would you like to see what you were dealing with?”
Jacob stepped forward. The height of the tree still amazed him. The fact that it was tall enough so he could use a telescope to look over the canyon wall was pretty awesome, and he found himself wondering at the strength of the spells that kept the tree invisible to Mendon.
He peered at the valley on the other side of the canyon wall. It took him a moment to focus the telescope, but when he did he shook his head in wonder. How’d they ever get the entrance sealed in time? The Sindons were the freakiest creatur
es he’d seen since entering Eklaron—their long arms zipped forward, through trees and across hills, and latched onto earth at least 200 yards away. The beasts propelled themselves forward so fast he had a hard time keeping the telescope on them, and he didn’t know how their thick legs kept up.
The Molgs’ whips were just a blur, and he could see the Sindons’ huge mouths open in perpetual roars. Occasionally, all the Sindons would rear up on their hind legs at the same time, and when they landed, Jacob felt the tremors, even from this far away. They were like dinosaurs! They barely noticed the army attached to their sides, clinging to their scales.
Matt jabbed Jacob’s shoulder. “My turn.”
Jacob moved away from the telescope, turning to Brojan and Kenji. “How long will the seal on the entrance last?”
“A lot longer than the original,” Kenji said, and Brojan nodded. “With your abilities, it’s most likely foolproof. The temporary seal we put up a few days ago didn’t last even a minute against their spies.”
“Wow—spies? What happened to them? Did you guys have to kill them?”
“They were Yoons. The trees took care of them.”
“Yoons?”
“Creatures about a foot tall who have no use but to find their way into magically sealed locations. Their own magic breaks down barriers, allowing much larger creatures to enter. They were all but extinct twenty years ago. We think the Lorkon found them, though, and used the little things to get through the entrance when they stole the Key.” He sighed. “But, as I said, they won’t be able to get past what you’ve done. I doubt anything can.”
Matt pushed the telescope aside and put his arm around Jacob’s shoulders. “It’s going to take some getting used to—this whole business about my little brother having superpowers and all.”
Jacob shrugged off Matt’s arm and scowled at him.
Matt laughed, holding his hands up defensively. “Besides basketball, of course.”
Kenji smiled. “You have no idea. And we’re almost certain more gifts will surface, especially after what happened at the castle.”
“Oh, yeah, I heard about that.”
“And the ability to find weakness is a great power, but it isn’t something the Lorkon would risk everything to get. There are other things still lurking in your brother.”
“Like what?”
Kenji shrugged. “We’re not sure.”
Jacob smiled at Matt, and Matt pushed him playfully. “Well, get a move on!” he said. “Figure things out!”
“It’s not like that,” Jacob said, laughing. “They come when they want to come.”
“Okay, fine.”
Brojan led them out of the tree and toward Kenji’s place. Jacob was lost in thought, grateful his legs were able to hold him up now. The ability to make weak things strong was wonderful, but it sure exhausted him. He hoped his other powers wouldn’t be so tiring.
They entered Kenji’s house, and Jacob asked a question he’d been entertaining for a while. “Why doesn’t anyone just climb over the canyon wall? I mean, the tree is tall enough so you can see over the wall to the lands on the other side. It shouldn’t be that difficult.”
“Good question,” Kenji said. “Remember the enchantments on the Fat Lady’s cabin? We put similar spells around the canyon, minus the entrance.” He sighed. “We never intended for the entrance to be completely impassible, and so it was the weakest point. We didn’t think about Yoons—they were extinct, according to our information—so the Lorkon were able to use them successfully to gain access to Taga when they stole the Key.”
Ebony handed out cups of water. When she got to Jacob, she took his hands and examined the blisters. “Nothing some sap won’t cure.” She left the room, returning moments later with a package, which she opened.
“Why weren’t those spells put over the entrance to the village?” Matt asked as everyone sat at Kenji’s table. “I mean, you had the Key.”
Kenji took a long drink from his cup, then lowered it. “Once the spells are put in place, they are nearly impossible to break, even for the one who created them. We needed to leave one vulnerable spot for us to enter and exit by, just in case we had problems with the Key.”
Jacob frowned. “What about Minyas needing to communicate with the other people in Eklaron? They won’t be able to get through the entrance anymore.”
“Minyas are able to exit the village at will. We’ve lifted the order that keeps them from coming and going. The spells have no influence on them anyway. When it comes to anyone else . . . We were hoping the Key would be of assistance, but . . .” Kenji looked at Jacob, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It doesn’t work.”
“Really? There weren’t any problems for me.” Jacob held out his hands for Ebony to patch up.
“Well, we think it may only work for you.” Kenji drank the last of his water, then pushed his chair back. “Only one way to find out.” He left the room through one of the three back doors.
Ebony finished wrapping Jacob’s hands, and he stood to stretch. He laughed when he spotted the print he’d left on the wall two weeks ago. Pointing it out to Matt, he said, “I did this before I knew I had the ability to mold things.”
“That’s pretty awesome. Your handprint will forever be on the wall. What a legacy, Jake.”
Jacob laughed, embarrassed, then turned to Akeno. “I can fix it now. Sorry it stayed for so long.”
Akeno shook his head. “No, don’t. We want to keep it. The first of your abilities, manifested here in our home. It’s kind of an honor.” He looked down at his feet, a blush creeping across his cheeks.
Jacob flushed too, especially when Matt laughed and punched him on the shoulder, making some juvenile comment about his mark being an honor.
Kenji finally returned, carrying the ornate box Jacob had taken from the Lorkon castle.
“Sorry it took so long. It seems Kaiya has been using the Key as a toy.” He half-smiled at Ebony. “We’ll need to talk to her about that.” Kenji stopped, his jaw dropping, and stared at the box. The container had begun to glow, and a faint strain of familiar music emanated from it.
Jacob smiled, glad to hear the melody again, and reluctant to admit it was nice to have the Key back in his presence. The Makalos had told him he had a connection to this Key, and he felt it now. The desire to hold it, to protect it, to keep it always with him washed over him, making him blink. Whoa. That was a bit over the top. It was just a bit of metal, for crying out loud.
Kenji nodded. “Just as I’d hoped. The Key comes to life around you.” He handed the box to Jacob. “You are the only who can use it.”
Jacob opened the box and wasn’t surprised by the burst of music and light—but Matt was. He yelled and jumped back, holding his hands in front of him defensively.
“Oh, geez,” Jacob said, laughing. “It’s just a harmless old key.”
Matt smiled sheepishly, dropping his arms. “You never know. There are a lot of things here that are really kinda crazy. And after what happened to you in that castle, I don’t want to be bewitched or something.”
Jacob snorted. “You won’t be.”
“All right, why don’t you try it out?” Kenji said.
Jacob approached the door, then got on his knees so he could watch the Key closely right as it went into the lock. He’d been wondering how it fit different locks—he was in too much of a hurry when he’d used it to get through the Fat Lady’s cabin door. Matt watched over Jacob’s shoulder as he inspected it closely. It had teeth on the end just like all the other skeleton keys he’d seen in movies. He frowned. They couldn’t possibly fit every door the same.
Jacob slowly moved the Key toward the hole. A smile crept across his face as the teeth and shaft vibrated slightly, then morphed into the shape of the lock.
“Wow,” Matt said. “That was freakin’ amazing! Do it again! Faster this time.”
Jacob pulled the Key away, watching it change back. Then he brought it to the hole. The vibration was bare
ly noticeable, and everything happened so quickly, Jacob almost didn’t see the change until it was complete. “That’s really cool,” he said.
He got to his feet, put the Key in the front door’s lock, turned it left, and said, “The tree.” He opened the door, revealing the inside of the hollowed-out tree, showing that the Key had actually worked by creating a link between the two locations. Three Makalos looked up in surprise from some maps spread across the table.
“Just . . . testing the Key out . . . you know,” Jacob said, stepping back and shutting the door.
“Wonderful!” Kenji said, then a frown crossed his face. “Now we have to figure out why others can’t use it.”
Matt jumped forward and grabbed the Key from Jacob’s hands. “Here, let me.” He put the Key into the lock, turned it, and said, “Mountain Crest High School,” then opened the door. The high school wasn’t on the other side, though—just the canyon and Makalo dwellings.
“Why am I the only one who can use it? It doesn’t make sense.” Jacob sat in a chair. “Does this mean I’ll be running a lot of errands?”
Brojan nodded, joining the group at the table. “Starting with right now.”
Ebony held up her hand. “Starting tomorrow. I’m sure their mom wants them home soon.”
Jacob frowned. “Oh, yeah. We have chores.”
“We’ll have a meeting tomorrow evening around five o’clock your time,” Kenji said. “That should give you the opportunity to finish homework. And keep the Key with you—in case there’s another emergency and we need your help again.”