Khadji jumped up on the wagon and grabbed the long warning horn that every family leader kept nearby at all times. He blew three blasts-the signal for everyone to go like the blazes and ask questions later.
Palimak knew this wasn't the best plan of escape, but it was all he could think of. Other horns picked up the warning and joined in the cry. People shouted, whips cracked, animals bawled, and the caravan surged forward at a much greater speed.
Khadji smiled and waved happily at Palimak as he drove the wagon away. The boy waved back, feeling very bad about what he'd done.
'All right, Little Master,' came Gundara's voice, 'so you don't like running. I hope you can think of something pretty quick.'
'Frankly,' Gundaree added, 'we're out of suggestions.'
CHAPTER TWENTY
Palimak walked slowly back to the crater. Wagons and animals streamed past, people running beside them, horns blowing, camels bawling, geese shrieking, children wailing, parents shouting, a whole cacophony of panicked flight.
As fast as they were moving, he could tell it wasn't fast enough.
It was getting darker and oil lamps and torches flared into life, so the caravan became like a stream of stars flying low across the land. A passing wagon hit a rut and a lamp came flying off, shattering against the ground to leave a small pool of flaming oil.
'This thing is hot,' Gundara said, 'but he doesn't like fire.'
'Fire is absolutely not one of his favorite things,' Gundaree added. 'Apparently he's rather vain about his appearance.'
And then a great voice shouted:
It echoed across the bleak plain, striking lightning on the highest rocks. Overhead, the immense swarm of bats shrieked and Palimak's heart jumped so high he thought it was going to fly out of his throat.
Again came the shout:
And then Palimak was trying his best to catch and swallow his heart as the crater began to bubble and froth, foul steam rising to meet those shrilling bats.
A scum formed, cracked and then a mighty head emerged, all tarry and stuck this way and that with the white bones of angry things that had died long ago. Skulls made its eyes. Ribbed spines its nose. And its mouth was a graveyard clutter, opening wide, bone dust expelled in a cloud as it shouted:
It rose out of the crater, shoulders following head, then arms and trunk and limbs, climbing higher and higher. A massive black tarry beast, all pitted and scarred with oil bursting from those scars and bleeding down the sides.
The creature's head moved slowly, looking for the cause of its terrible wrath.
Then its eyes, all aboil with grinning skulls, fixed on Palimak.
Safar rode full out, urging every ounce of speed he could from Khysmet. Even so, when he saw the beast rise from the crater to confront Palimak he feared he'd be too late.
Far below he could see the crush of fleeing people and wagons and animals race up the hill toward him, flooding the road from bank to bank like a solid wall of onrushing water. He'd never break through to get to Palimak.
He saw a narrow trail to the side that looked like it might lead in the right direction. He shouted for Leiria to meet the panicked horde and guide them, then turned down the trail, praying he'd made the correct decision.
Palimak was frozen with fear. His whole being fixed on those ghastly eyes and bony mouth splitting open into a horrible smile. In the background he could hear sounds of panic as the caravan fled the horrible presence.
Then Gundara said, 'You should have run, Little Master.'
And Gundaree said, 'It isn't nice to say, 'I told you so.''
'Shut up!' Palimak shouted to them both, breaking from his trance.
He ran to the pool of flaming oil. He made a scoop of his hands and skimmed through the heart of the fire. The light came off, spilling out in beads, but Palimak quickly make a glowing ball of them, holding the ball firmly between his hands.
And the beast shouted-'YOU I HATE YOU!'
Palimak jumped, burning himself on the invisible flame, but he kept his concentration. Pulling up the spell, putting together all the parts of it-light and fire, it was hard, a lot of pieces don't fit. Hurry! Hurry! Don't pay attention when he shouts. So what if he's close-oh, boy is he close!
'Listen to me,' he said to the Favorites. 'Remember the spell we practiced? Fire follow light?'
'That's a good spell,' Gundara said.
'I don't know if I feel like it,' Gundaree grumbled. 'He said 'shut up' to us. Which was a very rude thing to say.'
An immense shadow fell over them. Palimak hunched his shoulders, holding the ball of light close to his stomach.
'I apologize, all right?' he said. 'Sorry and double sorry. Now, do it!'
He turned-looking up and up, head craning back, feeling like such a small boy. Standing beneath a living mountain of tar and bone. So close that when the pustules of oil broke they ran down the smoking skin to pool at his feet.
The creature's breath was a hot, foul wind of gritty magic blasting away at his senses. But he closed his eyes and stuck out his chin taking the wind full on his face.
And he chanted:
Here I come!
Demon boy,
Or people boy-
He threw the ball of light as high he could, casting the spell, feeling Gundara and Gundaree push in behind it. Blowing it bigger and bigger until it looked like a watery sun when it crashed into the beast's face.
Dazzling light splashed into the creature's eyes and he reeled, screaming as if the light had been acid.
And Palimak shouted, 'Fire follow light!'
The Favorites fed him their powers and Palimak's right hand speared out, pointing finger becoming a long, sharp talon. There was a searing from within as the fire leaped from the oil pool to his body, then shot out of his talon, racing to join the light.
A huge blast followed as the two forces were rejoined and the beast roared in pain, stumbling back, head bursting into flame. It beat at its skull trying to put the fire out, but then its hands caught and it was shouting and wailing in agony. Flailing and screaming helplessly.
'Got you!' Palimak shouted.
'I wouldn't be too sure about that, Little Master,' Gundara cautioned. 'You might have just made him madder.'
'Maybe you'd better consider running again,' Gundaree added.
To his horror, Palimak saw the beast had managed to put out most of the flames and was recovering.
What would he do now? The spell had left him drained and he was frightened that even if he could think of another spell he'd be too exhausted to cast it.
'Wait!' Gundara said with sudden excitement. 'Here comes help!'
