Read Spook's: The Dark Army (The Starblade Chronicles) Online
Authors: Joseph Delaney
‘Is Jenny all right?’ I asked.
‘Yes – I shielded her with my body and she came off far better than you. She’s out hunting rabbits.’
‘Grimalkin!’ I cried, remembering what had happened to her, seeing her bones shatter on the floor. ‘How can we manage without her? Why did she run at Golgoth like that? What a stupid waste. It was suicidal.’
Alice smiled sadly and shook her head. ‘There was nothing stupid about it. Grimalkin knew exactly what she was doing, Tom. She didn’t throw her life away needlessly. She did it to save me from Golgoth’s wrath. In seconds I’d have been dead, frozen solid. She died in order to buy us all a little more time.’
‘I still can’t believe that she’s dead. It’s a terrible loss. Did Pan destroy Golgoth?’
Alice shook her head. ‘No, but he hurt him badly and sent him back to his own domain in the dark. For now, the portal is closed and sealed, but Golgoth will eventually heal and be as strong as ever. And Pan drained a lot of his own strength to achieve that. He’ll need time to recover too. The battle between them is far from over. One big danger now is that Talkus will intervene directly.’
‘We’d have no defence against him then—’
‘Ain’t quite true, Tom: he’s still not reached his full strength, though if it happens soon, we’ll struggle,’ Alice replied.
‘Poor Meg,’ I said.
‘Yes, poor Meg – but she was brave, wasn’t she? Meg bought me the time I needed to begin my magic. Though I think
her
time had come, Tom. She came back to the County to find John Gregory, but he was already dead. Maybe she didn’t want to live anyway? Who knows? Anyway, the Round Loaf will be her tomb and also the tomb of Grimalkin. I replaced the stone and covered it with earth.’
‘The sad thing is that Meg and John Gregory won’t be together after death,’ I said. ‘She’s gone to the dark, while he’ll have gone to the light.’
Alice nodded and I saw the sadness in her face. We both knew that the situation was similar to our own, but let it remain unspoken. Then she came closer and put her arms around me. She was warm, and I was hungry for the heat of her body, but inside I was still cold from my memories of the Butcher God.
Two weeks have passed since the traumatic events in the chamber below the Round Loaf and we are back at Chipenden. Slowly I’m coming to terms with the death of Grimalkin but our future looks bleak.
Even now a decisive battle against the Kobalos is probably being fought. If the human army is defeated our enemies will be free to cross the Northern Sea and invade our island.
My life at the moment is bitter sweet. In one respect I’ve never been happier. I’m with Alice and that’s a dream come true. But with that comes the bitter pain of anticipated loss. Alice closed the portal to keep Golgoth at bay but their mages can still use the space between worlds to reach the County. They could come for me and Alice at any time. Talkus might wield power against which we have no defence.
So our happiness might well be short-lived.
I continue to train Jenny and she is working hard and learning fast. She would make a good spook. I only hope she gets the chance to become one.
As I write, the sky is darkening to the north and the first snowflakes of an early winter are falling towards the Chipenden garden. If the dark army of the Kobalos arrives we will defend the County and ourselves to the best of our ability. That’s all we can do.
Thomas J. Ward
Note: I tried eating the creatures (which are hardly bigger than mice) and I definitely prefer rabbit. However, they are numerous and easy to catch and are best eaten in a stew. With the addition of the correct herbs the meal is tolerable – Grimalkin
Note: This is intriguing. Nicholas Browne could be right, but could it be that the Kobalos gods exist outside what we term the dark? Cuchulain dwelt within the Hollow Hills, accessed from Ireland. That too was not directly within the dark – Tom Ward
Note: We have not yet faced Balkai. It is terrifying to think that his magic is more powerful than that of Lenklewth, who came close to defeating us. Only the Starblade can protect me – Tom Ward
Note: This was used against me; it leached the strength from my body. But I was taken by surprise. It is wise to be on our guard against such a threat and not allow a haizda mage to get close. Perhaps a scarf worn across the mouth and nose would prove an effective defence. Or perhaps plugs of wax could be fitted into the nostrils – Tom Ward
Note: It will be interesting to discover whether these boggarts fall into the same categories we have in the County or whether there are new types there – Tom Ward
Note: Grimalkin told me that Eblis is dead. He was defeated by Slither and finally slain by Grimalkin. So the brotherhood was proved wrong to give him the above designations. He was defeated; he did die – Tom Ward
Note: The Fissure is north of the Shanna River, but both have been described by Browne as boundaries between Kobalos and human lands. It is likely that the borders have changed many times over the long years of conflict – Grimalkin
Note: In Valkarky, I encountered the homunculus that was a servant to Slither. The one that could speak was like a small man and it reported directly to the mage; another took the form of a rat and was used for espionage. I found it easy to control and subvert to my will. There was a third type which was able to fly, but I did not see it. Such a creature could be used to gather information about us at long range. The three selves of the homunculus share one mind (as did the Haggenbrood): thus what it sees is instantly known back in Valkarky – Grimalkin
Note: Grimalkin told me that this lance was finally broken by Slither, the haizda mage with whom she formed a temporary alliance.
He used one of the skelt blades, Bone Cutter, to do so – Tom Ward
Kartuna: This kulad is beyond the Shanna River. I believe it to be the tower once visited by the haizda mage called Slither; he escaped after slaying the incumbent High Mage, Nunc. I believe that the second most powerful mage in the present Triumvirate has now taken up residency there in preference to Valkarky. Many of his magical artefacts will be stored in that tower – Grimalkin
Note: Grimalkin was correct – Lenklewth had taken up residence there. When we went to investigate the kulad, he laid a trap for us – we were lucky to survive and did not manage to seize any of his magical artefacts. Though he is now dead, there is no doubt that another mage will rise to take his place – Tom Ward