But so far all I do is break things. Like this morning –”
Kkkk! A sudden bolt of lightning lit up the sky.
A dark swarm streaked across the clouds.
“Uh-oh,” Neal said. “Unless I’m crazy, Lord Sparr has found us! And he’s not alone!”
“Groggles!” Eric hissed. “Hundreds of them.”
The sea bubbled suddenly like a cauldron. Waves splashed up higher and higher. Rain fell on the deck in big icy drops.
“Looks like he is bringing foul weather with him, too!” Max snapped. “Prepare for battle!”
The swarm of groggles flew low over the ship.
One of the flying lizards swooped down and landed on the deck. On its back was the evil sorcerer himself – Lord Sparr.
“Get away from my ship!” Keeah cried.
The sorcerer snarled as he slid off the groggle. His bald head gleamed. The fins behind his ears turned from purple to black. In his hand he held a long staff.
“Beware, Sparr,” Galen boomed. “You are outnumbered.”
“Right,” said Julie. “And we’re keeping the jewel! So you can forget about taking it.”
Sparr’s eyes flashed at the children. “Ah, the magic stairs brought you again? When the Eye is mine, I’ll climb those stairs to the Upper World!”
Eric shivered. Sparr? In my world? My house?
Without warning, Sparr thrust his magic staff at the golden chest.
Ka-blam! The box blasted open, and a black armored glove tumbled across the deck. Fitted into the glove was the Red Eye of Dawn.
“You wicked creature!” Galen cried. “I will not let you have it!” He threw a sizzling bolt of blue light at Sparr. Ka-koom!
But Sparr’s staff sucked up the light and threw it back at Galen
Then the sorcerer grabbed the glove and slipped it on. Bright red light shot from its fingertips. “Your powers are weak, Galen. Now – Red Eye of Dawn, show me your power! Create for me a sea of fire!”
Ka-whoosh! A wall of fiery water rose up suddenly. The kids tumbled to the deck.
“Keeah!” yelled Eric. “Do a spell!”
“Break something big!” Julie cried. “Real big!”
Keeah struggled to her feet and aimed her fingers at the giant mast. “ Bembo – switt!”
Suddenly – crack! – the towering mast split in half and fell toward Sparr.
Whoomf! Sparr was slammed back against the main cabin. The black glove was thrown from his hand.
“Yes!” Keeah shouted.
Galen leaped across the deck. Grabbing the glove, he flung it into the golden chest and held the lid down tight.
Sparr’s face wrinkled in horror. “That power belongs to me !” Rise, Oh Demither!”
“Demither?” Eric cried. “The witch?”
The waves thundered below. A huge green serpent burst through the water. It had sawlike teeth, two powerful claws, and a long, spiky tail.
“The witch is a sea monster now!” Neal cried.
The serpent twisted her mighty tail around the ship and pulled tight.
Crack! The ship’s planks began to break.
“The hull is splitting!” Max yelled out.
“And you will all drown!” Sparr howled, jumping back onto his groggle.
Keeah threw a thick rope to Julie. “Everyone hold tight!” Neal lunged and grabbed the rope.
“Eric,” Keeah yelled. “Take the rope!”
“I can’t reach it!” he cried.
The serpent witch lifted the ship high above the waves. She held it there for a moment then threw it back down into the water.
Krrrrunch! The wooden hull shattered into shreds. And the Jaffa Wind , with everyone aboard, broke in two.
The ship sank instantly beneath the waves.
Three
Shipwrecked
Eric`s world went black and bubbly.
No! he thought. This can’t happen! I can’t sink!
He clawed at the icy waves, trying to reach the surface. Then the waves opened above him. Eric lifted his head out of the water. His fingers felt something soft.
Was it… sand?
Yes! It was sand. Eric scrambled up onto it. He sucked in a deep, deep breath. He opened his eyes.
He was on land, on a beach. He was alive.
“Julie! Neal! Keeah!” he called out.
No answer.
Eric
Kkkk! A sudden bolt of lightning lit up the sky.
A dark swarm streaked across the clouds.
“Uh-oh,” Neal said. “Unless I’m crazy, Lord Sparr has found us! And he’s not alone!”
“Groggles!” Eric hissed. “Hundreds of them.”
The sea bubbled suddenly like a cauldron. Waves splashed up higher and higher. Rain fell on the deck in big icy drops.
“Looks like he is bringing foul weather with him, too!” Max snapped. “Prepare for battle!”
The swarm of groggles flew low over the ship.
One of the flying lizards swooped down and landed on the deck. On its back was the evil sorcerer himself – Lord Sparr.
“Get away from my ship!” Keeah cried.
The sorcerer snarled as he slid off the groggle. His bald head gleamed. The fins behind his ears turned from purple to black. In his hand he held a long staff.
“Beware, Sparr,” Galen boomed. “You are outnumbered.”
“Right,” said Julie. “And we’re keeping the jewel! So you can forget about taking it.”
Sparr’s eyes flashed at the children. “Ah, the magic stairs brought you again? When the Eye is mine, I’ll climb those stairs to the Upper World!”
Eric shivered. Sparr? In my world? My house?
Without warning, Sparr thrust his magic staff at the golden chest.
Ka-blam! The box blasted open, and a black armored glove tumbled across the deck. Fitted into the glove was the Red Eye of Dawn.
“You wicked creature!” Galen cried. “I will not let you have it!” He threw a sizzling bolt of blue light at Sparr. Ka-koom!
But Sparr’s staff sucked up the light and threw it back at Galen
Then the sorcerer grabbed the glove and slipped it on. Bright red light shot from its fingertips. “Your powers are weak, Galen. Now – Red Eye of Dawn, show me your power! Create for me a sea of fire!”
Ka-whoosh! A wall of fiery water rose up suddenly. The kids tumbled to the deck.
“Keeah!” yelled Eric. “Do a spell!”
“Break something big!” Julie cried. “Real big!”
Keeah struggled to her feet and aimed her fingers at the giant mast. “ Bembo – switt!”
Suddenly – crack! – the towering mast split in half and fell toward Sparr.
Whoomf! Sparr was slammed back against the main cabin. The black glove was thrown from his hand.
“Yes!” Keeah shouted.
Galen leaped across the deck. Grabbing the glove, he flung it into the golden chest and held the lid down tight.
Sparr’s face wrinkled in horror. “That power belongs to me !” Rise, Oh Demither!”
“Demither?” Eric cried. “The witch?”
The waves thundered below. A huge green serpent burst through the water. It had sawlike teeth, two powerful claws, and a long, spiky tail.
“The witch is a sea monster now!” Neal cried.
The serpent twisted her mighty tail around the ship and pulled tight.
Crack! The ship’s planks began to break.
“The hull is splitting!” Max yelled out.
“And you will all drown!” Sparr howled, jumping back onto his groggle.
Keeah threw a thick rope to Julie. “Everyone hold tight!” Neal lunged and grabbed the rope.
“Eric,” Keeah yelled. “Take the rope!”
“I can’t reach it!” he cried.
The serpent witch lifted the ship high above the waves. She held it there for a moment then threw it back down into the water.
Krrrrunch! The wooden hull shattered into shreds. And the Jaffa Wind , with everyone aboard, broke in two.
The ship sank instantly beneath the waves.
Three
Shipwrecked
Eric`s world went black and bubbly.
No! he thought. This can’t happen! I can’t sink!
He clawed at the icy waves, trying to reach the surface. Then the waves opened above him. Eric lifted his head out of the water. His fingers felt something soft.
Was it… sand?
Yes! It was sand. Eric scrambled up onto it. He sucked in a deep, deep breath. He opened his eyes.
He was on land, on a beach. He was alive.
“Julie! Neal! Keeah!” he called out.
No answer.
Eric
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