Vedra and Krimon the Twin Dragons Page 5

  He ran in close, looking for a way to get in under the green dragon’s scaly sides. It was impossible! The soft underparts were too well protected.

  The moon was a handbreadth from the top of the sky. Tom stared up at the silver disc for a moment, a plan forming in his mind. He hadn’t come so far to give up now.

  “Hey!” he shouted above the roaring of the dragons. He struck Vedra’s foreleg with his sword. The metal rang uselessly on the emerald scales, but the green dragon’s fiery eyes turned toward him.

  He leaped aside as a blast of flame burned the ground where he had been standing. He had to act quickly. He angled his shield, tilting it just so — holding its burnished face up to the sky so that the reflection of the full moon was caught on its shining surface.

  He tilted it just a little more, seeing a flash of brilliant silver light strike Vedra in the eyes. Dazzled and blinded, the Beast reared up, his wings stretching wide. His jaws opened to spew a fountain of flame into the night sky.

  Tom did not hesitate. He sprang forward, seeing the soft belly of the dragon revealed. He used the very tip of his sword, carefully scoring the sign of Good into the yielding flesh.

  “No!” He heard Seth howling, but in an instant his voice was swallowed by a whirling sound like a thousand hurricanes. Tom stood firm, his eyes blinded by the racing winds that blasted across the clearing, his ears filled with the noise.

  And then there was a long, deep silence. Tom opened his eyes. The maze of towering holly bushes was gone. He was standing on a plateau of deep, smooth snow. Vedra and Krimon were beside him, blinking and shaking their heads in confusion. Elenna was nearby, but Seth and the bronze sword were gone.

  “You did it!” Elenna shouted.

  “We did it!” Tom said with a grin.

  The twin Beasts were recovering now, rubbing fondly up against each other and crooning. Vedra was cured of the evil — he would carry the mark of Good on his belly forever, and Malvel’s evil would never be able to harm him again.

  But Tom knew this wasn’t his last battle with the wizard — Malvel would return!

  Laughing with joy, Elenna ran up to the dragons. “You’re safe now!” she called. She looked at Tom. “Do you think they understand what we did for them?”

  “I’m sure they do,” Tom said. “But what do we do now? Where exactly are we?”

  “Check the map,” Elenna said.

  Tom brought the magic map out of his tunic and unrolled it. A golden dot showed where they were. “It’s the middle of nowhere!” Tom groaned. “How are we going to get back home without Epos and Ferno?”

  “We won’t have to,” Elenna said. “Look!” She pointed into the southern sky. Tom saw with a jolt of relief that Ferno and Epos were winging their way toward them over the snowy forest.

  “Well done, Beasts!” Tom shouted, waving to the Beasts as they drew closer. “We’ll get to ride home after all!”

  Vedra and Krimon made welcoming chirping noises as Ferno and Epos landed gracefully on the snowy plateau. Tom ran toward Epos.

  “You’re better!” he called. “I’m so glad!”

  Epos cawed loudly, her wings reflecting the moonlight as she spread them to show she was fully recovered. Ferno lumbered toward the twin dragons with kindly eyes. The twins’ wings flapped and their heads bobbed as they rubbed up against the Beast’s huge sides.

  Ferno made a series of low rumbling noises and Vedra and Krimon began to climb up onto his back.

  “He’s telling them something,” Elenna said. “I wonder what.”

  “I think he’s letting them know that he’s going to take them somewhere they can grow up safely — somewhere in the mountains of Rion.”

  The great dragon took to the air, the twins clinging to his back as he rose in majestic spirals into the night sky. He turned, his black silhouette flying across the face of the moon as he headed south into the mountains.

  “Epos? Will you take us home?” Tom asked the waiting flame bird.

  Epos cawed loudly.

  Tom looked again at the map, and saw a golden thread spinning out southward across Rion and down into Avantia — showing them the way home.

  A moment later, a shimmering face appeared on the map. It was Aduro the wizard, and he was smiling.

  “Well done, my brave friends,” he said, his voice echoing as if it was coming from many miles away. “And you are right, Tom — Ferno will take the twins to a place of safety, and he will remain by their side and teach them the ways of Good and protect them until they grow strong. Now, my friends, climb up on Epos’s back and come home to the palace.”

  “We won the fight against Malvel,” Elenna said sadly. “But I lost my bow and arrows.”

  “Fear not — I retrieved them from the volcano with my magic,” the wizard said. “They are waiting for you in the palace.”

  Elenna gave a yell of delight as the face of the wizard faded away.

  Tom furled up the map and he and Elenna climbed onto Epos’s warm and feathered back. Tom felt exhausted but he was in high spirits.

  He clung on tight as the bird launched herself into the night sky.

  “I wonder how Storm and Silver have been managing without us,” Elenna said.

  “They’ll be disappointed to have missed the Quest!” Tom replied with a smile.

  “We’ll tell them all about it as soon as we get back,” Elenna said.

  Cool winds blew through Tom’s hair as they sped southward over a snowy landscape that shone like silver under the full moon. Tom smiled. He had succeeded in his Quest and Avantia was safe. He didn’t know if he would ever see Vedra and Krimon again, but at least there were two new Beasts who would be taught how to protect the kingdom; two pure and noble Beasts to join the battle against Malvel. And as for Seth …? Tom shivered, knowing that they would meet again. Only time would tell when that would be.

  But for now, Tom was going home.

  Home to Avantia.

  PREFERRED WEAPONS: Sword and magic shield

  ALSO CARRIES: Destiny compass, jewel belt, and ghost map

  SPECIAL SKILLS: Over the course of his Quest, Tom has gained many special items for his shield, giving him protection from fire, water, cold, and falling from heights, extra speed in battle, and magic healing ability. He also has the powers he gained from the golden armor, giving him incredible sight, courage, strength, endurance, sword skills, and energy.

  PREFERRED WEAPON: Bow & arrow

  ALSO CARRIES: Nothing. Between her bow and her wolf, Silver, Elenna doesn’t need anything else!

  SPECIAL SKILLS: Not only is Elenna an expert hunter, she is also knowledgeable about boats and water. But most important, she can think quickly in tight spots, which has helped Tom more than once!

  Tom’s horse, a gift from King Hugo. Storm’s good instincts and speed have helped Tom and Elenna from the very beginning.

  Elenna’s tame wolf and constant companion. Not only is Silver good to have on their side in a fight, but the wolf can also help Tom and Elenna find food when they’re hungry.

  The good wizard of Avantia and one of Tom’s closest allies. Aduro has helped Tom many times, but when Aduro was captured by Malvel, Tom was able to repay the wizard by rescuing him.

  Tom’s enemy, determined to enslave the Beasts of Avantia and defeat Tom. This evil wizard rules over Gorgonia, the Dark Realm. If he is near, danger is sure to follow.

  Beast Quest series created by Beast Quest Ltd., London.

  BEAST QUEST is a trademark of Beast Quest Ltd.

  Text © 2008 by Beast Quest Ltd. All rights reserved.

  Interior illustrations © 2012 by Scholastic Inc.

  Published by Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, by arrangement with Working Partners Ltd.

  SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First printing, July 2012

  Cover art by Steve Sims

  Cover design by Tim Hall

  e-ISBN 978
-0-545-47398-9

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.