Tears formed in Walter’s eyes, and sweat dripped down his face. He brushed at the tears with the sleeve of his jacket, leaving a sooty stain on the material. He hacked and coughed to clear the dust from his lungs, but his voice still cracked. “Yeah . . . it’s real bad!”
Dr. Conner stripped the robe off and stuffed it into Walter’s arms. “Ashley will tell you what to do.” He ran over to a cabinet near the cavern wall, withdrew a large medical bag with a red cross emblazoned on its side, and sprinted out the Omega door.
Clutching the wad of clothing, Walter stared into the dark lab. The silhouette of a girl hovered near the panel. He coughed again. “Ashley?”
“Yes. Put the robe on, whoever you are. I guess you’ll have to go in.”
Walter rested a hand on his knee and took in quick, deep breaths. “Go in? Where?”
“Over here, Walter.” The professor waved his hand at Ashley. “May I suggest, Miss Stalworth, that I be transluminated? I heard your instructions, and I assume I shall not be crippled in there. I’m sure Walter can handle my duties.”
Ashley let out a frustrated sigh. “That’s fine. But we have to hurry!”
The professor pulled the robe on over his head. “Walter, look at the base of this platform, and you’ll find a switch. Press once to raise the glass and again to lower it. When someone shows up in this restoration cylinder, Miss Stalworth will signal. Raise the glass, pull the person from the platform, and lower the glass again immediately. Got it?”
Walter nodded. “Got it.”
“Be sure to wait for my signal!” Ashley added with a shout. “If you do it too early, it could kill whoever’s in there.”
The professor limped over to the diver’s dome, placed his healthy foot on the platform, and stepped up, careful to avoid the candlestone.
“I’ll lower your glass from here,” Ashley called. “Go back and forth through the tube twice,” she continued. “I want to be sure to map your matrix accurately. It won’t take you long to figure out how to move. And don’t forget to grab hold of the tube right at the start, or you’ll get sucked in!”
She pressed a button, and the diver’s cylinder slowly descended. When the dome’s edge clicked shut, she turned a knob clockwise to its maximum setting. “Here we go!”
Billy counted the six shining faces in the circle around him. “Listen, Sir Barlow, I’d love to sit and chat with you for a couple of centuries, but I’m looking for a friend of mine. Her name is Bonnie Silver. Have you seen her?”
“Bonnie Silver,” Barlow repeated. “The name . . . how do you say it? Ah, yes! The name ‘rings a bell.’ I enjoy your American idioms, so I hope you don’t mind if I practice.”
One of the other knights moved forward, his voice deep, with a hint of Irish brogue. “It’s the talking she-ape we found. Silver is the name she used.”
“Yes, yes,” Barlow said. “Of course I remember. I just wanted to test the idiom.”
Billy’s light blazed. “So she
is
in here? You saw her?”
“Only briefly,” Barlow replied. “She said she had no tale, so we weren’t interested.”
“I wanted to talk to her,” the other knight said. “The old traveler told us about your trained zoo apes, but he never said they could talk.”
“Obviously, my dear Newman,” Barlow said, his light flickering from top to bottom, “it was a lass, not an ape.” He turned to Billy. “You see, William, they sent a number of apes and other animals in here, and now it seems that they’re sending humans. What a pity! I judged her too quickly, and I apologize for ignoring your friend.”
Billy put his hand on Barlow’s shoulder. “It’s okay, really, but do you have any idea where she is now?”
“No, William, but my men and I will help you search. She could not have gone far; there is really no place to go.” Barlow faced the other knights, and as he raised his hand, they lined up in a not-so-straight row. He issued a loud proclamation. “Attention, fellow soldiers of the cross—Newman, Edward, Fiske, Standish, Woodrow. It seems that we finally have a fair damsel to rescue.” He paused and whispered to Billy, “She is fair, isn’t she?”
Billy suppressed a laugh. Even in his hurry he enjoyed the knights’ comical display. “Yes. Very fair, indeed, Sir Barlow.”
“And this fair damsel,” Barlow continued, “is lost in our eternal chasm. We must find her at all costs.”
Billy copied the knight’s oratory style. “And after we find her, we will leave this place once and for all.”
A loud, frightened buzz in their native language erupted from the specters, and a number of them backed away, their lights flashing to gray, then yellow.
“No!” Barlow held up his hands to his troops. “Not like what happened to Lester. Our friend, William, is saying we will leave this place in one piece!” He turned to Billy again. “You did mean that, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Everyone will be restored to their physical bodies.”
“Let us begin the search, then,” Barlow commanded. “Fan out. If you find the damsel, bring her back here and call for the others.”
Billy held up his glowing rubellite. “She should be wearing a reddish ring. If you find someone who doesn’t have it and claims to be Bonnie, let me know. I’ll be able to tell.”
The knights dispersed, each one searching a different section of the chasm’s dark shadows. Billy followed Sir Barlow as he hunted in a particularly dark area. There were so many corners that carried hidden coves and short corridors, and they all needed to be explored. A fading glow could easily be overlooked in this land of flickering lights and wandering shadows.
One of the knights hustled toward Barlow. “A report, sir!”
“Proceed, Newman.”
“We found another entity cowering in a crevice. I shouted questions at it, but to no avail.”
“One of the dumb animals,” Sir Barlow reported to Billy. “Most likely a chimp.”
“Yes sir,” Newman continued. “That makes three chimps, an overly excited dog, and a terrified rabbit. I wish to keep them corralled, sir, so that we are not wasting our time finding them repeatedly.”
“I agree,” Barlow said. “See to it.”
Newman gave Barlow a slight bow. “May I have your assistance, sir? The rabbit is in my possession, and the chimps are currently teasing the dog, but I fear it will not last long.”
Barlow turned to Billy. “By your leave, William?”
Billy nodded. “Sure. I think I know my way around now.” When Barlow left, Billy continued his search, trying to feel his way with all his senses. Ever since he entered the pit, he had felt Bonnie’s presence, though the perception seemed cold and weak. He used his awareness of her as a divining rod, trying to gauge his nearness to her hiding place. At times he felt warmer, but he still couldn’t find a strong signal that would take him to her.
He had to hurry. Ashley might be ready to restore them at any minute. But in this dark, confusing place, he couldn’t afford to pass by even the smallest alcoves. There was no way he would ever leave without making sure Bonnie was safe.
Bonnie peered out of her crystalline cleft and watched the passing ghosts of light. They were searching; their stretching appendages of flashing energy poked around corners and sniffed under ledges.
I wonder if they’re looking for me. What would they do if they found me? From across the expanse, Bonnie heard strange voices with odd accents.
Their words echoed in the chasm, bouncing from plane to plane. “Boonnniiieee Siillvveerr!” The voices created an eerie, haunting harmony.
Why are they calling me? I told them my name, but they thought I was an ape.
Bonnie scooted farther into her cove. With her body pressed against the back of the crevice, she watched one of the phantoms float up to her hiding place. As it slowed to sniff near the opening, it buzzed in a strange language. It paused, and flickers of its radiance spilled into her refuge. Bonnie froze in place, trying to contain any hint of a glimmer. After a few seconds, the phantom left, and she exhaled a stream of light.
Whew! It almost found me.
How much of this could she take? Would this go on for years? Centuries? Time itself in this twisted stone seemed skewed, and she couldn’t be certain how long she’d been there. Had it been weeks or even years? Had her friends given her up for lost?
Does anyone even care anymore?
As her faith sagged, her light dimmed, but she dared not sing. The weird predators had already come too close for comfort. She would meditate instead—on the past, her friends, and how they had never failed her before. The professor was smart and brave and would try to figure out how to restore her if Ashley failed . . . if he ever discovered her plight. But neither he nor Walter even knew about her dragon secrets. Though they were wonderful friends, how could they help?
Her only hope rested on Billy, but how could he outwit Devin? The evil slayer was crafty beyond belief. His trap had fooled her, even though she knew how evil he was and that he would try any trick to destroy her.
No! I have to have faith! Keep my mind on what’s good!
An image of Billy’s gentle eyes drifted into her thoughts, his words of comfort from not so long ago. “You can believe this,” he had said, his ringed hand extended, “you can always trust me. This hand will never lead you astray.” She had answered that she would never forget those words, and now, in the hour of her greatest loneliness, she took them again into her heart and caressed each syllable with tender passion. “I do trust you,” she had said on that day, and with her heart filling with faith, she spoke them again. “I do trust you, Billy Bannister. I do trust you.” Her own words increased her faith, and with it, her shimmering light.
Another specter approached, pausing to investigate. Bonnie slid against the back wall and worked to still the pulsing of her newly energized glow. An appendage of light slipped into the narrow crevice, searching, probing. It stretched toward her until it nearly touched her light with a white finger circled in red.
A red glow! A ring!
With a loud cry, Bonnie lunged for the hand and grasped it with her own. The other hand entwined around hers, and a gush of warmth surged through her body. The two rings met and created a fiery halo, and Bonnie allowed Billy to pull her out of hiding. The radiant red corona spread out to encircle them as she emerged and stood at his side.
The halo slowly vanished, but other searching lights drew nearer. “Billy!” she said, squeezing his hand. “What are those? What’s going on? How did you find me?”
“Shhh! No time! Ashley’s probably waiting by now. We have to try to get out of here.”
“But how?”
He pointed toward the chasm’s light source. “Through the river. We know it leaves the candlestone, so if we just go with the flow, we should be able to get out, too.”
Six other bodies of light had now gathered and were listening intently, so Billy introduced Bonnie to them and quickly explained their story, including Clefspeare’s and Barlow’s tales about Devin’s treachery against King Arthur and how he had deceived these loyal knights.
Billy took a deep breath when he finished the tale. “My guess is that everything should be ready by now. The river’s not flowing so heavily, so she must have turned off the lights. That’s a good enough signal for me. The only problem is that if Ashley can’t restore us, we’ll probably disintegrate right after we leave.”
“Have no fear, William,” Barlow said, stepping closer. “I volunteer to go first. If you see me disintegrate, then you will know it is unsafe for you. If I am restored, I will signal my safe arrival in your world.”
Before Billy could protest, Barlow released himself into the ever-swirling current that drew all light toward the river. Bonnie followed Billy and the knights as they hurried toward the exiting stream to watch Barlow’s progress. The knight plunged into the river, a silent entry that raised a splash of static. Though he melded with the river’s light, his shimmering form remained clear, like bubbling seltzer in a stagnant pool. He rushed forward in the flow, and his body hurtled toward the exit. With a flashing spew of sparks, the candlestone flung him out into the open air.
Chapter 20
Walter placed his hand over the accordion-like hose that stretched between the domes, letting his fingers hover over the flexible glass. The professor had melted into a mass of sparkling light, and now he was spreading out through the semi-transparent tube toward the restoration dome. He moved his body back and forth through the tube, then extended a limb back into the diver’s cylinder where the candlestone lay. Drying sweat cooled Walter’s skin and tightened his face as he concentrated on his teacher’s photo-gymnastics. “Prof’s in the tube, and he’s reaching back toward the candlestone.”
“Good. I’m monitoring the activity in the exit chamber.” Ashley blew a fresh coating of dust away from a screen. “I think something just came out. Do you see it?”
“Yeah,” Walter shouted. “I saw a fizz of light! Prof’s got it!”
Ashley kept each hand on a dial and nudged a slider bar with an elbow. She then flipped a switch on the side of the panel with her knee.
Pushing Excalibur to the side, Walter knelt beside the button at the base of the restoration dome.
I don’t like it. She sent Prof in there like some electric rescue dog, like he’s Lightning Lassie or something. And it looks like she’s dancing with that machine. Does she really know what she’s doing? Can she really bring him back to normal?
Ashley ran her finger across the display. “It’s working. I’ve got the new form isolated in the computer, and the professor is about to take it into the restoration dome.” She looked up and pointed at the glass cylinder. “Walter, get ready.”
Walter put his finger on the switch. Within seconds a stream of luminescence flowed from the connecting tube, filling the glass cylinder. The flashing light gathered into a translucent human form, a hefty, broad-shouldered male.
Ashley gasped. “It’s already in human form! It’s still light energy, but it’s perfectly shaped!”
“Yeah.” Walter rubbed his sweaty palm on his jeans. “And it’s sure nobody I know.”
Ashley turned a knob on the panel. “The professor’s out. I’m beginning the restoration.”
The glow dispersed as the human form solidified into a mustachioed man. Dressed in black breeches and a flowing, long-sleeved shirt, he stared wide-eyed into the dimly lit room.
“Now, Walter!” Ashley called. “The professor’s out.”
Walter pressed the switch, and the glass slowly lifted. The man waited until the shield rose above his eyes, then stepped down to floor level, his head erect and his back straight. Walter hit the switch again to lower the glass and stood to face the new arrival.
The man nodded formally. “I am Sir Winston Barlow, Lord of Hickling Manor, and I am a faithful servant of King Arthur.”
Walter nodded in return. “Uh . . . I’m Walter Foley.”
“Master Foley, in the interest of avoiding catastrophe, I shall waive any further formalities.” He glanced around the room. “Do you have light switches?”
Walter shrugged. “Ashley, where are the light switches?”
Ashley gestured with her arm. “Over here.”
The knight marched toward the panel and stopped, gazing at the display of meters and blinking lights. Ashley put her finger on a dial. “I can control the lights from here by turning this knob.”
Sir Barlow bowed and placed his hand on Ashley’s. “I must signal the remaining prisoners, my lady, including young Bannister. May I?”
Ashley slipped her hand from underneath Barlow’s. “My name is Ashley Stalworth. Certainly you may.”
Sir Barlow smiled broadly and turned the dial. As the lights brightened, he laughed out loud. “Ha! When Newman sees this, he will have to pay double! Torches in the ceiling, just as the old traveler said! Who would have believed it?”
With a few more quick twists, the lights flashed off and then on two more times before he finally restored the room to darkness. “That should do it. The others will be coming out momentarily.”
“The others?” Ashley repeated. “How many?”
Barlow counted on his brawny fingers, moving his lips through a series of names. “Depending on how many attempt the escape, it could be twelve. Some may be rancorous, even violent.”
“Twelve?” Ashley whispered. She read a meter and knitted her brow. “There’s no way the receptors can hold out for that many.”
“There may be a thirteenth,” Barlow added, “if the scoundrel follows us.”
“The scoundrel?” Ashley glanced at Walter. “You mean Devin, I presume?”
“Yes.” He stood upright and fixed his gaze on her. “Are you in league with him?”
Ashley scowled. “Most definitely not!”
“In that case,” Barlow said, bowing his head and closing his eyes, “I am at your service.”
Ashley pointed toward the recovery dome. “Good. Go and help Walter. There’s a sword over there. If some of our escapees get out of line, we can send them right back where they came from.”
Barlow smiled, a set of yellow crooked teeth showing his delight. “Miss Stalworth, that would be my pleasure!” He hustled over to Walter. “Where is the sword, lad?”
Walter nudged the sword with his foot. “Right here on the floor.”
Barlow leaned over and picked it up. A glow of faint light spread across the blade, illuminating Barlow’s wide eyes. “Excalibur!” His tone was solemn, almost reverent. “The king’s sword!” He returned it to the floor and backed away. “I am not worthy!”
“It’s either you or me, Sir Barlow. If we’ve got some mean ones coming, I’d rather you do the slicing and dicing. And if you’re a knight, you’re probably more worthy than I am.”
Barlow retrieved the sword and raised its glowing blade, a proud smile spreading across his face. “Very well, Walter, my lad. The conspirators will not be armed, so I shall use the sword only if necessary. If anyone gives us trouble, however, he will learn the meaning of slice and dice!”
Billy trained his gaze on the exiting stream of light. “That’s got to be Barlow’s signal. That’s the third time the river’s gushed like crazy and then calmed down.” He led Bonnie toward the river’s edge, fighting the current’s pull as they drew closer. “Are you ready?”
She grasped his hand more tightly. “We’re going together, right?”
Billy paused and gazed at her. Her features were becoming more and more clear, her blue eyes, her creamy smooth skin, and her dainty nose and lips forming in shades of shifting light. “Uh . . . no. I think I should make sure everyone gets out.”
“Even all the animals?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. They probably don’t want to be in here either.”
She let go of his hand and retreated from the stream of light. “Then I’ll help you gather them up. I don’t want to leave without you.”
Billy reached out and grabbed her wrist. “No, the knights and I will get them.” He guided her back to the edge of the receding river. “I want you out of here now.”
She resisted his pull, and her light flashed bright white. “Billy Bannister, I know you too well. What do you really have in mind?”
Billy dragged his glowing foot along the crystalline floor. “I’m not lying. I’ll get the animals, but . . .”
“But what?”
He folded his arms across his chest and squeezed his biceps. “I have to face him.”
“Him? You mean Devin?”
“Yeah. I can’t keep running away. I can’t keep ignoring the prophecies.”
Bonnie’s eyes lit up like two sapphires. “There are prophecies that say you have to face him?”
“Yeah, remember that old book the professor had? It’s Merlin’s Diary, and prophecies appear in it.” Billy pressed his palms against his temples. “The words kept repeating in my head, almost like a bad song you can’t get rid of. It was something about having to face the beast to break some chains. Don’t you think it means I have to face him, once and for all?”
Bonnie lowered her gaze for several seconds, not making a sound. Finally, she lifted her head again, her light shimmering like the sun on a wind-blown pond. “I think you’re right. You have to face him.” Her flashing eyes suddenly dimmed, becoming gray and weak. “That means I have to leave without you.”
He pulled her toward the river again. “And we have to hustle. They’re probably waiting.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll go.” She touched him gently on the shoulder. “I don’t know how to say this, but . . . try to be . . . well . . .”
“You want me to stay cool, right?”
Bonnie smiled and nodded. “And don’t wait too long if Devin decides not to show his face. Okay?”
“Don’t worry.” Billy’s form shivered out a stream of sparkles. “This place gives me the creeps.”
Bonnie stepped close enough to dip her toe in the river’s shallows. Just before the current swept her in, she held up her hand, showing her glowing ring to Billy. Billy copied her gesture. Their palms faced each other, and the red glow from each ring bridged the gap between them, joining in a pulsating web of scarlet. The river then enveloped Bonnie and carried her away.
Billy watched helplessly as her body flew out of the candlestone. He could barely see her flashing light dangling in the air on the outside, her particles already beginning to separate. Her ring highlighted her groping hand as her fingers stretched for something to grasp. Over and over again she clutched at empty air.
C’mon, Bonnie! Hang in there!
Bonnie’s light suddenly vanished.
What? Did she disperse? Was she sucked back into the candlestone?
Billy’s legs dwindled into two spindly sparks, more like trembling, electric toothpicks than legs. He closed his eyes and balled his hands into flashing fists.
I gotta have faith!
“Sir William,” Newman said. “Will you go next?”
Billy shook his head slowly. He could barely think. Bonnie’s last seconds haunted him, her radiant smile, her trusting eyes. Was she okay? He let out a sigh. “No, the rest of the knights should go next, but can you stay long enough to help me collect the animals and toss them into the river?”
“Certainly. The poor beasts cannot find their own way out. To leave them to their own devices would not be chivalrous. I know the places they usually congregate, so it won’t take long to find them. We will all stay to help.”
Newman lifted a small glowing animal at his feet. “This dog should go first. He refuses to leave my side, and I keep tripping on him.”
Billy laughed. “Sir Newman, how can you trip over a body of light?” He took the dog from the knight and set him down. “Let’s throw in the animals you’ve trapped, then we’ll use the dog to hunt for the others together, okay?”
“My pleasure, William.” Newman shouted into the cavern. “Men! Get ready for some chimp tossing!”
Walter waited at the recovery dome, his hand poised over the platform button. Another body congealed under the glass. Its shape wasn’t as distinct as Barlow’s, but it was obviously human, with glittering arms and legs and strands of luminescence flowing from its head.
“Starting restoration,” Ashley called. “Get ready!”
The light solidified into a feminine shape, the strands falling on her shoulders as blondish brown tresses. A mass on her back morphed into folded wings, and within seconds, Bonnie’s body materialized, her white robe shining bright. She blinked her eyes and took in a long, deep breath.
Ashley’s voice boomed across the lab. “Walter! Now!”
Walter slapped the switch and jumped to his feet, bouncing on his toes while waiting for the glass to rise. “You can lower your sword, Sir Barlow. It’s a friend.” The knight relaxed his arm, resting Excalibur at his side.
Bonnie glanced around with glazed eyes, her arms and legs motionless. Walter leaped onto the platform and took her hand, gently guiding her to floor level.
“Walter?” she said dreamily. She clutched his forearm as her legs wobbled on the stone surface. “What are you doing here?”
“Walter!” Ashley called from the control panel. “She’s disoriented. Her light waves were frazzled when she came out. We almost lost her.”
Still holding her hand, Walter tapped the switch with the toe of his shoe, sending the glass shield down again. “We’re all here,” he explained. “I mean, the professor and me and Billy’s mom.” He pointed toward the glass cylinders. “The professor’s the one who pulled you into that dome.”
Bonnie glanced over her shoulder at the restoration process. When she did, she spied her uncovered wings and gasped.
Walter’s gaze followed hers. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Don’t worry. I’ve known about your wings for a long time.”
“You’ve known?” Bonnie’s wings trembled. “But how?”
Ashley interrupted. “We’ll have time for explanations later. Right now Walter has a job to do.”
“Is that Ashley?”
“Right here, Bonnie!” Ashley called, waving. “It’s good to see you again! Sorry I can’t come over there; I’m sort of busy.”
“Ahem,” Sir Barlow said, kneeling. “Fair maiden, forgive me. I did not realize you were an angel. It is you who should bear the great sword.” He extended Excalibur, hilt first.
Bonnie reached for the sword and grasped its ornate handle with both hands. Its glow brightened to a fiery white blaze.
Barlow gasped and fell backward, sliding away on his elbows. “By all that is holy!”
“Oh, get up!” Walter said, laughing and reaching his hand to help the frightened knight. “Bonnie’s not an angel! She’s a dragon!”
“A dragon?” Barlow repeated as Walter hoisted him to his feet.
Ashley’s voice boomed again out of the darkness. “Explain it later, Walter! Another one’s coming!”
As a new mass of light filtered into the dome, Walter jumped to his post. Barlow whispered to Bonnie. “Whatever you are, lass, be ready to strike. It may be one of the scoundrels.”
Bonnie leaned over to offer him the hilt. “I’d feel better if you were the one holding it.”
Barlow wrapped his fingers around the grip and bowed his head. “If you so command, my lady. It will be my honor to bear it.”
Walter dropped to his knees near the cylinder switch. “Whatever just came out of the stone is taking shape!”
The light in the dome coalesced into a short, stooped form.
“An ape!” Barlow cried.
Ashley squinted at the hairy face. “That’s Betsy! She was one of our first chimps to go in.” Betsy pressed her nose and lips against the glass. “She’s ready, Walter. Get her out of there.”