Arena? Would it break the shutting spell blocking the mountains?
The box had nearly reached the platform. And the light in the Arena was changing to a dull, angry red.
Dawn.
A movement caught Lief’s eye. The Baks were stealing closer to the archway. 3-19 was looking resentfully after Tira. No-one was watching the cage.
‘This is our chance to get down!’ Barda muttered.
‘No!’ Jasmine whispered urgently. ‘We must stay here. How else are we to reach the platform safely?’
‘The platform?’ exclaimed Barda, aghast. ‘Why—?’
Lief was sure that Jasmine had her own reasons for wanting to get to the platform. But he, too, believed that the centre of the Arena was where they should be.
‘The Pipe must be played where the Shadow Lord can hear it clearly,’ he whispered. ‘And the people must see us. Emlis, as soon as we reach the platform, I will pass the Pipe to you. Be ready!’
Emlis squeaked frightened agreement.
‘This is a reckless plan, Lief,’ Barda growled. ‘The people have had no warning. They will not know—’
‘Shsh!’ breathed Jasmine.
Lief froze. Then he heard what Jasmine had heard before him. At the back of the cage there were tiny noises. Whispering voices. A clink as someone lifted the cage lock. A grunt of effort and a muttered curse.
Then something tapped Lief’s foot.
‘Get down, you fools!’ rasped a harsh voice. ‘We cannot release Pi-Ban, but you at least we can save.’
Claw!
‘No. We are staying with the cage,’ Lief whispered. ‘Are you mad, boy?’ Claw hissed. ‘There is no time to explain,’ said Barda rapidly. ‘If you wish to help us, get into the Arena. Tell the people—as many as you can—to be ready to fight their way out. When it is time, they will know it.’
‘If we try to save them all, they will be slaughtered,’ rasped Claw. ‘And we with them. A few we might—’
‘Tell them to make for the pass behind the Arena!’ Barda broke in. ‘Now move away, Claw, for pity’s sake. The Guards will turn and see you!’
‘The pass is sealed by the shutting spell,’ Claw said. ‘Leave that to us,’ said Barda. ‘Just tell them!’ ‘You are mad!’ muttered Claw. The talon resting on Lief’s foot tightened briefly, then slipped away.
They heard more whispering. Then silence. Claw, Brianne and Gers had vanished into the shadows. ‘Will he do it?’ Jasmine murmured. ‘Who can say?’ said Barda grimly. ‘And I fear we are as mad as he claims! For all we know the Pirran Pipe will trouble the Shadow Lord no more than a buzzing fly.’
‘Look!’ Jasmine whispered.
A red-clad woman was walking forward on the platform, her strong face and smooth silver hair now clearly visible. ‘Hellena!’
The despairing, unbelieving cry had come from below them. From Pi-Ban.
3-19 swung around. ‘Return to your posts!’ he spat at the Guards furiously, then turned back to the Arena.
The red-robed woman had also heard Pi-Ban’s cry. Her lips curved in a cool smile.
Lief stared, horrified. Hellena had been a member of Pi-Ban’s group. She was the friend for whom Brianne had mourned so bitterly. Yet now her eyes gleamed in triumph as the Perns slid the metal box up a ramp and onto the platform. She was revelling in evil. Like Tira.
The Conversion Project… the way of the future…
‘There will be no vraals released today,’ Hellena cried in ringing tones.
Howls of disappointment rose from the audience—howls that changed abruptly to wails as thunder cracked and a ghastly chill swept through the Arena.
The Baks cringed beside the cage. ‘The master is present,’ Bak 3 whimpered.
‘Today a new era begins!’ Hellena cried. ‘After today, nothing will stand in the master’s way. Wherever he lays his hand, all will bow down before him, and do his will. As you will see.’
She raised her hand. ‘Bring Faith!’
Two Guards came up to the platform dragging between them a small, struggling, black-haired girl whose green eyes flashed
The box had nearly reached the platform. And the light in the Arena was changing to a dull, angry red.
Dawn.
A movement caught Lief’s eye. The Baks were stealing closer to the archway. 3-19 was looking resentfully after Tira. No-one was watching the cage.
‘This is our chance to get down!’ Barda muttered.
‘No!’ Jasmine whispered urgently. ‘We must stay here. How else are we to reach the platform safely?’
‘The platform?’ exclaimed Barda, aghast. ‘Why—?’
Lief was sure that Jasmine had her own reasons for wanting to get to the platform. But he, too, believed that the centre of the Arena was where they should be.
‘The Pipe must be played where the Shadow Lord can hear it clearly,’ he whispered. ‘And the people must see us. Emlis, as soon as we reach the platform, I will pass the Pipe to you. Be ready!’
Emlis squeaked frightened agreement.
‘This is a reckless plan, Lief,’ Barda growled. ‘The people have had no warning. They will not know—’
‘Shsh!’ breathed Jasmine.
Lief froze. Then he heard what Jasmine had heard before him. At the back of the cage there were tiny noises. Whispering voices. A clink as someone lifted the cage lock. A grunt of effort and a muttered curse.
Then something tapped Lief’s foot.
‘Get down, you fools!’ rasped a harsh voice. ‘We cannot release Pi-Ban, but you at least we can save.’
Claw!
‘No. We are staying with the cage,’ Lief whispered. ‘Are you mad, boy?’ Claw hissed. ‘There is no time to explain,’ said Barda rapidly. ‘If you wish to help us, get into the Arena. Tell the people—as many as you can—to be ready to fight their way out. When it is time, they will know it.’
‘If we try to save them all, they will be slaughtered,’ rasped Claw. ‘And we with them. A few we might—’
‘Tell them to make for the pass behind the Arena!’ Barda broke in. ‘Now move away, Claw, for pity’s sake. The Guards will turn and see you!’
‘The pass is sealed by the shutting spell,’ Claw said. ‘Leave that to us,’ said Barda. ‘Just tell them!’ ‘You are mad!’ muttered Claw. The talon resting on Lief’s foot tightened briefly, then slipped away.
They heard more whispering. Then silence. Claw, Brianne and Gers had vanished into the shadows. ‘Will he do it?’ Jasmine murmured. ‘Who can say?’ said Barda grimly. ‘And I fear we are as mad as he claims! For all we know the Pirran Pipe will trouble the Shadow Lord no more than a buzzing fly.’
‘Look!’ Jasmine whispered.
A red-clad woman was walking forward on the platform, her strong face and smooth silver hair now clearly visible. ‘Hellena!’
The despairing, unbelieving cry had come from below them. From Pi-Ban.
3-19 swung around. ‘Return to your posts!’ he spat at the Guards furiously, then turned back to the Arena.
The red-robed woman had also heard Pi-Ban’s cry. Her lips curved in a cool smile.
Lief stared, horrified. Hellena had been a member of Pi-Ban’s group. She was the friend for whom Brianne had mourned so bitterly. Yet now her eyes gleamed in triumph as the Perns slid the metal box up a ramp and onto the platform. She was revelling in evil. Like Tira.
The Conversion Project… the way of the future…
‘There will be no vraals released today,’ Hellena cried in ringing tones.
Howls of disappointment rose from the audience—howls that changed abruptly to wails as thunder cracked and a ghastly chill swept through the Arena.
The Baks cringed beside the cage. ‘The master is present,’ Bak 3 whimpered.
‘Today a new era begins!’ Hellena cried. ‘After today, nothing will stand in the master’s way. Wherever he lays his hand, all will bow down before him, and do his will. As you will see.’
She raised her hand. ‘Bring Faith!’
Two Guards came up to the platform dragging between them a small, struggling, black-haired girl whose green eyes flashed
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