Circles of Seven

  Dirt fell across the back of Billy’s head. Something clamped down on his legs. A familiar voice shouted out. “Grab her Billy, and let’s blow this place!”

  “Walter!” Billy grunted. “Great timing!” He slid farther down and latched onto Shiloh’s wrist. “Got her!”

  Billy’s body heaved backwards. He kept a vise grip on Shiloh’s wrist as her fingernails dug into the heel of his hand. As soon as Billy rose to his knees, Walter grabbed Shiloh’s other arm, and the two hoisted her to solid ground.

  Billy brushed a clump of dirt from Shiloh’s hair as she knelt in front of him. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, grimy tears flowing down her cheeks. “I’m all right.”

  Billy picked up Excalibur and thrust it into his back scabbard while glancing at the rising light in the pit. “I don’t think I want to be around when that stuff hits the surface.”

  “Yeah,” Walter replied. “Pardon the language, but I think all hell is about to break loose.” He spread his feet apart. “Do you feel something?”

  Shiloh slapped her palms on the rocky floor. “Yeah, the ground’s shaking.”

  “This volcano’s gonna erupt with spooks!” Walter shouted, grabbing Shiloh’s arm. “Let’s get out of here!”

  The trio bolted out of the cave. Billy scooped up Bonnie’s body and lumbered along the ledge in the direction of the bridge. Her limbs had stiffened. Even her back wasn’t as flexible as before. She was long dead. Who could hope for a miracle now? And what would become of his father? Would he just disperse in the light? Would he disintegrate and scatter into the great beyond?

  Billy tried to shut the possibilities out of his mind as he labored up an incline, forcing his legs to push him into a quick march as the bridge came into sight. He kept his eyes fixed on it. The dragon was perched on the side at the apex of the arch, but Patrick was nowhere to be seen.

  Walter draped an arm around Shiloh, who had lost one of her shoes. As the slope steepened, he half-carried her to offset her unbalanced strides. When they reached the bridge, he helped her sit with her back to the mountainside, and he plopped down next to her, setting Apollo between them.

  Billy laid Bonnie in front of Shiloh and Walter and stood in front of them. The dragon unfurled his wings and hopped half-way down the bridge, balancing on the parapet. “Why have you come back, Son?”

  Billy drew out Excalibur and squared his shoulders. “Cut the ‘son’ stuff, you mongrel lizard!”

  The dragon drew its head back. “Billy! What are you talking about? I’m your father.”

  “I know who you are, Devin. You’re Morgan’s little lapdog.” Excalibur’s beam flashed from its point, and Billy flexed his biceps. “You’ve called me a mongrel a hundred times for being the son of a dragon, but now you’re a dragon yourself! Looks like you’d do anything to please your mistress, you disgusting cur!”

  The dragon roared and blew a river of fire at Billy. Excalibur’s beam slapped against the flames, and the fire wrapped around it like a snake winding around a pole. The beam absorbed the dragon’s breath in a sizzling bath of rising smoke.

  Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Rocks tumbled down the mountain, raining dirt pellets on their heads. Walter jumped up and pointed at the cave entrance. “The pit just blew its top!”

  A rush of light burst from the cave entrance, gushing out like a horizontal geyser. At least eight ghostly shapes, multi-winged humanoids, separated from the flow. With glowing eyes and a silvery aura, they stretched their double-sized bodies, flexing chiseled arms and legs and expanding their massive chests with the air of newfound freedom. Their wings unfurled, and they flew toward the bridge, a shrieking raven leading the way.

  Billy held up Excalibur and waved it in front of him, hoping to fry at least a couple of the gargantuan ghosts before they descended on them like a pack of wolves. The brilliant beam spread out into a wall of light, creating a shimmering dome over himself as well as Walter, Shiloh, and Bonnie. The raven pulled back, flapping its black wings madly, but the humanoid creatures slammed against the barrier, bending it like rubber and rebounding in all directions.

  Excalibur’s beam diminished, but the umbrella of light hovered a few feet over their heads. The creatures flew all around the edges, screaming and biting at the shield. Their wild eyes glowed red. Pointed fangs overlapped their lips, top and bottom.

  The raven fluttered to a landing on the mountain ledge, transforming into Morgan as soon as her feet touched down. The dragon joined her, standing just behind with its head perched above her shoulder. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Very clever, young Arthur. Who told you a photo-umbrella would stall the Watchers?”

  Billy knew he hadn’t done it on purpose, but he wasn’t going to let Morgan in on the secret. “Let’s just say I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve no one knows about yet.”

  Morgan pressed her finger against the shield. A splash of sparks showered back over her hand. “You’d better have a few more tricks than this little bubble of yours. You’re stuck in the bowels of the underworld with a dead princess and two useless friends, and the only mortals ever to escape this land are not here to guide the way.” She dipped into a mock curtsy. “In the meantime, Your Majesty, I’m going to take my friends to the upper world. We have a few surprises in store for the folks back home.”

  Walter jumped to the edge of the shield. “Go ahead, you Goth-babe wannabe! We’ll see you up there and kick you and your uglies back to Hades faster than your breath will curdle milk!”

  Morgan raised her head and scowled, but a crooked grin washed away her frown. “Oh, Walter, you’re such a brave little man. Just because I like you so much, I’m going to show you and your friends mercy. You won’t have to suffer here after all.” She turned to the dragon. “Devin, your fire should be able to penetrate the shield. Kill them all. We’ll wait for you at the portal.”

  The dragon grumbled. “But Excalibur—”

  “Don’t fret over his toy light saber!” she yelled. “Just grab the living girl! Love is his weakness. Threaten her, and he will do whatever you ask.” She signaled with her arm. “Amazarak, lead the way to Avalon.” She then lifted her head to the sky, her eyelids fluttering. “Samyaza, my love, I think it’s time you carried me to our threshold.”

  The largest of the silver-haired creatures flew down and lifted her into his arms. “With pleasure, my wicked pet.”

  A man leaped down from an upper ledge and landed feet first next to the dragon, bending his knees to absorb the impact.

  Walter nudged Billy’s elbow. “It’s Palin! What’s he up to?”

  Swinging a sword, Palin lunged at Morgan. Samyaza pulled her away from Palin’s attack and flew away with her in his arms. The other Watchers followed, zooming through the sky until they disappeared over a mountain.

  Palin waved his sword and shouted at the dragon. “Morgan has played us for fools, Sir Devin! Let us follow them to the third circle and stop this madness before it’s too late!” He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “Forgive my boldness, my liege. I will do whatever you wish.”

  The dragon raised a claw and laid it on Palin’s shoulder. “Whatever I wish, my old friend?”

  “Yes, my liege, as always.”

  The dragon drew his head back and took in a deep breath. “Then die!” He blew fire into Palin’s chest, igniting his clothes. Billy lit up Excalibur and charged through the shield. He swung the beam across the flames and slammed the stream of fire into the ground. Billy pivoted, ready to slash Devin, but the dragon leaped into the air and flew down into the valley. Seconds later, he was gone.

  Billy threw down his sword and dove toward Palin. Wincing as the blaze leaped toward his face, he slapped Palin’s chest with his hands. Walter dashed through the dissolving shield, stripped off his cloak, and smothered the fire with it. The flames quickly died away.

  Billy leaned over Palin’s charred face. “What can I do?”

  Palin sputtered his words through half-melted lip
s. “It seems . . . we’ve done this before . . . Dragon Boy.”

  Billy pushed Palin’s hair out of his eyes. “Yeah, and I’m sorry. I was a coward.”

  Palin shook his head. “Not . . . a coward. I . . . deserved it.” He coughed. A stream of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. “I was wrong about you . . . Billy. You’re not just like me. You’re . . . you’re a better man than I.”

  Billy slid his hands under Palin’s body. “Maybe if I get you across the bridge—”

  Palin grabbed Billy’s wrist. “No! Don’t!” He slowly relaxed his grip, and his voice became steady and low. “It’s too late for me. I’m already dead, remember? I had my chance to cross the bridge long ago. I—” His body arched upward, and he exhaled slowly, releasing Billy’s arm. As his body settled down, his extremities began to crumble, first his fingers, then his hands and legs, dissolving into ashes.

  Billy and Walter rose to their feet. A fresh breeze cut across the top layer of Palin’s ashes and carried them down into the valley, biting away at the pile until it disappeared.

  Walter patted Billy on the back. “C’mon.” He snatched up his cloak and pushed his arms through the sleeves. “We still have to get Bonnie across the bridge.”

  Chapter 22

  THE HOLY GRAIL

  Marilyn rubbed Hartanna’s neck with long strokes. “Your scales are still cold.”

  Hartanna exhaled, and a few tiny embers shot from her nostrils. “I never had a chance to build a regeneracy dome after the long trip over the ocean. I was exhausted when I arrived, and breaking through the portal sapped my reserves.”

  The professor descended the slope from an upper terrace. “We have to get you out of here. A crowd is gathering near the entrance, and, believe me, you have not seen a true media feeding frenzy until you’ve seen a British one. I expect lights and cameras all over this place before we know it.”

  Hartanna pushed up on her forelegs. “I don’t think I can fly, but I might be able to crawl to the trees in a few minutes.”

  Ashley sat down on the grass and checked the time on her computer. “Let’s see. Shiloh’s been gone half an hour now. I’ll check with Barlow again.” She pressed a button and spoke into the microphone. “Hey, Barlow. Anything new, or is it still too dark to see?”

  “They are in the light now, Miss, but I feel that I am still in the dark. What I have seen is so amazing, I cannot describe it.”

  Ashley propped her forearms on her knees. “Well, give it your best shot.”

  “I saw a floating head made of pure light, but I did not recognize the face. I saw hideous creatures bouncing off a shield of light. I saw a dragon burn Palin to a crisp, and his ashes blew away in the wind.”

  Ashley pressed her lips together. “Did you see Shiloh and Walter?”

  “Yes, I caught glimpses of both of them. They seem well.”

  “That’s a relief! How about Bonnie?”

  “William carries her body from time to time. She still appears dead to me. And, before you ask, I checked the lights. They are still glowing in the drawings in the seventh and eighth circles.”

  Ashley pushed against the ground with her palm. “I understand. I’ll ask the professor—”

  A voice shouted from the top of the tor. “There it is!”

  Ashley spun her head. Someone turned a powerful beam of light down the slope and waved it over Hartanna. “Keep the light right there! We’ve got it!”

  With a heavy grunt, Hartanna leaped into the air. Her wings flailing wildly, she rose over the tor, bounding off the top of the tower as she leapfrogged the peak. The professor and Marilyn sprinted in pursuit, following just behind the low-flying dragon as they followed the path toward the entrance.

  “Quick!” the voice yelled. “It’s getting away. Roll the camera!”

  A young man jogged down the slope, a TV camera hoisted on his shoulder. The man with the light followed, keeping it trained on the escaping dragon. The professor halted, stepping in front of the pursuing cameraman and raising his hand. “Stop this nonsense! Don’t you know what night this is?”

  “That’s no Halloween costume, old man. Get out of my way!” The cameraman pushed the professor roughly to the side, knocking him to his seat, but the professor managed to stick his leg out. The cameraman tripped and tumbled down the slope head over heels, and his camera followed behind, rocking to a stop at one of the terraces.

  The professor hustled down the slope and grabbed the camera, but when he looked up at the sky, he let the camera drop to the grass. A helicopter buzzed overhead with a high-powered spotlight aimed at Hartanna. The dragon landed and bustled into a cluster of trees while Marilyn followed. The professor hurried back to the portal area and found Ashley. “There’s no use trying to hide her now.”

  Ashley nodded toward another helicopter far in the distance. “Yep. Let’s hope they don’t have live feeds to the networks.”

  A voice buzzed from the computer, but the chopper’s engine drowned it out. Ashley raised it to her ear. “Karen, did you say something?”

  “Yeah. I’m watching you guys on TV right now. Except for a Scooby Doo marathon on the Cartoon Network, you’re on every channel.”

  Ashley kicked at the grass. “Oh, great! The dragon’s out of the bag!”

  The professor’s mouth dropped open, and he took a wobbling step backwards. “In the name of all that is holy!”

  Ashley pivoted on her heel. The portal had reappeared, bursting with streams of light flying in all directions. An enormous, glowing creature had stepped out with muscular legs as thick as an elephant’s. His body, a human form at least nine feet tall, solidified, shaking off the glow as he stomped along one of the tor’s terraces. His angular jaw opened, and he let out a warrior’s cry that shook the earth as several other creatures, just as massive, poured through the shimmering rectangle and lined up in a row.

  “Ashley,” Karen’s voice shouted. “What are those things?”

  Ashley’s jaw froze. She could only stare in stunned silence.

  “They are the Watchers,” the professor whispered, “ancient demons more powerful than any other evil creature.”

  A dragon flew through the portal, his wings beating the air. With a quick snuff, he shot a stream of fire at the helicopter, sending it hurtling to the ground in flames. He then took a place at the end of the line of creatures.

  Finally, a slender woman dressed in black emerged from the portal followed by a smaller woman and a vicious looking, striped dog. She walked in front of the line with long, confident strides.

  “All hail Morgan!” they cried.

  Morgan stopped at the center of the line and raised her arms. “We’re free at last!”

  “Free at last!” they echoed.

  She balled her hands into fists. “Now Elaine and I will help you regain the world! Samyaza will be revered once again, and all who oppose him will die.”

  “What’s happening?” Karen called. “There’s no picture. Everything went dark.”

  Ashley squatted low and tried to swallow. She could barely spit out her words. “I think it’s . . . it’s the end of the world.” She pulled the computer closer and whispered. “I love you, Karen. Say good-bye to Beck and Stacey and Pebbles for me.”

  “Good-bye? But—”

  Ashley turned off the computer and whispered. “Sorry, Karen. Can’t risk any noise right now.”

  Morgan stalked back and forth along the terrace. “As you know, our only real enemy is the dragon race, and the only two dragons remaining are Hartanna and this one whom Devin now occupies. When we find Hartanna, she will be easy prey, because she will trust the dragon she believes is Clefspeare. Devin will destroy her. Then, after we find a more suitable vessel for Devin to inhabit, he will destroy the dragon body he now occupies.”

  The creatures shouted their approval in a cacophonous wail, sounding like a choir of howling dogs and bleating sheep.

  The professor crouched at Ashley’s side and put his arm on her shoulders.
“Can you speak to Larry?” he asked.

  “Probably. But what can he do?”

  “I suggest the biggest flash Apollo can possibly produce. Perhaps we can bring Billy and the others back here, or perhaps we can send these monsters back to hell where they belong.”

  Ashley tapped her jaw. “I’m on it, Professor.”

  Billy bent over slowly, picked up Excalibur, and slid the blade back into its sheath. He trudged back to Bonnie and lifted her into his arms.

  Carrying Apollo again, Walter helped Shiloh to her feet, and the two of them joined Billy at the edge of the bridge. “Well,” Billy said, “I guess I’ll just try to cross and see what happens.”

  Walter slapped him on the back. “I’m right behind you, buddy. You can count on that.”

  When Billy reached the apex of the arch, he saw an old man on the other side, his arms held out in a cradle, much like Billy’s.

  “Joseph?” Billy asked.

  The old man, now dressed in a long robe, nodded. “Yes. Come now. Give the precious lamb to me. I will take her to the Holy Grail.”

  Billy descended the arch, quickening his pace. Walter and Shiloh trailed him by a couple of steps. Billy reached the opposite ledge and laid Bonnie in Joseph’s arms. “Be real careful with her, okay?”

  “She is a precious treasure, I know, but don’t let your heart be troubled. I have carried a lamb even more precious than she.”

  Joseph turned toward a huge boulder behind him. “Come out Patrick. I know you are weary, but I will need help with my burden. I am not as young as I used to be.”

  Patrick emerged from behind the mammoth rock. When he caught sight of the three young people on the ledge, he fell to his knees. His lips quivered, and he held his hand to his chest. “Sh . . . Shiloh?”

  Shiloh lifted her head. Three deep lines dug into her brow as she leaned forward. “Daddy?”

  Patrick’s face lit up. He jumped up and spread out his arms. “Shiloh!”