The Howl of Avooblis Read online

  As Earl looked around at the decorations, Dagdron made sure they stayed close to Elloriana and Grady. Elloriana, on the other hand, did her best to steer Grady away from them. Dagdron chuckled to himself as the rich women of Bodaburg greeted Elloriana. She took their hands gracefully but then was forced to introduce Grady. Each time, he gave a floppy handshake and a quick greeting and then returned to his amazed gawking at the surroundings of the meeting hall.

  “Look who it is,” Earl said, grabbing Dagdron when he was about to follow Elloriana and Grady to an especially uppity group of women.

  Dagdron glanced to see Wendahl, Egon, and his father entering. The headmaster walked toward the door, greeting the three men and allowing them inside.

  “So?” Dagdron said.

  “I’m glad they came,” Earl explained. “I didn’t think Headmaster Gwauldron would allow it.”

  “Wendahl should be finishing the net,” Dagdron said. “I’m tired of waiting.”

  “Let him enjoy the party,” Earl said.

  Dagdron glanced around until he spotted Elloriana and Grady again and walked toward them. Grady was asking Elloriana if she would teach him some of the magic she had learned. Elloriana was trying to feign interest until she saw Dagdron.

  “Hold that thought,” Elloriana said, cutting off Grady. “I want to introduce you to someone.” She pulled Grady right next to Dagdron. “This is Dagdron.”

  “I know who he is,” Grady said, narrowing his eyes. “He’s Earl’s friend.”

  “I know who you are,” Dagdron said. “You’re Elloriana’s boyfriend.”

  Grady hadn’t expected this response and froze before glancing at the princess. Seeing the angry look on her face, his own expression fell.

  “We just started seeing each other,” Elloriana said to Dagdron. “Don’t pay attention to the rumors around the academy. Grady and I will tell you when things get more serious between us.”

  “Yeah,” Grady said, reaching out and holding Elloriana’s hand.

  “And you’re friends with Mercer,” Dagdron said.

  “No,” Grady said, his voice filled with nervousness. “He just contacted my family when he found out the Valoringtons were tarnishing the name of Lordavia.”

  “I thought you were friends,” Dagdron said, keeping his voice calm. “I saw you staying at his house during one of my rogue excursions in Bodaburg last year. You stayed there all winter, right?”

  “You must have me confused with someone else. I left right after the Winter Carnival.” Grady glanced to the side, so Elloriana rolled her eyes and led him away from Dagdron.

  Enchantress Higgins signaled for the minstrel band to start playing, and people lined up to get their food. Dagdron skipped the line and made a shish kebob on his dagger with a slab of beef and three sausages. He grabbed a chicken drumstick with his other hand before retreating to the back wall to eat in peace. Earl got in line with Lita, and they joined Dagdron once they had their plates of food.

  Earl asked Dagdron what he had been talking about with Elloriana and Grady, but then the rogue let Earl and Lita talk while he ate in silence. Dagdron finished his meat right when Dugan, Wendahl, and Egon joined their circle. He was about to leave the party, but Wendahl stopped him.

  “I’m so happy to see you three,” Wendahl said, setting his plate on the nearest table corner. “Living in that cave is taking a toll on me, and seeing you three reminds me of the warm summer days in Coastdale.”

  Wendahl moved in and hugged Earl and Lita before stepping next to Dagdron. The rogue still had his dagger drawn, but Wendahl wrapped his arms around him anyway. Dagdron was about to stab him, but he held back when he felt Wendahl tug the hood of his cloak.

  “After I get out of this stupid academy, I might take a job as your garden rogue,” Dagdron said.

  Wendahl’s eyes lit up as Earl prepared another speech about being an adventurer, but Dagdron walked off before either could say anything.

  Dagdron climbed up his tree in the back of the academy, huddling under his cloak to combat the cold. He reached into his hood and pulled out of the folded piece of parchment Wendahl had placed there. Four sparkling magenta stripes bordered the note and map.

  The net is finished. Your dad saw it and is very suspicious. We need four sparkling black jasper stones. You’ll know when you see them. Follow my map.

  “He might not get sliced after all,” Dagdron said to himself, stashing the note in his cloak and putting his hood on.

  * * *

  Dagdron told the others about the note the next day, but they waited until the second weekend of January before they followed the trail Wendahl had given them. In the meantime, Dagdron and Earl visited the mountainside cave a few times, hoping to diminish Dugan’s suspicions. The last thing they needed was for Dagdron’s dad to try to stop their quest along with the headmaster and the Backer. Dagdron noticed his father’s calm happiness when he visited the cave, even though most of their time was spent listening to Egon and Earl discussing swords and fighting or watching Wendahl use his hoe to distract Earl.

  They snuck off from the academy in the early morning the second Saturday of the month. Earl and Lita talked as they went, so Elloriana matched strides with Dagdron.

  “Why did you say all those things to Grady?” Elloriana said.

  “Because of his face,” Dagdron said.

  “What does that mean?”

  “You don’t know?”

  “Yes,” Elloriana said, sighing. “You see his freckly face and it just makes you want to be mean to him. But why did you let on that we know what he’s up to?”

  “He’s trapped here during the winter. Who’s he going to tell?”

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  Wendahl’s map led them to the southwest in the direction where they had gathered fuzzfiest fur for Mazannanan the year before. The marked destination brought them to a place in the forest where sinkholes were scattered around in the snow. The group walked to the edge of the closest one, peering down into the hole. The bottom was six feet below, and a dark opening led underground. Dagdron jumped right into the sinkhole. He ducked and peered into the opening, then told Earl to throw a torch down. He lit the torch and crouched into the opening before creeping back out a moment later.

  “The tunnels interconnect,” Dagdron said. “We need four stones, so we should split up.”

  “It’s safer in twosomes,” Earl said. “In case the Backer shows up.”

  Dagdron shrugged and waited until Elloriana levitated down. Dagdron headed into the tunnel. Elloriana, being taller, had to crouch more and followed with more difficulty. The tunnel widened at different times, and Dagdron lifted and lowered the torch to examine the walls. There were all sorts of different-colored rocks embedded in the dirt, but none of them were sparkling and black.

  Elloriana, slightly claustrophobic, would have preferred to spend a few more minutes in the widened parts, but Dagdron always ducked quickly into the tunnels again.

  They still hadn’t found anything when Dagdron emerged in another sinkhole. Elloriana came out after him, taking in deep breaths as she looked toward the sky. Dagdron waited a minute longer for the wench to recover and then crouched into the passageway. After a few feet, he heard Elloriana scream. Dagdron paused, debating whether he should go back or not. He would have more luck by himself at this rate, he thought.

  In spite of his better judgment, Dagdron backed out of the tunnel. Just as he was standing up straight, Dagdron was plunged into darkness as something was thrown over his head. He struggled to get his dagger from beneath his cloak, but his weapon fell from his hand when a warm jolt hit his back and yanked him upward out of the sinkhole.

  Chapter 21: Shack, Sinkholes, & Staff

  Dagdron struggled to free himself from his captors, but then, with a warm tingling sensation, his arms and legs were restrained stiffly. No matter how hard he fought to move, he couldn’t budge his limbs an inch. He could tell he was being carried by two people. Dagdron figured
the person holding his upper body was stronger, because whoever was holding his feet kept readjusting his grip.

  After about ten minutes, Dagdron was laid on the ground. He made another effort to free himself from his bonds, but to no avail. Then the bag was pulled from his head, and he saw a creaky roof above him and then saw the magical rope that was binding his arms to his sides and his legs together. He lifted his head, taking in the walls of the rundown shack, before his eyes fell on the three enchanters in purple robes. They were Rance, Kas, and Wally. The three enchanters had obviously been living in the shed for some time. There was a lopsided table littered with food, and three thick pads were lined up against one wall with blankets jumbled on them. In the center of the shack, the floorboards had been pried up and a fire pit had been constructed.

  Rance, the tallest of the three, was glaring at Dagdron, while Kas, the short, stocky one, was looking from Dagdron to the left and then back to the rogue. Wally, the lumpy enchanter, was massaging his hands and arms, tired from having carried Dagdron.

  “I knew it was you,” Dagdron said.

  “With such anticipation, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long,” Rance said. “We had to bide our time until we could capture you out of Gwydion’s sight.”

  A muffled scream came from behind Dagdron, so he twisted his head. Elloriana was bound by magical rope as well, but she was gagged, too.

  “Thanks for keeping her quiet,” Dagdron said. “She’s been talking a lot lately.”

  Elloriana glowered at Dagdron as she made an angry muffled sound, but he couldn’t understand her insult.

  “I can imagine,” Rance said, somewhat amused. “She wouldn’t stop screaming when I uncovered her head.”

  “Why are you helping the Fortigroffs?” Dagdron said. “Those richies deserve to be bound and gagged more than the Loftloomburgs.”

  Rance appeared confused and then he scowled.

  “Stop talking,” he said. “I don’t have anything to do with the Fortigroffs or Loftloomburgs.”

  It was Dagdron’s turn to be confused.

  “Don’t you know that Byron’s the one you’re working for?” Dagdron asked.

  “I’m not working for anyone. I want the Arches of Avooblis so everyone will work for me.”

  “You’re not the Backer?” Dagdron said.

  “Stop talking,” Rance said angrily. A lightning spell shot out of his right hand and shocked Dagdron on the leg.

  “Wait, Rance,” Kas said, stepping forward. “What’s he talking about?”

  Rance and Kas glanced at each other before turning expectantly back to Dagdron.

  “Byron Fortigroff has an evil enchanter working for him. We call him the Backer. He plans on using Avooblis to build a castle at Central Crossing.”

  “The Fortigroffs are involved now?” Kas said, glancing at Rance, who looked just as confused.

  “If you’re not the Backer, then why did you capture me?”

  “Because your father might refuse to give up the third arch crystal, but you can get it from him. We’ve known that’s why the headmaster was involving you with the arches. He thought he could convince you to help him.”

  “Where have you guys been?” Dagdron said. “You’re way out of the loop.”

  “Tell us what you’re talking about,” Rance said. This time Kas joined him in casting a spell, and Dagdron was hit by a lightning ball and blast-bolt. Wally, finally curious, moved forward, still rubbing his arms. He glanced at a scar on his right arm and then cast a flame spell, singeing a part of Dagdron’s cloak.

  Dagdron felt content as he saw Wally’s scar, knowing he had given it to him the year before, but his legs stung from the close-range spells, so he decided he might as well tell them the truth.

  “My dad’s not a great wizard,” Dagdron said. “The headmaster thought I might have some secret knowledge from my dad and give it to him if I found out my dad’s wife was sucked into one of the arch crystals. He was wrong. I don’t care about her, and I don’t want anything to do with the arches. The arches didn’t teleport to Coastdale because of my family. It was because of Wendahl.”

  “What does Wendahl have to do with this?” Rance glared down at Dagdron. Kas and Wally surrounded the rogue on the other side.

  Dagdron leaned back his head to relax before explaining about the blue sphere Wendahl had had and how it allowed them to enter the Shrine of Avooblis. Then, allowing himself a wry smile, Dagdron told them about the creation of the third Arch of Avooblis and how the headmaster had taken it.

  Rance, Kas, and Wally perked up with anger.

  “Gwydion has all three arches?” Rance said, lifting his hand in a threatening manner over Dagdron.

  “Yes. I said you were way out of the loop. What were you doing in Lordavia and Broodavia last winter? You missed a lot.”

  “We were researching instead of taking action,” Kas said, scowling at Rance. “And of course we found nothing in Lordavia, and your fake lead when you went to Broodavia came to nothing as well.”

  “I had no way of knowing that Wendahl had kept his hands in all of this,” Rance said. “Research was our best option.”

  “Do you regret it?” Dagdron asked, lifting his head to look at Kas and Wally.

  “Regret what?” Wally said.

  “Joining Rance and leaving the academy. You gave up being adventurers to follow him around for years and not even find the third arch.”

  Dagdron had finally goaded them too much. Rance, Kas, and Wally lifted their hands and cast lightning, blast-bolt, and flame spells. Dagdron was gritting his teeth in an effort to withstand the close-range sting of the spells when two mighty yells rang out as the door to the shack was kicked off its hinges. Dagdron glanced to the side to see Earl rushing inside, followed by Lita.

  As soon as Rance, Kas, and Wally turned around, Dagdron rocked himself back and forth until he gained enough momentum to roll over. The three enchanters were casting spells at the warrior and lady warrior, so Dagdron bowled into the back of Rance’s legs, causing him to fall to his knees. With his continued momentum, Dagdron steamrolled over the old enchanter.

  Earl and Lita raged forward, using their enchanted swords to deflect the spells Kas and Wally were firing. Taken by surprise that their bolts and flame balls were repelled with such ease, Kas and Wally stood no chance as Earl and Lita body-checked them to the ground.

  Earl rushed to Dagdron’s side; he had stopped rolling face down. He sliced the magical rope with his sword and it disappeared. He helped Dagdron up and handed him his dagger.

  In the meantime, Lita was rescuing Elloriana from her restraints and removing her gag. As soon as she was free, Elloriana screamed at the three enchanters and cast flame spells at them until Lita grabbed her and hurried her out the broken door after Earl and Dagdron.

  “Did you find the jasper stones?” Dagdron asked as they ran away from the shack.

  “Yes, but we couldn’t get them out with our hands and didn’t want to damage them with our swords,” Earl said. “We went to look for you and Elloriana and found your dagger. We immediately knew something was wrong, because you would never go anywhere without your dagger. We tracked the footsteps to the shed.”

  “How did they catch you?” Lita asked.

  “Elloriana was gasping for breath so loudly they must’ve heard,” Dagdron replied.

  “I can’t help it if I’m claustrophobic,” Elloriana said, casting a flame ball toward Dagdron. “Why did you tell them all that information about the arches? They know about the shrine and third crystal.”

  “I wanted them to know that I had nothing to do with the arches,” Dagdron said, staring blankly at Elloriana. “And we’re the only ones with the clues to Mazannanan’s treasure, so if they interfere with the headmaster or Backer, then it’s better for us.”

  Elloriana didn’t reply, but Earl and Lita, after thinking it through, didn’t think this was a bad way to look at the situation.

  Earl led them back to the sinkholes.<
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  “We’re not splitting up this time,” Earl said.

  “We know, Earl!” Elloriana said. “Hurry and show us where the rocks are before those insane enchanters come after us again.”

  Earl took them to a sinkhole in the middle of the area. Each of them dropped into it except for Elloriana, who levitated. Earl lit a torch and then stooped to enter the tunnel. The other three followed the dim light until they came to a widened-out portion with numerous rocks in the dirt walls. Sticking out more than any of the others were the black rocks sparkling in the torchlight.

  Dagdron grabbed one of the jasper stones, trying to dislodge it from the wall, but it didn’t budge. Elloriana cleared her throat and cast a fetch spell as soon as Dagdron was out of the way. The fetch ring hit the wall but didn’t retrieve anything. Dagdron stepped back up and tried to wedge his dagger around the edge of the black rock, but the stone wouldn’t chip out.

  “Did Wendahl’s note say anything about how to get them?” Earl asked.

  Dagdron pulled the note out of his pocket and unfolded it. The magenta stripes that Wendahl had seared around the edges jumped off the page and began zooming around the room. Dagdron ducked while Earl and Lita pushed themselves against the wall. Earl followed the path of the stripes with wide eyes. Elloriana stood her ground, watching the whizzing beams in amazement. The four beams separated, and each one targeted one of the black stones. The stripes exploded in a flash of sparkles when they made contact, and the four stones fell out of the wall to the floor.

  Elloriana was frozen with astonishment as Dagdron dashed around picking up the four sparkling jaspers.

  “What’s wrong, Princess?” Earl asked.

  “Wendahl is incredibly powerful,” Elloriana said.

  “We know,” Dagdron said. “Let’s get out of here before you suffocate.”

  “I’m serious,” Elloriana said. “I know we’ve been amazed by how he can enchant weapons and make magical beds, but casting a spell into a piece of parchment that will react in a specific location is incredibly difficult. And you know what his hoe really is, right?”