Chapter 24

Henry had ridden his horse up the mountaintop.  It was dark but there was just enough moonlight to half see.  He had been up to Cronax’s training cave only once before, two or three years ago, but he was surprised to find he was able to find his way back purely from memory.

He saw the dark craggy cave entrance before him and stopped his horse, Bethany, and tied her up to a sturdy tree.  He approached the cave but his warrior senses told him that there was someone else around, outside in the surrounding forest.  He drew his sword and began to circle around; so quiet it would have made a master thief proud.

“Whoever you are,” called out a booming voice that seemed to resonate through Henry’s body, “Stay back.  I am busy dueling a fool.  Come any closer and you may die.  You have been warned.”

Henry recognized the voice.  It was Cronax.  He looked at where the voice was coming from, and sure enough, with his eyes accustomed to the night, he could see the big massive frame of the King’s Champion, complete with gigantic battle-axe drawn menacingly.

“So I am a fool now?” called out another voice.  This voice was smooth, like melted chocolate, and musical.  But at the same time, it was none less powerful or confident than Cronax’s manly bellow.  Henry tried to look around where this second voice was coming from.  It seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.  He couldn’t tell if the voice was coming from behind, above or inside his head.

“If I am a fool,” continued the second, “What will that make you when I beat you with one hit?”

“Ha!” said Cronax, “One hit?  In your dreams Raleva.”

Of course! thought Henry.  It was Ravela!  Raleva and Cronax comprised of two of The Five.  The Five people almost unanimously regarded as the strongest, deadliest fighters in the known world.

There was silence.

Henry waited.

A minute passed, but it felt like ten.

Finally, Henry spoke.

“Cronax, Javier has ordered me to summon you back to the castle.”

“Tell, Javier he can sod off,” said Cronax, “I am busy.”

“He told me to tell you that the Iron Snake has returned to Firgenduke,” said Henry.

“What?” said Cronax.  He seemed truly surprised.

“Anton DiManlen has returned?” said Cronax.

Just then, there was a blur that moved through the forest, across Henry’s view.  It moved so fast, by the time Henry noticed it-

CLINK!

-it was gone.

Cronax’s body flew up into the air and he landed on his back, his giant battle axe spinning dangerously in the air and piercing itself into the ground at least ten feet away from him.

“YOU CHEAT RALEVA!” said Cronax, “I WAS DISTRACTED!”

“You disappoint me, Cronax,” came Raleva’s voice, “I win this round.  Train harder next time.  I feel cheated coming all this way to defeat you so easily.”

“The only cheat is you, Raleva!” shouted Cronax, picking himself up and running to grab his axe, “I demand a rematch, and this time don’t wait until someone distracts me.”

“Till we meet again,” came the voice, and then it was gone.

Cronax rubbed his chest.  There would be a terrible bruise there tomorrow, no doubt, but the biggest bruise at the moment was his ego.

“I’m sorry,” said Henry.

Cronax came over.  “Oh, it’s you, Henry.  Not to worry, it was my own fault for letting my guard down.  Such a rookie mistake.  But I must say I am disappointed.  I had all these new moves I wanted to test out on that prick.”  Then his voice got serious. “But is it really true?  Anton DiManlen has returned?”

“That is what I have been told,” said Henry.

“Incredible,” said Cronax, “Perhaps tonight I will get a chance to test out my moves after all.  Let us go.”

He whistled, shrill and loudly in the night.

A big white shape came flying out of the Cronax’s cave.  It stopped in front of the two men.

Henry shook his head.  No matter how many times he saw it, it was still unbelievably cool.

Yes, Cronax rode a giant white wolf.

“Come, Blazer,” said Cronax, mounting up, “Let us go find us some Iron Snake.”