* * *
Jack and Grandad were fast asleep when the fire took hold. It happened suddenly. First one tree caught alight and the fire spread from the trunk to the tips of its highest branches within seconds. Then leaping through the air the flames jumped from this tree to the branches of another and another. This continued to happen from one tree to another, until Jack and his Grandad were seemingly surrounded by a 100ft wall of fire burning so hot the sand glowed as bright as the sun. All of the birds in the trees had flown away as soon as the fire began to take hold, even carrying small snakes and lizards with them to safety. Some of the smaller insects were not so lucky. The ants were not quick enough with their short legs to escape the heat of the fire as it had taken hold so quickly.
Grandad still asleep and dreaming, suddenly heard the sound of crackling in his dreams. He then began to feel hot as though he was baking in the heat of the afternoon sun. He could hear the camel stamping its feet into the ground and screaming. This is when he began to rouse from his dream, the heat began to feel so real, that he could not understand why he was physically sweating when earlier the night temperature had dropped so much so that even the camel would shiver. As he opened his eyes, he quickly shut them again as the light was so bright. Opening them for a second time he quickly realised the heat was real and that he and Jack were in caught in the middle of a raging bush fire. Up above him the night sky had been turned red and there were burning embers shooting from the trees in every direction spitting and crackling as they burst from the branches.
‘JACK, GET UP!’ Grandad was now on his feet. He ran over to Jack and placed his hand on Jacks chest trying to shake him awake. Jack shook his head, ‘No, I’m sleeping’ he said without opening his eyes.
‘NOW JACK, GET UP!!!’ Grandad raised his voice even louder, ‘THERE’S A FIRE, WE MUST GO!’
Jumping from his slumber Jack sat forthright.
‘Quick Jack, we need to get out’
Jack jumped to his feet. He could see the camel in a frantic state beside Grandad.
‘What happened?’ Looking around, Jack could see they were surrounded by a 100ft tall ring of fire.
‘I don’t know, but we have to be quick. It seems there may be an opening over there’ Grandad pointed to an area behind him where there were not as many trees and the fire had not yet managed to spread across.
‘Quick, on the camel’ Grandad said.
Jack ran to the side of the camel and threw himself over the large hump on his back whilst Grandad used his hand to help push him up.
Jack clung to the reins as Grandad jumped on the camel. Taking control Jack directed the camel towards their escape route. The camel, leaping forward like a cat chasing a mouse headed to the area not yet succumbed by fire. As they neared closer, a huge tree to the left began creaking so loud they felt all of the trees were screaming out to them. Then suddenly just a short distance in front of them the tree began to fall.
‘We’ll never make it’ Jack shouted out.
The camel kept running. The tree crashed down in front of them, blocking their only exit and sending fire and debris shooting towards them.
‘STOP! WE’RE GOING TO GET HIT.’ Grandad cried.
Weaving in and out of the obstacles flying through the air at them Jack commandeered the camel. A big molten ball of fire shot towards them and Jack swerved to the right with perfect timing, then a branch glowing red blasted through the air like a rocket and Jack dodged back to the left. Jack could feel the wind from the objects whizzing past his hair.
‘But Jack, there’s no way out!’ Grandad shouted.
They were still heading for the fallen tree. Jack still did not flinch, he had a look of pure determination on his face.
‘Hold on tight.’ Just a few metres in front of the tree, the camel rose from the ground like an airplane taking off. Within seconds they were flying through the air. Looking down Jack could see the huge tree trunk below them still burning ferociously, before landing on the other side.
‘We made it!’ Jack raised one hand in the air with delight. But still the camel did not stop running. Sprinting forward they were acutely aware of how quickly the fire could turn on them and they knew they had to escape the woodland. Ducking and diving, dodging and weaving they avoided the trees as they ran through the forest, now enclosed in darkness again with the sound of the raging fire still behind them.
‘BANG!’ A loud shot echoed through the forest. Suddenly a giant net shot towards them. It was too quick to avoid. The impact of the net suddenly being blasted around them caused the camels whole body to roll forwards sliding across the ground whilst Jack and Grandad were thrown around behind him inside the net which now encased them.
Fumbling around in the net, Jack and Grandad were in shock at what had just happened. The camel, bruised and crying in pain, lay tangled in the thick white netting. The sound of the bush fire behind them crackled through the night, providing a red glow, flittering across the trees.
‘Argh, my back.’ Screamed Grandad, obviously in severe pain.
Jack began to pull the netting away from his body, before noticing the men walking towards them. ‘Quick Grandad, we have to get out of here. They’re coming!’
‘It’s too late Jack. My back took a bad knock. I think the camel fell on me.’ Grandad lowered his voice ‘Try to escape Jack.’ Before he quickly stopped talking.
Five men appeared from the darkness, surrounding them. Each wore a dark black army uniform. Combat trousers and bomber jacket, with big hard boots. Adorning the chest of the jacket, a red emblem in the shape of a bulls head covered the heart area. Even though it was the middle of the night, they had large black sunglasses covering much of their faces. A small black beret sat on their heads. They were menacing.
Suddenly a bright light blinded Jack and his Grandad. A few metres behind the men a truck had switched on its bright white headlights. Through the light Jack could see another eerie figure walking towards them. Also wearing a black uniform his face was clearer. He did not have a beret on his head, nor the sunglasses covering his face. He still looked menacing but slightly less so. A thin pointy black moustache sat below his nose, resting above his mouth. A similarly styled beard was fashioned from his chin.
‘Now if you would be so kind as to give me my possession back. I will kindly let you be on your way.’ The man spoke with a strange accent.
Shock spread through Grandads body. He had not been looking when the man first arrived. It was when he heard the man’s accent that his face went pale, as though he had seen a ghost. Lifting his head, he knew for sure. His heart pounded, beating faster and faster.
‘I see you recognise me sir.’ The man said.
‘Yes, but I don’t understand how?’ Grandad replied.
Jack whispered to Grandad ‘who is it?’
Grandad did not answer.
‘Well sir. Are you not going to tell your grandchild?’ The man had remarkable hearing.
Grandad looked at Jack, he was not so tangled anymore. ‘He is the man who shot me Jack.’
‘But you said he died. He burst into flames?’ Jack was confused.
‘I thought he did. But remember Jack, I was unconscious from the bullet hitting my chest.’ Grandad struggled to make sense of it all.
Laughing the strange man spoke ‘What a quandary. Did I burst into flames or did I not?! Well, let us explain. Men remove your glasses and walk a bit closer so he can see you.’ The man beckoned his men forwards.
Jack and Grandad watched in anticipation as the five men removed their dark glasses.
‘You look familiar.’ Grandad said, unable to see their faces clearly still against the bright headlights.
‘Surely you recognise your old team. Do you not?’ The man with the moustache said.
The five men still did not speak.
‘It can’t be!’ Grandad wiped his eyes, shaking his head. ‘No, it just can’t.’
>
The men did not reply.
‘But – I – I don’t understand. Wh - wh - why are you chasing me with him?’ Grandad struggled for words.
‘Who are they Grandad?’ Jack asked.
‘You asked if I burst into flames. Well the answer is yes.’ The man walked closer, enabling Jack and Grandad to see his badly scarred face.
‘Lads, what happened? Is he holding you hostage? Has he brainwashed you? It’s ok, we’ll find a way to escape from him.’ Grandad pleaded to the men surrounding him. Refusing to believe they worked with the enemy.
Continuing to laugh the man proceeded to talk. ‘I am afraid dear sir, that they were never completely honest with you. Let me tell you about that fateful day, when you found the fragment of the star.
When you received the mission to recover the stolen treasure, I am sure you did not question your orders. Am I correct?’ Grandad did not answer. ‘Obviously being the good soldier you were, you would not have questioned your superior. You follow orders, on a need to know basis. Quite happily you began your mission. Not once did you have a second thought or an ounce of regret. Do you really think you were that good? That it was so easy to sneak into my mansion undetected? Ha, don’t make me laugh. I let you in. My guards were told to ignore you. That is until that one incompetent fool fired his gun at you. I must apologise for that, it wasn’t part of the plan.’
Jack and Grandad remained silent, listening to the tale unfold. The five men still did not speak. Whilst the camel continued to struggle in the net.
‘You were not supposed to take the star! That was not on the list of artefacts to be recovered.’ The man sounded angry.
‘Why did you want us to recover the items already in your possession? I don’t understand why you would let us do that.’ Grandad asked.
‘I needed a way of knowing for sure if you had it.’
‘Had what?’ Jack blurted out, before thinking.
‘The Book of Legends.’ As the strange man spoke, the forest cried out in pain. With a sudden gust of wind, burning embers spread the flames through trees. The air was on fire and the ground began to submerge in a thick black smog.
‘What is that?’ Jack asked.
‘I am surprised your Grandad has not told you.’
Jack was also surprised, he thought his Grandad told him everything.
‘I don’t know Jack. I have never heard of that book before.’ Grandad said, seeing the disappointment in Jacks eyes.
‘The Book of Legends is an ancient manuscript, created before time itself. Within are the secrets to the universe and to life itself. Any man who holds it, carries the knowledge of the gods. And if correctly deciphered they can unlock the power of the star. Without the book, the star is useless. Even when all of the pieces are back together, the book is needed for true greatness.’ The man was now surrounded by smoke, with only the headlights behind projecting his image in the dark. He was creepier than ever.
‘Jack, I didn’t know.’ Grandads heart sank as he knew Jack didn’t know whether to believe him or not.
‘Are you Minos?’ Jack bravely asked the man amongst the smog.
‘So he has told you some things! Very good. No I am not Minos. My name is Kazael.’
‘So you were working for him the whole time. I trusted you.’ Grandad looked at the five men. His face was angry but it masked the sadness he felt inside. The men did not reply.
‘No they were not working for me when they undertook that mission with you.’ Kazael said.
‘But they are helping you!’ Jack proclaimed.
‘Yes they are. But on that fateful night, my only concern was the book of legends. I did not use my own men to carry out the mission with your Grandad, as I did not want him to suspect anything. Everything was working well until he found the star. I had no idea that you would be drawn to such a worthless looking stone kept in an inconspicuous wooden box. Especially as it was kept under a mound of treasure. Any normal, greedy man would have been focused on trying to line their pockets with gold but no, not you!’ Kazael stared menacingly at Grandad.
‘I did not realise the book would connect so strongly with the person who held it or with the star.’ Kazael explained.
‘But how did you know I had the star?’ Grandad questioned.
‘I didn’t know. When you emerged from the fireplace and I demanded you hand over my belongings, I was speaking primarily of the book of legends. I had no reason to question if you had the star. It was inconceivable to me that you would have found it or even wanted it.’
‘But the book isn’t yours.’ Jack still could not refrain from speaking his mind.
‘ONE MORE WORD FROM YOU AND I GUARANTEE, IT SHALL BE YOUR LAST!’ Kazael thundered, obviously angered by Jacks comment. ‘Enough idle chit chat. Now it is time for you to hand over what is rightfully mine.’ He was clearly still incensed by what Jack had said.
‘Wait, just one more thing….Please.’ Grandad said. ‘If they were not working for you back then, then what happened? Why are they with you now?’
‘Obviously it is something that is bothering you. So being good natured as I am, I shall answer it for you.’ Kazael suddenly mellowed and even sounded friendly, a far cry from moments before. ‘After you were shot, you collapsed to the floor. As you lay lifeless with your eyes wide open, I searched your body for the book. Upon finding it, I recited one of the pages. A chant, to evoke the spirits of the star and to grant the holder great power. Without knowing the star was below me, sitting in your chest pocket, I was unaware of the danger I faced. For I believed the star was still safe, buried deep amongst my treasure. When I began the chant, a great burst of light exploded from the star. Only it wasn’t just light. It was like a solar flare from the sun, or the flame behind a meteor. Those who the light hit were instantly incinerated. Including your team and my guards. For reasons I cannot fathom it did not affect you. Me, well I survived, bearing the scars you see today. Your friends were not so lucky.’
Without thinking Jack asked ‘What do you mean?’
Luckily Kazael did not seem angered by Jacks question. ‘The book of legends has many secrets. One of them being resurrection of the afterlife. Your team all perished in the fire. As my guards were now deceased as well, I needed new men. For my guards had proven themselves incompetent and I did not deem them worthy of everlasting life. You see, for their resurrection to be complete, they each had to want to live again. For everlasting life they had to agree to worship Minos and dedicate their souls to him. It’s not a bad offer really. Eternal life in return for unconditional love.’ Kazael looked at his men and smiled.
‘NO! What have you done to them?’ Grandad screamed, tears running down his face.
‘It’s not too bad really. Look at them.’ Kazael appeared more evil than ever before.
Grandad stared at the men. They appeared just as he remembered them.
Kazael continued ‘They have no scars. You are old and weak, they however will never age. Each has the strength of ten men. What is not to like?’
‘They look like zombies!’ Jack shouted.
Before Kazael had a chance to retort, Grandad remarked. ‘He’s right. They used to be so cheerful and full of energy. Always game for a laugh. There’s something missing from them. If you take a man’s soul, you take away the essence of who he is.’ Looking at the men Grandad could see they were lifeless. Empty shells of their former selves. ‘They’re not my friends. My friends died years ago.’
‘So who do you suppose these men are?’ Kazael spread his arms out to his sides, pointing at the men.
‘They’re just bodies. They no longer belong to my friends.’ Grandad remarked.
‘Oh how wrong you are. Their souls are not gone. They simply belong to Minos now.’
‘Look at them. They don’t even speak. Just standing there, controlled by you. Let them be free.’ Grandad said.
&nb
sp; ‘I don’t get it. They spoke to Grandad when he woke up in the alley.’ Jack remembered Grandads version of events.
‘Yes they did. How’s that?’ Grandad asked.
‘I can control them to do as I wish. They are like puppets and I am the puppeteer. They speak when I want them to speak and they say what I want them to say.’ Kazael delighted in his evil mastery of the soulless men. ‘I call them the Order of Five.’
The fire was beginning to burn the trees surrounding them. Struggling in the net, the camel suddenly stood up. Desperate to escape the heat of the flames and the choking smoke he frantically began trying to run with the net still encasing them. Dragging Jack and Grandad straight into the path of Kazael.
‘STOP THEM!’ Kazael exploded into a rage.
The five solemn men jumped onto the net, trying to subdue the camel.
‘Quick Jack! Now’s your chance. Run!’ Grandad managed to say to Jack as they fought off the pale soulless Order of Five.
Jack didn’t want to leave his Grandad. But he knew that if Kazael found the book of legends, they would surely die. They might even be forced to join the Order of Five, their souls lost forever.
With the camel still struggling beside him, he whispered to his Grandad one last time ‘I’ll come back for you. I promise.’
The Order of Five did not notice amongst the commotion, that Jack had slipped out from under the netting. Finally the camel managed to break free and in a panic galloped towards Kazael. As Kazael leapt out of the way, the camel ran into the distance. Leaving Grandad alone, surrounded by his old team mates.
Jack had disappeared into the thick black smog before Kazael realised he had gone. Believing Grandad to still be the keeper of the book he made the decision not to try and find Jack. With the forest burning as it was, he supposed Jack would not make it very far before succumbing to the smoke anyhow. As smouldering timber began to fall around them, Grandad was bundled into the back of their truck before they sped off into the night.