Their journey down the mountain was far less perilous and less difficult than the ascent to its summit. But at the same time, it was much more agoraphobic, because now they knew that they were being pursued. They hurried down the mountain as fast as the terrain would allow. Sometimes they made good progress; other times the going was aggravatingly slow due to slippery rocks and narrow ledges only as wide as their feet were long. Several times, one of them had almost fallen off a cliff or been smashed by a falling boulder. By the time they had made it halfway down the mountain and the sun was starting to sink, all of them had narrowly escaped death. And by the time evening had arrived, there was not one of them who hadn't been scraped, scratched, cut or bruised.
It was late afternoon when they reached the upper boundary of the forest. "How much farther?" asked Miskit impatiently.
"We're almost at the base," Leon answered. "Not far to go now."
The deeper they penetrated into the woods, the cooler the air became. Mist began to rise from the damp ground and soon formed a thick, soupy mass that encompassed them. Objects more than fifty feet away took on a ghostly appearance, their shapes outlined in the haze. More than a few times, they tripped over a rock or a root that protruded from the ground. After traveling for hours, and still in the forest, the sun was beginning to set. As it got darker, the thick mist gave the woods an eerie feeling. As they passed a pair of trees that had grown up beside each other and twisted together, a twig snapped.
They all stopped cold. "Did you hear that?" whispered Miskit, pointing to where she'd heard the sound. "It's over there…"
They all turned to where she was pointing. Staring toward the hole left between the two trees, they watched for any sign of movement, willing whatever it was to reveal itself. Another twig snapped and they heard the sound of bipedal footsteps, and knew that it was no beast of the forest watching them. "They're here," said Leon, reaching back and grabbing his sword. Emily held up her staff.
From out of the fog there appeared an elf, tall and strongly built with a veil of white hair wafting in the wind from the back of his bald head. His ears stood out from his head like twin daggers. "I'm scared," Emily whispered.
"Stay focused," Leon told her.
"So," said the elf, his voice low and full is menace, "we finally meet, Stonekeeper." He took in the little band. "And Leon Redbeard. I thought it was your fur that I found in the marketplace."
"We have no business with you, Luger," the fox spat. "Just leave us alone and we'll be on our way."
"That would be so much simpler, wouldn't it?" A large shape loomed up behind him, then came into view. It was an enormous six-legged beast, with gray fur, ghost-white eyes and a snarling maw full of razor-sharp teeth. "But I have a job to do, and it won't be done until I've removed the king's most troublesome problem."
The three travelers tensed, knowing they were about to be attacked. "Remember," Leon whispered to Emily, "retain control of you power. The stone's strength depends on how much power you use, so be careful. Whatever you do, don't let it take over."
"I won't," Emily promised.
"Sticks and stones won't help you here," Luger sneered. "Kill them." The crawler hound leapt toward them.
Emily and Leon readied themselves for battle. Gripping her staff tightly in her hands, she suffused it with the stone's power and watched as the horrid monstrosity of nature hurled itself toward her. The crawler hound barked—a horrible, grating sound that echoed off the trees and sent bits of spit flying from its mouth. As it drew nearer, Emily swung her staff over the ground and tore up several sizeable chucks of rock. With a whoosh of power, she swung her staff again and hurled them toward the monstrous animal.
But the crawler hound would not be discouraged and plowed right through the flying debris with its mouth open, and Emily jumped sideways as the creature brought its jaws together with a mighty snap. As it prepared for another charge, Emily found the extra few seconds she needed to prepare a counterattack. Willing the power of the stone to fill the staff, she jumped forward and with a powerful cry released the power upon the crawler hound. The beast gave a final yelp before it was disintegrated.
Leon, meanwhile, had found his own opponent. An elf soldier had engaged him in a deadly game of swordplay. Time and again they brought their blades to a crashing collision, until Leon delivered a devastating blow to the elf's sword in mid-swing, neatly cleaving the blade in two. The elf had only enough time to realize what had happened before Leon promptly knocked it out of his hand, who then swiftly beheaded him.
Seeing his crawler hound vaporized had proved little deterrent for Luger, who had stepped up to personally fight Emily. He suffused his hands with the power from his own stone and smirked at the girl smugly, then in a movement developed for the Dragon Style of martial arts on Earth, he brought his hands back, put his wrists together, then thrust them forward with a cry of hatred.
In the split second she had to decide how best to defend herself, Emily sent her own power forward. The two fighters' power met in a blinding flash of light and energy, and it soon became apparent that Emily would be defeated. "He is much too powerful."
Oh, great. You again.
"In knowledge and skill, you are outmatched. There is only one way you can beat him."
Go away. I don't need you.
"Just give control to the stone."
No!
That was Emily's mistake. While she was arguing with the stone's spirit, her concentration slipped. When she screamed at it, she unwittingly created a gap in her defenses. Sensing the decrease in her power, Luger pressed his attack and sent a wave of energy toward her. Emily cried out in pain and shock as his assault overwhelmed her cracked defenses and plowed through weakening power. In an instant, the stress shattered her staff into a thousand pieces, and Luger's energy enveloped her, lifting her off the ground.
"You don't have to suffer," said the spirit. "Give in to the stone; let it take away your pain!"
"Emily!" Leon flipped his sword over and held it upside down, then flung it like a spear. Luger batted it away with his armored fore-arm as easily as if he were swatting at a fly. In the process, his focus on keeping Emily levitated was broken, and she fell to the ground with a bodily thump.
Leon quickly snatched up his weapon and faced Luger. The elf towered over him. If Leon were not affected by the curse, he would have stood up to Luger's chin. The air was moving from the disturbance of the power from the two stones, and his scarf flapped in the wind. Chancing a glace back, he urged Emily to stand. "Emily, get up! Get up now!"
But the girl couldn't hear him through the deafening voice in her head. "Accept the stone's full power before it's too late!" the spirit told her.
No, she answered, desperately trying to maintain control. Leave me alone. I don't need you. I'm the one in control!
"And you will die holding onto it," the spirit warned. "Let the stone take over and make your transformation complete!"
Luger picked up his sword, and Leon tensed, preparing himself to fight. Luger sent the energy from his stone to his weapon, which did as it was bidden, enveloping the blade in a pale green glow. "Emily!" Leon shouted. Luger snarled at him, then lifted his sword, and Leon had just enough time to lift his own weapon to parry the blow. Their blades met with a sharp metallic clang. Leon's face was a picture of effort as he fought to push Luger away. Luger's own gaunt features showed no hint of strain, and he smirked at the fox. Almost before Leon knew what was happening, he felt his adversary's heel drive into his left cheek and kick him back several yards. After tumbling head over tail at least a dozen times, Leon came to rest in a crumpled heap, momentarily unconscious from the blow. With his obstacle removed, Luger returned his attention to his reason for being here in the first place.
Miskit knelt next to Emily, who was shaking and shivering from the strain of trying to maintain control of the stone. She looked up to see the tall elf approaching. "Emily…?" Before she could say or do anything else, Luger reached out and took her by the throat. He beheld her for a moment, his brow creased with a frown as he studied the pathetic form in his grasp, then flung her through the air. She flew face-first into a tree, her robotic systems scrambled enough to register as unconscious.
Turning away from the pink rabbit, Luger looked at Emily, who was still shivering. "So," he said slowly, "this is the young Stonekeeper who would destroy the king. How is it that you could possibly pose such a great threat?" The energy from his stone wrapped around his blade. "I would have preferred a spirited battle, but it looks like I'll have to settle for an execution." His eyes glinted dangerously. "Goodbye, Stonekeeper." He drew his arm back.
Just before he took the swing, he cried out as a shock of energy hit him. He fell to his knees, gasping from the sudden blow, then turned to see who had attacked him. There stood Trellis, his own sword drawn and wrapped in energy. "Little worm!" Luger hissed angrily. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What I know is right," Trellis answered. "And should have done long ago." He lifted his sword above his head and swung it forward with a mighty cry, sending a powerful wave of energy at his foe. Luger cried out in pain as the power jolted through his body, and was sent flying backward. He came to rest on his back, steaming from the surge. "This is it, Luger," Trellis said. "It's over."
Luger rose, gasped and coughing blood. "What makes you think that you can defeat me?"
"Because I believe I can, I know I can, and I will. And because the king taught me everything he taught you."
Luger's face became crossed with a demonic grin. "No. Not everything." His stone started to glow more intensely, and he laughed demonically.
Trellis looked on in worry and fear. Luger had always been the type to maintain control no matter the circumstances. But now it seemed he was losing control. In seconds, the elf's body began to change; not in shape, but in size. With cries of pain and maniacal power, Luger's clothes soon tore into shreds as his body outgrew them. Trellis watched in terrified awe as his companion grew to a height of fifty feet, the stone shining a spectral green in the center of his chest.
A short distance away, Leon urged Emily to run. "Emily, get up! Move!"
"I-I can't," Emily answered through clenched teeth, struggling to control the stone. "The stone—it's trying to take over."
Leon realized the urgency of the situation. "Keep fighting," he told her. "Don't let it get control. Without you, we won't get out of this alive."
He heard a cry, and looked up to see Trellis jump out from under Luger's titan fist just before it crushed him. The ground rumbled with the impact. Knowing who the giant elf's next targets would be, Leon draped Emily's arms over his shoulders and started toward the cliff. They might not have any choice but to jump. Trying to run while lugging the weight of two bodies is enough to quickly wear down anyone. Leon was no exception. The adrenaline offered some help, but after a few minutes, he began to feel the effects of the effort. He looked back to see what was happening, and wished he hadn't. "No!"
Luger's giant fist strung the ground right behind them. The shockwave and concussion launched them off the edge into the unknown depths of the valley below. Farther and farther they fell, nothing to break their plummet except the ground. But all hope was not lost. From out of the dust, another hand just as large as Luger's appeared and caught them. After recovering from the shock of the breath being knocked out of him, Leon looked forward and saw two small figures in a window.
"Got 'em!" announced Navin.
Without waiting, Theodore and Morrie opened a hatch on the house's wrist and rushed out onto the hand. Morrie draped Emily's arm across his shoulders and said, "Theodore, get the fox guy!" The little robot did as he was told and hefted Leon bodily over his dome. Then they rushed back in through the hatch. "They're inside," Morrie said.
Bottle, the big, boxy robot, took Emily from Morrie and went to the bedroom, where he laid her next to her mother. Navin was instantly there. "Em!" he cried. "Is she okay? Will she be all right?"
"She's battling the stone for control," Leon explained. "The stone's influence is strong, but Emily's will is stronger. She will prevail. She just needs a little more time."
"Then let's give her some," Navin said, growling with determination. "Cogsley, I'm coming back up. Everyone else, buckle up." And he rushed back up to the cockpit and took his seat in the pilot's chair. "Let's get up there."
"Navin," Cogsley said, "this house wasn't built for battle."
"We're not gonna fight," Navin replied, "we're gonna stall." With that, he began the necessary movements to make the house climb the cliff. Before long, they reached the top where Luger was waiting. The giant elf looked at the house and bared his teeth, anticipating a challenge. They stood there for several minutes, staring each other down. Unknown to Luger, Emily was inside his mechanical adversary. "Bring it," Navin hissed, then started running the house toward his opponent. "Come on!" He drew an arm back, preparing for a punch.
But Luger was a more experienced fighter, and had long since learned to watch the movements of others. He applied the same tactic here, and when Navin threw the punch, the elf danced to the side, where he grabbed the house's arm and wrenched it off at the elbow.
"We lost an arm!" Navin shouted.
"Whatever happens," Cogsley told him, "just maintain control!"
Surprised by the ease with which his enemy had evaded the blow, but still determined to deliver one, Navin drew the house's other arm back and immediately threw another punch. This one Luger also evaded, but just barely. Then Navin turned with the momentum and drove the house's left elbow into Luger's nose. The elf howled in pain and rage and stumbled back, covering his face with his hands.
"Ha! Take that!" Navin hooted victoriously. Seizing his chance, he brought the house around and rushed at Luger again, ready for another blow.
But the elf was prepared this time. He felt the shockwaves coming from the house's footsteps. The instant it reached him, he ducked the blow and grabbed the remaining arm, then wrenched it off at the elbow like the last one.
"We've lost the other one!" Navin hollered.
"We have to retreat!" said Cogsley.
But before they could do anything, Luger grabbed the house, spun around once and heaved it away. The mobile building landed with a crash in the stony dirt. Everyone inside was thrown about like the contents of a blender. When the house came to rest, Cogsley looked at the instrument panel. "All systems are down," he said. "We're dead in the water!"
Navin turned around. "Em!" he cried desperately. "Emily, get up! You have to get up!" His sister remained where she was. "Emily, please! They said you're the only one who can stop the giant! Em, you have to get up! I can't do this without you!" But Emily didn't so much as twitch. Outside they heard the heavy thumping of Luger's approaching footsteps, and seconds later his huge hand came crashing through the back wall. Morrie screamed as he jumped out of the way. While all this was happening, Navin continued to watch his sister for any sign of response. "Em, please," he begged. A tear formed in his eye. "You have to come back to us. We need you." The house shook again and Luger struck it, this time with both fists. Now he was trying to smash the house with his enemies inside it. "Emily, come on! You can't fight it. Don't give up!"
"They need you, Master," said the spirit. "But you can't help them like this. Just give in to the stone and harness its power. The stone can destroy the beast with a single blow. Just let it take you."
No, Emily answered resolutely. I can do it without you.
"But how can you possibly defeat such a monstrosity without being one yourself?"
By not fighting alone. And she came awake. The first thing she did was to look around her, and the first one she saw was her brother. "Navin," she said weakly.
"Em!" Navin cried. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine for now," she answered. "Listen, get back in the driver's seat. We're gonna fight this thing, and I'll need your help."
Navin looked around at the wreckage. "But the house is done for," he said. "Both arms are gone, and we can't get out with that thing hanging around. And there's no possible way for us to outrun it."
Leon put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. "Let her speak, Navin," he said. "What do you plan to do, Emily?"
Emily's eyes sparkled determinedly. "I'm going to rebuild the house. Then we'll fight this guy, and win."
Navin and Leon smiled, and then Navin rushed back to the pilot's chair. "So what happens now?" asked Cogsley.
"I don't know," answered Navin, "but stay in that chair."
No sooner had Navin taken his seat than an intense light rushed out from Emily's stone. It suffused throughout the whole house, encompassing every wire, gear and pump. Then it covered the exterior of the house and branched out, seeking the severed limbs. The arms came back and latched into their proper places. "Well, look at that!" exclaimed Cogsley. "All systems are back online!"
Navin lashed out with both legs and delivered a powerful double kick to Luger's gut. The elf, pumped up with adrenaline and blind to everything except reducing the house to so much rubble, was caught off guard and suddenly felt the air leave his lungs with a great whoosh and a sharp pain in his midsection. The force knocked him away several hundred yards. "I'm gonna use some of the auxiliary power to push us back up," Navin said. "You ready?"
"I was built ready."
"Punch it!"
Cogsley stomped on the pedal at his feet, and some of the reserve power was shunted into the arms. Soon, they heard the whirring of drive shafts and gears. The arms were having trouble pushing the house back upright. "More power, Emily! We need more power!"
Emily's face contorted into an expression of someone trying to lift a log. The air sizzled and sparked with the power coming from her stone. Soon, the house was upright again, fists clenched and facing Luger's hulking form.
Furious with having his victory snatched from him and mad with rage, Luger threw his fist forward, striking the house in the center of its torso. The instant contact was made, Emily surrounded his entire forearm with energy. The elf pulled back reflexively and screamed in pain while his hand sizzled as it was cooked.
"Now, Navin!" Emily shouted. "Hit him now!"
"With pleasure," her brother growled. He pulled back on the left lever, drawing back the house's left arm, then shoved it forward, driving the metal fist into the elf's face. The impact drove Luger back so quickly that he was unable to catch himself, and he hit the ground with an earth-shaking crash. "That's what you get when you mess with my family!"
"Darn straight," agreed Emily. "Now let's give him everything we've got."
"The honor and pleasure are all mine," Navin replied. "Ring the triangle. It's dinnertime!" He drew back the house's right arm, and with a yell drove it forward. Emily shunted the stone's power into the drive and propelled the fist on, straight for Luger's ugly face. The elf saw the blow coming and moving to defend himself but was too slow, and instinctively turned his head sideways to protect his eyes. As a result, the fist struck him in the cheek, cutting skin and breaking bone and knocking out several teeth. The blow drove him off the cliff, and he fell screaming into the deep valley below.
"Yeah!" Navin cheered. "We did it! We beat him!"
Suddenly, everything started shutting down again. "We're losing power!" Cogsley reported.
Navin looked back to see Emily stumbling, an exhausted look on her face. "Em?" he asked. She began to sway, and Navin was begin-ning to worry. "Emily?" Then, with a tired sigh, she fell. "Emily!" Navin jumped up and rushed to her side. "Don't worry, you'll be fine! We're gonna get help!"
Her last memory before passing out was Navin rushing around trying to find someone to help him.
Then everything went black.