Chapter Four
A group of henchmen escorted Dad, Granny and Jeremy to the brig, whilst Varg did not hesitate to drag his arch enemy toward the flight deck. Tom Clarke had escaped from him countless times before; this time he wasn't going to let him get away.
"You have got to stop Lyzera!" begged the wizard, "If she opens the threshold of enchantment, there's no telling what could be inside it!"
"I do not want to listen to your artifice, halfling!"
...
Now Varg was out of the way, Lyzera was free to experiment with her sorcery skills upon the Hope Diamond. She muttered an incantation, and already wisps of magic started leaking from both her necklaces. She fought to restrain herself from lapping up the misty trails flowing around her chest.
A few metres away from her, a mysterious glow appeared on the floor. It grew gradually brighter, and expanded to cover a sizable portion of the carpet. If it had been an opening, it would have nearly been big enough for a person to fit inside...
...
The doors of the Zarantulus' gaol clicked shut, trapping Michael, Ursula and Jeremy inside. The guards exited the room, leaving the captives to bemoan their fate.
"There must be a way out!" Gran fingered the prison bars. "Perhaps we could try an invisibility spell - like Eva Starling!"
"If you want that to work, you'll have to get us out of the cell first," said Dad.
"Aah." Mrs Crowe wandered over to the seating and sat herself down. She pondered for a few moments before her face lit up. "What about a shrinking charm? If we were only three inches tall, this cell would no longer be able to contain us!"
"Do you have any spells left, Ursula? You've already used up two passing charms and you've wiped the guards' memories."
"Oh." She fell silent.
Dad got up and strolled over to the bars. He tapped them to test how strong they were. Once he concluded that they were too sturdy for them to break, he studied the lock. He wriggled the panel around, trying to figure out its weaknesses. Surely if they had the right device it would be possible to pick it.
"Ursula?" he called, "Do you have a safety pin?"
"Not on me, no."
Mr Clarke tried to wrench off the lock mechanism.
"Michael, what on Earth are you doing?" Granny sprang to her feet.
"The only thing that's between us and our freedom is this locking device. I'm trying to see whether it's possible to open it."
"I don't think you'll be able to break an alien locking device with your bare hands! I doubt anything would have an effect on this panel except professional equipment, and I'm certain we don't have anything like that!"
Whilst they weren't looking, Jeremy had removed his rucksack and begun rummaging through its contents. He drew out a large black purse.
"Would this be any use?"
Inside the wallet was a selection of metal instruments in all different sizes.
"I do not believe it..." mused Ursula. A massive smile slowly crept over her face.
Michael gestured to the panel. "Let's get to work!"
...
Tom and Varg had made it to the flight deck now. The king regent strolled over to his throne and thrust Tom on the floor.
"Ow!" said Tom, landing in a rather awkward position.
"Prepare the extractor," Varg ordered Technician Jathro 15, who was nearby.
"As my Excellency commands, it shall be done!"
He went over to one of the computers.
"Let me go, Varg," begged Tom, "I..."
"The extractor is ready, my Excellency."
"I...um..." What could he say?
"Speak, wizard half-form!" Varg was practically breathing down his neck.
"...I might know where Lexi is."
Varg's tentacles arched.
...
Dad, Granny and Mr Wren hurried down the corridor before anyone noticed the state of the holding cell.
"How are we going to get outta here?" asked Jeremy.
"Never mind that, how are we going to rescue Tom?" worried Mr Clarke.
Suddenly, Gran beckoned for everyone to stop. They had made it to a corner. Ursula peered round it cautiously, and spotted two officers coming towards them. If they didn't do something fast, they'd be thrown back in the brig before they could blink.
"I have an idea..." the Mistress whispered to her comrades.
...
Varg was stood in dead silence.
"Are you all right, my Excellency?" enquired a confused Jathro.
Tom studied his enemy's eyes. It looked as though he was contemplating what he'd just said.
"Tell me more, wizard."
Tom smiled uneasily. He thought about the spell he had cast during the battle against Kooth a few months ago when he turned Princess Lexi into a human. Where could he possibly have sent her...?
Unfortunately, the truth was he had no idea! When he had drank the bottle of raw magic, powerful enchantment beyond his ability to control had seethed through his body. The building blocks of matter and reality had been cradled in his hands. He supposed he probably sent Lexi to somewhere in England, but at the same time, he could have sent her anywhere in the world. For all he knew, she could be lost in some obscure part of rural Bangladesh!
Remembering the princess' tender face made him ache with loneliness. He wished he did know where she was.
"I...er..."
"I am waiting, half-form."
Tom racked his brain. Say something! Say something! His life depended on it!
"Varg..." interrupted a female voice.
"What is it, my Lady?" responded Varg. Lyzera was communicating through one of the consoles.
"The portal has opened for me, and it will soon be large enough to enter."
"What?! How is this possible?"
"Never mind about about that, dear husband. We are a few steps away from universal domination!"
"No, Lyzera - you can't!" pleaded Tom.
"Have you not yet drained that infuriating wizard half-form of every last drop of magic, husband Varg?"
"No, my Lady. I will see to it." He grabbed Tom's shoulder roughly and pulled him to his feet.
"Please, Varg, listen to me! If you let me go, then I'll-"
"Enough talking, halfling!"
Tom was shoved into the extractor. Varg chuckled as he rapped furiously on the glass like a caged animal.
"Prepare to meet your doom, Tom Clarke." He grinned menacingly.
All of a sudden, Varg gave a startled cry, and collapsed to the ground. Behind him stood an armed Nekross guard, who appeared to have hit him over the head with his weapon. Jathro swivelled in fright to see what had just happened, only to be knocked out as well. Tom's jaw dropped open.
The mysterious guard removed his helmet, to reveal the familiar face of Michael Clarke.
"Dad!?"
Mr Clarke eyed the extractor thoroughly.
"How do you open this thing?"
He tugged at the door until finally it set Tom free. His son fell upon him in a loving embrace.
"You saved my life."
"Anything for you, Tom."
Granny made her way onto the bridge, rushed over and wrapped her arms round him.
"You're alive, Thomas!"
"Yeah...I think I gathered that."
It was then Tom caught sight of something that sent a pang through his chest.
"That was so brave of you, nearly getting your magic extracted! Your grandad would be proud!"
"Hold on a minute, Gran." He pointed toward the entrance. "Do you realise there's a Nekross soldier standing in the doorway?"
Ursula turned to see a six-foot guard positioned several metres away from them.
The henchman loaded his gun...or was he just pretending to? He pointed it at the trio. "Stick 'em up!" he shouted.
"I should have known." Mrs Crowe trotted over and yanked off his helmet. Underneath was the burglar who had become their reluctant accomplice throughout the duration of the escape plan.
"Wait a minute!" remembered Tom, letting go of Dad, "A few minutes ago, Lyzera sent Varg a message saying she's opened the portal."
"She did what?" Granny paused. "Oh dear! We must get back to Earth as soon as possible! If you two put your helmets back on, it will look as though young Thomas and I are being escorted across the ship."
The phony guards obeyed her instructions, and took hold of their apparent prisoners, albeit much more gently than the actual soldiers. They marched them off the flight deck and toward the transporter room, praying no-one would spot the unconscious Nekross they'd left behind.
...
Lyzera's eyes grew wider and wider, in a similar fashion to the expanding gateway.
"This is the moment I have been waiting for," she reflected, strolling around the illuminated circle, "Finally I - the Lady Lyzera - will become Empress of the universe. No one can stand in my way - not even Tom Clarke!"
She threw back her head and laughed.
"I hope we're not too late for the party," called a voice she was certain she would never hear again.
"Tom Clarke!" The Lady's cheeks flushed scarlet as she turned to face her wizard nemesis. "It is too late! The portal has opened for me, and now I shall enter to find the endless hoards of magic hidden inside."
The room was filled with intense white light, which surrounded her face like a halo.
"Lyzera, listen to me! If you step into that portal, you are going to put everyone on this planet's lives in danger - including your own!"
"I do not take orders from livestock."
Granny dashed on scene.
"Lyzera, please! You have to listen to us!"
The queen regent ignored both of them. She noticed the two Nekross henchmen that had crept up behind the wizards.
"Guards, restrain them."
The soldiers took hold of their arms.
Lyzera paced toward the threshold of enchantment, and carefully edged her way upon the glowing ring, her onlookers staring in terror. She didn't appear to step inside the circle; rather, she seemed to be standing on it. She raised her arms and closed her eyes, relishing the power of the magic that swarmed around her body.
"This magic is beyond intoxicating!" she exclaimed, her voice echoey and distant, "My belly aches for a taste of such superior nourishment..."
She sucked in a fiery rainbow stream, luxuriating the exquisite flavour. This was a feast truly fit for a queen! She chuckled at the thought of what she could achieve now such magic was in her hands...